Budget EDC: 12 Best Gadgets Under $50

Look, we get it — between rent, gas, and the cost of literally everything else, dropping serious cash on EDC gear isn’t always in the cards. But that doesn’t mean you should settle for junk that quits after three months or tech that promises the world and delivers a headache.

We’ve rounded up some of our favorite tech-powered everyday carry essentials that punch way above their weight class (and look good doing it) — all hovering around that $50 sweet spot. And as with all of our round-ups, this isn’t a prescribed kit, but rather some of the best affordable EDC gadgets currently on the market, featuring both new releases and tried and true staples. 

Anker Nano Power Bank

Okay, so your phone’s at 12% battery and you’ve still got an hour commute ahead — we’ve all been there. And this is the exact scenario this week’s sponsor Anker aims to solve with the Nano Power Bank, kicking that daily anxiety without adding any bulk to your everyday carry. 

At just 0.34″ thick and weighing just 4.3oz (which is half the weight of an iPhone 16 Pro reference), this thing is extremely pocketable to say the least. It’s actually thinner than your phone and light enough that you’ll forget it’s there until you need it. 

The design definitely feels a bit familiar if you’ve seen Apple’s $100 iPhone Air MagSafe Battery, but the Anker works with any MagSafe-compatible iPhone from the 12 series forward and costs about half the price. 

And that Qi2 certification means you’re getting legitimate 15W wireless charging — the same speed as Apple’s own MagSafe charger and double what most wireless power banks deliver. Snap it on and your iPhone 16 hits 25% in about 40 minutes, which is fast enough to rescue a dying phone during your morning coffee run.

It’s important to keep in mind that this is still a 5,000mAh capacity, and it isn’t designed to fully resurrect a dead phone from zero, but that’s not really the point. This is for topping up throughout the day when you’re bouncing between meetings or traveling and can’t babysit a wall outlet. 

Anker’s built-in graphene cooling system keeps temps comfortable in your hand, and the curved back panel makes one-handed use actually pleasant. Four LED dots tell you what you’re working with (just tap the button on the side), and passthrough charging means you can juice both the pack and your phone simultaneously via the USB-C port.

Nitecore TINI 3 Flashlight

Nitecore’s been making EDC flashlights for years, but the TINI 3 feels like the brand finally nailed the keychain light formula. This thing measures 1.86″ — shorter than your car key — and weighs 0.71oz, but it punches out 600 lumens in turbo mode with a 98-yard throw. 

What helps set this apart from the dozen other keychain lights out there is the Multi-Color Temperature LED system. You get three color options: warm 3000K that cuts through fog and rain without glare, neutral 4500K for balanced everyday use, and cool 6500K for maximum brightness when you need to light up a dark parking lot. Each temperature has five brightness levels, from one lumen for sneaking around at night without wrecking your vision to that full 600-lumen blast when you need to really light something up.

The OLED display is smarter than you’d expect on a $40 light. It shows brightness level, color temperature, battery status, and remaining runtime in real-time. USB-C charging tops it off in 90 minutes, and the Advanced Power Cutoff tech means it’ll hold a charge for a full year sitting unused. On the ultra-low setting, you get 85 hours of runtime.

Nitecore built this with IP54 water resistance and two-meter impact resistance, and the titanium ring can handle 66 pounds of load. The dual lockout modes (semi and full) keep it from lighting up in your pocket. 

At just $40, this replaces both your phone’s flashlight and those disposable gas station lights you keep losing.

Native Union Belt Cable Duo

Here’s the reality of modern tech carry: you’ve got an iPhone 14 with Lightning, AirPods Pro 2 also with Lightning, but your new iPad and MacBook both run USB-C (or some variation of this). That’s three cables minimum in your bag. Native Union’s Belt Cable Duo solves this with some simple (and stylish) engineering building both Lightning and USB-C connectors built into a single head.

The Paris-based brand is known for sweating the details, and spent years developing their patented Slide Lock technology, which automatically switches power between connectors when you plug in a device. And it’s more than just a party trick — it’s MFi certified and includes an E-marker chip that regulates power delivery to protect your gear. The dual-connector head delivers up to 60W for USB-C laptops and can fast-charge an iPhone to 50% in under 30 minutes.

Native Union built this to outlast the cheap cables with a core that uses DuPont Kevlar aramid fiber for tensile strength, wrapped in reinforced braiding that’s rated for 30,000 bends (although we obviously haven’t confirmed that).  And the connector joints feature O-flex strain relief to absorb stress at the most vulnerable points. 

The zebra colorway looks great, but it also gives you 100% recycled PET braiding in black and white, with recycled TPU and TPE housings. Even the integrated cable strap is made from Yatay, a plant-based leather alternative. And it measures in at five feet long

It’s a single, stylish cable to handle your iPhone, AirPods, iPad, Nintendo Switch, and USB-C Android phones.

Aer Pro Kit

Tech pouches are a dime a dozen these days, but most tend to fall into two camps: overstuffed organizers with 47 pockets you’ll never use, or minimalist sleeves that leave everything rattling around loose. In typical Aer fashion, the San Francisco-based brand figured out the middle ground with the Pro Kit, a standing desk organizer that actually makes sense when you’re digging for cables on the go.

The design hinges on that wide clamshell opening — it lays flat on your desk or tray table so you can see everything at once without excavating layers of gear. 

Aer uses recycled 840D Cordura nylon that’s bluesign-approved, with YKK zippers that have interlocking pulls for basic theft deterrence. The interior divider separates your space logically: stretchy mesh pockets for a mouse or power bank, a zippered pocket for items that need containment, elastic pen loops up top, and that deeper rear compartment for whatever doesn’t fit elsewhere. The soft recycled nylon lining also keeps things from getting scratched up.

At 9″ x 5″ x 2″ and 1.8L capacity, this won’t swallow up a larger tablet or iPad but it easily handles daily essentials without any bloat. And, the built-in webbing loop lets you carry it solo or clip it inside a larger bag.

Clocking in just above the $50 threshold, you’re getting one of the best designed tech pouches around, organized enough to stay sane, minimal enough to not overthink it.

Anker Prime 67W USB-C Charger

When it comes to power banks and pocket chargers, it’s hard to beat Anker (and we’re not just saying that because they’re this week’s sponsor) — we’ve included them in countless reviews and guides over the past decade. 

Case in point, Anker’ Prime 67W, a 3-port wall charger that solves the outlet math problem plaguing so many of us. This GaN charger measures 1.52″ x 1.57″ x 1.97″ — 51% smaller than Apple’s original 67W MacBook brick — but delivers two USB-C ports and one USB-A in a package that weighs just under 5oz. 

The folding prongs snap flat for travel or carrying in your EDC pack, but one of our favorite features isn’t even more simple. You can actually fit two of these side-by-side in a standard wall outlet, giving you six total charging ports from one duplex receptacle.

The power distribution is smarter than typical multi-port chargers. A single USB-C port pushes the full 67W. Use both USB-C ports together and you get 65W split intelligently between devices – same output if you mix USB-C and USB-A. Only when you max out all three ports does total output drop to 64W. 

Real-world testing shows an iPhone 13 hitting 51% charge in 30 minutes, while an 11-inch iPad Pro reaches 35% and an M1 MacBook Air gets to 37% in the same timeframe.

The GaN technology keeps temperatures manageable even under load, and Anker’s ActiveShield 2.0 monitors temperature 3 million times per day to prevent overheating, but it is worth mentioning that the charger can become a bit warm to the touch during daily use.

There’s also no LED indicators either, which can be a pro/con depending on your use case (for instance, it won’t light up your hotel room at night when you’re trying to sleep).

At under $50, it replaces multiple charging bricks and the tangle of cables that come with them.

Hoto Electric Screwdriver

Most precision screwdriver sets sit in a drawer until you need to crack open a laptop or tighten glasses, then you’re digging around for the right bit. HOTO’s electric precision screwdriver treats this a bit differently — the entire kit lives in a sleek aluminum case with a magnetic sliding lid that keeps all 25 S2 steel bits organized and accessible.

The screwdriver itself measures 6.26″ long and weighs just 2.1oz, designed specifically for electronics repair rather than construction – and we’ve found it to be incredibly handy around the studio. It operates in electric mode with 0.2 N·m torque for delicate micro screws in phones, tablets, cameras, and watches, or switches to manual mode with 3 N·m when you need extra twist. The one-button control keeps things simple, and the magnetized tip holds bits securely during swaps.

Those 25 bits cover the essentials for tech work: Phillips, flathead, hex, Torx, pentalobe, tri-wing, and Y-type drivers in sizes that handle everything from watch backs to laptop panels. The bits are hardened S2 steel rather than standard CR-V, which means better wear resistance when you’re repeatedly opening devices. The semi-auto hinged magnetic lid on the case is a nice touch as well, and prevents bits from scattering.

The 350mAh lithium-ion battery runs for two hours on a charge, enough to tighten around 500 screws, and USB-C charging tops it off when needed. The frosted aluminum finish and 3D textured grip give it that premium tool feel, but the real value is having a complete precision toolkit that actually fits in your tech bag.

Dark Energy Plasma Lighter

Butane lighters quit in wind. Matches die in rain. And while we love Zippos, they do need constant fluid refills. Dark Energy’s Plasma Lighter sidesteps all of it by generating a dual-arc electric current that ignites material in any weather condition. And this means no fuel required, ever.

The tech works by creating a high-voltage electrical arc between two points — think miniature lightning bolt — that produces enough heat to light tinder, paper, or kindling even when you’re getting soaked on a ridgeline. The waterproof housing means you can use it in a downpour, and wind doesn’t affect an electric arc the way it kills a flame. It charges via micro-USB, and a topped-off battery gives you plenty of lights before needing juice again.

The 3.75-inch body adds a 120-lumen flashlight with strobe mode, which turns this into a dual-purpose tool for your EDC pack or glovebox. At 2.26oz, it’s pretty negligible weight with a lanyard attachment for clipping to gear.

Here’s the tradeoff that we should mention for anyone who hasn’t used one of these: plasma lighters don’t create an actual flame, so you need decent tinder to catch the arc. This isn’t a grab-and-go solution for people who’ve never built a fire; it does require slightly more technique than flicking a Bic. 

Is the most convenient lighter at this price point? Probably not. But for anyone comfortable with fire-starting basics, this is a fun piece of kit for the weekend warrior.

JBL Vibe Beam Earbuds

Budget wireless earbuds usually mean compromises — muddy sound, terrible battery, or buds that fall out during a jog. JBL’s Vibe Beam tries to break that pattern at the $50 price point, and mostly succeeds by focusing on what actually matters for daily use.

The stick-closed design with 8mm drivers delivers JBL’s signature bass punch without drowning out mids and highs. It’s a V-shaped sound signature that works well for most genres, and the JBL Headphones app lets you tweak EQ if you want more control. Bluetooth 5.2 handles pairing quickly and maintains stable connection without dropouts. The IP54 rating on the buds and IPX2 on the case means sweat and light rain won’t kill them.

Battery life is definitely the standout feature here: eight hours from the buds, plus 24 more in the case, totaling 32 hours. Speed charging adds two hours of playback in 10 minutes when you’re rushing out the door. Smart Ambient and TalkThru modes let you hear your surroundings or have quick conversations without pulling the buds out, while VoiceAware balances how much of your own voice you hear during calls.

We found the ergonomic fit is quite comfortable for extended wear and build quality feels solid, and like many before us, we would almost forget we were wearing them at times. After using these the past few months, we did experience a few drawbacks including connectivity glitches and some audio balance issues – but that definitely tracks for budget-tier electronics and we wouldn’t call these minor issues deal breakers by any means. 

At $50, these compete directly with no-name Amazon earbuds and win on sound quality and features. You’re not getting ANC or premium codecs, but for commutes, gym sessions, and daily listening, the Vibe Beam delivers functionality that punches above its weight class.

SanDisk Extreme Fit USB-C Flash Drive 256GB

SanDisk’s Extreme Fit USB-C is essentially a tiny storage button, and it’s impressive to say the least. So much so that SanDisk was able to create the world’s smallest 1TB SSD drive. And while that particular storage option clocks in well above our price threshold (over $100), the 256GB version gives you the exact same form factor for around $30.

Measuring in at 0.73″ x 0.54″ x 0.63″ and weighing just 3g, it’s designed to plug into a laptop’s USB-C port and stay there permanently without blocking adjacent ports or snagging on anything when you toss your machine in a bag.

The button form factor works because it sits nearly flush with the chassis, unlike traditional thumb drives that stick out and beg to get snapped off. It can also plug directly into your iPhone for even more portable storage options on the go. And that colorful reflective logo on the out-facing side helps you spot it among other small gear. 

Testing shows it maintains that 400MB/s read speed consistently, which makes it solid for accessing files quickly. Write performance does fluctuate a bit more — around 150MB/s for smaller transfers under 5GB, dropping to 80MB/s when moving larger chunks of data. So filling a 1TB model completely would take about five hours. Pre-formatted in FAT32, it works out of the box with Windows, Mac, iPadOS, and Android devices.

The SanDisk Memory Zone app handles automatic backups from mobile devices, and each one is backed by a five-year warranty as well. 

Available from 64GB up to 1TB, this little device costs significantly less than upgrading your laptop’s internal storage and gives you expandable capacity that lives on your machine without the bulk. Just make sure you don’t lose it — that tiny size cuts both ways.

Casio CA-53W-1 Calculator Watch

Casio’s CA-53W is the iconic calculator watch Marty McFly wore in Back to the Future Part II and Walter White strapped on throughout Breaking Bad. And if you’ve watched any of our budget guides, you’ll know we’re unapologetic fans of the classic wristwatch.

First introduced in 1988, it’s still in production and even more impressive, it’s mostly unchanged because some designs just work. And at around $40, it’s arguably the ultimate affordable tech nostalgia piece that also happens to be actually functional.

A quick rundown for the uninitiated — the 34.4mm resin case houses an 8-digit calculator with a 4×4 rubber keypad that handles basic math operations. You also get a 1/100-second stopwatch, dual time zones, daily alarm, and auto-calendar good through 2099. The CR2016 battery will last you about 5 years. And total weight is just 25g, which means you’ll forget you’re wearing it until you need to calculate a tip or split a dinner bill.

One thing worth mentioning about that original design — those tiny rubber buttons are designed for 1988-sized fingers, not adult hands used to swiping smartphone screens. Math takes just a little bit of patience. The lack of backlight means nighttime calculations are out, and water resistance stops at handwashing — don’t swim in it. Naturally, the functionality that felt revolutionary in the ’80s is objectively obsolete when your phone does all this better.

But that’s entirely missing the point. This watch isn’t about utility in 2025. It’s about wearing a piece of pop culture history that predates smartwatches by decades. Casio saw the future — wrist-worn tech that did more than tell time — they just built it with 1980s technology. 

Miyoo Mini Plus

When it comes to portable handhelds on a budget, the Miyoo Mini is hands-down one of the internet’s favorites. And while there are many versions available, we’ve opted for the Miyoo Mini Plus as we found it to be sized perfectly for EDC and is truly pocketable while still being comfortable while playing on the go.

At 4.2″ tall with a 3.5-inch IPS screen, it’s slightly larger than the Mini V4. This runs the same ARM Cortex-A7 processor but benefits from that bigger 640×480 display with narrower bezels and a laminated screen that delivers deeper blacks and better contrast than the original Mini.

The 3000mAh battery pushes 4-6 hours of gameplay depending on what you’re running. NES, SNES, Genesis, Game Boy, and GBA titles run flawlessly on this thing. PS1 games are hit or miss — some work great, others struggle without analog sticks. The real sweet spot is 8-bit and 16-bit era games where the 4:3 aspect ratio and pixel-perfect screen make classics look exactly as you remember them.

Most units ship with OnionOS custom firmware pre-installed, which is leagues better than the stock system, but here’s something that everyone should know before purchasing: this is an emulation device. It doesn’t come loaded with every game you want — you’ll need to source ROM files and load them onto the microSD card yourself. If you’ve never dealt with emulators, there’s definitely a bit of a learning curve involving firmware updates, file management, and troubleshooting cores. Reddit and YouTube have some excellent guides, but expect to spend time setting this up properly.

And while this is a stellar little handheld, it excels at 2D classic games, not 3D titles. It’s a pocket-sized nostalgia machine for commutes and waiting rooms, not all-day gaming sessions.

Nomad Tracking Card Air

Nomad’s Tracking Card Air brings Apple Find My tracking to your wallet in a form factor that’s much better suited for the task than Apple’s beloved AirTag. 

The polycarbonate card measures standard credit card size (3.39″ × 2.13″) and weighs 12g. It integrates with Apple’s Find My network, so you can locate it anywhere with cell coverage, and it’ll emit a sound alert when you’re within 150ft. There is a catch though: Apple doesn’t allow third-party trackers to use Ultra Wideband yet, so you don’t get Precision Finding like you would with an AirTag. You’re working with standard Bluetooth location accuracy.

Charging happens wirelessly on any Qi or MagSafe pad – yes, including upright MagSafe stands, which is a nice touch. A full charge lasts up to five months (the Pro version offers 16 months for $10 more), and a small green LED indicates when it’s topped off. No replacing coin batteries every few months like other wallet trackers.

The IPX7 rating means it survives getting soaked, and Nomad confirms it won’t demagnetize your credit cards since there are no magnets in the card itself. However, it may struggle in RFID-blocking wallets because the metal shielding interferes with Bluetooth signals.

At just $29, the rechargeable battery and Apple ecosystem integration make it compelling if you’re already carrying an iPhone, though Android users are out of luck.

Tested: The Best EDC Essentials Under $100

If your budget’s a little higher, check out our recent guide where we got hands-on with some of our favorite sub-$100 EDC gear.