Guy Stuff: 10 Must-Haves for the Ultimate Garage Makeover

Your man cave might just be a corner of the garage, but when you equip it with the right gear, it can transform into a true pleasure palace. Check out these 10 toys that no man’s home-inside-his-home should be without.

If you’re going to be sharing your man cave with the love of your life—your car or pick-up—then you’ll want to be sure to raise her up on the pedestal she deserves. The MaxJax lift from Dannmar consists of two separate posts that go on each side of your ride to jack it up into the air for oil changes, other maintenance, or just to impress the guys.

Visit any sport bar on a Monday night in autumn, and one thing becomes clear: guys like to yell at their TVs. Samsung has finally developed the technology to let your TV respond. In addition to recognizing your face and responding to gestures, their new Smart TVs can be controlled with your voice, so it’s easier than ever to change between the big games on your big screen.

Undoubtedly, man caves are for relaxing. But relax too long and your midsection will start to resemble that of another famous cave-loving mammal—the bear. The Kinect for XBox will get you moving by driving cars, shooting aliens (and hoops), boxing and kicking field goals—all without leaving the comforts of your house. Now that’s our kind of exercise.

Tools are a thing of beauty. So why hide them away in musty cabinets and drawers? This super-strong magnetized steel panel lets you show off your planes and pliers in style taking care of two problems at once—tool storage and room decor. Happy with your current tool storage solution? Then paint a bullseye on one of these 12″ x 12″ panels and invent a game using nuts, bolts and washers.

In this age where technology seems to get smaller and smaller, a basic principle can get lost: sometimes bigger is better. Especially when it comes to speakers. The Klipschorn speakers were invented over 65 years ago by Paul W. Klipsch to reproduce the sound of an orchestra in his living room. Today, they’ll do that and more. And even though they’re beasts, they’re beauties too; each one is handmade out of gorgeous wood right here in the US.

Nothing spells relief at the end of a long day than taking a frosty mug out of the freezer, walking over to your very own beer tap and pouring a glass of stress-busting suds. This kegerator lets you store two different sixth-sized kegs so that you can choose from pilsner or porter, light or full-cal, or any other combo you can dream up. It can reach temps in the low 30s, giving new meaning to “chilling” out.

Hang a neon sign in your man cave and you’ve got an instant party den that can rival your favorite bar (well, almost). Choose your neon carefully, though. Some designs are just plain tacky. One of our favorites is this subdued number from Gadgets and Gear. The vintage style shows you’ve got taste, the gas station theme shows you’re all guy.

A dartboard and a pool table are the predictable games to install in a man cave. But if you don’t have the room, we’ve got another idea: put a vintage arcade game in the corner. From pinball to Pac-Man, there are plenty of them out there—including units that have up to 60 games in one. Do a search on eBay, or check out the refurbished deals at Vintage-Arcade.com where this Baby Pac-Man unit was found.

While shooting zombies on your XBox can be a good way to blow off steam, sometimes you just need a bit of old fashioned exercise to release all that anger at your boss. Hop on a rowing machine for a few minutes and those office politics will fade like a distant shoreline—and you’ll be doing your heart a big favor. Here’s an updated version of the classic from WaterRower.

Couch potato is such an ugly phrase. We much prefer “King of the Recliner.” And you’ll feel like true royalty in this model from Restoration Hardware. The chair adds instant class to any cave because it doesn’t look like a typical overstuffed corduroy recliner, but rather something that would be at home in Bruce Wayne’s library. It’s handmade in fine leather and features antiqued brass nailheads.