Gifts £30 – 50
Philips Senseo coffee maker
£39.99 and up
Up near the top of our list of first world problems is the price of coffee pods used in coffee makers like those of the Philips Senseo range. But they’re just so darn convenient – none of the mess of a cafetiere, with the same “real coffee” taste. Shop around and you’ll find Senseo coffee machines selling at a bargain price. Several are available from Telephones-Online for around £40, for example. And if you can’t stomach the price of coffee pods, look around for a CoffeeDuck – a reusable pod that lets you use your own coffee grounds.
SoundMagic E30 earphones
£39.99 – full review
You don’t need to flog multiple limbs to afford good sound quality. Spend £30 or so and you can get sound comparable to the big leagues. Our pick of the moment is the Sound Magic E30 IEM earphones. They may not look a million pound sterling, but they sound great. And they offer decent noise isolation, with a great selection of rubber tips included as standard. With optional rubber ear loops bundled too, they’re also a good choice for runners.
Wacom Bamboo Stylus Duo
£34.99
What do you get for the man who has everything? The Wacom Bamboo Stylus Duo, that’s what. It’s a pen and a stylus in one, letting you switch between scribbling on papyrus and an iPad’s capacitive touchscreen within seconds. One end is a ballpoint pen, the other a rubbery teat – like that of the Wacom Bamboo Stylus – which tablets (whether Android or Apple based) can get on with.
Pure One Mini DAB radio
£44.99 – full review
Techie dads may already be hooked up with internet radios, but you still can’t beat the complete simplicity of DAB. It’s even easier to use than musty old FM. And one of our favourite small radios is the Pure One Mini. A dinky mono device, it’ll stick into small alcoves and is hugely portable. It doesn’t come with a battery pack, but these can be snapped up for £25 (or £16 for an unofficial eBay version) and provide around 20 hours of power.
£50 and Over
Wi-Fi Kindle
£89.00 – full review
Although it was reportedly the Christmas present most often left unused, we still think an Amazon Kindle makes a superb gift. They’re fun, functional and are the best eReaders around in many respects. Having tested the touchscreen Kindle, our vote goes to the cheaper non-touch version – unless money is no object. It’s thin, light and offers a fantastic reading experience.
Leatherman Wave Multi Tool
£79.99
Is your Father feeling emasculated? Has his man mojo been sapped by the prospect of retirement, an overbearing wife or the stresses of a double-dip recession? There’s only one thing that can help – a big chunky, metal multi tool so well-equipped you could probably build a house with it. Our pick of the bunch is the slightly terrifying-looking Leatherman Wave, but plenty of cheaper options are available too – starting at around the £20 mark.
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Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
