The 24 best gifts for mom for 2023

What do you gift your mom? That’s a challenging question to answer, especially given mothers — the generous, unselfish beings they can be — are not likely to spill the beans when asked. 

Luckily, we’ve done the hard work for you. With the help of The Verge staff, we’ve curated a list of some of the best tech gifts you can treat your mom — or any mother figure, really — to year-round. Whether it’s for her birthday, Mother’s Day, or Christmas, here you’ll find something that caters to all kinds of budgets and interests, ranging from smartwatches and Kindles to massage guns, robot vacuums, and more. You can rest assured that these are items we can personally vouch for as well, having tested and reviewed them ourselves.

Peruse this list below and see if there’s anything on here you can either buy or glean an idea from that’ll put a smile on your mom’s face.

One of the best streaming devices out there

If you’re going to buy your mom a streaming device, you might as well purchase one of the best budget-friendly ones on the market, which is the Chromecast with Google TV (4K). Google’s Chromecast offers software that brings together recommendations from all of your streaming services and even provides a host of useful information, including Rotten Tomatoes ratings. In addition to offering access to all the major streaming services, the device provides support for 4K content, Dolby Atmos, and Dolby Vision. Right now, you can buy it for $49.99 from Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and Google. Read our review.

An item tracker that’s compatible with iOS and Android

Gifting your mom a Bluetooth tracker like the 2022 Tile Pro can help her save time the next time she forgets where she put her car keys. The convenient tracker is compatible with both iOS and Android, and the Tile app will allow you to keep tabs on her belongings from up to 400 feet away. Unlike Apple’s AirTags, each Tile Pro features a built-in hole, too, so she can securely attach the device to her keys, purse, or just about anything without the need for additional accessories. The trackers are even water-resistant and offer user-replaceable batteries. You can currently buy one for $27.99 ($7 off) from Amazon, Best Buy, and Tile.

An excellent orb-like smart speaker

Amazon’s latest Echo Dot is a high-quality Alexa-enabled smart speaker you can buy for under $50. Once set up, the speaker will allow your mom to easily control her smart home gadgets hands-free — or check the weather, set alarms, listen to music, and carry out a host of other tasks via Alexa. It offers impressive sound for its size and is an affordable way to smarten up any room. Right now, you can buy the device for $49.99 at Amazon, Best Buy, and The Home Depot.

A smart garage door opener that’s compatible with Amazon Key

With MyQ Chamberlain’s Bluetooth-equipped smart garage door controller, your mom can open and close her garage door from just about anywhere. This means if she accidentally forgets to shut it while leaving home, she can do so even while out and about. Even better, it’s compatible with Amazon Key and Walmart’s in-home delivery service, which means drivers can securely drop off groceries and other packages in your mom’s garage if she opts in. The Smart Garage Control is currently available for just under $30 at Amazon, Best Buy, The Home Depot, and Ring.

A gateway to endless entertainment

With a Netflix gift card, your mom can indulge in thousands of movies and TV shows from the comfort and safety of her home. The popular streaming service boasts more recent hits like Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery and Beef, along with older hits like Stranger Things and Bridgerton. Plus, if she’s already a subscriber to the popular streaming service, she can use the gift card toward paying her monthly fees, which start at $6.99 a month and run up to $19.99 a month depending on the plan. Right now, you can buy a digital Netflix gift card from Target, Best Buy, Amazon, and Walmart. If you prefer a physical gift card you can wrap, you can order one from Best Buy.

For the mom who is always on the go, there’s the Anker’s 30W 511 Charger, a USB-C charger that’s small enough to fit in your mom’s purse but capable enough to juice any device she might have. The Anker charger can quickly charge iPhones as well as Samsung Galaxy devices, Google Pixel phones, tablets, and a range of other tech. The charger comes in a variety of attractive colors, too, including black, white, blue, green, and purple. Right now, you can pick it up for about $18.40 ($5 off) on Amazon when you clip the on-page coupon, or from Anker for the same price with promo code WSCPGCEHFG.

A plug that turns traditional gadgets into something more modern

If your mom has yet to set up her smart home, the Eve Energy Smart Plug provides a nice introduction. The handy plug can add smarts to traditional gadgets like lights, fans, and shades, allowing her to control and schedule them with her voice or a smartphone app. What’s great about this plug is that it works with a wide range of major platforms thanks to its support for Matter, the new smart home standard. That means your mom can use it whether she’s embedded in Amazon’s ecosystem or that of Google or Apple. Right now, you can buy the versatile plug for around $39.95 at Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo.

An instant camera with a selfie mode that prints classic Polaroid-framed film

Mom can take a trip down memory lane with Fujifilm’s Square SQ1, a great instant camera she can use to capture and print memories within minutes. The camera is like the classic Polaroid cameras that rose to prominence in the late-’70s — it even uses Polaroid-framed film — but it’s also equipped with fun, modern features like a one-touch selfie mode and mirror. The camera comes in several colors (orange, blue, and white) and is available for around $120 at Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo. Read our review.

The best smart display for most people

Amazon’s second-gen Echo Show 8 is always a popular, welcome gift (and for good reason). Your mom can use the Alexa-enabled smart speaker to make Zoom calls, view grocery lists and family photos, watch videos, and control a range of smart home devices. The newer Echo Show 8 also offers faster performance than its predecessor and an improved 13MP camera that allows you to keep the subject centered in the frame as they move around on video calls, meaning your mom can call friends and family while cooking or exercising. Plus, she can use the device to stream shows and movies from Netflix, Hulu, and a number of other popular services. Right now, you can buy it for $129.99 at Amazon, Target, and Best Buy. Read our review.

For the bibliophile, the latest Kindle Paperwhite is the ultimate Kindle. Your mom won’t need to worry about the device running out of battery life because it can last for months on a single charge, nor will she have to worry about getting it wet given its IPX8 waterproofing. It’s also easy to read text on its crisp 6.8-inch 300ppi display, which is larger than that of its predecessor, and it even features a USB-C charging port and adjustable color temperature, allowing it to better emulate the color of actual paper. The ad-supported base model with 8GB of storage starts at $139.99 at Amazon, Staples, and Best Buy. Read our review.

A cheap, Alexa-enabled thermostat

Don’t be fooled by the price: Amazon’s Smart Thermostat may be affordable, but that doesn’t mean it’s cheap. If anything, our reviewer found it to be one of the best she’s used in her 10 years of testing smart thermostats. The modern device — which is the cheapest smart thermostat you can buy right now — ensures your mom will feel comfortable no matter how hot or cold it is, as it will automatically adjust to the temperature of her home based on whether she’s inside, out and about, or asleep. It also offers native support for Alexa, so she can adjust the temperature hands-free using her voice. It normally retails for $79.99 at Amazon, Best Buy, and Lowe’s. Read our review.

While it can’t compete with an iPad in terms of performance, Amazon’s latest Fire HD 8 could be a good present if you’re looking for a basic tablet for under $100. The Fire HD 8 comes with USB-C support, a battery that should last for up to 12 hours, and support for Amazon Alexa. Your mom can use the budget-friendly tablet to play games, access popular apps like Netflix and Twitter, or video chat with loved ones. She can also use the Fire HD 8 to read books — even if it isn’t a dedicated Kindle — making it an affordable e-reader alternative as well as a tablet. The ad-supported base model, which comes with 32GB of storage, starts at $99.99 at Amazon, Best Buy, and Staples. Read our review.

A bouquet that will live on forever

Flowers are nice, but if you want to gift mom something more sustainable, there’s Lego’s newer Wildflower Bouquet. The 939-piece set lets your mom assemble an assortment of colorful, vibrant flowers, including poppies, daisies, lavender, and other iconic perennials. After she’s done, she can even display them in a vase. They’re just like regular flowers — well, except for the fact they’ll never die and require no maintenance whatsoever. Right now, you can pick them up for $52.99 ($6 off) at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy.

A blender for whipping up smoothies in seconds

The Nutribullet Pro will help busy moms get their “five a day” every day, making it a good gift for the health-conscious parent. All your mom needs to do is throw in her favorite fruits and vegetables, and the 900W blender will quickly turn them into a delicious 32-ounce smoothie she can sip on the go. As of right now, you can buy the Nutribullet Pro in a number of different colors starting at around $100 from Amazon and Kohl’s — or for its full price of $119.99 directly from Nutribullet.

The latest pair of AirPods

If you have a music-loving mother, the latest pair of AirPods make for a great gift. The third-gen wireless earbuds are IPX4 sweat- and water-resistant, which is something your mom will likely appreciate during a light workout, and they support features like spatial audio, which makes listening to select content a more immersive experience. The newer earbuds also showcase shorter stems than the previous model and come with a wireless charging case that’s compatible with Apple’s MagSafe charging system.

Normally $179, members can buy the MagSafe-compatible model from Costco for $139.99 through August 13th. Non-members, meanwhile, can buy them for $146.99 after a 5 percent surcharge. You can also buy them for their full retail price at Apple, Staples, and Verizon, or with a Lightning charging case at Amazon and Walmart for $159.95 ($10 off). Read our review.

Our absolute favorite fitness tracker

You can help your mom keep tabs on her health by gifting her the Amazfit GTR 4, which is one of our favorite fitness trackers. The smartwatch boasts a lot of features that are hard to find at this price range, including an OLED screen, stress and sleep tracking, and Amazon Alexa support. It also offers a host of basic features, like the ability to make calls, as well as some more unique features, such as a native camera remote and a Pomodoro timer. Plus, it’s platform-agnostic, so she can use it with either her iPhone or Android device. It’s currently available for $199.99 from Amazon, Best Buy, and Amazfit. Read our review.

A great pair of wireless earbuds for fitness fans

Apple’s AirPods make for a great gift, but if your mom is a fitness fan or fancies herself an athlete, it may be a better idea to gift her a pair of the Beats Fit Pro. The fitness-centric earbuds boast IPX4 waterproofing — meaning she won’t have to worry about them while in the middle of a sweaty workout — and they come with built-in wing tips, helping ensure they’ll stay in her ears no matter how fast she runs. Plus, unlike the third-gen AirPods, they feature active noise cancellation, so your mom can easily tune out the world and better focus on the task at hand. They’re currently available at Woot for $144.95 ($55 off), or for $15 more at Amazon and Best Buy. Read our review.

A powerful, portable massager

Whether she’s in need of some R&R, suffers from the aches and pains of growing older, or simply lives an active lifestyle, the latest Theragun Mini is a gift your mom will surely appreciate. The powerful massage gun is even smaller, lighter, and quieter than the first-gen model — so she can carry it around whenever she needs some relief for her muscles — and it comes in three distinct colors (black, white, and pink). You can buy it right now at Amazon for $189 or from Best Buy and Therabody for $199, its typical retail price.

A smart home security system that makes it easy to build out a smart home

Gifting a smart home security system is like gifting your mom some peace of mind. Provided she doesn’t already own a lot of smart home devices, the Ring Alarm Pro is well-designed, simple to use, and will make it easy for your mom to build out her smart home. It comes with a slew of useful features, including a built-in Eero mesh Wi-Fi router and a Ring Lighting bridge she can use to connect her smart lighting. While it integrates extremely well with Amazon’s Alexa, note that it isn’t compatible with other platforms. The Ring Alarm Pro Base Station starts at $249.99 at Amazon, Best Buy, and The Home Depot, while the starter kit sells for $299.99 at Amazon and Best Buy. Read our review.

A terrific (and attractive) pour-over kettle

Whether your mom opts for tea or coffee, an excellent pour-over kettle is always a welcome gift that will brighten up her mornings. With Fellow’s electric Stagg Kettle, your mom will be able to enjoy the perfect drink each day, primarily because she can choose her desired temperature and even time her tea or coffee extraction with the kettle’s built-in stopwatch. The stainless steel kettle also comes in a variety of colors and handle styles, making it an attractive piece of kitchen decor as well as a convenient appliance. Right now, it’s available for as low as $165 from Amazon, Williams Sonoma, and Fellow.

A smart ring loved by the stars

Loved by celebrities like Prince Harry and Kim Kardashian, the third-gen Oura Ring is a sleep and recovery tracker that doubles as jewelry. As noted in our review, the comfortable health tracker offers a range of perks, including quantified meditation sessions and period tracking, as well as the ability to measure your daytime heart rate and track various sleep metrics. It’s a nice gift if your mom is a fan of rings or simply would prefer a stylish smartwatch alternative that doesn’t wrap around her wrists.

Right now, you can buy the ring in gold, silver, and black directly from Oura and Best Buy starting at $299. Note, however, that a paid subscription is required to access some of the ring’s more insightful features, including the guided mindfulness sessions. The first six months are free, but after that, you — or your mom — will be required to pay $5.99 a month.

The most powerful iPad Mini yet

If you’ve got some cash to spare, why not gift your mom Apple’s latest iPad Mini? The 2021 tablet is the most powerful Mini yet, with a fast A15 Bionic processor, USB-C support, and an elegant, 8.3-inch display your mom will surely appreciate. Plus, the redesigned tablet comes with perks like Apple’s Center Stage feature, which allows the front-facing camera to digitally pan and zoom in on your mom while she’s taking video calls. The base model with Wi-Fi and 64GB of storage normally retails for $499.99, but you can buy it right now at Amazon for $399.99 and Walmart for $469.99. You can also buy it for around full price at Best Buy and B&H Photo. Read our review. 

Our favorite robot vacuum

The iRobot Roomba j7 is our favorite robot vacuum, one capable of accurately navigating around your home and avoiding obstacles like pet waste and power cables. Your mom will also appreciate its mapping capabilities and support for Google Home and Amazon Alexa, which will allow her to control it with her voice and program it to clean only select areas. Right now, you can buy the Roomba j7 at Best Buy, Wellbots, and Target for around $549.99 instead of its regular price of $599. Read our review.

A 4K TV that doubles as a work of art

There are a lot of TVs on the market, but not many stand out the way The Frame does. When you’re not using it, it transforms into a beautiful piece of home decor, one that displays artwork that could pass for a real painting. That’s all thanks to the TV’s anti-glare, low-reflection matte coating, which makes the artwork bear a stunning resemblance to the canvas paintings you might see in a museum.

All that beauty doesn’t come at the expense of functionality, though. When your mom is ready to watch her favorite show or film, the Frame functions as a 4K TV with a speedy 120Hz refresh rate and support for a variety of streaming apps. It also comes in a number of sizes, the smallest of which is the 32-inch panel released this year – which now can sense if people are in the room like larger models – that goes for $599.99. If you think your mom might prefer something bigger, the 55-inch config from 2022 is available from Best Buy, Samsung, and Target right now for around $1,499.99.