5 Of The Best Gadgets To Keep In Your Handbag

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Unlike luggage or backpacks, handbags are made for everyday activities, whether it's on the way to school, work, or brunch with your friends. Typically, they can come in different sizes, with some spacious enough to carry laptops, while others can be small enough to barely fit your wallet and some sample-sized lipsticks. Regardless of the size, maximizing your handbag can mean spending less on having to buy things while you're out and about and making sure you're well-equipped for whatever life decides to throw at you. So, if you want to improve the practicality of your handbag of choice, you may want to consider adding a few gadgets to the mix.

When choosing gadgets to grace your handbags, you need to be selective in terms of what can realistically fit inside them and their limited real estate. Not to mention, you'll want to avoid things that are unnecessarily heavy, since you'll need to bring everything around from point A to B. Because of this, there are two main things to consider when buying gadgets for handbags: compactness and multi-functionality. To give you an idea of how the right gadgets can help support your day-to-day or even save you in an emergency, I've listed a few items that regularly grace everything from my larger work totes to small handbags on trips or dinners. To learn more about why I chose them, you can skip to the end of the article, but if you're ready to add some tried-and-tested options, keep reading.

As someone who's always on the go, I've been using the Anker MagGo Power Bank Ultra-Slim 10,000mAh for years. For the most part, it has been a great companion for travel, especially during long flights or days away from your hotel room. Apart from its 30W USB-C port, it has a 15W Qi wireless charger, which means if you have a compatible phone, you don't have to worry about having a cable. But if it's just for your everyday handbag, the even more compact Anker 621 Magnetic Portable Charger is more than enough to save you from a drained battery during a full day or occasional night out. While it has half the capacity at 5,000 mAh, it can fully charge most iPhone models while being cheaper at just under $40. Lighter by 2.6 oz and slimmer by about 0.13 inches, this slight difference can impact how tiny the handbag you plan to bring is. As of writing, the 5,000 mAh variant is an Amazon's Choice product with an average rating of 4.3 stars from more than 16,500 people.

Both models still use Qi Wireless charging, which is less efficient than with a cable. If you think it's too slow, the issue might be resolved by investing in the right hardware, such as a fast-charging cable from a reliable manufacturer. Not to mention, you can also get a cable that can do more than charge your phone, like acting as a LAN cable or giving you fast transfer speeds.

While there are a ton of USB-C charging bricks out there, this particular Anker Prime 67W GaN Wall Charger is great in multiple ways. Priced at $49.99, it has garnered an average rating of 4.8 stars from more than 3,700 Amazon users. I've been a long-time user of this particular charging brick, since it strikes a great balance between flexibility, form factor, and charging speed. Capable of charging mobile phones, tablets, and laptops, it has three USB charging ports: 2 USB-C and 1 USB-A. Measuring 1.97 inches on its longest side, it weighs just 5.12 ounces in total.

Alternatively, Anker has a more recent version, the Anker USB-C Charger (Nano II, 65W), which isn't just cheaper by $10 but is also more popular with an average rating of 4.6 stars from more than 18,000 Amazon customers. Retailing for $39.99, Anker claims that its GaN II technology is twice as efficient as its predecessor. To do this, Anker needed to add more than half an inch on its longest side to be able to do it, but it still weighs marginally less at 4.9 ounces. Because of this, my personal experience is that it had a tendency to fall out of wall plugs because of how the weight is distributed when the cables are attached. However, there were no problems when it was plugged in vertically. On the contrary, I found that the square base of the Anker 67W USB-Charger was often more stable.

JISULIFE is practically a household name in many parts of Asia, where it can be hot and humid half the year. Personally, I've used the $85.95 JISULIFE Portable Handheld Turbo Fan for a few months, and it has been the perfect companion for my little sling bags for the European summer, as well as the humid cities of Manila and Hanoi. With a scroll wheel that lets you choose speeds up to 19.2 m/s, the 9,000 mAh battery can last an impressive 6 hours on lower settings. It also comes with nozzles for inflating and dusting things. Although if I could complain about something, it's that this handheld fan can be quite loud and distracting in public spaces.

If you want a cuter option for tiny handbags, there's also the JISULIFE Handheld Mini Fan. Priced at around the $20 mark, it has a maximum 19-hour run time and two useful features that set it apart from similar mini fan options: a flashlight and a power bank. If you tend to carry a big handbag, the light feature can help with finding things inside it, especially at night. While the 2000 mAh power bank capacity can only charge less than half of the iPhone 17 Pro's 4,252 mAh battery, it can function more as a saving grace that can tide you over in an emergency. Not to mention, you can use it handheld or flat on the desk, plus it folds neatly and is less than 5 inches on its longest side.

One of the most common tools I realized I need frequently is a pair of scissors, whether it's to cut loose threads or open packets. Because of this, I found the Victorinox Classic SD Pocket Knife strikes a good balance between form and function that barely takes up any space in my handbag. Considering it has been around for over a hundred years, there are so many affordable secondhand options. For example, I was able to find mine in a flea market in Japan before it was confiscated at an airport. While you can get away with bringing Swiss Army Knives on planes, regulations will vary per country and are always up to the discretion of the people screening your stuff.

Among the smallest Swiss Army Knives, it's not as tiny as the Victorinox Escort. But if you often need toothpick tweezers, nail file, or blade, it can be good enough. On the other hand, another possible contender for a fun-sized Victorinox pocket knife with a pair of little scissors is the Signature Lite, which replaces some Classic SD features with a pen and LED light instead. For people who want something that's a little more sleek, the $44.99 Victorinox Swiss Card might fit better with your thinner handbags. That said, the best multi-tool for you is impacted by your day-to-day experiences. With this, I recommend paying attention to what kind of tools you find yourself reaching for regularly before making a decision.

As an Apple user who is invested in the ecosystem across the board, the AirTag has been a useful pocket-sized gadget for me in more ways than one. In general, there are plenty of useful places you can attach AirTags, from house keys to wallets and even musical instruments. Through the years, my AirTags have graced everything from my checked-in luggage, work backpacks, to my everyday handbags. After all, it can be easy to misplace your bags, especially if they're small and you are planning to have a wild night out or moving from one bar to another. Although Apple has long stated that AirTags aren't made for tracking people, I've personally slipped mine into a friend's pocket, because they had a tendency to disappear on the dance floor. Not to mention, it can be a useful way to recover your bad if you ever find it stolen and you need to make an insurance claim or police report.

On Amazon, the AirTag retails for $29 for a single piece and $99 for a pack of 4 or about $24.75 each. In general, most people seem to think it works great, since more than 35,000 users have given it an average rating of 4.7 stars. However, if you're not part of the Apple ecosystem, some other lost item trackers you can consider include the Tile Pro, Chipolo One, and Orbit. When choosing your preferred one, some things to think about include the range, battery life, alarm volume, and price.

To round up this list, I've listed a few items I've personally used, wherein I've shared why I think they're a must-have for people who can't leave their homes without their handbags. In addition, I've included similar, highly-rated products by the same manufacturer that I've also considered and may be better suited for your particular needs. Some factors I've included to help you decide include how big your bag might be, the shape of your bag, and your mobile ecosystem. Lastly, I made sure to also mention how other users have rated each gadget on Amazon, so you can get an idea of how other people think they have delivered on their promises.