10 Awesome Gifts For Every Type of Mom

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Being the learned woman that she is, your mom probably likes to read a good book. But, being from another generation, she also might have a little trouble with technology from time to time. That’s why you should hook her up with a Kindle Paperwhite 3G. This newer, easier to read version of the Kindle has the obvious perks—it’s lightweight and portable, and can store hundreds of books—but it also has free 3G, a reliable dictionary, and “Goodreads" for sharing books you like with friends, and is super easy to read in any lighting environment.

Another piece of technology that can take an age-old activity and transform it for modern times is the Fitbit One. If your mom is into fitness, the Fitbit is definitely the way to go. This tiny device tracks the steps taken, stairs climbed, distance traveled, and calories burned in a day, and syncs stats with a computer or smartphone. The Fitbit One also tracks sleep patterns and quality. You can then monitor your progress, set goals, compete with friends, and earn badges. Plus, you can log workouts and meals for even more fitness insight.

Your mom’s probably on point with her Netflix game, but does she know she can watch it, along with Hulu, Amazon Plus, HBO Go and more right on her TV? Because the Roku does just that. It’s easy to use, and is super affordable. With the new portable (HDTV-only) Roku stick, and the premium stationary Roku 3 box she can now get caught up on Game of Thrones or watch her favorite classic flicks whenever she wants, not to mention save tons on cable.

If your mom travels a lot for work, you know it can be exceedingly difficult to just find a moment of peace and quiet. That’s why noise-canceling headphones are the perfect gift. They block out noise from the outside world, giving your mom the ability to simply chill for a minute. Since she’s probably not the target demographic for Beats By Dre, we’d recommend the Sony Over-The-Ear Wireless Bluetooth headphones so there’s zero chance of cable tangling or noisy interruption when mom’s in zen mode.

Most people who are into coffee know that half of the magic comes from how you prepare coffee (the other half being the coffee itself and the roasting process). That’s why the AeroPress is a crucial gift for any coffee-lover. The AeroPress is often cited as a secret and affordable workaround to getting fantastic coffee—just check the Amazon reviews. It uses pressure and a lower temperature to maintain richness that you’d only find coming from really expensive machines, and it makes high-quality espresso, too. Throw in a hand-operated grinder and your mom will soon be putting the local baristas to shame.

It can be hard to buy gifts for cooks. Like a musician or an artist, everyone has their own taste in what tools they like to use, and the universally-praised items, like a good chefs knife or French copper pots, can be prohibitively expensive. That’s why we think the perfect gift for a mom who loves to cook is something she probably wouldn’t buy for herself: an ice cream maker. Nowadays, homemade ice cream doesn’t have to be unhealthy either. Companies like Yonanas make ice cream makers that turn frozen fruit into soft serve. We doubt that the rest of the fam will complain about having extra ice cream either.

It’s 2014 and things are starting to look like The Jetsons. Alongside the Nest, the super-smart thermostat, the Kwikset Kevo uses technology to help you live smarter and safer in your home. The Kevo replaces the deadbolt on your front door and pairs via Bluetooth with smartphones. That way your mom will never have to worry about losing her keys. She can also share eKeys with friends and family, and get alerts on her phone whenever the door is unlocked or locked.

Smart people love a good hang sesh in a backyard. If your mom is one of those smart people, then we’d definitely recommend getting her a fire pit. It’s a great centerpiece to hang around in the evening, and brings the great outdoors vibe right to the backyard. Plus, who can get mad about s’mores?

It’s never too late to learn a new language. If your mom is interested in other cultures or learning a new language, Rosetta Stone is a no-brainer. Their newer TOTALe online subscription gives you an entire year of online courses built around one of twenty-four languages, and now offers voice recognition features and an online community of users, only further beefing up this classic language-learning software.

These days there are plenty of portable wireless speakers to choose from. Which is understandable—who wouldn’t want the ability to listen to their favorite music, podcasts, or audiobooks wherever they go? But that does mean a wireless speaker needs to do a lot to stand out ahead of the pack. Thankfully, JBL’s recently released Charge speaker stands out in a big way. Not only does it pack very good sound but it can charge smartphones and the like via USB, extending that precious battery life so mom can pump a few more of her favorite Sting tunes.