Finding tech gifts under $500 that don’t feel boring or safe is harder than it sounds. To save you the time and effort, I dug through over 50 product listings on Amazon and found out the ones I’d actually be excited to gift, or, if I’m feeling even more generous, keep for myself.
You’ll find everything from a tiny keychain camera and a smart mug that keeps coffee hot, to proper noise-canceling headphones, a smoothie blender that doubles as a travel cup, and even the Switch 2 for the gamer who’s been dropping hints.
Google Fitbit Edge
Google Fitbit Edge ($179.99) is my pick for someone starting their fitness journey or finally retiring an old fitness tracker. Thanks to its small screen, this one feels more like an activity tracker than a smartwatch. It lets you track SpO2 levels and ECG readings and features built-in GPS for outdoor running sessions. You also get three months of Google Health Premium with the device.
Shure MV6 Gen 2 USB Microphone
If you have a friend who’s serious about starting a career in streaming or podcasting and feels ready to ditch their headset microphone, the Shure MV6 Gen 2 USB Microphone ($169.00) could be the perfect gift. It plugs in over USB-C and handles everything else for you, including voice isolation. A desk stand and cable are included, so they can get started right away.
HP Sprocket Portable Photo Printer
I’d gift the HP Sprocket Portable Photo Printer ($89.89) to the journaler or scrapbooker friend, especially someone who comes up with enthusiastic ideas on the go. It prints on a 2 x 3-inch canvas, which sounds small but is perfect for creating cool, creative peel-and-stick ZINK (zero ink) photos. The best part is that you don’t need to buy any ink, toner, or ribbon cartridges for this one.
Beast Mighty 850 Plus
The Beast Mighty 850 Plus ($149.00) could be the ideal gift for the smoothie-a-day person, especially someone who makes one every day in a compact kitchen. The 850W base crushes ice and frozen fruit quite well, and the blending vessel doubles as your cup, complete with a spill-proof straw lid. As a bonus, it can also grind coffee beans.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024)
The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 2024 ($199.99) is for the bookworm who reads in bed, on the subway, on flights, and basically anywhere they can squeeze in a few minutes of reading. Its 7-inch glare-free display has an adjustable warm light, making it easy on the eyes. Charge it once, and you get up to 25 to 30 hours of active screen-on time, which could easily stretch across a week or more.
This is the ad-supported version, but you can also get one without ads by spending another $20.
Kodak Charmera Keychain Camera
I’d get the Kodak Charmera Keychain Camera ($34.99) and tuck it into the stocking of a teen who loves lo-fi digicam photos. It’s essentially a keychain camera that captures 1.6MP stills (low-resolution, nothing fancy) and video, but its tiny form factor, date stamp, and filters make it fun. If I were gifting this, I’d also throw in a microSD card, as one isn’t included in the box.
Nintendo Switch 2 (Console Only)
The Nintendo Switch 2 ($499.00) is right at the edge of our budget, so I’d be a bit careful choosing it as a gift. I’d get this for the gamer who has everything but the Switch 2, or someone who’s mentioned wanting one more than once. It comes with a 7.9-inch 1080p HDR screen, supports up to 120fps gaming, provides 4K output when docked, and offers 256GB of onboard storage.
Blueair Air Purifier 211i Max
You can pick this up for an allergy sufferer or pet owner, especially if your bedroom never smells fresh. Blueair says its HEPASilent filtering captures 99.97% of particles down to 0.1 microns and cleans a 674-square-foot room in 12.5 minutes (about the size of a small apartment). Set it to auto mode, and the app will handle the rest.
Right now, it’s 38% off at $216.49 as part of the early Black Friday sale.
Nothing Headphone (1)
I’ve included these in my early Black Friday headphone deals article, and they’ve made their way here as well. The reason is simple: the Headphone (1) stands out in a market flooded with similar-looking headphones. Beyond its unique design, it also offers hybrid ANC, LDAC Hi-Res audio, and up to 80 hours of battery life (without ANC).
As part of an early Black Friday deal, they’re available for $169, 43% less than the list price.
Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug 2
I’d gift the Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug 2 ($89.99) to the slow sipper, someone whose coffee goes cold at the desk every single time. In Ember’s app, you can set the temperature from 120 to 145°F, and the mug maintains it, keeping the drink at the required temperature. The built-in battery runs for about 80 to 90 minutes, or all day on the coaster. It’s 31% off at $89.99, down from $129.95.
Apple Watch SE 3 (GPS, 44mm)
The Apple Watch SE 3 (GPS, 44mm) ($269.99) is a great gift for an iPhone owner getting their first Apple Watch. It gets advanced health-monitoring features like temperature sensing for cycle tracking, a sleep score, sleep apnea notifications, and fall/crash detection with Emergency SOS. The battery lasts up to 18 hours (or an entire working day). Fair warning: this one doesn’t get ECG and blood oxygen tracking.
Google Nest Thermostat
The Google Nest Thermostat (Sand) ($89.99, 31% off) could be the ideal thermostat for someone who wants smart home heating and cooling along with an aesthetic design that complements their interiors. It’s ENERGY STAR certified, works without a C wire in most homes, and turns itself down when you leave. You can also use schedules and remote control via the Google Home app. I’d still recommend checking HVAC compatibility first.
Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 Mini
Get the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 Mini ($179.95) for a friend who runs or commutes often and wants to stay aware of their surroundings. It features an IP55 rating. With open-ear bone conduction and dual drivers, these add air-conducted bass to the bone-conducted highs for balanced sound. Expect around 12 hours of playback on a charge.
Oakley Meta Vanguard
For athletes who want hands-free recording, the Oakley Meta Vanguard ($499.00) is probably one of the best-styled POV recording glasses, with a 12MP camera and an IP67 rating. They also let you access Meta AI, which provides more context about what you’re seeing, recognizes landmarks, handles incoming calls or messages, and even translates what the other person is saying. Garmin and Strava stats can be overlaid on clips. At $499, they squeak in under our cap.
Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3) Wayfarer
If you don’t like the Vanguard-style glasses, get the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3) Wayfarer ($449.00). While the recording capabilities and Meta AI features remain largely the same, you get a much more versatile pair of glasses for $50 less that can record 3K POV shots and last up to nine hours on a charge.
JBL Clip 5
The JBL Clip 5 ($79.95) is one of the best portable Bluetooth speakers on the market. It produces enough sound to keep things going on a walk or a hike (thanks to the built-in carabiner that hooks onto your bag), and it comes in enough finishes that I’m sure you’ll find one in your favorite color. It lasts around 12 hours on a charge, and you can pair two for stereo imaging.
Sony WH-1000XM6
Get the Sony WH-1000XM6 ($378.00, 18% off) if you already use older Sony headphones, like the XM3s or XM4s. Sony’s latest flagship offers one of the best noise-cancellation experiences in the segment, plenty of sound customization options, lossless audio codecs, and up to 30 hours of battery life. It also folds into a compact case. It’s 18% off at $378.00 in a limited-time deal, down from a $459.99 list price.
Ninja CREAMi NC301
We all have that one person in our group, someone who always talks about ice cream and how they’d love to make it at home. The Ninja CREAMi NC301 ($229.00) has seven one-touch programs that turn frozen bases into ice cream, gelato, sorbet, milkshakes, and smoothie bowls. It also has a Re-spin option for softer results. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that the bases need 24 hours in the freezer, so tuck a recipe in with the gift.
