Cheap stuff that doesn’t suck, take 2

Although we are all awaiting to know the next effect – well, and perhaps the next – on prices, many of us prepare mental lists for some of the elements that we may need, and we hope that they will not ask a bank loan to be affordable.

Last year, we asked the employees here in freedom Whether they have any favorite elements costing $ 50 or less. This year, since things are increasing, we thought about raising the limit to $ 75, but it turned out that our employees have a good instinct to find wonderful and low -cost technical tools, cooking equipment, tool groups, and other elements that are not only absorbed, but they are in reality. With any luck, it will remain $ 50 or less – at the present time, anyway.

I have a tendency to stick to my phone as long as it works well, and although I must admit that the 9A pixels have been lured, I may continue to use pixels 6 for a little longer. The only problem that started to hit it is the battery life – after more than three years of use, it is not expected that I will sometimes reach the 20 percent mark at the end of the day. So I recently realized that I would have to start carrying a portable charger.

Initially, I would go with ANKER Zolo Power Bank, which has an area of ​​20,000 mAh, which received a large number of recommendations. But he weighs more than 11 ounces, and when I dropped it in my bag, I felt that I added a small brick. For this reason I traded the lowest powerful but much lighter bank, which extends to the USB-C hole for my phone like a small peripheral function. Nano weighs only 3.5 ounces and provides 5,000 mAh battery power – enough to keep me at the end of the day. It comes in many pale colors (I chose Ice Lake Blue), which means that I can see it more easily in the dark tributaries of my bag. – Barbara Krasnov, review editor

I spent the best part of a decade in an attempt to find a very small perfect portfolio to carry a handful of credit cards, discount cards and identifiers, along with a small group of money. The winner, which I had been carrying every day nearly eight years ago, is the basic Daka portfolio in Magpul. It is made of strengthened polymer fabric with welded layers that make it impressive. It also contains an anti -slip tissue I find it adds an additional grip so that I can easily extract it from a narrow pocket. I ended up buying three, so I had backup copies when I eventually bounced, but I still use the original with the minimum weariness. – Andrew Lizusky, a great reporter

My physical composition has become about 70 percent of eggs in the soft month since I bought this cook. I never want to purchase new countertop kitchen appliances, because almost every time, it ends up with stupidity at the back of the cabinet, but I am surprised by the usefulness of the simple Hamilton beach chef. I can prepare steel or soft eggs for perfection in minutes (with no cleaning!), And making them within reach greatly reduced bacon, eggs and cheese. So it is good for my bank account and my bank account. – Kristen Radtak, Creative Director

My TOOUTO welding station spent a few years collecting dust, but I finally removed it from the cabinet when I started trying to repair the game console. It may not be hakko or a well, but for $ 55, it accomplishes the task. The station is ideal for beginners, as it reaches 842 degrees Fahrenheit, and comes with many replaceable welding tips, and has a steel wool for cleaning, and features a useful roll for a welding ball. So far, this helped me do things like Solder A HDMI on PS4 and install new batteries on old Boy Boy games. I expect this to be useful for many future reforms as well. – Emma Ruth, News writer

The sound jeep is definitely not the best Bluetooth speaker that I have ever, but it is currently the device that I reached first. The reason for this is very simple: it’s only So small. It is truly a pocket -sized speaker, compressed enough to get it on jeans or dac in the smallest bag of backpack, with a silicone loop on one side to tie it outside in a pinch. Busy Bass barely delivers, but it looks better than my phone, which is small and light enough so that I can always justify his mob. It is only related to the only thing that I have brought, regardless of where I travel. – Dominique Preston, news editor

I used to buy AA batteries in large quantities to keep your Xbox console in the middle of the game. (And because I have two children.) I resisted my friends’ suggestions to buy rechargeable batteries, and think again about the old ones that my parents used to get, with a huge large shipping box that took forever. After that, these adult adult charging batteries came across $ 30. They are great. Simply connect it to a USB-C source using the guaranteed wire whenever you need its juice. It lasts for a long time enough so that I don’t constantly replace it. I can charge the four once. I have a package of four packages but there is also a package of eight packages and 12 packages, which may be easier. – Todd Haslton, Deputy Editor

This is a strong bottle of stainless steel that keeps the water cold while thirsting throughout my work. What can you ask more? I consider them on trips as well, and although she got some scratches from some drops on concrete, I really don’t care. If anything, scratches add some letters and make them to me.
Jay Peters, News editor

My and I was returning from dinner with a friend on the other night, and while the bus had turned, he suddenly realized that his wallet was no longer in his back pocket. We called MTA the next day, and through some miracle, the wallet was found, and we were able to drive to the local bus warehouse and receive it. But it happened to me that if he had a tracker in his wallet, then we may not be worried about his whereabouts. The next day, a skinny tile was ordered for this wallet.

I have been actually using tile tracking devices for my keys and wallets for a few years so far (although fortunately only to locate the elements is not replaced in our home). So, it was great for people to be in MTA – and they were really nice – we hope that the new Tile Slim will guarantee my partner that it is our last visit there. – Barbara Krasnov, Review Editor

Two years ago, edge Alex Cranz has recommended this small, Spudger, and Tweezer bolts in the $ 50 gift guide. I definitely did not need one; It was the IFixit Mako 64 -bit collection and is still strong. But at a price of $ 25, I thought, “Why don’t you give her a chance?” I was in the fool. It is really a wonderful collection of medium tools above an excellent price.

I love the short and heavy careful driver you get. It is often the first thing you have reached when opening the tools, because there is no need to deal with a long screwdriver column, unnecessary in your hand, torque, and your journey. It is a more natural feeling that presses its diluted fist with my fingers instead of the comfort of its hand, while the additional country gives me more leverage than the IFIXIit Mako, which comes in useful swap parts in my computer.

TATAT is three inches, a great tattoo for the deep sockets of the Nerf Blasters or DYSON discharge as well. For me, it only needs a pair of games that open the game to make it a full set, in addition to perhaps a SIM card and a magnetic screw recovery tool. – Sean Hlester, a great editor

I can only laugh every time I hear “Royal Kludge”, but this is the best folding Bluetooth keyboard that I used so far-because it is the only multi-devices that I have tried and that do not fall into my lap! It is also mechanical Keycaps switching keyboard, but this is only cherry at the top. For me, the important parts are that it is easy to write on them, I can switch between multiple Bluetooth devices instead of re-management, I can connect them with USB-C whenever Bluetooth does not work, and extends both my legs while folding vertically Instead of horizontally, so not only falls into the gap between my legs as many competitors do.

There is really not a lot of multi-device hybrid keyboards with USB-C ports. This is more disturbed than competition, but at $ 55, it’s great. – Sean Hlester, a great editor