Living

Headed by blacksmith Aaron Cergol, Cergol Forge makes axes, knives and other hand tools. It’s most famous for its beautiful hammers, which often have forged, carved or burned details. In addition to its in-stock pieces, the shop accepts custom orders.

Serve a meal on the most technical dinner plates ever. Dobreff Design’s square plates are handmade with real carbon fiber, sandwiched under glass to make them smooth and food safe. They look great, but aren’t very practical, as they’re expensive, handwash only, and not dishwasher or microwave safe.

PDW’s PB&J includes no peanut butter or jelly, but the titanium keychain tool does pack a multi-size wrench, pry bar, bottle opener, oxygen tank wrench, nail puller, battery compartment opener, and 1/4″ hex bit holder. Its stainless steel spring wire gate ensures secure attachment to your bag or belt loop.

Standing at your desk can be so much better for your body than sitting. But if you already have a seated desk, check out this adjustable add-on, which lets you quickly move from a seated to standing position by raising your computer and keyboard. Measures 20″H x 22″L x 36″W and holds up to 33 lb. Save 17% in The Awesomer Shop.

Never be caught without the proper driver again. This kit includes 90 magnetic bits to fit just about every small screw head, with bits for flat, philips, micro-torx, pentalobe, tri-wing, square, Posidriv, and triangle heads. It also includes a flex extender, tweezers, mini metric sockets, and other tools for working with small parts.

As we start to turn the corner towards cooler weather, be ready to warm up your bed with this down-alternative comforter from iEnjoy Home. Its 100% hypoallergenic, antimicrobial, and antibacterial, and has a soft microfiber shell. Another great deal in The Awesomer Shop.

Old Detroit is overrun with criminals, and it needs a hero. All we need is a fallen cop, a greedy corporation, an unlimited technology budget, and we’ll be set. While you wait for that to play out, sip your coffee and relax. You have five seconds to comply.

Ollari’s shows us how to take slats of wood from a rickety old door and pallets to create a nifty new piece of outdoor furniture. If you put your mind to it, it’s amazing what you can achieve with a saw, some screws, and glue. We dig the burnt look of the finished piece.

UCO’s smartly designed aluminum tent stakes have built in LED illumination so you can not only see what you’re doing if you have to put up a tent at night, but provides area light for up to 10 hours, and a 24-hour strobe mode to help you find your way back to your campsite.

Vanquest Gear’s useful accessories make it fast and easy to attach and detach packs from bags equipped with MOLLE-compatible webbing. They thread in and lock into place, then can unlock and slide out with a tug for quick removal. Available in Coyote Tan and Wolf Grey colors. Sold in 4-packs.

It may look a bit like a bulletproof vest, but the FlexiFreeze vest is designed to protect you from the heat, not gunfire. Its three mesh pockets come with removable, water-filled ice packets to help keep you cool on searing hot days. The Pro version has large outer pockets, and comes in high-visibility colors.

These firestarter rods include a few bonus features which could come in handy in an emergency. In addition to a magnesium rod and striker tool, they’ve got a built-in compass and whistle, and hang on a length of 450lb. paracord. Comes two to a pack, so you’ll always have a spare. Available in several colors, including glow-in-the-dark.

1up your living space LightCore’s fun light switch covers. They easily convert modern rocker-type switches into arcade-style buttons in a snap. Just remove your current faceplates, and screw these in their place. Available as single or dual switch versions, and a variety of color schemes.

Magnets are extremely useful for welding steel, as they can be used to hold pieces securely together without clamps. Strong Hand Tools magnets are unique thanks to their double-jointed design, which allows them to hold round, flat, or square metal parts at any angle, and in a snap.

Need to tighten or loosen screws in a tight space? MulWark’s 4″ long ratcheting wrench is just 20mm (~.79″) thick with its bits in place, so it can fit into tricky areas where you can’t use a long driver. Its 1/4″ drive socket magnetically holds bits, which are made from durable CRV6150 steel, and come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Ohio artist Melissa Crisp creates these incredibly cool steel fire pits which feature intricately cut scenes of nature. Each one creates a dramatic silhouette when a fire is lit. They’re built for wood, but can be converted to burn gas. We especially love the Phoenix Rising design.

D&Kmall’s tiny knife is a great add-on to any keychain, providing quick access to a sharp, scalpel style blade anytime. It’s available in brass or titanium, and can be easily disassembled and reassembled for cleaning and to replace its #11 hobby blade.

Celebrate football season the right way this year, and serve up your snacks in one of Animi Causa’s playful stadium-shaped bowls. They’re made from BPA-free melamine, and measure 9.25 x 2.75 x 7.67 in. Available in US football or soccer field designs.

Ever need to cool down drinks for guests in a hurry? The InnoChiller is a cooling accelerator that can take a six-pack from room temp to chilled in just 12 minutes. Its high-speed fan and wind tunnel work in concert with your freezer or refrigerator to speed up cooling. It has various program lengths for different drink containers.

Designed by Josh Corn, the Museum of Modern Art’s glass Multi-ccino Mug is printed with indicators on the outside that shows you how much espresso, water and milk to add to make a certain coffee drink. You get seven recipes in one handy chart.

Improve the way you pack and unpack with these compression packing cubes. With their super stretchy mesh tops, they let you pack an incredible amount in a small space. The set includes small, medium, and large sizes, and is 48% off the MSRP in The Awesomer Shop.

Topeak’s versatile multi-tool is like a Swiss Army knife for bicyclists. It includes 25 useful functions, including a variety of wrenches, hex keys, and screwdrivers, as well as specialized tools for spokes, valves, tires, and chains. It also packs a knife and a bottle opener.

There are lots of reusable metal straws on the market, but if you’re looking for a different way to be green with your drinks, check this out. Now you can sip through a straw made from carbon fiber – the same material used to make sports cars and fighter jets. Each one is sealed with food-safe coating, and is BPA-free.

A versatile compact tool for your belt loop or keychain. It packs 4 to 7mm and 5/16″ wrenches, 1/4″ driver, a bottle opener, pry tool, screwdriver, and scoring clip. The XL version gains extra wrench sizes, a ruler, and a nail popper, while the mini version is, well, mini. Available in brass, copper, titanium, and stainless steel.

Every month, our friends at Everyday Carry tally up the the most clicked-on gear and gadgets submitted by its readers. This particular collection includes some sweet pocket knives, a slim recycled wallet, and a couple of nifty multi-tools, most notably the unique SOG Sync II.

Ascetic Design’s unique desk clock uses LED-illuminated acrylic panels to display the current time. It offers 7 display modes, and you can choose from digital, binary, or word style panels in a variety of etched typefaces. The 8-piece set comes with a display stand for the panels.

This rugged rotomolded cooler holds up to 30 cans inside its 21 quart insulated compartment, and can keep ice for up to 5 days. It’s got a couple of bonus features built in, including a 16″ fishing ruler, cupholders, and a bottle opener. Its rubber straps ensure a tight seal, keeping cool air in, and odors from seeping out.

This incredibly versatile sharpener can put a new edge on all kinds of garden and outdoor tools. Its double-beveled blades work on knives, mower blades, pruners, loppers, hedge shears, axes, machetes, hatchets, scissors, and other edged tools. Its oversized handle makes it easy to hold while wearing gloves.

IDIDTHAT creates whimsical and functional art by reclaiming vintage objects. They have lots of cool stuff in their Etsy shop, but our favorites are these old rotary phones from the 1950s and 1960 which have been converted to desk lamps. Their coiled cords can be bent into various positions, and their LED light source is nice and bright.

This nylon carrier offers a great way to transport large water bottles up to 32oz. It offers a drawstring bottle compartment, along with zippered pouches for small accessories, and comes with a padded shoulder strap, hand loops, and mounting points for carrying versatility. Also available in 25oz., 40oz. and 64oz. sizes.