25 Best Gifts for Teens (2022): Hydro Flasks, Record Players, and Apple Gear

Teenagers can be scary, but these adolescent-approved gifts are sweet.

Teenagers are intimidating. They seemingly speak their own language, their jokes are funny in a confusing way, and somehow they’ve always already seen the TikToks you send. It can be hard to keep up with the absolute coolest kids around, and that’s especially true when it comes to holiday gift-giving. We informally polled some of the ~~terrifying~~ super-cool teens in our lives to find out what presents they really want. These ideas are not one-size-fits-all, but they might help you get inspired and reach the ultimate goal: giving a gift the teen in your life actually likes.

Be sure to check out our many other gift guides, including Gifts for PC Gamers, 25 Amazing Gifts Under $25, Gift Ideas for Outdoorsy People, and Subscription Boxes for Kids of All Ages.

Updated November 2022: We’ve added new picks and Gen Z-approved language (hopefully).

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Photograph: Victrola

For the Vinyl Collector

Victrola Re-Spin Bluetooth Suitcase Record Player

Vinyl records have been skyrocketing in popularity since the pandemic. and for good reason. In the era of streaming, it’s easy to feel a disconnect with music, and it can be difficult to find new artists in a sea filled with millions of MP3s. Physical records let you play a whole album front to back, and there’s a tactility that makes you appreciate the art more.

Victrola’s new Re-Spin is an affordable way to bring the teen in your life in on the vinyl fun. This suitcase record player is lightweight and easy to tote around from room to room (or to a friend’s house), and the removable cover can convert into a stand for record covers. It has a built-in speaker that sounds pretty decent and can fill up a room, and if they’ve gone through all their records, there’s a switch to turn the whole thing into a Bluetooth speaker to keep the party going via a connected smartphone. It’s made of 25 percent recycled plastic to boot.
Photograph: Govee

For the Room Decorator

Govee Glide Wall Lights

These are one of our favorite smart ambient lights. From TikTok videos to gaming setups, they look good in any background. They can also be placed on a bedroom wall or behind a TV for lighting that’s easier on the eyes. The colors are customizable via an app, so your teen can set the mood with a rainbow of hues, as well as multiple white shades. The app also includes preset scenes, scheduling options, and voice control. Added bonus: LED lights are cheaper to run than incandescent bulbs. Check out more recommendations in our Best Smart Lighting guide.
Photograph: Apple

A New Slate

Apple iPad (2022, 10th Gen)

An iPad is seemingly superfluous—until teens start using it to watch shows, do homework, or hop on Zoom meetings. They’re actually quite handy to have around. Apple’s latest 10th-generation model (7/10, WIRED Recommends) has been zhuzhed up with a new design that looks more modern, and there’s now a selfie camera that sits in the center in landscape view, so they won’t have to awkwardly stare at the side of the screen during FaceTime calls. Even the charging port got an upgrade—it’s now USB-C, so they can use the same charger they use for the MacBook.

There are other good, less expensive tablets out there if this model is outside your budget. Check our Best iPad and Best Tablets guides for more options. Don’t forget to read our Best iPad Accessories guide to trick out their slate with keyboard covers and stands.

Photograph: Nintendo

For the Gamer

Nintendo Switch Lite
Photograph: Belkin

For Apple Stans

Belkin 3-in-1 Wireless Charger With MagSafe

Does your teen already own an iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods? If their nightstand is cluttered with various chargers for all three devices, get them this Belkin tree-like 3-in-1 wireless charging station. It will only work with MagSafe iPhones—any iPhone 12, iPhone 13, or iPhone 14—which will stick to the circular pad and recharge the device at the fastest speeds available (15 watts). The Apple Watch will attach magnetically to its puck, and they can plop the AirPods or AirPods Pro at the base to top ’em up. (Just make sure their AirPods have a wireless charging case.) Belkin also sells a pad version that doesn’t take up as much vertical room.
Photograph: Case-Mate

For the Accident-Prone

Case-Mate Blox MagSafe Case

iPhones have a distinct shape—this case changes it. The Case-Mate Blox case squares up the iPhone and adds a flashy color to the mix to help the device stand out from all the others. It’s well built, with clicky buttons and MagSafe support. It’s available for a variety of iPhone models. If you’re on the hunt for more fun cases to get your favorite teen, Casetify and Sonix have a dizzying number of fun designs to choose from.

Photograph: Bubble

For Skin-Care Savants

Bubble Full Skincare Set

Maybe your teen is already into skin-care and stealing copious amounts of your expensive under-eye cream, despite the fact that they don’t even have dark circles yet. Bubble is a gender-neutral teen-friendly company that makes products specifically designed for adolescent skin concerns, like acne and sweating. The ingredients are simple, but there are Bubble products for every step of a skin-care routine (except for SPF). All of them are cruelty-free, vegan, fragrance-free, and gentle enough for sensitive skin.

This set includes the full lineup, but there are other kits available in smaller sizes and combinations. Bubble also has a fantastic resource called Skin School that will teach teens about things like skin-care myths, skin types, and how to safely add products into a routine. Hopefully, it’ll help save your teen from the long-term consequences of using harsh cleansers or aggressively popping zits.
Photograph: Backbone

For the Mobile Gamer

Backbone One

Phone games are getting bigger and better every year. This controller works with compatible apps to essentially morph a smartphone into a mini gaming console. We’ve tested the iPhone model (8/10, WIRED Recommends), but there’s also a new version for Android phones. Both include robust social features that make it easy to play with others, record clips, and play console games. If your teen giftee is always playing one mobile game or another, they’ll probably love this gizmo. We have other options in our Best Mobile Gaming Controllers guide.
Photograph: Samsung; Apple

For Watch Lovers

Samsung Galaxy Watch5 and Apple Watch Series 8

A smartwatch can help your giftee leave the phone in their pocket more often and only take it out when they deem a notification to be important. These wearable gadgets can also track health and fitness features, control smart-home devices, and can even detect if they’ve been in a car crash (and contact emergency services). Plus, smartwatches are just plain cool.

If they have an iPhone, gift them the Apple Watch Series 8 (8/10, WIRED Recommends). It has the aforementioned Crash Detection feature and plenty more—read our Best Apple Watch guide for help deciding on a model. Are they proud Android owners? Go with the Samsung Galaxy Watch5 (7/10, WIRED Recommends). It has a day and a half of battery life and a similar suite of fitness features.

Photograph: Lenovo

For the Aspiring Valedictorian

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5

This is our favorite cheap laptop. The nice display and sleek footprint belie its palatable price, and the internal specs and battery life are plenty for schoolwork too. It can be converted into a tablet for watching movies or streaming whatever’s popular on Twitch these days. Your teen won’t look like a dork when they pull this laptop out in front of their friends, and you won’t be breaking the bank on a new machine.
Photograph: Logitech

For the Late-Night Raider

Logitech G735

If your kid is constantly bellowing in the basement to their Discord pals about boss raids and team fights, a good headset can help calm things down. This is a pick from our Best Gaming Headsets guide. It’s trendy and will work with consoles, phones, and computers. Thanks to its crystal-clear volume and super comfortable fit, gamers will be able to hear what’s going on (and hopefully stop shouting about Minecraft at 3 am).
Photograph: Amazon

For the Book Enthusiast

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2021, 11th Generation)

A Kindle might make a fab gift for bookish teens. This model is our favorite. If they’re always hauling around a dozen paperbacks, this Kindle Paperwhite will lighten the load—it can hold literally thousands of electronic books. The battery lasts for weeks too. Consider gifting a Kindle Unlimited membership to ensure they can download their favorite titles without spending their hard-earned allowance.

Photograph: Teddy Fresh

For the Stylish

Teddy Fresh Color Block Hoodie 2.0

Teddy Fresh is a trendy streetwear brand that makes some of our favorite hoodies, and the Color Block is especially great. It has two dedicated welt pockets at the front and is made of 100 percent cotton. It’s comfy, warm, and looks cute! The sizing is unisex. You can also take a look at other designs from the brand, all of which are delightfully colorful.
Photograph: Ultimate Ears

For the Songbird

Ultimate Ears Boom 3

The methods of delivery may have changed over the course of a few generations, but teens still need a way to blare music. Maybe it’s the perfect shower soundtrack, or maybe they just got into Pink Floyd and need everyone in the household to know. Whatever the case, a speaker will make a great gift (and save you from the pain of dealing with phone-speaker-quality angst).

The Boom 3 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) has topped our Best Bluetooth Speakers guide for years. The cool factor is visible at first glance, thanks to the array of color options, but the impressive sound, waterproofing, and long battery life add intangible benefits you won’t find in other speakers.
Photograph: Joseph Shin

For the Music Addict

1More ColorBuds

1More has made some of our favorite affordable wireless earbuds for many years now. The ColorBuds (8/10, WIRED Recommends) are bright, fun, water-resistant, and have a teen-friendly design, but more importantly, they sound fantastic. (Get some for yourself too!) They’re much more affordable than headphones from other brands that don’t sound as good or feel as comfy.

If your teen just wants AirPods, and thnothing else will do, go for the great but pricey AirPods Pro (9/10, WIRED Recommends). For additional recommendations, read our Best Cheap Headphones guide.

Photograph: Gravity

For the Insomniacs

Basics by Gravity Blanket

Being a teenager is hard. Aside from being trendy, weighted blankets can feel like a big ol’ hug, helping to ease stressed-out feelings. Gravity makes the best upscale budget weighted blankets, though we have plenty of recommendations (and advice on which weight to buy) in our Best Weighted Blankets guide.
Photograph: Starface

For Breakouts

Starface Hydro-Stars

Starface’s hydrocolloid blemish bandages are undeniably cute. The unisex star shapes help normalize acne—if you treat pimples as an excuse to decorate your face, they’re less likely to damage your self-esteem—and refills are inexpensive. The packaging is portable and adorable as well. It’s easy to stash the case inside a purse or backpack, and a built-in magnet keeps the compact closed.

Hydrocolloid patches work to absorb fluid, which helps deflate zits and reduces both redness and irritation. They also act as a physical barrier to shield the skin from external bacteria (and picking). They’re compatible with all skin types. Just stick a star on top of a blemish, wear it for a few hours, and remove it to reveal flatter, calmer skin.
Photograph: Crocs

For the Trendsetters

Crocs Jibbitz Charms

In case you haven’t heard, Crocs are Gen-Z approved. These aren’t the shoes but Jibbitz charms—little doo-dads they can attach to the clogs for self-expression in the form of characters, memes, and symbols. Starting at $5, they’re pretty budget-friendly as well. There are hundreds of options available, so if you’re unsure, a multi-pack (or gift card) can help ensure the custom charms are aligned with whatever else is Gen-Z approved. If the teen in question doesn’t have a pair of Crocs yet, the Classic Clogs ($50) are a safe bet.

Photograph: Slimfold

For the Almost-Adult

SlimFold Micro Soft Shell Thin Wallet

Like a good set of sheets or your first tools, a wallet is a gift that you only get excited about when you’re almost an adult. SlimFold makes great gear—my partner has used this wallet daily for over seven years, and it’s still going strong. It has just enough room for cash and cards, preventing it from becoming bulky or obtrusive (or leaving a wear mark on pants pockets). The material is durable, stretchy, and flexible, and even when stuffed full the wallet remains lightweight. If your teen is preparing to fly the coop, this is a gift they’ll use almost every day.

Note that there’s an RFID-blocking option for an extra $5, which you should avoid for two reasons. The first is that I don’t love SlimFold’s RFID blockers, which are basically removable cards that cause a nuisance when you’re trying to store bills or credit cards. The second is that RFID-based crimes related to skimming credit cards are nearly nonexistent. Skip it and save your money.
Photograph: Herschel

For the Hauling Hypebeast

Herschel Supply Little America 17L Backpack

Herschel backpacks meet at the sweet spot between what’s trendy and what’s good. Our reviewers really like this backpack, and so do teens. It’s lightweight, has a streetwear-friendly aesthetic, and has lots of room for books, snacks, shoes, gadgets, and whatever else your teen is schlepping around. Plenty of style options ensure you’ll be able to find the right look for your gift recipient, though the price might fluctuate based on what you choose. If this one isn’t the best fit, these backpacks might do the trick.
Photograph: Amazon

For the Athlete

Hydro Flask 32-Ounce Wide-Mouth Water Bottle

Hydro Flasks combine a couple of the biggest trends in teendom: sustainability and sticker-driven customization. Hydro Flasks are to Gen Z what Nalgene bottles were to the teens of the early aughts. They come in a plethora of colors and capacities, and aside from being a status symbol, they’ll also encourage the lucky recipient to stay hydrated throughout the day. Disposable water bottles are not in style and haven’t been for some time.

Half of the cool factor when it comes to Hydro Flasks is the stickers. Pick out a coordinating pack for your giftee and you’ll officially be their favorite relative. Probably.

Photograph: Final

For the Environmentally Conscious

Final Straw

Single-use plastic is the opposite of cool. This reusable straw is cute and environmentally friendly. It’s available in several colors, ranging from neutrals to oil-slick patterns. The overall footprint is small, but both the straw and its included case are weighty, so they don’t feel cheap or fragile. The straw automatically unfurls as you pull it out of the case, and there’s a silicone sleeve that prevents both the top and bottom ends from being too sharp or uncomfortable. The kit includes a cleaning brush that cleverly stores inside the case. We also like this brand’s reusable sporks.

Metal straws aren’t for everyone. These silicone versions are squishy, so they might work better for some folks, and they’re easy to clean using the included squeegee.
Photograph: We’re Not Really Strangers

For the Friendly

We’re Not Really Strangers Card Game

This card game has remained popular for several years. It can be played with friends, family members, and significant others. It asks poignant questions that’ll let teens deepen their relationships with their loved ones—and possibly themselves. It’d make a good gift for any kid with a social circle, but it might be especially appreciated by young adults moving out for the first time soon. There’s no better way to break the ice with a new roommate than to play a round or two of this game.
Photograph: Nimble

For the Forgetful

Nimble Champ

The last thing anyone wants is a teenager stranded with a flat tire and a dead phone—or conveniently MIA at a friend’s house because their “phone died.” We recommend this compact portable charger. Despite the small physical footprint, it has enough juice to keep phones, tablets, and other gadgets topped off. It’s also made with more environmentally friendly materials than others we’ve tried. Pair the charger with the company’s eco-friendly charging cables for a gift that’ll be used basically every day.

Photograph: Amazon

For the Teen Who Has Everything

Amazon Gift Card

Are gift cards tacky when shopping for your boss? Probably. When it comes to teens, though, an Amazon gift card offers immunity. You might be admitting that you’re not the most thoughtful gift-giver, but it’s better to give a gift card and cede the battle than give a cringe-worthy T-shirt and lose the war.

Louryn Strampe is a product writer and reviewer at WIRED covering a little bit of everything. She especially loves discounts, video games … and discounted video games. She previously wrote for Future PLC and Rakuten. She currently resides in northern Illinois with two fluffy cats.

For the Vinyl Collector

For the Room Decorator

A New Slate

For the Gamer

For Apple Stans

For the Accident-Prone

For Skin-Care Savants

For the Mobile Gamer

For Watch Lovers

For the Aspiring Valedictorian

For the Late-Night Raider

For the Book Enthusiast

For the Stylish

For the Songbird

For the Music Addict

For the Insomniacs

For Breakouts

For the Trendsetters

For the Almost-Adult

For the Hauling Hypebeast

For the Athlete

For the Environmentally Conscious

For the Friendly

For the Forgetful

For the Teen Who Has Everything

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