21 Best Gifts for Men & Women: Innovative Ideas

If you’re shopping for a couple and you need a gift that’s great for them both, this Intex Challenger inflatable tandem kayak is a great way to encourage together time while they maintain social distancing. Perfect for their first foray into paddle sports, there’s nothing more zen-like than being at water level, taking in the views, and exploring the shorelines in a kayak. The problem is, they can be a spendy sport to get started with.

This Intex inflatable is affordable for nearly any person who wants to spend some meditative time on the water. Suitable for lakes and calmer rivers, this kayak is super easy to set up, and easy to pack away, stowing easily in a trunk, bullet roof carrier, or back hatch. 

Better yet, it comes with absolutely everything they are going to need, except for personal flotation devices, which we’re insistent on before going out on the water. Made from heavy-duty puncture-resistant vinyl, it has two separate air chambers, meaning less risk of getting swamped if they puncture it.

This kayak has an inflatable I-beam floor for added stability in the water as well as a removable skeg to help the boat track well in the water, especially in windy conditions.

If you’re searching for the best gifts for men and women on your list, think of those who have allergies or other sensitivities to poor air quality. In a compact package that’s not much bigger than your grande latte cup, this little magician cleans the air of pollen, pet dander, mold, automobile, and industrial pollution. Crazy, right?

Weighing in at less than a pound, you can take it to the office, or keep it in your smaller spaces at home, and breathe easier while doing it. It also monitors the air quality in your space, connecting with your smartphone. Featuring state-of-the-art technology that was developed by a rocket scientist (and we know how brilliant they are) this baby pumps out nine liters of clean air per minute.

If you are looking to buy a large smart air purifier that can detect air quality issues, operate instantaneously to remove odors, dust, allergens, and more, the AIRMEGA 400 is definitely our top choice. It can cleanse the air in spaces up to 1,560 square feet, operating quietly and efficiently. With a True HEPA filter and washable pre-filter, it’s a workhorse for anyone who is serious about clean indoor air. It would be a great present for your mom and dad. 

Sure, Bluetooth speakers have become almost ubiquitous. Everyone has one or two or three of them hanging out around the house and patio. So why are we adding another one here? This innovative little gift adds ambiance to sound, with LED flame lights that make you feel like you’re sitting around the campfire, even if you’re not.

This is one of those cool gifts for men and women that will make even a city dweller feel all warm and fuzzy, plus it can light up any patio party with powerful bass and superior stereo sound. Easy to connect to their phone or tablet within a 33-foot range, this little speaker is a terrific gift idea at a really reasonable price. And with 96 LEDs, it creates more realistic flickering light than its competitors.

There has been a lot of innovation when it comes to pain relief, at least in terms of how people, both professionals, and users, view the power of hemp oil. This all-natural pain relief cream has a potent kick of hemp oil which medical experts agree can battle aches and pains from sports injuries to stress to arthritis. Simply rub it on and feel the relief almost instantly. In addition to one of the highest concentrations of hemp, this cream is also formulated with arnica and emu oil, both known for healing and pain relief.

The refreshing scent won’t leave anyone thinking they’ve been indulging in that other form of hemp, and it’s GMO-free, has no side effects, and doesn’t stain clothes. Another pain cureall that’s easy to carry in a purse or backpack is the Hemperature roll-on hemp stick for pain relief.

Do you know when you hit on something that’s almost too cool to get your head around? This wood-burning camp stove from BioLite was one of those things for us. In the realm of trendy gifts for men and women, this is one that’s not going to be a passing fad, because it takes the experience of camping to a whole new level. Because power is at a premium when you’re in the woods, you often have to give up the convenience of your phone or other devices (think Bluetooth speakers here – not your laptop!) 

This stove actually converts fire into electricity, stoking a power bank with a USB output that can be tapped into long after the fire is out. Cool, right? It also has a smart LED dashboard to monitor power generation and power use. But wait, there’s more. You can get a grill attachment that has 55 inches of grilling space – enough to cook four burgers or six hotdogs while you’re out in the boonies. Wow.

You only have to read or watch the news to know that plastic use is becoming an environmental disaster on the planet. If you’ve got someone who is super eco-conscious on your gift list, these beeswax wraps are the kinds of innovative gifts they are going to be thrilled with. They are a natural alternative to plastic wrap and can be used to store cheese, fruit, vegetables, and more. They can cover a bowl or be used to pack a snack for their next adventure. If your giftee is working to create a zero-waste kitchen, even the Farmers Almanac agrees that beeswax wraps are the way to go.

Each wrap lasts for about a year and can be warmed in the hands to fit whatever it covers. Made from organic cotton, sustainably harvested beeswax, organic jojoba oil, and tree resin, they’re certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard. In fact, even their packaging is biodegradable. How cool is that?

If you’re looking for an innovative gift for the cocktail lover on your list, this clever cocktail machine is one of the more interesting gifts for men and women alike. It makes the perfect frozen libations (non-alcoholic too) every time, and it has a 36-ounce blending jar, so there’s plenty of room in that pitcher for a party.

It has four pre-programmed drink settings, plus an automatic shave ‘n blend cycle and manual blend only and shaves only cycles, giving your giftee a multitude of cocktail opportunities. Because it has an extra-large ice hopper, they can make 2.5 pitchers of frozen goodness before needing to refill – so handy when serving a crowd.

For those of you who have never used an electric toothbrush, the experience will change your enjoyment of brushing for life. Good news for you as well as your gums and teeth, because dental health hugely impacts your overall well-being.  FOREO, the people famous for those cool little silicone facial brushes, is now out to tackle your pearly whites. Two big innovations here make this toothbrush noteworthy in our opinion. 

First, it’s the first silicone bristle rechargeable toothbrush. Those soft bristles make for great gum massages as well as clean teeth. But here’s the kicker, you also get a second brush head with a combination of silicone and polyester polymer bristles for more robust cleaning when you want it. But our favorite thing? This nifty toothbrush runs for an entire year on a single charge! No more worrying about taking your charger on vacations and campouts, because you’ve got plenty of power for the long haul.

People have been drinking and loving tea for centuries, so what – you might ask – could be innovative about that? Fooled you on this one, because these teas don’t come loose, or in a bag. They come in a set of the cutest little pressed droplets that dissolve in a hot mug of water for a simply delicious cup of tea. 

Naturally, we think you and your giftees won’t be able to resist the sweethearts, flowers, and other fun shapes these little tea drops come in, but these little morsels deliver on flavor in a big way. Made from organic loose leaf tea, raw sugar, and exotic spices, they make a super cool present for any man or woman on your list. Nestled into a cute wooden gift box, they’re a special treat on cold drizzly days or the perfect morning pick-me-up for those who don’t drink coffee. 

If you’re looking for a gift that’s going to thrill your favorite barbecue pit boss, this grilling gift set is a favorite. With nearly everything to make the barbecue experience successful, this gift set has some goodies that will make anyone a grilling expert.

We also think they will love that this set comes with 31 pieces that include grilling mats, utensils, corn holders, skewers, a utensil bag, and more. It also includes an instant-read thermometer, silicone basting brush, and a grill cleaning brush with an extra head.

Flasks have been around for centuries as the way to pack along one’s favorite nip on the bottle in a discreet fashion. If you know a lady who is particularly particular about her chosen drinks, these boozy bracelets are the perfect gifts for her. Made from food-grade stainless steel, these rhinestone topped stunners can hold two full shots of liquor or a single pour of her favorite wine.

This two-pack of bangle flasks comes in either rose and silver tones, or you can order her a double in silver tone as well. When she sports both, it allows her to take a few extra shots to a party, all the while wearing them in the popular stacked bracelet look.

There’s nothing worse than trying to put on makeup with artificial light. There’s always the risk that you’ll walk outside and discover you look like a clown show, or, worse yet, like you did nothing at all. This terrific vanity makeup mirror features some cool innovations that make it a must-have for both women and men.

The innovative touch-sensitive mirrors let you adjust the LED lighting for the perfect application of daytime and nighttime makeup, and with folding side mirrors that offer increased magnification, you can also catch sight of that smudge of mascara or niggling chin hair that may have been otherwise missed.  It’s also perfect for manscaping the perfect two-day-old beard. It is cordless, lightweight, and runs on AAA batteries.

DASH has mastered all things mini to make a small kitchen space more manageable and functional. We first fell in love with their teeny tiny waffle maker that was worth buying for the cuteness factor alone, but the fact that it did such a dandy little job made it even more loveable. My aging mom is hooked on hers. Then they came up with a compact little air fryer that’s perfect for one or two people. Another genius idea.

Now this – the perfect little egg cooker that can poach, hard boil, scramble and even make omelets with ease. For the working man or woman who is trying to get their family out the door with a protein-packed brekkie under their belt, this little egg cooker automatically shuts off eggs are done to perfection, and even alerts you when that happens. 

With accessories to do all the aforementioned cooking tasks, it fits in the smallest cupboard spaces because all the add-ons fit inside. At a very approachable price point, it’s the perfect small gift for someone’s first apartment, retirement place, or RV.

Got a latte lover on your gift list? How about someone who swoons over the perfect cup of hot cocoa or loves a wamp cup of steamed milk before bedtime? This electric milk frother and steamer is one of those perfect innovative gifts for them. It heats up cold milk to 150 degrees Fahrenheit in less than two minutes to deliver the perfect frothy foam for a latte at home.

With the push of a button, a frothy mug of cocoa is ready in an instant, and flavored warm milk drinks are so easy to make. It features an easy pour spout so it doesn’t glug into the cup and break all the foamy bubbles.

Almost everyone covets a home theatre system, but only a few have the kind of space required or the available budget to own one. That’s what’s so wicked cool about this teeny tiny little projector. It literally fits in the palm of your hand but can project a 1080p video at screen sizes up to 176 inches. Crazy, right?

This mini-projector can support connections with laptops, smartphones, tablets, USB drives, DVD players, Amazon Fire TV Stick, and Xbox, offering great versatility in what you can view. Just get them a Bluetooth compatible speaker and their home will be rockin’ with great entertainment at a fraction of the cost of a normal home theatre system.

We love all things that have more than one purpose, and this aquaponic garden is the perfect example. It’s a self-sustaining aquarium and aquaponic garden in one. The plants naturally clean the water for the fish and the fish fertilize the plants on top. Not only can you grow veggies, herbs and plants all year round, but it’s also a great decorative item and a cool way to learn about how the environment works if your giftee is a teacher or has kids at home.

If you’re shopping for someone who is struggling with a variety of skin issues from acne to wrinkles, there aren’t many devices that offer as large a range of treatments as the HydraskinPro. It also offers the skin-renewing benefits of infrared, with three different treatment options, red light therapy as well as blue or yellow light therapy. 

This cool gift helps to reduce wrinkles, minimize scars, and fade dark spots and hyperpigmentation. The design of this unit also makes it unique because you can easily use it on areas in addition to your face such as hands, arms, etc. Choose red light therapy, or run a cycle that combines other light colors as well. While the red light targets wrinkles, blue light improves skin texture, and yellow light works on scarring. Keep in mind, while you use this on your face, you’ll want to wear protective eyewear.

Used for 30 minutes each day, it will help rejuvenate the look of your skin, minimizing fine lines and minimizing scars and fading sun damage. It can also improve the skin on your neck and chest that is often a giveaway as to your age. This device automatically shuts off when your treatment time is finished so you don’t have to worry about overdoing it.

If you’ve ever fumbled in the cold with one of those tire gauges that have the little slide up stick, you know what a pain in the fanny they can be, often letting out even more air pressure from a low tire. This cool tire gauge is hand friendly as well as easy on the eyes with a clear digital readout.

The nozzle forms an easy seal on all kinds of valve stems, so whether you’re trying to check pressure on your car or truck wheels, or you need to check out bike tires, this works on even Schrader and Presta valve stems, which is super cool. Plus, with an auto-shutoff feature, there’s no worry about killing the battery in a short time.

Just like so many folks are trying to reduce their use of plastics, there are equally as many who would like to limit their use of paper as well. This cool smart notebook from Rocketbook has been one of our favorites since its launch a couple of years ago. But, that initial notebook only had a limited number of reuses. The Everlast notebook can be used endlessly, and happily it’s just about the same price as the original.

It works with any Pilot Frixion pen, marker or highlighter (one is included with the notebook) and pages can be wiped clean with a damp cloth. Just use the Rocketbook app to scan and blast your notes to the cloud so that colleagues who have missed a meeting can instantly be in the know. And with a clever system of symbols you can add to the bottom of each page, the app will know exactly where to send them. So crazy.

You can also get this cool reusable notebook in a pocket size version so all they’ll need is a pocket protector to look like the hippest nerd around. 

The Garmin VIRB is a great gift for anyone who loves outdoor living and photography. While the battery life is a bit limited at just three hours, this camera is ideal for people who need something really rugged. It’s built tough, and it boasts three-axis stabilization, which means your videos will look great even if you’re shooting in challenging terrain.

The VIRB can also shoot hands-free thanks to its amazing voice activation feature. And if you’ve been disappointed in audio quality with your GoPro, this unit’s high-sensitivity microphone captures high quality audio both in and out of the waterproof case, which by the way has a wicked waterproof rating. The 1.75 inch touch screen lets you see what you shoot. So cool.

This wagon from Patio Watcher is a popular design that has four colors choices and can handle on and off-road towing. Designed to make life easier and lighten your load, this folding wagon is a fan favorite because of its durability, versatility, and ability to take on all kinds of terrains. If you are an avid adventurer like me you are going to love adding this wagon to your existing gear.

The wagon can handle up to 150lbs of weight and has dimensions of 39.2″L x 21.7″W x 37.4″ H. You could easily tow a couple of your fur babies and their toys and the wagon is actually made out of similar material to this dog stroller so if those materials are safe enough for your pooch it is definitely high enough quality for your gear. The simple design is similar to the original folding wagon design that premiered in the 1930s.