Culture

Super luxe toys for loaded geeks (pictures)

From extraterrestrial face creams to underwater limousines, check out our gallery of far-out luxury goods that will tickle your geek bone.

Eric Mack

Eric Mack has been a CNET contributor since 2011. Eric and his family live 100% energy and water independent on his off-grid compound in the New Mexico desert. Eric uses his passion for writing about energy, renewables, science and climate to bring educational content to life on topics around the solar panel and deregulated energy industries. Eric helps consumers by demystifying solar, battery, renewable energy, energy choice concepts, and also reviews solar installers. Previously, Eric covered space, science, climate change and all things futuristic. His encrypted email for tips is ericcmack@protonmail.com.

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Eric Mack

July 16, 2013 5:59 a.m. PT

1 of 10 Kickstarter

Fine art from a galaxy far, far away

If you're a geek with a penchant for spoiling yourself, we've got you covered. If you missed that posh product you're looking for in our earlier roundups of luxury cars, yachts, smartphones and tablets, wristwatches, and even Apple accessories, there's a good chance you'll find it in this super-geeky collection of blinged-out swag that's less easily categorized.

Now that you're a big shot with a salary that ends in several zeroes, it might not be appropriate for you to wear that "Star Wars" T-shirt to conferences to show off your geek cred. Besides, it's way more impressive to hold that important meeting at your home office in front of your 10-foot-tall custom painting of an AT-AT Walker.

Rob Burden is the artist you want on retainer for such character-centered creations. His recent successful Kickstarter campaign commissioned three new "Star Wars"-related works, but for the right price, he'd surely consider painting a Picard, if Gene Roddenberry's universe is more your jam.

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2 of 10 Hot Tug

Steam floats your boat

The only thing better than a cool dip in summer is following it up with a steamy soak. When you demand both and don't want to be tethered to the scenery of a stationary waterfront hot tub, those who know go with the Hot Tug, a tug boat and hot tub in one.

The reasonable price of just over $21,000 gets you the top-of-the-line tug with electric motor and enough batteries to facilitate eight hours of sailing.

If you're on more of a budget, a Seattle company also offers a time-share hot tub sailing option.

3 of 10 Cocoontree.com

Hang around in style

Traditionally, many treehouses are ramshackle by definition. But people are finally beginning to challenge that conventional wisdom with hangable housing solutions that aren't short on comfort. We've seen a nearly invisible cubic take on the treehouse, and now there's a similar cocoon that can be slung from a tree, or even above water and elsewhere. The beginner model of the Cocoon Tree Bed starts at $8,000 -- flashlight and scary stories not included.

4 of 10 Screenshot by Amanda Kooser/CNET

DIY gold iPod watch

Arguably, a true geek does DIY bling. Proving that this ethic pays off, Ted Chapanian forged his own gold iPod watch. The AuPod was created with just $2,500 in materials and 500 hours of effort. Given the price of other gilded gadgets we've seen, we're beginning to understand why so many folks are into the luxury racket.

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5 of 10 Dacor

An Android oven

Why spend $7,500 on a fancy oven when you could just pay someone else to cook for you? Because you're a foodie geek with means, of course! At CES 2013, we were introduced to the Dacor Discovery IQ Wall Oven with built-in 7-inch Android tablet to guide your culinary adventures. You can operate it yourself, or have anyone from the Jetsons family show you how.

6 of 10 U-Boat Worx

Submerge in style

There's nothing worse than hanging out in a muggy submarine. Fortunately, U-Boat Worx has an air-conditioned five-passenger sub for the next time guests on your yacht get bored on the surface and want to go explore the depths. The $2.4 million C-Explorer 5 bills itself as the "world's first subsea limousine" and actually is designed for bored yacht passengers, as well as high-end tourists. And while it is a sweet shade of crimson, don't call this sexy submersible Red October.

7 of 10 Team Galag

Ready-to-race Batmobile

The problem with most supercars and other luxury rides is that they're designed for your everyday, run-of-the-mill wealthy people and not the uber-rich who moonlight as high-tech vigilantes.

If you want to roll in style and fly the geek flag at the same time, you really need a real-world replica of the Dark Knight's tumbler, like this $1.55 million ready-to-race version of the Batmobile.

8 of 10 111 Skin

Spacey skin cream

When you really want your skin to have that celestial glow, the easiest way to get it is clearly from a cream made with particles of black diamonds that may or may not be from space. My Crave colleague Amanda Kooser attempted to get more information from the makers of 111 Skin about the origins of its "Celestial Black Diamond Cream" but wasn't able to get the details of the ingredients in the cream that costs $900 per 50 milliliters. If you're able to spend almost a grand on face cream, I say just don't ask questions and enjoy the placebo effect and space-y packaging.

9 of 10 Hart Audio

Get that gilded geek sound

These golden speakers from Hart Audio in 18-karat gold cost nearly $5 million and won't win any awards for aesthetics, but will give you something to do with all that money laying around that otherwise would have kept tempting you to buy every house on your block.

There are also bronze and silver editions available for a fraction of the cost for those of you who would prefer to slum it when it comes to your precious metal audio system.

10 of 10 Sideshow Collectibles

Iron Man vs. the paparazzi?

In the real world, supervillians are a little less easy to identify and the authorities aren't likely to let billionaires fly around in insane Iron Man suits. In fact, if Iron Man were to have a civilian gig in today's world it would likely be as a scary bodyguard. If you've got $8,500 you could take on that gig today by purchasing your own life-size Iron Man suit replica. Just promise us you'll make a video of what's sure to be the greatest unboxing ever.