Every year at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), brands from all over the world showcase their latest and greatest products and everyone gets a glimpse at innovative technologies. This year’s event was no different, and BGR’s Jose Adorno was on-site to get hands-on with some of the coolest gear. Some of his favorite gadgets included new smart glasses, the Clicks physical keyboard for iPhone, a smart fan, and more. But while there was a ton of useful tech — with a huge emphasis on AI and AI companions – it’s the lesser-known or overlooked gear that sometimes deserves a chance to shine.
Between Micro RGB TVs (in larger sizes than ever), smart appliances, and robots galore, there were also quirky gadgets that are just as useful and intriguing. Here’s a quick list of some of the coolest CES tech items that every enthusiast needs to know about.
Staircase-climbing robot vacuums
Called the Cyber X, from Dreame technologies, the device you see above is a chunky robot vacuum with “legs” that extend horizontally to move the system up a staircase. Demoed at CES 2026, the device was able to navigate up and down a model staircase, while also playing host to a small, round vacuum unit that actually docks inside the climbing attachment. The vacuum itself operates like what you’re used to, using smart “3DAdapt Vision” mapping to navigate the environment in real-time, all backed by “triple braking protection” to ensure the vacuum glides smoothly and safely over surfaces.
In its press release, Dreame says that the vacuum and rig can climb steps up to 25 centimeters (9.8 inches) high. There’s no word on a release date or price, presumably because it’s conceptual at the moment, but it will be interesting to see this technology developed further. Robot vacuums and cleaning devices are no longer confined to a single floor. How wild is that? It’s also worth noting: Roborock has a robot vacuum that can both climb stairs and jump, and Ecovacs has a Robovac that can climb small sets of stairs, too.
Total Recall-esque color-changing tech nails
Fans of the original “Total Recall” might remember a scene where a secretary holds up her fingernails, taps them with a stylus, and they change color instantly. As it turns out, 2026 is the very year those nails come to market. Originating from a company called iPolish, the product arrives in the form of acrylic press-on nails, utilizing an electric charge to display and change color. You press the nail into an electric wand or control unit and, like magic, it’s boasting a new color.
The product is non-chemical-based, cruelty-free, and users can swap between 400 different colors using the set. Users choose hues from within a mobile app before pressing the nails into the wand. The starter kit is available for pre-order (priced at $95), and comes with the wand, a top-coat, bonding glue, and two full sets of nails. Users will also be able to customize the nails sets, choosing specific lengths and sizes. Those replacement sets start at $6.
A bone conduction musical lollipop
Bone conduction technology has been around for a while, but it’s never really been used the way it was shown off this year at CES. A company called Lollipop Star demoed a tasty treat that also delivers sound right to your inner ear. It’s like any other lollipop. You suck on it to enjoy the flavors, but it also delivers a beat. It sounds like it will feature exclusives from “global pop icons” eventually, and each version will carry its “own beat, flavor, and vibe.”
It only costs $9 ($8.99 to be more specific) but isn’t for sale just yet. However, it’s only a one-time-use item that you’d essentially throw away after you have that initial flavor-bomb-auto-tune experience. That does dredge up a little concern about waste.
At the event, Lollipop Star shared three flavors and artists for attendees, including Blue Paradise which played Akon’s “Beautiful Day;” White Peach and Strawberry tuned to Ice Spice’s “Munch, Baddie Baddie, Big Guy;” and Lime Sea Salt featuring Armani White’s “Mount Pleasant.”
A stringless digital smart guitar
Okay, smart guitars may not be entirely new. But at CES this year, LiberLive showed off its C2 stringless guitar which also features a fairly unique, cyberpunk-ish design. Liberlive said the original C1 “represents a new generation of digital musical instruments designed to break the technical barriers of traditional guitar learning.” The updated C2 model takes that concept a step further, offering up to eight hours of battery life, a built-in speaker with a 30-watt woofer and 15-watt mid-high frequency unit, and 35 tonal style packs with 200 rhythm modes.
The idea is not necessarily to provide a live-concert-ready instrument but to help newcomers and intermediate players train on a more accessible, more portable option with built-in support. The C2 also has several expansion ports, including a 3.5mm aux, 6.35mm port, microphone jack, and an expansion card slot for storage. It sounds like learning guitar is going to be easier than ever for the musically inclined, and honestly, even those not as inclined.
Honorable mentions
Of course, the gadgets listed here aren’t the only zany or innovative tech examples shown off at CES this year. It’s impossible to include everything, but it is possible to share a few more honorable mentions. These include the Breakreal R1, an AI-powered drink and cocktail maker; the Takway Sweekar, an “emotionally intelligent” and growing pocket pet; the Vivoo FlowPad, a digital-testing menstrual pad; or the Throne One “revolutionary” toilet computer and sensor. The latter will track gut health, hydration, potty habits, and check your stress and diet levels all by analyzing your stool and urine.
Jose also encountered quite a bit more, from Pebble’s latest smartwatch to a Ugreen NAS with up to 196TB of storage and 64GB of RAM. Impressive. It seems like this year’s event was one for the books. Come to think of it, it feels that way every year, considering how much new tech is announced and demoed.
