Looking to buy some last-minute Christmas gifts to throw in your stockings? You have a ton of options in front of you even if you’re on a budget. A simple search on Amazon or your favorite online marketplace using the appropriate filters should narrow your selection down to some potentially decent choices. But if you’re that kind of person who wants to be a bit more unique and gift something that is a little out of the ordinary, this list is for you!
As someone who spends a lot of time using PCs and laptops, all my stocking stuffer recommendations under $50 are accessories rather than standalone products. However, given how versatile these products are, I’m confident these products will serve as great gifts to anyone. I’ve personally used all products in this list and continue to use most of them today so feel free to ask any questions about these picks if you wish to learn more.
A teeny tiny speaker
We love the look of the EWA Travel A106 Pro Portable Bluetooth Speaker. Smaller than a lime this is the ultimate emergency backup speaker you can truly bring anywhere… and it it gets lost, well, you’re only out $26! Weighing just 6 ounces, the A106 mini speaker is conveniently small but boasts clear sound with impressive bass and room-filling loudness. Use it for streaming music or internet radio services such as Pandora and Spotify from your Smartphone, iPhone, or via other audio device with Bluetooth.
Tech Touch Gloves
Ordinary winter gloves aren’t just going to cut it when it comes to using a touchscreen. Only specially designed gloves like the TRENDOUX Winter Gloves use special conductive material adding a great deal of convenience when the environment gets all chilly! They also make for great driving gloves!
Portable Apple Watch Charger
I know nobody should own any microUSB devices in 2023, but this unique portable Apple Watch Keychain charger is too unique to not consider! The tiny, built-in 1000mAh battery is just enough to add about 2 hours extra airtime to any Apple Watch making it a perfect add-on gift to that Apple Watch gift you bought on sale!
Cords and Cables
Cords and cables make for great equalizers when adding to the value of a stocking full of goodies! Native Union is a good brand to start with because they make all sorts of cables in assorted colors and materials to mix and match with other accessories in the stocking. A personal favorite is the weighted cable that stays put on any desk or bedside table, and its extra long length means you can still use it in bed. From Lightning cables to USB-C, these cords are reliable and come from a trustworthy brand. Be sure to check out this cords and cables guide for some other recommended brands!
Bluetooth Trackers
There are a lot of folks out there that simply think Bluetooth trackers aren’t worth the price, especially when you factor in battery replacements. Buying one as a gift is one thoughtful way of saying that valuables and personal possessions do matter and could be real saviors when the unexpected happens! Air Tags are the obvious Bluetooth tracker choice for Apple fans because of their tight integration with iPads and iPhones. For those Android loyalists, consider getting a Tile Pro as that tracker has a replaceable battery.
Tile Tracker
Have you ever heard any stories of folks saying they won’t ever need a Tile tracker, but suddenly wished they purchased one after an unfortunate incident of losing a valuable? The thought of losing luggage sure gives me the chills so be that cool Santa and gift a Tile tracker or two to allow proper tracking of these valuables no matter what mobile device they use.
Check out Erin’s full hands-on with all the Tile trackers so you can better decide which one to gift.
Anozer Tablet Stand
Putting a tablet such as an iPad on a stand is something you must experience to appreciate the benefits. The stand props up your tablet and lifts it up so you see its screen directly without tilting your neck down. This improves your posture while reading content while saving you the extra burden of holding your tablet.
Why does this matter to me? Because all my tablets have casings which add a bit of weight. This also adds an extra use case as well – using the tablet as a computer when you pair it with a Bluetooth keyboard. Yes, using a laptop might be more ideal depending on your use case, but based on my experience with both setups, I always found a tablet + keyboard combo more pleasant to work with on surfaces with minimal space.
I’ve tried a few tablet stands including one from ORICO and another from BAVIN. At least so far, the Anozer Tablet Stand is my favorite. The entire stand is made of aluminum and the back of the holder has four rubber pads to keep the tablet in place. The rigid construction is durable enough for the stand to hold an iPad Pro 12.9 with a case and unlike plastic stands, the Anozer Tablet Stand keeps the tablet steady and secure. Then when you are done using it, you can simply fold it and stuff it away in a bag.
Logitech K380 travel keyboard
Full disclosure, the keyboard I personally use is an Anne Pro 2 simply because it’s a mechanical keyboard and after going mechanical, I simply couldn’t go back! Unfortunately, that keyboard is more than $50 so my next personal pick is the Logitech K380 which I tried for a bit before I gifted it.
Priced at around $39 or lower, the Logitech K380 is a fantastic budget Bluetooth keyboard and a terrific companion to my tablet stand recommendation. The keyboard is small enough to fit in a bag and it can pair with just about any Bluetooth-enabled device from an iPad to a Raspberry Pi!
Even if the person you are gifting to lacks a tablet, he or she can still pair the keyboard to a phone. Considering how large phones are nowadays, using a keyboard to send a long text message or perhaps an email is a nice convenience. With the keyboard paired, the phone won’t bring up the onscreen keyboard leaving you with more screen real-estate for composing lengthier messages.
The neat little feature of this keyboard is its ability to pair up to three devices making this a versatile peripheral as well. The Logitech K380 is a travel-friendly keyboard which you can pair with your phone, tablet, or laptop, but you can use it at home too as you can pair it with any desktop computer you have with Bluetooth or even your Smart TV! The K380 comes in various colors as well.
Logitech G502 Mouse
If you have a friend or loved one who spends a lot of time on a computer or laptop, gifting a Logitech G502 is simply a no-brainer. Don’t be fooled by the fact that this peripheral is a gaming mouse either because you can use it as a productivity mouse as well. I’ve used a lot of mice from different brands and the Logitech G502 offers the best feature set for a wired mouse while it’s on sale for a sweet slice of the regular $70 price.
For me, the best features of the G502 are its software and 11 reprogrammable buttons. The Logitech G HUB software allows you to remap any of the buttons to various things such as a keyboard shortcut or a macro. For instance, I configured the two side buttons to change virtual desktops while the thumb button takes screenshots. Logitech’s non-gaming mice have fewer buttons, cost more, and offer less software customization which is why I picked this over other office mice.
Ringke Folding Stand 2
The Ringke Folding Stand is a nice, inexpensive stocking stuffer for that person who loves to travel light with a laptop. Unlike most laptop stands, the Ringke Folding Stand 2 has a flat form factor and feels like a piece of rubberized cardboard. Straight from its name, you can fold the stand into a tent-like shape which you can place the laptop on giving it an angle which makes typing comfortable while lifting it slightly for better heat dissipation. Although the stand feels light, it can hold heavier 16-inch laptops just fine. Not only does the stand offer two angles but you can flip it over flat and use it as a mouse pad too!
8bitdo Zero 2 game controller
Gifting to your kids or younger relatives? I wholeheartedly recommend the 8bitdo Zero 2! This tiny little stocking stuffer is a fully functional game controller that is surprisingly versatile. PCs, laptops, Smart TVs, tablets, phones, and modern game consoles all have built-in Bluetooth and each have their own gaming libraries. As long as the game supports controllers, you can play it  game with an 8bitdo Zero 2. Just keep it mind that it won’t work with a PlayStation.
What surprised me most with the 8bitdo Zero 2 is how usable it is despite its small size. It works best with retro titles and 2-D platformers as it lacks trigger buttons and analog sticks. While I don’t recommend this controller for prolonged gaming, it’s impossible to complain especially when getting one as a gift simply because of how cute and tiny this controller is!
Got a cool stocking stuffer find under $50 you’d like to share? Post your pick in comments below.
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