Even though social distancing Perhaps this year’s Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 10th) makes something strange for many families. There is at least one good way to make the day familiar outside of virtual celebrations. A thoughtful, personal gift delivered to the door of the mother or mothers in your life can say a lot if you can’t be there in person.
Given the particular challenges of the time, we have selected a range of thoughtful and practical gifts in a variety of categories, with particular attention to affordability and availability. Look here.
Apple
This could be one of the most perfect Mother’s Day gifts: with a classic iPhone design and a modern Apple mind, it’s the ideal mother phone. Starting at $ 399, the brand new iPhone SE offers great battery life, an excellent rear view camera and great speed – all at an incredibly affordable price (at least for an Apple phone). If you’re looking for an even cheaper phone – or prefer Android – check out the Moto G Power, Google Pixel 3A, or another of CNET’s best budget deals.
Read our review of the Apple iPhone SE (2020).
Amazon
Most of us have washed our hands more – and more violently – than ever before, so this could be one of the most thoughtful and up-to-date Mother’s Day gifts she’ll love. After a few weeks my hands had turned red and raw. This is the hand cream that has helped me make my paws well again. It’s organic, imported from Paris, and still reasonably affordable – under $ 15. Highly recommended.
Goodgoodgood.co
Good news is so scarce, but one of the most thoughtful Mother’s Day gifts would be to give your mother a monthly dose of it – in a real print newspaper. For $ 7 a month (or $ 77 for a full year), Good Good Good membership includes home-delivered paper (plus another copy donated to a hospital or school), a weekly Email with tips on how to make a positive difference and discounts from “Brands are Good.”
Kasper
There are certainly cheaper smart light options, but the Glow – a very portable, rechargeable, battery-powered bedtime lamp – is undoubtedly nice, easy to set up, and easy to use. My family has two of them and they have become an integral part of the bedtime for all of us (the adults steal the children after they fall asleep).
Thanks to the built-in gyroscope, you can flip it to turn it on and off, flip it to dim it up or down, or shake it to trigger a low night light setting. The lamp creates a very pleasant ambient light – hence the name – which gradually diminishes over 15 to 60 minutes. You can control the span (at 15 minute intervals) with Casper’s optimized iOS and Android compatible app. And you can also set the light to light up in the morning – a kind of inverted night light – for a waking scenario that we love. This is one of those mothers day gifts that are used every day.
Read our Casper Glow preview.
Gunnar optics
We all spend more time looking at screens than ever before, and it can take a toll. After spending too much time at zoom meetings, my wife suffered from fatigue, headache, and eye pain every night. Since she’s been wearing Gunnar Optiks’ blue light goggles, she hasn’t felt any of it. The company offers a variety of models for computer work, games, and reading – with or without a prescription – that start at $ 40.
Swindle
Bamboozle manufactures a range of eco-friendly kitchen appliances from bamboo fibers. My family has been using this $ 40 composter for a few months now and it is much more appealing than the plastic tray we used before. It comes with a couple of replacement carbon filters and is dishwasher safe.
Tyler Lizenby / CNET
I have a small, simple one-zone house where the thermostat only controls the stove. This winter, I bought various top-class intelligent thermostats and installed and tested them one by one with the help of my electrician in the neighborhood. The nest was what I kept. The set-up is a breeze and offers the few functions I wanted: planned temperature adjustment, appealing aesthetics, intuitive user interface and absolute control over the iPhone.
Read our third generation Nest Learning Thermostat review.
Sarah Tew / CNET
Now that Mom stays inside, she may be more available than ever to stream this high quality tent. Roku does several excellent video streamers This turns any HDMI-equipped TV into a gateway to the happiness of online entertainment: Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, YouTube, Sling-TV, PlayStation Vue, HBO Now and literally hundreds of other streaming channels.
The $ 50 Roku Streaming Stick Plus – an editorial choice – delivers 4K and HDR video in a compact package at an affordable price. You get an absolutely simple user interface, countless 4K HDR apps, great search functions, lightning-fast speed and good video quality.
Read our Roku Streaming Stick Plus review.
Tyler Lizenby / CNET
Now that almost every meal is homemade, an instant pot can open up all sorts of new possibilities. This beloved pressure cooker has cultivated an obsessive, iconic fan base of chefs who proclaim their undying love and have given up their slow cookers as good as. It’s like a pressure cooker with steroids that can conjure up a delicious meal incredibly quickly. And this model, the 6-liter Instant Pot Lux 6-in-1 V3, is very versatile: it can cook slowly or quickly, at low or high temperatures, and with steam and roasts.
Read our Instant Pot Lux 6-in-1 V3 test.
Sarah Tew / CNET
Mothers with Bluetooth earphones look cool without exception. The ultra-compact, lightweight AirPods Pro have a noise-isolating design that fits most ears and offers great phone performance. (These also work for non-iPhone mothers. But mothers with androids should check this out Jabra Elite 75t instead.)
Read our Apple AirPods Pro review.
Sarah Tew / CNET
This iPad helps mom do everything: surf the web, stream music, watch movies, even FaceTime for kids (or grandchildren). It’s not the “value” option – that would be the Amazon Fire – but it’s certainly the gold standard. However, try to find it for sale – $ 250 for 32 GB or $ 330 for 128 GB are the prices to look for.
Read our Apple iPad 10.2-inch 2019 review.
Getty Images
The Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health offers a range of virtual programs to celebrate Mother’s Day by building relationships, strengthening resilience and empowerment. Gift cards, available only by phone at 866-200-5203, provide access to virtual sessions that range from Vinyasa Flow Yoga classes to Ayurvedic consultations and tarot readings.
Sarah Tew / CNET
Mothers deserve wine. This Wine of the Month Club subscription includes two bottles that are delivered right to your door every month. Each broadcast contains the club’s 24-page newsletter. You can choose from 10 different subscriptions, starting at $ 133, that include strains from different regions of France and California.
Read more about how to have alcohol delivered to your door.
And the classic Mother’s Day gift: flowers
Enjoy flowers
Some people think that Mother’s Day flowers are cheesy, banal, or boring. And if that’s the case for you or your mother – there’s nothing to see here. But if this tradition is welcome in your home, this is a good year to bring fresh fragrances into your home. And it can’t hurt to do business with the local florist.
