42 cool and unique gifts for teens - all from Amazon
PopSockets for the back of their phone
PopSockets have become their own cultural phenomenon in recent years. They're useful, and they offer a bit of personalization to tech.
A hair towel that cuts drying time in half
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. It also aids in keeping hair protected from harmful friction in its most vulnerable state. If they've ever complained about frizzy hair, this and a silk pillowcase are thoughtful gifts they'll actually use.
A necklace with their zodiac sign
Zodiac signs, and the unique personality traits tied to each one, have become extremely popular in recent years. Pick up their sign in a dainty, gold-dipped necklace they can wear every day.
An Echo Dot
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.
An instant camera
Instax's cute instant camera is great for anyone who loves taking photos. All they need is some film, and they can get started. It features a small selfie mirror to ensure proper framing, a macro lens attachment, and a variety of modes to account for different indoor and outdoor environments.
A portable charger
Whether for traveling or keeping in contact with friends or parents while on the go, this external battery is great for giving parents and teens convenience and peace of mind. We named this model by Jackery the best portable charger iPhone users can buy.
A GoPro
For travel, adventures, and even in-depth school projects, a GoPro is one tech gift that's hard to oversell.
New video games
Ultimately, no gift may compare to a great new video game they can test out solo or with their friends.
A splashproof, portable Bluetooth speaker
This under-$100 Bluetooth speaker connects to smartphones to give their songs a stereo-sound treatment. It has an IPX7 waterproof rating, so they don't have to worry about rain or spills either.
The book Netflix made into a movie
You've probably heard about this Netflix movie from teens and adults alike. A sequel is imminent, and they'll love getting to experience it all over again in a book. If they've already real the first book, pick up the sequel "P.S. I Still Love You" here.
A leather toiletry bag for grooming and beauty essentials
Leatherology's shave bag is a great purchase if you want to gift your teen a leather bag that will age gracefully.
A set of Korean sheet masks
The best way to initiate a pampered staycation is a cult-favorite 16-pack of Korean sheet masks — something any beauty- or skin-care-obsessed teen will likely already know about.
Comfortable, high-quality sheets for their bed
We recommend Brooklinen often, and for good reason. We think they make the best high-end sheets at the best price, and most of the Insider Picks team sleeps with Brooklinen on their own beds. It's perfect for lazy Saturday mornings or the rare occasion sleeping in is encouraged.
A surprisingly good projector that's the size of a soda can
Anker's Nebula Capsule is tiny but mighty. It's the size of a soda can, weighs only 1 pound, and has a quiet and 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 even 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. Or check out Amazon's list of the 100 books you should read in a lifetime and pick something you have fond memories of as well.
Comfortable headphones with long battery life and good sound
The Solo3 headphones are perfect for commuting, studying, the gym, or zoning out during family road trips. They've got good sound, up to 40 hours of battery life, and five minutes of charging equals three hours of playback.
A waterproof speaker to liven up their showers
Teens can stick this waterproof wireless speaker to the wall of the shower to listen to their favorite music anytime.
A slime-making kit
One of the newer online trends is a fascination with slime, and teens run successful businesses by making beautiful slime and sharing videos of it. And what's better than vicariously living through slime-makers? Making your own. This gift is best for younger teens.
A gentle facial cleansing device
FOREO's cult-favorite Luna 2 cleansing device gently and effectively cleans with thin, antimicrobial silicone touchpoints, and claims to remove 99.5% of dirt and makeup residue without irritating the skin. Plus, it's waterproof and the battery life lasts for a few months per charge. The Luna 2 is available in five varieties: men, normal, combination, sensitive, and oily skin. Find a full review from a female reporter and a male reporter here.
A mini cinema lightbox
Lightboxes are popular with teens. Inspired by cinema marquees, these come with 100 letters, numbers, symbols, and emoji tiles that can be combined to make customized messages.
The Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch is one of those gifts that, with good reason, elicit lots of excitement upon opening. This model has a battery life of up to nine hours and can be played with friends or solo and at home or on the go.
Cool backpacks from a popular startup
Men's Bedford, $101.25
State bags are a popular accessory thanks to both a laid-back, on-trend design and their give-back program. State's #GiveBackPack(s) mean that every State bag purchased translates into the company donating one backpack filled with essential tools for academic success to a local child in need. The Lorimer and Bedford are two of the company's bestsellers.
A Fitbit
Fitbits track the wearer's health and fitness and offer insights into their sleep and noticeable trends in their physical activity. They can set personal goals and get real-time updates during workouts. It's water-resistant up to 50 meters, and its battery life can last up to seven days.
A pack of smart plugs so they can control devices from a distance
Perfect for staying in that comfy position on the couch or that moment when they wonder if they turned their hot iron off, smart plugs let them control devices from a distance. All they need is the outlet, the Kasa app, and an iOS or Android device.
A cult-favorite clay mask
The Aztec Clay Mask is one of those cult-favorite products that's been plucked from obscurity and gone straight to the limelight of YouTube testimonials with over 4 million views and widespread popularity. You can read a full review here.
The Sonos One
The Sonos One delivers great sound and convenience. The audio is rich and easily fills the room, and the device can be controlled by voice, the Sonos app, or Apple Airplay 2. It's also a great replacement for a traditional alarm clock.
A waterproof e-reader with a no-glare screen
Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite is waterproof, has double the storage of its previous model, and is its lightest and thinnest version yet. The glare-free display adjusts to accommodate the light you're in — even bright sunlight — and has a battery charge that lasts weeks.
String lights with photo clips
Perfect for creating the archetypal teen room that's most often seen in Netflix movies and old Taylor Swift music videos, the photo clip string lights combine warm light and Polaroids or other memorabilia.
Colorful reusable straws
Trying to adopt more eco-friendly habits is one of the great characteristics of younger generations, especially teens who grew up among videos of sea turtles being harmed by discarded plastic straws. These are colorful, bendable, and fun to use.
Gift cards for concert tickets, food, and clothes
For teens who often rely on part-time jobs to fund their hobbies and cravings, gift cards are one gift that's always appreciated. Here are some of Insider Picks' top choices:
- Everything: Visa Gift Card, Amazon Gift Card
- Coffee, groceries, and food: Starbucks Gift Card, Whole Foods Gift Card, Chipotle Gift Card
- Entertainment and live events: Netflix Gift Card, Xbox Gift Card
- Music: Spotify Gift Card
- Clothes: Nordstrom Gift Card
- Tech: Best Buy Gift Card
A streaming media player
Bring your streaming services to their TV with the Roku Ultra. The set includes a pair of JBL headphones and the Roku media player that connects them to over 500,000 movies and TV episodes they can search for by voice.
A music subscription that includes 50 million songs
If they don't already have a music subscription, give them access to 50 million songs with a subscription to Amazon Music Unlimited.
An audiobook subscription
If they love to read, or you're trying to get them to love to read, a gift subscription to Audible is a great idea. They'll get three free titles for each month they're a member (one audiobook and two Audible Originals), and 30% off any additional audiobooks they buy. They can listen and read anywhere and anytime using the free app.
A mini griddle for individual servings of food
This tiny griddle is perfect for making individual servings of breakfasts and pretty much any food — from eggs to cookies to grilled cheese.
Colorful scrunchies
Scrunchies are having a moment. If you want to get something particularly on-trend, you may want to look into a few. This set comes with a whopping 46 colors.
A Champion sweatshirt
If you've been to a mall or high school lately, you've probably recognized that Champion is resonating with the teen demographic. If they don't already have one, pick up one of its most popular silhouettes with the company's understated logo in one of 10-plus colors.
A fidget toy
Speks makes one of our favorite fidget toys, which relieves just enough of our nervous energy to make us more productive day to day.
A popcorn machine for movie nights
Perfect for movie nights with friends, this popcorn maker turns as much as 6 quarts of popcorn kernels into snacks for a night in.
An eyeshadow palette
If they're getting into makeup, an eyeshadow palette is one of the coolest gifts you can probably give them. This option has 16 shades, over 6,800 reviews, and a 4.4-star rating overall.
A karaoke machine that allows duets
This system has more features than a really nice car does. It has two mics, a sing-along and record function, and 300 songs ready for action. For a cheaper option, check out the Singsation $80 machine.
A cool, holographic fanny pack
What's old is new and cool again — and that includes fanny packs.
Blackout curtains for their room
If their favorite thing is sleeping right now, there's no greater gift than blackout shades for their room.
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