I recently stumbled across these fractal fidget hexagons thanks to The Algorithm™ figuring out my deep appreciation for fidget toys and desk toys, and that I can especially become hypnotized by ones of a more visual nature. I spent an embarrassing amount of time watching an ad the first time it popped up in my feed

Now, I’m linking to a generic Amazon search page rather than any one product here, because they’re pretty much all the same thing as this:

Dangerously mesmerizing, isn’t it? Keep one of these on your desk and use that uniquely visual + tactile experience to soothe anxiety/stress whenever it strikes. I imagine it could also be used by some people to increase focus at times.

Most of these toys are priced around $9–$16 each and there are plenty of colorways to choose from. Happy fidgeting!

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Tease your brain and satisfy your restless hands for hours on end with the Shashibo magnetic puzzle cube, a mesmerizing fidget toy that can be snapped and twisted into more than 70 shapes, and eventually returned to cube shape.

Each cube features four different art designs/patterns that are revealed throughout its various transformations, sort of like a kaleidoscope you manipulate with your hands.

On top of that, multiple Shashibos can be connected together to create unique geometric structures, making the possibilities truly endless:

This is one of those fidget toys that’s satisfying from an auditory, visual, and tactile standpoint, as the videos below demonstrate:

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You can get the Shashibo cube in a whole bunch of different pattern combos for $25 each on Amazon.

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If you’ve already got a levitating moon lamp and some floating bookshelves in your office to create a physics-defying atmosphere, consider adding the Novium Hoverpen 2.0 to your workspace as well.

When not in use, this aircraft-grade aluminum pen rests within the ring of magnetic repulsion generated by its zinc-alloy pedestal stand, suspended at a 23.5° angle as if by magic. ️

Pictured here is the Mars Magma colorway.

Not only will this be an impossible-to-ignore centerpiece of your desk space, it’s also a cool fidget toy that spins freely for about 20 seconds if you need a break from the task you’re working on. The magnetic cap that snaps itself into place from a short distance can be considered a secondary fidget mechanism.

…and here is the Neptune Blue.

The Hoverpen accepts any D1 size ink refill — two Schmidt ones are included to get you started — and it comes with a small tweezer-like pincer ring tool that makes it easy to slide out the old cartridge so you can slide another in. {Insert John Wick reload sound effect here}

Get the Novium Hoverpen 2.0 for $99 on Amazon in your choice of Space Black, Mars Magma (my favorite), Neptune Blue, or Starlight Silver.

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⤷ ️ Filed under: “Toys for Grownups, NOT Kids”

In my opinion, some of the best fidget toys out there are simply magnets. As a kid, I loved stacking and snapping together those polished magnetic stones you could always find in gift shops and such. I’d still do it today too, but I’ve found something even more fun and sensory: magnetic putty pebbles.

Sometimes referred to as ferrite putty (see video below), the tiny-ness of these magnetic ferrite stones makes them so much more pleasing to play with. You can pile them up, mush them around, squish a bunch of them in your hand, create more intricate shapes…man, just thinking about it is relieving my stress a little.

Watch this video from that competing product¹ to see what the experience is like:

Oh yeah, that’s the stuff.

Obviously, you don’t want this getting into the hands of toddlers or small children, so please be careful if you buy. Heed safety warnings, keep them out of reach, etc.

You can get a set of 1,100+ magnetic pebbles sold by Twiddler Toys for $35 on Amazon. One Amazon reviewer hand-counted their particular set and found they’d actually received over 1,400 pebbles!

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Although PopSockets markets their PopPuck as a fidget toy, I would call it more of a “dexterity toy.” It’s made up of a magnetic bowl/catcher that a pair of included magnetic pucks snap into, plus a removable leash that employs magnets of its own to attach onto a keychain, bag, etc.

The idea is, you can do a bunch of tricks with the pucks, typically one-handed:

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As you can see, all this flicking and stacking and flipping of the pucks requires more of your attention than a typical fidget toy — not the kind of thing you idly mess around with while watching TV or whatever.

If you remember those Tech Deck fingerboards that were huge back in the ’90s, that’s a more accurate comparison in my opinion. Mastering all the possible tricks you can do with a PopPuck takes some real time and practice before you get really confident with it (not to mention stop launching pucks every which way).

Anyway, this is a really fun little toy for the right person, and you can get a starter kit for $20 on Amazon in a bunch of different colorways.

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The “Roller” by ONO is the kind of fidget toy that doesn’t overcomplicate its job or demand much of your attention while you play with it. You simply hold it in one hand and use your fingers and palm to rotate the two attached barrels around and around. That’s it.

It rolls smoothly and quietly, relieves tension in the hand from prolonged computer/phone use, can help alleviate anxiety and/or boredom while increasing focus and dexterity, fits nicely in your hand or pocket, and it just plain feels satisfying to use. Everything you could want in a fidget toy.

The ONO Roller is $35 on Amazon and comes in Black, Sapphire, Rose Gold, and other colors. Each one comes with a small carry pouch. They also offer a “Junior” version ($25) for users with smaller hands.

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We love a good fidget toy around here, and the futuristic EDC Gyroscope by Mechforce is a great addition to any collection.

It’s essentially a fidget spinner on steroids, comprised of a center core, an intermediate ring, and an outer ring that all can spin independently of one another (thanks to the series of bearings throughout), leading to an interesting combination of things you can do with it:

Spinning one of the center pieces and twisting the entire thing around in your hand feels like one of those science museum exhibits where you spin a wheel on a stick while sitting on a swiveling chair, only in miniature. Or, you can hold the center gimbal and spin the outer ring really fast.

This is one of the most well-engineered fidget toys we’ve come across, and the mirror-polished stainless steel looks great in the hand. The spinning mechanisms can go on for several minutes before slowing in any noticeable way, and if any adjustments for them are ever needed, the company has included a hex wrench for making those slight tweaks.

Get this fun little EDC contraption for $80 on Amazon.

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Everyone should have at least one nice, well-designed pen that lasts a lifetime, rather than a series of disposable ones. With that in mind, Ugmonk just dropped their new Bolt Action Pens, crafted in partnership with the folks at the Inventery pen design studio (previously).

Precision-machined from raw brass stock with a single tungsten blade, the Bolt Action Pen boasts clean lines and a minimalist aesthetic, with just the right heft and balance to feel incredible in the hand without being too heavy.

The bolt-action click mechanism is perhaps the main draw here, however, with its audible and extremely satisfying *snap* sensation that you’ll be tempted to fidget with all day. (Sorry, everyone’s office mates!)

Each pen includes a 0.6mm Schmidt P8126 capless rollerball, though it’s also compatible with Parker-style refills.

You can get the Bolt Action Pen in your choice of untreated brass or brass with a brushed chrome finish. Each one is $70 at Ugmonk.

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Despite its name, your workspace doesn’t have to only be about work. If you’re like us, there are going to be times when your hands are idle while you internally contemplate a problem, or as you simply spend a few minutes staring out a window, daydreaming.

Give ’em something to do with these five office-friendly fidget toys below.

PlayableART Helicone »

($60)

The Helicone is an interactive kinetic sculpture that, with a quick twist, transforms between helix and pine cone shapes, and it’s suuuper satisfying to play with:

It’s made from 38 precisely laser-cut wooden pieces assembled on a brass tube, and includes a solid wood display stand.

PlayableART Ball »

($30)

Made by the same folks as the Helicone above, the PlayableART Ball is a set of 20 colorful, interconnected wooden balls that can be easily twisted and turned into a number of shapes, like so:

They’re made from high-quality beech wood and colored with non-toxic, water-based paint that’ll add a nice touch of color to your workspace.

Moondrop Fidget Toy »

($25)

Designed by Kristoph Krisjans — who’s also made popular crowdfunded desk spinners like the Vortecon and the Mezmoglobe — the Moondrop is a gravity-defying desk toy made from aerospace-grade materials with strong neodymium magnets inside.

The slider bit in the middle has a precisely calculated amount of resistance meant to imitate gravity on the Moon and on Mars. It’s also fun to flip and spin around in all kinds of ways:

The “Thinket Now” Fidget Toy »

($64–$75)

David Weinstock’s generation-3.0 Thinket Now looks similar to the Moondrop at first, but operates rather differently. The bar has to be pushed through the tube’s magnetic field, rather than simply falling one way or the other.

By placing an O-ring on either end of the slider’s head (or removing it), you can modify whether it bounces or thuds as it slides. Each is satisfying in its own way.

The Vortex Dome by PhysicsHack »

($90)

David Fowler of the PhysicsHack YouTube channel handmakes a marvelous desk toy he calls the Vortex Dome. You simply spin the glass dome one way or the other and watch the rheoscopic fluid swirl fascinatingly inside. Be careful because it WILL hypnotize you.

All kidding aside, this is a handy thing to have around if you need something to focus your mind or sooth your nerves, at your desk or elsewhere. Fowler put together a video showing it in action:

We also like this video (you may recognize the guy in it from a past guide of ours):

Each Vortex Dome is handmade to order in the UK. I’m linking the blue version on Amazon here, but you can also order straight from the maker and get additional color choices like green, gold, orange, or purple. After international shipping costs and currency conversion, the cost is about the same: ~$90 USD.

Yeah, sure, spinning a coin is all well and good as far as boredom activities go, but the novelty of it doesn’t last all that long. Have you ever tried spinning a Euler’s Disk though? If not, you’ve gotta give it a shot.

Originally developed by Joseph Bendik and colleagues and named after 18th-century Swiss mathematician and physicist Leonhard Euler, Euler’s Disk is a 3″ diameter chrome-plated steel puck that comes with a 9″ concave mirror base to spin on. The physics of it is a little complicated, but in layman’s terms, this combo creates a disk that can spin for a loooooong time. In fact, the slow buildup of friction is really the only reason it stops spinning at all!

Watch this video to see what I’m talking about:

Notice how it actually levitates for those split seconds just before it finally comes to a rest? How cool is that?? Not to mention the steady increase of rapid-fire vibration noises that, by the end, make it sound like a spaceship taking off. On top of that, the set includes 9 pieces of magnetic holographic foil so you can change up the colorful light display the disk creates as it spins.

Whether you’re into the science or visuals of it, or you just wanna annoy your office buddies, this is a fantastic little desk toy. Grab the set for $35 on Amazon.

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The SDG1 and SDG2 titanium alloy screwdriver sets by MecArmy — the creators of this clever little watchband light — each feature a single mini-screwdriver with a circular or square-shaped bearing head (respectively) and a knurled grip, alongside 33 interchangeable bits, all contained in a waterproof 500D Cordura nylon pouch (with YKK zipper) that’s easy to carry anywhere.

That bearing allows the screwdriver to double as a spinning fidget toy. Check out this video to watch how ridiculously long the spinning action can go:

In the middle of the head is a slot where you can fit a ¼” hex key for increased torque, and two of those 33 bits included in each set are a 7mm and 8mm socket that should come in handy for certain jobs.

Each set comes with one screwdriver in your color of choice:

• SDG1 ($160):

  • Sandblasted
  • PVD Blue
  • PVD Black

• SDG2 ($150):

  • Sandblasted
  • PVD Blue
  • PVD Black

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We featured David Weinstock’s Thinket fidget toy in our “Fidget and Click” EDC guide a couple years ago. If you’ll recall, it’s one of those toys that’s a little hard to explain, you just have to watch it for yourself:

Last year, Weinstock ran a Kickstarter to accomplish a handful of goals, two of them being:

1. Moving Thinket production from plated metal designs to solid metal ones.
2. Introducing a second tactile effect to the then-upcoming Thinket 3.0 edition.

The result of that successful project was the Thinket Now, a solid stainless steel version of the stress-relief device that now offers two tactile sensations you can switch between at will: the original “satisfying bounce” effect (that operates on a rare-earth magnet mechanism hidden inside), and the new “reassuring thud”.

The Thinket Now, with and without O-rings.

The thud effect is achieved by placing an O-ring on a special groove machined into the slider head. You can have it so the Thinket has a thud on one end and a bounce on the other, or have the same effect in both directions. He has a demo video of the two effects on the Kickstarter page if you’d like to check that out (it’s the third video you’ll see as you scroll down).

As of April 1st, 2018, the Thinket Now is listed for $85 (down from $150). If that’s still too pricey for your blood, he’s got a sale page up where you can buy v2.5 editions of the Thinket at lower prices (as low as $29).

I’ve personally got my eye on the “Retro Shadow” ($64), which has that amazing colorful sheen:

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Photos courtesy of our own Isaac Smith, who picked up his pen via Shinola.

The Tactile Turn Brass Slider is a sweet-looking pen that got its start on Kickstarter a couple years ago. The major selling point isn’t just that it’s made of brass — it’s also available in other metals — but rather the crescent-shaped bolt-action retraction mechanism that can easily be operated single-handed.

It’s actually kind of addictive to play with, and you’ll often find yourself with the pen in your hand, click-click-clicking like a fidget toy. Extremely satisfying.

As for the brass material in particular, their store page elaborates:

360 brass is a beautiful material that has a fairly high copper content so it has many of the antimicrobial properties that copper does. It machines beautifully and as you see the machining videos of these pens you’ll see why I like to work with it. All parts of these pens are made from brass except the clip and bolt which are stainless steel.

The “Slider” version of this pen is 5.1″ long and comes with a Schmidt easyFLOW 9000 medium point refill in black (other refill options here). The longer “Glider” is 5.6″ long and comes with a Pilot G2 0.38mm gel ink refill in black (other refill options here).

Both versions of the pen are $79 at Tactile Turn.

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Filed under “I Want This Yesterday”: David Fowler of the PhysicsHack YouTube channel handmakes a marvelous desk toy he calls the Vortex Dome. You simply spin the glass dome one way or the other and watch the rheoscopic fluid swirl fascinatingly inside. Be careful because it WILL hypnotize you.

All kidding aside, this is a handy thing to have around if you need something to focus your mind or sooth your nerves, at your desk or elsewhere. Fowler put together a video showing it in action:

I also like this video (you’ll recognize the guy in it from a recent guide of ours):

Each Vortex Dome is made to order in the UK and can be had for ~$58 USD on Etsy in your choice of blue, green, gold, orange, or purple.

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I try to be selective about the Kickstarter projects I decide to feature here on T&T. However whimsical or unexpected, they should be useful or intriguing on some level.

But the Vortecon kinetic desk toy? This thing is pure, useless fun:

Oh sure, they’ll talk about how it “releases creativity” or “relieves stress while you work” or whatever, and maybe it does, but let’s be real here: This is a super neat, well-made, and fun-to-play-with optical illusion you can enjoy staring at yourself or showing off to your friends.

Isn’t it mesmerizing?

As of March 5th, 2018, they’ve far exceeded their modest funding goal and still have 22 days to go. Go back the project at the $32 USD level or higher to eventually get one of your own.

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