Want to take the guesswork out of finding gifts? We’ve created a gift guide that will help you find the perfect gift all of the young adults in your life. From teens to college students, these gifts are fun but also appropriate for young adults. You might also be interested in unisex gifts under $25.
BedShelfie started out on Kickstarter and took off from there, and for good reason–it’s something we could all use. I mean, yes, for proper sleep hygiene we shouldn’t be using our devices in bed, but in what world is that happening?
The BedShelfie uses a simple vice system to attach itself to your bed frame and creates an easy-to-reach surface to place your laptop, drink, snack, book, phone etc. on. It can hold up to 15 pounds of stuff so it’s on there really well. It doesn’t need any tools to install and the grips of the vice are covered in felt to protect the finish of your bed frame.
There are even slots in the sides of the shelf to make running charging cords up to your devices easier and have a more minimal profile. The shelves are made of durable and environmentally-friendly bamboo and are available in several different colors.
This classic size works for 13-inch laptops and they make a larger version that fits a 15-inch laptop.
Smartphones pick up all sorts of germs when we’re out and about from surfaces and from our hands but the PhoneSoap 3 is designed to sanitize your phone while it charges. We wash our hands or use hand sanitizer, but you can’t give your phone the same treatment.
PhoneSoap 3 uses UV-C light to kill up to 99 percent of bacteria and germs. The light automatically turns itself off after the 10-minute cycle and there’s a little slot so you can run a charger cord into the container so you can charge your phone at the same time. It’s sized to fit almost any smartphone out there and can also be used on keys or other small flat items you want to be sure are germ-free.
It comes in several colors as well as in a rechargeable wireless version in PhoneSoap Go.
If they love spicy food, they’ll have a blast creating their very own hot sauces with this Make Your Own Hot Sauce Kit. It comes with four skull-shaped mason jars, two funnels, gloves, a recipe booklet, six spices, and three types of dried peppers.
I like this set for young adults because it doesn’t go as hot as other sets. Some sets (like this one from DIY Gift Kits) come with ghost peppers, one of the hottest in the world, and that’s a spice I don’t’ necessarily want to put in the hands of someone who’s not old enough to get a rental car.
The Make Your Own Hot Sauce Kit has papers like cayenne, chipotle, and Guajillo along with spices like Jamaican allspice, cumin, and curry to create interesting, flavorful mixes that wouldn’t burn your mouth off.
People of all ages would love to receive this Chuao Chocolatier Gift Set. It comes with eight mini chocolate bars in eight of Chuao’s best-selling and most interesting flavors.
It’s an assortment of milk and dark chocolate in fun flavors like Potato Chip, Cinnamon Cereal Smooch, Honeycomb, and Salted Chocolate Crunch which has bits of buttered baguette.
Unstable Unicorns is a fun strategy game for ages 14 and up and works with two to four players. The creative and hilarious artwork of adorable, pudgy unicorns makes you think it could be a boring kid’s game but it hides a core of cutthroat strategy as you build your unicorn army.
Up their social media game with this Selfie Ring Light Kit which is built to make them look as fabulous in their photos as they do online (or maybe even better).
Ring lights are a trusted way to give balanced lighting which much more flattering allowing you to take better photos and videos. This kit comes with an eight-inch ring light on a telescoping tripod that can adjust from 17.5 inches tall to 51 inches tall. The light can also tilt to get the best angles.
The tripod is equipped with a smartphone holder making it easier to take full-body photos and hands-free video. The light has three tones of light to choose from (cool, warm, and daylight) as well as 11 brightness levels.
It comes with a Bluetooth remote which is compatible with Android and Apple so you can take pictures from across the room.
Corn Hole is the unofficial game of beach days, barbeques, picnics, and about any other gathering outdoors or indoors. It’s good for all ages, simple to learn, and just plain fun. The one thing Corn Hole generally isn’t is easily portable with its large boards but Himal has designed a collapsible, portable, and more affordable version.
The whole game folds up into the size of a large purse for them to take with them on the go wherever the party is. It comes with everything you need including two boards, eight bean bags, and carrying case.
The boards are slightly smaller than regulation at three-feet by two-feet instead of four-feet by two-feet, but as a casual fun party game that’s easy to travel with this hits the spot.
A Buddha Board is a great gift for people of all ages who could benefit from more mindfulness in their lives. It’s great for people with high stress and anxiety.
It’s a special canvas that only holds an image for a short period of time. Fill the basin on the stand with water and use the included brush to paint onto the canvas. It will turn the paper dark making it look like you’re painting with ink.
As the water dries the image disappears. It’s an act of practicing appreciating things in the moment and then letting things go. I think it’s a practice everyone can benefit from.
This cute Japanese Snack Subscription Box is packed with 20 to 25 unique and interesting snacks and candies from Japan. It’s a perfect gift for those who are into anime or are interested in visiting Japan one day.
Subscription boxes are great last-minute gifts because they’re shipped directly to their home so it’s not weird that you don’t physically have the gift on you at the Christmas party. No one has to know you just bought it at the eleventh hour.
Each box comes with a snack guide to the flavors, allergins, and origins of each snack.
This ramen cooker set will make their life more convenient because let’s face it, most of us have lived on instant ramen at some point or another in our lives. But the cheapest ramen needs to be cooked in a small pot on a stovetop which is a hassle, takes longer, requires a stove, and makes extra dishes to clean.
A ramen cooker lets you skip all of that and cook “stovetop” ramen in the microwave with their microwave and dishwasher-safe ramen bowl. It’s even shaped like a block of ramen because fitting a square block in a round bowl is no fun.
The cooking vessel can even double as your bowl so you’ve eliminated another dish. If they eat ramen at all, this will make their lives easier which is one of the best gifts of all time.
If you’re buying for someone going off to college in the fall, give them a book like The Naked Roommate with the answers to the questions they didn’t realize they’d have.
Don’t sweat the title and cover, this isn’t a sexy read. It carefully goes through advice and etiquette for dorm life, how to deal with and avoid roommate and romantic drama, study habits, and how to get campus jobs.
The transition from high school student to college student is more jarring than you expect it to be. Any help these grads can get is a good idea.
It’s a fun and easy read despite being about such practical things and it’s great to keep around as a reference even if they don’t read it cover to cover. It’s a hefty book at over 550 pages so they won’t be lacking in resources.
If you’re buying for new drivers, the Lifehammer is invaluable. The resilient windows of our cars and the sturdy seatbelts are designed to keep us in place but that can be deadly when they need to get out of the car after an accident. The Lifehammer comes to the rescue in the event that they are trapped inside a car.
An article in the US National Library of Medicine estimates that nearly 400 people die trapped in submerged vehicles every year in North America and another states that unless you can escape within the first minute of hitting the water, your chances are very slim unless you have window hammer.
On one end there are two specially shaped hammers meant to safely shatter car windows and on the other end is a protected razor for cutting through stuck seatbelts. This set of two comes with two mountable holders so they’re always easy to get to.
My neighbor was just telling me about witnessing a rollover that landed a car upside in a frozen river and none of the bystanders could get the young woman out until finally someone with a crowbar in their truck pulled over to help.
The GoPro Hero5 can record in 4K and is an excellent gift idea for anyone who loves the outdoors, vlogging, photography, or gadgets.
However, if this action cam is too rich for your blood, you may want to consider older GoPro models. They may not be quite as advanced, but they may be more suited for those who are working with tight holiday budgets. You can browse all GoPro models on sale here.
Coloring Books are one of those things we put aside when we were little but now with all the stress of becoming adults, we’re seeing that coloring still has emotional benefits. Coloring, particularly symmetrical geometric shapes like mandalas, reduces anxiety and calms down the brain. If you’re looking for gifts for young adults who are dealing with stress, this box set is a great way to go.
It comes with three books totally 120 images to color in varying levels of complexity to suit their mood. The three books Animals, Scenery, and Geometric Shapes (Mandalas) so there’s a nice spread of images to appeal to everyone.
The books are printed in the United States on thick, bleed-proof paper. Pair this with a pack of Crayola Colored Pencils and you’re good to go.
If they have dogs, a pet camera is probably one of those things they really want but might not splurge on it for themselves.
The Furbo Dog Camera allows them to view their dog in HD on their phones through the Furbo app even at night with its night-vision camera. They can trigger the camera to toss treats to them and there’s two-way audio so they can chat with their dog while they are away. It even has a bark sensor that can alert you that your dog is barking so you can check in on them.
There’s an optional subscription (you get 90 days free) for more specialized features that can alert you if your dog is chewing on things it shouldn’t be and alert you if another person is detected entering your home. Plus it has a Dog Selfie Alert that sends you a photo when the camera senses that your dog is facing it–which is too cute. But the camera functions just fine without the subscription.
Having a set of magnetic poetry on your dorm or apartment fridge is a rite of passage. How else can you and your friends and roommates spell out bizarre, nonsensical, or surprisingly poignant messages to each other?
In all seriousness, this is one of the best gifts for young adults. In terms of investment versus enjoyment, this one is gold. It may seem like a simple thing but you can get years of daily laughs out of this and it’s completely affordable.
This GlowCity Basketball means the game doesn’t have to stop when the sun goes down.
Two AA batteries (included) power two bright LED bulbs that light the regulation-size ball from inside. The lights become activated by bouncing the ball and shut themselves off when the ball is inactive. The batteries are replaceable so they can keep the game going when the first set runs out after about 30 hours of play.
Everyone needs one decent Timbuk2 messenger bag that they can throw whatever they need into for class or a spur of the moment weekend trip and know it can hold up to the trip.
Timbuk2 Classic Messenger Bags are gender-neutral, come in three different sizes, 30 different colors, and are built to withstand a serious amount of abuse.
My husband got his first Timbuk2 for carrying his books going into grad school and after three years of hauling around huge textbooks (heavy enough that his bag regularly set off the seatbelt sensor in his car) his messenger bag is still in perfect shape. No tears, very little wear showing, no strap issues. It’s amazing.
These things are almost indestructible. They have weatherproofing good enough to comfortably carry a laptop through rain and snow. I can wholeheartedly recommend their bags to anyone.
If you have a budding photographer or videographer in your life, this drone will get them footage they’d never be able to get otherwise. This drone captures and transmits real-time 1080p imagery through 5G Wifi to their smartphone.
This drone has one of the most important features when you invest in a device like this: auto-return. If the drone loses its signal (out of range for example) or senses that it has a low battery, the drone will automatically return to the GPS coordinates marked as home.
It takes off and lands with the push of one button and the interface makes navigating your drone easy. There’s a Follow Me function where the drone will follow your movements or you can draw a line with your finger on the app’s map and the drone will follow that route.
The drone comes with everything you need to get started including a storage case, transmitter, phone holder, and rechargeable battery.
For the music lovers in your life, vinyl is the way to go. If they’ve spent their whole lives listening to streaming music services, a turntable will change the way they think about sound.
This suitcase design classes up any dorm room and makes the record player easy to pack and move.
This record player from Wockoder plays all size records and it’s built-in dual stereo speakers create great tones. For a modern twist, it has Bluetooth and USB connectivity so you can play your digital music through your speakers. There’s also an AUX out cable for listening through headphones during quiet hours or connecting up to an external speaker system.
The treasure hunter in your life will go wild over their very own metal detector with the Bounty Hunter Tracker IV.
This is a fun hobby that is great way to spend time outdoors, get some physical activity, and come back with a pocketful of loose change and possibly other treasures like keys, jewelry, watches, and old tools. There’s really no limit to what they might find. Perfect for use on the beach but can be good fun anywhere.
It runs on two nine-volt batteries and is made in America.
A lap desk makes working on your computer so much more comfortable. I know they’re called laptops but it’s actually not all the great to keep your laptop on your lap. It muffles your speakers and can cause your computer to heat up. Lap desks are a great way to mean your desk half way and be able to bring it with you to the couch, bed, or student lounge.
This lap desk is large enough for a 15-inch laptop and has a wrist rest to support ergonomic typing. There’s a built-in LED light with a long, poseable neck for easier reading, writing, and typing in the dark. A slot near the back works as a tablet stand and a hidden pull-out drawer provides extra space and a slot for your smartphone and can be used on the left or right. The bottom part is soft memory foam to conform to your lap and adjust as you adust.
This adorable little self-watering planter is perfect for the slightly forgetful young adult because it’s self-watering. Having a houseplant is nice but in order for it to stay alive, you want to remember to water it (but not too much). It’s cute and funny and a nice addition to a bedroom or dorm room window.
You have your plant in the small pot on top and place the animal’s little cotton tongue into the water bowl–this acts as a straw and draws water up to the plant when it’s dry.
They come in four different styles: cat, dog, frog, and panda bear. Each comes with everything you need including planter, pot, water dish, soil, and seeds. You can also buy a set of all four.
Studies have shown time after time that fidgeting can help to increase concentration and information retention while reducing anxiety. Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty is one of the best because it’s easy to carry around with you, is nearly silent to play with, and allows for all different types of fidgeting. My husband is a therapist and keeps this brand of putty in his office for anxious clients to handle.
I like that the putty is never sticky or slimy and has a nice medium resistance when pulling it. This set comes with 12 mini, pocket-sized tins of thinking putty: four glow in the dark colors, four twisted colors, and four iridescent colors. You can also get smaller four pack assortments.
Baby Yoda from The Mandalorian is giving us all life right now. Bring some joy to their room with this Baby Yoda poster.
This quality print comes in two sizes around 14 by 22 inches and 22 by 34 inches which is inexplicably cheaper than the smaller one. It comes with poster hanging putty to avoid damage to walls.
As much fun as 3D printers are, they are bulky, expensive, and you can’t really just wing it. But with the 3Doodler Printing Pen you can draw in 3D with the heated filaments that cool to a solid. It’s like drawing with a glue gun if a glue gun wasn’t painfully hot, sticky, and full of tiny stringy glue you can never get rid of.
The 3Doodler Create+ is great for ages 14 and up to really get their creativity going but does have a more cutesy design in that it’s shaped like a dinosaur neck and the holding base is the dinosaur body. I don’t care how old you are, dinosaurs are cool but keep in mind if the personality of the person your buying for is in the too-cool-for-kid-stuff zone.
It comes with 15 different colors of filament to play with.
Looking for a bag that’s less fashionable and more practical? This spacious yoga duffle is perfect for women who love yoga, pilates, cardio, or spinning. There’s ample room for a change of clothes, a snack, and some toiletries. It’s even large enough to store your yoga mat or yoga towels.
It’s hard to top this gift for boys of all ages. This new bundle includes a 1TB Xbox One console, an Xbox One Elite Wireless Controller with set of four paddles, six thumbsticks, two D-Pads, a USB cable, a 14-Day Xbox Live Gold Trial, an AC Power Cable, and an HDMI Cable. Two nice features to take note of here are the energy-saving mode, and the backwards compatibility with 360 games. Energy-saving mode lets things load 20 percent faster, while the new-from-November ability to play select Xbox 360 games on your Xbox One with backwards compatibility adds great value to this bundle.
Does he already own an Xbox One? Shop for new games for his console right here.
Virtual Reality is the entertainment experience we were all promised in futuristic, sci-fi movies and now it’s here. If the lucky person you’re buying for doesn’t already have a VR system, Oculus is a fantastic brand to go with as their own personal 3D theater.
The Standalone Oculus is just that–it operates wirelessly without needing to be hooked up to a computer and it contains it’s own speakers so there’s no need for headphones. (There is a headphone jack if you’d prefer that.) An included wireless remote makes navigating the screen a breeze.
It can connect to all your normal streaming apps and play movies and shows in HD. Oculus Venue lets them view concerts and sports events in 3D as though they were there and other friends with the VR system can “meet up” virtually to enjoy the show together. You also get access to hundreds of fun games and social apps.
Keep it fun with this coaster cactus. Young adults are getting to the age where they are realizing that you actually, really do need coasters. Who knew?
Maybe they’re heading off to college or getting their first place and they’re going to need something to protect their furniture from late-night coffees over study sessions and other late-night beverages.
The coasters fit together to form this adorable cactus so it works as a cute decor item as well as a place to store your coasters.
And with a design like this, you actually want to put the coasters back where they belong when they’re not in use.
I love my SodaStream. It’s some of the best money I’ve ever spent. If they like seltzer or sparkling water drinks like LaCroix, this will make their lives easier and save them tons money in the long run.
With a SodaStream you can turn regular water into carbonated water in about three seconds. It’s powered by CO2 cylinders and doesn’t require any electricity to run. This bundle comes with two of the large cylinders and each one can make about 60 liters of seltzer. A 24 pack of LaCroix is about 8.5 liters and costs around $15. When I exchange my empty SodaStream cylinder at Walmart for a full one it costs me $15.
So you can pay $15 for 8.5 liters of sparkling water or for 60 liters of sparkling water. That’s really easy math.
It’s better for the environment because you can skip the cans and you don’t have to haul heavy boxes of seltzer from the car to your fridge.
Plus it’s fun. You get to flavor your sparkling water with syrups and flavored drops. This set comes with lime and orange drops to start out with but there are tons of flavors available including making your own soda.
Motivate their running routine with this funny tank top from Look Human. It reads, “Run like you’re the main character of a dystopian teen novel and you’re fleeing the conventions of society.”
That will be truer for some than others but it’s a fun frame of mind for anyone to take to get you up and running in the morning. The top is printed in America and pre-shrunk. I have a few tops from Look Human (bought with my own money) and they tend to run a little small so keep that in mind when ordering.
They’re affordable without being low-end and have an impressive battery life with up to 35 hours of music playback with a full charge and up to two hours of play after only a five-minute charge.
Every home cook deserves good tools to work with. This classic Kitchen Aid mixer is the perfect gadget for making cookies or homemade bread. It’s also available in a wide range of colors to suit your decor.
As the young adults in your life start heading off to college classes and jobs, they need a reliable tumbler to bring their coffee, tea, or water with them. It needs to be something they can trust not to spill in their car or bag and something that will keep their beverage either cold or hot.
Yeti is probably the most trusted brand for quality tumblers. The stainless steel double-walled vacuum insulation keeps drinks at the temperature they started at and the unique Duracoat finish on the outside prevents sweating on humid weather.
They’re built to withstand abuse and are dishwasher safe. The Yeti Rambler comes in 15 different colors as well as regular and magnetic lids.
Whether you’re traveling back and forth from classes or packing to travel outside the country, these days a good laptop backpack should have RFID protection. Through RFID (radio-frequency identification) skimming, hackers can gain access to your personal and payment information just by walking within range of your cards and devices. This business backpack has pockets that block RFID signals so your information in protected.
The no-nonsense design is professional enough for business travel and has room enough for everyday campus life. The material itself is water-resistant and includes a rain cover for extra protection in wet weather.
One neat feature is the external charger. There’s a port on the outside of the bag that leads back to a small pocket for storing a powerbank charger (not included). This makes it easy to charge your devices without even having to open your bag.
It’s a little on the practical side but this Trunk Organizer by Starlings (which can go in the trunk or passenger seat) will help make their road trips easier and less chaotic.
The folding organizer expands up to two feet long with removable and customizable compartments plus loads of pockets on the outside. The bottom of the organizer is three layers of waterproof material making this great for transporting liquids that you wouldn’t want to get on your interior. It comes with straps to secure the organizer and keep it from sliding around
If they love music, they’ll love this Bose SoundLink Mini Bluetooth Speaker. There are lots of Bluetooth speakers out there and I’ve tried a lot of terrible ones. When you need the sound quality to hold up, Bose is the brand to trust.
It’s waterproof making it perfect for camping, gardening, and outdoor gatherings. The SoundLink Mini is rechargeable with up to six hours of playtime. It comes in orange, navy, and black.
If they play Animal Crossing on their Switch Lite, they’ll love this Animal Crossing Carrying Case. It’s made with PU leather and features this adorable print of characters from the game.
A magnetic closures keep the Switch Lite secure as it clasps automatically when you close the lid. There are also five storage slots for their game cards. Perfect for road trips.
Futureproof toys are the best toys. The LEGO Dimensions Starter Pack is designed to give kids plenty of fun to start with, but it can be expanded over the coming months and years with new expansion “Fun Packs”. The starter kit features the Dark Knight, a Wizard, and a LEGO Master Builder traveling together down the Yellow Brick Road.
The system lets kids create mash-ups from all their favorite shows and movies, and introduce characters to each other. Kids can introduce up to seven vehicles or gadgets into the game all at once by dropping them on the LEGO Toy Pad. This system is ideal for both solo play and co-op gaming. The LEGO Dimensions Starter Pack is available for PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and the Nintendo Wii U.
The Starter Pack gives you three characters to start with, but you might want to add another Fun Pack or two for Christmas.
Need some LEGO Dimensions add-on recommendations to get you started? A lot of girls would be interested in the Unikitty Fun Pack, but you could also consider the Wonder Woman Fun Pack.
If they love their coffee drinks, they’ll love having their own Moka pot. It can be used to brew your own espresso on your stovetop without expensive or complicated electric espresso makers.
I love the rubber-coated heat-resistant handle that looks so much like wood. It works on gas, glass, electric, and camp stoves. I love my moka pot because it’s so easy to use and brews a robust espresso.
Fiido’s Folding Electric Bike is perfect for people who loving riding but don’t have the space to store a rigid bike either at their home, school, or workplace.
It folds up to a surprisingly small package without needing a ton of tools to set it up and break it down. It’s a six-speed bike and the motor has both adjustable power and adjustable modes. The three different determine what percentage of movement is powered by the battery so you can have full-electric power, assisted power combination with pedaling, or pedal-powered only.
If they like tricking out their cars, they’ll go wild for these Dreamcolor Car Interior Lights which can light up in a wide range of colors and flicker to the beat of their music.
They’re simple to install, waterproof, and can be controlled with their smartphone or an included keychain remote.
As a child, you might have played with the original View-Master toy, which used circular cards with real photos to take you on journeys around the world. This updated version of the View-Master is essentially a VR headset, which is perfect for today’s tech-savvy kids.
Download one of the View-Master VR apps, slide your smartphone into the viewer, and you and the kids can start exploring. This starter pack includes a View-Master VR viewer, one Preview Reel, one adapter for iPhone 5, iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s, and a user guide.
If you don’t own a smartphone that’s compatible with the new View-Master VR toy, consider one of the VR headsets we’ve recommended.
Pearls are always a thoughtful gift for the holidays and every femme needs a good set of pearls in their jewelry collection.
Each pearl in this necklace was hand-selected for its luster, quality, color, and cleanliness. A 60-day return policy ensures that it will be easy to return this necklace, just in case she doesn’t love it.
With winter sports season just around the corner, this Tuning Kit is ideal for someone who love to ski or snowboard.
This tuning kit comes with everything you need to sharpen and wax a pair of downhill skis, or a snowboard. The bundle includes a flat file, edge tuner, wax scraper, tuning stone, wire brush, iron, polish pad, P-tex, and a carry case. You also get 133 grams of Demon All-Temp Wax, which should be enough to get most people through an average season of winter sports.
For the crafty young adult in your life, they’ll love having their very own Pottery Wheel.
Pottery has been gaining in popularity and it’s hard to watch videos of someone molding a bowl on a wheel without wanting to try it. It’s easy to operate and the built-in foot pedal allows for hands-free operation.
The wheel comes with an eight-piece clay tool set making it perfect for someone just starting out in ceramics or air-drying clay.
Make sure they have everything they need when they drive off with this AAA Lifeline set. All contained in a neat little suitcase, this kit includes items that are priceless when you suddenly need them in the middle of the night on an unfamiliar road.
It covers all the basics including jumping cables, air compressor for inflating tires, headlamp, an assortment of tools, duct tape, gloves, bungee cord, cable tie downs, emergency signal sign, emergency poncho, rescue whistle, utility knife, shop cloths, and an extensive first aid kit.
Check out this DMV article for more information on what should be included in a car emergency preparedness kit. The AAA includes a majority of the items.
If you’re buying for someone getting their first apartment, check out the Aera Smart Diffuser. It’s a home fragrance diffuser that you can control with your smartphone.
The user interface is simple, easy to follow, and designed beautifully. You can create schedules for the fragrance to go off certain times of day or certain times of the week in 10 different levels of fragrance strength. If you’ve been away for a week you can turn it on on your way home so your place always smells fresh. Plus it can track what fragrance pod you’re using and how much scent is left.
The essential oil scent pods are dreamy and come in a wide variety of complex and fun fragrances. They’re natural smelling and never perfumey. I get headaches easily from artificial fragrances and I’ve never had an issue with any of Aera’s scents. And the pods last seemingly forever. If you’re only using it lightly it can go for months.
Aera has sent me some samples in the past and I’ve been using my Aera for over a year now. I love it and plan to keep using it.
Being able to sew is a skill that everyone can benefit from so get them this starter Sewing Machine by Brother that makes learning easy.
Sewing has seen a huge resurgence lately and this little machine will let them get in on the action. It’s a simple machine without too many bells and whistles to overcomplicate things but I can say from experience that you can do amazing work on even a basic sewing machine.
Brother is a trusted brand and one I’ve featured for their awesome embroidery machines. I love that they offer free technical support through the phone or chat.
This machine has 27 built-in stitches including an automatic buttonhole. It comes with six feet, three-piece needle set, one twin needle, and four bobbins.
What could comfier than a bean bag chair? This one from Comfy Sacks is six feet long and large enough for two.
The interior is made of shredded memory foam that can be fluffed and refluffed for years. Plus it’s made and filled in America. It comes in over 30 different colors.
Shopping for a girl who loves science (or just really enjoys shows like CSI)? This mini forensics kit is a great way to inspire her future work in the field of science or medicine. The main part of this kit is the high quality microscope, which boasts a range of 40x to 400x magnification. This kit is designed for kids age 9 and up.
Need a gift for someone who loves gadgets or interior design? These Bulbrite Solana smart bulbs are a great addition.
They’re easy to install and set up using the Solana app and allow you to adjust the brightness and color of your lighting. Want a deep purple room? This will get you there. Need bright lighting for reading? You can control it with the touch of a button.
I got a chance to try these bulbs out with some media samples and they’ve been perfect to get the lighting in my kitchen just right. Just keep mind that if the person you’re buying for has photosensitive epilepsy, the pairing signal on these lights is them flashing so if they need to avoid flashing lights this isn’t the best fit.
You are never too old for LEGO building! LEGO sets are a perennial favorite, and we like this set because it includes lots of figures, accessories, and a large set to explore. If they like spy stuff, this set will definitely resonate with them.
This box set includes all of Marvel’s “Phase 2” superhero flicks: Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Ant-Man. The box set pictured above is the Amazon Exclusive version of the box set, which includes special goodies you won’t find in the regular box set. In addition to the movies and bonus footage, you’ll also get cool extras like a gold-foiled page from the book of the Dark Elves, an ancient drawing from the Morag vault, Avengers and S.T.R.I.K.E. uniform patches, and a replica of the Tony Stark tattoo from Iron Man 3.
The full title of this book is 10% Happier Revised Edition: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works–A True Story which is a bit of a mouthful but gives you a really good idea of what you’re buying.
It’s an easy and funny read about meditation and cultivating a practice of mindfulness to reduce stress and increase your enjoyment of life. It’s part autobiography of Dan Harris, a news correspondent, going over his professional and personal life around when he discovered he needed to make a change and part self-help book to help the reader make positive changes in their lives as well.
This Queen box set is an awesome gift for superfans. There are 18 LPs, all done up in fantastic colors.
The collection has been five years in the making, with tracks sourced through painstaking tape research to find the correct versions and best sources for all tracks. The box set also comes with a collector’s book to ensure that listeners get the full story behind each song.
Throw Throw Burrito is a fun mix of a card-based board game and physical activity. In the game, you work to collect sets of cards and certain cards trigger a burrito war in which two players play dodge ball with the included squishy burritos. It works with two to six players.
If you’re looking for some outdoor fun, they have an Extreme Outdoor Edition with larger cards and burritos that are inflatable and three-feet tall.
The Pizza Socks Box looks like pizza but is actually four pairs of socks. This is one of the only times someone young won’t be a little disappointed over getting socks.
You can get a wide range of patterns that look like different toppings but I like this three-topping pattern set of one pair Hawaiian, one pair pepperoni, and one pair Italian. The fourth pair is the crust that you see.
It even comes in a mini cardboard pizza box that will be fun for them to unwrap.
I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t love these Nanoleaf Rhythm modular lights. I got to test out a media sample of these lights and now I can’t imagine being without them.
You can play with and design your own unique shape to arrange them on your wall and then control the light from your smartphone. There are hundreds of downloadable dancing light patterns and many that change and flash in response to sound making them perfect to enhance listening to music.
It’s great for lounging in the backyard to enjoy the fresh air or sit and read a book while keeping the bugs out. For camping, it’s a lovely way to gaze up at the stars without being eaten alive by mosquitos. It’s also a lightweight alternative to a tent if you don’t have to worry about rain. (And if they live in a rainy climate, a rain fly is an easy solution.)
The hammock is made from durable but lightweight parachute material and can hold up to 440 pounds.
Chances are if they don’t have one they’re hoping for a hoverboard and Hover-1 Hoverboards are the brand to go with.
With a long-lasting battery and top speed of nine mph, the H1 has some of the better stats on the market. It’s waterproof for sudden rain showers and can hold up to 264 pounds so it can stay with your young adult as they grow into an adult.
I love these built-in LED headlights that you can customize the color of for a really fun look.
Looking for a classic gift idea for the young man in your life? It’s hard to go wrong with a new watch.
This style from Fossil strikes a nice balance between classic design and modern touches. The gunmetal look is very on-trend, while the textured dial with date window and three chronograph subdials give the display some “old school cool” vibes. This design is water-resistant to 50 meters (165 feet). This watch is also backed by Fossil’s 11-year warranty, which is a nice feature for those who want their gift to last for years.
If they’re into PC gaming, they’ll adore this Havit Mechanical Mouse and Keyboard Set. There are 14 colorful backlit modes on the keyboard and seven color effect modes on the mouse that correlate to the dots per inch setting.
The mouse is programmable to fit your gaming speed and the ergonomic wrist rest is detachable. It’s plug and play and is compatible with most Windows systems, Mac, and Linux.
Aspiring artists will be shocked and thrilled to receive this XP-Pen Artist12 Drawing Pen Display. Different than a drawing tablet, a pen display acts as a second monitor for your computer that you can draw on with a special stylus to create digital art.
It has six programmable shortcut keys, and anti-reflective coating, and can detect 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity. It’s Windows and Mac compatible and works with most major drawing programs.
My husband has the larger XP-Pen15.6 Pro and he said that moving from a tablet to a pen display has made such a huge difference in his art and would buy this again in a second.
For young adults who are going off to college or to live on their own, it’s always a good idea to have something like Stealth’s Safe V5.0 to store valuables and important documents.
It’s compact enough to fit into their dorm but large enough to store laptops up to 18 inches. This safe can even charge your devices while they stay locked up safe.
I was robbed by my first college roommate and had my bank account drained so this is something I really wish I had had back then.
This High Road Car Garbage Can is a great choice if you love them but their car is a disaster. Lots of people throw their trash directly on the floor in front of the passenger side making their car dirty and leading to a pretty embarrassing moment when they offer to give someone a ride.
It comes with two adjustable straps to either hang over the passenger headrest or strap it to the center console depending on the car’s design. High Road’s unique Stuff-It lid has a flexible cover that you push the trash through which keeps it from bouncing out of the can if they were to go over a bump.
It’s waterproof and has three mesh storage pockets perfect for tissues, snacks, and hand sanitizer.
If they love winter sports or they’re just getting into winter outdoor activities, they’ll love this set of FlashTek Snowshoes, Poles, and Tote Bag Set. They’re gender-neutral and optimized for a 150 to 260-pound weight range.
They’re made with an aircraft aluminum frame that is both durable and lightweight for less fatigue than cheaper brands. For extra stability, there are heavy-duty crampons to improve grip on slippery surfaces.
If they like to take it to the limit, they’ll love FlashTek’s incline heel lift feature. When needed you can raise up the heel of your boot when climbing steep inclines for more comfort and stability.
If they’re getting their first place, a video doorbell can help make both of you feel more secure.
The Ring Doorbell a smart doorbell that lets you see and speak with visitors using your smartphone or tablet. This system lets you vet visitors before you open the door (kind of great for weeding out political canvassers, right?). The unit is backed by a lifetime protection plan that ensures you’ll always have a Ring to use, even if your original unit gets stolen.
This Magnetic Dart Board brings all the fun of darts without the throwing-potential-weapon design of traditional darts. It’s a classic game they’ll love to play with their siblings or friends.
The board is reversible with two styles of targets. It comes with twelve darts in four different colors.
A Tortilla Blanket is a classic gift that will make any burrito-lover smile. This one is made of cozy flannel and is well printed on both sides of the blanket.
I love that it’s machine washable and dryable and that it comes in a range of sizes from 47 inches in diameter for little burritos to 80 inches in diameter.
It’s a simple little item but the Smartish Cord Wrangler solves a problem we’ve all had over and over–our charging cord never being where you need it. The base is heavy so it won’t slide around on your desk or bedside stable and is a magnet so that you can stick your charger cords to it when not in use and they stay put.
For years I always just had a charger cord by my bedside table and in inevitably would have fallen when I needed it and I’d be feeling around in the dark, but I got a set of these as a media sample and now, I always know where my cord is.
If your particular cord isn’t magnet compatible, it comes with two silicone tabs with a little magnet in them that attach to the end of your existing cords.
If they knit or crochet, they’ll love this Ceramic Yarn Bowl which holds their yarn in place and helps keep it from tangling up.
A yarn bowl has a slot in it so it can hold their yarn ball and thread the yarn through. As they work and pull the yarn stays in place instead of rolling around the floor and the bowl feeds the tangle-free yarn through. This is a particularly good gift if they have cats or dogs who might play with their yarn bowl while they’re trying to work.
This affordable option comes in three colors: aqua, cream, and caramel.
The E-Z Bake oven is so last year. This chocolate doodle pen is a really creative gift idea for anyone with a sweet tooth or dreams of being a baker.
The kit includes a total of 2.5 pounds of pink, blue, brown and white chocolate. People can make cool designs with their pen, which they can eat as soon as they harden, or use to decorate other baked goods. The kit comes with 50 candy molds, gift bags, and edible decorations.
Every woman needs a great dress for New Year’s Eve. Present her with this gorgeous gown, and promise to take her someplace fabulous to ring in the New Year. This style is figure-flattering, and warm enough for cold nights in the middle of winter.
Need more gift ideas? Shop more women’s fashions here.
It’s harder than normal to travel to visit these days so if they’re away from home for work or school, get them a candle from Homesick so they can have something reminds them of home.
Homesick offers a long list of cities each with its own specially tailored scent profile to reflect the feel of that city. The candles are hand-poured in America and have a 60 to 80-hour burn time.
The floral wreath is soft and unassuming, like your loved one, but inside is the truth that they love to discuss the latest murder documentary or podcast. It’s a 100 percent cotton shirt that’s available in several colors as well in both men’s and women’s cuts.
Let’s be real: sometimes they just want cash but you can keep it interesting with a Puzzle Box. You load your cash or gift card into the box and then lock it. Now they’ll need to work the ball through the maze in order to unlock it and claim their prize.
It’ll give them a fun challenge and keep younger ones busy for a bit. Plus it’s reusable.
This fresh basket from Golden State Fruit is a great gift for anyone who loves great food.
Each basket contains an assortment of fresh fruit (mango, comice pears, a red pear, Braeburn apples, a Granny Smith apple, navel oranges, and mandarin oranges.) There’s also sausage, cheeses, dried fruit, chocolate caramels, almonds, and crackers.
Looking for something sweeter? Check out my article on the best Luxury Chocolate.
For young adults just moving out on their own, check out this Indoor/Outdoor Electric Grill by George Foreman. If gives them all the benefits of having a grill without the obvious fire hazard of charcoal or gas grills which are normally prohibited by apartment complexes.
It’s large enough to cook for a group but small enough to fit on a balcony or small patio space. The grill plate comes off for easy cleaning and the heat is adjustable with a user-friendly knob.
For the young chef who’s interesting in creating their own sushi, get them this Sushi Making Kit. It comes with all the tools you need to create sushi rolls right in your own home.
I like that this kit comes with two different ways to make sushi: the traditional bamboo mat (you get two) method and the Sushi Bazooka method which is a little more foolproof. It also includes a rice paddle, rice spreader, sushi knife, four sets of chopsticks, four wooden chopstick rests, and a cloth storage bag.
If they’re a real sushi-lover, there are loads of neat sushi gifts to consider.
Protect new drivers with a Vava Dual Dash Cam that records views from the front and either from the rear of the car or the cabin. It monitors your car 24/7, even when the car is not running and automatically records when it senses movement.
This is great for capturing evidence for insurance claims and for bumps the car might get while parked and for having video evidence for accidents or other incidents that might occur while in the car.
Night vision allows images to be captured even in the dark and video can be downloaded directly to a smartphone.
Tea drinkers will be interested to try out Tea Drops, which are dissolving tablets that instantly turn a cup of hot water into a cup of tea. It’s fun, novel, and convenient. I’ve tried these at a friends house
The box set includes 15 Tea Drops in the flavors Rose Earl Grey, Matcha Green Tea, Chai, Blueberry Acai, and Vanilla White Tea. The drops are individually packaged so they’re great to throw in your bag when you’re on the go.
If they’re into fantasy, crystals, fairies, or stories about magic, they’ll adore this Glowing Crystal Lamp.
Five faux-amethyst resin crystals are lit from below and held by a bowl of real, stabilized moss. It looks like you’ve scooped up a magical forest floor and stuck it into a bowl. A switch on the bottom turns on the LED lights to emit an otherworldly glow.
The bowl is battery-powered so it can be placed anywhere without worrying about wires. It runs on two AAA batteries which come included.
To play, people balance on the inflatable logs and use the smaller inflatable logs to try to force the other person off balance. It’s like a game of chicken but with more balance needed, less grabbing, and you can play with only two people. The faux wood design makes it a cute rustic gift for a lakehouse.
Fans of the long-running YouTube series Good Mythical Morning with love this Mythical branded hoodie. It’s a unisex cut and made from a cotton blend that is machine washable and dryable. They’ll love sporting this”merchicality” on their social media.
The stand fits a wide range of electronics including seven to 10.5-inch smartphones, most iPads, and some Galaxy and Lenovo tablets. I can clamp onto any edge that’s between 1.6 and 2.8 inches thick. It’s perfect for attaching to desks, tables, bedside tables, headboards, and coffee tables.
The gooseneck stand is highly flexible and can be adjusted to six exactly where they need it for comfortable watching and improved posture.
Upgrade their tablet to the Fire HD 10 Tablet for better graphics, faster operating speeds, longer battery, and more storage.
This 10.1-inch tablet has a high-res HD display, dual-band WiFi, and front and rear-facing cameras that can record video in HD. It’s available in 32GB and 64GB as well as in several different colors.
Most tablet stands make using your tablet more comfortable but aren’t comfortable themselves–the MoKo Tablet Pillow Stand is both.
The linen-cotton blend pillow is lightweight and soft while still having enough structure to hold up your tablet. It can be folded and configured as either a lapdesk or a traditional stand. A fabric lip keeps the tablet from slipping and a pocket on the side is great for storing charging cords and other small items.
The Tablet Pillow Stand comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns.
Shocktato is like the game hot potato, except with a very mild shock. It’s meant for ages 14 and up and fun for both young adults and adults of all ages. The shock is very mild and is startling more than anything–and that’s what elicits the hilarious reactions from the people playing.
That said, it is electricity and shouldn’t be played with those with a pacemaker, epilepsy, or other medical conditions that can be adversely affected by electric shocks.
The inflatable float has space to hold up to six people, four sitting down and two lounging. There are six built-in cup holders, two built-in beverage coolers, and one built-in Bluetooth speaker. Talk about a party out on the water.
This Gadget Case is great for keeping your electronics and their charging cords tidy and in one place. Everyone has at least a dozen charging cords they know about and probably another dozen tucked into the places that they’ve forgotten about.
It has storage for a tablet up to 10.5 inches and loads of slots for cables, USB drives, computer mice, stylus, and adapters. Adjustable dividers keep everything neat and the hard case makes this a sturdy choice for travel.
Help that little dehydrated noodle of a young adult get the recommended amount of water in their day with this Giotto Time Marker Water Bottle.
It has times marked off the bottle to show how full the bottle should be at a given time of day to help you pace yourself and show you when you’re not drinking enough. They even have little sayings of encouragement at every level.
The bottle is BPA-free, leakproof, and comes in 14 different colors.
Coloring is surprisingly good for stress-relief and the young adult in your life deserves a coloring book more their age. This125 Mandalas Adult Coloring Bookhas a more challenging level of detail using the universally calming mandala style of shapes.
The pages are single-sided so you don’t have to worry about bleed-through and that also makes it easier to frame and hang up your finished pieces.
