Holiday Gift Guide 2015: Hand-Held Design
From the PAX vaporizer to classy scissors and an uncommon bottle-opener
While many items—whether for travel or household use—have been designed to look beautiful, they oftentimes sacrifice function for aesthetics. That isn’t the case with the products in our Hand-Held Design gift guide. From gold-handled scissors to an art-inflected mirror, these gifts are useful and striking. Included in the guide is the
PAX 2 in silver—a vaporizer that’s been designed to be powerful and efficient, and also boasts an ergonomically designed mouthpiece and a smooth, substantial body. Like the PAX 2, each of the products make for fantastic gifts: useful, practical and will surely be the envy of onlookers.
Phi Scissors
Danish design studio Hay, founded back in 2002, creates furniture and various products for the home. This pair of beautiful, gold-handled Phi Scissors ($37) are sure to be a welcome addition to any workspace. Made from plated carbon and available in two sizes, the scissors are a functional and stylish addition to your office or kitchen.
Hand-Blown Whisky Glass
With a view in mind to maximize surface area and channel scent perfectly, Denver & Liely’s hand-blown whisky glass ($50 AUD) makes the spirit within all the more rich. Its distinct shape also makes for a comfortable, sophisticated grip. And while it does wonders on whisky, it’s an ideal design for all tipples.
PAX 2 Silver
Another PAX premium vaporizer: this time in a flashy and fun silver colorway ($280). Its gently brushed texture, however, means it avoids becoming too gaudy. Compact and sporting clean lines, PAX 2 is powerful and offers clean vapor with no smoke. Not only does this model now have an updated ergonomic mouthpiece, it’s overall lighter, smaller and boasts an even longer-lasting battery. PAX 2 takes less than a minute to fully heat up, so it’s not just a joy to look at, it’s also a breeze to use. And when you’re done using it the durable little device slips easily in a pocket. Get it for yourself, or your favorite non-smoker who’s partial to a little puff.
Bottle Opener
Discommon Goods’ meticulously machined bottle opener ($140) is more of a sculpture than basic bar accessory. Made from aerospace aluminum, the ergonomic opener bears a hand-chiseled aesthetic thanks to super-precise CNC machining—adding both grip and a beautiful web-like texture to its surface. It’s still just a bottle opener, but it makes the simple process so much more satisfying.
Letter Opener
Why is it that most letter openers look like they could be murder weapons? Thankfully, these striking options are made from cattle horn, handcrafted in Bøvlingbjerg, Denmark by historical company Hornvarefabrikken. While we might be getting plenty of emails these days, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as opening a real life letter—especially with one of these smooth and beautiful tools ($32). Each comes with its own leather case.
Roy Lichtenstein Pocket Mirror
While very few will ever own an original Lichtenstein, this metal pocket mirror is based on the artist’s 1970 work “Mirror #10” ($20). The double sided, snap closure mirror offers 1X and 2X magnification for functionality. But it’s the reference to the artist’s circular works from 1969 and 1972 that makes it something special.
9091 Water Kettle
Manufactured by Alessi, this stainless steel kettle ($300) has become the brand’s first multi-sensory design—warming tastebuds and stimulating eardrums. Unlike the ear-piercing screams of other kettles, this classic 1983 kettle by Richard Sapper produces a delightful melody when water reaches a boil—thanks to a brass whistle that sings two notes: “mi” and “si.” Its simple, notched handle also makes it a pleasure to pour.
Lead and Denver and Liely images by Cool Hunting, all other images courtesy of respective brands
