While CES 2026 is full of tech giants unveiling their latest innovations, the real excitement comes from discovering unexpected and original gadgets that make you wonder, “Who thought of that?”
We’re here to highlight the craziest products we’ve found so far at CES 2026, from an AI-powered panda that responds to your touch, to Razer’s holographic anime assistant, and many other oddities that make you do a double take.
An animated AI companion that watches over you from your desktop
Razer AVA projectoriginally introduced last year as an AI coach for esports, has evolved into something new: a 5.5-inch animated holographic desktop companion that can help with gaming strategies, productivity, daily organization, and even personal advice. It is both a gaming ally and a daily assistant. Users can choose from different characters, such as the animated girl Kira or the muscular Zane.
These digital avatars feature realistic movements, eye tracking, expressive faces, and lip sync for lifelike interactions. What really stands out, though, is the constant monitoring: the device monitors you and your screen using the built-in camera. It’s a bit unsettling, but since it’s still just a concept, there’s no guarantee it will ever become a real product.
A cuddly AI panda robot baby for the elderly
An’An, the latest AI pet from The mind with the heart Roboticscombines adorable design with a meaningful mission: supporting senior care.
The panda robot has high-tech sensors all over its body, so it reacts naturally when you touch it. Its emotional AI remembers your voice, how you interact and what you like, so the more time you spend with An’An, the more personalized it becomes. It provides 24-hour emotional support to combat loneliness. Additionally, for seniors who might have memory issues, An’An helps them stay engaged, reminds them of daily tasks, and keeps caregivers updated on their well-being.
Techcrunch event
San Francisco | October 13-15, 2026
A $500 ice maker that uses AI to reduce noise
Smart appliance brand GoveeLife has unveiled a countertop smart ice maker that uses AI to keep things nice and quiet. The company’s patented AI NoiseGuard technology is designed to reduce all the annoying noise you usually get from nugget ice machines. The AI detects when the machine is about to freeze and make noise, so it automatically defrosts before things get noisy.
The Smart Nugget Ice Maker Pro produces fresh ice in just six minutes and can produce up to 60 pounds per day. The bucket holds 3.5 pounds of ice at a time. It’ll cost you $499.99 — which might make you think twice — but if you’re ready to upgrade your ice game, you can pick one up starting January 15 at Amazon, govee.com, Walmart, or Best Buy.
An ultrasonic chef’s knife that vibrates while slicing and dicing
Depending on who you ask, this kitchen gadget may seem too silly or very useful. Unlike traditional knives, this one Seattle Ultrasound features a blade that vibrates over 30,000 times per second, allowing it to move through food with ease. This vibration technology means the knife acts much sharper than its physical edge, making tasks such as slicing vegetables, meat or bread much easier for cooks. According to the company, the vibrations are so subtle that you can’t see the blade moving, hear it, or feel anything in the handle.
The knife costs $399 and is currently available for pre-order.
A musical lollipop that plays Ice Spice in your head
Musical toothbrushes exist, so why not also have pacifiers that play music? Lollipop star presented its tasty product at CES, which plays music through bone conduction in the mouth. (The technology works by sending vibrations through the skull bones directly to your inner ear.) The lollipops also deliver a burst of fruity flavor. You can choose from three artists: Ice Spice (peach), Akon (blueberry) and Armani White (lime).
This Wall-E-inspired robot patrols your home and can also join you camping
Zeroth Robotics presented the W1 at CES, a robot reminiscent of WALL-E.
The W1 is a programmable companion designed for families. According to the company’s websitefor $4,999, the robot offers 24-hour AI-powered security, 360-degree mobile monitoring, and integrates with smart home devices for instant smoke and intrusion alerts. It’s also marketed as an adventure companion that can carry camping gear, follow you around the campsite taking photos as a family photographer, and provide portable power so you can enjoy your entertainment on the go.
However, the company didn’t say whether the robot could sort trash or collect trinkets – a missed opportunity, in our opinion.
An egg-shaped hormone tracking device
This egg-shaped device can assess your reproductive health hormones. All it needs is your urine.
Mira is $249 Ultra4 Hormone Monitor allows convenient testing at home: simply urinate on the wand and insert it into the device. The device analyzes your results and provides information on four reproductive hormones: follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estrone-3-glucuronide (E3G), and pregnanediol 3-glucuronide (PdG). Monitoring these hormones not only tells you your fertile six days, but also offers insight into conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), perimenopause, and menopause.
It looks pretty good.
This story was updated after publication to include more weird gadgets.
