When it comes to Mother’s Day gift ideas, inspiration for the perfect presents can always be a bit hard to come by, especially for those of us with mothers who say “oh, I don’t need anything new.” Making matters worse, buying from some of the more boring and cliché gift guides for moms out there can have you hearing a very sincere “oh, you shouldn’t have” before you know it.
So, as CNN Underscored’s electronics writer and someone who’s always looking for ideas for what to get his mom for Mother’s Day, I thought it was time to poll our staff. There’s no better way to solve a gift-giving conundrum by getting real stories about what people enjoy and want. Fortunately for me, I work with some thoughtful folks who have advice to share with all the stumped shoppers out there to make 2024 a banner year for delivering the best Mother’s Day ever.
Some of our team picked unique items or practical gifts that will solve their mothers’ everyday frustrations, while others picked out items that will help our moms hear, read and watch their favorite music, books and shows. Here are our picks.
Tobey Grumet Segal, CNN Underscored’s reviews editor, notes that the regular Kindle Paperwhite — one of the best e-readers — is on her wish list. A mother of two boys who lost her Kindle Oasis (Amazon’s since-discontinued premium e-reader), she wants the Paperwhite for its backlighting because she reads in bed “every night, and I love using the light so I don’t wake up my hubby.” Oh, and don’t think you have to spend a lot on e-books, as Grumet Segal tells us she checks out e-books from the local library for free via the Libby app.
If I know one thing about my mom, it’s that I’ll be called in for tech support if anything goes wrong with her Kindle. Amazon’s long-lasting e-readers have earned the MVP slot in her heart and desk as a way to be easily connected to the world of words. Unfortunately, the world of Kindles has gotten a little odd lately, with four models of note that might confuse even veteran users. So, even though she doesn’t need a new Kindle — she’s trying to cut down on waste — I asked what features matter the most to her. It turns out that water resistance for pool season and automatically adjusting lighting for less fussing around matter the most to her. This means her next Kindle will be the Paperwhite Signature Edition, which I’ll gladly buy her. Its price includes an ad-free lock screen, and there’s no way I’d give my mom commercials for Mother’s Day. — Henry T. Casey, electronics writer
Like a lot of moms, mine loves having sentimental family photos. And while technology has made those photos easier to take, share and view more quickly, there’s nothing like getting to see a stunning image displayed in a frame in your home. The Aura Frame is a beautiful blend of modern tech and old-school sentiment, which is why it makes a great gift for moms and parents. With three siblings all in different states, it’s rare that we all get together for family photos anymore. So, sharing our individual adventures on the family frame helps my parents feel included in our lives, even if we’re miles away. It’s really easy to use, displays photos beautifully and excites loved ones when they see a new pic pop up on the frame. You can upload photos as soon as you take them or finally digitize your pile of childhood photos to add too. And now my mom doesn’t have to choose just one photo to put in a frame, as she gets to rotate hundreds all in one place. (Pro tip: Before you gift it, set it up and preload it with old family photos so they can put it on display immediately.) — Jillian Tracy, associate editor
Jillian wasn’t the only CNN Underscored staffer who suggested the Aura Frame. Managing editor Rachel Quigley says, “My mom takes so many photos on her phone but never knows what to do with them. Her skills for sending images via emails or uploading them to social media are pretty limited, so the Aura Frame’s ‘set it and forget it’ component means that she can enjoy all the photos of her grandkids on a loop without having to do anything on her end. I know it will bring her so much joy.”
Joe Bloss, CNN Underscored’s editorial coordinator, notes that his mother “is not the most tech savvy” and still has yet to “properly move on from the era of wired earbuds.” Her current headphones, he tells me, are “a pair of Beats earbuds that loop over your ear [that she got] as a free extra with another purchase a while back, and she hates them. They don’t fit in or on her ear well.” Joe thinks it’s time for a change, and since his mother is retired and has more time for podcasts, audiobooks and music, “she needs a pair that won’t give her issues and will be a breeze to set up.” So, of course, he thinks Apple’s easy to use AirPods Pro “are a good bet.”
But what if your mom is on the active side of life and would rather have headphones that fit her workouts? Grumet Segal praised the Beats Fit Pro, saying she “loves how they stay in the ears for working out and look great for everyday wear.” She also pointed out the new reflective black special-edition model from Beats and Alo, which she said are “sweet.”
While Mother’s Day is a spring holiday, CNN Underscored business coordinator Devin Zacchino thinks his mom will want this hand warmer because she’s “always cold.” It also happens to double as a power bank. It measures 4 inches by 2 inches, so it will fit in a variety of hands, and it’s sold in many different hues. Devin’s thinking he’ll get his mom the purple one since that’s her favorite color.
CNN Underscored associate writer Elisabeth Sherman, a mother herself, told me she loves the Polaroid Now+ that she got for Christmas, which she uses primarily for photos of her daughter and her cousins. She especially likes that the image quality is “slightly grainy and out of focus, and just gives your photos that instant hit of nostalgia.” While her daughter is still a baby, Sherman is already nostalgic for her childhood, “so being able to capture little moments from her life on the Polaroid feels fitting.”
Oh, and the ability to easily print photos from the device instantly erases the familiar pain of printing photos off a standard printer. And that’s why she says the Polaroid Now+ comes out on special occasions. “Afterward, you have this stack of physical photos in your hand to commemorate it that you can then hand out to your loved ones rather than 100 copies of the same posed photo saved to your phone,” Sherman says.
My mom is going through chemo and has been relying on Judge Judy to help her get through the long chemo sessions. She is obsessed with her (apparently Judge Judy reminds her of her own mom), and it’s good to see her enjoy something so much that is also able to take her mind off what’s happening around her. This iPad stand means she can easily watch it at eye height and it doesn’t interfere with any of the medical equipment or what the nurses are doing. And this model is light and portable enough for her to bring to the hospital with her. — Rachel Quigley, managing editor
Everyone can appreciate a gift that provides a bit of utilitarian problem-solving, so CNN Underscored copy chief Dan Toy is thinking about how his mother is “is not a huge fan of using the trackpad on her laptop,” and posited that “our best budget mouse would serve her well when she’s browsing the web or checking her emails.” He notes that while it might be affordable, it’s certainly not cheaply made, as its “comfort and long battery life are standout features that would appeal to her when using it daily.”
Associate testing writer Carolina Gazal says her mom loves her Ring doorbell because “as a mom, you have to have eyes and ears everywhere. This trusty doorbell ensures that any home is safe at all hours. My mom really appreciates the motion detection, which would help her keep track of our family’s whereabouts and anticipate guests.”
Gabriella Triolo, our social coordinator, called out the Amazon Echo Show 15, a smart display that’s both stylish and full of tricks. Not only does it have Alexa built in, along with a bunch of kitchen-friendly widgets including those with recipes and food delivery options, but it’s got Amazon’s Fire TV smarts built in. Gabriella says her “mom loves the idea of having a small TV to watch while she’s cooking. She also thinks it would be super useful to use for recipes and “won’t have to check her phone a million times while cooking.” I can’t help but agree, and I am now pondering where such a screen would fit in my parents’ kitchen.
CNN Underscored editorial director Chelsea Stone reports that her mom “loves the Apple Watch and wears it every day, but was kind of sad that it doesn’t look as ‘fashun’ as her other watches.” Naturally, Chelsea found this cute Kate Spade band, which “looks pretty similar to a watch she owns.” You might be surprised that her mom found the option quite novel, as she “pretty much only buys Apple product accessories from a physical Apple Store.”
I can’t take credit for this one — my boyfriend got my mom this for Christmas. She’s constantly listening to jazz at home, but she hates what she calls the “tinny” audio quality on her laptop. This voice-control speaker obviously does much more than play music, but we helped her set up Spotify and now she can command Google to play her music whenever she wants. Design is important too, and the speaker is really sleek and just kind of disappears into the space. She keeps it in the kitchen, so I taught her how to use it as a timer or to ask it other cooking-related questions, but honestly, she just uses it to play her jazz. — Sophie Shaw, associate beauty editor
Learn from me, dear reader. Just because your parents may not have a need for speed doesn’t mean they won’t want the better version of the latest iPhone. My mom waited patiently to upgrade from her iPhone 8 Plus, and this year found she truly needed to. After a short conversation, I (incorrectly) steered her in the direction of the basic iPhone 15. During her first weekend with said phone, I immediately found out what I hadn’t thought of. The iPhone 15 only gives you native 0.5x and 2x zoom options, leaving out the 3x and 5x options found in the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. So, if your mom’s due for an upgrade, have a good conversation up front about the photos she takes and how far she takes them from her subjects. My mom’s love of a good landscape photo deserves a better zoom, and I look forward to fixing that down the line. — Henry T. Casey, electronics writer
On top of the Kindle and Beats Fit Pro earbuds Grumet Segal recommended, she also called out Samsung’s The Frame TV as a favorite of hers. These sets are made to make the giant rectangular space where your television goes a bit more dynamic, as they can display works of fine art when you’re not binge-watching TV or streaming a movie. This year’s models feature improved accuracy, thanks to the folks at Pantone who are providing color validation. On top of that, you can update The Frame’s style whenever you want, thanks to magnetic bezels that come in multiple styles, including metallic and wood tones — perfect for helping the TV fit alongside Mom’s favorite works of art.