Whether you plan on giving your home and office space a boost or simply want general digital upgrades in every aspect of your life, there are plenty of gadgets that can help. But with so many new tech products to choose from, it can be hard to figure out what products are worth your time and money.
Fortunately, tech expert Katie Linendoll recently stopped by the 3rd hour of TODAY to share some cool tech gadgets that will equally keep you looking and feeling cool this summer. (Some of which might even give you some gifting inspo for Father’s Day and beyond.)
Ready for a tech upgrade? Keep reading to discover the coolest tech items to shop ahead of the season — some of which are just under $50.
Best cool tech, as seen on the 3rd hour
These smart sunnies have polarized lenses, a low bridge and other features to enhance your experience.
Lucyd offers a wide range of smart sunglasses including this aviator style that can connect to Bluetooth so you can make calls or listen to music anywhere. There’s even UV protection and a splash-proof design, so these are more than just a stylish find.
Plus, use code TODAY to receive 30% off sitewide until June 2.
More styles seen on the show that you can shop:
- Lucyd Moonshot Sunglasses, $27.3 (was $39)
- Lucyd Dockside Sunglasses, $69.30 (was $99)
Protects your phone, and gives you the creative freedom to customize your own digital phone case.
Tired of the same phone case? These customizable digital phone cases from Tizag let you create your own design in an instant. Choose from your photo library, the brand’s own offerings and more depending on your mood and style.
You can also shop an option for the iPhone 15 here. TODAY viewers can even receive 30% off sitewide with code TODAY. Valid until June 2.
Plug into any existing outlet to add up to 34 inches of connectivity to your devices.
If you have a hard-to-reach outlet in your home, this outlet extender offers a practical solution. It provides up to 34 inches of extra connection, all without hardwiring, according to the brand.
This highly portable speaker packs tons of sound for music no matter where you are.
It might be tiny, but the JBL Go 4 is truly mighty. It packs tons of sound, offers up to seven hours of playtime in a single use, according to the brand, and can be transported anywhere your adventures take you.
You can also use code TODAY to earn 50% off your order on the brand’s site until June 2.
Prefer a cold cup of brew? This handy cooler can cool a hot cup of Joe in just a minute, says the brand.
Enjoying a cold cup of brew just got easier. Keurig’s HyperChiller promises to turn hot coffee into iced coffee in just under a minute without dilution. Put the cooler in the freezer overnight, attach it to your Keurig device and swirl your coffee to enjoy your cool beverage.
From juices to coffee, this Ninja machine can turn any liquid into any slushie, milkshake or frozen cocktail.
It seems that everyone knows about the Ninja SLUSHi. But in case you missed it, this machine turns your favorite liquids into tasty frozen drinks in just a few steps. From coffee to juice, the options (and sips) are endless.
Never lose your keys again — this smart key organizer lets you track your keys from your phone. Plus, an LED flashlight and bottle opener are other perks to the device.
This smart key organizer keeps all of your keys in one handy place. With an included smart tracker, you can easily locate your misplaced keys using the Find My network.
Have Alexa turn on your patio lights or have your Google Assistant adjust your calendar anywhere in your home with this smart outdoor plug.
The Kasa Matter smart outdoor plug allows you to control your smart home platform from anywhere. It’s compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and more. So you can do everything from adjust your outdoor lights to create a schedule for your week.
Editor’s Pick
The Torras Coolite Neck Fan was our best overall neck fan pick, thanks to its design and cooling abilities. According to the brand, it features four turbo fans, which can deliver up to 8 mph wind speeds. It also features a foldable design, making it easy to transport.
The Torras Coolite Neck Fan recently earned the title as the “Best Overall” during Emma Stessman’s, a commerce writer at Shop TODAY, neck fans testing. “This fan does a great job of delivering a customized cool that you can tailor to your situation,” she said in her review. “On a particularly hot commute day, when I had to wait in stuffy subway stations for my trains to arrive for over 15 minutes, I was much less sweaty than I normally would have been.”
They can control aspects of their dorm room or first apartment with this pod — that can add items to a grocery list, turn lights on and off or even serve as a Bluetooth speaker.
The Apple Homepod Mini delivers powerful stereo sound despite its small size. Compatible with many Apple devices, the speaker is great for controlling your smart home, listening to music, connecting to Siri and more.
With the GoveeLife Smart Kettle, you can schedule your morning brew or keep track of its temperature with just your smart device alone.
Key Features: Temperature Control, LED Indicator Lights, Voice Control, Boil Dry Protection | Capacity: 1.7 liters
This smart kettle from GoveeLife was recently on the show for the best smart home devices. When just your smart phone, you can schedule your morning cup of brew, check its temperature and be notified when its done.
The Hatch Restore 2 alarm clock supports your body’s natural circadian rhythm for a peaceful morning wake-up.
Tired of a blaring alarm clock? Associate editor Kamari Stewart has enjoyed using the Hatch Restore 2 Sunrise Alarm Clock for a peaceful morning wake-up. “The gradual light increases that occur the hour before you’ve set the alarm to go off is really nice, especially for wintertime when the sun doesn’t rise until well after my alarm has already gone off,” she raves.
Listen to your favorite tunes or ask Alexa to set a timer with the Amazon Echo Dot.
Associate editor Shannon Garlin is an avid user of the Amazon Echo Dot, and uses it to sync it to her smart light bulbs for when she is and isn’t home. “I can ask Alexa to turn it on when I’m feeling lazy or don’t have to turn off the light and walk across the room with my shoes on,” she boasts.
Dyson’s popular hair dryer now comes in a Jasper Plum color, but only for a limited time.
This limited edition smart hair dryer from Dyson uses intelligent features to adjust the temperature and speed to your styling and hair type needs.
Capture their or your story without writing a word with Storii.
You’ll never lose precious family memories with this unique gift box from Storii. Perfect for grandparents or parents (Father’s Day is coming up!), this telephone service calls up to three times a week to ask questions about your loved one’s life. Individuals can spend up to 10 minutes recording each answer, then the audio is automatically stored to their online profile and auto-transcribed into text for you to enjoy for years to come.
Meal prepping just got easier. These homemade meals get delivered right to your door from local chefs.
Your taste buds will thank you for trying Shef, a service that provides incredible homemade meals that get delivered to your front door for a whole lot less than going out to eat. No matter if you’re in the mood for Italian, Mediterranean or Indian food, Shef offers over 85 various cuisines.
Better yet, the Shef community is built from aunties, abuelas, immigrants, refugees and stay-at-home parents, so you know the food is from a passionate group of diverse cooks. You can also score free delivery on orders over $25.
This controller can turn your phone into a gaming console in an instant.
Game while on-the-go with this controller that turns your phone into a gaming console. Drawing minimal power from your iOS device, the RiotPWR controller has a lightning receptacle to allow charging of your device while you’re playing. No need to download any special softwares or apps, simply just plug into your phone and you’re ready to go.
Control the temperature of your home no matter where you are with the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced.
The brand says you will save up to 26% on heating and cooling costs with this smart thermostat. Wirecutter Deputy Editor Annemarie Conte previously told us on the show that this was the most versatile option they tested, which connects to Andriod, Apple and most HVAC home systems.
According to the brand, you can control the temperature of your home anywhere through an app. Plus it will adjust to your desired temperature while you’re sleeping and before you get home.
Switch the color and brightness of your light with just your voice with this smart light bulk from Wyze.
Conte says this smart bulb was the brightest bulb they tested and loves the endless features. According to the brand, the bulb connects through an app where you can choose from 16 million colors and control the dimness and brightness of the bulb.
This smart plug connects to your home so you can use just your phone to control your home appliances and electronics.
These handy smart plugs connect to your in-home Wi-Fi, which allows you to control your home appliances and electronics from your phone, says the brand. You’ll be able to set timers, turn on and off lights from the other room, at work or even while on vacation.
- Katie Linendoll is a tech expert. She has previously been on the show sharing the best gadgets for gifting and travel.
- Annemarie Conte is a Deputy Editor at Wirecutter.
The Shop TODAY editors and writers search the internet to find the best products out there. We interview expert sources, comb through customer reviews and even use our own personal experiences to make shopping easier for our readers.
As an editorial team, we independently create content and determine coverage based on research, reporting and what we think TODAY.com readers would like to read about. The goal of our content is to provide a service and inform readers who are on the hunt for the latest products to help make their life better. Items are sold by retailer, not TODAY. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time.