By Jade Strack
Under consideration for publication at GameSkinny.com
Rubber duckies aren’t just for making bath times so much fun anymore. Take that bath buddy out of the tub and put him to work with you at your desk – make sure to dry him off first though! Coders all over are doing the rubber ducky debugging boogie and it’s time for you to join in too. Instead of pulling your hair out as you try to find that one hidden inconsistency that’s been sabotaging your whole project you can turn to a ducky and talk through your problems. Who needs therapists when you have a rubber duckie am I right?
A rubber ducky can be a software engineer’s best friend; someone to confide in when you feel like screaming and breaking your computer when the code just won’t work. The rubber ducky debugging technique is a reference to a story in the book The Pragmatic Programmer and it is well known strategy in the coding world.
So if you’re looking for your very own special coding buddy, or perhaps want another to add to your army, then this is a list for you.
Classic Rubber Ducky
$6.27 at Amazon
Sure, you can always go for this masterpiece, this Michelangelo of mallards! I mean it’s a classic for a reason, and why break the mold right? If you look at the reviews, coders are some of the first to rave about this desk buddy. Yet, if you’re looking to get out of your comfort zone, then take a look at these peculiar rubber ducks that’ll really make a splash.
1. Techie Rubber Duck
Dimensions: 3.5″ x 3″ x 3″ | Weight: 0.8 oz | Material: Rubber | Amount: Range | Best for: Companies
Price: $1.26 for 1 – shipping not included
Buy at Everything Branded
Pros:
+ This duck is dressed to impress and very professional.
+ He clearly knows his way around technology from that tablet in wing.
+ He can even multitask sense that headset frees up his other wing.
Cons:
– You won’t always be a top priority to this duck since all his other customers are on the next line.
– It’s hard to get a word in sometimes since his bill just never fully closes.
– You can’t be sure if he is working or just looking at memes on his tablet.
2. Squishy Ducky
Dimensions: 3″ x 3″ x 2.75″ | Weight: 1.10 oz | Material: Foam | Amount: 1 | Best for: Individual
Price: $6.75 for 1 – free delivery
Buy at eBay
Pros:
+ This not so rubber ducky is malleable to new ideas.
+ He can double as an ear to talk to and a stress ball.
+ You can easily throw him across the room or at your computer screen without fear of breaking anything.
Cons:
– He can never make a hard decision.
– If you give him too many frustrated pulls, you may rip your desk pal in two.
– He’s a little slow to bounce back.
3. Duck, Duck, Goose
Dimensions: 1.89″ x 1.46″ x 2.56″ | Weight: 0.32 oz | Material: Plastic | Amount: 1 | Best for: Individual
Price: $5.31 for 1 – free shipping
Buy at Amazon
Pros:
+ You’ll really be thinking out of the box with her help.
+ She’ll be able to keep you awake with the help of her loud honks.
+ This beauty will help you keep in touch with reality.
Cons:
– She’s got a bit of a temper, so you have to be careful not to set her off.
– Might get flashbacks to childhood trauma where the geese chased you around the park trying to steal your sandwich while your whole family just watched and laughed at you…
– She might disappear during migration season
4. Gamer Rubber Duckies
Dimensions: 3.5″ x 3″ x 3″ | Weight: 0.8 oz | Material: Rubber | Amount: 12 | Best for: Groups
Price: $6.99 for 12 – shipping not included
Buy at Oriental Trading
Pros:
+ These ducks cannot wait to beta test your game.
+ They’re up to date with the newest technologies.
+ You don’t have to worry about finding tiny controls or headphones because they bring their own equipment.
Cons:
– They almost never take off those headphones so it may be hard for them to hear you.
– They’re probably too busy trash talking noobs on the newest game to listen to you anyways.
– They like to team up on people, so be careful not to get on their bad side.
5. Jumbo Rubber Ducky
Dimensions: 9.25″ x 7.87″ x 3.82″ | Weight: 1.3 lbs | Material: Rubber | Amount: 1 | Best for: Individual
Price: $11.98 for 1 – free delivery
Buy at Liberty Imports Store on Amazon
Pros:
+ Instead of buying an army of ducks you can simply rely on ol’jumbo to get the job done.
+ No matter how big the problem is, this duck can handle it.
+ Everyone will be able to tell that you have the biggest duck in the office, or you’ll simply impress any guest if you work from home.
Cons:
– There may not be any room left on your desk after this duck moves in.
– This big of a duck may intimate others.
– The bigger they are the harder they fall, so make sure not to place this one near any edges.
6. Duck with Helmet Propeller
Dimensions: 2.6″ x 2.36″ x 2.36″ | Weight: 1.06 oz | Material: Rubber + Plastic | Amount: 1 | Best for: Individual
Price: $7.99 for 1 – shipping calculated at checkout
Buy at Grandmas Gift Shop
Pros:
+ This ducky is prepared to ram through the toughest of problems headfirst.
+ He’s one of the most stylish ducks you’ll ever lay eyes on.
+ He can hang out anywhere, so you’ll have lots of extra room for more ducks.
Cons:
– With this duck’s wild nature, you’ll never know what to expect next.
– He’s got a bit of a rebel streak so may disappear for days on end with no more than a note that says, “gone flying”.
– He’s hardheaded so you may get into a few arguments about the best course of action.
7. Clarence “Ducky” Nash
Dimensions: 5’ 2” | Weight: unknown | Material: human | Amount: 1 | Best for: family
Price: $9.5 million in net worth
Visit at San Fernando Mission Cemetery
Pros:
+ You can have the original voice of Donald Duck help you out.
+ A simple printer could gift you his wonderful face to talk to.
+ Just look at that smile, how could you not be motivated by that?
Cons:
– He passed away in 1985.
– You may have to buy a Ouija board to talk to him.
– It can be hard to understand him at times.
8. Light Up Disco Duckies
Dimensions: 1.97″ x 1.97″ x 1.57″ | Weight: 0.7 oz | Material: Rubber | Amount: 6 | Best for: Group
Price: $19.99 for 6 – free shipping
Buy at Amazon
Pros:
+ They’ll show you there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.
+ They are nice enough to invite you to their next party.
+ They will never let disco die.
Cons:
– They are usually tired because they stay up partying a lot.
– You might get jealous of their awesome hair.
– Your neighbors might complain about the music from all the parties they throw.
9. Octopus Duck
Dimensions: 4″ x 4″ x 4″ | Weight: 2.2 lbs | Material: Rubber | Amount: 1 | Best for: Individual
Price: $4.99 for 1 – shipping not included
Buy at Wild Republic
Pros:
+ 8 extra hands… flippers…tentacles…appendages to help you fix your problems.
+ He’ll force you to take lots of breaks because he will need to be dunked in water to stay alive.
+ After you figure out your problems you can celebrate with a beautiful beach trip as you release him back into the wild. *
Cons:
– You might have lots of soars from his tentacles grabbing you.
– Kind of looks like he’s plotting against you.
– His suckers may tear apart the computer if not carful.
10. Anatomy Ducky by Jason Freeny
Dimensions: 8.1″ x 4.3″ x 3.5″ | Weight: 3.98 oz | Material: Plastic | Amount: 1 | Best for: Individual
Price: $18.60 for 1 – free shipping
Buy at Amazon
Pros:
+ Your hearts can race together as you track down any issues.
+ You’ll learn a deeper insight into the rubber duck’s anatomy.
+ You can open it up and take it apart to let go of some of frustration.
Cons:
– It might give you nightmares.
Jade Strack - Writer 