5 Affordable Gadgets Redditors Say Make Their Lives Easier

• Technology

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There's a good reason why Google likes to push Reddit as one of the first results when you search for anything. And it all boils down to the fact that (most times) it's non-sponsored humans giving other humans honest advice. The topics covered on this online forum platform span from the most basic to the most niche, with advice from hobbyists, professionals, and good old regular people who just have experience with the topic. It's one of the reasons it earned its former slogan, "The front page of the internet."

So, we decided to comb through some of Reddit's most popular subreddits and pick some gadgets that buyers and users say have improved their quality of life. For this piece, we went through a broad swathe of subreddits, covering a range of topics from cars to tech, to tools, and even the home and kitchen. We picked out five of the most upvoted and repeated items, then checked out what the professionals had to say (where it applies), and put them here for you to peruse. We tried to stick to affordable items; none of the items here typically cost more than $250, and most of them are less than $100. These relatively cheap items could make a positive difference in your life, or make a great gift for someone else.

Dash camera

A dash cam is one of those things you really wish you had only when you don't have it. It's great for insurance claims, car anti-theft protection, and if you just like to keep records for posterity. Luckily, there are so many dash camera brands out there with different features, capabilities, and prices that it's so easy to get one that satisfies all your needs without crossing the $150 threshold. That's why many reviews and guides, including ours, conclude that an expensive dash cam is usually a waste of money.

Unsurprisingly, one of the most popular dash cams on Reddit is also a beginner-friendly one that retails around $130, with sales often knocking the price to under $100. The Viofo A119 Mini 2 is praised for its compact size, easy installation, and relatively good quality for its price. Its predecessor, the Viofo 119 V3, has also gotten similar positive shoutouts on Reddit, although some reviews point out questionable long-term quality. You can worry less about quality in this newer Mini 2 version, but the app and Wi-Fi connectivity reliability seem to be concerns for some. Either way, a dash cam is a must-have upgrade for a car, so you might as well take a risk with one that's been well-reviewed and doesn't cost a fortune.

Portable power bank

There's nothing worse than having no juice on your phone when you need it the most. Yes, smartphones can be the source of endless doomscrolling, but on the flip side, they can also be the difference between life and death in some scenarios. A portable power bank will keep your phone and other important small electronic devices powered while you're away from power outlets. That can include camping, tailgating, hiking, traveling, or just living in an area with spotty electricity.

When cheap and power banks get mentioned a lot on Reddit, one particular product from Anker keeps cropping up: the Anker PowerCore 10K. It's a 10,000 mAh slim, pocket-friendly power bank that retails at around $26, but frequently goes on sale for about $16. It doesn't come with a host of cool features, but compared to competitors like Nitecore – offering the same battery performance for a whopping $65 — the Anker is an easier decision to make. In fact, if you bought two of these while on sale, you'd still be around the same budget as a 20,000 mAh power bank, but with the flexibility of two small units instead of a big one.

Noise-canceling earbuds

Nowadays, if you, as a manufacturer, don't create earbuds without active noise cancellation (ANC) features, you might as well not have even bothered. The ability to drown out noise could help with focusing, sleeping, or just giving you some peace. They're so ubiquitous because they've become an essential part of listening to audio, and the competition in that sector is very stiff. Granted, by virtue of the noise cancellation, these gadgets end up being much more expensive than you'd spend getting a pair of non-ANC earbuds. However, there are quite a few noise-canceling earbuds you can get without breaking the bank — some even from brands you already know.

Baseus is a brand that's known to make mid-range, good-quality tech for low prices. They may not be as popular as Anker or Raycon, but they're on our radar, as we've previously reviewed some of their offerings. Redditors have also clocked Baseus' value, and you'll find a number of people recommending the Baseus BP1 Pro as one of the best budget ANC earbuds out there. At full retail, the BP1 Pro goes just under $40, but when it's on sale, it can slice 40% off that, leaving you with ANC earbuds for only $24. As a bonus, it also has really good water and dust resistance, making it a good choice for workouts and outdoor activities.

Air fryer

The running joke that air fryer owners can't shut up about their air fryers isn't entirely untrue. The benefits of an air fryer are outstanding: not only do you get to eat healthier meals, but you can also save on your electricity bill by using an air fryer instead of an oven. And, as far as kitchen appliances go, air fryers are generally not on the expensive side, with most ranging from $30 to $350 and most models under $100, according to Consumer Reports. 

With such inherently low prices, there's hardly any need to point out any one brand from Reddit, since you typically can't go wrong price-wise with an air fryer. That said, if we had to pick one that keeps appearing when people are specifically looking for quality budget air fryers, then it would be GoWISE. All its air fryer models are around the $100 mark, but the cheapest on Amazon is the 3.4-liter Ming Mark for $85. One Redditor comments that GoWISE has previously won America's Test Kitchen's best budget air fryer — which is true, according to The Splendid Table. GoWISE is also an American company – good to know if you prefer to buy local. However, cheaper air fryers are available if you're prepared to do some searching.

Smart plug and light switch

We're cheating a little here, since these are two items, not one, but every smart home optimizer will recommend a smart plug and light switch as a great improvement combo for your home. You can use a smart plug to automate and make "dumb" appliances smart, all from an app. That means you can program your lamp to switch on at your wake-up time in the morning; you can monitor, in real-time, how much electricity some appliances use, and automatically shut them off to save power. Smart light switches work in a similar way; they can switch off your lights after a specified amount of time or set them up so that they turn on the lights when they detect motion in a hallway. In some cases, you can even improve safety by having them switch the lights on and off while you're on vacation to make it seem like you're home — there are many clever uses for a smart switch.

On Reddit, Kasa/Tapo keeps getting mentioned as the best budget-friendly brand for both smart plugs and switches, frequently appearing on r/smarthome, r/googlehome, and many other similar subreddits. The two-pack Kasa TP-Link Wi-Fi smart plug goes for $30, but you can frequently find it for sale around $22. For smart switches, many users refer to the Kasa three-way HS210 kit, which you can get on Amazon for $31 or wait for a sale that can bring it down to around $25. While some have praised Kasa for having a premium feel for such relatively low prices, there have been recent complaints about the connections no longer being local and all being hosted on the cloud. As opinions are mixed, you may have to do your own research.