- Teens are notoriously difficult to shop for, especially when it comes to gifts.
- To help ease your shopping stress, we put together a list of 56 cool gift ideas for teens.
- All the gifts are available through Amazon.
Teens might be difficult to shop for, but you don’t need to search far and wide for gift ideas – Amazon has options in everything from tech to beauty gifts.
From a book that Netflix adapted into a hit movie to a Sonos speaker, we’ve rounded up the best 56 best gifts for the teens in your life. They cover a range of prices and brands, including newer startups you didn’t even know you could find on Amazon.
Check out all 56 gifts for teens on Amazon:
They can use their voice to control these smart light bulbs through an Alexa Echo, Echo Dot, or Google Home Assistant. They can also give hands-free commands to set the brightness, turn lights on and off, change colors, create timers, and more to customize their space.
A cute, heart-shaped waffle maker
Sometimes all anyone wants is anything delicious and aesthetically appealing — like heart-shaped waffles. This waffle maker is small, too, so it shouldn’t crowd their kitchen too much.
A fun outdoor game they can play with friends
On a beautiful, sunny day in the city, you’ll probably see at least one group playing this fun and active game in the park. With rules similar to volleyball, it’s incredibly easy to learn — so friend groups or families can get involved.
The Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch is one of the gifts that, with good reason, tend to elicit lots of excitement. This model has a battery life of up to nine hours and can be played with friends or solo, and at home or on the go.
A multi-color alarm clock that doubles as a speaker
Beyond helping ensure they’re up on time, this alarm clock doubles as a Bluetooth speaker and as a dimmable, multi-color bedside lamp.
An effective electric toothbrush
We love this electric toothbrush as a budget-friendly option that doesn’t compromise on performance. It’s also the path of least resistance to helping your teen build their own healthy habits.
A beanie with built-in headphones
Soundbot makes soft beanies that have built-in headphones for on-the-go listening. They have a rechargeable battery, built-in microphone, and wireless range of up to 33 feet.
A gift box of bath bombs
If their favorite pastime is some version of decadent self-care, then a gift set of bath bombs will go over well. This set has an array of great scents: sandalwood, eucalyptus, lavender, vanilla, rose, ginger, cedar, lemon, and orange.
A GoPro
For travel and even in-depth school projects, a GoPro is one tech gift that’s hard to oversell. There’s a newer version, but it costs about $200 more.
An Echo Dot with clock
The Amazon Echo Dot is the most popular Amazon device for a reason — it’s compact and has all the capabilities of Alexa (weather updates, recipes, music, and news).
An instant camera
Instax’s cute instant camera is great for anyone who loves taking photos. All they need is some film to get started. It features a small selfie mirror to ensure proper framing, a macro lens attachment, and a variety of modes to account for different indoor and outdoor environments.
A necklace with their zodiac sign
Zodiac signs, and the unique personality traits tied to each one, have become extremely popular in recent years. Pick up their sign in a dainty, gold-dipped necklace they can wear every day.
PopSockets for the back of their phone
PopSockets have become their own cultural phenomenon. Besides being useful, they offer a bit of personalization to tech and come in a variety of colors and patterns.
A portable charger
Whether used for traveling or keeping in contact with friends or parents while on the go, this external battery is great for giving parents and teens convenience and peace of mind. We named this model by Elecjet the best portable charger iPhone users can buy.
New video games: The Legend of Zelda Link’s Awakening
Ultimately, no gift may compare to a great new video game they can test out solo or with friends.
New video games: Borderlands 3
New video games: Luigi’s Mansion 3
New video games: FIFA 20 Standard Edition
A hair towel that cuts drying time in half
Aquis’ cult-favorite hair towels can cut the amount of time it takes your hair to dry in half — a claim we’re happy to report holds up. They also help keep hair protected from harmful friction in its most vulnerable state. If the teens in your life have ever complained about frizzy hair, this and a silk pillowcase are thoughtful gifts they’ll actually use.
The new Fire HD 10 tablet for music, games, and media
Amazon’s Fire 10 tablet now has its largest display screen and is 30% faster than older iterations. On it, they can stream movies and videos, play games, read the news, and access their social media accounts. It has up to 12 hours of battery life.
One of the best young adult books ever written
For the kind of gift they’ll still mention 10 years later, give them one of the best young adult books you’ve ever read — or one of the 37 best young adult books Business Insider staff members recommend. Or, check out Amazon’s list of the 100 books you should read in a lifetime.
A splashproof, portable Bluetooth speaker
This under-$100 Bluetooth speaker connects to smartphones to give their songs a stereo-sound treatment. It has an IPX7 waterproof rating, so they don’t have to worry about rain or spills either.
A set of Korean sheet masks
The best way to initiate a pampered staycation is a cult-favorite, 16-pack of Korean sheet masks — something any beauty- or skin-care-obsessed teen will likely already know about.
The book Netflix made into a movie
You’ve probably heard about this Netflix movie from teens and adults alike. A third movie is imminent, and they’ll love getting to experience it all over again in a book. If they’ve already read the first book, pick up the sequel “P.S. I Still Love You” here.
Comfortable, high-quality sheets for their bed
We recommend Brooklinen often, and for good reason. Most of the Insider Reviews team sleeps with Brooklinen on their own beds; we think they’re perfect for sleeping in on lazy Saturday mornings.
A surprisingly good projector that’s the size of a soda can
Anker’s Nebula Capsule is tiny but mighty. It’s the size of a soda can, weighs only one pound, and has a quiet and continuous playtime of four hours. It’ll take family or friend movie nights up a notch, and they can easily pack it on trips. Find a full review here.
Mario Badescu’s cult-favorite facial mists with aloe
Mario Badescu’s cult-favorite facial mists refresh and hydrate the skin for a dewy glow. They’re available on Amazon individually or in a two-pack of the rose water and cucumber sprays.
A leather toiletry bag for grooming and beauty essentials
Leatherology’s shave bag is a great purchase if you want to gift your teen a leather beauty bag that will age gracefully.
Comfortable headphones with long battery life and good sound
The Solo3 headphones are perfect for commuting, studying, or zoning out during family road trips. They offer good sound quality and up to 40 hours of battery life, but the best part? Five minutes of charging equals three hours of playback.
A waterproof speaker to liven up their showers
Teens can use this waterproof wireless speaker in the pool or the shower to listen to their favorite music anytime.
A slime-making kit
One of the ongoing internet trends is a fascination with slime, and teens have run successful businesses by sharing videos of it. And what’s better than vicariously living through TikTok slime-makers? Making your own.
A gentle facial cleansing device
FOREO’s cult-favorite Luna 2 cleansing device gently and effectively cleans with thin, antimicrobial silicone touchpoints, and claims to remove 99.5% of dirt and makeup residue without irritating the skin. Plus, it’s waterproof, and the battery life lasts for a few months per charge. The Luna 2 is available in five varieties: men, normal, combination, sensitive, and oily skin. Find a full review from a female reporter and a male reporter here.
A Fitbit
Fitbits track the wearer’s health and fitness as well as offer insights into their sleep and physical activity trends. Teens can set personal goals and get real-time updates during workouts. It’s water-resistant up to 50 meters, and its battery life can last up to seven days.
A cult-favorite clay mask
The Aztec Clay Mask is one of those cult-favorite products that’s been plucked from obscurity and gone straight to the limelight of YouTube testimonials with over 4 million views and widespread popularity. You can read a full review here.
The Sonos One
The Sonos One delivers great sound and convenience. The audio is rich and easily fills the room, and the device can be controlled by voice, the Sonos app, or Apple Airplay 2. It’s also a great replacement for a traditional alarm clock.
A waterproof e-reader with a no-glare screen
Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite is waterproof, has double the storage of its previous model, and is Kindle’s lightest and thinnest version yet. The glare-free display adjusts to accommodate the light you’re in — even bright sunlight — and has a battery charge that lasts weeks.
String lights with photo clips
Perfect for creating the archetypal teen room that’s most often seen in Netflix movies and old Taylor Swift music videos, photo clip string lights add warm light to your teen’s favorite Polaroids or memorabilia.
Colorful reusable straws
Trying to adopt more eco-friendly habits is one of the great characteristics of younger generations, especially teens who grew up among videos of sea turtles being harmed by discarded plastic straws. These are colorful, bendable, and fun to use.
Gift card for everything: Visa
For teens who often rely on part-time jobs to fund their hobbies and cravings, gift cards are one gift that’s always appreciated. Here are some of Insider Reviews’ top choices:
Gift cards for everything: Amazon
A gift card to Amazon is a gift card to pretty much anything they’ve got on their wish lists — tech, clothing, books, and more.
Gift card for coffee: Starbucks
Whether they’re ordering multi-hyphenate drinks at Starbucks or regular hot chocolates, they add up.
Gift card for food: Chipotle
One of the mainstays of teenage life is meeting up with friends at fast-casual restaurants — and Chipotle is a perennial favorite.
Gift card for gaming: Xbox
If you know they have an Xbox but don’t know which games they already have or need, this is a great way to ensure they get exactly what they want.
Gift card for clothes: Nordstrom
No matter how spot-on your gifts are, your giftee is the best person for the job of dressing themselves. And even if you nail the latest trend they’re excited about, there will be more in the future — this lets them pick things out for themselves, without having to dip into their allowance or savings.
Gift card for tech: Best Buy
Unsure of which tech they already have or which tech they’d want? A Best Buy gift card will save you the probing questions and help you give them a gift they’re really excited about.
A music subscription that includes 50 million songs
If they don’t already have a music subscription, give them access to 50 million songs with Amazon Music Unlimited.
Colorful scrunchies
Scrunchies are having a moment. If you want to get something particularly on-trend, you may want to look into a few. This set comes with a whopping 46 colors.
An audiobook subscription
If they love to read, or you’re trying to get them to love to read, a gift subscription to Audible is a great idea. They’ll get three free titles for each month they’re a member (one audiobook and two Audible Originals), and 30% off any additional audiobooks they buy. They can listen and read anywhere and anytime using the free app.
A fidget toy
Speks makes one of our favorite fidget toys, perfect for relieving nervousness and boosting productivity and focus.
A popcorn machine for movie nights
Perfect for movie nights with family or friends, this popcorn maker can make as much as six quarts of popcorn for a night in.
An eyeshadow palette
If they’re getting into makeup, an eyeshadow palette is one of the coolest gifts you can probably give them. This option has 16 shades, almost 15,000 reviews, and a 4.4-star rating overall.
A karaoke machine that allows duets
This system has more features than a really nice car. It has two mics, a sing-along and record function, and 300 songs ready for action.
A cool, holographic fanny pack
What’s old is new and cool again — and that includes fanny packs!
A mini griddle for individual servings of food
This tiny griddle is perfect for making individual servings of breakfasts and pretty much any food — from eggs to cookies to grilled cheese.
Cool backpacks from a popular startup
State bags are a popular accessory thanks to both a laid-back, on-trend design and their give-back program. State’s #GiveBackPack(s) mean that every State bag purchased translates into the company donating one backpack filled with supplies to a local child in need. The Lorimer and Bedford are two of the company’s bestsellers.
A pack of smart plugs so they can control devices from a distance
Perfect for staying in that comfy position on the couch or that moment when they wonder if they turned their hot iron off, smart plugs let them control devices from a distance. All they need is the outlet, the Kasa app, and an iOS or Android device.