Every geek loves a new gadget. Here’s a selection from the GeekDad and GeekMom writers, featuring their favorite gadgets to add to your Christmas list.
Suggested By: Dakster S.
Mfg: JLAB
Price: $24
Purchase: Amazon
JLAB JBUDDIES ANC 2 in 1 Kids Headphones provide a safe listening experience to little ears. They come in blue/red and purple/pink and boast an impressive 50+ hours of battery life. The active noise canceling helps to block out loud noises for little ears. You can connect two devices with wireless share mode, allowing more than one child to enjoy the entertainment. – DS [Review sample was received by JLab]
Suggested By: Dakster S.
Mfg: JLAB
Price: $24
Purchase: Amazon
For adults seeking high-quality sound without the high cost, the JLab JBuds Lux ANC Wireless Headphones will fit the bill. With the JLab app, you can customize your sound, including touch controls, ANC levels, EQ presets, and more. The 70+ hour battery life even beats some of the pricier brands. – DS [Review sample was received by JLab]
Suggested By: Jonathan H. Liu
Mfg: KUXIU
Price: $49.99
Purchase: KUXIU
This battery pack magnetically attaches to your phone for wireless charging, but its most interesting feature is inside: it’s a solid-state battery, which should improve both its performance and safety. Until December 8, use the code BLACK25 for an extra 15% off. Read more about it here. – JHL
Suggested By: Jonathan H. Liu
Mfg: Mixx
Price: $99.99
Purchase: Amazon
This record player is a terrific way to add a tactile bit of ritual to your music listening and it can really shift your relationship with how you experience your playlists. The retro look and compact size are adorable, at a price that won’t break the bank. (No guarantees on how much you’ll spend on records, though!) Read the full review here. – JHL
Suggested By: Dakster S.
Mfg: Arlo
Price: $49.99
Purchase: Amazon
The Arlo Video Doorbell delivers clear 2K monitoring indoors or outdoors with a weather-resistant design, two-way talk, and a wide 180° field of view. With the Arlo app, you can get instant alerts, set up night vision, watch your door with live streaming, and activate a remote siren for emergencies. With a paid Arlo plan, you can get advanced benefits like 60-day video storage and smart detection for people, vehicles, packages, and animals. Setup and mounting are super easy, and it comes with everything you need to get it up and running. – DS [Review sample was received by Arlo]
Suggested By: Dakster S.
Mfg: Viaim
Price: $129.99
Purchase: ReDot on Amazon and Nano+ on Amazon
Viaim’s AI-powered earbuds are the perfect gadget for the student or professional in your life. The Viaim RecDot makes the perfect meeting assistant with an incredible 48dB aNC. It features real-time translation and transcription.
The RecDot provides users with a unique blend of high-end audio with productivity-boosting smart technology.
For the day-to-day user, Viaim Nano+ combines versatility, comfort, and smart features for regular daily use, travel, and work. They provide up to 40 hours of battery life when used with their charging case and have the same 45dB ANC as the RecDot. They also utilize AI to perform tasks like transcription and live translation. – DS [Review sample was received by Viaim]
Suggested By: Dakster S.
Mfg: Crucial
Price: $89.99
Purchase: Amazon
Extra storage is essential these days and Crucial is the brand I trust. They make reliable and affordable tech that keeps me going. I love their line of external solid state drives for their reliability and pocket size. The X10 comes in 1TB – 8TB and delivers read speeds of up to 2,100MB/s.This drive is IP65 dust and water-resistant and drop-tested up to 9.8 ft. – DS [Review sample was received by Crucial]
Suggested By: Dakster S.
Mfg: GoPro
Price: $229
Purchase: Amazon
If someone on your list is looking to get into the GoPro world, the LIT Hero is the perfect introduction. The simple interface uses tap-and-swipe controls to switch between video, photo, and slo-motion modes. It’s waterproof in depths up to 16ft and it’s built tough for rain, sleet, or snow. I like that it has a built-in light with three brightness levels to help me shoot in a range of lighting scenarios. – DS [Review sample was received by GoPro]
Suggested By: Z.
Mfg: iMPGaming
Price: $82.87
Purchase: Walmart
Launched earlier this year at Gamescom, the Mini Arcade Pro is the perfect present for the retro gamer on your gift list. Compatible with the Nintendo Switch and the new Switch 2, this device turns your system into a tiny arcade cabinet tailor-made for your favorite old-school fighting and shooter titles, not to mention the massive retro library available to Switch Online subscribers. With all the face and shoulder buttons laid out arcade-style, a nicely balanced joystick, and its own turbo function, the Mini Arcade Pro is an ideal addition to even the most modest game room. There are dedicated buttons for the Switch home menu and the Switch 2’s Gamechat functionality, and with easily updated firmware, it’s a practically future-proof solution for all your gaming needs. –Z. [Review materials provided by iMPGaming.]
Suggested By: Z.
Mfg: Loog
Price: $229.00
Purchase: Loog Guitars
The Loog 3-string electric guitar was originally conceived as a way to inspire the next generation of musicians with a child-sized instrument that was as easy to play as it was to pick up. Not only does Loog still excel at this mission, but it’s also a great way for those of any age to take that first tentative step into the world of guitar playing. Developed by Loog in collaboration with industry giant Gibson, the new Loog Les Paul captures the overall look and feel of the original instrument–complete with a smooth rosewood fretboard and its own tiny dogear pickup–and includes everything else you need (chord flashcards, app access, picks, a fun activity book, and even stickers) to start learning guitar ½ a chord at a time! –Z. [Review materials provided by Loog.]
Suggested By: Z.
Mfg: CRKD
Price: $49.99
Purchase: CRKD
Commemorating the robots’ (sort of) return via the Fortnite special event “The Daft Punk Experience,” this CRKD wireless controller is the perfect match for however you game. From PC to Nintendo Switch to your favorite cloud platform, the NEO S boasts an ergonomic design with ultra-stable Bluetooth connectivity. Add to that hall effect thumbsticks (to prevent drift), adjustable rumble, motion gaming support (Switch only), and a removable 5-fret attachment for use in rhythm games, and you have an all-in-one controller with the unmistakable style of Daft Punk. –Z. [Review materials provided by CRKD.]
Suggested By: Paul Benson
Mfg: DREO
Price: $179.99
Purchase: Amazon
If you’re one of those people like me who’s always hot, you’ll love to have a great fan that will cool you down quickly. This 3D oscillating fan gives you full room circulation in a compact package. It features five wind modes, four speeds, and smart control via the DREO app. You can even operate it with your voice if you have Alexa or Google! – PB
Suggested By: Paul Benson
Mfg: Epson
Price: $999.99
Purchase: Amazon
If you’re looking for a portable projector for gaming and media consumption, then you’ll probably want to take a look at the Epson Lifestudio Flex Plus. Featuring 4K UHD video, 1000 lumens of brightness, and audio by Bose, this projector will fill your room with great picture and sound. You can project up to a 150″ image, and the low latency is perfect for when you want to play your games on the BIG screen. And it’s powered by Google TV, so you can easily load all your streaming apps right onto the projector. -PB
Suggested By: Will James
Mfg: Makera
Price: $2,199
Purchase: Amazon
For the home workshop/hobbyist maker who has (almost) everything, the Carvera Air Desktop CNC is the perfect option for a CNC machine that doesn’t take up a ton of space while providing a ton of functionality at an easy entry point. The Carvera Air is a fully enclosed CNC machine that also has the option to add on a 4th-axis and a laser engraver! And it does all of this with minimal mess, and software and functionality that makes it accessible to folks with little to no experience using a CNC or Laser. I’ve been experimenting with the machine for a couple of months now, and a full in-depth review is coming soon, but I cannot recommend it enough! – WJ
Suggested By: Will James
Mfg: Anycubic
Price: $664.99
Purchase: Amazon
I have been 3D printing for 15 years, and hands down, my favorite brand of printers for resin printing has been Anycubic. Every time I’ve tried another brand, I’ve been sorely disappointed. For anyone wanting to print larger resin pieces, the Anycubic Photon Mono M7 Max is THE best bang for your buck, hands down. Not only does it feature a large print area and 7K resolution, it also has additional upgraded features that actually work well and make printing easier and better, like a heated resin vat, resin run out sensor, and resin refill (AND unfill!), and remote printing and monitoring. And if the Mono M7 Max is to big or out of your price range, then the Mono M7 is a great smaller alternative while providing a lot of the same features and reliability expected from Anycubic. – WJ
Suggested By: Will James
Mfg: Wacom
Price: $69.95
Purchase: Amazon
If you have a budding artist in the family, the Wacom Intuos Small Bluetooth Drawing Tablet is a perfect budget-friendly entry into the world of digital art! The tablet is compatible with Windows, macOS, and Chromebooks and can work both wired or wirelessly via Bluetooth. Its small size makes it easy to take on the go, which makes it perfect for students and creators on the go. – WJ
This post was last modified on December 8, 2025 10:45 pm
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