Buying guide
What does £100 buy that £50 does not?
The main thing rather than the accessory. Under £50 you buy the case, the film or the mug; between £50 and £100 you buy the camera, the frame or the headset. That makes one good gift a better use of £100 than several small ones.
A note on the band. The products on this page sit above £50 and up to £100 on the day we checked, and prices move daily. Some, like the Frameo frame and the HyperX headset, sit just over £50; others, like the Cosori air fryer, sit right at the top.
What are the best gifts under £100 by person?
| Who it suits | Pick | Budget band | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teenage girl, sister, girlfriend | Instax Mini 12 | £60 to £70 | teenage girls, sister, girlfriend |
| Mum, 60th, retirement | BIGASUO Frameo photo frame | just over £50 | mum, 60th for her, retirement |
| Gamer: boyfriend, brother, teenage boy | HyperX Cloud III | just over £50 | boyfriend, brother, teenage boys |
| 50th for him | Amazon Echo Dot | around £80 | 50th for him |
| 18th or 21st | Instax Mini 12 | £60 to £70 | 18th, 21st |
| A couple | Dreamland Bamboo Dual Control | around £90 | electric blankets |
What should you buy her for under £100?
An instant camera, if she likes nights out and trips. The Instax Mini 12 tops our lists for teenage girls and girlfriends and makes credit-card-sized prints in about five seconds. Every shot uses film, so put a spare pack in the box, or buy the Instax Mini 13 bundle from our instant cameras list, which includes film.
For square prints, the Instax Square SQ1 sits near the top of the band. For a teenager whose best photos are already on her phone, the Nelko PP01 on our teenage girls list prints 2x3 inch sticky-back photos over Bluetooth; check the price of refills first.
For mum, the Frameo frame is the gift that keeps working. The family sends pictures from their phones, and it appears on the sideboard. Set it up on her WiFi before the day, or it sits blank. If she feels the cold, the Beurer HD75 heated throw on our electric blankets list has six heat settings and switches itself off.
What should you buy him for under £100?
If he games, the HyperX Cloud III. It tops our boyfriend and brother lists, works on PC, PS5 and Xbox, and has a noise-cancelling mic with a mute light. It is wired, so he stays near the console.
For a 50th, our list picks the Amazon Echo Dot for radio, timers and the football scores by voice. It needs WiFi and an Amazon account. For a 60th, the same Frameo frame leads 60th birthday gifts for him, so the grandchildren can send him photos.
For music in the kitchen or shed, the Anker Soundcore Motion+ is the budget home pick on Bluetooth speakers, with 30W of output and an IPX7 rating.
What works for kids at this budget?
A first calling watch or a tablet. On kids smartwatches, the Spacetalk Loop does calls and texts with no social media or web browser, for a child walking to school alone. It needs a Spacetalk Mobile plan, so add that to the cost.
On kids tablets, the Amazon Fire 7 is the best seller, but it is the standard model with ads and no kids case. The Laptok gives a bigger screen and Google Play from an unknown brand.
For an outdoorsy twelve-year-old, the FAKJANK drone on gifts for 12 year old boys has a screen in the controller. UK rules can require CAA registration for camera drones, so check before flying.
What about gifts for the home?
Kitchen kit that gets used weekly. On soup makers, the Morphy Richards Classic is the best seller and the Sauté version softens onions first. On air fryers, the Tower Vortx Vizion has a window, and the Salter VertiCook stacks its drawers for a narrow worktop.
For a couple who disagree about warmth, the Dreamland Bamboo Dual Control heats each side separately. For a student room, the Fridgemaster MUR4545 on mini fridges holds 45 litres on a worktop, though the listing does not say whether it uses a compressor.
How we pick
Every product here comes from a ranked list on our gifts page. We rank from retailer listings, specifications, UK sales and review research rather than hands-on testing, as our methodology page explains. For more by person, see gifts for her, gifts for him and the Christmas gift guide.