Fidgets Toys for Adults are Better than You Think: Review & Guide

Fidget toys may seem like a big new modern thing, but they’ve been around longer than you might realise. From Wenwan Walnut fidgets from scholars in 14th Century China to rhythmic Prayer Beads monks have been fidgeting with for thousands of years, a quick look at the past will make it obvious. Fidget toys aren’t just toys for kids. They’ve always been made to help anyone and everyone focus whether they’re an Imperial scholar or a buddhist monk. 

Fast forward to today, fidget toys serve the same function as always. They will keep your mind busy if you have extra mental energy that’s bothering you. However, they can come in crazily different forms now. Funky but functional (squishable or spinable), here’s a guide on the most popular fidget toys and how they feel & sound. 

(Psst— there’s a ton to say about all the different fidget toys for adults and kids. But we know some people are busy. So, here’s a neat table for you to skim through if you need it!)

An Overview of the Best Fidget Toys

	Needoh	Putty/Slime	Squishies	Spinners	3D Printed
Age	Ages 3+	Ages 3+	Ages 5+	Ages 3+	Ages 3+
Sound Volume	Silent	Low	Silent	Low	Low
Durability	High (cannot be exposed to high heat)	High (may need occasional washing with soap)	High (may need occasional washing)	High	High (can chip or snap if exposed to very rough play)
Portability	Easily carried in a backpack	The included tin makes it easily carried in a backpack	Depends on size, but smaller ones can be easily stored in a pocket or bag	Can easily fit in any pocket	Depends on size. But they can usually be easily stored in a backpack
One or Two-Handed	One-Handed	One & Two-Handed	One-Handed	One-Handed	One-Handed
Average Weight	90g	90g	150g	90g	130g-300g
Price Range	£5-20	£5-15	~£10	~£10	£5-10

A Quick Look at Our Favourite Fidgets 

• Needoh (And Alternatives like the Scrunchems Sugar Cube) 
• Boba Squish-Tea Stress Toy
• Speks Gump
• Minecraft Jelly Cube

Needoh

If you’ve been online, you’ve probably heard of Needoh already. But if you have absolutely no idea about the weird thing your kid is playing with, then here’s your long-awaited answer. Needoh is a trending line of sensory fidget toys. They’re filled with a dough-like inside that allows it to be stretched and squeezed and smushed before it returns to the original shape. You might’ve seen the most popular Needoh everywhere: The Nice Cube. 

But why has Needoh become so popular? Simple: it’s a quality fidget toy. If you have the opportunity to play with a Needoh, you’ll feel it immediately in the texture and feel of the fidget toy. Beyond that, they’re quiet, durable, fun, portable, perfect for fidgeting at school, uni or in the office. 

However, if you’re now thinking of getting one… It’ll be tough. Needoh is popular that they’ve gone out of stock in many stores. Don’t worry, though, we’ve scoured the fidget toy realm for a great alternative (the Scrunchems Sugar Cube) that won’t have you cueing for months to get a fidget. 

Similarly, if you’ve been fighting tooth and nail to get a Needoh Advent Calendar, you can alternatively get a Scrunchems 24 Day Squish Ball Advent or a 24 Day Squishy Buddies Advent. They aren’t picked for no reason. We’ve found that Scrunchems is an excellent alternative that has incredible quality and feel, just like Needoh. Inside them, you’ll find the 24 unique Scrunchems alongside an included board game that uses the unboxed squishies. 

Putty & Slime

If you were in school in the 2010s, you’ll remember the putty & slime craze. People were making slime in bathrooms, playing with it while doing work, selling it on the school’s black market… And there’s a good reason why people went crazy for it. It’s genuinely so much fun to play with. As a bonus, some of them come in unique shapes like a sunny-side up egg, butter, falling water, and even brown sugar boba!

Enclosed in its (usually) included travelling tin, it’s really nicely portable. And when you press your fingers into the soft colours, sinking into the alien yet good texture, your mind will feel freer. Take it out of the tin and stretch it with your hands. Watch it thin as you pull, becoming translucent in the air before you fold it over again and again as if making a croissant. Mould it into different shapes and forms, then let it return back to its tin for next time. It makes a little bit of noise, so it might not be especially good for your office or lecture-hall. But if others don’t mind it, it can really be a great way to calm your mind. 

Squishy Toys

Needohs are squishy toys, but not all squishies are Needohs. While Needohs stand out as a particularly popular form of Squishy toy (so much that it warrants its own section in this blog) there are plenty of non-Needoh styles of squishies that are worth it. 

But why get a regular old squishy when you can just go wild over Needohs? Why? Because these squishies have some squishably good designs. At Menkind we love squishies because of how cute they are (and because of how they can smell gently of vanila or spiced cinnamon). But we also can’t help but adore the Boba Squish-Tea and Matcha Boba Squish-Tea stress toys because of the interactable boba pearls inside the toy. We found ourselves using them a lot when I’m working on things at home, but they’re great for focusing in the office or in the library because of how quietly discreet they are. At around 10cm tall, they’re typically quite easy to chuck into a backpack and bring around everywhere. I’ve found them a great companion for any stressful situation. 

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Fidget Spinners

Once again, any 2010s kid will remember fidget spinners fondly. From the classic 3 prong spinner to more interesting spinning designs, spinners are still a classic fidget toy that’ll keep your hands busy for days. So, relive the good old days where the quiet buzz of the fidget spinner once echoed in every school hallway and workspace. They’re especially good for those who don’t want to clean their squishies or for anyone who doesn’t prefer the specific texture of slime. 

And while squishies and slime can have designs so cute they might distract you, most fidget spinners have quite a sleek modern aesthetic. More than just a professional fidget, they’re a gorgeous desk accessory that you can leave around the office to conveniently use during long meetings or for no reason at all. 

3D Printed Fidgets

3D printed fidgets are wonderful for anyone who likes a tactile and satisfyingly hands-on toy. With a range of flexible shapes, moving parts, and smooth textures, they’re a great alternative if you dislike the texture of slime and squishies. Not only do they come in a massive range of designs, but they’re able to be articulated and flexed in a way other fidget toys cannot. Because of their quiet design, they’re uniquely satisfying for kids, adults and anyone who likes fidgeting at the desk. 

Colourful dragon fidget toys will flop around as if they’re real. We like to curl them around some silver or golden jewellery so they appear like they’re guarding secret treasure. Because they are 3D printed, they’re often made of shining and dazzling materials that are exclusive to 3D printing. Their individually articulated scales will appear like snake skin, slithering around realistically, powered by invisible muscles. Then, when I’m done fidgeting, Wewe imagine them slithering back into their 3D printed egg capsule. They’re great if you want something small for the office, or if you need a durable toy to swing around.

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What are the Best Fidget Toys Right Now?

Boba Squish-Tea Stress Toy

The Boba Squish-Tea Stress Toy is a really cute squishy that will sit rent free in your hand. It’s really durable and the interactable boba pearls inside are uniquely fun.

Price: £8

Speks Gumps

Spek Gump Loops, Spek Surface Fidget Toys & regular Speks Fidget Toys are wonderful because of how diverse they are. With so many different textures, colours, designs, shapes and so much more, you won’t be bored of fidgeting with them for a while. 

Price: £8

Scrunchems Giant Fidget Sugar Cube

The Scrunchems Giant Fidget Sugar Cube is a great alternative to the Needoh Nice Cube (which is hard to find now because of how popular they are). Especially if you want to avoid getting scammed by fake Needohs. 

Price: £10

Minecraft Jelly Cube

Who doesn’t love Minecraft? Whether you remember the good old days of 1.16 or if you’re a new player obsessed with the unique biomes, these squishable gaming merch gifts are great for everyone. This Minecraft Jelly Cube is great to play with if you’re busy at the mob farm waiting for a drop. And if you aren’t playing with them, you can store the cube into the plastic case to make it appear like a glowing ore straight out of the game. Play-thing or decorative merch, it’s a great gift for yourself or a gamer. 

Price: £8

Do Fidget Toys Help with ADHD?

Yes, and no.

A medical review on fidget toys says that there hasn’t been enough research on fidgets and ADHD to form a proper conclusion. Another preliminary medical study shows only a minor therapeutic effect. Anecdotally, the usefulness of fidget toys for concentration, ADHD, autism and anxiety is varied. We would avoid claiming the toys treat ADHD, anxiety or sensory conditions. Even specialist fidget retailers are now positioning them as sensory/play products rather than medical devices.