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33 Pieces Of Tech You Didn't Know You Needed
From karaoke machines to doorbell cameras
Over the past couple of years, when most of us have spent a lot more time at home than we ever thought possible, our at-home needs have changed.
With less fresh air and light for long stretches at a time, we have wanted to ensure our skin gets touched with enough UV for a Vitamin D boost at home. And what about entertaining ourselves? With the pubs off limits and socialising being limited to many, many video calls, we've needed more fun gadgets.
It's given us a taste for the tech we didn't know we needed and now we're on a roll. From karaoke machines to video chat doorbells, we've found you a few fun additions. And for those wanting some solo comfort by way of technology, kitchen gadgets like a burger grill or, some fun little self-pleasure toys, there's definitely something to enhance everyone's life.
Here are the tech and gadgets that we suddenly can't live without.
M50xBT2 headphones
£199.99 - SHOP NOW
Make like Dua Lipa, Hailey Bieber and others, and celebrate Y2K fashion, with Audio-Technica’s limited-edition M50xBT2 headphones, available now in Ice Blue. A wireless over-ear model that delivers an exhilarating listening experience.
The chicest air pods case in all the lands.
John Lewis Google Nest Hub Hands-Free Smart Speaker, 2nd Gen
If you've not got a Nest, Alexa, Echo.... or any form of centralist home system, who even are you?
Lucky Voice Karaoke Machine
Lucky Voice, £59.99
Take the karaoke parties out of the clubs and into your living rooms at the end of every single night out.
If you're anything like my dad, microwaving his cold tea every half an hour, then you will love this smart mug, which will keep it warm all by itself.
A tiny camera, that can give you those beautiful blown out blurry background pictures at incredible resolution. This is one covetable tech gift.
For those that don't want to leave home fragrance down constant cookie baking or chance, an electric diffuser guarantees nice scents all day long.
Imagine rocking up to your local library or internet café and popping one of these portable lamps on the desk. Quirky, but cool. Equally, it just affords you the liberty to work anywhere in your house, transporting your chic desk lamp room to room.
The Nothing Ear (2)
Nothing - £129
And now for something that might change your mind completely about the experience of ear buds versus over-ear headphones... A new release by one of the most hyped tech companies of recent years, the Nothing Ear (2) uses LHDC 5.0 technology to create an immersive and superior sound experience and users can even create their own personalised sound profile by completing a hearing test on the Nothing X app. How's that for futuristic?
Comes complete with a probe that senses the exact temperature of your food. Genius.
'Rich, clear and loud' - everything you could want in a portable speaker. Also, from personal experience, indestructible when toddlers throw it on the floor.
Stimulating collagen production around that delicate eye area and with a fan base that spans Hollywood... what's not to love?
Ok, so this might not immediately look like the coolest piece of tech to gift someone this year. BUT, for parents, we can assure you, this IS actually the most exciting piece of child-related tech to come out of the last few years, because not only has this car seat won a load of safety awards, it is the first child car seat with an integrated full body air bag. That's reassurance right there.
It might look like a toy for female pleasure and, in many ways, it is. This fabric shaver will rid your cashmere and wool jumpers of all those little bobbles that develop with friction and time. Smooth knits all over again!
Foreo Luna 3 Facial Cleansing Brush
Google Nest Hello Video Doorbell
Google Nest, £149
Say hello to a better sense of security with this doorbell camera that can connect straight to your smart phone.
This possibly isn't a piece of tech that you 'didn't know you needed' because surely everyone knows they need a massage gun by now? Designed for women in particular, the Lola gun is petite in stature (smaller than the latest iPhone) and has attachments that can target the narrower parts of women's bodies. An absolute necessity.
Lumie Vitamin L Slim SAD Light
Lumie - £60
Banish S.A.D. with the flip of a switch. A gift for sunshine lovers stuck inside the M25.
Budding photographers, working influencers, and anyone who likes to take professional-grade pictures, edit them with serious attention to detail and generally enjoy a whole host of other creative pursuits... get your hands on an iPhone 14 today.
Nintendo Switch Lite Handheld Console
Nintendo - £199
Want a bit of peace? Gift this to a partner or teenager and watch them disappear to a quiet corner for an hour or more. You'll have your personal space back in no time.
Natasha Bird is the Former Executive Editor (Digital) of ELLE.
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