‘The only hat you’ll ever need’: the travel essentials that made your holiday better

Seas the getaway with these travel gamechangers. Photograph: Oscar Wong/Getty ImagesView image in fullscreenSeas the getaway with these travel gamechangers. Photograph: Oscar Wong/Getty Images‘The only hat you’ll ever need’: the travel essentials that made your holiday betterSnack packs, swim fins, and a foundation brush for applying sun cream …

we asked you for the one thing worth making suitcase space for The best suitcases – testedJump toThe holiday heroes that go the distanceJourney essentialsLuggageToiletriesWomen’s holiday accessoriesMen’s holiday accessoriesCounting down until your next getaway? We thought so. It’s peak holiday season, so to help you get in the mood (and get a head start on packing), we asked you for the essentials that always make it into your suitcase.

From tried-and-tested luggage and day-to-night sandals to long-journey entertainment for kids, our reader recommendations and Filter favourites will provide lots of inspiration for your next trip.The holiday heroes that go the distanceView image in fullscreenStripe linen throw£135 at ToastMorwenna Ferrier opts for a linen throw over a towel for the beach. Towels are “too bulky and slow to dry”, she says in our guide to summer style and beauty tips.

“I also carry an extra baby muslin for drying myself.”View image in fullscreenKids’ anti-UV sun top£6.99 at DecathlonRash vests: always pack these as they can be expensive to buy at the beach.

Decathlon’s are great. Ali PayneView image in fullscreenUE Wonderboom 4 waterproof portable speakerFrom £57.16 at John Lewis£55.

59 at AmazonA waterproof speaker: we love to put music on around the pool (if we’re in a private villa) or in the room. We’ve had one for years, and it still works perfectly. APView image in fullscreenBodyboard fins£24.

99 at DecathlonSimple open-heel fins. I use them for most unspectacular bodysurfing or just any fun in the water. MarkView image in fullscreenNescafé instant cappuccino, 12 sachets£2.

50 at Asda£2.40 at AmazonOn my last holiday in Greece, the most useful thing I remembered to take was a few sachets of instant cappuccino. I cannot do without a coffee when I wake up, so sachets were handy.

SylviaView image in fullscreenPop-up laundry basket£4 at ArgosA pop-up laundry basket flattens down and keeps the hotel room tidy from piles of washing. Essential when you have small children going through three-plus outfit changes a day. AnnaView image in fullscreenBicycle waterproof playing cards£12.

99 at John Lewis£15.99 at AmazonWaterproof cards were a great investment for a Cyprus holiday so hot we didn’t want to get out of the pool. They kept happily us entertained for hours.

Monica HorridgeView image in fullscreenStokke CloudSleeper inflatable travel bed£89 at Stokke£89 at John LewisFor children who are “too big for a travel cot but too small for a single bed with no rails”, Rose Stokes recommends this inflatable travel bed for kids. “It packs up small and inflates in less than a minute with its built-in pump, plus it comes in prints that kids are bound to love,” she says in her roundup of everything you need for travelling with kids.Journey essentialsView image in fullscreenKeepCup Commuter travel mug, 340ml£32 at KeepCup£32 at AmazonAny long journey is greatly improved by a hot (or cold) beverage.

Avoid single-use cups by investing in a travel mug you’ll reach for time and again. Pete Wise rated the KeepCup Commuter the best overall in his test of the best travel mugs, thanks to its “impressive temperature control”, easy-to-use design and spill-proofing.View image in fullscreenInfinity travel pillow£42 at Infinity PillowIf you want to get some shut-eye on the journey, a travel pillow will be a godsend.

But which ones actually help you get comfortable? Pete Wise found the answer in his review of the best travel pillows. The Infinity pillow came out on top after his comprehensive tests on buses, trains and …

arcade machines.View image in fullscreenMicrofibre pillowcase£2 at DunelmAn empty pillowcase: you can stuff it with extra clothes for a pillow on the plane or a spare pillow on holiday. KHView image in fullscreenMyHalos blackout sleep mask£9.

99 at MyHalos£9.99 at AmazonSleep masks aren’t just handy for the journey but at the final destination too (when you may be at the mercy of an ineffective blind). This blackout mask received top marks from Jane Hoskyn in her trial of the best sleep aids, helping her to achieve nine hours of blissful shut-eye.

View image in fullscreenIkea Istad kitchen bags, 50£3.50 at IkeaView image in fullscreenBose QuietComfort noise-cancelling headphonesFrom £209 at John Lewis£209 at CurrysPrepack snacks for kids on the plane. Clear bags give the kids ownership of their snacks, so they don’t disturb you as much!

Speaking of which: noise-cancelling headphones! APView image in fullscreenAnker Nano power bank£19.99 at Anker£19.

99 at AmazonDon’t risk finding yourself stranded on holiday with no phone battery and no idea how to get home. Pete Wise ra