PORTLAND, Maine — If you're still working on your holiday shopping list and are not sure what to get the techie in your life, Rich Brooks from Flyte New Media joins us with some ideas that are also great for DIY projects.
207: What gifts are you recommending this year?
Rich: The last few years I've looked at having a theme for the gifts that we talk about here on 207, and this year I've been taking some Woodworking for Beginners classes, so I thought we could look at some techie gifts for the DIYer in your life.
For me, just having an excuse to get away from a screen has been liberating, and since woodworking has been my escape, let's start there. While there are tons of techie gifts you can get the woodworker in your life, from power tools to a CNC machine, I'm going to recommend the Prohear Sound canceling Headphones. Perfect for protecting your ears while running a table saw and you can stream all your favorite holiday classics at the same time. You'll find this model and similar ones for around $40 online or in a local retailer.
207: OK, the woodworker on our list is taken care of. What else do you have?
Rich: This next gift works for either the gardener or the chef on your list, and it's an AeroGarden In-Home Garden System. This can fit nicely in the kitchen and provides LED lights that help plants grow faster and healthier even in the reduced sunlight hours of winter. Time it right and you'll always have the right herbs for your favorite holiday dish. Prices range from $70 to just north of $200, depending on the size and features.
207: I understand you have some gifts for people interested in 3D printing.
Rich: Yes, a couple of options: For people who are looking for a desktop 3D printer, the Creality Ender 3 comes highly rated. If you have a creative person on your list who's expressed interest in 3D printing, this is a relatively affordable gift at under $240. There are a wide variety of desktop 3D printers these days, from the mid-hundreds to several thousand dollars.
Another option would be the MYNT3D 3D pen, which allows you to draw in 3 dimensions to create different models, which you can find for about $60.
207: Some people might feel these gifts are more geared for adults. Any kid-friendly DIY gifts on your shortlist?
Rich: Sure, the SunFounder Lizard Robot Kit is great for kids of all ages, allowing you to construct a programable robot lizard. I found it for $33.
For the budding architect, the Arckit series are great, offering a wide range of building challenges with kits that range from $75 to over $200 and will really reinforce STEM learning in kids.
And finally, what kid wouldn't want to create their own video game? The Create Your Own Video Game Set teaches coding and building a retro console that will play real video games, coming in at $85.