AppleInsider Staff
Mother's Day is just around the corner, so we've rounded up some of our favorite Mother's Day gifts to let her know how much you care.
Gifts Under $50
If you're sticking to a tight budget this year, you can still get Mom an excellent gift for under $50. Here are a few of our top choices:
iPhone Wallet case
If your mom has a new iPhone SE, give her a case that she'll want to show off. Moment's Wallet Case has natural Horween leather and canvas that combine to make an elegant statement, all with the added benefit of being able to carry three cards so she can leave her purse at home. This case also allows her to twist-and-lock Moment lenses onto her iPhone's camera— perfect for the hobbyist shutterbug.
The iPhone Wallet case is available in natural leather and black leather, and costs $23.99.
PopSockets
While a case may protect that new iPhone from being dropped, it would probably be better if it didn't fall at all. An add-on grip would make it much harder to accidentally allow the iPhone to slip from someone's hand, if used correctly.
PopSockets are a trendy battery grip that allows for one-handed use of an iPhone, as well as acting as a stand. Able to collapse down to take up a thinner footprint when packed away, the grip is available in a wide variety of designs and colors, allowing for the grip to match the recipient's style.
PopSockets start from just below $10, and are also compatible with a wide array of mounts and other accessories.
SurfacePad for iPhone
Mother's Day lands squarely in spring every year, which means it's a great time for mom to get a wardrobe refresh — and that includes her phone. Twelve South's SurfacePad is a soft leather case that boasts two credit/ID card slots to minimize the amount she'll need to carry with her every day. The back cover flexes to act as an iPhone stand, letting her watch her favorite videos and make hands-free FaceTime calls. If she has an iPhone X, iPhone XS, or iPhone 11 Pro, the cover also provides automatic wake/sleep function, too.
The SurfacePad is available for all iPhones from the iPhone 6 Plus up to the iPhone 11 Pro Max, comes in cognac, and slate blue, and costs $49.99.
AirSnap AirPods cases
AirSnap and AirSnap Pro are cute cases from TwelveSouth that protect your AirPods and fasten them to your bag or purse. If your mother owns a set of AirPods, she'd surely love a way to keep them safe and secure. Wireless charging still works via the case too!
The AirSnap case comes in leather or twill with multiple color options at only $34.99.
The AirSnap Pro case comes in leather with three color options at $39.99.
Nomad Braided Lightning Cable
If your Mom is anything like ours, she goes through cables on a monthly basis. Give her a Lightning cable that will last because it's built with a Kevlar braided case. She will be hard pressed to break or damage this Lightning cable, and will find it harder to lose with its unique design and built-in cable holder.
The Nomad Lightning Cable can be purchased in either 3m or 1.5m lengths and connects via USB-A. Priced at $39.99 and $34.99 respectively.
Wasserstein Handbag or Purse Light
Whether your mom carries a purse, a laptop case, or any other type of handbag, you can help add a little light to her carry situation with this inexpensive and nifty handbag light. No matter whether her bag is neatly organized or full of clutter, this motion-activated light source can help her find all of her essentials — even in the dark.
The Wasserstein is also really affordable, retailing at just $12.99 for one or $22.99 for a pair on Amazon.
Kodak Mobile Film Scanner
Any long-term photography-inclined mother will doubtless have some form of film or slides from decades ago, showing her children growing up and other life events. With the Kodak Mobile Film Scanner, these images can be digitized and shared for the first time in possibly years.
The tabletop setup is designed to use an iPhone to capture a new photograph of the image stored on the 35mm film negative or 35mm color slide. Compact and collapsible for storage, the unit also has a built-in LED backlight to illuminate the image, while a companion app handles image restoration.
The Kodak Mobile Film Scanner sells for $39.99.
Gifts between $50 and $100
Modern Strap
If your mom has an Apple Watch, go ahead and upgrade it with an especially lovely leather Watch band. Nomad's Modern Strap is a beautiful Horween leather strap that will develop a unique patina over time, adding to its charm.
The Modern Strap is available in gorgeous natural leather with gold or silver hardware, or minimalistic black leather with gold or silver hardware. This band works with the Series 3 and Series 5 Apple Watch and it costs $69.99.
Ember Temperature Control Mug
Everyone loves a hot beverage at times, whether it's tea, coffee or hot chocolate. During the chilliest months of the year, this self-heating Ember mug can ensure that your mom always has a cup of something warm and comforting at hand.
This nifty mug can keep a beverage hot for 1.5 hours on a single charge, or indefinitely when placed on the included charging coaster. The Ember is available in both white and black versions and currently costs $99.95 on Amazon.
Liz water bottle
When not opting for a warm beverage, cool beverages are the alternative. There are countless water bottles out there, including smart ones that track your intake. Liz isn't phone-connected but it absolutely qualifies as a "smart" water bottle.
You can tap the lid to see how cool your water is, and the cap will flash to remind you to stay hydrated by drinking at least every two hours.
Most importantly, the Liz smart water bottle can clean itself as well as the water inside. Using UV light, it can sterilize the interior to keep it safe. Considering today's new norm of being very germaphobic, there seems to be no better time than to pick up a water bottle that can clean itself.
It is available on Amazon in white and black for $79.
Gunnar Blue Light-Blocking Glasses
If mom is spending quite a bit more time in front of screens lately, then it may be a good idea to get her a pair of blue-light-blocking glasses. On devices without Night Shift, it can help alleviate eye strain for those long work-from-home days or Netflix binge sessions.
Gunnar glasses are available in a variety of different styles on Amazon, so you can find the perfect pair to fit her personal style and preferences. They range from just over $40 to just under $100.
Native Union wireless chargers
Most wireless chargers we run across are utilitarian or unnecessarily black. Few are designed with a more stylish approach, but Native Union's chargers do just that.
Native Union makes an excellent Drop wireless charger that comes in a few different designs and finishes. The first version of its wireless charger has a fabric cover with perpendicular accent lines of silicone run across the top. The silicone gives off a unique look while also keeping the phone in place while charging.
The bottom of the charger is crafted from aluminum before being anodized and left with a chamfered edge toward the top. It is capable of providing up to 10W of power, or 7.5W for iPhones.
Then there is the Marquetry Drop charger. It has the same aluminum body, braided nylon USB-C cable, and up to 10W of power — but instead of the patterned top, it uses an array of genuine Italian leather.
It, too, is unique in its appearance and has top-notch quality that elevates it from the cheap wireless chargers that are passed around.
Both of these models come in several different colors and are available now on Amazon for $59.99 and $79.99 respectively.
Gifts over $100
Anova Precision Cooker Pro
The Anova Precision Cooker Pro is a powerful tool to make delicious sous vide recipes. We tried it out ourselves and found it to heat and circulate water with ease thanks to 1200 Watts of power. A responsive touchscreen and sleek black/stainless steel design that looks great in modern kitchens add to its appeal.
Built for continuous use, Moms can experiment making everything from creme brulee to salmon, making it an excellent gift idea for Mother's Day. Best of all, the Pro version won't break the bank thanks to Anova's half off sale, bringing the price of the Precision Cooker Pro down to a record low $199 (also available at Amazon, but for $249). With a motor that's
The Anova Precision Cooker Pro can be used with an iPhone or Android device to wireless set temps and monitor cooking times. Let Mom relax and set it up for her while she enjoys the day, as setup can be a bit time-consuming, especially if you have special characters in your Wi-Fi password (hint: it does not like that). You'll also want to get the latest firmware update to address any issues with the touchscreen. Once it connects and is updated, though, it's a breeze to operate.
Don't forget to pick up handy accessories, like this sous vide container and carrying case for the Precision Cooker Pro.
DJI Osmo 3 Limited Edition Gift Box
For moms who love to travel, let her document her journeys with the DJI Osmo Mobile 3 enveloped in a specially designed gift box. This bundle from DJI sells for $139 and includes everything Mom needs to capture special memories. Take panoramic pictures, zoom to get the perfect shot, and even use fun options like story mode to create awesome pictures and videos to share with family and friends.
As mentioned above, DJI's Osmo Mobile 3 Limited Edition Gift Box is available for $139, while just the Osmo Mobile 3 is on sale from $89 (up to $30 off) for a limited time.
Jay Leather Tote
If your mom is the type of person who carries everything with her all the time, it's hard to beat Solo's Jay Leather Tote. This travel-friendly bag is made of full-grain leather and has a fully padded 15.6" laptop compartment. Small metal feet help protect the tote when placed on the floor, and the inside features plenty of pockets to keep everything organized. The Jay Leather Tote also has a trick up its sleeve — unzip the bottom of the exterior pocket, and mom can slip it over the handle of her rolling luggage.
The Jay Leather Tote is available for $149.99 and comes in espresso and black.
Bellabeat Leaf
If mom's not the type to wear a smartwatch but still wants a great fitness tracker, we highly recommend the Bellabeat Leaf. This discrete tracker can be worn as a bracelet, necklace, or clip-on brooch. The leaf tracks steps, distance, calories burned, sleep patterns, and the companion app offers the ability to record additional options like menstrual cycle tracking and stress logging. It also features a replaceable internal coin-cell battery that lasts for six months and tracks for 24 hours a day, so she'll never forget to charge it.
The Bellabeat Leaf is available in a few different options, including black and rose gold, pink, black and silver, and gray and rose gold. The prices vary based on style, but most cost right around $100.
Amazon Kindle
Your mom can already read books on her iPhone or iPad, but it's the Kindle that made e-books a hit and there are advantages to using one. They're closer to books in that her reading is not going to be interrupted by notifications, for instance. And because they're used specifically for reading, instead of a variety of tasks like working, all Kindle devices have brilliant battery life.
We have to say that the Kindle Paperwhite is the best version all-round, because of its screen quality. The base Kindle starts at $90, but that version does come with persistent adverts. To give your mom a better, uninterrupted reading experience, spring for the $110 Without Special Offers version.
Streaming subscription
Especially since the coronavirus lockdown, it's more likely than ever that your mom has a streaming service such as Netflix. But it's surprising how quickly you can feel you've exhausted one service, so if you can find out what she's already got, look at giving her an alternative.
There's always an Apple TV+ subscription. But as long as she hasn't already got it, then Amazon Prime is probably the best value. Alongside a deep library of classics and an ever-growing collection of new series, Amazon Prime also offers more.
There's the free delivery on most Amazon orders, which is not to be ignored, but there is a lesser-known extra that gets your mom books and magazines to read. Neither is quite the astonishing selection Amazon claims, but there's a lot of good reading to be done here and it all comes within the same price.
Plus, while the best deal is an annual price of $119, you can pay a monthly $12.99 for everything, or just $8.99 for the streaming video.
Knomo Mini Beaufort
We have Knomo bags that still look perfect after more than a decade, so we readily recommend the company as much for its value for money as for its design. You could shop their entire catalog, but for a good mix of price, and functionality, try the Mini Beaufort.
Unlike the Solo Jay Leather Tote, this is a backpack and actually quite a small one. It's able to take devices up to 12 inches, so other than the largest iPad Pro, your mom should be able to slip any iPad into here along with accessories.
It costs $149, though Knomo offers an interest-free option for four payments of $37.25, and it comes in a choice of eight colors. Amazon also has it on sale for $129.99.
WD Elements 2TB Portable External Hard Drive
It's likely that some of our readers play the role of family tech support sometimes, so this is a Trojan Horse gift to make your lives easier by ensuring there's backups of family members' files available if their Mac or PC endures a malady in the future. Bringing back their lost files will make you look like a hero, or a forward-thinking loved one at the least.
Practically any USB 3.0 external drive will do, so long as it has enough capacity. We suggest the 2TB WD Elements Portable External Hard Drive, which is available for $59.79. Or if you want to save a bit of money, 1TB is available for $45.99.
Be warned that this may not come across as a particularly mother-centric gift, so you may need to be a bit persuasive. One tactic is to lean on how it will help them keep their precious photos and other memories "intact for future generations."
Deals on Apple hardware
If Mom's collection of Apple products is missing a few items, there are a number of deals leading up to Mother's Day on official hardware and accessories. From Apple-brand iPhone cases for $24.99 to AirPods on sale for $224.99 while supplies last, it's easy to save on Mother's Day gifts this year.
Here are a few of our top picks:
And don't forget to check out the AppleInsider Apple Price Guide for the lowest prices on Apple-related Mother's Day gifts.
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