Tech lovers can be hard to buy. They tend to enjoy the process of finding the perfect product on their own. If you’re trying to buy a tech gift for a tech person, you better get it right.
The trick to shopping for a tech lover is to lean on things with general appeal. Don’t try to pick something specific like a smartphone or a sleek pair of headphones. People interested in technology will usually research and purchase those products for themselves. You have to think a little outside the box.
RELATED: 7 tech products you shouldn’t skimp on
Speaker or smart display
There is a good chance that the tech lover in your life has already invested in some smart speakers or smart displays. There’s also a good chance they wouldn’t mind adding more to the mix. However, and this is very important, make sure you know which smart home ecosystem they use!
Amazon Echo Dot 5th generation
The humble Echo Dot is an easy addition for anyone who already uses Amazon Alexa. There is always room for another.
Amazon Echo Show 8 2nd gen
The Echo Show 8 is equipped with a 13 megapixel wide-angle camera and AI-based zoom and pan functions for video calling.
Google Nest Hub 2nd gen
Nest Hub has a 7-inch display, 3 microphones to hear you clearly, and is Chromecast compatible for streaming video and music.
Gift certificates for their favorite services
Gift cards for specific services can make a great gift. You’re giving someone an excuse to try a new streaming service or buy the iPhone app they were watching. Even if they are already subscribers to the service, who wouldn’t want a few months for free?
Touchscreen gloves
There is no doubt that the tech lover in your life has a smartphone. If they live in a cold climate, they are probably trying to use that smartphone with gloves on in the winter. You can enhance this experience with a good pair of touchscreen gloves.
Moshi Digit touchscreen gloves
Moshi Digits are touchscreen gloves that don’t suck. In addition to making it easy to touch the phone with gloves, they also add grip.
Mini photo printer
Many people, not just technicians, have tons of photos on their phone or saved in the cloud storage, but that’s where they stay. Photos never enter the real world. An instant photo printer is a fun and useful gadget to solve this problem.
Fujifilm Instax Mini Link 2
The Fujifilm Instax Mini Link 2 is an instant printer that can be easily refilled and taken with you wherever you go. Print photos approximately 2×3 inches.
Fujifilm Instax Link Wide
The Fujifilm Instax Link Wide is essentially the same as the Mini model, but prints larger 3×4-inch photos.
Amazon
$ 121.35 $ 149.95 Save 19%
Canon Selphy CP1300 printer
For even larger photos, Canon Selphy prints up to 4×6 inches (with or without border). It is still small enough to be easily transportable.
Amazon
$ 119.00 $ 129.99 Save 8%
Standby standby power supply
Do you know what’s annoying? When the power goes out briefly and you have to restart your PC, losing everything that wasn’t saved in the process. An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) can solve this problem by automatically detecting the power outage and switching to battery power, giving you enough time to save your work and shut down properly.
Amazon Basics standby UPS
A simple compact UPS with unbeatable power dimensions. Plus, it has all the essentials and far more outlets than you know what to do.
UPS APC BE425M
An economical UPS with a small footprint. Provides enough power to keep small devices running after a power outage.
CyberPower CP800AVR
450W provides enough power to keep routers powered for a long time. In addition, there is surge protection and low-cost AVR.
Amazon
$ 117.95 $ 124.95 Save 6%
APC BR1500G
An excellent backup battery with AVR and surge protection. It allows for easy cell replacement and the ability to add external backups.
Amazon
$ 292.26 $ 316.24 Save 8%
CyberPower PR1500LCD
This 1500W beast is perfect for high-powered equipment such as gaming systems. In addition, it has AVR and surge protection and provides a pure sine wave output.
Switch to a GaN charger
A charger may not sound exciting, but GaN (Gallium Nitride) chargers are an exciting new technology. These chargers are much more efficient than older portable chargers, which allows them to offer the same functionality in smaller packages.
Anker PowerPort Atom III Slim 63W
This Anker charger comes with a 45W USB-C port, a 20W USB-C port and two USB-A ports. Despite its small size, it is powerful enough to charge a laptop.
Nekteck 60W GaN charger
With the footprint of a typical AC wall adapter, the Nekteck 60W GaN Charger is powerful enough to charge a 13-inch laptop in under 2 hours.
Anker Nano II 45W
The 45-watt Nano II is one of the smaller GaN chargers, but it can charge laptops and tablets. Paired with a Samsung Galaxy phone, it can use Samsung’s super fast charging.
Anker Nano II 100W
The Anker Nano II 100W has 2 USB-C ports and 1 USB-A port. The USB-C ports have a capacity of 100W, while the USB-A is 22.5W.
The key to shopping for a tech person is to look outside the typical gadgets and electronics. Don’t buy someone a smartphone or tablet unless you know exactly which one they want. Think of things they wouldn’t normally buy on their own.
