4 Road Trip Car Gadgets That Are Worth The Trunk Space

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When you're packing for a road trip, there is a lot to consider. Of course, you want everyone's personal belongings, but you also have to think about things that will make your time on the road more convenient and less stressful. Emergency car gadgets worth having on hand, such as a portable vehicle jump starter and a tire repair kit, are a good idea, and many of these road-trip friendly car gadgets are easily found on Amazon. 

However, beyond all the just-in-case stuff that you hopefully won't have to use, there are plenty of other gizmos and devices that can enhance your time on the road. For example, a car refrigerator can keep drinks and snacks cool as you drive. Similarly, a vacuum can aid in cleaning up after a snacking session, especially if your passengers include kids. So, here are some excellent road trip car gadgets that are certainly worth the limited space you have in your car.

A car refrigerator can be an excellent gadget to bring on road trips. Unlike typical coolers that require ice to keep things chilled, a portable refrigerator for the car has a built-in compressor to keep the internal temperature low and can be powered by a 12-volt outlet. This gives you more precise temperature control and eliminates the need to replace ice.

Depending on the model you go with, there can be two zones, one for frozen items and the other for regular cooling. In some instances, there is a single zone that can be switched between freezing and cooling temperatures. The BougeRV Refrigerator is a solid choice as it's reasonably priced at $190, though you can often find it discounted on Amazon. BougeRV offers the fridge in 23- or 30-quart sizes, with a single cooling zone that can be adjusted between -8 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. It's widely liked among Amazon shoppers and has received an average rating of 4.6 stars from nearly 3,000 reviews.

Whether you're looking to camp in the middle of your road trip or just have a reliable power source for when your car isn't running, a portable power station is a great choice. It can run your car refrigerator with the engine turned off and charge mobile devices, among other things. Typically, these power stations can be charged with a 12V car outlet or, in some cases, with solar panels. Perhaps most importantly, you don't risk draining your car's battery by using it for power when the engine is off.

The EcoFlow River 2 Pro is a widely-recommended power station that you can consider for road trips. It weighs 17 pounds and packs a 768-watt-hour battery that can run a 50-watt car refrigerator for up to 12 hours. The River 2 Pro comes with four AC outlets, four USB ports, and a 12V DC outlet. It supports fast-charging and can deliver up to 800W of power (with up to 1600W in short bursts). From over 1,500 reviews on Amazon, this portable power station has earned a 4.5-star rating. Though it retails for $530, the sale price as of this writing is $339.

It's hard to keep your car from getting dirty during road trips. Between food crumbs, dirt, and grit, the seats and floors can quickly start looking unpleasant. So, it's a good idea to give the interior a once-over when things start getting out of control. An effective gadget to help you with that is a car vacuum.

The Fanttik Slim V10 Apex Cordless Car Vacuum is a solid choice on this front. It has a built-in battery that, like some of the coolest new car gadgets, can be charged with a USB-C cable. Fanttiik's vacuum also offers 30 minutes of runtime in low-power mode and provides up to 19,000Pa of suction power. It comes with 10 different attachments that help make it easier to remove dirt, dust, and other debris from your car. 

The Fanttik unit can also be used as a blower, inflator, and deflator, making it pretty versatile. It costs $110 and is available in four colors. Amazon shoppers are generally positive about this car vacuum, giving it a rating of 4.3 stars from nearly 600 reviews.

A collapsible trunk organizer may not be the flashiest car gadget, but it's quite useful. With plenty of stuff hogging your trunk space during a road trip, effective organization helps when you need to find something easily and allows you to use the space more efficiently. Moreover, if everything is properly placed, it shouldn't move around too much if you have to slam on the brakes. Collapsible trunk organizers typically come with non-slip bottoms, tie-down straps, and multiple compartments.

TrunkCratePro sells an excellent option that's available in three different sizes to meet different spaces and needs. It's secured with a buckle and strap system, and features integrated polypropylene board construction. You also get detachable sub-dividers to organize the space and multiple side pockets to slide in small items. TrunkCratePro's organizer starts at $33 and is available in multiple colors. It has also garnered an impressive average rating of 4.7 stars on Amazon from more than 25,000 reviews.