iDB Holiday Gift Guide: great gift ideas for your parents

Continuing with our 2019 Holiday Gift Guide, here is our thoughtful roundup of great gift ideas for your parents.

Philips Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock

Philips light up alarm clock gift ideas for parents

Replace their old alarm clock (or their cell phone alarm) with the Wake-Up Light alarm clock from Philips. It simulates natural sunlight, meaning you can fall asleep to a dimming sunset and wake up to a bright sunrise. Yes it has the usual alarm sounds, FM radio and snooze buttons, and the whole thing doubles as a bedside reading lamp.

Buy for $125

Eero Mesh Wi-Fi System

Your average router can be difficult to set up and even worse to manage. Eero is easy. It sets up within minutes, and you can control the entire system with an app on your phone. This means that typically tedious tasks like reseting your network and finding the Wi-Fi password can be done with a tap of a button.

Buy for $190

Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker Nano

anova sous vide gift ideas for parents

Bring their cooking skills into the 21st century with the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker. It’s so simple, it’s actually kind of hard to believe. You just attach the device to a large pot filled with water, drop the food in, and watch it go to work. It connects to your phone via Bluetooth, and comes with an app that features over 1,000 sous vide recipes.

Buy for $83

10.2-inch iPad with Wi-Fi 32GB

I’m not really a fan of including obvious items like an iPad in gift guides. But if your parents don’t have one, or have an older model that is becoming tougher to use, I really think this is the way to go. I don’t know of another item in the ~$300 price range that offers more bang for your buck. Photos, movies, games, email, FaceTime…need I go on?

Buy for $250

Apple TV 4K Streaming Media Player 32GB

In a similar vein, I’m going to recommend the Apple TV 4K. You could probably replace this with a much cheaper stick from Roku or Amazon, and get a similar effect, but in my opinion the interface on the Apple TV is the fastest and easiest way to access your Hulus and Netflixes. There’s also the App Store, AirPlay streaming, TV app, and much more.

Buy for $180

WeMo Mini Smart Plug

wemo smart plug gift ideas for parents

Whether you want to help bring them into the smart home era, or simply help make things easier for them, a smart plug makes for a great gift for parents. Simply plug it in, connect it to your Wi-Fi network, and plug in a lamp or other appliance. I like this one from WeMo because it works with HomeKit (and Alexa), so you can control it with your voice.

Buy for $26

Game of Phones – A Modern Party Game

Here’s an easy-to-play game that’s both fun and secretly educational. It’s called Game of Phones, and it’s a unique card game that involves players using their smartphones. Some examples include: ‘Lowest battery percentage wins,’ ‘take a picture of something blue,’ etc. It can get a little raunchy, so heads up, but it’s essentially a ‘how to use your phone’ course.

Buy for $25

Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug

Ember is a smart mug that keeps your drink hot (up to 145-degrees) for as long as you want—perfect for the parent that is constantly throwing their coffee back in the microwave throughout the day. Now it’s not dishwasher safe, and the battery life is only 1-hour, but it comes with a charging coaster that will keep the mug piping hot all day.

Buy for $100

Twelve South PowerPic Wireless Charger

This is really cool. It’s a beautiful 5×7 picture frame, crafted from New Zealand Pine, and also a wireless phone charger. So when not in use, it just looks like your average picture frame. Features include up to 10W of wireless charging power, a status LED light, and a silicon-tipped kickstand. Bonus points if you drop in a nice photo of yourself.

Buy for $90

Tile Pro Bluetooth Tracker (2 pack)

Perfect for parents who are skilled in the art of losing keys, remotes or just about anything else. The Tile Pro is a powerful Bluetooth tracker that works with your phone to help you find misplaced items within a 400ft radius. It also works in reverse to help you find your missing phone. I like the 2-pack: attach one to their keys and one to their TV remote.

Buy for $50