The best 8 gizmos to gift the person who has everything, according to a gadget expert

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.