IFA Berlin: 9 standout gadgets you can buy

Europe’s biggest tech show still rewards good hardware. Among the sprawling booths and breathless AI demos, the real winners were practical devices that solve everyday problems with clever engineering. From a bagless robot vacuum dock to AR glasses that actually feel wearable, these are the nine gadgets that genuinely impressed—several of which you can already buy or back.

Philips Hue Bridge Pro turns lights into sensors

Philips Hue’s new Bridge Pro is a quiet revolution: it lets groups of your existing Hue bulbs act as motion detectors via radio-sensing, no new sensors required. The hub supports up to 150 lights and four MotionAware zones, and packs a processor that’s five times faster than the previous Bridge for snappier automations. The practical impact is big—hall lights that wake softly when you walk by, or a living room that reacts only when someone’s actually there—without adding hardware clutter. RF sensing has been validated in academic research and industry pilots, and bringing it to mainstream homes is a smart flex from Signify’s Hue team.

Rokid Glasses make AR light, useful, and social

Rokid’s latest smart glasses weigh just 1.7 ounces yet deliver on features that matter: real-time translation in 89 languages, on-lens prompts for navigation, and an unobtrusive 12MP first-person camera. They’re AI-assisted without feeling like a science project, and early momentum is real—pledges have already cleared the seven-figure mark on crowdfunding. At a planned $599, Rokid undercuts most mixed-reality headsets while targeting daily, glanceable tasks. For travelers and field workers, that translation demo alone sells it.

Ecovacs Deebot X11 Omnicyclone ditches dust bags

Premium robo-vacs have nailed hands-free cleaning, but they’ve trapped owners in a cycle of bag purchases. The Deebot X11 Omnicyclone breaks that model with a dock that automatically empties into a reusable canister—no consumables required. Between a 6,400mAh battery, GaN quick top-ups (about 6% in three minutes), and a quoted 10,700 square feet of cleaning per charge, it’s built for large homes. The mop roller reaches right to edges with TruEdge 3.0, and an onboard voice assistant helps with setup and troubleshooting. Fewer supplies to buy, less fiddling, more cleaning.

Eufy Marswalker carries your robot up the stairs

Multi-story homes have stymied robot vacs for years. Eufy’s Marswalker is a tracked carrier that ferries compatible Eufy robots up and down stairs, gripping treads and transitioning across different surfaces. It’s designed for Omni S2 and S1 models first, with broader support planned. If the final pricing lands right, this could be a smarter answer than buying multiple vacs or living with neglected floors between levels.

Roborock’s RockMow lineup targets big lawns

Roborock is extending its home robotics expertise into the yard with the RockMow Z1, S1, and Neo Q1. The flagship Z1 is pitched to manage up to 54,000 square feet per day—think sports-field scale—while bringing the app polish Roborock is known for. If the navigation and safety stack are as refined as its vacuums, traditional mowers and wire-bound bots will feel dated. For context, market analysts at GfK have tracked strong growth in perimeter-free mowers, and Roborock’s late-but-confident entry looks well-timed.

Govee TV Backlight 3 Pro nails color matching

Bias lighting that truly tracks picture edges is harder than it looks. Govee’s Backlight 3 Pro uses a triple-camera intake to capture more screen detail, producing color transitions that feel instant and accurate rather than smeary or laggy. The result isn’t just eye candy; well-tuned bias lighting can reduce perceived eye strain and make HDR content pop. Price is still TBD, but based on the demo, Govee finally has a kit that rivals pricier, more complex setups.

Xgimi Horizon 20 Max is the projector to beat

Home cinema skeptics, meet the spec sheet that converts: 5,700 ISO lumens, a 20,000:1 contrast ratio, true 4K, variable refresh rate up to 240Hz, and iMax Enhanced certification. The Horizon 20 Max couples those numbers with distortion-free images via lens shift and fast, reliable auto-keystone. At $2,399 (down from a higher list), it undercuts many rivals with dimmer output. For living rooms with ambient light, the extra brightness matters more than most people realize—projector buyers’ forums and AV pros harp on this for a reason.

Olight Ostation 2 charges AA and AAA automatically

Most battery docks force you to buy and manage separate chargers for AA and AAA. Olight’s Ostation 2 handles both, up to 12 cells, with drop-in slots that auto-align, charge, and then release finished batteries to a sorted tray. It also disconnects cells at full charge, helping to prolong cycle life—an approach echoed by guidance from battery researchers and standards bodies. For households swimming in remotes, toys, and accessories, this is an easy sustainability win versus disposables.

Satechi OnTheGo keyboard folds small, works on three

Satechi’s compact Bluetooth keyboard folds to roughly its own depth yet still offers a stable stand for phones and tablets, adjustable to 150 degrees. It pairs with three devices and promises up to three months per charge. The key feel is closer to a trimmed-down laptop board than a flimsy travel slab, making it a credible option for working sessions, not just emergency replies. It’s available for pre-order at $80 and looks tailor-made for frequent flyers and tablet-first creators.

Why these nine stood out

The best IFA reveals had a common thread: practical upgrades that reduce friction—no fresh holes for sensors, no bags to buy, fewer chargers to manage, accessories that disappear into your routine. That’s where consumer tech feels meaningfully better. And crucially, several picks here are either on sale or in preorder now, so you don’t have to wait for the future to show up.

Context matters, too. Analysts at CCS Insight and GfK have noted that buyers are prioritizing reliability and convenience over novelty. These nine gadgets meet that brief, delivering measurable improvements you’ll notice on day one—whether that’s a staircase finally getting cleaned, a TV that looks more cinematic, or a projector that holds its own at noon.