The 12 best gizmos to gift the person who has everything, according to a gadget expert

The S50 is packed with cool and weird features. First off, it’s a tape measure: It can measure out to a whopping 400 ft (120 m) and offers an incredible ±1/16 inch accuracy. It works in all sorts of conditions — indoors, outdoors, in bright sun, rain, mist, or snow, and you can even see the laser when it’s shone on a low-reflective surface.

Also: I tried a laser-powered tape measure for my DIY project – my only regret is not switching soon

As for the weirder features, you can use the S50 to do things like measure the distance between two points from a single location, measure the area of a wall, the volume of a room or cylinder, it can work out various Pythagorean calculations, and even use the side laser to make out intervals for things like fence posts. 

The amount of stuff that this little gadget can do is quite staggering. Some of the features I’ve been using a lot, others I’m not sure why I’d need them, but one day will probably have one of those “a-ha” moments and figure out that particular feature will be useful.

The VX2 Pro is a two-slot battery charger that can take a wide variety of cell types and sizes. You can pop in AA, AAA, C, D, 18650, 21700, and more, and the unit will automatically detect the battery’s chemistry, offering a wide array of functions to help you get the most from your battery.

Also: Are battery analyzers legit? I tested this $30 one from Amazon, and it’s already paying off

The large LCD screen is bright and clear, displaying all the necessary information about the unit’s batteries. The buttons allow you to flip through the different features, and I found that this was one of those bits of tech where I benefited from reading the manual.

The charger features a USB-C port for charging and includes a 20W charger and cable. It also comes with a handy storage bag to keep everything together when not in use.

The Marine case is a pouch made of high-quality, soft yet super tough black and clear TPU polymer. It’s rated IP68 for submersion in up to one meter of water for up to an hour. 

Also: A traditional case was no longer enough for my phone, so I travel with this instead

There’s a window on the front that allows operation of the smartphone (the smartphone is incredibly responsive to touch in the case), and a smaller window on the back to allow the camera to work. I was surprised to find that Face ID continued to work when the iPhone was in the case.

On the top is a very positive catch on the top that is definitely not going to come undone by accident. 

The EnerGeek GX11 comes in a tower form factor. Measuring 4.7 x 2 x 2 inches and weighing a shade under a pound, it’s quite a beefy power bank, but packs 20,000mAh of battery capacity (small enough to take on a commercial airliner without running into regulatory headaches). 

In practical terms, this is good for some two to three recharges of a modern smartphone. 

Also: A power bank that doubles as an LTE hotspot is the travel gadget I didn’t know I needed

So far, nothing all that new, but let me get to its best feature. Yes, there’s a built-in hotspot that works in over 150 countries. Even better, there’s no SIM card to have to fiddle with and no contract to pay monthly. 

The unit comes with 1GB of global use data per month for the first year, and using the Baseus MiFi app, you can buy global or regional data packages. 

The EnerCore CG11 looks like any other travel adapter I’ve used. It’s a palm-sized cube measuring 3.3 x 2.2 x 2 inches and weighing around half a pound. It has a few levers on the side and a variety of ports. It is compatible with almost every power outlet worldwide and every voltage and frequency you’ll encounter. This unit has you covered in the US, Europe, Asia, or Australia.

Also: My new favorite universal adapter for traveling has a hidden superpower

The 70W output is perfect for most devices and will charge big devices like MacBook Pros that are usually connected to beefy chargers, albeit at a slower rate. 

And there’s a retractable USB-C cable, so you’re never without!

This is a perfect portable toolkit.  

There’s a small 1/4-inch ratchet, a screwdriver bit holder, and a selection of bits and sockets; everything is of the highest possible quality.

Also: This is my favorite tool kit of all time – here’s why it’s still in use 10 years later

The ratchet might look small, but looks in this case are deceptive, and I’ve really cranked it down with no issues at all.   

I’ve literally had one of these for over ten years, and it’s still going strong. 

This is an excellent starter thermal camera for both iPhone and Android. It has a native resolution of 160 × 120 pixels with a 25Hz refresh rate, upscaled to 320 × 240 by Thermal Master’s proprietary X³ algorithm to offer pin-sharp images. 

Also: I invested in a thermal imaging camera for my iPhone and Android – it’s already paying off

The camera has a range of -4°F to 1,112°F (-20°C to 600°C) and an accuracy of ±3.6°F, making it perfect for a wide range of applications, from insulation inspections and HVAC system diagnostics to automotive troubleshooting.

While the camera features a USB-C port, which allows it to work with Android smartphones and the latest iPhones, I’ve tested it on an older Lightning iPhone with an adapter, and it works fine. 

I have several inspection cameras, and they’re fantastic for getting eyes into places you can’t normally get to. However, they’re typically large and bulky, designed for mechanics and HVAC engineers, which limits their usability.

Also: The weirdest $14 gadget on Amazon I’ve found turned out to be beyond useful

In my quest to find a small, portable, low-cost camera for confined spaces, I found this one from Amazon, explicitly designed to inspect ear canals. Although that is its advertised purpose, this tiny 1080p HD camera can be used for various tech needs. I’m not a doctor, so I won’t recommend that you insert this camera into any orifice. If you’re going down that route, you’re on your own! I’m also not reviewing any of the ear cleaning tools. I’ll leave that to someone else.

Putting aside the name, which makes it sound like a smartphone, the NexTool S11 Pro is marketed as a 12-in-1 EDC (everyday carry) multitool aimed at the hiker and camper.

Also: I tried this $30 multitool from Amazon, and it handled more than what the seller claimed

It measures a compact 1.97 x 0.63 x 4.12 inches and it weighs a minuscule 2.9 oz. It’s also packed with features I rely on when out and about. The pliers are a good compromise of size and performance, the blade is sharp enough for most tasks and holds an edge well, and the screwdrivers and scissors are well designed and do their job well.

Before I toss a battery into the recycling, I always test it. I generally use a multimeter, but that involves knowing what the voltages of a battery are when they’re full and dead. So, unless you have a brain that remembers stuff like that over people’s birthdays, this isn’t a practical method.

Also: I tried a unviersal battery tester from Amazon, and it’s already saving me money

But fear not, because I’ve found a really cool battery tester that’s easy to use, accurate, and can be used with virtually any battery you’ll find around the home — both one-use and rechargeable.

It would be cool to just plug a USB cable into a battery, wouldn’t it? Well, USB-C ports and battery charge circuitry are small enough, and battery chemistry is good enough to allow that.

I’ve been testing many USB rechargeable batteries, and the brand that’s consistently been a winner for me is Paleblue.

Also: Should you buy rechargeable batteries in 2025? These USB-C ones say yes.

The company offers a wide range of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, AAA, AA, C, D, and 9V, as well as assorted bundles. These are superior to the older nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) rechargeable batteries, which need their own chargers.

Each kit has batteries, a 4-way charge cable, and a plastic box to hold the batteries.

This is one of the coolest, best-engineered bits of kit I’ve handled in a while. It even doubles as a fidget toy: a mini 1/4-inch ratchet wrench by 711L. 

Also: Why this $25 ratchet tool beats any multitool or Swiss Army Knife I’ve ever tested

Yes, it’s a tiny yet fully functional and reversible ratchet. It measures a very compact 2 inches, and on the other end, there’s a 1/4-inch adapter with a magnet for screwdriver bits, allowing the tool to be used in both orientations.

Don’t let the small size of this ratchet fool you — it’s strong! According to the manufacturer, the ratchet can take 22 ft-lbs (30 Nm) of torque. In my real-world tests, I put a socket on the end and applied as much pressure as I could muster, and the ratchet held up with no problems whatsoever.