Christmas 2013
Buyers Guide
Part 1
MT
November 23, 2013 by Ben D.
#1: Tenergy TN142 Two Bay Portable AA/AAA Smart Charger - Get Smart
Price & Store: $8.72 shipped from eBay
This is a great starter charger for those new to smart chargers or rechargeable AA/AAA batteries. Most chargers overcharge batteries since they are timer based, that's why they are sometimes called "dumb" chargers and a full charge generally takes overnight. The Tenergy TN142 smart charger does not have these problems. It's handy because it's small, portable, charges fast, and has a foldable plug. It charges NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) rechargeable batteries without overcharging them. The TN142 detects when a battery is full with a feature known as -Delta V Detection which senses a small drop in voltage when the battery is full. It has simple LED indicators under each bay where red indicates charging, green fully charged, and blinking red a faulty or incorrect battery like an alkaline. As I mentioned it charges fast and has a charge current of 1,000mAh for AAs and 500mAh for AAAs when 2 batteries are charging (the current doubles when only one battery is charging which is higher than I'd like, so I wouldn't recommend only charging one battery). I haven't noticed any significant heat up from charging two batteries so it seems to do a good job of preventing high temperatures.
10 Stocking Stuffers & Gift Ideas Under $10
#2: Duracell Ioncore PreCharged AA 4-Pack LSD Rechargeable Batteries - WOW Eneloops in Disguise
Price & Store: $9.00 shipped from eBay
Next up is the Duracell Ioncore AA 4-pack NiMH rechargeable batteries, which would go nicely with the Tenergy TN142 smart charger. Sanyo Eneloops are the most well known Low Self-Discharge rechargeable batteries (see my LSD Batteries section for further details). I recently made an amazing find with these Duracell Ioncore PreCharged AAs (thanks to NLee the Engineer) which are actually Eneloop XX AA rebrands. An Eneloop XX AA 4-pack runs over $20 on Amazon but you can find The Ion Core AAs for only $9.00 shipped on eBay right now. If you need a larger quantity you can even find slightly better deals. If you would like a little cheaper battery and want to support me, then I have some used Duracell PreCharged AA batteries on eBay (they are Rayovac Hybrid rebrands) for $6.99, $7.49, and $7.99 shipped (depending on physical grade).
#3: Lego Hobbit Riddles for the Ring Set - Precious Fun
Price & Store: $8.39 + shipping ($35+/Prime = free shipping) from Amazon or $8.39 + tax from Walmart
This really could include any Lego set under $10 but this one is just plain awesome. Perfect for those Hobbit fans and everyone who is still a child at heart (in other words everybody). The second Hobbit movie is coming out December 13 so this set could bring even more anticipation for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. If the person your gifting is a Hobbit fan or has at least seen the movie or read the book, then this would be a fun gift to give. The Riddles scene is one of the most memorable from the book and my favorite. The Lego set includes Bilbo with his sword Sting, Gollum, The One Ring, Gollum's boat, and a rock with a secret compartment for The One Ring.
#4: LED Flashlight - Wait is that a Maglite
Price & Store: $1 + tax from Dollar Tree (or possibily other dollar stores)
This is the Dollar Tree LED flashlight I recently reviewed (read full review here). I was impressed with everything you get for just a buck. The exterior is very nice looking as it seems to be modeled after a Maglite. It has a large center metal piece making it feel less cheap and the rest is plastic. It takes 3 AAA batteries and I clocked the run-time at around 10 hours. My local Dollar Tree had the blue, red, silver, and black colors (although the first time I went they only had silver and black). You might be able to find it at other dollar stores but I can't say for sure.
#5: Tablet Sleeve - Protect that Investment
Price & Store: $1 + tax from Dollar Tree (or possibily other dollar stores)
Did you give someone a tablet in a Christmas past. Now you can give them protection for that tablet. A sleeve is most handy when traveling with your tablet. It keeps it from getting scuffed up in a backpack, purse, or whatever you carry it in. As with the LED flashlight I got mine at Dollar Tree. The 10" size seems to be easier to find with the flap but I did find the 7" version with the Velcro flap at a second Dollar Tree (the slip in from the top 7" kind without flap is more common at my local store). As always selection will vary depending on location.
#6: Amazon Kindle eBook - Cool No Paper
Price & Store: Varries ($0+) from Amazon Kindle Store
In my opinion reading seems more fun on a tablet. An eBook from Amazon's massive Kindle eBook store could kindle (pun intended) some interest in reading. There are many classic books that are even free so you don't necessarily have to spend any money. I recently purchased Oz the 14 eBook collection for $0.99, The Book Thief for $2.49, The Hobbit for $3.79, and The Host (by Stephenie Meyer) for $3.99. There are a plethora of other great titles with over 1 million eBooks in the store. The specific eBook you choose will of course depend on the person's age and reading interest.
#7: iPad or iPhone Screen Protector - No Stratchy that Screeny
Price & Store: $1 + tax from Dollar Tree (or possibily other dollar stores)
Some dollar stores carry screen protectors for Apple devices. They come in glossy or matte finish, whichever you prefer. The various screen protectors they might carry are ones for the iPad/iPad Air, iPad mini, and iPhone 5/Touch 5. The selection will vary even from Dollar Tree locations.
#8: Velcro 12ft Strap Role - Who Needs Twisty Ties
Price & Store: $6.36 + tax from Walmart or $9.99 + tax from Michaels (before using 40-50% off coupon if available)
Velcro straps are extremely handy. They have so many uses, pretty much anything that needs to be bundled or held together can be with this. You can cut them to whatever length you need or even make them thinner by cutting them down the center. They work great as cable straps and are much more convenient and durable than twisty ties. I purchased my 12ft role at Walmart for $6.36 + tax but you can also find them at Michael's for $9.99 (use a 40-50% off coupon, if available, to make the price better than Walmart's).
#9: Velcro Sticky Strips - Useful for Oh so Many Things
Price & Store: $1 + tax from Dollar Tree (or possibily other dollar stores)
Another fun Velcro item is sticky strips and it is super cheap as it can be found at some dollar stores. I've used mine to stick my Bluetooth GPS Receiver to the roof of my car. I've also mounted my desktop PC Wi-Fi antenna to the back of my monitor (out of site) with this. I'm sure you can come up with tons of uses and overall they are a handy thing to have around.
Coming Soon
Coming Soon
November 23
#10: Microfiber Cleaning Cloth & LCD Screen Spray - Keep Cleany that Screeny
Price & Store: $1 + tax from Dollar Tree (or possibily other dollar stores)
The last item in the items under $10 gift guide is a microfiber cleaning cloth and LCD screen spray. It can be used on various devices like phones, tablets, computer monitors, or TVs. It will keep all the screens on your devices looking great. With touch screen devices they also require more frequent cleaning due to finger prints.