It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating Mother’s Day 2022. But alas, the time has come again for you to shower your mother, daughter, wife, grandmother, sister, or friend, with love, pampering, and great gifts. Last year, I outlined wonderful tech gifts for moms of all kinds. This year, there’s a whole new selection of gifts to consider.
Sonos Era 100 Speakers
Moms appreciate good sound too, and even more so, appreciate speakers that are easy to set up and use. The new Sonos Era 100 speaker replaces the Sonos One, so a pair is the perfect upgrade for a mom who wants better audio in her main listening room. She can move the Sonos One to a secondary room in the home, using it as a night table speaker in the bedroom, for example, or even a smart speaker in the kitchen. With both Bluetooth and line-in on the Era 100, she can connect various audio sources both wired and wirelessly, including pairing it with other Sonos speakers. Go all out and get her a Sonos Arc soundbar as well so she gets a fully immersive surround sound experience in the living room (or even consider upgrading to two Sonos Era 300s, which boast spatial audio and Dolby Atmos support). She’ll love the sleek and unobtrusive look. At $319 ea., start with one and grab her a second for the next occasion or go all out with a pair.
iPhone 14 in Yellow
If you have been thinking about upgrading mom’s old iPhone, you probably have your eyes on the iPhone 14. Now, you can get mom an iPhone 14 in a vibrant yellow hue, which will make her smile from ear to ear (especially if yellow is her favourite colour!) Even though she’s likely to cover the phone with a protective case anyway (as she should), she can get a transparent one to show off the beautiful finish on this new version of the phone. Alongside the bright hue, she’ll enjoy all the same features of the other colours of the iPhone 14, including the 6.1-inch screen, water- and dust-resistant design so she can crush candies while enjoying a bubble bath or lounging by the pool, the dual camera system, and A15 Bionic chip. The phone starts at $1,099 but if you contact mom’s carrier for an upgrade. Especially if her device is on your family plan, you might be able to get a better deal.
LG XBoom Party Speakers
For those times when mom has the ladies over for a karaoke sing-a-long or raucous backyard party, get her a speaker to provide the soundtrack. The LG XBoom party speaker offers both booming sound as well as mood-enhancing lighting effects. Go for the larger XL7 model that has a large 8-inch woofer for powerful bass, Pixel LED lighting with animation mode, and customizable lighting patterns she can play around with in the app. It runs for up to 20 hours per charge and comes on wheels with a telescopic handle. The best part? It boasts an IPX4 rating so she can bring it outside by the pool when she’s having a pool party with the neighbourhood gals. Kicking things up a notch is the mic and guitar input along with Karaoke Star.
Apple Watch Series 8 Smartwatch
Every mom who owns an iPhone wants an Apple Watch, even if she doesn’t realize it yet. While you might want to wait for the rumored Series 9 Watch that may launch later this year, you can still pick her up an Apple Watch Series 8 which has all the features she’ll need and then some, especially if this will be her first one. It seamlessly syncs to her iPhone, bringing over all her favourite apps so she can do everything from order her morning coffee to check social media updates and initiate a workout right from her wrist. Plus, she gets calendar updates, messages, and can even reply to texts or make and receive phone calls. Starting at $529, it’s a big investment, but it will be worth it once she realizes the benefits of having this smart assistant on her wrist.
Samsung The Frame TV
Surprise mom with a new living room TV she will love looking at even when it isn’t on. The perfect option: the Samsung The Frame TV. When it’s on, you get a glorious picture and when it’s off, you can display a slideshow of images or gorgeous artwork. Go the extra mile and load your own artwork to the TV so mom can see how beautiful it looks, and have it ready for her to relax on the couch with a cup of hot cocoa and her favourite reality show guilty pleasure or to check out the hockey game. Pricing varies but it starts at about $1,100 for the 43-inch model.
Worx Power Share Hot Glue Gun
Moms who love crafting or being handy around the home will appreciate a thoughtful gift like the Worx Power Share hot glue gun. It can heat up in three minutes and be used on a variety of materials, like wood, metal, plastic, and ceramics. Whether she’s building a cabinet, doing pottery, crafting with the kids, or fixing everything from toys to eyeglass frames, she’ll love the freedom and ease with which she can tackle the job herself. It comes with the battery, charger, and 10 multipurpose glue sticks to get her started. The package is US$70.
JBL 4305P Bookshelf Speaker
Perfect for her home office, den, or bedroom, the JBL 4305P bookshelf speaker boasts a midcentury modern design that mom will love. She’ll enjoy all her favourite tunes with full clarity and depth from the powered speakers that can connect both wired and wirelessly. They even feature built-in Google Chromecast and Apple AirPlay 2. Using the JBL app, she can further tweak the sound to her liking. At $3,000, this is a big investment. But for an audiophile mom who loves to spend her “me time” sitting back and relaxing with a good playlist or podcast, she’ll appreciate it.
iFi Audio Go Blu Portable DAC
Dubbed the “best portable DAC” he has ever tested by WiFi HiFi’s John Thomson, the iFi GO blu is a great option for moms who are looking for better sound from their mobile devices. It’s tiny so it’ll easily fit in her purse for morning and afternoon commutes or travel. Pair it with a smartphone, computer, tablet, or amp via Bluetooth and plug it into a pair of wired headphones. Then sit back and enjoy the vastly improved listening experience. It’s simple to use and she can enjoy up to eight hours of use per charge. Since it has a built-in mic, she can still make and receive phone calls, too. At just $270, the iFi GO blu is a steal and even comes with a two-week trial to Roon.
De’Longhi Magnifica Evo Espresso Machine
I have always been the type to be “fine” with a cup of pod coffee in the morning. But since I tried the De’Longhi Magnifica Evo espresso machine, I can never go back. The machine is simple to use, accepting both fresh coffee beans and coffee grounds. It comes with a milk frother attachment (in one version) that froths both milk and milk alternatives like oat milk with ease. And it has preset buttons for making everything from a latte macchiato to a cappuccino, espresso, or regular cup o’ Joe. At $1,000, it’s not cheap. But for a coffee-loving mom who battles the drive-thru every morning for a $5 latte or suffers through a sub-par cup of coffee in her Thermos for the drive to work, she’ll love being able to up her game, and save money in the long run.
Satechi Pro Hub Slim
For the work-from-home mom with a MacBook, consider the Satechi Pro Hub Slim as a thoughtful gift she can add to her home office set-up. She can easily use the one hub to connect a multitude of devices, including USB4, 4K HDMI, USB-C, USB-A, and even SD and microSD card readers. Everything neatly plugs into the side of the computer and the device is small enough for her to pack in her bag to take to the office on the days she needs to go in. At US$80, it won’t break the bank, either.
Gry mattr Longevity Ergonomic Desk
Head over to Staples and grab a working mom the gry mattr Longevity ergonomic desk for her home office. It’s height adjustable to help her reduce stress on her back and shoulders while she works while also encouraging her to stand every so often. It moves from seating to standing position easily to help improve circulation and has a three-position memory. With quiet motors, she won’t wake the kids if she’s working late at night or early in the morning. It’s $900 but a small price to pay to help mom avoid back pain and encourage healthier work habits.
Dyson V12 Detect Slim
The Dyson V12 Detect Slim is one of many vacuums from Dyson that mom will likely love getting, especially when features like the high-tech Laser Slim Fluffy Head might actually encourage the kids to help more around the house, vacuuming in the dark while they follow the illuminated green laser light and see the dirt being picked up from the piezo sensor on the handle’s screen. This model has upgraded features like a power button versus trigger you need to hold down the entire time, an easy empty bin, longer run time than previous generation models, and tons of useful tools and attachments. Even if mom has an older model Dyson, it’s worth the upgrade.
Rocketbook Pro
After using the Rocketbook Pro, I would never go back to paper notebooks. It’s a simple way to jot down notes you don’t need to keep forever. Even if you do, you can scan the page using the Rocketbook app and save the file to the cloud or even e-mail. It will even transcribe written text to digital notes. It works with the included Pilot Frixion pen (when it runs out of ink, you can buy replacements from all types of shops, including Amazon) and comes with a microfibre cleaning cloth. The app features and simple codes for organizing files you want to keep once you’re done jotting them down. Whether mom is a workhorse or loves making to-do lists and keeping the household organized, she’ll love this. The best part? It’s just $60 for the letter size book, which comes with a cover as well along with a lined/dot grid page pack.
House of Marley Get Together Mini
Mom might like a portable Bluetooth speaker she can take with her, like the House of Marley Get Together Mini. It comes with a removable braided carrying strap and offers up to 15 hours of runtime per charge. Connected via Aux or Bluetooth, it offers 20 watts of power and weighs just 1.75 lbs. As with all House of Marley products, it’s also made using sustainable materials, which any mom who cares about the environment will appreciate. This includes the company’s Rewind fabric that contains reclaimed organic cotton, reclaimed help, and recycled PET. Grab it for $230.
QuietOn 3 Sleep Headphones
If mom has trouble sleeping, perhaps even a partner who snores, the QuietOn 3 sleep headphones might be a lifesaver. With the latest version offering improved noise cancellation and more comfortable ear tips, they start off in transparent hearing mode when you put them on than gradually shift to active noise cancelling mode to help lull her to sleep. They fit securely into the ears so even side sleepers can comfortably wear them all night. Once inserted, they will help block out distracting noise like home appliances, traffic, street noise, and, as noted, snoring partners. With up to 28 hours per charge, she can comfortably wear them for several nights in a row before recharging. A pair with a charging case included is US$289.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 Earbuds
Sennheiser is one of the best brands for headphones, and the Sennheiser Momentum true wireless 3 earbuds are a good option for a mom who needs an upgrade to a cheaper pair they might have been holding onto. Enjoy an immersive stereo sound experience with deep bass, natural mids, and detailed highs, with adaptive noise cancellation. They’re splash-resistant and run for up to seven hours per charge, a total of 28 using the included charging case which supports wireless charging. Get them for $329.95.
Apple Fitness+ Subscription
Mom doesn’t even need to own an Apple Watch to enjoy Apple Fitness+ workouts. You can sign her up for a subscription and she can enjoy everything from 10-30-minute kickboxing sessions, HIIT and cardio workouts, dance, and more. You get three free months when you purchase an Apple Watch or one month free for new subscribers. Afterwards, or if you are buying the subscription on its own, it’s $13/mo. or $100 if you commit to the year. She can share access with up to five family members and, with an Apple TV or AirPlay-enabled TV, she can follow along on a big screen.
Bluesound Pulse M
Perfect for her home office or nightstand, the Bluesound Pulse M creates a 360° soundstage to provide encompassing music when she’s sitting back to listen or clear background tunes while she works. She’ll get 80 watts of power housed in an elegant chassis that will look beautiful in any room of the home. It works as a smart speaker with voice assistant access through Siri, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant, music can be played via Wi-Fi, Ethernet, AirPlay 2, Bluetooth, USB-A, 3.5mm input, and more. Pair two for a stereo experience. Each one is $599.
Looking for some more eclectic and unique ideas? Check our Steve Makris’ last-minute Mother’s Day Gift Guide for more options.