Ever had unexpected guests turn up at Christmas with a gift when you've got nothing to give in return? Or, worse still, been invited to a last-minute party and had nothing to give the host?
It's okay — I've also been in the same predicament, scrambling to find a decent bouquet or bottle on the way. To save you the stress this year, I've pulled together some cheap tech gifts to stash away for exactly these moments.
Having worked in consumer tech for a fair few years, I know which brands are worth your money and what's actually worth buying under $25. To keep this list varied, I've included a selection of gadgets that most people will find useful, and none will take up much room in your present drawer.
For your forgetful friend, there are trackers from Apple and Samsung, depending on their phone, as well as a top-rated security camera for checking whether they remembered to feed the dog before leaving the house.
Retro fans (yes, Y2K is retro now) will appreciate a Casio watch, a Tamagotchi, a disposable camera, or wired EarPods, which you can purchase with a USB-C or 3.5mm adaptor depending on their device. And you can't go wrong with a fun Bluetooth speaker or a pair of kids' headphones for the little ones.
There are also some more practical picks, like a portable power bank and a streaming stick, if you know of someone who doesn't own these already. That includes smart LED strip lights to brighten gloomy winter evenings during the festive season.
Many of these gadgets have been reviewed by the team here at TechRadar, which you can read more about by pressing the 'View Details' button underneath each product, so you can trust these are solid choices. Hopefully this gives you some inspiration!
Stocking-sized tech gifts
Pros
- Elegant design
- Sleek, effective controller
- Fantastic low price
Cons
- Audio quality won’t blow you away
- Instrumental separation is lacking
- External noise easily seeps through
Pros
- Cheap
- Draws power from TV’s USB port
- Roku interface is simple to navigate
Cons
- Lags a little when navigating the interface
- No 4K or HDR support
Pros
- Very small
- Decent 2K video quality
- Competitively priced
Cons
- Needs to be installed close to a power source
- Only works on 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network
- Have to pay a monthly subscription for full functionality
Pros
- Easy to control
- Fantastic app
- Useful timer and wake-up features
Cons
- Bluetooth control only
- Generic mounting tape
Pros
- Find My range is way better
- Much louder chime
- Design unchanged to fit all your existing AirTag accessories
- Apple Watch support
- Same security and privacy features
- Price unchanged
Cons
- Why only in white?
