I tested seven Temu gadgets that all cost under $7 to see if any of them were actually useful. This batch included everything from a 9V battery flashlight and UV bracelet to a rotating stapler, collapsible cup, and wearable projection lamp.
Where to Purchase
Below are the listing on Temu where I purchased the items for this review:
- 9-Volt Flashlight
- UV Tester Bracelet
- Slingshot (This is a link to the original design, the Pocket Shot, on Amazon)
- Flame Stone
- 360 Stapler
- Collapsible Cup
- Wrist Lamp
7 Temu Gadgets Under $7
For this review, I picked up seven inexpensive products from Temu, each priced under $7. As usual with bargain gadgets, I went in with mixed expectations. Some of these looked useful, some looked questionable, and a couple seemed like they might be more novelty items than practical tools.
9V Battery Flashlight
The first item was a tiny flashlight attachment that connects directly to a 9V battery. The idea is simple: the battery becomes the body of the flashlight, and the small attachment provides the light and switch. I paid $1.52 for this one, and at first glance, I liked the idea of the design.
It has a simple slider switch with two brightness levels, although they are not labeled. Indoors, the light worked, but it was not very bright. When I compared it to my Acebeam flashlight, there was no contest. The 9V light was much dimmer and had a wide, unfocused beam.
Outside at night, it did technically light up the area in front of me, but not very well. The beam was so spread out that it lacked a useful central hotspot. I still think the concept is kind of cool, but as an actual flashlight, it was underwhelming. It works, but I would probably reach for other options in an emergency.
UV Tester Bracelet
Next up was a color-changing UV bracelet that I paid $2.15 for. The product claims to change color based on UV intensity, with four levels ranging from low to very high. It requires no batteries, and the color-changing center reacts quickly when exposed to sunlight.
The problem is that it did not seem very accurate. At 8 a.m., when the UV index was only around 1, the bracelet was already showing what looked like a high reading. Later, when the UV index was around 2, it again seemed to indicate high UV exposure. The colors also did not really match the reference chart on the bracelet.
I tested it in shade, direct sun, inside a car, and even with a UV flashlight. It definitely reacts to UV light, but I could not get it to clearly match the advertised levels. Even at 2 p.m., when the UV index was 8 and considered very high, the bracelet still did not reach the darkest color on its chart.
My takeaway is that this can show you whether UV rays are present, but I would not trust it as an accurate UV index gauge. As a cheap novelty, it does something. As a reliable safety tool, I would not count on it.
Pocket Slingshot Shooter
The third item was a small pocket slingshot shooter that cost $2.36. This is a compact design where you load ammo into the pouch, pull it back, and launch. I took it out to a safe desert area away from people, cars, and houses to test it with small BBs and rocks.
With BBs, this thing launched much farther than I expected. The shots were difficult to see on camera, but they traveled a surprisingly long distance. Rocks also worked, although they were a little more unpredictable depending on size and shape.
I was also surprised by the accuracy. After a few shots, I was able to hit small targets, and the rocks came out fast enough that I could hear them whizzing through the air. That said, this is not a toy to treat casually. My hand was close to the action, and I hit myself once while releasing it, which left a small welt for a few minutes.
For a cheap, compact slingshot, it does work. It is effective, but it also feels potentially dangerous, especially because of how close your hand is to the projectile path. This one worked better than expected, but it needs to be handled carefully.
Fluorescent Flame Stone
The fluorescent flame stone was one of the oddest items in this batch. I paid $3.56 for what is essentially a small polished rock that is supposed to glow brightly under UV light. The Temu photos made it look dramatic, so I was skeptical going in.
Under a UV flashlight, the stone did glow orange, and it looked kind of cool. It was not as bright or as flame-like as the listing suggested, but it did react to UV light. In normal daylight, however, it just looked like a shiny little rock.
I also tossed it into the yard at night and tried to find it using a UV flashlight. Surprisingly, it was not that easy to spot. It barely stood out more than the surrounding rocks, which made me question the usefulness of it even more.
I can see this being interesting in a UV display or as a small novelty item, but $3.56 for one little stone does not seem like a great value. It works in the sense that it glows under UV light, but it was probably the most pointless item of the bunch for me.
360° Rotating Stapler
The 360° rotating stapler cost $5.21, and this ended up being one of the more practical items in the video. At first, it looks like a normal stapler, but the stapling head rotates so you can staple at different angles.
I started by testing it as a regular stapler, and it worked fine. Then I tried using the rotating feature to staple along the spine of folded papers, like a small booklet. This is where the design actually made sense. Instead of fighting with a normal stapler that cannot reach the center fold properly, I could rotate the head and staple right along the spine.
The stapler seemed to lock into place about every 45 degrees, but I also found that I could use it at angles between those locked positions. I tested it on regular paper, folded sheets, thicker cardstock, and photo paper. It handled all of those better than I expected.
There were a couple of minor misfires, including one double staple, and the overall build feels a bit cheap. Still, for the price, this one was useful. It may not be the highest-quality stapler, but the rotating feature works and could be handy for crafts, booklets, school projects, or office use.
Collapsible Silicone Cup
The collapsible silicone cup also cost $5.21. It comes with a small case, and the cup folds down into a compact shape for storage. Temu says it holds 250 ml and is meant for camping, travel, or everyday use.
My first impression was that it looked smaller than it did in the listing. It is more like a small measuring cup than a full-size drinking cup. I took it outdoors and tested it with sparkling water to see if it leaked and how it felt to drink from.
It did not leak, which is the most important thing, but it was very flimsy. While drinking from it, the cup kept bending and shape-shifting in my hand. It works, but it does not feel especially sturdy or pleasant to use.
I do think the case is necessary because the cup does not stay neatly collapsed without it. The case also makes it easy to toss in a pocket, bag, or camping kit. For hiking, I am not sure how often you would use this instead of drinking from a bottle. For camping, sharing drinks, or situations where you want a spare cup, it makes more sense.
This one is not great, but it is compact, cheap, and functional. I would call it acceptable, but not impressive.
Wearable Wrist Projection Lamp
The final item was a wearable wrist projection lamp, and at $6.64, it was the most expensive product in this group. It came with the projection unit, a wrist strap, a charging cable, and tiny instructions. The listing claims it has multiple lighting modes and can react to music.
Once I turned it on and shut off the lights, I was more impressed than I expected to be. The patterns filled the room with colorful projected light, and some of the modes looked surprisingly good. A couple of modes were too flashy for my taste, but others were actually pleasing to look at.
I did not have much luck with the voice or music-reactive feature. That part seemed basically nonexistent in my testing. But as a small wearable light projector, it worked better than expected.
I also tested it outside at night, and it lit up the yard with colorful patterns. It was not extremely bright, but considering the size and price, it was surprisingly effective. The dogs even got involved, which made the test more fun.
I’m not sure how many real-world uses there are for this, outside of parties, Halloween, kids, or just messing around, but this was one of the more fun items in the video, and I would call it a success for what it is.
Final Thoughts
Overall, everything in this Temu batch worked to some degree, but the usefulness varied quite a bit. The fluorescent flame stone felt like the most pointless and overpriced item, while the 9V battery flashlight was a cool idea that turned out to be pretty weak in practice.
The UV bracelet reacted quickly to sunlight, but I would not trust it as an accurate UV index gauge. The collapsible cup worked but felt flimsy. The pocket slingshot was surprisingly effective, although it also felt like something that needs to be used with caution.
For me, the most useful item was probably the rotating stapler. It was simple, practical, and did something a normal stapler cannot easily do. The wrist projection lamp was the biggest surprise, because it was more fun and effective than I expected for such a cheap gadget.
Video Review
Check out the full video review below.