Gifts for Grandma

The NBR foam is 1.5 inches thick and 17.5 by 11 inches, enough to cushion knees on gravel and stony beds, and it takes in very little water, so damp ground is no trouble. A textured underside keeps it from sliding. At about half a pound it tucks into a garden tote with the trowel, and a rinse and a shake clean it.

• 1.5 inches of dense foam
• 17.5 by 11 inches
• Water-resistant, wipes clean

What owners say: It’s noticeably thicker than older pads, owners say, and they can kneel on hard ground without pain; one likens it to a soft gel cushion. Some keep one for the garden and another for jobs around the house.

The 13.4 by 9.5 inch board has page clips, and the fold-out back sets six heights and angles: more upright for reading at a desk, lower when standing over the kitchen counter, so the page still faces your eyes. In the kitchen, wipe the bamboo with a barely damp cloth rather than soaking it, and keep it back from the sink. It weighs 1.9 lb.

• Bamboo, 6 angle settings
• Folds flat
• Holds 600-page textbooks

What owners say: Owners praise the quality and read with it in bed or over breakfast; it’s sturdy enough for a 2½-inch hardback Bible and takes small textbooks as well as big books. They like the look and the range of angles, find it a real help for study and say it’s a good value.

The heads resist rust, and the SoftGrip handles ease the strain on wrists over a long session; Fiskars covers them with a lifetime warranty. Break up crusted soil with the cultivator before planting, then use the slim transplanter for bulbs and seedlings and the wider trowel for bigger holes. No bag comes in the box, so hang them by their handle holes somewhere dry.

• Trowel, transplanter and cultivator
• Soft-grip handles
• Eases wrist strain

What owners say: They feel solid in the hand, with a comfortable grip and a good weight, and the heads don’t flex when they meet hard ground. One owner likes having the measurements on the planting trowel.

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Every bomb is wrapped on its own to stay fresh, which makes the dozen easy to share out: one or two tucked into a card or a party bag are a small present of their own, while the remainder wait in the box. Run the bath comfortably warm rather than hot, so there’s no rush to get out while the color and scent spread. They won’t stain the tub.

• 12 bath bombs, 12 scents
• Shea and coconut butter
• Won’t stain the tub

What owners say: The scent wins owners over, and they say the bath bombs leave their skin soft and moisturized. They find it fairly priced.

Heads up: The maker lists eucalyptus, peppermint, lemongrass and lavender oils among the ingredients and doesn’t recommend these bath bombs for children under 10 or during pregnancy.

The infuser sits the leaves well down in the water and lifts out with them once the tea is ready. The pot holds 28 fl oz and is dishwasher-safe, and it looks at home on a tray of cups and saucers. Boil the water in a kettle and pour it over, since Sweejar says the pot isn’t for heating elements.

• Porcelain, holds 28 fl oz
• Dishwasher-safe
• Pumpkin shape, decorated border

What owners say: Owners are taken with the pumpkin shape and like the color of their pot, and say it pours two or three cups, keeps the tea hot and handles loose leaf well. It’s easy to clean and goes with the tea sets they already have.

Cork grips, flip-locks and tungsten carbide tips come on aircraft-grade shafts at 9.4 oz a pole, with adjustable wrist straps and a carry bag. On a long descent, lengthen both poles a couple of inches so they reach the ground ahead of you, then shorten them for the climb back. Stored apart in the bag between hikes, they keep the carbide points off the car’s upholstery and grit out of the flip-locks.

• Weighs 9.4 oz per pole
• Cork grips, flip locks
• Carry bag included

What owners say: Hikers find them sturdy, light, well made and a good value, quick to set with the flip-locks, and credit the extra stability with keeping them upright on rocky trails. The cork grips win praise for comfort.

The hardened steel blade cuts branches up to 1 in, and a cushioned stop softens every close. Hold them with the blade on the side of the plant you’re keeping, so the cut sits close to the bud or branch. When the edge dulls, a few strokes with a sharpening stone bring it back, and a drop of oil on the pivot keeps the action smooth. They’re 8.5 in long.

• Cuts branches to 1 in
• Hardened steel blade
• Every part replaceable

What owners say: Cuts take almost no effort, the blade stays sharp for years, and owners expect a pair to last a very long time. The only grumble is the cost.

Heads up: It’s made for right hands: FELCO’s left-handed version of the same pair is the FELCO 9.

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Four colors run from 2000K amber up to 6000K white, and holding the power button starts a 30-minute timer that switches it off if you drift off mid-chapter. The band is soft silicone, and it works as well for mending by hand as for reading. It weighs 4.3 oz, runs 80 hours or more and charges with the USB-C cable included.

• Worn around the neck
• Runs 80+ hours
• Works for knitting and mending

What owners say: Owners find it comfortable, saying it doesn’t bother the neck, and like how easily the arms point the light where it’s needed. They like the choice of brightness and color settings, that it recharges in a couple of hours, and that it’s useful for working in a dark room too.

The wood is untreated, and grooves inside work like a little ladder so the fledglings can climb out when they’re ready. Assembly needs only a screwdriver, and the outside can be left bare or painted to suit the yard. Each front door opens for a clean-out after the young have flown. Each house measures 6 x 5.2 x 10.8 in.

• Untreated cedar
• 1.5 in entrance hole
• Two houses in the pack

What owners say: Owners praise the solid cedar build and the well-placed pre-drilled holes, and report bluebirds and phoebes moving in; a few have had the wood split.

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TABOR says it suits gardeners with arthritic wrists, since the compound action does much of the work. The hardened carbon steel blade has a non-stick coating, and replacement blades are sold, so it can be kept going for years. Use it for deadwood and storm-damaged limbs, keep the blade square to the branch rather than twisting it, and leave green growth to a bypass lopper.

• Cuts up to 2-inch branches
• Anvil blade for dead wood
• Suits gardeners with arthritic wrists

What owners say: Big limbs are no trouble for it, owners report, and it holds its edge after hard use, with plenty of leverage from the long handles. Weight is the split, as some find it heavier than they expected.