This is by no means a new concept, but it is arguably evergreen. Whether in encouraging your child to develop the habit of saving or soliciting donations for some noble cause, adding an element of fun to the process certainly can’t hurt.

Operating this device is pretty simple: just place a coin at the top of the ramp and observe as it races around the funnel before dropping into the hole. Of course, it doesn’t multiply your money or anything like that, and its advertising makes a point of the fact that the coins aren’t actually included. Still, it’s a lot of fun to use and makes a convenient receptacle for spare change.

Assembling it is easy enough, although doing this requires a tiny screwdriver some people won’t have on hand. Although this gadget is partly marketed as an educational toy, it’s probably not terribly effective at teaching anyone anything. The main principle involved is the conservation of angular momentum: as the coin descends into the narrower part of the funnel, it also circles faster. This is not all that instructive, but hella cool to watch:

Kids as well as adults will find themselves dropping coin after coin into it just to see the show.

Our main, if not only, problem with this particular product is that it’s actually pretty flimsy. The clear side walls, in particular, wrinkle and dent easily. As such, this will make a good piggy bank for youngsters, but trying to use it as a tip jar, or for repeated fundraisers at a school or other organization, will likely lead to disappointment. The latter kind of use doesn’t seem to be what the manufacturer intended, anyway. With a 9″ by 9″ base, this model is a good size for placing on a tabletop or nightstand, but won’t actually hold a huge amount of cash.