Every year we celebrate the most important woman in our lives – whether it’s our own mother or the mother to our children. And getting a thoughtful gift on Mother’s Day is one way to show how much you love her for what she does every single day.
With just three weeks to go, Mother’s Day will be here before you know it, and finding the right gift can be a daunting task. While breakfast in bed and flowers are lovely, adding a little tech can be an excellent idea too. So if you’re looking for a great tech gift idea, you’ve come to the right place.
Whether you want to spoil her or light up her life, there’s an idea that’s just right. We’ve searched high and low to shortlist 10 great gift ideas for mum that are both thoughtful and useful, and that would suit a variety of budgets.
From smart home tech to headphones, fitness trackers to streaming services and beyond – all our gift ideas are available online, but be sure to order well in time for Mother’s Day on May 9.
Nanoleaf Essentials A19 smart bulbs
You might be familiar with Nanoleaf because of its beautiful light panels, but the brand has recently expanded its range of smart lighting, going back to basics by giving us light bulbs. Nanoleaf says its Essentials smart bulb supports up to 16 million colours, so mum will be able to create the perfect atmosphere for any room, and any mood. We’ve tested the bulbs for ourselves and found they emit some of the brightest whites on the market, easily moving between cool and warm bright whites. Better yet, they’re futureproof with Thread connectivity onboard as well, so when we get more Thread-enabled smart devices, they’ll all be able to work together. For now, though, just use them via Bluetooth connection – no other paraphernalia needed except a smartphone to set up.
Read our in-depth Nanoleaf Essentials A19 review
Kobo Libra H2O
You’re probably familiar with the Amazon Kindle, but we’re also big fans of Kobo ereaders here at TechRadar, and we think the Libra H2O is one of the best you can get without spending too much money. It’s comfortable to hold and use in a single hand, thanks to its asymmetrical design and page-turn buttons. The Libra’s screen is 7 inches, and it’s fast and responsive too thanks to its use of E Ink technology. While the Kindle Oasis has a more premium feel with an all-metal casing, the Libra H2O retails for around AU$150 less than its Kindle counterpart. So, if mum is an avid reader, this ereader makes for an excellent gift. You can buy the ereader directly from Kobo, or from one of the stores below.
Read our in-depth Kobo Libra H2O review
Dyson Supersonic
There’s no question – the Dyson Supersonic is one of the most impressive hair dryers we’ve ever tested. It will blow dry mum’s hair without using extreme heat, and has intelligent heat control that works to protect hair from heat damage, helping preserve that natural shine. It comes with a number of attachments to suit various hair types, so whether mum has thick, curly tresses or super-fine, straight hair, there’s an attachment to help her style it. Time to tame the frizz and flyaways.
Read our in-depth Dyson Supersonic review
Fitbit Versa 3
If mum’s keen on keeping her health and fitness on track, then consider getting her the Fitbit Versa 3. Not only will it help keep tabs on her activity, sleep quality and heart rate, it will also track her outdoor workouts in real time. This model brings built-in GPS to the Versa line, so mum can leave her phone at home and still get accurate exercise tracking, whether it’s a walk, run or a bike ride. It’s packaged into a lightweight chassis that’s comfortable to wear, with a bright and beautiful display. Activity monitoring is what Fitbit does best, and the Versa 3 is still more fitness tracker than smartwatch, but it’s still an excellent wearable overall.
Read our in-depth Fitbit Versa 3 review
Upright Go 2
Let’s be honest, most of us don’t have excellent posture, and the recent working-from-home culture has likely put a further dent in that. To help make sure mum doesn’t develop a bad back, you can get her something that warns her every time she slouches. The Upright Go 2 is a wearable posture device that can help us learn to sit and stand up straighter. So if mum spends her days hunched in an office chair (or in her current home office setup), this is an interesting little gift that can help straighten out her slouch. The device attaches to the wearer’s back with adhesive strips, and provides feedback through a subtle vibration once synced with the downloadable app. If the adhesive sticker isn’t to mum’s liking, there is a necklace accessory available to purchase separately as well – this places the device in the right position without the feeling of something sticking to the back.
Read our in-depth Upright Go 2 review
Tile Mate
Does mum often find herself searching for her keys before heading out the door? Or keeps misplacing her handbag? Then you might want to get her a Tile Mate Bluetooth tracker. It’s designed like a keychain and can be attached to a variety of items: keys, bags, or even the family pet (if it has a habit of hiding away). Clip it to frequently misplaced items, so next time mum says “have you seen my…” she can use the companion app to help find it. It has a 200m range and the Tile Mate will ring out when she’s near the lost item.
Philips Airfryer XXL
Air fryers are the latest kitchen gadget that everyone’s talking about – there are cookbooks and Facebook groups dedicated to sharing the latest recipes. If you think mum would like to get in on the action, the Philips Airfryer XXL is well-reviewed. While we haven’t spent time with it ourselves, our colleagues at T3 have, and they found it to be an excellent air fryer for healthier meals without oil. The XXL model should be plenty big to cater to the whole family (it can fit an entire chicken inside), or rustle up a small meal.
Sony WF-1000XM3
If mum loves to listen to music, podcasts or audiobooks without getting disturbed, you might want to get her a set of earphones that will help her do so, and offer great sound quality at the same time. And that’s where the Sony WF-1000XM3s come in. These are the best true wireless earbuds you can buy, hands down. Sony has squeezed best-in-class sound quality and noise cancellation into these earbuds – an impressive feat indeed. These little music makers are able to pump out great audio with a wide soundstage. Battery life is also impressive for these little ‘buds and they’re available for less than their launch price – that’s good value in our books.
Read our in-depth Sony WF-1000XM3 review
Nespresso Vertuo Plus
The Nespresso Vertuo Plus is a pod machine that’s convenient, easy to use and serves up delicious coffee in a variety of fancy flavours. You don’t need to grind coffee beans with this sleek system – just simply pop the pod into place and the machine gets to work with the press of a button. It’s compact size will save valuable countertop space too. It’s one of our favourite coffee machines here at TechRadar, and we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it for any coffee-loving mum.
Read our in-depth Nespresso Vertuo Plus review
Streaming subscription services
There are so many streaming services out there, so why not give the gift that keeps on giving? Of course there’s Netflix, but why not consider signing up to Binge so mum can get her fill of HBO shows, or Disney Plus for those beloved classics, Pixar animations, Marvel movies and Star Wars. If you’re a sports-loving family, pick up a Kayo subscription so everyone can catch all their favourite sports live and on demand. There’s something for mum available among all these services, giving her the opportunity to wind down on the couch after a long day.
When is Mother’s Day 2021?
Mother’s Day in Australia and New Zealand is traditionally observed on the second Sunday of May each year, and this year it’s on May 9, 2021.
It’s a day to celebrate the women who look after us, be they our own mothers, stepmothers, guardians or caregivers. It’s a chance to make the women in your life feel extra special, whether it be a card, a day out, or with a thoughtful gift.
If you're planning on shopping online, we’ve got some excellent Mother’s Day gift ideas right here. Just keep in mind you’ll need to have it ordered and shipped in time for May 9.
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