I Love Giving Gifts, and These Little Luxuries Under $100 Will Make You the Favorite Friend

Before I became a shopping editor full-time, I was very much a “shopping is my hobby” type of person—but not the shopaholic kind. I love putting a lot of thought into gifts (giving gifts is one of my strongest love languages), and my intention always lands me on everyone’s nice list. 

The key is to think of practical things that are sometimes a little out of budget for someone to buy themself. And as someone with friends and family in every walk of life, whether it’s someone who loves hosting wine and cheese nights or a working mom expecting a second child, I pride myself in always knowing what to get. 

Best Under-$100 Gifts for Your Friends

• Best Housewarming Gift: Le Creuset Stoneware 14-Ounce Mug Set, $76; amazon.com
• Best Travel Gadget: Apple AirTag 4-Pack, $73 (was $99); amazon.com
• For the Home Chef: Hexclad Damascus Steel 8-Inch Chef's Knife; $99; hexclad.com
• Most Practical Set: Blueland 1 Year of Hand Soap Set, $77; blueland.com
• Affordable Cashmere: NYDJ Cashmere Cardigan, $80 with code SANTA (was $99); nydj.com
• For The Friend Who Has Everything: Petite Plume Pima Cotton Pajamas, $98; petite-plume.com
• Nyssa Below-the-Belt Recovery Set, $67; Nyssa.com
• Mediheal Holiday Edition Madecassoside Pad, $24; amazon.com
• Stanley 40-Ounce Quencher ProTour Flip Straw Tumbler, $45; stanley1913.com
• Apothkeco Pumpkin Ginger Reed Diffuser, $60; apothkeco.com

What’s more is that I only get things that I’ve tested or done thorough research on. For example, I refuse to give Christmas gifts that won’t be used or liked. And I’m sharing my 15 foolproof gifts that are pretty much guaranteed to impress and be used daily by your friends—and everything is under $100.

Le Creuset Stoneware 14-Ounce Mug Set

College through post grad years are usually filled with a random collection of mugs—ones that we say are linked to a special memory. But as much as we still love those, there’s something elevated about having a full set of matching mugs. I recently gifted these Le Creuset mugs to a friend who just moved into a new apartment, and she was thrilled. As an especially thoughtful gift idea for men, you get the quality of Le Creuset stoneware that has amazing heat retention and the practicality of a 14-ounce size that’s perfect for a cup of coffee or tea. 

Apple AirTag 4-Pack

Whether you have a friend who is a frequent business traveler or one who misplaces their things, these AirTags are an easy gift that I myself use frequently. I have one in my luggage bag, passport case, and handbag for when I travel and regular day-to-day life. Friends of mine attach them to their dog or cat collars, too, just in case they wander farther than normal. The battery lasts ages (I have yet to replace any of mine after years of use), and the tags seamlessly connect to the iPhone’s Find My app for easy tracking. 

Hexclad Damascus Steel 8-Inch Chef's Knife

You probably already know about Hexclad’s hybrid cookware, but the Gordon Ramsey-backed brand also has high-quality and beautifully designed knives. They’re incredibly sharp—I’ve tested them myself—and they are stunning, too. The blade has a wavy pattern signature to Damascus steel, and it’s connected to an equally stunning forest green wood handle. Looks aside, it glides through hard root vegetables, proteins, and leafy greens with ease, meaning you can get through meal prep faster to save you time and energy. 

Blueland 1 Year of Hand Soap Set

Like I mentioned before, practical gifts are the best. But when practical gifts are wrapped up in sleek packaging and environmentally-friendly—that’s a win on so many counts. I recently started using the Blueland hand soap set and knew immediately that I needed to convert my friends to using the brand’s soaps. The set comes with one glass bottle and a year’s worth of soap tablets that easily dissolve in water for a gentle yet effective handsoap. The scent lingers on your skin but isn’t overpowering, and the formula keeps my hands soft and hydrated. 

NYDJ Cashmere Cardigan

Under-$100 cashmere often comes at a cost—quality. Not here. I was gifted this cashmere cardigan by the brand to test and was so impressed with the quality, fit, and overall design that I bought one of each style in other colors. And it’s a good thing I did, because most sizes are already sold out! I wore the black cardigan to a recent week-long trip to California, and it was the best piece of clothing I packed with me. It kept me warm during the chilly California evenings but didn’t make me sweat during the day, and it’s great for layering and so incredibly soft. (Loved it for all the flights I was on, too.) So far, no pilling, either.

Petite Plume Pima Cotton Pajamas

The holidays always remind me of matching pajama sets, and nice PJs are, in my opinion, the best present for the person who has everything. It feels like a little luxury to wear a cute matching set to bed, but you can, of course, wear them to lounge at home. I have several pairs from Petite Plume’s pima cotton range, and the material is soft and smooth. The fabric is substantial enough to keep you warm in the cooler seasons but light enough that you can wear them in warmer weather. The best part? They wash incredibly well and are designed to get softer over time. 

If your friends or family are in all walks of life, I have more gift selections that will resonate for someone in every stage—and they’re all editor approved. You’ll find recovery sets for expecting moms, no-spill Stanley tumblers for busy commuters, various types of interior fragrances for the homebody or host, and even on-sale noise-canceling earbuds. 

Nyssa Below-the-Belt Recovery Set

Mediheal Holiday Edition Madecassoside Pad

Stanley 40-Ounce Quencher ProTour Flip Straw Tumbler

Apothkeco Pumpkin Ginger Reed Diffuser

Sony WF-C700N Noise Canceling Truly Wireless Earbuds

P.F. Candle Co Plush Vetiver HI-FI Candle

Verve Coffee Roasters Dwell Dripper Kit

Glasshouse Fragrances Night Before Christmas Interior Fragrance Gift Set

The Laundress Specialty Fabric Care Gift Set