Gifts for teenage boys

It holds 10,000mAh and gives up to 45W, though only a phone or tablet that supports that speed gets it; others charge at their own top rate. At 184 g (6.5 oz) it suits a coat pocket, and the cable unclips. A 27W wall charger refills it in under two hours, by INIU’s figures, and the little flashlight earns its keep in a dark bag or a power outage.

• 10,000mAh, up to 45W
• Weighs 184 g (6.5 oz)
• Built-in phone stand

What owners say: Owners keep one in a work bag and say it charges phones quickly, and its small size and light weight win praise.

The pigments are lightfast, and colour-coded wood casings make each shade quick to find. Build colour in light layers rather than pressing hard on the first pass, then finish with a heavier layer, called burnishing, for a smooth, polished surface with no paper showing through. The pencils arrive pre-sharpened and suit children and adults alike.

• 48 pre-sharpened colours
• For children and adults
• Soft, thick cores

What owners say: Owners love the rich colours and the soft, buttery feel of the leads, and say they blend beautifully. Breakage is the sore point, with some finding the leads snap again and again.

Heads up: The soft cores can break inside the wood if the pencils are dropped, so keep them in the tin and use a sharp sharpener.

The aluminum pole reaches 168 cm (66 in) and stands about 48 cm (19 in) on a desk when pushed in. A ball head angles the phone, the clamp locks in portrait, landscape or at 45°, and a cold shoe takes a clip-on light or mic. Phones 5.6 to 9.1 cm (2.2 to 3.6 in) wide fit, so measure the phone in its case first: a chunky rugged case can be too wide.

• Reaches 168 cm (66 in)
• Bluetooth remote included
• Locks portrait, landscape or 45°

What owners say: Owners find it sturdy and steady for its light weight, with a remote that works well and a height and angle that are easy to set; it packs down small, and one takes it hiking and camping.

IP67 keeps out sand and water. Two of them make a stereo pair: connect one to the phone, then hold the Bluetooth button on both for two seconds, and they play left and right in a tent or a hotel room. A USB-C cable comes in the box but no wall plug, so a phone charger or a laptop does the job, and Anker covers it for 24 months.

• Waterproof, dustproof and floats
• Up to 20 hours playtime
• Palm-sized

What owners say: The battery is what owners rave about, some saying they never come close to running it down. It’s small enough to travel well and loud for its size, though durability divides them.

It reads generic and maker-specific engine codes, pending ones included, and shows live sensor data and the freeze frame. The two-line screen is backlit with adjustable contrast for a dark dashboard, and it reads out the VIN and calibration IDs, a useful check that the engine computer matches the car when buying used. Menus come in eight languages, French among them, and it lives happily in the glove box.

• Shows what each code means
• 8 languages, including French
• Shows VIN for used-car checks

What owners say: It handles everything owners needed and more, and plugging it in is about all it takes: it tells them the code and finds it quickly. Several are surprised how much it does for a small reader.

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The trimmer has a zero-gapped T-blade for necklines, beards and nose hair, and the quiet mode runs at 70 dB. A fade comb, 2 mm at its base and 6 mm at the top, blends two lengths. The blade head lifts off for a thorough clean, and the display shows when the blade wants oil.

• Up to 240 min cordless
• Separate 3-in-1 T-blade trimmer
• Fade lever for blending

What owners say: Owners find it well made and sharp, with a battery that holds its charge and a case full of useful pieces. Its weight divides them: heavy in the hand to some, light to others.

They switch to whichever one starts playing, the battery lasts 40 hours with noise cancelling on, and five minutes’ charge gives four hours. Flip to Transparency mode before crossing a street or listening for a station announcement. There’s no case in the box, just a 1.2 m (4 ft) audio cable and a short USB-C cable, so a soft pouch is worth adding for a backpack.

• 40 hours with noise cancelling
• 5 minutes gives 4 hours
• Four mics for noise cancelling

What owners say: Clear, full sound and noise cancelling that does its job win owners over, and one charge carries them a long way. Durability is the one thing they disagree on.

Both USB-C ports give up to 37W and the USB-A port 30W, on 12V as well as 24V. With all three in use the 67W is shared: the first USB-C port, C1, keeps its full 37W while the other two take what’s left. Give C1 to the phone that’s lowest on charge, or to the one running the maps.

• Two USB-C, one USB-A
• 37W USB-C fast charging
• Fits 12V and 24V sockets

What owners say: Owners like having two quick USB-C ports and a third for whoever else needs one, and the light that shows it’s on; durability is where they part ways.

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Seven settings run from wide-low for the tent to a spot of 85 m (280 ft) for the path, and the green light is for reading a map without glare. VisionGuard brings the light up gradually rather than blasting your eyes, the lens is shatterproof and the lamp is drop-tested to 1 metre. It runs about 2.75 hours on high and 50 on low, so keep a spare set of AAAs in the car kit.

• Beam 85 m (280 ft)
• 50 hours on low
• Green light for map reading

What owners say: By owners’ accounts it’s dependable, bright enough to pitch a tent in the rain and good value, though battery life and the controls divide them.

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Double-wall steel keeps it cold for up to 24 hours. Full, it’s heavy, so it suits the workbench, the yard or the car more than a small bag. The wide mouth takes ice and lets a bottle brush reach the bottom, which matters on a bottle that never goes in the dishwasher.

• 1.2 L (40 oz) capacity
• Cold up to 24 hours
• Wide mouth for ice

What owners say: By owners’ reports the water stays cold through the day, and the look and size win them over, though some say the lid leaked or the bottle didn’t last.