Most "cool gadget" lists are full of things that are fun for a day: a novelty desk toy, a gimmicky phone add-on, something that lights up. A week later it's in a drawer, and you never think about it again.
The gadgets that stick are the boring-sounding ones. They take a chore you do all the time and make it a little easier, they don't need a pack of batteries every month, and they work without making you sign up for an app.
We compared five affordable gadgets, each a different kind, on exactly that. One gets used at nearly every meal, charges by USB-C and needs no app at all.
Not sure? Let us pick for you
Where would a new gadget get the most use?
Our pick for you: #1ThermoMaven Electric Salt and Pepper Grinder Set (110 ml, Rechargeable)
Automatic electric salt and pepper mills with 6 coarseness levels and an LED light, rechargeable by USB-C with about a month of daily use per charge.
Asked of each gadget whether its listing describes something you'd reach for most days, not once in a while
Checked how each one is powered: built-in rechargeable battery, or disposable batteries you keep buying
Checked whether each one needs a phone app or account to do its main job
Read owner complaints and independent write-ups to decide which cons to check; every product fact comes from the Amazon listing, and we did not use these gadgets ourselves
Cool gadgets for everyday use compared at a glance
Similar model shown. Photo: Richard Huber, CC BY-SA 3.0
9.1/10
ThermoMaven Electric Salt and Pepper Grinder Set (110 ml, Rechargeable)
Useful every day
Rechargeable, no batteries to buy
Works without an app or subscription
A pair of stainless steel electric mills, one for salt and one for pepper, with ceramic grinders, 6 coarseness settings and a built-in LED light. Each charges by USB-C, and the listing says one charge covers about a month of daily use.
Rechargeable with two USB-C cables; about a month of daily use per charge, per the listing
Ceramic grinders with 6 coarseness levels and separate speeds for pepper and salt
Large 110 ml capacity means fewer refills
Built-in LED light, washable seasoning parts and a cleaning brush
Each mill charges by its own cable; there's no charging base
Similar model shown. Photo: DeadJacb, CC BY-SA 4.0
8.7/10
Xiaomi Smart Band 10 Fitness Tracker
Useful every day
Rechargeable, no batteries to buy
A slim activity tracker with a 1.72-inch AMOLED screen, up to 21 days of battery life and a full recharge in about an hour. It tracks workouts, swimming and sleep, and shows the time and messages on your wrist.
Up to 21 days per charge; about one hour to fully recharge
1.72-inch AMOLED screen rated at 1,500 nits, readable in sunlight
Tracks workouts, pool swimming (with a built-in compass) and sleep stages
Runs Xiaomi HyperOS 2 and connects by Bluetooth 5.4
Needs the Xiaomi Fit phone app to set up and see your data
The app shows metric units only, unless you link it to Google Fit
A rechargeable, reusable replacement for cans of compressed air. A 110,000 RPM fan with 3 speeds and 4 nozzles blows dust out of keyboards, computers and car vents, and it weighs 0.45 lb.
Reusable: no more buying cans of compressed air
110,000 RPM fan with 3 speeds and 4 nozzles
Recharges by USB-C in 3.5 hours; up to 240 minutes on the lowest speed
Weighs 0.45 lb and comes with a lanyard
A tool for cleaning sessions, not something most people use every day
The 240-minute runtime is for the lowest of the 3 speeds
Secura Rechargeable Electric Wine Opener with Foil Cutter
Rechargeable, no batteries to buy
Works without an app or subscription
A cordless corkscrew that pulls a cork in seconds at the press of a button. It has a stainless steel handle, a clear shell so you can see when the cork is out, and a charging base that also holds the foil cutter.
Removes corks in seconds with one button; fits most wine bottles
Clear shell shows when the cork is fully out
Charging base keeps the included foil cutter at hand
Works on 100 to 240 V input
Only useful on days you open a bottle of wine
The listing says to charge it every three months even when it's not in use
A handheld label maker with a QWERTY keyboard and preview screen that prints laminated, water-resistant labels. This bundle includes four 12 mm tapes, and it saves up to 15 labels for quick reprinting.
QWERTY keyboard and a preview screen; no phone or computer needed
Laminated, water-resistant TZe labels for bins, folders and cables
3 fonts, 14 frames and more than 250 symbols
Bundle includes 4 tapes: one sample and three full-length black-on-white
Runs on 6 AAA batteries or an AC adapter, both sold separately
A burst-of-organizing tool rather than a daily one
Labels are limited to tapes up to 12 mm (about half an inch) wide
The ThermoMaven set is two stainless steel electric mills, one for salt and one for pepper, with ceramic grinders, 6 coarseness settings and an LED light. Each holds 110 ml and charges by USB-C.
Similar model shown. Photo: Richard Huber, CC BY-SA 3.0
Feature
What you get
Why it matters
Power
Rechargeable, two USB-C cables included
About a month of daily use per charge, per the listing, with no batteries to replace
Grinder
Ceramic, 6 coarseness levels, different speeds for salt and pepper
Fine for soups and sauces, coarse for steak
Capacity
110 ml
Fewer refills
Extras
LED light, washable seasoning parts, cleaning brush, gift box
See how much you're adding, keep it clean, and give it as a present
1. You'll use it at nearly every meal
Salt and pepper go on almost everything you cook. Automatic electric mills take the twisting out of it, so this is a gadget that earns its counter space every day.
2. No batteries to keep buying
Many electric grinders run on AAA batteries. The ThermoMaven charges by USB-C instead, and the listing says one charge lasts about a month of daily use.
3. Nothing to download
There's no app, account or subscription. Set the coarseness, let it grind, and the LED light shows you how much is going on the food.
Who it's for
Anyone who cooks most nights
Cooks who season a lot, thanks to the 110 ml capacity
A housewarming or holiday gift that will actually get used
The honest trade-off
Each mill charges by its own cable; there's no charging base
How it did on what we compared
Useful every day
Rechargeable, no batteries to buy
Works without an app or subscription
Bottom line
If you want one cool gadget that gets used every single day, start in the kitchen. Choose the Xiaomi band instead if you'd rather have a gadget on your wrist and don't mind using its app.
The gadgets that last solve something you do daily: seasoning food, tracking a workout, keeping your desk clean. If you can't name when you'd use it this week, skip it.
Prefer rechargeable over disposable batteries
A gadget that needs fresh AAA batteries tends to die in a drawer. USB-C charging means you can top it up with the same cable as your phone.
Check whether it needs an app
An app isn't bad, but it's one more thing to set up and keep working. Gadgets that work right out of the box are easier to give as gifts, too.
Look for the boring details
Capacity, runtime, what's in the box and how it's cleaned matter more than a flashy feature. Those are what you notice after the first week.
Questions about cool gadgets for everyday use
What makes a gadget worth buying?
It should solve something you do often, keep working without new batteries or fees, and be easy to use. If you can't picture using it this week, it will probably end up in a drawer.
Do any of these need an app or subscription?
Only the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 needs an app (Xiaomi Fit) to set up and show your data. None of the five listings mention a subscription.
How long do they last between charges?
Per the listings: about a month of daily use for the ThermoMaven mills, up to 21 days for the Xiaomi band and up to 240 minutes on the lowest speed for the WOLFBOX duster. The Brother label maker runs on 6 AAA batteries or an adapter instead.
Which one makes the best gift?
The Secura wine opener is an easy gift for anyone who drinks wine, and the ThermoMaven set comes in a gift box. For someone who likes tracking workouts, the Xiaomi band is a good fit.
Bottom line: the best cool gadgets for everyday use
For a cool gadget you'll actually use every day, the ThermoMaven Electric Salt and Pepper Grinder Set is the pick: it's used at nearly every meal, charges by USB-C and needs no app. Choose the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 for fitness tracking, the WOLFBOX MegaFlow 50 for a dust-free desk, the Secura wine opener as a gift, and the Brother P-Touch for getting organized.
How Do Electric Salt and Pepper Grinders Work? — How electric salt and pepper grinders work, rechargeable vs battery models, how to set the grind, and whether one is worth it for your kitchen.
