The 50 Coolest Bond Gadgets
From tricked-out phones to explosive pens, check out the craziest tech used by 007 and the villains he fought.
Image via Complex Original
More than anything else, James Bond is known for three things: women, cars, and gadgets. Which is funny because Ian Flemming's novels about the rebellious MI6 secret agent didn't feature the wildly fantastic weapons and electronics found in most of the Bond movies. That's why the recent reboots with Daniel Craig, an attempt to bring the series back to its roots, is heavy on hand-to-hand combat and light on tech. Still, we would be remiss to discount the impact and influence all the cool toys Bond has used over the years. Where else would we see someone not named Bruce Wayne using an arsenal of devices that included jet packs, watches with built-in lasers and saws, and phones able to remote control real vehicles?
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the 007 film series and the release of the 25th installation, Skyfall, we decided to take a look back at some of the illest tech ever used by Bond. James Bond.
RELATED: The 90 Best of 90s Electronics
50. X-Ray Polaroid Camera
Appeared In: License to Kill, 1989
Used By: Pam Bouvier
It looked just like a regular Polardoid camera, but when the flash was used, it shot out a laser which enabled it to take x-ray images. Thankfully this gadget was just a figment of John Glen, Michael G. Wilson, and Richard Malbaum's imagination. Imagine if the pervs of the world got their hands on this?
49. Minox B 8x11 Camera
Appeared In: On Her Majesty's Secret Service, 1969
Used By: James Bond
The story goes, Walter Zapp envisioned his Minox subminiature camera as a luxury item. Something the wealthy would use while they trotted around the globe. Instead, the U.S. Office of Strategic Services thought, due to its small size, it would be perfect to give to some of its field agents. It makes sense then that one wound up in a James Bond movie. 007 used the Minox to secretly snap pictures of map that showed where the "Angles of Death" were planning to attack.
48. Steel Teeth
Appeared In: The Spy Who Loved Me, 1977
Used By: Jaws
OK, so a set of metal teeth is not really a gadget. But they're too badass to keep off the list. With these choppers, Jaws was able to bite through thick metal cables. Imagine if he got a hold of a person. The Broccoli family thought them cool enough to include them in the next film, Moonraker.
47. Sony-Ericsson C902
Appeared In: Quantum of Solace, 2008
Used By: James Bond
Bond's phone in Quantum of Solace wasn't able to zap his enemies or remote control his car, but it was able to perform one cool trick. The C902 had image-identification capabilities that connected to the MI6 computers and allowed him to scan a crowd for criminals.
46. Biometric Fingerprint Scanner
Appeared In: Diamonds are Forever, 1971
Used By: Tiffany Case
In the world of secret agents and spies, you should only trust a man as far as you could throw him. And beautiful villain Tiffany Case couldn't toss Bond very far. Knowing that, she uses a fingerprint scanner in an attempt to get 007 to reveal his identity. Bond manages to trick the device, however, using the fingerprints of a man named Peter Franks. Clever.
45. Seiko 0674
Appeared In: The Spy Who Loved Me, 1977
Used By: James Bond
Though not as cool as the Seiko TV watch, the 0674 was an interesting concept. If a message needed to get to Bond, MI6 would send it to his watch which would then print out a "ticker-tape" like scroll. It was like text messaging before text messaging.
44. Garrote Watch
Appeared In: From Russia With Love, 1963
Used By: Red Grant
Before 007's watches sported all sorts of fancy functions, one of the early Bond villains, Red Grant, had one that was to die for. Equipped an extractable wire, the watch was used by Grant in an attempt to kill Bond before having it turned on him. Live by the watch, die by the watch.
43. Bullet Holding Belt
Appeared In: The Man with the Golden Gun, 1974
Used By: Scaramanga
When you have a firearm as special as the one Scaramanga used in The Man with the Golden Gun, you need an equally special way to carry the bullets. Dude had just that with in his belt that had a matching gold buckle with two dispensers that spat out golden bullets. Stylish and functional.
42. Cigarette Rocket
Appeared In: You Only Live Twice, 1967
Used By: James Bond
"This cigarette can save your life!" That's what Tiger Tanaka tells Bond after he shows him the cigarette rocket that is "accurate up to 30 yards." Despite the demonstration, Bond still seems unimpressed. Had that been us, we would have placed an order for 20 cartons.
41. Omega Seamaster Professional
Appeared In: GoldenEye, 1995
Used By: James Bond
James Bond's first non-Seiko/Rolex did not disappoint. Following in Bond tradition, Seamaster featured a remote detonator and, like a lot of other 007 gadgets, a laser cuter.
40. Yo-Yo Saw
Appeared In: Octopussy, 1983
Used By: Assassin
A trained killer coming for your neck using a needle sharp circular saw attached to an elastic string is the stuff nightmares are made of. But that was an everyday struggle for James Bond.
39. Rocket Guns
Appeared In: You Only Live Twice, 1967
Used By: James Bond
James Bond's guns of choice may have been the Walther PPK, and then P99, but hands down one of the coolest pistols 007 ever fired was the Gyrojet rocket gun. Despite it's diminutive size, the rocket guns, as its name implies, packed a wallop of a punch thanks to its rocket-propelled ammunition. Developed and tested for the U.S. and British military, the prototypes now go for a hefty sum at auction.
38. Tape Recorder Camera
Appeared In: From Russia With Love, 1963
Used By: James Bond
Now that gadgets can do any and everything, a tape recorder disguised as a camera may not sound cool. But this was before the era of the personal computer. The best way to make someone believe you weren't recording their conversation was to make them believe you were taking a picture of them.
37. Dagger Shoe
Appeared In: From Russia With Love, 1963
Used By: SPECTRE Agents
The dagger shoe has become a staple of movie weaponry. The Joker had one in his arsenal in The Dark Knight, it also made an appearance in The Punisher, and, more recently, Salt. But it all started here. Used by SPETRE agents, the seemingly regular pair of formal shoes contained a sharp dagger that would pop out and make kicks all the more deadly.
36. Mechanical Prosthetic Arm
Appeared In: Live and Let Die, 1973
Used By: Tee Hee
While we would never want to lose a limb, if we did, we hope to have it replaced with something as cool as Tee Hee's prosthetic. After he lost his arm in a fight with a gator, Hee was given a mechanical arm with a claw strong enough to cut through and bend metal. We imagine this is this was the inspiration for Jax from Mortal Combat.
35. Geiger Counter
Appeared In: Dr. No, 1962
Used By: James Bond
What do you do when you suspect someone is planning some sort of nuclear attack? If you're James Bond in 1962, you get a geiger counter. Bond called upon Mi6 to send him the then uncommon device to measure the radioactivity of Crab Key, Jamaica. Geiger counters now are so small they are paired with metal detectors.
34. Wallis WA-116 Series 1 Gyroplane "Little Nellie"
Appeared In: You Only Live Twice, 1967
Used By: James Bond
Nicknamed "Little Nellie" this futuristic aircraft was able to propel Bond in the air and came equipped with rocket launchers, smart missiles, air mines, machine guns, and flamethrowers. Oh, and it was able to be be broken down and stored in suitcases.
33. Radioactive Lint
Appeared In: On Her Majesty's Secret Service, 1969
Used By: Q
In what may have been the perfect tracker ever created was never even used by Bond. Designed to be undetectable, the lint would be traceable when placed on the body, preferably a pocket, of the mark. Even if found, the person would just think it's a piece of lint and toss it away. Genius. The science behind it is shaky, but we think this should find its way into another film.
32. Voice Changer
Appeared In: Diamonds are Forever, 1971
Used By: James Bond
Before Ethan Hunt was using tiny translucent strips to change his voice, James Bond had this. Developed by Q to fool Blofeld, it allowed 007 to completely change the sound of his voice. Sure, its lack of portability limited its use, but this was super high-tech for 1971.
31. Ski Pole Gun
Appeared In: The Spy Who Loved Me, 1977
Used By: James Bond
Ian Fleming made the cane gun, a walking cane with a hidden built-in gun, famous when he included it in Casino Royale. The ski pole gun built on that idea, as it was essentially a cane gun for skiers. The point of the story here: You can put a gun in pretty much anything.
30. Osato's X-Ray Desk
Appeared In: You Only Live Twice, 1967
Used By: Mr. Osato
When you're connected to an organization called the Special Executive for Counter-Intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge, and Extortion (SPECTRE), you expect people to want to see you six-feet deep. To limit his chance of getting got, Mr. Osato, head of Osato Chemicals, had an x-ray desk built that allowed him to see if any of his guests were packing anything more than a wallet and a pen.
29. Wrist Darts
Appeared In: Moonracker, 1979
Used By: James Bond
In the event Bond found himself in a situation that hand-to-hand combat, laser cutters, or his Walther pistol couldn't get him out of, 007 tucked his diminutive dart shooter under his cuff. When activated, it shot out cyanide-laced and armor-piercing darts. Sometimes subtly works best.
28. Digital Binoculars
Appeared In: GoldenEye, 1995
Used By: James Bond
We're forced to believe that future James Bond movies will include something akin to the Google Glasses. That is, eyewear that can take capture imagery, analyze it, and send it wirelessly to whomever. 007 had something similar with the digital binoculars he used in GoldenEye. With a digital camera built in, Bond could survey and area and share his findings with MI6.
27. X-Ray Glasses
Appeared In: The World is Not Enough, 1999
Used By: James Bond
X-Ray glasses, like moving sidewalks and jet packs, are another thing we as kids thought would be here by now. Alas, they're still the domain of science fiction. We're surprised it took until 1999 to get a pair of x-ray specs into a Bond movie.
26. Car Phone
Appeared In: From Russia With Love, 1963
Used By: James Bond
Looking back now, a car phone may not seem like a big deal, but back in 1963, it was an extreme luxury. Car phones didn't begin to pick up traction for another two decades and even then they cost a grip. Bond was wild ahead of the curve. This was one of the few gadgets from a Bond movie that actually made it into the everyday lives of regular people.
25. Fake Nipple
Appeared In: The Man with the Golden Gun, 1974
Used By: James Bond
This has to be the most low-tech piece of equipment ever issued to James Bond. When 007 has to infiltrate the facility of a man with three nipples, he's given a fake nipple to paste onto the middle of his chest. Simple, plain, and effective.
24. Safe Cracker
Appeared In: On Her Majesty's Secret Service, 1969
Used By: James Bond
We know James Bond had a keychain that included a lock picker, but what about when he encountered safes? He employed a safe cracker: A device advanced for the time it was devised, the cracker would listen to the tumbler, figure out the combination, and even allow Bond to copy and print out any documents found inside.
23. Portable Defibrillator
Appeared In: Casino Royale, 2006
Used By: James Bond
Though not as cool as the Aston Martin DBS, the portable defibrillator stashed in the glove compartment in Casino Royale was most vital gadget Bond used in the Martin Campbell-directed reboot. When Bond gets poisoned and suffers a heart attack it's this little wonder that brings him back to life. Makes us wish we had one in our first aid kit. You know, just in case.
22. Door Decoder
Appeared In: GoldenEye, 1995
Used By: 0.006
When you're a secret agent, you don't use keycards or entrance codes. That's what gadgets are for. You may remember 006 using a door decoder in the beginning of GoldenEye, but we remember it more because we used it in the GoldenEye video game for Nintendo 64.
21. Montblanc Fountain Pen
Appeared In: Octopussy, 1983
Used By: James Bond
Built to work in conjunction with Bond's Seiko, the Montblanc pen could be used as a listening device with the sound being transmitted to Bond's watch. The pen also contained a deadly mixture of Nitric and Hydrochloric acids incase things got hairy.
20. Keychain
Appeared In: The Living Daylights, 1987
Used By: James Bond
If James Bond's Philips keychain was only able to "open 90% of the world's locks," we would be impressed. But not only was it able to pick locks, it could let off an explosive charge, or a stun gas when the right tune is whistled.
19. Wheelchair Missile
Appeared In: GoldenEye, 1995
Used By: Q
If James Bond ever found himself resigned to a wheelchair for a prolonged period of time, he could breathe a sigh of relief knowing he would still be able to kick some ass. MI6's in-house skunkworks master, Q, developed this wheelchair and leg cast combination that could fire missiles. Bond never used it, but it's good to have in the sash.
18. Dentonite Toothpaste
Appeared In: License to Kill, 1989
Used By: James Bond
You should already know that if James Bond is rolling around with something as unassuming as toothpaste that it probably has a gun built in to it, or it will explode. Especially if the toothpaste has "Dentonite" written on the tube.
17. Electro-Magnetic RPM Controller
Appeared In: Diamonds are Forever, 1971
Used By: James Bond
Bond's had some cool finger pieces over the years, but the first, and arguably the coolest, was this Q ring that allowed 007 to automatically hit the jackpot at a slot machine. Imagine having this thing in Vegas?
16. Explosive Pen Gun
Appeared In: Never Say Never Again , 1983
Used By: James Bond
When it comes to James Bond, a pen is never simply a writing instrument. As with most other 007 gadgets, this fountain pen sporting the UK's Union Flag packs a bang in the form of a (delayed) explosive.
15. Solex Agitator
Appeared In: The Man with the Golden Gun, 1974
Used By: Scaramanga
The holy grail of sustainable energy was no bigger than a pack of cards. The Solex Agitator was able to harness the energy of the sun and direct it in any direction for any purpose. If in the right hands, the device could do remarkable good. Unfortunately, Scaramanga planned to use it to hoodrat things with his friends like blow up airplanes.
14. Piton Gun
Appeared In: GoldenEye, 1995
Used By: James Bond
A number of Bond gadgets throughout the years had grappling capabilities, but the coolest one was the Piton Gun used in GoldenEye. In addition to its ability to fire a grappling hook, it also had a built-in laser-cutter. With this, Bond could get over and through nearly any and every obstacle.
13. Sky Hook
Appeared In: Thunderball, 1965
Used By: James Bond
Remember in The Dark Knight when Batman captured Lau and had the plane hone in on them and carry them away? This is sort of the same idea. Bond's Skyhook would descend from a weather balloon which would then connect with a B-17 plane to carry him away. Bond did it first.
12. Bowler Hat Knife
Appeared In: Goldfinger, 1964
Used By: OddJob
OddJob's black bowler hat is one of the best known weapons ever used in a Bond movie. Equipped with a sharp metal disc in its brim that could slice through metal, it nearly took Bond's (and OddJob's) life.
11. Brush Phone
Appeared In: Live and Let Die, 1973
Used By: James Bond
Sure, your phone can take pictures, record video, and surf the Internet, but can it brush your hair? Didn't think so. Point, Bond.
10. Laser
Appeared In: Goldfinger, 1964
Used By: Auric Goldfinger
Despite the vast range of weapons used in James Bond movies, there are a few that remain constant. The laser is one of them. Used by MI6 as well as the villains it hunts, lasers, whether in a watch or a camera, play a major role in Bond film history. One of the most famous ones nearly neutered 007 in Goldfinger.
9. Underwater Jet Pack
Appeared In: Thunderball, 1965
Used By: James Bond
Not only can James Bond breathe underwater longer than his enemies thanks to gadgets like the Rebreather, he can swim faster than them, too. The underwater jet pack propelled 007 to crazy speeds and came equipped with two spear guns that each had explosive tips. 007 stays strapped even when under water.
8. Boombox
Appeared In: The Living Daylights, 1987
Used By: Q
Why did Q whip up a boombox that could launch rockets? Well, it was 1987, rap was taking off, and he didn't know if a mission would bring Bond to the Southside Bronx or Bed-Stuy Brooklyn. Better to be safe than sorry.
7. Briefcase
Appeared In: From Russia With Love, 1963
Used By: James Bond
It may have looked like a regular ol' briefcase, but Bond's all-black leather attache was packed more weapons than a plane full of Expendables. In it, Bond carried an AR-7 rifle with an infrared scope, bullets, throwing knives, tear gas, and gold coins. What's in your wallet?
6. Golden Gun
Appeared In: The Man with the Golden Gun, 1974
Used By: Scaramanga
Scaramanga's golden gun is perhaps the coolest villain weapon of all time. Assembled using a pen (the barrel), a cigarette lighter (the bullet chamber), a cigarette case (the handle), and a cufflink, the gun had only one downside: The gun only held one bullet at a time. Good thing Scaramanga had that cool golden, bullet-holding, belt buckle.
5. Bell Rocket Belt
Appeared In: Thunderball, 1965
Used By: James Bond
James Bond's low-powered propulsion pack was another product created for real-world military use that made its way to film. Designed and built by Bell Aerosystems in the 1960s, the Rocket Belt used heated water vapor, nitrogen gas, and hydrogen peroxide to lift a person nearly 30 feet into the air. That was high enough for 007 to escape to his Aston Martin DB5 after killing SPECTRE agent Jacques Bouvar.
4. Rebreather
Appeared In: Thunderball, 1965
Used By: James Bond
Breathing underwater is something James Bond's had to do in numerous missions, and it's always been possible thanks to the mini contraption called the Rebreather. Appearing in the fourth Bond film, many wondered if the Rebreather was real, as most Bond gadgets at the time were based on existing tools and weapons. But it's size, and the lack of an airbag, made a real-life counterpart all but impossible to create.
3. Rolex Submariner
Appeared In: Live and Let Die, 1973
Used By: James Bond
Even though Bond's Rolex in Never Say Never Again featured a laser cutter, it wasn't until Live and Let Die that his Rollie got equipped some serious hardware. Able to deflect bullets thanks to a powerful electromagnet, it also had a built-in saw that helped 007 escape from a shark tank. Sure, it didn't have a laser, but it didn't really need one.
2. Seiko TV Watch
Appeared In: Octopussy, 1983
Used By: James Bond
James Bond rocked two watches Seiko watches in Octopussy. The one that worked in conjunction with his Montblanc fountain pen and this marvel of a wrist piece. Able to receive video transmissions wirelessly, it helped Bond capture Kamal Khan. Imagine if you put the old iPod Nano in one of those watch holders and was able to receive video from your friends. Yes, please.
1. Sony-Ericsson R380
Appeared In: Tomorrow Never Dies, 1997
Used By: James Bond
Before Sony released the R380, the phone which helped kickstart the smartphone market got prime placement in Tomorrow Never Dies. The first phone to run the Symbian OS, the R380 acted as a 20,000-volt stun gun, a fingerprint scanner, a lock picker, and a remote control for Bond's BMW 750iL. If only smartphones today were as capable.