The best Stranger Things merch from the Upside Down to celebrate season 4

Season 4 has just broken cover, so now's a good time to dust off that '80s nostalgia once again with the best Stranger Things merch. Feeling wistful for Hawkins and its mysteries? Eying that flickering lightbulb and reaching for the comfort of some Eggos? We've ridden our BMX bikes all over the internet to find you some must-have Stranger Things merchandise.

No matter whether you're shopping for presents or hoping to fill your shelf with cool collectibles straight from the Upside Down, you'll find the best Stranger Things merch right here. That includes some top tier gifts for gamers, particularly those who are curious to try the tabletop roleplaying game the gang are so obsessed with.

With any luck, you'll also stumble across a discount or two. Our bargain-hunting software is always on the lookout for deals, so be sure to check in with the button below each entry to see the current price of the item in question.

Stranger Things merch - t-shirts

Tees win the prize for cheapest (and arguably best) Stranger Things merch, so we've done some digging to save you a job. Besides selecting the coolest designs, our team's been sure to highlight t-shirts with the highest user-reviews and consistent feedback about what makes them work.

Stranger Things merch - toys & collectibles

Dungeons and Dragons books have been around since the '70s, but there's no doubt that Stranger Things catapulted them into the mainstream. Almost everything about the show is built around the foundation laid by D&D (from monster names to lore inspired by the game), so this mashup is the perfect piece of Stranger Things merch. 

Modelled after the original kits you'd find on shelves 40 years ago, specifically the famous 'red' box from 1983, this is a starter set with everything you need to start playing. That obviously includes the rules and obligatory paraphernalia like dice, but it's got pre-generated characters alongside a ready-made campaign as well. To be precise, this is an in-universe quest written by Mike for Dustin, Lucas, and Will - it's actually the one they're playing at the beginning and end of season one. While 'Hunt for the Thessalhydra' is quite short (which is ironically a criticism of the gang within the show), it's clearly been influenced by the events of those early episodes - the Upside Down features prominently, for example. In addition, it explains the Lost Knight and Proud Princess the characters mention. That makes it a great curiosity for fans even if you have no intention of playing D&D. It'll also appeal more to devotees than the standard Dungeons and Dragons Starter Set, which takes place in the world of Baldur's Gate.

You're getting a couple of Demogorgon minifigures inside, too. Although they aren't of the highest quality, combining them with other WizKids miniatures lays the groundwork for some cool encounters if you decide to dive deeper into the best tabletop RPGs.

There's a Funko figure for everything these days, and Netflix's pride and joy is no different. Of all the POPs based on this show, the original Eleven is still one of the coolest; it's instantly recognizable in a way others aren't, and this is one piece of Stranger Things merchandise that won't break the bank either.

Displaying Eleven as she appeared in the first season, it captures the character perfectly - alongside her mismatched outfit, she's carrying her beloved Eggos and has a nosebleed from using her psychic powers (presumably because she's been summoning yet more Eggos). There's a chance you'll get a Chase variant with the blonde wig she wears during season 1, too.

Happy to stretch the budget just a little further, though? It's worth noting that you can also get a deluxe version of the figure with the Christmas light backdrop from those early episodes. It usually goes for around $29.99 at Amazon, and in our eyes, it's a worthy upgrade.

Having seen this kit up close, we can confirm that it's just as impressive to look at in person as it is in photos. Yes, this is one hell of an expensive slice of memorabilia. But if you ask us, it also ranks amongst the best Lego sets in production at the moment - it pips most Stranger Things merch to the post as the ultimate piece of fan service.

For starters, it's crammed with cool details pulled directly from season 1. Alongside minifigures for Eleven, Mike, Will, Hopper, Lucas, Dustin, Joyce, and the Demogorgon itself, the Byers house with its Christmas light alphabet (not to mention Will's bedroom and his Jaws poster) features prominently. However, the addition of an Upside Down mirror-image is what takes this set to the next level. Everything above is recreated below with an added creepy twist, and there's no way it could have captured the feel of the show any better. 

It's this clever design that really blows us away. The kit can be set either way up thanks to trees that act as stands, and it's a really smart blend of form and function. As such, this is a brick-based masterpiece that's arguably cleverer than other premium sets like the Ultimate Collector Millennium Falcon (wonderful though it is).

Curious about Eleven's backstory? This novel by Christie Golden clears that mystery up with a prequel revolving around her mother. Just how did she get mixed up in the Hawkins lab anyway, and what is it that gave all those children powers?

Set during the late 1960s, it's a time of love, peace, anti-war demonstrations… and government-sanctioned LSD trips. Inspired by the real-life MKUltra experiments of that era (which were conducted in secret by the CIA), it demonstrates how the then-unborn Eleven became the psychic powerhouse she grew up to be, how she was stolen by the Hawkins facility, and why Doctor Brenner is such a damn creep. As an added bonus, it details Eight's origin from season 2 as well. This provides a bit more context for a character that didn't get her due in the show.

Overall, this is a fun glimpse into a world outside of the Upside Down. And even though it lacks the spooky goings-on of the show's present day, there are enough creepy shenanigans to make up for it. Plus, knowledge from the show of what will happen to these characters makes Suspicious Minds all the more heart-breaking to read.

There have been more than a few ongoing comics based in the world of Hawkins since the series began (from Dustin's science camp exploits to the crew bonding over D&D), but this is probably the best place to start. Revisiting the events of season 1 from Will's perspective, readers are able to see how he coped with being trapped in the Upside Down. It isn't going to provide any major revelations and isn't essential to understand the ongoing Stranger Things plot, but it's an excellent gift that fans will enjoy nonetheless.

Writer Jody Houser taps into the loveable innocence of Will here to great effect (not to mention the foreboding drama the show pulls off so well), and that makes him even more endearing than he was before. Meanwhile, the artwork - with Stefano Martino on pencils, Keith Champagne providing inks, and Nate Piekos for lettering - is suitably eerie. Wisely avoiding a photo-realistic approach in favor of something more stylized, it manages to make the Upside Down just as intimidating as it was in live-action. Plus, jumps between the washed-out mirror world and the bright lights of reality in Mike's basement give an effective contrast thanks to the excellent color-work of Lauren Affe.

The Other Side expands on the story of certain side characters as well. Saying any more would give things away so we'll leave it at that for now, but it's a fun way of tying everything back together without breaking established canon from the show.

Hoping to keep things spooky? You can find the very best Halloween board games with our dedicated guide, or veer into magical territory with this must-have Harry Potter merchandise. Want more tabletop recommendations, on the other hand? The best board games are well worth a look.