by Elizabeth Millard

Business travel can be most beneficial for beefing up a client list, strengthening good contact relations and simply seeing other parts of your own country or the world. But with flight delays, lost hotel reservations, rental car woes and other common travel troubles, corporate travel can also feel like a pain sometimes.

Want to make your next trip easier? Consider investing in a few tools that will alleviate the inevitable headaches to come:

Travel Coffee Maker
Admit it: you're a bit of a java junkie. Waking up in a new hotel room, in an unfamiliar city, could create a sense of adventure and a fresh burst of productivity. But more often than not, it first inspires a thought of: "Where can I get a cup of coffee, right this second?"

With the Zelco coffee maker, you don't have to fret for long. The mini machine has a cup, snap-tight lids, dual-voltage plug and even a spoon and drawstring storage pouch for your favorite brew. And the components nest together into such a compact package that the whole device can fit in a carry-on without much effort.

Portable GPS Unit
Although many rental cars now have GPS as an option, but if you're walking around a city or taking public transportation, you may be in trouble. Having a handheld, digital map can be useful for any occasion. Check out the Magellan Crossover GPS, a pocket-sized, lightweight device that has an 8-hour battery. The downside is that it doesn't work for most international travel, since it currently only has street maps of the United States and Canada; but on the bright side, you can also listen to MP3s on it.

DocuPen
Are there ever moments when you watch a James Bond film or old episodes of "Alias," and think: Why can't I have a retina scanner that doubles as a lipstick case? Although most spy gadgets are unfortunately both impractical and fictional, there's one gadget that feels a bit 007-esque and works great for business travel too. It's the Pen, the DocuPen—a handheld color scanner that's about the size of, well, a pen. The gadget is remarkably compact, and allows you to scan letters, pictures and other documents. This saves enormously on photocopy costs when traveling or having to find ways to send documents digitally when on the road. Sorry, retina scanning isn't an option for the DocuPen quite yet, but don't give up hope, Mr. Bond.

Business Travel Insider Sites
One of the best tools isn't something you can fit in a briefcase—instead, it's just a few clicks away. By having a long browser bookmark list that includes "insider" sites geared toward travel, you can have more power in getting deals on tickets, choosing airline seats and picking hotels with the kind of amenities you enjoy.

One prime example is SeatGuru, which has diligently mapped the best seats for every airline and every type of aircraft. For those who get crunched in seats too small for comfort or who keep ending up near the bathroom, this guide can be invaluable as not all seats are created equal. Also helpful is a key that shows where power outlets hide, so you can plug in a laptop mid-air.

Another handy site is SmarterTravel, with editor picks on the best airfare deals, travel guides, podcasts and photo galleries of many destinations. Also featured is a "tip of the day" with advice such as how to travel with prescription medication or how to get a live customer service rep on the phone right away.

With the right collection of online resources and gadgets, business travel has never been so easy. And of course, an iPass connection is one of the best tools for making sure you stay connected, no matter where you're jetting off to next.