Most folks have some sort of budget they’d like to stick to when it comes to shopping for gifts, especially around the holidays, when everything can add up alarmingly fast. We assembled this list of 50 gifts under $100 following thousands of hours of testing and research (yes, some of that involved eating ice cream), plus some good old-fashioned retail hunting.
If there’s a cook on your list, we have you covered. Outdoorsy? Yes. Ditto for homebodies, travelers, plant parents, and people who just like cool things. Though we made every effort to confirm that all the picks in this guide meet the $100 threshold, prices can dance around a bit—especially around the holidays.
And if you’re looking for more-affordable gifts, check out our guides to the best gifts under $25 and the best gifts under $50.
A new hobby
High-end yarn, beautifully designed instructions with online tutorials, and three dozen color choices make this an especially giftable (though pricey) beginner knitting experience.
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Hand grounds
For those who want an affordable yet high-quality portable hand grinder, the Timemore Chestnut C2 is the best in its class for speed, ease of grinding, and consistency.
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From: The Best Coffee Grinder
For backyard movies
This screen inflates itself in seconds for easy setup and delivers solid picture quality. But you have to contend with drawbacks such as fan noise and a less taut screen surface.
Washable slippers
These modern, mostly cotton Japanese house slippers are machine washable and perfect for shoe-free households (or anyone who wants warm feet).
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Leggings for all
Versatile and flattering, these leggings offer a structured fit, a substantial feel, and medium compression. They’re also available in three lengths, nine colors, and a wide variety of sizes, from XXS to 6XL.
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From: The Best Leggings
Slick steak knives
Sharp, non-serrated stainless blades meet stylish wood handles in these classic French steak knives.
Keep cool
This simple lunch-box-style cooler is insulated with thick closed-cell foam and made from a durable coated nylon.
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From: The Best Coolers
Old-school radio
The WR-15 radio combines an eye-catching retro design with reliable performance, solid build quality, and superb value. Its taller, vertical form makes it look more striking than many competitors.
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From: The Best Tabletop Radios
Music everywhere
This small, round speaker has a natural sound and a cool design, and it’s built to survive outdoor adventures. But it’s a little chunky, and it uses an outdated Micro-USB port for charging.
Elegant gloves
These fancy all-leather gloves are well made and comfortable, look great, and offer above-average accuracy on touchscreens, but they’re more for style than for warmth.
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3D drawing
Comfortable to hold and easy to start using right away, this 3D pen also benefits from 3Doodler’s excellent customer service, and it gives you the option to buy different-size tips.
From: The Best 3D Pen
A little juice
This power bank is small and light, and its rounded edges make it easy to slip into a pocket. It comes in only one color, but it has two built-in cables and enough capacity to charge most smartphones up to three times.
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Professional cutting board
This midsize teak cutting board offers a deep juice canal on one side and hand grooves for lifting and serving.
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From: The Best Cutting Boards
Comfy apron
This loose-fitting pinafore is absurdly comfy, and the thick linen keeps the wearer protected, cool, and feeling kind of French.
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Durable Dutch oven
This inexpensive Dutch oven has easy-to-grip large handles, as well as shorter sides and a wider base, which together allow steam to escape easily, helping to concentrate flavors during cooking. Its design rivals that of pricier models, too.
From: The Best Dutch Oven
Crispier crust
This all-purpose baking stone is best for prolific home bakers, yielding crisp, puffy pizzas, crusty bread, and airy croissants.
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Ice cream delivery
Extra-creamy best-selling flavors— brambleberry crisp, brown butter almond brittle, darkest chocolate, salted peanut butter with chocolate flecks, and salty caramel—from a renowned ice cream maker will delight the 6-year-old in just about anyone.
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The perfect pour
This 1.7-liter kettle heats water quickly and accurately to the various temperatures needed to get optimum flavor from teas and coffee.
From: The Best Electric Kettle
Quick smoothies
Powerful, easy to use, and convenient, this personal blender will save on cleanup time.
Better than plastic
These multipurpose, durable bags seal securely and can hold everything from snacks to prepped ingredients to leftovers to toiletries for travel. And they can go from fridge to freezer.
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Ice cream churner
This frozen-bowl-style ice cream maker quickly churns out dense, creamy ice cream—at a fraction of the cost of most competitors.
From: The Best Ice Cream Maker
A superior slicer
This classic mandoline found in restaurant kitchens all over the world has razor-sharp replaceable blades and a safe hand guard.
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From: The Best Mandoline
Strike a pose
Five millimeters of natural rubber provide plenty of padding for knees and a truly nonslip surface. It’s available in the massive “big” size too.
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From: The Best Yoga Mats
A classic duffle
This midsize barrel bag is for anyone who wants a simple duffle to take to the gym—it’s sturdy enough for the money but has only one main compartment.
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From: The Best Gym Bag
Stay-put earbuds
Those who run outdoors will appreciate that these earbuds fit securely and allow the wearer to hear the surrounding world. However, the sound lacks low-end presence, so the bass can be less bombastic.
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Runner’s pouch
Good for long-distance runners or always-prepared types, this nearly bounce-free waistband has a pocket, loop, and clip for stowing your stuff.
From: The Best Running Belts
Guiding light
This lantern’s rechargeable battery is removable for use with many other Coleman products. It has a USB-C input port and a USB-A output port, and its 1,000-lumen bulb offers six brightness settings to cast a soft, warm glow.
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Family-size sled
The Jet Sled is big, boxy, and capable of holding a lot of riders. It isn’t the fastest sled, but it’s a load of fun for families or groups of friends.
From: The Best Sleds
On-the-go coziness
This cozy, puffy outdoor blanket offers the greatest warmth and durability for the lowest relative weight, price, and size. Plus, it comes in great colors and patterns.
From: The Best Puffy Blanket
Made in the shade
This chair’s big, heavy canopy provides ample sun protection at a campsite or cookout and doubles as a backpack-strap-equipped carrying case.
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From: The Best Camping Chair
A tool for all times
This light and slim multi-tool focuses on well-executed essentials—such as precise, comfortable pliers—and has no fillers. It’s easy to carry daily and built to last.
From: The Best Multi-Tool
It’s not a purse
This spacious neoprene pack is a true blend of fashion and function, capable of holding plenty of stuff (a large wallet, makeup kit, phone) with room to spare.
From: The Best Fanny Packs
Tough sunnies
These sunglasses are ultralight, ultraflat, and ultraflexible, so they’re perfect for traveling—they take up barely any room at all.
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Superior snippers
They’re sharp, durable, smooth, easy to repair, and easy to find. As thousands of gardeners already know, a Felco 2 may be the last pruner one ever buys.
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From: The Best Garden Pruners
Silken dreams
This pillowcase, made from the highest-grade mulberry silk, is lustrous and weighty right out of the box.
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Fave dopp kit
This bag includes a detachable pouch and other organizational options, so packing is easier for both long and short trips.
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From: The Best Toiletry Bags
Slinky robe
This lightweight jersey-knit robe feels soft and slinky, and the three-quarter-length sleeves don’t get in the way. The curve-skimming cut is flattering on different body types.
From: The Best Robes
Bud buddy
In our tests, this aluminum grinder produced the fluffiest and finest results. Its bonus storage compartment and an optional plate for coarser grinds are unique extras worth the added cost.
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May be out of stock
Snacks from Japan
Curated by the online Japanese market Bokksu, this snack box is chock-full of tangy, crunchy, and sweet shelf-stable delights.
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code WIRECUTTER15 for $15 off
Weighted comfort
Smooth against the skin, the Luna blanket looks and feels balanced, especially with the duvet cover (sold separately).
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Card carrying
This tasteful card holder has everything you could want—nice leather, four slots, a cash pocket—and nothing you don’t.
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From: The Best Slim Wallet
Modern vessel
These sculptural earthenware vessels are slip cast in Portugal, painted in food-safe glazes, and beautiful when filled with food or flowers—or just sitting pretty.
Forever flowers
This set offers a bold bouquet with 15 individual stems to build and style in their own vase. And they’ll never wilt.
Hot cuppa
Ohom’s quirky Ui Mug comes with a warming pad that doubles as a wireless phone charger—and it works well in both respects. But it isn’t compatible with regular mugs.
Clear the air
In a small bedroom, dorm room, or office, the compact and affordable Levoit Core 300 performs extremely well and looks great.
From: The Best Air Purifiers
Coffee to go
This lightweight, all-in-one grinder, brewer, and insulated mug works well anywhere—just add beans and hot water.
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Self-watering pots
Houseplants are much harder to kill in these pretty terra-cotta-and-glass self-watering planters, which slowly absorb water to keep soil moist.
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From: Gifts for Plant Lovers
We love finding gifts that are unusual, thoughtful, and well vetted. See even more gift ideas we recommend.
This article was edited by Hannah Morrill and Jennifer Hunter.
Meet your guide
Samantha Schoech
Except for the time she gave a boyfriend her mother’s old toaster for Christmas, staff writer Samantha Schoech has a reputation as an excellent gift giver. She lives in San Francisco with two teens, two cats, a geriatric betta fish, and a bookseller husband. Her first book of short stories, My Mother’s Boyfriends, is coming out in 2024.
Mentioned above
- Looking for a fun project to keep your hands busy while binging the latest season of your favorite TV show? Try these cute, easy craft kits.The Best Fiber Craft Kits for Adults
- We’ve been testing coffee grinders since 2015 and have yet to find a better value than the consistent, reliable, and repairable Baratza Encore.The Best Coffee Grinder
- If you want to get the cleanest, brightest picture for your outdoor movie night, use an outdoor projector screen like Elite Screens’s Yard Master Series.The Best Outdoor Projector Screen
- We assessed the fabric, fit, performance, and style of an array of workout leggings to find six excellent pairs for whatever moves you.The Best Leggings
- After years of research and gallons upon gallons of melted ice, we have picks for hard and soft coolers, plus backpack and high-end roto-molded options.The Best Coolers
- Tabletop radios are as much about style as they are about performance. We have five radio recommendations that appeal to different tastes and budgets.The Best Tabletop Radios
Further reading
Great Gifts for Listening to Music
by Grant Clauser
Everyone loves music, so we researched and tested the best headphones, speakers, and audio gear to give as gifts.
The 32 Absolute Best White Elephant Gifts Under $25
by Dorie Chevlen and Samantha Schoech
Quirky and quippy Wirecutter-approved gifts for laughs, not landfills.
The 59 Best Gifts Under $50
by Samantha Schoech
The very best of our favorite finds under $50, all in one place.
The 54 Best Gifts Under $25
by Samantha Schoech
Great gifts don’t need to cost a lot. Here are the very best we’ve found under $25 so you can give well without spending too much.