7 weirdest gadgets of CES 2026

Whether it’s massive TVs with almost no bezels, rollable laptops with screens that expand on command, or robot vacuums like the Roborock Saros Rover that can actually climb stairs, CES always makes us feel like we’re living in the future. All of the excitement on the show floor here in Las Vegas is the perfect way to kick off the new year.

The Tom’s Guide team has spent a busy few days trying out all the new and upcoming products at CES 2026. While we’ve seen some that we can’t wait to get our hands on to test out even further back home, others have left us scratching our heads. From lollipops that play music through your jawbone to digital nail polish that changes color with an app, the "weird" factor is at an all-time high this year.

It’s not that these gadgets are bad — far from it. Instead, they represent the wacky, experimental spirit that makes CES special. Here are the weirdest gadgets we saw at CES 2026. Once you're done diving into the oddities, you can also see which products truly impressed us in our Best of CES 2026 awards. There is some crossover between the two lists though, as sometimes the weirdest ideas also happen to be the most innovative.

SwitchBot Kata Friends

What would CES be without a robot that’s also adorable? Although SwitchBot's robotic companions first made their debut back at IFA 2025, its Kata Friends Series was out on the show floor on full display at CES this year. Don’t let those big blue eyes fool you though, this AI pet is packed with tech.

This SwitchBot Kata Friend may have a soft exterior, but inside, it’s running an on-device large language model (LLM) and a cloud-powered video language model (VLM). By combining the two with an in-depth understanding of human emotions, these robotic companions can comfort you, recognize your current mood and respond in real time. Pretty impressive for a stuffed animal that looks like a cross between a bear and an Ewok.

Strutt ev1

Mobility scooters are nothing new, but this spin on the idea from Strutt takes things to a whole other level. The Strutt ev1 almost looks like a combination of Professor X’s wheelchair and a Tesla, but this four-wheeled “personal everyday vehicle” is exactly the kind of strange but surprisingly useful device we’d expect to find at CES.

You can drive the Strutt ev1 like your standard seated scooter but since it also has voice controls as well as LiDAR and navigation built-in, you don’t have to. Instead, you can just tell it where you want to go, and its 360-degree sensor array will make sure you get to your destination without bumping into anything or anyone. There’s also a small display on the right armrest so you can see exactly what the ev1’s cameras are capturing in real time.

Our own Mike Prospero drove it around a crowded conference hall and as soon as he got close to an obstacle, the ev1 would stop right in its tracks.

LG CLOiD

This robot may look cute but the LG CLOiD surprised us all when it stumbled with a task that’s simple enough for humans but quite difficult for its metallic hands to pull off. Designed as a helpful home robot, the CLOiD was quite impressive, that is until it started trying to fold towels.

By using AI and vision-based tech, CLOiD is able to perform a number of household tasks to make your life a little easier, but it also doubles as an AI-powered home hub. With a built-in display for its eyes along with a speaker, cameras and various other sensors, the CLOiD might have struggled to fold towels — don’t we all? — but it is able to “talk” to other LG appliances to pull off smart automations like starting your oven when you’re on the way home or changing the temperature in a particular room if it’s too hot or cold.

Razer Project Ava

Instead of an AI chatbot on your phone, what if you had an AI companion on your desk? Well, that’s the idea behind Razer’s Project AVA. In the demo Tony Polanco saw, it was powered by xAI’s Grok engine but you can use whatever chatbot you want to drive this animated 5.5-inch 3D hologram.

During the demo, a spunky girl named Kira broke down the ins and outs of a first-person shooter, but it will work in any game to give you useful tips and advice on how to improve your gameplay. Project Ava is more than just another CES concept though and you too could have an AI-powered companion on your desk later this year.

Hormometer

Health tech was just as big as AI at this year’s show and with just an $8 test, Eli Health’s Hormometer is designed to give you a reading of your current hormone levels. This at-home saliva-based hormone test will soon be able to tell you just how high (or low) your testosterone or progesterone levels are.

After installing the Eli Health app on your phone, you then put the Hormometer’s saliva collection cartridge in your mouth for 60 seconds. After pulling on a tab, the results start “developing”, though you will need to wait 20 minutes before you can snap a photo of the saliva stick and its AI starts analyzing your results. The Hormometer won’t replace your doctor, but it can give you some insights before your next appointment.

HyperX Neurable

Although the HyperX Neurable might look like just another gaming headset, this concept device is able to read your brainwaves to improve your gameplay. By using built-in EEG sensors, AI and a bit of mindful exercise, the headset can read the stresses in your mind, calm you down and overclock your brain’s focus.

Our own Jason England tested it out and once his mindful focus exercise was done, he felt like time was slowing down, which could really up your game when playing fast-paced first-person shooters. Think Neo using bullet time in the Matrix. If the HyperX Neurable moves beyond a concept to a real product, it could easily shake up the competitive gaming scene.

Skywheel

There isn’t always fresh powder on the mountaintop when you feel like skiing but with the Skywheel, you can ski through the streets instead. Equipped with electric motors that are paired with a remote to control their speed, the Skywheel is quite different from the electric scooters we saw on the show floor.

Our senior fitness writer Dan Bracaglia strapped a pair of them onto his own feet and took them for a spin on the first day of CES 2026. During his demo, a company rep explained that it takes “about 20 minutes” to get the hang of the Skywheel’s precise tilt controls. After that, you’ll effectively be able to carve turns like you would on a traditional pair of skis. Dan didn’t quite get that far, though.

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