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100 Cool Tech Gadgets You Need in 2021
Get your life in gear with some of the year's most interesting new gadgets.
It's hard to stay up to date with the ever-growing, forever changing tech space. Well, that's where our colleagues at Best Products come in: They are constantly researching, scrutinizing, and testing new products, and they frequently update their lists with new releases and reviewer favorites.
This year, new tech is going to continue to focus on the reality of social distancing and remote work we live in, which was all front and center at CES 2021, a yearly tech event that's considered the global stage for innovation. Top tech brands showcased a plethora of offerings that aim to upgrade your home office, transform any living room into a legit home theater alternative, step up your gaming, and improve your wellness routine, all while keeping you safe and sane.
From completely wireless earbuds with great sound and equally awesome battery life to sleek laptops that don’t skimp on power, and nifty accessories for the latest PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X gaming consoles, here are the coolest tech gadgets available right now.
The Ekster Parliament is a smart bifold wallet with RFID coating (to protect against identity theft) and a patented mechanism that ejects cards from its aluminum storage pocket with the press of a button. It has space for at least 10 cards, as well as a strap for carrying cash and receipts.
Ekster has crafted the wallet from high-quality leather that comes in a multitude of colors. An optional Bluetooth tracker for the wallet is also available — this ultrathin gadget has a maximum range of 200 feet, and it is powered by light, so it never needs a battery.
The Peak Design Tech Pouch is a stylish and exceptionally made accessory that's a must-have for frequent travelers. It has enough pockets and compartments for small gadgets, charging cables, memory cards, and any other accessories that you might own.
Peak Design has crafted the exterior of the Tech Pouch using recycled nylon with a weatherproof finish. There are several colors to pick from: black, charcoal, bone, midnight, and sage green.
There's nothing better than a good massage — except for a good massage that never has to end. This shiatsu massager can be used at home or even in the car (!) and is great for the shoulders, back, calves, and more.
Bonus: It not only kneads, but also heats muscles for extra relief.
The Philips Somneo is an elegant and feature-packed sleep and wake-up light. It can simulate a natural sunrise and sunset, play a plethora of soothing sounds, and even charge a smartphone via a built-in USB port.
We like the touchscreen interface of the lamp — it's incredibly intuitive to use.
The sleek Petcube Bites 2 camera has Wi-Fi connectivity, which allows users to keep tabs on their pets via a smartphone app. It's capable of capturing or streaming Full HD video via a wide-angle lens. The gadget can also dispense treats — you can deploy them right from your smartphone while away.
Other key features of the Petcube Bites 2 include two-way audio connectivity, compatibility with Amazon Alexa voice commands, as well as the ability to send sound and motion alerts. We also like that there's an option to use the product to connect to a veterinarian.
The compact FREE T4 multitool by Leatherman allows users to effortlessly access its 12 built-in tools, even with one hand. The available tools include a small 2.2-inch blade, scissors, a package opener, and a few screwdrivers, among others.
Leatherman backs the FREE T4 with a robust 25-year warranty. Every multitool is crafted in Portland, Oregon.
The SoundLiberty 97 completely wireless earbuds by TaoTronics belie their affordable price tag in every possible way. They have an elegant design, a comfy fit with convenient touch controls, and a respectable audio performance, including during calls. Thanks to Bluetooth 5.0, the buds can also maintain a reliable connection with a compatible smartphone, tablet, or laptop.
With an IPX8 rating for water resistance, the SoundLiberty 97 wireless earbuds are also great for exercising. They'll also give you up to 9 hours of playback between charges. Their USB-C-equipped battery case packs more than two full charges for a total of 29 hours’ worth of wire-free sound.
The palm-sized Apple HomePod mini smart speaker is also a convenient HomeKit hub. The sub-$100 gadget allows users to control a number of smart home products with Siri voice commands or directly from an Apple device. It is available in white or space gray.
When it comes to audio performance, the HomePod mini sounds great, considering how tiny it is. You can pair two speakers for true stereo sound or use multiple units in a whole-house setup. If you are looking for more decibels, consider the bigger HomePod instead.
The Soundcore Life Q30 wireless noise-canceling headphones by Anker are one of the best under $100. The over-ear cans have an elegant design, a comfy fit, impressive sound quality, sophisticated noise cancellation, and up to 30 hours of battery life.
You can order the Q30 in black, blue or pink. Each pair of headphones comes with a stylish protective case, and Anker backs the product with an 18-month warranty.
The incredibly affordable Chromecast with Google TV can stream 4K HDR content from a plethora of popular services, as well as from a smartphone, a tablet, or a laptop. Powered by the Google Assistant, the product allows users to not only easily and effortlessly search for content, but also control smart home products with voice commands.
The player has an intuitive remote control with a built-in microphone for voice commands. It is available in a trio of colors: sky, snow, and sunrise.
This beautiful stand by Grovemade is deservedly among our favorite MagSafe accessories for iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro. It has impeccable craftsmanship, thanks to a stainless steel base and stand, leather and wood accents, and a natural cork base. It weighs almost 3 pounds.
Available with sanded maple or walnut wood accents, the product works with Apple’s own MagSafe charger (not included). It can hold your iPhone 12 in landscape or portrait mode, but in case you prefer your iPhone to charge while flat, Grovemade also offers a MagSafe charging dock.
The CHAMP Pro portable battery pack by Nimble is sleek, dependable, and, best of all, eco-friendly. Its housing is made with recycled plastic and it has a recycled-paper packaging that’s biodegradable. The California-based brand will even help you responsibly get rid of old tech products.
With a 60-watt USB-C output and a battery capacity of 20,000 mAh, the product can reliably charge not only phones and tablets, but also laptops. A full USB is also on board for charging additional devices. Nimble also offers a smaller and more affordable CHAMP battery pack with 10,000 mAh capacity and a lower power output.
The Wi-Fi-equipped Sony SRS-RA3000 wireless speaker delivers solid sound enhanced by the tech giant’s cutting-edge 360 Reality Audio format. The latter offers a more immersive, multidirectional listening experience than conventional stereo sound, which “surrounds” the listener.
The speaker has an elegant housing, whose fabric finish is available in black or light gray. Other key features of the product include intuitive controls, support for Chromecast and Spotify connect wireless playback, Bluetooth connectivity, and compatibility with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands (via an existing smart speaker). Users can set up the speaker, customize its sound, and control its settings via a mobile app.
Our favorite thing about the Spigen Ultra Hybrid PRO snap-on covers for the Apple AirPods Max is that they will protect and showcase the pricey headphones’ aluminum ear cups. And, thankfully, the hardshell accessories are ultra thin and compatible with the bundled smart case of the AirPods Max.
They reasonably priced covers offer easy access to the headphones’ controls, as well as their Lightning port. Spigen also offers silicone AirPods Max covers in black or white, as well as a model with a fabric finish.
The reasonably priced Coway Airmega 150 is our favorite HEPA air purifier for small spaces (up to 214 square feet). It has a minimalist design and a reliable air filtration setup. The last-mentioned bit includes a HEPA and a deodorization filter, as well as a washable pre-filter for larger airborne particles.
Available in a trio of colors (dove white, sage green, and peony pink), the Airmega 150 has a compact footprint and intuitive controls. Our favorite is a light indicator, which changes color depending on the room’s air quality.
More: Everything You Need to Know Before Buying an Air Purifier
The Anker Powerline III Flow is one of our favorite third-party USB-C-to-Lightning cables out today. It is incredibly durable, thanks to a silica-gel exterior and an interior with graphene coating. You can order it in black, white, green, grey, and pink.
This version of the Powerline III Flow measures 6 feet in length — more than the bundled iPhone cable. A shorter 3-foot variant of the accessory is also available.
This is a reimagined version of one of the most iconic toys ever made. With onboard Bluetooth connectivity and a companion app, the Rubik’s Connected cube will teach you how to solve the notoriously challenging, incredibly interactive puzzle, and have fun in the process.
Rather impressively, the Rubik’s Connected app will also allow users to keep track of their progress, and access stats to help improve their solving game. There’s also an option to join a community of users and compete with them.
JBL’s Xtreme 3 waterproof Bluetooth speaker will bring party-level sound anywhere you take it. It can blast powerful sound with excellent quality, thanks to a pair of woofers, a duo of tweeters, and passive radiators. We also really like the product’s removable fabric handle with an integrated bottle opener, guaranteed to come in handy during an outdoor outing.
The Xtreme 3 can deliver up to 15 hours of wireless tunes between battery charges and it can even charge your gadgets via a built-in USB port. You can order the speaker in black, bluet, or with a camouflage pattern.
The swiveling SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive Luxe is tailor-made for Apple hardware users. It’s rocking a USB-C and a Lightning connector, which make transferring images, video, and other files between Apple products and other USB-C-equipped devices insanely effortless.
With the help of a companion app, the metal-clad accessory can also automatically back up photos and video from an iPhone or an iPad. It is available with up to 256GB of storage.
The OnePlus Nord 5G smartphone overdelivers for its sub-$300 price tag. It has a sleek design, robust hardware specs that include 5G connectivity, display with high refresh rate, and a feature-packed camera.
The snappy performance and the polished Android user experience the phone delivers are also stellar. Unlike many pricier rivals, the Nord 5G also packs a standard audio jack.
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