22 of the Best Gifts Under $150 for 2025

These smart lights from Govee are an upgrade to the lights further down the list. They add an ambient light behind your TV or gaming rig and can move to the music. And with the Govee app, you can select what color and brightness you want them. 
Govee has managed to build a strong reputation for delivering excellent quality products on a budget, and these lights show why. They feel a lot more expensive than they are.

A video doorbell is a practical and thoughtful gift. It's one of those things someone might not want to research and buy themselves. Luckily, CNET's Tyler Lacoma has done the work to make gift-giving easy for you. He says the Arlo 2K is "easy to install, performs well" and he "found the Arlo app to be comprehensive and user-friendly, with a customizable home screen and pleasant walkthrough for home-security newcomers."

The Arlo 2K also features a built-in siren, two-way audio and customizable motion detection zones, giving the recipient peace of mind at home. And that's priceless.

If you know someone who enjoys sparkling water, they'll love the convenience of churning out the fizzy stuff at home -- and it will save them money too. The SodaStream Terra is our top pick for the best soda maker for most people. It's easy to use, and it has a slim design that doesn't take up too much counter space. 

Looking to give a friend some additional peace of mind? This gift idea might not have been on your radar, but we suggest a smart garage door controller. These handy devices work with most modern garage doors, ensuring the garage is closed and secure every night -- without having to hop out of bed to check. CNET's Tyler Lacoma says, "We like the sleek design of the MyQ device and how easy it is to set up, too."

Help someone in your life get the best climate control possible for their house with the Amazon Smart Thermostat. It has many features that pricier thermostats have but for less and is a CNET Editor's Choice award winner for the best overall and budget thermostat.

If you know a coffee lover, this self-heating mug is a must-have. It keeps coffee, tea, cocoa and other warm beverages at an optimal drinking temperature all day long thanks to its charging pad. Bonus: Your giftee can also use the base to charge their phone.

Once you have a connected home device, it's hard to imagine going back. So why not introduce a smart device to a loved one with Google's Nest Hub? It can do everything from playing their favorite Netflix show, blasting music and displaying photos to tracking sleep (with a subscription) and more. With so many options out there, CNET’s Tyler Lacoma says of the Nest Hub: "It’s the smartest and best overall, making the lower price even more appealing."

Who doesn’t love tea (especially when it’s paired with their favorite cookies or cake)? Getting the tea-lover in your life a tea subscription is not only a thoughtful gift but also a unique one, since they’ll get to sample all types of teas. The Atlas Tea Club is our pick for the best tea club for teas from the Far East, and you can choose from pure teas (like black, green, white and oolong), blended teas (flavored or herbal) or a variety. A subscription consists of two teas per month, around 30 cups, and tasting notes come with the teas, as well as a fun postcard from the featured country, such as India or Nepal. A three-month subscription is currently on sale and costs $50, a six-month one is $99 and a 12-month one is $189. (And if your giftee is more of a coffee person, there’s an Atlas Coffee Club, too.)

Yep, air fryers are still all the rage -- and for good reason. They're not only a time-saver when it comes to cooking, but they also minimize messes in the kitchen. The Ninja 4-quart model is our pick for the best air fryer under $100 (and we tested more than a dozen). Whether someone wants to make crispy chicken wings, dehydrate apple slices into healthy chips or even impress their family with a homemade peach cobbler, they can -- all with the touch of a button.

This handy tool should be in every home chef's kitchen arsenal. It's useful for so many things, from making soups and salsa to whipping up curry. It's sturdy and simple to use, and cleanup is a breeze.

Caraway's cookware has built a loyal following among home cooks who prefer nonstick surfaces. Unlike Teflon, this pan's nonstick ceramic coating is free of harmful chemicals. It's available in a range of stylish colors, including sage, navy and marigold. Any home cook would be proud to leave this pan out on display.

These waffles are great for a brunch side dish or as a breakfast appetizer, and this is also CNET's pick when it comes to the best small waffle maker.

Large-capacity ice cream makers require a ton of salt and ice but not this model. It's so easy to whip up delicious ice cream and sorbet that you can make both on a regular basis -- yes, even in the winter.

This is a perfect tech-meets-gardener (or aspiring gardener) present because it allows your giftee to grow their own herbs, like fresh basil. CNET's David Watsky says, "It couldn't be simpler to operate, with self-contained seed pods, LED grow lights and a water tank that needs filling only every two or three weeks. A perfect starter herb indoor garden for someone with a not-so-green thumb." And this is also one of CNET's picks for best indoor smart gardens.

Flying without having to untangle any cords might sound like a trivial thing, but for travel lovers, it's a big deal. And that's where the AirFly Pro comes in. CNET's Nelson Aguilar says, "It's a simple Bluetooth dongle that lets me connect my wireless earbuds (like my AirPods Pro) directly to the airplane's entertainment system, no adapters or wired workarounds are required. Since I started using it, I've stopped dreading in-flight audio and finally get to enjoy movies the way they were meant to be heard."

Plus, they have over 25 hours of battery life, so you won't run out of power, even on those long-haul flights. It's also great for connecting to other non-Bluetooth devices such as wired speakers, gym equipment, rental cars and boat systems.

Whether you want to buy for someone who travels for work or pleasure, the Blink Mini can help keep their home secure. It monitors the inside of their home and allows users to see, hear and speak to anyone via live view and two-way audio. 

No one can ever have enough AirTags, especially that traveler you know who tends to misplace…everything. While you probably know that the tracking devices can be useful when you misplace your keys or wallet, one of the more creative ways to use AirTags is to slip one into your luggage. "To relieve the stress of trying to locate your suitcase, you can put an AirTag tracker inside so you can track its whereabouts," CNET's Katie Teague says. And when you purchase the AirTags through Apple, you can get them engraved for free with an emoji, initials or numbers, which is a nice way to personalize this gift.

For the traveler in your life (or anyone who's on their phone a lot, really), Anker's portable charger is an easy, cost-effective way to ensure their device is always up and running. Plus, this charger doesn't have long cords and it doubles as a kickstand -- what more could you ask for? CNET's Jeff Carlson says, "The charger gets its juice from a single USB-C port, which is positioned on the edge of the case, not the bottom. That means you can replenish it while the stand is open -- many chargers' ports are stuck on the bottom."

If you've always wanted to know how to complete a Rubik's cube but could never get the hang of it, now's your chance, CNET's James Bricknell says. The GoCube connects to your phone or tablet and takes you through the steps of solving a cube using "algorithms," so to speak. "It's the first time I've felt I had a handle on manipulating a puzzle cube without it being completely random," he says. "Learning a new skill as a dad, especially one that can impress your kids, is always worthwhile -- and the app even lets you play battle games with your kids to make it more family-oriented."

This is a gift that's sure to make an impression. CNET's Bridget Carey says this lifelike remote-controlled gecko won her over "both as a mom and as someone who delights in making my co-workers squirm."

This robot toy mimics a real gecko; it can crawl across the floor and even climb walls. Whether it's going to a kiddo or to creep out an adult, be sure to get those cameras ready, day or night. As a bonus, its LED eyes glow in the dark.

Picking out a gift for the gamer in your life can be tricky -- you might not know which games they already have, and consoles are usually pricey. That's why we love the idea of giving a Backbone One on-phone controller. It works with most Android and newer iPhone models, instantly transforming them into a portable gaming console with both Xbox and PlayStation-standard layouts.

While there are many choices out there like it, CNET's Lori Grunin says, "Backbone's One is one of the top models, with a lot of extra software features that make it more than just a convenience."

Legos are a great gift for anyone who adores building -- not just kids. This collection of succulents is fun to put together, and the designs are worthy of display on a shelf or office desk once they're done.