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Gift Guides

These are the 25 best gifts of 2021, according to our experts

Maximize your holiday shopping list with these picks.

Black Kindle tablet, red Apple smartwatch, black Eufy robot vacuum, black JBL bluetooth speaker, and Apple Airpods in front of green background. Credit: Reviewed / Amazon / Apple / Eufy / JBL

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Figuring out the right gift is not an easy task, especially considering that your parents, siblings, best friends and even kids have vastly different tastes. At Reviewed, we’re constantly testing new products and writing about the best ones to buy. To help you get prepped for gifting season, we’ve sifted through our favorite products and picked out the 25 best gifts of 2021. Each of these products has been thoroughly tested by our team of experts, so you know they’re worth every penny. Each gift idea below proudly bears an ‘Editor’s Choice’ badge, which means they’re among the best products our editors have ever tested.

Our top advice? Make sure to get your orders in as soon as possible. We anticipate massive shipping delays at most major retailers and there’s a good chance your favorite products might sell out as the holidays near. Don’t wait till the last minute to tick everyone off of your ‘nice’ list—your top choices might sell out!

Without further adieu, here are Reviewed’s top 25 gifts of 2021. From a DNA kit designed to find your giftee’s roots to a top-rated weighted blanket that feels like a hug, there’s something in here for everyone. 

1. For the one who deserves to relax: Gravity Blanket

Person smiling in bed while holding mug in hand.
Credit: Gravity Blanket

Best gifts for 2021: Gravity Blanket

A weighted blanket makes a top tier gift for tons of reasons. While giving off warmth, they’ll allow your giftee to decompress and unwind after a long stressful day. Our favorite weighted blanket is the Gravity blanket, which we love for its great weight distribution. It’ll provide just the right amount of pressure—without feeling too hot or suffocating—perfect for both hot and cold months.

Get the Gravity Weighted Blanket from Gravity for $195

2. For the builder: An animated Lego Mario set

On left, two children playing with Legos together. On right, child's hands playing with Lego set.
Credit: LEGO

Best gifts for 2021: An animated Lego Mario set

If your giftee loves both Lego and Mario, these Lego Mario sets are just what they need. Both our parenting editor and Editor in Chief (and their kids) are obsessed with this Lego set, which features both physical toys and an interactive app.  The Super Mario Adventures with Mario Starter Course and Luigi Starter Course both come with a Bluetooth-enabled animated plumber who collects virtual coins on the obstacle course your builder creates. 

You can also pick out expansion sets to expand their build;  we personally recommend the Bowser’s Castle Boss Battle set, which includes special play features that allow Mario to interact with the course and defeat his enemies by “spinning, bashing, and knocking against components of the build out.” Trust us, these sets will keep your kid entertained for hours, and the straightforward instructions mean they’ll easily be able to build these lego sets entirely by themselves.  

Get the Lego Mario Starter Set from Amazon for $47.99

3. For the one who loves to read: Kindle Paperwhite (2018)

Front and back of e-reader tablet.
Credit: Amazon / Reviewed

Best gifts for 2021: Kindle Paperwhite 2018

Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite (the last-gen 2018 model) has been our favorite e-reader for a while now. It can hold hundreds of e-books and it’s waterproof—perfect for reading by the pool or when your giftee is taking a long, relaxing bath. Not to mention, the battery life lasts for weeks and there are multiple color options, so you can gift one that matches your loved one’s style.

Get the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite from Amazon for $89.99

4. For the one obsessed with their hair: Revlon One-Step

Revlon hair styling brush.
Credit: Reviewed / Revlon

Best gifts for 2021: Revlon One-Step

There’s something special about products the whole Internet can agree on—like the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer. This cult-favorite product has more than 310,000 reviews on Amazon and a 4.6-star rating. We tested the Revlon for ourselves and were obsessed with how it could detangle, dry, and volumize her hair in less than 30 minutes, making it the perfect gift for the person in your life who’s always in a rush. 

Get the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer from Amazon from $34.88

5. For the one who loves kitchen gadgets: Always Pan

Cream ceramic skillet.
Credit: Reviewed / Our Place

Best gifts for 2021: Always Pan

The Instagram-famous Always Pan is wildly popular for a reason: This nearly 5-star-rated cast aluminum pan is essentially eight pieces of cookware in one. Made with ceramic nonstick coating, it functions as a fry pan, steamer, skillet, sauté pan, saucepan, spoon rest, spatula, wok, and Dutch oven, and more than 15,000 Our Place shoppers swear by it. We especially loved it for its stellar deep frying and found that it would make a good gift for anyone who does a lot of stovetop cooking but is short on cabinet space.

Get the Always Pan at Our Place for $145

6. For the one who's been begging: Apple AirPods Pro

Wireless earbuds in charging case.
Credit: Apple / Reviewed

Best gifts for 2021: Apple AirPods Pro

While they've been on the market for a couple of years, Apple's AirPods Pro are still some of the best true wireless earbuds you can buy—especially for iPhone users. They’re a big upgrade from the original AirPods, providing better comfort quality and audio, as well as stellar noise cancellation. There’s even transparency mode if your giftee ever needs to turn off noise canceling and tune into their surroundings.

Get the Apple AirPods Pro from Amazon for $197

7. For the home chef: Philips Air Fryer

Person turning dial on black AirFryer.
Credit: Philips

Best gifts for 2021: Philips Air Fryer

Air fryers have been the hottest kitchen gadgets (literally) for the past couple of years, and they're popping up all over wish lists this holiday season. The Philips Airfryer XXL is our favorite air fryer as it churned out massive batches of crisp french fries, crackling fried chicken, and perfectly cooked burgers with ease. If your giftee loves fried food, but also loves to stay healthy, they’ll appreciate the Philips Airfryer XXL. 

Get the Philips Airfryer XXL on Amazon for $219.99

8. For the sweater collector: Patagonia Better Sweater

Person wearing camouflage quarter-zip pullover.
Credit: Patagonia / Reviewed

Best gifts for 2021: Patagonia Better sweater

If they’re looking to stay cozy as the temperature drops, they’ll love this Patagonia sweater. The knit fleece is so popular for a lot of reasons besides the fact that it looks good—it's breathable, high-quality, and made with recycled materials.

Get the Patagonia Better Sweater Quarter Zip Pullover from Nordstrom for $119

9. For the kid who loves storytime: Yoto Player

Children's audiobook player.
Credit: Yoto / Reviewed

Best gifts for 2021: Yoto Player

Speaking of books, if your child is always asking for a bedtime story, consider gifting them a Yoto Player. This adorable, compact gadget can easily sit on your kid’s bedside table and can play everything from full-sized novels to short stories, kid-friendly meditations, and educational lessons. It’s also designed to be controlled by your child so they can listen to their favorite fairy tales all night long (or at least until lights out). 

Get the Yoto Player for $109.98

10. For the one who needs a massage: Renpho RF-FM059R

Electric foot warmer and massager.
Credit: Renpho / Reviewed

Best gifts for 2021: Renpho RF-FM059R

If they’re always complaining about sore feet and muscles, they’ll appreciate a new foot massager. The Renpho foot massager is our favorite as it allows users to pick between a 15- or 30-minute massage, toggle between “low” “medium” and “heavy” knead and pressure intensities and choose whether the massage should be heated or not. 

Get the Renpho Foot Massager on Amazon for $129.99

11. For the one who wants to tune the world out: Sony WH-1000XM4

Navy blue over ear headphone with case.
Credit: Sony / Reviewed

Best gifts for 2021: Sony-WH-1000XM4

Whether they’re on an airplane, jogging, or just commuting to work, a solid pair of headphones is a must. Our favorite noise-canceling headphones are the Sony WH-1000XM4, which are not only super comfortable for long wear, but also deliver crystal clear audio and stellar noise calculation.  

Get the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise-Canceling Headphones from Amazon for $348

12. For the one who needs to de-stress: Airomé Serenity Medium Diffuser

Scent diffuser on table-top
Credit: Airomé

Best gifts for 2021: Airomé Serenity Medium Diffuser

If they're always running around, have a ton of different chores, or are just spent after a long day at work, chances are they're looking to de-stress. That's why an essential oil diffuser will make a great gift for them. The Airomé Serenity Medium Diffuser is our favorite essential oil diffuser and can run relaxing scents like lavender and eucalyptus for up to six hours. It's also fairly economical, so you can bundle it up with a few of their favorite scents.

Get the Airomé Serenity Medium Diffuser at Amazon for $24.91

13. For the tea drinker: Manatea Tea Infuser

Sea animal shaped mug accessory.
Credit: Fred & Friends

Best gifts for 2021: Manatea Tea Infuser

In a world of coffee addicts, show your tea-drinking friend some love with this adorable Fred & Friends Manatea silicone tea infuser. It's more than just cute, it actually took the top spot in our testing of the best tea infusers. We found that when tipping the mug to get the last drops of tea, the little manatee holds on tight and doesn't spill. This tea infuser is also easy to clean and steeps evenly, making it the perfect present for a tea drinker.

Get the Fred & Friends Manatea Tea Infuser at Amazon for $8.91

14. For the yoga lover: lululemon The Reversible Mat 5mm

On left, black and yellow yoga mat roll. On right, person stretching on yoga mat.
Credit: lululemon

Best gifts for 2021: lululemon The Reversible Mat 5mm

If they love working out at home or even in the great outdoors, a good yoga mat is a must. This lululemon version, which was our favorite in yoga mat testing, features a completely flat, non-stick surface for a no-slip, stress-free yoga practice on the regular—even if you’re a beginner!.

Get The Reversible Mat at lululemon for $88

15. For the one who can't start their day without coffee: Angels Cup Coffee Subscription

Assorted colorful coffee bags
Credit: Angels'

Best gifts for 2021: Angels' Cup Coffee Subscription

If they can’t start their day without a hot cup of joe, they’ll dig a subscription to Angels' Cup, which delivers custom-picked coffee beans every month. Unlike other coffee services that have you fill out online quizzes, Angels' Cup just sends beans, meaning your giftee will get to try out a bunch of different types of coffees and easily identify their favorites. We also named Angels' Cup the best coffee subscription to gift, primarily because you don't have to do an initial flavor quiz for your giftee.

Get an Angels' Cup gift subscription starting at $17.99 per box

16. For the active kid: Micro Kickboard Maxi Deluxe

Children's red scooter toy.
Credit: Micro Kickboard / Reviewed

Best gifts for 2021: Micro Kickboard Maxi Deluxe

If they’ve been constantly asking you for a scooter to ride around on, gift them our favorite scooter, the Micro Maxi Deluxe. The Maxi is best for ages 5-12 and you can get them one in their favorite color—we personally love the deluxe model, which features light-up wheels.

Get the Micro Kickboard Maxi Deluxe LED scooter on Amazon for $149.99

17. For the one in need of a cool accessory: Apple Watch Series 6

Smart watch next to compatible smart phone.
Credit: Apple / Reviewed

Best gifts for 2021: Apple Watch Series 6

It’s hard to find a smartwatch that consistently delivers like the Apple Watch Series 6—that’s why we named it our favorite smartwatch.  We loved the bright, always-on display of this pick as well as its stellar fitness tracking—it even features a blood oxygen sensor. Performance-wise, this model features a faster S6 that allows this watch to run faster and more seamlessly than ever before. You can also pre-order the Apple Watch Series 7 right now, which features an even larger display if that’s more your aesthetic.

Get the Apple Watch Series 6 (40mm, GPS) from $346.37 

18. For the one curious about their roots: AncestryDNA

History records next to smartphone
Credit: AncestryDNA

Best gifts for 2021: AncestryDNA

Are they always wondering if they’re related to a celebrity? Probably not—but they can find out who they’re related to, along with other fascinating genetic and family info, with a home DNA kit. AncestryDNA is our favorite DNA kit as it’s easy-to-use and a great way to explore family history to discover where your ancestors came from. Who knows? Maybe they’ll find a long-lost cousin (it happens).

Get AncestryDNA from Ancestry starting at $99 

19. For the one who's always busy: Eufy 11S

Black robot vacuum
Credit: Eufy / Reviewed

Best gifts for 2021: Eufy 11S

Vacuuming can be a boring and arduous chore—but with a robot vacuum to do the work, it doesn’t have to be. We love the Eufy Robovac 11S, which we named our best value choice for robot vacuums. It has a slim design that allows it to get into tough-to-reach spots while still picking up a lot of dust, dirt, and grime, and it runs quietly enough that it won’t disturb your giftee. 

Get the Eufy Robovac 11S from Amazon for $159.99

20. For the one who loves to jam: JBL Flip 5

Black Bluetooth speaker from JBL
Credit: JBL / Reviewed

Best gifts for 2021: JBL Flip 5

This JBL Flip 5 is our best valued portable speaker, thanks to its excellent sound quality and robust battery life. It's also almost entirely waterproof and quite durable, meaning it can endure, say, being knocked around in a backpack or a beach day. It also comes in a wide range of colors—including camo—to suit anyone with any kind of style.

Get the JBL Flip 5 Waterproof Speaker from Amazon for $119.95

21. For the one who likes to stay connected: Amazon Echo

Gray and blue Bluetooth speaker from Amazon.
Credit: Amazon / Amazon

Best gifts for 2021: Amazon Echo

This fabric-covered orb speaker is just what they need to add to their new smart home. It’s one of our favorite smart speakers thanks to its built-in temperature sensor, decent audio quality, and easy connectivity to smart devices. You can even pair it with a second Echo device for stereo quality sound.

Get the Amazon Echo from Amazon for $99.99

22. For the stylish cook: Hedley & Bennett apron

Person wearing army green cooking apron.
Credit: Hedley & Bennett

Best gifts for 2021: Hedley & Bennett apron

If they’re constantly baking in their old, tattered apron, it’s time to gift them an upgrade. Enter: Hedley & Bennett, the LA-based, woman-founded company that sells a variety of fun apron designs, adored by celebrity chefs and restaurant owners alike. The Hedley & Bennett Crossback apron is the best we've tested because it's durable, lightweight, has easily adjustable straps, and can be embroidered for a customized (and giftable!) option.  

Get the Hedley & Bennett All Day Crossback Apron  at Hedley & Bennett for $95

23. For the makeup fanatic: Deweisn Tri-Fold Lighted Mirror

Tri-fold vanity mirror with LED light.
Credit: Deweisn / Reviewed

Best gifts for 2021: Deweisn Tri-Fold Lighted Mirror

If you’re shopping for someone who's into makeup, consider getting them a lighted makeup mirror. The Deweisn Lighted Makeup Mirror is our top best value pick, as it provides perfect angles and lighting for optimal makeup application. Whether they’re getting ready for the perfect selfie or just love to admire themselves, this mirror will make the best gift. 

Get the Deweisn Tri-Fold Lighted Vanity Makeup Mirror from Amazon from $30.99

24. For toddler parents: Lovevery

Toddlers playing on floor with block set.
Credit: Lovevery

Best gifts for 2021: Lovevery

Looking for the perfect gift for the toddler in your life? Look no further than Lovevery Play Kits. The popular baby brand makes fantastic subscription kits for little ones, and they’re full of high-quality toys (and even books!) that are sure to engage any toddler's senses and keep them busy for hours on end. 

Get a Lovevery Play Kit starting at $36.95

25. For the kid who loves geography: Little Global Citizens

Child reading book.
Credit: Little Global Citizens

Best gifts for 2021: Little Global Citizens

Bring the world to their doorstep with a subscription to Little Global Citizens—The best subscription kit for kids we've tested this year. Little Global Citizens sends bi-monthly boxes of crafts, activities, and books all tied to learning about a different country from Kenya to Egypt to India. Have your child explore the world, literally from their bedroom.

Get a Little Global Citizens subscription starting at $34.95

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