10 Low-Tech Gadgets That Are Surprisingly Useful

Our lives are full of all kinds of fancy and complicated technological marvels — from airplanes and cars to Wi-Fi and smartphones. And while there are plenty of smart devices that will make your life easier, gadgets don't all have to be complex or intricate (or even made up of more than one part) to be handy. Like, have you seen the wheel? Absolute classic!

So this time, rather than breaking down a list of the best kinds of a given object as presented by different manufacturers, we're going to be looking at a couple handfuls of disparate goodies. Both because they're the kind of gear you might not be familiar with, and because even if you do know about them (or even own them), they could have additional uses outside of their main design intentions.

For the sake of simplicity, the list has been organized by... well... simplicity. With the most internally or mechanically complex devices at the top and the simplest at the end. But don't mistake that simplicity for a lack of usefulness.

Cold hands aren't pleasant in general, but I find that sometimes my digits start to get frigid even when I'm just sitting at my desk typing. And it's not always during colder seasons, either.

I can't really keep a pair of thick gloves on to warm up when I'm trying to type, so it's usually a matter of warming my hands up by rubbing them together, running them under warm water for a minute, and so on. Hand warmers offer a more elegant solution.

Having a couple of small, roughly hand-sized heat sources around can be useful if you ever have a moment where you just can't seem to get warm for whatever reason. Tuck them in a pocket for a few minutes, lay down and place them on your back, or if you have cats, use them to lure your kitties over for a cuddle for an extra fuzzy source of warmth.

Electric rechargeable hand warmers are also a bit more prevalent than you might think. Maybe not as commonplace as the disposable ones, but if you search for them you'll find a number of choices. For instance, at the moment Auiiah's Rechargeable Hand Warmers are currently one of Amazon's highest-rated and best-selling options. The $39.99 two-pack promises up to 131 degrees Fahrenheit of heat for between six to 18 hours per warmer. Also they can apparently be used as a power bank to charge other devices if the occasion calls for it.

There comes a point in most people's lives where having some kind of caffeinated beverage in the mornings becomes a requirement. That used to be coffee for me, but after years of working in a coffee shop, I switched to tea.

Incidentally, tea is a great reason to keep an electric tea kettle around. They boil water within a few minutes, can typically hold enough liquid for at least a couple of full mugs, and most of them come equipped with an automatic shutoff so you won't accidentally boil all that water away. Or, you know, risk a potential fire.

Being able to boil water quickly isn't just useful for making tea, though. Hot water is also good for cleaning off certain materials and surfaces, or help with a clogged drain. So why not have a reliable source?

Something like the $26.99 Amazon Basics Stainless Electric Hot Water Kettle does just that, with a boiling time of five to seven minutes (depending on the amount of water being heated) and an eight cup capacity. Along with one of those aforementioned automatic shutoff features, and a heat-resistant handle.

Having a desk lamp is always nice, because there are inevitably going to be moments when a little more light helps. Folding desk lamps do this, of course, but the folding is what makes them particularly handy.

Now, yes, desk lamps are often built to twist and turn in order to direct light wherever you may need it, but folding models often have an even greater range of motion, longer reach, and at times more than one light-emitting source. This makes them great for use outside of typical desk lamp stuff, too. Like added ambient light for other parts of the room (i.e. when hanging frames or digging through cables behind furniture).

Personally, the Micomlan LED Desk Lamp has been a great $59.99 investment for the past couple of years while filming for my YouTube channel, taking review photos, and doing custom work on various pieces of plastic. It's easy to set up, has several levels of adjustable brightness, three different hues, and folds up to the point that it's never once gotten in the way.

Decades ago, back when I was still in college and S-Video (those yellow, white, and red plugs) was still a thing, I remember picking up my first video input switch. It was a total game-changer.

A lot of TVs and monitors these days have multiple built-in video input ports (often HDMI now), to be sure, but they rarely offer more than two or three. And that's just not enough if you regularly use multiple devices that output video on a singular screen. If you own more than one video game console, use a streaming stick or dedicated streaming device, maybe hook up your computer — at some point it gets to be too much, and you have to manually swap cables around.

That's what makes switches like this so wonderful. With a little prep work you can plug everything into a single switch, connect that switch to your display, and then change inputs with a button press. Or even a remote, because some of them let you do that, too. Either way it's significantly more convenient compared to manually unplugging and reconnecting cables whenever you want to start using a different device.

One of the best parts about video input switches is that they're often quite affordable, too. For example, Anker's Bi-Directional HDMI Switch supports four separate HDMI inputs (consoles, computers, streaming devices, etc) and can output to TVs, monitors, projectors, and even VR headsets, for a $35.99 MSRP.

Figuring out a good place to store batteries can be tricky. Leaving them in a box or drawer, particularly in a hot or humid environment, can lead to damage or drain. And you shouldn't store batteries in the freezer either, because at best it won't help at all, and the potential moisture buildup could cause corrosion.

Which is why something like a dedicated battery organizer can be such a boon. Think of it as a specialized tackle box with the capacity and shape to hold and protect everything from 9V and D batteries to AAAs and button cells. Many designs also keep the various batteries somewhat separated as well, so if one does start to corrode there's less chance of it affecting any others. Some organizers come with testers, too, which are an easy way to check what batteries can stick around and which ones need to be properly disposed of.

And when it comes to battery organizers, one of the most highly-rated you'll find from retailers like Amazon is the Ontel Battery Daddy. Typically priced around $25.99, this somewhat awkwardly-named battery organizer can accommodate up to eight Ds, 10 Cs, 76 AAs, 72 AAAs, eight 9Vs, and 12 button cells in total — all at the same time. The organizer itself is compact enough to carry around or fit in your average drawer and, of course, it comes with its own battery tester.

Depending on where you live, filtering your drinking water may not be all that necessary. However, it's never a bad idea to do it — even just as a precaution, or because you prefer the way filtered water tastes.

Filtered water pitchers are a much cheaper alternative to something like installing a filtration system in your home, too. They aren't necessarily perfect, and some may not be able to filter out "forever" toxins, but if you prefer fewer minerals in your drinking water and you have room in the fridge, they're worth a look.

On top of the obvious drinking water benefits, filtered water is a better alternative to regular tap water in humidifiers. Tap water can often lead to an increased need for cleaning a humidifier, which is why most of them recommend using distilled water instead. However, distilled water isn't as easy to create at home, and buying it from the store can add up. Fortunately, filtered water – while not quite as ideal as distilled water — can help extend the life of a humidifier and slow the build up of minerals inside the reservoir. And check out our ranked list of the major humidifier brands, if you're interested in picking up one of these devices.

You don't even need a super fancy filtered pitcher, so long as there are no health concerns with your tap water, that is. Something like the Amazon Basics Water Filter Pitcher, which is compatible with non-Stream Brita brand filters, is available for $24.28.

There's an oddly versatile usefulness of SIM card eject pins, outside of them just being adorable tools for your keychain. I mean they are adorable, but they can do more than their name implies and they aren't even solely available in keychain-attachable form.

First and foremost a SIM card eject pin is great for accessing the tiny recessed eject button for SIM cards on your smartphone. They make swapping a SIM between phones — even going from an Android to an iPhone — pretty easy (as long as the card is compatible).

Outside of that, these tiny tools are also worth keeping around to reach other equally small and recessed buttons you may find on other electronic devices these days. Things like device reset buttons, pairing buttons, and so on. A small metal pin can also help dig out some of the dirt and other gunk that tends to accrue in those small crevices on said devices (but not connector ports or other delicate components).

SIM card eject pins are also pretty darned inexpensive. You can currently find a Sim Card Tray Pin Eject Removal Tool for as little as $4.95 for a pack of 10. Possibly even more pins for less if you're willing to dig around clearance aisles in electronics stores.

Never underestimate the usefulness of a step stool. They can be a great (and safer) alternative to climbing up on a chair or other dubious structure to try and grab something out of reach, but you can do more with them than accessing high shelves.

A lot of collapsible stools are designed for easy storage when you don't need them, so they don't get in the way. This also tends to make them relatively portable. Additionally, they're meant to support the weight of a whole person, and can therefore handle hundreds of pounds without a problem. This ends up making them pretty convenient for functions like being a small seat at home, at the  park, at a concert, and beyond. And if there's enough floor or ground space, they can also work as a somewhat short table — so you don't have to eat with your plate on the ground or in your lap.

The $12.99 Handy Laundry Folding Step Stool has been enough of a help in my household that we actually have two of them. It's relatively light and compact so it's easy to tuck away when not in use, but it provides just the right amount of added height for digging into high closet shelves and cabinet tops. It's also pulled extra duty as a small seat and a fan stand on more than one occasion.

Most offices, homes, and home offices have at least a dozen or so binder clips laying around — they just kind of manifest after enough time passes. Fortunately, these simple little things can be incredibly helpful in a variety of ways.

The main intent behind a binder clip is to clamp it over a stack of papers as a sort of temporary binding (hence the name). Of course they can also hold together much more than that, in no small part thanks to the lack of any sharp or jagged edges inside the clips themselves. Having a nice and solid grip that won't easily slip, but also isn't so tight that it may damage whatever the clip is attached to, doesn't hurt, either.

Binder clips are also a good way to group up all the various cords and cables you end up with behind your desk or TV stand. Or, if the clip is large enough, affix cords to desk legs and bookcase edges. More so than twist ties or zip ties, even, because you can very easily remove or adjust binder clips whenever you need to. And as an added bonus, they're a great way to keep snack food bags closed.

In the event that binder clips haven't mysteriously appeared, however, they're also pretty affordable and easy to purchase. For example, a 144-pack of small 0.3-inch thick Amazon Basics Binder Paper Clips will only set you back $9.26.

This is ultimately just a plastic stick with a couple of intentionally shaped surfaces and edges. It's also the second most used tool in my desk, outside of a pen.

Spudgers are as elegant as they are simple: You use the various zones to push, pry, or even scrape against other objects. None of this is particularly novel. Keeping all of those functions available on a single small piece, and making the whole thing out of plastic, is why I love mine so much.

Since a spudger is plastic, it doesn't risk damage to other objects and surfaces the way a similar metal tool would. You can use it to pry things apart (LEGO bricks, connectors, and so on) with almost as much force as something like a flathead screwdriver (we've all done it before, right?), but the much softer plastic edge won't scratch paint or carve into anything.

Many of them have hooked edges you can use to latch onto a pull up on various things, too, rather than trying to wedge the flatter part in between a seam. It's also a pretty handy way to scrape sticker residue off of plastic, or even glass, and you don't have to worry about damage.

About the only downside to spudgers is that they eventually break with enough use, though this can take years and they're often both very affordable and sold in bulk like the Universal Black Stick Spudger Opening Pry Tool Kit ($6.99 for 10).