25 Gifts for the Best Mom You Know
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Moms are people, too. They love their kids but also have plenty of their own hobbies (cooking! running! gaming!), and they deserve gifts that honor them as people, not just as parents. Gifts for Mom shouldn't be about giving her a vacuum or anything related to the stereotypical cleaning tasks of parenthood—a perfect gift for your mom will show you know how she likes to spend the rest of her hours when she isn’t parenting.
This guide has the best gift ideas around for all kinds of moms and the activities they might love, whether it’s a holiday like Mother’s Day or Christmas or you’re in a need of a fun birthday gift for your mom—or, God forbid, your mother-in-law. (Unless your mother-in-law is great! In which case, mazel tov!)
Looking for mom gear to help your favorite mama out? We have guides on everything from breast pumps and strollers to the best baby gear for that first year. Don't forget to check out our guides for coffee lovers, working from home, and being constantly cold if you’re looking for something a little more specific.
Updated December 2024: We've added new gifts to this guide.
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- Photograph: Brenda Stolyar
For the Reader Mom
Amazon Kindle (2024, 11th Generation)Amazon has four new Kindles, refreshing the entire line in a bigger way than it ever has before. There are three updates to its existing lines with a new Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, and Kindle Scribe, plus the first-ever color Kindle, the Kindle Colorsoft (7/10, WIRED Recommends). And you know what Mom wants? A new Kindle, probably. I have the 2022 Kindle and while WIRED reviewer Brenda Stoylar says it's not that different from the new basic Kindle, I'm absolutely putting the matcha green color on my Christmas list. If you know a mom who loves to color code her notes, she might love an upgrade to the Colorsoft, which allows for colorful highlights as she reads.
If she doesn’t need an all-new Kindle, I love using the Lamicall Tablet Holder ($28) to hold up my Kindle for me as I read. I have wrists cysts (nicknamed Mommy's Wrist cysts!) that usually make it painful to hold even a lightweight Kindle up for too long, but this handy holder takes that pain away. It latches onto nearby tables or furniture, or you can gift the floor stand ($70) version.
- Photograph: Nena Farrell
For the Sleepy Mom
Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300Being a mom requires a lot of energy, which makes a good night's sleep pretty essential. I test about tons of sleep gear, from mattresses and sheets to sound machines, but my biggest necessity for a good night's sleep—and waking up without feeling like the walking dead—is a sunrise alarm clock. A sunrise clock will gently rouse you from sleep by slowly brightening over the course of a set time (think 20 or 30 minutes) and playing gentle music once it's brightened. The best ones also have a bedtime routine, letting be lulled to sleep by a dimming light and sounds of your choice. There's a lot of great sunrise alarms out there, but the Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300 is my giftable go-to with its sleek shape, fabric base, bright light you can use as a bedside lamp, and wind-down and wake-up routines. It's not too expensive, either, compared to others that have the same features for more. The only downside is that it only tells military time.
Best for Sound: The Hatch Restore 2 ($170) is similar to both Lumie models, but has more sounds and an app to control your routines. I love the Hatch Restore for falling asleep, but it's not quite bright enough to make me wake up like the Lumie sunrise alarms are.
- Photograph: Medea Giordano
For the Skin Care Mom
Dr. Dennis Gross SpectraLite FaceWare ProIf your mom is worried about anything from acne to aging, there's a cool gadget to help with that. LED masks are all the rage these days, and our favorite ones pack both a red light mode to fight aging and a blue light mode to fight acne. The Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite Faceware Pro is a great choice for moms because not only does it combine both treatments into one, letting you treat both concerns at the same time with this combination mode—most will make you do one and then the other—but the SpectraLite's treatments are only three minutes, whereas most others will require 10 minutes. As a mom, any chance you can take better care of yourself and do things quickly is the best combo you could hope for. It's one of the more comfortable masks we've tested, too.
- Photograph: Nena Farrell
For the Low Battery Mom
Twelve South ButterFly SE 2-in-1 ChargerThis cute little unit can charge both an iPhone and an Apple Watch at the same time, and it folds up neatly when not in use. It feels like the perfect charger to have in a drawer or a purse for those moments of need, but I find I use it near daily since it's so compact. If a mom in your life can't seem to remember to pack a charger, give her this one—and grab a cute color to make her want to remember it.
- Photograph: Dad Brand Apparel
For the TV-Loving Mom
Dad Brand Exec Producer HatIf the deep double chime of Law & Order is constantly playing in the halls of your mom's home, she needs this hat. I bought it for my best friend a few years ago, and she's still wearing it everywhere—I watched three people compliment it in one week (though one of them was me). Dad Brand also makes hats for our fellow Sopranos-, Succession-, and White Lotus-loving moms. A hat that simply states Your Mom will also work if she prefers straight facts over great TV.
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For the Cozy Mom
Casper Snoozewear Blanket RobeSome of us are always cold. (We've got a guide for that!) Some of us are often cold but don't want to be too warm either and struggle to stay warm enough without getting sweaty. Well, if you're like that, so am I, and I have our perfect accessory: the Casper Snoozewear Blanket. It looks like a down comforter, but it's shaped like a very oversize house coat (with pockets!) that you can wrap around you and wear as you wander around the house, lay on the couch, or huddle in the office pestering your husband for another cup of tea. I love it since it leaves my legs to stay cool but keeps me just warm enough with my upper body nice and wrapped up. The leg-free design makes it easy for me to move around without needing to shed my cozy layer. Plus, I also feel like a giant marshmallow.
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- Photograph: Beis
For the Sporty Mom
Beis The Sport CarryallMaybe Mom has picked up a new sport hobby, like pickleball or a dance class. Maybe she already loves these things but carries all her gear—whether that's paddles and balls or dance shoes or a yoga mat—in an old tote bag or a falling-apart gym bag from who knows when. As a mom with a new sporty hobby (aerial dance!), I found myself constantly scrounging for a tote bag to carry my water bottle and various accessories, until I tried the Sport Carryall from Beis. It's got lots of pockets and a yoga-mat-friendly design for the days I remember my mat for stretch sessions, or the same pocket can become a pickleball paddle holder. It's a great bag that can be used for both whatever her current hobby is and transform with her when she discovers her next sporty obsession.
- Photograph: Nena Farrell
For the Analog Mom
Printique Photo AlbumIf a mom in your life always wishes she had more physical photographs but doesn't have the time to print or organize them, Printique's beautiful photo albums are a perfect solution. I finally printed my wedding photos from three years ago (oops!) with a Printique book, and it has made me so happy to finally have these photos somewhere I can pull off the shelf and enjoy. Printique's program is easy to use. It connects to Google Photos to pull pictures you might want to add and has tons of layouts that you can just plug pictures into. I did the new silk album, which gives it a silky cover, and there's other options like velvet and leather. It's a great gift to give, and I'm hoping to be gifted many more of these with phases of my family together.
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For the Tea-Loving Mom
Art of Tea Colored Glass Tea CupDoes your mom have a teacup collection like my mother and I do? Or does she love clear, chic glassware? Art of Tea's glass teacups are my new go-to for my daily cup of tea. They're beautiful to look at and comfortable to hold, and they hold just the right amount of tea for a well-brewed cup. (And they’re dishwasher safe!) If you think she already has too many teacups, Art of Tea’s Iced Tea Bundle Kit ($37) lets her brew delicious iced tea in a container worth putting on the tea table.
- Photograph: Nena Farrell
For the Nerdy Mom
Crow & Crown D&D Character JournalIf your mom loves to roll dice and watch Critical Role, do I have the gift for her. One of my most precious and unique gifts I've gotten in recent years were these gorgeous gaming journals from Crow & Crown. They're designed to replace your character sheet in Dungeons & Dragons, taking a frankly hideous piece of paper and turning it into a much easier to use (and much prettier to look at!) little journal for any role-player mom to track her character's abilities and supplies. The Bag of Holding Tote ($20) is also just begging to be gifted.
- Photograph: Nena Farrell
For the Stoner Era Mom
Nowadays Cannabis Infused BeverageIf Mom's looking to get a little more relaxed these days with the help of some THC, my go-to has become Nowadays THC spirit. Not only does it taste great, with a light, sweet profile that sits somewhere in between a floral gin and a fruity sake, but it's infused with either 2, 5, or 10 milligrams of THC (per 1.5 ounces), depending on which bottle you buy. I chose the 2-mg Micro Dose option, and it's been fun to bring to parties to mix into a drink and be able to enjoy a couple of cocktails before the buzz kicks in. It's great on its own or mixed with seltzer like a gin and tonic. I can't recommend it enough if you're looking for something to help you relax.
- Photograph: Lo and Sons
For the Purse Mom
Lo & Sons Aoyama BagI've seen many a purse gift go wrong in my family. The Aoyama caught my eye because it can avoid the pitfall of getting the wrong kind of purse by the power to transform into four different styles. That's right! Four purses in one!
Well, four strap styles, at least. The crescent-shaped, leather bag itself won't change, but it's a timeless look that takes the popular Baggu bag and gives it an upgrade. The bag comes with two straps, one short and one medium length, and you can use each strap individually, both together to create a crossbody, or skip the straps and clip the tops of the purse for a large clutch style. I've been loving the short strap for an easy over-the-shoulder bag, and it's a good size to fit everything from my necessities to my toddler's snacks and even his water bottle.
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- Photograph: Nena Farrell
For the Matchy Mom
Birdy Grey Pauly Oversized Hoodie and Shorts SetThis cute hoodie and shorts set from Birdy has become my favorite thing to wear when lounging around the house or working from home. It's from a wedding website and is designed to be customized with things like “Bride” on it, but I added the word “Mama” to my sweatshirt instead and—bam!—it’s mom-ready gear. It's lightweight enough that I don't get overheated wearing it all day, and it has a texture like terrycloth on the inside. The sweatshirt is just a touch oversize, while the shorts fit nicely and are long enough to not be hidden by the sweatshirt. It comes in a couple of cute colors and costs only $6 more to add a personalized phrase to it.
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For the Scatterbrained Mom
Chipolo Card SpotIs her wallet missing again? Or her keys? Get Mom a Chipolo Bluetooth tracker. Chipolo makes three different series, in two different form factors, that work with different operating systems. The One ($25) works with Chipolo's app, the Point ($28) works with Google Find My, and the Spot works with Apple Find My. I get instant alerts when my phone notices I left it behind somewhere that isn't my house. which is a little more versatile; the small, round tracker has a hole so you can clip it to your keys or even a backpack. Now she can find everything—as long as she can find her phone, of course.
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- Photograph: Nena Farrell
For the Hyper-Organized Mom
Plum Paper A5 PlannerPaper planners are great, and Plum Paper’s has been fun for me to use as a mom because I can customize it and add a section for just my son to each day. I like writing in things like if I'm on pickup duty or when his appointments are, and it's nice seeing it separated from the rest of my to-do's and tasks. There's also lots of baby-themed add-ons, from extra pages to stickers, along with other themed pages like cleaning lists, meal planning, shopping, and exercise tracking, so you can balance organizing family tasks along with personal interests.
To make it, choose the A5 Planner with the Vertical Priorities layout, and you'll need to add on the $6 customization. There's a lot you can customize there, but you might want to leave everything blank except writing in her kiddo's name in one of the two daily sections. For my planner, I wrote my son's name for one section and Top To-Do's for the other, but I wish I had labeled it with meetings or appointments.
- Photograph: Birthdate Co.
For the Astrology Mom
Birthdate CandlesI love Birthdate Co.’s candles so much that I got one for each of my friends. Each one has a custom scent designed for that day of the year and includes various birth-date knowledge on the label, including astrology details, which makes for a great personalized gift. You can gift her her own birthday or a child’s birthday (or both!) so she can commemorate two of the most important days of her life and geek out on the fun information the candle has for that day of the year.
- Photograph: Nena Farrell
For the Photo-Crazy Mom
Aura Walden 15-Inch FrameIf Mom has takes too many photos she could ever enjoy, get her an Aura frame she can watch them on whenever she likes. The Aura app makes it easy to quickly upload photos from your camera roll or Google Photos, and it'll let her know if she's already uploaded that photo, too. Aura makes several digital photo frames, but I liked using the Walden because the 15-inch screen makes it easy to enjoy the photos from across a large room. It's also thinner than other digital photo frames, and comes with the option to wall mount it or place it on a tabletop.
- Photograph: Amazon
For the Hydrated Mom
Owala 40-Ounce TumblerIf you're worried about lead in your mom's Stanley cup, replace it with one of our favorite reusable water bottles, the Owala Tumbler. It can do everything the popular Stanley can, without any lead in its manufacturing process. It'll keep Mom's water cold all day and fits into most cupholders and even some stroller organizers. You can drink with the straw or use the chug spout in the lid. Owala is constantly dropping fun, limited-edition colors, so keep an eye out for special colorways your mom will love. If she'd prefer a true reusable water bottle with no straw, Owala's FreeSip ($38) is another fantastic, colorful option. You can even get kiddo a matching one ($23).
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For the Stroller-Era Mom
7AM Enfant Stroller OrganizerAfter testing dozens of strollers, I'm shocked to tell you that many of them do not come with cup holders. Or the ones that do can't handle my big, dumb cup. If you know a mom in her stroller era—that is, her kid is anywhere from newborn to around 5 years old, so they fit into a stroller—get her this fantastic universal stroller organizer. I've used it on everything from travel strollers to the ever-popular Uppababy Vista V2, and it really is universal to strap on with the Velcro straps and start strolling. It's big enough to fit two dumb cups, or in my case usually one big dumb cup for mom and one kiddo water bottle. The purse-like straps make it easy to carry around off the stroller, so the mom you gift it to (or yourself, I don't judge) can bring it inside to load it up, and carry it with it around her wrist so she's semi hands-free getting out the door.
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For the Shower Mom
Brooklinen Super Plush RobeI don't think I've ever showered so often as I do now with a toddler. Between day trips to the zoo, hitting the beach, and the occasional flying yogurt, I'm constantly hopping into the shower to rinse off the latest insanity of the day (or fifteen layers of sand already in my hair at 11 am). I find myself often grabbing my Brooklinen Super Plush Robe to wrap around myself to feel extra cozy and clean, and it's especially handy so that I can focus on drying my hair while the robe helps soak away the shower water from my body. Brooklinen has a ton of robe designs and colors perfect for any mother and bathroom.
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For the Chef Mom
Papier Recipe JournalWhile I like that smart displays can show me online recipes, some of my favorite recipes are handed down by word of mouth or family members, or my husband and I have edited them for our own perfect version. If your mom has her own special recipes, get her a beautiful recipe book from Papier where she can write them all down. These recipe books are well-made and lovely to look at, and something she can treasure as a keepsake and use for years to come. I have one for my own recipes that I'm slowly filling in.
Or, if your mom has various sheets of paper that hold her recipes (cut-out magazine pages! Recipes my dead grandmother wrote down! Weird notecards!) and isn't likely to rewrite her recipes, get her an organizer to keep them all in. I got this one ($22) for my parents and am so happy to see all their battered pieces of paper stored safely to use.
- Photograph: Amazon
For the Bath-Bomb Mom
Aquala Bathtub CaddyI love bubble baths to relax, but unlike my kid, I need more than just a field of bubbles or a colorful bath bomb to keep me entertained. The Aquala's Bathtub Caddy is my favorite bath tray I've ever tried. I can balance a Kindle or book, glass of wine, and a candle on it. It's easy to adjust to any bath size with the adjustable arms, and the wire arms make it both compact to store and easy to move in or out of the bath without worry of smacking myself in the face with a giant all-wood tray. It’s sleek enough to leave out as some casual home decor too. Just make sure Mom's tub has at least a half-inch lip on both sides where the tray can balance.
- Photograph: Nemo
For the Outdoorsy Mom
Nemo Equipment Helio Pressure ShowerWhen I think about a portable shower, I immediately lose myself in fantasy by thinking about how amazing it would be to go to the beach and rinse off my family, without sand migrating all over the car and everyone bitching about how itchy they are for the entire drive home. Several WIRED surfers already own Nemo’s version, which packs down to fit in the trunk, is easy to refill, stands on its own feet, and has an 11-liter capacity, which is enough for a 5- to 7-minute hands-free shower. It’s also black, so you can fill it and let it sit in the sun to warm up if you’re feeling very bougie, or you can rinse off dogs, paddleboards, or whatever else has gotten completely disgusting. (Everything. The answer is everything.) It also has a lifetime warranty. —Adrienne So
- Photograph: Ryan Waniata
For the Overstimulated Mom
Anker Soundcore Space A40Being a mom is noisy. Kids are loud, everyone wants your help, someone is always touching you, and there is always something sticky. If your mom needs to unplug and recharge, the Space A40 earbuds from Anker (8/10, WIRED Recommends) are a great noise-canceling set of earbuds to gift her that won’t break the budget. She’ll get all the features of a nicer set of earbuds and finally get a little peace and quiet. Or you could just get her a set of earplugs.
- Photograph: Calpak Travel
For the Travel Mom
Calpak Clear Cosmetics CasesCalpak's clear cosmetics cases have gone viral for a reason. The cases come in three sizes—small ($75), medium ($85), and large ($95)—and multiple color options for the top and edges around the clear plastic body of the cases. The small is great for a purse or a gym bag, if you needed to throw a little makeup and deodorant stick somewhere secure, or some travel-size bottles. The medium is big enough to use for everyday makeup and hair items as well as any trips your mom or mom friend might go on—I have five large hair clips, lots of makeup, and a full-size hair brush inside my medium case. The large is the size I'd buy for my own mother, because no case is ever big enough for her, whether she's traveling or just organizing all her makeup in her bathroom drawers. If you want to look at more picks, check out our guide to the Best Toiletry Cases.
