Renovation & Design

Renovation & Design

This holiday season's top gadgets and gizmos

Technophiles are hard to shop for, or so we’re told. Here are some can’t-miss gifts, we’d enjoy.

● Nothing beats a perfect hamburger any day of the year, and the Cave Tools Burger Press makes one every time. The aluminum burger press has indicator lines to make 4.5-inch round 1/4 pounders or 1/3 pounders for burger lovers, all in the palm of your hand. It’s so simple and works so well you’ll wonder how you lived without it. And it doesn’t end there; you’ll also get 200 burger papers to assure that removing and separating the patties from the mould is simple. It’s dishwasher safe and comes with free barbecue recipes and a lifetime guarantee.

Cavetools.com — US$11.99

● The iDevices light socket installs in seconds, turning any standard lightbulb into a smart bulb. You can control its power and brightness (if using a dimmable bulb) from anywhere with the iDevice’s app. The app lets you set up a schedule for the light or just drive anyone in the room nuts by turning it on and off randomly. The socket has a built-in colour ring for instant personalization for a unique ambiance. If you’re close by, just use your voice to control the light with Siri, Alexa or other voice assistants.

iDevicesInc.com — US$49.95

● The Bluetooth Lifeprint Photo and Video Printer works for anyone who takes iPhone pictures or videos — that should cover just about everyone. The portability and ease of use make the pocket-sized printer pretty cool. Just choose a frame grab from the video or a still image in the LifePrint app (iOS and Android). You’ll be able to do some editing, apply filters within the app, and print. It takes 30 seconds to make a 2x3 print. Each has a sticky back for posting anywhere. There are no ink cartridges, just Zink film and the print, which operates on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.

lifeprintphotos.com —US$129.95 for the printer and a 10-pack of paper. 30/50/110-packs of paper are available for US$19.99/$27.99/$49.99

● The myCharge Adventure Jump Start portable powerbank battery takes portable power to a new level. Not only will it charge phones, tablets, gaming units and just about any USB charging device. With the included detachable jumper cables, you’ll be able to jump-start many cars, boats, trucks or ATV batteries. The 6600mAh battery has 400A peak jump-start current and a 200A charge for getting your vehicle’s battery going. It’s built with spark-proof technology, reverse polarity, and over-discharge protection. An included carabiner makes it easy clip to your backpack, belt.

mycharge.com — US$99.99

● The Ventev wireless charging car kit is a four-product bundle for charging and mounting a smartphone in your car. The main feature is the wireless-pro dock that supports wireless-enabled smartphones with Qi fast wireless charging technology. This attaches to the vent mounting, which has a rotating clip and fits most vehicle air vents. Spring-loaded dual arms let your phone mount on and off with ease. The kit also includes a Ventev dashport (rq 1300) 12-volt "cigarette lighter" plug with a USB port to attach the included 3-foot, tangle-free chargesync USB cable.

mobileaccessories.ventev.com — US$56.95

● Clakit StrapPack secure storage solutions attach to backpack straps to add easily accessible pouches for electronic devices or a water bottle. Since the backpack straps are front facing, they are a great way to keep valuable items in full view. A padded pouch protects the contents from damage. Each StrapPack comes with a patented Clakit Clip, which wraps around backpack shoulder straps up to three inches wide. The pouches are available in choices of a smartphone pouch, two-zipper travel pouch, adjustable utility pouch, a general-purpose flip lid pocket pouch and a water bottle pouch.

clakit.com — StrapPacks range from US$14.95 to US$19.95

● ECOXGEAR’s EcoLantern is a rugged lantern, wireless speaker and a portable USB battery, all packed into a 10.4-inch long by 3.6-inch rounded body. The body is IP67 waterproof and submersible, and has a 400 lumen light. The light has modes for white, red, party and emergency light. A five-watt speaker with 360-degree sound can be paired to work wirelessly via Bluetooth or plug directly into the aux-in port. Inside is a 4,400 mAh rechargeable battery, which also has a USB 2.1A fast-charge out port for charging your smartphones, tablets and other USB charging devices. And if that wasn’t enough, there’s an integrated bottle opener

ECOXGEAR.com — US$129.99

— Tribune Media

Gregg Ellman
December 16