25 Amazing Gifts Under $25

Give your coffee-guzzling loved one the buzz they deserve. Hario, a Japanese manufacturer of elegant glass coffee wares, makes this tall and slim cold brew pitcher. Grind up 80 grams of beans, pour them into the basket, add the water, and stick it in the fridge overnight. The result, a light, low-acid brew, is ready in 12 hours ... or go longer for some gonzo go-juice. Buy for $14.14

When you go to an onsen in Japan, you often soak in these big gorgeous wooden bathtubs made from local cypress. A great way to get that bright, forest-fresh hot-spring aroma in your own tub is to drop in one of these bath bags filled with hinoki cypress shavings. You get two sachets per package, and the bags can be used multiple times. Buy for $10.

There is no greater pen for adventurers. The Space Pen scribbles anywhere—in extreme cold and heat, underwater, and in zero gravity, which for mere mortals means it also writes when held upside-down. This variant of the super-compact, pocket-size bullet Space Ben is made from raw brass. It immediately begins developing a lovely patina that grows darker and more dramatic over the years as it's used, shown off, and treasured. Buy for $16.

Is your loved one always losing their earbuds—and borrowing yours? Or maybe they've been carrying around the same pair of white nubs since the iPod era. Well here's an inexpensive upgrade. The E300s have a nice, beefy sound profile and sound much better than the price tag would indicate. The soft ear tips make a snug seal, and the triangular cable keeps the headset from tangling easily. Buy for $19.

Did somebody in your home get a new iPhone? Whether they chose the 8, the 8 Plus, or the X, they're going to need an extra couple of these wireless charging pads. Buy for $20.

Artist and designer Alexander Girard (1907-1993) dreamed up countless home furnishings throughout his career. Many of his designs are whimsical, but this one wins the crown: a mug with big anxious eyes staring out of it. Just what the art lover in your life needs with their afternoon tea. Buy for $20.

He's always late. She's always asking the time. Drop a hint for less that $25 by getting them this retro-fabulous digital sports watch. Great for runners and swimmers, too (it's waterproof). Buy for $24.

If your loved one is perpetually disassembling, hacking, and messing with their electronics, this is something they'll surely wish you had gotten them long ago. The Jimmy tool from our friends at iFixit has a thin strip of steel on the tip that can be used to wedge, pry, or shimmy open just about anything. It's also useful for scraping away stickers and paint from areas that need adjusting or repair. Simply a must-have for DIY types. Buy for $8.

Fashioned from the same soft, thin stuff they use to make sleeping bags, this travel pillow is tiny and light enough to take everywhere. When it's time for some shut-eye (or some Great British Baking Show on the iPad), stuff in your shirt, hoodie, scarf, whatever, to turn it into a functional pillow. Get this for the professional traveler in your life. Buy for $15.

The best travel mug on the planet. Insulated interior, sippy mouthpiece, 16-ounce capacity, a locking lid that never, ever leaks. Get one now. Buy for $24.84.

This funky aluminum tool cracks open bottle caps, twist caps, pull-tab tops, vacuum lids, and plain old cans. It will get your loved one through those long Sunday afternoons. Buy for $25.

Class up your loved one's bar with a handsome, no-nonsense cocktail shaker. The liquor and ice go in the 28-ounce copper shaker, the 16-ounce pint glass goes on top of the tin, the whole thing goes shake-shake-shake, the drink goes into a glass, the glass goes to your lips, the drink goes in your mouth, your mouth goes oh yes please. Buy for $20.

Do they put Nutella on everything? Get them this 2-pound jar of the stuff. You will never see them happier. Buy for $14.38.

Designer Alice Min Soo Chun made a quirky solar light out of a foldable, 3.5-inch plastic cube. The top is a solar panel, and the other five sides glow with white light or red light, or can be set to blink red. Great for the hiker, camper, or the lounger who can't get enough of the back deck. Buy for $17.

Stargazers can plan their backyard telescope parties with this brilliantly designed calendar that shows the phase of the moon for every day of the year. And if your young Carl Sagan gets a kick out of it, this makes next year's gift a no-brainer. Buy for $14.

We'd never encourage using a selfie stick. But those selfie-takers! So insistent. If they yearn to selfie, they should selfie with this. It has a telescoping neck and a Bluetooth shutter trigger. They may even want to thank you by also squeezing you into the frame to turn that selfie into an ussie. But don't count on it. Buy for $11.19.

Your friend loves German automobiles, and you'd love to get them something to compliment the obsession. But dang, have you waded into those waters? Even the floormats approach the cost of your Leaf's lease payment. Instead, get these paperclips bent in the shape of Porsche 911s. There are 100 clips in each tin. Buy for $22.

Why yes, it is a landscape architecture play set. And yes, it is beautiful, isn't it? Give this to the budding Frederick Law Olmsted in your family, or just get one for the environmentalist who loves displaying gorgeous design-forward objects around the house. They can arrange the 21 pieces to imagineer the park of their dreams. Buy for $25.

Writers who love pencils absolutely adore the smoothness and line control of a Blackwing. These sticks ooze quality; California cedar, Japanese graphite, and an eraser design that lets you tug the rubber nub out, flip it around, and keep on erasin'. This is a 12-pack, so one box should last your beloved scrittore a whole year. Buy for $23.

Are you aching to get your loved one to talk about their feelings? Give them this light-up marquee and make it easy for them to communicate exactly what's on their mind. Each light-up box comes with 85 letters—almost enough to convey their many complex emotions. Buy for $25.

Yeah, she brings her lunch everyday. And yes, she usually eats it with chopsticks. Her colleagues find it borderline insufferable, but you? You think it's just too cute. Get her these lovely titanium chopsticks. Great for eating with, or for stirring hot tea. The durability and light weight of titanium makes them absolutely indispensable on camping trips as well. Buy for $11.

The Pi Zero is a programmable, pocket-sized computer made for educational and practical projects. Hackers use them to fashion their own smart-home devices, build mobile games, and make peripherals for their store-bought electronics. This model has Wi-Fi built in, and the kit shown here comes with an 8GB memory card and a plastic enclosure to keep the whole thing safe. They're great for learning computing basics, and experienced hackers love them too. Buy for $24.50.

For the notebook geek (yes, that's a thing) in your life. These murdered-out booklets from the venerable Field Notes brand come with black covers and a stealthier logo—hell, even the staples are black. If your loved one cherishes paper goods, and especially Field Notes, this is the gift to get. Buy for $12.95.