15 Gifts Any Techie Will Appreciate

While a nice candle or cozy pair of socks always makes for a great gift, sometimes you want to really wow the people in your life, especially during the holidays. When that’s the case, turn to tech.

Whether you’re shopping for your partner, sibling, BFF, or parents, they won’t expect to unwrap a waterproof speaker, digital camera, or sleek set of headphones. These are the things they secretly want — and probably already have in their shopping cart — but never actually buy. If you’re in the mood to splurge this season, go ahead and treat them.

Some gadgets come with a hefty price tag (it’s all those wires and moving parts), but there are just as many less expensive options on this list. Think: cute laptop sleeves and phone accessories that are perfect for the tech-savvy person on your list.

1. A Trendy Laptop Sleeve

Practical things, like laptop covers, don’t have to be boring. In fact, they’re often straight-up chic. This sleeve is not only lovely to look at, thanks to those leopard spots, but it’s also just as nice to use. The plush design and Velcro closure will keep gadgets safe and stylish on your commute to a coffee shop.

2. Lightweight Headphones

Was your sister inspired by the recent NYC marathon? Has she already started a couch-to-5K training program? Then treat her to sleek bone conduction headphones. Instead of sitting inside her ear and blocking all noise, they’ll gently rest on the side of her head so she can stay aware of her surroundings as she jogs the slushy streets. This pair from Raycon is super lightweight, waterproof, and stays charged up to 13 hours.

3. An Adorable Digi-Cam

This teeny, tiny PocketCam is the perfect novelty gift for the photographer in your life. Unlike a typical digital camera, it allows you to play around with 25 fun filters that apply right to the photos. It also has a back-facing selfie lens, MP3 player, and five mini games you can play on the screen. Best of all? It’ll help you get great holiday snapshots.

4. A Shower Upgrade

Shower filters are one of those little luxuries that instantly upgrade your life. This one from Weddell uses a dual cartridge filtration system that reduces chlorine, PFAS, and particulates in your water, all of which can make your skin and hair feel sticky and rough. Throw in a lush body wash or their fave shampoo, and you’ll have the perfect gift set for the shower fanatic in your life.

5. An At-Home Herb Garden

Imagine your mom putting fresh basil on her sandwiches or sprigs of mint in her drinks. With this Smart Garden, she can enjoy all that and more. This NASA-inspired system monitors the water, light, and nutrients for the herbs as they grow. All you have to do is pop in the seed capsules, add a little H20, and let it grow. It’s a foodie’s dream come true.

6. A Gooey Gift

Tech Taffy makes a great stocking stuffer for your sibling who works in IT, your mom who appreciates a tidy office, or your roommate who’s always snacking at their desk. When you roll a piece of goo across a device, it instantly cleans out all of its crummy, dusty nooks and crannies. (It’s also great for car vents and cup holders.)

7. A Useful Phone Accessory

This is a must-have for travelers, runners, walkers — and your best friend who’s constantly losing her phone. The nifty cross-body strap will allow her to hang her device around her neck — or on her wrist — so she can move freely throughout her day. Once your BFF attaches the adjustable strap to her phone case, she’ll never have to pat her pockets in a panic again.

8. A Dentist’s Dream

Just like a fresh set of towels or cozy pajama bottoms, sometimes the practical gifts are what people end up appreciating the most. It’s why this electric toothbrush from Quip makes a great gift: It uses an impressive sonic vibration to deep-clean teeth, has a soft-bristle head that removes plaque and freshens breath, and it all mounts neatly on your mirror. As a bonus, it has a timer you can set to remind you to brush for a full two minutes.

9. The Pilates Princess’ Sidekick

Whether you’re watching a Pilates video at the gym or filming your own routine for TikTok, this sleek water bottle from Bala turns your beverage into a tripod. The loop at the top snags your phone with a magnet, allowing you to have a hands-free workout sesh — no extra gear necessary. Of course, it works great as a water bottle, too, and the 24-ounce canister is also made of double-walled stainless steel to keep your drink cool.

10. A Trendy Phone Case

The holiday season is the perfect time to give your tech a refresh. The easiest place to start? With a chic new phone case, of course. This one from Burga is decked out in on-trend pink and red stripes that’ll stand out in the bottom of a cluttered bag. (It’ll also look good in mirror selfies.)

11. A Phone Upgrade

While there’s a lot to love about the latest iPhone 17 Pro Max, the color is the first thing everyone notices. Their latest shade, Cosmic Orange, is a very welcome departure from the classic Silver and Space Gray options. And it also adds a pop to any winter ‘fit.

The casual content creator in your life will go nuts for the camera’s capabilities. An improved selfie lens sees the megapixels jump from 12 to 18, meaning their lip-sync videos will get an instant upgrade. It’s also the ideal splurge for a busy brother whom you love but hardly ever get to see. (Make him promise to FaceTime once a week.)

12. The Perfect Party Trick

This small, portable speaker can go literally anywhere: the park, the shower, the kitchen — you name it. It has a clear, powerful sound, despite its compact size, and it’s waterproof, so you don’t have to worry about it getting wet while you dance around your bathroom. When fully charged, it lasts 80 hours at 50% volume, meaning anyone you give it to will always be the life of the party.

13. An Adorable Portable Charger

This one’s for all the people on your list who constantly forget to charge their phones. Instead of letting them walk through life with a dead battery, they can keep this power pack in their pocket — and just like that, problem solved.

The sleek device sticks to the back of a phone using a wireless MagSafe magnet, providing two times the battery life. It also comes in a variety of cutie pie designs, like this cowgirl and martini motif.

14. A Fur Parent’s (Second) BFF

If your bestie is a cat mom, give her this automatic food dispenser from Geeni. It ensures her baby will always get dinner precisely on time, even when she’s running a few minutes late from work. It connects to Wi-Fi and an app so she’ll have full control over that kibble. And get this: She can even leave a recorded message so her cat knows when it’s time to come to the kitchen. Aww.

15. For Cocktail Connoisseurs

The Barsys 360 is an automatic cocktail maker that connects to an app with 2,000 curated recipes. All you have to do is fill the six chilled reservoirs with your fave liquors and mixers, choose a drink in the app, and place a glass inside the ring. It’ll fill with a perfectly balanced beverage — no measuring required. It’s impressive, which is why it’s the perfect present for your put-together older sibling, parents, or cool aunt who loves to host.