Thankfully for retailers, the holiday selling season is longer than the mythical 12 days of Christmas. Instead of trying to tempt your customers with antiquated milkers, pipers, drummers, turtle doves or one of several other breeds of birds, however, here are eleven small and low-priced new tech gadgets, many providing multiple functions, to help your customers with some last-minute stocking stuffing. (All displayed prices are MSRP at time of publication.)
Eggtronic Power Bar USB-C Wireless Power Bank + 3-in-1 Charger ($149.99)
Yes, this white slab seems a bit pricey for a stocking stuffer. But not only can this tabletop Apple MFI-certified Qi charger simultaneously power-up a smartphone, AirPods – or two smartphones – and an Apple Watch, but a MacBook jacked in via a USB-C cable can be charged as well. But, wait, there’s more! Unplug it from AC and it becomes a 10,000 mAh portable battery to wirelessly recharge all these devices, plus fancy three-foot cloth-covered USB-C-to-USB-C and USB-C-to-Lightning charging cables along with a USB-A-to-USB-C adapter all come with.
BlendJet 2 Portable Personal Blender ($49.95)
When you’re done working out, mix yourself your own personal 16 oz. smoothie or protein shake in just 20 seconds in this single-serve, cordless rechargeable blender. Available in 16 colors, the 3 x 9-inch portable BlendJet can mix up blended frappes, baby food or formula with its six stainless steel blades and more food processing power than the original BlendJet. A single charge serves up 15 servings, and, when you’re done blending, just fill the BlendJet with hot water and a drop of dish soap to clean it. The company also sells six flavors of JetPack smoothies mix in singles ($3.95 each) or discounted variety packs or subscriptions.
Edifier X3 True Wireless Bluetooth Ear Buds ($33.99)
No one will mistake these cheap true wireless buds for pricier audiophile models, but these Edifiers are “good enough,” especially for little pitchers with big ears who may not be the most responsible of humans. The X3 provide smooth audio with solid bass to satisfy hip-hop hearing for up to six hours on a single charge, plus an additional 18 hours of listening via its tiny charging case. With IPX5 waterproofing, they’ll also withstand a variety of conditions and survive a variety of accidental drops.
FluidStance Slope Desktop Whiteboard ($59)
Instead of hunting around for a PostIt note, an old envelope or some scrap of paper, jot down quick notes, phone and confirmation numbers, or just random doodles on this steel desktop whiteboard. The 20 x 8 x 3.5-inch Slope fits between a keyboard and monitor, is slightly angled for easy jotting, is slightly raised so a keyboard can be slid underneath, features a phone dock with dedicated space for a charging cable, and felt bumpers protects the desktop from scratches. A black marker and a dry eraser are included.
FosPower 4,000mAh Solar Crank Emergency Radio with LCD Display ($59.99)
A perfect camping or power-outage companion for those who still need their tech, this compact portable and IPX3-tough AM/FM/NOAA weather radio packs a 4000mAh rechargeable battery that can be charged via AC at home or by solar power or a hand crank mounted flush into the underside, or can run on three AAA batteries. Not only is the V2 a handy companion, it’s a weather warning system – if an environmental hazard is nigh, the radio will emit an alert siren. The V2 also includes a USB jack to recharge your smartphone or other small devices, and an LED flashlight to illuminate dark and stormy nights.
Hyper X Stinger Core + 7.1 Wireless Gaming Headphone ($79.99)
Stray cables and gaming controls don’t often mix, which makes this light 7.1-emulating surround sound headset as convenient as it is aurally immersive. Each Stinger Core ear piece weigh just 8.6 ounces so gamers won’t feel constricted, they connect via Bluetooth up to 20 feet from a PC, will run for 17 hours of game play on a single charge, features with a swivel-to-mute noise canceling mic, and is equipped with on-board volume controls.
Kiva Rechargeable Headlamp ($50)
Every techie at some point has had to grab a flashlight to peer behind their gear, usually leaving only one hand free to futz with wiring and jacks. With this rechargeable lightweight (.09 ounces) Kiva LED lamp strapped around your head, illuminate equipment rear jack packs with 150 lumens of close-up light for up to two hours. Designed for indoor or outdoor use – the lamp is IP65 waterproof – the lamp itself can be tilted down around 75 degrees, and the USB charging jack is conveniently incorporated into the head strap connector. Kiva is available with either a black or purple strap, both woven from Repreve recycled ocean plastics polyester thread.
Mophie UV Sanitizer Phone Sanitizer/Qi Charger ($79.99)
With everyone’s attention focused on microscopic biological dangers lurking on surfaces, this Mophie UV smartphone sanitizer could bring some health piece of mind. Using UV-C light technology, Mophie says the sanitizer kills 99.99% of the most common surface bacteria in about five minutes, cleansing smartphones or other small household items up to 6.9 inches long. After getting purified inside, smartphones can then be wirelessly charged on the sanitizer’s 10-way Qi-enabled lid.
ReliefHeat Wearable Heating Pad ($99/$119)
Heating pads are rather bossy – they make you come to them and force you to lie still while your back gets treated. ReliefHeat flips the whole heating pad concept – the surprisingly small and light wearable heating pad Velcros around your middle, which means you can place it precisely where your ache is, and you can move around while getting soothed. Using the app, the ReliefHeat temperature can be set between 100 and 165 degrees, and the timer can be set from five to 60 minutes of treatment; a single charge will provide between one to four hours of healing warmth, depending on the therapeutic temperature.
Scosche MagicGrip Smartphone Dashboard Mount ($69.99)
A car is not the only place you might want to mount a phone. Sometimes you want to mount it in the kitchen, for instance, to follow a recipe, or even record yourself cooking. This MagicGrip smartphone mount is equipped with Scosche’s StickGrip that lets the mount be moved and remounted wherever needed. If the mount loses its grip, just rinse off the suction cup with lukewarm water, then shake and air dry it to renew its stick-to-it-ivness. It’s called “MagicGrip” because its arms automatically adjust to grip whatever phone is sensed within it, and it’ll Qi wirelessly charge a compatible smartphone with up to 10 watts of power. A 12V car adapter and a USB-C cable are included.
Uber Appliance Uber Chill 2.0 Personal Mini Fridge ($59.99)
Its name doesn’t quite say it all. This Uber desktop refrigerator is perfectly sized to keep a six-pack of 12-ounce cans or four water bottles cool – or keep other items warm, as necessary, at either 32 or 150 degrees. Uber Chill measures a bookshelf-friendly 11 x 7.25 x 10 inches on the outside and 8.5 x 5.75 x 5.25 inches on the inside, includes a removable shelf, and comes with an AC cable and a 12V for car or boat use.
See also: The Shift In Consumer Shopping Behaviors And Its Ramifications For Retailers
