The 9 tech gadgets I couldn’t live without in 2025 (and they don’t include AirTags)

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It’s that time again when I start to reminisce about the literally countless gadgets and gizmos that have been through my hands over the past year. And just to give you an idea of how many that is, the content that gets reviewed here on ZDNET is just a fraction of what I’ve started testing. Less than half.

Most that don’t make the cut are just not up to scratch, others I have some issue partway through the review, and the item gets pushed to the back burner (I can’t spend too much time trying to fix something I’m reviewing), and then there’s the white label rebranded stuff that almost always disappoints.

And then there’s the material I’ve been using but haven’t yet gotten around to reviewing.

Also: The 5 most innovative tech products we tested this year (including a tri-fold surprise)

It’s easy to feel that I’ve reviewed everything, but I know that there’s an ever-growing pile awaiting my return to the UK, and that next year already has some very exciting stuff lined up.

But back to this year. What’s the stuff that’s made the leap from being something that I reviewed to becoming an essential part of my kit? The things that live in my pocket or laptop bag, or that accompany me on my travels, both on-grid and off.

I normally leave out any and all Apple gadgets for fear that they’d dominate the list, but this year I’m going to throw in at the end an Apple-branded gadget, and one Apple product that’s made so much better by the accessories made for it by a particular third-party company.

OK, talk is cheap, let’s get to the list.

It’s small, sleek, durable, and, rather importantly for me, doesn’t mind getting a bit wet. At 10,000mAh, it’s not a large power bank, but it can simultaneously top up two small devices using both USB-C and USB-A ports.

Review: I’ve yet to find a power bank as durable yet travel-friendly as this one

I used to want the biggest power bank available, but I found that when I needed it, I’d left it at home because the size and weight got in the way. So I’ve transitioned to smaller units, and they seem to be there when I need a top-up. And it’s not like I don’t have access to bigger power banks if I need one!

I’ve been flying drones for a long time, and I have quite a fleet of them available to me, from tiny to large, but the drone I keep coming back to is the sub-250-gram Mini 4 Pro — believe it or not.

Review: DJI Mini 4 Pro hands-on: What a time to be alive

It’s small and compact, making it easy to carry around; its weight means that there are fewer legislative and bureaucratic hurdles to jump over, it’s quiet in the sky, so it doesn’t draw a ton of attention, and the camera — the bit that matters — is exceptional. It’s also one of the last remaining DJI drones you can actually buy in the US.

I recall when a thermal camera would cost thousands of dollars, but nowadays you can purchase a compact thermal camera that connects to your smartphone for a fraction of that.

Review: I invested in a thermal imaging camera for my iPhone and Android – it’s already paying off

The P1 is, for the price, an exceptional unit. It’s accurate enough for all but the most demanding professionals, and cheap enough for the casual home DIYer. And don’t think that you don’t have use for one — I used mine for everything from finding draughty windows and doors to spotting overheating cables and identifying faulty components in electronic devices.

This simple thin metal blade has helped me pop open hundreds of gadgets. The metal is extremely thin yet highly durable and has been machined to fit into the tiniest gaps.

Review: This $12 gadget earned a permanent spot on my keychain – here’s why

All mine are now a year old, and while the polymer grips are showing signs of wear and are dirty, there isn’t a single chip or bend in the metal. This is such a handy tool that I have one attached to my keychain at all times!

I’m a big fan of multitools and pocket tools, but they can be expensive. Over the years, I’ve tested a lot of cheap multitools, but they were all disappointing — until I came across the NexTool brand.

Review: Finally, a reliable multitool for under $30 and doesn’t feel like junk

The E1 offers three basics — scissors, a knife, a replaceable utility blade, a screwdriver bit holder with a bit (an expansion pack is available), a file, and a scraper. The tools are all excellent quality — especially the full-sized scissors — and the addition of an X-Acto blade holder is a nice touch.

One thing to note is that you won’t be able to bring this through airport security. If you want something you can travel with, consider the NexTool Mini Multitool.

I could literally fill this list with some amazing time-saving tools, but I’ll hold back and just list this one — a cordless electric screwdriver that can handle tasks both big and small (although once the jobs get too big, I suggest getting yourself this Bosch electric screwdriver).

Review: My most trusted electric screwdriver just got replaced

This has it all — it offers variable power, ranging from gentle touch to brute force, is very ergonomic, boasts fantastic battery life, and the curved OLED display is particularly useful.

The River 3 Plus portable power station packs 286Wh of power capacity into a unit that measures only 9.2 × 9.1 × 5.8 inches and weighs 10.4 pounds. It has everything you need from a power station, including an AC outlet, USB, and 12V.

Review: Why I won’t buy another portable power station if it doesn’t have this useful feature

However, what sets this unit apart from the competition is its high-efficiency circuit for sub-100W power loads, which significantly boosts battery runtime, allowing me to achieve much more power from a smaller unit.

In my quest to find a small, portable, and low-cost camera perfect for confined spaces, I discovered this affordable ear cleaning camera for under $10. Now, I’m no ear doctor, so I’m not going to tell you to put this into your ear (of course, I’ve done that), but what I am going to say is that this is the perfect bit of kit for putting into places where you can’t get your eye!

Review: This bizarre tool I own actually solves a real problem (and it’s only $9 on Amazon)

It features a compact 360-degree wide-angle 1080p camera that’s perfect for use as an inspection device. It’s kitted out with six tiny LED lights at the tip, ideal for illuminating whatever tiny port, socket, or internal mechanism you want to inspect.

OK, this is the Apple gadget I’m going to include. I’ve had a lot of Apple Watch units, as well as several other smartwatches, and this one is the best of the best.

It’s tough and durable, the display is easy to read and truly big enough to act as a second screen so I don’t have to switch to my iPhone, it tracks my fitness metrics with pinpoint accuracy, I have it customized with all the complications that I need to keep me updated on important matters (I have a lot of weather-related apps to keep an eye on!) and it has a battery that’s more than enough to get me through a full day of adventure.

I love AirTags, but I keep coming back to the fact that that UFO saucer shape isn’t really all that convenient for attaching to, well, anything really. The third-party market quickly stepped in to cover items like keys, but I spend a lot of time devising solutions for other things — I’ve made custom 3D-printed parts for attaching them to my luggage, and I’ve epoxied more than one tag to various items.

Also: This anti-theft tech bag foiled a pickpocket attempt live – here’s how it did it

Then Elevation Lab started coming out with top-quality accessories. From high-security tags to adhesive patches to capsules that can power an AirTag for a decade. There are even AirTag mounts for backpacks, jackets, bikes, cameras, and even your cat and dog. I’ve used most Elevation Lab AirTag holders, and they’re all fantastic bits of kit and well worth the money.