While expensive tech toys like the Nintendo Switch and PS4 Pro always get lots of attention, there are a ton of awesome tech gifts that won’t bust your budget. We have put together a list of ten of the best gadgets under $100 that will keep your holiday spending to a minimum.

Buy This Gift for Someone That Loves Star Wars

The price on the Sphero BB-8 droid has fallen considerably since the release a few years ago. You can find the version with the Force Band as low at $40. The Force Band connects via Bluetooth and lets you control the Sphero Star Wars BB-8 droid using arm/wrist gestures instead of an app. (Alt. Option: BB-9E in black)

MSRP: $130 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: $40

Search Amazon for BB-8

Buy This Gift for Someone That’s an Amazon Prime Member

The 3rd gen Amazon Echo Dot (our full review) packs quite a punch for smart home voice control as well as multi-room music streaming and a whole-home intercom system. Beyond all that, call out “Alexa” and you can tell it to play music, check the weather, order items on Amazon or a huge number of smart home features assuming you have accompanying hardware.

MSRP: $50 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: $24 (You can also find the 2nd gen on sale for $20)

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for an Old-School, Retro Gamer

While the Switch is a fantastic console for new Nintendo games, you can hop in a time machine to take you back to the late 80’s with the Super NES Classic system. Updated with an HDMI port, the Super NES Classic comes preloaded with 21 games built-into the system. No need for blowing on cartridges anymore! (Alt. Option: PlayStation Classic for $99)

MSRP: $80 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: $80

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for Someone That’s Really into Virtual Reality

While VR headsets like the Oculus can set you back hundreds of dollars, you can get into VR inexpensively with the Samsung Gear VR. Combined with a Samsung Galaxy smartphone, this cheap headset lets you play games or watch video content in apps like Netflix and Hulu in complete privacy. 

MSRP: $100 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: $20  (You can also find the 2017 version under $100, refurb for $65)

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for Someone Who Loves to Watch Netflix & Hulu

Updated for 4K televisions, the Chromecast Ultra is a $69 HDMI dongle that plugs into your HDTV and allows you to stream 4K video content from your iOS or Android smartphone or tablet as well as computers. It’s significantly faster than the basic 1080p model and supports tons of great streaming video services like Netflix, YouTube, Google Play, Hulu, Pandora, HBO GO,  Showtime Anytime, Spotify, Plex and Starz Play. (Alternative option: Fire TV 4K stick can be found for $50.)

MSRP: $69 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: $49

Check Ben’s for Chromecast Deals

Buy This Gift for Someone Who Travels With Family Constantly

But, wait, more dongles! The SanDisk Connect Wireless Stick is basically a twist on the standard USB storage drive. Specifically, the device doubles as a wireless network drive compatible with Android and iOS devices. In other words, you could stream high definition video content to multiple devices in an area that doesn’t have Wi-Fi. This would be perfect for a family on a flight or an extended car ride, for instance.

MSRP: $100 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: $40 for 128GB version

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for Someone Who Loves Shooting Smartphone Video

Ideal for anyone that’s trying to get a YouTube channel off the ground, the Ampridge MightyMic S shotgun microphone significantly reduces background noise when shooting in noisy areas. This type of mic is ideal for action shots, basically anything that will require quick movements with the camera. (If you are shooting interviews on the go, consider the Rode smartLav+ Lavalier  microphone.)

MSRP: $99 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: $45

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for Someone Who Loves to Work Out

There’s no reason that you should be physically tethered to your mobile device by a headphone jack in 2018. Resistant to water and sweat, the Skullcandy Ink’d Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds with Mic offer 8 hours of playback on a single charge and include volume / playback controls along the sports band as well as a microphone for voice calls.

MSRP: $50 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: $30

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for Someone That Isn’t Great with Wi-Fi Tech

Taking all the worry out of setting up a Wi-Fi network for the home, the Securifi Almond includes a touchscreen that walks someone through the process of setting up wireless access. Installation only takes a few minutes and all security settings are pre-configured to avoid open network issues. For anyone more familiar with home networks, it also doubles as an excellent Wi-Fi range extender if you are having trouble using Wi-Fi on the opposite side of your home. (Alt Option: TP-Link Router with Touchscreen)

MSRP: $99 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: $65

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for Someone Who Loves to Read

The standard Amazon Kindle got a boost last year and is still a solid choice for a starter e-reader. It continues to receive positive praise due to the ability to read books in sunlight as well as its storage capacity. You can easily load up 1,000+ books on the device and take your entire library with you while on the go.

MSRP: $79 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: $50

Check Amazon for Basic Kindle

2018 Tech Gifts: Best Gadgets Under $100

The Consumer Electronics Show is always filled with plenty of amazing gadgets, and this year was no exception. However, within that mix of exciting new technology, there are always a few standouts that will fail spectacularly at launch. Here are our seven picks for the worst gadgets of CES 2014

Eyelock ID

While I stopped for a moment to check my emails on my smartphone, a PR agent at the Eyelock booth spotted my press badge and lured me into a conversation about computer security. Since I was between meetings, I played along and walked over with her to check out the product demo of Eyelock ID. Conceptually, this handheld device is designed to increase security by requiring identification of multiple unique points in both of your eyes. After scanning, the Eyelock ID uses software to perform actions like logging you into Windows or launching your personal email account.

Unfortunately, the prototype was fairly buggy and didn’t actually work for me. You basically have to hold the device six inches from your face and seemingly go cross-eyed while staring at the mirror at the center of the device. I spent a good five minutes trying to get the darn thing to work, but it was never able to log me into the system (after the account was initially set up with my eye-print, which also took about 5 minutes to scan correctly).

I really don’t care if a fingerprint scanner is less secure. Pressing my thumb down on a scanner for a couple seconds is much faster than the Eyelock ID, and fingerprint scanning tech is much further along in the consumer space than eye scans. If I recall correctly, they also told me that it was going to be released in the $200 to $300 range. Nope, my wallet just closed.

Neptune Pine

This is a smartwatch for Andre the Giant. Jumping directly into the ridiculous pool with a big splash, this smartwatch is like strapping a smartphone to your wrist. It’s like those old TV channel changer watches released in the mid-’90s, but much bigger (2.4-inch screen) and less cool.

Granted, it does have a ton of functionality and as much storage space as your smartphone. But no one will be able to wear it without looking like the emperor of the uber-dorks. And it’s got an insane price point at $335 for the base model. You would be much better off going with the newly announced Pebble Steel at $250. You get a stylish watch and you can keep your dignity.

Netatmo JUNE

Sticking with wearables for a moment, the Netatmo JUNE takes the cake for one of the more useless gadgets at the show. Starting at $100, this device can be worn as a bracelet or brooch. The purpose of the Netatmo JUNE? It talks to your iPhone to warn you if you have been in the sun for too long. Because, you know, telling time is difficult.

Why anyone would pay for this is beyond me. Granted, I’m not the target female audience, but there are plenty of free iPhone apps that will provide users with UV and sun exposure information.

Brookstone’s iTOi BOOTH

I don’t have the slightest idea why anyone would need this. The Brookstone iTOi BOOTH is a phone booth of sorts that’s designed to work with an iPad for video calls. My only conclusion is that it provides a slight bit of privacy, but that’s not really a huge deal. It looks like a weird periscope and you know that it’s going to be priced at Skymall levels since it will be sold at Brookstone. No thank you.

Mother

Do you want a creepy plastic doll that smiles at you when you brush your teeth? Meet Mother, the device that helps track your life in order to keep you on the ball with tasks during the day. Using sensors called Cookies, Mother can track time spent walking, if you watered the plants, how often you are taking your pills, etc…  All of this creepiness comes at a price, of course. $222 for Mother and four sensors at CES, but the price goes up even more after this week. Yikes…

TrewGrip Mobile QWERTY

Don’t you want to re-learn how to type correctly? Doesn’t everyone? The TrewGrip takes the traditional keyboard, splits it and flips it over so you can’t see the physical keys that you are pressing. While it does include a light-up display on the opposite side to show the keys that are being pressed, I had a heck of a time trying to use it properly.

I’m more of a self-taught typist, and this had me scratching my head. Hypothetically, it could be useful during a meeting when taking notes and attempting to keep eye contact with the person that’s speaking, but I definitely wasn’t a fan. And it’s expected to retail for $250 to $350…

PhoneSoap Charger

Talk about a useless gadget. The PhoneSoap Charger is a product that’s designed to charge your phone and clean it at the same time. Attempting to sell these things with a ridiculous amount of hyperbole about scary germs, the $50 charger is being marketed as a device that kills all bacteria with UV light. But what do I know? It will probably be huge with the hypochondriac crowd. Or you could just wipe off your phone from time to time with a 10-cent antibacterial wipe.

Put Away Your Wallet: Here are the Worst Gadgets of CES 2014

Summertime is here! It’s such a treat to plan a trip and get out of town… until you get to the airport and realize you’ve got anywhere from four to fourteen hours of potential discomfort in front of you. As a frequent traveler, I’m often reminded that many people aren’t used to getting on an airplane six times a month. (Said reminder usually comes in the security lines while watching people try and get past the TSA with power tools in their carry-ons.)

Here are a few of the best travel-friendly inventions on the market today to turn a necessary inconvenience into a smooth transition to your vacation.

1. Mophie Juice Pack Reserve Micro (Mophie, $40)

Never be caught with a dying battery. A USB hub allows you to plug a variety of chargers into this backup power source.

2. Flybag (Flybag, $16)

Ripping a flimsy plastic bag as it catches on your suitcase zipper and spills your toiletries everywhere will seriously delay your security screening. This bag is durable, capacious, and TSA approved.

3. Travel Hoodie Pillow (Hoodie Pillow, $20)

A neck pillow always just seemed like one more thing to carry, but the hoodie on this one makes it invaluable for blocking light – especially on overly warm airplanes when wearing a sweatshirt isn’t an option.

4. Travel Grid-It (Container Store, $15)

Organize your cords, cards, jewelry, snacks, and really any odds and ends in this grid of elasticized bands.

5. JVC Noise Canceling Headphones (Amazon, $94)

Why no, I didn’t want to hear about your daughter’s cheer competition – and now I don’t have to. (Poor man’s alternative = ear plugs)

6. Magazine – Vanity Fair (Amazon, $20/year)

I love reading books on my iPad, but I can’t use it during takeoff or landing, so having a magazine passes the time and keeps my neighbor from thinking I’m free to chat. I like the long reads in Vanity Fair, but anything you bring will be better than SkyMall.

7. Unisex Circle Scarf (American Apparel, $28)

Available in over 70 colors, this simple tube of fabric works as a scarf, blanket, pillow, hood, shrug and number of other things. It’s surprisingly large for its lack of bulk and has helped me regulate temperature and sleep comfortably on countless flights. Bonus for the ladies – get creative with it when you land and you can turn this into a top or dress!

Seven Travel Products for Your Summer Trips

If you have a friend or family member getting ready to either head out to college or start looking for a job after graduation, you should give them the gift of an awesome tech gadget! You don’t even have to break your piggy bank to do it. There are plenty of gadgets under $100 that any recent graduate will absolutely love. To help you out, we have compiled our top 12 picks:

Roku 3

Just a buck under the limit, the Roku 3 is an absolute dream for any grad who’s into streaming video subscription services like Netflix and Hulu Plus. Due to the always-on feature, you will be streaming television shows and movies within seconds: a start-up process that’s significantly slower on the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3.

The sheer volume of content that’s available on the device is ridiculous as well. It’s no wonder so many people are ditching expensive cable service for streaming Web video in the home theater.

In addition, the headphone jack in the remote control is perfect for high school grads going to college next fall. They can watch television without disturbing their roommate. You can check out our full review and read the stellar Amazon reviews here as well. The device retails for $99, but you can find deals in the $90 range.

Roku 3 Price History on Ben’s

Logitech Washable Keyboard K310

It doesn’t matter if your grad is heading off to college or just finishing up with their degree; everyone needs a keyboard that can be dunked in soapy water and cleaned.

Keyboards simply get gross over time—usually covered with dust, hairs, skin particles, random food crumbs and the occasional splash of sticky soda. For Pete’s sake, a British microbiologist proved the typical keyboard is dirtier than a toilet!

While you can’t toss the K310 into your dishwasher, you can use mild soap and warm water as well as a soft rag to wipe away any messes. There’s also a brush on the back of the keyboard to scrub away anything else. The keyboard is scratch-resistant and the keys have been laser printed / UV coated to avoid wearing off over time. Take a look at the positive Amazon reviews to get an idea of how many people love this keyboard. It retails for $40, but can be found on sale between $20 and $30.

Logitech Washable Keyboard Price History on Ben’s

Western Digital My Passport 1TB Portable Hard Drive

Retailing for about $80 to $90 these days, this portable hard drive from Western Digital is ideal for backing up all of those torrents your college grad illegally downloaded off the Web using the university’s super-fast Internet connection.

With 1TB of space, a grad can easily offload all files from a laptop in order to preserve their digital life. He or she can also password protect these files in order to secure them for future use.

If your grad is using a newer laptop or desktop with USB 3.0, they will be able to take advantage of faster transfer speeds with the WD drive. However, it’s also compatible with USB 2.0 ports. The drive comes in a variety of colors including white, black, silver, red and blue. Prices vary based on the color. You can check Amazon reviews here.

WD My Passport 1TB Hard Drive Price History on Ben’s

Ambient Weather WR-111B Emergency Solar Hand Crank

It may not seem like a typical graduation gift, but this gadget is absolutely invaluable when the power goes out in the dorm room or a new apartment.

Also ideal for grads who like to spend time hiking or camping, the Ambient Weather WR-111B includes a Digital AM/FM NOAA Weather Alert Radio, LED flashlight and, most importantly, a USB port for charging a smartphone or tablet.

The internal Lithium Ion battery inside the WR-111B can be charged a number of ways. Besides simply plugging it in, there’s a solar panel on top of the device and a hand crank generator on the side if you’re in an area where there simply is no power. Awesome for emergencies, the device retails for around $80 but sales can often be found in the $40 range. Check out the extremely positive Amazon reviews here.

JBL Flip Portable Bluetooth Speaker

There’s a ton of competition in the portable speaker market. While Jawbone’s Jambox is definitely popular, the JBL Flip is more than half the price and provides incredible sound for the size of the speaker.

The speaker includes two 40mm drivers with built-in bass port and lasts up to five hours on the internal Li-ion rechargeable battery.

This is an ideal gift for a grad who likes to listen to music and prefers an external speaker over a set of headphones. For anyone who’s using the JBL Flip with a smartphone, the speaker has an internal microphone for voice calls. It can also be used during video chat with software like Skype or Apple’s FaceTime. Available in white and black, the Flip retails for around $120, but it’s fairly easy to find deals in the $95 range. Check out the Amazon reviews here.

JBL Flip Price History on Ben’s

One Year of Netflix or Hulu Plus

Fantastic if you’re pairing this up with a Roku 3 or another media streamer, a 12-month subscription to either Netflix Instant or Hulu Plus will run you about $96.

If your graduate has had their nose in the books for the last four years, a subscription to Netflix will help them catch up on several seasons of both new and old television shows. While Netflix’s streaming movie content is somewhat sparse and limited, the sheer volume of television shows is phenomenal.

If your grad absolutely loves to watch the latest episodes of brand new shows and wants to chat about them at their new job, a Hulu Plus subscription will be more useful to them. While regular (free) Hulu offers access to most of the same content on the Web, Hulu Plus allows your grad to watch shows in the comfort of their own living room (assuming they don’t have a HTPC setup already). It’s unlikely that you will find deals on either service unless they’re specifically offering a special promotion. Here are links for both: Netflix Gift Subscriptions / Hulu Plus Gift Subscriptions.

Whooz

Definitely a quirky gift, Whooz can be extremely useful for grads with tons of Apple hardware. Keeping track of those Apple power plugs can be a nightmare in a messy dorm room. It’s also easy to get them mixed up with identical adapters since so many students also have Apple gear.

Whooz are unique skins that wrap around Apple power chargers. Your grad can ditch the plain white look of the standard adapter and go with full color designs like red, yellow, black and blue.

They can also choose to skin their adapter with a silly face: for example, the mouth is the USB port. Designed for the iPhone and iPad, these vinyl identification labels sell in a four-pack for $13 and come with enough skins to also cover Apple earbuds and the USB charging cable. You can purchase Whooz here.

Fitbit One

Did your grad forget to shed their “freshman 15” after the first year of living on campus? Or perhaps they want to avoid putting on the extra pounds altogether?

When away from home for the first time, it’s common to indulge in those campus meal plans as well as take advantage of all the fast food places seemingly too convenient to the dorm room.

The Fitbit One will help your grad keep track of calories burned throughout the day in addition to monitoring how well they sleep. It’s an excellent tool to help monitor health and strive for goals that will positively impact their body. All the data is fed into a dashboard that can be accessed on mobile or the Web.

In addition, users can share their progress with friends and family in order to provide extra motivation. It also works in conjunction with the Fitbit Aria Wi-Fi scale in case they want to keep track of their weight on the dashboard, as well. Check out the excellent Amazon reviews here. The Fitbit One retails for $100, but deals can be found in the $60 to $90 range.

Fitbit One Price History on Ben’s

Securifi Almond Touchscreen Router

Easily one of the best Wi-Fi routers on the market, the Securifi Almond touchscreen router is the perfect gift for the grad that’s still tech-deficient in our high-speed Internet world.

The router doesn’t need a computer to complete the setup process. The user only needs to follow the simple touchscreen instructions to set up their wireless network. Offering compatibility for 802.11 B/G/N, this router offers extremely fast connection speeds in addition to a long coverage range.

If your grad already has a router and complains about the range, the Securifi Almond can also be set up as a range extender, providing signal strength up to 300 feet. Check out the glowing Amazon reviews. The retail price point is $99, but you can often find deals in the $80 range. (By the way, keep an eye out for the Securifi Almond+ launching during the third quarter of 2013. Also at a $99 price point, it will offer compatibility for the 802.11ac standard—basically offering four times the speed of a Wireless N router.)

Audio-Technica ATH-M30 Headphones

If you have a grad who’s really into music or simply wants a way to listen to audio without disturbing their roommate, check out the Audio-Technica ATH-M30 headphones.

While they really aren’t built for on-the-go mobile use, these cans sound absolutely phenomenal and block out lots of background noise in a typical dorm. They are also very comfortable to wear over several hours—ideal for long study periods.

In addition, the 11-foot cable provides a huge amount of flexibility in where they want to sit. For instance, it’s easy to sit on a bed while these are plugged into a sound system or television. Take a look at the amazing Amazon reviews for these cans. While the headphones retail for $120, you should be able to score a sale on these in the $35 to $45 range most of the time.

Audio-Technica ATH-M30 Price History on Ben’s

Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920

Ideal for grads who enjoy creating YouTube videos or grads who simply want a high-quality camera when chatting with friends or family over Skype, the Logitech HD Pro C920 will deliver crisp 1080p video in a 16:9 widescreen format.

Providing 15MP resolution on images, the C920 is also perfect for taking pictures that are vastly superior to the cameras built into most laptops.

Other features of the camera include a Carl Zeiss glass lens, dual microphones for recording stereo audio, face tracking, a 20-step autofocus and a base that can be mounted on a tripod for more professional productions. Check out the positive Amazon reviews of the camera. The Logitech camera retails for $99, but you can usually find deals the $65 range.

Logitech C920 Price History on Ben’s

Kindle 6-inch E-Ink Reader

While tablets often get all the attention, a classic e-reader is an awesome gift for a grad who likes to read and spend lots of time outside. It’s extremely light and easily pops into a backpack or large purse. Books download in less than a minute and the e-reader can hold about 1,000 books at any given time.

In addition, if your grad is an Amazon Prime member, they can download one book for free each month from the Amazon lending library. Most local libraries also have a Web portal these days that allow the public to download the Kindle version of books for free.

Amazon sells the Kindle in two versions, the $69 ad-supported version and the $89 ad-free version. The advertisements really aren’t that annoying, though. They are displayed on the face of the e-reader when the Kindle is powered down. Peruse the Amazon reviews for the product here.

Kindle Price History on Ben’s

12 Tech Gadgets for Grads Less Than $100