Every year, TIME's editors and correspondents work together to compile a collection of the most interesting and groundbreaking new products and innovations for the Best Inventions list. As holiday season approaches, the TIME team has pulled out a selection of 10 best items from the list under $50 that could be a crowd favorite at your next white elephant exchange. The Woofino Bowl is a light dog bandana that, unfolded, pops up into an on-the-go water dish. _—TIME Staff_ Heyhae’s semi-cured liquid gel nail strips harden under natural sunlight in just five to 10 minutes, eliminating the need for a traditional UV or LED nail lamp. _—TIME Staff_ This simple 35mm point-and-shoot film camera comes with fixed settings and an iconic ’90s look._—TIME Staff_ These claw clips are designed to be flexible but also firmly hold hair while lying flat against the head._—TIME Staff_ Targeted to adults, Play-Doh Blooms allows them to craft floral arrangements with a kit that includes Play-Doh, tools, molds, a vase, and finishing spray. _—TIME Staff_ Earplugs have always been an unpleasant necessity: utilitarian and often uncomfortable, but essential in many situations.
Loop has changed that with their highly functional earplugs that look more like jewelry than auditory safety measures. The brand offers a range of decibel-reducing options, including the popular Experience 2, which uses an acoustic channel, membrane, and mesh to evenly reduce sound rather than just muffling it—and this year got a design makeover by collaborating with Harry Styles’ company Pleasing. Once you spot a pair in the wild, you’ll see them everywhere: hot-ticket concerts, noisy train platforms, outdoor raves, and overloud movie theaters. _—Eliza Thompson_ RingLine is a stainless steel golf ball alignment marker with heightened precision and durability._—TIME Staff_ FinalPress is a micro French press made of stainless steel (and zero plastic) that can brew hot, iced, or cold brew coffee anywhere, and comes with a unique bottom-lid ejection system for easy cleaning. _—TIME Staff_ MindFrames lets kids snap colorful geometric pieces together to create wearable shapes like crowns, wings, wands, and masks, encouraging the development of spatial reasoning, problem-solving, and fine motor skills. _—TIME Staff_ Tiny Vinyl Player accommodates fully functional and traditionally pressed 4-inch vinyl records that are available in limited edition collections. _—TIME Staff_ These are independent reviews of the products mentioned, but TIME receives a commission when purchases are made through affiliate links at no additional cost to the purchaser.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
