24 Best Gifts for Teens and Tweens

If you have a teen who loves skincare and makeup products, consider grabbing this popular mirror fridge from Frigidaire. It doubles as a storage unit and mirror, allowing your teen to store their products and use it to get ready. It features a compact portable design and is finished with a carrying handle, making it easy to transport.

The JALL Wake Up Light Sunrise Alarm Clock is less than half the price of some of the other clocks we tested, and from an ease-of-use standpoint, this model comes out on top. It has two independent alarms (so you can set them for different times, depending on your routine), seven alarm tones (including “wind bells” and birds chirping), an FM radio, and a fall-asleep mode that simulates a sunset (though no white noise option).

For more options: Best Sunrise Alarm Clocks

In our review of popular slippers, 3 out of 4 CR evaluators found themselves head over heels for the Lined Crocs. “I am pleasantly surprised that these are extremely comfortable,” says Ginger Cowles, a managing editor at CR. These clogs, as Crocs calls them, feel stable and secure, with a thick, textured sole that doesn’t slip and provides ample distance and insulation from frigid floors in the winter. They’re also machine-washable (in cold water only), though we haven’t tried that ourselves. A foam strap can be pulled over the front of the shoe, transforming the Crocs into a slide, or over the back, making the shoe more secure on your foot. 

For more options: We Tried Ugg Fluff Yeahs and 7 Other Popular Slippers

Somewhere between form and function, you’ll find this artfully designed deck of cards. “Add a sumptuous spin on classic card games with these beautifully illustrated jumbo playing cards from L’Objet,” says Alexandra Dorda, founder of Kasama Rum. 

For more options: Best Home Gifts

This tiger-shaped bath mat from Urban Outfitters is a visual delight, but it comes in an awkward shape, which makes it difficult to place it directly next to a shower or a bathtub. Because the mat feels more shaggy and soft rather than plush and wetness-wicking, it could also work as a decorative rug in your child’s room. “I can see this rug as a fun addition to a kid’s bathroom, with the day’s clothes strewn over it at bath time,” says Althea Chang-Cook, a multimedia content specialist at Consumer Reports. “It could also fit in at a college dorm.”

For more options: Best Bath Mats

If the teen in your life has been thinking of trying a weighted blanket, now’s the time. The cover of the Luna blanket is cotton; it doesn’t come with a duvet cover. The company says you can wash it in cold water on the gentle setting and hang it to dry or tumble-dry on low heat. Make sure to click the on-page coupon to get the lowest price.

For more options: Best Weighted Blankets

Give the gift of a better night’s sleep or a more satisfying catnap with a great sleep mask. The Mzoo is budget-friendly, well-designed, and effective at blocking light for most face shapes and head sizes. CR’s team of evaluators had a wide range of preferences and needs, yet most agreed that the Mzoo mask was a great option.

For more options: Best Sleep Masks

Here’s to a gift that will keep on giving. Equal parts festive and aesthetically pleasing, this 1,000-piece puzzle is prime for the entertainer. Featuring a vibrant tablescape filled with sweets and celebratory motifs, it’s bound to be a hit.

For more options: Best Home Gifts

If patience isn’t your teen’s strong suit, consider this: The Kodak Printomatic is the fastest instant camera of the six we reviewed, producing a fully printed photo just 38 seconds after the shutter is pressed. Once printed, the photos have a sticky backing, allowing kids to put them up anywhere they see fit. The camera also stores photos on an SD card at a higher resolution than the other zero-ink cameras we tried, which is nice if you want to order a larger print.

For more options: Best Instant Cameras

DJI’s OM 5 smartphone gimbal is a great choice for budding cinematographers. The folding design makes it compact and lightweight, despite concealing a built-in extension rod that lets you film from a more diverse array of angles. And while other gimbals require some fussing to get them balanced and ready to shoot, we had the OM 5 ready to go in seconds simply by unfolding it, fixing the phone in its magnetic clamp, and turning it on.

For more options: Best Smartphone Gimbals

The Echo Dot is the cheapest way into the Amazon smart speaker world. The fourth-generation version, significantly revamped from the hockey-puck shape of earlier models, comes with better—though far from stellar—sound than its predecessors. It also works just as well as the fifth-gen Echo Dot. And despite its small size and low price, it offers the same smart speaker functionality as its far more expensive brethren.

For more options: Best Smart Speakers

If your teenager is begging you for an iPad, you don’t have to break the bank to make them happy. Apple’s entry-level iPad starts at around $330, a reasonable price compared with more advanced models. The device’s bright and accurate display is great for streaming favorite TV shows. It also provides access to Apple’s giant ecosystem of apps and services, including educational apps like Apple’s Swift Playgrounds, which introduces kids to programming by teaching them to create simple games. 

For more options: What’s the Best iPad for You?

Much like trackers made by Samsung and Tile, AirTags work best if you’re looking for one within Bluetooth range (roughly 30 feet) of your own phone. But that said, there are millions of iPhones and other Apple devices roaming around out there that can pick up a signal and discreetly convey it to you when your teen is searching, say, a park or a school campus for the keys they dropped.

For more options: Best Tech Deals

The Butter Balm by Summer Fridays is a fan-favorite on TikTok. The silky, 100 percent vegan lip mask hydrates and soothes parched lips. It comes at a steep $24, but our evaluators found that it lives up to the hype, nourishing and hydrating lips with ease. They also loved the light, pleasant, mild vanilla scent.

For more options: Best Lip Balms

If your teenager is traveling, the Novel Duffle Mid Volume is the bag for them. It comes in lots of fun colors and designs, including neon yellow, a bright peachy pink, and a tie-dye version. It’s also lightweight and relatively inexpensive, and has an overall youthful look. This Herschel bag features faux-leather handles and a padded crossbody strap, though the strap connectors felt flimsy. The polyester fabric is thin but water-resistant.

For more options: Best Weekender Bags

The sleek and colorful Yeti Rambler Jr. Bottle is versatile enough for everyday use. It weighs 1 pound and will keep your water cold in hot weather and insulate your hot drinks. The dishwasher-safe bottle fits well in cup holders, making it a good option for traveling and outdoor activities.

For more options: Best Water Bottles

The Béis Dopp Kit is made of cotton and vegan leather and comes in a variety of colors. It’s a bag your teen would enjoy holding because of how comfortable the material feels. It can be opened wide enough that every item in the bag is in full view and easily accessible. The bag is divided into a top and bottom compartment, and there are two side pockets in the top compartment. Take this gift to the next level by pairing it with their favorite beauty essentials.

Sol de Janeiro has amassed a cultlike following, and it’s not just because of its fun, tropical packaging. Its perfume mists and body-care essentials, available in an array of dynamic scents, can also hold their own. Cue this travel-friendly bundle—featuring a body cream, shower gel, and perfume mist—that’s poised to please. More notably, do it for the Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, one of the brand’s iconic products, which the company says can smooth and tighten skin.