The best gift ideas for parents
What do you get for the people who raised you? We have some ideas.
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Credit: Pexels
This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.
Buying gifts for your parents can be tough. What do you get the people who raised you into the responsible adult you've grown up to be? It's got to be something good.
We've all been told we don't have to get our parents anything special — they just want quality time or a handwritten card — but let's be real, you've still got to get them something. When shopping around, try to think outside the box and consider their hobbies: Do they travel? Are they into gadgets? Do they like doing things together?
You'll want to get them something they'll love and use, but also hopefully something that will help them connect with you (their kid) as well. If you're totally stumped, then don't worry — that's what we're here for.
We took some of the guesswork out of buying a present for your mum or dad and rounded up the best gifts, whether they spend most of their time at home or on-the-go travelling. These gifts are guaranteed to make your parents (even more) proud of you, as they brag to their family and friends that they have such an amazing kid.
These are the best gifts for parents in 2025.
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Credit: LG
Smart 4K TV
Best For Movie Nights
If your parents still don't have a smart TV, you can get them one as a gift and score some serious brownie points. This 55-inch 4K TV from LG has a gorgeous display and comes with Google Assistant and Alexa built in for voice commands, a dedicated gaming mode, and smart home control.
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Credit: Instant Pot
Instant Pot
Best For Foodie Parents
The Instant Pot Duo is a 7-in-1 miracle machine for most of your parents' kitchen and cooking needs. Need a pressure cooker? No problem. Need a slow cooker? No problem. Need a rice cooker? No problem. Instant Pot is all of those things, plus a yogurt maker, steamer, warmer, and sauté station. The all-in-one can cook food up to six times faster than other pressure cookers, while also using up to 70% less energy.
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Credit: Etsy
Personalised Kitchen Towel
Best For Displaying Family Pride
Your parents probably love their family (or at least we hope they do). Help them show off their pride with a personalised kitchen towel. Each one has a cute design and your family name. This gift adds a nice personal touch to your parents' kitchen.
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Credit: Botanicly
Houseplant
Best For The Plant Parent
Growing a plant from the seed stage is not for everyone. If your parents like plants but can't or don't want to care for one from scratch, Botanicly is a great place to check out. The retailer has a wide variety of greenery that arrives fully grown and pre-potted. So, all your parents have to do is find the perfect spot.
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Credit: De'Longhi
Coffee Machine
Best For Serious Coffee Drinkers
If your parents can't even open their eyes until they've had some caffeine, a De'Longhi coffee machine will hit the spot. This coffee machine prepares and delivers their perfect espresso with fresh ground coffee. Your parents can create all their coffee shop favourites with a real barista experience at home.
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Credit: Yinuo Light
Candle Set
Best For Romantics
These candles make a great gift for parents who like to get cosy and cuddle. This set includes four scented candles — mint, fig, lavender, and orange blossom. Each candle is made of natural soy wax and sits in a high quality decorative tin.
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Credit: Fitbit
Fitbit
Best For Active Parents
Staying active is the best way to a healthy and happy life. Help your mum and dad keep track of their activity with the Fitbit Charge 5. It can measure calories burned, resting and active heart rate, steps, and sleep quality with an amazing battery life of seven days on a single charge. Set up little challenges for step counts and get the whole fam into it.
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Credit: AncestryDNA
DNA Test Kit
Best For Exploring Their Family Tree
If your parents (or you by extension) ever wanted to know about family history and ancestry, then AncestryDNA is the solution to learn where you came from and who you are. With more than 10 million people in the company's growing network, AncestryDNA has made more than a billion family connections with this simple kit.
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Credit: Ugg
Slippers
Best For Parents Who Like To Stay In
If your parents are the stay at home type, then they'll need something cozy and comfortable when socks just won't do. Enter UGG. The company is known for their out-of-this-world comfort with high quality materials in various styles for men and women. UGG slippers are so comfortable that it's almost guaranteed your parents will wear them to the shops.
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Credit: Hello Fresh
Food Subscription
Best For Parents Who Hate Meal Planning
Planning meals, hitting up the supermarket, then preparing the food can be tough for anyone, but especially for new parents who don't have the time or nearby family support. Hello Fresh is a meal delivery service that will send your parents (or you) fresh ingredients and step-by-step instructions so they can whip up a great tasting meal within 30 minutes.
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Credit: Duerer
Bamboo Cheese Board
Best For Parents Who Love To Host Parties
This cheese board has a slide-out tray that for cheese knives and cutlery, so they're out of the way until you need them. The cheeseboard also has clever grooves for crackers, nuts, and olives for an added level of nosh. It's made from 100% bamboo, so it won't stain or absorb any funky odours from the cheese. Includes a stainless steel cutlery collection.
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Credit: Frances Lincoln
Coffee Table Book
Best For Photography Lovers
Are your parents both nostalgic and arty? If so, this illustrated coffee table book, Colours of London by the novelist Peter Ackroyd, just might be a great gift. It details the history of London through its most vibrant or definitive colours. Absolutely stunning.
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Credit: Tile
Bluetooth Trackers
Best For Parents Who Lose Their Keys
If your parents are constantly losing their keys, then maybe Tile can be the solution. The tech company can't promise that they'll stop misplacing their keys, but they can help mum and dad find them faster. Just attach Tile to a set of keys, a wallet, a purse — whatever — and when said item goes missing, the Tile app will quickly locate them around the house with a loud ringtone from their mobile device.
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Credit: Ostrichpillow
Travel Pillow
Best For Parents Who Need Some Sleep
OK, so it looks a little silly — but your parents are gonna love this. Made from high quality eiderdown cotton, the Ostrich Pillow works wonders as a neck pillow for folks who are always on the go. The pillow is filled with coated microbeads and is perfectly adjustable. In addition, the travel pillow's materials are breathable, so it's never too hot when you're wearing it around your neck.
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Credit: Yeti
Portable Cooler
Best For Parents Who Like To Picnic
The YETI Hopper Flip is one of the most durable and long-lasting portable coolers on the market with its waterproof body and leakproof lining and closure. Its ColdCell insulation keeps anything cool for days. The cooler is large enough to tackle festivals or weekend trips, with the capacity to hold loads of refreshments
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Credit: Savage Vines
Wine Subscription
Best For Wine Lovers
With its selection of hundreds of premium wines, Savage Vines is considered the "Netflix for wine." The subscription service sends its members at least bottles of wine from various regions around the world. Help your mum and dad have a romantic evening, even if it's just at the kitchen table.
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Credit: Apple
iPad
Best For Tech-Savvy Parents
Everyone loves the Apple iPad because it's durable, lightweight, and easy to use — even for parents who aren't great with tech. Apple has always prided itself on simplicity and the iPad is one of the best examples of its pick-up-and-go philosophy. Plus, just think about how much they'll enjoy FaceTiming with you on this thing.
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Credit: GrowlerWerks
Pressurised Growler
Best For Craft Beer Fans
If mum and dad are home brew and craft beer enthusiasts, this uKeg Pressurised Growler from GrowlerWerks is the best way to transport frosty ales and beers from the bar to the home with ease. The vacuum-insulated chamber is made from stainless steel with a copper finish and is designed to keep at least 64 ounces of craft beer cold for up to two weeks. Cheers!
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Credit: Amazon
Smart Speaker
Best For Their Smart Home
Are your parents looking to convert their home into a smart home? If so, the Amazon Echo is the best way to start off. This is the all-in-one device that can do just about anything, including play music, make phone calls, set alarms, and timers, and order products from Amazon. The best part of the Echo is that your parents don't have to be tech savvy to use it.
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Credit: Amazon
Echo Show
Best For Keeping In Touch
Not living in the same city as your parents can be a bummer. Phone calls just aren't the same as face-to-face conversations. You likely can't afford to take a trip every time you want to talk to your parents, so getting them an Echo Show is the next best thing. You're able to video chat with them through Skype, the Alexa app, or your own video Echo device if you have one. Plus, they get smart home capabilities, too.
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Credit: Furbo
Dog Camera
Best For Pet Owners
If your parents have dogs and are usually away at work, then the Furbo Dog Camera is a thoughtful way to help them check in. The device features an HD camera and a two-way transmitter that allows users to check on their pets via smartphone live-streaming video, plus it can toss treats at their little puppers with the press of a button. Think of it as a high tech baby monitor, but for dogs.
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Credit: Ring
Video Doorbell
Best For Keeping Them Safe
If your parents are smartening their home, you can gift them useful smart devices like the Ring WiFi-enabled video doorbell. This doorbell allows mum and dad to see and talk to anyone who comes to their front door via HD video on their smartphones, tablets, and laptops — even if they're not at home.
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Credit: Cosori
Air Fryer
Best For Making Fried Food Healthier
Are you mum and dad picky about what they eat? Air fryers use rapid air technology to fry food with little to no oil, which means your parents can feel better about whipping up wings and fries. This one from Cosori works quickly and doesn't leave a lingering hot oil smell.
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Credit: Amazon
Essential Oil Diffuser
Best For Helping Parents Relax
Essential oils are said to reduce stress and promote mindfulness. This diffuser has 14 LED light modes four timer settings — plus a remote control — which allows your parents to set their preferred tone and ambiance.
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Credit: Etsy
Custom Wine Glasses
Best For Wine Drinkers
Make your parents feel fancy with a pair of etched stemless wine glasses. You're able to choose a custom message to engrave on the glasses. You can even send the Etsy shop a logo or design to use.
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Credit: Udemy
Online Course
Best For Lifelong Learners
Give your parents the gift of a new skill with a course from Udemy. There are courses on a huge variety of topics such as marketing, photography, development, and more. Prices vary depending on the lesson you choose, but once you purchase, your parents get access to the course for life.
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Credit: Amazon
Amazon Prime
Best For The Gift Of Convenience
If you and your family all share one Prime membership, let your parents break off to their own account. They'll get access to free two-day shipping, movies, and shows with Prime Video, music, Kindle e-books, and more. The membership gift can also be redeemed for an Amazon gift card instead if they choose that route.
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Credit: Perome
Copper Bar Set
Best For The Home Bar
Spice up your parents' drinking life with this fun copper bar set. It has everything they need to mix up some cocktails, including Moscow mules, the preferred beverage for copper drinkware. All they need is some booze, which would make a great addition to this gift.
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Credit: Philips
Smart Bulb Starter Kit
Best For Decking Out Their Smart Home
If your parents are old school and still use clunky timers to set a light schedule while they're on holiday, get them a smart bulb kit. The bulbs screw into most sockets and are controlled by the hub, which connects to a mobile app and voice controls. Bonus, these bulbs can be set to white or colours.
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Credit: Waterpik
Water Flosser
Best For Improved Oral Health
Regardless of age, it's pretty much universal that nobody likes going to the dentist, especially if it involves a lecture about flossing. Help your parents maintain their healthy smiles with a Waterpik water flosser, which is up to 50% more effective for improving gum health than string floss.
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Credit: Eufy
Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Best For House Proud Parents
No matter what kind of flooring your parents have in their home, this robot vacuum will be able to clean them — without your parents having to lift a finger. The cleaner can be controlled and scheduled via the mobile app or by using voice commands.
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Credit: Contigo
Reusable Water Bottle
Best For The Environment
If your parents are still drinking out of single-use plastic water bottles, bring them up to speed with reusable bottles. Contigo has a variety of bottles, ranging in materials, style, and colour. You'll be able to find something that matches your parents' style.
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Credit: Meater
Food Thermometer
Best For Barbecuing
Cooking meat correctly often means monitoring a thermometer, but this gadget eliminates the need to keep checking. It connects to a mobile app via Bluetooth and sends alerts when the food is ready, or if it's under or overcooking. The app shows mum and dad the temperature on their phone.
