The Verge’s 2026 Mother’s Day gift guide

Birdfy’s smart feeder lets mom appreciate each feathery friend as they stop by and eat. The feeder’s 1080p camera can record and identify birds that swing by for a snack, offering beautiful close-up views. Users will also receive alerts and video clips on their phones via the app, so they’ll never miss a moment.

The Shark FlexStyle Air is like getting multiple hair tools in one. It works as both a powerful hair dryer and a styling tool, with add-ons for curling, smoothing, and introducing volume. It’s lighter and often more affordable than comparable tools, but still delivers salon-like results at home for all types of hair.

Considering how little Ikea’s Kallsup speaker costs, there’s no reason mom should still be relying on her phone to play the latest K-pop tracks. The colorful Bluetooth cube looks adorable, and it’s cheap enough that you can gift more than one, letting her connect multiple speakers to play music throughout the house.

The Aura Carver is a modern twist on the physical photo albums of yore. The 10-inch digital frame can display both photos and short videos, and family and friends can easily add new memories via the mobile app, iCloud, or Google Photos. The app also lets you add captions to photos and scan printed photos to upload.

Govee’s color-changing smart lamp is an easy way to elevate the vibe of any room. It syncs with music and features over 60 lighting presets, from calming modes to help mom unwind to brighter settings that are perfect for getting work done. It also supports Matter, allowing you to integrate it with your smart home platforms of choice.

Moms who love to unwind with a good book will appreciate Amazon’s latest entry-level Kindle, which is both lighter and thinner than most paperbacks. The six-inch ebook reader can store thousands of books, and it features a sharp, glare-free display that’s comfortable to read at home or on the go.

The Ohom Ui 3 is perfect for moms who are tired of reheating their beverages. The elegant 12-ounce mug can keep drinks hot long after they’ve been poured, and its wireless charging pad can be used to top off a smartphone or a pair of earbuds. That makes Ohom’s ceramic set more convenient than other self-heating mugs, including Ember’s.

The Niimbot D110 makes organizing fun and easy, letting mom quickly bring order to her pantry, closet, or office. She can type labels out on her phone, and the pocket-sized printer connects over Bluetooth. Its companion app is loaded with templates, too, as well as fonts, borders, and icons for creating personalized labels.

The latest Apple Watch SE is the kind of gift mom will likely use every day. In addition to providing her with easy access to notifications and media playback, it can track a range of health metrics, including her menstrual cycle and heart rate. Its built-in safety features can also call for help, which may bring peace of mind to both the gift giver and recipient.

Linger is great for moms who are trying to eat healthier without sacrificing flavor. The terrific cookbook features more than 100 creative recipes that make me hungry just typing them out — including a caprese salad with grilled pineapple, a vegan dan dan noodle salad, and a tomato and kimchi pasta salad, to name a few.

Even moms who lack a green thumb can use the Gardyn Studio 2 to grow fresh herbs, greens, and veggies at home. The smart, AI-powered garden can take care of the watering on her behalf, and includes a camera so she can monitor plant health. The indoor hydroponic garden also features vertical grow lights so everything can thrive year-round.

If mom wants fuller, smoother lips without injections, Buxom’s Plump Shot Lip Serum is the way to go. Made with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and jojoba oil, it smooths and visibly plumps lips in under a minute in a way that’s not over-the-top, while adding an attractive glossy sheen.

If your mom’s schedule is chockful of events, the Skylight Calendar 2 can bring a sense of order. The 15-inch display shows color-coded schedules at a glance, with built-in tools for assigning chores, meal planning, and more. It also syncs with multiple calendars and can import events from photos.

Lego’s new Hibiscus set is a creative, hands-on twist of what is often considered a classic Mother’s Day gift. The 660-piece set features lavender-colored petals and posable leaves, plus a nice blue pot that’ll look great as home decor once you and your mom put it together.

Mom can benefit from smart home tech without getting too into the weeds with the Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Slim. The hub-less gadget lets her control her lights, coffee maker, and other devices with her phone, which she can also use to set schedules. The inexpensive plug also tracks energy use, helping her keep her electricity bills in check.

Moms often put others first, making Fierce Self-Compassion a useful resource for learning to put some focus on themselves, too. The book pairs research with real-life insights to illustrate how speaking up and setting boundaries is a form of self-compassion, one that’s essential for creating a healthier society for all women.

Ekrin Athletics’ quiet yet powerful B37 makes it easy for mom to get the deluxe treatment at home. The excellent massage gun features five speeds and four attachments for targeting everything from the neck to the feet, along with an angled handle to reach tricky spots, including her back.

Summer Day on the River offers something a little different for puzzle-loving moms. It’s a charming brainteaser with a gentle summer scene and plenty of cute animals, but it’s also surprisingly difficult. Nearly every piece is an edge piece, so there’s no clear starting point, making it a fun, challenging gift.

The Oura Ring 4 is a piece of modern tech masquerading as jewelry, the kind that lets you keep tabs on your health without sacrificing style. The smart, rechargeable ring can monitor all sorts of metrics — including your heart rate and menstrual cycle — and it’s more comfortable to wear at night for sleep tracking than a watch.

If mom enjoys journaling or even just making to-do lists the old-fashioned way, a JetPens bundle can make it all feel a little more special. Each set is color-coordinated and features a variety of stationery, including pens, notebooks, a highlighter, and a case to keep everything organized.

L’Oréal’s Colorsonic makes the messy process of at-home hair dying far less of a hassle — or it should, anyway. The device automatically mixes the color and distributes it evenly as it glides through your hair, speeding up the dye job, reducing mess, and simplifying the procedure overall.

The Iniu Carry P55 Power Bank makes for a useful gift if mom’s phone is constantly on the brink of death. The slim 10,000mAh charger can deliver 45W of power, letting you quickly charge an iPhone 17 or similarly sized phone to over 50 percent in under 30 minutes. It features two USB-C ports and a USB-A port, so she can charge up to three devices at the same time.

The Quince Mulberry Silk Pillowcase can take care of mom’s skin and hair while she catches up on sleep. The smooth silk helps minimize frizz, tangles, and split ends while also being gentler on the skin, helping reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It’s also temperature-regulating, so it should keep her comfortable while she’s resting.

AirTags might be popular for tracking baggage at the airport, but they’re also handy for keeping tabs on EDC. Apple’s latest trackers can pinpoint items more precisely — and from farther away — than the OG model, and they have a louder speaker, so mom can quickly track down her keys or purse when she’s scrambling to get out the door in a hurry.

A mug isn’t necessarily the most exciting gift, but a personalized mug is certainly more fun than most. Shelly Klein’s custom 15-ounce vessels feature a playful illustration of your favorite family member, making them a practical everyday gift that might even elicit a chuckle from time to time.

The Pixel Buds 2A can help even the busiest of moms get a moment of peace. They offer great performance and plenty of features for the price, including solid ANC for tuning out distractions. The wireless earbuds also support Gemini AI with Pixel phones, letting her ask for directions, have it read out messages, and get answers to questions on her mind.

Mira Blackman’s hand-dyed beanies are a bit like two caps in one. Thanks to their hand-dyed process, one side is often more saturated than the other, giving it a slightly different feel. The thick cotton is also soft, warm, and breathable, and no two hats turn out exactly alike.

Hiromi Takeda’s Poppies card feels more like gifting a small piece of Japanese art than stationery. When opened, it reveals a beautiful set of pop-up flowers, with enough space around each paper bloom to leave a meaningful message. You can choose from other flowers as well, like roses, hibiscus, or orchids.

Whether mom grew up with a Nintendo Game Boy or not, GameSir’s Pocket Taco is a lot of fun. The wireless mobile controller clamps onto the bottom of your phone, turning it into a tiny handheld console with real buttons and a physical D-pad. It makes playing retro titles feel better than using a touchscreen.

Mom, I Want to Hear Your Story is a guided journal featuring 300 prompts designed to help her reflect on her life, from childhood memories to major life moments. The series was created by Jeffrey Mason after losing his father to Alzheimer’s, with a focus on preserving family stories, making this a gift you’ll both value long after it’s filled in.

The Camp Snap Pro brings back that classic point-and-shoot feel, but with a few modern touches. It’s screen-free, captures photos with a sharp 16-megapixel sensor, and features a simple dial for quickly swapping between four film-style filters. It’s rechargeable via USB-C, too, and lets you store photos on an SD card just like the good ol’ days.

Drybar’s Clean Sweep Detox Duo Kit is a great gift for busy moms who may not always have time for a full hair wash. The bundle includes two oil-absorbing dry shampoos with gentle scents that can refresh roots and add a bit of volume without leaving a noticeable residue.

If there’s one thing most moms could use more of, it’s time. The Roborock Q10 S5 Plus lets her focus on other things while it thoroughly scrubs her floors and hits them with 10,000Pa of suction power. The outstanding robot vacuum includes a self-emptying bin, too, and its AI-powered obstacle avoidance reduces the need for constant redirection.