Gift guide · 12 ideas
Gifts for teens
For the niece, nephew or younger sibling you love but can’t quite read: gifts that land whatever they’re into this month.
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Buying for a teenager you don’t see every day is hard. Their tastes change by the season, they rarely say what they want, and anything that looks chosen by a grown-up is a risk. The gifts that land with almost every 13 to 17-year-old make the things they already do better: music, their room, friends coming over, the long school day.
The first eight ideas are safe bets for boys and girls alike. The last four are for when you know one thing about them: that they game, read, play a sport or draw. Each comes with our pick from one of our top lists, chosen for a teenager rather than simply the top of the list.
Noise-canceling headphones
For the bus, the library and a house where somebody is always talking. Noise canceling shuts it all out at the press of a button, and one charge lasts the school week.
soundcore by Anker Q20i Noise Canceling Headphones
$30–$50
Forty hours of noise canceling on a charge, and a five-minute charge adds four more for the morning you forgot to plug them in. Paired with two devices at once, say a laptop and a phone, they switch to whichever needs them, so a call cuts in without re-pairing.
What owners say: Strong noise canceling and long battery life are the highlights, and they pair easily with two devices. Fit and volume are mixed: many find them snug over the ears, others too loose on the head, and a few say the sound is muffled.
A closer look: Noise canceling only works over Bluetooth, not through the AUX cable, so for a long flight it’s worth downloading movies to a phone rather than plugging into the seat screen. The soundcore app adds an EQ and white-noise sounds for dozing off.
- 40 hours with noise canceling
- 5 minutes gives 4 hours
- Transparency mode
A pocket Bluetooth speaker
Every teenager’s room has a soundtrack. A speaker the size of a palm plays it there, in the shower and at the park, and shrugs off a splash.
JBL Go 4 Portable Bluetooth Speaker
$30–$50
A light speaker at under half a pound, small enough to ride in a jacket pocket and still IP67 against dust and water. JBL builds it partly from recycled plastic, with a grille of recycled fabric.
What owners say: Owners find it far louder than anything this small has a right to be, and pairing never gives them trouble. They take it everywhere; on battery life they’re divided, some impressed and others wanting more.
A closer look: Charging from empty takes about three hours, so plug it in the night before a day out and save Playtime Boost for the last stretch of the evening. For a cookout, a bigger JBL speaker with Auracast can join it and spread the music across the backyard.
- Waterproof and dustproof
- Up to 7 hours battery
- Built-in carry loop
Heads up: JBL also makes the newer Go 5, and still sells the Go 4.
View on Amazon See our top 5 Bluetooth speakers →A flannel sleeping bag
For sleepovers on the living room floor and camping trips with friends: a big flannel-lined bag with room to sprawl. At seven feet long, it still fits after the next growth spurt.
Coleman Heritage Big & Tall 10°F Flannel Sleeping Bag
$50–$75
A big rectangular bag, 84 × 40 in, with 5 lb of Holofill 808 inside a heavy cotton shell and a soft flannel lining. Coleman rates it to 10°F, and its FiberLock construction stops the fill from shifting.
What owners say: Soft flannel, plenty of room for the legs and real warmth on freezing nights are what owners mention most, and the zipper earns praise too, with some saying theirs has lasted for years.
A closer look: Coleman gives a single 10°F rating rather than a comfort range, so on a night near that, wear a warm layer and lay a camping pad underneath, as cold creeps up from the ground. Its Wrap ‘N’ Roll system bundles it up for the trunk, and the whole bag can go in the washing machine.
- Rated to 10°F
- Roomy 84 × 40 in
- Machine washable
Heads up: It weighs 8.9 lb, so it’s one to carry from the car, not on a backpacking trip.
View on Amazon See our top 5 sleeping bags →A color-changing floor lamp
Teens care how their room looks at night, and a lamp that throws slow ripples of color across the ceiling changes it completely. It’s a bright everyday light too, and it works from a phone or by voice.
Govee Uplighter Floor Lamp (H60B0)
$100–$150
Three lights in one: a rotating head that throws moving water-ripple patterns across the ceiling, a strip of color down the middle, and a 1,000-lumen task light, each usable alone or together. It runs from the Govee Home app, Alexa, Google Assistant, SmartThings or Matter, and its white light goes from warm 2,700K to cool 6,500K.
What owners say: The ripples on the ceiling are the showpiece, and owners also use it as an everyday lamp, bright enough to light the room gently. Setup is easy with the guided steps; whether it keeps working perfectly is the one mixed point.
A closer look: Setup needs a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network, and an up-to-date Govee Home app to light the top and bottom sections together. The ripple effect looks best on a plain, pale ceiling, so give it a corner away from ceiling fans and light fixtures.
- App and voice control
- 67 inches tall
- Color strip down the middle
A mini fridge for their room
A desk-sized fridge for a few cans and the skincare that’s meant to be kept cool. Their own drinks within reach is what makes a bedroom feel like their own place.
Cooluli Classic 4-Liter Mini Fridge (cooler and warmer)
$50–$75
The little desk-and-dresser kind: a 4-liter thermoelectric cooler that holds six cans or a shelf of skincare, cools 40 to 45°F below the room and warms to 122–144°F at the flick of a switch. Wall, car and USB cords all come in the box.
What owners say: Quiet enough for an office or a bedroom and roomier than it looks, owners say, taking a six-pack; some had one stop after about six months, and opinions on value vary.
A closer look: There’s no thermostat, so the cold depends on the room: it keeps drinks pleasantly cool on a desk but won’t match a compressor fridge on a hot day. Put things in already chilled, leave space around the vents, and keep fresh food and medicines in the kitchen fridge.
- Holds 6 cans
- Cools and warms
- Wall, car and USB cords
A stovetop popcorn popper
For movie nights and sleepovers, when one microwave bag doesn’t last past the opening credits. Whoever turns the crank gets first pick of the bowl.
Wabash Valley Farms Original Whirley Pop Stovetop Popcorn Popper
$30–$50
A stovetop popper with a crank in the lid that turns a stirring arm, so the kernels keep moving over the heat and pop rather than scorch, and 6 quarts are ready in about three minutes. There’s no motor to wear out, and it makes the buttery or sweet kettle-style popcorn a hot-air machine can’t.
What owners say: Owners say nearly every kernel pops, a huge bowl is ready in about three minutes and children love helping. The plastic gears are the weak spot over the years, and some think it’s pricey for a pot.
A closer look: Warm a little oil with three kernels in, and once they pop, add the rest and turn the handle steadily until the popping slows. Tip it straight into a bowl, then wipe the pot out with a paper towel while it’s still warm rather than scrubbing it.
- Hand-crank stovetop popper
- 6 qt per batch
- Ready in about 3 minutes
A projector for movie nights
A wall-sized screen in their bedroom or the basement, for movies, games and watch parties. This is the big one, for parents, or for aunts and uncles who go in on it together.
WiMiUS P62 Pro Smart Projector
$200–$300
Two HDMI ports, one with ARC for a soundbar, keep a game console and a streaming stick plugged in together, and auto focus, keystone and screen fit set the picture up wherever it lands. It shows native 1080p at 600 ANSI lumens, with Prime Video and YouTube on its own home screen.
What owners say: Bright and clear even with daylight around, owners find, and the auto focus keeps the whole frame sharp, edges included. Everything needed comes in the box, and a Fire TV Stick or Chromecast plugged into it runs smoothly.
A closer look: High mode lifts the picture for a room with a little light, and Standard saves power once it’s dark. Have two AAA batteries ready, as the remote ships without them and there’s no carrying case. Four M5 holes and a center M6 one underneath take a ceiling, wall or tripod mount.
- 1080p resolution
- Brightness 600 ANSI lumens
- Auto focus and screen fit
An insulated water bottle
Teens carry a water bottle everywhere, and which one is a bigger deal than adults expect. A sleek steel one is a bottle they’ll be happy to be seen with.
CamelBak Chute Mag Insulated Water Bottle (20 oz)
$10–$20
A 20-ounce bottle with CamelBak’s magnetic cap: flip it open and it clings out of the way while you drink, then closes again against leaks. Double-wall steel keeps water cold through a workout or a commute, and it all goes in the dishwasher.
What owners say: Ice is still solid at the end of the day, owners report, and they like the magnetic cap and a size that suits travel and everyday use. Some find it dents easily, while others say it holds up fine.
A closer look: The cap opens and stows with one hand, which suits driving or the gym, and the carry loop hooks over a finger. At 20 ounces it slips easily into a bag’s side pocket.
- Holds 20 fl oz
- Keeps drinks cold 24 hours
- Cap stows open while drinking
A mechanical keyboard
If they game or type up homework on a computer, a mechanical keyboard feels and sounds better than a laptop’s. The glowing keys make their desk look like a proper setup too.
AULA F75 Pro Wireless Mechanical Keyboard
$50–$75
A 75% board that connects three ways, through a 2.4GHz receiver, Bluetooth or a USB-C cable, and pairs with up to five devices. A silicone pad and five layers of sound-damping fill soften the sound of its pre-lubed linear switches, and a knob on the corner handles the volume or the lighting.
What owners say: Owners rave about how smooth the keys feel and how bright the RGB lighting is, and one finds it stays firmly planted on the desk. The gradient keycaps catch the eye too.
A closer look: The legends are printed on the front edge of each keycap, so the tops stay clean and the lettering won’t fade under the fingers. Plug in the 2.4GHz receiver for games, switch to Bluetooth for a tablet or phone, and keep the cable for charging.
- Wireless, Bluetooth or wired
- Swap switches without soldering
- Volume and lighting knob
An e-reader
For the one who reads under the covers after lights out. A Kindle holds a whole bookshelf, lights its own page and never pings with a message halfway through a chapter.
Amazon Kindle (16GB)
$100–$150
Small and light at 5.6 oz, with a sharp 6-inch 300ppi screen, a front light 25% brighter at its top setting than the Kindle before it, and dark mode for reading with the lights off.
What owners say: It fits in one hand and goes everywhere, owners say, and the screen size feels just right. Opinions split on battery life and reliability, and some have run into glitches.
A closer look: It isn’t waterproof, so keep it clear of the bath and the pool. Only a USB-C cable comes in the box: a 9W USB power adapter charges it fully in about two hours, a computer’s USB port in about four.
- Weighs just 5.6 oz
- Battery up to 6 weeks
- Glare-free screen
A duffel bag for practice
Practice four nights a week, and the gear has been living in a plastic bag. A proper duffel doubles as the sleepover bag too.
Nike Brasilia 9.5 Training Duffel Bag
$30–$50
Nike’s Brasilia 9.5 keeps it simple: a big zipped main compartment, a ventilated side compartment that keeps shoes and sweaty clothes away from clean clothes, and a coated base against scrapes and spills. It comes in four sizes, 25L to 95L, the Small holding 41L.
What owners say: Owners single out the separate compartment for cleats, and there’s plenty of space for practice gear or a weekend away. They find it tough enough for rough handling, and kids love using it.
A closer look: Choose the size by the gear: the Small takes a change of clothes and sneakers, and the bigger sizes leave room for pads, a ball or a weekend’s packing. The double handles are enough for a quick trip from the car, and the adjustable shoulder strap takes over on a longer walk to the field.
- Holds 41 liters
- Ventilated shoe compartment
- Side water bottle pockets
A drawing tablet
Their notebooks are covered in sketches, so a pen tablet is the natural next step: the laptop or school Chromebook becomes a digital sketchbook.
Wacom Intuos Small Drawing Tablet
$30–$50
A compact 6 × 3.7in pad that leaves room for a keyboard and mouse, with Wacom’s battery-free pen: the tablet powers it through electromagnetic resonance, so the pen has no battery to run flat. It works with Windows, Mac, Chromebooks and Android phones.
What owners say: As a first tablet it wins praise for drawing, design work and online classes, with the hotkeys close at hand. Setup is easy for many and a struggle for others, and a handful couldn’t get it working with their laptop.
A closer look: Registering it with Wacom unlocks the downloadable software offer, which includes a two-year Clip Studio Paint Pro license. The small pad suits a laptop bag and quick sketches; for long painting sessions at a desk, a 10-inch pad gives the arm more room.
- Drawing area 6 × 3.7in
- Works with Chromebook and Android
- Battery-free pen, nothing to charge
Heads up: On Windows and Mac, download Wacom’s driver before plugging it in; Chromebooks and Android phones don’t need one.
View on Amazon See our top 5 drawing tablets →Tips for buying for a teen
- One quick text to a parent or sibling saves a lot of guessing: iPhone or Android, whether they game, and whether they play a sport.
- Charge anything rechargeable before you wrap it, so the headphones and speaker work the moment they’re opened.
- A smaller gift with a gift card or some cash tucked inside is hard to get wrong at this age. Most teens love choosing for themselves.
Photos are illustrative, some computer-generated. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra. How we pick · How this works.
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