Don’t make mom’s gift this year an afterthought. Get her something special she’ll love and actually use. Look for something that encourages much-needed downtime. If you’ve already done the spa and manicure gift cards and want something tangible this year, here are some ideas
Top Picks (sponsored & Editor’s Choice)
1. Bluesound Pulse Flex Speaker
Moms appreciate good sound, but it also needs to look nice, too. The Bluesound Pulse Flex will have mom falling in love with the BluOS ecosystem and looking for more BluOS speakers to place throughout the house. The wireless speaker has a new industrial design with rounded edges and comes in elegant finishes like White Pebble Grey and White Tan along with typical Black Charcoal. There are interchangeable tonal weave fabric grills so she can change up the look. Mom can place it in the kitchen, bathroom, even bedroom on a tabletop or counter, or use an optional wall mount or adjustable stand.
The hifi wireless speaker can produce 50W power through its custom designed amplifier, 4-inch woofer, and 0.75-inch tweeter, and supports hi-res audio if mom has discerning listening tastes. She can stream tunes from more than 20 different services, from Spotify to Tidal, and it works with Apple AirPlay 2.
Go all out and get mom two she can use as a stereo pair. They also work as rear surrounds with a compatible Bluesound speaker to provide a more immersive home theatre experience while she’s watching her favourite true crime shows.
With Bluetooth, USB-C, and more, the Pulse Flex can also connect to a larger BluOS whole-home audio system once she’s ready for more. It’s also voice assistant compatible, so mom doesn’t even have to get up from the couch to queue up the latest Sabrina Carpenter hit. Available through Lenbrook Canada starting December 16, it’ll have to be a last-minute buy. Get them for $399 ea.
2. Renpho Eyeris 3 Eye Massager
I slipped on one of these massagers on at CES earlier this year and I dreamt of being able to take it back to my hotel room and turn off the world for a few hours. It’s true serenity, and mom will love the peace it brings to her frazzled days. Available through Erikson Consumer, the Renpho Eyeris 3 Eye Massager offers three levels of heat and cooling with the gel mask, providing two ways of relief.
It’s designed to apply pressure to specific points on the head around your eyes and temples, regulating the flow of energy through acupressure. The goal is to stimulate the release of endorphins that can, in turn, help reduce pain, promote relaxation, and help mom de-stress. If mom tends to suffer from a lot of headaches, this is a thoughtful gift she’ll appreciate after having exhausted every other avenue for relief. A side benefit: the cooling effect helps reduce swelling, dark circles, and blurred vision, says Renpho.
It works with 10 different voice commands as well, triggered by the “Hi Eyeris” wake words, for hands-free control. It’s also quieter than previous generation models, operating at less than 43dB. Pick up one in a Rose Gold finish for $130.
3. Panasonic Technics EAH-AZ100 True Wireless Earbuds
As a mom myself, the Panasonic Technica EAH-AZ100s are my favourite true wireless earbuds, the ones I wear whenever I’m out for a walk or commuting (unless I’m reviewing another pair). They’re comfortable, sound fantastic with great active noise cancellation (yes, even during flights!), the battery lasts for an impressive amount of time with the charging case, and the three mics allow for crystal clear phone calls.
A WiFi HiFi Editor’s Choice award recipient, if you plan to get these earbuds for mom, go with the new Champagne Gold finish that will perfectly complement a pair of gold hoops. These will become mom’s new go-to buds whether it’s for wearing on the train ride to the office, on the train to meet girlfriends downtown, while up at the cottage, going for her morning runs, working out at the gym, traveling, or slinking back on the couch to listen to a podcast when no one is home.
At $400, they’re worth every penny. The audio experience is expectedly miles above earbuds that cost half as much, but even ones that cost more. She will adore them. Read my review.
Other Gift Ideas
Kobo Clara Color eReader
Designed in Canada, the Kobo Clara Colour eReader is the perfect gift for a bookworm mom. Instead of making multiple trips back and forth to the library or amassing a huge selection of books at home, she can store thousands of book titles in this single, sleek eReader. It mimics the look of a paperback novel, so she still gets the same ink-based, page-turning experience. This model, which sells for $190, has a six-inch E Ink touchscreen with adjustable blue light and brightness. Highlight passages as you read, add, erase, or change colours, and store up to 12,000 eBooks or 75 Kobo Audiobooks in the 16GB storage. It lasts for weeks per charge and is made from recycled and ocean-bound plastic, so you can feel good about the purchase, too. It’s also water-resistant, so mom can read in the bathtub with a glass of wine in one hand and the eReader in the other. Or bring it by the pool or to the beach on your next vacation to continue reading the book that kept her glued to the screen for the entire plane ride there. Just one more chapter, she swears!
Oura Ring 4 Smart Ring
Smart rings are a great way to enjoy passive activity and health tracking without the distraction of a screen on your wrist. For some (like me!) I love wearing one alongside my smartwatch for secondary and supplementary tracking. The Oura Ring 4 is fantastic option with incredible battery life and the ability to track all the most important stats, including sleep, heart rate, blood oxygen, stress, temperature, and more. It can auto-sense workouts so you can do a strength training workout at the gym or an outdoor run and confirm the workout in the app later. Speaking of the app, it has tons of other cool features worth exploring, including perimenopause and menopause tracking, food logging, and more. The ring itself is $470, and you will need the subscription, which is $8/mo. or $90/yr. Set them up with the first year and if they are enjoying it, you can renew as their annual holiday gift. Read my review.
Noise Luna Ring 2.0 Smart Ring
I haven’t yet reviewed the Luna Ring 2.0, but I did review the original Luna Ring earlier this year and it’s among my favourites. The new version has a bigger battery that can keep the ring charged for up to 30 days (likely in battery saving mode), a charging case with a cover, 5ATM water resistance rating, and the new Life OS ecosystem so you can talk with Luna’s built-in AI and receive personalized insights. It’s also slimmer with new features like caffeine window. There’s also an expanded range of sizes that go all the way up to 14. We gave the Noise Luna Ring a WiFi HiFi Editor’s Choice badge of approval and we’re confident the 2.0 Ring is worth it as well. It costs US$300. Read my review of the original Lung Ring.
Shokz OpenDots ONE Open-Ear Headphones
I have a friend who is a serious runner, and he swears by Shokz earbuds. The Shokz OpenDots ONE are the first open-ear headphones from the brand designed like clip-on buds. They integrate Shokz’s open-ear technology to provide sound without completely plugging your ear. Designed for all-day wear, they are made with a flexible nickel titanium JointArc that affords a gentle yet secure grip. This is combined with soft silicone on the exterior of the speaker that helps minimize pressure. Get up to 10 hours of playback per charge and up to 40 hours with the case that supports wireless charging. Control playback using touch controls on the battery compartment or JointArc, or by pinching the battery with two fingers. Personalize the listening experience using the Shokz app, which enables multipoint pairing between two devices, four pre-set EQ modes plus two personalized EQ, Find My Earbuds, and more. Get them in black or grey for $250.
Sonos Ace Headphones
If you’re a night owl like me, you might relish in being able to sink into another episode of your favourite show once the kids have gone to sleep. But if you have a smaller home or thinner walls, you probably need to manage volume level so you don’t disturb anyone. My favourite feature of the Sonos Ace headphones is TV Audio Swap, which allows me to flick a switch on the right earcup to move audio from my Sonos Arc soundbar to the headphones. From there, I can blast the volume as high as I want (or as is healthy for my ears) and immerse myself in the show. Even without a compatible Sonos soundbar, the Sonos Ace headphones are a solid pair for listening at home and on the go. I have used them on several flights and while the noise cancelling isn’t as fantastic as others I’ve tried from leaders in that space like Bose and Sennheiser, it’s still pretty good. If she has Sonos speakers in the home, especially a soundbar, these are good gift for mom. Even new moms will enjoy being able to watch a movie or shows while a baby is sleeping nearby. A recent software update allows two people to listen to the same source, so you might want to consider getting dad a pair, too for movie date night. At $549, they’re expensive for what they are. But if she has a Sonos soundbar and would use Audio Swap, it’s worth the delta in price. Read my review.
Ultrahuman Ring Air Smart Ring
A viable alternative to the Oura Ring 4, you get a similar experience with the Ultrahuman Ring Air smart ring without the need for a subscription. The ring itself along with the app isn’t as refined, and the battery doesn’t last as long. But there are a lot of unique things about the Ultrahuman Ring Air, which ranks among my top three smart rings (alongside Oura Ring 4 and Luna Ring). What sets it apart is the PowerPlugs experience, a platform within the app where you can download ones you want to make the experience more personalized. Most of them are free, with more advanced assessments like Afib detection excepted. They include insights like circadian rhythm, cycle tracking, caffeine window, and vitamin D. There’s even a pregnancy mode and a PowerPlug for people who do shift work to adjust measurements based on their atypical schedule. It’s the most personalized smart ring experience you’ll find. Get the ring through Erikson Consumer, for $480. Read my review.
Boox Go Color 7 (Gen II) Android-based eReader
The Boox Go Color 7 is like an eReader and tablet in one, affording extra functions versus what you’d get with a traditional eReader without all the distractions that come with a more feature-rich tablet. Affording both reading and writing capabilities, mom will get an E Ink Kaleido 3 display rendering soft hues at 150 PPI and crisp black-and-white content at 300 ppi. This makes it ideal for comic enthusiasts and readers who enjoy visually rich content. It has an adjustable front light and with the Boox InkSense stylus, the ability to jot down thoughts, highlight text, and mark-up books. Running on Android 13, she can access the Google Play Store and install apps for reading, podcasts, or leisurely activities. With 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage (expandable via microSD), it’s much more than just an eReader. Yet she still gets that paper-like textured back, page turn buttons, and an overall book-like feel. It’s US$280.
Cricut Explore 4 Smart Cutting Machine
For moms just getting started with this new hobby, the Cricut Explore 4 will have her cooking up all types of goodies in no time. It comes with Smart Vinyl, Cardstock, Smart Iron-on, Transfer Tape, Mini Weeder, and Light Grip Machine Mat so she can get going right away. There’s enough material for her to complete the first 10 projects. Speeds are up to two times faster than the previous generation, and mom can enjoy an improved user experience in Design Space. Those who are new to cutting and creating at home will enjoy the updated, beginner-friendly experience for machine setup and learning. This includes a First Project tutorial with enhanced customization and an introduction to the Design, Cut, and Assemble stages of using a Cricut machine, as well as more beginner-level project options. Available for US$250, if mom is already experienced and looking for something more powerful, you can also consider the Cricut Maker 4 at US$400.
Moft Carry Sleeve Laptop Sleeve for MacBooks
If mom has a MacBook and works a hybrid schedule, is out and about for meetings, or maybe sometimes heads to the local coffee shop to work, the Moft Carry Sleeve is a stylish and slim laptop sleeve that fashionable working moms will love. The indie brand, which first gained attention on Kickstarter, makes this sleeve from proprietary vegan leather and it’s reinforced with fibreglass for stability. Along with serving as a sleeve, what makes it especially useful is that it doubles as a stand, too, able to be positioned at a 15 or 25° angle, supporting devices up to 22 lbs. It comes in two sizes as well for either MacBook Air or MacBook Pro and sells for U$64.95.
Apple iPad Pro M5 Tablet
The newest iPad Pro has the new M5 chip, making it a powerhouse tablet with a big leap in AI performance, faster storage, and new capabilities. It offers up to two-times faster read and write speeds, and the 256GB and 512GB models start with 12GB of unified memory. With the new windowing system in iPadOS 26, mom can multitask like a boss. It supports fast charge, enabling up to a 50% charge in around 30 minutes with an optional high-wattage USB-C power adapter like Apple’s new 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max when mom is on the run. With the new N1 wireless networking chip, the tablet enables Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread, along with better performance when connected to 5GHz networks and improves overall performance and reliability of features like Personal Hotspot and AirDrop. As part of iPadOS 26, you get Liquid Glass, Preview app, and more. Of course, it works with Apple Pencil. Available in Space Black and Silver, iPad Pro comes in 11-inch (5.3mm thin) and 13-inch (5.1mm) sizes and features the Ultra Retina XDR OLED display along with 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB configurations. Pricing starts at $1,399 for the 11-inch model and $1,799 for the 13-inch model.
All sponsored picks are recommended by the WiFi HiFi team. All views expressed are our own.