The best stocking-stuffers: Gifts for $25 or less
Keep your family and your wallet happy this holiday season by picking up these affordable gifts.

If you're on a budget on searching for holiday gifts that are $25 or less, we've got some gift ideas that include old favorites and thoughtful new finds. Shopping online and shipping direct to your recipient remains the most sensible choice, followed by online ordering at stores that offer curbside, contactless pickup.
Because warm beer is a crime
BruMate Hopsulator beer-cooler sleeve
The BruMate is a great stocking stuffer idea that promises to keep cans or bottles (depending on which style sleeve you choose) 20 times colder than a neoprene sleeve. It comes in a variety of colors, most of them priced at $20 to $25.
And here's the thing: It works. You can nurse a beer for half an hour, and your last sip will be nearly as cold as your first. If you know anyone who loves beer, this is a can't-miss Christmas gift.
The ultimate gift for TikTok creators
Selfie ring-light with tripod and phone mount
Anyone looking to make good on TikTok (or YouTube, or even Zoom, for that matter) needs good lighting. Amazon is home to countless ring-light kits like this one, many priced $25 or less. Ideally it should also come with an inline remote (for adjusting brightness and temperature), a tripod, a phone mount and a Bluetooth shutter-control button. This stocking stuffer has all that.
Cheap speaker with solid sound
Tribit XSound Surf
Over the past couple of years, we've found the Tribit brand to offer shockingly good sound quality at outrageously low prices. The company's latest tiny speaker is no exception: Considering its size, the XSound Surf delivers some impressive bass. This great stocking stuffer also offers IPX7 waterproofing (can be dunked to a depth of 1 meter for up to 30 minutes) and USB-C charging.
Keep the cord
Redzoo Flame wireless sport earphones
True wireless earbuds are all the rage these days but sometimes I prefer to keep the cord, especially while exercising. That way, my earbuds won't go flying if I shake them loose, and they can just dangle if I want to take them out.
If you are looking for cheap stocking stuffer ideas, Redzoo's sport 'buds are a great choice. They are IPX7-rated waterproof and able to pair with two different devices. I especially like their large, raised, separated volume buttons on top, as well as the big red multifunction button on the side -- two usability wins.
At this writing, there are four different colors available, all under $25. At this price, you're not likely to find better sport earbuds for a stocking stuffer.
BYO table, here's the tennis
Portable ping-pong set
This unique stocking stuffer idea is one of my favorite new things of 2020. This gift idea is a retractable ping-pong net that can be set up just about anywhere -- dining room table, picnic table, conference room table and so on. You also get a pair of paddles, some balls and a drawstring case to carry it all. Presto: table-tennis to go.
A personal aside: My dad is dealing with dementia, and I learned recently that ping-pong has the potential to slow cognitive decline. So I got one of these for him; we used to play all the time when I was a kid. Long story short: He loves it. Plays almost every day now. It's been a huge win.
At the time of publication, Amazon had a coupon that brought the price to $22. That's no longer available, but there are countless other versions of this in the same price range. At this writing, for example, a similar product is just $15.
Portable battery with the latest connectors
Anker PowerCore 10000 Portable Charger
This great stocking stuffer is one of the smallest 10,000-mAh battery packs we've seen to date, and it can juice up devices whether they use USB-A or USB-C connectors, which means it is perfect for charging iPhones or Androids. (Just make sure the giftee has a USB-C charger -- it doesn't include one in the box.)
Charge nearly everything
RAVPower 30-watt charger
This is a perfect stocking stuffer if you're gifting a new iPhone 12, since Apple no longer includes a charger in the box. This handy little dual-port plug delivers a full 30 watts of juice if the USB-C port is used alone, or 18 watts if used while charging a second device via the USB-A port, which delivers 12 watts. It's available for under $20.
No more lost keys (or phone)
Tile Mate trackers
Nope, there's still no Apple wireless tracker that you can actually buy. In the meantime -- and for the millions who have Android phones, too -- the Tile Mate tracker is a great gift that gets the job done nicely. For just $25, this little guy attaches to a keychain, purse, backpack or the like. Then just pair it with your phone.
Can't find your phone? Double-press the Tile button to make it ring. Can't find the Tile (and whatever it's attached to)? Use your phone to locate it. You'll soon see why this cheap stocking stuffer idea is such a useful stocking stuffer.
Brighten any room with a personal touch
Mind-glowing photo clip string lights with remote
This string light is a fun way to decorate a bedroom or office space with personal photographs or art. It comes with 8 light display modes and a remote to adjust brightness from across the room. The string is over 16-feet long and has 40 LED clips for plenty of space to hang where you want. It is battery operated, making it easy to move around, but keep in mind the batteries are not included.
No batteries required
Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set
Maybe the game has Stranger Things to thank, but it feels like Dungeons & Dragons has had a small resurgence in recent years. If you need an inexpensive and fun stocking stuffer for a friend or family member who's looking to expand their game horizons beyond the gamepad realm, the classic pencil-and-paper roleplaying game may be just the perfect gift. This starter set includes everything a newbie needs to get the game up and running -- including all the requisite many-sided dice, natch -- all for under $15. If you're buying for someone who already has some ideas of how the game should be played, the new D&D Essentials Kit might be a better choice, though.
Keep that phone handy
Ninja Loop
These handy straps loop through your phone case so it's easy to keep a good grip on your phone. This great stocking stuffer idea will put you back just $8 each, with a choice of dozens of patterns and a variety of fun colors available. Buy three or more of these cheap stocking stuffers (pick your own colorful palette) for free shipping and you'll have a trio of practical gifts that you can easily slip into a Christmas stocking. It's just me talking here, but I consider the Ninja Loop the best stocking stuffer ever.
An alarm clock with Google smarts
Lenovo Smart Clock Essential
- Has a simple but helpful display
- Responsive mics and good sound quality for its size
- Uses its nightlight for sunrise alarms
- The display casts a glow even at its dimmest
- The physical controls aren't intuitive and don't offer much customization.
The Lenovo Smart Clock has long been among one of our favorite "cheap but good" smart home devices when it's on sale (this season, the price seems to be hovering between $35 and $40). But if you want to save even more on a Christmas gift, the new Smart Clock Essential opts for something of a dumbed-down monochrome screen, but it still delivers the time, temperature and weather, along with full access to Google's voice assistant. The USB-A port in the rear makes it easy to charge devices on your bedside table, too. It's been selling for $24 to $29 this fall.
This wearable wins the affordability award
Wyze Band activity tracker (Update: Out of stock)
The Wyze Band is by no means a perfect activity tracker, but it does a lot, especially considering its super-bargain price tag. It has a color AMOLED screen, a full-time heart-rate monitor, support for Alexa voice commands and a battery good for up to 14 days.
It's also a watch, of course, and this affordable stuffer gift can sling notifications from your phone. Read our Wyze Band first take to learn more.
By the way, the Wyze price doesn't include shipping, which adds about $5. You can also order the Band from Amazon for $30, shipping included.
More holiday gift ideas
- Best soundbars and home audio for the holidays
- Best STEM gifts for kids
- 8 best cooperative board games for 2020
- The best gifts readers need for 2020: iPad vs. Kindle vs. Fire and more
- The best headphone gifts for the holidays
- Best holiday gifts under $500
- The best gifts for girls ages 9-12
- See the best gifts for board game and tabletop game lovers
- 10 great gifts for grandparents
- Best gifts for hikers, from their feet to their butts