Cassette-Style Voice Recorder Keychain

A miniature cassette on your keys that genuinely records and plays back. It costs less than two coffees and will absolutely be used against your friends.

What it actually is

A keychain shaped like a cassette tape with a small microphone, a record button and a playback button. It captures a short clip — typically ten to thirty seconds depending on the unit — and replays it in a compressed, slightly awful lo-fi. It ships in a random colour.

Who it's for

Gift-box filler, secret-santa ammunition, and anyone with a fondness for objects that were obsolete before they were born. The nostalgia is doing most of the work; the recording quality is doing none of it.

The honest downside

Recording length is very short and the audio is tinny. The colour is random, so if you want a specific one you are gambling. At this price the build is exactly what you would expect, and the battery is often not replaceable — when it dies, that is the end of it.

Check these before you buy

• Stated recording length, which varies from 10 to 30 seconds between sellers
• Whether the battery is replaceable or sealed in
• That "random colour" is acceptable to you before ordering
• Reviews mentioning the record button sticking, the usual complaint

Verdict

At ₹189 it does not need to justify itself. Buy two.

Also in

• Adult Money: What It Means, And What People Buy
• Cool Gadgets Under ₹1,000 in India That Aren't Rubbish

More like this

• Retro Phone Handset for Your Mobile — ₹829
• Mini Keychain Vlogging Camera — ₹2,253
• Mini Bag Sealer with Cutter — ₹579