Looking for that perfect gift for your loved ones this Holiday season? We have curated a selection of items for you that are guaranteed to delight just about any recipient, and fit just about every budget too. Prices listed are the manufacturer’s suggested retail price, so try to avoid paying more than that, but keep an eye out for better deals at your favorite retailers!
1. Kindle Paperwhite $119.99
Some people will never give up reading a physical book (and that’s fine), but others are more than happy to forego the weight of a hardback for the slim size and convenience of an e-reader. For those, there is simply no better product on the market than Amazon’s Kindle line. And unlike tablets, e-readers are perfectly readable in direct sunlight, and therefore perfect for the beach.
2. Click & Grow Smart Garden 3 $99.95
This unique gift allows the recipient to grow herbs, veggies, or flowers indoors all year long. The minimal footprint makes it easy to fit into even the smallest apartments and the automatic watering feature keeps the effort required to a minimum. It includes smart-soil as well, which alleges it will speed up your grow time without sacrificing quality.
3. Nixplay Seed 7″ Wifi Digital Picture Frame $99.99
Available in a variety of colors, this cute little screen allows you to share your photos with family members with ease. The recipient places it in their home and hooks it up to their wifi network, and you can send photos to it effortlessly from your device wherever you are. Keep your parents flush with baby pictures or anything else you want to share all year long.
4. Polaroid OneStep 2 $99.99
If you know someone who would rather get their pictures the old-fashioned way, the resurgence of classic-style Polaroid cameras should make them happy. Let your budding photographer share their snaps instantly with this fun and affordable model.
5. Nintendo Switch $299.99
No other toy is likely to be as hot this year as this one. Nintendo’s comeback console has been wowing consumers and critics alike since it debuted earlier this year and demand has remained high. If you see one in stock, make sure to snap it up and be your kid’s or grandkid’s favorite gift giver of the year. Be mindful of potential price-gouging however.
6. Nintendo Super NES Classic Edition $79.99
It’s really a banner year for Nintendo fans, as this limited-edition retro reissue console is also turning out to be a best-seller. Featuring a built-in selection of 20 classic titles, and 1 that has never been released before, this should make any adult with a little bit of kid left in them pretty happy. The limited nature of this should lead to prices being more than a little higher than the MSRP however.
7. Sonos One with Alexa $199
Amazon’s Alexa digital assistant is surprisingly useful, and becoming more so every day, but as a speaker, the Echo devices fall a little short. If you really want to enjoy a rich audio experience along with all the other included skills, this new Sonos speaker will fit the bill nicely. As with other devices from the company, it can be wirelessly linked together to allow for multi-room audio or to create a stereo set-up as well.
8. Wink Bright $119
Alexa is especially useful if you have a smart home set-up, and this is one of the easiest platforms to get started down that path. This kit includes a control hub and 2 smart bulbs to get things going. Setup is run via an app for your phone and walks the user through using easy-to-follow instructions.
9. AKAI Professional BT500 $299
Polaroid cameras aren’t the only retro-technology that has made its way back into the mainstream consciousness. Record players have made a full return, with shops carrying vinyl albums popping up everywhere. If you know someone who has been thinking of getting into the trend, this player is a great way to go. High quality and easy to use, and including a built-in pre-amp, a USB connection and Bluetooth connectivity, it should work with just about everyone’s home audio setup.
10. Roku Ultra $99
There is simply no better streaming media box on the market at this price point. It contains apps for all the major streaming providers (except Apple) and is very simple to use. It may not be as zippy as some of the more expensive offerings (again, from Apple), but it more than gets the job done, and makes an affordable gift for anyone who is considering cutting the cord.
11. iPad Pro $649 and up
If you really want to impress someone this Holiday season, you can’t go wrong with one of these. Combining the style, ease of use, and power that Apple is known for it is easily one of, if not the best tablet available to purchase. The color choices and variety of available accessories also offer a lot of ways to customize it for whomever you’re intending to buy it for.
12. Kindle Fire HD 8 $79.99 and up
Of course, you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars to give out a tablet this December. While not nearly as powerful as the iPad, this offering from Amazon will be more than sufficient for most users. Based off of Android, most major apps are available to download and the whole experience is a lot more polished than one would expect for the price.
13. Sphero R2-D2 $179.99
There is unlikely to be any other gift that would make the Star Wars fan in your life happier this year than this droid from Sphero. It allows the user to control it via a smartphone app, communicate with it, explore holographic recreations of settings from the films, and will even react to the movies while they are on. Adventurous users can also program it to do additional actions.
14. Kano Computer Kit $127.57
Do you think your child or grandchild might have an interest in learning to code? Help them pick up this useful skill with this kit that allows them to build and program their own mini-computer in a way that is easy for them to follow along with and also entertaining. Just remind them to thank you when they land that high-paying job at the latest tech startup.
15. Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker $149
If you know someone who loves to cook, wait until they see the results they get using one of these. Sous vide cooking involves vacuum-sealing your food and then placing it into a water bath. This device controls the temperature, keeping it exactly right to slowly cook your meat to perfection. They will be amazed at how easily they can achieve a perfect medium-rare, and will hopefully repay you with an invitation to dinner.
16. Tile Mate $24.99
We all know someone who is always misplacing things, be it their phone, their keys, the remote, or even their car. These inexpensive little devices are easily attached to any of those things and can then be tracked via a smartphone app. They make for a great stocking stuffer, and might be worth picking up for yourself while you’re at it. Keychain not included.