Board games can be so tame, especially when there’s so little at stake. Like, for example, so few games involve diffusing a bomb. You’d try it, wouldn’t you? Now you can with our Cut The Wire™ game. Comes with (1) “device” (aka, the bomb), (1) pair of wire cutters, (1) die that you roll (come on, it’s a game), and a storage bracket. Instructions, too. You’ll need to provide (3) AA batteries, but other than that you’re good to go. Test your nerve, and imagine what it’s like to be on a real bomb squad. Ages 6+.

How about a nice cold one, Rover? Hey, you’re not the only one who likes a nice chilled beverage, you know. Your dog or cat will appreciate the Frosty Bowl, which keeps water not only cold but fresh. How often have you seen an animal lower its head to a bowl of water and take a pass? Too often, we know. Set the inner core of this bowl in your freezer for a couple hours, drop it into the bowl’s base (which measures 9-1/2” across) and fill it with approx 16 oz of water. Your pet will have fresh, cold water for hours. Plenty of time to have a few cold ones yourself.

Our sturdy 24VDC 6A linear actuator motor with intermittent duty extends from 56-7/8" to 85-5/8" and has a 337-lb push. The extending shaft is 1-1/4" diameter and the U-joint at the end has a 7/16" ID hole for attaching. Use it to make something go up and down, or in an out. Like an awning, the door on your chicken coop, your holiday yard displays or something in your basement bar, man cave or she shed.

Into soldering? Want to get into it? Either way, this Velleman® 60W electronic temperature-control soldering station is for you. Has a ceramic heating-element with a range of 392 to 896 degrees Fahrenheit, a sensor and heater-fail notification and an LED display with a digital temperature scale (Celsius or Fahrenheit). Low-voltage iron draws 24VAC. Measures 8" x 5.25" x 3.75" and has a password lock. UL.

From the wacky Portland, Oregon-based designers at Sock It To Me come these cotton-poly socks with themes so fun you might wear them every day, or even eight days a week since we’ve got (8) different ones. In vivid colors, themes include martini glasses, cymbal monkeys, koalas, lawn art, killer whales, the medical profession, baby seals and dogs in costumes. All are knee-high except for the crew-length martini glasses and cymbal monkey, which say “Men’s” but we hereby deem unisex.

It's all make-believe, but it's also the best-selling Japanese manga series of all time. (Just ask your favorite millennial—they’d be thrilled to explain it to you.) This collectible analog wristwatch features the Sailor Scouts on the colorful stained-glass watch dial, and a Moon Stick second hand. Hours are denoted by colored rhinestones on the case, and they fashionably match each member of the quintet. Leather band measures about 8-3/4”, so it should fit the wrist of most guardians of love and justice. Watch face is 1.1”, and the whole shebang is powered by an AG4 battery. Licensed by Toei Animations.

This handsome gunmetal gray watch with deep red graphics and a brown leather band would look good on anyone’s wrist, but fans of the Berzerk anime and manga series (particularly Guts) will find it extra dandy. It’s an analog beauty with a 1-1/4” face and a sword as a second hand. Splash and rain-resistant. Comes in a black designer gift box lined with red felt, too.

Then do it right with this 8-foot x 5-foot black nylon military-type netting designed to hide you, your equipment or whatever else you don’t want anyone to see. Use it at your campsite or in your back yard, garage or basement. Mesh is 1/8” and listed as rot-proof, fire-resistant and tear-proof. Comes in a vinyl carrying pouch.

Our tabletop telescope from Celestron is an excellent choice for traveling or as a first telescope, which explains its “FirstScope” name. It’s a 76mm reflecting telescope with 20mm (15X) and 4mm (75X) 1.25” eyepieces and mounts for a finderscope. The mount/stand has a lazy-susan style swivel and a variable tension knob. The Accessory Kit includes 12.5mm (24X) and 6mm (50X) 1.25" eyepieces, a moon filter, a 5X24 finderscope, planetarium software ("THE SKYX") for Windows 7, XP, Vista, Mac 10.4.8 or later, a nylon carrying case for accessories.

No, really. Literally. This decorative, 750ml Bordeaux-style wine bottle, upright with shoulders, is frosted opaque white on the outside. Stands 11-7/8" tall x 2-7/8" dia, and would accept a marker if you want to leave a message. Would also accept a standard wine cork. There’s some twine around the neck, too, which makes it more designer-ish, more stylish and all-around more better.

Stick this pair of white molded rubber angel wings on the back of your phone and it will sit up like a nice angle (call it the angel angle) when you’re surfing for heavenly apps. Measures 2-1/4” x 1-7/8” with a 1” suction cup. Also good for sticking wings on anything else you want to make a little more seraphic. You’ll get (2) of them. Yes, that’s (4) wings total.

Drive yourself to drink coffee, tea or any hot treat with the Max Burton® Smart Pot To Go™. It’s a portable beverage heater that’s also powerful enough to boil water! Go ahead, use it to make soup, too. Operates on 12VDC and has a 6-1/2-foot power cord with a fused cigarette-lighter plug. The 4-1/2" x 3-1/4" x 4" base holds a heating element and comes with a metal clip so you can hang it on a car window. Pot sits securely in the base, holds 20 oz, and has a flip-up lid and pouring spout. The whole shebang measures 5-3/4" tall x 3-3/4" x 2-5/8" with a 4” handle. You’ll never be stuck with tepid liquid again.

If giants smoked, these flint wheel and wick lighters would be in their pockets all the time. But at 6-1/2" x 4-1/2" x 1-1/2", they won’t fit into yours. Which is what makes them so cool. In a steel housing with assorted enameled finishes inspired by Ed Hardy, these oversized flip-top lighters look just like their normal-size counterparts. Come with a double-length flint (use two standard flints back-to-back when it’s time to replace), and enough batting to soak up a full 8 oz bottle of fluid.

Techie Alert!  Techie Alert! This low-profile LCD readout hand-held switching power supply has constant voltage and current modes adjustable from 0.3 to 30VDC and 0-3.75A with a max 50W output. It is regulated and you can preset up to (5) V/A and there is also a dual USB 5V 2A output mode to charge your devices. The 2.9" backlit LCD display has adjustable contrast. Comes with a 6-foot power cord but you’ll need to add your own banana leads. A quality Velleman piece that doesn't come along in surplus very often. Originally sold for $149 

This rubber chicken can talk! Actually, squawk. Known as the Shrilling Chicken, it’s 11” long, in chicken-skin yellow, complete with goose bumps, a red bow tie and a gaping mouth. Squeeze it for hours of humorous, attention-grabbing squawks. Work it into your stand-up routine or sneak it into parties. You’re hilarious!

The Book of Terrifyingly Awesome Technology is crying out for a spot on your kid’s bookshelf. It’s a hardbound book with (227) pages of info-taining stories and (27) experiments that blur the lines between science fiction and modern technology, but in a good way. Experiments will require the always-popular “common household items” and don't blame us if you wake up to a space elevator in your backyard.

Or are you just under heavy pressure to start writing right now! We know, we know. That’s why our copywriters always buy these pre-sharpened #2 pencils, to get those terrible jokes down on paper ASAP. And yes, they have erasers because sometimes we’re not funny, and we all make mistakes. In packs of (12) at 7-3/8” long.

This excellent, paper, full-color U.S. political wall map is 40" x 28" and includes Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, southern Canada and part of northern Mexico. Also includes major bodies of water, state names, capitals, major cities and towns, latitude and longitude, time zones, national parks and monuments. Large and legible lettering. Great for schools, but why not have one at home or in the office, too?

Got a white board and some ideas? Well then, you’ll need this set of (4) Expo® chisel-tip, low-odor, dry-erase markers in black, red, blue and green. Each is 5” long with a clear barrel end so you can see how much ink is left. If you don’t have a white board, they work on glass, too.

Back when you could dial M for murder, telephones looked like this one, and people set the alarm by calling the front desk and asking for a wake-up call. You can relive those days, sans the front desk, with this classic telephone-ish alarm clock. The dial is an LED-illuminated quartz clock and the handset is a goose-neck reading lamp with a dozen LEDs and (3) brightness levels. There’s a snooze button and a power button for the clock light in the cradle. The verisimilitudessness is enhanced by the alarm having the same ring as an old rotary phone. Measures 9" x 5" x 4-3/4" and you add (4) C-cell batteries.

Yes, you can now take all those hours, days, months and years you spent playing Pac-Man® and convert them to a table lamp that your spouse will hate. You pick: the Pac-Man® itself comes at 8-1/4” dia with a remote control to pick one of (7) brightness levels and (12) authentic sounds from the original game; or the Pac-Man® Ghost lamp, 7-3/4” tall x approx 7” dia in a white housing with internal LEDs and a remote that lets you choose from (16) colors in flash, strobe, fade or smooth modes. Both lamps come with a wall adapter and battery for the 15-foot-range remote.

You don’t, huh? They’re called acid brushes because once upon a plumber they were used to apply acid flux to pipes for soldering. Now they’re just the cheap, disposable brushes with hollow aluminum handles you see in glue pots and everywhere else folks need to slather on goopy stuff. Measure 6" long with 5/8” wide bristles.

Why not take two since they’re medium sized, from 20” to 28”, and shaped like the critters they represent. You’ll get a pair (two different) of very colorful nylon kites, complete with 65-foot lines and 8-foot tails, from our selection of ladybugs, frogs, turtles, butterflies, owls and dragons. Packed conveniently in a clear tube for carrying.

Cleverly made, and mighty heuristic, too. For someone entranced by hydraulics, or for a whole classroom of students, there's the Pathfinders 4-In-1 teaching kit, with 4 different hydraulic-system kits that use unfinished wood, transparent tubing, and plastic syringes, which power the movement. The mini models include an excavator, scissors lift, cherry picker, and platform lifter. Bases are approx 4" x 7" and finished heights vary, thanks to those syringes! Very clever teaching tools for ages 8 and up.

We wouldn't try to capture 'gators with it, but this 4-ft x 6-ft black nylon, elastic (not-un-bungie-like) cargo net should trap anything else in the back of the pickup, van or kids' bedrooms. Stretches to about 6' x 9', with openings that are 7" square, stretching to maybe a foot, and 16 carabiner-style plastic hooks. Or just hang a couple on a wall for a nice Spiderman effect.

A big double-deck pack of card-playing fun. You’ll get a 112-card deck to play the original UNO card game, including (3) dry-erase cards for making your own house rules and a “shuffle hands” rule to reset the game; and a 108-card DOS game deck, with (4) wild cards and somewhat different rules. UNO is for 2-10 players; DOS is for 2-4 players. Both are for ages 7+.

The manufacturer says these magnetic canisters are “ideal for storing desk accessories,” although anything larger than paper clips or pushpins will be tough. On the other hand, they’re just the ticket for storing glitter, confetti and other tiny craft supplies. Our each is a 3-pack of 1-7/8” sq x 1-3/8” deep white plastic boxes with little disc magnets in the bottom. Tops have windows so you can see what you put in them.

You knead this. Actually it kneads you. The Mynt Cordless Shiatsu Massager is heated for extra self-indulgence. Set the controls, drape it over your neck and shoulders and pull/relax it to control the depth of the massage and meet the demands of your unmet kneads. (OK, we’ll stop that.) Has (8) modes with adjustable heat, rotation and speed and runs for approx 1-1/2 hours on a single charge, by which time you’ll be asleep anyway. Some light home-office experimenting confirms that it works well on arms, legs and especially lower backs, but the boss wouldn’t let us try it on feet. Pre-Priced $79.99.

Now through Sunday 12-15 get a free extending handheld rolling massager with each order. Item wll be added to your shipment not in your shopping cart.

Sometimes there’s nothing for it but having your own plasma ball. This is the travel- or office-size, a manageable 3-1/8" dia acrylic ball standing on concentric blue disks, 5-1/4” tall altogether. Lay hands upon it and watch the soothing red and blue streamers wave and undulate your troubles away. Great for disco or psychedelic raves in your car or cubicle; you supply the soundtrack. Also great for just strapping to your head to make sure people look at you at music festivals. Get creative with it--take it everywhere you go. You bring (4) “AAA” batteries.

For the (9) STEM experiments you can do with this Sick Science! Fizz Pop Boom kit from Steve Spangler Science you’ll need a few household items, but the kit itself includes a 1-liter bottle, plastic bags, a roll of Mentos (which you’ll use in an experiment), a geyser tube, plastic caps, rubber stoppers, hook’n’loop strips and a 3.5 oz bag of baking soda. The box proclaims "9 Insanely Cool Experiments" and we think that describes them perfectly. Ages 6+.

This 16-piece set of watchmaker's tools are just as handy for jewelry-makers, crafters, or anyone else working with small parts. The professional watch-repair kit Includes (2) tiny Phillips-head screwdrivers, (3) diminutive flat-heads, a case knife, non-magnetic tweezers, case wrench, metal/plastic watch hammer, link-pin remover, double-head pin pusher, (3) pin-punches, small needle-nose pliers, and a watchband holding block. Just changing bands and batteries? Get these tools to make it a lot easier, and order a brand-new pack of 30 popular-size button batteries-(6) AG1, (6) AG3, (6) AG4, (3) AG5, (3) AG12, and (6) AG13.

Looking for an easy-to-understand introduction to the world of open-source Arduino coding? Snapino™ from Elenco’s Snap Circuits® line is for you or your favorite gift receiver. Fully-compatible with Arduino UNO boards, standard shields, common components and other Snap Circuits® sets, your projects can grow as your knowledge and skills do, too. Includes (20) projects advancing in complexity to gradually familiarize you with coding and building projects. For use with Windows, Mac or Linux systems, you'll need to download the latest Arduino application and Snapino programs. Includes various modules, LEDs, resistors, jumpers, USB cord and a battery holder for the 9V battery that you’ll add.

We’re out of red; you’ll have to make do. These fluorescent yellow paint markers from Krylon® have a 3/16” wide wedge tip. Paint dries within 15 minutes, the same time it took the Music Man to meet Marian the Librarian at the footbridge, so be patient. Can be used on fabric.

These SPDT momentary rocker switches from Otto® have (3) 1/4” quick-disconnect terminals and panel-mounting tabs. Measure 1-1/8” deep x 1” x 3/8” and are rated for 10.1A at 125VAC. UL/CSA. On-Off-On.

Himalayan, Heralayan, what’s the difference? The difference is, Himalayan rock salt is pink, and this 5-lb hunk of it has been repurposed into a very cool lamp with a 5-foot power cord and an inline on-off switch. Includes a socket for a 110V 15W incandescent bulb (included), and the hunk itself measures approx 7" tall on a 3-7/8" dia wooden base. Just plug it in and feel the Himalayan difference.

Got worries at home at work or while driving? Diffuse them with this very nice USB-powered, portable Geek Tek® essential oils diffuser/humidifier, which holds a little under 8 oz of water, can glow in (7) different LED colors (shifting or steady) and offers (2) mist modes (steady and intermittent). Put a little fragrance or essential oil into it, for that special spa atmosphere you love so much. Don’t say you don’t. Not interested in fancy scents? Just use it as a personal/desk/car humidifier and breath easy. Measures 5-1/2" tall x almost 2-3/4" dia w/a 3-foot cord. Comes with a filter stick, plus a spare. Should draw about 400mA with the LEDs on, and will mist a little over an oz per hour. Spillproof, too!

It doesn't get much cooler in the robotic-arm-kit game. The assembled STEM educational arm is 15" tall x 9" long x approx 3-1/2" wide. It's 2-pronged hand opens to 1-3/4", lifts up to 3.5 oz (100g), swings 120 degrees at the wrist, pivots 300 degrees at the elbow, and sits on a base that swings 180 degrees up and down and rotates 270 degrees, like, well, an arm. Controlled by (5) 2-axis joy-sticks and powered by (4) D-Cell batteries that you provide. Includes a hand-mounted search light and over-torque and gear-breakage alarms, which is more than your arm has. Requires a diagonal cutter and Philips screwdriver for assembly of its 200+ pieces and is made for ages 12 and up.

This extremely good quality folding jeweler's loupe is in polished aluminum and folds into a protective cover. It measures 1-5/8" x 13/16" and is teardrop-shaped when closed. Doublet lens, 18mm dia, 10X, lit by (2) very bright white LEDs, powered by (3) button-cell batteries that are included. It has a small loop for a chain, and comes in a plastic case with a small tool for accessing the batteries.

That’s where these military overseas caps started out, on Deutsch köpfe. Slightly shorter than the U.S. garrison cap, and with a jaunty curve, front to back, they’re in dark blue-gray with orange piping and a German army insignia on the front. We’ll pick a pair in (2) different sizes 58-63, which is approx 7-1/4 to 7-7/8 on American heads, but the envelope design gives them some size leeway.

Our favorite oxymoronic item. It’s a series of flat political maps of the world mounted on a 3” cube instead of a globe. The spindle goes into Antarctica and the whole thing stands just under 6” tall, spinning on an approx 4” dia base. Could be the perfect birthday present for your flat-earther uncle Morty.