This is definitely one of the toughest year for many, thanks to COVID-19. But there’s light at the end of the tunnel, especially for Australians as we are heading towards Christmas.
For Melbournians, we can finally be united again with friends and families during the Christmas period and if you’ve been looking for the right, tech gifts for your loved ones, we’ve got a great list for you this year.
Even during the pandemic, innovations don’t stop and we’ve seen lots of new, exciting, and innovative products from different brands and manufacturers this year. So without further ado, here are some gifts to recommend for this year.
While I tried to break these into categories, note that a specific gift may also work for others. For example, if I’m recommending something for a Mum to have, it may also work for a Dad. Best is, of course, to go through the whole list to see if something catches your eyes!
Christmas gift idea for Mums
- Brother P-touch Cube Pro. It’s a handy, portable label printer that can be used for different things. She can finally reorganise the pantry and label all the tins & jars with this handy gadget. Or if your Mum owns a side business, she would love this to take her business to the next level and look more professional.
- Dyson V11 Absolute. Whoever owns Dyson vacuum cleaners loves them. The latest one can sense the surface it’s on and adapt itself in real-time. Plus, it is more powerful and lasts longer too. We’ve actually bought one for my mother in law as a Christmas present and I’m sure she’ll love it as much as we do.
- Dyson Corrale. At a glance, it’s a cool-looking, cordless hair straightener from Dyson. Well, it is, but there’s so much more to this. We haven’t got it for a review unfortunately so we can’t really tell in detail. My wife, however, loves the Dyson Airwrap and she has written all about it in a review article here at Craving Tech.
- Owlet Smart Sock and Owlet Cam. New Mums will love these as they can monitor the newborn through a smart sock that sends loud alerts whenever something goes wrong, and a baby camera that has a useful Background Sound feature. We are actually still using these to monitor our 6-months-old son every night.
- Logitech MX Anywhere 3. It’s a small, handy, wireless mouse that is easy to be carried, quick to charge, and also improves productivity. A simple, small gift with a big impact.
Christmas gift idea for Dads
- Xiaomi Mi Portable Air Pump. Dad would love this handy gadget as he can check the car’s tyre pressure before going to work or a long, family road trip. He can even inflate the tyres as need be, all without going to a gas station. It’s also handy to have in the trunk in case of a flat tyre accident.
- Navman MiCam GPS. Still involving cars, this Navman MiCam GPS is simply the best GPS + Dashcam combo you can ever get in the market. It has a great performance, full-featured navigation guidance, and also records in the background for insurance purposes. A must-have in every car, really.
- ROBOGO Rapid or Reid E4 Plus eScooter. He can save his commuting time with these handy electric scooters. They also weigh around 10kg and can be folded + carried easily when he needs to. I’m still reviewing the ROBOGO Rapid but expect the review to go live sometime next week (check the short video while you are waiting).
- Philips Airfryer XXL with Smart Sensing Technology. I can’t cook well so I’m relying a lot on cooking things with this air fryer. Surprisingly, I managed to get a great fried chicken, salmon, and whenever I wanted to warm some food up without using oil. Super useful to have in the kitchen and every Dad would love the feeling that he can help out in the kitchen.
- Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000. It’s my most favourite electric toothbrush at the moment and has all the accessories you’d love and need. It’s a great investment for healthy teeth and gums and whoever gets this will appreciate you a lot.
- Waterpik Sonic-Fusion. If they don’t have an electric toothbrush yet but been having gum problems, this is a two-in-one electric toothbrush & water flossing machine. Water flossing is a great alternative to dental flossing and good for those with gum disease like myself.
- Withings Smart Blood Pressure Monitor. Any Dad would love this, as they can check their blood pressure wherever they are without having to book an appointment with a GP. Plus they can check their stats and history using a handy app.
Christmas gift idea for the active ones
- Fitbit Versa 3. It’s the latest Fitbit’s flagship model and has all the bells & whistles. But the best new thing is that it has a built-in GPS so for those who like to record their exercise route and distance accurately, this is it. Plus, the screen is nice.
- Jabra Elite Active 75t. While the newer Jabra Elite 85t has a better sound quality and noise cancelling, the Jabra Elite Active 75t is more suitable for exercising thanks to its IP57 rating (compared to the Elite 85t’s IPX4).
Christmas gift idea for Gamers
Gaming Mouse
- Razer DeathAdder V2 Pro. It’s Razer’s latest flagship, wireless gaming mouse with accurate sensor and ergonomic shape. I find that my competitive, FPS gaming performance is pretty consistent with this mouse and if you’ve been using the old DeathAdder mouse, you definitely want to upgrade yours.
- SteelSeries Aerox Wireless. If you are looking for a lightweight, wireless, gaming mouse then you’ll love this one. The Aerox Wireless only weighs 66 grams and has good battery life. Plus, it’s charged via USB-C, woohoo!
Gaming Keyboard
- SteelSeries APEX Pro. This is still the ultimate gaming keyboard of my choice. With fully configurable OmniPoint Switches, you can adjust every key to your liking. Plus, with 0.4mm actuation point, it is one of the fastest switches in the gaming market at the moment.
- Razer BlackWidow V3. If you are looking for a well-rounded, mechanical gaming keyboard, this is it. It does not have gimmicks and is built to last. There is also a wireless version but I’d stick to the wired BlackWidow at this stage.
- Logitech G915 Wireless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard. It’s my first wireless, mechanical, gaming keyboard and I truly enjoy using it. I didn’t notice any lag and most importantly, it looks great on the desk with no cable clutter. You do have to charge it every now and then though.
- HyperX Alloy Elite 2. While there are cooler, mechanical gaming keyboards like above, the Alloy Elite 2 has the brightest RGB and unique Pudding Keycaps design. It is also more affordable as a gift, without compromising quality, performance, and durability.
Gaming Headset
- Logitech G PRO X Wireless. If communication is very important to you, the PRO X Wireless is equipped with Blue microphone tech, plus has a really nice design and sound quality. Plus, it’s wireless.
- Razer BlackShark V2 Pro. It’s also a wireless gaming keyboard but comes with a 3.5mm if that’s more important to you. And oh, I also love that volume knob and the lightweight design.
Gaming Ultimate Gifts
- GIGABYTE AORUS 15G Gaming Laptop. It’s probably the ultimate gift for a gamer this year if you are happy to pay for it. This gaming laptop performs really well even when gaming for hours, has fast performance, plus a mechanical keyboard that is rare to have in a laptop.
- Sony PlayStation 5. I think this requires no explanation and every console gamer wants it (well unless he/she is playing on Xbox). There is a Digital Version too if you are on a lower budget. With exclusive PS5 games like Harry Potter Hogwarts Legacy, it’ll be a perfect gift to console gamers.
- BenQ EX2790Q Gaming Monitor. It’s a 27″ QHD IPS (1440p) with 144Hz refresh rate, plus FreeSync and G-Sync compatible. While it doesn’t have the highest refresh rate like 320Hz or even 240Hz, it’s a worthy monitor. Plus, its built-in stereo speakers are pretty good that I’ve decided to ditch my desktop speakers altogether.
Christmas gift idea for the budget conscious (under $100)
Okay, so most of the gift ideas above cost in hundreds, if not thousands. If you are looking for something that doesn’t break your wallet, we’ve still got a few things for you to check out and recommend.
- LASER CONNECT SmartHome smart bulbs (A$10). These are definitely the most affordable smart bulbs with Alexa and Google Assistant support. Definitely make a great gift even during a Kris Kingle!
- Amazon Echo Dot with Clock (A$79). The new Echo Dot with Clock has a cool sphere design, with that same, iconic digital clock. A nice addition on anyone’s bedside table with built-in Alexa.
- Apple Beats Flex (A$79). It’s Beats earphones but they don’t cost a lot – which can be surprising for some. While there are other better sounding earphones out there (but cost more), Beats Flex is affordable while still having that ‘Beats’ brand.
- Cygnett GoStick Bluetooth Camera Selfie Stick & Tripod (A$59.95). It’s a selfie stick and also a nice tripod for your smartphone. It is also very handy while you are working from home as you can use it for video calls, etc. The new, updated model also supports heavier phones now like the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
- Belkin BOOST CHARGE Dual USB-C PD GaN Wall Charger 68W (A$89.95). A great, all-around wall charger that can fast-charge your devices, including phones and also modern laptops.
- Belkin BOOSTCHARGE Wireless Charging Stand + Speaker (A$99.95). If you are looking for something more exotic, this is a cooler way to charge a phone, plus has a built-in speaker so you can listen to music or even watch videos while the phone is being charged.
- Ring Indoor Cam (A$99). A security indoor camera that can be used anywhere in the house or office. Also a great gift if they own a shop or perhaps just moved to a new house.
- A PS4 Game like Ghost of Tsushima and The Last of Us Part II won’t cost a fortune and would make any PlayStation gamer happy.
