10 great gadgets for your car
There was a time when the height of automotive sophistication was the fitment of a radio or heater. Then things moved on and if you didn’t have an in-car kettle or mechanical trip computer, you were a nobody. But nowadays, even the smallest cars are available with a bewildering array of high-tech gadgetry, from a heated steering wheel to touch-screen multi-media.
Not everyone can afford the latest car though; more of us are driving five-year old Ford Fiestas than six-month old Mercedes S-Classes. So if you fancy a glimpse at how the other half live, here’s what you need to buy to make your car a bit more luxurious – with prices starting at less than a tenner.
In-car coffee machine
Do you spend far too much time in your car? To the point where you sometimes feel as though you live in it? If so, why not go all the way and invest in one of these; an in-car espresso machine? Obviously we’re not suggesting that you brew up while on the move, or even that you drink when anything other than stationary. But if you fancy saving a fortune on motorway service coffee bills – or perhaps even making a few quid the next time you’re stuck in traffic when the M1 has been closed yet again – then look no further.
More at www.handpresso.com
CD slot organiser
Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best. Modern cars are often full of cubby holes, but they’re often out of reach or just not handy enough for those little things you want close to hand. That’s where this neat gadget comes in. Perfect for resting your mobile phone on if you use it as a sat-nav, you’ll need to think about how your stereo is installed, as the angles might be all wrong. But you won’t find anything this useful for your car, for less than a tenner.
More at www.cdslotmount.com
Dashcam
They’ve been available for a few years now, but it’s only over the past couple of years or so that suddenly dashcams have become much more widely available. Perhaps it’s all that youtube footage of errant Russian drivers that’s done it – whatever it is, British drivers want to capture their drives for posterity. There are loads of options available and plenty of features to get to grips with; the best round-up of the market we can find is this great piece on the Sunday Times Driving website
Plug-in air purifier
Studies have shown that the air in your car can be more polluted than the air outside. So wouldn’t it be great if you could somehow clean it? Good news! You can, with one of these neat devices that plugs into a 12-volt socket and purifies the air. Noiseless and compact, the purifier helps to clean the air and remove nasty odours.
More at www.boots.com/en/Heaven-Fresh-HF-60-Car-Air-Purifier_122408/
Rain-X
This isn’t a recent innovation but it’s amazing how few people know about it. Rain-X has been around for years and is incredibly easy to use – and remarkably effective too. Just wash your car’s glass, apply some Rain-X (other brands are available) and voila! The rain just beads off, improving visibility and saving your wipers.
More at www.rainx.co.uk
In-car 4G hotspot
The idea of a home without wifi now seems unthinkable, and for many of us our cars are an extension of our homes. Therefore, in theory, in-car wifi is a must-have feature for some – especially those who have to keep kids amused on a long journey. All of the mobile networks now offer in-car wifi and with the right set-up you can create a hotspot for up to 10 devices. So unless the family transport is a minibus, everyone should be happy.
More at www.incarwifi.com
Alloygators
An idea doesn’t have to be high-tech to be ingenious and really rather useful. The Alloygator is a case in point. More and more cars feature alloy wheels which look great until you’ve carved a chunk out of the rim when parking against a kerb. The answer is to fit a set of these sacrificial plastic trims. Just make sure you avoid the lime green ones if you don’t want to be picked up by the taste police.
More at www.alloygator.com
Personal breathalyser
Drink driving is one of the most serious motoring offences there is, and every year around 100,000 people lose their licence because they’ve been caught over the limit. Often it’s the morning after, sometimes it’s because drivers have under-estimated how much they’ve drunk. The obvious answer is to stay off the booze altogether if you’re driving, but if you don’t completely abstain and you need some peace of mind, invest in one of these. Whether or not you want to risk your licence against a device that’s so much cheaper than a cop-spec breathalyser is up to you. But Alcosense has invested huge sums in developing its products and if you buy a range-topper you’ll have the best personal breathalyser money can buy.
More at http://alcosense.co.uk
Tyre pressure monitoring
Regulations mean all new cars have to come with tyre pressure monitoring as standard, but whatever you drive you can be secure in the knowledge that if you go soft at one corner (as it were), it’ll be flagged up. Budget upwards of £150 to have a system fitted, but if you do, you know that you won’t have to buy a tyre pressure gauge. Speaking of which…
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Digital tyre pressure gauge
OK, we admit it. Tyre pressure gauges aren’t sexy and there’s nothing we can say that’ll convince you that you want one for your next birthday. But if there’s one thing you can do to be a safer driver it’s to regularly check your car’s tyres. That means checking their tread and also their pressures. While the old-fashioned gauges are rather dull, a digital gauge has a high-tech feel and there are some seriously neat designs on the market, including this one produced by Michelin.
More at www.amazon.co.uk/Michelin-Digital-Tyre-Pressure-Gauge/dp/B000V5F0XQ
Richard Dredge
January 2016
