11 High-Tech Gadgets That Could Make You Money (Full-Time Or On The Side)

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If you've ever dreamed of starting your own business, the investment you need to make might be a lot less than you think. You don't need a storefront, an office, or tons of equipment to start making money. All you need is the right small business tech — and in some cases, that investment comes in a single piece of equipment you can purchase online. Technology is more accessible than ever, with short learning curves and low barriers to entry. Depending on the type of business you want to start, you might not even need prior experience. It can be enough to have the tools, materials, a bit of cash, and the passion to learn and grow.

Full disclaimer: Investing in a business in a box doesn't guarantee income. Beyond the equipment, you might also need to purchase materials. You'll most certainly need to spend time learning your new craft. And you'll need to know what the market demands, how to price your product, and how to spread the word to start making sales. Choosing an idea is the easy part. These high-tech gadgets provide a turnkey business, requiring minimal additional investments beyond your time, yet still necessitating diligent management. 

Some cleaning jobs are too dirty or too complicated to tackle with regular cleaning products. For things like rust removal or getting rid of stubborn stains from brick or concrete, there's a need to call in the pros. A mobile laser cleaning machine can help you start your own cleaning business for tough, dirty jobs most people can't do themselves. A laser cleaner turns old, rusted, or grimy surfaces into clean, like-new finishes. This machine uses focused laser light to remove paint, grease, rust, and other contaminants safely. It vaporizes them on contact, and there are no harsh abrasives or chemicals involved.

This technology opens the door to multiple niche services you could monetize. For instance, motorcycle and car owners might want to restore parts of their classic rides without damaging delicate materials. Industrial plants need quick, chemical-free cleaning for machinery and parts. Historic preservation teams might need to remove grime from brick or stone without harmful solvents. Because the machine is mobile, you can take your service directly to job sites. The MobiLase Laser Cleaner is one example of this type of machine, but there are many others ranging in power and size.

Businesses of all sizes and industries rely on high-quality photos to showcase products. But regular cameras don't capture every angle, at least not all at once. A 3D scanner gives companies a new way to view and promote items and designs. These scanners capture the exact shape and dimensions of objects by creating a 360-degree digital model with a high level of accuracy. From there, the scanner generates a file that can be used in design, engineering, manufacturing, or creative projects. The scanners are relatively easy to use: Just move the device around the object and let the software stitch together a complete, high-resolution model.

At a time when 3D rendering and 3D printing are becoming bigger parts of a company's toolkit, a 3D scanner offers several business opportunities. For example, product designers and engineers can use these scans to reverse-engineer parts or prototype new ones. Architects and contractors can scan buildings to create plans for renovations quickly. Any creative professional, such as artists, jewelry designers, or game developers, can use this service to bring physical creations into digital worlds. These scanners are handheld and portable, so you can offer on-site services to factories, museums, or private clients. The Sermoon S1 3D scanner is one example of this technology. Starting at $2,699, the scanner uses AI-powered software and integrates with CAD and 3D printing software.

Consumers and companies are still adapting to 3D printing. The average consumer is unlikely to invest in this machine due to its high price, as their needs may not justify the cost. But 3D printers have big potential in making everyday objects for less than what they might cost to buy at the store. If you can find this sweet spot and market it well, you might be in business.

A 3D printer turns digital designs into physical objects using a layered technique. It uses materials like resin, plastic, or even metal. There's no need for molds or machining. If you have a design file, you can load it into your machine's software and let it create it for you. This technology opens a wide range of business opportunities. You could offer rapid prototyping to inventors who need quick and affordable solutions. Or create custom figurines, jewelry, or home decor to sell at markets. Small manufacturers benefit from 3D printers by getting replacement parts on demand. These printers can produce intricate designs that other methods or tools might struggle with. Creatbot is one example of a 3D printer brand, with models ranging from desktop-sized to large-scale devices. Or, if you prefer to test the waters with a smaller investment, consider the ToyBox 3D printer, which is made for kids.

If you have a crafty edge and like to experiment with different designs and materials, a laser engraver machine might be a good business in a box for you. Laser engravers use a focused beam of light to etch or cut designs into a wide range of materials, like wood, leather, and metal. They can design with incredible detail and create a unique product in minutes. The laser burns the surface of the material, leaving behind crisp lines and intricate patterns. You can use pre-loaded design files or make your own, then adjust the settings on the machine and push a button. Even if you're not good at drawing or designing, you can make one-of-a-kind designs with a laser engraver.

There are several home-grade brands of laser engravers that lower the bar to entry for this business idea. The Glowforge, the Creality Falcon A1, and the XTool P3 are all decent machines with fairly forgiving learning curves. They're easy to set up and start making engraved art within an hour, as long as you have materials on hand. You can use any of these machines to create personalized cutting boards, tumblers, phone cases, leather valet trays, custom wood disc coasters, or art pieces. Sell through an online shop like Etsy, local craft markets, or even in local businesses.

Smart cutting machines like the ones made by Cricut give you endless possibilities for crafts to sell. These tools use controlled blades and tools to cut or draw on materials like vinyl, paper, and cardstock. You'll start by designing your pattern or art in the software, then connect to the machine and set your specifications. Load your material and push a button, and the machine will create your design in minutes. It can handle intricate shapes and lettering that would be much harder to achieve by hand.

This machine is a dream for creative entrepreneurs and crafty folks. You can create everything from custom decals and stickers, wedding and party invitations, greeting cards, iron-on transfers for shirts, branded gear, banners, 3D paper art, scrapbooking materials, and so much more. The machine is compact and lightweight, so you can take it with you to markets or events and provide custom services to clients on site. The latest edition of the Cricut, the Maker 4, retails for $399 and comes with a starter bundle of materials so you can test designs before spending a fortune.

An embroidery machine adds stitched works of art to fabric objects. Think company logos on uniforms or monograms or names on custom gear, for example. Offering custom embroidery services is a side hustle with a minimal learning curve, especially if you have a good machine. Materials are relatively inexpensive, and your customers typically provide the most expensive piece in the thing you're embroidering. 

This tool is a great investment if you want to start a personalization business. Everything from sports teams to local businesses need custom uniforms, hats, and merchandise. People in wedding parties or who need gift ideas love personalized towels, blankets, and keepsakes. You can run an embroidery business from your home or a small shop, with a home-based business helping to keep costs low and a shop boosting your local visibility. Embroidery machines vary in size and cost. The Brother SE700 is a good mid-level tool that retails for $539.98 and includes multiple colors of embroidery thread and hundreds of built-in embroidery fonts, designs, and stitches. 

If you like the idea of creating unique, one-of-a-kind gifts, a rug tufting gun could open the doors to a whole new business idea. These guns lets you create custom rugs and wall hangings using yarn and fabric backings. A motorized needle punches the yarn through the fabric in any direction you choose, forming plush loops or piles as you guide it along the design. To create a rug, you'll stretch the fabric backing onto a frame, then trace your pattern and steer the gun. And if you're not great at drawing, you can use a projector to shine a computer-generated image onto the backing for you to trace.

This business in a box idea doesn't require much to start. And once you get the hang of it, you have plenty of potential for income. You can work with interior designers to create custom pieces for their clients, boutique shop owners to stock merchandise in their stores, or the general public to take custom orders. Make rugs or wall hangings for businesses featuring their logo or business name. Host workshops showing other people how to master the art of rug tufting. Take your equipment and materials to local fairs and put on live demonstrations. Or make videos of your craft for social media and go viral. The BESGEER Rug Tufting Gun is one example of a ready-made rug tufting kit, and it sells on Amazon for $109.98.

High-quality 3D photography and rendering are a must in the automotive, real estate, and many other industries. If you have an eye for detail and photography skills, a business venture as a 3D photographer might be right for you. 3D cameras capture depth, dimension, and detail in ways that regular cameras can't match. They use multiple lenses or sensors to collect spatial data along with a fine level of detail of the object you're photographing. These cameras work well in creating immersive 3D models and interactive experiences.

Some 3D cameras are suited for specific tasks or industries. For example, the Matterport 3D camera is a common tool in real estate. The camera takes photos of rooms to stitch together 3D walk-throughs of a property. This tool can help busy agents share property details without formal showings or help drum up interest in a property. Glo3D is another specialist 3D camera, used primarily for taking 360-degree photos of cars and other luxury products. People looking at the photos can rotate them at any angle to see details that regular photos might miss.

Gemstone art offers a wide range of possibilities. There are plenty of customers who go to touristy gem mines and collect a haul of precious stones. However, few of them take the next steps to tumble, polish, and transform them into fine jewelry or art. If you have precise hands and enjoy putting effort into your craft, consider a business that involves gemstone cutting. A faceting machine helps you turn raw stones into sparkling, polished gems. It allows you to grind and polish each facet (the flat faces on a stone) to bring out its brilliance. The machine does most of the work, but you'll need a keen eye to place the stone and set the desired angles. 

Gemstone cutting and polishing is a highly specialized business. It takes more work to hone your craft compared to other business-in-a-box ideas. But since the bar to entry is higher, there's less competition. You can customize stones for jewelry designers, make unique cuts for hobbyists, or create your own works of art to sell online or in local shops. The Vevor Gemstone Faceting Machine is a notable example of a gemstone faceting machine, available for sale on Amazon for $239.99.

Sublimation is a specific type of printing, and it's an easy one to learn. Instead of printing directly onto the surface of an item with ink, sublimation uses heat to turn solid dye into a gas. This bonds the color to the object, such as a mug, tumbler, T-shirt, or phone case. Designs are permanent, don't smear like ink, and maintain a vibrant color that doesn't crack, peel, or fade. To create these designs, you'll need a sublimation printer and paper. And if it's in the budget, a heat press.

Once you print your design on the sublimation paper, you'll transfer it onto your material using heat. This approach allows you to break into the personalization niche by offering something that requires specialized equipment, beyond a regular desktop printer. Sports teams, small businesses, and event planners all need custom merchandise for branding or gifts. Or you can make your own items to sell on online shops like Etsy. You can use sublimation on a variety of products and materials, including clothing, canvas, glass, and soda can cozies. The Epson F170 is one example of a sublimation printer, and it's available on Amazon for $499.

Things move quickly in sporting events, sometimes faster than your finger can click the shutter on a camera. Getting sports action shots is truly an art form, and AI sports cameras have upped the game. These cameras are made specifically for athletic events and use AI to track the movements of each player. Instead of having to be everywhere at once with the camera, the AI sports camera automatically tracks and records the game. You can get video footage and still photos for each person on the team, and even livestream the event.

Cameras like the XbotGo and Pix4Team 2 are two examples of AI sports cameras. They support a variety of sports (but not all team sports) and capture action shots for athletes without a big production crew. You could offer your services to youth leagues, schools, and sports clubs, or individual parents who want highlight reels of their players to submit to college recruiters. Coaches can also use the footage for player development.