Christmas Gift Guide 2022: 15 gadget gift ideas for less than £100
Festive fun for under a ton
Being careful of costs doesn’t make you a scrooge. You’re simply having an affordable Christmas time. And as luck would have it, you can bag plenty of excellent festive tech gifts for less than £100.
OK, so you can’t wrap up a Xbox Series X on a budget. But you can find a whole host of Yuletide treats without going into the red.
From smart speakers to wireless earphones, the list below features our pick of the top Christmas gadget gifts you can buy for £100 or less. The best bit? None of them will make your recipient feel short-changed.
Our pick of the top Christmas gifts for £100 or less
Amazon Echo Dot (2022)
Of all of Amazon’s Alexa-toting smart devices, the Echo Dot probably still gives you the most bang for your buck. The fifth-gen Dot sticks with the previous speaker’s design, but features a redesigned audio architecture which results in beefier bass and clearer vocals than before. If Alexa’s being asked to play DJ, you can expect an all-round improvement. New motion and temperature sensors expand the Dot’s already extensive capabilities, while Eero mesh Wi-Fi router owners can have it double as a handy range extender too. One of tech’s all-time bargains just got even more bargainy.
Xiaomi Smart Band 7 Pro
Slapping a fitness wearable on their wrist is a good way to remind relations to get started with their post-Christmas running plan, and Xiaomi’s new Smart Band 7 Pro gives them a lot for less than £100. Built-in GNSS promises better tracking and faster position locking than the Smart Band 6, while an 84% larger AMOLED display allows them to see a lot more information and data without having to swipe.
Marshall Willen
Marshall’s most backpack-friendly Bluetooth speaker to date is also perfect stocking fodder. As you’d expect, it looks not unlike a shrunken version of one of the legendary brand’s amps, but here you’re pairing a smartphone rather than plugging in a guitar. The diddy speaker might weigh just 310g, but Marshall has managed to cram in two passive radiators paired with a 2in full-range driver, for noise-making capabilities that belie its small size.
Logitech Litra Glow
Shopping for a streamer, or perhaps just someone who’s seemingly never not on a video call of some description? This ring light alternative ensures they always look their best. Logitech promises that its TrueSoft tech delivers full-spectrum LED light for a balanced, natural look across all skin tones, while a three-way monitor mount allows you to find the perfect position. It’s passed strict testing guidelines too, so is fully approved to use for the duration of any Warzone stream.
1More Sonoflow
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and these wireless cans look not unlike Sony’s all-conquering WH-1000XM5. In our review we noted surprisingly good noise-cancelling and punchy sound for a decidedly wallet-friendly pair of headphones, and the 50-hour battery life (with ANC on) is enough to listen to all of The Beatles’ back catalogue several times over before you need to find a plug. The big difference between these and Sony’s offering? The sub-£100 price tag makes them a reasonable Christmas request.
Logitech MX Keys Mini
A writer’s retreat might be just the thing to inspire your next bestseller. Stick Logitech’s compact keyboard in your backpack for top typing wherever you travel. Slim, light and good for up to five months on a single charge, the Mini features full-sized keys which are sculpted to suit your fingertips. Its solid metal build reduces the rat-a-tat that would otherwise earn the ire of fellow authors, while an emoji shortcut means you’ll easily find the right smiley to celebrate when you get published.
GameSir X2 Pro
For all its ongoing enthusiasm for cloud gaming, Microsoft is yet to launch an Xbox handheld. But with GameSir’s latest controller, you can at least make your Android phone look like one. An officially licensed version of its X2, the X2 Pro is available in both black and white (depending on whether you prefer the Xbox Series X or Series S aesthetic), and matches up with the traditional Xbox face button layout and design. New members even get a free month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate thrown in.
Nokia C21 Plus
Nokia’s budget blowers are some of the best around, and the C21 Plus doesn’t damage that reputation. Built with durability in mind, it’s equipped with a tough-as-nails 6.5in toughened glass HD+ display and a 4000mAh battery that promises up to two days of use. An IP52 rating means it’s protected from the most bad-tempered elements, and if a particularly exciting thunderstorm does decide to kick off, it can be captured on a dual 13MP camera setup.
Nomad Horween Leather Mousepad
Prefer your desk to look more grown-up than gamer? A real leather mousepad is a great addition, like this one from Nomad. It pairs perfectly with a 13in MacBook Pro and combines tough, hand-selected Horween leather with a micro-textured rubber base that ensures the mousemat doesn’t slip, no matter what’s underneath. The surface plays nice with sensors, and you can choose between brown and black designs.
Amazon Kindle (2022)
If your recipient’s bookshelf is starting to creak, perhaps they’d appreciate a lighter way in which to indulge in bookwormery. Updated for 2022, Amazon’s entry-level Kindle might not might be its flashiest e-reader, but for a lot of people it’s all they’ll need. The latest model has a 300ppi display, up from 167ppi on the previous model, while storage has been doubled to 16GB and the battery lasts even longer.
Matador Camera Baselayer 2.0
Wrapping up for a winter shoot? Don’t leave your camera without a jacket. Matador’s padded pouch protects DSLR and mirrorless models from the elements. A drawstring bottom means you can easily adjust the size to suit your snapper and its barrel, while a magnetic closure makes access quick and easy. Heading into a December downpour? Roll the top of the drybag liner tightly shut for IPX6 waterproofing.
Google Nest Cam (wired)
It takes staying power to catch Santa in the act. Can’t resist the Christmas Zs? Use Google’s indoor Nest Cam to record the man in red coming down your chimney. Designed to keep a smarter eye on your abode, the wired watcher works day and night to intelligently detect movement and alert your phone if anything’s occurring. Activity Zones can be configured to cover the fireplace, while a Nest Aware subscription unlocks 30 days of 1080p video event history.
TwelveSouth HoverBar Duo 2nd Gen
Recently unwrapped an iPad? The HoverBar Duo can keep it close in the kitchen but clear of the cranberry sauce. Clip your slate in place and the hinged holder will clutch it where you need it. Its weighted base will stand firm on countertops, while the included clamp can attach to any edge. Tilt your tablet for easy-to-read recipes or go horizontal for entertainment while you rustle up lunch.
Nothing Ear (1)
You need two plucky earbuds to take on Apple’s AirPods, but that’s exactly what hipster-baiting Nothing did with its Ear 1 buds. They look great in either white or black, are comfortable in the ear, and offer a noise-cancelling Christmas listen for less than £100 – which Apple certainly doesn’t do with the AirPods range. And since launch they’ve improved with firmware updates. Pair with the Nothing Phone 1 for sci-fi vibes so intense that someone will need to whip out a synth every time they enter a room.
Suri Sustainable Sonic Toothbrush
We can’t say enough good things about toothbrushes, but most disposables are terrible for the planet. That’s where Suri comes in. This newcomer on the electric toothbrush scene reckons the magnetic motor in its debut product delivers 33,000 plaque-lifting vibrations a minute, despite being one third of the size of that of a standard electric toothbrush. And it’ll recycle the plant-based heads for you.
Matt Tate
Contributor 
