The Verge home and tech gift guide 2019

It can be difficult to find a way to express how grateful or thankful you are to your friends or family with a gift — which is why they say it’s the thought that counts — but you still want to make sure you give them something good and not, like, rock hard fruit cake.

That’s why we brought together the greatest minds at The Verge to compile our list of home and tech gift suggestions. So whether you need a gift for a co-worker, family member, good friend, or a secret Santa / white elephant party of strangers, we’ve got a variety of great gift ideas for any budget from a $7 CB2 mug to the $399 Sonos Move.

The Sonos Move is the speaker a lot of Sonos owners have been waiting for. It’s battery-powered, so users can move it from one room to another in their homes. At its price, it’s definitely a premium gift, but there’s little else out there quite like it. Price: ~$399
Buy on:
Amazon
Sonos

Amazon’s Echo Dot is an affordable smart speaker that will impress you with its countless skills. It’s also a fairly good-sounding speaker on its own, capable of filling a room with music from your favorite streaming service. Price: ~$50
Buy on:
Amazon
Best Buy

There are a lot of smart plugs out there, but Awair’s Glow C is the only one that packs in air quality, temperature, and humidity sensors. It also has a customizable night light. Plug an air conditioner or fan into the Glow C, and have it automatically come on whenever your room needs fresh air or is getting uncomfortably hot. Price: ~$89
Buy on:
Amazon

This two-tone mug looks great and won’t break the bank. Why start your morning by drinking coffee out of a clear mug you got from a random event when you can begin your day with a little more style? Price: ~$7
Buy on:
CB2

Amazon’s Echo Show 5 is the company’s smallest and least expensive smart display. It’s great for seeing headlines or making video calls from your desk or as a smart alarm on a nightstand. Price: ~$90
Buy on:
Amazon
Best Buy

Kitchen scissors are an often-overlooked, but incredibly useful tool to have in your home. Whether you need to cut meat, trim flowers, open packages, crack nuts, or even open a bottle, these scissors are great for all of your kitchen needs. Price: ~$7
Buy on:
Amazon

Ikea has teamed up with Sonos for the Symfonisk, a table lamp that’s also a full-fledged Sonos speaker, complete with the company’s best-in-class multiroom audio tech. It also has support for Apple’s AirPlay 2 tech. Price: ~$179
Buy on:
Ikea

It’s not only nice to have your kitchen knives sharp, but it’s also safer. Whetstones require a little practice and effort to use, but they are a great way to keep your knives sharper for longer. This set comes with a base that’ll keep the whetstone from moving as you sharpen. Price: ~$30
Buy on:
Walmart

Everybody has loved dinosaurs at some point in their life, and these porcelain dinos are both useful and fun to look at. These planters will make your succulents and other plants look their best.Price: ~$40
Buy on:
Uncommon Goods

This smart plug is a great and inexpensive way to turn not-smart devices, like lamps, into something you can control with your preferred virtual assistant. It’s also a great first smart device for someone who isn’t sure if they really want or need a home full of smart devices. Price: ~$22
Buy on:
Amazon
Walmart

Google’s Nest Hub smart display is many things: a TV-like device that can play YouTube videos, a command center for smart home gadgets, and, most importantly, an excellent digital photo frame for your Google Photos collection.Price: ~$130
Buy on:
Best Buy
Walmart

Philips’ Hue bulbs are a great place to start if you’re looking to dip your toe into a smart light system. The company’s latest Bluetooth-enabled smart bulbs make that even easier by removing the need to get a wired hub first. Price: ~$25
Buy on:
Philips
Best Buy

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