Hi-tech Christmas presents don’t have to break the bank. Whether you’re buying for a teenage technophobe or an octogenarian technophile, here's how to find a fun tech gift to fit your budget this festive season.
From a handy Bluetooth key locator costing under £20 to a state-of-the-art home cinema projector at closer to £500, here’s our round up of the best tech gifts for Christmas 2021.
Tech gifts for children
Really R.A.D. Robots Mibro radio-controlled robot
Kids will love the Mibro radio-controlled robot from Really R.A.D. Robot, which has a microphone they can use to communicate in robot form.
And you will love the price: £25 from Argos. Bargain!
Sony PlayStation Classic
Want your offspring to know what gaming looked like back in your day?
You can pick up a miniature re-issue of the original PlayStation console. It has 20 built-in classic games such as Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy VII, for £94.99 on Amazon. Then show them how it’s done!
Gotrax Vibe Electric Kick Scooter
Aimed at nine to 15-year-olds, this foldable electric scooter weighs less than 10kg and has a 200W motor, a LED headlight, and a cruise control setting.
In other words, it’s perfect for zipping around, impressing their friends. Just make sure they wear a helmet and understand where and how they can ride it to avoid falling foul of electric scooter laws. Price: £255 at Ubuy.
DJI Mini 2 Drone
Budding photographers will have hours of fun playing with this user-friendly drone, which weighs under 250g and can fly for up to 31 minutes at a time.
It’s not cheap at around £420, but it is good value for a drone and comes with a 12MP camera and a 4x digital zoom.
Tech gifts for grandparents
Bluetooth tracker
Keeping track of everyday items can get harder as the years go by. Vodafone’s Curve smart GPS tracker can keep tabs on everything, from your keys to your luggage, your wallet to your pet. It might just be the most useful gift you ever buy!
And if you’re quick you could nab yourself a Black Friday bargain. The price is now £15 upfront (was £30), plus £1.50 monthly subscription (was £3) with minimum 24-month contract. Or £6 monthly with no minimum contract. Offer ends 29 November.
Harvest 360 Indoor Garden
Green-fingered plant enthusiasts and keen home cooks alike will appreciate being able to grow fresh herbs and vegetables all year round in this indoor planter with LED growth lights.
You can pick one up from Ubuy for just under £90.
Kindle Paperwhite
The Kindle Paperwhite’s light weight, adjustable text size, and backlit, no-glare screen makes it great for older bookworms – especially those who travel.
You could even fill it up with some classic literature for no extra cost, as many older novels are now free to download. Prices start at around £105 with ads on the home/lock screens and at £115 for the version with no ads at all.
Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug 2
This £100 smart mug will keep your tea or coffee at the right temperature for up to an hour and a half, or all day if left on its charging coaster.
The temperature the drink stays at can be controlled by an app that’s available on both Android and iOS.
Tech gifts for parents
LG CineBeam PF50KS Projector
You don’t have to go to the cinema to enjoy a big-screen experience with this tabletop projector from LG, priced at £499 on the LG website.
Whether you want to snuggle up in front of a film or binge watch your favourite series, you can get all the action in full HD with no need for fiddly wall or ceiling mounting.
It’s one tech gift the whole family is likely to enjoy for years to come.
Nanoleaf Canvas Light Panels Kit
You can change the colour of these app-controlled light panels in the blink of an eye, making them an easy and striking way to alter the mood of a room.
From £69.99 for a four-panel starter pack, they’re a neat way to give a loved one the chance to create some personalised, high-tech art.
Moleskine Smart Writing Set Ellipse
Diary keepers, list makers, and note takers will all love the ease of transforming their scribbles into digital documents with this smart notebook and pen set from Moleskin.
Currently listed at just over £145 on Amazon, it’s an inspired gift for anyone who prefers to jot down their musings the old-fashioned way.
Sony WH-1000XM4 Noise-cancelling headphones
Noise-cancelling headphones can be a godsend for commuters, as well as those in search of some elusive “me time”.
Available at £249 from John Lewis at the time of writing, Sony’s WH-1000XM4 model has an auto-play/pause feature, excellent silencing capabilities, and is lightweight.
For those on a budget, the JBL Tune 750BTNC headphones – selling for around £50 – are also a good option, while earbud wearers should like the Bose QuietComfort wireless Bluetooth earbuds (£179 from John Lewis).
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