5 Fun USB Gadgets You Can Buy On Amazon For Under $20 – BGR

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

USB gadgets often come in the form of useful and practical devices. There are USB accessories that level up your workspace, like a USB hub, a condenser microphone, or a Bluetooth speaker. You can also find a host of USB devices to make your outdoor adventures smoother, such as a portable power bank, mini fan, and travel router.

Just because there are plenty of handy USB gadgets out there doesn’t mean every single USB product you buy needs to serve a serious purpose. Sometimes, it’s okay to add some fun devices to your arsenal, too. They can be as simple as a decorative light or as amusing as a sound-emitting prank gadget. The best part is that some of them are pretty affordable, so you won’t feel as guilty about splurging. If you’re on the hunt for fun USB gadgets to include in your collection of home or office electronics, here are five you can buy on Amazon for under $20.

House parties and karaoke nights are better with a bit of colorful ambient lighting. But you don’t need expensive smart bulbs or bulky strobe lights just to set the mood. Mini disco lights like Lmaytech USB Mini Disco Ball Party Lights give off the same effect, without the hefty price tag. With a 4.4-star rating and costing only $9.99 for a two-pack, this fun USB gadget features two main hardware components: LEDs and a sound sensor. The LEDs produce different patterns with multi-color light combinations, similar to a disco ball. Meanwhile, the sound sensor makes the gadget responsive to sounds. It reacts in sync to simple noises like claps and footsteps, as well as to more rhythmic sounds like beats and songs.

In terms of connectivity, the Lmaytech USB Mini Disco Ball Party Lights connect via USB-A. This makes it quick and easy to plug into most electronics like a computer, wall adapter, or even your TV. You can also use it with your iPhone, iPad, or Android device. Just connect it to the iPhone lightning adapter, USB-C adapter, or micro-USB adapter included in the package.

Another thing you might appreciate about the Lmaytech USB Mini Disco Ball Party Lights is that it’s small and portable at only 1.5 x 1.6 inches. That means you can fit it in your pocket and carry it anywhere. Besides parties, the mini disco ball makes a nice addition to your Christmas tree, display case, or as a dynamic background for your personal videos.

One of the most harmless yet hilarious ways to prank someone is to play mysterious sounds from a hidden spot. Bluetooth speakers are great for this, but they’d be easier to spot due to their size. To make the prank harder to detect, you might prefer something smaller, like the Joker Greeting USB Cat Meow Prank.

With a rating of 4.1 stars and measuring just 2 x 1 x 0.25 inches, this $19.99 prank gadget does one thing and one thing only: Blast a meowing cat sound to throw off anyone nearby. It’s equipped with an onboard speaker, so it works on its own and is ready to use right out of the box. All you have to do is set it to your preferred interval — 5 minutes or 60 minutes — by flipping a switch. You should then hear the meows after each interval you selected. 

Once the device is set, simply connect it to your computer or laptop, USB hub, car, charger, wall outlet, or TV via its USB-A port. The Joker Greeting USB Cat Meow Prank should work automatically. And since there’s no on/off switch, your prank can go on for days until the device is found, or it somehow gets cut off from power. To keep things even more interesting, you can move the device around the house or office. It’s small enough to be tucked away, and its standard USB-A connection makes it universal and compatible with a wide variety of power options.

Having your room’s lights off while working or gaming at night can strain your eyes. A practical option for adding some ambient lighting to your desk is an under-monitor light like the 4.3-star ABCidy Under Monitor Light Bar, available on Amazon for just $17.99. This budget-friendly personal lighting solution is one of the best USB gadgets for gamers to add to their setup. It simply sticks under your computer monitor with double-sided adhesive tape and plugs into any USB-A port, such as your monitor, laptop, phone charger, or power bank.

It’s also highly customizable, as you can choose from more than 300 dynamic light modes with different colors and patterns, like a flowing rainbow effect. If you prefer a steady glow for working, there are 15 static color modes like white, yellow, and blue. Each mode can be adjusted to one of eight brightness levels and various speed settings to better fit your space. Plus, the light bar has a memory function and saves the last used configuration. That means you won’t have to set it up every time you turn it on. To control the light bar, you can either use the switch built into the light itself or the companion remote that can communicate with the light bar from up to 26 feet away.

If you’re looking to upgrade your desk or shelf space with some decorative lighting, your first thought might be to use LED strips or fairy lights. But there’s another option that’s a bit more fun than the usual lighting solutions: A plasma ball, such as the 4.2-star RioRand Plasma Ball.

When powered on, this plasma ball shoots red and bluish lightning-like rays from the center to any random point on the edge of the glass sphere. If you touch the glass, though, the lights are redirected to where your finger is, making it look like they’re following you. Rated at 200 lumens, the plasma ball is bright enough for mood lighting, but it works just as well as a quirky ornament or a toy. You can leave it plugged into a USB-A source on your desk or shelf and let it do its thing, or you can use it as an entertainment for kids and guests to play with.

While the plasma ball can connect via USB-A just fine, it can also run on four AAA batteries. You can then place it away from power sources, like in the middle of the coffee table or on a windowsill. At just $13.95, it’s cheap enough to buy several and display them around your home.

A USB fan for personal cooling is always a welcome addition to your workspace, but if you find the usual designs too boring, a model like BREIS New USB Clock Fan offers a fun alternative. This strange but useful USB gadget is a fusion between a fan and a clock and carries a solid 4.1-star rating on Amazon. As its blades spin, they project a glowing analog clock (complete with hour, minute, and second hands that move in real-time) and temperature readings in both Celsius and Fahrenheit. 

These illuminated details are powered by the built-in chip installed on one of the blades. It’s also this chip that makes sure the time is accurate every time you turn it on. If the clock is showing the wrong time, you can readily adjust it by pushing the button on the fan.

Design-wise, the BREIS New USB Clock Fan includes some convenient features. It comes with a 15.75-inch flexible metal gooseneck, so you can easily redirect the air where you need it. Meanwhile, the blades are made with soft PVC material to keep them safe to touch even when they’re running. The fan uses USB-A, which lets you plug it into a variety of power sources like your computer, power bank, or wall adapter. You can get the BREIS New USB Clock Fan on Amazon for $17.99. 

While picking the products for this roundup, we had two main requirements: The item should be fun to use and cheap to buy. All these recommendations are therefore budget-friendly products that aren’t necessarily a need but would still be a fun addition to your work or living space. To make sure you get the best value for your money, we also looked at the rating (all products have at least 4.1 stars) and the user reviews.