It took me six months but I finally pulled together enough random gadgets for my next Amazon Gadget Haul “lightning round” of product reviews!
This time I have nine different devices to check out! A majority came in free of charge from their manufacturers, but this is not a sponsored review nor has anyone reviewed or approved this video prior to uploading. All product links below are compensated affiliate links.
The first item I looked at was the Ostation 2 Pro, a battery charging system designed for AAA and AA cells. It accepts nickel metal hydride batteries as well as Ostation’s own rechargeable lithium options, which provide a full 1.5 volts for devices that expect alkaline batteries. Batteries drop into the top and the unit mechanically feeds them into the charging bays, displaying charge status on a small screen. Once charged, batteries are deposited into a drawer at the bottom, making it easy to grab fresh ones. It can only charge two AA and two AAA batteries at a time, which limits throughput, and it does make some motor noise while operating, but it functions as a kind of battery inventory system that keeps everything in one place. The Pro version also includes a magnetic charging pad for Ostation flashlights, though the display features themselves don’t add much beyond status information.
Staying on the theme of power, I then moved to desktop chargers. One was the Joyroom Podix, a 140-watt GaN charger with two retractable USB-C cables built into the unit. It’s fairly large, which makes it less ideal for travel, but convenient for a desk setup where cables often go missing. A small display shows total power draw, and while it comes with a base and strong adhesive option to keep it in place, that adhesive feels aggressive enough to warrant caution on finished surfaces.
I also tried Anker’s new 160-watt Prime charger, which packs three USB-C ports and a built-in display into a wall charger. What sets it apart is app integration over Bluetooth, allowing real-time monitoring of power delivery and per-port configuration, including priority modes and wattage limits. It doesn’t offer remote access over Wi-Fi, but standing near the charger you can see detailed data about what each device is drawing. The physical design holds more securely in the outlet than some older Anker models I’ve used, and it’s likely to replace my existing everyday charger.
From power to input devices, I next looked at the Retro Fighters Hunter 360 controllers. These are modern replacements for the Xbox 360 controller, complete with Hall effect analog sticks and mechanical D-pad switches. They work on PCs and with the Xbox 360 itself, though the console requires a dedicated 2.4 GHz dongle per controller. The dongle is required on the 360 as it won’t connect to its built in wireless controller system. Inputn lag was minimal on both wired and wireless, and the build quality felt solid. Voice chat isn’t supported through the controller, which is one limitation for anyone still using those features on original hardware.
Next up is a Thunderbolt 5 dock from WaveLink. With Thunderbolt 5 docks now priced similarly to Thunderbolt 4 models, it makes sense to consider the newer standard even if your current computer doesn’t fully support it. You’ll be ready to go when upgrading your hardware to a Thunderbolt 5 model. The increased bandwidth allows for more demanding multi-display setups, and the dock offers multiple Thunderbolt passthrough ports along with USB-A, SD card, and audio connections. Ethernet performance was unfortunately typical of what I’ve seen on similar docks, with slightly reduced downstream speeds on macOS despite having a 2.5-gigabit port. Like most docks in this class, it relies on a large external power supply to deliver up to 140 watts to a connected computer.
Audio came up next with the latest Amazon Echo Studio which I purchased with my own funds. It’s smaller than earlier versions but still produces a wide, bass-heavy sound that feels substantial for its size. Beyond audio, it now serves as an entry point to Amazon’s Alexa Plus features, which include more conversational responses and, more interestingly, the ability to create smart home routines using plain language. I was able to set up a lighting routine simply by asking for it, without navigating menus in the app. While the assistant tends to be more verbose than earlier versions, the routine creation alone could save time for people who struggle with smart home configuration.
Another device aimed at productivity was the Plaud Note Pro, an ultra-thin voice recorder designed to live on the back of a phone. It records phone calls or ambient audio, stores hours of recordings locally, and syncs them to a phone app. From there, recordings can be transcribed and processed into meeting notes using built-in AI templates. While the subscription model and upselling are hard to ignore, the hardware itself is compact and practical, and the all-in-one workflow may appeal to people who want transcription and summaries without juggling multiple tools or knowledge of AI prompt optimizations
The final item was more of a preview: the RØDECaster Video S. It’s a compact video switcher with multiple HDMI inputs, audio inputs including XLR, and the promise of features like NDI support. I didn’t review it in depth yet, but unboxing it gave a sense of how it might fit into lower-cost video production setups, especially compared to older switchers that haven’t seen updates in a while.
These haul videos don’t run on a fixed schedule—they happen when enough interesting items pile up—and this batch covered a wide range of everyday tech problems, from keeping batteries charged to simplifying workflows at a desk. You can check out prior editions here!