The Best Gifts Under $100

OK, so real talk. If your budget for gift-giving is $100 for a special someone, they’re probably not the inflatable arms guy from the corner car dealership. Whether a family member, ride-or-die friend, or serious boo, they’ve probably been in your life for a minute, which is 10 years in Dog Math, as we all know, which means they deserve a holiday gift that will sweep them off their tuchus.

We found the best gifts for under $50, took an eggnog break, and found the best gifts under $20. Now, in lieu of suggesting gifts that will cost you a ball of twine and your soul [Cursed Crab Chair has entered the chat] we realized that there are select few friends, family members, and lovers who we’d like to give something really nice. Something from our favorite wellness brands, top-rated air humidifier companies (hey, every friend group has one), and streetwear sites, you know? We’re perusing our favorite Black-owned businesses, scanning all our socials, and throwing down coins for gifts that keep them on their toes; the kinds of gifts that say, “Do I love you? Maybe. Do I know you? Better than yourself.”

Open up that carpet bag, because here are the best holiday gifts for everyone, all for under $100.

They long for a Le Creuset Dutch oven

And while we all hail Le Creuset’s cookware, it costs an arm and a leg. Meanwhile, the highly rated Dutch oven by Amazon Basics looks identical and is a mere fraction of the price—and has fabulous reviews to boot. “I have used Le Creuset and was hesitant about trying this one, but I have used it a lot and cooks just as well as the overpriced ones,” wrote one fan.

They really want to go to Tokyo this year

And so they basically live at the Japanese market. Instead, gift them a Bokksu box to teleport them straight to Tokyo through an authentic assortment  of Japanese snacks, candies, and teas sourced directly from centuries-old family makers.

Skincare is their love language

Laneige is known for its cult-fave Lip Sleeping Masks in delectable flavors, but its Water Sleeping Mask also deserves the hype. Squalane is the secret ingredient that delivers intense hydration to nourish your skin barrier, and this bundle features a Cream Skin Toner to double the moisture and keep your skin pH-balanced, happy, and supremely healthy.

Give them the spa treatment with a robe

If they’re lusting after a membership to the Turkish bathhouse, at least gift them the vibes of such a venerable establishment with this super plush robe from Brooklinen. It’s made from 100% Turkish cotton—enough said.

A chic gooseneck kettle for a better morning bev experience

No more microwaving their water to enjoy a cup of tea or coffee—Cosori’s popular gooseneck kettle (a lookalike of the way pricier Stagg EKG electric kettle) means hot water fast and without any loud whistling, at the perfect temperature for pouring over your beverage of choice. Plus, it features five precise temperature presets that can keep liquids warm for up to an hour.

They live and die for the SSENSE archives

And they deserve a hoodie that shouts them out. This cozy hoodie from Montreal-based skatewear brand Dime is one of our fave picks from SSENSE’s huge winter sale.

They share their Strava map on their Instagram story

On makes some of the best running gear ever, and not just its cult-fave sneakers. Looking for a gift for a gym rat or runner who doesn’t miss a workout even in January? If they’re gonna freeze they might as well do it in breathable fabric (then wear these year-round when temperatures warm up).

An ice cream maker to bring the magic home

Half-eaten ice cream pints taking up way too much space in their freezer? Have them make fresh batches to eat as they go with a two-quart ice cream maker that can whip frozen treats up within 20 minutes.

Feed their sneaker obsession

TASCHEN’s new edition of its classic sneaker tome, World’s Greatest Sneaker Collectors, is a treasure trove of glossy pictures from prominent sneaker collectors, as well as an extensive guide to sneaker care and maintenance.

Bring their Joshua Tree ‘shroom trip to their nightstand

Goblincore, but make it fashion. Mushrooms are having a major cultural moment right now, whether they’re in the kitchen, guiding spiritual/wellness endeavours, or popping up in designer collections, because they’re the SAUCE, dude. Gift your favorite psilocybin-lover Amazon’s bestselling, orange-hued mushroom lamps. Comfort, style, and ambiance in a single gift package.

The ultimate status flask

Fun fact: If you take a swig from this slick little Supreme flask, it actually makes you a better skateboarder.

The status hand wash for upgrading their bathroom sink

As proud followers of the cult of fancy hand soaps, we stan Aesop hard. The brand’s iconic Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash has single-handedly turned the boring task of washing our hands into a spa-level experience, and the brand’s range of earthy, unisex salves and balms continues to impress every visitor of our home office (the bathroom).

Say it with (LEGO) flowers

Sure, a box of Venus et Fleur roses last around a year, which is waaaaay longer than any corner store flowers, but they’ll cost you a small fortune (a small box starts at $300), and eventually they’ll shrivel and turn brown. But not a LEGO bouquet. A gorgeous arrangement of these beloved, miniature bricks is not only fun to put together for kids and adults alike, but it will last a lifetime (or until someone stubs their toe on it).

The perfect house slipper

Listen, UGG slippers still got it. There’s a reason these suckers are beloved by everyone from Paris Hilton and the Y2K generation to crusty SoCal surfers, and it’s because they’re supremely comfortable. Plus, they really mold to the shape of your foot after enough wear.

They’re the salt to your pepper

These salt and pepper shakers are by Le Creuset, which is like the Hermès of cast iron cookware, and they look as if they’ve been dipped in a sunset and polished to a fine sheen by the breath of Julia Child herself. They’ll be the perfect pop of color, floating around the kitchen table.

‘Die Hard’ is their favorite Christmas movie

Sure, they have plenty of baseball hats and beanies to prove fealty to their favorite team. But does your giftee have an authentic 1990s promo hat for the cinematic masterpiece that is Die Hard with a Vengeance? Yippee-ki-yay, baby.

If they constantly have the sniffles

Allergies, everyday congestion, and needless sneezing all go bye-bye when you outfit your apartment with the editor-fave Levoit Purifier, which removes dust, pollen, and any airborne irritants from the air. “My roommate’s cat came into my room to chill and—right on time (thanks, allergies)—my nose started getting stuffy. I fired up the air purifier and felt relief within 10 minutes,” VICE writer Nicolette Accardi wrote in her review.

 Yes, you can afford a Turkish rug

Tired of listening to your partner, parent, or roommate talk about saving up for a real Turkish or Moroccan rug? There are plenty of colorful, affordable options on Etsy for under a hundo that will blow their mind, if you know where to look (and we do).

Let’s hit the steakhouse, baby

For a subtle (as subtle as blinged-out earrings can be) nod to their favorite cocktail, these little martini-obsessed huggies say, “I like my drink glacier-cold and my steak medium-rare.” Perfect for the person who can’t wait to order extra olives.

Jackie O’s favorite dishes

Lettuceware walked so that Puppets and Puppets’ cookie bags could run. We could write a whole thesis about the cultural staying power of this majolica classic, which was popularized in the 1950s in America by designers like Dodie Thayer and coveted by the likes of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. It’s very classy, a little weird, and will impress any rich Connecticut aunt or food-obsessed friend who visits your abode.

A sexy candle that burns clean

Don’t know what to buy a picky person who has everything? Flamingo Estate is the luxury lifestyle brand from Los Angeles, California whose selection of organic pantry staples and home goods never misses, from its bestselling, heritage EVOO to its selection of biodegradable, herbaceous candles. There’s an entire VICE guide to shopping the delectable brand, but we will be copping its limited edition Spiraling Candle for our discerning giftee. The candle has a sick graphic design, and is poured into a thick, green glass vessel that we will be upcycling as a planter. As for the scent: Prepare your nostrils for romantic and earthy notes of narcissus, wood, and white paperbark.

It’s humidifier season

This bestselling humidifier would normally cost around $100, but it’s nearly 27% off right now on Amazon. The high-rated appliance has over 56,100 reviews on the site, and it won’t look fuggo in your giftee’s bedroom thanks to its understated, sleek black design. It’s the perfect gift for that friend who is always complaining about dry winter skin, or for the person who won’t stop talking about the monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

They secretly want to be a butcher

If they chew your ear off about making homemade sausage, then a meat grinder attachment for their stand mixer is the perfect way to give them a more DIY, delicious 2024. The kit includes fine, medium, and coarse grinding plates and two sausage stuffer tubes to make the meat magic happen.

Can you ‘stand’ how cute this is?

Yes, you can. This Japanese tempura shrimp phone stand looks good enough to eat and satisfies our craving for more interesting, aesthetic tech accessories. It’s 2023, for crab cake’s sake! We can do better than making everything rose gold.

If they’re casually (or seriously) witchy

Every friend group has one: The friend who celebrates spooky season year-round charges their crystals under the full moon and has a running list of their favorite cryptids. Etsy is full of witchy wonders, from psychic readings to witchcraft kits, including this affordable travel kit packed with “an abundance of herbs in corked glass bottles, crystals such as amethyst, and rose quartz, and essential oils like lavender, frankincense, and patchouli, and even a wand,” all in an “ancient wooden box [that] will make your witch-crafting special and convenient.”

A Stanley Kubrick-worthy clock

In other post-post-post-modern news, we’re declaring that clocks are back. Not just wall clocks, but the good old fashioned, Don Draper-era nightstand clocks that remind us of our own delicious mortality. Case in point: This flip clock was crafted by one of the world’s original flip clock manufacturers, which has been in business since 1956.

A robot pet feeder

Let’s get real, here. You’re a busy bee, and so is your fluffy companion. You both deserve an inoffensive-looking robot-butler that dispenses Fluffy’s food like clockwork, so y’all can keep cuddling on the couch, uninterrupted (and so that little fool doesn’t wake you up at the crack of dawn every day).

Is this heaven or Las Vegas?

Definitely heaven, although that would depend on how well you swaddle your giftee in in this Cocteau Twins woven blanket while they reminisce back to times when Coachella used to be one weekend.

The perfect cashmere sweater

Honestly, we thank the Greek gods of our choice for Quince every holiday season. The direct-to-consumer luxury brand has saved us hundreds of clams on everything from leather bags to cashmere wardrobe staples over the years, including this Mongolian cashmere sweater. We’re suckers for the classic charcoal shade, but the buttery-soft pullover comes in a dozen colorways.

Juice up their bar cart

… With this set of not two, but four handcrafted, recycled glass tumblers. Just imagine how tight they’ll look next to your buddy’s bar cart lineup of rare bitters and spirits.

Happy shopping. Can’t wait to dry each other’s tears at the next White Elephant party.

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The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.