8 new home gadgets, from Dyson and Roborock vacuums to a Razer AI sound bar, to turbocharge your living space
- Give your home a hi-tech boost with these new gadgets, including a 2.2kg Dyson vacuum and Roborock’s auto-emptying S7 MaxV
- Razer’s Leviathan V2 Pro is the first PC sound bar with AI-powered head-tracking, while Creative’s SXFI Theatre headphones bring the cinema to you
The Covid-19 pandemic has forever changed how many of us view our homes. After months of travel restrictions and working away from the office, our place of shelter and relaxation has taken on additional significance.
If you are thinking of further sprucing up your home, here are some fun and wellness gadgets for yourself and your family.
1. Secretlab Evo 2022 Series Chair
Still working from the kitchen stool? The Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 delivers comfort in spades to help you up your game both at work and at play.
The sculpted seat base with flared edges serves to distribute the pressure on your behind more uniformly, while the specially treated foam promises the right blend of firmness and weight distribution for marathon gaming sessions.
With a proprietary lattice of hinges for lumbar support and a magnetic foam head pillow, the Titan Evo 2022 is billed as Secretlab’s most technologically advanced gaming chair.
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A new leatherette material promises superior durability over regular polyurethane leather, and the chair is available in three different sizes: small, regular and XL.
Price: from US$504 (regular)
2. Razer Leviathan V2 Pro
The Razer Leviathan V2 Pro is the first PC sound bar with AI-powered head-tracking and adaptive beam-forming technology for immersive audio that must be heard to be believed.
To enable this, an integrated infrared camera continuously tracks your head and uses spatial algorithms to deliver 3D sound with headphone-like positional audio to your ears.
Designed for use at your desk, the Leviathan V2 Pro sound bar connects to a desktop or laptop via USB, as well as a smartphone or Nintendo Switch via Bluetooth.
Within its chassis are five full-range audio drivers designed to deliver exceptional clarity and high fidelity, with a separate down-firing subwoofer module to deliver all the low-frequency oomph you need.
Finally, the sound bar comes with lighting effects with full RGB customisation to set the desired ambience.
Price: HK$3,249
3. Harman Kardon Citation One
Too quiet around the house? The Harman Kardon Citation One blends audio innovation with a sophisticated design to bring music to life.
Immerse yourself with your favourite tunes at a volume and resolution that belies this gadget’s compact size. Use Bluetooth or stream music through Chromecast. With its built-in Google Assistant, you can also control your smart home gadgets with the power of your voice.
You can add multi-room capability with additional speakers for a complete home audio experience, with either the same music throughout your home or different tunes. Automatic software updates for new features and services ensure that you are always kept up to date.
Price: HK$2,060
4. Twelve South HoverBar Tower
The Twelve South HoverBar Tower is a versatile floor stand for the iPad and other tablets.
Place this on the floor for yoga instructions or to follow a workout on Apple Fitness+. Lift it to eye level to practise a musical instrument, or in front of your stationary bike for some cardio.
Alternatively, use it to hold the iPad over (or beside) your desktop monitor as an additional screen.
Like the smaller HoverBar Duo, the build quality of the HoverBar Tower is fantastic, with a well-thought-out design.
The attachment that holds your iPad is covered with a rubber layer to protect your device and comes as an articulating segment with two hinges for 360-degree flexibility. Foam padding on the solid steel base keeps it from scratching your floor.
Price: US$129.99
5. Creative SXFI Theatre
The Creative SXFI Theatre brings the cinema to you without waking up the neighbours, or an irate spouse.
The headphones incorporate Creative’s lauded Super X-Fi audio holography technology for an expansive, highly realistic audio experience through a pair of wireless headphones.
To use, simply plug the bundled wireless USB dongle into an available USB port on your Windows or Mac device; the PS4/PS5 and Nintendo Switch are also supported. Then kick back to enjoy lag-free, better-than-Bluetooth wireless audio delivered via specially tuned 50mm drivers as you watch the big screen.
And yes, you can personalise your SXFI theatre through an app for the perfect colour to match your mood.
Price: HK$1,288 (US$164)
6. Dyson V12 Vacuum
One of the lightest cordless vacuums with laser and dust-detection technology, the Dyson V12 “Fluffy” weighs a mere 2.2kg (4.9lb). The powerful yet compact vacuum lets you clean up your entire home in one sitting with up to 60 minutes of run time.
If that’s not enough, the battery is removable for additional run time to keep up with your cleaning.
A precisely angled light beam ensures no speck of dust escapes your gaze, while a low-profile cleaner header lets you reach further under your furniture.
To give you a sense of achievement, a piezo sensor continuously sizes and counts dust particles and shows the real-time breakdown of grit on a colour LCD screen.
Finally, its hygienic ejection mechanism lets you empty the vacuum in one action.
Price: HK$5,180 (US$660)
7. Roborock S7 MaxV
Get the dirty work done for you with the Roborock S7 MaxV. With a dual vacuuming and mopping system, it can roam your home to keep your floor clean.
The S7 MaxV picks up most particles effortlessly, while sonic vibrations from the VibraRise mopping system leave your floor gleaming.
Have carpet? No problem. The Roborock will switch to vacuum-only to keep it mess-free from pet hair or crumbs.
Advanced imaging technology and obstacle avoidance help it keep clear of potential hazards in the room, even in dark rooms, for a worry-free cleaning experience.
Paired with an optional Auto-Empty Dock, the S7 MaxV will clean up after itself by automatically emptying its dust tank after each circuit.
Price: US$859.99
8. Sharp Plasmacluster Air Purifier
There are air purifiers, and then there is the Sharp Plasmacluster, with the FX-J80A-W model designed for rooms of up to 62 square metres (670 sq ft) to keep indoor air fresh.
Apart from its HEPA filter and deodorising filters, this air purifier also generates high-density ions to charge up aerosol particles and cause them to stick to the floor instead. The technology is proven by laboratory studies to be effective against viruses (such as Covid-19) and microbes in the air.
Integrated dust and odour sensors keep an eye on dust particles and odours; high levels of either will cause the air purifier to pulse with a red or orange warning light respectively.
Its LED display also dims or shut off automatically when the light goes out, making it ideal for use even in your bedroom.
Price: HK$3,280 (US$418)
