Pilot tools

This is a list of the tools I use to fly safely and recommend to you too.

Kneeboard
This trifold kneeboard is excellent to write on, quickly store pens and other items in, even your phone fits in perfectly. I have been flying with mine for 6 years. Great. Make sure once you put on your yoke can move freely.

Headset
If you have the money make the investment and buy the Bose A30 headset. It will last  30 years. If you want a midrange I recommend David Clark, if you want a cheap one: This is probably the best cheap headset. If you are a student and on a tight budget a fine choice.

Tablet
While there are some good EFBs for Android tablets the general consensus is that ipads are more reliable and have a wider choice of software. Most modern ipads will be fast enough to support the latest and greatest EFBs. Personally I use the ipad air. It has a good size screen and is very portable as well as it has good support for Apple pencil. If you have great eyes an ipad mini is also a good choice.

Tablet mount
For maximum safety (eyes up) and situational awareness I recommend mounting your ipad to the windshield. The best mounts are made by RAM. Make sure to get the different parts. The suction mount to mount it to the window, the arm to swivel and the EZ roller to mount your ipad. Make sure to get the correct EZ roller for your tablet, they are all different. 

EFB (Electronic Flight Bag)
Garmin Pilot. The two major EFB (electronic Flight bags) do not differ much. Here is an extensive comparison that I created. Garmin is much cheaper than Fore Flight making it a better choice. Also it is my favorite EFB. It's split screen is much better than FF as are the widgets which allow you to much quicker xcountry planning. 

Fuel stick, this generic fuel stick will let you measure fuel level in different planes. 

Fuel tester, this is the most used and best fuel tester.

Handheld radio.
This radio is particularly good because it also has GPS, VOR and ILS support. This radio pays for itself because it will alllow you to get the weather before you start your engine saving you $4-$7 on every flight of hobbs.

LiveATC
This is an app that broadcasts atc in real time. It is a great tool to get better on the radio. Turn it on whenever you have some idle time to improve your radio skills. Extra points if you also readback what tower says to pilots. Follow the tower/ground of the airport where you train. 

ADSB receiver
This allows you to see traffic, other planes on your phone and ipad.  My favorite is the Garmin GDL50, yes it is a bit pricier than competition but it will last 30 years. It's more compact than many competitors and will last a day of flying on it's battery.  If you are looking for a cheap ADSB receiver you can consider the stratux, it will work with both Garmin Pilot and Foreflight

Flying at home on your PC or Mac
Using a simulator at home can help you to learn faster and quicker. There are two major flight siulators for home computers: Microsoft Flight simulator and X-Plane. While Microsoft offers fancier graphics, X-plane is more realistic, in particular for IFR flying. I personally use Xplane regularly to train all kinds of flying. It will run very well on recent hardware both Mac and PC. Microsoft Flight simulator will only run on PC and xbox. I recommend getting a Yoke, throttle quadrant and rudder pedals. Get them used for additional savings. On the input devices: the more you spend the better the quality. However just basic versions like Logitech will work fine.