mother’s day is now less than a week away. If you haven’t bought a gift for the mother figure in your life, we’re here to remind you that it’s time to get moving before May 14th. To help you speed up the process, we’ve found great deals on a variety. of gadgets we think would make great gifts, including weighted blankets, coffee machines, e-book readers, and more. You know, that way you can use the money you save to justify the added cost of expedited shipping.
Looking for more gift ideas? Take a look at our summary of Mother’s Day gift ideas.
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Weighted blanket offers
WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano says it’s the best weighted blanket has she ever tried. It’s on the firmer side and feels heavy (we tested the 20-pound blanket), but the weight is evenly distributed and the lack of padding keeps it from bunching up in one area. The open knit design is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also allows air to circulate to prevent you from feeling too hot.
Use code XOXO15 to see the discount at checkout. For moms who prefer a smaller blanket but still want the extra weight, we recommend Baloo’s mini lap blanket. Its compact size makes it ideal to use at the office or to take with you while traveling.
A comfortable garment is a necessity for everyone moms. It can help make those busy mornings a little more bearable and quieter evenings more relaxing. This one from Therarobe is heavy. It’s not for running around the house, but it’s great for laying on the couch or your bed. As with some weighted blankets, the blanket has small glass beads sewn in to help distribute the weight evenly. It is also machine washable.
This blanket received an honorable mention in our buying guide. This is a great cooling blanket for sleeping alone. It’s also thin, which prevents you from feeling hot underneath. It also comes in a variety of weight options, including 10, 12, 15, 17 and 20 pounds.
Use code HAPPYMOM to see the discount at checkout. For moms new to the world of weighted blankets, YNM’s blanket is a great one to start with. It’s lightweight, super soft and comes in some velvet options too.
If you know Mom would prefer a more lightweight option, Gravity’s robe comes with a 3-pound collar so it’s not fully weighted down. It’s also super soft, easy to clean (you can remove the pack of weighted beans to throw in the wash), and the weight is evenly distributed.
Another great blanket for travel, this one folds up nicely and fits into an included bag. It is worth noting that the material is a bit noisy, similar to a sleeping bag. But we still think it’s a good choice.
Home and kitchen deals
The Breville Bambino is a great machine for moms who enjoy the process of whipping up a delicious cappuccino. It’s compact – making it ideal for even the smallest worktops – and it comes with high-quality accessories such as a measuring tool, pestle and stainless steel frothing cup. However, this is not a machine for beginners; there is a learning curve and it requires proper care (like washing out the drip tray and wiping the steaming wand).
We’ve crowned this one the best all-in-one espresso machine in us buying guide. In addition to making espresso, it can grind beans and steam milk. It is also durable. Julian Chokkattu, editor of WIRED reviews, owns this model and says it still works perfectly after more than four years. Its price dropped lower last month, but we still think it’s a good deal.
Moms with an extensive vinyl collection will love this suitcase-style Victrola record player. It has a built-in Bluetooth speaker that you can connect your phone to, along with the ability to transfer the sounds of records to other speakers and headphones. The case is also easy to travel with (the lid can even double as a record holder). For even more savings is the red color option on sale at Walmart for $77 ($23 off).
A smart screen makes for a great companion around the house—you can use it to control smart home devices, check calendar events, video chat with loved ones, and more. The Echo Show 10 is our favorite Alexa-powered option. The 10-inch screen rotates 360 degrees to follow you with the camera while you’re on a call or checking a recipe. You can also use it to play Amazon Prime videos, see what music is playing (with playback controls), and make voice and video calls (with support for Zoom).
A digital photo frame is a great way for Mom to display all her favorite memories without taking up too much space with traditional photo frames. The Carva often drops to $149, but it holds the title of best overall in our buying guide. It has a high quality screen, unlimited storage and is very easy to use. Aura is having a Mother’s Day sale on additional frames, including the Mason Luxe for $229 ($20 off) and the Smith for $349 ($50 off).
The Echo Dot with Clock is our favorite mini speaker. It offers improved sound thanks to a new custom full-range driver and a temperature sensor that enables Alexa to control a smart home device based on the room’s temperature (such as turning on a smart fan if the room is too hot). The small screen is also useful for setting timers and alarms, in addition to checking the time.
If Mom is all about Amazon, she’ll love the Fire Stick TV 4K Max—with menus geared toward the company’s Prime Video app and buying content from its own store. Compared to its predecessor, it’s equipped with more upgrades, including more memory (2GB versus 1.5), a picture-in-picture feature for viewing your security camera feed, and support for Wi-Fi 6. You’ll also ‘ get a few of the highest video quality.
For those not interested in Amazon, Apple, or Google streaming devices, TiVo’s Stream 4K is a great alternative. It uses Android TV, which organizes recommendations based on streaming services, with the ability to search for content across each. If Mom has a Sling or YouTube TV account, she can integrate those, too. It’s been down to this price before, but it’s still a good deal.
Rather than keeping Mom’s precious photos on her phone, Chatbooks will put together a nice book for her to flip through. The service connects to a camera roll, or Facebook or Instagram account. Once it reaches 60 images, you will receive a notification that the book is ready. You will also have the option to edit the book before it is printed and sent out.
Tablet and e-reader offers
For mums who want a basic no frills tabletthe Fire HD 8 is a good choice. Compared to its predecessor, the latest version has a slightly faster processor and a thinner design. Performance is also pretty good, and it packs a lot of battery life. It has dipped as low as $60 in the past, but we still think it’s a good deal. If you prefer more RAM along with wireless charging, the Fire HD 8 Plus is also on sale for $90 ($30 off).
If you’re looking for a tablet with a bigger screen, there’s also the Fire HD 10 Plus. It packs a resolution of 1080 pixels and 4GB of RAM (for smooth performance, especially when using multiple apps). And with support for wireless charging, you can a dock like this to keep it on. It was on sale last month for even less at $120, but it’s still a great deal.
The iPad Mini (8/10, WIRED Recommended) remains my best suggestion if you are looking for the best tablet to travel with. It’s compact, making it easy to slip into a backpack or suitcase, and the 8.3-inch screen is comfortable for streaming Netflix shows or reading e-books. Equipped with an A15 Bionic processor (the same one that powers the iPhone 13), it’s also fast enough to handle demanding apps and games. And with second generation Apple Pencil support, Mom can use it as a notebook or sketch pad. It’s been down to this price before, but it’s still a great deal.
We do not recommend paying full price for this iPad (7/10, WIRED Review). But it’s a great deal at $400, the lowest we’ve tracked so far. The 10th-gen version comes with a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display, a USB-C port instead of Lightning, support for 5G connectivity, and a Touch ID sensor integrated into the power button. It is also powered by the A14 Bionic Chip (the same one in the iPhone 12), which offers smooth performance.
If Mom already owns an iPad but is looking for one a new case, we like this one from Speck. It comes with built-in grooves that allow you to position the tablet at different angles, a removable camera cover, a latch in place of a magnetic cover, and a slot for the Apple Pencil on the outside. This version is for the ninth generation iPad, but it is also available for the Air, 11-inch Pro, 12.9-inch Proand 10th generation iPad.
For some moms, writing out to-do lists and writing notes on paper is essential to stay organized. But having a digital backup can also be very convenient. The Kindle author (8/10, WIRED Recommended) has a large screen that makes it ideal for writing, annotating, drawing and marking up PDFs. With the ability to also read e-books, Mom can free up space in her pocket. If you use code SCRIBE4MOM at checkout, you’ll also receive a $25 e-book credit. This is the lowest price we have tracked so far.
This one is a bit more expensive than the Kindle Scribe, but it is our favorite option for books. Using the stylus, you can mark up e-books and compatible PDFs. This is a great tablet for any moms enrolled in college (like English majors who have to read a ton of books per semester). They can also use it to check out e-books from the local library with a library card.
Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite is our top recommendation for most people. It packs a bright 6.8-inch screen with adjustable warm lighting and is waterproof, making it a great choice for moms who like to read in the bath, by the pool or on the beach. This version dropped a bit lower to $100 last month, but we still think it’s a great deal.
It’s the smallest Kindle available (6.2 inches long and 4.3 inches wide), making it a great option for moms who like to read on the go. It’s important to note that it’s not waterproof, and it doesn’t come with warm lighting or automatically adjustable light like the Paperwhite models. But Amazon revamped it last year, adding double the storage (16GB), a higher-quality screen (300 pixels-per-inch), and a USB-C port. The compact size also makes it comfortable to hold with one hand.
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