It's as unassuming as it gets, but it works.

My work means I'm of the opinion that you can never have enough external storage. Between writing and filming, I can't afford to run out of space. 

That high demand means both of my main desktop machines have at least three extra drives attached. In the case of my System76 Thelio, there are three internal drives and one external drive. As for my iMac, I have two SanDisk Extreme drives that house video libraries. And because those two drives house video libraries (which can take up massive amounts of space), I needed yet another external drive (before the SanDisks fill up).

Also: Store your SD cards in this case to avoid losing or damaging them

As I had a number of 3.5" SSD drives lying around, I thought the best way to use them would be to purchase cases and turn them into external drives. I found just what I was looking for on Amazon, in the form of the inexpensiveSabrent 2.5 Inch SATA to USB 3.0 enclosure .

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Sabrent 2.5 Inch SATA to USB 3.0 External Hard Drive Enclosure

The Sabrent 2.5" hard disk enclosure can turn your extra SSD drives into added storage.

At just$11.99, this case isn't the fanciest, nor does it come with a lot of bells and whistles. Basically, it's a plastic case that allows you to insert a 2.5" SSD drive (without having to use tools), and it includes an on/off switch, an LED indicator light, and a USB cable.

Also: How to set up your own NAS for more reliable data backups

It's simple, but it works -- and it works well. As long as you don't expect this case to withstand drops or avoid getting crushed under the weight of whatever's in your bag, you'll be delighted with how easy the case is to use and how well it performs. 

I've added a Kingston SSD to my Sabrent case.

Yes, it's just a plastic case with a minimum of technology involved to make it possible to convert internal drives into external drives. But what more could you ask for?

The specs

As you've probably already guessed, the Sabrent case won't amaze you with its specs, which are plain and simple:

• Tool-free usage
• Transfer rates up to 480Mbps when connected to a USB 2.0 port and up to 5Gbps when connected to a USB 3.0 port
• Can be used with 2.5" SATA/SSD (including standard laptop 2.5