Teenagers are sometimes the hardest to buy for around the holidays. Either they don’t tell you what they want at all or they give you a list that sometimes you can’t even comprehend. Of course, they are in the know about all the new trends and you may have no idea why they are asking for certain items. Well, let this list be your safe haven of gift ideas to get 5 different types of teens in your life.
Techie Teens
Personal Favorite:
Wireless Smartphone Charger
Every teenager nowadays has a smartphone so they’ll need an equally cool and techie charger for it too! With a sleek and modern design, this phone charger will wirelessly charge any compatible smartphone, simply place your phone on the charger and watch the battery grow! A bonus is the portable crystal-shaped light that can be detached from the base itself and reattached to any metal surface. Give your desk a mellow feel and an extra glow while recharging your phone for whatever adventure awaits.
When I first started here this was one of the first products that I wrote a description for and mentally I thought, “I need this on my desk”. Let’s just say that it sits nicely on my desk at home and I frequently use it when I want to write but don’t want a super strong light like my desk lamp in my face. It charges my phone quickly and I love that I can still reply to text messages and see the alerts on the screen as it sits on the dock. I would highly recommend this as a gift to a student in college or high school that does their homework and a desk (and can’t be separated from their phone).
Wireless Smartphone Charger #3157773
Runner-up:
LED Digital Retro Clock
Steampunk lovers gather around because you will want to add this clock to your décor the moment you have a glimpse of it. With 7 different display modes, you can easily adjust the time (which is displayed in military hours), brightness and color to suit your taste. The RGB LED lights are embedded in the wooden base so some assembly is required. For ages 14+.
This clock gives you the experience of a Nixie Clock without creating a hazard to you or those you may gift it to. Whenever I see something done in a new way it never ceases to amaze me, the ability to take something as mundane as a clock and turn it into a fantastical piece of art. I believe this retro clock can be used on your bedside table or even placed in your living room as your main timepiece. This may be a possible gift for my sister-in-law who loves to cosplay and has an interest in everything steampunk as well.
LED Digital Retro Clock #3157762
Electronic Loving Teens
JUST IN:
CircuitPet
If you ever experienced a love/hate relationship with a Tamagotchi at any point in your life then you’ll love to gift this to the younger generation (without the hate part too). Circuit Pet or Duckileo is an artificial human companion in the form of a digital duck who loves space! While your child builds Circuit Pet they will learn essential skills on topics such as programming, coding and soldering. There is no longer a worry that spending time away from your digital pet will make them disappear, however, don’t leave Duckileo without love for too long or it’ll begin to rust! For ages 11+.
As a young child, I didn’t have a physical family pet so I took to caring for digital ones. However, they were always so high maintenance (and for a child with low focus it became a problem), but I always loved the idea that you could carry around an AI pet in your pocket. Being able to build the system yourself is something I never imagined possible and I believe it will make whoever carries it around appreciate it so much more.
Runner-up:
Playground 130
This kit will introduce a new hobby and skill to whomever you gift it to this holiday season. They will learn the basics of electronics with their own lab and 130 projects to complete at whatever pace they’d like. In this playground, you will build a variety of circuits for technology such as a sound amplifier, metal detector, built-in speaker and LED display while using the step-by-step illustrated instructions to help you along. For ages 12+.
Everyone has seen one movie where the main character must disarm a bomb by uncrossing wires and picking the right one to cut. The Electronic Playground will have anyone who uses it feeling the same type of excitement and accomplishment as they are introduced to electronics. It may look a tad daunting to some but I assure you that no previous knowledge is needed, making this a great gift for beginners or even experts that would like to get into the field of electronics.
Delightful Optics for Teens
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Infinity Cube
An equally astonishing illusion as it is an impressive centerpiece, the Infinity Cube Lamp will light up any space and draw everyone into gazing at the endless number of multicolored cubes that reflect on the surface. The cube within the cube reflects infinitely, so when you look inside, you’ll see a line of cubes that travel on and on. The lamp takes on different colors depending on where you stand which can range from green, blue, orange and pink. Even turned off the cube still maintains a holographic look and can transform your room and mood. For ages 14+.
I have this cube on my desk at home and when I sit down at my desk to write or even play video games on my PC, I turn the cube on. It isn’t too bright or distracting to keep right by my screen but I often glance over at it and get lost in the abyss of infinite reflections. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to add a little flare to their office or desk while lighting up their space with a colorful piece of décor.
Runner-Up:
Wall-Mounted Plasma Ball
Hold lightning in your hands and feel the flow at your fingertips with this unique wall-mounted light show. This science classic can be displayed on a table or hung on the wall while showcasing the fourth state of matter: plasma. With two modes you can light up the ball with a simple touch of the surface or use sound-activated mode to see how electricity courses to the beat of your favorite songs. For ages 14+.
I can make numerous movie references in which a tesla coil is used to demonstrate the correlation between electricity and musical beats (for anyone wondering my top two are The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and The Amazing Spider-Man 2). Seeing any form of power bending to the simple weight of our fingertips is equally amazing as it is satisfying and this product is no exception. The red and purple light show is mesmerizing, making this a great addition to a classroom, home office or any geeky space.
Wall-Mounted Plasma Ball #3157691
For RC Enthusiasts
Personal Favorite:
3-in-1 Launcher Kit
Launch yourself into battle with this tank that fires water bombs, foam darts and bubbles as you control it with a classic remote or wrist controller. This battle turret has specialized wheels that can complete a drift and 360-degree rotation. In this kit, you will receive 10 foam darts, 500 units of water bullets, and 2 packs of bubble-concentrated solution ensuring that your battle will last for ages! For ages 14+.
My brother and I would battle each other frequently with Nerf blasters but after a while, the foam darts would no longer have the biggest impact. With a choice of 3 different ammunitions, this battle turret will ensure fun through multiple battle options.
Runner-up:
RC Lamborghini Sian Building Kit
You can now build and drive a fully operational Lambo with this extremely realistic replica, scaled 1:18. With 92 pieces this dream sportscar will challenge the builder to complete it and be the fastest racer amongst family and friends. The attention to detail in this kit makes this replica look just like a real-life Lambo with opening doors and trunk. For ages 8+.
I have never built an RC model car but I have pieced together a few Transformers in my time. Anyone who appreciates and is a fan of luxury cars will not be disappointed with this kit. Modeled exactly like the Sian you will face the struggle of every collector, placing this on a special shelf or taking it on a little joyride.
RC Lamborghini Sian Building Kit #3157647
Still Undecided Teens
JUST IN:
C3000
The C3000 chemistry kit is for advanced high school level chemists who would like to challenge themselves with more than 333 experiments. With a hands-on approach, the 192 full-color experiment manual (or textbook) will teach advanced topics such as chemical equations, atomic structures and in-depth concepts around the study of chemistry. The C3000 includes 103 pieces such as graduated beakers, tubes and other chemicals that can be found in a skilled chemist’s lab. This kit can also prepare middle school aged children for high school chemistry. For ages 12+.
I took Chemistry in 9th grade and my favorite part was being involved with the hands-on experiments. Mixing together different solutions and seeing how they react together really got me interested in an 8 am class that I may have dozed off in if we just sat at our desks. This kit can entertain a teen for hours and hours with the amount of material and experiments, while also expanding their love and knowledge of chemistry.
Runner-up:
Retro Kettle Popcorn Maker
Bring movie theater popcorn into your home with this retro popcorn maker that pops 10 cups of corn pops in the 2.5 oz stainless-steel kettle. The kettle’s built-in stirring system will filter out the unpopped kernels as the interior light illuminates the inside of the machine so that you can enjoy popcorn day or night. With the theater popcorn kit, you will have everything you need to make AND flavor your popcorn including 1 pound of kernels, 1 bottle of butter-flavored oil and 3 seasonings (ranch, white cheddar and nacho cheddar). Please note that this is not a toy and is a machine for adult use.
Everyone loves popping a bag of popcorn and sitting on their couch as they watch the newest Netflix documentary that comes out. But something about bagged popcorn doesn’t match the popcorn we buy at the movie theater. With this retro popcorn maker, you can get the best of both worlds without taking up a ton of kitchen space or can be a great addition to a home theater.
Retro Kettle Popcorn Maker #3157514
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