What Do Teenagers Really Want? A Cheat Sheet for Parents, Grandparents, and Everyone Else

If you don’t know what gift to get for your teen this holiday season, no need to worry — we’ve been there, too. Luckily, our team of shopping experts finds the best gifts for a living, and we did the hard research for you. We spoke with parents, teachers, and the teenagers themselves to uncover what gifts are at the top of teen wish lists this year.

Ahead, you’ll find a list of the very best gifts for teens, from stocking stuffers that are less than $5 to the big-ticket Apple Headphones they’re pining for. We found gifts for teen boys and teen girls who love sports, music, photography, makeup, and more. 

Gifts for Teens Under $15

Your teen can take their tunes anywhere they go with this portable Bluetooth speaker that’s easy to slip into their school bag. One of the more than 3,000 people who have purchased the Comiso in the past month says its sound quality “packs a punch.”

One thing we definitely don’t miss about being a teenager is the acne. But today’s teens have found a way to make breakouts feel less embarrassing with these trendy star stickers that we wish we had back in the day. The hydrocolloid patches help heal zits and are safe for sensitive skin.

Easy to apply, super hydrating, and surprisingly inexpensive, this Korean lip tint was one of the best lip oils that we tested, even compared to products that cost three times its price. The lightweight oil is a great introduction to makeup for the teen who’s been begging to try it.

Encourage your teen to get outside and get active with this street hockey puck that costs less than a latte. According to one reviewer, the puck still “works perfectly”  even after withstanding hours of play.

For the teen just starting to get into skincare, these under-eye masks are dermatologist-tested and easy to apply. The product feels gentle on the skin, according to one editor who tried the masks, thanks to the formula’s blend of hyaluronic acid and sea moss.

These personalized cosmetics bags make cute and useful gifts — fill it up with toiletries, nail polish, or sweet treats. Each lettered bag is available in nine color options, with an embroidered collegiate-style initial that makes it feel unique to the user.

Gifts for Teens Under $25

For any sports lover, a classic-cut t-shirt emblazoned with their favorite team’s logo is always a welcome wardrobe addition. This classic tee from Fanatics is available in a similar style for any NFL team your teen supports and comes in sizes S through 5XL.

Whether your teen is an aspiring singer or you’re looking for a gift that’ll spark fun, the Bonaok karaoke microphone is a unique present. It connects via Bluetooth to smartphones, and it’s earned more than 56,000 five-star ratings on Amazon.

The Octobuddy phone case is a great gift for aspiring influencers. The suction cups on the back can stick to almost any smooth surface — perfect for filming “get ready with me” and “fit check” videos for social media.

A pair of comfortable slides — like these cushiony Equick Cloud slides — is a good gift for anyone of any age. The squishy footbed makes the shoes comfy enough to wear as house slippers or to slip on after sports practice.

Gifts for Teens Under $50

Forget modern phone cameras — the digital cameras popularized in the early aughts have made a huge revival with Gen Z. This point-and-shoot camera takes photos and high-clarity video with a 16-times zoom capability, plus it has lots of fun filters to choose from.

You’re never too old to play with Legos — and this 600-piece set was created to be complicated enough for even adults to enjoy. The finished piece looks like a beautiful piece of decor, so they can proudly display it on their desk.

A pair of great noise-canceling headphones, like this Bluetooth pair from Soundcore, can drown out the external hubbub and turn any loud space into a peaceful haven for studying. One PEOPLE editor who tested these headphones says the sound quality feels comparable to much more expensive products.

These elegant earrings are a timeless and thoughtful gift — pick from the pretty flower designs corresponding to the recipient’s birth month, or opt for the giftee’s favorite flower. Whatever you choose, these 14k-gold plated earrings are designed to be loved for years to come.

These 100-percent cotton NFL t-shirts (hey, it’s football season!) are cute enough to be worn all year round. They have a boxy, vintage-inspired cut that’ll look stylish on teens of any gender who prefer that throwback feel.

A good water bottle is always a nice thing to have, and this Tik Tok-viral bottle is deserving of its great reputation. PEOPLE editor Nicola Fumo is a personal fan of the Owala bottle, praising its standard-cupholder-suitable base and its ability to keep drinks cold for 24 hours.

This editor-loved speaker is the perfect size to throw in a backpack — and according to one editor who’s owned the JBL Pro 4 gadget for three years, it’s incredibly durable and can stand up to bumps and tumbles. It also offers impressive sound quality and connects to phones via Bluetooth.

This is not your basic plastic basketball hoop from the ‘90s; it’s way more advanced. The shatterproof backboard digitally displays the score, and two game modes offer different ways to play for hours of entertainment.

Gifts for Teens Under $100

For the aspiring musician, an electronic drum set is a gift that they’ll love — and their parents will love that the drums can be connected directly to headphones for nearly silent play. The Donner set has real drum sounds pre-loaded into the seven drum pads, and it’s easy to roll up and store away.

Instant film cameras are a fun way for teens to capture precious memories, and this one from Fujifilm comes in five adorable colors they’re sure to fawn over. Keep in mind that you’ll also need to snag some of the compatible Instax Mini film to go with it.

For the voracious reader, an Amazon Kindle can save money on expensive hard-cover books and save space in their backpack or suitcase. This lightweight and compact option has a glare-free display and comes with 16GB of space — enough to store thousands of books.

Stanley water bottles are super on-trend among teens, and this new crossbody water bottle makes a splash (but not literally because the screw-top cap prevents spills!). The stainless steel bottle is double-insulated to keep drinks cool all day and comes with a thick jacquard strap for when they’re on the go.

This small crossbody Dagne Dover bag is the perfect size to fit the essentials: a phone, some cash and cards, and keys. Bonus points: It’s really easy to clean, and the small size makes it great for sporting events and concerts.

Gifts for Teens Big Ticket

This adorable record player may feel like a major throwback, but this isn’t your dad’s old record player; it connects through Bluetooth right to your smartphone, giving any song that vintage sound they’ll love.

The Tasman slippers come with Ugg’s signature lining and a deeply treaded outsole, making them cozy enough to wear as indoor slippers and sturdy enough to wear to class. The embroidered design is super cute and popular with teens and adults of all ages.

This smartwatch can really do it all, from tracking your health data to answering phone calls. It’s also one of the least expensive smartwatches from Apple and still offers the high-tech features the brand is known for, like the ability to play music, use Apple Pay, and up to 18 hours of battery on a single charge.

If you have a teen, odds are they’ve put a pair of Apple wireless earbuds on their wishlist. The AirPods 4 are less expensive than the Pros, and they still have fabulous sound quality and a wireless charging case that holds up to 30 hours of charge.

Why Trust PEOPLE? 

Cai Cramer is a staff shopping writer and a former camp counselor and babysitter who constantly keeps tabs on the best gifts for everyone by testing the hottest products, including toys, skincare, home goods, sports equipment, and more. To create this guide to the best gifts for teens, Cai spoke with teachers, parents, and teens to find out what kids really want to receive this holiday season. Cai also tapped the PEOPLE shopping team for their product recommendations based on their extensive gifting experiences and year-round testing. 

Madison Yauger is a shopping editor who grew up with 11 teen cousins and always buys the most thoughtful gifts.

Genevieve Cepeda is a shopping writer who has spent countless hours scrolling through TikTok searching for ‘teenage Christmas lists’ to inform her picks. 

Alyssa Brascia is a shopping writer who has a teenage brother and a few teenage cousins for whom she buys gifts every year.

Erin Johnson is the associate editorial director of commerce at PEOPLE and is an expert on all things beauty and the outdoors.

Kayla Kitts is a shopping editor and mom who has personally tested hundreds of products in the home, lifestyle, and toy categories, both independently and with her son. 

Shalwah Evans is the self-titled “cool aunt” to her teen nieces and nephews, so the pressure is really on her to keep her family status when she gets them gifts (and she always gets the best gifts).

What Is PEOPLE Tested? 

We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs.

But we don’t stop there: We also regularly re-review the categories in which we’ve awarded the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval — because the best product of today might not be the best of tomorrow. And by the way, companies can never buy our recommendation: Their products must earn it, fair and square.

In short, PEOPLE Tested provides recommendations you can trust — every day, every purchase.