Best Of Desk And Audio: LEGO Sets, Precision Coffee Gear, And Retro Sound | Vol. 5
Five editorially chosen picks: one hero, three supporting acts, and one wildcard. This drop is designed to be browsed as a full collection, not just a pile of affiliate links.
Hero Pick
LEGO Ideas Typewriter
A 2,079-piece interactive LEGO model of a classic mid-century typewriter with moving keys and carriage.
At a glance
Everything in this drop
LEGO Ideas Typewriter
A 2,079-piece interactive LEGO model of a classic mid-century typewriter with moving keys and carriage.
Fellow Stagg EKG Kettle
A precision pour-over kettle with variable temperature control and a minimalist matte finish.
Peak Design Everyday Tote V2
A tech-focused 15L tote bag with customizable FlexFold dividers and weatherproof shell.
Marshall Emberton II Speaker
A compact, IP67 waterproof portable speaker with Marshall's signature rock-and-roll styling and 30+ hours of battery.
Divoom Ditoo Pixel Art Speaker
A retro PC-style Bluetooth speaker with a mechanical keyboard interface and programmable pixel art display.
Deep dive
Why each pick earned its place
LEGO Ideas Typewriter
A 2,079-piece interactive LEGO model of a classic mid-century typewriter with moving keys and carriage.
Price
£325.62
Editorial rating
5.0 / 5
Look, we all pretend we're going to write that novel one day, don't we? But let's be honest, staring at a MacBook screen just doesn't have the same gravitas as clacking away on a proper machine.
That's why this is our Hero pick this week: it captures all the romance of being a tortured writer in the 1950s without the ink stains or the deadlines.
It is a stunning piece of engineering that reminds you physical things actually exist.
The Irresistible
- The Tactile Satisfaction: The keys actually have a snap to them. Pressing a letter makes the centre typebar rise-it is incredibly satisfying to fiddle with during Zoom calls.
- The Aesthetic: It comes in that perfect mid-century 'Mint Green' that screams government office circa 1955. It looks brilliant on a shelf.
The Clever Part
- Mechanical Genius: The carriage moves across as you type. It's a marvel of Technic engineering that makes you feel clever just for assembling it.
- The Personal Touch: It includes a letter from the LEGO chairman you can slot into the paper roller, adding to the illusion that you're about to do some work.
The Fine Print
- No Ink: Obvious, I know, but you will try to type a real letter at least once and feel like a muppet.
- Stickers: The keys are printed (thank god), but there are still a few stickers to apply, which is always a high-pressure moment.
The Reality Check
- Dust Magnet: It is a nightmare to clean between the keys, eventually becoming a museum of your own dead skin cells.
Fellow Stagg EKG Kettle
A precision pour-over kettle with variable temperature control and a minimalist matte finish.
Price
£169.95
Editorial rating
4.5 / 5
For years, I boiled water in a plastic jug like a savage, unaware that I was scorching my beans and ruining my morning.
The Stagg EKG is the moment you accept that you have become a coffee snob, and frankly, there is no going back.
It's sleek, precise, and looks better in your kitchen than most of your actual furniture.
It turns making a cuppa into a scientific ritual.
The Irresistible
- The Pour: The counterbalanced handle and gooseneck spout give you absolute control. You can pour a trickle so slow it defies gravity.
- Speed: It heats up ridiculously fast, meaning less time waiting for caffeine and more time vibrating with energy.
The Clever Part
- The Screen: The LCD display is crisp and hidden away in the black base. It shows the target temp and current temp, satisfying the data nerd in all of us.
- Hold Mode: It keeps the water at your exact chosen temperature for an hour, perfect for when you get distracted by Twitter.
The Fine Print
- Short Leash: The power cable is bafflingly short. You'll need to be right next to a socket.
- The Lid: Can be a bit stiff to pull off when you need a refill, risking a steam burn if you aren't careful.
The Reality Check
- Social Isolation: Owning this makes you insufferable to friends who just want a cup of instant tea.
Peak Design Everyday Tote V2
A tech-focused 15L tote bag with customizable FlexFold dividers and weatherproof shell.
Price
£207.72
Editorial rating
4.0 / 5
Tote bags are usually just shapeless sacks where your keys go to die at the bottom, aren't they? Peak Design looked at that chaos and said, ""Absolutely not.""
This is an obsessively organised bag masquerading as a casual carry. It's perfect for the commute when a backpack makes you look like being back at school, but a briefcase makes you look like a banker.
The Irresistible
- The Straps: The magnetic clasp keeps the handles together, and the padded shoulder strap is actually comfortable.
- Access: The top zip is wide, and the magnetic closure lets you reach in blindly to grab your camera or snacks without faffing about.
The Clever Part
- FlexFold Dividers: You can configure the inside to hold a camera, a drone, or just your lunch, stopping your water bottle from crushing your banana.
- Bombproof: The 400D nylon canvas is weatherproof. It laughs in the face of British drizzle.
The Fine Print
- Rigidity: It holds its shape, which is great for protection, but it doesn't really squash down if you want to shove it in a locker.
- Shoulder Fatigue: If you load it up with tech, 15L on one shoulder starts to ache after twenty minutes.
The Reality Check
- The Look: It definitely gives off ""I work in tech and have strong opinions on crypto"" vibes.
Marshall Emberton II Speaker
A compact, IP67 waterproof portable speaker with Marshall's signature rock-and-roll styling and 30+ hours of battery.
Price
£78.44
Editorial rating
4.5 / 5
Most Bluetooth speakers look like glowing plastic eggs or fabric-covered bricks, which is fine if you have zero taste.
The Emberton II looks like a tiny guitar amp, which immediately makes you 40% cooler just by holding it.
It's rugged enough to survive a festival in a muddy field, but handsome enough to sit on your bookshelf.
The Irresistible
- Battery Life: 30+ hours is absurd. You can charge it once, go on a weekend trip, and still have juice left for the drive home.
- The Aesthetic: The gold brass button and the script logo. It just looks proper rock 'n' roll.
The Clever Part
- Joystick Control: The multi-directional knob on top controls volume and skipping tracks. It's tactile and intuitive, unlike touch controls that never work.
- Stack Mode: You can pair it with other Embertons to create a wall of sound, though one is usually plenty loud.
The Fine Print
- No Mic: You can't take calls on it. You'll have to disconnect to speak to your mum.
- No Aux: Bluetooth only. If you still use an iPod Classic, you're out of luck.
The Reality Check
- Bass Limitations: Physics is still physics; it's the size of a brick, so don't expect it to shake the floorboards.
Divoom Ditoo Pixel Art Speaker
A retro PC-style Bluetooth speaker with a mechanical keyboard interface and programmable pixel art display.
Price
£82.99
Editorial rating
3.5 / 5
Sometimes we feature things because they are useful, and sometimes we feature things because our inner child grabs the credit card and screams ""I WANT THE SHINY THING.""
This is our Wildcard selection because frankly, nobody needs a tiny retro computer that displays pixelated gifs of cats while playing low-fi beats.
Yet, once you put it on your desk, you'll wonder how you ever got any work done without being distracted by it.
The Irresistible
- The Keys: The little mechanical keyboard keys actually click! They are backlit and satisfyingly clicky for controls.
- The Community: The app lets you download thousands of pixel art animations made by other people. It's endless entertainment.
The Clever Part
- The Utility: Surprisingly, it has decent tools like a Pomodoro timer, scoreboard, and stopwatch, all displayed in glorious 8-bit style.
- Sound: For a novelty toy, the speaker is actually quite punchy. It won't win awards, but it fills a small room.
The Fine Print
- The App: The software is a bit chaotic and sometimes struggles to stay connected to the phone.
- Battery Drain: If you have the screen bright and music playing, it eats battery faster than you'd like.
The Reality Check
- Distraction Factor: You will spend more time customising the pixel art display than actually doing the work you sat down to do.