Why You Can Trust CNET Here Are the Mother's Day Gift Picks You Asked For
We asked, you answered. Here are some of our top Mother's Day gift recommendations based on the types of gifts Americans say they want.
- Bridget has spent over 18 years as a consumer tech reporter, hosting daily tech news shows and writing syndicated newspaper columns. She's often a guest on national radio and television stations, including ABC, CBS, CNBC and NBC.
Knowing what to get Mom for Mother's Day can be challenging. A person can own only so many "Best Mom" mugs or heart-shaped necklaces before that type of thing gets old. So, what do mothers actually want? Well, CNET conduced a survey to gauge what type of gifts moms want this year, and here are the results.
CNET Mother's Day 2023 gift survey
| A practical gift that I can enjoy/use regularly | 44% |
|---|---|
| A thoughtful or sentimental gift | 42% |
| Something I would not normally buy for myself | 33% |
| Something to treat or pamper myself | 33% |
| An experiential gift versus a material gift | 21% |
| A practical gift for around the house | 15% |
| Not applicable / I do not wish to receive a gift this Mother's Day | 11% |
| Other | 8% |
How much should you spend? In our survey, a whopping 84% planned to spend as much as or more on Mother's Day gifts than last year (29% planned to spend more, while 55% aimed to spend "about the same"). Additional survey details can be found at the end of this article.
Based on those results, I've rounded up some of the best Mother's Day gifts that are practical, thoughtful and a little out of the ordinary. (Check out CNET's Gift Guide for our complete selection of gifting options for Mother's Day and beyond.)
Practical gifts you can enjoy regularly
Does Mom like watching YouTube videos while she's in the kitchen? With the Nest Hub, she doesn't have to fumble with a phone while working. This voice-controlled device combines a screen with a speaker, making it handy for watching videos and playing music. I like how there's an easy physical switch on top to mute the mic for privacy. (This Nest Hub model has no camera.) It also acts as a control center for your other smart home gadgets. Mom doesn't need to only use Google to like it -- I stream Apple Music from it, too.
The least expensive Apple Watch is packed with many useful things that'll let Mom have a little more sanity. If you know a new mom or mom-to-be, they'll find Apple Watch calls and text message alerts helpful when their hands are full taking care of baby and the phone isn't nearby. Older moms may also see it as a helpful safety tool for fall detection. It can also give reminders about medication and detect irregular rhythms in heartbeats. It's a great starter smartwatch for someone just getting into fitness tracking. But the number one feature I use on my Apple Watch? Having it tell me where I left my iPhone. Read our Apple Watch SE (2022) review.
A thoughtful or sentimental gift
This one's for the playful millennial mom looking for some personal crafting time or for a fun activity to do with their children. Why get real flowers that last for a couple of days when Lego flowers last forever?
No backyard. No soil. Just grow fresh herbs and produce in your own home. I've been using the Gardyn since 2020 in my apartment to get fresh lettuce, veggies and herbs. That one is a pricey $900, but my colleague David Watsky has a full list of indoor garden systems, including ones like the Click and Grow Indoor Garden setup, that start as low as $100. Whichever one you choose, it's just really nice to have a supply of fresh produce, especially if you opt for a model that automatically handles all the light and sends reminders about plant food to your phone. Kids also like participating to help pick food and grow it.
Something you normally wouldn't buy for yourself
Whether you're old enough to remember Polaroid cameras, these modern instant cameras are a great way to generate real-time souvenirs. They're easy to use, great to have for creative fun at parties, and kids love using them to take photos at family events. They're also durable -- I've had mine since 2019 and I still use it all the time. In the Fujifilm Instax Mini family, the different models use the same film, too.
People like to unplug during their free time and enjoy physical media -- there's just something nice about feeling the music in your hand. This is the turntable that got me into vinyl. It's a good starter machine that also doubles as a Bluetooth speaker -- and it looks good on the countertop, too. Looking for other options? Check out list of best record players.
Something to treat yourself
This quirky product has been highly reviewed for years now as a way to help you relax and give your eyes a break from all the screen time. It's warm and gently rubs the eye area to help relieve headaches and stress.
If Mom likes matcha green tea, this just may be the best kitchen gadget ever for her. It freshly grinds and whisks matcha tea leaves instantly for every cup of green tea you want to make. This thing gives me sustained caffeine energy better than coffee -- I feel clearheaded and not overly coffee-buzzed, perfect for keeping up with little kids while working. I also love the taste, and you can just pour it into hot water or milk for a latte. It's pricey, but nothing beats it for fresh green tea at home.
An experiential gift
Can't make the time to go to the drugstore to print photos? Wirelessly send your phone photos to this printer. Just be sure to buy Mom photo paper so she doesn't have to think about stocking up.
Though you may not be able to afford to bring Mom around the world, you can deliver her snacks from abroad. The Universal Yums snack subscription box brings you different snacks from around the globe in one package. There are several different box options to choose from, and you can opt to pay month-to-month (per box) or prepay for a yearly subscription.
A practical gift for around the house
If Mom has an iPhone and uses Apple Music, she'll get a lot of use out of Apple's mini speaker. You might even want to get two so she can listen in stereo. Read our HomePod Mini review.
The ear-hooks on the Powerbeats Pro mean these earbuds won't fall out if she's running around the house or trying to make it out to work on time -- or just needs a little me time with her own music instead of hearing the Frozen soundtrack for the 10th time today. The charging case is easy to slip into a bag, and the buds have all the perks of working with Siri voice commands and being able to use "find my" on the iPhone to have them make a noise if you misplace one in the couch. Read our Beats Powerbeats Pro review.
Survey details are as follows: The survey was conducted April 24-26, 2023, with CNET users. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,455 adults, 755 of whom were mothers. Fieldwork was undertaken April 24-26, 2023. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US adults (aged 18+).