Gallery: 14 Unique and Clever Gifts Under $30
01Tillandsia
While there will probably be a few big-ticket items on your shopping list this year, there are still stockings to be stuffed, cousins to be appeased, and gifts to be exchanged at office gift parties. Here are a handful of sub-$30 gifts that'll stand out a little more than an iTunes card. __Above:__ Tillandsia, or "Air Plants" --------------------------- These aren't your typical houseplants. Tillandsia live inside glass balls with their roots exposed, not buried in dirt. They are also fairly hearty, even for people who seem to make houseplants wither at their touch. Give them plenty of light and a misting of water every few days and they'll be happy. As they grow older, some species — of which there are over 500 — turn into beautiful colors. If you're comfortable shipping a living thing, you can get [five for $15 from Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/Air-Plants-Tillandsia-Ionantha-Great/dp/B0080YLBTM). Etsy is a great source for [specialty containers](https://www.etsy.com/shop/seaandasters). *Photo: Ariel Zambelich/WIRED*
02Giottos AA1900 Rocket Air Blaster
Giottos AA1900 Rocket Air Blaster --------------------------------- It looks, like, well, a bomb, but underneath its facade is a useful tool. Pro photographers use the [Rocket Air Blaster](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00017LSPI/?tag=thewire06-20) ($8) to clean their sensors and lenses. But it's also great to blow a concentrated stream of air at anything that needs it. Your keyboard, your phone's charging port, your cat. Even at your face, just for funsies. *Image: Giotto's Industrial Inc.*
03Fisher Bullet Space Pen
Fisher Bullet Space Pen ----------------------- Even if you know nothing about the person whose name you pulled out of a Secret Santa hat, you can surmise they'll be using a pen at some point. So Fisher's $20 [Bullet Space Pen](http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Space-Bullet-Pen-Matte/dp/B000WGD13U) works well as a gift for anybody. I love mine — it lives in my pocket anytime I'm out — and I would still love to get another as a gift. It's about half the size of a regular pen with the cap on, but pull the cap off and stick it onto the back, and the pen becomes a full-sized, well-weighted writing utensil. The design was ingenious enough to earn a place in the Museum of Modern Art's permanent collection. The pressurized cartridge lets you write upside down while laying in bed, and it works in zero gravity — hence the "Space" in the name. They're still great tools on Earth, too. *Photo: Ariel Zambelich/WIRED*
Photograph: Aerobie04Aerobie AeroPress Coffee Maker
Aerobie AeroPress Coffee Maker ------------------------------ Even if everyone you know professes to like Keurig K-cups, that doesn't mean they're ready to shun the wonders of good coffee. The [AeroPress](http://www.amazon.com/AeroPress-Coffee-Espresso-Maker-Filters/dp/B001HBCVX0/) ($28) is one of the most flexible single-cup coffee makers. It even has a thriving subculture built around hacking it to get the best possible cup. *Image: Aerobie*
05Electric Paper Airplane Conversion Kit
Electric Paper Airplane Conversion Kit -------------------------------------- A paper airplane doesn't make a good gift (although it can make a good GIF.) But a battery-powered paper airplane is the kind of toy any child, or child-at-heart, can love. Although [this $20 kit](http://www.amazon.com/PowerUp-Electric-Paper-Airplane-Conversion/dp/B004PVWB5M/) includes an adapter for three AAA batteries attached to a propeller, it still clocks in at less than an ounce. So yeah, heavier than paper, but still light enough to fly. Don't forget AAA batteries for gifting-day fun. *Image: PowerUp*
06Mario Cake Toppers
Mario Cake Toppers ------------------ Who doesn't like Mario? If you can't stretch your budget to gift a Wii U and *Super Mario Bros 3D*, these [3-inch tall cake toppers](http://www.amazon.com/Nintendo-NI917-Figurines-Series-Pack/dp/B0052J893E) ($15) are pretty much the next best thing. You get six figurines, including Mario and Luigi, for under a Jackson. Sure, there's no motion control or 3D-effects. But with imagination and an afternoon, you can make your own world that'll put the Mushroom Kingdom to shame. *Image: Nintendo*
07Zibra Open It Multitool
Zibra Open It Multitool ----------------------- After the wrapping comes off, there's often another layer of blister-packed, difficult-to-open packaging before you get to the gift itself. That's why [Zibra's multitool](http://www.amazon.com/Zibra-ZPCOPEN-OR-Universal-Package-Opener/dp/B000IHHOVI) ($10) makes a perfect gift aperitif. While the multitool is primarily a combination of wirecutters and a pair of scissors, it also includes also a utility blade for stripping away annoying shrink wrap, and a small screwdriver, in case some assembly is required. *Image: Zibra*
08Buckyballs
"Buckyballs" ------------ The demise of rare-earth magnet toys was greatly exaggerated. Although Buckyball itself can no longer market its magnets under the name "Buckyballs" (because some children found them delicious) there are [competing brands and generics](http://www.amazon.com/5mm-216-Piece-Puzzle-Spheres/dp/B00FFBWXQ8/) still legally available on the market for around $20. As in years past, they are addictive to play with and make a perfect geeky gift — even more so now they carry a whiff of contraband. Just please don't put them in your mouth. *Image: Buckyballs*
09Chemex Borosilicate Glass Mug
Chemex Borosilicate Glass Mug ----------------------------- While the Chemex Brewer remains out of the price range of most office gift exchanges, their new borosilicate glass mug makes a perfect design-y present. The [Chemex glass mug](http://www.chemexcoffeemaker.com/products/accessories.html) ($16), although it is made of thin glass, can certainly take your coffee's temperature. Plus, it looks like a cross between laboratory equipment and a nuclear cooling tower. And, hey, everyone needs a good mug. *Image: Chemex Coffeemakers*
10Lego-Compatible Mug and Lego
Lego-Compatible Mug and Lego ---------------------------- If a delicate glass mug isn't geeky enough for your friends and family, here's a mug with extra functionality beyond, y'know, looking nice and holding hot liquid. [This $23 mug](http://www.amazon.com/Build-On-Brick-Mug-BPA-free-Coffee/dp/B00BL85KNW) — which totally isn't made by Lego — is not only perfect for your morning cup of coffee, but it can also attach to toy bricks. No toy bricks included, so you should totally throw in a few Minifigs. *Image: Build On*
1130 Yards of Gaffer's Tape
30 Yards of Gaffer's Tape ------------------------- The problem with this gift is that the giftee might mistake it for a humdrum, cheap roll of duct tape. It is not. [Gaffer's tape](http://www.amazon.com/Allstar-Performance-ALL14253-Black-Gaffers/dp/B003BZWR4S/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1385416817&sr=8-2&keywords=gaffer%27s+tape) is what duct tape wants to be when it grows up. It tears cleanly and bonds strongly, and it leaves no residue behind. It's used in film and TV productions because it works. Everyone should be so lucky as to have a roll of gaffer's tape. Gift a white roll and a couple permanent markers and it becomes a great way to label stuff. $20 earns you 30 yards. *Photo: Ariel Zambelich/WIRED*
12Quirky Citri Twist
Stem Metal and CitriTwist ------------------------- Here's a gift that your giftee won't see coming — probably because they didn't know it existed. But they'll love the concept behind [Quirky's Stem Metal and CitriTwist](http://www.quirky.com/shop/747-Stem-Metal-CitriTwist-) ($30), which is a fun set of juicer gadgets. First is a pump that you jam into any piece of citrus fruit, turning it into a spritzer. The rind of the fruit becomes the bottle. It's perfect for brightening up salads and fish. It comes bundled with a Quirky citrus reamer, which is a single-use utensil but is super-handy for making cocktails. You probably won't be giving anyone lemons, because that's crazy. But maybe you can gift them the tools to make lemonade. *Image: Quirky*
13Bitcoin
A Chunk of Bitcoin ------------------ No matter your opinion on Satoshi Nakamoto's crypto-currency, a chunk of one makes a better gift than unofficially naming a star. Currently, $30 nets you [about three percent of a Bitcoin](https://bit4coin.net/). Since Bitcoin is an online only currency — you can't plunk a 2000 Satoshi bill into a red envelope — and your giftee probably doesn't already have a wallet, use a Bitcoin voucher service for the physical gift. They look like a gift card and after scratching the back, the lucky recipient can load those Bitcoins onto a popular wallet like Blockchain.info. *Image: [Casascius](https://www.casascius.com/photos.aspx)/CC*
14Nice Booze
A Nice Bottle of Booze ---------------------- Sometimes it's best not to overthink the problem, especially when the problem is what White Elephant gift to get your coworkers. A bottle of good liquor looks great with a bow around it, and shows a little bit of personality with the selection. And I promise you there's someone at the gift exchange who wants to bring it home. Recommendations: - Bulleit Rye - Eagle Rare 10-Year Bourbon - Mount Gay Rum - Tito's Vodka - Not under $30: Scotch or Gin *Photo: Jon Snyder/WIRED*
