Gear Diary’s 2021 Mother’s Day Gift Guide

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Mother’s Day is May 9th, and it is coming up sooner than you think! If you’ve been racking your brain for some great gifts that think outside of the jewelry, flowers, and candy box, we’ve got you covered. Whether you need to stick to a budget or the sky’s the limit, there is something for everyone in our 2021 Mother’s Day Gift Guide. Be sure to check out the awesome giveaway at the end!

PhotoSpring Digital Photo Frame

With families and friends separated this past year, it has been harder than ever to share memories with loved ones, whether across town or the country. PhotoSpring, a leading innovator in the digital photo frame market and the first to design a battery-powered frame that is easy to pick up and enjoy anywhere, has two new, second-generation Wi-Fi-enabled devices to display photos and videos that can be instantly sent to the frame from anywhere in the world via email, app or Web. The simplest way to share and videos to family regardless of how “tech-savvy” they are, PhotoSpring 10 Premium ($169) and PhotoSpring 10 Frame ($149) can both be purchased on Amazon.

14″ Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 PC

If Mom is still getting by with her ancient laptop, she’d be thrilled with the 14″ Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 PC. Not only is the Yoga 9i absolutely gorgeous, but it is powerful and fast enough to handle just about anything. You can read Judie’s full review on it here. It’s got a beautiful all-black aluminum exterior with a gorgeous leather-wrapped lid. The keyboard is excellent whether Mom is a touch-typist or a hunt-and-pecker, and it has a built-in Lenovo Active Pen for times when she’d prefer to use it as a tablet.

When Mom is ready to relax and watch a movie, she’ll love the Dolby Vision display and the laptop’s fabulous rotating soundbar that has two woofers and two tweeters and features a Dolby Atmos 360º sound. The Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 PC starts at $1299.99 (before any discounts); as Judie reviewed, it sells for $1729.99. You can build your own on the Lenovo site or get one that’s loaded out at Best Buy.

Incase Slip Sleeve with PerformaKnit for MacBook Air and MacBook Pro 

Completely with PerformaKnit’s fibers that stretch and adapt to the shape of Mom’s MacBook without adding any additional bulk, the $59.95 Incase Slip Sleeve is an easy-handling way of toting around their laptop without scratching or damaging it while on the go. With a magnetic snap enclosure to make sure it’s safely inside, there’s even a bit of room for a Mother’s Day Card with your own special flair.

LoveBox

Quite possibly one of the newer ways of expressing your love for the lady in your life, Greg purchased a Lovebox, the first love note messenger for his wife this year. An alternative to the predictable flowers that eventually get old, Lovebox allows Mom or Grandma to receive short messages, photos, or drawings courtesy of a companion iOS or Android phone.

When the Lovebox receives a message, a heart spins like a pinwheel on the outside of the box itself and continues to do so until the lid is lifted to reveal a message on the display. The LoveBox Mother’s Day bundle is $119 right now, and Greg highly recommends it!

ZVOX AV100 TV Speaker

The $99.99 ZVOX AV100 is a pint-sized TV speaker – weighing less than a pound – that packs a major audio punch and sophisticated technology into its 10” wide/2.5” high cabinet.  It’s also a thoughtful Mother’s Day gift that discreetly mitigates a common problem of aging – hearing loss.

As we age, our hearing acuity decreases. That natural process is worsened for TV watchers by movie soundtracks mixed for the theater rather than the living room, plus the poor quality speakers built into most flat-screen TVs. The AV100’s six levels of voice clarification virtually eliminate the need for Mom to rewind her shows to pick up missed dialogue. You can get the ZVOX AV100 TV Speaker directly from ZVOX or Amazon and Walmart.

Carhartt Bouquet

Carhartt understands that being a mom is basically being part of The Shift That Never Ends. To celebrate Mother’s Day, Carhartt has created a limited run of “Carhartt Bouquets.” They’re built to look like a floral bouquet – but when unraveled after Mother’s Day – they offer Mom some functional gear she can use for years to come.

The $51 bouquet features Carhartt’s colorful WK87 Workwear Pocket T-Shirts rolled to look like flowers with hand-sewn roses made of the brand’s duck fabric. Each limited-run bouquet features the Cantaloupe Heather, Ruby Heather, and Cobalt Heather t-shirt colors.

Yale

Yale is a great means of protecting your valuables, but even a better way for Mother’s to protect their kids! The Yale Smart Cabinet Lock mounts inside of most cabinets and drawers to safely store medicine, cleaning supplies, liquor and important documents. Paired with the Yale Access app, you can lock or unlock, and share access anytime from anywhere. This is ideal for making sure the kiddies dont end up opening up cabinets that you dont want them in!

Right now for Mother’s Day, you can get $15 off the Smart Cabinet Lock with Bluetooth using the code “BESTMOM15” or you can receive $25 off the Smart Cabinet Lock with Wi-Fi using the code BESTMOM25 both until May 12th.

Ellsworth + Ivey

Perfect for Mother’s Day, the adorable sweater brand Ellsworth + Ivey has launched customizable matching knits for you and your little one. The collection features matching pieces for Mommy and the kids for $366, which is great for a photo opportunity to show how much Mommy is loved (and who she’s loved by). According to the site, there’s still time to order and guarantee your sweaters arrive just in time for Mother’s Day — so be fast!

CBDistillery

I’ll bet that your mom suffers from muscle aches and pains (because we all do), and CBDistillery‘s $45 1000mg CBD Relief Stick is a great solution. The Relief Stick gives Mom about 33mg of targeted CBD per use combined with the cooling sensation of menthol. Judie mainly uses it on her neck and shoulders because she is notorious for not sitting up straight when working (tsk-tsk); she says it is the best topical CBD she has ever used, bar none. She mentioned that if Mom has long hair and will use it on her neck, she might want to wear her hair up that day as her hair will stick to her neck otherwise. But the results are worth it!

If you want to give your mom a CBD product that will help her relax and ease all-over body aches, CBDistillery’s $60 1000mg Relief Max CBD Oil is a great daily option. Using it is easy; Mom has to draw the amount she wants to use into the dropper and then place it under her tongue for 10-20 seconds before swallowing. Judie says that it’s got a milder taste than some of the other CBD tinctures she’s used, and she likes that.

If Mom needs a great face cream that will keep her skin calm, smooth, and moisturized while promoting skin elasticity, CBDistillery’s sister company, BOTA offers the best in plant-based, CBD-infused skincare. The $30 150mg Hydrating Daily Face Cream is the perfect gift. The cream inside the tub is lightly whipped, and it will make Mom’s face feel so soft without being greasy. Judie has been using it for the past few weeks; she says that a little goes a long way, and she is hooked!

All CBDistillery products are third-party lab-tested to ensure the highest quality and consistent serving sizes. CBDistillery products are made using U.S. Hemp Authority-certified non-GMO industrial hemp grown in the USA using natural farming practices.

Haverhill’s Ways to Say “Mama” Collection

There’s nothing like some fine jewelry to let Mom know that you truly love her. Haverhill is celebrating Mother’s Day with their Ways to Say “Mama” Collection. Consisting of bracelets and necklaces available with different names for Mom and in multiple lengths, the ‘Ways to Say “Mama”‘ Collection is made out of solid 14K gold and engraved on both sides. Prices range from $345 to $735.

OnePlus 9 5G and OnePlus 9 Pro 5G

OnePlus 9 Pro and OnePlus 9

If Mom’s smartphone is older than her youngest child, maybe it’s time to give her a huge upgrade! The new OnePlus 9 series features vibrant, large displays with fast refresh rates, top-of-the-line Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G mobile platform processors, fast wired charging, wireless charging, and OnePlus’s best-ever cameras with Hasselblad Camera for Mobile on-board. The OnePlus 9 5G starts at $729, and the OnePlus 9 Pro 5G starts at $1069.

Barton Perreira

Mothers deserve the best, and this year if you’re tired of buying her the same slippers or skincare products, show your mom that you truly care and want her to “see” how much you truly love her with some handcrafted frames by Barton Perreira. Regardless of whether she loves the sun or optical styles, there’s something for every mom.

From the Ostara, a hexagonal silhouette with hand-painted enamel rim with jewel tones, to the Amorfati, a retro-influenced oversized round shape, Barton Perreira makes the perfect gift for any mom, from Stylish, Cool, Modern to Luxury. Retailing from $495-$675, frames are available for purchase online, in all Barton Perreira stores, and at authorized retailers nationwide.

Anker Powerhouse II 800

The weather is unpredictable. We see evidence of that in massive power outages every time there is a disastrous tornado, hurricane, or —as we saw earlier this year — massive winter storm. While the $699.99 Anker Powerhouse II 800 might not be the first thing you think of when considering gifts for Mom, it will give both of you peace of mind the next time she is faced with a natural disaster.

Packing a massive 777 watt-hours, the Powerhouse II 800 has two AC outlets, two USB-C ports, four USB-A ports, one vehicle-class outlet, and two DC outlets. It is powerful enough to keep her phone charged up to 55 times, her laptop 10 or more times, a 40W fan running for up to 14 hours, or even a 50W mini-fridge running for up to 11 hours. It’s even handy if Mom likes to go camping or fishing; she’ll be able to keep essential things powered in the middle of nowhere!

LITTLE NOOK Wine Box

Bagged or boxed wine has always gotten a bad rap but on hot summer days, what’s better than topping off your wine as quickly and easily as possible. The Little Nook Wine Box lets you do just that with style. Available in several different colors, the $59.99 Little Nook is a bagged beverage dispenser made from compressed wood that adds a bit of fun and convenience to your bag of wine.

A handle on the top makes it easy to move from one location to the other. And a small blackboard area toward the top works with the included chalk so you can let your guest know what variety they are enjoying.

And for a bit of extra fun, you can purchase a 3-liter fillable bag so you can enjoy your own creations. The Little Nook measures 5.75″ x 6.5″ x 16″, weighs 4 pounds, and is designed to handle 3-liter beverage bags.

Arlo Essential Indoor Camera

Is Mom elderly and living at home alone? Would both of you feel better if she had a security camera inside her house? Arlo has an easy solution that will still give Mom privacy when she wants it in their new $99.99 Arlo Essential Indoor Camera with Automated Privacy Shield. The Privacy Shield concept is straightforward; it’s literally a cover that comes down over the lens when the camera isn’t being used. That way, Mom will have no concerns that her camera might be recording her or what’s going on in her home when she doesn’t want it to be. Likewise, she’ll know when it is recording or available to record because the shutter will be up.

In addition to the Privacy Shield, the Arlo Essential Indoor Camera offers 2-way audio, motion sensing, a 1080p high-definition camera, Google and Alexa integration, night vision, and a built-in siren that can be triggered either manually via the app or automatically. So both of you will get the peace of mind that comes with an indoor security camera without Mom feeling like she’s giving up her privacy.

NEFT Premium Vodka

Mothers need to be ready for anything, and that includes an unscheduled cocktail hour. NEFT Premium Vodka has just the solution. Made from Austrian spring water that has been filtered for fifty years beneath the Rhaetian Alps, NEFT vodka is “a blend of four ancient rye grains, thousands of years old, for a taste like no other.” NEFT sent us some samples, and they are delicious!

NEFT Vodka really stands out in its unique packaging; the vodka comes in an unbreakable metal barrel that stays cold for hours. It is an unusual packaging choice and, in a word, it’s just cool! The 750ml barrel is $36.99 and comes in your choice of black or white. A 100ml barrel, small enough to fit in a purse or backpack, is widely available for under $10. Check NEFT out.

ArT Wine Preserver

Pre-pandemic, an open bottle of wine might take a few days to finish. And while consumption might have increased and resulted in bottles that empty more rapidly than usual, there are still times when Mom might want to savor a bottle of wine over a period of a few days. That’s where the $14.99 ArT Wine Preserver comes in. Using pure argon gas to displace oxygen, the preferred method to prevent oxidation in wine, ArT is easy to use.

One can of ArT is enough for up to 40 bottles which, once “treated,” can stay fresh for 7 – 30 days. Don’t be surprised if you purchase ArT, and it feels as if the can is empty. It’s not. So when you are done with a bottle for the night, you spray a bit of the ArT into the bottle and then reseal it with the included ArT Wine Stopper. We checked it out, and ArT does keep wine fresher!

ScanSnap iX 1600 Scanner

ScanSnap’s latest and greatest scanner may not be the most sentimental gift, but it is a powerful way to help Mom (or anyone else) go paperless and stay organized. The latest generation of ScanSnap scanners, the iX 1600 connects to Mom’s mobile device wirelessly, works seamlessly with various cloud services, and gives clean, clear scans in mere seconds. Available in your choice of black or white, it is available on Amazon for $399.99. Once Mom gets one, she’ll wonder how she ever stayed organized without it.

And, of course, there’s Amazon!

Amazon is a great resource for interesting and thoughtful Mother’s Day gifts. Regardless of whether your Mom is a Home-Design lover, has an active lifestyle, or is heavily into beauty products, there are many great choices to be found there. If you have an Amazon Prime account, shipping is fast and free for many items!

 

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About the Author

Greg Alston
Diehard Apple fanboy, and lover of all things tech. Born and raised in Washington, DC, Greg enjoys spending time with his wife, family, and friends, live sporting events, good bourbon, Tetris, and pizza. In that order.