Newsletter
Considering that the holidays are coming, chances are many of you are already looking for gifts, or are planning to do so soon. If you don’t have any ideas, well, we’re here to help. We have a bunch of articles in the gift guide series, articles that focus on different product groups and different price points. This particular article is focused on some of the best gifts under $250, well, some of the best ones we’ve stumbled upon. Do note that we’ve tried to stick to the $100-$250 price tags here, as we have a separate article for the under $100 level.These are only suggestions on our part, of course, and they’re mostly tech based. We’ll focus on five products below, and you’ll also find some honorable mentions below them. Let’s get to it, shall we?
Best way to organize desk accessories: MOFT Multifunctional Desk Mat
MOFT’s desk mat is way more than just a regular mat
There are plenty of ways to tidy up your desk, and if you know someone whose desk is a complete mess, a proper desk mat can help with that. Well, a proper desk mat that has more than one purpose, like the one we’ll talk about here. The product in question is called MOFT Multifunctional Desk Mat, and it’s rather interesting. This desk mat is made out of PU leather, which basically means it’s not real leather, but feels like one, to a degree.
Now, why is this a multifunctional product? Well, because it serves not only as your regular desk mat, but also as a stand, and an organizer. You can prop up this mat under specific angles and use it as a laptop stand, or a tablet stand, if you need something like that. It can also serve as a fancy smartphone stand, if you need it to. It’s easy to clean if you spill something on it too, which is always a plus.
This desk mat also has built-in NFC functionality, there are two NFC hotspots embedded. You can basically set up one of those to activate your concentration app, or something of the sort, so that you can fully focus on work. On top of all that, MOFT’s desk mat is also magnetic, which also helps with organization. The link below will lead you to a ‘full kit’ set, which means you’ll get some magnetic clips, a magnetic wireless charging pad, and more goodies included in the package. It is priced at $187, but you can save up some money if you get the basic version, or some other option listed on Amazon.
MOFT Multifunctional Desk Mat (full kit) (Amazon)
Best ambient lighting: Nanoleaf Shapes smart wall lights
Add some flavor to your work or living space
There are a lot of ways you can spice up your office, or even living space in general. Including ambient lighting is one of them, and that’s where Nanoleaf lights come in. The company has a ton of different setups on offer, but here we’ll focus on the Nanoleaf Shapes setup. These hexagon light panels can easily be installed wherever you want, but they’re meant to sit on a wall.
Needless to say, this can be a great gift for someone, as they’re fully customizable. You can set up these hexagons in any shape you want, to fit your space. On top of that, you can set them up to show any color you want, so they can be combined with the colors of the space around them. These smart lights can project over 16 million shades of colors, basically, and they’re dimmable too. Nanoleaf gives you plenty of control when it comes to these lights, and the options are constantly expanding.
They come with adhesive pre-applied, so the setup could not be simpler. There’s no drilling included. You can simply install an app on your phone, and setup the lights any way you want. They can even mirror your screen, if you don’t want to think about it. On top of that, they can also dance to your favorite music, if you choose to do so. There are a ton of possibilities here. There are seven hexagons included in this package, but you can expand upon that. You can actually connect up to 500 panels in a single unit if you want. There are expansion packs available. This particular package costs $199.99, but you’ll find other options on Amazon. Simply follow the purchase link below.
Nanoleaf Shapes smart wall lights (Amazon)
Best gift for coffee lovers: Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug 2
Keep your coffee (or tea?) warm at all times
Do you know someone who simply loves to drink coffee? Well, we have a perfect gift for them. The Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug 2. That’s a mouthful, but this product is actually really interesting, and has been rather popular over the years. This is the second edition of the Ember Smart Mug, which is a shorter name for it. It is basically a mug that keeps your drink warm. It charges on a stand/cup holder. This mug will keep your coffee warm while you work, or whatever else you’re doing. It’s an ideal gift for someone who simply hates drinking cold(er) coffee. Its usage is, of course, not limited to coffee specifically, it can also be used for hot chocolate, tea, whatever else you can think of.
The capacity of the product is 14oz, which translates to 0.4l. Many would say that’s the perfect amount for a good cup of coffee to get you started in the morning. The variant of 10oz (0.3l) is also available, and it’s even a bit cheaper. More on that later. In any case, the cup is made out of stainless steel, as is the cup holder. It weighs 2.6 pounds, and it can keep your drink on a temperature between 120F and 145F for up to 80 minutes on a full charge, or a full day on the charging coaster.
You can download an app for it, to get more control, but that step is not necessary. Do note that the default temperature is set to 135F, though, so if you want to change that, you’ll need to grab the app. The Ember Smart Mug 2 also has an auto sleep function. One thing to note is that the Ember Mug 2 is IPX7-rated, but it’s not meant to be washed in a washing machine, which is important to remember. You’re supposed to wash it by hand only. This smart mug costs $129 at the moment, down from $149.95. It comes in eight different colors, so there’s plenty to choose from.
Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug 2 (Amazon)
Best way to tune out the noise: Bose QuietComfort 45
Eliminate outside noise, and focus on what matters
For many people, having a great pair of noise-cancelling headphones is a must. The best noise cancelling you can achieve is with over-ear headphones, and there are plenty of choices on the market. Considering that we’re focusing on the under $250 bracket here, the Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones fit in perfectly. These are some of the most popular headphones on the market, in general, and for a good reason. They offer that minimalistic look that many people prefer, to stay out of the way basically. They’re also very comfortable, and offer great build quality at the same time.
If you know someone who loves headphones, and needs a pair, this is a great pick. They come in both black and white colors, and offer personalized noise canceling. They use tiny microphones to measure, compare, and react to outside noise. They also have a Bluetooth range of 9m (30 feet). On top of that, high-fidelity audio is also a part of the offering. Bose uses a “TriPort acoustic architecture” to make that happen. Active EQ maintains the much-needed sound balance, and tries to keep the bass optical at all times as well.
These headphones offer both Quiet and Aware modes. If you’re walking down the street, having some sort of awareness mode is a much, especially for over-ear headphones. If you’re worried about battery life, considering everything these headphones offer, don’t be. The Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones offer up to 22 hours of battery life on a single charge. A quick 15-minute charge can provide up to 3 hours of playtime. So, they’re basically a full package. A very nice hard shell carrying case is also included in the package. The Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones are priced at $229.99.
Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones (Amazon)
Best way to keep your files protected: SAMSUNG T7 Shield 4TB, Portable SSD
Store every file you need, and don’t worry about babying this hard drive
If you know someone who edits videos on the fly, or does something else that requires a good SSD, we may have a perfect gift to suggest. The Samsung T7 Shield is an outstanding portable SSD. The variant that we’ve highlighted today comes with 4TB of storage, though both 1TB and 2TB models are also available. This particular unit is priced at $229.99 (down from $242.99), so it fits perfectly in this price tier. 4TB is a lot of storage space, though when you start editing high-res content, it can get crowded rather easily. For many people, 1TB and 2TB options are just not enough.
In any case, you’ll notice that this hard drive also has a rather interesting design. It doesn’t have flat sides, but a specific pattern instead. It has deep ridges that go along its sides, which makes for an interesting look, and also in-hand feel. The Samsung T7 Shield is also a rugged product. It comes with an IP65 rating, which makes it both water and dust-resistant. It’s an ideal gift for someone who shoots content outdoors or something like that. Rain can’t really hurt this hard drive.
Many of you are probably wondering about transfer speeds. Well, this thing peaks at 1,050MB/s, and comes with AES 256-bit hardware encryption for security purposes. A single Type-C USB port is included on the device. That is Type-C USB 3.2, in case you were wondering, so that data can flow uninterrupted. It is worth noting that this drive is also excellent for gaming, and that it comes in black, white, and purple colors. The Samsung T7 Shield is compatible with a wide range of devices, pretty much the same as its competitors. You can use it with Android phones, your Mac, PC, and so on.
Samsung T7 Shield 4TB SSD (Amazon)
Honorable mentions
Here are a couple of more products in this price bracket that you may like…
Insta360 Flow Gimbal
For anyone who’s shooting plenty of video content, especially outdoors and with a smartphone, having a good gimbal is a priority. The Insta360 flow gimbal stabilizer is a great option for smartphones. It’s packed with features, and it’s also quite compact. It’s compatible with both Android phones, and iPhones, and has AI-powered tracking. It can keep a subject in focus on its own, and offer 3-axis stabilization on top of that. It serves as a selfie stick too, and a tripod. Add various interesting features and great battery life to the package, and you’re good to go. The Insta360 Flow gimbal is priced at $146 (down from $159).
Logitech ERGO K860
Having a good keyboard is very important for some people. Well, for people who type a lot during their work hours. If that keyboard is also ergonomic at the same time, that’s even better. The Logitech ERGO K860 is a wireless keyboard that happens to be ergonomic too. It comes with both Bluetooth and a Wi-Fi dongle, and includes a “pillowed wrist rest”. It has a split keyframe, and it’s curved for ergonomic purposes. The palm lift is adjustable, and the battery life is also really good. It comes in a single color only, though, black. This ergonomic keyboard will set you back $119.99.
BenQ ScreenBar Monitor Light
The BenQ ScreenBar is a monitor light that not only saves space, but your eyesight as well. If you, or someone you’re buying this gift for, work until dark or in low light in general, this is a great option. It replaces a regular desk lamp, and saves space by being attached to a monitor. It relaxes your eyes, and it is quite adjustable too. You won’t experience screen glare if you set it properly, and it can get quite bright if needed. It also has an auto-dimming option, while you can choose between warm and cool light, depending on what you need. You’ll need to splash out $109 in order to get this monitor light.