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The internet has changed the way we shop. You don’t need your wallet to purchase a pair of pants, and window shopping involves more tabs than peering through glass panes. Now, we’re more likely to buy something we see on social media versus not. According to TikTok, people are 1.4 times more likely to purchase something they saw on the app versus other platforms. And, plenty of things in 2023 took the internet by storm. If you’re shopping for a trendsetter—or finally seeing what the hype is all about—these viral gifts will come to your doorstep before Santa comes to town and help family and friends keep it reel for real in 2024.
- Best for record collectors: Audio-Technica Sound Burger Portable Bluetooth Turntable
- Best water bottle: Owala FreeSip Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle
- Best nugget ice maker: GE Profile Opal 2.0
- Best LEGO set: LEGO Icons Flower Bouquet
- Best spin scrubber: SCRUBTASTIC Electric Spin Scrubber
- Best kitchen gadget: Mueller Pro-Series 10-in-1, 8 Blade Vegetable Chopper
- Best mega-viral product: Solo Stove Ranger 2.0
- Best for her: Kitsch Satin Heatless Curling Set
- Best neck fan: TORRAS Coolify Portable Air Conditioner Neck Fan
- Best for bird-watching: BIRD BUDDY Original Smart Bird Feeder
Best for record collectors: Audio-Technica Sound Burger Portable Bluetooth Turntable
From waiting for Anthony Fantano‘s reviews with bated breath to finding new gems from Locked Groove‘s massive collection, vinyl collection TikTok is a hub of tunes and bops you wouldn’t find otherwise. Gift a piece of vinyl history with Audio-Technica’s Sound Burger portable Bluetooth turntable. First introduced in the ’80s, this fan favorite returned in 2022 with major fervor. It’s easy to set up and use: Simply unscrew the tonearm fixing screw, connect the Sound Burger to your Bluetooth speaker, pop your record on (we’re enjoying Into It. Over It.’s “15 Years” here), and go on a nostalgia trip. If you already have a turntable under $500 and a pair of speakers, consider the Sound Burger a sub-$200 gift that will get the audio nerds arguing. (And gift them, or you, a subscription to Vinyl Me Please, while you’re at it.)
Best water bottle: Owala FreeSip Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle
The Stanley Quecher won’t come in time for Christmas; the Owala FreeSip, which rose in popularity this year, does. You can choose to chug or sip thanks to its FreeSip spout, and it keeps drinks cold for 24 hours. The wide mouth easily accommodates a handful of ice cubes and makes cleaning seem like less of a chore. A push-to-open lid protects the spout from your own germy hands, and the carrying loop doubles as a lock, so you don’t have accidental spills if you throw it into your bag or backpack. It’s our favorite water bottle for the gym, but it’s majorly giftable.
Best nugget ice maker: GE Profile Opal 2.0
If you stumbled on #watertok, you’d know that pebble ice is the ice du jour of the internet. Nugget or pebble ice cools more evenly and rapidly than ice cubes. The GE Profile Opal 2.0 is our favorite smart ice maker. You can control it via phone, or it can be connected to your voice assistant of choice. Its stainless steel construction is premium, and little touches, like having a water tank that can be detached from the side of the machine to be refilled more easily, make a big difference in how easy it is to use. Additionally, the Opal 2.0 makes nugget-shaped ice rather than hollowed-out bullet-shaped cubes. If the GE Profile Opal 2.0 didn’t have smart features, it’d still be one of the most premium ice makers we could recommend for gifting.
Best LEGO set: LEGO Icons Flower Bouquet
If you’re doing last-minute shopping for the crafty person in your life, there’s no better craft to do than building a Lego set. This one is under $100 and adds quirky charm to anyone’s home. It’s an alternative to real flowers, and the flower has posable petals and leaves, along with adjustable stem lengths. Your loved one will appreciate the chance to let their creativity bloom.
Best spin scrubber: SCRUBTASTIC Electric Spin Scrubber
#Cleantok is one of the most relaxing corners of the internet. There is something about a dirty thing becoming sparkling and shiny that inspires us to clean up our own messes. The shower is the most difficult thing to get clean, thanks to grout crevices and having to bend over to clean the bottom of the tub/shower floor. This electric scrubber has an adjustable handle, three interchangeable heads, and is rechargeable. Please make sure your loved one doesn’t create a hazardous cleaner concoction.
Best kitchen gadget: Mueller Pro-Series 10-in-1, 8 Blade Vegetable Chopper
If your pal hasn’t sharpened up their knife skills, this chopper lets them cube cheese, shred carrots, and dice onions with ease. The included container is perfect for storing or keeping your Mirepoix ingredients together before throwing them into a cast iron Dutch oven. There’s also something satisfying about slamming a fist down on the lid. Our executive editor was influenced to buy it and highly recommends it: “I suck at making sandwiches,” Stan says. “The lettuce is too chunky, the tomatoes are lopsided, and the pickles drag everything out of the sandwich when I take a bite. I figured I could either spend my entire paycheck at Jersey Mike’s every week or jump on the chopped sandwich trend. It’s a little tricky to clean, but the sandwiches really are great.” You’ll have to change your friend’s contact name to “New Jersey Michael” after gifting this chopper.
Best mega-viral product: Solo Stove Ranger 2.0
This one technically *might* come after Christmas. But, based on Solo Stove’s smart marketing campaign with Snoop Dogg, we’d be remiss to exclude this product that had a viral moment off of TikTok. It’s one of our favorite smokeless fire pits (we’ve had a Solo Stove stan Stan forever), and they make for a great gift for the grandparents. Snoop Dogg is celebrating the holiblaze and you can too sans smoke with the Solo Stove Ranger 2.0.
Best neck fan: TORRAS Coolify Portable Air Conditioner Neck Fan
It may be cold outside, but we all know the time to buy things for spring and summer is now when it’s the off-season. This Coolify neck fan comes with a built-in ceramic semiconductor radiator that provides air conditioning. It also features a fan with a motor that operates at a speedy 500 rpm, blowing cool air out and up to your face through 36 vents. At just .77 pounds, it’s lightweight and has a sleek design. The included lithium-ion battery charges in about 2.5 hours and lasts up to 4 hours in cooling mode and up to 8 hours in fan mode. It’s on the pricey side, but having an air conditioner at all times? Major upgrade, if you ask us.
Best for bird-watching: BIRD BUDDY Original Smart Bird Feeder
If you’re shopping for a birding buddy or someone who wants to channel their inner Mary Poppins, we absolutely adore this smart bird feeder. You won’t need a pair of binoculars to see feathered friends thanks to a removable camera that automatically snaps photos. Its app alerts you to visitors and can identify more than 1,000 bird species. You can mount the feeder in many different ways, and there’s very little assembly required. Maybe your pal can train some crows while they’re at it.
