25 Amazing Gift Ideas Under $25
All of us have a loved one who never wants any fuss. "Don't buy me anything," they always say. But you know them better than that. The trick it to get them something that's not too expensive, just to show them you're thinking of them. They don't want to be lavished with expensive stuff, but they do like to feel appreciated. The best way to pick a gift that shows your affection is to choose something that perfectly matches your giftee's interests. Here, we've picked 25 items for gifting, each of them under $25. This holiday season, you can make a statement without making a fuss.
Be sure to check out our many other gift guides, including ones for audiophiles, PC gamers, and frequent travelers.
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Photograph: Kikkerland01For the Green Thumb
Kikkerland Terracotta Seed SproutersWe all have a plant whisperer in our lives. Whether your loved one is a greenhouse gardener, a year-round leaf tender, or even a curious kid who likes to grow herbs on the windowsill, they'll love this set of sprouting trays.
One of the three dishes in the set has tiny holes for sprouting radishes, broccoli, or alfalfa from seeds. The other trays with larger holes can be used to sprout beans, or even get an avocado tree going from a left over pit. The set contains just the terra cotta discs. Your giftee supplies the jar or drinking glass that sits beneath the tray to collect drippings, or to provide water to anything that grows roots.
Photograph: America's Test Kitchen02For the Chef du Instant Pot
America's Test Kitchen Multicooker PerfectionIf they have an Instant Pot in their home—or if there's one hiding out under some cheerful wrapping—then they need this book. WIRED's smart kitchen reviewer, Joe Ray, tests a lot of multicookers (the more accurate term for these do-it-all pressure cookers) and this cookbook from America's Test Kitchen serves as a benchmark of sorts for him. The dozens of recipes inside run the gamut from the expected stuff like soups, stews, and braises to surprising things like tacos and cheesecake. It's brand-agnostic too, so your loved one can get cooking no matter which model of multicooker they own.
Photograph: iFixit03For the Tinkerer
iFixit JimmyIf your loved one is perpetually disassembling, hacking, and messing with their electronics, this is something they’ll surely wish you had gotten them long ago. The Jimmy tool from our friends at iFixit has a thin strip of steel on the tip that can be used to wedge, pry, or shimmy open just about anything. It’s also useful for scraping away stickers and paint from areas that need adjusting or repair. It's a must-have for DIY types.
Photograph: Casio04For the Perpetually Tardy
Casio Illuminator Digital WatchHe’s always running late. She’s always asking the time. Drop a hint for less that $25 by getting them this retro-fabulous digital watch. Great for runners, since it’s lightweight, water (and sweat) resistant, and it has a stopwatch function.
Photograph: Kikkerland05For the Hive Minder
Kikkerland Little Bee HomeSpeaking of gifts for the gardener, this is a choice that's especially helpful for anyone who tends to a wide variety of plants. This box provides a safe and warm home for bees, who do the hard work of pollenating our gardens. Hang this house near the yard or garden and the bees will stick around, using the holes to hang out, lay eggs, and care for their larvae. Just know that bee houses need to be mounted securely so the animals don't fall out, and they should be cleaned thoroughly at least once a year to prevent fungus and pests from moving in.
Photograph: Panasonic06For the Faithfully Wired
Panasonic ErgoFit EarbudsIf they’re still plugging in their headphones—and also still always losing them—get them a pair of these in-ears from Panasonic. They sound pretty dang good for 10 bucks, and they’re comfortable too, with soft ear-hugging tips. If not, we've picked out a bunch of other affordable headphones and earbuds.
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Photograph: Primula07For the Cold Brew Connoisseur
Primula Burke Cold Brew Coffee MakerGive your coffee-guzzling loved one the buzz they deserve. Primula makes our favorite cold brewer. It's fridge-friendly cold brew pitcher. Give your beans a course grind, pour them into the basket, add water, and stick the pitcher in the fridge overnight. The result, a light, low-acid brew, is ready in 12-24 hours; go longer for some gonzo go-juice.
Photograph: Field Notes08For the Note-Taker
Field Notes National Parks SeriesFor the notebook geek (yes, that’s a thing) in your life. These well-appointed, 68-page notebooks from the venerable Field Notes brand come with covers that pay homage to our National Parks. Each three-pack features a trio of unique covers, each of which celebrates a different park, and you can pick which three-pack you buy. The notebooks are also heavier and handsomer than the typical pocket scribbler. If your loved one cherishes paper goods, and especially Field Notes, this is the gift to get.
Photograph: Tom Bihn09For the Spontaneous Snoozer
Tom Bihn Pocket Travel PillowFashioned from the same soft, thin stuff they use to make sleeping bags, this travel pillow is tiny and light enough to take everywhere. When it’s time for some shut-eye (or some Great British Baking Show on the iPad), stuff in your shirt, hoodie, scarf, whatever, to turn it into a functional pillow. Get this for the camper, traveler, frontline worker, or professional couch-surfer in your life.
Photograph: Callum Sims/Sea to Summit10For the Traveler
Sea to Summit Lite Line ClotheslineThe current global pandemic has most of us staying put these days, but maybe you know somebody who still travels, camps, or moves around regularly for their job, or just for their own sanity. They probably also do a lot of quick laundry in the sink, which makes this portable clothesline a necessity. It works great in hotel rooms, campsites, or even on a back porch.
Your loved one can hang things to dry without using clips or pegs; instead, little beads are strung along the 11 feet worth of dual cords, and cinching them up creates the tension needed to keep items in place. It's made for lighter clothing like socks, underwear, and of course, masks.
Photograph: Topo Designs11For the Neat Freak
Topo Designs Accessories BagsThese little zipper pouches are made by the bag company Topo Designs, but your loved one need not be a Topophile in order to take advantage of the organizational kung-fu these satchels bring to any backpack or briefcase. I use the smallest one Topo makes to hold tech essentials like USB-C cables, thumb drives, and (sigh) my headphone dongles. The larger size keeps my sunglasses, reporter's notebook, and a couple of pens all in one place. They're also great for makeup, art supplies, or toiletries.
Photograph: Miir12For the Coffee Nut
MiiR 12-Ounce TumblerWe test an unbelievable number of travel mugs here at WIRED. It seems like every brand is making one these days. However, I always find myself returning to this simple and elegant tumbler from Miir, or as it's known in my house, "old reliable." The vacuum-insulated, stainless-steel chamber keeps 12 ounces of java comfortably hot all morning, and the press-on lid is easy to manage, with a rubber ring that keeps it just snug enough. A powder coating adds a dash of color and grippy texture.
The shape is perfect too, somewhere between a '70s-era Ikea mug and paper coffee cup. If they like to take their coffee with them on their morning walks, they'll love this.
Photograph: Oxo13For the Tea Sipper
Oxo Tea Infuser BasketKnow any Brits? If so, they're probably always drinking tea, and they'd love this gift. But of course you don't have to have an opinion on Brexit to enjoy a good leafy brew, and this tea strainer from Oxo is our favorite way to steep a cup. The basket fits perfectly into a standard mug. Just drop in some loose-leaf Darjeeling or green gunpowder and pour the boiling (yes, boiling) water over top. Cover it up with the rubber-ringed cap, wait a spell, then remove. Nice and clean. Take off the cap and flip it upside-down, and it acts as a little dish to hold the wet basket, preventing stains. Clever!
Photograph: Mpow14For the Ego-Tripper
Mpow Selfie StickWe’d never encourage using a selfie stick. But those selfie-takers! So insistent. If they yearn to selfie, they should selfie with this. It has a telescoping neck and a Bluetooth shutter trigger. They may even want to thank you by also squeezing you into the frame to turn that selfie into an ussie. But don’t count on it.
Photograph: Amazon15For the Writer
Fisher Raw Brass Space PenThere is no greater pen for adventurers. The Space Pen scribbles anywhere—in extreme cold and heat, underwater, and in zero gravity, which for mere mortals means it also writes when held upside-down. This variant of the super-compact, pocket-size bullet Space Pen is made from raw brass. It immediately begins developing a lovely patina that grows darker and more dramatic over the years as it’s used, shown off, and treasured.
Photograph: Opinel16For the Wayfarer
Opinel #8 Pocket KnifeThis 3.25-inch folding carbon blade is the best pocket knife you can buy on the internet for less than $25. The classic design with the hardwood handle and locking safety collar hails from Chambéry, France. The blade stays astonishingly sharp for years. Use it to carve a block of cheese, slice a pear, and extract the gel from leaves of aloe vera. Just be sure to wash and dry the blade after each use.
Photograph: Paper Arts17For the Eco-Conscious
Paper Arts Paper StrawsOnly squares sup their bevvies through molded polymer. The cool kids use paper tubes. The biodegradable construction of these stiff paper straws ensures they won’t show up in your salmon dinner 30 years down the line. Plus, they’re fun and colorful. Get this 150-pack for your loved one with the Starbucks habit. Plastic sucks! (Also please ignore the fact that many of the other items in this gift guide are made of plastic.)
Photograph: Lomography18For the Film Buff
Lomography Simple Use Reusable Film CameraThis looks like a disposable camera, but it's actually an inexpensive and reusable pocket camera. Even better, it comes pre-loaded with a roll of one of Lomography's dreamy, retro-inspired films. This one is stuffed with LomoChrome Metropolis, a film stock that produces desaturated, contrast-heavy images. When that's done, the camera will take any roll of 35mm film, from Lomography or from Walgreens. The flash also has a spindle to hold a colorful gel over the bulb, so your photo fanatic can capture shots that look moody and unique without resorting to digital tricks.
Photograph: Tombow19For the Artist
Tombow Mono Drawing Pencil SetIf you have a loved one whose head is always buried in a sketchbook, they'll love this drawing pencil set from Tombow, the renowned maker of high-quality art supplies. The set features 12 cedar pencils with leads of a high density graphite that allows for more precise sharpening. Each of the dozen pencils comes with a different hardnesses rating, from a stout 4H all the way to a soft and supple 4B. Also included are a sharpener and a delicate eraser. Be aware that they may ask you to sit for a portrait after they open the gift.
Photograph: Backcountry20For the Lovely Luncher
Keith Titanium ChopsticksYeah, she makes an elaborate lunch everyday. And yes, she usually eats it with chopsticks. The other people on her Zoom call find it borderline insufferable, but you? You think it’s just too cute. Get her these lovely titanium chopsticks. They're great for eating with, or for stirring hot tea. The durability of titanium makes them absolutely indispensable on camping trips as well.
Photograph: Umami Mart21For the Mayor of Flavortown
Umami Mart Umami SaltThis 2.7-ounce spice shaker contains a potent mix of sea salt, black garlic, and shiitake mushrooms—three ingredients that add a dose of earthy umami flavor to whatever's for dinner. It pairs perfectly with the flavors in Japanese dishes like donburi, onigiri, or yakisoba, but it's so addictive that your savory-loving giftee will be sprinkling piles of this stuff onto everything: popcorn, squash soup, bagels with cream cheese.
Bonus: Umami Salt is a collaboration between two Oakland, California small businesses (Umami Mart and Oaktown Spice Shop) so you can support the little guys while you give your loved one's grub some extra oomph.
Photograph: Amazon22For the Pepperhead
Marie Sharp's Hot Sauce 3-PackEvery hot sauce aficionado knows that savory dishes like potatoes, pizza, sandwiches, tacos, and omelettes aren't just good eatin'. They're also a delivery mechanism for the fiery, oozing lava that is their favorite bottled sauce. You know somebody whose brain is wired this way; get them a three-pack of scorching sauces from the venerable Belizean brand, Marie Sharp's. This trio of tongue-torturing toppings represents the hotter end of the Sharp's line. It includes three 10-ounce bottles of the company's most habanero-forward concoctions, and the assortment includes a bottle of the greatest and most flavorful habanero sauce on the planet, Belizean Heat.
Photograph: Amazon23For the Otaku
Bandai Godzilla FigureBuy this, bring it to a meeting, keep it hidden, and then thwonk it loudly onto your desk while the boss is talking—along with the appropriate screeching sound effect of course. You'll have the whole Zoom room in stitches! Or just give it to a kid. Kids love kaiju.
Photograph: Amazon24For the Sweet Tooth
Chimes Original Ginger Chews, 1-Pound BagWhat's the best candy? Chimes Original Ginger Chews. Here's a one-pound bag of individually wrapped chews from Amazon for $13. You can also get a two-pounder for $25. These are made in Indonesia using ginger grown on the island of Java, and they're naturally gluten free. They are sweet and spicy and gooey and perfect any time of day. Your giftee will love this.
Photograph: BrüMate25For the Life of the Party
BrüMate 8-Ounce Liquor CanteenWith so many bars and restaurants closed or operating at limited capacity, Americans around the country have learned to love the great lifehack of drinking while wandering. If your loved one likes to unwind after a long day of code commits by taking to the streets with some firewater in tow (assuming it's legal in your area), get them this 8-ounce flask. BrüMate's Liquor Canteen earns its name from the quasi-military design, with the shape of the grippy silicone sleeve evoking the gas can often seen attached to Army Jeeps. The "glitter mermaid swirl" paint job probably wouldn't pass military muster, but here, it adds a little fun to each sip.
Illustration: Carl DeTorres/StoryTK26For the WIRED Ones
1-Year WIRED Subscription (Digital + Print)We're cheating here, but a full year of WIRED.com unlimited access costs only $5 right now. We recommend gifting your loved one the print issues as well, which come at no extra cost. A subscription helps fund the Gadget Lab's hard work testing phones, drones, and liquor canteens, as well as all the rest of WIRED's great original and longform stories. Nearly a year into a world-changing pandemic, the value of rigorous reporting and data-driven journalism has never been more clear.
