I love my Chromecast. I think it's still easily worth the $35 even if I got mine for free.
I've mostly used mine with an outdated Android device (Xperia P) and the user experience might not be the smoothest you can get, but like everything with Android, a little patience and a little tinkering goes a long way.
My favorite item: EDG750
Why: Because for some reason, I've always had to skimp on getting a "real" PSU and this one I'd actually be willing to pay a little extra to get, for being aesthetically pleasing, fully modular etc.
My favourite part about this phone is the fact that it's a Sony.
There are tons of great things in it, I need a new one to replace my Xperia P and I'll probably get this or whatever they come up with as the flagship in the next few years anyway.