Birthday gifts for a colleague under £30
For the card going round the office, or the colleague you sit next to every day: useful presents that don’t overstep.
Price guide: £ under £15 ££ £15–£40 £££ over £40
More ideas: Gifts for colleagues
A present for a colleague should feel thoughtful without being too personal. These are things for the desk, the commute and the coffee break, plus a couple for the hobbies you’ve heard about over lunch.
Every pick comes from one of our top lists, and every pick was under £30 when we checked. Prices move about, so it’s worth a quick look before you buy.
A wireless charging stand
Price band: £For the desk where their phone lives all day: it charges standing up, so messages can be read without picking it up.
Our pick
Anker 313 Wireless Charger Stand (10W)
£10–£20 Price range
It charges a phone standing up, so messages and Face ID work at a glance, and turned sideways it holds the phone for a video. It's Qi-certified and charges through cases up to 2.5mm thick. Anker was started in 2011 by Steven Yang, who had been an engineer at Google.
- Qi-certified
- 10W for Samsung, 7.5W for iPhone
- Portrait or landscape
- Charges through thin cases
- 18-month warranty
What owners say: Owners find it reliable and much easier than plugging in a cable, and like its tidy, modern look.
Heads up: There's no plug in the box: a 9V/2A (Quick Charge) adapter gives it its full speed.
A closer look: On an iPhone 12 or later the camera bump can stop the phone lining up with the coil, so turn it sideways if it won't start. Take off any case with a magnetic plate, metal ring or cards in the back, as those block wireless charging.
A silent wireless mouse
Price band: ££For the open-plan office: a mouse with quiet clicks that switches between the work laptop and the home computer.
Our pick
INPHIC A9 V2 Wireless Gaming Mouse (Silent)
£10–£20 Price range
Silent clicks and three ways to connect (two Bluetooth devices, a 2.4GHz receiver or a USB-C cable), so one mouse covers the laptop at work and the PC at home. It's rechargeable and keeps working on the cable while it charges.
- Silent clicks
- Bluetooth x2, 2.4GHz and USB-C
- Up to 12,000 DPI
- Rechargeable
- Six DPI levels
What owners say: Owners find it works straight out of the box, feels comfortable and switches easily between devices over Bluetooth.
A closer look: One button switches between devices without re-pairing, and the optional Windows driver sets DPI, polling rate and button mapping.
A power bank with its own cables
Price band: ££For the colleague whose phone is always on 5%: a slim power bank with its own cables, so there’s no borrowing chargers.
Our pick
HELLEE 10,000mAh Power Bank with 4 Built-in Cables
£24.50 RRP
Four cables built in, including old Micro-USB, so it charges the Kindle, the earbuds and your nan’s phone without a cable hunt.
- 4 built-in cables (USB-C, Lightning, Micro-USB, USB-A)
- 22.5W fast charging
- 10,000mAh
What owners say: A brilliant little charger for travelling: compact, big capacity, and no cables to forget.
A closer look: Just 1.9cm thick and 11.5cm long, it slips into a clutch bag or the front pocket of a school bag, and the silicone lanyard clips to a backpack strap or loops over your fingers. A full battery holds around two phone charges, enough to cover a long day of maps and photos on a city break.
A mic for video calls
Price band: ££For the one on video calls all day: a simple USB mic that sounds clearer than the laptop’s own.
Our pick
TONOR TC30 USB Condenser Microphone Kit
£20–£30 Price range
The whole kit comes in one box, with a tripod, shock mount, pop filter and a 2m cable, for a lot less than the rest. With no buttons at all it's a simple first mic for work calls, voice-overs or a first go at a podcast.
- Tripod, shock mount and pop filter
- Plug and play, no drivers
- 2m USB-C cable
- Cardioid condenser
- Fits 5/8in boom arms
What owners say: Owners say it makes a big difference to how they sound on calls and podcasts, and that it's plug and play within a minute.
Heads up: There's no mute, gain knob or headphone jack, so set the input level in the computer's sound settings before the first call.
A closer look: It works with Windows, Mac, Linux and PS4, and with an iPad through an adapter, but not with phones or Xbox. The mic and shock mount unscrew from the tripod to go on a boom arm (5/8in thread; a 3/8in arm needs an adapter).
A rechargeable milk frother
Price band: ££For the office coffee fan: a handheld frother for a latte at home, charged by USB instead of batteries.
Our pick
CIRCLE JOY Rechargeable Handheld Milk Frother
£17.99 RRP
A handheld frother that charges by USB-C instead of eating batteries, with a double whisk and a tube to keep it clean in a drawer.
- USB-C rechargeable
- Dual-spring whisk
- Stainless steel shaft
- Storage tube
- Froths in about 20 seconds
What owners say: Owners say it froths all sorts of milk including oat, holds its charge for months and is worth the money.
Heads up: Several owners say it gave up after around six months.
A closer look: Heat the milk first, then hold the whisk just below the surface and tilt the jug slightly to pull in air. It’s handy for whisking matcha, protein shakes and hot chocolate too. Small enough to take to the office or on holiday.
A reed diffuser
Price band: ££For a desk or a home office that could do with a lift: a fresh lemongrass and rosemary scent rather than a sweet one.
Our pick
Valentte Lemongrass & Rosemary Reed Diffuser (100ml)
£18.99 RRP
Made in the UK from a blend of six pure essential oils, with a fresh, green lemongrass-and-rosemary scent rather than a sweet one: good for a kitchen or a home office. It comes beautifully packaged, ready to give.
- 100ml
- Six essential oils
- Lemongrass and rosemary
- Made in the UK
- Gift packaging
What owners say: Owners say it's good quality, with a lovely scent that's strong without being overpowering, looks expensive and makes a good present.
A closer look: Turn the reeds over for a stronger scent or take a few out for a lighter one, as Valentte suggests. The herby freshness suits a kitchen or study, where sweet florals can feel heavy.
Fineliner pens
Price band: £For the colleague who doodles in every meeting or keeps a tidy planner: fineliners in six widths.
Our pick
STAEDTLER Pigment Liner 308 Fineliners (set of 6, 0.05–0.8mm)
Under £10 Price range
Six widths, from a hair-fine 0.05mm to a bold 0.8mm, with long metal tips that run neatly along a ruler or stencil. The pigment ink is waterproof and lightfast, so drawings can be inked over pencil and painted on top.
- 6 widths: 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 0.8mm
- Waterproof, lightfast pigment ink
- Can be left uncapped for 12 hours
- Long metal tip for rulers
- Made in Germany
What owners say: Owners find them excellent for technical drawing and general artwork, and good value for money.
A closer look: Staedtler makes them airplane-safe, with built-in pressure equalisation so they don't leak on a flight, handy for a sketching holiday. For neat lines, keep the pen upright so the metal tip runs along the ruler's edge.
A calligraphy pen set
Price band: £For the one who writes everyone’s leaving cards: easy calligraphy pens for names, labels and place cards.
Our pick
Artline Calligraphy Pen Set (4 nib widths, black)
Under £10 Price range
Felt calligraphy pens in four chisel widths from 1mm to 4mm: no ink, no nibs, no mess. Ideal for place cards, labels and birthday cards. Artline is made by Shachihata, the Japanese stamp and pen maker.
- 4 chisel nibs: 1, 2, 3 and 4mm
- Water-based pigment ink
- Fade, water and smudge resistant
- Doesn't bleed through paper
What owners say: Owners find they work on all sorts of paper, like the choice of nib widths for thick and thin lines, and find them easy to use.
A closer look: Use the 4mm pen for headings and the 1mm for small names on place cards. Because the ink resists water and fading, they're good for garden labels and jars too.
Rechargeable hand warmers
Price band: £For the cold commute and the chilly office: two pocket hand warmers that are recharged rather than thrown away.
Our pick
OCOOPA UT5 Rechargeable Hand Warmers (2-pack)
£14.99 RRP
Two slim warmers, one for each coat pocket, that heat up in two seconds. Perfect for cold commutes and the school run.
- Two ultra-slim warmers
- Heats in 2 seconds
- 3 heat levels
- Rechargeable
What owners say: Surprisingly warm, great for cold commutes, compact and cute.
A closer look: Both warmers charge together from the dual USB-C cable in the box, a full charge taking about 3.5 hours, so an overnight top-up has them ready for the morning. The side buttons work through gloves, and a silicone lanyard lets one dangle from a wrist or bag strap. They arrive in a gift box, which makes wrapping easy.
A Bluetooth tracker
Price band: ££For the colleague who’s always hunting for their keys or laptop bag: a tracker to find it from their iPhone.
Our pick
Apple AirTag (2nd generation)
£29 RRP
Precision Finding points the way to it on an iPhone and, for the first time, on an Apple Watch, and the speaker is 50% louder than the first AirTag's. If a suitcase goes astray, you can share its location with more than 50 airlines, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic among them.
- Apple Find My network
- Precision Finding on iPhone and Apple Watch
- 50% louder speaker
- Share its location with airlines
- Replaceable battery, over a year
What owners say: Owners find it excellent for keeping track of keys, bags and luggage, especially when travelling, and rate it a step up from the first AirTag.
A closer look: Setting it up takes one tap on an iPhone or iPad. There's no keyring hole, so add a key ring or holder to hang it on keys or a bag. Precision Finding needs an iPhone 15 or later (not the 16e) or an Apple Watch Series 9 or later.
A pocket Bluetooth speaker
Price band: ££For desk lunches, the kitchen at home or a Friday playlist: a small, loud speaker that doesn’t mind the rain.
Our pick
soundcore by Anker 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker
£20–£30 Price range
Small enough for a coat pocket, loud enough for a kitchen disco. It’s waterproof too, so it’s just as happy in the bathroom as on the beach.
- 12W with BassUp
- Waterproof (IPX7)
- Bluetooth
What owners say: Excellent sound, more than loud enough for its size, and reliable straight out of the box.
A closer look: Up to 24 hours of play from its 5,200mAh battery means days of bedroom listening between charges. Two drivers give a proper stereo spread, which suits a desk or bedside shelf. After a session in the shower or a soaking at the park, dry it off and let the charging port dry out before plugging it in.
A cocktail shaker set
Price band: ££For the colleague who always organises the after-work drinks: a shaker set on a wooden stand for cocktails at home.
Our pick
SUPERSUN 15-Piece Cocktail Shaker Set with Wooden Stand
£20–£30 Price range
A 550ml shaker, sieve, jigger, muddler, spoons, straws and three pourers standing neatly on a wooden stand: everything for a first home bar in one tidy set.
- 15 pieces
- 550ml shaker
- Wooden stand
- 3 pourers, jigger, muddler, sieve
- Recipe card
What owners say: Owners call it one of the best cocktail kits around, great value and good-looking, with everything needed for parties.
A closer look: The smaller 550ml shaker is easier to handle and ideal for one or two drinks at a time. Put the pourers in the most-used bottles.
Tips for colleague presents
- If a few of you are clubbing together, the tracker, the speaker or the cocktail set makes a present from everyone.
- The tracker only works with an iPhone or iPad, so check what phone they use first.
- Ask for a gift receipt, in case they already have one.
Photos are illustrative. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. How we pick · How this works.
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