We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
Gifts that they’ll actually use.
1. A butterfly-growing kit so that the aspiring entomologist in your life can have a project that’s fun *and* educational. This kit allows them to witness the magical process of metamorphosis — from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly. Plus, the butterflies will be ready for release in a few months!
Promising review: “This past holiday season I wanted to get all my kids educational-related gifts (they get enough other stuff — i.e. toys, video games, etc. from other family members). I opted for this for my 6-year-old daughter. What a success. Even my two sons got involved and learned something new. Every day they grew visibly, and the kids almost didn’t believe me when I said that they would emerge from the chrysalises. But all five caterpillars survived and my kids were even lucky enough to catch the last two as they were emerging from their chrysalises.” —Millennial Dad
Price: $24.99
2. A scratch-off world map for your sibling who has a passion for two things: travel and interior design. This is a simple way for them to hang some personalized wall art in their home while acting as a sweet reminder of all the places they’ve been.
![The map zoomed in on the state of California, which is scratched off](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2020-11/14/21/asset/184616d5f766/sub-buzz-6431-1605388873-16.jpg?downsize=650:*&output-format=auto&output-quality=auto)
Amazon
Promising review: “I ordered this as a gift for my boyfriend, who is a pilot. My thought was we could use it to scratch off places we visit together or even places he has flown to for work. He absolutely loved it! It is the perfect size, perfect for framing and hanging on the wall; he plans to get an open frame and scratch-off places while it hangs on the wall. It was delivered tube style and I was hesitant about some countries being scratched off like others noted but it was delivered spotless! I highly recommend this map for anyone. I’m not sure I could’ve found a better quality map either!” —Ashley C.
Price: $16.99+ for a world map version (or $16.99+ for a United States version)
3. A pickleball set, because who isn’t obsessing over pickleball these days?! Your competitive sibling will thank you for giving them the excuse to be outside all day long once the warm weather rolls around — but! It also comes with indoor pickleball balls, JIC they want to practice their skills all year long.
![a reviewer's image of two paddles and four balls](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2023-08/1/2/asset/10ce3ce4f455/sub-buzz-2125-1690858549-1.jpg?downsize=700%3A%2A&output-quality=auto&output-format=auto)
This comes with four lightweight pickleball paddles, two outdoor pickleball balls and two indoor pickleball balls, four replacement pickleball overgrips, and a pickleball bag.
Promising review: “This set is a fantastic bang for your buck, since it’s not just the four paddles you are receiving, but the balls, tape, [and] backpack. I have used the paddles and balls for some time now and it has held up great, no issues at all and the design on the paddles is exactly as pictured. I highly recommend this product because it is a great deal.” —CJ
Price: $35.85+ (available in eight sets in various colors)
4. A pack of TikTok-favorite velour blending sponges if your friend is also pretty obsessed with a perfect makeup application every time. These sponges have a pointed tip to make baking those hard-to-reach areas (like the inner eyes and corners of the mouth) a breeze!
Promising review: “This made placing the powder under my eyes so effortless and helped me achieve that airbrushed look! TikTok didn’t miss with this suggestion! Also budget-friendly!” —Alyssa
Price: $5.94+ for a six-pack (available in 18 color combos)
5. A mini projector — with a projector screen included (!!) — so that your cinephile bestie can enjoy the gift of endless streaming! This projector plus a movie popcorn sampler is really all they’ll need for an at-home theater experience — either inside or outside!
Promising review: “It was super simple to set up and made for a very fun movie night. Video output is very clear and I was able to project it onto a white wall. Playback is smooth and the projection size that this little machine can output is amazing — large-screen movie watching in such a small size! Due to its size, it makes it very portable. I’m looking forward to doing some backyard movie nights once summer comes around again. I was easily able to connect this to my laptop and even my Fire Stick, so lots of show options were available to me. Overall very satisfied with this purchase.” —Nancy
Price: $79.99
6. A gorgeous carafe and glass set for your close pal who has been looking to up the ~vibes~ on even their most mundane things. Yes, a nighttime glass of water can look this cute — but they can even use this to store mouthwash in the bathroom!
Promising review: “These are so cute it hurts — got them for me and my husband. He drinks water before bed now. Life is good.” —Emily
Price: $12.99+ (available in 10 colors and two-packs)
7. A set of nonstick pots and pans that will be a sight for your minimalist sibling’s sore eyes! They can get rid of practically all the old cookware they inherited from your parents since this set includes everything from frying pans and sauté pans to even a casserole dish and a steamer. And it all comes in a cute beige granite color, too!
![a reviewer's photo of the full set](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2023-05/9/13/asset/cc7af545072a/sub-buzz-723-1683637617-1.jpg?crop=1224:1020;0,384)
Promising review: “I needed to replace my old pots and pans and I came across this product. I fell in love with the cream-colored set but was afraid the product wouldn’t be as good. Boy was I wrong! I have been cooking all week in these and the food really doesn’t stick. I’ve cooked a few tomato based recipes with fear of the pans staining or being a headache to clean. They clean really quick and no stains. I’m glad I purchased them.” —Bella
Price: $79.99+ (available in six set sizes and two colors)
8. And you can finish their gift set off with an enameled Dutch oven. They’ll use it endlessly, whether they’re baking sourdough, stewing some veggies, or making soup.
![a person cooking black ink pasta in the dutch oven](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2022-11/29/1/asset/5658236f5fef/sub-buzz-10831-1669684543-22.jpg)
Promising review: “I have been using this for months and it has been a great pot! It is big with even heat distribution so I don’t have to stand guard over it the whole time I cook. The light interior is helpful for seeing the food. To clean, I just spray it out with hot water, then loosen up anything left with a gentle plastic scrubber and then wash with a sponge. I haven’t had any issues with discoloration or flaking enamel. I just try to be gentle with it. This has been my best splurge purchase!! The reliability and beauty of it is very much worth the price tag!” —Amazon Customer
Price: $54.90+ (available in four sizes and eight colors — not all colors are available in all sizes)
9. A Bluetooth sleep headband, because your boo loves you, but sadly, they can only sleep in the complete dark, and you love to watch your show before bed! They can put this on and play soothing sounds to lull them to sleep (or enjoy this headband’s noise-canceling feature), completely light free.
![a reviewer wearing the headband in purple](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2023-06/12/22/asset/7853632e460d/sub-buzz-1298-1686608465-1.jpg)
Promising review: “These were so noise-canceling it was amazing. I went on a Disney World trip with my family, and my dad snores a lot. My mom, my sister, and I all use these, and they block out the sound! They are so comfortable, and they Bluetooth connect to your phone! Would buy again!” —KKlein
Price: $19.99 (available in 26 colors)
10. A jewelry-making kit with 28 different natural stones to create rings, necklaces, bracelets, and even earrings! This kit is beginner-friendly, meaning that anyone on your gift list can enjoy this, whether or not they have “jewelry making” listed in the “Special Skills” section on their resume.
This kit contains 1,400 chip beads, three rolls of jewelry wire, two rolls of elastic string, 50 different-shaped pendants, 50 earring hooks, 100 head pins, 50 jump rings, 10 lobster clasps, and jewelry pliers.
Promising review: “I absolutely love this product!! It comes with so many things that are perfect for beginners to start with and it is at such an AMAZING price!!” —John
Price: $20.99
11. An amazing rice cooker, because they’ll basically receive the gift of endless perfectly-cooked rice. This cooker comes in either a 3-cup or a 6-cup size, which is great for gifting to someone gearing up for ~dorm life~ or for someone who has to cook for the fam! Oh, and if your giftee is keen on multi-purpose things, this bad boy will cook oatmeal, quinoa, and even stews!
![the rice cooker in white on a reviewer's countertop](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2023-07/18/2/asset/49a2bb0c095a/sub-buzz-1061-1689647345-1.jpg)
But want to know my favorite part? It has a timer function that starts cooking rice when you need it! I like to pop rice into my cooker at the beginning of the day and set it to be ready for lunchtime — it has done *wonders* in helping me not emergency-order take-out when I don’t have time to cook in the middle of my workday.
Promising review: “I complained about my husband’s rice making capabilities every time he made rice. Sticky, goopy or crunchy, toothy. After several more attempts at schooling him in the art of rice making, I gave up and bought this gem. While it makes a variety of steamed foods, to date we are just enjoying perfectly made rice. The marriage is saved.” —Susan
Price: $99.98+ (available in two sizes and two colors)
12. A nostalgic fuse bead craft set that’ll make anyone’s heart smile — not just those under the age of 11! This set contains plastic beads that your giftee can arrange into whichever design they’d like to create, and then, with the help of some adult supervision, iron the designs, fusing them forever! I used to play with these beads all. the. time. as a child and, trust me, I’d still be thrilled if I were given this gift today.
![a reviewer's photo of the set](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2024-05/7/2/asset/cb6e647288ff/sub-buzz-2280-1715047300-1.jpg)
Promising review: “The nostalgia of this craft hit me hard and the fun still holds true. The colors of the beads are vibrant and I love that they are organized. I will be buying this again in the future for birthday or Christmas gifts. Thank you!” —Brandi
Price: $16.78+ (available in three versions)
13. A scalp massager for your friend who has a caddy full of keratin masks and hair oils to keep their tresses shining. The truth about haircare is that a healthy scalp is imperative for healthy strands, and using Gua Sha massage movements can help stimulate circulation, which helps promote follicle health!
![Hand holding a wooden scalp massage tool with four rounded prongs designed to fit fingers for grip](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2024-05/7/16/asset/12c2a8a96eb6/sub-buzz-1560-1715100501-1.jpg)
Amazon
Promising review: “I didnt expect that much, but it is a great tool to facilitate and stimulate the circulation of my scalp gently and effectively. I put this at my side on the table and use it often for my scalp and neck. Love it! :)” —WJ
Price: $16.80
14. A pack of pastel storage crates, because there’s no reason your pal can’t reach their desk organization goals without adding some cute flair to their office setup.
![a reviewer's image of the crates on their desk](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2023-02/22/3/asset/f16846baee31/sub-buzz-668-1677034992-1.jpg)
Promising review: “Perfect for organizing stationery. 🙂 Super easy to put together and sturdy despite the low cost!” —Rachel
Price: $10.99+ for a five-pack (available in two sizes)
15. A liquid motion sensory toy for anyone who either loves nostalgic items that’ll bring them back to their childhood or are in need of a satisfying break during their stressful daily to-do list!
![a reviewer's photo of four of the bubbler toy](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2023-07/11/2/asset/b3d8b4ed8ca2/sub-buzz-2588-1689041813-5.jpg)
Promising review: “I bought this product as a stocking stuffer thinking that it was a cheap plastic novelty item. However, upon receiving them, I was surprised about the thickness and quality feel. My four kids loved them.” —Christopher
Price: $7.99
16. An adjustable memory foam pillow with removable filling that your giftee can use to customize their pillow density, depending on whether they’re a back, side, or stomach sleeper. Plus, hot sleepers can say goodbye to waking up with a head of damp hair, thanks to this pillow’s cooling gel technology. Really, is there anything this pillow can’t do?!
![the white memory foam pillow on a bed](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2023-03/7/19/asset/04ee11cc7419/sub-buzz-2891-1678217373-17.jpg?crop=1198:1242;0,176)
Promising review: “I’ve slept on this pillow for around 18 months now and I have to say that this pillow is fantastic. I think $70-plus is definitely a lot of money for a pillow, but the sleep quality I gained has been phenomenal. I’ve given these as gifts to people that I care a lot about and every time I get a courteous response first (let’s face it, a pillow’s a pretty boring gift) and then I hear from them again in a few days when they actually use it and they’re ecstatic, not many more universally appreciated gifts you can give people than better sleep. Full marks, and I fully expect being able to get many more years out of mine.” —Amazon Customer
Price: $96+ (available in sizes queen and king, two temperatures, and in five colors)
17. A good chef’s knife, because everyone —especially your kid who just moved into their first post-grad apartment — needs a go-to knife to slice, dice, and julienne all the veggies and fruits sitting in their fridge.
Promising review: “An amazing knife. This will make your other knives jealous. As a matter of fact, get rid of your other ones. We just got this and put it to the test with everything from tomatoes to watermelon and veggies of all sorts. Turnips weren’t a challenge for this. It cuts through everything we tried, and we are very pleased with its ability. It looks good and is well balanced.” —Bill R.
Price: $33.99
18. A ButterBox that’s airtight and looks cute as heck. This is great for people who like to spread butter straight from the stick (hello, buttery corn lovers and pan greasers) but HATE getting their fingers messy during the process. This also has a cool upright storage feature that saves tons of space in the fridge!
Promising review: “I bought the ButterBox as a gift for my foodie brother, and he absolutely loved it! You can place just the right amount of butter on your foods. This will definitely be the go-to gift for all the foodies in my life!” —Dallas
Price: $26.21
19. A five-blade spiralizer, because, speaking from experience, using a handheld spiralizer to make ~oodles of zoodles~ can lead to some serious hand cramps! This spiralizer has a crank, so even if your sports-loving friend is making enough shaved cucumber to feed a team, they’ll still have strength left over to work on dessert.
Promising review: “I bought this after buying other spiralizers that were difficult to use. This is by far the easiest one I’ve used!! I love all the different blades it comes with. I’ve used it at least once a week. I love that there’s so little waste also, much different than my previous spiralizers. And it keeps the seeds in one piece and not part of what goes into the food. My sister borrows it often also, little does she know, she’ll be gifted one soon.” —hairguru121
Price: $28.99+ (available in three sets)
20. And an electric pour-over kettle so you can save your poor bestie from having to hassle with clanky pots whenever she wants to boil water for her mid-day tea! This pour-over kettle brings water to a boil in a flash and has a smooth pour. (Which is vital for pour-over coffees!)
Promising review: “I was skeptical about purchasing this item because most kettles on the market are priced lower than this, but I do have to say. ***It is worth every freaking penny.*** This kettle heats up lightning fast to the degree chosen, holds temp, is easy to pour, and it did make the best cup of coffee in my life. Another thing that sets this kettle apart from any other electric kettle really is that it is very very easy to clean! It is worth the investment.” —Allison J.
Price: $165+ (available in three styles and six colors)
The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.