Being a great gift giver is a badge of honor during the holiday season. But when your list is long, you need to find amazing presents that don’t break the bank. That’s why we’ve collected some of the best gifts under 100 dollars below. We’re sure you’ll find something to buy all of the people who deserve a perfect gift this year! All of these have been fully reviewed or anecdotally tested by CNET or Chowhound editors.
Read More: Best Holiday Gifts Under $250
Amazon
The Upright Go 2, a little device you stick onto your skin at the top of your back (between your shoulder blades), monitors your posture and vibrates when you’re slouching. Using the companion app for iOS and Android, you can set up training regimes and keep track of your progress. This new second-generation version is 50 percent smaller than the original. Additional adhesives cost $10 for a 10-pack but some people use double-sided tape to save money.
The adhesives (10 are included) kept the Upright Go 2 on my back just fine — I barely noticed the device was there except for when it vibrated — and you can wear it for several days without replacing the adhesive. Eventually the adhesive needs to be replaced, however, or you risk having the device fall off your back.
David Carnoy/CNET
Hyperice’s original Hypershphere massage ball ($150) is quite powerful but a bit on the large side and requires its own power adapter to charge it. Meanwhile, the new smaller Hypersphere Mini ($99) — about the size of a softball (3-inch diameter) — charges with a micro-USB cable and actually works better for rolling out your muscles, with 3 speeds to choose from. It also travels better.
Sarah Tew/CNET
It’s pretty easy to fill up the storage space on your gaming console, which is where an external drive like the WD Black P10 comes in. Starting out around $85 for the 2TB version, this compact drive attaches to the USB port on your PlayStation 4 or XBox One and immediately gives you a lot more room to store your games (and not worry about deleting titles as you add new ones). At $100, the 3TB capacity is a good value and you can go all the way up to 5TB for around $120. The drive also comes in an Xbox version with a white trim (pictured on right). Either version can also be used with PCs and uses a USB 3.2 Gen 1 interface. It’s not as fast as a more expensive SSDs (solid-state drives), but the P10 has transfer speeds of up to 130 MB/S. Your games will run just fine from it.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The JBL Clip 3 is arguably the best travel-friendly wireless speaker, but if you’re looking for stocking stuffer ideas, the UE Wonderboom 2, which offers improved sound and battery life over the original, is a great choice. This wireless speaker is available in about a dozen fun colors, it really can float and it sounds great, too. Its list price is $100, but some colors sell for around $80 and elsewhere.
Read our UE Wonderboom 2 first take.
Tile
The ultimate gift for someone who’s always losing things, Tile Stickers are little round trackers that pair with your phone. To find one, you just tap the app to make it ring. But you can also use a smart speaker, hence the inclusion of the free Nest Mini. Now, instead of having to find your phone before you can find your other stuff, just tell Google to help you locate the missing thing.
Tyler Lizenby/CNET
Amazon’s smallest Echo Show lists for $90, but frequently sells for less than $70 (and go even lower for Black Friday). If you’re looking for a video-enabled Echo device for your nightstand or kitchen, this is the most affordable option. The new Echo Show 8 (available Nov. 21) lists for $130. It should also be on sale for the holidays and may dip below $100.
Read our Echo Show 5 review.
I’ve been a fan of Logitech’s earlier MX Master and MX Master 2S mice, which shared the same design. For the MX Master 3, Logitech’s engineers have made some upgrades to both the design and the mechanics of the mouse, most noticeably to the scroll wheel, which is driven by electromagnets and is buttery-smooth to operate. It’s fast and quiet — you can zip through literally thousands of lines in seconds when you switch from ratchet to free-spin mode. It costs just less than $100.
Read CNET first take.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Bose’s SoundLink Micro ($100) delivers impressive sound for its size and is fully waterproof. Since it’s been out a while it frequently gets discounted, particularly during the holidays. I haven’t heard of anyone not liking this as a gift.
Read our Bose SoundLink Micro review.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Netflix, HBO, Hulu and every other streaming video service under the sun — Roku has it all. This $60 HDMI stick delivers all those channels at up to 4K resolution, and the included remote controls the TV’s power and volume, too. It’s a great gift idea for grads, for example, who almost certainly don’t want a traditional cable package in their first apartment.
Read our Roku Streaming Stick Plus review.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Here’s what CNET’s Scott Stein says about the Sega Genesis Mini: “There have been Sega Genesis retro consoles before, and they haven’t been good. But the new Sega Genesis Mini is a self-contained TV-connected box set done right. Like the NES Classic and SNES Classic before this, the Genesis Mini has perfect ports of seminal games, layered in a clean menu with extras like game save slots and video settings.” We think this is a great gift for both hardcore and casual gamers.
Read our Sega Genesis Mini review.
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The MX Keys is arguably the smartest low-profile Logitech keyboard I’ve used. It has “spherically dished” keys that kind of cradle the tips of your fingers, and the keyboard is responsive and tactile. In that sense, it’s similar to Logitech’s Craft keyboard, which lists for twice the price.
The keys light up as your hands approach and there’s a sensor that adjusts the illumination according to the lighting conditions. You can also turn off the light if you want to save battery life. The dual layout is designed for both Mac and Windows users, and MX Keys is compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android systems.
Using illumination, you can get 10 days of operation on a full charge or up to five months with backlighting turned off. When it’s time to recharge, the battery indicator LED glows red and you can continue using the keyboard while charging via USB-C.
Read our Logitech MX Keys first take.
Amazon
Assuming there’s still someone who doesn’t own one of these, an Instant Pot is a perfect gift both for people who love cooking and those who hate it. It can pressure-cook, slow-cook and just about everything in between. Right now, the best deal is at Amazon, where the 6-quart model is $79.
However, this is just the first of what promises to be many Instant Pot deals. Word to the wise: Don’t pay more than $60 for this often-discounted appliance. Check out Cnet’s list of the best Instant Pots of 2019 for more inspiration.
Mealthy
Ignore the goofy name: If you’re buying a gift for any Instant Pot lover (with a 6 quart or larger unit), the Mealthy CrispLid is an ideal add-on. For under $60, this accessory turns the trusty pressure cooker into a full-on air fryer. We tried it — and it turned even a pressure cooker skeptic into a believer.
Special offer: Use code CHOWHOUND10 for $10 off your total of $59.95 and up at Mealthy.com.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The Fitbit Versa Lite, Galaxy Watch Active and Apple Watch Series 3 cost $159 and up. But if you want to give a smartwatch within your sub-$100 budget, the Amazfit Bip is your best bet. Despite the low price, it’s got an always-on display, water resistance, heart rate tracking and — most importantly — battery life that blows away the Apple Watch.
Read our Amazfit Bip review.
Érika García/CNET
Fitbit has several fitness trackers under $200: the $180 Versa, the $160 Versa Lite and the $120 Charge 3. But in this price category, the new-for-2019 Inspire HR comes in at the $100 mark. The HR is so named because it has always-on heart rate monitoring, and its battery should last up to five days. If you want the name brand cachet and superior smartphone apps, the Fitbit is a good trade-up from the Amazfit mentioned above.
Read our Fitbit Versa Lite vs. Inspire HR vs. Charge 3 comparison.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Yes, the Kindle app is available for free on phones and tablets. But if you’re buying for a book lover, the Kindle Paperwhite beats a phone app because it offers distraction-free reading. Other ways the Paperwhite beats a phone: It’s readable in full sunlight or in a darkened bedroom, it’s fully waterproof and its battery lasts days or weeks, not just a few hours. The Paperwhite normally retails for $130, but it’s often on sale for $90, which is why we’re including it here.
Read our Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2018) review.
This story was published earlier this year and has been updated with additional product picks and links.