Gifts for your brother

It holds 473 mL (16 oz) and keeps drinks hot for up to 11 hours, or cold for 24, by Contigo’s figures. One hand holds, sips and locks it. A hook inside the lid keeps a tea bag’s string tidy, the lid goes on the dishwasher’s top rack, and the steel body is washed by hand.

• Hot up to 11 hours
• Push-button lid that locks
• Tea-bag hook in the lid

What owners say: Coffee stays hot for a long time and nothing leaks or spills, owners say, and they like the lock button; it travels well and cleans easily.

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Under the ridges and knobs, which TriggerPoint designed to feel like a massage therapist’s hands, sits a rigid hollow core that takes users up to 227 kg (500 lb). It measures 33 cm (13 in) by 14 cm (5.5 in) and comes with free online how-to videos and a one-year warranty. Its short length suits one muscle at a time rather than both legs together.

• 33 cm (13 in) long
• Firm grid surface
• Fits in a gym bag

What owners say: It eases sore muscles without feeling too firm, owners report, has lasted them years and travels well. No complaint stands out.

Its 59 litres leave room for a foam roller too, and a water-resistant base copes with wet locker-room floors. Webbing loops outside take keys or a carabiner, several zippered pockets keep small things sorted, and the padded shoulder strap takes the weight when it’s full. Wipe it down with a damp cloth when it comes back muddy.

• Holds 59 litres
• Vented shoe pocket
• Room for a foam roller

What owners say: Owners find it solid, well made and big enough for everything they take to the gym, and they single out its many pockets and the colour choices.

Heads up: At 63 cm (24.75 in) long it’s too big for most airline carry-on limits, as adidas itself points out, so treat it as a bag for the car, the bus and team trips.

It brews about four mugs at a time. The filter has three layers of steel mesh, and two spare screens come in the box: stack one on for a cleaner cup when the grind is on the fine side. The handle and knob stay cool, and every part, filter included, goes in the dishwasher.

• Double-walled steel, 1 litre
• 3-layer filter, 2 spare screens
• Won’t crack like glass

What owners say: Owners say it keeps coffee hot well after pressing, looks smart on the counter and is easy to clean, and they find it sturdy.

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It’s 14.6 cm (5.7 in) long, weighs 0.43 kg (0.95 lb) and runs quietly, with a 7 mm stroke and five heads; save the softer ones for tender spots. A 15 W USB-C phone charger fills it in about two hours, it switches itself off after 10 minutes, and a case comes with it.

• Weighs 0.43 kg (0.95 lb)
• 7 mm stroke
• Fits in a gym bag

What owners say: Owners are struck by how much power it has for its size, use it most on calves and thighs, and find a charge lasts a long time; no recurring complaint comes up.

A stash pocket inside the sewn-on sack keeps a phone and keys handy while you lie in it, and the sack turns inside out to pack the hammock away. Opened out, it’s 2.9 by 1.9 m (114 by 76 in), holds up to 181 kg (400 lb) and weighs 538 g (19 oz), with aluminum carabiners at each end.

• Holds 181 kg (400 lb)
• 1.9 m (76 in) wide
• Folds into its own sack

What owners say: People who own one praise the comfort, the sturdy build, the easy setup, the light fabric and the colour choices, though some find it pricey.

Heads up: Tree straps aren’t in the box, only the carabiners, so add a set of hammock straps (ENO sells its own Atlas straps) before the first hang.

Pressures up to 160 PSI are set on the digital gauge. The threaded chuck screws onto the valve so it can’t pop off, and the nozzles and 12V cord live on board, so it can stay in the trunk; swap the hose to the deflate port to empty a mattress. The battery and charger are sold separately.

• DEWALT 20V battery, sold separately
• Stops at the set pressure
• 12V car cord included

What owners say: It runs well on owners’ own DEWALT 20V batteries, they say, is easy to use and fills to the programmed pressure accurately, and it carries easily.

One reads 10 to 50 PSI and suits the glove box; the other reads 20 to 120 PSI. Each was calibrated by hand and has its own number printed on the side. Press the head squarely onto the valve and the bar slides out to the reading; slide it back in before the next tire. It can let a little air out if a tire has been over-filled, and there’s no battery or screen.

• 10–50 and 20–120 PSI
• Lets air out too
• Each calibrated by hand

What owners say: Accurate enough for checking tires at home, owners say, and easy to carry and use; the cases and the spare valve caps that come with them are a welcome extra, and no weak spot keeps coming up.

The tins hold 530 and 830 mL (18 and 28 oz) and are stainless steel thickened to 0.8 mm, with a 20 and 40 mL (⅔ and 1⅓ oz) double jigger and a recipe guide in the box. Set the small tin in at a slight angle and tap it home to seal; a firm smack where the two meet opens them again.

• Boston shaker, two tins
• Recipe guide included
• Thick 0.8 mm steel tins

What owners say: No leaks and a tight seal, according to owners, and the set is easy to use even for someone new to shaking.

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.

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