The gadget guy or gal on your holiday gift list is one of the toughest people to shop for. The things they want are probably a bit out of your price range, and the things that aren’t they probably already have. So how do you find the perfect tech gift for their home that fits your budget and doesn’t make you look like you’re the type of person still using a flip phone?
Well, you’ve come to the right place. Here are a few holiday home gift ideas that even the most tech-savvy of recipients will love that are all under $50.
Who needs a smart TV when for about $50 you can make your TV as smart as technologically possible with one device? The Amazon Fire Stick is often overlooked when considering a TV add-on device as people often think of Apple TV or Roku or Google Chromecast as being the devices of choice. But the Amazon Fire Stick offers pretty much everything those other devices do and if your gift recipient is already an Amazon Prime member they’ll have access to the Amazon video and music library that can be streamed from the Fire Stick as well. The newest version also has voice commands capabilities through the remote and has 4 times the storage and 2 times the memory of Google Chromecast. Share photos on your TV, binge watch old episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer or have a Flappy Bird gaming tournament are just a few of the ways the Amazon Fire Stick will be the gift that keeps on giving for the techie on your list this holidays season.
AeroPress Coffee & Espresso Maker – $33.90
If there’s one thing most techies need more than their gadgets, it’s coffee. And who doesn’t love a great cup of joe, especially when you can make it in under 30 seconds? No, I’m not talking about a Keurig. That’s so 2012. The AeroPress Coffee & Espresso Maker uses air pressure to extract all the goodness from your coffee grounds to make a richer flavored cup. You can use this device to make a latte, an Americano or just a standard cup of great tasting coffee. And at under $35 the AeroPress is easily the most affordable coffee device on the market to satisfy even the snobbiest of java drinkers.
One of the biggest problems in any techie’s home is how to charge all your devices without cords running here, there and everywhere. That’s what makes thingCHARGER so amazing. The device is basically an outlet that you plug into any outlet, but it has a lightning adapter or micro USB adapter on the top of it so your smartphone or tablet can charge while sitting on top of your outlet. No need for charging cords! And if you buy a couple of thingCHARGER devices you can stack them, so you’ll be able to charge a bunch of devices all while neatly tucked away without those pesky cords taking up space on your counters.
Flux Blast LED Light Bulb Speaker – $25.00
A light bulb that doubles as a speaker. Just connect your phone, tablet or computer to it via Bluetooth and you can start streaming music from Spotify, iTunes or Pandora to any light socket in your home. Lifespan is about 20,000 hours which is basically 2.5 years if you left your lights on 24/7/365.
Hi David,
Thanks for the great article. Just wanted to point out a quick edit. In the “thingCHARGER” section, you left the T off of tablet (unless you are referring to Smart Tables, which I’m sure will be a thing soon).
Text excerpt:
(…adapter on the top of it so your smartphone or table can charge…)
Thanks again!
-John
P.S. I just noticed that the “Submit Comment” button below this box is barely visible until you hover over it. It made me think that I had missed something required, or that it wasn’t currently functional. These things pop out to me right now because we are in the process of a complete site redesign currently. Just want our CB material to look its best!
Hey John. Thanks for the comment and the heads up. I do think I need a smart table though. One that sets and cleans itself would be nice!