The Verge’s 2023 Mother’s Day Gift Guide

Garlic is a well-known staple in many a culinary dish. If you tend to burn through a lot of it, however, it pays to invest in a tool that makes prepping it for your next meal a bit more effortless. Luckily, this durable stainless steel gadget from Joseph Joseph lets you crush and mince cloves to your heart’s content.

Price: $19.99+

Lego Flower Bouquet

Not every mom has a green thumb, no matter how many hours of HGTV they sift through on a Sunday. Luckily, the only thing “green” about Lego’s bouquet is how sustainable it is. The 756-piece kit comes with enough bricks to assemble an array of flowers, from daisies to snapdragons, all without the maintenance.

Price: $48.99

2022 Amazon Kindle

A good hardcover book is hard to turn down, but so is a 16GB e-reader that fits in your purse. Amazon’s latest entry-level Kindle delivers on its promise of portability with a crisp 6.2-inch screen and USB-C support, not to mention the kind of marathon battery life that makes most modern-day gadgets look like relics.

Price: $99.99

AirPods Pro (second-gen)

Gone are the days of shoddy wireless earbuds and spotty reliability. Apple’s latest pair have become a go-to for traveling and general use, with excellent swipe-based controls, rich integration with iOS, and the kind of noise cancellation that lets mom easily swap traffic for the sweet, vengeful sounds of SZA.

Price: $199.99+

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4

It’s 2023, which means mom isn’t beholden to an OG Motorola Razr just because she wants a flip phone. Samsung’s foldable Galaxy Z Flip 4 touts IPX8 waterproofing, a decent set of cameras, and flagship-level performance — a boon for an Android phone with a 6.7-inch screen that’s actually pocketable.

Price: $999.99+

Case-Mate Fuel 30W USB C Wall Charger

If you thought all charging accessories were drab, enter Case-Mate’s recent line of GaN offerings. The see-through wall chargers can deliver up to 30 watts of power via USB-C but, more importantly, come in green, blue, and an assortment of fun colors that harken back to the golden days of the classic iMac G3.

Price: $19.54+

Anker Soundcore Sport X10

In recent years, Anker’s Soundcore brand has become known for providing solid sound and reliability at a price nearly everyone can afford. The workout-friendly Sport X10 earbuds are a terrific case in point, offering powerful bass, flexible ear loops, and an IPX7 rating for water and sweat resistance for less than $60.

Price: $55.99

Azul

Catan is great and all, but if you’re looking for a board game you can knock out with your mom over a cup of coffee, Azul is the way to go. The goal is to accumulate a wealth of points while building an eye-catching mosaic. Despite the simple premise, there’s a subtle level of depth for those who wish to dig in.
Price: $31.91+

Keychron V1

Moms like peace and quiet as much as anyone, but sometimes they just want to make some noise with a proper keyboard. The wired Keychron V1 is one of our favorite mechanical models thanks to its great build quality, RGB backlighting, and hot-swappable switches, which let her choose between tactile, linear, and — yes — ultra-clicky options.

Price: $84+

Hoka Rincon 3

Running shoes are rarely the most stylish piece of footwear in the room, but Hoka’s vibrant wears have seemingly become exactly that in the last several years. This is largely in part to affordable options like the Rincon 3, a running shoe that owes as much to its well-cushioned midsole as its dreamy color combinations.

Price: $125

Apple Watch Series 8

A good smartwatch makes for a good gift, and no offering is better suited for iOS users than the Apple Watch Series 8. Despite being the latest flagship, it’s not drastically different than prior models, but it packs in a bunch of new sensors that allow for marquee features like cycle tracking and Crash Detection.

Price: $329+

Forlife Brew-in-Mug

A bag of Trader Joe’s chamomile tea will only get you so far with purists. If you want to level up your mom’s tea game, why not pick her up Forlife’s stainless steel tea steeper alongside some of her favorite loose-leaf varietals? Trust us, it will be better for her than another triple shot of espresso from the drive-through.

Price: $24+

Bread Ahead by Matthew Jones

Bread Ahead is the kind of book I wish I could have gifted my mom during the onset of the pandemic. It’s filled with a smorgasbord of classic and seasonal baking recipes — some intricate, some not so much — as well as the kind of delicious imagery that makes even the plainest of donuts seem like a foreign delicacy.
Price: $9.99+

The Nettie Set – Double Pack

Pickleball is the new yoga — err, at least in terms of popularity — and Nettie’s two-person set is a great starter pack. It includes two balls, two sweatbands, and two regulation paddles, the latter of which come in an assortment of fun patterns that can add a splash of color when you enter the court.

Price: $127.49+

Hatch Restore 2

Not every gadget hyped on TikTok is a certified banger (surprise, surprise). The Hatch Restore 2, however, is a handsome bedside companion that’s actually worth springing for. It’s basically a smart alarm clock, sunrise lamp, and sound machine rolled into a single device, rendering it a great fit for your mom or for anyone who isn’t a so-called “morning person.”

Price: $199.99

Sonos Era 100

A capable smart speaker can make life for your mom that much easier, especially if she’s one who couldn’t care less for screens. The Era 100, Sonos’ latest Alexa-enabled offering, is a stunner of a bookshelf speaker with support for stereo playback, Bluetooth and line-in, and every music service your mom can think of.

Price: $249

Personalized Family Mugs

There are a million ways to immortalize your mother, though imparting her likeness on a 15-ounce drinking vessel is probably one of the best. Uncommon Goods’ ceramic mugs let you pick from more than 40 characters, skin tones, and small accents, making for a personalized gift that’s far cuter than a mouse pad.

Price: $32

The Verge Rain Jacket

We should be allotted a shameless plug every now and again, especially when we have swag this slick. The Verge Rain Jacket is essentially a packable Champion jacket that comes in either pink or a high-vis green, both of which sport our new logo. Supporting a diehard fan of The Verge dot com has never been easier.
Price: $49.99+

Stanley Adventure Tumbler (40-ounce)

Stanley’s colorful tumbler felt more elusive than a PS5 during the pandemic, which is perhaps a testament to how good a gift it is. The 40-ounce travel mug features double-walled insulation and a comfortable, beefy grip, along with a tapered bottom that lets you easily stuff it in your car’s cupholder before heading out.

Price: $45

Echo Dot (fifth-gen)

If the aforementioned Era 100 feels like a bit much for your mom, there’s always Amazon’s tried-and-true Echo Dot. The fifth-gen speaker provides the same Alexa-based smarts — giving her a quick way to check the weather or throw on NPR — only in a more affordable, less-potent package that now touts a temp sensor.

Price: $44.99

Thera Cane Massager

A proper spa treatment can cost some serious money, but a Thera Cane Massager retails for a mere $39.99. The unique cane-shaped tool is perfect for working out pesky knots and hitting those hard-to-reach muscles in your neck and upper back, especially when you have no one else around to aid in your recovery.

Price: $39.95

An Immense World by Ed Yong

Moms should continue to educate themselves just like anyone else — something Ed Yong’s brilliant nonfiction book about animal senses can surely help with. It’s a remarkable exposé on how animals perceive the world, providing insights into the lives of giant squid, beetles, tree frogs, and all manner of fauna.

Price: $14.99+

Asus Chromebook Flip CX5

Asus’ Flip CX5 is pricey for a Chromebook; however, there’s not much separating it from a midrange Windows laptop. The 2-in-1 machine offers strong specs, a wide port selection, and long-lasting battery life, which makes it a great bet for the mom in need of a daily driver that also doubles as a 15-inch tablet.

Price: $519+

Cotopaxi Cubos Travel Cube Bundle

Post-pandemic travel is on the rise, which is why a set of lightweight packing cubes is a suitable gift for anyone who recently caught the travel bug. Cotopaxi’s handy three-piece set of mesh organizers is a great fit for toiletries, clothes, and other belongings, so long as your mom isn’t one for subtle color combos.

Price: $50

iRobot Roomba i3 Evo

With the Roomba i3 Evo, your mom can take a step back from the chores she’s surely taken up on your behalf. The affordable robot vacuum is nearly as powerful as our No. 1 pick, the Roomba j7, and comes with smart mapping, Alexa support, and a host of features that make it the best bang for your buck option available.

Price: $244+

Stasher Sandwich Bags

Everyone seems to be looking for more ways to be sustainable these days — and your mom is likely no exception. Thankfully, Stasher’s reusable silicone bags come in all shapes and sizes, making them an apt choice for stowing everything from fresh-picked blueberries to whatever she plans on eating for lunch.

Price: $10.39+

Peacesake hand-poured candle

Candles are a timeless gift, even more so when they can be repurposed. Peacesake’s attractive soy-based offerings give off a range of enticing aromas, from cedar to sandalwood, and come in a recycled matte black vessel that may even inspire your mom’s next shot at a succulent (fingers crossed it lives this time).

Price: $38+

Bird Buddy

Your mom doesn’t have to be a self-proclaimed birder to enjoy the Bird Buddy, though knowing the difference between a chickadee and a sparrow wouldn’t hurt. Once set up, the charming camera-equipped feeder identifies and snaps shots of each bird that stops by, supplementing the 5MP stills with insightful facts via an app.

Price: $199

Aura Carver photo frame

Moms are just as nostalgic as the rest of us — sometimes a little more than we’d like. And while you could gift yours a smart display like the Google Nest Hub, Aura’s cloud-connected digital photo frame is a more stylish way to put those memories on display, one that pairs just as well with Android as iOS.

Price: $149+