This was the first Tekton tool I purchased. I didn’t know what to expect given negative experiences in the past with sloppy tolerances of torx and allen bits. The Tekton Tech Rescue kit lived up to all of my expectations.

After owning it for a couple of years now, I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t benefit at some point from having one of these kits in their home or apartment. This set includes just about all but the most proprietary of bits that you would need to fix most electronic devices and much more.

With this set, I have taken apart and cleaned and/or repaired a PS4 console and controllers, my Oakleys, a Lexmark laser printer, a scope for one of my AR15s, an HO scale locomotive, and my ATV’s carburetor. If that’s not a diverse range of applications, I don’t know what is.

I think most experienced tinkerers would be shocked when they see the relatively low price tag after given the opportunity to experience and appreciate the craftsmanship of each and every piece in this set. The first thing you’ll notice is how precisely the bits fit. There is no sloppiness that leads to stripped fasteners.

I’ve been impressed with the fit and finish of all the Tekton tools that I have purchased in the past couple of years since I discovered this brand. The knurled aluminum handle is very finely-crafted and feels great in my hands. It’s even magnetized to hold those tiny screws so that you don’t lose them. The S2 tool steel for the bits is far superior to the chrome vanadium or chrome moly that is usually found in kits like these. The latter two materials are soft and are infamous for deforming after very little use.

Tekton really though of everything when they made this kit. The inclusion of the three-inch bits as well as the most common tamper-resistant bits sets this kit apart from many others that cost just as much. The tweezers are ESD-rated to protect sensitive electronics. Owners of Apple products will be pleased to see that there are pentalobe bits for Apple’s tiny security screw of choice.

This company seems to pay special attention to ensuring that the cases will last for many years– an afterthought to all but the highest-tier brands these days. I appreciate having a specialty tool kit that fits neatly in a chest or bag. The soft, pocket-sized zipper case of this kit is no exception.

Yes, this kit is made in Taiwan, however it is not in the same league as the majority of tools that are manufactured there. While I would love to see something like this produced in America, I wouldn’t hold the country of origin against it given my positive past experiences with their products.

If you would have asked me a year ago if I ever would have spent $250 on a set of headphones, I would have looked at you like you were crazy. My wife received a set of these from her parents for a birthday gift and told me that I had to try them out. Let’s just say that the only reason she got them back is because I ordered a set for myself! Read on to see why I could never go back to wired headphones.

Between my mowing business, my market garden, and all the work that I do around our country acreage, I spend a lot of time outside. I’m usually listening to podcasts, audio books on my Libby app, and occasionally even music. Accidentally yanking out my wired earbuds while using a tool or getting the cords caught on some brush ranks up there with snagging the pocket of your shorts on the pull handle of a kitchen cabinet for me. Each time this would happen, I would have to remove my gloves and ear muffs (which I always wear when using outdoor power equipment), reconnect the cable to the jack on my phone, and then restart my audio.

My litmus test for headphones is simple – they have to stay in without me having to constantly adjust them while I exercise. The AirPods Pro pass this test with flying colors. These stay in place without moving around whatsoever while I run, which is a huge improvement over the wired earbuds I had been using. I can lift weights (including decline presses) and count on them staying put.

The noise cancellation – the key feature between Apple’s standard AirPods and the AirPods Pro – is incredible for how small these are. It was a little hard to get used to not hearing some of the ambient noises when I first started using these. I caught myself pulling the recoil starter back another time after my handheld leaf blower had already started because I didn’t hear it start. I fortunately do not have to use public transportation for my commute (I treasure this “quiet time”), but these would be a godsend for drowning out noise on a crowded bus or train.

It’s easy to turn off the noise cancellation feature if you want to still be able to hear background noises while you listen to your audio. You can even switch modes without having to remove your AirPods, which is incredibly convenient and could be a safer option in certain situations when you still need to be able to passively hear what’s going on around you. Just press and hold the “stalk” off the AirPod to switch modes. You can also change the modes – noise cancelling, transparency, and off – in the settings menu on your phone.

AirPods charge rapidly with Apple’s tried-and-true Lightning USB charger. You actually charge the case that the AirPods are stored in, which in turn charges the pods themselves. A full charge in the case charges them several times. This makes it very convenient to just take the case with you when you leave the house, as you’re essentially taking along several charging cycles with this power pack. I have been getting approximately four hours of listening time each time I plug my AirPods back into their case, and that’s with the noise cancellation feature turned on (which consumes more battery power.)

Another feature I really like is how easy it is to pause your audio when you need to talk to someone while you’re using them. Simply remove one of the AirPods or quickly squeeze and release the stalk. Whatever you were listening to will resume in exactly the same spot you left it when you either put the AirPod back in or press the button on the stalk. This is far more convenient than resuming the audio on the phone itself, especially when you’re wearing gloves.

You can also make and receive phone calls and use Siri with AirPods. I usually just use mine to listen to podcasts, books, and music, but I could see where these features would be helpful. I love how Siri will read my texts to me or respond to my command to turn up/down the volume or skip songs on Pandora without me having to touch my phone.

So, what’s not to like about these second-generation AirPods Pro? Understand that these use very small lithium ion batteries that cannot be replaced. Most users are reporting that they get about two years of regular use out of them before the battery life starts to significantly decline. Of course, much depends on how often you use them and how you take care of them, but this isn’t pocket change for a product that you’re only going to get several years of service out of. Regardless, I will buy another pair of these when these give up the ghost some day because of the sound quality and the frustration they have eliminated while I get work done or exercise.

More bloggers and vloggers use this tripod than any other, and for good reason.

The GorillaPod Pro 2’s compact size and light weight make it ideal for bringing it along when you travel. While it’s two or three times the cost of most other tripods, image stability isn’t an area you want to compromise in if you’re serious about taking the highest quality photos and video with your smartphone. I’ve only had mine for several months, but it feels like a product that will last for a long time if you take care of it.

This unit is versatile as a tripod for shooting high-quality still photos as well as video. If fact, I much prefer holding my phone in this tripod rather than holding the phone directly in my hands when I am shooting video that requires me to move with the camera. I have never felt that the phone would come loose and fall when using this product, which is something you don’t want to have to worry about with the cost of today’s top-tier smartphones.

The flexible legs will tightly wrap around a variety of objects and surfaces – a handrail, stairs banister, and even a tree branch. This flexibility is the key to getting the right angle for your videos because it gives you options that you wouldn’t have with a traditional fixed-leg tripod.

The removable cold shoe mount (included) lets you easily add a light or external microphone. You can also remove the cold shoe mount to attach any 1/4″ x 20-based accessory.

It is very simple to tilt your phone and switch it from landscape to portrait mode. As long as the object that it’s wrapped around or rested on isn’t moving, your tripod isn’t going to move either. This is where most cheaper units fail miserably.

I use this tripod with my iPhone 11 Pro, but it will accommodate all but the largest modern smartphones. The GorillaPod grips the smooth acrylic of my Otterbox case on my phone very securely – a testament to the design thinking that went into this tripod.

This is the best keyboard I’ve ever used for so many reasons. Between creating lesson plans and entering grades for teaching and all the work and research I do for my podcast, I spend a lot of time in front of the computer. Even though I could relax on the couch in our cozy cabin-themed basement with my laptop, I find myself doing most of my work in my office mostly due to this keyboard.

Wireless computer peripherals are all the rage these days. Unlike a mouse, a wired keyboard is better suited for most users if it will be used for a desktop anyway. A wired USB connection is always going to be more reliable. There are also no batteries to replace. The cord is approximately six feet long, so there will be no problem reaching your tower whether it’s underneath or on top of your desk.

At the risk of sounding like a nerd, I have to say that this is one stylish keyboard. It is so thin, yet it feels so solid. The soft-touch palm rest is comfortable to work on for hours at a time, yet it doesn’t feel squishy like on many cheaper units. This full-size layout keyboard has an attractive clear bezel around the sides and looks good on my workstation. The key labels feature an easy-to-read modern font.

Many keyboards – both wired and wireless – are significantly underweight, which causes them to move around slightly as you type. I’m surprised by how heavy this keyboard is for being so thin. There are many things I like about it, but the fact that it doesn’t move around at all on my keyboard shelf is its greatest feature.

This is the first illuminated keyboard I’ve ever owned. While I expect that this one will last a long time (it’s a Logitech, after all), I would never buy another non-illuminated keyboard again. The laser-etched backlit keys are helpful even when you’re not working with the lights out. There are three brightness levels as well as the option to turn off the backlit display. I prefer the brightest setting and with this being a corded model, I never have to worry about running the batteries down.

This keyboard pairs well with the Logitech M510 wireless mouse. Like all Logitech products, you plug them in (or plug in the USB receiver in the case of the wireless mouse) and you’re ready to go.

Adding a wireless keyboard and mouse to my classroom was a game changer this year. I went deskless a couple of years ago, so I sit in a circle with my students. I have a regular desk at the front of the room but the VGA cable doesn’t reach to where I sit in our circle and the wireless connection from my laptop to my projector is a bit too laggy for some higher resolution streaming. I keep this keyboard on a stool right in front of me and the mouse on a table to my right where I keep my laser pointer and planner.

This keyboard has more features than I will ever use in the classroom. There are all the features you would find on an integrated laptop keyboard and then some. I can launch Windows Media Player, various Microsoft Office apps, and a calculator all right from my keyboard. I specially like the separate volume and media control buttons that are conveniently located at the very top. No more pressing “F2” and “F3” to control the volume.

Logitech advertises “whisper-quiet” typing with this unit. While it’s not quite silent, it is the quietest keyboard I have ever used. I like it because you can still hear the keys but it’s not distracting to anyone in the room unlike the cheap cabled keyboards that come with desktops. The keys on the Logitech MK550 Wireless Wave Keyboard respond well to varying levels of pressure and make very little noise. There is a large, cushioned wrist wrest that takes a little getting used to, but I’m glad it’s there. I wasn’t sure if I would like the “wave” shape at first, but I now find my home desktop’s traditional rectangular keyboard awkward and unnatural and will be replacing it with this unit in the near future.

The keyboard has three height adjustment levels which stay in place as you type. The oversize space bar is a nice improvement over a standard keyboard.

One of my favorite features of this keyboard is the unifying USB receiver. This simply means that the same USB receiver handles both the mouse and the keyboard. The receiver is so compact (about half an inch long when plugged in) that I can just put my laptop into my bag without removing the USB receiver. It has never gotten in the way or been dislodged. I keep the USB receiver on the side of my laptop that is facing our class circle and haven’t had a single issue with connectivity after more than two months of extensive daily usage. This is one of the most common issues with cheaper units. Logitech’s specs tout a 10-meter range. I keep mine at around six meters away with a few students sitting in between the keyboard/mouse and the USB receiver without any issues.

The ambidextrous full-size mouse is just the right size. The scroll button is conveniently located and operates very smoothly. I keep my mouse directly on the table (no mousepad). It tracks smoothly in all applications. You should be OK using it on any clean, semi-smooth surface except for glass.

The battery life has been outstanding so far. Each device uses two “AA” batteries. Logitech says that the keyboard has a three-year battery life while the mouse’s will last for two. My experience with my Logitech mouse at home supports this claim.

The only complaint that I have with this unit is that the “caps lock” key is not illuminated.

In summary, this keyboard has improved my classroom management and engagement by keeping me in the circle. This sleek combo is a great value (especially when Amazon puts it on sale, which they seem to do pretty regularly) considering that you can spend this much on a quality wireless mouse by itself.

This was one of my first purchases when I began my teaching career. While I often take the time to walk over and physically touch a word on a wall with my hand (this forces me to slow down my delivery), there are times when you need to be able to point from a distance. I sit in the class circle (my classroom is deskless), so being able to help them quickly establish the meaning of words without getting up every time helps preserve the sense that we are having an authentic group conversation that I’m not going to interrupt.

My favorite feature of this presenter is the green laser. Green is far more visible in the dark than red. Military and law enforcement use green lasers in their optics for this reason. The laser is a vibrant green even with all of my lights on, whereas a standard red laser looks a little muted. I also like the fact that this presenter has a timer to keep you on track.

The USB receiver stores neatly in the base of the presenter. My slides always advance on the first click even without a clear line of sight to the receiver. I like how this presenter feels in my hand. Other cheaper units feel too small to me and are awkward to hold while gesturing during class or a presentation. The neoprene mesh zippered protective pouch keeps the unit from being damaged when you toss it into your laptop bag.

This unit takes two “AAA” batteries which last for about three to four weeks on average with moderate usage. I did notice that it was going through batteries far quicker when I kept the laser on while doing choral translations. A set of batteries will keep for months if you’re mostly using it as a presenter to advance slides in a presentation.

The company claims a 100-foot wireless range. I have used this presenter in a large lecture hall and verified this.

My laser pointer has been in heavy service (teaching, presenting outside of school, and entertaining cats) for more than four years and is still going strong. My only complaint with this presenter  is that the battery compartment lid doesn’t fit as tightly as it did when it was new, however I have dropped it quite a few times over the years.

I knew that I could trust this product because it has the Logitech name on it. Just like the Logitech MK550 Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo that I also use in my classroom every day, this presenter is a “must have” tech tool in my opinion.