5 Costco Gifts Under $50 For The Techie In Your Life
If you're a Costco member who loves perusing the electronics section at your local store, you may still be struggling to find the best tech gifts for the holidays. Not everyone is well-versed as to which devices those near and dear to them already own, or what products friends and family members are considering buying in the future. The good news: There are a few items out there that any tech enthusiast will love, priced at under $50 at Costco right now.
The real secret to being a good gift-giver is to focus on utility and delight. We've compiled a list of useful (and fun) consumer tech items available at Costco, each ringing in at an affordable price — from a smart camera perfect for front-door security to a portable vacuum and duster for keeping electronics clean. So strap in and prepare to save a few dollars while picking up some choice presents for the techies in your life.
Wyze 2k Bulb Cam and Accessory Bulb Bundle
You know what's better than a smart camera and smart lightbulb combo? A smart camera and smart lightbulb combo that comes with two extra bulbs, which is precisely what Costco is offering with this Wyze 2k Bulb Cam and Accessory Bulb Bundle. This combo pack is currently $15 off at only $49.99, with the sale running until December 25.
This bundle represents an affordable way to add a smart camera to your home, perhaps placing the bulb-and-camera combo at the front door to keep an eye on package deliveries and visitors ringing your bell. Jumping on the Wyze train is also a great way to keep costs down, as you don't need a subscription to view what the camera sees, or receive alerts when it detects movement. Of course, there are optional subscription plans that start at $2.99 a month should you require more functionality, such as facial recognition and multi-camera timelines.
This camera offers a discreet design (similar to these other nearly invisible security gadgets) to ensure your home security doesn't announce itself to ne'er-do-wells in the neighborhood. The installation couldn't be easier, since you just screw the camera into a lightbulb socket.
Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go Bluetooth Speaker 2-Pack Bundle
Who doesn't love listening to music? Why settle for tinny smartphone speakers when you can easily connect your phone to a portable Bluetooth speaker? Of course, many higher-quality Bluetooth speakers don't come cheap and are often bulky, making portability an issue. Well, Anker's Soundcore Select 4 Go Bluetooth Speaker 2-pack Bundle bucks both these trends. Not only is the speaker extremely portable thanks to its pocketable size, but it's also really affordable — and the cherry on top is that you get two in this bundle from Costco, all for $39.99.
Any recipient of this gift could easily leave one at home while packing its twin for their outings. Or they can take both and pair them for some slick stereo output. These Anker speakers also offer an IP67 rating, which means you can submerge them for up to half an hour in 3.3 feet of water — plus they float, ensuring pool parties and beach outings aren't a worry. And at 20 hours of battery life per charge, you know these speakers will outlast any holiday gatherings.
Of course, how these speakers sound is what matters most, and plenty of reviews and user reports detail that they are very punchy, delivering excellent sound quality for their size. No matter how you slice it, this Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go speaker bundle sounds good, looks good, and is really portable and very durable — all at a price that won't break the bank. Talk about a perfect tech gift, especially when Anker is among the top choices for Bluetooth speaker brands.
UGREEN Nexode Power Bank
What good are portable Bluetooth speakers if you forget to charge them, and they happen to die on you in the middle of a party? This is where UGREEN's Nexode Power Bank comes into the picture as a perfect companion gift. It offers a 20,000 mAh battery and can be used as a 130W portable charger, ensuring you can fast-charge your devices on the go. The applications of this battery pack are almost limitless, solidifying its place as a great gift for any tech fan.
What really makes the UGREEN Nexode Power Bank stand out is its price, which clocks in at $39.99. The power bank offers two USB-C ports along with a single USB-A port, so that you can easily charge more than one device at the same time. And weighing just a pound, the battery pack is easy to carry in a backpack or pocket, ensuring you can stay portable while keeping enough juice within arm's reach. It's never easy trying to find an inexpensive, yet quality, power bank, but UGREEN certainly has a heavy hitter on its hands with the Nexode.
Fanttik X200 Mix Cordless Vacuum
Keeping your work area and electronics free of dust isn't easy. A messy desk isn't conducive to getting work done, and nobody wants to see their tech toys gather piles of dust or debris. So if the tech lover in your life hasn't taken the steps necessary to ensure a clean workspace, Fanttik's X200 Mix Cordless Vacuum might just be the perfect gift they never knew they needed.
From vacuuming to blowing air, the Fanttik X200 fulfills both use cases. This way, you can vacuum a keyboard and get all of the chip crumbs loose, then switch attachments and modes to blow the dust out of your PC case. No longer will you have to pop down to the store to pick up a fresh can of compressed air when the Fanttik X200 is readily available.
So whether you need to blow air to remove dust or suck dirt up with a vacuum, these needs are covered with the Fanttik X200. At $49.99, you'll be hard-pressed to find a comparable device that serves double duty.
My Arcade: Sonic Joystick Player
Now that we've covered plenty of useful, affordable, and cool gadgets that'll improve any tech-lover's life, it's time for a bit of fun. The Venn diagram of people who love tech and people who play games is likely to produce some overlap. So, why not surprise the gamers in your life with a mini arcade? The unit also boasts built-in speakers — and since there is a headphone jack, you won't even have to worry about annoying sounds filling the house. Just remember to pick up a pack of AA batteries while you're at Costco, as it takes four to power the unit. If all else fails, you can also power the arcade via USB-C connection.
Essentially, the My Arcade: Sonic Joystick Player is an adorable and small arcade cabinet that offers a 3.5-inch full-color screen. You get two games with the mini cabinet: "Sonic the Hedgehog" and "Sonic the Hedgehog 2," both officially licensed by Sega as full Genesis games. Both are controlled with a typical arcade stick and buttons to recapture the feel of a traditional cabinet. At $44.99, it's priced to move (Amazon is selling them for ~$60), offering a fine savings — the perfect present for the retrogamer in your friend group.