GREENSBORO, N.C. — Finding the perfect gift for the tech lover on your list can feel overwhelming with all the great options. So, if you haven’t finished your shopping yet, you’re in luck—the tech experts at Consumer Reports are sharing some advice for gifting gadgets and their favorite tech picks this holiday season.
THE 3 RULES OF TECH GIFTING
#1- No matter what you choose, CR’s experts say it’s important to know your audience. Make sure it's within their comfort level and that it will be easy enough for them to figure out how to use it.
#2- Another tip is to try to match the lifestyle of the person that you’re shopping for.
#3- You also want to make sure that if you're gifting someone a piece of tech, it pairs with whatever they already have.
If someone on your list loves watching movies and shows, CR recommends the Roku Ultra. It is at the top of the streaming media device ratings.
“For around $100, you get a lot of the high-end features on a streaming player that we typically only see on more expensive streaming media devices. I also really like that it has an easy-to-use interface, especially if I'm getting it as a gift for someone else because I wind up being tech support for everyone that I buy a gift for," said Mike Ferretti, COnsuemr Reports.
For the light sleepers in your life, CR Tech Editor Courtney Lindwall loves her Soundcore Sleep A20 earbuds, which play noise-masking sounds throughout the night.
“They're kind of bendable, soft, and they tuck nicely in your ear, and they are comfortable for the whole night.”
One last tip before giving a tech gift this year: Unbox the product and set it up in advance to save you a headache later. Because one less holiday headache is a gift everyone wants, remember, it doesn’t hurt to check your retailer’s return policy, just in case.