10 Cool Tech Gadget Gifts For Valentine’s Day
We’ve rounded up some of the top Valentine’s Day tech gadget gifts, including wireless headphones, Bluetooth speakers and connected kitchen gear.
Gifts With Heart
Who says a Valentine’s Day gift can’t be practical? For Valentine’s Day 2021, which is taking place Feb. 14, don’t rule out getting your beloved a gadget that will make their life easier, healthier or more enjoyable (or all three). This year, our picks for Valentine’s Day tech gadget gifts include noise-canceling wireless headphones, connected kitchen gear, Bluetooth speakers, wireless earbuds and VR headsets. Other gadget gifts to consider include the Amazon Kindle, the Apple Watch Series 6 and a tablet alternative to the iPad, the Microsoft Surface Go 2.
What follows is our roundup of 10 cool tech gadget gifts for Valentine’s Day 2021.
Apple AirPods Pro
We’re starting our list with Apple’s AirPods Pro not because it’s a particularly romantic gift for Valentine’s Day -- but because it is a can’t-go-wrong gift for many people. Who wouldn’t want a pair of AirPods Pro? These wireless earbuds not only sound great, but they also pair and unpair from your iPhone automatically; include mics that are excellent for calls; come with three different silicone ear tips to choose from; and, best of all, feature terrific Active Noise Cancellation—something not available in standard AirPods. The result is a superb listening experience from wireless earbuds that have a strong likelihood of being able to stay in your ears. The AirPods Pro also include Siri voice control and “transparency mode” for being able to listen to music while also hearing the sounds in the environment.
Apple’s AirPods Pro are priced at $249.
Coravin Model Six
Rather than just giving a bottle of nice wine for Valentine’s Day, why not go a step further--and give the gift of a more-enjoyable wine experience? That’s what you’ll get with the Coravin Model Six, which combines an easy-to-use bottle opener with an advanced wine preservation system. For one thing, your Valentine will never again have to mess around with a wine opener, as the Coravin Model Six uses a specially designed needle to puncture the cork and pour the wine. The process also prevents oxidation (by adding an inert gas) and allows the cork to re-seal--preserving the remaining wine so that it can be enjoyed any time in the future (even years down the road). Ultimately, the Coravin system means you and your Valentine can enjoy wine from multiple different bottles at a time.
The Coravin Model Six is currently priced at $299.99 on Amazon.
Bose Noise-Cancelling Headphones 700
For a tech gift that shows how much you care for your Valentine, a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones can be an excellent choice. And while Bose’s Noise-Cancelling Headphones 700 are not cheap, they sound amazing and pretty much make the outside world disappear. Along with wireless connectivity, the Bose Noise-Cancelling Headphones 700 offer improved noise cancellation with a six-microphone array that can block even the most disruptive sounds. The headphones also offer varying levels of noise cancellation that can be easily adjusted. That means users can decide whether to totally--or only partially--block out the sounds around them. On battery life, the Bose Noise-Cancelling Headphones 700 offer an impressive 20 hours on a charge.
The Bose Noise-Cancelling Headphones 700 are currently priced at $379 on Amazon.
Breville Joule Sous Vide
If your Valentine happens to be both a gadget lover and an aspiring chef, a connected cooker such as the Breville Joule Sous Vide could be a solid gift idea. First of all, it’s a top-notch sous vide tool--capable of quickly heating water to the ideal cooking temperature. It’s also the smallest sous vide cooker out there, according to Breville. But where the Joule Sous Vide cooker really stands out is with its connected features. The device includes both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, and can be controlled via an iOS or Android app--or even by voice, with Amazon’s Alexa assistant. The Joule’s connectivity also means that users can control the cooker from wherever they might be. Meanwhile, other app features include “Visual Doneness,” which shows you how your chicken or steak will turn out before you even begin cooking.
The Breville Joule Sous Vide (CS20001) is priced at $199 on Amazon.
Klipsch Bluetooth Speaker - The One II
For your music-loving Valentine (with a soft spot for retro designs), The One II speaker from Klipsch is a great choice. The tabletop speaker’s retro design uses real wood for its cabinet as well as metal knobs and switches--all a bit of a novelty at this point. The stereo system is also compact in size, measuring about a foot wide and a half-foot tall. But while it may not look like a speaker system from 2021, it does include Bluetooth connectivity (as well as a 3.5mm analog input). In terms of audio quality, The One II is professionally tuned and features 2.25-inch full-range drivers along with a 4.5-inch woofer--ultimately providing the “legendary Klipsch sound,” according to the company.
The One II from Klipsch is currently priced at $161.39 on Amazon.
Oculus Quest 2
For your gamer Valentine, a great gift that they might not already have is a virtual-reality headset. And it’s a good time to get one, because the VR experience just keeps improving--and getting more affordable. With the recently launched Oculus Quest 2, you get an all-in-one VR headset that can be used without any wires. It also doesn’t need to be connected to a powerful, expensive PC to access many titles--though the headset does support PC VR gaming, as well. There are also a number of upgrades over the original Oculus Quest headset, including a higher refresh rate and resolution for the display; a redesigned, lighter-weight form factor; new Touch controllers; and, oh yes, a $100 lower price.
The Oculus Quest 2 is priced at $299 on Amazon.
Apple Watch Series 6
If your Valentine is a fitness enthusiast (or aspires to be!), the latest Apple Watch could be a much-appreciated gift. The sixth-generation Apple Watch is packed with fitness and health monitoring features including training and tracking for activities such as running, cycling, swimming, yoga and high-intensity interval training. Notably, the Apple Watch Series 6 features a display that is nearly 3X brighter for outdoor use, while the smartwatch has also gotten a big boost on performance over the prior generation. In terms of health monitoring features, the biggest advancement for the sixth-gen Apple Watch is the capability to measure blood oxygen—a vital sign that provides information about breathing and circulation (and is especially relevant amid the COVID-19 pandemic). A number of new options for the band are also being introduced for the latest Apple Watch, including a “solo loop” band that is one continuous piece, as well as a braided solo loop.
The Apple Watch Series 6 has a starting price of $399.
Amazon Kindle
If your Valentine’s collection of books is starting to get a bit out of hand, this might be the year to help them go digital with an e-reader. Amazon’s latest refresh to the Kindle includes the addition of a front light, which lets users adjust the display brightness for more-comfortable reading. That includes during nighttime reads or outdoors in the bright sun. The standard Kindle features a 6-inch 167 ppi display for reading e-books, along with the ability to play Audible audiobooks—and, notably, the Kindle lets users easily switch between reading and listening to the same book.
The Amazon Kindle is currently priced at $89.99 for the ad-supported model or $109.99 without ads.
Belkin Boost Charge 3-in-1 Wireless Charger Special Edition for Apple Devices
For the Valentine with all of the latest Apple gear, this 3-in-1 wireless charger from Belkin is a great gift option. The device can simultaneously charge an iPhone, an Apple Watch and AirPods--and do it fast. The Boost Charge 3-in-1 Wireless Charger features a 7.5W charging pad specially made for charging the iPhone, and it can charge through most cases, according to Belkin. The device also has a 5W pad for charging AirPods and a magnetic charging module for powering up an Apple Watch, and features an LED to indicate whether a device is charging properly or not. Importantly, the 3-in-1 charger is made from premium materials including stainless steel, and is available in white or black.
This Belkin 3-in-1 Wireless Charger is priced at $119.99 on Amazon.
Microsoft Surface Go 2
If you’ve heard your Valentine express an interest in getting a tablet, you’d probably be tempted to get them an iPad. And while that’s a perfectly good choice, there are some other solid tablet options out there worth considering--especially if your Valentine is a bigger fan of Windows. Alternative tablet options include Microsoft’s Surface Go 2, which runs Windows 10 and features a 10.5-inch screen with Microsoft’s vibrant PixelSense display technology. The tablet can also connect to a keyboard (sold separately) and can be equipped with up to an eighth-gen Intel Core m3 chip for strong performance. Other key features on the Surface Go 2 include new Dolby Audio speakers and improved dual far-field mics.
The Microsoft Surface Go 2 has a starting price of $399.99. The Surface Go Type Cover is priced at $130.