The best Mom 2021 Christmas tech presents: perfect Xmas choices for parental gifts

 

(Pocket-lint) - Are you looking for a gift this Christmas for mum—or wife, whatever you prefer? We've rounded up a number of technological gifts to consider to help you quickly find something she'll absolutely love this holiday season. But before we dig into this list, let's make one thing clear: technology isn't limited to one sex or the other. So, for mothers, technicians definitely don't have to be pink or bedazzled.

Therefore, not just for mothers, but also for fathers, non-binary parents, and everyone else, all of the stuff on this list will work.

Best tech gifts for mom

Fitbit Charge 4

Get a health tracker for your mum! In this group, Fitbit is one of the most affordable and common brands. We like the Fitbit Charge 3 especially, as it monitors a wide range of activities accurately and has a touchscreen display plus easy-to-use menus. Another, more simple tracker is the Flex 2, if you want a cheaper alternative. It lacks a display screen and a heart rate monitor, but at a low price, it offers all-day activity monitoring.

Apple Watch Series 6

The sixth-generation Apple Watch is a step above its predecessors, with an always-on screen and a new chip powering it all. Its panel contains so much more data than previous generations, which makes it so much easier to communicate with passcodes or swip to write messages. Overall, we agree that the best combination of looks, message handling, battery life, activity tracking, and software from any smartwatch out there is offered by Apple Watch.

Roku Streaming Stick+ (or Amazon Fire TV Stick)

One of the cheapest 4K HDR video streaming sticks you can purchase is the Roku Streaming Stick+. It's an HDMI stick that attaches to your TV, so it's simple to set up, plus it supports voice search, and it's agnostic in that it serves content from just about every app or service out there. If your mom is a member of the Prime, though, maybe consider the Fire TV Stick. It's cheap as well, has Prime Footage, and supports Alexa and 4K HDR commands.

Dyson Supersonic hair dryer

This stuff is top-of-its-game. But the caveat - and there's always a caveat - is that any idea of being affordable is absolutely disregarded. It still looks fantastic, dries your hair double-quickly, and blends the style ethos of a Mercedes and BMW. It's an awesome bit of a package.

Amazon Echo Show 8

The Echo Show 8 is essentially an Echo speaker, but with a monitor and a camera, and, while other sizes are available, we're fans of this 8-inch version. On previous versions, it ups the ante, especially in terms of the beefier tone. It's awesome for a kitchen or communal space. However, there's always Google's Home Hub competitor if you prefer Google Assistant voice control over Alexa. Yeah, a camera is missing, but there are no unauthorized video calls or privacy problems.

Amazon Echo Dot with Clock

Go with Amazon's Echo Dot with Clock if you want to get your mom a smart speaker but don't want to spend a lot (the older, smaller version is best in our opinion). For Alexa's skills and voice control, it's super cheap and a simple access point, whether as a first Echo unit, or an expansion in a growing scheme. A bonus for at-a-glance data is the LED display. Again, if you prefer Google Assistant over Alexa, instead, just go for the Home Mini of Google. It's just as compact and I'm just as compact.

Sonos One

The Sonos One will not be disappointed for audiophiles after a smart speaker that provides excellent sound quality for its size, a decent design, and fantastic integrated Alexa voice control, as well as the Google Assistant option. It's Sonos, however, so it's on the pricier side.

AirPods Pro

With commuters all over the world, AirPods have become omnipotent. And with the same basic white design supplemented by in-ear buds and active noise cancellation, the new model is sure to be a success too. You also get a wireless charging case to go with it, and a decent battery life. They give "Hey Siri" voice control as well.

Original PopSocket

PopSockets are huge. It's a fairly straightforward idea: The Original PopSocket sticks flat on your phone, and it can pop out whenever you need it. When you want to take the perfect selfie, it is better used as a grip, or as a stand when you want to read or watch something, hands-free. The endless custom options available are part of the charm, too.

Tile Pro (or Tile Mate)

Does your mom lose her keys or other stuff constantly? Get a tracker from her! This use a crowd-sourced device, so other Tile users who are nearby can pick up their signal if your phone is out of range of the tracker, and you'll get a location warning. The Pro has the best range and louder warning, even though you may not want to spend more on this model. In that case, its cheaper-yet-similar relative, the Tile Pal, will still serve you well.

Instant Pot Duo 6-Quart

Pressure cookers are really hot right now, and they pack a lot of technology, believe it or not. One of our favourite electric pressure cookers is the Instant Pot Duo 6-Quart. It is easy to use and can super easily cook a wide variety of awesome meals, but you can also use it as a slow cooker or a rice cooker or to saute foods. This model, which is more robust, has a stainless steel pot. We're not a fan of nonstick-inserted cookers.

23andMe (or AncestryDNA)

Parents love to find family trees out. So get a DNA-testing package for yours. At a similar price, 23andMe provides the same form of ethnicity estimates as AncestryDNA, although its DNA database is around half the size. Even, for paternal (male testers) and maternal lineages, it'll show you migration routes. AncestryDNA does not distinguish between maternal and paternal lineages, although it provides the largest family matching database.

Microsoft Surface Go (or Asus Chromebook Flip)

You want to get a laptop for your mom without breaking the bank? You've got about a million options. We're in favour of the Surface Go, a 2-in-1 super portable that's perfect as a second go-anywhere unit. You'd have a hard time finding a Windows 10 computer that's just as good at this price. However, if your mother isn't sworn to Windows, you should get a Chromebook for her. Chrome OS runs the Flip C302CA model, has a touchscreen, and looks like an expensive ultrabook.

Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Starter Kit

When it comes to smart lights, Philips is the go-to brand, as its device is expandable, works with Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant, and makes colourful scenes simple to create. The only drawback is that to work, though, with this Starter Kit, that's included, it requires a separate Hue bridge.

Roborock S5 Robot Vacuum cleaner

Will you like to make Mum very happy? Get a robot vacuum for her so she doesn't have to sweep the floor so often. The Roborock model here is peaceful and quiet, and you'll barely realize it is so good at cleaning up. It will map your floor and set an automated route to clean it, removing one more thing from her to-do list whenever you want.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

Is there any law out there that says that all moms enjoy reading? It's one thing either way, so get yours from an ebook reader; she'll use it, believe us. For its e-ink display, we like the Kindle Paperwhite, which can be read in all kinds of lighting, plus its waterproofing, price, and access to Amazon's library.

Amazon Fire HD 8

If your mom chooses a colour touchscreen to an e-ink one, get her an Amazon Fire tablet instead. She can read this model, watch videos, and do light web browsing. There is no Google Play Store, but it's so cheap and gives you access to all the content on Amazon.

Ring Video Doorbell

Is your mom been a victim of the burglary of a porch? If so, we assume that she will love this solution. It sends a phone (or Echo Show) with motion warnings and provides 1080p video recording. Battery or AC power may also operate off it. The only drawback is that a subscription is needed for video recording and storage.