Mother’s Day is on the horizon (it falls on Sunday, May 10, this year), and while you still have time to pick out a gift for mom, why procrastinate? To help you out, we consulted the moms here at CNET and rounded up our top CNET-recommended products that our editors would enjoy getting as gifts themselves.
Whether your mom (or grandmother, mother-in-law or any other mother figure in your life) is into tech, cooking or she could use a little self-care, we have Mother’s Day gifts that’ll fit the bill. We’ve assembled a variety of gift ideas here at different price points including several that cost less than $100 and some for even less than $50. And if you really want to splurge, we have some pricier picks we know she would appreciate. All of our gift recommendations have been fully reviewed or anecdotally tested by CNET editors.
Tech gifts for Mom
Apple Watch SE (3rd Gen)
As any mom who works remotely knows, working from home while also running a home can lead to some serious scatterbrain. An Apple Watch SE 3 will help Mom locate her phone if lost, schedule her day, make playlists for running and 1,000 other things. It’s also Apple’s most affordable smartwatch. CNET editor and mom Bridget Carey says, “I never cared about an Apple Watch until I had to do everything at home. Now it’s the only way I stay sane.”
Read our Apple Watch SE (2022) review.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
If the mom in your life enjoys reading, give her easy access to an endless supply of books with the newest Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, CNET’s favorite all-around e-reader. Our CNET testers appreciated its high contrast ratio and faster page turns than other models. It’s also a bit thinner and has a bigger screen than previous models. Perfect for bringing on flights if Mom’s planning any summer vacations.
Apple AirTags, 4-pack
Apple AirTags aren’t new, but they still make excellent gifts for mothers who might misplace the occasional item. Get a set of four so she can throw one in her beach tote, purse, wallet and luggage. You can even have them engraved free with her initials if you order them through Apple — although a four-pack tends to be cheaper on Amazon.
Beats Powerbeats Pro 2
Although Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 are great, they’re not for everyone. The Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 aren’t technically AirPods but they’re built on the same tech platform as the H2 chip-equipped AirPods Pro and offer many of the same features, including active noise canceling and a transparency mode to let ambient sound in. They also sport the handy ear hook, which means Mom can wear them while jogging or doing pretty much anything. Plus, the Powerbeats Pro 2 buds come in a range of flashy and fun colors.
- Bose SoundLink Plus portable Bluetooth speaker ($230) — Read our review
- Oura Ring 4 ($349) — Read our review
- AirFly Pro 2 Bluetooth adapter for travel ($60) — Read our review
Self-care gifts for Mom
Amazon Zimasilk 100% Mulberry Silk Pillowcase
Protect Mom’s hair and skin while she sleeps with a silk pillowcase. Zimasilk’s Mulberry Silk Pillowcase is CNET’s top pick for the best silk pillowcase of 2026. It comes in more than 35 colors and various sizes so you’re sure to find one that matches her bedroom decor. It’s easy to wash (you can just throw it in the delicate cycle and line dry it) and it has a convenient zipper on the side to keep the pillow snug.
Theragun Mini (3rd Gen)
Mom is walking here, she’s walking there and sometimes back here because she forgot her dang keys (hello, AirTags). She could use a good massage or seven, and this compact massage gun from Therabody will do exactly that — whenever and wherever she wants.
Drowsy silk sleep mask
If Mom could use some quality shut-eye, she’d appreciate this 100% pure silk sleep mask. CNET ranked it the best overall sleep mask thanks to its comfortable cushiness and the adjustable velcro strap on the back. “I found that it didn’t slip off my face while I slept like other masks tend to and the fluffy padding made it have a total blackout effect,” says CNET’s Caroline Igo.
Luna weighted blanket
Mom is here, there and everywhere — which is why she could use a nap. When you need to make that smooth transition into naptime, there’s nothing quite like a weighted blanket. Thanks to its breathability and its soft yet heavy feel, the Luna Luxe tops our list of the best weighted blankets of 2026. While currently unavailable, it’s a welcome mix of affordability and quality.
Kitchen gifts for Mom
Aarke water carbonator
Hauling heavy (and pricey) cans of seltzer home from the store can be a thing of the past with an eco-friendly water carbonator. SodaStream is a good option but the Swedish Aarke carbonator is big on style and more gift-friendly, if you ask us. It’s available in five great finishes to match her kitchen motif. Read our Aarke carbonator review.
Ninja Crispi glass air fryer
In CNET’s rigorous testing of 20 air fryers, the Ninja Crispi glass air fryer came out on top and earned a CNET Editors’ Choice Award. If Mom likes serving up crispy eats without the mess, she’ll appreciate the sleek design of this high-end air fryer. It will be her new favorite kitchen appliance courtesy of her new favorite kid.
Fluicer juicer
This amazing juicer is a margarita lover’s best friend. The genius Fluicer bends and squeezes limes and lemons to get a full juice. It even catches the pulp and seeds in a built-in grate. Read our full review.
Cuisinart Pure Indulgence ice cream maker
Every season is ice cream season and nothing tastes better than making the good stuff at home. We tested all the top ice cream makers, and the Cuisinart Pure Indulgence 2-quart ice cream maker came out on top, besting the TikTok-famous Ninja Creami. While the Cuisinart can be a bit loud while it’s running, its large capacity and double insulation helped it stand out from its competitors. We found it to be an overall great value for the money.
Subscription gifts for Mom
The Chef & The Dish
If Mom enjoys cooking, surprise her with one of our favorite online cooking classes to give. The Chef & The Dish connects you with top-rated chefs from all over the world who will teach you, in private classes, in your kitchen, in real-time. You cook and learn while your personal chef watches and instructs you. Private classes start at $185 per person. Choose any amount for a gift card.
Atlas Coffee Club
A curated box of exceptional coffee is definitely not going to go unappreciated. While there are dozens of excellent coffee clubs to choose from, we love Atlas for its price, quality selections and simple gift-ordering interface. Give three months for $55, six months for $99 or a year for $189.
MasterClass subscription
With all the time she spends keeping the ship from sinking, there’s not always time to spend on personal interests and endeavors. MasterClass makes it easy to learn about a plethora of subjects from the folks who know them best. There are cooking classes from icons like Thomas Keller and Alice Waters but also lessons on subjects you might not realize you need help with.
A MasterClass gift subscription starts at $120 for an annual membership and includes more than 100 classes taught by luminaries in fields from fiction writing to poker. There’s something here for everyone. With credible teachers, solid production values and a vast catalog of subject matter, MasterClass is like Netflix for the overly ambitious.
Blue Apron
If Mom is the chef in the house, she could probably use a break from planning the week’s daily menus. Blue Apron makes it easy with oven-ready meals that take all the guesswork out of meal prep. It’s affordable too, which is why it tops our list of the best meal delivery services of 2026.
Home gifts for Mom
Mova V50 Ultra Complete
A robot vacuum isn’t cheap, but it’s one of the best gifts a busy Mom can receive. It takes over a not-so-glamorous task so she can have more time for things she actually enjoys. Our lab experts put 24 robot vacuums through their paces and the Mova V50 Ultra Complete came out on top, earning a CNET Editors’ Choice Award and a Lab award. It earned the highest overall sand pickup score across flooring types, at 65.14%, and successfully avoided every obstacle we threw its way.
Solo Stove Mesa fire pit
If your mom is sensitive to the cold, she’ll love a fire pit to enjoy time outdoors during the spring, fall or cooler summer nights. CNET tested several fire pits, and this model was our favorite smokeless mini fire pit, with its clever 360-degree Signature Airflow system. It’s compact enough that you can set it on a table or take it with you in a backpack for camping trips.
Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air projector
A portable projector will let Mom enjoy a movie-theater experience from practically anywhere. Our lab experts liked the size, color and contrast of the Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air, which is why it’s the recipient of a CNET Editors’ Choice Award and tops our list of the best portable projectors of 2026.
Smart Growhouse
If Mom likes to enjoy fresh herbs year-round, this might be the most attractive smart garden we’ve come across — and it’s impossibly easy to use. Our editors also appreciated its classy brass exterior, which is why it’s on our list of the best indoor smart gardens fro 2026.
The best part? The Smart Growhouse has full-sprectrum LED grow lights that you can operate using a timer. That means you can place the garden anywhere in your home, not just near a window.
Sentimental gifts for Mom
Storyworth
You’ve probably heard a lot of funny stories and anecdotes about your mother’s life over the years. What if you could collect them all in one place? Storyworth is a service that will pack all her memories and stories into a beautifully bound book. Once a week, she’ll get a question via email that’s a writing prompt. (You can choose the question or Storyworth can select it for you.) At the end of the year, all her answers are collected into a hardcover book with photos and captions. Once you purchase the service, you can print out a gift chard or choose a date to send an email letting her know about the subscription.
Lego orchid
If a bouquet of fresh flowers is too traditional, this Lego set is a unique gift that will appeal to her creative side. Not only is it fun to build (who doesn’t love building Legos?), but once you’ve finished your masterpiece, you can display it on a shelf or desk.
Shutterfly photo book
Sure, Mom has plenty of photos on her phone that are just a tap away, but a personalized photo book is a physical keepsake that she’ll treasure forever. Our editors have tried out plenty of photo book services, and Shutterfly is the one we keep coming back to. Prices vary depending on the size and design you choose, but right now, you can get 50% off orders that are more than $59.
ScanMyPhotos
Speaking of memories of the photographic sort, if she has a pile or piles of old-fashioned paper photos that are susceptible to damage, floods and fires, surprise her with an easy fix: professional photo scanning. Plus, you can use the files to make a sweet digital album or slideshow that she can share on social media.
ScanMyPhotos is a master of photo scanning and will digitally organize any images no matter where you’ve stashed them — scrapbooks, photo albums or piled up in a shoebox. You can scan individual photos starting at 19 cents per scan, or the company can send you a box that you fill up and it’ll scan them for $145.