The key facts
- TechCrunch assembled its gift guide from products the editorial team tested itself over the past year
- Recommendations include the Xteink X3 ($55) and X4 Pro ($99) e-readers, Boox Palma Pro 2 ($400), Ember Mug 3, Ninja Crispi ($449.99), Codex Micro ($230), Brick and Dumb Phone
- In the health tracker category, the outlet named the Oura Ring 5 ($399–499 plus a $5.99/month subscription) the winner among rings and bracelets
A guide assembled from the outlet's own reviews
The TechCrunch editorial team has published a holiday list of tech gifts, made up of devices the outlet's journalists tested throughout 2026 — from 'dumb phones' and bird feeders to health trackers and slushie machines. The authors note that some of the gadgets struck them as unnecessary and expensive, but others they grew so fond of that they bought them for themselves. In their view, if a product impressed 'sometimes grumpy' tech journalists, it will make a good gift too.
Readers and food
In the e-reader category, the outlet calls 2026 the year of pocket-sized devices. The budget option is the Xteink X3 for $55 (at its Black Friday sale price): an e-reader the size of a credit card, which can be magnetically attached to a phone, but without integration with Kindle, Libby and other apps, so it suits only a user ready to tinker with setup. The XTeink X4 Pro for $99 is bigger, but has a backlight, which the author considers a decisive advantage for reading in bed. The Boox Palma Pro 2 for $400 appeals with its phone-like size and access to apps — colleague Aisha Malik's review made the author want to buy one. Among book-format readers, the author names the Kobo Libra Colour for $259as their favorite, while dismissing the Amazon Paperwhite lineup with a jab at Amazon for its closed ecosystem.
Kitchen, AI and digital detox
For gourmets, the recommendations include the Ember Mug 3 for $99 — a temperature-controlled mug whose new version, according to reviewer Lauren Forristal, no longer requires changing the temperature through the app; the combo device Ninja Crispi (microwave and air fryer) for $449.99, which, in the same author's opinion, 'makes a convincing case for replacing two appliances with one'; and the ice maker GoveeLife Smart Nugget Ice Maker Pro for $499.99 — in Aisha's phrasing, an option 'for those who crave so-called good ice.' For coders keen on AI, there is the OpenAI Codex Micro for $230 — OpenAI's first hardware attempt, which colleague Lucas Ropek called his favorite product of the year, although some hardcore programmers it targets received it coolly. For those who want to spend less time on their phones, the guide suggests the Brick for $59 and the new Brick Night for $129, which locks the phone when the user is in the bedroom, with a customizable schedule: the author has been using Brick before bed for six months and notes a noticeable improvement in sleep. The Dumb Phone for $20 plus a plan is a TCL flip phone running Dumb Co firmware, which provides access to WhatsApp, Spotify, Apple Music and Uber; the outlet positions it not as a smartphone replacement but as a companion for leaving the house.
Health trackers
In the wearable tracker category, Aisha Malik, who tested several rings and bracelets, named the Oura Ring 5 the winner ($399–499 plus a $5.99/month subscription) — the first ring from the leading smart ring maker thin enough not to attract attention. According to her review, the new model is more durable than its predecessors, has longer battery life and looks more premium. The author of the piece adds that he tried the similarly sized RingConn 3, but returned it, dissatisfied.
