22 Cool Tech Gifts We Secretly Want for Ourselves for the Holidays 2026

If you know someone who has a pool in their backyard, you know that their biggest headache is maintenance. The Aiper Scuba V3 is a CNET Gift of the Year Award winner and garnered CNET’s Lab Test award for being the most efficient cordless pool cleaner we’ve have tested. It has a charging dock and can run for up to three hours in eco mode. CNET’s David Watsky appreciated its AI Patrol feature with cameras and sensors to track down leaves and dirt to clean the pool.

One of the top gifts of the year, the MacBook Neo is a premium MacBook at a lower price point than the MacBook Air or Pro models. It was released in March and has become a viral favorite thanks to its sleek design and fun color options like blush pink and citrus yellow. It has a 13-inch display and runs on the Apple A18 Pro chip. In his MacBook Neo review, CNET Senior Editor Matt Elliot also noted the “surprisingly impressive sound from stereo speakers”, and reports that it has “the same premium design and durability as Apple’s pricier MacBooks”.

Sitting at the top of Apple’s Watch lineup, the Apple Watch Ultra 4 is its most expensive smartwatch, but that price tag comes with plenty of perks. This rugged watch has a rugged titanium build with a flat-topped sapphire crystal display. It also has top-notch features to match, including an up to 50-hour battery life, satellite connectivity for off-the-grid emergencies, as well as a bright screen with a maximum of 3,000 nits, which makes it easy to see if you’re in the great outdoors. It’s perfect for adventure seekers and fitness enthusiasts.

This 2-in-1 cleaning robot is a thoughtful gift for the busy person in your life who doesn’t have time to waste on manually vacuuming and mopping their floors. This powerful robot vacuum and mop earned a CNET Lab Test Award this year for the best carpet pickup and successfully avoided pet waste, a sock and a pet toy in our testing. It’s one of the best robot vacuums we’ve tested and will keep their floors nice and clean while freeing up time to focus on more enjoyable activities.

Rated the best overall smart glasses in our testing, the Ran Ban Meta Gen 2 have stylish frames and excellent video quality. CNET Editor Scott Stein reports that they have “surprisingly good onboard audio for phone calls and music listening” and solid recording capabilities with improved 3K recording and stabilization. They also support real-time translation and AI assistance with built-in Meta AI. Meta did come out with a Gen 3 version in September, but they’re more expensive and only have a slightly better battery, so we still recommend the Gen 2 as the best value. 

Our CNET experts have tested a lot of headphones, but the Sony WH1000XM6 have prevailed as our top overall pick for the best headphones on the market. If you’re going to splurge on audio gear for a loved one, you might as well get them the best of the best. These Sony headphones have impressive sound quality, a comfortable design and excellent voice-calling performance with a 12-mic system. CNET Executive Editor David Carnoy recommends them for “frequent travelers, remote workers and commuters who demand top-tier sound quality, noise canceling and call quality in a comfortable headphone.”

If you’re shopping for a fitness enthusiast, this smart tracker can give them clear insights into their workouts, sleep and overall health and wellness. The Oura Ring 5 is one of our favorite wellness tech gifts for 2026, and our top pick for the best smart ring on the market. It has a sleek design that’s comfortable and stylish enough for everyday wear, which allows this smart ring to gather 24/7 insights into the wearer’s health and activity. In her full Oura Ring 5 review, CNET Principal Writer Vanessa Hand Orellana calls the Oura Ring 5 “the best smart ring you can buy…The design, the sensors, the battery life, the app — nothing else in the category comes close.”

“The Anker Nebula Capsule 3 is the size of a 16-ounce can, yet it’s capable of a big image,” said CNET contributor Geoffrey Morrison. It’s one of our favorite portable projectors for movie nights, and its compact size makes it easy to pack on camping trips and other travels. It runs on Google TV and is Netflix-certified, so it’s a good projector for accessing streaming shows and movies at home or outdoors. It can project a 2.5-hour movie or play up to 8 hours of music on a single charge, and it has a maxmimum screen size of 120 inches for big-screen fun in a compact device.

CNET Editor at Large Scott Stein called this the best value VR device, and it’s one of our favorite gaming gifts, offering a solid entry point for someone just venturing into VR or mixed reality gaming. The gaming device offers fast processing and smooth graphics with a Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor. It also comes with a 3-month free trial to Meta Horizon Plus, so the recipient can try out over 100 games on their new headset. Read our full Meta Quest 3S review.

Joining the Meta Quest 3S on our list of the best gaming gifts this holiday season is the Nintendo Switch 2. This fan favorite handheld console is a portable option for those who like to game on the go. CNET Editor Scott Stein shared in his updated 2026 Switch 2 review that the device “can rival current PC gaming handhelds in graphics.” He especially appreciated that it includes a TV dock and modular controllers as part of the package. The device has improved graphics over the original Switch, and is one of the most popular gaming consoles of the year.

For the person who loves to blast the tunes during backyard parties or outdoor adventures, the JBL Charge 6 may be the perfect gift. It has a rugged dust- and waterproof design with a removable handle and a total weight of 2.11 pounds. The Charge 6 offers clear, bass-heavy sound and has a USB-C port that can be used for a lossless wired connection or as a power bank to charge your phone. It’s one of our favorite Bluetooth speakers of 2026.

A good doorbell camera is a home security essential these days, especially for people who enjoy online shopping. The Ring Battery Doorbell Pro can help them keep tabs on package deliveries, ward off pourch pirates and much more. It’s got radar-powered 3D motion detection for precise alerts when someone approaches your home or rings the bell, and the two-way audio lets you communicate with visitors without opening the door. “The doorbell can do everything, more than any other model on the market, and its 4K resolution, 10x zoom and wide viewing angle can’t be beat,” said CNET Editor Tyler Lacoma in his Ring Battery Doorbell Pro review. 

Apple’s latest earbuds, the AirPods 5, just came out in mid-September. Now is the perfect time to treat the Apple tech enthusiast in your life to an upgrade. The AirPods 5 look identical to their predecessor but offer 50% more effective noise cancellation. In his AirPods 5 review, CNET audio expert David Carnoy said he was “surprised by how good they sounded for open earbuds” and praised their top-tier performance for phone calls.

Our favorite all-around e-reader, the Kindle Paperwhite is the perfect gift for the reader on your list. The new 2026 7-inch Kindle Paperwhite is 1mm slimmer and just a little lighter than its predecessor, weighing 7.2 ounces. It has a glare-free paper-like display and a waterproof design that makes it a go-to companion for outdoor reading by the pool or at the beach. It also has a lengthy battery life of up to 12 weeks on a single charge, so the recipient won’t have to constantly pause their reading to plug in. 

If you’re shopping for a travel enthusiast, this gadget can upgrade their in-flight entertainment experience. The AirFly Pro 2 can add Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity to just about anything, including the enterainment system on planes. This allows travelers to play a movie on the in-flight screen and connect their wireless headphones or earbuds. In his Twelve South AirFly Pro 2 review, CNET Contributor Geoffrey Morrison said that if you fly even occasionally, this gadget is worth packing in your carry-on. 

Our favorite power bank of 2026, the Iniu SnapGo Air makes a great gift for frequent travelers or anyone who frequently forgets to plug in their phone. This slim 10,000-mAh magnetic power bank works with MagSafe for wireless charging. It has an ultrafast 25-watt wireless charging speed and two USB-C ports. There is also an integrated LED that shows remaining battery life. In our testing, it was able to charge a MacBook Air without overheating and charged an iPhone 17 Pro almost twice (1.8 times) on a single charge. It’s a handy device to have on hand, and a practical gift to give this holiday season.

The Backbone One can snap onto compatible Apple and Android smartphones for mobile gaming. The attachable controller has ultra-wide analog triggers, high-precision thumbsticks, and a responsive D-pad for portable gaming. “The Backbone One is great for providing more gaming control than just a touchscreen, but when you still want something compact and easy to carry around,” said CNET’s Jason Cockerham in his Backbone One review.

If your friend or family member already has all the latest Apple tech, get them this 3-in-1 MagSafe charging stand from Belkin. It’s one of our favorite wireless chargers of 2026, and can simultaneously charge their iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods.

The JBL Vibe Beam 2 deliver powerful pure bass sound and active noise cancellation for under $50. These earbuds have four mics built in for crisp phone calls and video meetings. Plus, with a 10-hour battery life and a charging case that provides another three full charges, they offer plenty of playback time for commuting, gym sessions or everyday use.

This handy device is our favorite overall pet camera, and one of the best pet tech gifts to give this holiday season. CNET Senior Editor Tyler Lacoma praised the PetCube 360 Cam’s balance of “affordability with a strong suite of capabilities.” It offers 360-degree panning and 8x digital zoom to keep tabs on pets as they move around the room. It also has two-way audio for pet parents who want to say hi or redirect their pets during the day.

Many people are rediscovering the convenience of wired earbuds. They don’t need to be charged and offer some nice nostalgia. CNET Executive Editor David Carnoy reviewed the Panasonic ErgoFit buds and noted that the “remarkably good” sound quality for their low price. He described the audio as “well-balanced” with “an ample amount of detail and clarity.”

These Govee light bars are a simple upgrade for any entertainment or PC gaming setup. The smart light bars come as a pack of two and offer adjustable lighting in any room. Many people like to mount them to the back of their TVs for colorful backlighting.