Christmas Gift Guide 2021: the best luxury tech gifts for big spenders

Gocycle G4i

• Buy the GoCycle G4i here from GoCycle

Two-wheeled steeds are a classic festive gift. Of the thousands unwrapped this Christmas morning, few will be as fancy as Gocycle’s G4i. Equipped with a G4drive electric motor and 375Wh battery, the powered pedal-bike has a range of up to 50 miles. Integrated running lights keep you seen, while a subtle dot display on the handlebars ensures you’re always informed about the status of your cycle. A carbon fibre mid-frame and single-sided front fork keep the weight down to a streamlined 16.6kg. Helpfully, it also folds down for easy wrapping.

Netgear Meural Canvas II

Digital photo frames might feel a bit 2008, but there’s something slightly sci-fi about Netgear’s smart mount. Styled like a classic gallery setting, it ships in two sizes (21.5in or 27in) and four finishes: white, black, light wood and dark wood. Its Full HD anti-glare display is optimised for artwork, which is handy given that a membership lets you pick from over 30,000 digital works to display on your frame. You can even cue up NFT pieces which evolve over time – perfect for the walls of your crypto server room.

Carl Friedrik The Charging Tray

• Buy The Charging Tray here from Carl Friedrik

Wires might work for the masses, but big spenders have no time to faff with cables. Drop and go in classy fashion with this wireless charging tray. With an aluminium base topped by sumptuous Vachetta leather, it’s every bit the premium power solution. Compatible with any Qi-friendly device (including iPhones and AirPods), the right side of the desktop organiser delivers juice at up to 15W, while the left looks after your pens and deluxe detritus.

Ooni Karu 16

• Buy the Ooni Karu 16 here from Ooni

Ordering takeaway every night is one way to burn through your readies. This multi-fuel pizza stove is another. Approved for domestic use by the godfathers of Neapolitan pizza – the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana – the Karu 16 can be used straight away with wood or charcoal for a smokey dough. Or hook it up to bottles via the sold-separately gas burner. A transparent panel in the door means you can easily monitor your margarita, while a digital thermometer below lets you track internal temps. With space for pizzas up to 16in across, it’s ideal for cooking up a crispier Christmas dinner.

B&O Beosound Level

• Buy the Bang & Olufsen Beosound Level here from John Lewis

Nobody does luxury audio quite like Bang & Olufsen – and nothing says “I’m minted” quite like a speaker masquerading a gold-plated radiator. The Beosound Level is battery powered but, unless you’re taking it on your private yacht, its hefty shell is happier residing in one of your mansion’s many rooms. Luckily, it’ll fit wherever you need: lying flat, standing upright or wall-mounted (with an £89 bracket), the five drivers and four amps inside mean sonic performance should more than match the price tag. Stream your first-class tunes via Wi-Fi and it’ll automatically adjust the sound to suit your palatial space.

Leica M10-R

• Buy the Leica M10-R here from Wex

You could probably hire your own photographer for the same cost as Leica’s M10-R. But if you’re shopping for a shutterbug and money’s not a problem, this revamped version of the classic rangefinder is guaranteed to go down a treat. A 40MP full-frame sensor and ISO range that tops out at 50,000 means you’ll get maximum quality even when things turn gloomy. In fact, this camera likes darkness so much that it even eschews the iconic red dot emblem. Who knows, your recipient might be so grateful that they agree to be your personal snapper.

Astell&Kern SP2000T

• Buy the Astell&Kern SP2000T here from Audiologica

Nothing serves up vintage sonic warmth like a tube amp. Trouble is, even well-heeled audiophiles will struggle to carry one around with them. Enter Astell&Kern’s SP2000T, a premium portable player equipped with a tiny tube amp. Backed up by a standard op-amp, the two can be used together for a hybrid sound signature. Four DACs deliver brilliant balance, while Replay Gain allows you to maintain a consistent volume level across multiple tracks – no dial-twiddling necessary.

Loewe Bild I

There are only so many ways to make a large glowing rectangle look luxurious, yet Loewe’s been managing to do exactly that for decades. Its latest premium panel comes packed with all the tech you’d expect from a top-end telly: shipped in 48in, 55in and 65in dimensions, the 4K OLED display supports various HDR formats and Dolby Atmos, while the integrated 1TB hard drive makes it easy to save your favourite shows. It’s all housed in a classy chassis that won’t look out of place in even the swankiest pad.

Lego AT-AT

• Buy the AT-AT here from Lego

Given current intergalactic exchange rates, £700 won’t buy you enough credits to bribe your way out of a Stormtrooper traffic stop on Tattooine. But it will net you this sizeable scale model of the Empire’s walking weapon. With 6785 pieces, it might take a while to find the bricks you’re looking for. Once you do, you’ll be rewarded with a posable replica of the infamous AT-AT, complete with hooded Hoth Snowtroopers and a dangling Luke minifig doing his best to bring down your model. Which, come to think of it, is a good reason to whip out the miniature E-Web heavy repeating blaster. Rebel scum.

Focal Clear MG

Want to crown your noggin with the headphone equivalent of a Rolls Royce Phantom? Focal’s ‘phones won’t get you to Waitrose, but you’ll struggle to find cans that are better built. Like the convertible MGB made by their namesake, the open-back design lets in a lot of noise. But unlike that same Sixties roadster, the Clear MG don’t want for performance, courtesy of full-range 40mm magnesium-coned drivers. For the best experience, just find somewhere quiet to use them. Like the rear seat of a Rolls.

Louis Vuitton Horizon Light Up Speaker

• Buy the Horizon Light Up Speaker here from Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton isn’t a big name in the world of hi-fi, which might explain why the French fashion house believes portable speakers should be shaped like the offspring of a spinning top and a spaceship. Still, if Louis thinks UFOs are cool, you can bet the fashionistas will agree. 35 LEDs around the craft only enhance the extra-terrestrial vibe, while a 3in subwoofer and two tweeters mean it’s ready to play A Spaceman Came Travelling via Bluetooth or AirPlay 2.

Smeg Bean To Cup Coffee Machine

• Buy the Bean To Cup Coffee Machine here from John Lewis

For the best coffee every breakfast, you’ll need a personal barista. Or for fresh Joe that won’t embroil you in employment law, add Smeg’s first bean-to-cup machine to your countertop. Whether you’re crazy for cappuccino or ecstatic about espresso, the BCC02 will brew up a cup just the way you like it. Simply brim the container with your beans of choice, adjust the grind level and hit the button: an aromatic mug of the good stuff will arrive in a jiffy. It also features a built-in steam wand for frothing milk, plus its compact dimensions mean it’ll take up less space than a live-in barista.

Coravin Sparkling

• Buy the Coravin Sparkling here from Coravin

As any AbFab fan knows, the best days begin with some champagne. But finish the Bolli before midday and things might start to look a little less luxurious. Charge your glasses for Coravin’s gassy stopper: it allows you to brim the bottle with CO2 to preserve those precious bubbles and keep your fizz fresh for up to a month. Extra capsules cost £45 for six, in case you make it through a crate over Christmas.

Master & Dynamic MG20

• Buy the MG20 Wireless Gaming Headphones here from Master & Dynamic

Gamers don’t generally dress up before a Fortnite sash. While Master & Dynamic’s MG20 headphones are hardly a top hat, they’re the closest thing to formal attire you’ll find for button-bashers. Crafted from magnesium, aluminium, lambskin leather and Alcantara, their premium materials put most sofa sets to shame. And they don’t just look the part: 50mm Beryllium drivers inside support 7.1 surround sound for total immersion, while a 20-hour battery life lasts longer than even the most intense battle royale.

Polar Grit X Pro Titan

• Buy the Polar Grit X Pro Titan here from Polar

It’s easy to drop a lot of wonga on wristwear, but spending hundreds of your hard-earned readies on a sports watch might seem like a risky venture. Not if it’s Polar’s premium ticker: the top-end Grit X Pro Titan comes clad in aerospace titanium – a material with the highest strength-to-density ratio of any metallic element. Tough enough to go wherever your branded boots will take you, its featherweight bezel also makes it the lightest Polar Outdoor watch yet, hitting the scales at just 53g. You also get all the activity tracking, performance tools, training aids and smart skills you’d expect, plus a sapphire glass facade to match the military-grade case.