Sometimes when it comes to Christmas gift giving, you really want to splash out. Whether you’ve had amazing year financially or just really want to do something special to show your love, a big ticket gift makes a statement and can become a family heirloom. Expensive is relative, so we’ve included a range of items that you can use our price slider to navigate. Make someone’s holiday season by giving them one of our picks for the best expensive Christmas gifts.
Bang & Olufsen make some of the nicest high-end audio devices going right now. While dedicated audiophile gear certainly sells for far more, B&O equipment strikes a balance and, generally speaking, has finer design sensibilities. This device is no exception.
This is a 360-degree speaker meant to integrate with your home’s wifi and, in turn, Google Voice Assistant. By virtue of this, it is able to connect to any of your favorite music-playing apps, and do so entirely via voice command. It creates incredible, detailed, room-filling sound when placed at the center of any space, and the outward appearance means you won’t hesitate to do so.
Bang & Olufsen’s wireless speakers are capable of multiroom connectivity, so you could add multiple Beosound 2 devices or incorporate a Beosound Edge or a Beoplay A9 into the mix to create a home-filling, incredibly beautiful-looking audio solution.
An alternative to multiroom sound with a voice assistant attached would be the Sonos Move, which is far, far less expensive and uses Amazon Alexa.
Writing aficionados know that the heirarchy of pens starts with ballpoint pens, improves with rollerball pens, and reaches its peak with fountain pens. And among the finest fountain pens available are Pelikan. In addition to being a fine writing implement, this pen has a confluence of luxury touches.
Brass is used in the striping to add weight for a higher-end feel and balance, but is plated in palladium for a silver finish, as are the rings and clip. The nib is made of 18 carat gold which is plated in rhodium. For anyone that loves to write, this implement is a joy to use.
Perhaps someone on your list is looking to upgrade their home theater setup. Consider this bundle to bring them up to the current state of entertainment tech with an 82-inch 8K OLED television.
The television itself has AI upscaling on board so all content will be rendered in stunning detail across a very, very wide viewing angle so everyone sees the same picture regardless of where they sit. Included is a full slate of smart TV apps to interact with any service you can think of, as well as available integration with popular voice assistants and home automation tech.
Paired with the television is Samsung Dolby Atmos home theatre speaker set. Dolby Atmos utilizes a novel speaker arrangement to create a life-like sound field with incredible detail. Movies will have a completely new dimension compared to other surround sound solutions.
Quite possibly the best gift you can give a winter sports enthusiast, this is very simply an unlimited lift ticket for one season of skiing and snowboarding at 41 resorts around the world.
While the Ikon Base Pass has blackout dates, this one does not. That means, for any date the skier or rider in your life desires, they can drop in on a large number of mountains globally. These include Aspen Snowmass and Steamboat in Colorado, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows and Big Bear Mountain Resort in California, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming, Killington and Sugarbush Resort in Vermont, The Summit at Snoqualmie in Washington; Tremblant in Quebec, Sunday River and Sugarloaf in Maine, Loon Mountain in New Hampshire, Taos Ski Valley in New Mexico, Zermatt Matterhorn in Switzerland, Thredbo in Australia, Mt Hutt in New Zealand, Niseko United in Japan, Valle Nevado in Chile and more.
In addition, the Ikon Pass holder can score 25% off window rates for 10 days in the season at any of these mountains. Even better, if you’re buying for someone younger than 22, the price is lower for each of three younger age brackets. If you can deal with blackout dates, the Base Pass is less expensive still.
Ultimately, if they can swing the airfare, this is actually a pretty great deal.
Made of Canadian Hemlock and featuring seven carbon fiber infrared heaters, this 2-person sauna will afford a daily luxury in the comfort of your home. Equipped with LED lighting and a sound system, this whole unit still only requires a normal 120V/15 amp outlet. A fantastic luxury gift.
One look at the Inventions section of the Breguet website lets you know their vital role in timepiece history. If you want to let someone else in on that tradition, this fascinating skeletonized, hand-winding watch will more than do the job. To be sure, this is a very fine, high-end timepiece worthy of anyone’s wrist.
If someone you know has been looking to update their gaming rig, you might consider buying them this behemoth. The heart of this machine is a Intel Core i7‐8700K running up to 4.7GHz processor and a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti with 11GB of memory – both of which are liquid-cooled.
Aside from those crucial pieces, there’s 32GB of Corsair Vengence DDR4 memory and two hard drives, one 480GB SSD and one 2TB SATA drive to maximize both storage and speed. This makes for a machine more than capable of smooth 4K and VR gaming experiences.
Among Paul Reed Smith’s already-excellent guitars are the Private Stock series. While these can be made to order, they do offer a select few for sale to the general public, made of the finest woods from their carefully cultivated collection. These are heirloom-quality, one-of-a-kind pieces that express all the expertise of the brand.
This is an especially nice example. The top wood is figured walnut, which offers a richness in both sound and sight. The back wood is made of African ribbon mahogany, while the neck is made from figured mahogany. The fingerboard is made from legacy ebony, which can no longer be obtained and comes from their last remaining stock. The trademark bird inlays are created from two types of mother of pearl.
This is an extremely fine guitar, handcrafted by one of the best. You should plan to give this to someone who intends to pass it down through the generations.
Still, it is quite an investment. If you want to give a guitar but can’t quite understand how anyone could spend five digits on one, consider PRS SE Custom 24, which is still very, very good but below the $1,000 threshold.
If you have a room dedicated to cinema, you’ll of course want to consider seating for that room. In a world where the seats at most movie theaters recline, what you install at home has to keep up. These do, indeed, recline and have cup holders, but they also offer the following: USB charging, ambient base lighting, in-arm storage, and a free tray table for each seat.
As if that weren’t enough, each seat is pre-installed with a SoundShaker bass shaker to drive the experience home. All you need to add is the SoundShaker amplifier to complete the setup. This is the largest configuration with eight seats, but you can choose the combination of rows and seats that works best for you. You can get them in black, red, or brown depending on the configuration you choose.
For much, much less, you could consider the Pulaski Larson Theatre Recliner, which only seats one but retains many of the same features.
Help someone you love class up their dining area with an authetic Waterford crystal chandelier. This piece incorporates nine candelabras accented with diamond and wedge cuts, which will add a dimention of color and light diffusion to any room. It measures 32 inches by 27.5 inches and weighs 32 pounds.
For the world’s best component stereo system and speaker combination to deliver the highest quality playback, the room itself also needs to be tuned and balanced. That isn’t the case with headphones, which offer an immersive experience at any price point, but certainly when you’re looking at something as finely tuned as these, which Forbes called “The best sounding critical listening headphones that we’ve measured so far”.
Where more consumer-oriented headphones boost the bass to try to emulate richness, these actually offer a comparatively weak bass response in exchange for a rich and inviting sound stage. Listening to music on these is truly immersive. For a lot of modern music formats, you’ll want to look into something like the Marantz HD-DAC1 Digital-to-Audio Converter we put on our gifts for musicians and music lovers post.
Does your grandpa need just one piece to complete his living room design? Consider giving him the gift of a handmade quilted maple coffee table. Quilted maple is always striking, bringing a balance of subtle yet striking natural design to any space.
The finishing touch on this elegant table are the pieces of bent tiger maple which form the legs. It would have been simple to attach straight legs or even form a similar shape from metal, but doing so in wood takes time and skilled care when done by hand. This is an excellent, one-of-a-kind piece.
Everyone needs that one special, high-end fragrance for use during special occasions or just when you want to feel indulgent. This Jean Patou bottle is heavily based in floral scents, using 10,600 jasmine flowers and 28 dozen roses to make one ounce of the scent. It’s opulent and over-the-top, which is what a luxury item should be. You could also opt for the Joy Parfum Blacon Baccarat, if you prefer.
My wife is the type of person who rarely drinks any cold drink without ice in it. It’s basically a requirement. If this is true for someone you know – or if you host events frequeny – a high volume ice maker is absolutely the way to go. They really do make life better.
This one starts making ice within 20 minutes and makes one pound per hour and hold three pounds at a time. It’s also Bluetooth enabled so you can use the FirstBuild app to schedule your ice-making needs.
This nifty system allows wine drinkers to sample a bottle without pulling the cork. If your grandpa is a wine collector, he may want to savor his bottles over time to extend his collection.
It works by inserting a small, narrow needle through the cork and letting you pour right through it. The system uses argon to pressurize the bottle and push the wine through the needle. Once the needle is removed, the cork seals itself. For this reason, new, natural corks are best to use with this.
Synthetic corks will work, but a small hole will remain in the cork, which will allow some oxidation of the wine. A good gift for anyone who likes to sample many new wines in an evening.
If you don’t go this route, consider a vacuum wine stopper, which may approximate the results.
While it’s true that the finest whiskies are unlikely to need additional aeration of any kind, serving your guests from a decanter can just add a touch of elegance. This decanter design is the oldest in the Baccarat catalogue, dating back to 1841, replete with hand-applied gold motifs. This will hold 25.4 ounces of your finest libation.
If you like this idea but don’t quite want to spend this much, the The Wine Savant Diamond Whiskey Decanter Set maintains the diamond look and includes service for four at less than $100.
If you’re an avid wine drinker, you’ll know that storage is key. Ideally, a wine cellar, but in instances where that’s not a possibility, a freestanding wine cooler performs this role nicely. This one holds up to 30 bottles of wine, which might just get you through a season.
The dual-layered tempered glass prevents fogging, while a temperature memory function stores your selection even when powered off. All this, and it’s still a fairly compact unit that will fit in a wide variety of rooms.
If the person on your shopping list is anything like my wife, they’ve struggled to find a good hair dryer. Even above-average ones tend to be too hot and don’t last very long. This option from Dyson brings a high-tech approach to the question. The temperature is measured 20 times a second to keep it even and prevent hair destruction.
It’s tuned to produce an inaudible frequency, which is a vast improvement over the super-loud hair dryers that are more common. It also features a heat sheild that keeps it cool to the touch and magnetic attachments for maximum convenience.
Nothing completes a home like original art. Ideally, you’ll have a mix of prints and other artwork in your home, punctuated with a handful of original pieces. This abstract piece fits in with a variety of home decor themes and color palettes and, according to the artist, can be turned in any direction according to the preference of the viewer. There’s a definite sense of movement here, contrasted somewhat by the concrete look.
This all-infrared burner grill that outputs 115,000 BTUs, but also offers you the flexibility to cook five different ways: grill, sear, smoke, rotis and charcoal. On top of that, it includes a power hood complete with remote, blue LED backlit knobs, and a four zone digital thermometer to keep things on track. This is an outdoor entertainment unit in and of itself.
Moon and planet lamps are really in lately, including things like the Mova Globe and the Aced Printing Moon Lamp we put on our best gifts under $25 post. This one ups the ante on both of those by floating above the platform with the use of magnets. It comes in both a 5.9 inch and a 7.1 inch version. Makes an excellent ambient light source or nightlight.
This funky, fun chair combines the classic Eames design with an eclectic palette of fabrics for a one-of-a-kind piece. I find the clashes strangely compelling and think it would work well as the pop of color in an otherwise understated room. If the patchwork doesn’t strike you, don’t worry – it’s available in eight solid colors, too.
VideoVideo related to awair element indoor air quality monitor2018-11-22T23:03:26-05:00
Gadgets are supposed to make our lives better. Sometimes they do, but usually just in the sense of being more entertaining. The Awair makes life better by actively monitoring the environment in which you lives. If your grandpa has asthma or has had trouble sleeping lately, it could be the air quality in the home.
Compatible with Nest, Alexa, and IFTTT, this air quality monitor tracks the levels of dust, VOCs, carbon dioxide, humidity, and temperature. As it collects data, Awair will make recommendations to improve the air.
There’s a particular kind of person who makes a hot drink and then promptly forgets about it – tea drinkers, I’m looking at you. If you know someone who fits this description, you can give them a high-tech solution to their problem.
This rechargable mug heats a beverage to the desired temperature set by the simple dial on the bottom. It also integrates with your smartphone so you can make any adjustments via an app, as well as manage presets. In addition to this travel version, there’s a standard ceramic mug option, too.
If this seems a little overpriced to you, consider the Thermos Stainless King 24 Ounce Drink Bottle, which decidedly does not set a certain temperature, but does keep beverages screaming hot for way, way longer than should be possible.
That said, if grandpa is a frequent espresso drinker and is serious about pulling a good shot, this is an excellent machine for doing it himself.
It has the ability to automatically adjust the water temperature after steam, and is equipped with a conical burr blender with a 1/2 pound bean hopper perched atop it. This is quite a handsome machine and will more than likely pay for itself within the year if it displaces trips to Starbucks.
Everyone needs a warm winter coat, so why not make it a delightfully luxurious 70 percent cashmere coat? This is a subtle gray piece made in Italy. The belted closure is a nice touch that is a little different from most jackets. The remaining 30 percent of material is wool for a heavy, cozy feel.
Available in four colors, this lovely Cartier cashmere and silk scarf makes an excellent accent to a fine outfit. Whether the woman on your list is a Cartier fan or is seeking her first piece, a scarf is an easy gift for those who like to accessorize and layer. My wife is especially fond of scarves and has at least 20.
For a more budget-conscious alternative, consider the Calvin Klein Women’s Logo Pashmina scarf, which comes in a wide variety of colors.
When I was a kid, my dad brought home a pool table one day. It was used and beat up, but it was still pretty amazing to have our own table in the house. If the person on your list is dreaming of getting a pool table, why not do better than my family did and get a nice one?
This table has a maple wood veneer with cherry finish and features French-style drop pockets to complete the look. It comes with two cues, a rail brush, a set of billiards balls, a resin triangle, and chalk. For an additional fee, you can also have a local professional assemble it for you.
Wet shavers are rediscovering the joys of premium shave sets, which offer a daily luxury experience. If this describes your grandpa, you can elevate his daily routine with this lovely set, which includes a chrome double edge safety razor, badger hair brush, and a stand.
Sitting down and relaxing in a truly comfortable chair is one of life’s simpler luxuries. Think about it: almost all the finest luxuries in life can be enjoyed in a chair, but the chair itself is often overlooked.
This high-design recliner offers smooth and instant angle adjustment thanks to a thumb-control lever. The leather is top-grain and the parawood frame is plantation-grown and master crafted. The zero-gravity positioning will encourage maximum relaxation. Bring on the whiskey.
While it’s true that folks are gravitating toward smaller all-in-one Bluetooth speakers for most of their audio needs these days, nothing is likely to supplant a finely-appointed component system as the ultimate audio experience.
Assuming you already have a receiver and turntable that meet your standards, your speakers better live up to the challenge. ELAC designs only audiophile-level equipment, and these are the top of the range. The Heil Air Motion Transducer tweeters are made of aluminum composite pressed into the so-called “Crystal Membrane” that gives them their look and otherwordly performance.
These are extremely clear and dry, designed to perfectly recreate the sound of a recording without a hint of added atmosphere. With lesser speakers, you actually hear some semblance of natural acoustic reverb, which colors the trails of the recorded material. These are meant to be experienced with a tube-driven amplifier and produce such clean detail that it’s easy to play these too loud without noticing.
The real key is the dial that allows for minute adjustments of the signal, making it possible to overcome reflection problems even in small rooms. With the help of a friend, you will be able to tune these precisely to hear compositions as you’ve never heard them before. Between the exceptional bass response and the exactness you can achieve with some tuning, all forms of music will shine, not just classical pieces. These are absolutely meant to be the last speakers you ever buy and will leave nothing behind.
If you’re just looking for a pair of solid, respectable speakers, consider the Klipsch R-41M Speakers.
Diamonds remain a timeless gift. Diamond jewelry of sufficient caliber become heirlooms and a point of pride for generations. If you need your gift to make a statement, you could consider these round cut studs.
With a total weight of just over half a carat, these earrings feature GIA certified diamonds rated H-J, or nearly colorless, with VS1-VS2 clarity, meaning that any inclusions are difficult to detect even under 10x magnification. To top it off, these earrings are made in the U.S.A. and guaranteed to be conflict-free and natural. Included with your purchase is a certificate of authenticity to verify your new jewels.
If you don’t quite need a pair of earrings this dear, the Amazon Collection has a very nice set of 14k White Gold Diamond with Screw Back and Post Stud Earrings in a total weight of 0.33 carats and certainly somewhat lesser grades of color and clarity, though perhaps not to a degree that most folks are likely to notice. Still very lovely.
If you’re looking to make the most of the outrageous gaming PC elsewhere on this list, you’ll want to consider going the distance and picking up a virtual reality headset to go along with it. These headsets immerse the gamer in the world of the game, fully ensconcing them in the experience. While they do require relatively powerful computers, the rigs we discussed previously should be more than enough to run any of the big name headsets.
In the wake of the Oculus Rift, several others piled into the market with their own take. Among these is the HTC VIVE, which takes the concept just a touch further. The field of view is 110 degrees, which is optimized via the adjustable strap and eye relief adjustments. The unit allows for both standing and seated use and room-scale VR, the latter of which is achieved with two included tracking cameras. Games are pulled from the Steam VR online library, which is quickly expanding.
Included in the box is the headset, two controllers, two base stations, earbuds, link box with power adapter, box mounting pad, two micro USB chargers, sync cable, HDMI cable, USB cable, cleaning cloth, and another face cushion. If you’re interested, you can compare all VR headsets here before you buy.
Cheaper VR headsets are few and far between just yet, but for those with Samsung devices, you could consider the Samsung Gear VR.
A good chair is invaluable. And, if you’re going to take out your checkbook to buy one, why not make it a chair that provides a service while you’re at it? This is great for anyone who has consistent muscle pain that could use a daily massage as they relax.
Available in black, cream, expresso, gray, and red, this chair is a full-body massage experience. The 34 massage and motion programs are controlled with the LCD controller, and include rocking, relaxation, and recovery options. The lumbar section also provides heating to soothe lower back pain.
Each section has independent controls for range and intensity, giving you the exact experience you want. While all this is happening, the seat itself allows for zero-gravity, which will reduce the stress on your vertebrae. To top it off, a pair of Bluetooth speakers are built in so you can put on your favorite relaxing music.
Obviously, this is premium offering, but if you like the idea, you could also consider the Nouhaus Massage Chair with Ottoman, which is far less expensive.
Is your grandpa the competitive type, especially when it comes to being out on the links? This complete golf game tracking system records all shots a golfer takes as he plays, collecting the data for further analysis.
The golfer in your grandfather can use it to improve his game generally, or use the shot mapping rangefinder to make shot decisions. There are over 40,000 golf courses pre-mapped in the system to help them ace almost any course. The system allows golfers to play with their phones on airplane mode, thereby reducing battery usage and removing any worry about international data roaming.
If the buy-in on the full system is a bit much, they also make the Arccos Driver Tracking System to focus only drives, including competition against friends using online leaderboards.
VideoVideo related to the gunbox 2.02018-11-23T00:16:31-05:00
Responsible gun owners know that gun safety begins with keeping all firearms secure when not in use. Unlike gun safes of the past, however, the GunBox makes it so you don’t need a key to open it. There are three ways to open the GunBox: fingerprint scan, smartphone app, or included key fob and keycard. Once one of these methods are used, the box opens smoothly and quickly so you can access it with only the slightest delay over, say, just putting it in the nightstand.
Even better, you can be the only one with any of the access methods, increasing security. If multiple people need access, however, you can program it to recognize several fingerprints. The battery lasts for 18 months, and the box also features two USB ports so you can charge your phone at night if you choose to keep it on your nightstand. If the box is bumped or moved, an alarm will sound.
As a bonus, it’s FAA approved for firearm transport and is large enough to hold most handguns. It’s also extremely modern looking with its appealing design. It comes in Matte Carbon Black (pictured) and Gunsmoke Brown. The GunBox can either be mounted or tethered with a cable lock.
If you want something really unique, go with a one-of-a-kind item like a movie prop. This cricket bat from Shaun of the Dead will make an excellent conversation piece. It’ll also be handy, you know, in the event of actual zombies, assuming you don’t just head down to the Winchester, have a nice cold pint, and wait for this all to blow over.
If the someone you’re shopping for has been contemplating hammock or porch swing options, consider this lounger as a gift for them. This 100% cotton lounger is strong enough to support 1-2 people (up to 355lbs total), and features a bamboo spreader bar. It’s machine washable and is the perfect porch accessory. Some people even mount these indoors, if the structure of the house will support it.
For true beer lovers, there’s a bit of a conundrum. When you go to your favorite local brewery for a growler, you know you only have a couple of days to drink it once you pop it open the first time. This device solves that problem. Combining a metal growler with a draft-style dispenser, this will keep beer carbonated for up to two weeks. It’s also far easier to pour from, which makes this a very compelling option for beer lovers.
