Best Cheap Gear Under $200 (2023): Speakers, Bags, Kitchen Gear, and More
Best Cheap Gear Under $200 (2023): Speakers, Bags, Kitchen Gear, and More
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Teenage Engineering PO-80 Record Factory
Teenage Engineering PO-80 Record Factory
Grado Prestige SR60x
Grado Prestige SR60x
IKEA VÄRLDENS Travel Tote Bag
Ikea VÄRLDENS Travel Tote Bag
UNIQLO HEATTECH Gaiter
Uniqlo HEATTECH Gaiter
There's plenty of room for finding great products that don't cost the earth, and WIRED has done just that with our gear under $30 guide. But, for those looking to spend a bit extra, we've tested a wide variety of products that come in at under $200.
In this guide, you'll find everything from the ultimate vlogging kit, a sneaker cleaner, a foldable solar panel, a classic LEGO kit, stylish headphones, and a whole lot more. Top brands here range from Ultimate Ears, Teenage Engineering, Roland, and Aeropress. So read on for some of the best buys you can scoop up for less than $200.
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Photograph: Sun Lee01
Teenage Engineering PO-80 Record Factory
Teenage Engineering PO-80 Record FactoryMade in collaboration with Japanese designer Yuri Suzuki, this monophonic turntable might look like a child’s toy, but it is in fact capable of cutting your own lo-fi vinyl records, and playing them back to you. USB-powered and supplied with six black 5-inch blank records, you can cut any digital recording (4 minutes per side at 33 rpm, 3 minutes at 45 rpm) via the 3.5-mm audio input. Teenage Engineering has also created an online mastering tool to help make your opus sound as good as possible. Although, please, before dropping the needle, temper any audiophile expectations.
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Photograph: Grado Labs02
Grado Prestige SR60x
Grado Prestige SR60xEach pair of Grado headphones are hand-assembled in Brooklyn, New York—so it’s quite remarkable that these ones cost only a smidge under $100. The entry-level option in its Prestige series, the 44-mm drivers, open-backed sound, on-ear comfort, and classic build quality make these wired cans expressive, refined—and an absolute steal.
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Photograph: Sun Lee03
IKEA VÄRLDENS Travel Tote Bag
Ikea VÄRLDENS Travel Tote BagWhile the legendary blue FRAKTA shopping sack will always be our favorite carry-all, this 16-liter bag from in-house IKEA designer Jonas Hultqvist puts many a high-performance fashion tote to shame. Inside, it’s sensibly compartmentalized, including a padded slot for laptops and a removable key-clip, while outside are two yellow-lined open-front pockets and a larger one with a zipper. Carry as a tote, a messenger, or a backpack.
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Photograph: Uniqlo04
UNIQLO HEATTECH Gaiter
Uniqlo HEATTECH GaiterCall it a neck, a snood, a buff, or a gaiter— there aren’t many better, or cheaper ways to keep the chill off. This waffle-knit design benefits from the warmth-without-weight brilliance of UNIQLO’s Heattech fabrics, and can also be worn as a beanie or a headband.
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Photograph: Wildhorn05
Wildhorn Pipeline Goggles
Wildhorn Pipeline GogglesAt peak times last season a single day’s lift pass at Deer Valley, Utah, cost $249. Skiing isn’t a pursuit for the frugal, but you can shop cleverly and still look the part on-piste. Wildhorn’s Pipeline goggles combine premium looks, a comfy fit, a wide field of vision, and superb optics. You can even swap out the lenses for just $35 a pop.
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Photograph: Ultimate Ears06
Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3Being IP67 rated, the latest UE Wonderboom Bluetooth speaker can survive being immersed in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes. By our reckoning, especially given the quality of the audio, the durability of the casing, and the fact it floats make this the best bathroom speaker currently available. In fairness, it’s also one of the finest go-anywhere Bluetooth speakers, with 22-hour battery life, great looks, cool color options, and powerful hotel room-filling sound.
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Photograph: Steamery07
Pilo 2 Fabric Shaver
Pilo 2 Fabric ShaverThis palm-sized Scandi-style sweater saver will revitalize bobbly knitwear and home textiles. Six blades spin at 9,000 rpm (mercifully shielded from curious fingertips), which provides a much larger shaving area than similar alternatives. A worthwhile investment for anyone looking to extend the life of their clothes, and a game changer if you’ve got a sofa that’s suffering from pilling.
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Photograph: Sun Lee08
EastCoast T1 Guitar Starter Pack
EastCoast T1 Guitar Starter PackChannel your inner Keith Richards with this bargain all-in-one electric guitar bundle with an amp, guitar stand, cable, gig bag, digital tuner, and a pile of picks. The EastCoast T1 is a fantastically well-regarded entry-level axe that punches well above its weight with its solid Poplar body that offers plenty of tone without being too heavy. The maple neck, topped with a 12-inch radius Maple fingerboard, feels incredibly comfortable, too. The Fender-style 15W Eastcoast amplifier is ideal for practicing, and with multiple volume controls, gain, and reverb, it’s easy to play it clean or get it growling.
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Photograph: LEGO09
LEGO Space Mission Classic
Lego Space Mission ClassicYes, mega-franchise LEGO sets are cool, but they’re rarely rebuilt. Try the endless play (and value) of a huge box of bits—this space-themed set has plans for simple mini-builds, but with 1,700 pieces, there’s lots of leftovers for freestyling fun, and you can supplement with other Classic boxes featuring transparent bricks, wheels, lights, and more. Just don't blame us if you get the urge to smash up your 7,541-piece Millennium Falcon.
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Photograph: Philips10
Philips Sneaker Cleaner
Philips Sneaker CleanerKeeping your brogues polished is easy, but when it comes to sneakers, the use of mixed materials, textures, and layers makes maintenance a little more laborious. This dedicated sneaker cleaner from Philips can keep your high tops box fresh for that bit longer. With a little soap and water, the three oscillating brushes (soft for mesh and canvas; spongy for PVC, leather, and suede; firm for soles) will make quick work of the most caked-on kicks.
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Photograph: Apple11
Apple AirTags
Apple AirTagTile and Chipolo get honorable mentions here, but AirTags just make life easier for forgetful iOS users. These bottle-cap-sized trackers connect instantly to your iPhone. Once you’ve attached one to your item, it makes it very difficult to lose. Ask Siri “Find my keys,” and the AirTag alarm will sound, but cleverly, if you’ve left something on the bus, it taps into the 1.65 billion Apple devices in the world to help you pinpoint its location.
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Photograph: Roland12
Roland Aira Compact Series
Roland Aira Compact SeriesRoland’s beloved ’80s-era instruments are getting a second life as affordable and extra-portable reissues. The AIRA Compact line includes a 303-style drum machine, a JUNO-style sequencer, and a Kraftwerk-tastic vocal processor. They’re all Midi-capable, with two 3.5-mm ports for daisy-chaining, and even have mix-in/mix-out ports, too.
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Photograph: Cast13
Cast Jewelry Making Kit
Cast Jewellery Making KitThis DIY jewelry kit lets you design your own solid silver ring. In the box you have a selection of wax starting shapes plus carving knives, shaping tools, and ultra-fine file. Once you’ve carved the ring to your chosen design, you send it back to Cast using an included envelope (free UK shipping, while US shipping will cost around$26), and they create a mold and cast your ring in silver (gold and platinum for a premium). Necklaces, earrings, and rings with precious stones are also available; there’s even a kit for making a pair of wedding rings.
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Photograph: Lomography14
Lomography Fisheye Baby 110 Camera
Lomography Fisheye Baby 110 CameraThis weeny 7-cm-wide fisheye film camera takes round images using tiny 110-mm film cartridges. It’s cheap, leaky, creaky, and utterly analog—but you won’t have as much fun with a pricey digital, and every shot is a surprise. It doesn’t require a battery, just like the old days, but to add some lighting razzle-dazzle, you can connect it to a separate flash unit via a standard PC sync cable.
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Photograph: GoalZero15
GoalZero Nomad 10
GoalZero Nomad 10The very definition of a gift that keeps on giving, this compact and foldable solar panel will charge pretty much anything you plug in. An essential for your camping kit, it’s small and light (1.12 lbs) enough to hang from your backpack or tent, and the kickstand means you can angle it to maximize exposure to the sun. The USB port can serve 5V of juice (up to 1.5A) and you’ll be genuinely impressed by how fast it can top your toys up.
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Photograph: MSR16
MSR Stake Hammer
MSR Stake HammerThor meets Tron in this sexy—yes, sexy— camping hammer of the future. At 0.68 pounds, it’s light, and far better at securing tent pegs than a rock, your foot, or a trad rubber mallet. Made from hardened stainless steel, it’s 28 centimeters of hi-tech camping cool. The clincher is it even comes with a bottle opener, because camping without refreshments just won’t do. Hammer time!
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Photograph: POTR Pots17
POTR Ocean Pot
POTR Ocean PotThese stylish flat-packed plant pots are the latest welcome addition to the plethora of products made from reclaimed ocean plastic. POTR uses fishing-net waste washing up on Scotland’s west coast to create origami-style pots that use 100 times less carbon than typical pots and 90 percent fewer raw materials than traditional plant pot manufacturing. The pop-up pots can fit through most standard letter boxes, and we like the fact that the cotton drawstring, which pulls the pot into position, also acts as a watering system that helps the plant self-regulate the water it needs.
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Photograph: Sun Lee18
NATO Straps
NATO StrapsWe know what you’re thinking: How can a Rolex Submariner ($9,100) or a Grand Seiko White Birch ($9,100) possibly qualify for this selection of low-cost, high-value items? It’s all in the straps. For as little as $10, you can give an $8,000 timepiece some fresh style chops, effectively getting a new watch to show off. Watch obsessives twigged this budget hack a while ago, and so online strap sellers are doing big business.
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Photograph: Joseph Joseph19
Joseph Joseph Rota Sharpener
Joseph Joseph Rota SharpenerWith a choice of coarse and fine grinding-blades, this ergonomic knife sharpener can revitalize even the bluntest tools. To use, the top cover opens out wide and clips in place to be used as a sturdy handle, and once you’re done, it folds away neatly.
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Photograph: Aeropress20
Aeropress
AeropressLaunched in 2005, the AeroPress remains one of the fastest and most effective ways to make a single cup of proper coffee. Combining drip and pour-over principles with a fine paper filter, it’s inexpensive, easy to maintain, idiot-proof, and comes with a year’s supply of filters. It also produces a proper coffee that reveals the subtle, often missed flavors of the bean, all in under a minute.
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Photograph: Falcon Enamelware21
Falcon Enamelware Bake Set
Falcon Enamelware Bake SetFounded in the 1920s and reborn in 2011, Falcon Enamelware conjures up nostalgic images of home cooking done Grandma’s way. Porcelain fused onto heavy-gauge steel makes for exceptionally robust kitchenware that’ll last for decades, survive dishwashers, and also age gracefully.
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Photograph: Apple22
Apple HomePod Mini
Apple HomePod MiniMultiroom audio for half the price of Sonos. Yes, OK, we know Siri is the worst of the three main voice control systems. And yes, it’s annoying that you can’t use Spotify as the default streaming service. But, with the Homepod Mini sounding as good as it does, for the size it is, it almost feels like you’re finally getting a bargain out of Apple. Design is slick and interior-friendly, connectivity is effortless, and the omnidirectional sound will fill a room with authority, without it ever feeling like the music is coming from the Christmas tree bauble in the corner.
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Photograph: Victorinox23
Victorinox Nail Clippers
Victorinox Nail ClippersSmall, light (0.03 pounds), and phenomenally sharp, these stainless steel nail clippers look stylish and work brilliantly. Our neglected and gnarled nails didn’t stand a chance against the power of the Victorinox, cutting accurately and safely whether we used our left or right hands. They’re cheap, durable, come with a splash of classic Victorinox red, and can be attached to your keyring for safekeeping.
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Photograph: Sproos24
Sproos Shower
Sproos ShowerConceived with renters and apartment dwellers in mind, this shower system gives you the chance to upgrade a boring bathroom without the need to renovate or even reach for the power tools. Available in three styles and designed specifically to fit over a standard 45-degree shower spout, it is secured in place using an ingenious glue-only fastening system that can be removed without trace at the end of your tenancy. The shower—choose Red, White, Black, or Yellow—comes with three spray settings (Monsoon, Ket and Cloudburst), 1.8 gallon/min flow rate, and a pause button to save water. And if you want an iPhone mount, mirror, or cup holder, you can specify those too.
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Photograph: Rotolight25
Rotolight Ultimate Vlogging Kit
Rotolight Ultimate Vlogging KitWhether you identify as a content creator, vlogger, blogger, influencer, or a tired under-appreciated old journalist, if you spend any meaningful time in front of a camera, you need to look good. And for the price of a half-decent haircut, this all-in-one ring light, phone mount, and mini desktop tripod will make all the difference, softening the light, dealing with shadows, and, if you use it correctly, removing at least one spare chin in an instant. Supplied with various skin tone and color filters, so you can shoot consistently at any time of day or night.
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Photograph: OHTO26
OHTO Smile Clip
OHTO Smile ClipThe words “paperwork” and “adorable” have, until now, never been uttered in the same sentence, but just look at these tiny clips of unbridled joy. Designed to hold 25 sheets of 80gsm paper, each 13x10mm metal clip is powder-coated and brightly colored, and it will come as no surprise to anyone that they’re designed in Japan.
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Photograph: Kaweco27
Kaweco Original Fountain Pen 060 Black Chrome
Kaweco Original Fountain Pen 060 Black ChromeYes, a really good pen, one that lasts a lifetime and can be whipped out with a flourish, need not be so expensive. Kaweco have been making covetable stationery in Germany since 1883. In the 1930s came the Sport line of chunky hexagonal pens (WIRED's favorite), which rightly became a classic. Now Kaweco has launched a chic new all-black Original line based on the Sport series, but with a solid aluminium body and scratch-resistant anodisation. You might prefer the $59 ballpoint, but we like the 060 fountain pen, which at just 0.05 pounds will be as easy to write with as it is stylish to hold.
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Photograph: Beauty Pie28
Beauty Pie
Beauty Pie Japanfusion Genius Lift ElixirBeauty Pie is famous for its great-value monthly boxes, but you can also buy its top-notch best-sellers, like the Japanfusion Genius Lift Elixir, which gives skin a glowing boost—without draining your bank account.
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