49 Cool Gifts for Teens That’ll Score You Major Brownie Points

These fun, retro-style aviator sunglasses are gifts for teens that give off a cool vibe and follow them on or off the track. We love the shatterproof polycarbonate lenses and the UVA/UVB protection from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Plus, there are four different color options—all using an ultra-light stainless steel frame for maximum comfort and durability. The rubber nose and earpieces increase their grip the more your teen sweats, so they’ll stay comfortable out hiking, cycling, playing tennis or kayaking.

Your screen junkie will glow when they open up this mini projector. Whether it’s for watching Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime or other streaming service, this Kodak device is compatible with Apple and Android phones, along with most home entertainment devices and gaming consoles. It features a built-in rechargeable battery and speaker. Bonus
It comes with a USB cable, but it’s fine for wireless connection via Airplay or Miracast.

Whether they’re watching their shows or just lying on the couch with a good book, they’ll grab this velvety fleece blanket to warm up in no time. We love the color options designed to match any teen’s bedroom decor, and it’s not too thick, so it’s easy to cuddle up with throughout the seasons. The best thing about this blanket is that it has a pocket at the bottom, which means their feet will stay covered and warm.

Know a teen who wants you to keep your hands off their coffee? This tiled monogram mug is a personalized gift that’ll let everyone know not to touch their cup. The inspiration for this piece comes from posh Parisian cafés, giving these budget-friendly gifts for teens a highly luxurious vibe.

If your teen wasn’t able to get their hands on the popular Lululemon belt bag, then you’re in luck. Get them Lolë’s Jamie belt bag to wear around the waist or over the shoulder for easy access. With two compartments, the bag has enough room to hold the daily essentials (phone, keys, wallet, etc.), and keep them secure with zipper closures. Good luck choosing just one color, though!

No more turning on the overhead light fixture! For the teen who likes to stay up late reading their latest book, this reading light is worn around the neck to make it easier to see in the dark, thanks to six brightness levels. It has an 80-hour battery life, so it’ll last for many evenings and easily recharges when necessary.

“The Glocusent neck reading light fixes the fatal flaw of every other book light I’ve used—instead of clipping awkwardly to your book and getting in the way of page turning, it sits around your neck like a scarf,” our deputy shopping editor, Reina Galhea writes in her review.

Your teen who does it all on their phone’s small screen would love an upgrade to the Apple iPad Mini. This tablet is all about fast performance, and comes in four colors
pink, starlight, space gray and purple. They can surf the web or watch YouTube videos for up to 10 hours using Wi-Fi. And we love that Apple pencils attach magnetically to the side.

The Stanley tumbler has gained popularity on social media, so it’s sure to make a cool gift for teens. With double-vacuum insulation, this reusable water bottle keeps cold and hot drinks at the ideal temperature for hours. Plus, its full-cover top prevents unwanted leaks and spills whether on the go or at home.

Your teen will love hitting the slopes with this all-in-one helmet. It’s insulated and breathable, so they won’t get cold or sweaty. We love that it converts to a skateboard or cycling helmet, depending on the season, and it has a protective acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) exterior to protect their noggin, along with a foam lining that helps absorb impact. This helmet comes in small, medium and large sizes and nine different colors to easily pick the teen’s favorite.

All teens need alone time, and a favorite way to relax is by listening to their favorite music. These Beats noise-cancelling headphones come in four different colors with a carrying case, RemoteTalk cable and a universal USB charging cable. With this tech gift, they’ll get 22 hours of wireless playback and a whopping 40 hours when it’s in low-power mode. They can control their music, take calls and activate Siri with the easy-to-use on-ear controls.

If your teen is environmentally conscious, chances are they’ll love this sustainable stainless steel camp mug that comes in several color choices. It’s an excellent way to cut down on waste from plastic water bottles, and it makes for a useful gift for coffee lovers. This 12-ounce mug is vacuum insulated, so it’ll keep their drinks cold or hot, depending on their beverage. We love that this mug is easy to clean and dishwasher safe (even for sticky, sugary drinks). With the tri-mode lid, your teen won’t get embarrassed from an unexpected spill—and their laptop won’t suffer, either.

Being a teen is stressful, so help them remember to take pauses in their day with this mindfulness journal meant just for them. With breathing exercises, writing prompts and simple meditations, this journal encourages them to pause, be grateful and stay in the present moment.

The ’90s are back in style, and Vans are trendier than ever. While these Vans shoes are sized for guys, they’re a stylish gift for girls, too—just remember to size down accordingly. This classic black-and-white style goes with every outfit—some teens are even wearing these to prom since they’re so comfortable!

More chocolate? Yes, please. This Advent calendar makes the ideal Christmas gift as there’s one for your teen and one for you—a total win-win. Each calendar features 24 doors with a sweet surprise hidden behind each one, along with a festive message to brighten up their day.

The map design on the front of this world-themed laptop sleeve shows constellations and star names from over 30 different cultures around the world, making it a wonderful surprise for someone with dreams of traveling it one day. The foam padding and polyester cover protect your teen’s laptop from scratches and minor dings, and it’s easy to clean with a damp cloth.

This Victrola record player combines the vintage look with modern technology for a record player that teens will love. Aside from playing vinyls with its three-speed turntable, this record player connects via Bluetooth to a phone to stream music, podcasts and other media. It doubles as a piece of room decor for a bedroom, too.

Talk about a fuzzy and handy (literally) stocking stuffer for teens! They won’t have to put down their phone with these insulated wool fingerless mittens. Whether they’re texting their besties or switching their music, they won’t have to sacrifice warm hands to use their touchscreen devices. With seven color choices—black, beige, coffee, gray, light gray, navy and pink—they’ll be able to match their favorite winter outfits.

Tie-dye projects are a lot of fun, but they’re also messy and a lot of work. This super-soft six-pack of tie-dye crew socks includes a variety of vibrant colors, and your teen won’t have to worry about them fading over time.

When it comes to looking for gifts for teen boys, you can’t go wrong with some classic Pokémon. Designed for two players, this board game includes everything needed to play, including trading cards and a game board. With all skill levels in mind, Pokémon lovers can play this game during hangout sessions to have some fun and friendly competition.

It’s around that age when teen girls begin to menstruate—and it can be painful. This wearable device sends small electrical pulses through the skin to underlying nerves to help block pain signals and reduce pain perception. This is one of those fantastic gifts for teens who have severe period cramps or simply want to alleviate discomfort during that time of the month.

You can never have too many string bags ready to use at a moment’s notice. With an easy cinch opening and a zippered exterior pocket, this bag holds items from socks and sneakers to snacks and water bottles. It’s also lightweight to easily carry it to and from school or sports practice.

There’s nothing better to signal a strong bond than a friendship bracelet. With multi-colored beads and charms, each bracelet is different and the design changes based on a teen’s interests and color preferences. “I personally own one of these bracelets, and I’ve gifted matching versions to my daughters, too,” says Patz.

One of the best gifts for teens with a sweet tooth is a box of chocolate. This 12-piece box includes macadamia nuts smothered in caramel and decadent milk chocolate. Hawaiian Host has a variety of other offerings available, too, so you’re sure to find something they’ll love whether that’s milk, dark or white chocolate.

Many tweens and teens love to play video games, but it’s a hassle to carry around a console or huge device. This mobile gaming controller easily clips onto a phone to play games on the go, whether on the bus or at a friend’s house. It features all of the buttons found on a regular controller, but in a way that’s easy to assemble with an iPhone.

There’s nothing teens love more than sleep, especially on the weekends. That means when choosing a useful gift for teens, this sleep set is a fantastic choice. It includes a silk pillowcase and silk sleep mask designed to foster a comfortable nighttime routine. It comes in a variety of colors, including red, pink, white, gold and blue.

For book-loving teens, this themed DIY bookend spruces up a bedroom or living space. Place it on the end of a shelf or in the middle of their favorite books for easy access. There’s even an LED light to give it a more realistic finish and provide ambient lighting, making it one of the best gifts for teens who love to be cozy at home.

Whether it’s football, basketball or soccer, every teen who plays a sport needs reliable socks. These cushion socks offer more control and stability with gripping pads to make it easier to change direction and keep control. They’re available in small, medium and large sizes to fit men’s and women’s sizes 3 and 4 to 10 and 10.5+, respectively.

One of the best gifts for teens who always want to crack a joke or have a good time is What Do You Meme?. This gag gift allows players to create their own memes with pictures and caption cards to see who comes up with the funniest one. Not only will teens love it, but since it’s the family version, everyone else will, too.

Useful gifts for teens include this cosmetic organizer to keep their eyeshadow palettes, brushes, lipsticks and blushes in order. With three drawers, this makeup organizer provides enough room to store the products they don’t use every day while allowing them to keep their go-to favorites on the shelves. Plus, the sleek design can be kept on a sink or vanity without being an eyesore.

Although teens may think they’re invincible, they aren’t. Give them some earplugs to keep their ears safe, whether they’re at a concert, football game or other loud event. Made from flexible silicone, these Loop earplugs stay put without causing discomfort and keep noise out. This gift for teens is also a smart tool for studying, because getting distracted by sounds and noises is real.

Many teens like to spend time in the kitchen, and a Dash air fryer is a cool starter gadget because it’s easy to use and makes healthy recipes. With custom presets and an auto-off feature, this air fryer makes pizzas, desserts, vegetables and other easy meals. The best part? It’s small and compact, so it won’t take up a lot of space on the countertop.

Taylor Swift repopularized the friendship bracelet, and teens are eager to make some for their friends and fellow concertgoers. This friendship bracelet kit features every color of the rainbow and letter of the alphabet, so they can make bracelets inspired by their favorite artists, characters or interests. Additionally, it comes with two rolls of cord, so they don’t have to seek out string on their own to get started.

This wireless gaming headset is compatible with PlayStation and Xbox, and has over two days of battery life. But the main thing your gamer will rave about this gift for teens is the variable mic monitoring, which adjusts the volume when chatting with friends or flips it to mute. (And you’ll love that they won’t have to shout!)

Looking for the most useful gifts for teens? This 10-liter mini fridge is ideal for holding their skin care routine—that’s how their products will stay fresher for longer, after all. However, it can be used to store water bottles, soda and snacks, too. This is a smart idea for someone who’s prepping for college and starting to stock up on the essentials.

Teens spend a lot of time taking and editing photos, so why not give them a place to display them? Users upload photos and videos to the Aura app to have them displayed inside the digital frame. The speed of the slideshow adjusts, and the screen has a touch mode to manually swipe through the photos. This frame is ideal for a bedroom, living room or desk—anywhere a teen may want to see pictures and videos of friends and family members.

A new driver’s license means lots of trips to the drive-thru. As seen on Shark Tank, this dip clip hooks onto the vent for easy access to condiments for dipping fries and chicken nuggets. They might find this to be a funny gift, but trust us, they’ll get plenty of use out of it and soon realize it’s actually one of the best gifts for teens.

To help prevent the spread of germs, opt for this TikTok-famous hand sanitizer set from Touchland that includes three pocket-sized scents (mint, citrus and lemon-lime). Each dispenser holds up to 500 sprays, so they can keep it in their school backpack or glove compartment for easy access when their hands need a quick clean.

Many teens gravitate towards exploring with their hair color and style, whether that’s with a new color or cut. This leave-in conditioner prevents split ends and breakage for softer, smoother strands that teens will feel confident about. Plus, its easy-spray mechanism is simple to just spray and go.

There’s nothing that some teens love more than sports. The ’47 brand has sports merch for nearly every professional team out there, from the Arizona Diamondbacks to the Miami Heat. Opt for a hat, T-shirt or hoodie for that teen in your life who wants to represent their home team, whether that’s at school or the gym.

A fragrance mist or body spray is the obvious gift for the teen who always wants to smell fabulous. This Sol de Janeiro perfume smells like vanilla and salted caramel, so just about any teen will fall head over heels for it. Pair it with the Bum Bum Cream to create a bundle of gifts for teens they’ll absolutely love.

“A 16-year-old in my life has been talking about this yummy scented perfume mist,” says Mowery. “It’s a little fancier than the usual teenage body sprays, which is what makes it a fun gift to receive.”

At one time or another, everyone has felt jealous of their pet’s cozy-looking bed. Well, now they don’t have to remain jealous, thanks the Plufl human dog bed. They’ll love to snuggle up on this human dog bed with a blanket and relax. It’s available in a variety of colors, including gray, cream, black and pink.

Some teens find comfort in spirituality and astrology as a way to connect with others and the world around them. This Himalayan salt lamp serves as a piece of bedroom decor while ionizing the air with its heated salt to cleanse and deodorize. Plus, it works well as ambient lighting with its dim bulb.

Whether it’s for gym class or an extracurricular, many teens participate in dance classes—ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop and more. With that said, this pair of slip-on shoes have a split sole and a comfortable footbed for optimal support. They’re also tiny and lightweight to easily fit into a backpack or other small bag without taking up too much space.

Teens have been obsessed with Netflix’s Heartstopper, but it’s actually based on this graphic novel by Alice Oseman. Give them this book as their latest nighttime read. If they are more tech-savvy, the book is also available for the Kindle.

With 500 pieces, this candy-filled puzzle will take multiple hours to finish, ideal for a rainy day or to kill some spare time. When it’s done, they can frame it and hang it up for everyone to see. If that’s not enough, grab one of the hardest puzzles on Amazon for a real challenge. It’s one of those gifts for teens that’ll keep them occupied on those rainy days.

Teens who love a fresh pair of kicks will appreciate this high-top sneaker candle. It’s unscented so it won’t let off a fragrance like other scented candles, but it’ll make a decorative statement on a shelf, tabletop or desk. At 6 inches long, it’ll add a cool element to their bedroom decor.

Why do they need a dinosaur costume? Well, we ask, why not? This inflatable dinosaur costume is a hilarious gift for teens who love larger-than-life creatures and want to stand out—whether or not it’s Halloween.

If you’ve caved and allowed your teen to get a dog, then they know it’s their responsibility to care for them. This grooming brush works to remove loose hair and debris while minimizing unwanted tangles and matting. It helps eliminate the amount of fur shed around the house, too.

It’s never too early to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays. With this moisturizing sunscreen, it’ll leave your teen’s skin moisturized and keep it safe from potential sun damage. It’s a must-have product for that beachgoer or sports player who’s constantly outside with frequent sun exposure. Consider pairing it with a face sunscreen for full protection.