CES 2025: The 7 Coolest Things I Saw at CES Revealed

I saw one much of technology at this year’s CES Unveiled. Filled with AI-powered, motorized, holographic and shape-shifting technology, the event represents just a fraction of what’s on display at CES overall.

While there were a lot of cool, interesting, crazy and strange things to see, seven products in particular caught my eye. In fact, some of my favorites aren’t necessarily products you can pick up and buy. But I appreciate both the concepts behind some of these things and where the technology might go in the future.

ColdSnap

That bad ColdSnap machine with the “Faulty Capsule” warning was not the machine that served me ice cream.
Photo credit: Jake Peterson

I saw it ColdSnap At least at this year’s CES, and both times I visited the booth it was just as fun. ColdSnap acts like a Keurig machine for ice cream: You use a single-serve pod—a specific flavor, of course—but instead of coffee, it comes out with ice cream.

Last year, I assumed ColdSnap’s desserts wouldn’t impress. Certainly an interesting concept, but I imagined that the single-serve design would be no more compelling to implement than buying a pint of ice cream at the store.

To be honest, ColdSnap makes excellent ice cream. Last year I got the bourbon flavor, and I don’t know if it was just the bourbon, but I really liked it. (I made the same joke last time.) This year I tried their coffee flavor and was once again impressed. Better yet, the rep tells me that all flavors are gluten-free and they use certified gluten-free oats. As someone with celiac disease, I appreciate this and appreciate even more that I can safely test the taste of food at a mega-convention like CES. It almost takes the sting out of it Price tag of $3,000.

TAN

Photo credit: Jake Peterson

There were a number of robots on display at Unveiled. Many companies seem interested in building not just a robot, but one with an anthropomorphic face. Most of them don’t interest me that much; some actually scare me.

However, TAN caught my eye. It’s a robot with a WALL-E-like face, which isn’t necessarily groundbreaking in itself. But what I found particularly interesting is that you don’t buy LOOI’s face, you just buy the body of the robot and equip the face with your own smartphone.

Your iPhone or Android stays with LOOI and turns it into a robot that you can interact with via the app. LOOI responds to hand gestures, allowing you to “push back” the bot by moving your hand toward it. (This doesn’t always seem to work – or at least not under the interior lights of CES Unveiled.) You can also talk to LOOI: The representative asked LOOI to introduce himself to me, and he did, complete with speaking in with a virtual microphone.

Since LOOI is controlled via your smartphone’s display, it can display other things besides its face. It can display text when “talking” to you. Graphics, like a digital microphone or even a cheeseburger that it can “eat”; or a camera view when you take a selfie. I don’t think LOOI is necessarily practical, and I’m not sure what I would actually do with it. But it’s a unique concept that I’ve certainly never seen before.

ESKIMO

Photo credit: Jake Peterson

If you have ever ridden an e-bikeyou know what a cool experience that is. If you’re used to relying solely on your own momentum to move a bike, being powered by an e-bike’s motor is really something different.

This is how I imagine electric skis. ESKIMO is working on exactly that: a motorized ski that provides momentum both when skiing and cross-country skiing. Trying to travel long distances on flat land on skis is always a low point of any ski day, so I absolutely welcome motorized skis (or e-skis).

In addition to the motor, E-SKIMO has sensors built into the skis that collect data as you complete your runs. If you’re someone who likes to track your performance and look for ways to improve, this is an enticing concept.

Concept is the key word here: the E-SKIMO product presented at CES is not commercially available and is not aimed at consumers; Rather, the company wants to sell the technology to brands to integrate into their own skis. I hope it works out so I can look forward to motor-assisted skiing in the future.

Electric salt spoon

Photo credit: Jake Peterson

This one attracted a lot of people, and for good reason: “Electric salt spoondeveloped by Kirin, claims to be able to make low-sodium foods taste salty. According to Kirin, the spoon adds a “mild electrical current” through the food in your mouth, supposedly stimulating Na+ ions that would otherwise be lost from your taste buds.

To use the spoon, scoop up your food and then press the button to trigger the flow of electricity. There are four intensity levels to choose from (Kirin recommends first-time users start with the lowest setting). Then you press the button and eat. The light on the spoon turns white as you eat, and the company recommends that you count each bite – about half a second per bite.

I have not tested the spoon and therefore cannot personally confirm its performance. But it’s a crazy idea: can you save yourself some extra salt by using an electric spoon?

LISSOME R1

Photo credit: Jake Peterson

For many years I lived in small apartments without a dishwasher – and I hated It. I actively avoided cooking because I couldn’t stand having to hand wash every plate, bowl, or utensil I used. That’s why LISSOME R1 piqued my interest. To be honest, I don’t really care about the “AI washing features” or the fact that it dries dishes in 15 minutes (even if that would be handy). It’s a low profile portable dishwasher that I would have loved to have in my small kitchen. I hope this one lives up to my personal hype.

Aurzen zip code

Photo credit: Jake Peterson

The Aurzen portable projector doesn’t have the highest resolution at 720p. It’s also only 90 minutes long, so it’s probably not suitable for most movie nights. However, the folding design is different Really Cool: When fully folded it looks like a Game Boy Advance SP, which appeals to me straight away. But as you unfold it, you can adjust how you want it to be projected. One orientation allows you to project on the wall, while another orientation allows you to project on the ceiling.

I could actually live with the resolution of a product like this. It is So portable, and if the battery life could be extended just a little it could make an excellent on-the-go filmmaking machine. Currently, it’s probably better suited for portable presentations or movies and shows that last 90 minutes or less.

Body friend

Photo credit: Jake Peterson

I don’t want to mention the Transformer massage chair. Bodyfriend was impossible to miss as it looked like Bumblebee had retired from fighting the Decepticons to become a masseuse. Aside from moving like a giant robot, it offers a number of different zones for massage. I’m not sure I feel like the film will catch on in the average household, but it was a lot of fun to see in action.