Mother's Day is Sunday, May 8. Here are more than two dozen gift ideas we know she'll love.
Mother's Day is just a few weeks away. If you need a funny card, we've got
some ideas. Flowers? We've tested the top online florists to help you find a
beautiful bouquet. For something more personal, we tapped into our Mother's
Day spider-senses to curate a list of gifts, from the practical to the lavish,
to give that special mom this year.
Nobody deserves to be spoiled
more than Mom, so we say saddle her with something extra special that she'd
never buy herself. We've had our heads down testing the best gear, gadgets,
kitchenware and more to prepare for the big day. Whether your mom or the
motherly figure you love is a tech type, fitness fanatic, culinary queen or
lover of music, we've got Mother's Day gift ideas that'll make her smile. (Not
to mention keep you in good standing.)
So be a good kid and read on, will ya? And lay a little lovely on Mom
this May.
Tiki fire pit
Get the most out of spring evenings
Brian Bennett/CNET
If your mom runs as cold as mine, she'll love a fire pit to enjoy time outdoors during the spring, fall or cooler summer nights. CNET's Brian Bennet tested several fire pits and this model was his favorite overall with its clever airflow system that recycles hot smoke back into the fire chamber. It's also super easy to ignite, firing up in about 5 minutes and fully burning in just 15. Even better, this model generated far less smoke than the other fire pits that were tested.
Apple Watch SE
Way more helpful than a Rolex
CNET editor and mom Bridget Carey says, "I never cared about an Apple Watch until I had to do everything at home. Now it's the only way I stay sane." With this multifaceted device, Mom can be with the kids and away from the laptop without worrying about missing a call or big email.
Working from home while alsorunning a home can lead to some serious scatterbrain and an Apple Watch will help Mom locate her phone if lost, schedule her day, make playlists for running and 1,000 other things.
Noise-canceling headphones
Quiet, please!
If there's one thing moms put up with way too much of, it's noise. Help her drown out the clamor with a pair of noise-canceling headphones so she can listen to music, podcasts or the soothing sounds of waves crashing on a far-off shore. New moms with small children in sleep training will appreciate them doubly -- triply, even.
Because nothing's too good for Mom, we'd go straight to our top recommendation, the Sony WH-1000XM4. CNET's David Carnoy called it a "nearly flawless noise-canceling headphone." Not only are they more comfortable than the previous iteration, Sony upgraded the voice-calling capabilities, too.
These often sell for as low as $278.
Nixplay smart digital photo frame
All her favorites in one place
If you've ever heard mom complain about all those photos sitting in her phone collecting proverbial dust, now is the time to do something about it and a digital photo frame is the thing to do. The Nixplay smart digital picture frame stores thousands of images and will help you display either one or a running slide show of your favorite people and moments so you can actually enjoy them for once. The frame is available in various sizes -- up to 15 inches -- and a motion sensor will turn the frame on and off automatically.
While the Sony noise-canceling earphones are great, not everyone is into that over-the-ear style. Mom can keep one ear on a Zoom call and the other on the kids with these popular and versatile earbuds. Long battery life comes via a case that recharges them throughout the week. The handy ear hook means Mom can wear them anywhere and while doing pretty much anything. Plus, the Powerbeats come in a range of flashy and fun colors.
Ode coffee grinder
To make truly perfect pots
The Ode is one of those luxury gifts that fits squarely in the splurge category, and it should probably be reserved for a true coffee nerd of a mom. I tested the Ode and it grinds faster, more consistently and more quietly than any other I've used. It also aims to please even the most finicky coffee drinkin' mom with 31 (yes, 31) grind settings.
Important to note that the Ode is engineered specifically fordripcoffee and not espresso. The claim is that too many grinders attempt to do both and fail to do either well. It's also not meant to grind large amounts of beans at once, making it ideal for Chemex and pour-over systems.
Bokksu Japanese snack box
For a mom prone to snack attacks
The Japanese have been hiding some seriously good snacks from the rest of us. Bokksu collects the best snacks and treats from the east and sends them west in a tasty, curated monthly snack subscription. A perfect gift for the mom who's prone to a snack attack. It's also a unique gift for the new mom or expecting mom who needs those extra calories.
The best part about Bokksu is that almost none of these Japanese snacks are similar to snacks we already have here in the US, so she'll likely come across some munchies she's never tried before. Snacks run the gamut from sweet to savory with favorites such as seaweed tempura, puffed rice with ramen seasoning, green tea and lemon cakes, Japanese candy including yuzu gummies and creamy matcha Kit-Kats.
You can send as few as three months' worth of snack boxes ($45 each) or as many as a full year ($40 each) and no two snack sends will ever be the same.
After my Mom treated herself to an espresso machine last year, I followed up with these double-walled cappuccino glasses. It was perhaps the best 15 bucks I've ever spent and they're now the only glasses she'll use for hot beverages.
This set of two sleek glass coffee mugs are great for coffee but also tea, chai and matcha (see above). If you'd like to really amp the gift up, pair the set with one of these great coffee clubs and subscription services that'll ship the best beans -- espresso and otherwise -- to Mom's door.
Mario Badescu face spray set
Mmmmm, that's refreshing
Another small luxury for Mom. These bright and refreshing herbal spritzes transport her somewhere much more peaceful than the place she probably is with just a few pumps. The three-pack from Ulta includes an aloe, cucumber and green tea spritz, another with herbs and rosewater and a third with lavender and chamomile to calm and comfort her skin.