The Best Gifts Under $20
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At the risk of sounding like a Dad with a capital D, twenty bucks just isn’t what it used to be. One Andrew Jackson this year had the same buying power as $15.21 a decade earlier, per the Feds. And yet, for reasons of simplicity and convenience, $20 remains a benchmark amount of money for lots of things, including gifts from people who aren’t interested in starting the next year with an empty bank account.
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This year’s holiday shoppers might not be like those in years past who could spend $20 on gifts for their entire family (with enough left over for a malted), but there are still some great gifts to be had for not much money. The best gifts under $20 are genuinely useful, thoughtful, and built to confound the common conflation of the words “affordable” and “crap.”
Twenty dollars remains a good benchmark for a smaller gift or a present for a more casual friend or acquaintance, like a coworker. What’s key is to avoid poorly-built nonsense in favor of diamonds in the rough — gifts that might be small or simple but do their job with aplomb despite their low price.
What the Experts Say
Gifting experts say that gifts under $20 can be just as impactful as those that cost more. For this story, SPY spoke with gifting coach Patrick Kucharson and Duy Vo, founder of personalized gift purveyor Sandjest, to help sort through the best gifts under $20 available now.
First, the good news. Both experts agree that a low price does not mean a bad gift. “Academic studies support that gift-givers think that more expensive gifts seem more thoughtful,” Kucharson says. “Guess what? When surveyed, gift recipients do not feel the same about the gifts they receive.”
Vo agrees that the connection between high price and high happiness is hardly ironclad. “It’s not just about the material possession, but the message it carries,” he says.
Kucharson has a few pieces of concrete advice for thrifty gift-givers. “Seek opportunities to give the highest-quality option in a low-priced category,” he says. “Many people, including myself, aren’t comfortable spending their own $15 on one pair of higher-quality running socks when, for the same price, they can get themselves six pairs of medium-quality ones. My mother-in-law cleverly sees this as a tremendous opportunity to treat me with a gift that stands out with a $15 pair of Bombas socks.” Smart lady.
Finally, Kucharson says that, with a budget of $20 or less, you’ll be more likely to give a home-run gift by going thoughtful over practical: “The value a gift recipient places on a budget-friendly yet thoughtful gift can be 10x the price it costs you,” he says. In other words, sentiment is priceless.
BEST FOR HOME CHEFS
Guerande Sea Salt
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Made For: People who use their kitchens. “My favorite cooking product is high-quality, artisanal sea salt — it elevates every dish,” says Alain Verzeroli, culinary director of Michelin-starred Le Jardinier in New York. Along with the more well-known Maldon, he says this sea salt, which has been harvested in the seaside French town since the Iron Age, is his favorite.
Hot Take: A gift that manages to be inexpensive but feels fancy is the holy grail of holiday gifting on a budget. Très magnifique!
BEST FOR CLEAN-SHAVEN DUDES
Harry's Craft Handle Razor
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Why It Stands Out: Harry’s has grown from a DTC startup to a ubiquitous shaving brand because it makes razors that feel nice and perform well for less. Vo says its most premium product “offers a refined shaving experience, elevating an everyday necessity to a luxurious ritual.”
Coolest Feature: The sculptural, metallic handle is covered in a soft TPE rubber dot pattern that adds much-needed grip and gives the look of a sort of monochromatic Kusama pattern that’s highly enjoyable in more ways than one.
BEST FOR DRIVERS
VOTIVO Aromatic Auto Fragrance
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Made For: Drivers of cars that have lost that new car smell. Fragrance company Votivo’s car air freshener comes in scents — including island grapefruit, teak, and champaca — that are both enjoyable and gift-worthy.
ROI: “No matter what method you choose, my personal rule of thumb is [an air freshener] should never be over $10 and should last at least 30 days,” Renea Hanks, founder of MODA Fragranza, says. This freshener easily meets that standard.
BEST FOR WINTER GRINCHES
Bombas Men's Lightweight Merino Wool No-Show Socks
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Made For: Those who can’t wait for spring to roll around. No-show socks are a summer staple, and this pair from Bombas actually stays on feet thanks to three thick silicone grips — no constant adjustment needed.
Why It Stands Out: Dr. Gregory Alvarez, a podiatrist at the Ankle & Foot Centers of America, says that correct fit and adequate support are paramount. “No-show socks should provide arch support and cushioning to help prevent fatigue during the day,” he says, adding that moisture-wicking fabric and non-slip technology, both of which are present in these Bombas, are also important features.
BEST FOR PET PEOPLE
Boccee's Bakery Sunday Roast Chicken & Pumpkin Dog Treats
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Made For: People who use the term “fur babies” semi-seriously. Dr. Mollie Newton, a veterinarian and founder of PetMeTwice, says these gourmet pet treats are “a great option” as a present for a pet person. “The brand offers a variety of flavors and even holiday-themed treats that are sure to get those tails wagging,” she adds.
Why It Stands Out: Bocce’s Bakery locally sources the natural ingredients for their treats and bakes them in small batches in the USA. Additionally, the ingredient list is free of the by-product meals and fillers found in most dog treats.
BEST FOR SWEET TEETH
Raaka Chocolate Best Sellers Trio
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Made For: Mature candy consumers. Darren Bogus, senior editor at ShopLC, says that “the thoughtfulness behind high-quality sweets [like premium dark chocolate] is deeply appreciated.” That means a high-quality trio of dark chocolate bars in exciting flavors is a no-brainer of a gift.
Hot Take: Candy connotes childhood for a lot of people, but that doesn’t mean they should only eat the same candies that kids eat. It would be sad and weird to only order off the kids menu at restaurants, so don’t be afraid to push people past Snickers and Skittles
BEST FOR TINKERERS
Stanley 12-in-1 Multitool with Holster
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Made For: Coming in handy. A nifty multi-tool kit comes in handy more often than you’d think, whether it’s tightening a wobbly screw or popping open a wine bottle,” says consumer trends analyst Thomas Paddock.
Why It Stands Out: There are multi-tools, often aimed at serious outdoorspeople or dedicated tradespeople, that cost a lot of money. This much less expensive option from respected tool brand Stanley is for generalists (ie. most people) and comes with a widely affordable price tag to match.
BEST FOR COFFEE DRINKERS
Partners Rockaway Cold Brew Coffee
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Made For: Coffee lovers who are tired of throwing down $5 or $6 every time they want a cold brew fix. Tom Saxon, co-founder of Batch Coffee, says he prefers “to use lighter, more complex coffees” when making cold brew. “As the coffee is brewed with cold water, albeit for a significantly longer time than any other brew method, the end cup is always extremely bright and has only a touch of bitterness, which accentuates the subtle flavor notes that can be found in high-quality specialty coffee.” Enter these pre-measured, pre-sealed bags of Partners coffee.
Coolest Feature: These pre-sealed bags can turn any 24-ounce container into a cold brew-maker, negating the need for more coffee gear and making them a travel-friendly way to avoid the horror of hotel room-brewed coffee.
BEST FOR ORGANIZATION
HAY Recycled Colour Crate
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Made For: Scattered but still stylish people. Professional organizer Christina Hidek of Streamlined Living Ohio says that “investing in a durable container now will serve you well for years to come and will be actually less expensive in the long run.” These foldable crates from HAY are made from sturdy recycled post-consumer plastic waste, so they’re built to last.
Coolest Feature: It’s a tie between their foldability — turning a crate into a flat piece of plastic and vice versa takes just a few seconds — and the plethora of available colors and sizes that makes them a storage solution for pretty much any situation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Gifts Under $20
Are there gifts under $20 that I definitely shouldn’t buy?
Most things that cost more than $20 do so for a reason. A $20 stand mixer, winter coat, or acoustic guitar is going to be a waste of money because the benchmark prices for those categories are so high that it’s impossible to conceive of a high-quality option for so little money.
What is a strategy for picking out gifts under $20?
Go for items that are priced higher than their benchmark but are still under $20 — socks, chocolate, and dog treats are good examples from our picks.
What else can I do when giving a less expensive gift?
“Including a thoughtful note, especially a hand-written one, can make any gift priceless,” says Kucharson. He said that 84 percent of his newsletter subscribers would enjoy a thoughtful, handwritten letter from a loved one or find it one of their favorite holiday gifts. Adding a handwritten note to the gift you settle on is a good way to up the connection a recipient feels, or what Vo calls “a hint of bespoke connection.”
Can’t I just spring for a $20 scratch-off and call it a day?
You can, but if it’s not a winner, you’d be better off giving nothing at all. That doesn’t seem worth it, does it?
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