Wait, is it almost Mother’s Day again? Yes, the holiday when you are supposed to shower your mom, or other moms in your life, with praise, gifts, and much needed solo time is Sunday, May 12, 2024. Not sure what to buy mom for the special day of recognition? Don’t stick with a typical gift. Bring mom into the realm of tech or upgrade her dated gear with something new. This tech gift guide includes exciting high-tech (and even some low-tech-adjacent) gifts suitable for all types of moms.
For the Sporty Mom: Sennheiser Momentum Sport True Wireless Earbuds
I’m currently reviewing these earbuds, and they are a great option for a fitness focused mom. There’s an integrated heart rate and body temperature sensor that can report on crucial data when connected to a compatible app, including a Peloton bike (did you get mom one last year?) as well as Apple Watch, Garmin watches, the Strava app, and, most notably, Polar devices. Ideally, mom will pair this with a Polar product to get access to Polar’s biosensing capabilities and data analytics. (I’m reviewing it with the Polar Vantage V3). Mom will appreciate the semi-open design so she can go for a morning run while remaining aware of her surroundings.
The headphones feature adaptive noise cancellation and an anti-wind mode so mom can select which one suits her setting. With long battery life and a IP54 rated case that supports wireless charging, you can’t go wrong. Get the burned olive finish for something that will stand out. It will set you back US$330.
For the Mom Who Has/Wants a Home Gym: Peloton Bike
Speaking of Peloton, I recently tried a Peloton bike for the first time in a hotel gym and I fell in love. While there are other branded bikes that cost less and get great reviews, I feel like once mom tries a Peloton, she won’t want anything but that. Expect to pay a big fee: the bike itself is about $2,000 with taxes, but this includes delivery and set-up. It does not, however, include a membership to the classes. That is $55/mo., so about the same cost as a gym membership. There are also rental options for $129/mo., which includes membership, so you could start mom off with a rental for three months to see if she likes it first. If so, band together with the siblings and buy her one for Christmas.
What should you know about the bike? It has a 21.5-inch HD touchscreen for following classes, an easy-to-use resistance knob for manual control if you’re following a class that requires it or doing your own custom workout. Enjoy in-workout metrics like heart rate, output, cadence, and resistance, and pair a heart rate monitor or use the Peloton Watch app to track workouts. In terms of classes, they include both live and on-demand options and range from cardio to strength training, yoga, and more (yes, there are classes that don’t involve the bike, too). Join forces with mom’s bestie’s husband and plan to get them both Pelotons so they can work out together (but still apart) and challenge one another via the virtual leaderboard. The bike measures 4 x 2 feet in size, so make sure mom has a spot for it first.
For the Gal Pals Mom: JBL PartyBox Encore Essential Speaker
If mom loves to rock out with her girlfriends on girl’s nights in, get her the JBL Partybox Encore Essential ($400 from Erikson Consumer), which she can use at home or pop in the trunk to take over to her gal pal’s place. Not only will they get bass-pumping tunes by the pool (it’s IPX4 splash-proof), there’s also a wired mic input for a karaoke party. Get her two (or convince the neighbour’s husband to get one for his wife as well) and they’ll be keeping the neighbourhood up belting out Taylor Swift and Pink tunes.
Using the companion PartyBox app, she can even customize the colours of a lightshow emanating from the speaker as well as control settings and the music. Pop the karaoke tunes onto a USB stick and insert it, then use a mini projector and screen or wall to display the lyrics from a connected computer or other device. If singing isn’t her thing, she can sip margaritas by the pool while soaking up some Chris Stapleton in the background.
For the Android User Mom: OnePlus Watch 2 Smartwatch
If she has a OnePlus phone, or any Android phone for that matter, she’ll love the OnePlus Watch 2. For moms who don’t mind something bigger and bulkier on their wrist, it provides such a pleasant experience with a battery that will impress. She can track her fitness, even create her own custom workout names, track runs and cycles, receive notifications, download apps, and choose from a wide variety of funky or classic watch faces. I love that there’s a Power Saver mode that can keep the watch going for up to 12 days (with limited functions), perfect for moms on the go who forget to charge. The screen is bright and beautiful, the watch rugged with an IP68 rating, and it even offers connected music playback and built-in voice assistance.
At $400, it’s not one of the cheaper smartwatches. But if mom (or you) have an old smartwatch lying around, bring in any one from any brand to get $60 off. Or go all out and get her the watch and the OnePlus 12 smartphone to save 30% off the entire purchase. Read my review of the OnePlus Watch 2 and the OnePlus 12.
For the Grandma: iRobot Roomba Combo Essential
If mom has been wanting a Roomba but isn’t willing to shell out for one of the more expensive ones, the latest Roomba Combo Essential combines both dry vacuuming and wet mopping and comes in at an incredibly reasonable price of $370. It picks up dirt and debris in neat rows, delivers Clean Map reports, offers two-hour battery life per charge, and can be scheduled to clean on your preferred timelines.
It’s not as advanced nor as powerful as the top-line models, but for small homes, apartments, and quick cleans, mom will love her new robot helper. Consider this device for your elderly mom or grandmother who is having a hard time getting the vacuuming done on her own.
For the Stylish Traveling Mom: BEIS Weekender Mini Travel Bag
I was recently on a press trip with a fashion journalist who raved about this bag and convinced me to order one. What any mom will appreciate about the BEIS Convertible Mini Weekender bag is that it has convenient storage on the bottom that is perfectly sized for a few extra pairs of shoes. As every woman knows, you can never have too many shoes while traveling, and I was able to fit a pair of wedge heels, two pairs of Birkenstocks sandals, and another flexible pair of flat sandals in the compartment, albeit with a bit of struggle to close the zipper.
The big test for me, however, was if this bag would fit under the seat on a flight and classify as a personal item (technically, its dimensions are slightly larger than Air Canada’s allowance). I tried my luck on an Air Canada flight and surprise! I wasn’t stopped though the staff tagged it as “to be placed under the seat” since I also had a carry-on suitcase. I was nervous but the bag fits neatly under the seat when positioned on its side. If you run into an airline employee who is a stickler for the rules, you might not be permitted with this bag as your personal item. But based on social media posts and what others have told me, nine times out of 10, you’ll be fine. Worst case scenario, you’ll be forced to gate-check your carry-on and use the BEIS bag as your carry-on item.
What else do I love about this bag? With a trolley pass-through on the back, mom will be able to roll both the bag and her carry-on neatly around the airport, and there’s even enough room to toss her purse inside. The bottom compartment can also completely zip off so once she unpacks, she can use the main bag for walking around town, heading to the beach, or wherever her journey takes her. Made of vegan leather, it has all the other important parts you’ll need, including a removable padded laptop case with Velcro strap that can accommodate a laptop up to 15 inches in size, several large and small pockets, and a removable shoulder strap. I just wish it had a bottle holder on the side. Aside from that, this bag checks every box. Your only question is which colour to get.
For the Busy Working Mom: Dyson 360 Vis Nav Robot Vacuum
If yours is a Dyson household, consider getting mom the Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum, which she might not even know about yet. Announced last year and recently launched in Canada, it has tons of sensors to detect dust, objects, and walls, cleaning right to the edges. Its 360° vision system and fisheye lens provide a panoramic view of the home while the SLAM vision system processes this information from the camera and tells the vacuum where to clean.
With powerful suction, a triple-action brush bar, and Piezo sensor, this vacuum will shed hours off mom’s day. It runs for up to 65 minutes per charge and uses a hygienic one-handed bin emptying system, which mom will appreciate, too. This is a $1,500 purchase, however, so budget accordingly!
For the Mom Cave: Harman Kardon Luna Portable Bluetooth Speaker
For a smaller audio solution for moms who appreciate cool style, the Harmon Kardon Luna portable Bluetooth speaker comes housed in soft-touch fabric with an anodized aluminum top panel. Mom can listen to favourite tunes while at her desk, gardening outside, or cooking in the kitchen through the two-way speaker system. She’ll get up to 12 hours of built-in battery life and is IP67 dust- and water resistance so she can bring it to the pool, beach, or backyard, too.
It comes in grey or black and you can find it for about $250. It’s distributed in Canada by Erikson Consumer.
For the TV Loving Mom: Skyworth P100 Portable TV
A unique gift for mom, the Skyworth P100 portable TV, which John Thomson reviewed earlier this year, is the perfect mini TV mom can move around with her. Whether it’s to keep on top of the news while she works in her office, watch her favourite show while cooking, or take outside to watch movies, shows, or sports while at the campsite, cottage, or in the backyard, she’ll love having this neatly packed TV. It is battery operated with a decent-sized 24-inch screen with Google’s smart TV platform built in.
It’s great for that second screen experience as well, John found, whereby you can still hang out with your partner or kids in the same room while one person watches what they want on the Skyworth TV (one person wearing headphones, of course – it has a 3.5mm headphone port). As someone living in a household with members who love WWE wrestling, I would appreciate to have this option to watch what I want to watch on a screen bigger than my laptop. The TV costs a cool $500.
For the Health-Conscious Mom: Withings Body Segment Smart Scale
Ever since I reviewed the Withings Body Segment Smart Scale, several of my girlfriends (who are also moms) are in awe of the detailed data it provides. They all want one, too. Beyond traditional weight and BMI, you get in-depth body analysis, including visceral fat, muscle and fat mass, EDA, heart rate, and more. But thanks to the retractable handle and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), you also get more details, including a 3D diagram that advises how fat and muscle mass is distributed throughout your body. It outlines the arms, legs, and torso so you can see where more fat is being distributed or where you have greater muscle mass compared to other Withings users of the same age, weight, and height as you.
Learn more about how this $500 smart scale works in my review, but trust me, every woman will want one in her bathroom.
For The Millennial Mom: Fujifilm Instax Mini 99 Instant Camera
Young moms especially will love the Fujifilm Instax Mini 99 instant camera, which has a retro style Millennials love and lots of effects that might not be as cool as digital filters, but yield cute-looking photo prints, nonetheless. There’s a brightness dial to control the level of exposure and different shooting modes. Bottom line: this camera has many more manual options than are usual in an instant camera.
Great for experimentation or grabbing pics of the kids, whether you’re using portrait or macro focus modes, it pairs with the Instax Up! smartphone app. If they prefer digital sharing versus prints, it’s easy to do that, too. Get it for $250.
For the Coffee-Loving Mom: KitchenAid Espresso Maker
As a mom who recently upgraded from a Keurig to an espresso machine, it makes a difference. The work-from-home mom will appreciate being able to make café-quality cappuccinos at home while the mom who travels to the office daily or a few days a week will be able to pack a cup in her travel mug and save that $7 and frustrating drive-thru lines to get a grande latte with two shots of caramel.
KitchenAid has a new line of espresso makers with a feature that moms with babies and young children, or who start her days very early, will absolutely love: they are certified by Quiet Mark to be among the quietest machines in the category while both brewing and grinding fresh beans.
The most affordable model in the line is the $1,000 KF6 and it’s a semi-automatic machine with a burr grinder that can make a variety of espresso-based drinks with the push of a button. It also comes with a milk pitcher and steam wand for making perfectly frothed milk.
If mom has a dairy sensitivity, is lactose intolerant, or prefers milk alternatives, you might want to upgrade to the $2,500 KF8 that has a dedicated plant-based milk mode for use with almond, oat, soy, and other milk-alternatives (though the others should be able to froth those types of milks as well).
For the Commuter Mom: JBL Live 770NC Wireless Over-Ear Headphones
For moms who travel, I recently reviewed these headphones and would highly recommend them as your perfect plane-ready pair. The noise cancellation is fabulous, the sound wonderful, and she can customize her listening experience in the JBL Headphones app. Whether she wants to watch TV or movies late at night while the kids are in bed without disturbing anyone, listening to tunes on her morning subway commute, or she’s a gamer, she will appreciate these.
At $300, they are a steal for the comfortable fit (I wore them for an entire four-hour flight), intuitive operation, and sound quality. They’re available in Canada starting this month from Erikson Consumer.
For the Apple Fan Mom: Apple 15-inch MacBook Air M3
Upgrade mom to the new Apple MacBook Air M3 for using on the go or in the home office. It’s snappy, offers up to 18 hours of battery life, and has a durable aluminum unibody enclosure. With the silent, fanless design and MagSafe charging, mom can take it just about anywhere. Mom can conduct her Zoom calls using the 1,080p FaceTime HD camera and three-mic array, which boasts enhanced voice clarity. Along with the backlit Magic Keyboard, it also has Touch ID.
The Apple MacBook Air M3 starts at $1,749 for the 15-inch model or get the 13-inch model starting at $1,449.
For the Gym Mom: Scosche MagicMount Flask
After reviewing the Scosche MagicMount Flask, I loved it but didn’t think it would become my new water bottle of choice. I was wrong. I haven’t stopped using it since! Along with getting my required water intake, I love being able to use the built-in MagSafe mount to position my phone and take my post-workout selfie each day to share with girlfriends. It can hold the phone in portrait or landscape mode and doesn’t impede my ability to take a sip as needed.
The water bottle itself is high quality and I appreciate the wide spout and straw. My water stays cold all day long. While I don’t have a pet, I can see how the silicone gel bowl at the base can come in handy when going for walks with your pup. But even without using it, the base bowl provides nice grip for tables and other flat surfaces. It’s US$39.
For the Fashionable Mom: Laifen SE Blow Dryer
I’ll be reviewing this hair dryer soon so stay tuned. But the stylish hair care item has the potential to be a viable alternative to more expensive models on the market. At just US$130, it comes in fun matte colours like pink, purple, and blue and is powered by the company’s 105,000rpm brushless motor. Promising to be able to dry hair faster than traditional dryers, it has a Temperature Cycling Mode that protects your hair from heat damage. The 3-LED ring shows you the temperature settings.
There are two magnetic nozzles included: a diffuser for curly hair and a standard one for styling straight hair. If you’re reluctant to fork over a hefty sum for a Dyson blow dryer or hair care device, consider this as a more affordable yet still stylish alternative. I’ll share more with my review.
For The Mom Who Entertains: Samsung Music Frame
Samsung has an interesting innovation in the digital photo frame space: the Music Frame. Introduced at CES 2024, it’s just as it sounds: a digital photo frame that also houses a Bluetooth speaker. Mom can use it to display her own artwork or a slideshow of photos combined with music. Measuring 8×8 inches, you can choose from the various custom bezels. If she has a compatible Samsung TV or soundbar at home, it also works with Q-Symphony to sync audio with the TV. With a three-way speaker, you get powerful sound from this small package.
Selling for US$400 (on pre-order now), it’s not cheap, but it’s a unique gift mom won’t be expecting.
For The Mom With a Home Office: Epson ET-4850 All-in-One Supertank Printer
I’m in the midst of reviewing this wireless colour all-in-one cartridge-free Epson Supertank printer right now, but I can already confidently say that any mom would love to have it in her home office or computer room. Selling for $600, though often on sale, it can print, scan, copy, and even fax. It can also print wirelessly, a dream for me who loves to work upstairs 90% of the time. I can print the items I need then file them away when I go to my office in the basement.
The feature that I most love about Epson EcoTank printers like this one is that it’s cartridge-free. It uses ink reservoirs, conveniently positioned at the front in newer models like this one, that need only be refilled once every two years with average use. A set even comes in the box to get you started.
I have been using an EcoTank printer for years and I’d never go back to cartridge. I can already see features I love about this model over the older one I have been using, including the easy to fill ink reservoirs, the touchscreen, the Epson SmartPanel app, sleek design, and the 250-sheet paper tray. Just don’t be surprised if everyone in the family ends up connecting to and using it. It comes in either black or white.
For the Swimmer Mom: H2O Audio Tri Pro Multi-Sport Headphones
For about $200 in Canada, pick up the H20 Audio Tri Pro Multi-Sport Headphones for the mom who loves to swim. If she likes to do laps in the pool every day or once a week, she will appreciate having these headphones she can wear while swimming. She can listen to a podcast, a playlist, or motivational speech to get her day started right. They use bone conduction technology so fit around the back of the head and atop the temples.
She can download music directly to the headphones built-in storage or “record” content from streaming services using the unique Playlist+ feature. Read more about how this works and my experience with these headphones in my review.
For the Vacation Mom: TravelPro Platinum Elite Hardside Luggage
I was initially hesitant about using the compact carry-on suitcase in this set for short trips given that it’s much smaller than my usual carry on. But I quickly realized it can hold a lot more than meets the eye. I recently took it for a three-day trip to New York and was able to bring multiple outfits, including two blazers, two pairs of shoes, including one pair of heels, and a pair of runners along with my toiletry case and hair straightener. Did I have to sit on it to zip it up? Yes. But did everything fit? Yes!
I took this suitcase along with the aforementioned BEIS Mini Weekender Convertible bag as my “personal item” on another short four-day trip to Turks & Caicos and the set-up was perfect. I packed my clothing and toiletries in the suitcase with room to spare then my phone, passport, shoes, sunglasses, headphones, chargers, purse, wallet, and make-up bag in the BEIS bag. I was traveling both light and in style! The set is regularly $1,050 but it’s frequently on sale for about $840. If mom just needs the smaller carry-on suitcase, it sells for about $425 on sale on its own. Oh yah, did I also mention it has a built-in USB port for plugging in a portable charger for easy charging on the go?
For the Sentimental Mom: Casetify Custom Photo Grid Phone Case
I recently reviewed Casetify mobile accessories, including both laptop and phone cases, and can attest to their quality and durable build. But what Casetify is really known for is style, and you can’t get more personalized than making mom her own custom case. Choose her device, select the type of case, then pick a layout and start uploading photos. Once you like how it looks, save it, and order.
It’s much more expensive than a traditional case, but you’re paying for the customization, too. Expect to pay about US$110 for a case for the iPhone 15 Pro Max, or about US$90 for an iPhone 14 case. You may have to add shipping to that, and order in advance for it to arrive in time (or tell mom it will be worth the wait!) But the look on her face when she opens it and sees pics of you guys together or the grandkids? Priceless! (Note: you can customize cases for other devices, too, from AirTags to wireless chargers, and more.)
For the Hybrid Working Mom: Acer 14-inch Chromebook Plus Laptop
At under $500, the 14-inch Acer Chromebook Plus is the perfect at-home laptop for mom to play around with and let her creative juices fly, keep on top of household finances, run her home-based business, or access work from home. It’s also small and lightweight enough to take with her at just 3.15 lbs., measuring 0.81 inches thin, and meeting U.S. MIL-STD 810H durability ratings. It functions like a traditional Chromebook, but the Plus moniker indicates that it also has exciting AI capabilities under the hood. Creative moms can enjoy AI tools like Magic Eraser in the built-in Google Photos app as well as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Express powered by Adobe Firefly generative AI. Powered by an Intel Core i3-N305 processor and 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM, it can run built-in AI-powered apps like Google Docs and Photos as well. Mom can watch favourite shows in full HD on a 1080p display or make movies using LumaFusion.
The laptop can run all day, with a rated battery life of up to 11 hours per charge. It’s available in touch- and non-touch models, with anti-glare coating. It should be available just in time for Mother’s Day.
For the Content Creator Mom: Kensington 5″ Ring Light Video Conferencing Kit
Available for just $30, moms who make their own social media videos, do livestreaming, or participate in a lot of video calls and meetings will love adding this ring light set to their set-up. It’s portable so she can use it both at home and on the go, improving her lighting so she can always look her best and get proper footage. It delivers up to 350 lumens of brightness along with five colour settings and 10 levels of brightness.
The light comes with a pivoting tripod desktop mount and rotating device clip for mounting to monitors, smartphones, and tablets. It’s an all-in-one solution for any content creating mom.
For the Young Mom: Moxyo CrossBody AirPods Pro Case
Apple AirPods are great, and chances are that most younger moms have a pair (maybe some older ones, too!) She can carry it in style with the Moxyo Crossbody AirPods Pro Case. The case, which will run you about $30 in Canada (distributed by Erikson Consumer), comes in four stylish colours with a wrist and crossbody strap so mom can both carry them easily and be less likely to lose them. The crossbody strap is 46-53 inches long and the wrist strap a smaller 7.5 inches.
The best part? A portion of every purchase from Moxyo goes to the Relief Haven efforts to help individuals attain economic independence in both the U.S. and other countries.