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If you’ve put your holiday shopping until now, you’re probably feeling a lot of pressure. We understand. Holiday shipping deadlines are coming up fast, but you’re still safe if you place your order today. We’ve rounded up the best last-minute holiday gifts across all categories, so you’ll find something for everyone on your list. Please note that, in many cases, you’ll need to shop at Amazon with an active Prime subscription to guarantee holiday delivery. If you’re not a subscriber, don’t worry, you can sign up for a free 30-day trial. Not all of the gifts are on Amazon, however, so it may not be a necessity. We just want to offer you options, and we’ll keeping this introduction brief so you can save precious seconds and finalize that cart before arrival dates slip past the 24th!
- Best earbuds: Apple AirPods Pro 2
- Best headphones: Bose Noise-Cancelling Headphones 700
- Best smartwatch: Garmin Forerunner 745
- Best mug: Koolkatkoo Cute Ceramic Cat Coffee Mug
- Best pet DNA test: Embark Breed + Health Dog DNA Test
- Best smart mug: Ember Travel Mug
- Best for the couch potato: The Comfy Wearable Blanket
- Best for the backyard: Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0
- Best for the office: Felt Letter Board
- Best for students: Rocketbook smart reusable notebook
- Best for campers: Lodge Pre-Seasoned Skillet
- Best compact garden: SereneLife smart starter kit
- Best smart oven: Brava smart oven
- Best self-care gift: Aroma Humidifier for Essential Oil
- Best for avid readers: Kindle Unlimited
- Best for the perpetual student: MasterClass
- Best for the cord-cutter: Sling
- Best smart speaker: Amazon Echo (4th Gen)
- Best portable speaker: Tribit StormBox Blast
- Best TV: Hisense U8H
- Best media streamer: Roku Stick 4K
- Best wireless charger: Twelve South PowerPic
Best earbuds: Apple AirPods Pro 2
Apple
Let’s not beat around the bush here: Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 are arguably the hottest holiday gift this season. Apple’s latest earbuds sound better, last longer, and cancel out more noise than the pair they replace while keeping the same iconic look, feel, and shape. Active noise cancellation is the biggest feature for office workers, as it’ll allow them to concentrate on work instead of being distracted by the sound of typing keys, swiveling chairs, or idle conversation. One of the most underrated features of the AirPods Pro 2 is the microphones, which are surprisingly good at picking up a speaker’s voice without much room noise. At their price, you won’t find a more well-rounded, fully featured pair of earbuds than the AirPods Pro 2.
Best headphones: Bose Noise-Cancelling Headphones 700
Amazon
Quality headphones are a staple item you can use every day—and this Bluetooth-connected, noise-canceling option from Bose has the durable design and powerful tech that will make them last for years. Whether you’re working from home or in the gym, this wireless pick offers 11 levels of ANC, so you can tailor your auditory surroundings to your personal preferences. And with 20 hours of battery life, a crisp microphone system for calling, a super-comfortable padded design, and Alexa and Google Assistants, these headphones are ideal for everyone from audiophiles to commuters who want to tune out while on the train.
Best smartwatch: Garmin Forerunner 745
Garmin
Here’s the thing: You don’t need a watch to run. Sometimes it can be incredibly relaxing to simply go for a jog without any regard for pace or distance. But let’s face it, there is a fair percentage of runners (myself included) that are stat-obsessed. And keeping track of your mileage can be a helpful tool if you’re beginning a training program or starting a buildup for a specific race, like a 5K or a marathon. The Garmin Forerunner 745 has everything a runner needs to geek out on, including GPS tracking, heart rate monitoring (with a resting heart rate feature), pulse oximeter, as well as apps to track your menstrual cycle and how much water you drink in a day. With this watch, almost nothing is left unchecked, making it one of the best gifts for runners.
Best mug: Koolkatkoo Cute Ceramic Cat Coffee Mug
Koolkatkoo
In the words of Taylor Swift, “Karma is a cat purring in my lap ‘cause it loves me.” And you know the No. 2 thing people love other than cats? Coffee or tea. Life is too short to drink out of a boring mug so add some whimsy to your days with this Koolkatkoo Cute Ceramic Cat Coffee Mug, which includes a small ceramic cat in the middle of the mug. The figurine comes into view as you drink your warm beverage of choice. It’s 12 ounces, which means you can refill without fear of over-caffeination. And, it’s dishwasher- and microwave-safe, making it easy to use every day for a bit of extra joy. Its low $16.99 price tag is a bonus, especially if you’re shopping for a White Elephant party with a spending cap.
Best pet DNA test: Embark Breed + Health Dog DNA Test
Amazon
Shelters aren’t great at identifying breeds for the pooches in their kennels—it’s difficult to do on sight alone. But if you’ve ever wondered what your pup is made of, you can buy this DNA kit and figure it out for sure. Purebred dogs are massive inbred, which makes it easy to identify which traits come from which lineages, plus you probably don’t have to worry about privacy issues with this one like you would for a human DNA test.
Best smart mug: Ember Travel Mug
Ember
Ember’s 12-ounce Travel Mug can keep beverages between 120 and 145 degrees Fahrenheit for up to three hours thanks to a seven-sensor heating system and built-in battery pack. One can set the mug’s temperature through an app or by using its touch-sensitive display. Ember bundles its Travel Mug with a coaster, which doubles as a wireless charging pad. The mug will keep beverages warm continuously when it’s on the coaster, which is great for anyone who works at a desk. And it will warm your heart to know there are also options if you’re looking for a more “traditional” 10-ounce coffee mug or 6-ounce espresso cup.
Best for the couch potato: The Comfy Wearable Blanket
The Comfy
The Comfy looks ridiculous, but any semblance of pretension melts away whenever one puts it on. This is basically a blanket masquerading as a one-size-fits-all oversized hoodie. The Comfy is probably best recommended for at-home use, but it’s well worth a look if you’re shopping for someone who just wants to binge-watch shows all winter without freezing. The Comfy’s sherpa inner lining and microfiber outer lining are soft to the touch, which makes it easy to wear for hours at a time, while the centered pouch gives one a place to put their hands. The Comfy is objectively ridiculous, but it’s also ridiculously warm.
Best for the backyard: Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0
Solo Stove
We’ve all sat around a fire pit that didn’t provide enough heat unless you were close enough to be pelted with eye-watering smoke, but Solo Stove’s Bonfire fixes all that. The fire pit provides ample warmth while keeping smoke to a minimum thanks to a unique design that catches ash in a pan rather than letting it smolder at the bottom of the pit. We’ve seen the Bonfire 2.0 in action, and the results were impressive—there was still some smoke, but not nearly as much as we’d experienced on a traditional fire pit. Solo Stove’s big innovation with this iteration of the fire pit was building it with a removable ash pan, which can be lifted (once cooled) to dispose of ash in one fell swoop. It’s the type of convenience feature that’ll make whoever you gift it to much more inclined to bust it out more frequently.
Best for the office: Felt Letter Board
Ever look at a church or fast-food signboard and feel so jealous? Why do they get to share their witticisms about deadly sins or daily combos and you have no such platform!? Well, now you’re in luck. From famous quotes to limericks that might require a visit from HR, you can broadcast it all the old-fashioned way, right from the comfort of your cubicle. With a 10×10 inch space, this felt board has room for opinions cliché to controversial. The 374 pre-cut letters feature a rustic style and bold font, and you even get nine bonus cursive words for extra flair, plus extra clips to hold photos or notes. With this set, your coworker can make every day a red letter—er, white letter—day.
Best for students: Rocketbook smart reusable notebook
Amazon
If your coworker constantly reminisces about the days when all their work could be done on paper, the Rocketbook smart reusable notebook might ease their woes. This isn’t your typical notebook, but the learning curve is small. Write notes like normal with the included erasable pen, take a picture with your phone using the Rocketbook app, and the notes are automatically uploaded to the cloud as scans so you can organize and access them anywhere you have service. Then, wipe away the page with the included cloth, and the page is ready to be used again. With the Rocketbook, you’re basically giving the gift of never having to buy another notebook again.
Best for campers: Lodge Pre-Seasoned Skillet
Amazon
The classic. The thing you want your grandmother to pass down to you. Get it today and every time you use it, the seasoning will just get more set, making it increasingly nonstick. Unlike a normal pan, cast iron pans have superior heat retention and no weak spots that produce uneven heating. While cast irons are a kitchen essential, seasoning them can be a stressful process—so this Lodge option comes pre-seasoned so you can get cooking right away. Use it to sear, saute, bake, broil, braise, fry or grill. From Dutch pancakes to cast iron pizzas, the possibilities are endless.
Best compact garden: SereneLife smart starter kit
SereneLife
But not all of us have five vertical feet of space, not hundreds of dollars, to dedicate to gardening indoors. If that’s the case, try a smaller countertop version to grow a few small plants at a time.
Best smart oven: Brava smart oven
Brava
Brava’s smart oven seeks to answer two questions home cooks face at least once a day: What should I cook, and how long will it take? The 10-in-1 countertop appliance provides you with answers to both by presenting you with an ever-growing list of recipes that cater to any diet or dietary restrictions. In our tests, we cooked everything from s’mores to fried eggs, and the results were both fast and tasty. You can control the oven using an app, or by navigating through its controls via a touch screen on top; either way, you’ll be guided through recipes from conception to execution. Part of this appliance’s appeal is its size: The Brava Oven will heat up a lot faster than a full-sized one, which allowed us to cook s’mores in just three minutes. By cutting down on the cook time, we were encouraged to cook more often rather than opting for takeout. This is an ultra-luxe gift, but well worth it if you know someone who loves to cook but struggles to come up with new meals for their rotation.
Best self-care gift: Aroma Humidifier for Essential Oil
Aromatherapy diffusers are the sensory gift that keeps on giving. If you give someone the portal, they can swap out a sequence of their own essential oils until the cows come home. This big ol’ wooden pick can run for 6 hours straight. If it looks like a genie’s bottle that’s because it grants three wishes at once: In addition to diffusing oils, it also works as a humidifier and party light with seven “soothing” colors.
Best for avid readers: Kindle Unlimited
Amazon
An Amazon Kindle Unlimited subscription will put millions of books from every genre into the hands of whoever’s lucky enough to receive it. The service allows subscribers to download and read as many books as they’d like from a massive library on any device that has a Kindle app. If they move from one device to another, Amazon’s servers automatically keep track of their place. That’s better than a bookmark. This gift subscription—for 6 ($48), 12 ($80), or 24 months ($144)—may encourage lapsed book readers to finally catch up on contemporary titles, while voracious ones will find their literary cravings satisfied. It also avoids long waits to borrow books that come with otherwise excellent library apps.
Best for the perpetual student: MasterClass
MasterClass
MasterClass subscribers get unlimited access to thorough video courses taught by masters in their chosen field(s). Courses are taught video prerecorded video instructions and include cooking taught by Gordon Ramsey, drumming taught by Ringo Starr, and writing taught by Roxane Gay. MasterClass continues to offer new classes on a regular basis, so this subscription will only get more valuable over time.
Best for the cord-cutter: Sling
Sling
Cord-cutters sometimes regret their decision to cancel cable service. Internet video streaming is incredible, but sometimes you want to watch the latest episode of your favorite show or sports match as it airs. A subscription to Sling TV allows you to stream live TV from several premium channels including CNN, ESPN, TLC, TNT, and TBS. Sling can be accessed on any device, so they’ll be able to stream any of their shows from anywhere.
Best smart speaker: Amazon Echo (4th Gen)
Amazon
If you know someone who’s been thinking about making their home smarter, but doesn’t know where to start, get them the Amazon Echo (4th Gen). Amazon’s latest smart speaker looks modern, has a surprisingly good dual-driver audio system, and will immediately become the hub of their smart home. Alexa, Amazon’s smart assistant, allows you to use the Echo hands-free, issuing voice commands to play music, get news updates, hear about the weather, play games, and even order products. Controlling smart-home accessories through the Echo is much easier using apps, which can be cumbersome and require your full attention. Saying, “Alexa, turn on the hallway light,” is a lot more intuitive. If you’re feeling extra generous, gift somebody two Echos so they can have this functionality in multiple parts of their home (plus an intercom system).
Best portable speaker: Tribit StormBox Blast
Tribit
Tribit’s StormBox Blast is the best portable party speaker you can still get before the holidays. It can last up to 30 hours on a single charge, supports the latest version of Bluetooth, and has earned an IPX7 rating, which means it can be fully submerged underwater without being damaged. LED light strips on the sides of this speaker can light up and pulse to the beat of music, or turned off to conserve power. And did we mention it’s $35 off with a coupon (don’t forget to click)?
Best TV: Hisense U8H
Hisense
We can’t think of a better holiday gift than a new TV, and Hisense’s U8H is the gold standard in its price range. The set is available in sizes ranging from 55 to 75 inches, but the 65-inch model will be the sweet spot for most people. The U8H has four HDMI ports, two of which support 4K gaming at 120Hz with high dynamic range enabled. This is a big deal if the gamer in your life has a PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, as they’ll be able to play cutting-edge titles at their highest levels of fidelity. The U8H’s 336 local dimming zones allow the TV to offer incredible contrast, while support for Dolby Vision ensures colorful scenes look clear and natural rather than being blown out. If you’ve been saving up to set that special someone up with a really big gift, this should be your first (and arguably only) choice.
Best media streamer: Roku Stick 4K
Roku
If a less tech-savvy member of your friend or family group is trying to get into streaming the latest binge-worthy shows and blockbuster movies, there’s no better gift than a Roku Streaming Stick 4K. The ultra-slim media streamer is intuitive and has a simple remote plus dedicated buttons to take users directly to the most popular streaming services. The Streaming Stick 4K can playback video at its highest possible resolution, and supports every HDR (high dynamic range) standard to deliver vibrant colors. We can also recommend this accessory for people who often travel, as it’s easy to throw into a bag and hook up to a hotel or Airbnb TV, so you’re already logged into all of your streaming service accounts wherever you go.
Best wireless charger: Twelve South PowerPic
Twelve South
Twelve South’s PowerPic is the most inventive wireless charger we’ve seen yet, and its unique design makes it an especially cool gift. The 10W wireless charging stand is built into a picture frame, allowing you to slip any 5×7-inch photo behind your phone’s resting spot. The picture will be revealed when the phone is not charging, so the PowerPic serves a dual purpose. If you know the person you’re gifting this to well enough, you can stealthily open the package, put in a meaningful picture, reseal it, then watch their face light up when it’s revealed.
The post Great last-minute gifts that will still get there by Christmas appeared first on Popular Science.
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