Reviews Gifts
Written by Mara Leighton and Amir Ismael
Updated
2022-05-09T20:48:04Z
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Graduating from college and entering a new life chapter is a reason for celebration. Whether he's setting up a new apartment, starting a new job, or taking a beat to figure out his next step, there's a gift you can give that will make the transition a bit easier or even just more fun.
You'll find 33 gifts to give your new graduate, from the latest tech to gift cards to buy whatever his heart desires.
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Apple AirPods Pro for when he's on the move
Gift the Apple Airpods Pro, available at Amazon, $174.99
We love Apple's AirPods Pro for Apple users. They're no-hassle, work with Apple products, have decent sound and noise cancellation, are water-resistant, have a wireless charging case, and feel more comfortable than standard AirPods.
You'll find more wireless earbuds we love here.
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A wireless charging pad
Gift the Catch:3 Wireless Charging Station, available at Courant, $100
He can toss his phone or AirPods onto this tray that doubles as decor and their tech will charge without being plugged in. If he's got AirPods and an Apple Watch, you may want to check out this option from Zagg, too.
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A nice mixology set
Gift the Williams Sonoma Mixology Shaker & Tools Set, available on Williams Sonoma, $96.95
If he's old enough to drink, a nice mixology set is great for when they host friends. This kit comes with quality basics — you could pair it with their favorite spirit delivered right to their door.
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Our most recommended French press
Gift the Bodum Chambord French Press, available at Amazon, $25.99
Coffee is a crucial part of many adults' mornings. We love the Bodum Chambord French Press for a good cup; it's about as timeless as they come, unfussy, and affordable. You can find all our favorite French presses here, though this is our number one pick.
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A framed photo of their friends
Gift a Framebridge Frame, available on Framebridge, from $45
Most of us appreciate some nostalgia; frame a photo of the graduate's friends or some of their favorite memories from school, so they can take them anywhere they call home.
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A Fitbit he can use while exercising
Gift the Fitbit Versa 3, available at Walmart, $148.50
If he loves being active, a Fitbit will keep track of interesting metrics such as heart rate, sleep quality, and exercise stats for him. We like the Fitbit Versa 3 the most, but you may find another option that works best for your graduate.
You can read about all of the best Fitbit trackers here.
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Cereal that feels like childhood but is responsible like adulthood
Gift the Magic Spoon Variety Case, available at Magic Spoon, from $39
A childlike cereal for grown-ups is a nice transition into adulthood. Magic Spoon tastes like the sugared cereal some of us daydreamed about as kids, but it's high in protein and low in carbohydrates.
You can find a full Magic Spoon review here.
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A must-read financial guide book
Gift "I Will Teach You to Be Rich," available at Amazon, $12.87
Instead of skimping on lattes, it's wiser to choose the right accounts and investments so your money grows for you — automatically. Best of all, it frees you up to spend on the things you love.
Executive Editor for Personal Finance Insider Libby Kane says she regularly buys a new copy of this book just to give it away, and it's an excellent introduction to making the most of your personal finances — especially if your graduate is young or new to managing money.
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A record player for his new home
Gift the Crosley Voyager Turntable, available at Best Buy, $89.95
For the one who's constantly listening to music, a turntable for his new abode makes for a functional and decorative gift — perfect for setting a good mood in the home and elevating the aesthetic in any room. He can jam out to all of his favorite tunes, whether it's while he cooks in the kitchen or works in the office.
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A gift card to decorate their home as they choose
Gift a Target Gift Card, available at Target
Gift a The Container Store Gift Card, available at The Container Store
Pick up a gift card to a store with affordable home goods such as Target or the Container Store so they can organize and decorate their new space with less stress.
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A facial cleanser
Gift the FOREO Luna 3 Men, available at FOREO, $199
This facial cleansing brush has left both male and female reporters on our team with clear, smooth skin. This particular model works as a state-of-the-art facial scrub brush, pre-shaving, and anti-aging tool.
Supporting the "fewer, better" mentality, the FOREO Luna 3 Men has a lifespan and level of quality that justify the price tag — so they can make great use of your gift for years to come.
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A pleasant way to wake up every day
Help them transition to earlier mornings with an alarm clock that wakes them up by mimicking sunlight.
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A toiletry bag to use at home or for travel
Gift the Rains Weekend Wash Bag, available at Rains, $50
Rains is a Denmark-based company chiefly known for making high-quality, stylish raincoats. This wash bag is of the same spirit. It's completely waterproof, which is a necessity for any good toiletry bag. The pouch features adjustable buckles that enable him to alter the volume of the bag to his needs.
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A great streaming device
Gift the Roku Ultra 3, available at Amazon, $179.99
The Roku Ultra 3 stands out from other streaming device options thanks to its 4K and HDR support, speed, reliability, and large library of streaming services (Netflix, HBO Max, Rakuten Viki).
Plus, if he wants to watch TV on the big screen without disturbing anyone, it comes with headphones for private listening.
Read the full review of the Roku Ultra 2020 here.
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A Disney Plus subscription
Graduating from college usually marks the beginning of "adulting," but he'll eventually need a break from being a grownup. With everything from classic Disney movies and shows from his childhood to Star Wars and Marvel movies, a Disney Plus subscription is a sure way to stay entertained.
Learn more about Disney Plus here.
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A made-to-measure suit
Gift an Indochino Gift Card, available at Indochino, from $50
Suits — especially the nice ones — are a large yet ultimately useful expense for most men, even if it's only for special occasions rather than his everyday job. This is one gift he'll likely wear for years to come — and something he will likely need before he has the budget to afford it.
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A Brooklinen gift card for new sheets
Gift a Brooklinen Gift Card, available at Brooklinen, from $50
Your graduate may appreciate an upgrade in bedding to match their new chapter or their new space.
Brooklinen is a common recommendation for us — you get premium, can't-wait-to-go-to-bed bedding at relatively affordable prices.
Read our Brooklinen sheets review here.
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An Amazon Echo to play music, answer questions, and coordinate with other tech
Gift the Amazon Echo, available at Amazon, $49.99
From music and radio stations to trivia and much, much more, your graduate will have ample distractions and helpful, hands-free info (like the weather or quick measurement conversions) while they're busy running around their place.
We also have other smart speaker recommendations from other brands here.
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An electric pressure cooker
Gift an Instant Pot Duo 6-Quart, available at Amazon, $55.30
Just in case the idea of tossing tons of ingredients into a pot in the morning and coming home to a nicely cooked meal appeals to him, the Instant Pot is every recent graduate's best friend.
Ultimately, if they spend most of their day at work or commuting, the last thing they'd want to do is come home to devote two of their three free hours to making a lavish dinner for one. Plus, it cuts down on how many dishes he'll have to wash.
We even rank this Instant Pot as the best budget option in our guide to the best electric pressure cookers.
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A popular, stylish suitcase
Gift the Away Carry-On Suitcase, available at Away, from $275
An Away suitcase is a particularly thoughtful gift for grads living far from home or planning future travel. The cult-favorite luggage has an ejectable external battery that charges devices easily on the go, 360-degree wheels for no-hassle travel, and weighs only 7.6 pounds.
Read our full review of Away suitcases here.
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A sleek wallet he can keep forever
Gift the Bellroy Note Sleeve Wallet, available at Bellroy, from $89
Bellroy wallets last pretty much forever, which is one reason why they take the top spot in the Insider Reviews buying guide to the best men's wallets. This Note Sleeve is a best seller. It's compact but big enough for 4-11 cards — the most important cards go in the easy-access slots and the rest can be stored in a pull tab.
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A foundational cookbook he will actually use
Gift "How to Cook Everything," available at Amazon, $19
A lot of graduates are coming out of school with little knowledge of cooking outside of mac and cheese or $1 pizza. A cookbook is a nice way to make sure they can get off on the right foot post-graduation, enjoying the activity itself rather than defaulting to takeout.
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A Bonobos gift card
Gift a Bonobos Gift Card, available at Bonobos, from $25
No matter what he has in store for life after graduation, he'll surely want to upgrade his wardrobe. Bonobos is a high-quality menswear brand that sells everything from chinos, button-ups, and suits for the office to casual styles like jeans, polos, and T-shirts to wear on the weekends.
Read our full reviews of Bonobos' chinos and Bonobos' Chelsea boots.
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An Amazon gift card
Gift an Amazon Gift Card, available at Amazon
If what you really want to do is just give cash but are looking for a nicer equivalent, an Amazon Gift Card is a subtle way to accomplish the same freedom and utility. Amazon has virtually everything a new grad could desire (really, there is everything), so you know that no matter what they'll be getting something they genuinely want — which, in a lot of cases, is best since they know what they needbetter than anyone.
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An Amazon Prime membership
Gift a year of Amazon Prime, available at Amazon, $139
An annual Amazon Prime membership is one of those things that immediately make life easier and ultimately better. If you decide to gift one, the recipient will enjoy free two-day shipping; access to the Prime Now app, which provides free two-hour delivery on tens of thousands of items; Prime Video, Amazon's streaming video service; Prime Music; the Kindle Lending Library; Prime Reading; Prime Audible Channels; unlimited photo storage, and more.
Read about Amazon Prime member benefits here.
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A fancy messenger bag
Gift the Leatherology Henderson Laptop Brief Bag, available at Leatherology, from $300
This Leatherology bag is an option that inspires a bit more confidence than a JanSport. The startup makes great leather accessories for much less than you'd expect to pay, like a $300 messenger bag. You'll find a few more budget-friendly options at Herschel Supply.
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A customized business card holder
Gift the VITT Personalized Card Holder, available at Etsy, from $32.50
While his company will likely give him business cards, he's not likely to already have a business-card holder he can feel good about pulling out of his pocket. A card holder like this monogrammable option from Etsy looks competent and thoughtful.
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A reusable Hydro Flask that keeps drinks at the perfect temperature
Gift the Hydroflask, available at Amazon, $32.96
We love Hydro Flask's insulated, dishwasher-safe bottles — they'll keep hot drinks hot or cold drinks ice-cold for hours. This is also one of the items featured in our list of the All-Time Best products we've tested.
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A small but powerful speaker
Gift the Sonos One (Gen 2) wireless speaker, available at Best Buy, $219.99
Sonos makes some pretty great speakers for recent grads. They work well, can be used as a sound system, have useful features like a morning alarm that may sound more pleasant than their phone, and aren't so expensive that they can't possibly build upon their collection. If he's planning on entertaining friends, the Sonos One is a great option, especially since it connects with Amazon Alexa.
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A great weekend bag
Gift the Dagne Dover Landon Carryall, available at Dagne Dover, from $110
Dagne Dover has earned a spot as one of our default recommendations for great bags. Their weekender/carry-on Landon Carryall is made out of a cool neoprene material and has ample organization. It has an internal laptop sleeve, an exterior phone pocket, and a detachable key leash, plus a few other helpful design features.
Read our full review of the Dagne Dover Landon Carryall here.
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A Kindle for post-grad reading
Gift the Kindle Paperwhite, available at Amazon, $109.99
Learning is an ongoing process, and graduation shouldn't be the end of it. Giving them a Kindle means they'll have the tools to keep being curious in their lives by having the device that makes it an easy and affordable process.
If they already have a Kindle or they read on their phone or iPad, you might look into gifting them a Scribd membership. It's lesser-known than apps like Audible, but it's a better deal and will give them access to hundreds of thousands of books and audiobooks.
Read our full review of the Kindle Paperwhite here.
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A toolkit, which they will undoubtedly need in "real life"
Gift the Cartman 148-Piece Tool Kit, available at Amazon, $29.99
After graduation, you enter the "real world" and the real world includes putting together furniture, Googling how to fix leaky faucets when your landlord avoids your calls, and enticing your friends to help you mount your living room TV with pizza.
He'll be glad he has the tools to handle whatever life throws at him confidently, and this is one gift he may not immediately buy for himself, but which you really want to have before the very second you need it.
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Nice noise-canceling headphones
Gift the Sony WH-1000XM4 Headphones, available at Amazon, $348
Our favorite noise-canceling headphonesbalance sound quality, noise cancellation, and comfort. They're perfect for long commutes, focusing during work, or relaxing. This is also one of the items featured in our list of the All-Time Best products we've tested.
Senior Digital Culture Reporter
Mara Leighton is a senior digital culture reporter. If you want to get in touch, please send an email to mleighton@businessinsider.com, or send a DM on twitter to @maraleighton.
Editor, Insider Reviews
Amir Ismael is an editor for Insider Reviews, Insider's e-commerce branch of the service journalism team. As a collector of sneakers and fashion, Amir is passionate about all things related to style. He's covered everything including the industry's shift to producing more sustainable clothing, the most comfortable loungewear, all of the best places to shop for affordable business casual attire, and more. He's used his expertise in footwear and the footwear industry to review all kinds of shoes from sportswear giants, well-known casual brands, and startups. Amir's coverage also includes eyewear, watches, and grooming products like electric razors and men's skincare. Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Amir has led Insider Reviews' face masks coverage with thoughtful recommendations based on CDC guidelines, expert opinions, and his own testing. During his time at Insider, Amir previously handled deals of the day coverage, and worked as a generalist writing hundreds of reviews ranging from phone cases and headphones to bed sheets and blenders, and has also covered major shopping holidays including Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. Before joining the Insider Reviews team in 2017, worked as a freelance writer for Complex Sneakers and Sole Collector where he contributed to daily sneaker news and release dates, feature-length articles, and interviews with artists, designers, and athletes. Amir graduated from William Paterson University in 2015 with a degree in journalism and public relations. Say hello to Amir at aismael@businessinsider.com or on Instagram @amirjismael. Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here. Learn more about how we test style and beauty products.
You can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here.
Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.
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