Top five essential gadgets for drivers

OK, so the title is a little misleading. In truth, there really aren’t any truly essential gadgets for drivers. If they were genuinely necessary, they would surely come as standard equipment on all new cars, like seatbelts or mirrors. One other thing that is essential – albeit only when buying a used car – is the peace of mind that comes with getting a history check done on a car before you buy it. That way, you can be assured that your car has not been stolen, written off, or clocked.

Visit autocheck.co.uk to get an vehicle check done today. Here are five in-car essentials that no self-respecting road warrior would want to be without…

Choosing the right car is just the first step…time to accessorise!

Head up display

Nothing makes you feel like you’re in an 80s movie like a head-up display. Now that we are over a decade into the 21st century, these sci-fi marvels are actually available for a relatively affordable price, in the form of devices such as Speedview’s Head-Up Display. Besides making you feel like Val Kilmer in Top Gun, they can also be very useful for helping to keep within the speed limit, thereby avoiding costly speeding tickets.

Smartphone docking station

There is no denying that smartphones, with their in-built sat-nav and music players, can be a boon for drivers. However, if you don’t find somewhere to put it, that fragile mini-computer is going to slide around and fall off whatever surface you put it on. This is why you need a docking station such as Exspect’s In Car Holder to keep it in place, and within easy reach, while you are driving.

In-car refrigerator

Fed up of paying highway-robbery prices for food at service stations? With an in-car refrigeration device such as The Mini Fridge by Think Geek, you could be keeping all manner of things cold inside your vehicle. Soft drinks, ready meals, salads – you could take it all out with you on the road. Of course, if you were going to get the best results from those ready meals, you’re going to need one of these as well…

In-car microwave

Now we’re talking. With a 12v-powered heating device such as the Wavebox Microwave Oven in your car, you could be enjoying a whole range of warmed foods while you are on the move. Instead of checking out the usually-disappointing selection of pasties at the petrol station, you could be chowing down on a lamb moussaka or a delicious chicken korma in a lay-by of your choosing. Of course, all this is sounding pretty energy-intensive – which is why we’re going to need one of these…

Solar battery charger

Portable solar cells, such as Ring Automotive’s Solar Maintainer, can be very useful if you are plugging a lot of gadgets into your vehicle’s battery socket. These harness the sun’s mighty rays (even on a rainy day) and turn them into useful electricity with which to top up your car battery.

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