Gifts for teenage girls

The widths go by code, from 005 (0.20 mm) for hatching to 08 (0.50 mm) for outlines and headings. Sakura’s Pigma ink is fade-resistant and quick-drying, won’t bleed through most papers and sits happily under a watercolour wash; give it a moment before rubbing out the pencil underneath.

• 6 black widths, 0.20–0.50 mm
• Waterproof, fade-resistant pigment ink
• Fine enough for hatching

What owners say: Owners use them for writing, drawing and outlining, with no bleeding or feathering, and like the spread of tip sizes. How long the ink lasts is the mixed point.

Long flexible teeth ease the knots apart while short ones smooth the hair behind them, and with no handle it moves through the hair like a hand, in or out of the shower. Work a section at a time on towel-dried hair with short strokes, and every so often pull out the trapped hair and rinse the teeth in warm, soapy water.

• Two tiers of flexible teeth
• Best on regular, flyaway hair
• Fits in the palm

What owners say: It gets through every tangle gently, owners say, children’s hair included, and feels like a scalp massage on the way. With no handle, the grip suits some hands better than others.

It holds 10,000mAh and gives up to 45W, though only a phone or tablet that supports that speed gets it; others charge at their own top rate. At 184 g (6.5 oz) it suits a coat pocket, and the cable unclips. A 27W wall charger refills it in under two hours, by INIU’s figures, and the little flashlight earns its keep in a dark bag or a power outage.

• 10,000mAh, up to 45W
• Weighs 184 g (6.5 oz)
• Built-in phone stand

What owners say: Owners keep one in a work bag and say it charges phones quickly, and its small size and light weight win praise.

The pigments are lightfast, and colour-coded wood casings make each shade quick to find. Build colour in light layers rather than pressing hard on the first pass, then finish with a heavier layer, called burnishing, for a smooth, polished surface with no paper showing through. The pencils arrive pre-sharpened and suit children and adults alike.

• 48 pre-sharpened colours
• For children and adults
• Soft, thick cores

What owners say: Owners love the rich colours and the soft, buttery feel of the leads, and say they blend beautifully. Breakage is the sore point, with some finding the leads snap again and again.

Heads up: The soft cores can break inside the wood if the pencils are dropped, so keep them in the tin and use a sharp sharpener.

The aluminum pole reaches 168 cm (66 in) and stands about 48 cm (19 in) on a desk when pushed in. A ball head angles the phone, the clamp locks in portrait, landscape or at 45°, and a cold shoe takes a clip-on light or mic. Phones 5.6 to 9.1 cm (2.2 to 3.6 in) wide fit, so measure the phone in its case first: a chunky rugged case can be too wide.

• Reaches 168 cm (66 in)
• Bluetooth remote included
• Locks portrait, landscape or 45°

What owners say: Owners find it sturdy and steady for its light weight, with a remote that works well and a height and angle that are easy to set; it packs down small, and one takes it hiking and camping.

IP67 keeps out sand and water. Two of them make a stereo pair: connect one to the phone, then hold the Bluetooth button on both for two seconds, and they play left and right in a tent or a hotel room. A USB-C cable comes in the box but no wall plug, so a phone charger or a laptop does the job, and Anker covers it for 24 months.

• Waterproof, dustproof and floats
• Up to 20 hours playtime
• Palm-sized

What owners say: The battery is what owners rave about, some saying they never come close to running it down. It’s small enough to travel well and loud for its size, though durability divides them.

It holds 355 mL (12 oz), a small café order, and keeps drinks hot for up to six hours or cold for a day, Owala says. Close the slider all the way before it travels. The lid goes in the dishwasher; the cup is washed by hand.

• Hot up to 6 hours
• 355 mL (12 oz) tumbler
• Wide, mug-like spout

What owners say: Owners rate the no-leak lid, how well it holds the heat and the size, which suits coffee on the go and slips into a car cup holder; it cleans easily, though not everyone is sold on the price.

It reads generic and maker-specific engine codes, pending ones included, and shows live sensor data and the freeze frame. The two-line screen is backlit with adjustable contrast for a dark dashboard, and it reads out the VIN and calibration IDs, a useful check that the engine computer matches the car when buying used. Menus come in eight languages, French among them, and it lives happily in the glove box.

• Shows what each code means
• 8 languages, including French
• Shows VIN for used-car checks

What owners say: It handles everything owners needed and more, and plugging it in is about all it takes: it tells them the code and finds it quickly. Several are surprised how much it does for a small reader.

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They switch to whichever one starts playing, the battery lasts 40 hours with noise cancelling on, and five minutes’ charge gives four hours. Flip to Transparency mode before crossing a street or listening for a station announcement. There’s no case in the box, just a 1.2 m (4 ft) audio cable and a short USB-C cable, so a soft pouch is worth adding for a backpack.

• 40 hours with noise cancelling
• 5 minutes gives 4 hours
• Four mics for noise cancelling

What owners say: Clear, full sound and noise cancelling that does its job win owners over, and one charge carries them a long way. Durability is the one thing they disagree on.

It works shampoo into an even lather while your nails stay out of it, and HEETA makes it for thick or thin, curly or straight hair. Being all silicone, it needs only a rinse and a shake after each wash and sits on a shower caddy between them; on dry hair, work it in slow circles over the crown for a quick massage at a desk or on the couch.

• Soft silicone bristles
• Works in the shower
• Spreads shampoo to the roots

What owners say: Soft and comfortable on the scalp, owners say, never scratchy, and it leaves the scalp feeling clean; they like how fast it rinses off afterwards.