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Samantha Schoech is a writer focusing on gifts. She spends her time finding things that combine quality, beauty, usefulness, and delight. CNC Machining Parts
We’ve updated our under $10 picks with some cool new gift ideas, including snazzy socks, a playlist keyring, and erasable metallic pens for keeping wine glasses sorted.
It’s pretty easy to find a great gift that costs over $10 (and if you have more to spend, we have excellent roundups with hundreds of picks under $25, $50, and $100.)
But what about things that cost less than $10? Below we list 40-ish items, all of them useful, vetted, and sure to be appreciated by nearly any lucky recipient. Highlights include utilitarian favorites, such as a seemingly magic keychain multi-tool and reusable Swedish dishcloths. We also have more-playful picks, such as almonds dressed as olives and sparkly socks.
Keep in mind that while we made every effort to confirm that all of these items meet that $10 threshold, prices can dance around a bit—especially during the holidays. Either way, 10 bucks still goes a long way.
These striking, semi-sheer lower-calf-length socks—topped by a solid band of contrasting color—shimmer with a low-key iridescent sparkle. But they come only in a single size, for women’s sizes 5 to 8.
From: Yes, Everyone’s Socks Are Showing. Here’s How to Rock the Trend—and the Pairs We Love.
This 100% plant-based soap has ground apricot kernels and coffee for scrubbing the dirt away, and it smells like an herb garden.
May be out of stock
This tea manages to pull off a fruity sweetness without overwhelming, and it surprises with its strength.
From: The Best Teas We’ve Tasted
The 2-inch stainless steel keychain features a scannable barcode that pulls up a special Spotify song or playlist of your choice.
From: Gifts for Listening to Music
Lucas’ Papaw Ointment comes in a generous 25-gram tube. It’s a terrific, SPF-free moisturizer that works to soothe cracked, irritated skin anywhere on the body—not just lips.
Kids (and kids at heart) will love these glowing accessories. They’re also great for spotting one another in a crowd.
From: Cheap(ish) Things to Bring Trick-or-Treating
Compared with traditional metal jiggers, this clear plastic OXO mini cup has easier-to-read measurement markings and is less messy to use.
From: The Best Barware for Making Cocktails at Home
Washable, compostable, and quick-drying, each colorful reusable cloth takes the place of 17 rolls of paper towels, according to the company.
From: Gifts for People Who Love to Clean
These strong fasteners wrap around themselves to tightly bundle multiple items. They’re a simple, inexpensive solution to an all-too-common problem.
From: Tips to Declutter Your Home
With these colorful, BPA- and phthalate-free plastic straws, kids (and adults) can sip through their name.
From: The Best Personalized Gifts
Keep pricey electronics safe and dry with this triple-sealed pouch affixed to an adjustable lanyard.
From: Cheap(ish) Things to Bring to the Beach
Cheap and durable, these lightweight mixing bowls are sold individually, and they are ideal for assembling a custom set.
From: The Best Mixing Bowls
These affordable, smooth-zipping mesh pouches let users see what’s inside, for easy organization.
From: The Best Bag and Cable Organizers
This luxe hand sanitizer spray comes in sophisticated scents like vetiver, eucalyptus, and bergamot. And the flat, slim dispensers are refillable.
From: Gifts for Frequent Travelers
This surprisingly handy telescoping back scratcher extends to about 20 inches for reaching hard-to-reach itches.
From: Wirecutter-Approved Stocking Stuffers for Adults
This freely swinging, comfy-to-hold rope will satisfy beginners and most fitness fanatics seeking a quality rope at a good price.
From: The Best Jump Rope
With these pins, you can easily throw your hair in a twist or a bun. The style is so simple, but the size, shape, and finish are effortlessly elegant.
From: Our Favorite Hair Ties, Scrunchies, and Clips
These straws have a silicone top and a stainless steel base, but they don’t come with a carrying case.
May be out of stock
From: The Best Reusable Straws
These unique chopsticks are so special they’re used in a Michelin-starred restaurant. They can’t go in the dishwasher, though.
With their dense, slightly spongy texture, these balls are still firm enough to roll out muscle tightness from shins, calves, arches, or wherever a little pressure is needed.
From: What a Wirecutter Writer (and Personal Trainer) Uses to Work Out at Home
Made with reflective Scotchlite material for a safer ride, these spoke clips snap on easily.
This titanium-coated stainless gadget attaches to a keychain and includes a bottle opener and five other handy tools.
From: Wirecutter-Approved Stocking Stuffers for Adults
Often imitated but not yet duplicated, these bath bombs “explode” as soon as they hit the water, filling tubs with gorgeous color, long-lasting fragrance, and skin-soothing oils.
From: The Best Bath Bombs Are Lush Bath Bombs
Comfortable to hold and affordable, this model is the best of the cheap, simple tablet styluses.
From: The Best Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite Accessories
With its fast-drying ink, this pen is our go-to for everyday writing on any kind of paper.
This brightly colored tag is easy to spot in a crowd. It displays a bag owner’s name but keeps other personal information out of sight.
From: The Best Luggage Tags
This budget-friendly shirt is a comfortable weight, and the quality is decent enough. It comes in a wide range of sizes, from XS to 5XL, but it does shrink quite a bit in the wash.
From: The Best Men’s White T-Shirts
This 2-gallon, leak-proof receptacle is a staff favorite. There are rubber flaps over the opening, to keep debris and any accompanying odors contained.
From: This $10 ‘Carbage Can’ Made My Car Less Disgusting
This pencil’s rotating lead keeps the tip sharp, making for the cleanest and most consistent writing. The newest version also has a pocket-safe retractable tip.
From: The Best Mechanical Pencils
These delicate French sardines, a favorite of Wirecutter kitchen staffers, are flash-fried and then preserved using only olive oil and salt.
From: Wirecutter-Approved Stocking Stuffers for Adults
These tapers (sold in pairs) are charming, if prone to dripping, and they come in vibrant colors.
From: Our Favorite Tapered Candles
This spiky plastic sphere is perfect for rolling under sore arches or loosening knots in other muscles.
The whimsical tin contains 48 brightly colored, flexible bandages in 12 sizes. These bandages come in all sorts of patterns and themes, including monsters, jellyfish, and space.
From: Gifts You Can Get at the Grocery Store
These white-chocolate-covered almonds masquerade as martini olives.
From: The Best White Elephant Gifts Under $25
These cute porcelain cats perform a small but important task: keeping chopsticks off the table.
From: The Best White Elephant Gifts Under $25
This itty-bitty Uno set is just 3 inches long and can sit in a bag or pocket, ready for games on the go.
This design classic has legible markings and cleans up better than plastic versions.
From: Cheap(ish) Kitchen Essentials to Make Thanksgiving Prep a Little Smoother
These mini cacti magnets aren’t the strongest in the world. But they come in six detailed varieties and easily keep a photo on the fridge.
From: Gifts for Plant Lovers
We love finding gifts that are unusual, thoughtful, and well vetted. See even more gift ideas we recommend.
This article was edited by Hannah Morrill and Jennifer Hunter.
Except for the time she gave a boyfriend her mother’s old toaster for Christmas, staff writer Samantha Schoech has a reputation as an excellent gift giver. She lives in San Francisco with two teens, two cats, a geriatric betta fish, and a bookseller husband. Her first book of short stories, My Mother’s Boyfriends, is coming out in 2024.
The very best of our favorite finds under $50, all in one place.
True delight and even a bit of luxury can be found for $100. Check out our picks.
by Dorie Chevlen and Samantha Schoech
Quirky and quippy Wirecutter-approved gifts for laughs, not landfills.
We firmly believe gifts don’t have to be pricey to be stylish, useful, surprising, and delightful.
OEM steel stamping parts Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time).