Gift guide: TechCrunch’s favorite things - TechCrunch

Gift Guide 2025: TechCrunch editors' favorite things and unexpected tech gifts

We spend all year testing gear and apps, so when something wins us over, it’s worth your attention. This editor-curated gift guide highlights clever, offbeat, and genuinely useful picks across audio, productivity, wellness, reading, home tech, and more. Perfect for tech lovers who want something different from the usual standbys.

• Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 headphones (Julie Bort): Open-ear, bone-conduction headphones that keep you aware of your surroundings without sacrificing sound quality. Comfortable with sunglasses and hats, and no ear-canal fatigue.

• Brain.fm (Rebecca Bellan): A focus-boosting music service with science-backed, lyric-free tracks and a handy timer that pairs well with the Pomodoro Technique.

• Focus Friend (Anna Heim): Hank Green’s playful-yet-practical focus app, named Google Play’s app of the year. Free to start; the lifetime upgrade makes a great gift.

• Omnilux Contour mask (Emma Comeau): A cordless red-light therapy mask to reduce redness and improve skin tone and texture. Long battery life and easy to use at your desk; wrinkle claims pending longer-term use.

• Audio Hijack (Tim De Chant): Essential Mac software for capturing high-quality audio from any app. Record separate channels for clarity, get inline transcription, and keep files local. Dreaming of an iOS/iPadOS version.

• Ozlo Sleepbuds (Sarah Perez): Comfortable sleep earbuds that mask noise from streets, snoring, or roommates. Sale price around $274 (retail $349). Stream built-in sleep sounds or your phone’s audio; stay put for side sleepers; auto-pause on sleep. Cons: occasional Bluetooth hiccups and charging resets; best performance with onboard sounds and close proximity. Still a game-changer for quiet, restful nights.

• Kidee neck fan (Lauren Forristal): A $33.99 wearable fan that keeps you cool on commutes, workouts, and walks. Quiet on low, surprisingly stylish (often mistaken for headphones), and an everyday essential.

• Network Attached Storage (Zack Whittaker): Build your own NAS (Synology and Western Digital are great starts) to save money and host your life: recipe planners, news trackers, photo galleries, to-do lists, at-home media streaming, network-wide ad blocking, and office-suite alternatives. Access securely via your own VPN. Mostly user-friendly, with occasional tinkering that’s rewarding to learn.

• BenQ ScreenBar Halo 2 (Connie Loizos): A premium monitor light bar with a tactile controller that delivers late-night hacker vibes. Heavy enough to make some monitors sag, but delightful for ambience and productivity.

• Kindle remote control and stand (Amanda Silberling): An automatic page-turner plus a donut-shaped stand with magnetic rings for most e-readers and small tablets. Turns reading into a cozy nightly ritual and nudges better sleep habits.

• SpaRoom candle warmer (Aisha Malik): Enjoy candle scents without flame or smoke. Even melting prevents tunneling and gives a stronger, more consistent fragrance.

Find delightfully different tech gifts for 2025—from bone-conduction headphones and sleep earbuds to NAS servers, monitor light bars, and cozy reading accessories.

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/15/gift-guide-techcrunchs-favorite-things/