Stuff Geeks Want

Gas-guzzling leaf blowers are old hat, not to mention the exhaust they spew and the mess of having to formulate two-stroke mixtures. With improvements to lithium-ion batteries, the Worx WG540.5 Leaf Blower is competitive with their gas-powered peers: 120 mph blower speed; exceptionally lightweight at less than 5 pounds; charges in about 30 minutes.

Some reviews we’ve seen are reporting exceptional battery life of six-hours plus and happy neighbors who aren’t complaining about the noise.

Buy for $130 from Amazon

Nothing like having air at your fingertips for tires, footballs, weather balloons, etc. The AirPro Cordless Air Compressor does the trick and pumps out 120 psi.

It’s got an extended 15-inch air hose with a locking Schraeder head, an analog gauge on its back side, two LED lights on the front so you can what you’re doing on that dark road, a cordless rechargeable batter pack with wall charger and comes with a 12-volt DC power pack.

Buy for $70 from Amazon

Sarah Palin would love this drill, we’re sure of it. It’s got the need for speed, incredible battery life and is tough as nails. Too bad is can’t speak for itself.

The Bosch PS30-2A handles like a big drill, just a lot smaller and lighter. At 12-volts, it’s being compared by many to beefier 18-volt drills, which is a major accomplishment and compliment.

It’s got a 3/8-inch single sleeve chuck which is perfect for all those small and medium drill jobs. It will run down small finishing screws into cabinetry flush every time with it’s adjustment clutch. It comes with a 20-position clutch, an LED light, and comes with two Litheon batteries as well as a true 30 minute charger.

Standout: It’s torque. Bosch swears the PS30-2A has “2.2 times more torque than the competition,” and it appears they’re right. WIRED magazine says in their tests it had the “second-best torque of the group (of four) at 220 inch pounds,” which helps them to have named it their ‘Editor’s Pick’ versus Ridgid, Craftsman and Hitachi models.

It’s got good heft and balance despite it being lightweight and compact. It fits the hand nicely and provides a secure grip. Will it replace your higher-volt power drills? No, but it will do 90 percent of all the jobs around the house and come back begging for more.

Buy for $129 from Amazon

The only thing less inspiring than the name of this product is its packaging. What you’re looking at is what you get: no name, no manual, no nothing except for some cheaply made Chinese tools (and a link to the Web site Watch Material for instructions).

Then again, what do you expect for 12 bucks?

But seeing as that’s as much as many jewelers charge for resizing a watch band or replacing a battery, if you can get a couple uses out of it you’re already coming out ahead. Of the dozen or so watches I own, this kit was all I needed for all but one of my watches.

And don’t forget to pick up some cheap batteries from BatteriesAndButter.com. They sell the same Energizer cells you can buy anywhere else, but at near-wholesale prices (especially if you’re buying 1,000 at a time!).

Buy Watch Tool Kit for $12 via Amazon

If you want to carry your beer in the coolest way possible, Timbuk2’s new Dolores messenger bag has you covered.

Its sharp looks will catch eyes, but not many will suspect that you’re hiding a dozen beers in what otherwise appears to be a standard messenger bag.

Bonus: a red anodized bottle opener is attached to the side of the bag.

Buy for $110 from Timbuk2

If you’re in the market for a dehumidifier, look no further than the DeLonghi DE400P. Not only does it carry the legendary DeLonghi name and looks, as well as an Energy Start approval, it’s also one of the few dehumidifiers on the market to sport a pump, meaning you’ll never have to splash a bucket full of water around again.

Enough said.

Buy for $269.95 from NewEgg with free shipping or
Buy for $308.94 from Amazon with free shipping

When it comes to rechargeable batteries, there are two types of people: the first buys into the idea, doesn’t mind paying extra for the benefit of reusing the same battery, and probably has an eco-warrior edge to them.

Everyone else takes a “whatever” approach, buys traditional disposable batteries, and is pleased with their low cost and plentiful power.

Seeking to bridge that divide is a new generation of rechargeable battery with super-low discharge (SLD) technology, like the Sanyo Eneloop batteries.

Traditional rechargeable batteries only hold their charge for a short period of time, meaning when you need the battery most it probably doesn’t have the charge you’re looking for.

But batteries with SLD only lose about 10 percent of their charge every 6-12 months, meaning you can store them away and not worry that they’ll be dead when you need them.

Sanyo Eneloop AAA 4-pack for less than $10

Sanyo Eneloop AA 2-pack with USB Charger for $15

Sanyo Eneloop AA 4-pack for $13

or if you want a charger than can switch-hit and more, pick up the La Crosse BC700 for around $25, which can charge AA and AAA sizes at the same time and gives you real-time charge info, too.

I hate most wallets. The horizontal bi-fold style and thicker tri-fold style are both bulkier than my iPhone, which is the bulkiest object I want on my body at any given time.

So for 6 years I’ve been rocking a smaller vertical bi-fold wallet, which is more minimalist but can still hold a half dozen cards and some cash.

But even that wallet plays Arnold to the Slimmy’s DeVito (that’s a Twins reference, kids).

Designed to hold a few cards, bills, and business cards in a super skinny package, the Slimmy bills itself as “The Slimmest Front Pocket Wallet on Earth.”

Which only makes me wonder if there are even skinnier back pocket wallets out there (otherwise, why not just leave it as “the slimmest wallet”?).

While I figure that out, pick up your Slimmy for $32.07 from Koyono (via Amazon), including shipping.

Victorinox’s Swiss Army may have lost its cachet to Leatherman in recent years, but the red pocket knife remains an icon.

Albeit, usually an expensive one for what you get.

But Amazon is running a killer deal at the moment on a number of different knives, like the Ranger Pocket Knife for $19.99 (retail: $55), Midnite Minichamp for $19.99 (retail: $57), Camper Pocket Knife with AA LED Flashlight for $19.99 (retail: $73), and Tinker for $15.21 with Free Classic Knife (retail: $41.50)

Or upgrade to the legendary Champion Plus for just $29.25 (retail: $78).

The knives true geeks would like aren’t discounted quite as much, but are still a good buy, like the Altimeter Multi-Tool for $53.49 that will also give you the temperature, and the Cybertool 34 for $49.41 pictured to the right (retail: $105), which features a number of screwdrivers and tools for electronics.

For a limited time, Amazon is offering $10 off when you buy more than $50 worth of knives… making these some sharp stocking stuffers.

Got a room in your house that’s always warmer than the others in summer, and always colder than the rest in the winter?

Yeah, so do I.

You need this register vent booster. I just ordered mine, and can’t wait to install it.

The idea is so simple, I can’t believe I haven’t seen it somewhere else. Basically, it creates more air flow from your normal air ducts, so that those rooms get more cold or hot air, as needed, than they would normally. And the price tag is a lot less than having an HVAC company come out and “balance” your ducts in your attic or under your house.

They cost $70 normally, but happen to be on sale right now for $60. Pick on up at ATrendyHome.com.