For my annual holiday column, I’ve curated a consumer tech gear guide based on products I use.
Let’s begin on the road. This summer, while playing digital nomad in Europe, my midnight flight to Portugal was canceled. I was stuck at Malpensa airport (near Milan, Italy). My phone was nearly dead, and I had to inform my friends in Porto, Portugal, about the change in plans. The few electrical outlets at the airport lounge were occupied by other stranded visitors. Fortunately, I had an Anker 737 Power Bank PowerCore 24K (anker.com Opens in a new tab) in my backpack. Not only did it power up the phone, but there was plenty of juice left over to charge my laptop. Priced at $99, the 737 is more like a brick (weighing in at 1.3 pounds) but was well worth lugging around. As they say, don’t leave home without it.
Back in Honolulu, I’ve been using the Eufy G30 “robot” cleaner for the past couple of years. I used to think robot vacs were overpriced gimmicks. I was wrong. The G30 has proved dependable and effective.
However, I recently adopted a “rescue” cat and needed something better at picking up feline hair. Enter the Eufy X8 Pro (us.eufy.com Opens in a new tab) ($449), which vacuums, mops and automatically deposits the opala back at its “charging station” in a disposable bag. The X8 Pro illustrates how rapidly robot vacuum technology has evolved — in just a few years suction is stronger, and AI will map out your home and work around “obstacles” (such as chair legs). It can even mop the floor and has an auto-reverse roller brush that uses a comb to detangle hair. The mopping function works OK for “maintenance” on the kitchen floor, but it’s not going to compete with my low-tech Swifter. Overall, I thought the X8 Pro was an excellent vacuum, and you can’t beat the concept of automatic dirt disposal.
Even the best robot vac can’t vacuum behind your fridge. That’s where a portable vacuum comes in handy. I opted for the DCV501HB DeWALT (dewalt.com Opens in a new tab) shop vac. (I’ve used DeWALT tools for years and love them). Why a shop vac? It’s useful both inside and outside the home. Weighing in at 3 pounds, it’s handy for everything from grabbing those little balls of dust behind the couch to the sawdust on the workbench. The wonders of (lithium-ion) batteries make it both powerful and portable. I employ it to clean the car, the roof gutters, closets, the lanai — you name it. It’s not as powerful as a conventional “house vac,” but it’s incredibly versatile. Price is $99 for the vac along and another $80 if you need the charger and battery.
For your favorite entrepreneur, with an ohana unit or vacation rental, check out the Wynd Sentry (hellowynd.com Opens in a new tab), which detects cigarette or cannabis smoke. (Your standard smoke detectors can’t do this.) Thus, if your guest or tenant fires up a cigarette, a joint or a vaping device and then cranks up Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” at an annoying level, the Sentry will send you an email to alert you — of both smoke and decibel level. When the smoking stops, you’ll get another notification: “Smoking Resolved.” Unlike a conventional smoke detector, the Sentry plugs into the wall. For setup, just add it to your wi-fi network. If it’s “accidentally” unplugged, you’ll get a message from the unit. It has its own little battery (which lasts 48 hours) to keep you posted. Cost is $180 a year to subscribe to the service.
Well worth it to curb smoking and excess noise.
Back in the kitchen, I’ve been using a Vitamix Ascent 2500 (vitamix.com Opens in a new tab). So, I started making stuff — healthy food. First were smoothies from dragon fruit, bananas, papaya — you name it. Then on to hummus and soups. On the Ascent 2500 there are automatic settings for smoothies, frozen desserts and soups. Just rotate the dial, press the tab and walk away. It also features built-in wireless connectivity: the motor base can read the container size you’ve chosen and will automatically adjust the program settings and maximum blending times. At $479 the A2500 ain’t cheap, but Vitamix products last a long time. The motor is so powerful, the sheer friction of the blades will blend your ingredients into steamy hot soup! As it cranks to crush your chickpeas into hummus, it sounds like a Pratt & Whitney fighter jet engine. It’s fun to use (I’ve been using this for a few years) and easy to clean. The perfect gift for your favorite chef.
All the prices quoted are from Amazon.
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Rob Kay, a Honolulu-based writer, covers technology and sustainability for Tech View and is the creator of fijiguide.com. He can be reached at Robertfredkay@gmail.com.
