Kickstarter is full of unique and interesting projects – from self-brushing toothbrush to espresso makers, here are 7 products you never knew you needed!
To think that you were today years old to have come across these amazing Kickstarter projects… where have you been, boo? The joy of backing Kickstarter projects is that they’re full of innovation and you can get your hands on them before they go into the mass market. I don’t know about you, but I love first dips.
That’s why I’ve found seven unique Kickstarter projects that could improve your life one way or the other. Some of them have already made it past their Kickstarter phase and are already available for limited purchases, while others are still looking for backers. Take a look below!
1. TALO: Self-Brushing Toothbrush

What’s so good about TALO: It’s a self-brushing toothbrush! Its creator claims that most of us have been brushing our teeth wrongly our whole lives and that we take way too long to do it. TALO promises to cut down the brushing time from the average of 3 minutes to just 20 seconds, and its brushing mechanism follows the golden standard of brushing – The Bass Technique.
What you do is to place TALO, the self-brushing toothbrush on one side of your mouth and bite in till the ends of your teeth hit the plastic base. Then you press the button to turn it on and let the toothbrush do its thing. This process takes 10 seconds. When it’s done, just flip it over to the other side of your mouth and enjoy your new, clean teeth.

But wait, what about the toothpaste? Well, if you’re the sort to put toothpaste on your toothbrush and then immediately brush it, you’ve been doing it wrong all your life. You’re supposed to put the toothpaste on the brush, then spread it all over teeth with your tongue, and then brush. If you follow that method, brushing with TALO will make things a lot cleaner and you waste way less toothpaste.
How much is TALO: The cheapest tier on Kickstarter is currently US$119 (~S$165) which is cheaper than most other (decent) electric toothbrushes going for at least S$200!
2. Cheat Sheets: Easy Sheet Pan Cooking

What’s so good about Cheat Sheets: “Huh? It’s only a bunch of trays, what?” might be what you’re thinking but NOPE, you’re wrong! These Cheat Sheets Sheet Pans are made out of premium, food-grade and heat-resistant silicone. The tray that holds them are made with aluminised steel and coated with a non-stick PTFE and PFOA-free coating.
What does this mean for you? It means that you don’t have to deal with messy and wasteful aluminium foil or baking paper – no more wasting time trying to clean off all the gunk!

But that’s the least of your problems… the real benefit is that because the Cheat Sheets Sheet Pans are appropriately sized for meal preps, you don’t have to worry about making too much or too little. It’s a great way to portion out your food without having to rely on guesstimates or finicky scales!
How much is Cheat Sheets: Currently the cheapest one is US$49 (~S$67.90) and that gets you a Prepd Sheet Pan, two Large Cheat Sheets Dividers and two Small Cheat Sheets Dividers. That’s all you need if you’re cooking for one, really! Cooking for more? Have a look at the more expensive options, which doubles or triples the amount of Prepd Sheet Pans, large and small Cheat Sheets Dividers.
3. The NEO: In-home Espresso Maker

What’s so good about The NEO: Okay, you know how at Starbucks or Coffee Bean Tea Leaf they have those gigantic coffee machines? Let’s say you order an espresso – the barista goes to the grinder to grind the coffee bean and then stamps the ground coffee into the lever. They insert the lever into the machine, which then pumps water through the ground coffee, and voila! You have your espresso.
Thing is, doing that will empty your wallet in the long run. That’s why you’ll need The NEO. All you gotta do is get pre-ground coffee from the store or if you have your own coffee grinder, that works too.

The best thing about this is that you get the satisfying action of pressing your own espresso, and sometimes, knowing that you did it and the way it turned out right can make it even tastier.
Then there’s also the other, nice-to-have bits like not needing electricity or not wasting any coffee pods or capsules.
How much is The NEO: This amazing contraption can be yours for US$119 (~S$164.90). There are also other types of espresso makers with varying price range, so take your pick!
4. GOMI: 100% Recycled Power Bank

What’s so good about GOMI: The best inventions these days are usually the ones that look innocuous but are revolutionary in the way it does things – think Tesla’s electric cars or GOMI’s 100% recycled power bank.
Functionally, GOMI’s power bank is still a power bank – it charges your phone when you want it t, but the way it’s made is revolutionary. GOMI is made from 100% non-recyclable plastic, with 100% of the power coming from repurposed batteries.

Why is this a big deal though? Lots of our stuff is electronic, and what’s powering them are batteries. There are currently over 3 billion batteries produced but there’s no real way to recycle them. Additionally, 85% of the pollution on our beaches are from plastic waste. Remember the frequent #TrashTagChallenge events going up all the time?
GOMI takes these two problems and combines them into a simple power bank that everyone can use, and they also offer a free return service for when it doesn’t hold a charge anymore.
How much is GOMI: £40 (~S$70.20) might seem like a very steep price to pay for a power bank but remember, you’re not paying for the power bank itself. You’re paying for the research. By supporting this project, you’re opening up pathways for research into how to make recyclable electronic waste more accessible to the masses!
5. HabiKatt: Modular Cat Tree

What’s so good about HabiKatt: Here’s the thing about cat trees – they’re almost always unbearably generic, out of place in a home, and difficult to store. Often they sit by one corner and if you’re lucky the cat might use it, otherwise it just sits there as a non-functional tree.

No more! HabiKatt’s customisable cat tree is fully modular, which not only means that you can change it up according to your cat’s liking, you can also change it up according to your liking to match the decor of your house.
How much is HabiKatt: It’s C$79 (~S$81.30) but it doesn’t ship to Singapore. You’ll want to pay the extra C$15 (~S$15.40) to ship to the US, where you can forward it with any shipping provider in our Best US Freight Forwarders guide.
6. Briiv: Plant-Based Air Purifier

What’s so good about Briiv: Plant-based this, plant-based that. Kim Kardashian West’s doing it, and so should you! Honestly, the fact that Briiv is a plant-based air purifier is almost secondary to how it looks. Put this in your house and your guests will be asking you all about it and where did you get it from.
That’s when you can tell them it’s an air filter using moss, coconut husks, activated charcoal, and wool to clean the air. One Briiv is as powerful as 3,043 medium-sized houseplants – that’s insane!

Briiv is compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant if you’re looking to integrate it into your smart home. It also comes with a mobile app to control the filters, and it’ll let you know which filter requires changing soon. The great thing about Briiv is also the opportunity to educate your guests about how air filters are not biodegradable. After all, what’s clean air without a clean environment?
How much is Briiv: £265 (~S$464.60) gets you a cool and compact air filter and a year’s subscription of air filters. If you were to buy your usual air filter from the department store, it’s around the same price and it only cleans air. And it’s unsightly.
7. PICO: Palm-sized Garden

What’s so good about PICO: Some of us have green fingers, while some of just don’t have the talent to take care of plants. Plant-sitting is a delicate art because too little or too much water or light, you’ll kill the plant. If you’re also like me and can’t care for plants properly, we’re saved. PICO, a tiny little palm-sized garden will light and water the plant automatically for you.

A pocket plant is an amazing addition to a home, desk or room because it adds a little greenery to the scenery. I’m sure I don’t have to go on about the benefits about being surrounded by greenery – you can look that up yourself, but isn’t it nice to see your plant growing under your care, putting you one step closer to being the green finger you’ve always dreamed of?
How much is PICO: US$34 (~S$47.10) gets you the PICO plant, a charging cable, a Daisy Chain Cable, and interchangeable mounts.
Kickstart(er) Your Discovery For New Things
Sometimes, shopping on e-commerce marketplaces could be a little repetitive (except Taobao – I could spend hours on it!). That’s why when you hop on Kickstarter, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by many interesting projects that people are trying to bring to life, and you can be the first few to own it.
Most Kickstarter projects are in foreign currency, so remember to pay with your YouTrip card if you fancy any projects, and take advantage of the Wholesale Exchange Rates for the best cost savings!
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