We’re back with the WiFi HiFi holiday gift guides! Each week, we’ll release a new themed gift guides, chocked-full of great tech gift ideas for different people on your list. This week, we’re looking at great gifts to help someone outfit a room designed just for them. Typically called “man caves,” there has been a trend toward “woman caves” of late, too. Whatever the gender of the person who claims this room of the home as their own, using it for their personal past-time to decompress, like watching movies, playing video games, reading books, or listening to music, these would be great gifts for them.
C by GE Full Color Light Strips
Set the mood with these super-cool light strips, which you can place underneath furniture, or in tight spaces to create a cool, lighting effect while you watch movies, play games, listen to music, or more. Select from millions of colours, including tunable white. Set schedules and scenes. The strips can be easily cut to fit the space where you want to place them. They work with both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa for voice and app control. Grab a two-metre pack for $119 and one-metre extensions for $50 ea.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
If the person is a gamer and uses this “cave” for their own personal gaming time, they probably already have a favourite console. If it’s an Xbox, consider this pass, which will provide access to a variety of games, including Xbox exclusive on the day they are released. They will also be able to enjoy online multiplayer modes to join in the fun with friends, especially important while they can’t get together in person. $17/mo
Xbox Wireless Controller
Again for Xbox owners, an extra controller can always come in handy, and a wireless one is best. Always have one recharged and ready to go if the main one dies right in the middle of a game, or someone in the family or friend bubble comes over to play one night. This one boasts a modern design with sculpted surfaces that allow for enhanced comfort during extended play times. Starts at $75.
Pl8ty Bluetooth Speaker
If the room is designed with a nostalgic feel, harkening back to the ’80s for someone who grew up during that decade, this Bluetooth speaker would be a really cool edition, even if just to put on display. Designed to resemble the Sony Walkman cassette player, it features modern-day technology so you can place your smartphone inside while it’s playing tunes from your favourite streaming service. Press the play button on the Pl8ty and you can now use its buttons to control playback, including fast forward, rewind, and pause, and the wheel to control the volume. Plug headphones into the 3.5mm jack to enjoy personal listening or enjoy via the built-in stereo speaker. An integrated clip lets you wear Pl8ty on your belt, duffel bag, backpack or waistband. It also features an input aux jack, and a USB-C port for charging the 3,200-mAh lithium-ion battery. That battery also functions as a power bank, recharging your smartphone if it’s running low on juice. It works with most iPhones, Samsung Galaxy series, plus many Android phones. It comes in red & blue, black & gold, or blue & red colour combinations. US$99, but keep in mind you can only pre-order one for now, with shipments not expected to arrive until April 2021. Still, the cool factor alone with an ’80s fanatic might be worth the wait.
Sonos Arc Soundbar
Assuming the room isn’t exactly the biggest one in the house, you’ll probably have to look for space-saving audio. A good-sounding soundbar can be a good option in this respect. Sonos’ Arc supports Dolby Atmos and is compatible with popular voice assistants. It is powered by Sonos’ new sound experience platform and comes equipped with 11 high-performance drivers, including two that are upward firing for 3D audio. Tuned in partnership with Oscar-winning mixing engineers, Arc adjusts its sound profile through software, based on the home theatre set-up and what’s playing, including stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1, and Dolby Atmos. Sound can be refined in the Sonos app with features including Speech Enhancement to further clarify vocals, Night Sound to temper loud explosions, and an update to Sonos’ Trueplay tuning technology, adjusting Arc’s acoustic profile based on the room, accounting for horizontal and vertical sound that comes with 3D sound. Arc, available in matte black and matte white, features a 270-degree rounded plastic grille and a seamless exterior. It can be set up in front of a standing TV or mounted to the wall with a separate custom-designed wall mount. A simple connection through HDMI eARC or ARC keeps set-up simple. Arc can be controlled using the Sonos app and the next-generation S2 software platform, as well as with an existing TV remote, or by voice via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. It can also be controlled through Apple AirPlay 2. $999
Plex Subscription
They might already have subscriptions to favourite streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Crave, Apple TV+, and Disney+. But what about Plex? With a subscription, they can access a personal collection of TV shows, movies, music, and photos from any device, along with over-the-air live and recorded TV, web shows, and more. There are free movies from studios like Warner Brothers, Crackle, LionsGate, and MGM as well. With a Plex Pass that’s $50/yr. or $160 for a lifetime subscription, they’llget all of the premium features as well, including advanced audio, premium photos, and additional movie and TV extras.
Spin-Clean Record Washer MKII
If the room is set up for private listening of old vinyl records by someone who has resurrected or enhanced their collection, this would be a thoughtful gift. Pricing ranges from $110 to $210 for complete cleaning systems that will help keep a collection in pristine condition and playing like new with that signature nostalgic “crackle” that you can’t get from a CD or streaming digital file.
Front Row Seating 6-Foot Bean Bag Chair
This super-fun bean bag chair is a versatile addition to a man or woman cave. It can be used as an upright chair for watching movies or playing video games, a recliner, sofa, or even bed should you fall asleep in the room or have guests staying over. It has near-frictionless micro-beads inside that comfort to your body to help eliminate pressure points. And it’s big enough to accommodate four people should you invite the entire family in for a family movie night.
The best part? You can store it vertically when not in use to open up the room if you want to do your daily workouts or play games using virtual reality (VR) goggles. The cotton/spandex cover is machine washable as well. There’s also a two-foot shorter more compact version called the Personal should you just want a single person chair, love seat, or day bed for a smaller room.
Marshall Mini Fridge
What better gift for a personal man or woman cave than a cool (literally) mini fridge that can hold beers, soda, wine coolers, a bottle of rose, and other drinks that are par for the course for a night in. This one comes in a 3.2 or 4.4 cubic foot size and features authentic Marshall Amp parts, including genuine Marshall logos, actual knobs, fret cloth, brass finished faceplate, and custom branded glass shelving. With a matte black tub and white accents, each has an arctic blue LED cluster that lights up the interior. There are transparent removable trays, a thermostat at the side to optimize storage space, improved custom doors, increased tray space that can fit 2L bottles and regular size cans, and embossed details on the inside of door. The larger version has a freezer compartment as well, perfect for freezing ice cubes to serve drinks on the rocks and for frozen snacks – or just to get that beer cold or bottle of wine chilled quicker when someone brings over a six-pack! The 3.2 fridge (31.25” x 19” x 18.5”) is $400, and the 4.4 cubic foot (32.25” x 19.75” x 22.5”) is $500.
Tri-Art TA-05 Turntable
If they’re more into passive music listening than active gaming, consider getting a turntable for the room. Rather than something boxy and boring, this one is absolutely gorgeous, made of solid three-ply bamboo with an aluminum sub platter with steel shaft and removable spindle. It has a single AC synchronous motor (33 and 45rpm) and ABEC7 carbonized ceramic ball bearing. It even has a solid bamboo tone arm with a unique azimuth adjustment. Why bamboo? Aside from the fact that it looks really cool, bamboo is considered to be “nature’s carbon fibre,” says Tri-Art, which makes it a fast material with great isolation properties that can minimize airborne and structural vibrations. Plus, it’s also eco-friendly since it replenishes in five years compared to 25-30 years for most other hardwoods. It comes plug and play and can be equipped with any cartridge or use one of Tri-Arts. MSRP $798
Devialet Phantom Reactor Portable Wireless Speaker
Perfect for smaller spaces, this wireless speaker will still afford beautiful sound and punchy bass for private listening. It’s a quarter of the size of the Phantom Gold. There’s a 600-watt, 95dB SPL 600 model for $1,450 in a black or white finish, or the 900 model that offers 900 watts and 98dB SPL for $1,850 in the same finish options. Both include Airplay, Bluetooth, and Spotify Connect so they can listen to streaming tunes from favourite services, along with optical cable, analog, and UPnP for connecting other source devices.
Samsung QN65 QLED TV
Go big or go home, as they say. Every man or woman cave needs a fabulous TV, and this one from Samsung is not only QLED to provide crisp whites and the blackest blacks, it’s also 8K-enabled, future-proofing the investment for when more 8K content becomes available, from streaming TV series to movies and even video games. This one is 65″ in size and features HDR, the Tizen-nased smart TV platform for accessing streaming services, and an ultra-slim design. It normally sells for about $4,500, but during the holidays, especially Black Friday, you might be able to snag it for as little as $3,000.
Monitor Audio Mass 5.1 Surround Sound System
Get full surround sound in the small room with this system that includes five high-performance satellite speakers and a subwoofer. The speakers can be placed atop a surface, on the optional and complementary MASS Stands, or mounted on the wall, and come in midnight (blue/black) or mist (white/grey). $1,399
Sennheiser Momentum 2 Wireless Headphones
To shut off from the world, and immerse themselves in classical music, hard rock, or soothing tunes, check out these headphones. A wireless version of the popular Momentums, they fold up nicely, and you can use the app to choose your desired level of ANC so he can still hear the kids if necessary. Unfold them and they automatically power on. $530
Austere V11 Power Block
This sleek power block can totally organize a clutter of cables. I use one beside a side table in my living room to plug in the charging dock for my Savant remote, my Ventev wireless charger, a speaker, an Amazon Echo Show 5, my Fitbit charger, and more. And I still have several outlets open for other devices as I need them. What I really love about this power block, aside from the gorgeous all-aluminum enclosure design and durable and attractive WovenArmor power cable, is that it has several outlets on the side as well for plugging in more items, including two USB ports (where my Fitbit charger resides) and a45W USB-C PD port. Another small but appreciated detail: AC outlets are well-spaced to accommodate large adapters without having to skip plugs. $280, and a six-outlet version is also available for $250.
Didn’t find what you were looking for? Check back as this gift guide will be updated through to the end of 2020, and check out more gift suggestions in our other Holiday Gift Guides.