The Party Rats aren’t the stupidest party accessory ever, but they’re pretty close. If you like drawing attention to yourself however… this will definitely work. Whether it’ll be the good or bad kind of attention, I don’t know.

Each pack comes with 5 rats and each of them sends out a differently colored beam. By placing them on your fingers and then moving your arms around you can get pretty impressive results… although that won’t erase the fact that you’re wearing plastic rodents.

But then again, given that most of the people at parties or in discos are in various stages of getting drunk… no one will notice.

How much under $29.99?
A lot: $5.99 on Amazon.com.

Via ShinyShiny

Fess up: did you know how to do laundry before you left home? If you did, I bow before you. My mother must’ve explained it to me 10 times and I still didn’t get it. Then I moved out and, amazing, now it’s the easiest task ever. All it takes is a little practice…

But first anyone needs to be told how to do it. And because mum won’t always be around… she should get her kids one of these Laundry Bags with Printed Instructions. 3

It covers all the basics: powder and liquid detergent, cold, warm and hot wash. It can carry two loads of laundry, so now there’s really no excuse: even college students can wash their clothes without assistance. No more running home with a bag full of dirty socks as a “present” for the parents. Really.

How much under $29.99?
A lot: $9.99 on Dormbuys.com.

Via FashionablyGeek

Bookmarks are a big part of book lovers’ lives. Most of my friends have tons of interesting bookmarks and keep buying more – even though they usually end up using receipts and candy wrappers instead. A new bookmark with something special is always welcome, however.

The Burning Bookmark is definitely impressive. Big orange flames coming out of the pages… very Fahrenheit 451-ish. Fortunately, it’s not just about looks: it screen-printed onto die-cut clear flexible plastic, so you can bet it will last.

While it’s not very practical for those of us who prefer reading on the move, its uniqueness makes it just about the perfect gift for a book lover. Together with that book they keep talking about, naturally.

How much under $29.99?
A lot: $6 on Gama-Go.com.

Via BoingBoing

My brain refuses to work with me. On one hand, I think so many women’s accesssories are perfectly silly and marketed to bimbos, and I feel a bit offended that people think that talking to me like I’m 10 is a good approach. On the other hand, I feel oddly attracted to a fair share of them… even the silly ones.

As far as “can’t live without” things go, the Miss Oops Rescue Sponge is not even close to Top 10. A white mark on a blouse is never the end of the world. But… wouldn’t it be lovely to skip the “oh, maybe it will come off with water” part? It’s tedious and never works well enough. This smart sponge promises to get it off with no effort (and no water), and that’s so tempting. Face powder marks on clothes? Again, just rub it with the sponge and it’s gone.

Since every pack come with 2 (reusable) sponges… I think that curiosity might be worth $10.00. It could pay off.

How much under $29.99?
A lot: $9.99 in our store, powered by Amazon.com.

Via Outblush

I keep telling myself I won’t pay attention to crapgadgets, but some are… just… too bad to pass up.

How could I resist a pink phone shaped like a shoe? Naturally, it’s called the High Heels Phone and it’s aimed at girls. 10 year old girls, I hope. I pity the woman whose boyfriend shows up with this atrocity and claims it’s a gift. There’s no way anyone can get away with it: he’s either seriously lacking in the taste department (which is not a problem in itself, but itrequires extra attention not to screw up), or he’s a misogynistic bastard who thinks women fall over if a pink object is presented to them. No thank you, I’d rather have someone with half a brain.

I usually find at least some redeeming quality even for the most horrible garbage… but this time it’s impossible. Oh, and did I mention the price? Scroll down and wonder how much neurons you need to spend that sum on this trainwreck of a product.

How much under $29.99?
A little: $22 on Gadget4All.com.

Via DVICE

Sometimes I run into a product with such a quirky concept behind it that I don’t even know what to say.

My initial reaction to the Aromatherapy Interventions Co-Dependent Therapy Candle was a long “ummm”. I don’t believe scents influence us so much, but I suppose they can have a small effect on someone’s mood or feelings. A pleasant smell will make anyone feel a little better, that’s for sure at least.

I had trouble understanding the tagline (“Must light both wicks for full aromatherapy effect.”) and then it hit me. Co-dependent… two wicks… doing things by yourself… it’s pretty smart, actually.

The supposed effects sound good: the essences of orange and lemon counteract passivity and self blame, while ylang ylang and bergamot calm anger. There’s a whole range of Interventions for a variety of moods, so even if you’re not feeling co-dependent there might be a witty candle out there for you too.

How much under $29.99?
Some: $17.95 in our store, powered by Amazon.com.

Via bookofjoe

Electronic cigarettes are not a new invention, but they’ve started being in spotlight relatively recently due to the smoking bans imposed in many places. And even without the ban there’d be a market for them, albeit smaller: there’s the people who like the gesture and the smoke, but hate the taste of cigarettes.

For all of them, the Gamucci Cigar offers a hi-tech means of getting the nicotine fix and of bypassing the “no smoking” rules. It looks like a fine Cuban cigar and, although no one would claim it’s as good as a real one, it’s the next best thing. The smoke is actually water vapor, there’s no tobacco or carcinogens, but the nicotine and the gesture so many smokers have grown accustomed to are still there. The tip of the cigar even lights up as you inhale.

This sounds a lot like a hookah, so those of you who are fond of water pipes could give it a try. Of course, since it has nicotine, it can obviously create an addiction, so trying it “just for fun” is not a good idea.

How much under $29.99?
A little: ~$22.30 on IWantOneofThose.com.

Via TechieDiva

Why are piggy banks so fascinating, even to adults? Don’t tell me they’re all for kids, some of these are way too complex. Do we like keeping track of our money so much that we need to count pennies?

I don’t know the answer, but I know I like the idea of a box that tells me how much money there’s inside. The Digital Counting Piggy Bank does exactly that. It comes with a slot that automatically counts the coins and a digital display for the total sum, which could be a great way of teaching kids about the value of money.

On the other hand, it can be a great tool for adults to decide when they can buy the next useless cheap gadget, which somehow sounds like an even better idea.

How much under $29.99?
Exactly $29.98 on TaylorGifts.com.

Via Coolest Gadgets

The Waterproof Camera Floater is a very useful device if you pay attention to the important part of the name.

The floater is actually a foam-filled neoprene wrist lanyard that can keep most point-and-shoot cameras afloat and easy to spot in case you drop them in the water. However, in order to survive the trip, they need to be waterproof. No, simply attaching it to your regular camera won’t make it immune to water, so don’t try iy.

I suppose not many people use their cameras underwater and spend enough time at sea to risk losing it, but if you’re one of them $10 might save you a couple of hundred in lost equipment. Not a bad deal at all.

How much under $29.99?
A lot: $9.99 on Chisco.com.

Via bookofjoe

Keeping condoms in a drawer is so passé… what you need is a Condom Dispenser on your nightstand.

Condo-M, as it’s called, is basically a small metal tower with a tray that can be pulled out for easy access to prophylactics. “Protection is a turn on” indeed, as the product description puts it, but… a condom dispenser?

Protection is good. But when you need a special device for your condoms, that says “I sleep with so many women that a regular box isn’t enough”. And I don’t think that’s the kind of guy women go nuts for.

How much under $29.99?
A little: $28 on UncommonGoods.com.

Via Gizmodo