32 cool and unique gifts teens actually want to receive
Fun and useful PopSockets for the back of their phone
PopSockets have become their own cultural phenomenon in recent years, and they're surprisingly useful. Get your teen one for their own phone, kindle, or tablet, and depending on their age, you may find it's the gift they're most excited about. It doesn't hurt that there's free domestic shipping on orders over $20, or that you can actually design your own.
A cult-favorite hair towel that reduces damage and cuts drying time by 50%
Aquis' cult-favorite hair towels can cut the amount of time it takes your hair to dry in half — a claim we're happy to report holds up. The proprietary fabric also means there's less damage to wet hair while it dries. If they've ever complained about frizzy hair, this and a silk pillowcase are thoughtful gifts they'll actually use. Find more product suggestions here.
A small and light instant camera
This cute instant camera is a must-gift for anyone who loves capturing memories and the novelty of instantaneous results. All they need is some film and an eye for picture-perfect moments to start using it. It features a small selfie mirror to ensure the proper framing, a macro lens attachment, and a variety of modes to account for different indoor and outdoor environments.
A totally unique customized Xbox controller
Design a personalized Xbox controller for them, and get as granular as deciding the style of the ABXY keys to make them something nobody else will have. There are 19 standard body color options, and each step comes with more opportunities for customization.
An Amazon Echo Dot for hands-free calls, alarms, music, updates on the weather, recipes, and more
The Amazon Echo Dot is the most popular Amazon device for a reason — it's compact and has all the capabilities of Alexa (weather updates, recipes, music, news). The newest version — the third generation — has a speaker that's 70% louder than the second, and comes in a fabric design that better matches their room decor. Find an Insider Picks comparison of the Echo devices for fast reference here.
The best portable charger you can buy
This gift is extremely convenient — whether for traveling or nights out trying to connect with friends or parents. It will also give you peace of mind to know that getting stuck somewhere unfamiliar with a dead phone is less likely.
We rated this model by Jackery the best portable charger iPhone users can buy. It reportedly charges iPhones twice as fast as the original iPhone charger.
A splashproof portable Bluetooth speaker for great sound and low maintenance
This under-$100 Bluetooth speaker with nearly 5,000 five-star reviews on Amazon is ideal for teens who want great sound and could use a speaker that won't protest to spills or less-than-gentle handling.
The book that was made into Netflix's new teen classic
If you haven't heard about this Netflix movie more times than you can count, rest assured that it has become a full-blown teen phenomenon — and a sequel is imminent. They'll love getting to relive it in book form.
A toiletry bag for grooming tools and makeup
Leatherology's shave bag is a great purchase if you want to gift your teen a leather bag that will age gracefully. But, if you're looking to get something a bit cooler, Dagne Dover makes a great neoprene toiletry bag that's built to accommodate makeup. If they have a lot of toiletries, you'll probably want to get the large size for $55 (shown above).
Comfortable lounge pants that look put-together
MeUndies is a popular LA startup that makes some of the most comfortable underwear we've ever tried. Their lounge pants, however, are the real hidden gem — perfect for lounging around on weekend mornings or heading to the dining hall when they get to college (yep, they'll last that long), and they're sleek enough to avoid looking too unkempt for the comfort.
16 Korean sheet masks
For the ideal night(s) in, grab this inexpensive and cult-favorite 16-pack of Korean sheet masks — something any beauty- or skincare-obsessed teen will likely already know about.
Comfortable, high-quality sheets that come in lots of colors and patterns
Brooklinen is one of our favorite companies, point blank. We think they make the best high-end sheets at the best price on the market, and most of the Insider Picks team uses Brooklinen on their own beds. It's perfect for lazy Saturday mornings or the rare occasion sleeping in is encouraged.
The Luxe Hardcore Sheet Bundle comes in 15 colors and patterns that range from classic to fun, and you can mix and match them to suit their preferences. Grab a gift card (delivered digitally or in a gift box) if you want to give them more freedom.
A cool weekender for sleepovers that not everyone will have yet
Dagne Dover is a cult-favorite handbag startup and their fan-favorite weekender bags make for a unique and useful unisex gift. It's made from neoprene (think: scuba gear), and has an impressive internal organization system (padded laptop sleeve, water bottle pocket, and stretch key leash for easy access). It's great for weekend trips, sleepovers, and as a carry-on, and comes in a ton of colors.
A surprisingly good projector that's the size of a soda can
Anker's Nebula Capsule is a powerful and incredibly versatile mini projector. It weighs only one pound and is the size of a soda can, but it has surprisingly crisp image quality and 360-degree sound. It's also quiet and has a continuous playtime of four hours. It'll take family or friend movie nights up a notch, and they can take it with them on trips easily. Find a full review here.
One of the best young adult books ever written
For the kind of gift that they'll still mention 10 years later, give them one of the best young adult books you ever read — or one of the 37 best young adult books Business Insider staff ever read.
Comfortable headphones with a long battery life and good sound
They can use these at the gym, for studying, and for zoning out during family road trips. This pair has great sound, cushioned ear cups, and 40 hours of battery life so they have one less thing to think about. And if they let the battery run out, a five-minute charge is the equivalent to three hours of play time.
A waterproof speaker so they can listen to music in the shower
This speaker is waterproof, wireless, and has a suction cup to stick to the wall so they can listen to their favorite music easily in the shower.
Personalized Nikes
Nike makes great stuff, and they're popular for that reason. But it's nice to get the benefits of the big budget, years of product development, and design team without forsaking what makes something unique. You can customize a pair of Nikes for them, or give them a gift card so they can get creative making something one-of-a-kind on their own.
A subscription to a famous book club that sends them great hardcovers once per month
If your teen is a bookworm, Book of the Month is an especially cool gift. It's a book club that has been around since 1926, and it's credited with discovering some of the most beloved books of all time (like "Gone with the Wind" and "Catcher in the Rye" to name a couple).
If you gift them a subscription, they'll receive a hardcover book delivered once a month. Books are selected by a team of experts and celebrity guest judges.
If they're really more into audiobooks or e-reading now rather than hardcovers, check out a gift subscription to Scribd (full review here).
A gentle facial cleansing device that removes 98.5% of dirt and makeup
FOREO's cult-favorite Luna 2 cleansing device gently and effectively cleans with thin, antimicrobial silicone touch-points, and it removes 98.5% of dirt and makeup residue without irritating the skin. Plus, it's 100% waterproof and the battery life lasts for a few months per charge. Find a full review from a female reporter and a male reporter here.
A monthly subscription of grooming products to try
Teens are usually among the most interested in the latest and greatest beauty or grooming products, but may lack the funds to try all the full-sized versions. Birchbox sends samples of new and beloved products once a month, so they can test out new finds and discover products they may want to buy a full size of in the future. It's also just fun to get an ongoing gift that's all about them.
A multicolor mini cinema light box
These trendy light boxes are inspired by cinema marquees, and they come with 100 letters and symbols for personal messages. This one also has color-changing LED lights for further customization.
A comfortable and sustainable Patagonia pullover they'll wear all the time
A Patagonia sweater is a particularly good gift for teens who are interested in sustainability. The company has been turning plastic bottles into polyester for its clothing since 1993, and continues to do so today.
Its Snap-T pullover is the unofficial uniform of the cozy adventurer. It and the Better Sweater are long-held favorites, and both are comfortable classics that they'll no doubt come to rely on heavily during colder weather.
A suitcase with an ejectable battery that can charge their devices on the go
Travel startup Away makes the best carry-on on the market, thanks to an ejectable battery that can charge devices seamlessly on the go, 360-degree wheels, and a lightweight build that travels easily. In other words, it takes a lot of the angst out of travel, and may make family trips far more enjoyable and stress-free.
The extremely popular Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch is likely to be one of those big ticket gifts that'll get you an extremely excited reaction upon opening. They can play it at home, on the go, and with friends from a huge library of games.
A popular electric toothbrush from an up-and-coming startup
To inspire the best oral care you can, gift them a surprisingly cool electrical toothbrush from an up-and-coming startup they've probably heard about. Quip is a relatively inexpensive electric toothbrush, and the company sends fresh brush heads and battery refills every three months. When you gift Quip, you can prepay for the year. Otherwise, Quip users are charged $5 every three months for refills.
Cool backpacks from a popular startup with a charitable mission
Men's Bedford, available at State, $115
State bags are increasingly popular thanks to their versatile, laid-back aesthetic and characteristically bright nylon colorways. They're also known as #GiveBackPack(s), because for every State bag purchased, State hand-delivers a backpack — packed with essential tools for success — to a local child in need. The Lorimer and Bedford are two of the company's best sellers.
Novel decor to personalize their room with
Let them personalize their space even more than they already have. Urban Outfitters has a lot of unique, relatively affordable decor upgrades teens will love — including the novelty of a floating nightstand shelf and the helpful Over-The-Door Hair Styling Holder ($10).
A cute iPhone case
In my teen years, you could have tethered me to my phone with a 10-inch string and I wouldn't have noticed. This makes phone-related gifts pretty easy scores. This fun iPhone case is funny and unique, and most of their friends probably won't have the exact same one.
The newest version of the most popular Fitbit for fitness and sleep tracking
Fitbits help the wearer measure and track their health and fitness, including sleep patterns and activity trends. They can set goals and get real-time stat updates during workouts to see how they can improve. It's also water-resistant and has a battery life that lives up to seven days.
A soft $100 cashmere sweater they can wear with anything
Everlane is a cult-favorite startup, and its $100 cashmere sweaters are one of its most popular products ever for a reason— they're soft, come in 18 colors, and the owner can pair this with pretty much anything during the cold season.
If they're especially environmentally conscious, check out Reformation's 70% recycled cashmere or Patagonia's recycled cashmere. If you're looking for something less expensive, cashmere startup Naadam has fantastic cashmere sweaters for $75, but they're prone to sell out.
A pack of smart plugs so they can control devices from a distance
Whether they're wondering if they turned off their hot iron or just don't want to get up to turn off the TV, a smart plug lets them control devices from a distance. You can connect to them using any smart device.
A great Alexa-enabled speaker they can control by voice
The new Sonos One smart speaker fills any room with clear, rich sound, and they can use Alexa to play and control their music without ever lifting a finger. Find a full review here.
A waterproof e-reader with a no-glare screen
Amazon's all-new Kindle Paperwhite is the thinnest, lightest one yet and it's waterproof for reading anywhere, including the beach or bath. It also has double the storage, a built-in light that adjusts to accommodate reading indoors or outdoors, day and night. Plus, a single battery charge lasts weeks rather than hours.
Gift cards for concert tickets, food, and clothes
You can't go wrong with money for their favorite things, especially for teens who are often relying upon part-time jobs to fund their frequent Chipotle meals and concert trips with friends. Check out more gift card gifts here.
Everything: Visa Gift Card / Amazon Gift Card Coffee and food: Starbucks Gift Card / Chipotle Gift Card Entertainment and live events: Netflix Gift Card / Xbox Gift Card / Hulu Gift Card / StubHub gift card Music: Spotify Gift Card Sheets: Brooklinen Gift Card Groceries and food: Whole Foods Gift Card / Chipotle Gift Card Clothes: Nordstrom Gift Card / Everlane Gift Card Tech: Best Buy Gift Card
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