I never thought a tiny stick could bring my dusty old TV back to life, but the Amazon Fire TV Stick did just that. After years of watching everything on my laptop like some sort of digital caveman, this little gadget made me feel like I'd stepped into the future.

The setup was laughably easy - plug into HDMI, connect to Wi-Fi, and boom! Suddenly my ancient television could stream Netflix better than my gaming PC. The Alexa remote feels like magic when I'm feeling lazy (which is always). Just saying "Play The Office" while buried under blankets is peak modern living.

What surprised me most were all the free channels. PlutoTV became my new background noise addiction - who knew I needed 24/7 Star Trek marathons? The interface is so intuitive even my technophobic mom figured it out immediately (though she still calls it "that Amazon television wand").

Pro tip: Spring for the version with TV controls on the remote. Not having to juggle multiple remotes when adjusting volume makes binge sessions dangerously seamless. My only complaint? Some apps keep playing after turning off the TV - I woke up to a very confused cat watching cooking shows at full volume.

If you're still using your laptop as a TV or paying for cable, do yourself a favor and get one of these. It's cheaper than a smart TV and works just as well. Just be warned - you might rediscover how comfortable your couch actually is.