The Best Bond Gadgets, Ranked

First up on our list of the best Bond gadgets is the wristwatch dart gun from Moonraker. This wasn’t just your average timepiece—it was actually a concealed weapon that fired darts… with deadly accuracy.

This unique gadget fired through nerve impulses alone. And it shot either armor-piercing or cyanide-tipped darts up to five meters away.

It made our list because it’s exactly what a spy needs: it looks normal on your wrist, packs a punch, and works like something out of a sci-fi movie (which, after all, it is). Even Apple’s modern smartwatches can’t compete with that!

Next, another memorable Bond gadget was the golden gun from The Man with the Golden Gun. This custom pistol belonged to assassin Francisco Scaramanga.

And, making it particularly special, it also broke down into harmless-looking luxury items like a fountain pen, cigarette case, lighter, and cufflinks. This meant he could easily slip through security and assemble his weapon when needed.

The single-shot golden pistol perfectly matched Scaramanga’s elegant, precise, and deadly style. It’s one of the few villain gadgets that made our list, and for good reason. The gun became so iconic that it’s now as much a part of Bond history as any of Q’s inventions.

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Q Branch’s deadliest briefcase makes the next spot on our list. Introduced in From Russia with Love, this seemingly ordinary attaché case was actually one of the craftiest Bond gadgets, packing spy gear between its leather walls. Inside, they stashed rounds of ammunition, throwing knives, and 50 gold sovereigns hidden in the lining. They even added a magnetized tear gas trap for anyone who tried to open it wrong!

Later, the case proved its worth when Bond faced off against the assassin Red Grant on the Orient Express. Using just the hidden throwing knife and some quick thinking, 007 managed to turn the tables on an enemy who had him cornered.

It earned its spot on our list because it showed how the best spy gear doesn’t need to be flashy. Sometimes, a well-designed briefcase is all you need. It was so effective that Q Branch made it a standard issue for all 00 agents.

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While some might view our next Bond gadget as silly, the seagull snorkel from Goldfinger remains one of 007’s most creative disguises. During the film’s opening sequence, Bond needed to infiltrate a drug lab in Central America without being spotted.

Of course, his solution was pretty creative. He decided on a diving suit with a fake seagull head, letting him swim to the facility while blending in with the birds. Now, talk about being a master of disguise! Plus, in classic Bond style, he still kept his tuxedo perfectly dry and polished underneath.

Next up on our list of the best Bond gadgets are these innocent-looking dagger shoes. Appearing in From Russia with Love, these normal-looking shoes actually had a retractable poison blade hidden in the toe.

We first saw their deadly power when Kronsteen took a poisoned kick and collapsed in just twelve seconds (prompting Blofeld to complain about needing faster poison). Later, SMERSH agent Rosa Klebb almost got Bond with the same trick, but Tatiana Romanova shot her before she could land the kick.

The shoes became a permanent part of Bond history, even earning a spot in Q Branch’s display in Die Another Day.

The explosive grenade pen from GoldenEye was another one of the best Bond gadgets. Looking just like a regular Parker pen, this weapon packed a powerful grenade that exploded three seconds after clicking the pen four times.

The pen proved its worth when Bond was captured in the same movie. His enemy’s computer expert, Boris, had a habit of constantly clicking pens while he worked. So, when Boris picked up Bond’s special pen and started clicking it… he had no idea he was actually setting off a bomb. The explosion gave Bond the perfect chance to escape, earning its spot on our list.

Though it never quite reached the iconic status of the final car on our list, the Lotus Esprit S1 (aka the Wet Nellie) earned its own special place in 007 history. This Bond gadget appeared to be just another sports car but could also transform into a fully operational submarine.

In The Spy Who Loved Me, as a helicopter chased Bond, he shocked everyone by driving his white Lotus right off a pier into the ocean. Instead of sinking, the car transformed like magic. The wheels tucked in, fins popped out the sides, and suddenly Bond was cruising underwater.

The submarine car earned its high spot on our list by perfectly capturing the over-the-top imagination of the best Bond gadgets, proving that in Bond’s world, nothing was impossible.

When Thunderball hit theaters in 1965, audiences were treated to something they’d never seen before. This time, James Bond soared through the air with a real, working jetpack. After dealing with a SPECTRE agent on a French château’s rooftop, Bond strapped on what looked like a bulky metal backpack. Then, he lifted off and flew to his waiting vehicle.

Of course, this shocked audiences. And this one wasn’t just movie magic. The Bell Aerosystems Rocket Belt was truly cutting-edge technology for its time. Although the jetpack could only fly for about 20 seconds and required a skilled pilot, it represented the innovation that the Bond series was known for.

What made the jetpack so special was its perfect mix of real science and spy fantasy. While other Bond gadgets like exploding pens and submarine cars were just imagination, the jetpack was actually real and actually worked.

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Capping our list of the best Bond gadgets is the iconic Aston Martin DB5. First seen in Goldfinger, this car was more than just a luxury ride. Every inch was packed with hidden weapons and defensive tools.

The DB5 showed off all its tricks in Goldfinger when Bond had to escape a team of thugs. Machine guns popped out from behind the headlights. An ejector seat launched unwanted passengers into the air. Smoke screens and oil slicks stopped anyone trying to follow. The car even had rotating license plates to confuse pursuers.

No other gadget has left such a mark on the Bond series. The DB5 appeared in eight more Bond films over nearly 60 years. From Thunderball to No Time to Die, it was always there. It perfectly mixed luxury, style, and deadly force, making it the ultimate Bond gadget.