The 10 best gadgets to spend your tax return on
Tax time can be hellish for some people, but for the rest of us who are living carefree without complicated tax debts, it's a joyous event where a large wad of cash is dropped into your lap to be spent on anything you heart desires.
With that in mind, we've compiled a list of awesome gadgets and tech items that you should totally blow all your money on with a blatant disregard of any financial commitments you may have in the future – read on to see what we recommend!
PlayStation 4 or Xbox One
With so many great games announced at E3 2015, now's as good a time as any to jump into the current generation of games consoles.
The PlayStation 4 (AU$549.95) and Xbox One (AU$499.95) both offer big processing power and a great range of games, so your ultimate decision on which console to get will likely come down to whether you count multi-platform games or exclusive titles as the bigger priority (which you can also buy if you have any leftover tax return money).
If you still can't decide which console you'd rather own, then we suggest you check out our thorough PS4 vs Xbox One comparison feature.
Nexus Player
If you're looking for an affordable way to bring the Android experience to your television set (that leaves you with some tax return money to spend on other stuff), look no further than the Nexus Player (AU$129).
The puck-shaped Nexus Player is the first device to run Android TV, allowing for screen sharing, media streaming (it's a great way to watch Netflix, Stan, Presto and Quickflix), productivity (it runs over 600 Android apps) and gaming – especially when used in conjunction with the Nexus Player Gamepad (AU$59).
Worx Landroid
There's nothing worse than having your weekend ruined by taxing yard work (see what we did there?), so why not spend your tax money on a machine that mows the lawn for you to lighten the workload?
Meet the Worx Landroid (AU$1,199), the robotic lawnmower that does all the hard work, ensuring that it'll be a long time before you have to push a mower around again.
The Worx Landroid does require a bit of setup (boundary wire must be placed around the perimeter of your lawn, so that it knows where to stop cutting), but let's face it – cutting down your lawn work makes it totally worth it (pun intended).
Handpresso Auto E.S.E.
Love coffee but always on the road? The Handpresso Auto E.S.E. (AU$165) in-car espresso maker has you covered (though hopefully not in piping-hot coffee).
Adopting the popular coffee pod-system that many home espresso machines use, Handpresso provides its own pods for straight espresso, decaf and Arabica blends, though many other coffee pod brands are compatible with the machine.
Sure, you could opt to spend your tax return money on a bigger, more stationary espresso machine, but they won't make you feel like your ride has been 'pimped' by Xzibit.
iPad Air 2
We can think of no better tablet to spend your tax return money on than the iPad Air 2 – it's not only Apple's flagship tablet, but it's probably the best tablet on the market, period.
It's the lightest, thinnest, most beautiful iPad that Apple has ever created, one that has raised the bar for the rest of the competition, forcing them to up their game (we're looking at you, Google Nexus 9 and Surface Pro 3).
Sonos Play:1
Still using a CD player to listen to music from a single spot in your house? Well, this wireless hi-fi system is going to blow you away.
With the Sonos Play:1, you can place wireless speakers around your whole house which you can send music to and control right from your phone – the Sonos Controller App lets you use your own music collection, or stream your playlists from services like Spotify, MOG, Rdio, JB Hi-Fi NOW Music and much more.
Seriously, use that tax money to bring your music-loving self into the 21st century.
DJI Phantom 3 Professional drone
There are many drone options available on the market, but if you've got a particularly large tax return, then you might as well spend it on the best drone around.
The DJI Phantom 3 Professional (AU$2349) comes equipped with an incredible 4K camera that shoots at 30fps, so you can take cinema-quality aerial shots with very little effort.
It's also got an amazing range of features – satellite support for rock-steady GPS positioning, an indoor Vision Positioning sensor to avoid crashing into stuff in your house, and automatic take off and landing functionality.
Perfect Drink
With all that tax return money burning a hole in your pocket, you're going to want to throw some lavish cocktail parties that are more in tune with your new, cashed-up lifestyle – enter Perfect Drink (AU$70)
This app-controlled smart bartender tells you how to make over 300 types of cocktail without the need to measure your liquids – simply place an empty glass on its smart scale, and start pouring each ingredient until it tells you to stop.
And, if you do overpour, the Perfect Drink app will recalculate itself in order to ensure your delicious cocktail is perfectly proportioned.
Now if only it spoke to you in Bryan Brown's voice... Or played Kokomo on repeat as you make a drink. Actually, this next gadget should take care of the latter request...
Marshall Stanmore Bluetooth speaker
If you're looking to spend your tax return money on a Bluetooth speaker, then the Marshall Stanmore is the way to go.
This ridiculously attractive product (which comes in a variety of colours) embraces the signature rock 'n' roll style that the brand is known for, resembling Marshall's world famous guitar amps.
Unwilling to rely solely on its good looks, the Marshall Stanmore's sound is also quite impressive, producing a loud sound that's ideal for guitar-based music.
Airwheel X8 electric unicycle
Let's just put this out there – pedalling is for suckers (just ask motorcycle enthusiasts).
Why pedal when you can just stand on an electric unicycle that does (most) of the hard work for you? Introducing the Airwheel X8 (AU$899), a smooth, single-tyre transportation method that will take some time to master, but is well worth the effort.
Working much like a Segway, the Airwheel X8 moves forward and backward based on your lean – though you won't have anything to hold on to here, so be careful.
With a design that improves upon last year's Airwheel Q3, the Airwheel X8 is the coolest unicycle around – all you need to do now is practice your juggling technique.
