The 23 Best Retirement Gifts

Enno Vatti’s 16-by-20-inch National Parks Scratch-Off Poster reveals 63 vintage-style illustrations of the most epic natural wonders: the pink-tinged cliffs of the Grand Canyon, the verdant palms of American Samoa, and shadowy cacti in Saguaro, among them. (The National Park Service covers 425 sites—including monuments and memorials—as well as parks like Yosemite and the Grand Teton, which are contained in this poster.) For a winning pairing, give the poster alongside a National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass.

If your loved one has always dreamed of seeing the Grand Canyon or has long dreamed of watching a geyser erupt at Yellowstone, give them a National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass. With it, they can freely enter the 109 federal recreational sites that charge a daily entrance fee—usually between $10 and $20—and they can bring up to three guests with them. Most parks have accessibility considerations in place, too, so your loved one can find an experience that’s just right for them. When you present your retiree with their pass, take things a step further and help them download the free National Park Service app, one of our favorite apps for getting the most out of a park trip. This way, they’ll be ready for their trip with interactive maps, self-guided tours, lists of amenities, and more.

With age comes wisdom—and lived-in knees. Sturdy, steadying hiking poles are a wise choice for retirees with a penchant for hiking (and for everyone else, too, frankly), and they’re especially useful on pebbly, leafy descents. The Montem Ultra Strong Trekking Poles—our top pick in the category—are made of lightweight aluminum (which can handle plenty of dings), and the EVA foam grips won’t chafe hands (as rubber ones do). Most trekking poles don’t come with rubber baskets and tips, but these poles do (so the recipient won’t have to do any additional shopping). Your favorite recent retiree will be able to immediately hit the trails, with more balance and stability—and less wear and tear on their joints.

Your beloved new retiree may now have more time to mix up cocktails, but they may also prefer to just drink them instead. Our testers tried 50 pre-made cocktails, and the boozy, bitter St. Agrestis Negroni was one of their favorites. The slightly herbaceous and earthy cocktail balances the company’s Campari-like Inferno Bitter Aperitivo with a Torino-style vermouth (a regional style of the sweet fortified wine), along with Greenhook Gin. All your giftee has to do is pop and pour, and if they’re feeling fancy they can drop in an orange twist. After all, retirement is about doing less work, not more.

For golfers looking to crush fellow retirees on the links—or just to improve their stats—this Indoor Putting Green makes practicing between golf-course visits a breeze, especially for those living in cooler climes. The 9-foot-long green has a continuous, automatic ball return, so the golf-loving retiree can endlessly work on their putt while also honing accuracy, alignment, and form. If the recipient doesn't have the space (or an amenable spouse) to leave it out between sessions, the green itself can be rolled up and stored in a closet, which is exactly what staff writer Rachel Cericola’s family does. Her husband and son have had a lot of fun with a similar version for three years and counting.

Lushly photographed and expertly researched, The Most Scenic Drives in America is ideal for new retirees ready to cruise into the non-proverbial sunset. The one drawback to the book is that it was last updated in 2012. We found the routes and primary attractions to be unchanged, however, and as a source of inspiration for amazing drives, this guide is best in class. (Your gift recipient should of course do their own research for specifics like park and museum hours.) For each suggested destination, the book provides a predicted mileage, historical context, and un-touristy pit stops. This is an indispensable guide for almost anyone who hopes to see more of all 50 states, including Hawaii and Alaska. Don’t be discouraged if it initially lands on your favorite retiree’s coffee table—it will soon be dog-eared and sun-bleached in their passenger seat.

Supervising editor Hannah Morrill first heard of the Pedigree Stainless Digging Spade With Treads mid-pandemic, on British gardening legend Monty Don’s Gardeners’ World. That spring, she gave one to her partner, and it has since become the most-used tool in the shed. (No surprise that Don won’t even let his friends touch it.) Though the carbon-steel edge is sharp enough for splitting unruly perennials or chopping tough roots, the spade is also sturdy enough for digging big holes and planting trees. Most importantly, the forged spade comes with a 25-year warranty, and if the handle gets left in the rain, your loved one can easily replace it.

For a latent photo buff yearning to be reawakened in retirement, the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV, our top-pick mirrorless camera, would be an excellent creative motivator. A quick primer for non-photographers: Mirrorless cameras yield better images and provide more functionality than smartphone cameras, but they aren’t quite as complex as DSLRs. This Olympus model offers excellent autofocus and stellar stabilization, and due to its handy size, it won’t be too clunky for your loved one to lug around on scenic hikes. If your gift recipient is relatively tech-savvy, they’ll also appreciate using the Wi-Fi functionality to transfer images to a phone for easy, instant sharing. Because this Olympus camera represents a substantial investment, it’s a great option for siblings or grandchildren looking to go in on a big group gift.

Yes, this hat is unassuming. And yes, it’s also essential, especially for an outdoor enthusiast (kayaker, beachgoer, forager) whose profession kept them indoors for the better part of the past few decades. The Columbia Bora Bora Booney II Hat is the also-great pick in our guide to sun hats for hikers, but its inoffensive silhouette and supreme functionality make it a slam dunk for most people. Due to the particularly generous band of mesh, this hat is pleasantly breathable, and its wide, firm brim stands up to powerful rays. There are two size toggles—along the crown and at the chin—so you needn’t know the recipient’s head size to nail a great fit. Intrepid travelers will also appreciate its excellent packability.

Painting requires patience and perspective, so it’s a wonderful pursuit to take up in one’s later years. And for artists of all skill levels, the 36-color Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolors set is one of the best we’ve tested. Made by a 115-year-old sumi-ink manufacturer in Nara, Japan, the paints are neither as sheer as traditional watercolors nor as thick as gouache. As a result, they’re easy and satisfying to work with. The opacity, pigment, and gloss are so impressive that these paints work well even on dark paper. Complete the gift with Strathmore Watercolor Postcards and some Pentel Aquash Brush pens.

A nice fountain pen might be less practical than a ballpoint, but it’s far more enjoyable to wield. Wirecutter director of photography Michael Hession has been building a fountain pen collection for about five years, and he recommends the handsome Pelikan Classic M205 for journaling, sketching, and note-taking. “The feel is perfect,” he said. “It’s smooth with a hint of scratchy feedback—a good thing in my book.” Remember to include a bottle of ink because the pen uses a piston filling system and arrives empty.

By now, your retiree probably has a handle on their decor style, but the MoMA Design Store Irregular Crystal Vase brings a celebratory shine to any space, and it’s sure to become an unexpected conversation piece your loved one will treasure. This prismatic piece is made with lead-crystal glass that reflects and refracts light, so it picks up the colors around it—the recipient can experiment with placing it near colorful books or plants. Though the vase fits in the palm of one’s hand (it’s merely 3 inches tall), it’s sturdy and just the right size to liven up a desk, an end table, or a windowsill with a single bloom.

If your retiree plans on traveling, give them a suitcase that will protect their belongings and look nice doing so. The Travelpro Platinum Elite 21″ Expandable Spinner is Wirecutter’s top pick for carry-on luggage, and it easily holds two weeks’ worth of clothes in its well-organized compartments. This suitcase has a height-adjustable handle and magnetic locking wheels, which together make it easier to maneuver than other models. And it comes with a lifetime warranty against airline damage, so it’ll surely see your favorite retiree through years of adventure.

Now that your favorite music-minded retiree has time to focus on a hobby, they might delight in receiving a ukulele, since these instruments are relatively inexpensive and largely considered one of the easiest to learn. While testing several with a panel of students and instructors, we determined that the Alvarez Regent Series RU22C is the best choice for new learners. It produces a clear and full sound and is comfortable to hold. And it looks far more expensive than it is, thanks to the careful workmanship and smoothly finished frets.

For retirees who are eager to master a new skill, a subscription to MasterClass gives them access to nearly 200 virtual courses taught by experts in their fields—everything from Indian cooking with Madhur Jaffrey to ballet with Misty Copeland. Billy Collins’s poetry course is a favorite of associate staff writer Ellen Airhart; other staffers have enjoyed Yotam Ottolenghi’s Middle Eastern cooking class. If you’re lucky, your gift recipient may even share what they learn throughout the course. (Ottolenghi’s garlic confit is delicious and packs up nicely to go!) MasterClass offers only one subscription plan (an annual plan), setting a rather high bar for entry; receiving this as a gift lowers the bar for curious learners.

The Challenger Bread Pan is one of our favorite tools for baking enthusiasts. Unlike a Dutch oven (a multipurpose tool that bakers often use), the Challenger pan was designed specifically with baking in mind, and it’s sure to be a hit with any bread baker who wants to up their game. This pan is made of thicker iron than you find with most Dutch ovens, so it’s better at absorbing and retaining heat. And the rectangular (rather than circular) cavity can accommodate complexly shaped loaves, such as batards, demi baguettes, and boules. As Wirecutter supervising editor Ben Keough said, “If you’re hunting for a gift that will impress a bread-obsessed friend, the Challenger delivers.”

What gardener wouldn’t like some winged company? Help your favorite retiree beckon birds with the best-built feeder we’ve tested, the Droll Yankees 18-inch Onyx Mixed Seed Tube Bird Feeder. Capable of holding many different feed types (such as cracked corn and sunflower seeds), it can help your retiree target which species they’d like to have visiting. And the tough metal components are secure enough that if the feeder ends up being frequented by squirrels, it still won’t break (though it comes with a lifetime guarantee, just in case).

Whether your recently retired loved one is feeling lost without the office Keurig or just bored with their usual bean routine, a subscription to a coffee delivery service makes a fine treat. One of our favorites, Atlas Coffee Club, can expose them to beans they’re unlikely to encounter at the grocery store, since it sources from farms across the globe. Each delivery also comes with a postcard featuring interesting tidbits about that country’s coffee industry, so your retiree can learn as they brew.

The cinephile on your list deserves to be watching titles worthy of their newfound free time. A subscription to The Criterion Channel provides access to many of the most highly lauded films ever made. The streaming service’s collection spans over 100 years of filmmaking history, and it offers far more variety than a film aficionado could ever find on Netflix or Hulu. Criterion curates its content with flair, with groupings of films organized by guests—such as Guillermo del Toro and Mira Nair—as well as by creative themes, like “bad vacations” and “glorious food.”

If your recently retired loved one has a green thumb, give them a pretty vessel for watering. The Qilebi Watering Can is one of our favorite watering cans from testing. With a half-gallon capacity and a removable pouring spout, it works both for indoor plants and outdoor gardens. The watering can has a simple design that’s cute yet unfussy, should your gift recipient choose to put it on display. And it comes in five cool colors, including mint and pastel pink.

If your retiree left behind their computer along with their job, they may be in need of a new device for browsing emails and doing some late-night shopping. We’ve been testing tablets for years, and we’ve concluded that the Apple iPad is still the best tablet out there. The 9th-generation iPad offers an unbeatable selection of apps, stellar hardware quality, long battery life, and unrivaled customer support. And though it isn’t the most up-to-date iPad available, its price and performance make it ideal for the retiree who doesn’t need the increased storage or slightly better camera of the pricier models.

When your retiree doesn’t have early-morning meetings to rush off to, they might relish a more-relaxing wake-up device. The Philips SmartSleep Wake-Up Light HF3520 is our favorite sunrise alarm clock, and it mimics the real thing: To gently wake someone, the light gradually grows in intensity, from a muted red glow to the bright white brilliance of a summer day. If they need a little more commotion, they can also select an FM radio station or any of five mellow sounds, such as tweeting birds or lapping waves.

If your favorite retiree likes experimenting in the kitchen—or if they simply have a sweet tooth—an at-home ice cream maker makes an excellent gift. Of the seven models we’ve tested, the Cuisinart ICE-21 is our favorite. It makes consistently smooth and delicious ice cream, and the process is simple and straightforward: Just attach the frozen insert into the base, pour in the ingredients, and press the start button. In about 20 minutes, this machine makes a smooth, soft-serve-consistency ice cream (pop that in the freezer for a traditional scoop). Soon your leisure-time-loving recipient will be enjoying their frozen treat (and, hopefully, sharing it with you).

For plodding around in the morning, with no rush to put on real clothes, nothing says “I am my own boss” better than a cozy robe. Of the 39 models we tried during testing, the Restoration Hardware Luxury Plush Long Robe stood out as the most sumptuous of all. Its thick, smooth pile is similar in texture to a stuffed animal. And for us, it has stayed warm and soft, even after 10 years of wear. To make this an extra-special gift, consider adding an embroidered monogram (currently an additional $15).

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.