We were originally going to do this series of Top Five Gifts as a “Sky’s the Limit” thing. But our expensive tastes made that a bit too ridiculous, so instead we grounded ourselves a little and made this list of things we would love that are a little pricier, but not too expensive for the people that TRULY love us to get us for the holidays. I mean, seriously, we’re worth it, right? 

Chris’ Top Five Wish List for Items Over $100

1) Canon EOS Rebel T5i DSLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens $849.00 at B&H Photo

THIS. This is what I want more than anything else. I kind of need this. This camera is one of the main things I was trying to raise money for to purchase before NYCC. With this I could easily create great video content pairing it with the Zoom H4N. It, of course, also takes amazing pictures. If I could honestly have one thing on this list, I would choose this in a heartbeat.

2) Korus V600s Portable Wireless Speaker $449.99 at Korus

If you’re like me you love great sound for your media centers, but hate wiring everything. You also hate audio lag. This speaker system takes care of both those issues VERY well.
I was first introduced to the Korus line at CES NY Unveiled. There were a LOT of wireless/portable speaker systems being presented there, but this, by and large, took the cake. The Korus wireless system, unlike most, and thankfully so, does not rely on sketchy bluetooth connectivity. It uses a series of dongles to connect their speakers to your devices using the patented  SKAA® technology which produces better clarity, connectivity and range than any other wireless speakers I’ve had the chance to use or experiment with. Did I mention that you can connect up to four of these speakers to one device for full surround? One of the greatest things about this is it uses dedicated ports/dongles. They have them for PC and certain smart media devices via USB, 30-pin and lightning adapters for iPod/iPad/iPhone, and they are launching their Android dongle sometime in 2014. This thing is fantastic.

3) LG 65″ Ultra HD 4k 240hz 3D LED TV $4999.99 at Amazon

If you haven’t yet experienced UltraHD/4k TVs yet, oh man…you absolutely MUST. These units are…the images are…the quality..the color..the….ugh..*drool*

4) Officially BBC Licensed Full-Sized Replica TARDIS $(prices vary) from This Planet Earth

This company makes just about every variation of the TARDIS ever shown on screen with intricate detail and magnificent construction. You can get a lower end model for under $5000, but more than likely after shipping some will cost you close to $10, 000, but hey, you’ll be the coolest Whovian around!!

5) CybertronPC Boss TNB3192A Gaming Notebook – 3rd generation Intel Core i7-3920XM 2.9GHz, 32GB DDR3, 1TB HDD + 60GB SSD, Blu-ray Burner, 4GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680M, 17.3″ Full HD, Windows 8 Pro 64-bit $3,891.89 at TigerDirect.com

Honestly, I just really need a great laptop that I can edit ANYTHING on without concern of time or whatever, so I just went to TigerDirect and looked for one of the most powerful laptops they had. This one fit the bill pretty nicely. I don’t really do any sort of gaming on PC, but this would undoubtedly serve all other purposes for which I would use it.

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Amanda’s Top Five Wish List for Items Over $100

Without even hesitating, my very first item(s) for my wish list of over $100 would be a washer/dryer set. Although they are sold separately, I count them as one. Unfortunately, due to lack of space in my current apartment, I am unable to purchase these glorious appliances, but a girl can dream, right? Also, since I have an imaginary budget for this wish list, I would get brand new whirlpool duet set. So…beautiful. With each item being $1,079.10, it isn’t a crazy amount and I would be one happy lady. 

For my second item, although I already have a MacBook that I absolutely love (yes, I am an Apple girl…get over it), I would really love to have an iMac (Apple desktop). Specifically the new 27 inch screen one.  This item is definitely a ‘want’ over a ‘need’ and I’m usually mesmerized by new techy products. They’re my “toys”.

Every time a commercial would appear for this next item on TV, I would immediately make fun of it and roll my eyes. “NESPRESSSSSO!” I would say in a (poorly said) Penelope Cruz accent. However, one day at Target they were giving free samples from this Nespresso machine, as well as showing how it worked and the different features that were offered for each of the machines. I was blown away by the taste this tiny machine made. It actually tastes like you just got a cup from an actual coffee shop. My number 3 would be a Nespresso machine.

My fourth item is something I wish I could do more. Snowboard. I’m not a black diamond girl yet, but I can keep up on the blue squares. The mountain that I really enjoy is up by Lake Placid, NY, which is Whiteface Mountain. As a pre-teen to young adult, I would take trips up to LP with family and friends. The town of Lake Placid is a gorgeous town (especially in the winter), has a beautiful lake with many winter activities available, and the enormous mountain (Whiteface) is under 30 minutes away. As for my item that I would put on this list would be a season pass for Whiteface. The trails are long, the scenery is amazing, and the snow is perfect.

Lastly, and definitely not least, my last “item” on my wish list isn’t exactly an item. To be honest, I’m sure there’s plenty of items that I would love to get my hands on, but my real wish list, especially if it’s over $100 would be to travel. So, I’d find myself a vacation package, specifically to England and Ireland.

The pricing isn’t as cringeworthy as you’d think. On goaheadtours.com, I found this 9 day trip to London, Edinburgh & Dublin for just $3,179. Although that is a pretty penny, 9 days is quite a long vacation and you’re going to three different cities. Edinburgh is a nice plus, but traveling to both England and Ireland has been a dream of mine for a very long time. I’m hoping to get over there within the next few years, but I’ve had a few failed attempts thus far.

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Rishard’s Top Five Wish List for Items Over $100

Kindle Paperwhite

For those that want to read e-books on an easy to read display, the Paperwhite is a pretty solid bet.  You can read Ebooks on just about any tablet, but they can cause eye strain if you read for prolonged periods.  A Kindle Paperwhite is designed to give you a great display, but reduce the possibility of eye strain.  It also allows you to read in the dark because it’s backlit.  I used to have a kindle a while ago, and lighting was large problem.   The Paperwhite is the best thing for reading, next to an actual book.  The Kindle Paperwhite can be purchased from Amazon for $119.

Apple iPad mini with Retina display

I liked the original iPad, but at some point I stopped using it as often, in part because of the size.  Apple introduced the iPad mini which solved some of those issues.  I can easily hold the mini in one hand while I operate it with the other.  This is a great tablet experience.  The only downfall is the price.  The new iPad mini’s with Retina display start at $399 for the 16GB model.

Pebble Smartwatch

The Pebble Smartwatch was one of the first smart watches to get released and it’s still one of the best.  The Pebble has comparable, or better battery life then every other smart watch on the market.  It’s also water proof so you don’t have to worry about taking it off in the shower.  Most importantly it works well with both Android and iOS devices so you don’t have to worry about compatibility.  The Pebble Smartwatch can be purchased from Amazon for $149.

Xbox One

This is probably my favorite purchase I’ve made in recent memory.   While the Xbox One can’t do everything, it can do a lot.  It’s probably the main reason I haven’t been writing as much as I was previously.  The Xbox One goes beyond just being a gaming console and becomes a lifestyle hub. While I can’t get my fiancé to play video games, she’s very interested in using Xbox Fitness.  If I’m watching tv and a commercial pops up, I can jump into a video game for a few minutes while waiting.  The transition is easy and seamless.  Unfortunately getting your hands on an Xbox One right now is going to be difficult.  It’s sold out at most places, but if you keep your ears to the ground you can probably find out where to go once new stock becomes available.  The Xbox One retails for $499.

JVC DLA X500R

For those with a giant empty wall, and $5,000 burning their pocket, the JVC DLA X500R is a solid buy.  This is JVC’s newest 4K projector that was released a few weeks ago, and while I haven’t seen it in person, I’m sure it’s stunning.  There is one caveat to this system.  It isn’t a true 4K projector.  It can take a native 4K image, but there is a bit of trickery involved.  It actually uses 2 lenses at 1080P to emulate a 4K image.   It will upscale images from 1080P to 4K very well.   If you want a true 4K projector, the cheapest thing at the moment is the Sony VPL-VW600ES which will still run you $15K.  I think saving $10K and going with a pseudo 4K model is a better bet this year.  The JVC DLA X500R can be purchased from ABT for $4995.