Images Courtesy of Manufactures, Pixabay
The best tech gifts don’t have to be expensive. Here are over a dozen fun and interesting gadgets that everyone would enjoy getting, under $10. Find deals on Earbuds, Cable Management, Apple Watch Charger Case, USB Hubs, Fruit Shape Flash Drives, Remotes and more. We’ve also included links to other list of inexpensive gifts in case you need more ideas.
As an added bonus, using these links on Amazon, you’ll find these all ship free to the US.
Cable Control
Bluelounge Cableyoyo – Earbud Cable Management (about $10) Note that the earbuds are NOT included.
Available in 3 colors – Lime Green, Light Grey, Dark Grey
We like this soft silicone rubber spool that keeps wired earbud cords from getting tangled and broken. It’s a simple way take up cord slack in the earbud wires as well.
A neat feature is the magnetic center which helps secure the earbuds. The side openings are the right size for quick winding and unwinding.
To unwind, place your finger in the center of the spool, give a soft tug on the earbuds, and you are ready for music.
It’s not just for earbuds. We found that it has enough space for winding, and organize small cables (like iPhone USB).
It has a slim design, making it the ideal accessory to pop in a bag, drawer or keep earbuds neatly managed on your desk. It measures 2.76 x 2.76 x 0.67 inches, and weighs just 1.44 ounces.
At this price, you can pick up one in each color.
Order through Amazon – Bluelounge Cableyoyo – Earbud Cable Management
Earbuds
If you aren’t into the wires, here are three options for inexpensive Wireless Bluetooth earbuds:
- Aledy Bluetooth Earbuds (about $5)
- Tiwu Bluetooth Earbuds (about $4)
- Beautyonline Bluetooth Earbuds (about $3)
You can read our full review for these at: Best 5 Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds Under $5
Apple Watch Charger
kinnara for Apple Watch Charging Case Wallet (about $8) Note that the iWatch is NOT included
We like the simple design and good construction for this Charge Holder Stand / Charging Dock / Station Storage for the Apple Watch.
It’s made of a soft silicone, and fits all the various Apple watches:
- Series 1 2015
- Series 2 2016
- Series 3 2017
- 38mm and 42mm Basic, Sport or Edition Models
The fold-over flap provides a nice protective layer for the watch face, and the molded silicone keeps the metal from getting scratched. The holder also has a built in cable winder and another slot to keep the cable neatly organized.
It’s intuitive to use – Just open the protective layer, then put your Apple Watch with its magnetic charging sensor into slot.
We like the small size, that fits in palm of your hand. It’s easily portable and convenient to place it in your bag, drawer or on the table, so you can use it anytime and anywhere.
It measures 2.75 x 2.75 x 1.37 inches, and weighs 2.4 ounces.
Order with this Amazon link – kinnara for Apple Watch Charging Case Wallet
Cable Biters
Cable Chompers Lightning Cable Accessory for iPhones (about $3 to $6 each)
The go by some different names – Cable Chewers, Cable Biters, or our favorite, Cable Chompers.
These are about the cutest accessory we’ve come across, and they are also practical for keeping the ends of your cable from getting bent or frayed.
These are also great if you have loose connection to your device, since they’ll hold the cable securely onto whatever they are plugged into. They’ll grip most cables including lightening cables or cables with similar designs
And they just look great chomping on the end of your smartphone!
You can get your choice of: Chameleon, Turtle, Duck, Dog, Whale, Shark, Cat, Nemo Fish, Pig, Axolotl, Frog, Hedgehog, Panda, Polar Bear, Hippo, Rabbit, Seal, Tiger and more animals. There are some more packs coming with holiday themes, and you can also get them in various assortment multi-packs.
To use them, there is a gap under the cable protector where you put the cable into the gap and then push it to the top of the cable.
These are made of a smooth PVC / Silicone material, and weigh less than an ounce each.
For this price, get the whole set! Order on Amazon with Cable Chompers Lightning Cable Accessory for iPhones
USB Hub
Alxum USB 2.0 Hub 4-Port USB Hub (about $8)
For anyone that needs a few more easily accessible USB ports on their desktop. We like the 1.2 m (about 4 feet) cable length, and that no software is required. The cable is attached to the hub, so you won’t accidentally loose it or leave it behind.
You can use this with just about any device that has a powered USB port, including laptops, desktops and tablets. It’s been tested with Apple, Windows, Android and Chrome.
The only negative to this 4-port USB hub is that it only supports USB 2.0 or 1.1, not the newer / faster USB 3.0. Also, this is a data-only hub, and the USB ports aren’t used for charging phones or other devices. But for around $8, that wasn’t a deal breaker.
It does have a built-in surge protector to keep your devices safe. This will handle problems like: Over-voltage, Over-current, Leakage and Short-Circuit.
It’s compact and light at: 5.2 x 4.7 x 1.5 inches , 5.0 ounces.
You can find it on Amazon at: Alxum USB 2.0 Hub 4-Port USB Hub
USB Flash Drives
CHUYI Cute and Creative Fruit Series 16GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive (about $10)
Another really cute idea – these USB Flash Drives are made of soft PVC rubber material in the shape of fruits. We like the novelty of them, and that it makes it easy to spot these so we don’t loose them.
The available fruit shapes are Banana, Cherry, Strawberry, Pineapple, Watermelon. There is also a Unicorn, Sushi and more.
These come in different capacities, and the prices are very reasonable:
However, like the USB Hub, these are only rated at USB 2.0 and not the higher USB 3.0 . But since these aren’t super-high capacity, the max 480 Mbps data transfer rate is not a deal breaker.
No software / firmware is needed, and these will plug-and-play with all the major operating systems (e.g., Apple, Windows, Chrome, Linux, etc.). You can even use these with your audio systems, TV or digital picture frames.
These are really compact at about 0.98 x 0.39 x 1.77 inches, 1.06 ounces.
For this price you can get the entire fruit-bowl of USB drives!
Order at Amazon using – CHUYI Cute and Creative Fruit Series
DirecTV Remote
DIRECTV RC73 IR/RF Remote Control (about $7 for 2-pack)
For all those lost remotes, here is a nice inexpensive replacement. Best of all, you get 2 so that you can even misplace one of these and still be good!
This particular RC73 Genie Remote replaces the RC71 and RC72. While these use both infrared (IR) and radio frequency (RF) technology the RC73 is compatible with older DIRECTV receivers in IR mode only.
You’ll also get better support for new TVs that support RF. For DIRECTV Ready TVs in IR mode, you’ll still need to point the remote at the equipment.
We like the sleek and ergonomic design, which is almost 20% smaller than the standard Universal Remote. To make it simpler, there are fewer buttons and streamlined layout. It’s just the essentials, and you’ll know what every button does!
While we didn’t really notice it, they say these have a faster response time than a standard Universal Remote. If you are noticing lag time or delay with your current remote, you might want to try one of this. Hopefully your receiver will start to react more quickly to every button-press.
Here’s a full compatibility list of remotes this can replace:
- Genie – model HR44 or above
- Genie Lite – model H44 or above
- Genie Mini – model C41 or above
- 4K Genie Mini – model C61K or above
- Wireless Genie Mini – model C41W or above
Just how small is this remote? It’s 6.6 x 2.2 x 2.2 inches and 3.2 ounces.
Order the 2-pack with this Amazon link – DIRECTV RC73 IR/RF Remote Control
Surge Protector
Tripp Lite 6 Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip (about $10)
We always recommend using surge protection strips instead of extension cords for all your electronics. A surge protector is a little more expensive, but definitely worth the investment.
Tripp Lite is a favorite brand, and we like the quality of their product.
Use a surge protection strip to protect your personal computer, laptop, printer, scanner, router, phone, fax, modem, television, lamp or any other home/office electronics from dangerous power surges, spikes & line noise.
We especially like that Tripp Lite offers Lifetime Limited Warranty and $20,000 Ultimate Lifetime Insurance covers any connected equipment damaged by a power surge. If it ever does get damaged, you can get a free replacement.
Read our full review of the Tripp Lite – Best Surge Protector Power Strips For Home
The TLP604 offers 6 total outlets, a 4-foot cord and a diagnostic LED to warn of suppressor damage. Everything you need in a surge strip!
This one comes with the mounting holes on the back, and measures 10.35 x 1.65 x 1.26 inches, 13.6 ounces.
Get these before you need them, and stay protected. Order with – Tripp Lite 6 Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip
Conclusion
Still looking for gift ideas?
Checkout our companion article –10 Tech Gifts Under $10 – for more inspiration.
And, many items we reviewed in Top 6 Kindle Paperwhite E-Reader Accessories would fit this budget as well.
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