I love a new tech gadget – especially if it makes life more convenient, and entertaining or if it makes for great gifts I’d want to share with friends and family.
Below, I’m sharing 14 absolutely mind-blowing tech gadgets you probably haven’t heard of that are worth getting for your desk, home office and general living spaces.
Flyte Bulb
Flyte’s levitating bulb is first on the list of mind-blowing tech gadgets.
The one I have is called the Nikola, and it pays homage to Nikola Tesla and electricity. This thing looks amazing literally anywhere you put it and lights up the mood and ambiance.
This innovative Swedish-designed product has a solid walnut wood base and a plastic light bulb rather than a glass light bulb for obvious safety reasons (light bulb slamming down).
When you manage to land the bulb on the magnet’s bullseye, you get a never-ending floating and rotating bulb – this one has been running for months without a single hiccup.
If you prefer levitating plants, the Flyte Planter is also a lovely option.
Polaroid Now+
The new Polaroid Now+ is a $150 retro instant camera that combines the new and the old.
It’s a simple point-and-shoot camera that takes photos with a decent-quality 35mm equivalent lens and prints them on a large 4.2″ polaroid.
The companion app allows you to add additional filters, experiment with exposure and focus modes, and even dabble in light painting. It even comes with interchangeable color lens filters for truly unique shots.
Plus, this thing is so great that you’ll want to put it on display rather than tuck it away – the retro aesthetic looks like it belong on the set of Stranger Things.
This is a worthwhile retro gadget at only $150, especially since you can send your favorite photos and have them printed directly off the Polaroid.
The words retro and tech gadget don’t seem to belong in the same sentence, but the Polaroid Now+ does.
AnkerWork B600
The AnkerWork B600 Video Bar is a high-quality camera, a speaker, a microphone, and a face light all rolled into one.
The camera’s 2K resolution is surprisingly sharp, which is more than enough for any type of video call and includes instant autofocus and solo frame, which keeps you in focus and centered even when you move.
You can also direct audio directly to the B600 Video Bar, thanks to the powerful dual speakers that work well for voice and video calls.
If dual speakers aren’t enough, this video bar also includes a 4-mic array, which is impressive given that current MacBook Pros only have a 3-mic array. These mics help cancel out background noise while also producing an audible and clearer voice.
The built-in light, dubbed MagicSight Adaptive Lighting by AnkerWork, isn’t a gimmick; it’s genuinely useful for video – A tap on the right side of the B600 turns on and off the light, and the brightness intensity and lighting temperature can be adjusted by dialing the meter next to the lens. When not in use, it neatly doubles as a privacy cover.
The all-in-one design is extremely convenient to use and eliminates a significant amount of potential cable clutter in my setup.
Teamgroup 1TB C212 Extreme Speed USB flash drive
A USB drive in this list of mind-blowing tech gadgets?
It’s the newly released 1TB C212 Extreme Speed USB from Teamgroup.
It’s a high-capacity USB that’s as fast as an SSD drive and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.
It looks like any other USB drive out of the box, except for a handy slider that pushes and pulls a USB 3.2 Type A connector out of the housing. It’s also very light, weighing only 9 grams and fitting easily into your pocket.
The impressive part is that it transfers files at 600mb/s, which is faster than some SSD drives on the market. On the Blackmagic Disk Speed Test, it actually recorded an even faster 620MBPs. A 10GB file can be transferred in under 30 seconds. This makes it one of the fastest high-capacity USB drives on the market right now, and it’s reasonably priced at $120 on Amazon.
I use it to quickly transfer video files between computers or to share large files with my team or friends. It’s much more convenient than carrying around an external hard drive or even your laptop.
Rechargeable Lighter
This next tech gadget is very inexpensive and a must-have around the house.
It’s a rechargeable lighter, and I’m not sure why I didn’t find it sooner, given that it’s only $9 on Amazon.
It works by generating an electrical charge at the tip, which lights up everything from candles to stovetops and can be charged via any USB port and lasts for weeks on a single
I’ve replaced matches with this lighter, and it’s also a lot more eco-friendly, which is a plus.
Keychron Q1 Knob Keyboard
The new Keychron Q1 mechanical keyboard is an iconic mechanical keyboard with a literal twist.
On the Q1, we get this programmable knob where you can set functions for your favorite apps, such as zooming in and out in Photoshop, adjusting your screen brightness or volume, scrolling through a timeline, or even dimming your smart lights from your keyboard.
This is the all-aluminium version, which is very sturdy but weighs a ton! You can personalize the keycaps, as I did with mine, by adding blue accents. They’re also fantastic for typing on and sound fantastic.
Loupedeck Live
If you’re serious about customization and having more controls at your fingertips, you should check out the slick Loupedeck Live.
It’s a pocket-sized deck that plugs into your computer to give you access to a variety of knobs, touchscreens, buttons, and controls, and it speeds up my creative tasks like photo, video, and audio editing.
It also connects to a slew of apps, including Blender, Google Chrome, Smart Lights, Spotify, and Twitch – almost anyone will find this small package useful.
The Loupedeck Live is already priced at $269 and has a more expensive sibling, the Loupedeck CT priced at $549. You get a few more buttons and knobs but it is only compatible with Lightroom Classic, not Lightroom CC, which is a letdown.
AirTag + Orbitkey Leather
If you’re anything like me, you might be wondering why an AirTag is necessary when I don’t lose things all that often. Here’s why this handy device is worth having.
These $29 well-designed buttons are more useful than I expected because they do one thing exceptionally well: they track an item with near-perfect precision.
You can attach it to your keychain, bag, wallet, or luggage to receive notifications when your luggage arrives at the airport carousel. So straightforward, yet so effective.
Because this thing is so easily scratched, I keep mine in an Orbitkey Leather holder. All for the sake of protection and keeping the look tied down.
Xiaomi Screwdriver
The next gadget is this cordless screwdriver from Xiaomi.
It’s probably the most portable and attractive screwdriver I’ve ever used. It’s not surprising that it won an iF design award given how good it is!
It has a high torque motor that can handle most home tasks, an LED light ring for low-light installation, and a USB-C 2000 mAh battery that can handle about 180 screws per charge.
It comes with 12 extension rods that snap right into the screwdriver. Then click it to the right, and it will screw it up. It will screw out if you click to the left.
Best of all, it’s only $45 and small enough to fit in a backpack.
Oura Ring
We’ve all heard of smartwatches, and most of us own one, but smart rings are an emerging technology that’s a lot of fun to wear.
There are many to choose from, including Motiv rings and Movano rings, but my personal favorite is the Oura Ring.
It’s the best sleep tracker I’ve ever used, and it displays far too much data for us. Plus, it’s the most stylish wearable I’ve seen – it’s been mistaken for a fashion and even an engagement ring on my finger numerous times.
It’s a $299 investment in your health and sleep, but it’s well worth it if you enjoy using technology to improve your daily life. The subscription model of the Oura Ring, which requires us to pay for our own health data however is a letdown.
Sonos Roam
The $159 Sonos Roam is the ideal travel companion for music lovers because it’s not only a smart speaker, but it’s also portable and waterproof, and it sounds fantastic for its size and price.
It’s so tough and portable thanks to its triangular design that you can throw it around and stuff it into a backpack without fear.
I’ve travelled to a few countries since getting this, and I honestly believe it’s one of, if not the, best portable speakers on the market right now.
It’s perfect for hotel sing-alongs or beachside tunes, and my friends and family seem to like it too!
Sonos Ray
I couldn’t talk about the Sonos Roam without mentioning its sibling, Sonos Ray.
Soundbars are an easy way to upgrade your TV audio because they’re inexpensive, stylish, and simple to set up, and this one is a steal at $279.
Because of its sound quality and size, it is ideal for apartment living and has the ability to upgrade and co-join other Sonos speakers if you grow in size later in life.
Blockbuster movies sound better, TV dialogue is clearer than ever, and it does an excellent job of refracting sound in a small to medium-sized room.
The Sonos Ray is a soundbar that definitely something your ears will appreciate.
LARQ Pitcher
This $168 LARQ Pitcher is a healthy gadget to consider purchasing.
This water pitcher intelligently tracks your water consumption and habits via the app and filters your water in two ways: a physical filter and the really cool UV light filtration, which LARQ claims eliminates 99.9% of germs in the water and the pitcher itself.
I can personally attest to it coming from a Brita jug, which always produced nasty green algae after a month. It appears to be safe to drink from, but it just doesn’t look nice.
Since I got it, the rechargeable UV light on the LARQ has prevented any algae from forming, and it’s been fascinating to see the filtering and water consumption stats on the app.
It’s nice-looking and feels expensive. I have one in the very clean Pure White colorway and it looks great in my home office and kitchen.