The 12 best tech gadgets that solve real-world problems in 2024

Not to go all Lord of the Rings on you, but this really is one charger to rule them all. Anker's stand provides bedside homes for your AirPods, iPhone and Apple Watch, all charged wirelessly and magnetically via a single, unobtrusive power cord.

What's more, the iPhone dock supports Qi2 charging, meaning it's capable of delivering 15 watts — instead of just 10 or 7.5 — for much faster battery top-ups.

Apple AirTags are the better-known lost-item finders, but they work only with iPhones and lack a key feature supported by Tiles: two-way finding. That means you can not only use your phone to locate the Tile attached to your keychain, purse or the like, but also use the Tile to locate your misplaced phone. (It'll make it ring, loudly, even if it's set to silent.) Plus, they're compatible with iPhones and Android phones alike. If you've ever been the least bit frustrated by misplaced things, you owe it to yourself to start using a tracker like this.

Raise your hand if you've ever left an AC adapter in a hotel room. Or simply forgotten where you put it. Very common problem, and Twelve South has the solution: The PlugBug is a wall charger with Apple's Find My technology built in. That essentially makes it an AirTag, able to be tracked with your phone. And it has a standard CR2032 battery onboard, meaning it's trackable even when not plugged into an outlet.

The 50-watt adapter has two USB-C ports and folding prongs. There's also a 120-watt four-port version if that's of interest, but take note: It nearly doubles the price.

Read more: 6 surprising and creative ways to use your AirTags

Anyone who nurses their coffee or tea for more than a few minutes knows the agony of sipping a tepid or even cold cup, requiring a trip to the microwave and an ill-fated attempt to get it back to a drinkable temperature. 

The battery-powered Ember mug keeps your drink at exactly the temp you want, and can do so for upwards of an hour or more. It's a pricey item, no question, but it's also one of my prized possessions. Once you experience the joy of perfectly heated coffee from first sip to last, you can't go back.

Read more: The best heated coffee mugs of 2024

Modern phones tend to have large screens, which makes them harder to operate one-handed. And if you're holding one for a long period, like while reading a book or watching a video, it can get uncomfortable. 

iPhone users should check out the OhSnap 4 Luxe, which sticks to the backside of your phone (or MagSafe-compatible case) and provides a comfortable pop-out grip — one that can tilt and lock into place to double as a hands-free stand.

It's extremely thin when folded flat, protruding no further than your camera lenses, and it allows for MagSafe charging without removal. It's even magnetic itself, so you can stick your iPhone to the fridge, a piece of gym equipment or the like.

Read more: The best MagSafe accessories for your iPhone in 2024, tested and reviewed

Storms and other events can knock out the power for hours or even days. To keep your phone charged, Internet running and a lamp lit, consider a power station like this one from EcoFlow. It's a solid lunchbox-size model, with enough ports and power to cover the basics. And it's affordably priced below $250, with frequent sale pricing knocking it even lower.

Read more: The best portable power stations under $250

Trying to get some work done? That can be tough when you're surrounded by noise, whether from the street or the kids playing or that incessant leaf blower. Solution: Top-notch active noise-cancelling headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM5. Sony's over-the-ear cans automatically adjust to your environment and tailor the noise-cancelling accordingly. Beyond that you get premium sound and up to 30 hours of battery life. The sanity you save may be your own.

If you'd rather block out noise with something smaller, look no further than Apple AirPods Pro, which offer industry-leading ANC via compact wireless earbuds.

Read more: The best noise-cancelling wireless headphones for 2024, tested and reviewed

Photo albums were great when you might snap a few dozen new pictures every year. Now we do that almost weekly. So what's to be done with all the precious memories stored in new phones and old albums? Simple: Transfer them to a digital picture frame, so you can enjoy a rolling slideshow whenever you walk in the room. 

YunQiDeer's affordable frame can hold a thousands of photos (more if you pop in a memory card), all of them sent with just a few taps from your phone (and/or the phones of friends and family). It can even play videos as well. And there's no subscription required, only an optional one that adds a few extra features.

Read more: The best digital photo frames of 2024

A great in-flight entertainment system doesn't do you much good if you have wireless earbuds like Apple AirPods, because for now most airplanes have wired headphone jacks. So much for your expensive noise-canceling earbuds, right?

Wrong: The AirFly plugs into any 3.5mm audio jack and pairs with AirPods or other wireless earbuds or headphones. And it's not just for airplanes, either: If you have a Nintendo Switch, you've probably wished for a wireless audio option. This is it.

Read more: AirFly Pro review

This is actually two problems: Your TV's terrible built-in speakers (which can make audio sound weak and tinny) and our aging ears (which make dialogue harder to hear).

Solution? A soundbar! The reasonably priced Signa S2 not only amplifies all TV audio but also electronically boosts dialogue by way of Polk's Voice Adjust technology.

Meanwhile, the wireless subwoofer adds the bass that your TV speakers desperately lack. Trust me when I say this is one of the best TV upgrades you can get.

Read more: The best soundbar for 2024

Ask a plumber for some horror stories and you'll get an earful. Burst pipes in second homes, leaks that happened while on vacation and so on. Even a little water damage can lead to a huge repair bill. 

That's why I've deployed these water sensors under sinks, near the hot-water heater, behind the washing machine and in other strategic spots. They detect water that's either on the floor or dripping from above, and they alert you in three ways: audible alarm, notification-via-app and even e-mail.

In my house, they've already caught two leaks that might otherwise have gone unnoticed. This is the very definition of "an ounce of prevention," and it's an affordable ounce to boot.

Porch piracy is a massive problem, and while a video doorbell won't physically stop a thief from stealing your packages, its mere presence can act as a deterrent. At a minimum, it can alert you when it detects motion, while also recording that motion for later viewing by police if needed. 

Ring makes some of the most popular doorbells on the market; this one has a built-in rechargeable battery so you can mount it just about anywhere (including outside an apartment door, where there's not likely to be existing doorbell wiring). Plus, it supports two-way audio, so if you get alerted to an unexpected presence on your porch, you can say, "Can I help you?" and hopefully scare off the would-be thief.