21+ practical gifts that are too useful to get re-gifted: toilet paper, fancy salt, stress balls and more
I’m a firm believer that the best gifts are the most practical ones. That includes everyday items your recipient genuinely needs, products that make their lives easier, upgrades to their favorite basics and tools they’ll actually use — no trinkets or tchotchkes that create clutter and will likely end up in their re-gift pile, or, even worse, the junk drawer.
To narrow down my picks, I polled the NBC Selected staff, talked to my loved ones and even asked people from across the country while they visited New York City’s Rockefeller Plaza. I also thought about the practical gifts I’ve received that genuinely made a difference in my life, and ones I’ve given that got the best reactions from recipients. Read on to see my full list of the best practical gifts this year.
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The best practical gifts of 2026
An AirTag is a gift that anyone in your life will be grateful for, even if they already own one — we all have a few things we need help keeping track of, be it keys, a wallet or luggage. Apple’s coin-sized device automatically pairs with your giftee’s iPhone and shows them its location in the Find My app via GPS. As needed, they can use the app to ping their AirTag so it plays a sound from its built-in speaker, as well as get step-by-step directions to find it. The tracker’s replaceable battery lasts for longer than a year, according to the brand.
I attach AirTags to my keys and bags with a Belkin keychain. I always gift one along with the device to make it as functional as possible for my loved ones from the moment they unwrap it.
I often say that Maldon’s sea salt flakes are like statement jewelry to an outfit: They’re a detail you throw on last, but they make your whole dish come alive. The light, crunchy pieces enhance the flavor of whatever your giftee is eating, so much so that they’ll start sprinkling the salt on top of everything after you buy them this 20-ounce resealable tub. Even so, there’s so much salt inside the container that it will take them months to go through, speaking from experience. The salt’s pyramid-shaped pieces also look beautiful on top of dishes like roasted vegetables, salads, meat, fish, chocolate and cookies.
You can’t give your loved one a better night’s sleep, but you can give them helpful tools that might lead to improvement, like the Hatch Sleep Clock. It’s a sunrise alarm clock and sound machine with built-in sensors that track your recipient’s sleep patterns — the sensors monitor movement and breathing patterns, so they don’t have to wear any tech to bed. As the device tracks their sleep, it collects data in the Hatch app and recommends ways to improve their slumber, like going to bed at a specific time, creating a certain wind down routine or listening to soothing nature sounds while they doze off.
Your giftee can customize the Hatch Sleep Clock’s sunrise alarm clock and noise machine features through the app. Once they set everything up, they don’t have to use their phone to control it — they can keep their phone out of their bedroom and open the app after they get out of bed to review data from the previous night’s rest.
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One of the best presents I’ve ever received is a 24-roll box of Who Gives A Crap toilet paper — yes, seriously. It’s annoying to spend money on essentials you constantly run out of, so when someone takes that expense off your plate, it really is a gift. Since I appreciated it so much, I now buy TP for my loved ones and I always get the most enthusiastic thank you from them.
Who Gives A Crap is my favorite toilet paper brand to gift because recipients get a laugh out of the brand’s name and each roll is individually wrapped in cute, colorful paper. The TP is made from recycled paper, making it an eco-friendly option, and the rolls are extra long, so they last a while.
A personal fan may be the most useful during the warmer months, but it’s also helpful after a sweaty workout, at the office if the heat is blasting, for those prone to hot flashes and anyone who lives in an all-year hot environment. NBC Selected editorial operations associate Jem Alabi’s top pick is the Shark ChillPill, which is a fan, a mister and a cooling plate in one.
“The battery lasts me the whole day and the cooling plate allows me to cool my face without messing up my makeup,” she says. “I have the pink one and it genuinely acts as an accessory for me when I’m hot. It’s powerful but not heavy, and I can use it at my desk as well since it has a stand — I don’t need to hold it all the time.”
When I can’t find my Slice box cutter, I genuinely start to panic — that’s how much I use it. The online shopper in your life will get a ton of use out of it, as will anyone who frequently opens or breaks down cardboard boxes. Its retractable ceramic blade slices through clamshell packaging, tape, cardstock, vinyl and plastic film. The box cutter has a curved handle that’s comfortable for right- and left-handed people to grip, giving your giftee control while making precise cuts. I recommend adding it to someone’s stocking or bringing it to a white elephant party.
A 3-in-1 AirPod, iPhone and Apple Watch charging stand is an upgrade your giftee won’t know how much they need until they have one. Once they set it up, they won’t have to worry about finding a charger for each of their devices, or get frustrated by ugly, tangled cables — Noco’s sleek charging station has a dedicated spot for everything to power up wirelessly. I keep one of the stands on my desk at work and another on my nightstand at home. Beyond how neat it keeps my tabletops, it also props my phone up horizontally or vertically, which makes taking video calls, scrolling and watching content much more convenient.
I’m not one to buy pricey skin care products, but after testing Cyklar’s Sensorial Body Wash, I’m not sure I can live without it. In fact, I look forward to using it so much that I get excited to shower. Many of my friends talk about wanting to try the brand, but they’re hesitant to splurge — that’s the perfect opportunity for me to gift them something they won’t buy for themselves.
Cyklar’s Sensorial Body Wash Gift Set comes with four mini bottles; each one is a different scent. They’ll get to try the rich, hydrating soap and decide which fragrance is their favorite so they know exactly what to buy in the future if they fall in love like I did.
Hulken’s rolling tote will make schlepping a thing of the past for whoever you buy it for. Your giftee can put literally anything inside and easily transport it: Think moving stuff around at home, bringing things to the car, or doing laundry or grocery shopping in a big city. The bag is made from durable, water-resistant material, and it stands up on its own while you’re loading and unloading it. It also folds flat while it’s not in use — I own two Hulkens and slide them under my couch or hang them up on the inside of a door since they pack down so well.
The Hulken, which comes in small, medium and large sizes, is made with four smoothly gliding wheels, three handles and a protective zippered cover.
I enjoy having a candle’s fragrance wafting throughout my home, but I can’t trust my cats around an open flame — many of my loved ones feel the same about their pets and kids. A candle warmer lamp like this one is the solution. Your giftee puts a candle under the bulb, and as it warms up and melts the wax, the scent will start to fill up the space. Marycele’s candle warmer is height adjustable, letting your recipient raise or lower it based on the size of their candle, and it has a built-in dimmer and timer. Plus, the warmer is beautifully designed and emits a warm light, so it acts as a piece of home decor that gives rooms a cozy feel.
Your loved one may be on a quest to reduce their screentime, which the Brick Phone Distraction Blocker can help with. “It shows you the ugly truth about how often you look at your phone.” says NBC associate art director Kara Birnbaum. “When I first got it, I was shocked at how often I was picking up my phone to scroll. It has seriously improved my sleep because of the time restrictions I put in place.”
Once your giftee connects the Brick to the brand’s app, they’ll select specific apps and websites for the device to lock at designated times. Then, they’ll tap their phone to the Brick to activate the restrictions, a.k.a. Brick Mode. Later on, they’ll tap their phone to the Brick again to disable Brick Mode, giving them access to all apps and websites. The Brick app has modes your giftee can customize and turn on while they’re working, studying, spending time with family and sleeping, and it tracks overall phone usage. There’s also a timer that starts as soon as your recipient is in Brick mode, letting them monitor how long they’ve stayed focused.
I’m a firm believer that every couch needs an oversized, ridiculously soft blanket to snuggle up with. When I visit someone’s home and they don’t have one, I make a mental note to gift them Cocoon’s. The blanket, which comes in small, medium and large sizes, is made from plush, non-shedding fabric, and it’s double-sided, so your giftee stays cozy no matter how they drape it over themselves. It also won’t lose its feel or shrink when your recipient cleans it, in my experience. Cocoon’s blankets come in more than a dozen solid colors and striped prints, letting you choose one that matches your loved one’s home.
Solo travelers, city dwellers, runners and college students are some of the main groups of people I buy She’s Birdie’s personal safety alarm for. My aunt bought me one as a high school graduation gift years ago so I could use it on campus, and I still keep it on my keychain to this day while living in Manhattan.
The little device plays a loud siren and flashes a strobe light when your recipient pulls its top ring, drawing attention to themselves if they need help and potentially deterring threats, according to the brand. She’s Birdie says they get 120 minutes of use on a full battery, and can use the device as a flashlight. It comes on a keychain so your giftee can attach it to their keys, bag or even their pant loops.
Squishes have been popular all year among adults and kids, and they’re more practical than you may think: Squeezing and playing with them is soothing for some people and helps ground them when they’re anxious. NBC Selected commerce editor Bethany Heitman recommends gifting Speks’ squishy stress balls to loved ones who might find them relaxing to play with.
“Controversial opinion, but I love Speks squishies even more than NeeDoh — and you can usually find them in stock, which is a major win in the hard-to-find squishy game,” she says. “I have this set at my desk and reach for it anytime I’m brainstorming or on a Zoom. They have a bumpy yet smooth texture that feels fun in your palm, and the inside filling is firm but malleable enough to make squeezing it satisfying. I also love that the muted tones look a little chicer than other brightly colored squishies, so they don’t stand out from my home decor quite as much.”
I’m all for reading the hard copy of a book, but it often weighs down bags and takes up too much room. Help your loved one read wherever and whenever they want by gifting them the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, one of our team’s top e-readers. “As an avid reader, the Kindle is my favorite way to read new books without adding to my overflowing bookshelf,” says NBC Selected commerce editor Mili Godio. “I’ve had mine since 2019 and have well over a hundred books loaded in it. I love that it’s slim and portable, so I don’t have to carry a bulky book when I’m traveling.”
The Kindle Paperwhite has a glare-free display with an adjustable warm light that makes words easy to see in all conditions. It’s also waterproof for poolside, beachside and bath reading. The battery lasts up to 12 weeks on a single charge, according to the brand.
Your loved one shouldn’t only upgrade their socks when they develop holes. Encourage them to toss old, ratty pairs by gifting them a pack of Bomba’s ankle socks, which are good for everyday wear. They come in a set of four for men and women, and they have a medium level of cushioning that pads feet just enough to keep them comfortable, but not too much that they make shoes feel tight, in my experience. The socks have a seamless toe to prevent irritation, a tab by the back of the ankle to prevent rubbing and blisters, and they gently squeeze the arches for extra support.
If your loved one loves caffeine but hates when their beverage gets lukewarm, buying them an Ember mug is a no-brainer. The top-shelf dishwasher-safe, self heating mug keeps coffee at the user’s preferred temperature for up to three hours with the included lid, or all day if they rest it on the coasting charger between sips.
Unlike previous iterations of the Ember mug, your giftee doesn’t need to use the companion app to customize its settings, although they can if they’d like to. Now, they can simply adjust the temperature and monitor battery level with controls on the cup.
I always include a bag of coffee beans with any gift I give my loved ones who grind them fresh at home. I always hear them talk about needing to buy more beans, so I like to take that one item off their grocery list. Godio’s favorite coffee beans are from Irving Farm, a New York-based roaster. “This is one of my favorite coffee blends to brew at home, and I even used them well before I moved to New York City,” she says. “It has a rich, chocolate and caramel flavor that makes it delicious to drink on its own, no milk or syrups required.”
An LED magnifying mirror will make your giftee see pores they never knew they had, hairs they need to pluck and uneven eyeliner they have to fix. It causes them to be more up close and personal with their skin care and makeup routine, which, for some, like NBC Selected senior editor Shalwah Evans, is exactly what it’s missing.
“I’ve been wanting a magnifying mirror to help me pluck the little hairs on my chinny chin chin — yep, I’m not ashamed,” says Evans. “Both the LED light and the magnifier on this one will help me see the short and fine ones better, and the stand makes it easy to move from my desk or vanity to the bathroom sink or wherever I decide to do my grooming that day. As much as I’ve been needing this gadget I’ve been too much of a brat to buy it myself — probably because it makes me come to terms with why I really need it. Either way, I’d love for this to just show up at my door.”
“Hand sanitizer has been getting an upgrade since 2020 for obvious reasons, and I love how brands keep innovating on it to the point that it’s becoming giftable,” says Evans. “Every bottle in this trio from Gemi smells incredible, and the serum aspect of it prevents your hands from drying out. In fact, my hands often feel softer and smoother than they did before I applied it. You can gift this to a teen and let them add gems and stickers to personalize it, or to a bride (who will be shaking lots of hands in a short amount of time) who can add some pearls to give it a bridal look.”
“The AirFly is a gift that will always be relevant to people who travel,” says NBC Selected video editor Josh Rios. Your giftee plugs the device into the headphone jack on a plane’s seat and connects it to their wireless headphones, which transmits audio so they can enjoy in-flight entertainment instead of scrolling on their phone. The device also has receive mode, which lets your loved one connect music from their phone to a car or a boat’s aux port. It supports up to two headphones at a time, letting them share content with another person, and its battery lasts up to 25 hours, according to the brand.
A gift card is one of the least sentimental options out there, but it’s undoubtedly practical. It lets your recipient buy whatever they want, be it groceries and pet food or a new pair of boots. In fact, when I spoke to about 10 people in New York City’s Rockefeller Plaza to get a feel for their favorite practical gifts, almost everyone said a gift card first.
You can make a gift card feel more thoughtful by getting it from a store your loved one rarely shops but loves, or a store that they’ve never been to before but have on their wishlist. Gift cards for services and experiences are also popular right now, like spas, home cleaning services, fitness classes, trips to the movies and grocery delivery.
How I picked the best practical gifts in 2026
To recommend the best practical gifts, I drew on my experience as a shopping reporter who tests hundreds (if not thousands) of products year round. I also received recommendations from the NBC Selected team. Every option on my final list comes from a brand we’ve previously covered or tried first-hand. Brands sent us some of the products I included above as courtesy samples for testing. We bought others ourselves as gifts for loved ones, or received them as gifts.
Why trust NBC Selected?
I’m a reporter at NBC Selected, where I’ve been writing gift guides for more than six years. I’ve covered topics like Advent calendars, gifts for coffee lovers, collectible gifts and Hanukkah gifts. For this article, I compiled a list of the best practical gifts of 2026, including highly rated options, NBC Selected reader favorites and ones our team tested.
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