Most people go on holiday to get away from modern life and its plethora of electronic gadgets. But there are a few electronic devices that some people just can't live without. Your mobile phone is one of them. Even if you decide to carry it switched off to stop the office ringing you while you are on holiday, it is useful to have one in case of emergencies. You may be one of those people who just can't resist sneaking your laptop along to check some emails or perhaps do a little work. Even your car can run out of power. Considering how many 'essentials' now need power of some kind, it may be worth packing some travel power supplies when you go on holiday.

Luckily many of the devices that you may want to take on holiday can be charged using one multi-purpose, versatile charger. Some of the ones offered on the market have inter-changeable connectors that can fit almost any electronic device. So whether it's your electric shaver or a mobile phone, a multi-purpose charger is a useful addition to your luggage.

Some of the top range models can draw power from laptops, a mains supply, or from your car battery. This means that no matter where you are you should be able to charge a flat device. Most portable power supplies, particularly ones designed for travel, come with adapters for all major appliances. They can charge most of the major mobile phones, laptops and other devices such as digital cameras (so you can always take some holiday snaps), PSPs or Nintendo DS games (so that you can keep the kids occupied on long drives) and music MP3 players. Specifically designed travel power supplies also fit most international power points, even if they differ from the UK standard supply. So a travel power supply is essential if you are travelling abroad and want to take electronic equipment with you.

Some portable power supplies can also sometimes be charged before you leave home and can carry that charge, even away from mains supply power points. This is particularly useful if you decide to go hiking in a remote area and discover that your mobile has run out of power when you need it in an emergency. With a portable power supply, you can recharge your phone there and then.

If you have some device that still uses standard (rechargeable) batteries, you are going to need to take a rechargeable battery charger as well. You can now buy battery chargers that can take a whole range of different size batteries, including the most commonly used AAA and AA batteries. These chargers are also now faster at charging than their predecessors. If you are camping or really want to reduce your carbon footprint, you could go for one of the many solar powered battery chargers available.

With so many electrical devices that we consider to be essential and all of them needing to be recharged at some point, versatile travel power supplies can be invaluable. They are reasonably priced, have become far more reliable and quicker at charging than earlier versions and are extremely versatile. In a technological age, can you really leave home without one?