8 Life-Changing Tech Products You Need ASAP

Amazing gizmos, gadgets, and apps tried and tested by BuzzFeed editors.

Zoe Burnett / BuzzFeed

We hope you love the products we recommend! Just so you know, BuzzFeed may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

1. A pair of Audio-Technica headphones to provide you with YEARS of jam sessions full of crisp sound quality.

Anthony Rivas / BuzzFeed, Amazon

I’ve had my Audio-Technica ATH-M50 headphones for about five years, and before them I had another set of the same ones for three years. Everything about these headphones is great: They're a fraction of the cost of most other over-the-ear headphones — and have way better sound quality than anything in their price range as well as most of the other more expensive popular brands. Let’s just say that Dr. Dre has used these in the studio, which, btw, is what they’re actually intended for. The headphones are actually studio monitors! Because of that, they have very balanced sound, punchy bass, crisp highs and mids, and an overall sound that is very controlled and won’t start sounding distorted as you increase the volume. With these, you hear instruments and other parts of songs that you normally wouldn’t hear with other headphones. And you can wear them for literally the entire day without hurting your ears or feeling pressure on the top of your head.

They’re truly great and I recommend them to everyone who’s interested in getting the most out of their music listening experience. The biggest issue I have with these is the 10-foot cable that comes with them. You have the option to purchase your headphones with either the straight or coiled cord. But either way, it's more cable than you need for casual listening. The newer ATH-M50x version comes with three different detachable cables, making them way easier to use. And also, if you want Bluetooth headphones, you can buy a Bluetooth adapter on Amazon, which I’ve heard works well too! —Anthony Rivas

Get the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x headphones from Amazon for $149+ (available in four colors), Jet for $149+ (available in two colors), or Walmart for $149+ (available in two colors).

And if you're in the market for new headphones, check out our pick for the best wireless headphones for every budget on BuzzFeed Reviews.

2. A tiny Native Union USB cable cord so you’ll never have to worry about ending up with a powerless phone because you forgot yours at home. #SmallBlessings

Sarah Han / BuzzFeed, Amazon

I’m permanently attached to my phone. I hate leaving my apt with less than 100% battery and I’m always in a panic once my phone battery dips below 60%. (Yeah, not even a reasonable number like 20%.) And these days, my aging iPhone is dying at a faster rate, so my panic sets in super early.

I don’t like carrying my cord with me every day, but when I want to feel extra secure, I’ll stuff it into my purse or bag. But it kinda gets annoying and sometimes I’ll forget mine at home and have to badger a coworker for theirs. An easy fix? This teensy, short Native Union charger cord! It plugs straight into your laptop’s USB port, so there's no need for me to crawl underneath my desk (and through an avalanche of random stuff) to get to an outlet. Plus, I find that its short length is a big plus, because I hate dealing with long-ass cords and this keeps my desk everything a tad neater. And my phone *always* stays in reach so I can continue living vicariously through IG influencers' adventures (a very healthy/productive habit).

I know it’s not a tremendous life hack, but it’s a little daily adjustment that makes me feel more at ease and on top of things. And if I’m actually going anywhere after work, I know I’ll have enough juice to last me until I'm home! All is well. —Sarah Han

Get it from Amazon for $29.99 or Walmart for $23.51+ (available in three colors).

3. An adorable Mipow Boomin Bluetooth speaker that’ll be small enough to take with you just about anywhere while still packing some major audio greatness.

Treye Green / BuzzFeed

I have gone through several Bluetooth speakers over the past few years. But not one has held me down like my Mipow Boomin.

It's super compact, but its small size hides tons of power and a listening experience any music lover will be pleased with. I've had my speaker now for over two years, and it continues to pump out clear sound and sync with my phone without any issues. I also like the fact that it has a pretty strong range. So even if I'm in my room with the door closed while my phone is charging somewhere else in my apartment, it typically will hold the connection without disrupting my music. It can easily be packed into my book bag or suitcase whenever I want to take it on a trip with me for tunes beach side or in my hotel room, if it doesn't have a Bluetooth speaker.

The speaker comes with both a charger cord AND power box, so you can make sure to keep it juiced up — but its battery power is excellent, so I don’t find myself having to charge it that often. I typically use it for one to two hours around once to twice a week. So with that small amount of usage from week to week, I usually get in a full month or two of listening sessions before needing to recharge it. And it features a built-in microphone, so you can use voice commands on your device or answer a call while listening to tunes. But I honestly don’t ever use that feature. Overall, I’d say this cutie is a must if you're searching for a smaller Bluetooth speaker that gives good sound quality and won’t take up too much space. —Treye Green

Get it from Amazon for $48.22 (available in red and blue) or Jet for $48.22.

Still on the search for a new bluetooth speaker? Check out our top picks for the best speakers on BuzzFeed Reviews!

4. A Thinkover subscription so you can store all the awesome items you find while shopping online in one damn place.

Treye Green, play.google.com

As an avid online shopper, I’m always looking for simple ways too keep track of items I want to purchase WITHOUT having to rely on site-specific wish lists or shopping carts — which can often be a pain to access, update, and organize. So you can imagine my sheer joy when I first came across the browser widget Thinkover, which allows me to create wish lists for items from any online retailer with the simple drag of a photo.

I previously relied on Pinterest boards to store all my most wanted items from different sites in one place. However, that required using the Pin button, going through the hassle of choosing the board I wanted each item to go into, and deciding if I wanted to add a description to the item. However, Thinkover removes all those dramatics, allowing you to simply click on and drag the photo of the item you want down into a wish list bar that pops up at the bottom of your browser screen. You can place the photo into a list you already created or make a new one for the item right inside in the bar. The wish lists are stored in your Thinkover account, which you can easily access by clicking on the Thinkover icon on your bookmarks bar. And each photo you pull into your lists works as a live link, taking you back to the product page when you click on the image.

This makes it super simple to keep track of items you want to purchase. And for wish lists for home projects, it’s awesome to see how well different items coordinate, since you can place them side by side in the wish lists. The app even gives you alerts when the items you have in your lists go on sale, so you can score the best deals on things you want the most. And all your lists are accessible on the Thinkover app. It's so easy to keep track of all the cool items I come across from site to site; no one wants to miss out on the perfect item because they forgot where they saw it. It's truly the perfect browser companion for anyone who loves to shop and wants an easily accessible place to store their cool finds — at least until they purchase them! —Treye Green

Get the Thinkover extension for Chrome and Safari for free. And get the Thinkover app from the iTunes App Store or Google Play for free.

5. A Philips Sonicare DiamondClean electric toothbrush to reach and deep-clean all the corners of your mouth without causing additional irritation to sensitive teeth and gums.

Brendan Smith, Amazon

A few weeks into using the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean toothbrush and my grill has never felt fresher. After getting a deep cleaning at my dentist, I’ve been becoming a lot more serious about my oral health and taking measures to prevent any future oral issues. And the DiamondClean is the perfect tool to help me keep my teeth and gums healthy. The different settings make it easy to find a speed that doesn’t irritate my sensitive gums. Plus, the timer lets me know I’ve done a full job brushing. It also comes with different ways of charging — including a charging travel case and then a charging glass — which is super convenient. And I’m really looking forward to seeing all the benefits of switching to an electric toothbrush from a manual one. —Brendan Smith




Get it from Amazon for $220 (available in four colors), Jet for $239.95 (available in four colors), or Walmart for $179.95 (available in three colors).

And check out even more amazing toothbrushes here.

For other awesome toothbrushes at different budgets, check our some of the best toothbrushes on BuzzFeed Reviews!

6. A minimal Casetify City Collection phone case with military-grade shock protection and tons of DTLA style, so no one will ever say your case is basic.

Treye Green / BuzzFeed

My phone case is an element of my life I take BEYOND seriously. It is the first line of defense for my precious iPhone in a dangerous world. So I’m typically looking for a case that melds functionality with an appealing package — which can be surprisingly tough to find.

After yet another one of my snap phone cases bit the dust, I decided to give the Casetify City Collection iPhone case a try — a collection that was inspired by Downtown Los Angeles. And over five months later, the case is holding up and keeping my phone safe from all harm and danger. One of the biggest draws for me is its deep gray color, and that it is one solid shade with no extra frills or embellishments. It makes for a very sleek look and the case matches my closet’s color palette perfectly. But beyond the aesthetics, the construction of the case continues to be an additional win. I prefer bumper cases to the full-out phone safes that some people like, and this case offers the perfect amount of drop protection without making me feel like I’m toting around a baby elephant in my hands. Placing it on my phone was easy. And it is also a plus that installing a scratch protector on your screen won’t prevent the case from fitting properly. It is a VERY understated phone case. But if you prefer bumper cases that are a minimal and have a slimmer design, this case will most definitely become your new fave. —Treye Green

Get it from Casetfiy for $49 (available in eight iPhone sizes and six colors).

7. A Drop app subscription that’ll earn you money each month just by using your credit cards at the places you shop most often.

earnwithdrop.sjv.io

The (free!) Drop app literally PAYS YOU FOR SHOPPING. If for some unbeknownst reason you are unconvinced by that line alone, let me elaborate: It pays you. To shop. At all the places you already shop at anyway.

Look, I know you're probably thinking there's a catch, because you've been jaded by this cold, harsh world and the reality that most "free" things are never truly free. But take it from a fellow cynical grouch: There is no catch! You just link your credit and debit cards to the app, choose the places where you use your card the most (whether that's Lyft, Starbucks, Whole Foods, Amazon, or Walgreens, to name a few of the available brands/stores), and wait for the rewards to roll on in! You automatically earn points every time you spend at your selected brands, plus there are one-time offers that pop up that you can choose to activate as well (e.g., earn points for spending $15 at CVS before a certain date). Every time you spend on any offer five times, there's even a fun little game you can play in the app to earn a couple of extra bonus points that's basically the Snake game from your old Nokia phone. '90s nostalgia and extra cash? Count me TF in.

Rewards are redeemable in the form of gift cards (to Amazon, Starbucks, Groupon, and iTunes, among others), and according to the company, the average user earns between $2 and $5 per week. That seems about right: After a month of using the app, I earned enough points to redeem a $10 Amazon gift card. Not too shabby! This app won't make you a millionaire, but who doesn't want an extra 10 bucks of spending money in their pocket each month for doing nothing besides shopping at all their regular haunts? —Emmy Favilla

Get it from Drop for free.

8. And a compact MyCharge power bank to give your phone a lifesaving dose of power when your battery life is approaching struggle mode.

Treye Green

Seeing that I have yet to use my current upgrade eligibility on my slightly dated iPhone 6, over the past year, I’ve witnessed my phone’s battery life reduced to a damn blip. My temperamental phone has also taken on the habit of cutting off on its own in extremely cold temperatures or if the battery hits 20% or below. And it was these cellular dramatics that forced me to pop into a CVS one cold AF February afternoon and snag a portable MyCharge power bank to give my dead phone a life boost.

A full year later, the super-portable charger remains one my daily travel companions. It can charge my dead phone up to about 50% on a full battery — though I’m sure a newer iPhone may get an even bigger juice boost from the device. It is so compact that I can comfortably carry it in my coat pocket during a night out. But I typically just throw it in my book bag or tote bag, just in case I need some extra juice on the commute home or while I’m out on a day of running errands when I won’t have access to a charger or power outlet. I can recharge it using the convenient built-in USB cable — which can be plugged into a computer or a charger box that you can then plug into the wall. And it has four small lights to indicate how much charge it has remaining. 

This charger likely won’t get your phone back to 100%, even on a full charge, but for those moments when you don’t feel like toting a larger power bank and a full charge isn’t a necessity, this travel charger is truly all you need. 

—Treye Green

Get it from The Home Depot for $19.99.

These are a few of our favorite tech things.

Disney / Giphy / Via giphy.com

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