9 amazing fidget toys for adults, ranked best to worst

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I didn’t realize how important a fidget would be for increasing my ability to focus until I (literally) got my hands on one. For most of my life, I’ve been easily distracted, and find myself playing with my hair, the hair tie on my wrist, the pen in front of me—whatever happens to be available.

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There’s a giant misconception that fidgets are meant solely for kids. While they’re fantastic for this population (and studies are beginning to show how helpful a fidget can be to children’s education) there’s a place for them in adult life when promoting positive mental health and keeping hands busy.

Whether you’re sitting in a Zoom meeting or need to be physically moving while watching your favorite HBO show, you may find them helpful in alleviating negative thoughts or patterns in your daily life. Some people find they may help in reducing negative habits, like biting nails, overeating and face picking.

I tried nine fidgets available on Amazon and Speks in an effort to find the best fidget toy for adults. Note that personal preferences and needs vary when choosing a fidget toy, of course, so you may love something that just wasn’t for me. That said, here’s my honest review of what I enjoyed—and what I didn’t.

My favorite adult fidget of the pack was the Ono Roller, which I purchased in black. The small device is sleek, unassuming and simple to maneuver. There’s no tricks or flare with this high-quality fidget. It’s simply rolled in your hand, or between two, as a way to calm the body and focus your energy externally.

The reason I loved this one so much is it fit well in my hand and felt like a mature option truly meant for teens and adults. It was simple to use without looking down as well, so I was able to carry on a conversation, or pay attention to the television, without having to watch my hands to continue fidgeting. It was a natural addition to my routine, and it never felt like a distraction.

Despite its high price at the time of purchase, I found myself thoroughly enjoying the fine motor benefits of Speks Crags Magnetic Putty. A heavy weight of tiny magnets gives you a palm-full to play with, while allowing your creativity to take over with design. You can pass it back and forth, squish it between your hands or lay it on a table to make any design you choose.

My only complaint with this fidget is its initially high price point: as this, and any fidget, can get repetitive quickly. I also feel it’s important to issue a warning that the small magnetic pieces may be a choking hazard. If you have animals or small children, this may not be the fidget for you, because pieces will fly and bounce as you pass the toy between your hands.

There’s almost nothing as satisfying as a Pop It. Part of the fun of these rubber fidget devices is choosing a color you’re drawn to. If bright colors and patterns (which seem to be sold everywhere now) aren’t your thing, these adult neutrals do the trick with a bit of class.

These fidgets are exactly what you’d expect. They pop two ways, and allow you to fidget as quickly or slowly as you’d like. As a future therapist, these will be a must in my session fidget box, as I feel they’re an easy and welcome fidget for anyone grappling with stress and anxiety.

This would have been higher on my list had I not tried the Crags Magnetic Putty. Speks Magnet Balls are certainly fun, but they pale in comparison to the larger beads. These small magnets fit more in your fingers than in your hand, making it a very isolated fidget experience. If you have any organizational tendencies, it may also be frustrating to know it won’t be an easy feat to rearrange the magnets into the perfectly lined rainbow arranged in its original packaging.

While this fidget certainly has merit, my personal preference was the other Speks toy because of its weight and size.

Infinity Cubes are unending fun and feel great in your hands. These are a go-to for me when it comes to helping me focus on a conversation, simply because there’s no way to mess this fidget up. The cubes fold back and forth infinitely with little effort.

Like Pop Its, there are hundreds of color choices to choose from. I tried a galaxy fidget cube, which was fun, but don’t limit yourself to this precise model just because it’s linked. If this is a fidget you’re interested in, there’s almost certainly a pattern you’ll adore somewhere on the market.

While these Monkey Fidgetz weren’t my favorite fidgets, I didn’t necessarily see anything wrong with them. My main discomfort came from their short length of mesh, which felt designed for school-age children’s hands. As an adult, I would have appreciated more wiggle room for the marble inside the mesh.

That being said, because they come in an eight-pack, these fidgets may be the most practical, as you can throw one in every purse or bag. If immediacy is your priority, they’re a great option.

I was instantly drawn to the colorful marbling on these fidgets, but sadly, was disappointed by the actual fidgeting. These inflated Pop It Balls are great in theory, but they’re lacking the satisfaction that comes with a fully popped Pop It.

Once you push two of the pops down, another pops up. That means it’s physically impossible to actually push all of the buttons into the fidget. Instead, you’re left popping, while your progress pops out: something that’s immensely frustrating if you’re very dedicated to smoothing the ball out.

This Fidget Dodecagon offers tons of different fidget options including joysticks, switches, textures and buttons. If you seek variety from a single toy, you can find it here. However, it just didn’t hit the mark for me.

Because of the extreme amount of options on this fidget, I found myself constantly looking down to navigate it. For me, this lack of simplicity takes away form the point of an ideal fidget, which should theoretically assimilate to your routine, not distract from it.

Similar to the Dodecagon, this Chain Fidget wasn’t easy to navigate. It regularly got stuck in positions in my hand, which forced me to reverse the motion, rather than follow through. It was more frustrating and unpredictable than it was relaxing. Because of that less seamless experience, it falls to the bottom of my list.

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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.