Believe it or not, we’re now just a few days away from Christmas. Don’t panic if you’ve yet to start your holiday shopping, though! While it might be too late to order some of the gifts on your holiday wish list, plenty of other great presents will arrive in time.. if you know where to look.
After doing some digging at various retailers, we’ve found a bunch of gadgets and goods you’ll still be able to tuck under the tree if you order them soon enough. They encompass a wide range of categories, too, from noise-canceling earbuds and fitness trackers to smart lights, e-readers, and smart speakers. Best of all, a bunch of them are currently on sale, so you can save some money while you’re at it.
However, keep in mind that Amazon purchases are not likely to arrive on time unless you’ve signed up for a Prime membership. Don’t worry, though, because there are plenty of other retailers — including Best Buy, Target, and Walmart — that will ship your gift in time without requiring you to sign up for a premium subscription.
Headphones, earbuds, and speakers
- If you prefer a pair of noise-canceling headphones, Sony’s WH-1000XM5 are available for about $279.99 ($120 off) at Amazon and Best Buy, and $20 more at Target. The XM5 tune out noise remarkably well, deliver excellent sound, and are extremely comfortable to wear, which are just some of the reasons why they’re our favorite headphones on the market. Read our review.
- If you want to gift a pair of AirPods to the Apple aficionado in your life, you still have time to do so. The second-gen AirPods Pro with USB-C will arrive before the holiday when you purchase them for $189.99 ($60 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart. You can also buy the cheaper AirPods 4 for $119 ($10 off) at Amazon, or at Target and Best Buy for their full retail price of $129.99. The latter earbuds lack noise cancellation, onboard volume controls, and a built-in speaker on the case, but they still offer great voice call quality and good sound. Read our second-gen AirPods Pro and AirPods 4 reviews.
- If you want to gift a portable speaker, the UE Miniroll is available for $49.99 ($30 off) at Amazon and Best Buy. Ultimate Ears’ puck-like Bluetooth speaker is small enough to fit in your pocket and features a built-in strap, allowing you to easily attach it to a set of handlebars, your bag, and other objects. The speaker also offers a robust IP67 rating against dust and water, making it a particularly great option for outdoorsy types.
Smart home tech
- The Blink Video Doorbell will offer your loved ones peace of mind and arrive in time for Christmas if you pick it up at Amazon, Best Buy, or Target for $35.99 ($24 off). The 1080p video doorbell is our favorite budget-friendly option, one that nails the essentials with motion-activated recording, alerts, night vision, two-way audio, motion zones, and up to two years of battery life on a pair of AA lithium batteries.
- It’s not too late to pick up a pair of Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Light Bulbs (L535E) for $17.99 ($12 off) at Amazon and B&H Photo. The color-charging, 1,100-lumen bulbs can display more than 16 million colors and don’t require a hub; they’re also compatible with Matter, so your giftee can connect them to any major smart home platform.
Tablets and e-readers
- The latest entry-level Kindle, which will arrive in time for Christmas, is available in its ad-supported base configuration at Best Buy or Target for $109.99. The new 6-inch model is faster than its predecessor and offers longer battery life, but it doesn’t feature a waterproof exterior like the Paperwhite. That being said, it does boast a sharp 300ppi display, USB-C support, and a pocketable design.
- You can get the 2022 iPad with 64GB of storage and Wi-Fi in time for Christmas when you order it for $279 ($70 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart. The entry-level tablet sports a large 10.9-inch display and a USB-C port for fast charging. It’s also relatively snappy thanks to the addition of Apple’s A14 Bionic chip and Wi-Fi 6 support, making it a great tablet for streaming, video chatting, and other tablet needs. Read our review.
- If you’re looking to gift a budget-friendly tablet, the latest Amazon Fire HD 8 tablet is on sale at Amazon and Best Buy with ads and 32GB of storage starting at $54.99 ($45 off). It’s no iPad, but if you just need a cheap slate for playing games, reading, streaming, browsing the web, and other basic tasks, it does the job just fine.
Gaming gifts
- The white Xbox Series X Digital Edition with 1TB of storage launched in October, but it’s already on sale and will arrive in time for Christmas when you buy it for around $398 ($52 off) at Best Buy or Walmart. The latest Series X is identical to the original model aside from the new look and expanded storage, with support for 4K gaming at up to 120Hz. Read our original Xbox Series X review.
- The second-gen Backbone One allows your giftee to turn their iPhone or Android phone into something akin to the Nintendo Switch, and you can buy both the Lightning model and USB-C version in multiple button layouts for $99.99 ($30 off) at Amazon. The handy mobile controller offers an improved D-pad and face buttons over the first-gen model; it also sports a 3.5mm audio jack, a comfortable design, and magnetic adapters so you can use it while your phone stays in its case, provided it’s compatible.
Health and wellness tech
- If you’re looking for a budget-friendly health and wellness gift, the Te-Rich Weighted Jump Rope is a good option that should arrive by Christmas when you order it for $20.99 at Amazon. The adjustable smart jump rope features a built-in LCD display with a timer and an accurate jump counter, and even provides a rough estimate of calories burned.
- You can still order the Oura Ring Generation 4 in time for Christmas when you pick it up for $349 at Amazon and Best Buy. The smart ring makes for an excellent sleep and recovery tracker you can use to keep tabs on basic health metrics, including light exercise. It doesn’t offer as many advanced fitness tracking features as a smartwatch, but it’s a lot more stylish and discreet. Plus, it does offer some cool perks of its own, including a new Symptom Radar feature that sends notifications when it thinks you’re getting sick.
TVs, streaming devices, and soundbars
- If you’re looking to gift a 4K streaming stick, the latest Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is a good option that’s available at Amazon and Best Buy for $59.99. Along with offering support for Wi-Fi 6, Dolby Atmos / Vision, and HDR10 Plus, the streaming device offers impressive integration with Amazon Alexa for hands-free control. It also displays artwork and widgets when idle, which is a cool trick that turns your TV into an Echo Show-like display.
Other great gadgets you can still gift
- Fujifilm’s Instax Mini 12 should ship in time for you to wrap it up under the tree if you order it at Best Buy or Target for $69.99 ($10 off). We consider it to be our best instant camera for most people and a good gift for budding photogs of all ages, namely because it’s incredibly easy to use, comes in all kinds of fun colors, and produces relatively true-to-life prints.
- If you’re looking for something to gift a kid or a Star Wars fan, the Goliath Power Saber is on sale at Amazon for $35.63 ($15 off) when you clip the on-page coupon (it’s also available starting at $49 at Target and Walmart). The “power saber” isn’t an official Star Wars toy, sadly, but it’s a fun light-up blade that can automatically extend and retract; it will also collapse when you actually press it against something, making it a safe gift for kids.
- The Glocusent Bookmark Style Reading Light is a great gift for bookworms that should arrive in time for Christmas when you buy it for $15.99 ($5 off) at Amazon. The clip-on USB light is a handy accessory for those who like to read at night, as it will illuminate pages with a soft, warm glow that’s not likely to disturb their sleep.
- You can still gift Lego’s Plum Blossom set when you buy it at Walmart for $23.95 (about $6 off). The set consists of 327 pieces, which come together to form an eye-catching floral display that looks great on a mantle or in a home office space.
Update, December 20th: Adjusted copy to reflect current pricing and availability.