The guide picked up several new gadgets in a November 2025 update. WIRED says holiday prices sometimes soar, which makes real bargains hard to find, and it admits $100 isn't exactly cheap. Shoppers with more room can try its Best Tech Gifts guide, while people on tighter budgets can check its Best Gifts Under $25 list.
Sound leads the picks. The Tribit StormBox 2 is a 7-inch, pill-shaped Bluetooth speaker with dual-firing drivers and passive radiators. It puts out up to 30 watts, runs up to 24 hours on a battery, and has a bass boost button. Two units can pair for stereo.
Lighting comes next. The Govee strip has a diffuser, so it looks good stuck anywhere, and adhesive-backed metal brackets make installation easy. The app handles schedules, color cycles, animations and custom scenes. Amazon's latest Alexa speaker, the Echo Dot Max, scored 8/10 from WIRED Recommends.
For a shopper working with a hundred bucks, that means a loud portable speaker or an easy first step into smart lights without a big bill. WIRED does flag flaws. Some Govee transitions look blocky, and the app can be confusing.