The Best Gifts for Avid Readers (Not Books)
Some read for pleasure, some for work, some for study, but regardless of the purpose, there are many avid readers who spend time with a book at night. Giving them more books may seem like common sense, but choosing something they’ll enjoy can be challenging. Better yet, gift the reader in your life with a few of these useful gadgets to make the time he spends doing his hobby even better.
The best tech gifts for readers
Obviously, an e-reader is always a great gift, and it’s surprisingly inexpensive. The new Kindle Paperwhite is currently on sale for $134.99 (regularly $159.99) and even comes with three free months of Kindle Unlimited, so your reader has access to all the books they want. It has a large screen, is very thin and has anti-glare technology, so it’s an upgrade if you already have an older version.
Or—and hear me out—take the Paperwhite Kids. Of course, this could be for children, or maybe for adults. This is a great car for sale right now. The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids 16GB costs $149.99 (regularly $189.99), which is its lowest price ever, according to price trackers . The Kindle comes with a free case that will save you about $30, an ad-free experience that will save you $20, a six-month subscription to Amazon Kindle Kids+ that normally costs $36, and a two-year warranty that’s twice as long as the warranty. term. on the regular version. You can easily turn off Child Safety Mode, but doing so will return the ads to your home screen.
Of course, there are cool reader-focused technologies that go beyond e-readers. Book lights, for example, make great stocking fillers because they’re small, useful, and a little nostalgic. I’ve always liked using them at night so I don’t overwhelm myself with too much overhead lighting, plus they’re inexpensive enough to justify using them everywhere at under $15.
I also generally recommend Scanmarker Pal for students because it can translate words on paper into a variety of other languages, but it’s also useful for anyone who wants to hear their written work read aloud. It costs $149, is lightweight and portable, and can be paired with Bluetooth headphones so it can be used in public places.
Other cool gifts for book lovers
I’ll admit, I don’t have one yet, but it’s on my Christmas list this year: The Reading Pillow ($56.99). I love to read in bed or on the couch, but I also love to rest my elbows on something, so this pillow that rests on my lap and provides a sturdy place to store a book (or laptop) and your hands is just genius for me.
You can also purchase a similar version—a portable desk with an attached tablet holder—for those who prefer an e-reader. It’s $45.98 .
For something more personalized, I like the idea of book stamps or embossing machines. You can order them with the reader’s name on them so they can stamp or emboss “From the Library…” on their prized copies. The stamp costs $19.95 and the embosser costs $24.99 . Personalized gifts are always a hit and this one is truly thoughtful.