What Stuff wants for Christmas
Santa, here's what a tech writer's Christmas wish list looks like...
Some people like orange Revels. Others enjoy wearing skinny jeans. Occasionaly, you’ll even meet someone who enjoyed all three of The Hobbit movies. The point is, everyone’s different.
The Stuff team’s the same. Some of us like snapping away with cameras, while others prefer tinkering around with drones or soldering router innards.
We’ve rounded up some of our personal top Christmas presents this year in the hopes that some rich, bored billionaire will take pity on us and buy them all.
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Hello, rich billionaire person. You look lovely today, and smell terrific.
Thanks in advance,
The Stuff team xoxo
Tom Morgan – Reviews Editor
Leica Sofort, £230
Yes I know it’s just a rebranded Fuji Instax, but I don’t care – this is probably the only way I’ll ever own a camera with that legendary little red dot.
There’s no LCD screen, just a good old fashioned viewfinder, and that 60mm lens translates to 34mm on a full-frame camera. It’s basically perfect for portraits. Oh, and there’s a mirror up front for selfies. Because of course there is.
The Sofort is no slouch, either – it’s a pocket-sized instant camera that’ll turn your snaps into actual printed photos in seconds. Who says your albums have to live in the cloud now?
It might be 2016, but I’d be very happy to find this slice of retro goodness under the tree this year.
Ross Presly, Deputy Art Editor
Hot Dog Toaster, £42
I’m a bit of a hotdog junkie and you know what the worst bit is? Cooking them, it’s so boring watching them bubble about in the hot water for minutes on end, all while trying not to burn the cheap white bread under the grill.
Sometimes it’s such a chore that I just end up eating them cold. This retro styled gadget warms the dogs and toasts the buns at the same time making this the lazy heating solution that I’ve been looking for. Now if only there was some sort of sauce bottle that squirted ketchup and mustard at the same time…
Chris Rowlands, Contributor
Minipresso Portable Espresso Machine, £52
As a frequent traveller, there are two things one learns to love: plug sockets and good coffee.
Whilst the former can be replaced by a capacious power bank, there’s truly no substitute for a delicious cup of proper joe.Thankfully, I’ve found my saviour in the Minipresso.
Like any true caffeine fiend, I already know my favourite ground – and now I can enjoy it without taking a whopping great espresso machine halfway around the world.
The Minipresso is hand-powered, generating 8 bar pressure with which it forces water through the rich blend, to deliver a go-anywhere cup of creamy perfection.
Marc Mclaren – Editor, Stuff.tv
Pro-Ject VT-E, £230
My first ever record player was a geeky classic. I’ve no idea what make or model it was, but I do remember that it PLAYED RECORDS UPSIDE DOWN.
The arm travelled along a track and, at the end of side one, it’d flip over and play side two without you needing to change the record yourself. It could even play on repeat and many was the night I fell asleep to the sound of REM’s Murmur or The Smiths’ Hatful of Hollow and woke up 7hrs later with it still going.
Anyway, the Mag-Lev Audio – which is what I want for Christmas this year – can’t do that. It’s actually even geekier, if that’s possible, by virtue of the fact that IT HAS A FLOATING PLATTER.
Yes, this Kickstarter-funded turntable uses electromagnets to keep the spinning platter suspended above the base. It should make for wobble-free playback unencumbered by the clomping footsteps of my daughters, the vibrations from the nearby railway or any earthquakes that might hit Surrey in the near future.
And, more importantly, it looks cool. Really cool. Of course I won’t be getting it for Christmas, because it’ll cost £1150 and won’t be available until September.
So instead I’ll console myself with a Pro-Ject VT-E. While not quite as futuristic as the Mag-Lev, it ticks that box labelled ‘Must be freaky/geeky’ by virtue of the fact that it plays records vertically, while the £230 price tag means someone might actually buy it for me. Or, more likely, that I’ll be able to buy it for myself.
Tom Parsons – Deputy Online Editor
Volkswagen Golf R Estate, from £34,455
I’ve driven all sorts of lovely cars this year, from Audi R8s to Jaguar F-Types and a whole host of Porsches, but the car I really want for my very own is a Golf. And an estate Golf at that.
That’s because I reckon it’s the best all-rounder on the road right now. It goes like stink, makes brilliant growly/poppy noises, has 4WD for oodles of grip and can carry bikes without the need of an ugly rack.
Clearly I’m not going to get a car for Christmas, though (surely no-one’s been good enough for Santa to sanction that sort of extravagance), so instead I’ll settle for a nice bottle of whisky. Edradour (£37) will do nicely, thanks.
Esat Dedezade – Deputy Features Editor
Plumbus, US$50
Everyone has a plumbus in their home, but given their many useful functions, it’s only natural that they’ll need replacing every once in a while.
Sure, it’s not an extravagant request, but it’s a sensible, functional present, like a pack of fresh boxers or plain black socks.
I suppose I could go for something a little more exciting though, so if Santa’s got a little extra room in his sack, I’d love a Nanoleaf Aurora to jazz up my room.
Its modular multicoloured lights can lull me to sleep at night and gently wake me up in the mornings, and its voice activation means I’ll never have to flick another light switch again.
Plus, like most things, it’s compatible with all regular household plumbus’ too.
Mark Wilson – Features Editor
Riutbag R10, £89
As the victim of a few pick-pocketing incidents (including being relieved of my passport in Peru, thanks for that) I’m looking forward to taking this thief-proof rucksack on my 2017 travels.
Its zips handily sit against your back, which should keep keep sticky-fingered thieves at bay (unless I run into a specially trained Riutbag ninja). And its ten litre capacity is enough to store the unnecessary armoury of accessories I insist on carrying with me.
Finally, I’ll be able to live the absent-minded zombie tourist dream and keep all my belongings.
Esat Dedezade
Contributor 
