It’s been quite some time since the last one dollar post, plus the 30 gadgets for $3 or less has been a main source for the views for the channel for the last little while, so I thought, why not make a separate post for the sub-1 dollar electronic gadgets?

Please keep your expectations proportionate to the price, though I have to say that these deals are going to be better than most of the stuff that you can find at your local dollar store.

Let’s begin!

CABLE PROTECTORS

If you already have cables that you care about, you can prolong their lifespan by using one of these wire retainer clips. These can be used for charging cables and earphones, on both the earbud portion and the end that inserts into the phone or into a music player. These will prevent your wires from bending at the place where most of the time the cables get damaged, which will keep the wire working longer.

If you have the original charging cables or expensive earphones, this is a cheap way to insure that they are going to last longer. This solution will also work with the cables that already started bending and ripping, to make them last for a little longer before the inevitable happens.

REINFORCED TIP CABLE

Generally speaking, OEM cables cost a lot of money, which is why they are a popular item to get on AliExpress. This is a very good deal on a cable, considering its quality and durability. The hard reinforced tip will prevent the cable from bending at an unusual angle, which will make it last a lot longer.

The shortest option costs less than $1, and there are all three major types of plugs available, even including iPhones.

PHONE CASES

If you look, you can also find a number of good and inexpensive phone cases. Cases such as these are usually sold by stores for an upwards of $7 dollars, which is a bit too much for something that simple. There are a lot of different phone models available, and a lot of pretty and colorful designs.

A lot more cases for other models in this AliExpress store.

USB-C TO AUX OUTPUT

Many new phones come with no 3.5mm AUX input, supposedly to save space and make the phones smaller or lighter, but it comes at a questionable price of not being able to use your regular favourite earphones with them. A selection of earphones with USB type-C input is limited, but this issue can be solved with a handy adapter like this.

AUX SPLITTER

If you have 2 pairs of ears, but only one music player, or 4 people, who are willing to use 1 earphone each, here is an earphone splitter. It comes with an insert that goes into the output, and it comes with a keyring for better portability.

2-IN-1 PEN+STYLUS

This thing may look like a regular pen, and it is partially true. It does all the things that you expect a normal pen to do, but it also is a stylus. The tip on the back works with conventional touchscreens, which means you can use this groundbreaking technology to write and draw in both analogue and digital world. When the pen runs out of ink, the reservoir can be replaced, or you can simply throw the pen portion out and keep only the back tip.

OTG ADAPTERS

OTG, or on-the-go smartphones can be used with different USB devices, for example with a mouse, a keyboard, a card reader, a gaming console, and so on. To connect them though you will need something like this small adapter. There are two options that you will see below: one for the USB-C devices, which is a faster USB 3.0 adapter, and one for the micro-USB, which is a regular older USB 2.0 protocol. There also is an option for slightly more than $1 with the keyring.

CABLE HOLDERS (4 PCS.)

Cable holders for a more convenient way of carrying cables. Earphones and charging cables tend to form a tangly mess when transported, especially when you put 2 or more of them together, which is a big pain to untangle, especially on a regular basis. Here you get 4 durable silicone cable knots, for less than $1 dollar including the price of the shipping.

MAGNETIC CABLE HOLDER

This is meant as a cable holder, which is their main use, but it goes a bit beyond that. There are two magnets to keep the cables together, which adds a few additional use cases. These can be used to attach things to whiteboards and other applicable surfaces, or as a temporary bookmark. You can get creative here, your fantasy is the only limit.

USB LED LIGHT

Here is a small portable LED light that can be used with your power bank. The strength of this light is approximately 120 lumen, which isn’t a lot, but will be enough to find your way around during camping or in a dark room. LEDs require a lot less power to run than conventional bulbs, which means it is not going to require that much power to run. It’s lightweight at only 7 grams or half an ounce, and it has a dedicated on/off switch.

BENDABLE USB LIGHT

This is a classic USB light, which I have a few of lying around. This one is more suitable for reading, as it is not as bright, and there are several LED’s in the bulb. The light is bendable so that you can put it in a more appropriate and useful angle. This light has a soft and smooth coating, and feels more expensive than its price.

WIRE HOLDER

Here is a wire holder that I have been using and recommending to you for a while. This thing can hold up to 5 wires for the easy access, so you can keep them plugged in and ready to be used at all times. It will also keep the cables away from the floor to avoid them being stepped on. The holder has a sticky pad on the back for the easy application, so you can remove the protective paper, stick it on and start using it.

If you haven’t bought one yet, get yourself a few, they are amazing.

DIY ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS

On the off chance that you are into DIY electronics, AliExpress can be a good source for the different electronic components, the prices for which are said to be lower than getting them locally, except for the off chance that you live at the factory that makes them.

USB CARD READER

A simple USB card reader. These ones have almost 5,000 orders in this listing alone, and we have featured them in our very first $1 things video. This card reader supports 4 different types of cards, including SD and Micro-SD cards. There are a few different color available. There is virtually no difference between them, but the black and red ones are more than 2 times the price of the other ones.

CABLE TIES

Not exactly a gadget either, but here is a sweet deal on cable tires, which can be used for electronics, as well as many other household or automotive purposes. Longer ones are even used by the police and adventurous couples when there are no handcuffs available. Of course, they are easy to get out of. There are different lengths available here.

A 100-piece set of the shortest ones, which are 6 cm or 2 inches long, can be bought for $0.55.

EARPHONES/CABLES CASE

If you want to keep your earphones even safer, here is a carrying case. It has a zipper on the size, and two protective walls on the outside. You can find either round or square options. Round ones are my preference, because they fit smaller and the lack of corners makes them more comfortable to carry around. One of the sides has a mesh pouch, which means you can carry two different wires in the same case without worrying about them tangling.

CABINET LIGHTS

And here we have a wireless light. It comes with sticky tape pre-applied to the back. You peel them off, and attach the light to any surface wherever you might need it – inside a cabinet, in the washroom for night use, or above the bed for reading at night. It turns on by a simple touch, and works off 3 AAA batteries.