Best Fidgets Ranked
In the deep winter months, it is important to find small joys that keep you going. Fidgets provide great stress relief but not all fidgets are of equal quality or bring about the same levels of sensory joy. Here is a list of ten fidget toys ranked from worst to best.
1/10- Stress Balls (foam)
These fidgets are the definition of a disappointment. Someone tells you they have a stress ball for you and proceeds to gift this sorry excuse for a “Stress Ball”. This results in an overwhelming feeling of rage and sadness. When I squeeze a Stress Ball, I expect to feel the gooey silicone between my fingers, but with a foam Stress Ball, you can expect your dream to immediately be crushed. These fidgets shouldn’t even be considered a stress reliever because every time I hold one in my hand, I feel a rush of anger as if I was robbed of an exceptional stress ball experience. Not to mention, these fidgets make a massive mess when ripped apart. Granted you could potentially make a mess with other fidgets, but the foam stress ball is a different story. Because of its obnoxious nature, it is common for people to rip foam stress balls to shreds out of pure rage. Once torn, foam stress balls seemingly vanish into your furniture only to reappear all over your house where you will find pieces of the awful object for years to come. Words cannot express how much I loathe Foam Stress Balls, and I hope with all my heart that they are soon banned from being sold everywhere.
2/10- Mochi
These fidgets are squishy items (usually animals) made of silicone and rubber. Although they are fun to play with fresh out of the package, these fidgets quickly pick up every particle that they touch; this results in the objects becoming incredibly dirty and unhygienic. Washing these stress toys is no use and just makes them stickier, thus helping them collect dust faster. It might just be me, but pulling unidentifiable hair and crumbs off of my fidgets immediately raises my stress levels.
3/10- Mini Pop Its
These fidget toys are similar to their larger counterparts but do not provide the satisfying pop that is included with larger Pop Its. Without the signature noise associated with it, users are left with disappointed fingers and ears, and only a flimsy and dysfunctional piece of silicone to show for it.
4/10- Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty
Favoring Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty depends on one’s mood. Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty is a mouthful to say and doesn’t quite roll off the tongue. However, the putty comes in all different colors and scents, which is a bonus. Unfortunately, the creators of Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty made a horrible design for the storage of their putty. One should consider themselves lucky if they can even manage to get the top off of their Thinking Putty. Aside from that, the product is incredibly stiff and makes for a mediocre fidgeting experience.
5/10- Marble Mesh
These fidgets are exactly what they sound like: a marble in mesh. Although they have no visible downsides, the marble mesh is not very engaging and you will likely find yourself putting it down after just a couple of minutes: an incredibly dissatisfying experience. Just as the great Abby Lee Miller once said, “You were good; I’m waiting for you to be great.”
6/10- Pop Tubes
Pop Tubes are fidgets many people have likely heard of. They unfurl with a popping sound and can be twisted to your heart’s content in every direction. Many Pop Tubes can even be connected to create a long tube or even a Pop Tube necklace. Despite their entertaining nature, Pop Tubes do have one major downfall: the noise Pop Tubes create can be distracting, making them not a great fidget for quiet spaces. Additionally, the size of many Pop Tubes prevents them from being discreet. Both of these cons make the fidget land 6th on the list.
7/10- Rainbow Slug
The name of this fidget is debatable but is satisfying nonetheless. The Rainbow Slug fidget is a multicolored slug that clacks together when you move it. The plastic clinking together makes a noise that is quite appealing to the ears. The material of the slug also has high durability, which ensures that you get months if not years of use out of it. The only downside to this fidget is that it is not very versatile. It can be used in one specific way, which is fine, but it doesn’t always provide me with the sensory satisfaction I am seeking.
8/10- Keyboard Fidget
This fidget is composed of a strip of keyboard on a keychain. Keyboard fidgets provide the spectacular sound of typing on a crunchy keyboard without needing to spend a fortune on the entire keyboard itself. The clickity-clackity sound this fidget produces instantly melts away your stress and fills your brain with the lovely noises of a working keyboard. Not only is this fidget a joy to play with, but it is also portable. You can attach the key ring on the fidget to whatever you please, which prevents it from being lost. This is arguably one of the best fidgets ever created, and it wasn’t even invented with the intention of being a stress toy. I have no complaints about the keyboard key fidget, but only one stress toy can hold number one.
9/10-Speks
This fidget is made up of many small magnets that you can shape into any shape you can imagine. Speks are a genius design, allowing the user to create a fun sculpture or utilize the magnets like you would a stress ball. Unlike a stress ball, Speks never pops or gets all over the place because they are meant to stick together. Speks provide a versatility that isn’t seen in many fidgets and is of extremely high quality. The only downsides of Speks are the fact that the price range is a bit high, and the object can be dangerous if ingested by pets or children. Speks are usually priced at around 35 dollars, making them more expensive than your typical fidget. However, Speks are made from rare earth metals, which increase the quality and durability of the design. This naturally makes the price of them higher but I believe that these fidgets are worth spending a little extra cash for. The only thing to remember about getting Speks is to keep them away from your pets or little kids. If ingested, these magnets could pose health and safety concerns, especially for the small intestines. But, if you use them safely, Speks are a fantastic fidget toy I would highly recommend!
10/10-Needoh Nice Cube
This fidget has emerged fairly recently and is taking the world by storm. Unlike regular stress balls, the Needoh Nice Cube has a consistency that could be described as a gel memory foam. When you squeeze it, the fidget holds its form for a couple of seconds before slowly morphing into its original cube shape. The Nice Cube is unlike anything I have ever seen before, and its consistency is refreshing compared to stress balls full of shaving cream or a jelly-like substance. The Nice Cube is also incredibly durable for a stress ball. Due to its memory gel insides, it is difficult to squeeze the cube very fast, which prevents it from popping under quick pressure. The cube is incredibly affordable and can be found in countless retail stores across America. Squeezing a Needoh Nice Cube truly relieves my stress, and for that reason, it is 10/10 on the list!