The 61 best practical gifts they’ll actually use

This earbud cleaning set comes with its own carrying case, making it ideal for frequent travelers to stash in a bag for cleaning on the go.

It doesn't get more practical than an umbrella. A high-end travel umbrella that actually won’t break is a practically perfect gift for anyone on your holiday shopping list. We also love that Davek’s umbrellas come with a lifetime warranty.

Cosmetic cases are so useful, and having a collection in various shapes and sizes is a good idea for the frequent traveler or beauty enthusiast. Mark & Graham’s cosmetic cases are a great addition to any collection of travel bags and can be monogrammed to make them feel extra special.

Take your skin care on the road with these travel-friendly serum packs. The tablet-to-gel formula is activated when mixed with water, making them perfect for keeping up with your beauty routine while on the move.

Hand sanitizer is a must when it comes to travel, but it doesn’t have to be boring, smell bad or dry out your skin. Noshinku's sanitizer mist is small enough to pass through airport security regulations, and the blend uses essential oils and alcohol derived from organic cane sugar to soften and sanitize hands simultaneously. We think this four-pack is the perfect stocking stuffer idea.

These tiny earbuds will take up virtually no space in your packed travel bag. They come in five perfectly giftable colors, including black, hot pink and mint green.

For the reader who likes to settle in with a hot drink and a good book, this stand keeps a book open, holds a mug and has room for a phone or glasses.

This handy, bendable neck light has three color modes (yellow, warm white and cool white), three brightness levels and up to 80 hours of power from the included rechargeable battery, giving book lovers much-needed light to read wherever they may be.

For the bookworm who loves to share books but would very much like to get them back, this bookplate kit makes a perfect gift. It comes with 20 self-adhesive pockets, 20 checkout cards, one date stamp, one black ink pad and a pencil.

If you need to wear reading glasses, you might as well make them stylish reading glasses! This set of three thick-framed, blue light-blocking readers is available in magnification strengths 0x to 4x.

A really good pepper grinder is a game changer for the home chef, and picking one in an eye-catching color, like this cheery — and seasonally appropriate! — red makes it feel special enough to give as a gift.

This pressure-relieving mat is a perfect gift for the person who is always in the kitchen. Standing on a hard floor can put a lot of stress on the back and knees, but this mat provides a cushion that makes cooking more comfortable.

The iced coffee lover in your life will love this cold brew coffee maker. Pair it with a selection of coffee beans or a travel mug to make a more robust gift.

Coffee enthusiasts will be obsessed with this souped-up grinder that boasts more than 40 grind settings. It gets high marks from users for its cool magnetic feature that allows all the grinds to filter perfectly into the cup, and for being super quiet.

Kitchen shears are such a useful thing to own, but they’re almost too practical to give as a gift unless you elevate the form. These red-handled kitchen shears, which feature a micro-serrated blade edge that allows you to cut through anything with ease and a bottle opener built into the handle, fit the bill perfectly.

A small soft-bristled brush is helpful to dislodge and brush away dust and debris from small electronics. It can be used to clean headphones as well as keyboards and cell phones, and the bristles retract when not in use, making it perfect for use on the go.

People who work from home will love the Flexispot Standing Desk Converter. Both its desktop and keyboard tray provide ample space, and it adjusts with the push of a lever. Need more gift ideas for the WFH set? Check out our guide to the best home office essentials.

An extra-long phone charging cord is one of those “how did I ever live without this?!” items. This 6-foot charging cord comes in red, blue, silver or gold, elevating it from an everyday tech accessory to a holiday-appropriate gift that also happens to be super useful.

Tech gadgets and accessories make great practical gift ideas for anyone on your holiday shopping list. Look for options, like this USB charging brick, that come in red, green, blue or silver to make them feel appropriate to the occasion.

Keep all their cables and cords organized with this clever tech accessories case. The zip-closure waterproof case features elastic loops and mesh pockets to hold cables, phone chargers, earbuds, charging bricks and more. There's also a padded pocket that can hold a tablet, SD card and other flat electronic items.

The humble tree air freshener has gotten a stylish makeover with this wooden block that slides into a metal visor clip. The scented odor eliminator comes in three scents and lasts for 30 days.

Center console trash cans are little things that can make a huge difference when it comes to keeping the car clean. This "all-in-one" style receptacle has two removable liners to make emptying easier, as well as a compartment to hold tissues, napkins or wet wipes — perfect for keeping greasy or sticky fingers from leaving greasy or sticky prints all over the car.

The DIY car detailer in your life will flip for this complete waterless detailing system. It cleans, shines and protects, making it perfect for washing your car anywhere, anytime.

The standout feature of this trunk organizer is its leakproof cooler section. In addition to the insulated cooler, there are two compartments with a removable divider, six side pockets, and two mesh pockets.

Buffy, the maker of those cloudlike duvets, took the pregnancy pillow and redesigned it for the masses. The Wiggle Pillow is a floppy yet supportive tie-able pillow that offers full-body support for sleeping or lounging. A removable, machine-washable cover is available in three colors: Cream, Puff and Toast.

A luxe upgrade is a great way to make a mundane-seeming item into a knock-their-socks-off gift. For example, pillowcases aren’t especially giftable, but silk pillowcases are. In addition to being ultra-glam, silk pillowcases are also a practical investment — they’re easier on your hair and skin than cotton.

Bala Bangles are a must-have item for the workout enthusiast. The super-popular wrist and ankle weights come in loads of colors that make them a fantastic gift option for any occasion.

Exercise mats have a lifespan; when they lose their loft or start showing signs of wear and tear (like nicks, shredding or curling), it’s time for a new one. The Lululemon mat comes in five colors and makes a great gift for the home workout enthusiast or yogi.

Bring some power to household chores with this genius drill brush set. It comes with three scrub brush attachments for use with a power drill: a 2-inch flat round brush, a 4-inch flat round brush and an oval brush. These handy brushes can be used to clean everything from the bathtub to a canoe.

Beware the perils of giving a vacuum as a gift! Vacuums are a great practical gift idea but you have to be very, very sure that the recipient won’t be furious with you for giving them a household appliance. One way to get it right is to think small, and red, like this chili red handheld vacuum.

Dyson's first foray into attaching a mop to its legendary cordless vacuums, the Submarine adds a wet element to an already powerful cleaning machine. It isn't perfect, occasionally leaving streaks behind during our early testing, but it's still the best wet-dry floor cleaning tool we've tried.

While they're not absolutely necessary, chainmail scrubbers bring a bit of medieval flair to scrubbing out cast-iron cookware, making it easier to clean without compromising the layer of seasoning that is so crucial to keeping it non-stick.

This clever sweeper takes the traditional squeegee design and flips it — literally. We tried and loved this inexpensive, easy-to-use (and store) tool.

This inexpensive fabric care tool is the gift that keeps on giving. The Gleener Fuzz Remover is a fantastic sweater depiller. The tool comes with three changeable blades in different weights to remove pills from fine, medium or heavy fibers, and the handle is fitted with a lint remover to make cleanup quick.

Leather goods, from bags and shoes to clothing like leather jackets, need to be cleaned regularly to keep them looking their best and to ensure they last a long time. A leather care kit makes a fantastic gift because it contains everything they'd need to clean and condition any type of leather goods.

People who are particular about their clothes know that hand-laundering is the best option for very fine or delicate garments. And there's no better choice for hand-washing than Soak Laundry Soap's no-rinse formula. Soak Wash is available in seven different scents, including a fragrance-free formula — but for holiday gifting, we like the Celebration variety.

Padded hangers are a game changer for your closet. Use them to hang very heavy or finely constructed garments to protect the shoulders from dents and undue stress. A set of black satin hangers makes a surprising — and surprisingly useful — gift idea.