Gift Guide: 10 stocking stuffer picks that are $50 or less

Chance Miller | Dec 17 2016 - 2:56 pm PT

So far I’ve offered up my personal picks for this holiday season, as well as picks targeted at college kids and teens. Now, however, as we head into the home stretch of holiday shopping, you’re might be realizing that your budget is running a bit low…

Fear not, as below I’ve broken down the best tech stocking stuffer picks for under $50, with a special section dedicated to tech under $10. These picks include a variety of items, some useful for smart home setups, others for productivity and practical use.

Read on for a complete break down of my top 10 picks for stocking stuffers under $50. (Hint: I actually include a lot more than 10 products…)

Roku

While it’s not an Apple TV, if you’re shopping on a budget then the Roku is argubaly the best streaming media device on the market. Coming in at under $50 are the Roku Express and Roku Streaming Stick, both of which are full featured streaming devices that connect to any TV with an HDMI port.

Amazon Echo Dot

9to5Toys named it the product of the year and for good reason. Coming in at just $40 from Best Buy, the Echo Dot is an incredibly powerful voice-activated assistant. Using the Alexa app on iOS, users can easily up and control the Echo Dot, using it to control music, smart home products, and much more.

Amazon Echo Dot – $40

Tile Mate

At just under $25 is Tile Mate. Essentially, this little gadget can be attached to nearly any device. The purpose of it is to help you keep track of easily lost items such as your keys or your wallet.

Using the accompanying Tile app for iOS, you can keep track of your Tile Mate accessories and see where each one of them is. If you misplace one, you can use the app to have the Tile Mate make a loud noise until you find it.

Tile Mate – $25

Apple Watch Dock

If the person you’re buying for is an Apple Watch user, then you can’t go wrong with a solid Apple Watch dock. A variety of options exist around $50 and well under. It’s important to note that while these docks don’t include built-in chargers, the charger included with the Apple Watch should work without issue.

Head below for a few of my personal picks:

iDevices Switch – HomeKit Smart Plug

At just under $50, the iDevices Switch is a perfect stocking stuffer this holiday season. The Switch can simply be plugged into any existing outlet and that outlet will then have HomeKit capabilities. From there, you can control whatever is plugged into that outlet via your smartphone.

The iDevices Switch is a great starter product for anyone looking to get into the HomeKit game this holiday season.

iDevices Switch – $49.99

Apple Watch Bands

A variety of solid Apple Watch bands exist for $50 or less, both from Apple itself or a third-party. From Apple, you can get either a Sport band or a Woven Nylon band for $49.99, but a variety of third-party bands come in at a lot cheaper than that:

UE Roll Bluetooth Speaker

The UE Roll is one of the best and most versatile speakers on the market and in refurbished condition, you can get one for just under our $50 limit. The UE Roll is waterproof and shockproof, featuring a design that offers 360-degree sound, 65-feet Bluetooth range, and 9 hours of battery life.

It’s worth noting that at this price, you’re getting a refurbished model. Though, Amazon says it is “tested and certified to look and work like new.” Additionally, you get a 90-day warranty.

If you’re looking for something that’s a bit cheaper and comes brand new, below are a couple of options in addition to the UE Roll.

Touchscreen Gloves

If you anywhere that the temperature gets cold, gloves that work with the iPhone’s touchscreen will certainly be a welcome gift this holiday season. My person pick for a pair of touchscreen gloves for men are the Timberland Magic Gloves.

For women, the iGotTech gloves are a high-rated option on Amazon with 914 reviews and an overall average of 4 out of 5 stars.

Anker Astro E1 5200mAh Battery Pack

Battery packs are getting smaller and more powerful every day and one of the best options on the market right now is the Anker Astro E1, especially in terms of its size. The Astro E1 packs 5200mAh of battery life inside of a “candy bar-sized” design.

The Astro E1 features one USB port and one microUSB port for charging the actual battery pack.