29 Last-Minute Deals on Mother’s Day Gifts (2023)
From discounted weighted blankets to tablets, we’ve got you covered for Mom’s special day….
mother’s day is only a couple of days away. If you haven’t already purchased a gift for the mother figure in your life, we’re here to remind you that it’s time to get movin’ before May 14. To help you speed up the process, we found great deals on a variety of devices we think will make for excellent gifts, including weighted blankets, coffee machines, ebook readers, and more. You know, that way, you can use the money you save to justify the additional cost of expedited shipping.
Looking for more gift ideas? Be sure to check out our roundup of Mother’s Day Gift Ideas.
Updated May 12, 2023: We added new picks, like the Furbo 360 Pet Camera, Tempo Studio, and a variety of hair tools, and removed dead deals.
Special offer for Gear readers: Get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com and our print magazine (if you’d like). Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.
Weighted Blanket Deals
WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano says this is the best weighted blanket she’s ever tried. It’s on the stiffer side and feels heavy (we tested the 20-pound blanket), but the weight is evenly distributed and the lack of filling keeps it from bunching up in one area. The open-knit design is not only aesthetically pleasing but also allows air to circulate to keep you from feeling too hot.
Use code XOXO15 to see the discount at checkout. For moms that prefer a smaller blanket but still want the extra weight, we recommend Baloo’s mini lap blanket. Its compact size makes it ideal to use at the office or to take with you while traveling.
A comfy robe is a necessity for all moms. It can help make those busy mornings a tad more tolerable and quieter evenings more relaxing. This one from Therarobe is heavy. It’s not for running around the house in, but it’s great for laying on the couch or your bed in. As with some weighted blankets, the robe has tiny glass beads sewn in to help evenly distribute the weight. It’s machine-washable too.
Use code SPRING2023 to see the discount at checkout. This blanket received an honorable mention in our buying guide. It’s a wonderful cooling blanket for sleeping solo. It’s thin too, keeping you from feeling hot underneath. It also comes in a variety of weight options, including 10, 12, 15, 17, and 20 pounds.
Use code HAPPYMOM to see the discount at checkout. For moms that are new to the world of weighted blankets, YNM’s blanket is a great one to start with. It’s lightweight, super soft, and also comes in a few velvet options.
If you know Mom would prefer a more lightweight option, Gravity’s robe comes with a 3-pound collar so it’s not fully weighted. It’s also super soft, easy to clean (you can remove the pack of weighted beans to throw in the wash), and the weight is evenly distributed.
Another great blanket for traveling, this one folds up nicely and fits into an included bag. It’s worth noting the material is a little noisy though, similar to a sleeping bag. But we still think it’s a great pick.
Home and Kitchen Deals
The Breville Bambino is a great machine for moms who enjoy the process of whipping up a delicious cappuccino. It’s compact—making it ideal for even the smallest of countertops—and it comes with high-quality accessories like a measuring tool, tamp, and stainless steel frothing jug. This isn’t a machine for beginners though; there is a learning curve and it requires proper care (like washing out the drip tray and wiping down the steaming wand).
We’ve crowned this one the best all-in-one espresso machine in our buying guide. In addition to making espresso, it can grind beans and steam milk. It’s durable, too. WIRED reviews editor Julian Chokkattu owns this model and says it still works perfectly after over four years. Its price dipped lower last month, but we still think this is a solid deal.
Moms with an extensive vinyl collection will love this suitcase-style Victrola record player. It has a built-in Bluetooth speaker that you can pair your phone to, along with the ability to transmit the sounds of records to other speakers and headphones. The case is easy to travel with too (the lid can even double as a record holder). For even more savings, the red color option is on sale at Walmart for $77 ($23 off).
A smart display makes for an excellent companion around the house—you can use it to control smart home gadgets, check calendar events, video chat with loved ones, and more. The Echo Show 10 is our favorite Alexa-powered option. The 10-inch screen swivels 360 degrees to follow you with the camera while you’re on a call or viewing a recipe. You can also use it to play Amazon Prime videos, see what music is playing (with playback controls), and make voice and video calls (with support for Zoom).
A digital photo frame is a great way for Mom to showcase all her favorite memories without taking up too much space with traditional photo frames. The Carva drops to $149 often, but it holds the title of best overall in our buying guide. It has a high-quality display and unlimited storage, and is super simple to use. Aura is running a Mother’s Day sale on additional frames, including the Mason Luxe for $229 ($20 off) and the Smith for $349 ($50 off).
The Echo Dot with Clock is our favorite mini speaker. It offers improved sound thanks to a new custom full-range driver and a temperature sensor that triggers Alexa to control a smart home device based on the room’s temperature (like turning on a smart fan if the room is too warm). The small display is also useful for setting timers and alarms, in addition to checking the time.
If Mom is all in on Amazon, she’ll love the Fire Stick TV 4K Max—with menus targeted toward the company’s Prime Video app and purchasing content from its own store. Compared to its predecessor, it comes equipped with more upgrades, including more memory (2 GB versus 1.5), a picture-in-picture feature for viewing your security camera feed, and support for Wi-Fi 6. You’ll also get some of the highest video quality.
For those who aren’t interested in Amazon, Apple, or Google streaming devices, TiVo’s Stream 4K is a good alternative. It uses Android TV, which organizes recommendations based on streaming services, with the ability to search for content across each one. If Mom has a Sling or YouTube TV account, she can integrate those as well. It’s dipped to this price before, but this is still a solid deal.
Rather than keep Mom’s precious photos on her phone, Chatbooks will curate a nice book for her to flip through. The service connects to a camera roll, or Facebook or Instagram account. Once it hits 60 pictures, you’ll receive a notification that the book is ready. You’ll also have the option to edit the book before it’s printed and sent out.
The Tempo Studio (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is an excellent fitness machine for moms interested in learning how to strength train. In addition to high-quality weights, an aesthetically pleasing design, and a variety of workout classes (including live versions), it uses artificial intelligence to provide feedback on form in real-time. It’s worth noting, however, there’s a $39 monthly subscription fee to access that content.
For the dog moms out there, the Furbo 360 Camera (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is currently our favorite pet camera. In addition to two-way talking, barking alerts, and the treat-throwing functionality, the next-generation version spins 360 degrees. Instead of a static view, you’re able to see your dog throughout the entire room right from your phone. There’s also an Auto Dog Tracking feature, which automatically follows your pup around your space. The 1080p camera has night vision too, so you’ll be able to keep an eye on your dog even in low-light environments.
Tablet and Ebook Reader Deals
For moms who want a basic no-frills tablet, the Fire HD 8 is a good pick. Compared to its predecessor, the latest version has a slightly faster processor and a thinner design. Performance is pretty good too, and it packs plenty of battery life. It’s dipped lower in the past, to $60, but we still think this is a good deal. If you’d prefer more RAM along with wireless charging, the Fire HD 8 Plus is also on sale for $90 ($30 off).
If you’re looking for a tablet with a larger display, there’s also the Fire HD 10 Plus. It packs 1080-pixel resolution and 4 GB of RAM (for smooth performance, especially when using multiple apps). And with support for wireless charging, you can use a dock like this one to keep it powered up. It was on sale for even less last month, at $120, but this is still a solid deal.
The iPad Mini (8/10, WIRED Recommends) remains my top suggestion if you’re looking for the best tablet to travel with. It’s compact, making it easy to slip into a backpack or tote, and the 8.3-inch display is comfortable for streaming Netflix shows or reading ebooks. Equipped with an A15 Bionic processor (the same one that powers the iPhone 13), it’s also fast enough to handle demanding apps and games. And with second-generation Apple Pencil support, Mom can use it as a notebook or sketchpad. It’s dipped to this price before, but it’s still a good deal.
We don’t recommend paying full price for this iPad (7/10, WIRED Review). But it’s a great deal at $400, the lowest we’ve tracked so far. The 10th-gen version comes with a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display, a USB-C port instead of Lightning, support for 5G connectivity, and a Touch ID sensor integrated into the power button. It’s also powered by the A14 Bionic Chip (the one in the iPhone 12), which offers smooth performance.
This is our favorite option for books. Using the stylus, you can mark up ebooks and compatible PDFs. It’s an excellent tablet for any moms enrolled in college (like English majors who have to read a bunch of books per semester). They can also use it to check out ebooks from the local library with a library card.
Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite is our top recommendation for most people. It packs a bright 6.8-inch display with adjustable warm lighting and is waterproof, making it a great choice for moms who like to read in the bathtub, by the pool, or at the beach. This version dipped slightly lower to $100 last month, but we still think this is a great deal.
This is the smallest Kindle available, at 6.2 inches tall and 4.3 inches wide, making it a great option for moms who like to read on the go. It’s important to note it’s not waterproof, and it doesn’t come with warm lighting or auto-adjusting light like the Paperwhite models. But Amazon did revamp it last year, adding double the storage (16 GB), a higher quality screen (300 pixels-per-inch), and a USB-C port. The compact size makes it comfortable to hold with one hand, too.
Hair Dryer and Flat Iron Deals
The Zuvi Halo (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is our go-to hair dryer for moms who prefer using less heat on their hair. It uses infrared heat (instead of convective heat), which keeps it from getting too hot. According to Zuvi, it heats the outside of your hair instead of frying it to the core. It comes with a few attachments, including a diffuser (to reduce frizz), a style concentrator (for precision), and a gentle air attachment (for cooler airflow).
The RevAir (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is one of our favorite hair tools. Results may vary depending on hair type, but we’ve found it works great with curly hair that feels frustrating or impossible to style—drying and straightening hair quickly. It also uses less heat than flat irons. Use code MOM10 to see the discount at checkout.
The Shark HyperAir has the most unique set of attachments we’ve seen yet. There’s a brush attachment to turn it into a blow-dry brush (which you can rotate with a button), an air concentrator with a nozzle that shrinks and expands depending on how you’re styling, and a diffuser with prongs that can be lengthened or shortened for different hair lengths. The sleek style bundle comes with an air concentrator and styling brush. For curly hair, we recommend the set with the air concentrator and diffuser. It’s on sale at Walmart for $200 ($30 off).
This straightener received an honorable mention in our buying guide. Equipped with ions and infrared lights, it’s supposed to help distribute heat evenly in a way that won’t damage hair. We like the Kosa straightener as well, which has the same features (both are made by the same manufacturer) and is also on sale for $156 ($39 off).
About The Author
