Commuting on the whole sucks, having to get out of bed early, having to sit/stand uncomfortably whilst being tired, trying to follow BS etiquette whilst trying not to fall asleep on the person next to you so you don’t become the joke of the next viral video!
Not to mention it’s generally a waste of time, so we’ve put together this list of 10 gadgets that should make your life easier and/or save you time/money on your daily commute.
1) A thin but decent power pack / battery
Having enough juice for your commute can feel like a life or death issue at times especially when the alternative is staring blankly at the floor or ceiling in an attempt not to make eye contact with any other breathing soul near you, Anker’s new range of PowerCore Lite products are not only thin but also pack a decent charge, at 10,000 mAh they should give you enough for 2.5x charges of most market-leading smartphones. Combine them with a Nomad USB cable and/or a long 1.8M/6ft charge cable so you can charge quickly in your pocket or from your bag.
2) Foldable bike
Why not combine exercise with commuting to kill two birds with one stone.
Not only are foldable bikes harder to steal, easier to carry on/off trains and good for home/office/car space-saving but they’re also cheap to use and basically free in comparison to public transport, the only problem (other than the risk of being knocked off by a lorry) is breathing in petrol/diesel fumes every day so a pollution mask might be required if you live in a city with high pollution levels (basically every city/town in the UK sadly, thanks a lot non-electric car drivers!).
Check Cycle Surgeries bike line up or check the Electric GoCycle – For those looking for a cheaper alternative check out these City bikes
3) Battery Powered Coffee Mug
OK so this one is a massive luxury and arguably a waste of money considering you can buy much cheaper thermos style flasks for under £30 but if you must have your coffee at the perfect temperature then the Ember Temperature Controlled Smart Coffee Travel Mug is for you + it looks pretty awesome and will reduce the chances of you spending another £3.50 on a takeaway coffee.
As above, just buying one of our recommended standard travel mugs is probably far better for your bank balance though!
4) Screen Protector with Privacy Film
Not only do we recommend that everyone should buy a decent phone case to prevent damage to their phones but also have a screen protector that protects the screen but also one that prevents those nearby peeping at your phone, now you can watch the latest Taylor Swift video in privacy without your neighbours judging you!
5) Noise Cancelling Headphones
Sony’s WH-1000XM3 remain our favourite headphones at the £300 price point, with a linked app that gives you Adaptive Sound Control, in other words they will change settings depending on what you’re doing, e.g. it knows if you’re walking so it turns on some ambient noise so you can hear things that could harm you (e.g. a car and it’s horn) but as soon as you sit still (e.g. on a train carriage) it puts full noise cancelling mode on.
Buy the Sony Headphones | Alternative cheap alternatives: Aero 7 at £35
6) Card wallet for your phone
Having bulky wallets/purses when commuting isn’t ideal, for 90% of the time we now use a Mous phone case paired with a Mous cardholder but at £30 it’s quite a steep addition (we got it on a 50% off combo deal).
Alternatively, these stick-on versions will work on any phone and cost a fraction of the price.
7) Kindle
Amazon’s Kindle product has been a staple for many commuters since its inception and still today it remains the best of the bunch, now with features such as built-in lights as standard for those dark winter commutes or the ability to sync your place in a book with the Audible version.
8) Modern backpack
Buying a decent backpack instead of a messenger style bag can help to prevent discomfort, postural damage and back problems, however, finding one that is suitable, stylish and practical can be difficult. This list of best sellers might help you decide.
For longer trips, we use the Arcido Faroe which is great (although we did get a test unit to keep so didn’t pay full price for it), other similar bags seem to be Inateck.
9) Reusable water bottle + learning where to fill it for FREE
Staying suitably hydrated both before, during after work is vital for your wellbeing, carrying a decent water bottle is a great way to ensure you’re never thirsty and best of all there are 20,000 businesses in the UK offering no strings attached FREE tap water.
For those who want the ultimate drinking flask, check this one from LARQ, although at £95 for a flask it’s stupidly expensive (for most people we suggest one of these) but may save you time and therefore potentially money in the long run.
10) These commuting apps
Tube Exit – 99p
Tube Exits tells you which carriage to board to always arrive adjacent to the platform exit you need, the quickest route (and shortest transfer) for your journey, and live line status information.
Trainline UK app
Whilst expensive to buy tickets with, the app functionality is arguably the best in the business including the price prediction tool and real-time information. Just consider buying your tickets elsewhere.
Audible Subscription and App
Listen to endless superb Audiobooks and/or sync with your Kindle to continue where you left off
Subscribe (+ get a free book) and download the app
Evernote
We call Evernote our second brain, it’s great for note taking, ideas, to-do lists, task managing etc etc.
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