Remember when Apple first ditched the headphone jack and introduced AirPods? People mocked them as overpriced and easy to lose. Fast forward a few years, and many people wonder how they ever listened to audio without them!
Some of the best gadgets are the ones you don't even know you need until you have them.
In this guide, we’re going to look at 10 underrated tech gadgets that might just change the way you live in some way or another.
1. Ekster RFID Blocking Smart Wallet
As tech gets smarter, criminals are getting smarter too. It’s pretty easy these days for a crook to skim your info when you’re in a crowded place. It’s more common than you might think **FIND STAT***
Anyone with an RFID scanner can pull your card details just by walking past you. No physical contact needed.
That’s where the Ekster RFID Blocking Smart Wallet comes in. It blocks the RFID signal from your card and has a quick-card access system where you simply press a button and your cards pop up, neatly fanned out. You’ll feel like James Bond every time you go to pay for something!
It also comes with an optional Bluetooth tracker to help you find your wallet if you lose it within a range of 200 feet. It acts like an AirTag, but it’s solar-powered so it never runs out of batteries.
Ideal for frequent travelers, digital nomads, or anyone who wants a stylish, ultra-secure wallet.
2. OXO Sweep & Swipe Laptop Cleaner
If you want to save your shirt sleeve from the grime of cleaning your laptop screen or picking crumbs from your keyboard, then the OXO Sweep & Swipe is just the gadget for you.
This handy little tool has a retractable brush on one side to sweep away crumbs, dust, and whatever else lives between your keys. The other side has a microfiber pad for the screen, to get rid of all those streaky fingerprints.
Running the pad over your screen is oddly satisfying and it cleans much better than a wet wipe or cloth, which just smears the gunk around rather than lifting it off.
Ideal for anyone who works on a laptop or desktop computer, especially those who eat croissants while working!
3. Nanoleaf 4D Screen Mirror & Lightstrip Kit
If you want to make your TV setup look like it’s from the set of a sci-fi movie, then the Nanoleaf 4D Screen Mirror & Lightstrip Kit delivers. It provides ambient backlighting that syncs with whatever’s on the screen, ideal for a more immersive movie or gaming experience. It’s just a simple strip and camera that’s much cheaper than a Philips Hue setup and easier to install.
It also helps to reduce eye strain. Watching a bright screen in a dark room can feel harsh on your eyes, but the Nanoleaf softens the contrast between your screen and the background, so your eyes don’t have to work as hard adjusting.
Instead of just a static light, it dynamically matches the colors on the screen. So if there’s a red explosion in a game, the wall behind your TV glows red. If there’s an underwater scene, the whole room gets a blue hue.
Ideal for movie lovers, gamers, and anyone who wants a visually striking home entertainment setup.
4. Willow Smart Plant Sensors
If you’ve had enough of murdering your plants, Willow Smart Plant Sensors can help. They track soil moisture, light levels, and temperature. You get alerts to your phone when the plant needs something like more water or light.
You’ll get notifications sent to your phone, such as, “Hey, your fern is thirsty” or “Move this plant, as it’s getting roasted by too much sun.” No more dead orchids or crispy monsteras!
Ideal for lazy (or busy) indoor gardeners!
5. Roborock S6 Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Robo vacuums might seem a little bit “meh”, but this one is actually pretty amazing. It doesn’t just vacuum, it also mops at the same time. It also has an onboard filter for allergens like pollen and mould.
If you have pets, it has strong suction and a brush that doesn’t get tangled up with fur. You can also set no-go zones so it doesn’t attack your dog’s water bowl or get stuck under furniture.
Ideal for busy professionals, pet owners, and anyone who wants cleaner floors without lifting a finger.
6. Google Chromecast (4K Streaming Device)
The Google Chromecast 4K is a super simple streaming device that doesn’t need a separate remote as you can use voice control or stream straight from an app on your phone or tablet. It supports 4K HDR streaming. It syncs with Google Assistant, so you can say something like “Hey Google, play The Office on Netflix” and it’ll automatically open the app, find your show, and start playing it for you.
Ideal for movie lovers and TV show binge-watchers who want a convenient streaming experience.
7. SwitchBot Smart Switch Button Pusher
The SwitchBot Smart Switch Button Pusher is a genius device that instantly turns any old-school switch into a smart switch without having to rewire it. It simply sticks onto the device and physically presses the button for you.
You can use it for pretty much any appliance with a button, such as coffee makers, fans, light switches, or your PC power button. It also links up with Alexa or Google Home for voice control.
For example, you can set a schedule or simply ask it to start brewing your morning coffee while you’re still in bed!
Ideal for smart home beginners, renters who can’t modify or rewire their space, and anyone who wants a simple hands-free way to control older appliances.
8. Stouchi Remote Control Page Turner for eReaders
The Stouchi Remote Control Page Turner is ideal for people who enjoy reading and have arthritis or mobility issues. You don’t need to lift your hands up to the book to turn the page. Instead, the device does it for you hands-free as it is Bluetooth-enabled and works with most popular eReaders and reading apps, such as Kindle or Kobo.
Ideal for avid readers who use Kindle or iPad devices and prefer hands-free reading.
9. Photostick Omni – Photo Backup Solution
If your phone often hits the “Storage Almost Full” warning due to 1000’s of photos, then this gadget is for you. The Photostick Omni is a little USB stick that automatically backs up your photos and videos in one click. You don’t have to worry about logging into account or paying for cloud storage. You just plug it into your phone and it finds and saves all your images and videos.
It also has a few smart features like scanning for duplicates and organising everything neatly into date-marked folders. You can get different storage sizes from 32GB right up to 256GB.
Ideal for travelers, photographers, and anyone who wants to safely and quickly back up their photos.
10. Litokam S1 Light Bulb Security Camera
The Litokam S1 Light Bulb Security Camera saves you from having to drill holes or run wires to install a high-quality security camera. It’s also well hidden from thieves, as it looks just like a regular bulb, but has a 360° HD camera inside. It screws into any standard light socket without wires or drilling.
You can use it outdoors too, in place of your porch light. It’s got motion detection, night vision, and full app control, so you can check the live feed on your phone anytime. It’s ideal for use in any room around the home – living rooms, kitchens, hallways, garages, living rooms – basically anywhere with a light socket.
Ideal for homeowners, renters, and anyone looking for an easy, discreet security solution.
