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Practically indestructible gadgets that make great gifts

It is so annoying when a fairly new piece of tech kit fails. Here is a roundup of practically indestructible tech items that will cope with the rough and tumble of your daily life.
Written by Eileen Brown, Contributor
Waterproof Smartfire 5.0 | If you do not mind barbecuing in the rain, then you will love the new waterproof Smartfire 5.0
Practically indestructible gadgets that make great gifts zdnet
Waterproof Smartfire 5.0
If you do not mind barbecuing in the rain, then you will love the new waterproof Smartfire 5.0
View now View at Smartfire
XG-Tech rugged case for iPhone 12 Pro Max | This case will make sure that your shiny new iPhone 12 Pro Max does not get damaged
Practically indestructible gadgets that make great gifts zdnet
XG-Tech rugged case for iPhone 12 Pro Max
This case will make sure that your shiny new iPhone 12 Pro Max does not get damaged
View now View at Amazon
Apple iPad Air shock absorbing silicone case | Make sure your iPad Air is protected from rough handling
Practically indestructible gadgets that make great gifts zdnet
Apple iPad Air shock absorbing silicone case
Make sure your iPad Air is protected from rough handling
View now View at Amazon
High Tech pet collar and transmitter | This collar will keep your dog safe and sound - even when wet
Practically indestructible gadgets that make great gifts zdnet
High Tech pet collar and transmitter
This collar will keep your dog safe and sound - even when wet
View now View at Amazon
G-Technology Armor ATD rugged portable external hard drive | Make sure your external drive is rugged enough to safely store your data -- whatever happens
Practically indestructible gadgets that make great gifts zdnet
G-Technology Armor ATD rugged portable external hard drive
Make sure your external drive is rugged enough to safely store your data -- whatever happens
View now View at Amazon
Garmin Instinct rugged watch | Rugged enough to cope with all your fitness activities
Practically indestructible gadgets that make great gifts zdnet
Garmin Instinct rugged watch
Rugged enough to cope with all your fitness activities
View now View at Amazon
Mini Rhinos Bluetooth headphones | Long playtime and water resistant headphones that are foldable too
Practically indestructible gadgets that make great gifts zdnet
Mini Rhinos Bluetooth headphones
Long playtime and water resistant headphones that are foldable too
View now View at Amazon
Tech Armor radiation blocking iPhone screen protector | Protect your brain from your phone's RF emissions
Practically indestructible gadgets that make great gifts zdnet
Tech Armor radiation blocking iPhone screen protector
Protect your brain from your phone's RF emissions
View now View at Walmart
Asus Chromebook Flip 2-in-1 laptop | A rugged Chromebook with a 360 degree hinge
Practically indestructible gadgets that make great gifts zdnet
Asus Chromebook Flip 2-in-1 laptop
A rugged Chromebook with a 360 degree hinge
View now View at Amazon
Ulefone Armor X7 rugged smartphone | A tough smartphone with a long battery life
Practically indestructible gadgets that make great gifts zdnet
Ulefone Armor X7 rugged smartphone
A tough smartphone with a long battery life
View now View at Amazon
Flynn Tech portable solar power bank | A phone charger that charges itself using solar power
11-flynn-tech-solar-charger-powerbank-eileen-brown-zdnet.png
Flynn Tech portable solar power bank
A phone charger that charges itself using solar power
View now View at Amazon
Gorilla Box magnetic stash case | Keep your spare key safe and secure with this ultra-strong stash box
Practically indestructible gadgets that make great gifts zdnet
Gorilla Box magnetic stash case
Keep your spare key safe and secure with this ultra-strong stash box
View now View at Amazon
Show more (7 items)

There are a few tech gadgets that, to me, seem like poorly made, or cheaply. Your new phone arrives and needs to be cosseted in a case right away; they seem so fragile.

Flimsy gadgets do not seem to last any time at all, making you wish that you had bought a more rugged item in the first place.

So here is a selection of my favorite rugged items that seem practically indestructible and might last you a good while longer than the breakable tech gadgets that frustrate you so much.

Finally, a Smartfire that copes with rain, and snow for all of us that love to barbecue in all weathers. No more protecting your Smartfire in a plastic box to keep the rain off.

The Smartfire 5.0 has a silicone sleeve that fits over the unit and deflects the rain off the bottom of the unit. The air intake is now at the bottom of the unit to minimize water ingress and make sure your BBQ is cooked perfectly. Innovation after user feedback. Fabulous. 

The XG-Tech rugged case will protect your iPhone 12 Pro Max with three layers of protection. It has a polycarbonate inner case, soft silicone cover, and a swiveling belt clip. You also get a tempered glass front to protect your phone.

Reinforced silicone rubber at the corner means that if you drop your iPad Air, the device will survive. Ports are covered and the screen is covered with an integrated snap-on screen cover for extra protection.

Water-resistant digital transmitter for use with Yard Barrier sonic fence, and Power Pet electronic doors. This collar can cope with rain, and water sprays to keep your pet where you want it to be.

This external drive uses USB 3.0 technology and is rain and dust resistant IP54 rated. It will store up to 4TB reading the drive at 136Mb/s. It is shock resistant when dropped from a height of 1m on a carpeted concrete floor.

The Garmin Instinct is rugged enough to withstand shock, temperature extremes and is water resistant to 100m. It has GPS, a heart rate, and activity monitor. It can even monitor your stress levels and save activity profiles for you to train against. You can also use the TracBack feature to navigate back to your start point using the same route.

These Bluetooth headphones are IPX6 water resistant and will give up to 12 hours playtime. They are foldable, slim, and have small ear cups. Have a look at in-ear buds, or hybrids for under $100 if you prefer a smaller form factor.

Protect your head and brain from RF emission sources whilst still having 3D touch accuracy and protect your screen from impacts with this Japanese Asahi glass protector. It will fit iPhone X/Xs, and iPhone 11 Pro .

This 11.6-inch HD Chromebook has been built to military standard 810G for durability. it has a spill-resistant keyboard and a 360-degree hinge. Inside,  there is an Intel Gemini Lake Dual-Core Celeron N4000 Processor, up to 2.6GH,z and it has 4GB RAM and 1366 x 768 resolution.

Running Android 10, this dual-SIM 5 inch FHD display rugged phone is IP69k certified, has a 4,000mAh battery and a 13MP rear camera. It has fingerprint and face recognition as well as a configurable button for easy access to apps.

Charge your phone using solar power from this 10,000mAh water-resistant power bank. It takes 5 hours to charge in the sun, and will charge most phones two or three times. It has two USB ports so you can charge multiple devices.

Hide your spare key or GPS tracker in this 3.15 x 2 x 1.2-inch magnetic box that has rust proof neodymium magnets to securely attach it to your vehicle. Removeable foam inserts ensure your items do not rattle around.

Need more gift ideas?

Check out our ZDNet Recommends directory or Holiday Gifts hub for some more inspiration. 

Our sister sites also have the following gift guides: 

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