Many mothers will want one of two things for Mother’s Day: time with her family, or a moment of peace and quiet. But if you insist on showing up to brunch next Sunday with a physical item in tow, what do you do if your mom, like mine, says: “Get me anything, anything at all, just please don’t spend too much”?
Here at the Filter US, the Guardian’s home for helping you buy fewer, better things, we have some ideas. From a faux fur throw blanket to a percussive massage gun, we’ve selected exciting as well as practical gifts that will help your mom feel celebrated, and that all offer excellent value.
We’re not simply recommending these products because they’re on sale. These are items we have either tested or can vouch for based on personal experience – meaning that while our moms may tell us to gift “anything at all”, you can rest assured that thought and care have gone into it.
Cozy Earth Adjustable Bamboo Sleep Mask
Cozy Earth
Adjustable Bamboo Sleep Mask
$32.30
This adjustable sleep mask is made (mostly) of bamboo and is both cooling and soft. Its Velcro fastener stays put even during a night of tossing and turning, and it creates a total blackout conducive to restful sleep. If the mom in your life struggles to get the recommended eight hours of shuteye either due to a busy schedule or fluctuating hormones, this could certainly help.
Cozy Earth
Adjustable Bamboo Sleep Mask
$32.30
Shokz OpenFit 2+
Shokz open-ear headphones permit ambient noise and allow you to hear your own voice on calls, but also have excellent sound quality. They’re a great choice for a busy mom, or even a less-busy mom. In his review of 42 pairs of headphones, Simon Cohen, a reviewer for the Filter, praised these as “supremely comfortable”, and says “I’ve used them for whole days at a time, mostly because I forget I’m wearing them.”
Shokz
OpenFit 2+
$149.95
Calpak Terra 26L Laptop Duffel Backpack
Calpak
Terra 26L Laptop Duffel Backpack
$168.30
As an outdoorsy mom myself, this backpack – one of our best-tested personal item bags – would top my most-wanted list. It was praised by the Filter reviewer Jessica Reyes for its array of pockets and for being “so, so pretty”. Bonus: the polyester is recycled.
Calpak
Terra 26L Laptop Duffel Backpack
$168.30
Jonathan Adler Versailles Coaster Set
Jonathan Adler
Versailles Coaster Set
$49.99
These porcelain coasters feature colorful, Escher-like patterns with gold details. One recipient told Ali Francis, a contributor for the Filter, that they are “bold, bright, and a great keepsake”.
Jonathan Adler
Versailles Coaster Set
$49.99
Caraway 12-Piece Ceramic Set With Storage Organizers
Caraway
12-Piece Ceramic Set With Storage Organizers
$445
In Bernadette Machard de Gramont’s quest for the best induction cookware, the Filter contributor found Caraway’s ceramic cookware set reigned supreme because “they’re extremely versatile – they went from the stovetop to oven (up to 550F), performing beautifully in almost all manner of cooking.”
Caraway
12-Piece Ceramic Set With Storage Organizers
$445
Momcozy Stroller Organizer
Momcozy
Stroller Organizer
$28.99
For new moms, a particular hassle is transporting your baby from one point to another with a mountain of gear along for the ride. This stroller organizer keeps the essentials within reach (and out of the coveted storage cabin beneath the baby’s seat). I particularly appreciate the insulated drink holder to house both coffee and the baby’s bottle.
Momcozy
Stroller Organizer
$28.99
Shark
Glossi 2-in-1 Hot Tool And Air Glosser
from $129.99
Benvwe Faux Fur Throw Blanket
Benvwe
Faux Fur Throw Blanket
$42.98
For an afternoon of reading or dozing on the couch, Lauren Gould on the Filter’s editorial team recommends this faux fur throw blanket, which is available in 13 colors and four sizes. With its bubble-like texture, it’s reminiscent of the trendy Lola blanket, and will add a fetching bit of texture to a room.
Benvwe
Faux Fur Throw Blanket
$42.98
Hyperice Hypervolt 2 Percussion Massage Gun
Hyperice
Hypervolt 2 Percussion Massage Gun
from $199
1800Flowers Lovely Lavender Medley with Strawberries
1800Flowers
Lovely Lavender Medley with Strawberries
$60
Foreo Luna 4 Face Cleansing Brush
Foreo
Foreo Luna 4 Face Cleansing Brush
$129.99
Lululemon Swiftly Tech Long-Sleeve Shirt 2.0 Waist Length
Lululemon
Swiftly Tech Long-Sleeve Shirt 2.0 Waist Length
$54
For Lauren Gould, the Filter US’s editorial coordinator, this base layer tops her list of running essentials. It retains its shape after years (and miles) of wear, it has stay-put thumb holes to stop it from riding up and it is designed to ward off sweat and odors. “I bought my first shirt years ago, and it still looks and feels as if I bought it yesterday,” Gould says. It comes in colors from jewelled magenta to black plum.
Lululemon
Swiftly Tech Long-Sleeve Shirt 2.0 Waist Length
$54
Le Creuset Signature Round Saucepan
Le Creuset
Signature Round Saucepan
from $187.96
This attractive saucepan, vetted by our colleagues at the Filter UK, comes in a rosy pink. Our writer says he appreciates “the thick, heavy iron pots for the way they retain heat and save on bills. As soon as eggs, pasta or veg come to the boil, I put the lid on and turn off the heat – and the food carries on cooking at and then just below boiling point for 10 minutes or more.”
For other Mother’s Day gift ideas, consider other items we’ve recommended from Le Creuset, such as the small cocotte for single-serve portions of mac and cheese and french onion soup, along with the Padma Lakshmi-approved Signature Oval Dutch Oven ideal for feeding the whole family.
Le Creuset
Signature Round Saucepan
from $187.96
Gap Heavyweight Easy Baggy Sweatpant Jeans
Gap
Heavyweight Easy Baggy Sweatpant Jeans
$44
In my testing of the top sweatpant jeans, I found Gap’s heavyweight option to feel most plush and akin to pyjamas or sweatpants. The mom who loves to lounge yet look put-together will be grateful.
Gap
Heavyweight Easy Baggy Sweatpant Jeans
$44
HexClad The HexMill Collection Bundle
HexClad
The HexMill Collection Bundle
$299
“HexClad’s salt and pepper grinders are the best thing I’ve ever come across; they’re proper pricey but they’re mega,” according to Tom Kerridge, chef, restaurateur and author of Pub Kitchen. This sale includes two grinder sets – one intended to live in the kitchen, the other for the dining table.
HexClad
The HexMill Collection Bundle
$299
Renpho Heating Pad
Renpho
Heating Pad
$22.98
Owlet Dream Duo
Owlet
Dream Duo
$379.99
Other pieces you might enjoy from the Filter, the Guardian’s guide to buying fewer, better things: