✈ Don’t Waste Your Money on These Travel Gear Duds, Save 100K Points and $200 With 1 Tip & More From TPG ✈

Also: 6 lesser-known Chase Sapphire Reserve benefits that pay off big

September 16, 2025 View in browser

Buy this, not that by Tarah Chieffi, Senior writer Have you ever been influenced to buy travel gear based on a social media ad or a friend's recommendation, only to find out the item wasn't all it was cracked up to be? Just because something works for one person doesn't mean it'll be right for you … and some items simply don't deliver on their promises. We've all been there. Today, I'm going to share a few of the flops I wish I hadn't added to my cart, and the better-performing items I replaced them with. Travel fan: I swore by this hand-held fan for years, but travel fan technology has come a long way. This Jisulife fan ($24.99) performs much better. It has several speed settings, a neck lanyard for hands-free use and a foldable design so I can set it down and still stay cool when I am sitting down. Travel pillow: Stuffable travel pillows like this one are nice in theory, but they aren't very comfortable, and several airlines now consider a travel pillow to count as a personal item. Instead, I prefer this Trtl travel pillow ($59.99) for its portability and support. Travel toothbrush: I used to travel with a mini toothbrush like this, but even the ones that claim to have soft bristles feel like brushing your teeth with a grill scraper. Now, I just travel with my Quip sonic toothbrush ($37.99). The adhesive mount that I use to stick it to my mirror at home doubles as a travel cover. Portable charger: I love this power bank because it plugs directly into my phone with no cords, but I prefer this Azmuth power bank ($27.99) because it charges multiple devices at once. Here are a few more travel gear tips for your next shopping trip: 7 travel packing tips to save space in your luggage Keep calm and carry on: The best carry-on luggage for every kind of trip 26 of our favorite gifts for travel tech, luggage, gear and more I've been packing my carry-on wrong Posts in this newsletter contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products, and this may impact how or where they appear. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page. Photo Credit: SOLSTOCK/GETTY IMAGES.

Today's top stories Saving 100,000 points and $200 on a hotel stay with this 1 booking tweak The new Chase Points Boost booking option is really changing the game on how to use points for some hotels. Read more 6 lesser-known Chase Sapphire Reserve benefits that pay off big You've likely heard about the Chase Sapphire Reserve's $300 annual travel credit, but here are six lesser-known perks you might not have known about. Read more Another great KLM business-class flight with a last-minute mileage deal — and you can book it, too A review of KLM's Dreamliner from Amsterdam to New York in business class, booked using Flying Blue miles at a great price. Read more The best credit card welcome bonuses of September 2025 Make sure these elevated and limited-time credit card offers are on your radar this month, or you could end up missing out. Read more Chase Freedom Q4 categories announced: PayPal, Chase Travel, Old Navy and department stores You won't want to miss out on a single point — or cent of cash back — on your spending. Read more

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