Best Gadgets and Gear 2019

It looks like a hipster toy, but the Pint really moves and has just enough practicality to give it some utilitarian cred. This smaller version of the original is more compact, gets a sleek integrated handle, and a sorta-automated stopping feature that solves one of the biggest challenges to riding one—stopping and stepping off without pulling a muscle. The 750w motor is tucked into the wheel and propels you up to 16mph for 6 to 8 miles. It’s sketchy, and thrilling, and a pretty sweet way to cruise to the pub or work. 

Yeti’s popular Tundra 45 cooler is built with a durable rotomolded construction and two inches of insulation to keep your beverages ice-cold even in the heat of the summer. While Yeti’s latest $800 V-Series cooler may be able to retain ice even longer, we still think that the Tundra 45 is just as good—and more reasonably priced.

This mini projector is the size of a soda can, but capable of projecting 100 inches of HD video for up to three hours. It has a built-in speaker that you can actually hear, too. It’s the ideal tool for outdoor movie night.

This Therm-a-Rest camping chair folds down to the size of a Frisbee for easy transport. Though it functions primarily as a comfortable chair, you can transform it into a side table to use at the campsite as well.

For anyone who wants to get into vinyl with the least possible overhead, this turntable is the place to start. You won’t impress audiophile snobs, but you will notice the upgrade from streaming services. More important, it’s a reliable entry into the vinyl listening experience, plus compatibility with modern Bluetooth speakers.

These L.L. Bean shirts are a bit expensive; on the other hand, they’re one of the most durable henleys you can buy, made with cotton on the inside and wool-cotton synthetic on the outside.

This rugged, waterproof, shockproof, portable speaker is made for river canoe trips, camping in a national park, or just hanging in your backyard basecamp. Braven shows off the capabilities of its waterproof speakers in promo images with a cute pup swimming with one clamped in its teeth like a stick. We didn’t have a dog handy, but we did give it to some young kids to play with in the tub (it floats!). With an IPX-7 rating, the X2 survived, its deep bass and overall clarity in tact (though there is some distortion when the speaker body is soaking wet). The sound is slightly better than you’d expect from a $100 bluetooth speaker, with good base and pretty crisp highs. And the controls and bluetooth pairing are intuitive. You also can use the Braven’s battery (and a USB cable) to power your other devices.

A great travel pillow will make those long hours spent in the car or on a plane just that much more bearable when you’re visiting family or friends over the holidays. The Travelrest even packs down into a bag that’s a ¼ its original size for super easy transport.

Klean Kanteen’s tough and lightweight water bottle also has an environment-friendly finish that won’t ever chip.

Apple’s newest iPad comes equipped with 128GB, up to 10 hours of battery, a 10.2-inch Retina display, A10 Fusion chip, and a Touch ID fingerprint sensor. It’s just powerful enough for on-the-go work without being overkill if you just want to stream movies and surf the web.

Lego’s Bugatti Chiron will teach you about how the real thing actually works—while being significantly smaller and cheaper. Kids and adults alike will enjoy this mirror-image, 3,599-piece kit.

We swear by this pouch to organize all of your charging plugs, cables, or other tech and tools when you travel. 

The noise-cancelling technology in Sony’s WH100XM3 wireless headphones is the best in the industry. Plus, they have 30-day battery life, easy touch controls, and a compact travel case.

Apple has redesigned its popular AirPods with silicone inserts for a more custom fit, and we found that the new noise-cancellation feature is super effective on cross-country flights.

Instead of manually transferring your handwritten notes from work or your workshop to your laptop, Rocketbook’s smart notebook comes with 36 reusable pages that will send your writing to most cloud services.

Due to its slim, simple, and comfortable design, we named Kershaw’s Skyline the best pocket knife for everyday use.

Out of all of the smart home gadgets, you probably don’t need a smart mug. But it could make a great gift for someone who’s always letting their coffee or tea get cold.

If someone you know has been dying to get their hands on the Switch, this one with gray joy-cons even comes with a $25 Amazon gift card, so they can pick out the Nintendo games they want to go with it as well.

A Wi-Fi range extender may not be the most exciting gift under the tree, but it’ll be essential to boost your internet connection for all of those new gadgets. 

The new Bertucci A-1R Field Comfort watch weights just 1.3 ounces with a 36mm case. It’s water resistant to 50 meters, and the face glows in the dark with luminous coating.

A great smart thermostat will not only provide a convenient, automatic way to adjust the thermostat this winter, but also give the gift of a lower electric bill.

With 135 lumens, this mini solar light with provide just enough brightness for your campsite, and you can even charge your phone off its battery. With flashing white and red modes and an included bike mount, it’s great for commuting too.

It’s hard to go wrong with a cast-iron skillet from Lodge. This 10-inch pan with an assist handle costs under $20, but can serve up homecooked meals for generations.

Leatherman’s latest Free collection of multitools features magnetic locking for easy one-handed access to an impressive 19 tools on this device.

This Black Diamond headlamp boasts 300 lumens and plenty of setting options whether for navigating your campsite in the dark, trail running, or repairs in dimly lit areas of your home.

Ring’s 5-piece kit makes for a great entry into smart home security, including a base station, contact sensor, motion detector, keypad, and range extender.

DIYers could probably use a dedicated space for their tape measure, screwdriver, carpenter’s pencil, and more with this American-made, all-leather holder.

Osprey’s Farpoint backpack is the best bag for traveling, since it’s lightweight and comfortable like backpacking gear, but can haul a suitcase-worth of stuff.

These affordable desktop speakers won’t take up too much space on a crowded surface, but will still provide great audio for games or videos.

Whether for emergency preparedness or regular off-grid excursions, a portable charger like this one is essential to ensure your smartphone and other small electronics never run out of battery. Plus, the Nimble is constructed from recycled and plant-based plastics and can charge up to four devices at once.

This folding, locking, stainless steel and wood handled utility knife is attractive enough to show off when clipped to your belt but equally functional with its quick-change mechanism for swapping blades.

Anyone who’s learning how to mix drinks like the pros will love this shaker set. With 18- and 28-ounce cups, it’s large enough to make two cocktails, but only one is weighted so they can make drinks for a crowd.

Patagonia’s popular Micro Puff Insulated jacket promises to keep you warm without restricting your movement.

If there’s one top feature you should look for in your next TV, it’s QLED or OLED technology. This 2019 Samsung smart TV with QLED delivers the most realistic color spectrum.

Our favorite sleeping bag, the Nemo Rave isn’t quite as restrictive as many mummy-style bags, but still delivers maximum heat retention.

There’s a reason the Thermos brand is synonymous with insulated bottles and food containers. This jar can keep food and drinks hot for 14 hours or cold for 24.

If you know someone who’s just gotta have the latest smartphone technology, the new Google Pixel 4 has it. In addition to Google’s impressive camera, it has Face Unlock and motion-sense technology to control it through hand motions.

We’re fans of Smartwool’s liner gloves for their durability, warmth, and touchscreen compatibility. Wear them on their own or under a pair of winter work gloves without too much bulk.