It’s that time of year again, Black Friday is here and everyone seems to be rushing to buy anything and everything whilst it is discounted. But, when you buy something for someone that they’re not going to use, whether you save 1% 80% on the MSRP, you are still wasting money by buying it. This article will guide you through some recommendations for gifts for people in your life, whether they’re a tech nerd, or a technophobe, you’ll be able to find a recommended gift for them, with price points available for every budget! Just a note – there are no affiliate links in this article. These are genuine recommendations, based on my own use and experience.
The Gifts
Under €50 (Best Tech Stocking Stuffers)
UGREEN Fine Track – These handy little devices are a cheaper alternative to the Apple AIrTag. Working off the Apple FindMy Network, they can be added to Where an AIrTag, at the time of writing, costs around €30 per unit, these come in a pack of four for just over €40 (plus an extra one free). They lack the ‘Find Nearby’ feature of AirTags, where you can track an AirTag within 10cm, but I’ve had great traction using these to track luggage, my backpack and to send a chime when I’m trying to find my car keys that I’ve misplaced for the 1000th time.
UGREEN Finder Slim Wallet Tracker – Similar to the Fine Track above, this device works on the Apple FindMy network and connects using the built-in iOS Find My app, without any third party software needing to be installed. This is designed to slide inside one of the card slots in a wallet. Again, I’ve misplaced my wallet more times than I care to remember and this tracker has been so helpful in helping me locate it in a rush, rather than running around the house, searching through jeans and jackets trying to find it. A cheap solution that has, at least for me, been a persistent problem.
Anker Prime 100W Charger – When you’re travelling, whether it’s between different countries, or from the home office, to your base location, it can be tiresome having to remember all of your charging bricks. This offers a low profile solution to charging your devices with two USB-C ports and one USB-A port. The only downfall is, when using all three ports simultaneously, the output drops from 100W to 89W. Regardless, this is a great option for a single solution for multiple device charging.
Xiaomi Cordless Precision Screwdriver – We all need a screwdriver from time to time, and especially at Christmas, with all the new toys for the kids and the batteries that need to be installed, a screwdriver that does the screwing for you becomes essential. The Xiaomi screwdriver offers 200rpm and up to 400 screws on a full battery and recharges using a USB-C port on the bottom of the screwdriver.
Twelve South AirFly SE – The one thing I hate about long haul flights isn’t the legroom (or lack thereof – thank you aisle seats), but it’s those terrible little disposable headsets that you get to watch the in-flight entertainment. They’re uncomfortable for long periods, and as someone who doesn’t tend to sleep on flights, I rely on the entertainment to get me through. The AirFly SE acts as a bluetooth receiver for the in-flight entertainment systems allowing you to use your own headphones without any audio delay. A quality buy for the friend that travels a lot.
€50 – €200 (Mid-Range & Essential Upgrades)
MX Master 4 – The newest offering from Logitech offers a nice upgrade from the MX Master 3. Offering an improved scroll wheel and a thumb button with haptic feedback this mouse is the ultimate productivity tool. It’s ideal for office setups where you need to connect to more than one device, with the ability to connect to three devices, and switch seamlessly, either using the quick switch button on the device or the actions ring. It’s a little bigger than it’s predecessor, so if the person you’re buying for has hands on the smaller side, you might be better getting the Logitech MX Master 3S.
Anker MagGo Wireless Charging Station – I am in the fortunate position where I get to travel a lot for work, and this 3-in-1 Qi2 charger has been a game changer for me. Rather than having a mess of cables adorning the dresser in a hotel room, this simple, foldable pad, charges my phone, watch and headphones all at once. It folds to about the size of a macaron, and slides perfectly into my tech bag. It’s neat and light, yet remains powerful. In the box you get a USB-C cable, a US compatible plug, with global adapters also included. See my in-depth review of this here.
ASUS ZenScreen MB169CK – Whether you’re working in a hot-desk environment, travelling for work, working on the train, or just looking for something to allow you to expand your screen real estate when necessary, a portable monitor is an ideal option. The ASUS ZenScreen is a great option, a relatively inexpensive monitor, offering a 15.6″, 1080p monitor and connects with a USB-C cable which delivers data and power. It also has a 360º kick stand, so you can use it in either a portrait or landscape orientation.
Grid Studios Retro Consoles – If the person you’re shopping for is a gamer, or at least, grew up with games, they will love the retro offerings from Grid Studios. From N64 to Nintendo Switch consoles, with iPods, iPhones and chipsets available, there is something available from Grid Studios that can adorn a man cave, a home office or a den, showing off a youthful, playful spirit.
Ninja ProChef Wireless Thermometer – Taking the guesswork out of cooking can make the experience of cooking a lot more enjoyable (not to mention the experience of eating said food). This thermometer connects with your smartphone, allowing you to set the temperature you want to achieve with presets for different cuts of meat. It will also alert you when there is one minute left of cooking time and will measure the resting time for you. A great addition to any kitchen!
€200+ (The Big-Ticket Items & Splurges)
Nintendo Switch 2 – A new handheld console from Nintendo brings with it 4K graphics (in TV mode), a bigger screen, haptic feedback on the controllers and a built-in mic, the Switch 2 represents a leap into the current generation of gaming from Nintendo. For fans of Donkey Kong, Mario Kart, Pokemon and other Nintendo classics, this is a must buy. For people who travel regularly, this is also a fantastic time sink on flights. I spent the entire flight from Lisbon to Dublin recently engrossed in a Tropico 6 playthrough on mine.
DJI Mini 4k Drone – This is intended to be a serious bit of photography equipment, but DJI have made this drone beginner friendly. Weighing less than 249g and with a flight time of around 30 minutes, this drone allows you to shoot 4k, 30fps video over a 10km distance. Should you lose signal, or if the battery runs too low, the drone has a ‘return to home’ feature which will force it to fly back to its starting point.
Bambu Lab A1 3D Printer – What do you get the person who already has everything? The ability to create brand new things of course. A 3D printer may seem like a complete novelty, but it provides a way to create new things from filament. Curtain hooks? 3D print them. A phone case? 3D print it. A bracket that has broken and needs to be replaced? 3D print it. Though it may seem like a toy, it could come in very handy when you least expect it.
reMarkable Paper Pro – For the person who loves to write and always has a pen in their hand, but also wants their notes to be available digitally, the reMarkable tablet series offer the perfect solution. The Paper Pro offers the ability to annotate documents and create notes in a variety of colours, which can then be accessed across a range of devices. A great way to write notes whilst on calls, or draw out plans and not have to worry about storing reams of paper.
RayBan x Meta – Possibly one of the hottest tech accessories of the year, these let you capture high-quality videos and photos, listen to audio, and interact with an AI assistant hands-free while still looking like traditional eyewear. With only an 8 hour battery life, you can’t go all day without needing to take a break to charge these, but the recharge can be done when stopping for lunch. Social media is currently flooded with videos of people exploring cities, driving and giving a brand new perspective of how they share their everyday lives. Why not allow someone to add theirs?
A collection of gifts, ranging from those who are on a small budget and are just looking for something to fill a stocking, to bigger gifts if you have slightly more of a budget to play with. I recommend purchasing these now, during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday discounts. If some of the items are still out of your price range, some of them (namely, the DJI drone, the MX Master 4 and the RayBan Meta glasses) have older generations available which should be more affordable, but could be missing some key features that make their newer generation counterpart stand out.
Hopefully this helps you find that perfect gift for the tech focused person in your life and hoepfully provides an answer to “What do I get my partner for Christmas?” or “What do I get my dad for Christmas”. If this has helped, I am delighted! Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn or my other socials to keep up with future updates from me!