If you search the Internet for solar-powered gifts, you can come up with a lot of surprising gadgets. Some are practical and affordable. And others are definitely for unique tastes. Let’s start with a few that are just for fun. Then we’ll get to the ones that I think are really useful.
Just for Fun
For example, for bicyclists, there’s the Ellipse smart bike lock from Lattis for $199. It’s just like an ordinary U-shaped lock for your bicycle, except that it’s electronic. That means you don’t need to carry a key or use a combination. And it’s powered by solar, which means you don’t have to worry about batteries.
The Ellipse smart lock will please the cyclist with an especially bad memory for four-digit numbers, or anybody who wants to unlock their bike from a distance with their phone because that sounds like a cool thing to do.
Another fun one is the Husqvarna Automower hybrid robotic lawnmower. Like a Roomba for your lawn, it does the work for you. And a built-in solar panel supplements the unit’s plug-in chargeable battery. Starting at about $2,000, the Automower doesn’t care if it’s too hot and sticky outside. That means it pretty much takes away any excuse you can come up with for not mowing the lawn.
Finally, in the Just for Fun category, there’s the solar-powered Ion5 Ionic Toothbrush from Soladey at $49.95. It’s for people who want to brush their teeth with atomic particles instead of toothpaste. The company claims it works better. But I’m wondering if you still get that fresh minty taste.
There are hundreds of other solar-powered electronics available this holiday season. It can be confusing to sort through them all to find the really useful ones.
So, to save you time and trouble finding just the right gift for that solar fan in your life, I’m sharing my five favorites below. And below that, I offer a couple of bigger gifts that your loved ones will remember for the rest of their lives. You’ll be surprised at how affordable they are.
1. Cling Bling Window Solar Charger For Smart Phones And More ($22.99)
Small chargers for a cell phone have been around for years. The problem is that usually to get a decent charge you have to leave them outside. Then, when your phone needs a charge, you have to remember to go outside to get your charger. What a hassle. That’s when you think to yourself “Forget it” and just plug your phone into the wall.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have a solar charger that works from inside your house?
That’s why a charger that sticks to the inside of your window is so handy. The Cling Bling uses suction cups to stick to your window, which means you can move it from your desk to your car dashboard whenever you want. And once its own battery is fully juiced up, the Cling Bling recharges your iPhone in only a couple hours. This site seems to give you a flash sale price of $22.99 if you buy it within the first ten minutes.
2. BirkSun Solar Backbacks ($99+)
The perfect gift for the college or high school student in your life, a solar backpack is another practical way to charge a phone or other small portable electronics.
BirkSun packs start at $99 and come in several colors. With a built-in rechargeable battery, as the company’s website explains, they’re “designed for travel, working on the go, and music festivals. With built-in solar panels, you’ll always have access to 100% organic juice on the go.”
3 Go Sun Sport Outdoor Solar Stove ($279)
Like many solar gadgets, the GoSun Sport Stove is for use outside. While it does cook in cold weather, realistically, you’ll probably have more fun with it if you think ahead to the spring. But once it’s warm outside again, this little stove is great for picnics. You can cook your own hot food on site without having to haul a bulky grill along for the ride. The company’s fastest solar oven, the Sport allows you to bake, roast or steam a meal for two people in as little as 20 minutes, reaching up to 550°F.
4. Solar Dusk Until Dawn LED Flood Light ($43.99)
Outdoor lighting powered by solar is one of the best ways to enhance security at your home without enhancing (!) your electricity bill. Solar floodlights, like this one from Maxsa, use a photovoltaic panel to charge a built-in battery in the light during the day. Then, sensors turn on the light automatically at dusk and can work on two different power settings. With 12 LED lights, the floodlight is perfect for large outdoor areas and can light up landscapes, driveways or even large signboards.
5. Goal Zero Yeti 1250 Solar Power Generator ($1249.99)
When you need to charge something bigger than a phone or a few batteries for a flashlight, you need a serious solar generator. While it won’t replace your daily home power, a larger capacity solar generator can provide portable power for camping or even backup power at home for appliances as large as a refrigerator.
The Yeti 1250 generator, the largest model available from Goal Zero, has a battery capacity of 1200 Wh that can give liquid fuel generators a run for their money in terms of power. Currently on sale at $1249.99, the initial cost for the Yeti 1250 may be higher than a traditional generator with comparable power. But of course, the operating cost for a solar generator will be much lower, since you won’t have to keep filling it up with diesel fuel or gasoline at $2 or $3 per gallon. And in a real emergency, with a solar generator you won’t have to worry about driving out to the gas station to refuel. Compatible solar panels ranging from $199 to $499 are sold separately.
A Couple of Big Ones, Surprisingly Affordable
Solar Panels for Your Roof
Of course, I think that solar panels on your roof are about the best present that any solar-lover can get. And the good news is that the price of home solar has come down quickly over the last few years, with costs dropping 12% in the last year alone.
If you contact us for a free quote, we can come by your place anywhere in southwestern or central Virginia and let you know if your home qualifies for solar. The solar panels would go up in the new year, but if you contact us soon, we can give you an attractive gift card to put under the tree.
A Used Electric Car
Meanwhile, if you want a big ticket item that you can get right away, why not consider an electric car? Zachary Shahan of CleanTechnica advises getting a lightly used model that will save you big money off showroom prices and still give years of good service: “Prices are so ridiculously low on used electric cars that I think they now offer the best value for the money of any type of car on the market. You can legitimately get an electric car for the price of a TV (granted, an expensive TV).”
Shahan found a 2013 Nissan Leaf as low as $6,199 and a 2012 Chevy Volt as low as $9,500. A few thousand dollars more will be enough for models loaded with hundreds of options. And if you want to go deluxe, you can get a deal on a used Tesla Model S for under $50,000.
— Andrew Brenner, Main Street Solar
