33 Best Gifts for Teens: Editor- and Teen-Approved

Yes, it’s a splurge, but this isn’t just any Bluetooth speaker. The JBL PartyBox cranks out some serious sound — more than what you’d get from a boombox speaker — and it has a light show that syncs to the beat of your music. It’s also IPX4 splash-proof (pool party, anyone?) and has guitar and mic inputs, perfect for karaoke night.

For a teen who’s new to the world of 3D printing, the A1 Mini Combo is a perfect entry point. It comes with an app that makes it easy to get started, and the quality of the print is surprisingly good for this price. Read our review of the Bambu Lab A1 Mini Combo here.

Does your teen need a great record player to explore their budding interest in vinyl? CNET editor Ty Pendlebury tested a slew of turntable models and appreciated the sound quality and easy setup of Audio-Technica’s AT-LP60X. Read about its score breakdown here. 

Yes, it’s pricey, but this portable projector from Anker is worth it for teens who love movies, TV shows or video games (which is pretty much all teens) and want to enjoy their entertainment anywhere. Even though it’s roughly the size of a 16-ounce beverage can, the Nebula Capsule 3 delivers a big, bright picture, giving your teen an impressive big-screen experience, even if they’re outside. It’s on our list of the best portable projectors of 2026.

A portable Bluetooth speaker will let your teen take their music with them wherever they go, whether it’s a pregame tailgate, a bonfire at the beach or just a hangout in the backyard. The JBL Charge 6 offers impressive sound for its compact size, which is why it’s on CNET’s list of the best Bluetooth speakers of 2026. Available in multiple colors — including black, blue, teal and pink — CNET audio expert David Carnoy calls it “easily one of the best speakers in its size class.” 

AirPods are a teen staple, so if you know a teen who doesn’t have a pair yet or needs an upgrade, this gift is a sure bet. The AirPods 5 are the newest AirPods in Apple’s lineup, and the improvements in sound and noise cancellation make them a worthy upgrade, according to CNET’s David Carnoy.

This mini Bluetooth speaker from JBL won’t deliver as much volume and bass as the Bose SoundLink Plus, but it costs considerably less and still offers decent sound for its size. Its small design also makes it ultraportable: You can easily clip it to a backpack or a bike or even fit it in a large pocket.

While earbuds are great, a good set of noise-canceling headphones can offer more immersive music listening and help with focused productivity during long study sessions. If you don’t want to splash out on the $549 AirPods Max 2, Anker’s Soundcore Space 2 headphones are an affordable, top-notch choice. Winner of a 2026 CNET Editors’ Choice Award, these headphones offer a comfortable fit, adaptive noise canceling, and excellent sound for the price.  

At the top of any PC gamer’s list is a premium mouse that can endure hours of play. Razer makes some of our favorite gaming mice. While the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K isn’t the cheapest of the bunch, it makes up for it in premium features, including its crisp click response and a DPI of up to 35,000. Hardcore gamers will appreciate its smooth and precise feel, ergonomic design and killer-looking customizable RGB lighting.

The Meta Quest 3S is our top pick for the best VR headset. This headset is a step up from the Quest 2, allowing for more intuitive interactions and realistic sensations. It plays a wide variety of games, from shooters and puzzles to aircraft simulation. Plus, you can do more than just play games, like go to concerts, attend workout classes and more.

Any PC gamer will tell you: A high-quality headset is essential for a totally immersive gaming experience. With SteelSeries’ Arctis Nova Pro, you get a lot for the money, including a comfortable fit, spatial audio for immersive surround sound, solid noise cancellation and a good microphone.

Sure, it recently got a price hike, but it’s still tons of fun. The Switch 2 offers a 7.9-inch screen, cool magnetic-attaching controllers and better graphics than previous generations. You could pay less for the stripped-down Switch Lite, but you won’t be getting the versatility and premium build of the Switch 2.

Apple’s MacBook Neo is a CNET Editors’ Choice Award winner and our favorite laptop for college students. At $699, it’s almost half the cost of the cheapest MacBook Air, and it offers enough performance to provide everything most students would need in a laptop. 

Waking up in the morning is hard. But it’s especially hard when you’re a growing teen, and you need more hours of rest. A sunrise alarm clock makes for more peaceful mornings by mimicking the natural light of dawn. No more anxiety-inducing shrill beeps. Read more about why the Hatch Restore 3 is CNET’s pick for the best sunrise alarm clock of 2026 and a CNET Editors’ Choice Award winner.

Help them keep track of all their essential items, from keys and wallets to backpacks and even bikes. With this convenient four-pack of Apple’s item trackers, you can keep track of everything. Connecting it with your iPhone or iPad is easy, and you can share an AirTag with up to five people.

Even if your teen has a desk in their room, chances are they don’t use it. This portable lap desk lets them comfortably do their homework anywhere, whether they want to study in bed, on the living room couch or even the floor.

If you’re not familiar with Whoop, it’s essentially a fitness and health tracker but without the screen — and it’s surprisingly popular among teens who are serious about their workouts. Whoop 5.0 offers an in-depth analysis of your daily habits and exercise routines, without the distraction of a screen while you’re working out. All that data is viewable only in the app. Keep in mind that you’ll need to pay a yearly subscription to unlock your metrics in the app, with membership tiers starting at $199 per year. Read our review.

Renpho’s smart jump rope is an easy way to squeeze in a quick workout and help teens reach their cardio goals. When you connect it to Repho’s Fit app, you can track reps, the duration of your workout and more. And the LCD screen on the handle lets you read skip time and total number of skips when you aren’t using the app. 

Apple’s budget-friendly Apple Watch SE sports many of the features that were once reserved for its more expensive smartwatch models, like temperature sensing, sleep apnea notifications, sleep score and more.

If you know a teen who’s really into sports or goes to the gym regularly, they’ll appreciate a massage gun to ease the muscle soreness that comes with intense exercise. The third-generation Theragun Mini is on our list of the best massage guns for 2026. It’s 30% smaller and lighter than its predecessor, so it’s easy to throw in a gym bag and it delivers an impressive 1,750 to 2,400 percussions per minute.

The Plufl, also known as the “human dog bed,” has gotten a lot of attention on TikTok and other social media channels, so CNET’s David Watsky decided to try it out. The verdict? Not only is it more comfortable than it looks, but it’s bound to become your teen’s favorite lounging spot in the house.

What’s old is new again. While it’s easy for teens to take pics with their phones, it’s way more entertaining to capture stuff with a retro digicam. Kodak’s Pixpro C1 is a decent little point-and-shoot with a retro look. This compact digital camera is easy to stash in a pocket or backpack. While you’re not going to get the top-notch shots that you would from an iPhone 18 Pro, this isn’t a bad little camera for the price.

Coloring books are out. Watercolor paint sets are the new TikTok favorite, and they’re a great way to relax, unwind and promote mindfulness.

What’s even better than a weighted blanket? A fuzzy weighted blanket. If your teen likes to sleep in on the weekends (who doesn’t?), this blanket will keep them cozy and relaxed. It also adds a touch of style and texture to a teen’s bedroom. This great gift comes in white, cream, gray, brown, navy and pink.