The best ways to spend your $50 gift card

Peace of mind is the best gift you can give. In that case, pick up an Apple AirTag or two, so they can keep track of their most important items. They can toss one into their suitcase, slip it into their wallet or attach it to their keys and go about their day stress-free.

A gadget that kills two birds with one stone is great, but three is even better. This handheld 3-in-1 fan rarely leaves my bag for a number of reasons. First, I run hot and I’m not happy about it. Summer and I do not get along, but I can get overheated even during the cooler months of the year. This cute, portable fan does a great job of cooling me down quickly when I need it most. That’s enough to get me to keep it in my bag at all times, but it punches above its weight by also being a flashlight and a portable battery pack. Sure, it’s not going to beat any of our top picks for the best power banks when it comes to efficiency, but it can top up my phone when it’s close to dying and I still need to call a ride-share home. — Valentina Palladino, Deputy Editor

Instead of trying to match someone’s design aesthetic, give them something they can customize themselves. Govee’s smart LED light bars are one such gift; this pack of two light bars can shine bright in over 16 million colors, all customizable via Govee’s companion app. They can easily set the mood for a movie night, game night or holiday party, and control the whole thing with Alexa or Google Assistant voice commands. There’s also a fun music-sync mode that changes the lights in time with whatever music they’re listening to. These can stand upright, be laid flat or even be mounted behind a TV to enhance their home entertainment setup, so there’s a good chance they’ll find the perfect place for them without too much hassle. — V.P.

I’ve used all kinds of travel cups over the years, but I’ll concede that my wife has found the best one yet. While there are trendier options, and Stanley will always be popular, Simple Modern’s Classic Tumbler has become my new favorite. It comes in 20-, 24- and 28-ounce sizes and includes two lids and a straw – everything you need for both hot and cold beverages. What’s more, this cup keeps my cold brew at its proper temperature for hours. In fact, the cup still has ice in it the next morning if I forget to empty it before then. Most importantly, everything is dishwasher safe, which isn’t always the case with insulated travel cups these days. — Billy Steele, Senior Reporter

If you ever played with those word refrigerator magnets back in the day, Ransom Notes will give you an instant shot of nostalgia. It also has what I think is the most important quality in a party game: no complicated rules, setup or explanation required. Each round starts with an open-ended question card, like “describe a frightening medical condition.” Players get a handful of magnetic word tiles that they then arrange into a (usually slightly nonsensical) answer to that round’s prompt. Each “ransom note” can be as elaborate (or not) as you want. You might have the perfect set of words to craft a plausible answer but, more often, you’ll have to get a little creative with your answer. Sometimes, a word or two is all you need.

Either way, the mix of word tiles, which leans a bit on the PG-13 side but isn’t as foul-mouthed as more “adult” party games like Cards Against Humanity, is such that hilarity will almost certainly ensue. Officially, each round is supposed to have a “winner,” with the game ending after a predetermined number of rounds are finished. But it’s just as fun if you forget trying to keep score and just let everyone try to come up with the funniest and most random notes they can dream up. — Karissa Bell, Senior Reporter

If you have someone on your list who must have their coffee in the morning or who loves a good hot chocolate or matcha in the afternoon, a frother like this one from Zulay will fit right into their kitchen. These handheld frothers are super convenient because they’re much smaller and easier to use than larger, standalone frothers or those that come attached to expensive coffee machines. This one in particular comes with three attachments so they can make lattes, cappuccinos and even scrambled eggs all with one device, plus it has a rechargeable battery and an included USB-C cable for powering up. It also comes with a handy cover, so they can toss it in their carry-on when they head out for a weekend trip.

For the dad who often forgets to charge his phone before leaving the house, the Anker Nano Power Bank is a compact battery that attaches directly to the bottom of a device through a built-in USB-C connector. A tiny pack like this isn’t designed to fully recharge recent handsets: As we note in our power bank buying guide, it provided a 65 percent charge to a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra in roughly an hour. But it’s handy as an emergency lifeline for a phone on the verge of death, since the whole thing is about the size of a lipstick case and won’t force your dad to remember any cables. The included connector folds back into the device, making it harder to break, and there are four indicator lights to give you a sense of how much juice the bank has left. The battery linked here will work with Android phones and the iPhone 15 series; if your dad is using an older iPhone, know that Anker also makes a similar model with a Lightning connector. — Jeff Dunn, Senior Reporter

Read more: The best power banks

The next time you stays at a hotel, a compact media player like the Roku Streaming Stick 4K will make it easier to stream all your favorite shows and movies on the TV. That means no more squinting at a laptop or settling for the hotel’s shoddy channel selection. It may require some setup, but Roku’s streaming dongle can draw power straight from a TV’s USB port and works with most of the major streaming services and cable apps. Roku’s OS remains dead simple to navigate, while those with Apple devices can beam content straight to the stick over AirPlay. And, when others are sleeping, a “private listening” feature makes it possible to listen to what’s on TV through your smartphone. All of this has made the Streaming Stick 4K a top pick in our streaming device buying guide. — Jeff Dunn, Senior Reporter

Read more: The best streaming devices

The 8BitDo Ultimate 2.4G Controller is a versatile alternative to a traditional Xbox gamepad that works easily across Windows PCs, Macs, Steam Deck and mobile devices. It connects over Bluetooth, wireless dongle or USB cable and notably uses magnetic Hall effect sensors in its joysticks, which means it’s much less susceptible to developing the dreaded “stick drift” than traditional controllers. While it might feel a little cramped for those with particularly large hands, its shape doesn’t have any weird curves or quirks, and all its inputs are appropriately crisp to press. Battery life is decent at 15-ish hours, too, and the whole thing comes with a slick charging dock.

If dad wants to get hardcore, 8BitDo’s companion software offers a wealth of customization options, such as adjusting the sensitivity of the triggers or assigning macros to certain buttons. 8BitDo sells a few different variants of this controller, which can get confusing: This is the best one with an MSRP under $50, but another model works with the Nintendo Switch and uses that console’s button layout, while the newer Ultimate 2 pad adds a few extra buttons and features for $60. — J.D.

If your goal is to get someone you love a stocking stuffer they’ll actually use, get them this Anker magnetic charging pad. With Qi2-certification, it can provide up to 15W of fast-charging power to supported smartphones (including iPhones) and its built-in magnets create a strong attachment to their device so it won’t easily slip off. That means they can pick up their phone and use it comfortably while it’s charging, rather than being forced to leave it on a countertop or nightstand for too long. We’ve all let our phones get close to zero before the day is up, and an accessory like this can make it easier for your loved one to quickly power up when they need it most.

The Blink Mini 2 is a small but mighty indoor security camera with two-way audio, an LED spotlight and 1080p HD video that works day or night. It has a wider 143-degree diagonal field of view compared to the last version, plus a low-light image sensor and infrared night vision.

If you already have the Blink Video Doorbell, the Mini 2 can double as a plug-in chime, which makes it extra handy. You’ll need a Blink Subscription Plan to unlock features like person detection and motion alerts, but it comes with a free 30-day trial so you can see if it’s worth it.

You can even use the Mini 2 outdoors if you grab the weather-resistant power adapter (sold separately). The price tends to bounce between $40 and $20. So, while this isn’t a record-low deal, it’s still a great time to grab a solid DIY security camera at one of its best prices.