Are you a big fan of crafty do it yourself ideas? Some of you may only have tried out a few creative craft ideas once or twice, and if so, you are missing out on some of the best DIY ideas out there. Did you know in addition to cool wall art and home decor, you can actually make some of the coolest gadgets and functional creations you’ve ever seen? I’ve always loved watching people who consider themselves “tinkerers” invent little contraptions and gadgets, but I never figured I could actually make these myself. Fortunately, some of these nice DIY blogging inventors have shared not only their creations with us, but also step by step tutorials so you can make these cool DIY gadgets yourself. DIY gadgets are some of our absolute favorite things to make these days, so we’ve been scouring the top DIY sites for the best. From stoves to antennas, to air conditioners, heaters and speakers, you will be surprised and amazed at what you can easily make yourself at home for pennies. Check out these 35 homemade gadgets and make a few to impress all your friends.
DIY Gadgets
1. Tin Can Wifi Antenna
Boost Your Wireless Signal with a Tin Can Wifi Antenna. It’s amazing what tin can can do for the strength of your wireless. And it will only cost you $5! It’s easier than you think and can be a serious game changer in times of disaster. All you have to do is follow along with the tutorial from Shtfpreparedness so you can start building your own.
2. Magnetic Wristband
We all know magnets have magical properties. So, here’s an awesome DIY magnetic bracelet that is inexpensive to make, and will take your project skills to another level. After all, you don’t want to lose track of dangerous pointy objects – especially if you live in a house with curious kids or pets. You should definitely make one of these before you tack your next big DIY home improvement project.
3. Rocket Stove
Want to cook without electricity or gas? This DIY project tutorial from Prepared Housewives can definitely help you. The post features step-by-step instructions on how to build the best rocket stove in less than an hour. The best part is that this DIY rocket stove uses low cost materials & anyone can do it! If you are looking for cool DIY projects for men (or women) who love the outdoors, be sure to try making this homemade rocket stove.
4. DIY Homemade Smartphone Projector
You can make your own home movie projector using a smartphone or tablet device, a shoe box, a magnifying glass, and some basic household materials. There are quite a few projectors on the market that work with mobile devices, but they can get pricey. So why not make your own? Follow along with the tutorial from Love This Pic to get started. Add this to your DIY media center or TV console and get out the popcorn for movie night.
DIY Electronics Ideas
5. Modern Bluetooth Speaker From An Antique Portable Radio
Transform an antique portable radio you might find at a flea market or yard sale and give it a new modern life by making it into a Bluetooth speaker. Just imagine the looks you’ll get when people see you toting a vintage portable radio and it’s playing loud and clear. Pretty awesome, right?
6. Make Cheap Thermal Goggles
There’s a lot of fun to be had with night vision, both for kids and for the young at heart, and if you’re primarily interested in these devices for their entertainment value, then you may want to find out how to make night vision goggles for yourself. Follow along with the simple tutorial from Techwalla and prepare to be amazed by this interesting home science project that may surprise you with the results. A cool DIY idea for teens or adults to make for the ultimate in entertainment.
7. Homemade AC Unit
DIY air conditioners may seem like a cheap way to beat the heat, but they are a great substitute if you are looking for ways to reduce your spending. This is a tutorial for a very simple homemade AC unit that you can make for under $25 and very quickly. It’s just enough to cool a medium size room down a bit and break the harsh heat of the summer.
8. Mason Jar Speakers
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These interesting and inexpensive little speakers can be decorating your desk soon. All you need are two jars, the speaker parts from your favorite radio store and the ability to use some DIY tools. We love mason jar projects and have seen lots of them, but this one is super creative.
9. DIY Multi-touch Table
10. Turn A Standard Electrical Outlet Into A 4-Port USB Charger
The nightstand charger octopus – one outlet, three adapters, five cords – finally has a cure. Swapping a standard outlet for one with built-in USB ports tidies the whole charging station into the wall itself, and the swap is far less intimidating than it sounds. Driven By Decor documents the whole process clearly, breaker panel to faceplate, which is exactly the kind of how to that turns a renter’s daydream into a Saturday morning project. Kill the power at the breaker and test with a lamp before touching anything, always, no exceptions. The finished outlet looks factory standard and charges straight from the wall, no adapter blocks hogging the plugs. Of all the practical <a href=”https://diyjoy.com/diy-projects/”>diy projects</a> in this list, this is the one guests actually notice and ask about.
11. Make a Battery with Spare Change
Treehugger shows how a little stack of pennies and cardboard becomes an actual working battery, and it is the best physics lesson your pocket change will ever deliver. A few coins, some vinegar-soaked cardboard, and suddenly you have enough voltage to light a small LED, powered by the same chemistry inside the batteries you buy. This is my favorite kind of <a href=”https://diyjoy.com/crafts-craft-projects/kids/”>science project</a>: cheap enough to ruin nothing, quick enough to hold a kid’s attention, and surprising enough to make adults lean in too. It will not charge your phone, and that is not the point; the point is the moment the LED lights and someone says no way. Rainy afternoons, science fair season, or any time a curious kid asks how batteries work, this little experiment answers with proof. Simple, safe, and genuinely fun to build.
12. DIY Solar-Powered USB Charger
A charger that drinks sunshine is the kind of gadget that pays for itself in smugness alone. A small solar panel, a charge controller, and a USB port assemble into a pocket-sized power source for phones and small electronics, perfect for <a href=”https://diyjoy.com/diy-projects/outdoor-ideas/”>camping</a> trips, long park days, or the emergency kit in the car. The build teaches real electronics basics without demanding an engineering degree, and every component is cheap and replaceable while you learn. Aim the panel properly and be patient, because sunshine is free but not fast. Mine lives in the glovebox and has rescued exactly two dead phones and one very grateful road trip. The full walkthrough is at Inhabitat, and it is a satisfying first step into solar tinkering.
13. Turn A Game Boy Into Android Gamepad
For everyone whose childhood Game Boy is still in a drawer somewhere, too loved to toss and too obsolete to use: this project is your permission slip. The classic handheld becomes a Bluetooth gamepad for Android, keeping the exact button feel your thumbs memorized decades ago while driving modern games. Hackaday features the conversion, and it is a genuinely rewarding intermediate electronics project, the kind with real soldering and real payoff. Emulators plus the original hardware feel is a nostalgia combination money cannot buy off a shelf. Source a broken Game Boy cheap online if you cannot bear to modify a working one, because plenty of us cannot. Retro tech revival projects do not get more satisfying than playing new games through old buttons.
14. DIY Wrist Mounted Crossbow
15. DIY Pop Socket
Our friends at DIY Projects for Teens came up with this homemade pop socket, and it costs about a fiftieth of the store version while looking exactly how you want instead of whatever the kiosk had. A button, some strong adhesive, and a few craft supplies make a phone grip that is completely custom, which is the entire point when you are personalizing the device you touch four hundred times a day. This is one of those <a href=”https://diyjoy.com/crafts-craft-projects/”>easy crafts</a> that works as a party activity, a locker gift, or a five minute fix when the store bought one pops off for the last time. Decorate with nail polish, washi tape, glitter, or leave it minimalist – the grip works the same either way. Teens especially love these, and a batch makes great little handmade gifts. Quick, cheap, and actually useful, the DIY trifecta.
