The Nest Earbud Holder Redux – I Wish I Had Thought of Them

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Nest Earbud Holder

We covered the Nest Earbud Protectors from Digital Innovations back in September of 2012. At the time I wasn’t all too interested in the product. It just looked like the kind of thing that would become one more piece of clutter in my gear cabinet. Turns out I was completely wrong, and these are actually a great product that, although a bit overpriced, are worth having if you use in-ear headphones on a regular basis.

Nest Earbud Holder

Digital Innovations, the company behind The Nest, describes their product as

an earbud winder/headphone case that protects your earbud-style headphones or earphones from tangling and damage! It features a patent-pending design and high-quality silicone construction. It’s also soft, flexible, durable, effortless to use and fits easily in any pocket.

The Nest lets you store earbuds in seconds, remove them instantly with a single pull and keeps earbuds fully protected. In addition, the flexible material is pocket-friendly.

My change of heart came when Judie arrived for a visit and brought three Nests with her. She doesn’t tend to use in-ear headphones, so her need for them was limited. I, on the other hand, switch between in-ear, on-ear and over-the-headphones so I actually could make use of the Nests. In fact, considering the fact that my in-ear headphone storage was a mishmash of different pouches having three Nests available to me actually made sense. (I honestly need a few more, and I’ll likely be placing an order.)

I was surprised to discover that the product does exactly what it promises. The Nest may not look like much, but it does exactly what it promises. It offers a quick and simple way to stow your earbuds and an even quicker way to get them out and ready to use.

Nest Earbud Holder

In this example I took my ZAGG ZR-Six earbuds, placed the actual earbuds in the center of the Nest, and wrapped the cord around the spool.

Nest Earbud Holder

When I got to the end of the cord, I simply placed the 3.5mm jack into the center and flipped the cover (the lower half of the Nest in this photo) up and over the cable.

Nest Earbud Holder

The result was a nice, neat package with my earbuds completely protected and easy to carry. And when I want to listen to music, I simply reach inside, grab the 3.5mm jack, and pull. Within seconds the earbuds are free and ready to use.

No, this isn’t a mind-blowing, game-changing design. But, and this is important, it works… perfectly. That’s why three of my favorites earbuds are now living inside the Nests Judie brought with her, and I may be purchasing a few more for the rest of my earbuds. And that’s my biggest issue with The Nest — it is a bit more pricey than I think something like this ouch to be. Still, if you want one of, if not the, easiest, most flexible (literally) and functional way to carry, protect and use your earbuds, then you won’t find a better accessory than the Nest. You can learn more here.

MSRP: $9.99

What I Like: Delivers exactly what they promise

What Needs Improvement: A bit too pricey

Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample

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About the Author

Dan Cohen
Having a father who was heavily involved in early laser and fiber-optical research, Dan grew up surrounded by technology and gadgets. Dan’s father brought home one of the very first video games when he was young and Dan remembers seeing a “pre-release” touchtone phone. (When he asked his father what the “#” and “*” buttons were his dad said, “Some day, far in the future, we’ll have some use for them.”) Technology seemed to be in Dan’s blood but at some point he took a different path and ended up in the clergy. His passion for technology and gadgets never left him. Dan is married to Raina Goldberg who is also an avid user of Apple products. They live in New Jersey with their golden doodle Nava.

2 Comments on "The Nest Earbud Holder Redux – I Wish I Had Thought of Them"

  1. Hi Dan-

    Glad you are using the Nest!

    Regarding the price, it is driven by the quality of the material we use (Silicone) and our decision to make the Nest in the US.

    The reason we picked Silicone was to make sure the product would not crack, get deformed, or show signs of wear and tear after a few months of use, which would have happened had we used TPU, a very popular material for phone cases. As suprising as it may sound, making a case is actually a simplier process than making the Nest. We have a lot of complex design elements that make production very tricky.

    Johan with Digital Innovations

    • I totally get it Johan and I LOVE the fact that you are making them in the US. As I noted in the review, while I do worry that some looking at the Nest will balk at the price I also plan on getting a few more so all of my various in-ear headphones are protected. That’s a pretty good indicator of what I REALLY think about the Nest and whether I think they are worth it or not.

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