The Verge’s 2026 holiday gift guide

November 6, 2026 · by TPW Pipeline

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Our latest holiday cheat sheet is jam-packed with our favorite tech, along with Play-Doh, vinyl, and plenty of analog picks.

by Ryan WaniataNov 6, 2026, 3:00 PM UTC

Gift-giving isn’t just about grabbing something solid under a determined spending limit. It’s an expression of love, a way to show someone how well you really know them. That doesn’t mean you have to do it all on your own, though. Sometimes you just need a push in the right direction to get things rolling.

This year, we spent hours collecting our favorites to help you get ahead of your holiday shopping. This list has everything: minimalist smart rings, Play-Doh flowers, sleek beat machines — you name it. Whatever your needs, no matter how demanding the recipient, you’ll find something exceptional below for that special someone on your list.

How much do you want to spend? Under $20 $21 to $50 $51 to $150 $151 to $400 $401+

Most of us have thousands of photos in the cloud, but if a photo never makes it into the real world, did it really happen? Existentialism aside, the Cricut StickerPix offers a new way to play with photos, providing you with everything you need to turn any picture into a pro-quality print or sticker.

If you’re a fan of Apple’s open-ear standard AirPods, the AirPods 5 are the best model yet. The higher-end pair (there are two models) offers upgraded sound, better noise cancellation, and swipe-based volume controls, bringing some Pro-level features to the buds that started the wire-free revolution.

It’s rare for a product to boast that it’s “hacker-friendly,” but the Busy Bar isn’t your average device. Equipped with a pixelated LED screen, fantastically fun buttons, and intriguing ways to play, Flipper’s open-source productivity tool breeds efficiency by, among other things, keeping coworkers from interrupting your flow with their weekend plans.

Espresso in the woods? Yes, please. The GR2’s magical mechanics make it possible, letting you turn 12 ounces of grounds into espresso without power. Its carrying case houses all the accessories needed to get that sweet shot of bean, making real coffee available virtually anywhere.

Digital photos changed everything, but there’s still something wonderful about the visceral touch and nostalgia of analog. Fujifilm’s Instax Mini Evo provides an intriguing hybrid that bridges these worlds, with a retro design, intuitive dials and controls, and the ability to filter like it’s 1989 (or 1889?).

What if you could give the gift of stress-free Wi-Fi on the go? That’s the promise of TP-Link’s dual-band Roam 7, a portable Wi-Fi 7 router that simplifies connecting to public portals so travelers can connect everything to a single device and be done with it.

For those who love travel but hate the constraints of a hotel TV, Belkin’s ConnectAir is a slick solution. Plug the transmitter into any device with a USB-C video-out port and the receiver into the TV’s HDMI port, and voilà, you’re easily (and wirelessly) connected.

The company that brought gaming to the masses still defies the odds, thanks in large part to its creative roots. Those roots run deep, and journalist Keza MacDonald’s fascinating book traces them to their source, from a simple card game company to the minds behind the biggest hits of all time.

You can give the gift of creativity with this do-it-all digital music maker. Akai’s portable sampler, beat maker, and all-around sound machine blends tactile quick keys and pads with an onboard screen so musicians can build it all in a box and send the results to their DAW of choice.

For those who enjoy clever devices that just work, we give you Nimble’s “breakable” SharePower Portable Charger. The magnetically joined power bank quickly snaps into a pair of 20W batteries, letting two people charge their phones, or works as a single 10,000mAh unit for larger top-offs.

New Zealand artist Aldous Harding has another eccentric album on her hands with this year’s Train on the Island. The slow-burning LP is gorgeously recorded and delightfully weird, and it feels tailor-made for vinyl, making it an easy pick for Harding fans (or anyone who loves quirky indie jams).

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