Push a button, tap a screen, say a command — that's all it takes these days to have virtually anything you want at your fingertips. While some products out there may seem superfluous — looking at you, Bluetooth fidget spinners — others can make your life easier. We scoured the web to find some of our favorite tech gadgets that are worth the cost to improve your quality of life.
Prices and availability are subject to change.
$20 and up from Amazon
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Why We Love It: This is a great device to boost your Wi-Fi signal and get the fastest streaming power. It's also useful to set up separate Wi-Fi networks for guests.
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$22 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Charge your phone anywhere while extending its battery life. This particular model is compatible with most electronics, including the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy.
$10 and up from Amazon
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Why We Love It: It may look silly, but this gripper is actually really useful for taking pictures or watching videos. It also folds down flat when not in use for a more discrete look.
$66 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Track steps and monitor sleep cycles to improve your health. It also records workouts, and receives call, text, or calendar notifications.
Related: Best Cheap Fitness Trackers
$13 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Not having to fumble with a cord is a definite perk with this sleek wireless charging pad. Just put your phone on top and it does all the work. It can charge through phone cases too.
$70 from Walmart
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Why We Love It: Stream your favorite shows right to your TV with the Roku device. It includes an easy-to-use remote and even works with older televisions — the kind you once had hooked up for cable.
Related: Best Cheap Streaming Media Players
$80 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Play music, call your mom, order more toilet paper — you can ask Alexa practically anything from anywhere in your house. You can also link an Echo to your thermostat, security system, television, and more.
$200 from Best Buy
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Why We Love Them: With more than 200 reviews and a near five-star rating, these Bluetooth over-the-ear headphones are a popular pick. They have up to 50 hours of battery life, supreme sound, and a built-in microphone for gaming and calls.
Related: 13 Perfectly Good Wireless Earbuds Way Cheaper Than AirPods
$90 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: The Kindle e-reader makes reading accessible anywhere, which is always a good thing. The single battery charge can last weeks, and it can hold thousands of books. Plus ebooks are typically cheaper than hard or paperback versions.
$28 from Walmart
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Why We Love It: A wireless keyboard is practically a must-have these days. It saves desk space, eliminates chord chaos, and makes it easier to work from anywhere. This Logitech is a bestseller, and comes with a wireless mouse.
$20 from Target
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Why We Love It: This Chromecast provides 4K video resolution and features Wi-Fi and streaming capabilities. It works with multiple devices, including Apple, Android, and Chromebooks.
$13 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: This cheap car charger is simple, versatile, and has more than 41,000 five-star reviews. It's compatible with practically every smartphone on the market, and is discrete in size.
$50 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: While some laptops come equipped with multiple USB ports, many do not. A hub is crucial for when you're working remotely and are in need of connecting your wireless keyboard, mouse, while simultaneously charging other devices. This seven-port hub should give you all the outlets you need; however, there are many others on the market that offer three to 10 ports.
$40 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Another contender in media streaming, the Fire TV Stick boasts strong processing power and is great for gamers, with access to more than 7,000 apps and games.
$20 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Especially for people who live in colder climates, touchscreen gloves lend a much appreciated helping hand. These have 10-finger functionality and provide warmth as well as easy device handling.
$380 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: A drone might seem like a bit of a splurge, but if you're into photography or filmmaking, it can be a smart purchase. There's no denying the incredible aerial shots you can get. (And they're super cool and make great gifts.) This one is relatively affordable compared with others on the market, and users say it's great for beginners.
$79 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: A wireless speaker is great for home entertainment, and Bose is unparalleled when it comes to sound quality. This one is on the cheaper side of the Bose world, but it packs a punch and it pairs easily with bluetooth devices. Ninety-five percent of customers say they'd recommend it a friend.
$63 from Walmart
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Why We Love It: Enjoy your favorite games from anywhere in the room with a wireless controller. Options are also available for PlayStation, Nintendo Wii, and more of your favorite consoles.
$10 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: If you're a runner, a smartphone armband is useful for listening to music and keeping you motivated. This one has a water and sweat-proof design, plus users confirm that you can actually use your phone through the protective covering.
$190 and up from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Save on your heating and cooling bills by investing in a smart home thermostat. The Nest learns the temperatures that you like during different times of the day and adjusts automatically to your schedule. It also keeps an eye on the weather to get the temperatures that will save you the most.
Related: Best Cheap Thermostats
$40 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Extremely useful for chefs and home cooks, this kitchen scale provides precise weighing and connects to an app that details nutritional facts such as calories, protein, and fat content, etc.
$30 from Best Buy
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Why We Love It: Perhaps the sleekest looking mouse out there, the Arc Touch features an ambidextrous design that will please right or left-handed users. Its laser beam is four times larger than a standard mouse, allowing it to navigate smoothly over a variety of surfaces.
Related: Best Cheap Computer Mice
$100 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Aspiring influencers need the right equipment in their quest for TikTok and YouTube fame. This kit has all they need to make recording that next viral moment easier, including a microphone, LED light, and tabletop tripod.
Related: Gifts for Teenage Girls (That They'll Actually Like)
$72 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Forget fumbling with that old plastic garage door opener and take control with your smartphone. You can also monitor who's coming or doing, see if the doors are open or closed when you're not home, and get text or email alerts if someone else opens it.
Related: Cheap Garage Door Openers
$115 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: This takes everyone's all-time favorite slow cooker to the next level. After setup, you can control this device using the Alexa app on your phone. Start or stop it, check the status of the cooking process, control the heat setting, and more.
$50 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: If you want precision when it comes to cooking meat, we recommend buying a smart digital thermometer. Not only will it give you peace of mind, but it will save time constantly checking to make sure a chicken isn't raw. This one is Bluetooth enabled so you can monitor it remotely.
$120 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Use Siri to search and interact with your television, and choose your favorite movies, shows, or games to enjoy in 4K with Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 surround sound. Plus, for gamers, it has an A10X Fusion chip for super-fast graphics and performance.
$25 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: This a great tool for bakers as it combines the precision of weighing ingredients with the versatility of a pourable measuring cup. It tells you exactly when you have the correct measurement in volume or weight, and also lets you choose your preferred unit of measurement.
Related: 20 Essential Baking Tools That Every Aspiring Pastry Chef Needs
$100 from Bed Bath & Beyond
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Why We Love It: This kettle has preset temperatures for different varieties of tea or French press coffee. It heats up quickly, stays warm, and the best part is that you never have to turn on the stove.
Related: Perk 'Em Up with These Great Gifts for Coffee Lovers
$55 from Lowe's
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Why We Love It: This gadget tracks the internal temperature of your food and sends a notification to your smartphone once it has reached the ideal temp. Barbecue perfection, here we come.
$80 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Simply attach this device to any cooking vessel, add water, and push start. It heats and circulates water to a precise temperature, resulting in tender, perfectly cooked dishes. It's the ease of a slow-cooker combined with the quality of a five-star chef.
$49 from Walmart
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Why We Love It: Baking bread from scratch is extremely daunting, but there's no denying the quality of fresh bread. This machine has settings for over 12 different kinds of bread, from classic French to gluten-free. Just dump the ingredients in, and let the machine handle the rest. The bread pan is also dishwasher safe.
Related: Top Bread Makers and Other Bread-Making Supplies for Baking at Home
$90 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Reduce germs and contamination with a motion-sensor trash can. It also features a carbon filter deodorizer to keep your room smelling fresh. Reviewers say that the lid function works quickly.
$80 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Enjoy free, limitless power in the great outdoors with a solar charger. This one has enough power to charge two devices simultaneously.
$310 and up from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Maybe a bit of a splurge for some, but this type of desk can add years back on to your life. Sitting at a desk over eight hours a day can do serious damage to your posture. A desk that keeps your legs pumping not only keeps moving, but makes the day go by quicker for a more pleasurable office experience.
Related: 10 Sit-Stand Desks from Ikea, Amazon, Uplift, and More
$55 from Sears
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Why We Love It: Small, sleek, and discrete, this air purifier is ideal for a home with pets. It helps eliminate allergens and pollutants, plus has a separate charcoal filter to trap odor.
Related: Best Cheap Air Purifiers
$400 and up from Amazon
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Why We Love It: If you're into traveling and capturing experiences on film, a GoPro is a nifty gadget to own. It captures high-quality video and photos, has built-in voice control and video stabilization, and it's waterproof.
$40 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: If your car isn't equipped with Bluetooth, a car kit adapter is what you need. This model can stream music and provides hands-free calling.
Related: Cool Gifts for People Who Love Cars
$30 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: The kids might not like this one, but a GPS tracker is useful for more than just keeping tabs on your teen. If your elementary school kid is attending in-person classes, this is great if they walk, as well as for the elderly who may suffer from dementia.
$46 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Although we certainly don't condone speeding, this radar detector is a handy thing to have before a road trip or if you have a long work commute. This one provides 360-degree protection and three driving modes.
$13 from Walmart
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Why We Love It: Most As-Seen-On-TV products are a little farfetched, but this one could save you time and energy trying to retrieve your wedding ring or child's pacifier from a seat cushion.
Related: 20 Must-Haves for Your Car You Didn't Know You Needed
$62 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: A mobile hotspot is a great tool for business travelers to avoid roaming or data usage. This Huawei option gets up to 150Mbps and can be shared with up to 16 devices.
$19 from Amazon
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Why We Love Them: A sweat-resistant design and flexible neck collar make running to the beat easy and comfortable with these earbuds.
$36 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: A good night's sleep should never be taken for granted. This soothing sleep machine has 24 relaxing sounds to choose from, and it's more attractive than many models.
Related: Turn Your Bedroom Into the Ultimate Cocoon With These 15 Products
$80 from Amazon
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Why We Love Them: Incorporating NASA-inspired technology, this indoor herb garden uses no pesticides or harmful chemicals in the process. Just plug it in, choose from more than 50 pre-seeded pods, add water, and expect sprouts in one to two weeks.
$110 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Quit fighting with your built-in trackpad and invest in this beauty that will make scrolling and swiping more productive and less frustrating. This one has a built-in battery, multiple sensors, and is 30% larger than its predecessor.
$40 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: A humidifier is useful for babies, people in dry climates, and anyone needing to stave off a nasty cold or flu. It moisturizes the air for 16 hours, and has an automatic shut-off.
Related: Best Cheap Humidifiers
$23 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Perfect for long flights or light sleepers at home, this mask provides complete darkness and a comfortable contour design. Plus it has a Bluetooth audio so you can fall asleep to your favorite tunes.
Related: The Best Gifts for Night Owls of Every Possible Persuasion
$60 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: This novel gadget is handy for working on the go, especially when you have to type emails on your smartphone. It's also compatible with most computers, smart TVs, tablets, and smartphones.
$28 and up from Amazon
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Why We Love It: An overheated laptop is basically useless. A cooling pad will ensure your device stays at the perfect temperature for maximum work or gaming performance.
$15 from Target
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Why We Love It: Losing battery midgame? Total bummer. A rechargeable battery is a smart move so your game never gets interrupted.
$50 from Best Buy
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Why We Love It: Another power option to cut back on controller battery expenses is the charging station. Simply leave controllers on the stand and it will alert you when they're ready.
$200 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Includes a one-year subscription to Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, which grants access to more than 20,000 kid-friendly educational apps, books, movies, and more. Parents will revel in this handy child distraction.
$51 and up from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Lightweight and equipped with an auto-reverse function to clear paper jams as well as an auto shut-off safety feature, this shredder is ideal for home offices. Shred documents — even credit cards — to save space, reduce waste, and keep secure information protected.
$23 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Getting the kids to sleep is usually not an easy feat. This interactive night light will not only keep them feeling safe, but will help lull them into a deep sleep
$39 from Walmart
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Why We Love It: The two-way talk-back intercom allows you to not only hear your baby, but talk to them too. It includes a vibrating alert on the parental unit, and a nightlight on the baby unit.
$30 from B&H
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Why We Love It: Enhance your photo quality and precision with a smartphone shoulderpod. It's great for photographers, journalists, filmmakers, and travelers.
$100 from Best Buy
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Why We Love It: Another contender in the realm of home assistants, Google Home allows you to quickly get answers from Google, play music, and is compatible with Chromecast and Nest.
$138 from Walmart
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Why We Love It: Pretty much a necessity these days, Wi-Fi routers come in all shapes, sizes, and power. This Netgear option has more than 10,790 glowing reviews and a solid five-star rating. It offers seamless Wi-Fi for up to 30 devices and can be set up easily in five minutes through an app.
Related: The Best Wi-Fi Extenders and Mesh Router Systems for Better Internet at Home
$19 and up from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Sometimes you need more than one charging cable for your iPhone, and sometimes the one it comes with is either too short or doesn't last. A high-quality lightning cable will save you money in the long run.
$70 from Best Buy
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Why We Love It: If you're looking for more storage for your computer or gaming console, you might want to look into an external hard drive. This one is sleek, portable, and holds 2TB.
Related: Best Cheap External Hard Drives
$32 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: It's worth the investment to save on the hundreds it could cost you to fix or replace a broken phone. Users like this option because it is slimmer and sleeker than most Otterbox models, but the brand is well regarded in general.
$189 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: The beauty of the Nest security camera is much like the thermostat system — it connects seamlessly to your smartphone, has simple installation, and is excellent at detecting activity. This one can withstand rain or shine, and includes a built-in speaker and microphone.
$210 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Have you ever wanted to know what exactly your furry friend does at home while you're away? Well, now you can with the Furbo dog camera. This device lets you watch and talk to your pet, as well as shoot out treats from your phone. All with a 360-degree view so you don't have any blind spots. It would also be great to monitor a new or sick pet.
$14 and up from Amazon
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Why We Love It: The slim-fitting design molds perfectly to a MacBook Air and absorbs impact. It comes in 36 designs, so there's something for everyone. Oh, and you get screen and keyboard protectors.
$70 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: It's good to feel protected, and the dash cam does just that. Intended to record and monitor driver safety, this car camera is one of those gadgets that some people swear by. But for something that you probably (hopefully) won't need very often, we recommend sticking to one under $100.
$130 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: This pocket-sized printer can print photos via Bluetooth from your smartphone or tablet. It's a fun way to share memories analog-style using ink-free technology.
$13 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: This non-slip mouse pad extends to cover your mouse and keyboard, ensuring no movement while using your computer. It's water-resistant and has an ultra smooth surface.
$50 from Target
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Why We Love It: The electric toothbrush removes 300% more plaque than a manual toothbrush, and has a two-minute timer so you know you're brushing for the dentist-recommended length of time.
Related: Best Cheap Electric Toothbrushes
$15 from Container Store
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Why We Love It: Keep your office tidy with a convenient cord organizer. This cable zipper keeps all your important wires neatly in place.
$279 from Best Buy
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Why We Love It: Set to brew automatically each morning, or brew on demand from your smartphone. Coffee in bed, anyone?
Related: The Best 10 Coffee Makers to Buy at Walmart and Target
$35 from Best Buy
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Why We Love It: Get HD programming free to your television with this paper-thin antenna.
$34 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: A relaxing addition to any room, this therapeutic diffuser includes misting functions as well as an auto-shutoff when the water is low. And like most things in modern life, it's compatible with Alexa or an app.
$600 from Chewy
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Why We Love It: This self-cleaning litter box rakes waste into the covered compartment after your cat uses it, and has a timer that resets if safety sensors detect the cat has re-entered. It also has a cover to keep extra littler from leaving the box. The price is worth the convenience and cleanliness.
$75 from Chewy
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Why We Love It: Another time-saving pet product, the programmable feeder will give you back precious sleeping hours. You can program to feed at specified times during the day, and it has a secure snap-locking lid.
Related: The Coolest Pet Tech Devices You Didn't Know You Needed
$730 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Although it is without a doubt on the pricier side, a Roomba is the ultimate device in easy home cleaning. This model maps and adapts to your home's nooks and crannies, empties its own debris, and allows you to control it from your smartphone.
Related: Cheap Robotic Vacuum Cleaners
$60 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Prep for the day while listening to your favorite music. It also features 2x, 3x, and 10x magnification, bright LED lights, and a USB charging station.
$220 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: See who's at your door even when you're not home. This device will alert you on your phone when someone rings the doorbell.
$20 from Target
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Why We Love It: Great for quickly cleaning tile surfaces in the bathroom or kitchen. The oscillating head scrubs 60 times per second and has interchangeable accessory brushes depending on your surface.
$300 from Best Buy
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Why We Love It: Essentially a mopping Roomba, the iRobot Mop cleans your floors at the push of a button. Reviewers love that it's quieter than expected.
$35 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Save money (and calories) by skipping fast food for lunch. You can carry your leftovers and heat them up to perfection, or cook soups, oatmeal, and more right at your desk.
$304 from Target
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Why We Love It: The hackworthy uses for a lamination machine are endless. Not only is it handy for kids' school projects, but also for organizational uses around the house, such as chore lists, weekly menus, recipe cards, and scrapbooking.
$25 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: The stainless steel, vacuum insulated bottle is great for keeping drinks cold or hot. It comes with a tea infuser basket with removable steeper so you can use the strainer for fruit infusions.
$84 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: This gadget is great for people in rainy climates or outdoor professionals. It uses forced warm air to dry and eliminate odors from damp or wet boots without harming shoe construction.
$55 and up from Amazon
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Why We Love It: This "smart" carry-on suitcase has a charging port so you can juice up your smartphone. The built-in cup and phone holders are just a bonus. It comes in four colors and is expandable for extra packing.
Related: Best Cheap Luggage
$240 from Staples
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Why We Love It: Scan from anywhere with this portable document scanner connected with a high-speed USB port.
$70 from Best Buy
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Why We Love It: The perfect printer for home offices, this one can print, scan, or copy documents. You can print from a mobile device or select cloud services via Wi-Fi.
$25 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: This is one smart, multitasking cup that glows to remind you to stay hydrated. It's also a 360-degree Bluetooth speaker, so you can get your jam on while taking sips.
$34 and up from Amazon
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Why We Love It: If you're sick of driving to the drugstore to check your BP, this will do the job at home, with memory capacity for two users. It also can detect an irregular heartbeat.
$110 from Kohl's
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Why We Love It: This machine is nine appliances in one — pressure cooker, rice cooker, slow cooker, steamer, sauté pan, food warmer, sous vide, sterilizer, and even yogurt maker. It has 13 smart programs and a timer.
$180 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Control your home's lighting remotely wherever you are. It has voice control with Alexa, Apple HomeKit, or Google Assistant.
$25 from Best Buy
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Why We Love It: This little gadget plugs into any outlet and lets you control your connected appliances and devices via phone.
$107 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: It will detect smoke and carbon monoxide, uses a friendly (but loud) human voice to do so, and will also send messages to a smartphone app. You can also use your phone to silence it.
$30 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: This versatile pillow can fold into several positions and hold a variety of tablets, phones, and ereaders. It's great for kids in the car, or streaming movies in bed.
$37 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: Ultra-thin and lightweight, this keyboard can fold up to pocket size and fit in your purse or backpack. It has Bluetooth so you don't have to worry about lugging around wires, and it's compatible with iPhone, iPad, Android, and Windows.
$15 from Office Depot
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Why We Love It: This pen allows you to navigate touch screens with precision. It's great for graphic designers and will keep your screen free of finger smudges.
$207 from Amazon
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Why We Love It: An auto-locking home security system that lets you specify who gets access. Create virtual keys for family and friends, and set specific times of access.
$40 from GEKO
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Why We Love It: Sensing danger? Press or blow on this whistle and it will automatically send emergency texts, emails, or even calls to preselected contacts. It'll then track your location via GPS every three minutes until deactivated.
$250 from Best Buy
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Why We Love It: Whether it's for emergencies or your next RV camping trip, this portable solar-powered generator can keep your electronics going for hours — without the fumes that come along with gas generators. This compact generator has also received rave reviews, though consumers are quick to point out that the solar panels are sold separately.
$35 from Best Buy
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Why We Love It: Forgetful? This high-tech key finder can help you located your keys, backpack, or purse from up to 400 feet away. Just fire up the Tile app, and you'll be able to ring the device and see its most recent location on a map.
$60 from Dell
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Why We Love It: The Kasa Wi-Fi power strip lets you see real-time energy consumption, control six outlets individually, and charge devices with three USB ports. It's also compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant, and other voice-operated systems, allowing you to remotely turn appliances and lights off and on.