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Henry the Hoover was here before, a couple of months ago. This miniature version of the iconic British vacuum cleaner takes care of one area that usually doesn’t get the attention of its big brother: the desk.
We know that eating at the computer is bad, and we don’t care. Henry just sits there looking cute until it’s clean-up time, when he dos his thing and leave the place sparkly clean. Or as close as it can get to that, since it can’t exactly sterilize the place.
And now… he’s got a girlfriend. The Hetty Desktop Vacuum does the same thing, only in pink. If you had a problem with Henry’s color, now is the time to show off your girly side.
How much under $29.99?
Some: £9.95 on Firebox.com.
Via ShinyShiny
Save the world with a bike chain!
Uh, what?
This is more or less the idea behind the “Unchain Your Business” Card Holder. Handmade from a recycled bike chain, it’s supposed to express your love for the environment and for sports.
I think that’s taking the whole green thing too far, but it’s a cool desk decoration nonetheless and the perfect gift for a cyclist.
How much under $29.99?
Some: $20 on UncommonGoods.com.
Via ModernEcoHomes
There’s lots of reasons people would want to destroy CDs: sensitive information; paranoia. Either way, manually scratching a ton of discs is a lot of trouble, so why not get a device that can do it with less trouble.
The Sanyo “The Claw” has a scary name, although it doesn’t act exactly like a claw. What it does is punch a lot of small holes in discs, rendering them unreadable, and it can hold up to 20 CDs in the flip down catch tray.
It can only destroy the CDs one at a time though, so it might take a while to make sure no one reads the company records from the past 10 years…
How much under $29.99?
A little: $7.99 on Amazon.com
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Via BoingBoing
If you regularly print sensitive data or you just have snooping neighbours, you might not want all your printouts and receipts to end up in the trash intact. Of course, you could just rip everything to pieces, but if there’s a large quantity (or you’re plain lazy), and USB Mini Paper Shredder might be a better option.
It’s small (6″ long) so you won’t be able to use it for all documents, but it’s meant to be portable and not take up much space. It features both forward and reverse modes and, while it’s made of plastic, the blades are metallic.
It’s debatable if something with such a limited use is worth investing in… but who knows, maybe there’s people out there who just have a lot of receipts.
How much under $29.99?
Some: $19.99 on WhateverWorks.com.
Via bookofjoe
Lazy days at the office can be great if you have ways of wasting time… or they can be torture if your company blocks all the interesting websites and you’re only allowed to have pen and paper on your desk.
But if you can be entertained by folding pieces of paper, then the Origami Sticky Notes are the solution. No boss could object to you having a pad of post-its. But unlikely regular notes, these feature instructions for 8 origami figures on the back. And they’re not exactly easy, so they have the potential to keep people busy for a lengthy strech of time…
Until the boss notices the army of squirrels on your desk and questions your sanity, at least.
How much under $29.99?
A lot: ~$4 on Suck.uk.com.
Via bookofjoe
The Bubble Calendar is a bubble wrap lover’s wet dream. And it’s much better than hoarding piles of bubble wrap; this can actually come in useful.
But be careful: this 48″ tall x 18″ wide beauty requires willpower. Lots of it. Only popping today’s bubble is a good exercise in restraint, though.
However, no matter how much I love my bubbles, this does look too simplistic: you’re got the months and days, but no day of the week or anything. Won’t be much use for scheduling, but as long as the current date is the only thing needed… it will do, I suppose.
How much under $29.99?
Exactly $29.99 on PerpetualKid.com.
Via BoingBoing
While so many USB-powered “gadgets” are just glorified junk, I think I found my soft spot. After this shark pad, two more USB Warmer Mouse Pads enter the stage.
They’re appropriately cute: one depicts a cow, the other is decorated with a giant strawberry. But this isn’t that important, really. What matters is the effect: warm hand on mouse. If you’ve never had to use a computer in a cold house or office, shut up; if you’ve been a victim before, you can understand why this will be a hit.
As for me… after braving the cold for a while and covering myself in blankets, I think it’s time to go high-tech. If I can talk my mouse into working on anything but the desk, that is.
How much under $29.99?
Some: $14.50 on Gadget4All.com.
Via RedFerret
When choosing a surge protector, the number and type of plugs it can hold is more important than aesthetics. But when choosing between two items with identical specs, why not go for the one that will fit your home better?
While a white surge protector shaped like an UFO might match a modern office perfectly, a traditionally-furnished room would go better with the Corner 5-Outlet Block. The color makes it almost blend in with a wooden floor, and since it fits in a corner it can be stashed away easier (you’d expect to see cables in the office, but in the bedroom they’d better be invisible).
With 5 plugs (including two with an over-sized transformer) and a circuit breaker, all for less than $10… what’s not to like?
How much under $29.99?
A lot: $9.97 on ImprovementsCatalog.com.
Via ChipChick
Scented pencils… uh, what? Who needs something like this?
People who buy the Graphite Smencils (cringe-worthy play-on-words…), that’s who. And there’s two reasons why they’d do it.
First, kids will love them. Really. I used a box of scented crayons for about 3 years and I was so sad when they finally dried up. It might be silly for an adult, but for a child something you can draw with and which smells nice is fascinating. There’s ten scents in all: Bubble Gum, Cinnamon, Popcorn, Grape, Cotton Candy, Very Berry, Chocolate, Orange, Watermelon and Rootbeer.
Second, they’re eco-friendly. Made from rolled sheets of newspaper and biodegradable erasers, they’ll make your conscience feel a little bit better, and you can also entertain yourself for about two minutes with the novelty of sharpening paper, not wood.
How much under $29.99?
Some: $11.99 on PerpetualKid.com.
Via OhGizmo!
If you feel your desk needs more clutter, how about forgetting all the awful USB-powered gizmos and going for something better? Yes, there is life without USB!
The What-Nots Chest of Drawers is the perfect alternative for all those boxes with paperclips and pushpins you keep laying around. And it’s also funny. The faux-French “Junque” is delicious, and the others aren’t bad either. They describe their contents perfectly, after all.
What, that’s not proper labeling? As if anyone knows what’s hiding under the piles of paper on the desk… The usual approach works here too: remember where you put everything or go by trial and error.
How much under $29.99?
Exactly $29.95 on Wrapables.com.
