Still stumped for Mother’s Day gift ideas after reading through our Mother’s Day Gift Guide? Let me help. Here’s my eclectic collection of something old and something new embracing the best technologies Mom will appreciate for a long time.
Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill & Smoker
Move over Dad. There’s a new kid around the block, poised to put the traditional barbeque king to shame. Mom will love the new Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill & Smoker ($480). It’s apartment and condo friendly – no more charcoal, large bags of pellets, flare-ups, or running out of propane. It offers master grilling with a foolproof BBQ smoker and air fryer all in one with 100% real authentic wood fire flavour, when you need it.
Using a handful of wood pellets similar to traditional pellets found in larger barbeques for flavour, it uses electricity to cook instead of gas, pellets or charcoal. A clever arrangement of an electric heat element in the lid with fan and a second heat element below connected by unseen conveyer pipes allows for grill, air crisp, bake, roast, broil, even dehydrating. From reverse smoked tomahawks to baking? Yes! I even smoked a few slices of bread with no heat, followed by toasting with a tad of butter. It’s a treat! Yummy! Works best with the optional stand ($200) for wheeling around.
Sonos Roam and Move Portable Speakers
For maximum music portability and pristine sound, look no further than the Sonos Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connected portable speaker family starting with the Sonos Roam ($229) and even more affordable Sonos SL ($199). Bike-mounted or minimally tucked away on Mom’s desktop, she can also augment the sound quality in stereo, even combining with the also portable Sonos Move ($499) connected with your Wi-Fi at home or Bluetooth from you phone when you travel.
Shark Stratos Cordless Stick Vacuum
The Shark Stratos ($499), the newest addition to Shark’s extensive range of corded and cordless vacuums. For the price difference alone, Mom might like Stratos for features like twice the dustbin size, the fact that it folds in half for storage and reaches under beds and furniture, and the built-in odour neutralizer. It has a front light, adjustable power, power and battery level shown on screen, and the ability to convert to a handheld. It’s a bit heavier than competing (more expensive) models like the Dyson V12, but results are similar so mom will be happy with this one.
Samsung T7 Shield
The Samsung T7 Shield Portable 1TB SSD ($119) is a USB connected credit card size external storage device. It’s fast, password protected, rugged, and aesthetically pleasing. It can be with mom wherever she goes, using it as a physical backup for her most important files. Since it’s stored locally, she doesn’t have to worry about transferring to a cloud service (nor paying for the space). It has IP65-rated durability, ideal for outdoor content creators or travelers, is shock-resistant from drops of up to three meters, dustproof and water resistant. With an impressive read speed of 1,050 MB/s and a write speed of 1,000 MB/S, it takes full advantage of speeds currently available on the latest USB 3.2 Gen2 standard found in the newest laptops and desktops. It is compatible across multiple devices, including PC, iOS, Android, or even game consoles. It is also available in 2TB size $254.
Philips Sonicare 6100
If mom is using an analog toothbrush, you can surprise her with Sonicare 6100 ($160) for a 7-fold performance improvement. For the mom looking for a whiter and healthier smile, the Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100 promises to whiten teeth in just one week thanks to its Optimal White brush head which removes surface stains. It removes up to 7x more plaque, helps improve oral health, and whitens teeth in just one week compared to a manual toothbrush. There are three cleaning modes (clean, white, and gum care), three intensities (low, mid and high) and it uses Sonicare’s unique Sonic technology to give a professional clean feeling right from home. There’s also a pressure sensor and brushhead replacement reminder. The waterproof toothbrush comes in multiple colours: white silver, black silver, pastel pink, navy blue, and deep purple with a 14-day lithium battery life and charger and travel case as well as a two-year warranty.
Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0
For those still cool season evenings , the Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 ($430 – $495) with stand is impressive, and can turn dinner into the family affair. Made of stainless steel, it’s super sleek and easy to store. Bonfire generates heat with very little smoke and its safe to use on decks. It burns wood so efficiently that all you have left is fine ash to discard. https://ca.solostove.com/
Thoughtful tech gifts on a budget
- Philips Sonicare Premium All-in-0ne (A3) Replacement Toothbrush Heads ($41) for a two-pack in black or white does away with the cumbersome and pricier alternatives. It has three types of brushes. One does it all removing up to 20x more plaque than a manual toothbrush and up to 15x healthier gums in six weeks vs a manual toothbrush. Triangular tips brush away stains for whiter teeth in just two days, says the company (versus a manual toothbrush with whitening toothpaste). These work on all Sonicare models but newer BrushSync compatible handles will also give you a friendly replacement reminder.
- If mom likes to pack light when travelling, check out the Philips One Rechargeable Toothbrush by Sonicare in several colours including Champagne ($55). It’s ultra small and light, cleverly incorporating a space-saving travel case. Micro vibrations and tapered bristles polish teeth for a brighter smile far better than a manual brush and the two-minute timer with 30 second notifications is handy. It comes with USB charger.