Figuring out what to buy for friends and loved ones during the
holidays isn’t always easy. While some people are easy to shop for,
there are always a few people on your list who seem to already have
everything they might want. Fortunately, there are a few things that you
can get for around the home that they might never buy for themselves.
Here are a few suggestions for things that they’ll not only appreciate,
but actually
USE.
Digital Assistants
Both Google Home and Amazon’s Echo smart speaker with Alexa are
pretty common these days, and both platforms are adding new features
frequently. Not only can you use one of these digital assistants to play
music or find out the weather forecast, but you can also have them tell
you jokes, cast video to smart TVs, look up recipes and even set timers
or access your calendar. Companion apps for smartphones will even let
your recipient take their assistant with them when they’re away from the
house as well.
Smart Thermostats
Heating and cooling costs are a major expense. Fortunately, there are
an increasing number of options out there for smart thermostats that
adjust temperatures automatically to help keep costs low. These
thermostats can not only make changes based on their programming, but
some can even make adjustments on their own when they sense that no one
is in the house. Connecting them to smartphone apps would even allow
your recipient to control the temperature while away from home so that
everything’s just perfect when they get back.
Home Automation Accessories
Digital assistants and smart thermostats aren’t the only home
automation options out there. Smart lighting, smart locks, window
sensors, leak sensors and even smart smoke detectors are all available
to give your friends or loved-ones new ways to interact with their home.
Best of all, most of these devices can be configured to work together
to achieve effects like automatically turning on lights when the door is
unlocked.
Alternative Appliances
The modern homeowner deserves so much more than an oven and a
microwave can give them. Fortunately, there are a number of options out
there that offer up new culinary options while also being extremely
giftable. Instant Pot cookers, sous vide cookers and even air fryers
offer new options for fixing meals that your gift recipient might never
have considered. Many of them are programmable as well and can even be
monitored or controlled remotely via dedicated apps.
High-Quality Streaming
More people are “cutting the cord” and moving away from traditional
cable television than ever before. In addition to Netflix, consumers
looking for quality digital content have options with Amazon, Hulu,
Disney+, CBS All Access and more, and the forthcoming HBO Max streaming
service will be here next year. This could be a great time to get your
recipient ready for all of this content with a Roku or other streaming
device capable of handling HD or 4K streams without buffering or losing
picture quality in the process. Pair it with a sound bar or other sound
solution to really take their entertainment experience up a notch.
Clearing the Air
There are a number of common pollutants that can foul the air we
breathe. Help your recipient to breathe a sigh of relief by giving them
an ionizing air filter or other air purifier to cut out a lot of these
unwanted smells and irritants. This will help to keep the air breathable
and odor free, and the units themselves are easy to clean so it won’t
add a significant new chore to their routine.
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