Everyone needs an upgrade somewhere in their life. A better bag. A watch that does more than just tell the time. A drone that’s fun to use but not so scary to break. A shower that works literally anywhere. A water filter so you don’t die. (You’re welcome.) A chance to finally watch Twin Peaks and forever live a little differently. It doesn’t cost much to make your life a little more adventurous, or convenient, or just fun. You might just save someone’s life — or at least seriously improve their coffee game.
Dubs ear plugs
Hearing is important. It’s good to hear. And Dubs Acoustic Filters are here for you: the ear plugs filter specific ear-damaging frequencies without blocking the music or noises you want to hear. And they look way cooler than those cheap orange foam plugs you were probably using before.
Bolse 2-in-1 charger
With the Bolse 2-in-1 charger, never touch a dead device again. Forget daisy-chaining and sitting next to the airport trash can, and just get on with your life.
NomadKey
If you’re as neurotic about keeping devices as charged as we are, you need a NomadKey. It’s a key-sized cable with USB on one end and a micro USB or Lightning connector on the other, perfect for keeping your Android and iOS devices charged while you’re on the go.
Kingston USB Drive
You could spend 15 minutes trying to figure out the Latest Wireless Networking Thing to share that photo of your breakfast burrito. Or you could spend 15 seconds plugging this USB drive into your computer. Sometimes the simplest solution is the best.
Zoku iced coffee maker
Leave this travel cup in your freezer when you’re not using it. Then, when it’s time for your morning iced coffee, pour hot coffee into it. The mug cools down drinks quickly without giving your fingers frostbite.
Black Mirror Season 1
Black Mirror is a British television show about the effect of technology in our current and near-future lives. The twist is that each episode has a different cast, different setting, and different feel entirely. It’s as crazy as it sounds, and you need to catch up.
Scanners
33 years after it came out, we have a proper Criterion Collection remastering of Scanners, the insane sci-fi romp that wouldn’t make much sense even if we tried to explain it. Just watch it: watch it in beautiful 2K, and then watch the included documentary, and then watch the movie again.
Bialetti 6800 Moka Espresso Maker
This fancy, beautiful, classic stovetop espresso maker can make a killer cup of Italian coffee in minutes. Did we mention the really nice design?
HiRise for iPhone
Where do you put your brand new iPhone? On a pedestal, obviously. The HiRise elevates your phone or iPad mini, and works with or without a case – the better for you to see and reach the gadget you can’t put down anyway.
Kodiak portable charger
You’re rugged. We know. But how are you going to keep your phone, GPS watch, headlamp, and portable shower charged while you’re trekking through the wildnerness? You’re going to buy this charger, that’s how. And you’re going to beat it up, use it over and over, and just watch it keep charging.
Destiny the Game Poster
There’s a huge class of artwork that riffs on movies, on movie posters, on actors, you name it. Society6 is that — but it’s the best at it.
Video game maps
Why frame New York, Chicago, or Paris? Dream a little bigger. Somewhere like Gotham City, or Vice City, or maybe Light World. Hang up the (gorgeous and minimal) maps of the places you actually want to hang out.
Soma water filter
As Zoolander once said: “Water is the essence of wetness, and wetness is the essence of beauty.” This water filter pitcher is not only beautiful, but eco-friendly too, with biodegradable coconut filters that are better for you and the planet. Derek would approve.
Rocki
Stop buying a new Bluetooth speaker every year; Rocki can help stream music from your phone to pretty much any set of speakers in your house. Oh, and it’s only $49.
X4 H107C drone
If you’re just learning how to fly a drone, don’t buy something you’re afraid of destroying. Buy the tiny X4 H107C, a shockingly durable and totally replaceable drone — the best way to learn how to fly without worrying about injuring it, yourself, or others. Especially not others.
Movieprints by Cooley
Anybody can get a plain old movie poster, but these prints from Cooley are better. Think of them as caricatures of movie scenes, only these are the good kind, not the jerk with an easel on the street kind.
Infinity Pillow
Think of everything you’d ever want from a pillow, and the Infinity Pillow is pretty much that exact thing. Awesome sleep is easily worth $60.
Disney: Infinity Starter Machine
Where else can you hang with the cast of Monsters University, Pirates of the Caribbean, and The Incredibles? Nowhere, that’s where. Just place them all on the included Infinity base and teleport them straight into the game.
Canvas Snap Backpack
This is the backpack for the intern or musician in your life. It’s a sleek, unpretentious upgrade of a classic design. Carry everything you need wherever you go, and look awesome doing it.
You're Dead, by Flying Lotus
Don’t play this album unless you’re ready to turn the volume up and probably drive at least one new family member into hearing aid territory. Flying Lotus is as varied a producer as you’ll hear — you get jazz, pop, hip-hop, and a thousand other things you need to listen closely to notice. Close your eyes, put one fist in the air, and press play.
Mover and Shaker pens
Don’t just buy a pen, buy a Statement Pen. This one’s almost enough to make you want to write your messages out by hand again, even if your handwriting is probably awful by now.
Linus bike bags
Linus bikes are inspired by classic French designs from the 1950s and ‘60s, and now the company is making bags to match. The ‘Sac’ is an odd name and an awesome bag — two-tone waxed canvas with a coated base that’s ideal for all your crosstown journeys.
Herschel tote
Sure, it’s just a bag – but it’s a cool bag. It’s a blast of camo or pin dot or plaid into the otherwise reserved world of laptop conveyance, an appropriately baroque wrapper for anything you might need today.
Hummingbird Hammock
The biggest problem with the great outdoors: there aren’t enough comfortable places to nap. These parachute-inspired hammocks fix that and stay light enough that they won’t make your pack any heavier than it needs to be.
Elite: Dangerous Beta
Why buy somebody an unfinished game? Because it’ll give them a head start on jumping into deep space with other players and building the coolest spaceship money can buy. Don’t worry, they’ll get the full game too, along with a bunch of extra perks.
TravelMate Kit
Bottle openers and forks should have converged a long time ago. Buck’s Travelmate is those two things, plus a serrated knife, screwdriver, and grill scraper in a single camping-trip-saving kit.
Universal Mobile Keyboard
Many devices, one way to type: Microsoft made a fantastic mobile keyboard that works well with Apple, Android, and Windows devices alike. It’ll work for weeks on a single charge, and it folds up when not in use for easy travel. Tap tap tap tap tap.
Original microG
Come on: you’re with family. Don’t blow smoke in their face. Blow vapor! And do it with the original Micro G, as classy a vape as you’ll find anywhere. You’re not even really smoking, honestly, so lay off, Grandma.
Grovemade iPhone 6 cases
A case isn’t just a nice accessory for the super-thin iPhone 6; it’s practically mandatory. So why not make it a stylish one? Grovemade cases are real wood and leather, with a backplate and a removable bumper so the phone can trim down if necessary. If you’re feeling generous, you can even get a wooden dock to match. It’s pretty, too.
Neat Ice Kit
Perfectly clear ice cubes are the easiest way to impress everyone with your home wet bar. Neat’s kit makes one big cube, half of which is clear — use the mallet and chisel to break off the cloudy half for use as crushed ice. OCD home mixologists rejoice!
K9 folding bike lock
The K-9 folding bike lock is as impenetrable as a U-lock, but can slip neatly into your back pocket. All the security, none of the “how do I carry this?”
Twin Peaks: The Entire Mystery
If you’re going to give the weirdest and most intriguing TV series of all time as a gift (and you really should), we recommend you also include a damn fine cup of coffee.
The Complete Calvin and Hobbes, by Bill Watterson
Calvin and Hobbes has that unique ability not to be merely awesomely nostalgic, but just flat-out awesome. If you know someone who’s never fallen in love with a boy and his tiger, right that wrong now. And if it’s been too long, get ready for some Calvinball.
Moto X
It can feel impossible to choose an Android phone. There are just so many. But here’s a hint: just get the best one, the Moto X. It’s available on most carriers, and you can customize the heck out of it.
Pebble
It turns out the first good smartwatch is still a fine pick for most people. Pebble delivers your smartphone notifications with a battery that will outlast any timepiece running Android — and it’s not even close.
Fire HD6
If you buy an iPad for a kid, it’s going to break. This is a fact. Amazon’s Fire HD6 has no such problem: it can survive just about anything, while playing a huge video and music library to their heart’s content. And if it breaks? You can just swap it for a new one. Your kid’s a bruiser, but it can’t beat Amazon.
Automatic
Automatic’s mission is to help you drive smarter and waste less money on gas. Sure, it’s $100, but you’ll end up saving much more than that when you stop driving like a fool.
Pressure Shower
Camping is a smelly, dirty good time. But you’re not an animal, you need to get cleaned up. This kit doesn’t require you to climb up a tree to hang a giant bag of water to do it: just press the foot pump to build up enough pressure for a five-minute shower.
Misfit Shine
Not every fitness tracker needs to be ugly or pester you with notifications from your phone. Misfit’s Shine strikes a great balance between features and handsome looks — there’s fitness-tracking, sleep-tracking, and even a neat LED-watch function.