Looking back, 2020 will likely mark a sea change for healthcare startups.

Venture funding hit record amounts. Deals were reaching all-time highs. Headline-making acquisition deals brought in even more interest as lucrative exits felt possible. The parade of initial public offerings has yet to slow down.

Many startups saw a pandemic-sized opportunity and took advantage of new technology and newly agile hospitals and clinics to break into the notoriously difficult field. 

Some, like many telemedicine startups, happened to be in the right place at the right time when doctors' offices across the country shut down. 

Others still were diligently plugging away at entirely new technology or ways to access care that had nothing to do with the pandemic, but found interested investors willing to write substantial funding checks to help them bring about the future of healthcare.

Business Insider interviewed dozens of venture capitalists, private investors, and industry insiders to learn which startups are poised to take off in 2021. Many of the list finalists already had a successful 2020, with ample room to grow even further in 2021. Some take advantage of newly revealed cracks in the US healthcare system, and others are in the earliest stages but have created promising technology.

In all, investors identified 35 startups that they believe will take off in the next 12 months. Business Insider has noted when investors have stakes in the companies they've nominated.

From companies focused on mental health to companies disrupting biotech manufacturing, and a others changing the way virtual care is delivered, here are the 35 startups poised to take off in 2021, listed alphabetically. 

Akili Interactive

Picked by: Mayfield partner Ursheet Parikh

What it does: Akili Interactive makes EndeavorRx, the first video game with FDA approval to treat children diagnosed with ADHD.

Funding raised: $120 million in total, including a $13 million Series C follow-on funding round in August 2018

Why it's poised to take off: Akili Interactive is among the first startups to get FDA approval for its unusual treatment for childhood ADHD.

Its video game, called EndeavorRx, has been approved to help children experiencing ADHD by retraining the brain instead of relying on drugs or other intensive behavioral therapies. 

"It took a long time to get approval for that because at first it sounds counterintuitive, but the content is there," Parikh said of Akili's long road to FDA approval.

It's an area of neurology that Mayfield's Ursheet Parikh is particularly excited by. He predicts that three or four additional startups will join Akili with FDA-approved therapies to treat mental illness or other conditions that impact the brain itself.

— Megan Hernbroth

Boundless Bio

Picked by: Venrock partner Racquel Bracken

What it does: Boundless Bio is developing medicines to target extrachromosomal DNA.

Funding raised: $46 million from a Series A round announced in September 2019

Why it's poised to take off:  Among the hundreds of cancer biotech companies, there's a lot of overlap and redundancy. Boundless Bio is trying something different by focusing on DNA that finds a way outside of the chromosome of cells. 

Venrock partner Racquel Bracken said the San Diego biotech is "really on the forefront" of this space.

The rogue DNA bits are "highly implicated" in the process of healthy cells turning cancerous, Bracken said. Boundless was publicly launched in 2019 based on research from cofounder Paul Mischel, a scientist at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research.

"It's a completely new therapeutic platform in oncology, and I think they're poised to do some really interesting stuff," Bracken said. 

— Andrew Dunn

Brightline

Picked by: Canaan partner Byron Ling and Threshold Ventures managing partner Emily Melton (investor)

What it does: Brightline offers virtual behavioral health care for children experiencing anxiety, depression, or speech-language challenges in addition to coaching materials for parents.

Funding raised: $25 million to date, including a $20 million Series A closed in August. 

Why it's poised to take off: American children are more anxious and depressed than ever. And without in-person schools available to large swaths of the population, the tools to address anxiety and depression are harder to access for the families that need them.

"This category was critical prior to COVID," Threshold Ventures managing partner and Brightline investor Emily Melton told Business Insider. Melton pointed to a nationwide poll from The Education Trust that found nearly 80% of parents say their children are experiencing heightened stress levels during the pandemic, up from roughly 25% prior to school closures.

Brightline wants to address that gap in care with a combination of virtual care and behavioral health services for children and coaching for parents.

"It's hard depending on the age and condition to diagnose a child through video," Canaan partner Byron Ling told Business Insider. "Getting a 5-year-old on Zoom is hard. The next generation of these services will build physical clinics eventually."

— Megan Hernbroth

B.well

Picked by: HLM Venture Partners' Steve Tolle

What it does: B.well works with health systems, health plans, and employers to condense people's health information onto a single platform.

Funding raised:  $27.6 million

Why it's poised to take off: Steve Tolle, an investor at HLM Venture Partners, said that he regretted not putting money into B.well, a health IT startup.

Health systems can use B.well as a kind of "digital front door," communicating with patients through an app that's connected to their medical records. That kind of thing has become more important now with the rise of virtual care, Tolle said. 

"Every health system in the country has got to rethink how they engage with their community, especially in competitive markets," he said. 

— Blake Dodge

Cityblock Health

Picked by: CRV partner Kristin Baker Spohn

What it does: Cityblock provides healthcare to low-income patients.

Funding raised: $300 million

Why it's poised to take off: Founded in 2017, Cityblock contracts with health insurers to take care of costly, underserved patients with multiple chronic illnesses.

An effective way to care for complex patients that drive a big portion of insurers' costs was always "something that the industry sorely needed," CRV partner Kristin Baker Spohn said.

But Cityblock also proved its ability to adapt during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Spohn said the nimblest companies are the ones that will continue to survive and thrive.

Until this year, Cityblock's visits with patients were largely in person, she said. The company quickly pivoted to virtual care when the pandemic kept people from going to the doctor's office.

Cityblock's embrace of virtual care should set it up to do well in the post-pandemic world.

"That's a trend we expect to see continue well into 2021 and beyond given that all of us are becoming more comfortable leveraging virtual solutions," Spohn said.

 — Shelby Livingston

Cleo

Picked by: CRV partner Kristin Baker Spohn (advisor)

What it does: Cleo enables employers to offer benefits to support working parents. It helps guide families through the parenting experience, and can even help parents find childcare.  

Funding raised: $41 million

Why it's poised to take off in the next year: Cleo provides a solution for employee burnout—a problem that's increasingly plaguing the workforce, especially this year, CRV partner Kristin Baker Spohn said.

With employee burnout on the rise, employers are looking for ways to support their workers and keep them in their jobs.

Sometimes that burnout is caused by the stress of juggling work and caring for a family. The bulk of responsibilities at home often falls on women.

The COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbated the burnout problem, and women are leaving the workforce this year in droves.

Spohn said employers are interested in supporting their workers with family benefits or caregiver benefits, and Cleo enables employers to do that. 

— Shelby Livingston

Cyteir Therapeutics

Picked by: Venrock partner Racquel Bracken (investor)

What it does: A clinical-stage biotech developing new cancer medicines

Funding raised: More than $80 million, including a $75 million Series B round in October 2019

Why it's poised to take off: Targeted oncology drugs have become an exploding area of interest over the past decade. Cyteir is one of many biotechs looking to develop a next-generation approach, aiming to target a key protein called RAD51 that helps keep certain cancer cells alive.

Venrock partner Racquel Bracken highlighted the speedy research progress the Massachusetts biotech has made in the last couple years. She knows the space well, having been a founding employee at the cancer biotech Clovis Oncology.

"They have made tremendous progress and are in the clinic now with a program against RAD51, which is a target that has been long known to be a really important oncology target, but no one's really known how to build a drug against it," said Bracken, who sits on Cyteir's board. 

— Andrew Dunn

Elephant Healthcare

Picked by: AlbionVC Deputy Managing Partner Andrew Elder (investor) 

What the company does: Elephant aims to transform primary care, through connecting all parts of the health service with a digital platform. It works in partnership with governments and providers in the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, to connect health systems together and strengthen them.

Funding raised: £6 million ($7.9 million)

Why it's poised to take off: AlbionVC's Dr. Andrew Elder believes that Elephant Healthcare has the potential to transform access and delivery of healthcare on an unprecedented scale because it connects governments, health systems, clinicians and patients, across emerging markets, in one digital solution. 

"Its mobile-first, low-cost platform is both easy to use and deploy," he said. 

Elder told Business Insider that when combined with accelerated adoption during COVID-19, Elephant is positioned to become a leader in the provision of health care on the African continent in the coming decade.

— Dr. Catherine Schuster-Bruce

Everlywell

Picked by: Lux Capital partners Adam Goulburn and Zavain Dar (investors)

What it does: Everywell provides at-home diagnostic testing for everything from COVID-19 to food sensitivity and sends the results to the consumer's phone in just a few days.

Funding raised: More than $250 million, including a $175 million Series D round raised in December

Why it's poised to take off: Everlywell has already taken off, but it'll continue on its upward trajectory in 2021, Lux Capital partners Adam Goulburn and Zavain Dar said.

The Austin, Texas-based startup, which was founded in 2016, launched an at-home COVID-19 test in May, and it was the first of its type to receive emergency authorization from the FDA.

But the pandemic isn't the only thing driving Everywell's growth. 

"It's this concept of greater insights into your own health and the convenience of your phone, rather than the traditional Lab Corps and Quests of the world, where you have complete muddiness, or lack of transparency, in any of the results that come through," Goulburn said.

— Shelby Livingston

Ginger

Picked by: Dr. Alex Morgan, partner at Khosla Ventures (investor)

What it does: Ginger provides on-demand, virtual mental health care.

Funding raised: More than $120 million

Why it's poised to take off in the next year: Ginger partners with employers and health plans to provide virtual mental health benefits, including coaching, therapy and psychiatry, to employees.

Those services are in demand thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has exacerbated mental health issues in America.

The pandemic has also highlighted the need for better, more accessible mental healthcare. Ginger is one solution.

"There's a huge amount of depression and anxiety related to pandemic concern," said Dr. Alex Morgan, partner at Khosla Ventures. "So that business has gotten a tremendous tailwind."

— Shelby Livingston

Ginkgo Bioworks

Picked by: ARCH Venture Partners cofounder and managing director Robert Nelsen

What it does: Ginkgo is using synthetic biology to program cells.

Funding raised: $797 million, according to PitchBook, closing a $290 million Series E round in September 2019

Why it's poised to take off: Founded in 2009, Ginkgo has gained a buzzy reputation in biotech, backed by its ambitious plans to program cells to make drugs, food, and materials. 

The Boston-based startup commands a $4.86 billion valuation, according to Pitchbook, and it's been over a year since its last formal round. If and when the company decides to go public, it's likely to be one of the richest IPOs of the year.

Ginkgo also made headlines in 2020 with its research on coronavirus testing, one of four companies winning the National Institutes of Health's support for developing new diagnostic ideas. Ginkgo is working to automate much of the lab-based testing process. 

Robert Nelsen, a venture capitalist at ARCH Ventures with no relationship with Ginkgo, seemed impressed by their work and vision. 

 "They seem to be smart," he added. 

— Andrew Dunn

Habitual

Picked by: LocalGlobe partner Julia Hawkins 

What it does: Habitual is a digital therapeutics and nutritional treatment that leads to weight loss and reverses chronic disease. Digital therapeutics are software-based products that are evidenced to prevent, manage or treat a medical disease or disorder, per The Digital Therapeutics Alliance.

Funding raised: £575,000 ($766,000) in pre-seed funding

Why it's poised to take off: People living with chronic conditions like diabetes have come into the spotlight amid the pandemic, Hawkins said. 

Hawkins told Business Insider that Habitual's team seems to have an interesting approach to tackle long term obesity using meal replacement and a digital therapeutic. It's different from companies like Omada that provide digital care for chronic disease. 

— Dr. Catherine Schuster-Bruce

Hazel Health

Picked by: Dr. Alex Morgan, partner at Khosla Ventures

What it does: Hazel expands school health services through telehealth.

Funding raised: $63.45 million, according to Pitchbook, including $33.5 million raised in September from investors including Centene.

Why it's poised to take off: Hazel provides telehealth to kids while they're at school or at home.

That's a large, untapped market with a lot of opportunity, especially since most kids in the US have health insurance, Dr. Alex Morgan, a partner at Khosla Ventures, said.

"Most kids in America are covered now, and it's also a matter of convenience as well as incentives for schools to keep their kids healthy," Morgan said.

Schools don't want kids to miss class if they don't have to, but they also don't want sick children coming to the classroom and spreading illness. Hazel can help schools manage which kids should come in and which kids shouldn't, keeping the rest of the students healthy, Morgan said.

 — Shelby Livingston

Headway

Picked by: Accel partner Amit Kumar (investor) and Menlo Ventures partner Greg Yap

What it does: Headway sells software that allows independent therapists to accept health insurance. It also keeps a directory of therapists for patients to search and choose which works best for them.

Funding raised: $33 million, including a $26 million Series A round that closed in July

Why it's poised to take off: Mental health startups stole the spotlight in 2020 as Americans' mental health suffered.

Many therapists, however, do not accept insurance. 

That's where Headway comes in, acting as a massive catalogue of therapists, both solitary therapists and group practices, categorized by what insurance they accept. On the other side, it creates and sells software that makes it easier for those therapists to accept insurance at all.

"The mental health industry as a whole has exploded into one of the hottest venture-backed sectors," Accel partner and Headway investor Amit Kumar said. "Strangely, I don't think anyone would've guessed that a few years ago."

— Megan Hernbroth

Healios

Picked by: AlbionVC Deputy Managing Partner Andrew Elder (investor) 

What the company does: Healios is a company that provides digital mental health care for children and young people and their families.  

Funding raised: £4 million ($5.4 million)

Why it's poised to take off: AlbionVC's Dr. Andrew Elder predicts that the pace at which software replaces people will be much slower in healthcare than in other sectors. 

The drive will be toward technology enhancing usual healthcare, Elder said, with technology helping to deliver a more scalable and efficient service.

Elder said that Healios doesn't try to replace the therapist with technology. Instead, the platform digitally brings together all the people involved in the young person's care who are supposed to keep up-to-date with their therapy plan — the child, parents, siblings, the child's school, doctors, for example.  

— Dr. Catherine Schuster-Bruce

Healx

Picked by: Balderton Capital general partner Suranga Chandratillake (investor)

What it does: Healx is a UK-based start-up that uses artificial intelligence to predict the optimal drug combinations to treat rare diseases.

Funding raised: $67.9 million, including $56 million in Series B funding in 2019 led by London-base VC firm Atomico

Why it's poised to take off: Healx was founded by Tim Guilliams who holds a doctorate in biophysics and neuroscience from the University of Cambridge, and David Brown co-inventor of Viagra and ex-global head of drug discovery at Roche.

The company uses machine learning to find existing, off-patent drugs that help the underserved rare disease community, and has identified targets in multiple diseases.

In 2021, those drugs will start getting tested in clinical trials, Balderton Capital general partner Suranga Chandratillake said. 

If it works, it could help change how drugs are discovered. 

"Can a machine beat  — or at least equal  —  hundreds of scientists in the needling-hunting endeavor of drug discovery?" Chandratillake said. 

— Catherine Schuster-Bruce

Hinge Health

Picked by: CapitalG partner Sumi Das

What it does: Hinge offers online physical therapy and rehab.

Funding raised: More than $126 million

Why it's poised to take off: Health plans and employers are increasingly seeking ways to better manage chronic care.

One of the most expensive areas to pay for is musculoskeletal conditions. Back pain, as one example, can lead to surgeries that cost tens of thousands of dollars. 

Healthcare startup Hinge Health is emerging as the market leader in that space, CapitalG partner Sumi Das told Business Insider. Hinge calls itself the "world's first digital clinic for back and joint pain," coordinating physical therapists and surgical rehab online.

Insurers are realizing that Hinge is easy to use but also delivers a lot of savings, Das said. It's also got an early lead and brand going over other digital health rivals. Some of its clients include L.L. Bean, Walgreens, US Foods, and Boeing, according to Hinge's website.

"We see them as one of the really interesting companies in the market that can be a very large business," he said.

— Blake Dodge

LetsGetChecked

Picked by: HLM Venture Partners' Steve Tolle (investor)

What it does: LetsGetChecked ships at-home testing kits to patients and provides their results.

Funding raised: $114 million

Why it's poised to take off: LetsGetChecked has had a banner year, HLM Venture Partners' Steve Tolle said. Since the beginning of the pandemic, it's sold more than 1 million at-home tests for the virus to the likes of NBC, Netflix, universities, and individuals.

Business has been helped by the fact that people are stuck in their homes, but still need to get screened for all kinds of conditions. Between July 2019 and July 2020, test orders for female fertility shot up by 235%, STDs by 264%, and thyroid function by 188% compared to the year prior, the company told Business Insider in September. 

"Diagnostic tests in the home — I think that's a market that's here to stay, especially for the chronically ill," Tolle said. 

For LetsGetChecked's role in spearheading at-home testing, Business Insider named CEO Peter Foley to our list of 30 people under 40 who're transforming the healthcare industry. 

— Blake Dodge

MedArrive

Picked by: Kleiner Perkins principal Annie Case (investor)

What it does: MedArrive works with a national network of EMTs and paramedics to offer in-home non-emergency care to patients in partnership with their clinic or hospital.

Funding raised: $4.5 million to date, consisting mostly of a seed round announced on December 3.

Why it's poised to take off: When doctors' offices shuttered amid statewide stay-at-home orders, startups like MedArrive saw an opening to bring high quality care outside the four walls of a traditional clinic.

The startup partners with a nationwide network of EMTs and paramedics that can be dispatched to patients' homes for non-emergency care. They could check on an elderly patient, for example, or provide post-operative care checks on a patient after they've had surgery.

"We're still in very early days of figuring out what the future of the unbundled hospital looks like," Kleiner Perkins principal Annie Case said.

MedArrive is also in its early days, having just raised its seed funding round, but Case thinks the startup could hit its stride with new customers and growth going into 2021.

— Megan Hernbroth

Modern Health

Picked by: Kleiner Perkins principal Annie Case (investor) and Menlo Ventures partner Greg Yap

What it does: Modern Health sells software to companies of all sizes that want to offer virtual mental health benefits to their employees.

Funding raised: $96 million, including a $51 million Series C round announced on December 15.

Why it's poised to take off: With office cafeterias closed and ping pong tables largely off-limits, companies have spent most of 2020 trying to figure out how to best support their employees from afar, including comprehensive mental health benefits.

Modern Health offers its services to employers as a benefit. Employees can access behavioral-based mental health assessments, therapy sessions, and treatments at little to no cost as part of a broader benefits package the company pays for.

The company's pitch is that it ultimately saves companies money by addressing employees' mental health needs head on and making them more productive. It's a pitch that will only continue to be appealing as more companies keep employees working at home.

"The need for really great mental healthcare in this country has never been more acute," Menlo Ventures partner Greg Yap said. 

— Megan Hernbroth

Ooda Health

Picked by: Optum Ventures partner Laura Veroneau

What they do: Ooda Health makes it easier for patients to pay their bills so that hospitals get paid faster for the care they provide.

Funding raised: $42.5 million

Why they're poised to take off: 2020 was tough on hospitals' bottom lines.

Early in the pandemic, hospitals were forced to postpone the lucrative elective surgeries they typically rely on. They were also saddled with extra expenses from having to source enough personal protective equipment and staff to care for COVID-19 patients.

The American Hospital Association estimates that hospitals lost $202.6 billion between March and June because of the pandemic.

These dire circumstances create an opportunity for health systems to get innovative, particularly when it comes to payments, Optum Ventures partner Laura Veroneau said.

Veroneau is betting on Ooda Health, which aims to make healthcare transactions quick and simple, like other retail purchases. 

 — Shelby Livingston

Optellum

Picked by: Luminous VC co-founder and general partner Lomax Ward (investor)

What the company does: Optellum has developed an AI-based diagnostic that helps clinicians to stratify risk among patients to try to drive better decision making.  

Funding raised: £5 million ($6.7 million)

Why it's poised to take off: Optellum aims to tackle delayed diagnoses, expediting necessary intervention and preventing expensive and invasive unnecessary procedures. That's particularly important in cases like lung cancer, Luminous VC general partner Lomax Ward said.

"Lung cancer is the world's biggest cancer killer and is plagued by late diagnosis," said Ward. 

Ward told Business Insider that Optellum is taking part in a large £11 million ($14.6 million) lung cancer screening trial at Oxford University, alongside Swiss multinational pharma and diagnostics company Roche and GE healthcare systems, an American multinational conglomerate.  

"With early sales and budding partnerships, 2021 looks to be a breakout year for them," he said.

— Dr. Catherine Schuster-Bruce

Oscar Health

Picked by: CapitalG partner Sumi Das (investor)

What it does: Oscar sells health insurance plans to individuals, small business, and to seniors via Medicare Advantage health plans.

Funding raised:  $1.6 billion, including a $140 million round announced on December 17. Oscar confidentially filed to go public on December 21. 

Why it's poised to take off: Oscar Health should continue its 2020 gains in the year, CapitalG's Sumi Das told Business Insider.

Oscar's tech-forward approach combines virtual visits, $0 prescriptions in some cases, and the ability for folks to find doctors and drugs that are in-network. It's a kind of anti-insurance insurance startup that actually cares about things like customer satisfaction. 

Oscar got its start by selling coverage on the ACA exchanges, but Das said that it's expanding into Medicare Advantage and group health plans, like for small businesses. Today it's selling plans in 15 states, up from nine in 2019, and plans to be in 18 states in 2021. 

Oscar's future is somewhat cemented by the Biden administration, insofar as Democrats are Medicare, Medicaid, and ACA-friendly.

"We're very excited by their progress and the potential there to build a kind of transformational health plan," Das said.

— Blake Dodge

Papa

Picked by: Canaan partner Byron Ling (investor)

What it does: Papa offers on-demand companionship and support to seniors by tapping into a network of gig employees across the country.

Funding raised: $31 million to date, including a $18 million Series B round announced on September 22.

Why it's poised to take off: As more seniors opt out of assisted living facilities, startups like Papa will continue to help fill in the gaps in care and community that come from a more traditional live-in care facility.

Investors like Canaan partner Byron Ling call this trend "aging in the home," and see it only accelerating in the years after the coronavirus pandemic.

"Papa plays in both companionship and care navigation, so it has elements of community and can also help cure loneliness," Ling said. "That's really a problem that's been exacerbated in this crisis."

Papa members can hire Papa Pals, or unskilled gig workers, to perform errands, take them to doctors' appointments, or just sit and talk. Long term, investors have said it could easily move beyond its limited role to include more healthcare specific services, like in-home non-emergency care, to grow.

— Megan Hernbroth

Particle Health

Picked by: Menlo Ventures partner Greg Yap (investor)

What it does: Particle Health offers software that streamlines data collection at hospitals and clinics to better enable information sharing between networks.

Funding raised: $14.3 million raised to date. That includes a $12 million Series A closed on April 28.

Why it's poised to take off: Despite setbacks during the coronavirus pandemic, hospitals across the US are signing on to cloud-based services in the name of interoperability.

In practice, that looks mostly like the existing electronic medical records, but sharable among different hospitals, clinics, and doctors instead of filed away at each separate care provider. 

One of the startups tackling the gargantuan task of getting all these stakeholders on the same page is Particle Health. It has developed software to confirm patients' identities across different healthcare systems, and standardizes templates for forms to make transitions between systems smoother.

"It's a complicated tech challenge," Menlo Ventures partner Greg Yap said.

— Megan Hernbroth

PeerWell

Picked by: OMERS Ventures managing partner Michael Yang  (investor)

What it does: PeerWell is software that aims to improve surgery outcomes by helping patients prepare for and recover from musculoskeletal procedures.

Funding raised: $10.9 million

Why it's poised to take off: PeerWell experienced "a tsunami" of growth in 2020, Michael Yang, managing partner at OMERS Ventures told Business Insider.

When the pandemic forced hospitals to postpone non-urgent surgeries, orthopedic surgeons had to find ways to stay in touch with patients and keep their conditions stable until they could reschedule procedures.

They turned to PeerWell for help. The company offers an app that helps ensure good outcomes for back surgery, hip and knee replacements and other musculoskeletal procedures. It gets people ready for surgery and helps them recover after.

"Those that did avail themselves of PeerWell were able to maintain the patient relationship," Yang said.

He expects the startup to continue to grow as medical specialties increasingly adopt telehealth capabilities.

 — Shelby Livingston

Quibim

Picked by: Amadeus partner Pierre Socha (investor)

What it does: Quibim is a Spain-based biotech company that uses artificial intelligence, AI, to review medical images for disease-specific characteristics so it can detect certain medical conditions like cancer, Alzheimer's disease and osteoarthritis.

Funding raised: €10.4 million ($12.6 million)

Why it's poised to take off: Quibim's AI platform stands out to Amadeus partner Pierre Socha because he believes that it extracts and quantifies disease-specific biomarkers with ultra-high accuracy.

"Being able to discover an anomaly early is key to recovery —  think of oncology, the earlier you detect the cancer, the more likely you are to survive it," said Socha. 

He explained that the ability for Quibim to quantify the tumor is significant, because it allows healthcare professionals to measure a tumor's severity as well as identify its presence.

— Dr. Catherine Schuster-Bruce

Quit Genius

Picked by: Octopus early stage health investor Matthieu Vallin (investor)

What the company does: Quit Genius is a digital clinic for multiple addictions, using a combination of behavioural therapy treatments with approved medications to help people overcome addictions such as smoking, alcohol or opioids.

Funding raised: $14.6 million including $12 million Series A in 2020 led by Octopus

Why it's poised to take off: What really impresses Octopus investor Matthieu Vallin is Quit Genius' industry-leading quit rates in peer reviewed research.

"It has now helped more than 60,000 people quit their addictions," Vallin said.

The business started life in the UK, but has expanded into the US where it has already gained some strong traction with nearly 860,000 people using its services, and multiple partnerships with US providers including Evernorth, Cigna's health services business  and Virgin Pulse Adaptive Partner Network.

— Dr. Catherine Schuster-Bruce

Quilted Health

Picked by: General Catalyst investor Reva Nohria

What it does: Quilted Health coordinates in-home and online maternity care.

Funding raised: Undisclosed

Why it's poised to take off: Companies that provide in-home care are going to see a lot of growth in the coming years, General Catalyst investor Reva Nohria told Business Insider. 

That's because they're not just adding a convenient option for folks to get care — they're tapping into a non-clinical workforce that's extremely helpful in healthcare settings, she said. 

Maternity startup Quilted Health, for example, works with professional midwives, and only brings doctors into the equation when needed for special cases or to coordinate certain kinds of care.

One General Catalyst-backed startup Sprout Therapy similarly coordinates in-home therapy for children and families with autism, using both a clinical and non-clinical workforce, Nohria said.

The model helps patients navigate the system, she said. "But it's also an opportunity to bring in people who might have otherwise said 'I would never work in the healthcare industry.'"

— Blake Dodge

Redox

Picked by: HLM Venture Partners' Steve Tolle

What it does: Redox connects healthcare products like medical devices to electronic health records.

Funding raised: $50 million

Why it's poised to take off: Startups like Redox are lining up to help a growing number of health systems and health plans grapple with their IT, HLM Venture Partners' Steve Tolle said. 

In November, Redox signed its 1,000th hospital customer, Tolle said. That company stands to benefit from the industry-wide push for better digital tools. 

There's new federal rules requiring, among other things, better patient access to healthcare data and the smoother exchange of data between institutions. That should create more demand for data services from the likes of startups, as well as groups like Change Healthcare and Google Cloud. 

But unlike the old economic stimulus that drove adoption of EHRs, Tolle said, now there's actually plenty of organic reasons for healthcare businesses to have "interoperability," or the ability for systems of record, in this case, to talk to each other.

"I think that we're at a point now where some of the things we're trying to get done, whether it's virtual health or precision medicine or value-based contracting, cannot get done, unless we get our act together," he said.

— Blake Dodge

Resilience

Picked by: ARCH Venture Partners cofounder and managing director Robert Nelsen (investor)

What it does: Revolutionize drug manufacturing, particularly for complex medicines like gene therapy, gene editing, and vaccines. 

Funding raised: $800 million to date, including a $750 million Series B round announced in November 2020

Why it's poised to take off:  2020 was a big year for biotech. New technologies, specifically the messenger RNA platform, helped develop coronavirus vaccines in record time.

But manufacturing hasn't seen nearly as much of the attention, despite its clear importance to the future of medicine. The most exciting drugs of the future are also extraordinarily complex, such as gene therapies, gene editing, and mRNA vaccines. Manufacturing shortfalls and supply chain bottlenecks are common.

That irked Robert Nelsen, one of biotech's leading venture capitalists, so he started something new with Resilience, which publicly launched November touting $800 million in funding.

Nelsen, a managing director at ARCH Venture Partners, founded Resilience and is chair of the board. He said he hopes his company can "systematize" manufacturing in a similar way that AWS has with cloud computing.

The end goal: Find new technologies "to make things better, faster, cheaper," Nelsen said. 

— Andrew Dunn

Sitka

Picked by: Venrock partner Dr. Bob Kocher

What it does: Sitka makes software that allows specialists such as cardiologists or neurologists to virtually consult with patients with their primary care physicians.

Funding raised: $8.2 million, including a $5 million strategic extension in funding from Optum Ventures in March

Why it's poised to take off: Managing specialty care, like instructions from a cardiologist or a treatment regiment from a neurologist, is a fraught part of the healthcare system for patients and doctors alike.

Sitka wants to use technology to streamline those relationships, and bring all sides into the same room using virtual care. The startup currently works with UnitedHealth to tap into its vast network of primary and specialty doctors.

Because UnitedHealth works with Sitka, Venrock partner Dr. Bob Kocher told Business Insider said it has the best chance of making an impact on the massive healthcare industry where other startups have struggled.

— Megan Hernbroth

Solv

Picked by: Greylock general partner Sarah Guo (investor)

What it does: Solv is an app where patients can schedule convenient or urgent care visits within its network of doctors with little to no notice.

Funding raised: $50 million to date, according to the company, including a $27 million Series B announced in November

Why it's poised to take off: From insurance companies, to hospital networks, doctors, pharmaceutical companies, and patients, it can be typical for patients to feel they've been left behind or ignored by the massive and slow moving systems.

Millennial patients have started shrugging off the system in favor of seeing urgent or convenient care rather than search for a primary care provider.

Solv takes that one step further with its app. Dubbed the "OpenTable for urgent care," the app allows its patients to book convenient care specialists with little-to-no notice within its network, and pricing is transparent upfront.

"2020 is the year of every consumer realizing they need to find their own healthcare — virtual care, urgent care, COVID testing, etc." Greylock general partner and Solv investor Sarah Guo said via email. "Solv is the consumer quality experience for that."

— Megan Hernbroth

Vira Health

Picked by: Luminous VC cofounder and general partner Lomax Ward 

What the company does: Vira Health is a digital health company focused on closing the gender data gap in healthcare.

Raised: £1.5 million in 2020, in a pre-seed round led by LocalGlobe

Why it's poised to take off: In 2021, it's launching an app for women to better manage menopausal symptoms, like hot flushes, insomnia and weight gain.

It's an area that has been hugely underrepresented in terms of treatment options and research and development, Luminous VC general partner Lomax Ward said.

Vira Health seeks to address this by developing digital therapeutics for the menopause. 

— Dr. Catherine Schuster-Bruce

Wildflower Health

Picked by: Echo Health Ventures partner Jessica Zeaske (investor)

What it does: Wildflower Health is a mobile app offered by health systems and health plans to help women have healthy babies.

Funding raised: $22 million, including $8 million raised in 2018. 

Why it's poised to take off: Companies that are able to pivot quickly and help support patients and providers—and proved it during the pandemic—are set to take off, Echo Health Ventures partner Jessica Zeaske said.

Wildflower Health, founded in 2012, is one of those companies.

The startup offers a mobile app that helps women have healthy babies by guiding them before, during and after pregnancy.

Early in the pandemic, when people weren't able to frequent the doctor in person, Wildflower launched a remote monitoring tool that allowed obstetricians to see their patients through virtual visits, Zeaske said.

"Wildflower is helping OBs survive," she said.

 — Shelby Livingston

Every day, we round up the 5 best deals and bargains available on tech, home goods, fashion, and more. 

We've sorted this list with the best deals first. The prices and discounts are accurate at the time of publication but are subject to change without warning. For even more deals and savings across the web, check out the best online deals and sales happening now and Business Insider Coupons.

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For the better part of a decade, Amazon Web Services was famously dismissive of the idea of hybrid cloud, which sees traditional servers and data centers bridged with platforms like AWS. More recently, it's been resistant to multicloud, the industry trend where customers use services from multiple clouds.

There are signs now that things are changing: At its annual AWS re:Invent conference, held virtually this year, the company reaffirmed its commitment to hybrid cloud product AWS Outposts while also announcing its first real steps into multicloud with a set of new services that work on Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and other platforms.

Still, AWS execs are careful to note that these moves aren't reflective of a broader strategic shift: We spoke with 6 AWS leaders in the market-leading cloud unit who all espoused the continued belief that customers are ultimately better off centralizing their IT infrastructure on a single public cloud platform.

Essentially, the executives argue, it's true that some customers need better support for these technologies right now — but in the long run, those same customers will decide using a single cloud is the best approach.

"You have to train up your team across multiple different providers. It slows you down. It adds complexity. You potentially sign up for more operational issues," said David Brown, vice president of AWS Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), on the idea of multicloud. You can read below for more thoughts from AWS execs on these trends.

Regardless, AWS may have to get used to the idea. A recent Gartner survey found 81% of respondents work with two or more cloud providers. And Google and Microsoft have both made their own bets on hybrid cloud and multicloud technology, indicating that the competition sees them as points of differentiation.

Ultimately, Nicholas McQuire, senior vice president and head of enterprise research at CCS Insight, says AWS tends to want to be perceived as a leader, rather than a follower — which could account for its relative late entry to the field.

Read more: Amazon is warming up to the idea that customers may also run other clouds like Microsoft's or Google's: 'There is no technical restriction for them in doing that'

"They prefer to leapfrog," McQuire told Business Insider. "I think probably a bit of a stretch for AWS to go into that [multi-cloud] environment this year...They were a a little bit resistant in that direction maybe a number of years ago. Given the number of customers pursuing multi cloud as part of the strategy, AWS may go in that direction over time."

Here's what 6 key execs at AWS had to say about hybrid cloud and multicloud:

Do you have insight to share? Contact Ashley Stewart via encrypted messaging app Signal (+1-425-344-8242) or email (astewart@businessinsider.com). Contact Rosalie Chan via email at rmchan@businessinsider.com, Signal at 646.376.6106, Telegram at @rosaliechan, or Twitter DM at @rosaliechan17. (PR pitches by email only, please.) 

David Brown, vice president of AWS Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2)

"Multicloud is interesting. In most of our cases, for a lot of our customers, they typically are looking to use the single cloud provider and the vast majority of their use cases on a single cloud provider. And the reason they do that is it limits complexity.

Very often if you're trying to run things across multiple trials using different APIs, they're not standard. You have to train up your team across multiple different providers. It slows you down. It adds complexity. You potentially sign up for more operational issues.

Multicloud is a strategy. We don't see a lot of customers really trying to do multicloud and run anything meaningful across multiple clouds. So it's not something that we're really focusing on right now."

Miriam McLemore, director of AWS enterprise strategy

"It's funny, when I joined, so many people were still in "'If cloud,' 'Should we do cloud?'" mode three-and-a-half years ago. You don't have that conversation at all [anymore.]

Then, for a period of time, you have people [say], 'Well, obviously I should put eggs and a lot of baskets, but...having led an IT organization where you're trying to learn and be an expert at multiple tools that aren't the things that are actually driving your unique competitive advantage, it's the heavy lifting infrastructure stuff.

Doing that in multiple boxes is super challenging to your organization."

Dave McCann, vice president of AWS Migration, Marketplace & Control Services

"We have a leadership principle at AWS called 'invent and simplify.' So in order to simplify things, you don't want to over-complicate your life. When you have multiple clouds, it's going to complicate some of your decisions. You've got to decide for what reason would you have multiple clouds and then what are those clouds do?

...If you're a CIO and you've only got a thousand people, how many things that you want them to learn? And when you introduce two, three, or four providers, that's two or three or four manuals that you people want to read. You have to decide what's your constraint, is it time to read, is it time to learn, or do you simplify by having one?

We obviously advocate 'invent and simplify.' The most simplifying thing is to have one cloud provider. If you choose to have multiple, it's a complicated and CIOs are going to make those decisions."

Bratin Saha, vice president and general manager for machine learning services at AWS

"Andy talked about this in the keynote about how we look at it. It's a matter of, you have the cloud, and you may need to compute a variety of other things. It's not just an on-prem data center. You need that in a variety of locations on the edge. We have this confluence of strategies. What we are doing with Outposts, how we are thinking of the hybrid cloud, it's a really good application of how we are thinking about it end to end."

Mai-Lan Bukovec, vice president of AWS Storage

"Our goal is to meet the customers where they are. It could be 100% in the AWS cloud, they could have a hybrid environment or it could be entirely on-premises. We've done a number of things this year to help bring forward customers that want to continue to operate in a hybrid cloud environment.

We have a pretty broad collection of services that people use for hybrid scenarios, and we're making a lot of improvements...We keep building the breadth of the portfolio for these hybrid environments. Our goal is to go where they are and meet them however we can.

I think in the fullness of time, every company is going to go to the cloud. 2020 is going to accelerate some of the thinking of that because it's really brought home how you don't want to manage an on-premises workload if you can help it. It's complicated, hard, a lot of sunk capital costs. A lot of companies are going to take some time to do that...We're going to be there when they're hybrid and be there when they use AWS regions for all applications."

Deepak Singh, vice president of compute services at AWS

"When you think about architecture, when you think about getting closer to customers, what does that mean? We make it interesting to see what architectures our customers can deploy...

From an AWS point of view, hybrid means AWS regions and everything else."

When playing the Xbox One, you'll need to download games into your game library before you can actually play them. 

This is a relatively straightforward process, but sometimes downloading games can take a while, especially if the game itself is large and requires a lot of memory. 

Fortunately, there are a few ways you can help speed your Xbox One along.

SEE ALSO: 8 affordable Xbox One accessories that'll help you make the most of your console

How to make games download faster on Xbox One

If your games are taking a long time to download, there are multiple methods for increasing the download speed.

Close out of games and apps

The Xbox One conveniently lets you play other games or use apps while a game is downloading, but this sometimes results in the download taking more time than usual. This especially goes for other games that use the internet.

If you close out of any other games and apps while your game is downloading, your Xbox One will run faster, and so will your download.

To close a game or app, press the Xbox button, highlight the game or app you want in close in the left sidebar, and press the Menu button (it's the button that looks like three horizontal lines). In the menu that appears, select "Quit."

Put less pressure on your internet connection

You might have noticed that your Wi-Fi connection runs slower when many devices are connected to Wi-Fi at the same time. The same is true for your Xbox One. 

If you disconnect other devices from your Wi-Fi, like your phone or laptop, it will strengthen your Xbox One's Wi-Fi connection and allow for faster download speeds.

Reboot your internet router

Sometimes download speeds don't have anything to with your Xbox One itself and have more to do with your internet router. 

You can try rebooting your router by disconnecting it from the wall. Wait a few moments, then plug the router back in. 

This can help the internet connection and improve your overall download speed.

Use an Ethernet cable

If you have an Ethernet cable, you don't have to rely on fickle Wi-Fi connections to improve your download speeds. 

Simply connect the Ethernet cable to your internet router and your Xbox One. Once the Ethernet cable is connected, your internet connection will be stronger and your downloads should speed up considerably.

If all else fails, you can try restarting your Xbox One console in an attempt to clear out any stray bugs or hiccups that might be preventing your download from completing.

Related coverage from Tech Reference:

• 'Why won't my Xbox One controller connect?': How to troubleshoot connection issues on your Xbox One

• How to play movies on your Xbox One in 3 different ways

• How to update your Xbox One console automatically or manually

• How to change the background on your Xbox One to customize the console

• How to properly clean your Xbox One controllers without damaging them

In 2020, scientists found new ways to vaccinate people, built disposable cameras that can travel inside the body, learned how the coronavirus can spread through the air, and approved a new kind of birth control that's more goopy than the rest.

Here are 11 of the most remarkable health discoveries of the year: 

The most impressive 2020 health discovery of all may be that the world got its very first mRNA vaccines. And it looks like they work really, really well against the coronavirus.

Both Pfizer and Moderna's new COVID-19 vaccines were found to be more than 94% effective at preventing symptomatic infections in clinical trials of tens of thousands of volunteers around the world. Each has been issued an Emergency Use Authorization by the Food and Drug Administration, kicking off what's set to be the largest vaccination campaign in US history.

But what's perhaps most remarkable about them is that they were each developed in just days, using groundbreaking messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine technology.

Biochemist Katalin Karikó, who pioneered the new mRNA vaccine technique being used by both Pfizer and Moderna, told Business Insider's Aria Bendix that initially, "everybody rejected it."

But, she persevered anyway, spending decades refining the virus-fighting technique. 

"When people are saying, 'There is no messenger RNA vaccine that's ever been,' it is very critical and very important to know that not because it failed," Karikó said. "It just didn't have time to be advanced by many people."

Cheap steroids, like dexamethasone, are surprisingly effective for treating very ill COVID-19 patients.

When the novel coronavirus emerged in late 2019, doctors around the world had no good way to treat it.

They tried plenty of medicine that was already on the shelf, including hydroxychloroquine, which turned out to be a dud.

Initially, there was some thought that the anti-inflammatory drug, which has worked for decades against malaria, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus, might hold promise for treating this new disease. But, in trial after trial, scientists found that hydroxychloroquine did little for COVID-19 patients. Regulators at the FDA revoked hydroxychloroquine's emergency use authorization in June.

Similarly, the drug Remdesivir, which was originally developed to help Ebola sufferers, seems to be ineffective for COVID-19. The WHO said in November that"there is currently no evidence that it improves survival or the need for ventilation."

However, there is evidence that a cheaper steroid, dexamethasone, is a better alternative, reducing the risk of death for patients on ventilators by about one-third. 

New monoclonal antibody treatments for the coronavirus do show promise, especially if they're taken early on.

President Donald Trump received monoclonal antibodies when he got the coronavirus. Monoclonal antibodies are, essentially, synthetic versions of the natural antibodies that human immune systems use to fight off infections. They work best when they're administered early on in an illness. 

But, they are still largely experimental, and in short supply.

In November, the FDA granted both Eli Lilly and Regeneron Emergency Use Authorizations for their monoclonal antibody treatments for COVID-19.

Despite some early hesitation, experts have embraced the idea that the coronavirus can indeed float through the air, under the right circumstances.

Early on in the pandemic, when scientists didn't fully understand how the coronavirus spreads best, people were washing their groceries and wiping down mail, worrying about its presence on surfaces.

Now, we know that was likely overkill, and that the respiratory virus transmits best from person to person, when people get together in the same space.

But there's also ample evidence that the coronavirus can be airborne, under the right circumstances. This means six feet of separation isn't always enough to protect you from someone else's virus, sitting across the room. It's why bars and house parties can be so dangerous during the pandemic, and why being outdoors, where there is near-infinite ventilation, really helps. 

The pandemic has also highlighted the importance of getting enough vitamin D.

Scientists have known for quite a while that this nutrient can help keep your immune system strong, and that being Vitamin D deficient can put you at greater risk of infection.

That finding has held true during the coronavirus pandemic.

In addition to reducing inflammation in the body, vitamin D helps our bodies absorb calcium, keeping bones healthy and strong, so it's good for people of all ages and colors to make sure they're getting enough.

But that doesn't mean everyone needs to run out and get a multivitamin. Most health experts agree those are virtually useless pills.

"When you talk about the multiple multivitamins and the herbs and the things that people do to so-called boost immunity, that really doesn't boost immunity and may have a better placebo effect than anything else," Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and the US's leading scientific voice of the pandemic, recently told Insider. 

"Sometimes people when they don't get out in the sun a lot, they're deficient in vitamin D — so my vitamin D level was generally low," Fauci said. "I started taking vitamin D supplements, and now my vitamin D level is normal."

As scientists learned more about how the novel coronavirus spreads, they realized why face masks can be a simple, but highly effective, transmission-blocking tool.

In the beginning of the pandemic, when scientists didn't know yet when this virus spreads best, it made sense to reserve personal protective equipment for the people caring for some of the very sickest patients.

The only big problem with that strategy is that it didn't factor in how this virus transmits: it often spreads best at the very beginning of an infection, before people realize they are sick. That makes fighting this pandemic look quite different from a SARS, Ebola, or a MERS outbreak.

Now, knowing what we do about airborne spread and pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic cases, it makes sense that everyone should wear masks when they're around others, especially indoors, in close quarters, and where ventilation isn't great.

In fact, researchers at the University of Washington Institute for Health Metrics (a leading source for the federal government's COVID-19 projections) have estimated that more than 55,330 lives could be saved nationwide this winter (from now until April 1, 2021), if everyone just put on a mask. 

The coronavirus wasn't the only health issue driving scientific innovations this year. A powder made from peanuts was approved to help allergic kids better tolerate accidental exposures.

Most kids with peanut allergies do not outgrow them. But, with a little help, some might be able to better tolerate accidental exposures.

In January, the Food and Drug Administration approved Palforzia, a new drug designed to help kids who are allergic to peanuts react better, if they are accidentally exposed.

"Because there is no cure, allergic individuals must strictly avoid exposure to prevent severe and potentially life-threatening reactions," Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research said at the time in a news release. "When used in conjunction with peanut avoidance, Palforzia provides an FDA-approved treatment option to help reduce the risk of these allergic reactions."

Palforzia is not designed to be administered during an allergic reaction, instead it works as an allergy exposure therapy: children ages 4 through 17 receive daily doses of peanut powder under clinical supervision, and slowly up-dose it over time.

In clinical trials, the strategy worked well, but not perfectly. When peanut-allergic kids were fed 600 milligrams of peanut protein, 67.2% of Palforzia recipients who'd been using the medication for six months tolerated it, while only 4% of the control group did.

New gene therapies are being tried out for sickle cell disease, and they look promising.

Normally, red blood cells in our body are tiny circles flowing freely through veins. But, in patients with sickle cell disease, a gene mutation distorts their red blood cells into misshapen"sickle"-like crescent shapes. Such misshapen cells perturb blood flow, so the body's organs and tissues are not being delivered the fresh, oxygenated, blood they need to work well. This can result in severe pain, hypertension, and organ damage.

(The disease is more common among people with darker complexions, who have ancestry in sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, South and Central America, India and the Mediterranean.) 

The only cure for sickle cell disease is a bone marrow or stem cell transplant, which can be a life-risking gamble. 

But recently, researchers have started trying out new ways to cure sickle cell, using and modifying patients' own blood stem cells (with techniques like CRISPR) to treat them through gene therapy. Early results are being published, and they look good.

New drugs were also approved for high cholesterol.

Bempedoic acid (Nexletol) was approved by the FDA in February. It's a non-statin cholesterol-lowering drug, widening the field of available treatment for patients who don't tolerate statins very well. 

Regulators also approved a new kind of disposable scope, which could help curb dangerous and deadly hospital infections.

Duodenoscopes are tubes that let doctors peer into people's intestines. So it's understandable that when they're not properly cleaned in between uses, they pose a dangerous infection risk, potentially passing along gunk from one person's gut to the next. 

It's not all that uncommon for people going in for a duodenoscope procedure to get a dirty scope. The CDC has cautioned that "more healthcare-associated outbreaks have been linked to contaminated endoscopes than to any other medical device," and the FDA estimates nearly 1 in 10 scopes may be contaminated.  

A dirty scope can even be deadly. But until now, the FDA has struggled to find a good solution for this rare, but dangerous contamination issue, because the tiny cameras are such invaluable diagnostic tools. 

In 2020, Boston Scientific's EXALT Model D Single-Use Duodenoscope entered the market, providing one $3,000 solution to the problem. It's disposable, so people don't have to share their intestinal tubes with anyone else's bile. How fresh.

Finally, a new birth control gel was approved for use by the FDA. It's not quite as effective as the pill, but it is hormone-free.

Phexxi is a hormone-free birth control gel approved by the FDA in May. Women insert it into their vagina up to one hour before having sex. It keeps the vaginal pH level low, reducing the odds that swimming sperm can make it up the birth canal to inseminate eggs. 

But, it's not perfect.

The new gel is 93% effective at preventing pregnancies when used absolutely flawlessly, and about 86% effective in real-world conditions.

That's pretty on par with condoms, which are 98% effective at preventing pregnancy when used perfectly, and about 85% effective in the real world. But Phexxi does not provide any protection against sexually transmitted infections and diseases in the way that condoms do.

Phexxi is also not nearly as effective as a daily birth control pill, which, when taken at the same time every day, is roughly 99% effective at preventing pregnancies.

Ten years ago, fintech was all about unbundling financial services. Startups took aim at one piece of a bank, be it checking accounts, trading, or wealth management, and built a digital-forward, often cheaper, alternative. 

Now, fintech is rebundling, with startups layering more offerings and services in hopes of boosting user loyalty and becoming a one-stop shop.

And embedded finance — the underlying infrastructure layer that enables these new offerings — is powering the trend. Fintechs that many call the "picks and shovels" of finance have been on the rise. 

Embedded finance enables non-financial companies, like Uber, for example, to add financial products to their platforms. And by doing so, these platforms increase their value to consumers, offering them all the products they need in one place.

Uber offers banking services for its drivers, which means that drivers can get paid quicker and manage their income in one place. Uber Money is powered by banking-as-a-service provider Green Dot.

Insider asked four investors what they're looking out for in 2021. All mentioned embedded finance as a major trend in 2020 that's likely to continue into next year as fintechs, and those in other industries, look to expand the types of services they offer customers.

"I think we're in a great rebundling," Ashley Paston, an investor at Bain Capital Ventures, told Business Insider. "If you look in any fintech, they have expanded outside of their initial product to create more value for their end customer. The whole idea is to be everything to the end consumer."

Beyond embedded finance, investors are also expecting segments like insurtech and lending to take off in 2021, building on the blocks laid by infrastructure fintechs.

Here are the key trends that fintech investors are watching for in 2021.

SEE ALSO: These are the 38 fintechs that investors say are poised to be breakout B2B stars. Meet the startups they think will follow in the footsteps of Plaid and Stripe.

SEE ALSO: Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and Citi are Wall Street's most active fintech investors. These are the 10 startups they've poured money into so far this year.

SEE ALSO: Top fintech investors see a big opportunity in disrupting how people and companies pay their bills. Here are 8 startups on the verge of breaking out.

Jay Ganatra, partner at PayPal Ventures

Ganatra, who is a partner at PayPal Ventures, the payments giant's venture-capital arm, said that 2020 was all about the behind-the-scenes tech in fintech. 

"The biggest thing by far this year was infrastructure-as-a-service and banking-as-a-service," Ganatra said.

From point solutions like Mantl, which offers an API for digital account opening, to full-stack banking-as-a-service providers, fintechs powering embedded finance have had a big year.

And the proliferation of this infrastructure layer means that any company with consumer or merchant customers can embed financial services, like banking or lending, within their platforms.

"That entire market is really taking off for what we would consider to be the picks-and-shovels players for fintech," said Ganatra, referring to the strategy of investing in the underlying tech used to produce something as opposed to the final product.

Read more: Execs from Plaid and Yodlee explain how new data-sharing rules will dictate the future of how banks and fintechs work together

In 2021, Ganatra is watching to see how data availability impacts the financial services market.

Through data aggregators like Finicity, Plaid, and Yodlee, financial data has become more open and available. What remains to be seen is how finance will evolve given the broader access to this data. 

"The connectivity was level one," Ganatra said. "Where it gets interesting is how that data connection gives you the ability to underwrite and provide new and different financial services once you have a better picture of the consumer or merchant."

Proponents of open banking often say that more data access will result in better and cheaper financial products for consumers. 

But so far, innovations have been incremental, Ganatra said. Instead of drastically reducing the cost of lending and underwriting, what's more likely is changes in how loans are originated, he added.

Ganatra said there's more room to evolve the way lenders find borrowers. It's a departure from a theme many fintechs have pushed in recent years about the opportunity to democratize credit access and underwriting, 

"More of the reduction will be driven by distribution then it will be from underwriting," said Ganatra of lending costs. "We're very good at underwriting already. I think there's less to gain there than there is to gain on the marketing side."

Ashley Paston, investor at Bain Capital Ventures

Paston, an investor at Bain Capital Ventures, also noted that embedded fintech was a clear winner in 2020, identifying it as the top trend of the year. 

It's also one she expects to continue.

Software companies, already well-equipped with data on their users, are well positioned to roll out financial offering, too. And fintechs that enable that seamlessly have seen a massive boost this year.

"To me, this trend makes perfect sense. The software companies have data-rich relationships with their end consumers, and can therefore better underwrite their end merchants or consumers, but also spin up novel functionalities that other horizontal players may not be able to do," Paston said. 

And for those software companies, adding financial services to their offerings can boost user retention and loyalty. 

"Especially in the drive for ruthless prioritization throughout COVID, there is a clear ROI for embedding fintech because it helps you reduce churn, it's an up-sell opportunity, and you can better monetize off of payments, lending, investing, and insurance," she added. 

Read more: These are the 38 fintechs that investors say are poised to be breakout B2B stars. Meet the startups they think will follow in the footsteps of Plaid and Stripe.

Another area Paston is watching is insurtech.

The space, which was long dominated by traditional players that have significant scale, has seen an uptick of young, agile companies looking to disrupt it. Softbank-backed Lemonade and car insurance startup Root both went public this year, raising $319 million and $664 million in their respective IPOs. 

Meanwhile, Hippo, which focuses on homeowners insurance, raised a $150 million Series E in July, and auto-insurer Metromile plans to go public via an acquisition by a special purpose acquisition company. 

"I think insurance is really in its prime right now," Paston said.

"I think there's a lot more focus brought to insuretech as a result on not just the B2C side, but also the B2B side. I think we're in the first innings of insurtech and insurance innovation, and there's a lot more to go there," she added.

Mark Goldberg, partner at Index Ventures

Goldberg, a partner at Index Ventures, is also bullish on the infrastructure layer of fintech.

"I think the cool thing for all entrepreneurs in fintech is that the toolkit is being built right now," Goldberg said. "That category of companies is attracting a lot of venture dollars because if you're the picks-and-shovels to an industry that's exploding, that's a good place to be."

But Goldberg is also keeping an eye on the kinds of innovations that follow as a result of seemingly any company being able to quickly roll out financial offerings.

"I'm much more excited about what the consequences of that are," Goldberg said. "If you have that toolkit, what can you do? That's the embedded finance thesis."

He's also expecting fintechs to embrace new channels of distribution to reach younger consumers.

Step, a digital bank for teens, launched in partnership with TikTok star Charli D'Amelio. Since its rollout in October, the fintech has over 500,000 sign-ups, and raised a $50 million Series B.

"The rise of the finfluencer is coming," Goldberg said. "You're not going to see JPMorgan on TikTok. It just doesn't feel native."

"I think you will see fintechs try and reach channels that the traditional incumbents can't go to," he added.

Read more: Teen-focused bank Step just raised a $50 million Series B that included TikTok megastar Charli D'Amelio. Its CEO explains why influencers are critical to the startup's marketing strategy.

The other area Goldberg is watching is social, collaborative finance, an opportunity he said no one has fully embraced. In software, products like Google Docs enable multi-user sharing and collaboration. But the same has yet to come to financial services. 

"Collaboration has come to software. Collaboration has not yet come to fintech. I think that's the big consumer trend that's going to break through next year," Goldberg said. 

There are first-generation products, like Splitwise, addressing the problem. But none have perfected the multi-player financial experience, Goldberg said. 

"I think while they're addressing the problem, they're not really solving it comprehensively. That's the gap right now, between a tool that is trying to do that and what I think the perfect experience looks like," Goldberg said. 

"That gap could close next year, and I'd like to make some investments around that," he added.

Jimmy Zhu, senior vice president of venture investing at Citi Ventures

Zhu, senior vice president of venture investing at Citi Ventures, also said that embedded finance and infrastructure players are well-positioned going into 2021.

"In 2021, I see the expansion and acceleration of the great foundational capabilities that were built in the last few years, into the next layer of headless finance or embedded finance," Zhu said.

"Embedded finance enables the best-in-class capabilities to be seamlessly embedded into the most relevant consumer use paths," he added. 

Read more: Green Dot's bread-and-butter businesses have been undercut by VC-backed neobanks. It's turning to techy partnerships with the likes of Uber to restart growth.

Another area Zhu is watching is financial advisory and support services for consumers offered via their employers.

While employees expect healthcare from their employer, they don't tend to rely on them for financial care beyond a pension or a 401K, Zhu said. 

Further complicating the matter is the proliferation of the gig economy, which has highlighted a gap in financial support products for consumers, he added. 

"Consumers don't want to think about their finances; what they want is someone to help them navigate their finances and help them as they make important life decisions," Zhu said. 

Especially given the amount of financial data that an employer has about an individual, there's an opportunity for employers to offer more than just a 401K plan. 

"There is an exciting opportunity for startups to help expand the support structure through advisory services and solutions that could be a major benefit for employers to offer employees," Zhu said.

As Londoners flocked to train stations over the weekend in a last-ditch effort to escape new lockdown restrictions, British high society went to London's private jet terminals to catch charter flights out of the country. 

Parts of the UK entered into a "Tier 4 lockdown" this week amid news of a rapidly spreading new strain of the novel coronavirus. London is among those regions impacted by the lockdown that severely limits travel and mandates residents to "stay at home," unless they have a "reasonable excuse" to leave.

The new lockdown is expected to extend through the Christmas holiday, causing a mass exodus from the city before it became illegal to leave, as the BBC reported. While the masses turned to cars, trains, commercial airliners, and busses to flee the city, those fortunate enough to do so turned to private aviation firms, who've say they've seen an increase in UK bookings from the weekend.

"Enquiries reached a peak yesterday, with many looking to travel to second homes for Christmas or bring forward pre-booked flights with us to warmer destinations such as Dubai or the Maldives," Mark Briffa, the CEO of private charter brokerage Air Partner, told Business Insider.

Read more: Private jet industry CEOs say business will boom as the wealthy abandon airlines and reveal what they're doing now to take advantage

Fleeing the country was made more difficult as the rest of the world closed their borders to Britain amid news of a deadlier strain of the novel coronavirus. A March redux, over 40 countries from Canada to Singapore, Argentina to Hong Kong have banned flights from the UK, the New York Times reports, or are requiring quarantines for inbound passengers. 

"As some countries suspend travel to and from the UK, many of our clients are making last-minute arrangements with us to leave the country before borders close," Briffa said.

Lockdowns have bolstered private aviation travel as the wealthy are willing to shell out tens of thousands of dollars for safe passage away from the hardships at home. While it's helped to keep the private aviation industry afloat, it's also highlighted a division in how the wealthy are thriving during the pandemic in luxury while everyday people struggle through it.

SEE ALSO: The Boeing 737 Max returns to US skies next week with American Airlines — here's how to tell if you're flying on one

DON'T MISS: I flew from New York to Boston and returned on Amtrak. Here's why the train blew the plane out of the water during the pandemic.

Travelers filed London's St. Pancras International on Sunday looking to flee the country on what they thought would be the last train out of London bound for Paris.

Source: MyLondon

The next day, rail operator Eurostar — which connects the UK with mainland Europe via the famed Channel Tunnel — canceled its trains from London as France, the Netherlands, and Belgium closed its borders with Great Britain.

Source: Eurostar

Similar queues formed at Heathrow Airport on Sunday to board last-minute flights before airlines began cancellations.

Source: Express

And while the train stations remained empty...

The wealthy flocked to London's smaller airports like Biggin Hill, Luton, and Stansted.

"The trend we are seeing of our clients leaving the UK will likely increase over the next few days as the threat of a UK border closure looms, and as other countries continue to impose temporary bans on arrivals from the UK," Briffa said.

Private aviation is billed as the safer alternative and more reliable as airlines have been canceling flights due to lockdown restrictions throughout the pandemic. 

The luxurious exodus continues a trend that started in March as the wealthy have been turning to private jets in fear of commercial airline travel in the wake of the pandemic, despite the best effort of airlines to calm an anxious traveling public.

"On Monday, we saw a huge surge in clients requesting to fly out of the UK, so much so that demand reached similar levels to what we usually experience in normal peak summer season," Toby Edwards, co-CEO of private charter brokerage Victor, told Business Insider in a statement. "And just like in peak season, aircraft availability is a challenge."

Victor saw a 167% increase in bookings with all UK flights since the lockdown announcement on Saturday being booked on a "go now" or "go tomorrow" basis.

The average time between booking and departure in December was less than a day compared to 23 days this month last year.

"The list of destinations still open includes countries such as Spain, Greece, and Dubai," Andy Christie, group private jets director at private jet brokerage Air Charter Service, told Business Insider in a statement. "However we are still monitoring the situation, which is changing rapidly."

As Spain's El Pais reported on Monday, Spain has not followed suit with European counterparts and has allowed flights from the UK, provided passengers come with a negative COVID-19 test in hand.

Testing for entry has been a key strategy in reopening the world's borders and even facilitating domestic travel between certain states but travelers can be infected by the virus and still test negative before symptoms appear.

"We actually saw a 30% increase in bookings over the weekend compared with the corresponding weekend last year mainly with people travelling home for Christmas," Christie said.

Mainly the areas of the UK surrounding London and extending as far as the English Channel are in Tier 4. Other populated regions including The Midlands, West Country, North Country, and Scotland are still in varying stages of lockdown but yet not at the strictest level, as the UK's Express outlines. 

Some private jets found on Flightradar 24 were heading across the Atlantic as not all Western Hemisphere countries have restricted flights from the UK.

The US and many Caribbean countries, among others, are still welcoming UK travelers.

Private jets often have their flight plan data shielded from public view so there's little way of knowing where all of these jets are headed or if all are carrying British citizens fleeing lockdown.

Border closures with the UK can also lead to an influx of flights to the country as residents don't want to be stranded abroad.

"If this situation continues we will expect scheduled airlines to start cancelling more inbound flights as well as outbound, and as a result, we could see an increase of private jet bookings with more people trying to get back to the UK for Christmas who have seen their scheduled flights cancel," Christie said.

Known as repatriation flights, these flights are typically reserved for emergency situations.

"Currently, the UK border remains open, but if it were to close, there would be very few exemptions for those wanting to travel in or out of the country – it would be limited to business travel and emergency evacuation flights," Briffa said.

• Getting your girlfriend a meaningful gift doesn't have to require hours of internet research on your part.
• The reporters and editors on the Insider Reviews team spend every day covering the latest, greatest, and altogether best products you can buy, and we put together this list of thoughtful gifts for your girlfriend.
• Still looking for gifts? Find more gift guides broken down by interest, budget, and person here.
• Sign up for Insider Reviews' weekly newsletter for more buying advice and great deals.

For couples, gifting can be especially enjoyable. You know what your partner loves, what small daily annoyances of theirs that you can solve with a thoughtful gift, and how much they'll appreciate knowing the gesture came from you.

Odds are you want to give them something wonderful — whatever your price range is. All most of us need is a little direction and a few great options to pick from, so we put together a list of our favorite gift ideas for girlfriends of all types to help guide you, below.

Check out all 75 gifts for your girlfriend:

This list includes a Sponsored Product that has been suggested by LIVELY. It also meets our editorial criteria in terms of quality and value.*

SEE ALSO: Cool gift ideas for the music lover in your life

DON'T MISS: Affordable kitchen gifts under $50 that any home cook or baker will love

The best performance socks she's ever worn

Women's Performance Running Ankle Sock, 6-Pack, available at Bombas, $91.20

Bombas makes the best socks we've ever tried, and they're a gift we find ourselves giving every year to loved ones. They're lightweight, moisture-wicking, and built to circumvent annoyances like uncomfortable seams and heel slipping.

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

A tracker for finding cell phones and wallets quickly

Tile Pro, available at Amazon, $29.99

When they can't find their phone, all they have to do is click their Tile button to make their phone ring, even if it's on silent. We've found them especially useful lately. 

A lounge set to relax in

The Cozy Lounge Kit, available at LIVELY, $95 (originally $125) [You save $30]

Since many people are spending more time at home than ever before, it's never been clearer that comfort is key. LIVELY's lounge kit comes equipped with the brand's cozy All Day Lounge Set, a sleep mask for some extra shut-eye, The Best Day Ever Socks, and the Cotton Duster. Plus, the included gift box is pretty enough to give unwrapped.

*Sponsored by LIVELY

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

Her favorite specialty food straight from the source

Order her favorite specialty foods using Goldbelly, from $26

Goldbelly makes it possible to satisfy their most specific and nostalgic cravings no matter where they live in the US— a cheesecake from Junior's, deep dish pizza from Lou Malnati, and more. Browse the iconic gifts section for inspiration. 

Festive matching underwear from one of the internet's favorite startups

Matching Underwear, available at MeUndies, $36

Get yourself and your girlfriend festive matching underwear — which also happen to be some of the most comfortable pairs we've ever found. MeUndies gives you the options to create your own personalized set — two styles listed for women, two styles listed for men, a mix, and whichever length or cut you and your partner prefer. 

A streaming bundle that checks off all the boxes

Hulu, Disney+ ESPN+ Bundle, available at Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu, from $6.99 per month

If canceled sporting events or trips to Disney have you feeling down, you can gift Disney+, ESPN, and Hulu together to ensure the next few months include plenty of entertainment options. If your partner is not too fond of ads, this bundle can also be purchased with the ad-free version of Hulu.

A 215-piece art kit for creative projects

Art 101 215-Piece Wood Art Set, available at Amazon, $48.45

This 215-Piece art kit includes crayons, colored pencils, oil pastels, fine line markers, watercolor cakes, and acrylic paint for endless art projects. 

A one-size-fits-all lid that instantly declutters the cabinets

Silicone Universal Lid Kit, available at Made In, $49

This was one of the gifts that professional chefs recommended to us for avid home cooks. If she loves to cook and has a plethora of differently sized pots and pans with all the corresponding lids, having one universal lid can declutter and streamline her space in a heartbeat. 

A membership to a huge outdoor co-op

REI Co-Op Lifetime Membership, $20, available at REI

An REI membership offers a lifetime of benefits for a one-time purchase. That includes 10%-back dividends, special offers, access to in-store REI Garage sales, and special pricing on REI classes and events. Find out more here.

An 8-in-1 pan that helps to declutter your home

Always Pan, available at Our Place, $145

Especially if you're spending more time at home cooking — or more time re-organizing the kitchen — you can appreciate a beautiful 8-in-1 cookware hack.

The Always Pan from startup Our Place is a fry pan, saute pan, steamer, skillet, saucier, saucepan, non-stick pan, spatula, and spoon rest in the space of a single pan. It's a clever generalist that's extremely convenient for small spaces or minimalist cooks. You can read our review here.

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

The best bathrobe that money can buy

Bathrobe, available at Snowe, $100

Snowe's unisex bathrobe has been called the best and most absorbent terry robe on the market, and I'm just one more fervent believer. The cotton fiber traps air for extra absorbency, is soft and plush, and the unisex sizing means it will feel like a blanket-turned-robe. Perfect functionality, and extra points for coziness.

A sleek fitness tracker that includes heart rate monitoring

Fitbit Inspire 2, available at Fitbit, $69.95

Fitbit's affordable Inspire 2 tracker has no shortage of useful features to keep them informed about their physical activity. The heart rate monitor lets them be more strategic about their workouts by tracking calorie burn, resting heart rate, and heart rate zones.

A convenient phone sanitizer

PhoneSoap 3 Smartphone UV Sanitizer, available at PhoneSoap, $79.95

This small device uses UV-C light to sanitize a phone, killing 99.9% of common household germs. It's easy to use, and it could help give you and your partner a bit more peace of mind.

A year-long MasterClass membership to learn new things

Annual Membership, available at MasterClass, $180/year

MasterClass, unlike many competitors, follows a format that feels like a one-sided conversation with your favorite icons rather than a traditional academic setting. It's interesting — and you can go as deep (into reading materials) or shallow (listening to their insight while running errands) as you like to. An Unlimited Membership will give them access to all the site's classes for the year.

The site hosts classes taught by well-known celebrities and industry leaders — from Neil deGrasse Tyson teaching Scientific Thinking and Communication to Malcolm Gladwell on Writing, Shonda Rhimes on Writing for Television, and Bob Iger on Business Strategy and Leadership. You can read our full review here.

16 highly-rated sheet masks

Sheet Mask Set, available at Amazon, $21.99

Grab her 39 sheet masks to make it easier for her to have a frequent and well-deserved "treat yourself" day. These are highly-rated and have both vitamin E and collagen included for healthy, happy skin.   

The new Sonos Move portable speaker

Sonos Move, available at Amazon, $399

The Sonos Move is one of the best speakers on the market. It's powerful, can be controlled by your voice or an app, and has Amazon Alexa built-in so on WiFi you can play music, check the news, set alarms, get your questions answered, and more, without much effort.

A weighted blanket for better rest

YnM Weighted Blanket, available at YnM, from $49.90

Weighted blankets help create more restful sleep by "grounding" the body, and YnM makes some of the most popular and affordable weighted blankets on the internet. There are multiple sizes and weights for the ideal fit and width (they recommend picking whichever is about 10% of your body weight), and the segmented design allows you to move around without displacing all the weighted beads inside. 

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

A video message from someone she loves almost as much as you

Cameo Video Messages, available at Cameo, from $15

Whether it's her favorite actor, comedian, or athlete, you're likely to find someone she admires on Cameo. Cameo allows celebrities to send custom video messages to recipients for nearly any occasion, and a personalized video is a gift that she'll never forget. 

Beautiful candles from a cool startup

Otherland Candles, available at Otherland, $36

Otherland is a candle company started by Abigail Cook Stone, a former art buyer for Ralph Lauren. If you want to give your girlfriend a candle that burns for 55 hours, looks beautiful, and comes from a startup that she's probably seen (or coveted) before, this is a great option. Find our full review here.

The last weekend bag you'll ever need to buy her

Rothy's The Weekender, available at Rothy's, $450

With its large, padded top handles and roomy interior, Rothy's The Weekender might be the last overnight bag your partner ever needs. It's got multiple pockets and a sturdy insert that helps it maintain its shape. You'll be shocked by how much you can fit in this bag — definitely enough for a long weekend. It's made of recycled plastic pulled from the ocean and is machine washable. How many weekender bags can boast that? 

A pair of blue light-blocking glasses that look good enough to wear outside of the house

Ingram Crystal Everscroll Glasses, available at MVMT, $75

Help them protect their eyes from harsh screens with a pair of blue-light-blocking glasses. Their eyes won't feel as strained, and they might be able to drift off to sleep more quickly.

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

A standing desk for a home office upgrade

Jarvis Bamboo Standing Desk, available at Fully, from $559

If they're working from home, they might love a home office upgrade the most. We ranked the Fully Jarvis the best standing desk; it provides the right blend of features and reliable performance. Its customizations for style, height, and accessories make it adaptable to pretty much any need. 

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

The convenience of Apple AirPods

Apple AirPods, available at Best Buy, $129.99

When it comes to convenience, truly wireless earbuds are the best. And Apple's AirPods are very popular with iPhone and Android users alike. They look subtle compared to other bigger options, and they're incredibly easy to use. For the latest option, you can pick up AirPods Pro for $249.99 on Best Buy too. 

The "world's most comfortable shoes"

Women's Wool Runners, available at Allbirds, $95 

The classic Wool Runners make a great gift for the uninitiated, though we'd also highly recommend the brand's casual cup sole Wool Piper for casual everyday wear if that's more your partner's style. You can find our full review of the Runners here, and the Wool Pipers here.

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

A monogrammed jewelry case from a minimalist fashion startup

Leather Jewelry Case, available at Cuyana, $95 (+ $15 for monogram)

Keeping track of tiny and delicate jewelry is difficult — but jewelry cases are a pretty and useful solution. Especially if you've gotten her jewelry in the past, or plan to in the future, this is a thoughtful and personalized gift. It's made from premium leather, comes in six colors, and can be monogrammed with her initials. Cuyana is a cool leather bag startup she may have already heard of. 

A customized map of her favorite place

Custom Map Poster, available at Grafomap, from $49

Grafomap lets you design custom maps of anywhere in the world — like the first place you met, the best trip you ever took together, or the hometown she couldn't wait to show you. It's unique, thoughtful, and pretty inexpensive.  You can find our full review here.

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

A gift card to a popular wine subscription club

Gift Card, available at Winc, from $60

Winc is a personalized wine club — and we think it's the best one you can belong to overall. Members take a wine palate profile quiz and then choose from the personalized wine suggestions. Each bottle has extensive tasting notes and serving recommendations online, and makes it easy to discover similar bottles. 

Gift her a Winc gift card, and she can take a wine palate profile quiz and get started with her own customized suggestions. 

An exercise bike for staying active indoors

Commercial S22i Studio Cycle, available at NordicTrack, $1,999

If money is of no object and your partner is trying to figure out how to exercise while staying indoors, an exercise bike is a particularly thoughtful and useful gift right now. 

We like the NordicTrack option the most overall, but we also like and recommend options that are under $200. 

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

A large print on fine art paper of a favorite memory

Large Format Prints, available at Artifact Uprising, from $20

Artifact Uprising makes luxury prints at accessible prices — and they make especially thoughtful gifts that look like they should cost much more. Get one of their favorite photos printed on archival fine art paper for $20 and up, or thoughtful cards for as little as $1 per custom card. You can also make a color series photo book for $20, a set of prints for $9, and a personalized calendar on a handcrafted wood clipboard for $25.

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

A camera lens kit for her phone

Olloclip Lens Kit, available at Olloclip, from $19.99

If she loves taking photos and wishes her phone's camera could do more tricks, pick up an Olloclip lens kit with a fish-eye, wide-angle, and macro lens inside. They work well and they're easy to use. Plus, the company even has a universal mount in the works.

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

A gift card for delicious healthy meals she can make in about 30 seconds

Gift Card, available at Daily Harvest, from $50

Daily Harvest is a food startup that makes it possible to eat healthy, delicious meals for less than $10 each even if you only have 30 seconds to spare for prep time. Meals are pre-portioned, delicious, and designed by both a chef and a nutritionist to make sure they're tasty and good for you. It addressed all my healthy eating roadblocks. 

The best hair dryer ever invented

Dyson Blow Dryer, available at Sephora and Bed Bath & Beyond, $399.99

This gift may seem inexplicably expensive, but the Dyson blow dryer is lauded as the best one ever invented, and it's a cult-favorite in beauty. It prevents hair damage by measuring air temperature 20 times per second, has a specially designed Dyson motor for fast drying, and reduces static, breakage, and makes hair look smooth and shiny.

A framed keepsake of a favorite memory

Framed photo, available at Framebridge, from $49

Gift Card, available at Framebridge, from $25

Framebridge makes custom framing for not-custom-framing prices. You can print or paint something on your own and have it framed, or have them print and frame it, and you can take advantage of the team of designers for help deciding what frame to get. 

Editor's note: This gift will arrive after Christmas, but you can send them a sneak peak before it arrives.

Comfy, high-end sheets at the best price on the market

Luxe Hardcore Sheet Bundle, available at Brooklinen, from $240

Brooklinen is one of our favorite companies, point-blank. We think they make the best high-end sheets at the best price on the market, and most of the Insider Reviews team uses Brooklinen on their own beds.

The Luxe Hardcore Sheet Bundle comes in 14 colors and patterns, and you can mix and match them to suit your taste. Grab a gift card if you want to give her more freedom. If you opt for a sheet bundle, she'll receive a core sheet set (fitted, flat, two pillowcases), duvet cover, and two extra pillowcases in soft, smooth 480-thread-count weave.

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

A mug that keeps hot drinks hot for up to six hours straight

Hydro Flask Mug, 12 oz, available at Hydro Flask, from $29.95

This mug is a common desk companion for the Insider Reviews team. The 12-ounce coffee mug has the company's proprietary TempShield insulation that made its water bottles famous. This mug will keep hot drinks hot for up to six hours, and cold drinks cold up to 24 hours. Read our full review of it here.

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

This cozy loungewear set that she'll never want to take off

Knix Cozzzy Crew Top and Cozzzy Track Pants, available at Knix, $55/each

Cozy and warm, the Cozzy Crew Top and Track Pants from Knix are comfortable enough to wear around the house while also being cute enough to wear to the market. The ultra-soft fabric feels like the softest terry cloth washcloth you've ever used, and its slouchy fit is modern and luxe. She'll love the joggers with cuffed legs that are sleek without being overly tight. Comes in cream and gray.

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

The internet's favorite olive oil

Awake Olive Oil, available at Brightland, $37

Brightland's olive oils make great gifts for cooks and anyone else who loves to entertain. The white bottles protect the EVOO from light damage and look nice displayed on a countertop. Find a full review here. 

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

A high-tech towel that keeps her from slipping around during yoga classes

Manduka Yogitoes Yoga Mat Towel, $58

Manduka is known for making the best yoga products, and their Yogitoes towel is one of the most loved. It has tiny 100% silicone nubs on one side that grab yoga mats and keep yogis from slipping around during the exercise. Having a good towel can make a big difference. 

It also comes in 19 great colors and gets eco-friendly points. Each Yogitoes towel is made from eight recycled plastic water bottles, and made with dyes free of azo, lead, or heavy metal. 

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

A card game that's meant to deepen personal connections

We're Not Really Strangers Card Game, available at Urban Outfitters, $30

This card game, from the popular Instagram account We're Not Really Strangers, is designed to enhance connections between people with different levels: perceptions, connection, and reflection. Not only is it a card game you haven't played before, but it's also a thoughtful activity you can enjoy together.

A comfortable cableknit sweater

United By Blue Recycled Cotton Fisherman Sweater, $128

A cable-knit or fisherman's sweater is a wardrobe staple that'll last for years. United By Blue's take on the classic piece is made from recycled cotton and is super soft.

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

A satin-lined beanie

Kink & Coil Satin-Lined Beanie, $35.99

Most people with naturally curly hair avoid wearing hats to reduce frizz, but Kink and Coil's satin-lined beanie solves that issue. Just like a silk pillowcase or a bonnet, the inside of the beanie is designed to protect your hair from frizz and damage. On top of that, the pom-pom can be removed, if she'd prefer to wear the hat without it.

We spoke with a trichologist to learn more about how satin- and silk-lined beanies can benefit anyone with curly or high-porosity hair. 

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

Rihanna's bestselling Fenty skincare set

Fenty Skin All Four One 4-Piece AM + PM Skincare Bundle, $112

Rihanna's bestselling skincare bundle from her brand Fenty includes everything you'll need to maintain healthy skin. The kit includes a facial cleanser, toner, two-in-one sunscreen moisturizer, and a nightly moisturizer. Read our full review of the Fenty skincare set here.

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

A bottle (or two) of wine

McBride Sisters Black Girl Magic Wine, starting at $19.99

As the largest black-owned wine company in the United States, the McBride Sisters Collection is the perfect place to find a gift for the wine lover on your list. The Black Girl Magic collection in particular is inspired by the resilience of black women and includes varieties from Rosé to Merlot. 

A nice gold vermeil and sapphire zodiac sign necklace

Zodiac Necklace, available at Mejuri, $90

Mejuri is a Canadian startup created in 2015 to make fine jewelry affordable to buy— and it has racked up waitlists with more than 40,000 people before. Their popular Zodiac Necklace is cool, minimalist, and something she can wear every day. It's made in gold vermeil with AAA quality white sapphires. Mejuri's affordable pricing means the estimated traditional retail price of the same necklace elsewhere would be closer to $235.  

Plan a trip for the two of you to take together — and maybe use this online travel concierge to help

Airbnb Gift Card, available at Airbnb, from $25

If you want to gift an experience for the two of you to enjoy together, grab a birthday card, a gift card to Airbnb, and come with a few location ideas within driving distance in mind. 

You can also book a hotel in your city on Booking.com or Expedia for a sweet staycation. 

*This gift can be saved and used at a later date if you aren't comfortable given the current conditions related to COVID-19.

A cashmere crew from Everlane that she'll own forever

The Cashmere Crew, available at Everlane, from $100

For a closet staple she'll own for years to come, Everlane's $100 Cashmere Crew (available in a whopping 15 colors) is about the safest choice you can make. Everlane has tons of great gifts (you can find the Everlane basics we wear repeatedly here), so you can't really go wrong. 

A small cold brew coffee maker

Airtight Cold Brew Iced Coffee Maker, available at Walmart, $46.85

This small cold brew maker (available in 1-liter and 1.5-liter options) makes coffee's less acidic, smoother cousin cold brew in 12 hours in the fridge, so there's minimal hassle and always a treat ready in the morning on her way out the door to work. 

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

A comfy zip-up for the months ahead

Better Sweater, available at Patagonia, from $139

Patagonia makes our favorite athleisure options overall, and that definitely includes the Better Sweater. It works in pretty much any environment — in the office, at home, on a hike, or on a casual night out — and has zippered pockets to keep hands warm in the cold months. We're also big fans of the 1/4 Zip option.

A surprisingly elegant headband

Lele Sadoughi Slim Blush Pearl Velvet Headband, available at Lele Sadoughi, $88

Sleek velvet is studded with faux-pearl accents for a headband that'll add a feminine touch to every outfit she pairs it with. 

A new waterproof Kindle Paperwhite for reading anywhere

Kindle Paperwhite, available at Amazon, $129.99

Amazon's new Kindle Paperwhite is its thinnest and lightest yet, with double the storage. Perhaps the best features are that it's waterproof and has a built-in adjustable light for the perfect reading environment indoors or outdoors, day or night. If she loves a nice, relaxing bath, pair this with a caddy, bath bombs, and a glass of wine for a relaxing night in that you've already taken care of.

A cult-favorite hair towel that reduces damage and cuts drying time by 50%

Aquis Rapid Dry Hair Towel, available at Anthropologie, from $30

Aquis' cult-favorite hair towels can cut the amount of time it takes your hair to dry in half — a claim we're happy to report holds up. The proprietary fabric also means there's less damage to wet hair while it dries. 

A funny and unique card

You Take My Breath Away, available at Etsy, from $4.14

You can pick up a card from Walgreens on your way to exchange gifts, but it'll mean more if you think just a few days ahead. Etsy has great options for cheap, unique, handmade gifts that are cool and thoughtful. This one is perfect for a couple who appreciates a "The Office" deep cut. 

A fun, unique local date

Airbnb Experiences, available at Airbnb, from $1

Airbnb started offering experience programming online. You can book from thousands of experiences that range from workouts with Olympic athletes over Zoom to cooking classes with chefs you'd normally have to hop on a flight to meet. We tested a a tango class and a Moroccan cooking class.

It's also an under-utilized part of Airbnb, making it a thoughtful and unusual gift — and one you may keep using yourselves for out-of-the-box date nights in the future. 

As states and countries slowly begin reopening, Airbnb listings and in-person activities are becoming options again, but you can still participate in online activities from home if you're not ready to travel yet or just want a fun activity. 

A 100% silk pillowcase that reduces frizz and keeps skin hydrated overnight

100% Mulberry Silk Pillowcase, available at Walmart, from $19.41

Silk pillowcases reduce frizz and damage to hair and make it look shiny and healthy. It also reduces the likelihood of wrinkles and keeps skin hydrated overnight by absorbing less of the moisture in the skin.

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

A houseplant that arrives already potted and is easy to care for

Silver Evergreen, available at Leon & George, from $139

Leon & George is a San Francisco startup that will send beautiful plants — potted in stylish, minimalist pots — to her door. All she has to do is to occasionally add water. Flowers are wonderful, but houseplants have a much longer shelf life, and most of Leon & George's options are very easy to care for. 

We'd also recommend checking out Bloomscape for small plant trios under $70.  

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

Beautiful earrings she'll own forever

Sparkle Diamond Cluster Huggies, available at Stone and Strand, $395

They're solid gold, conflict-free, and made locally. Plus, the style is versatile enough that she can wear them every day.

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

A membership to a popular skincare and makeup subscription that sends new, cool, and bestselling products once per month

Birchbox Gift Subscription, available at Birchbox, from $45

Birchbox is a skincare and makeup subscription that sends tons of samples of new and cult-favorite products to subscribers so they can find products they love without much commitment or cost upfront. Makeup and skincare products can be expensive, so this is a particularly helpful service. 

A stylish leather makeup pouch that's thoughtful and easy to travel with

Lola Toiletries Pouch, available at Dagne Dover, from $75

Dagne Dover is quickly becoming one of the best women's handbag companies to know, and the Lola Toiletries Pouches are a great and relatively affordable gift. The small size ($75) is perfect for everyday makeup essentials, and the large ($105) can be used for toiletries, makeup, or as a small purse. It's made from beautiful pebbled leather, and you can pick from six foolproof color choices. 

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

A small skincare tool that removes 99.5% of dirt, oil, and makeup residue

Foreo Luna Facial Cleansing Brush, available at Ulta, $49

Our team swears by these gentle yet effective cleansing brushes. They have hygienic silicone bristles and come in five different models for different skin types. The Luna is small enough to bring on the go, so they can maintain their skincare routine while traveling. 

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

A leather wallet from the same manufacturer as Prada for a fraction of the price

Brynn Zip Around Wallet, available at Italic, $70

Italic is a startup that makes unbranded luxury goods from the same factories that produce designs for brands like Givenchy or scents for Le Labo — minus the markup. The Zip-Around Wallet is made from soft, calfskin leather and comes in four classic colors.

It comes from the same manufacturer as Celine and Prada, and Italic estimates it would cost $295-$300 in traditional retail. It's also good to note that the company plants one tree for every order. You can find a full review of the company's leather goods here, and of their candles here. 

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

A streaming stick that gives you access to hundreds of thousands of movies and TV episodes

Roku Streaming Stick +, available at Best Buy, $39

Roku's Streaming Stick+ is exceptional for its 4K, HDR, and HD streaming, and long-range wireless receiver. Installing it is an easy process and starts by plugging the stick into his TV.

A subscription to a famous book club that sends her great hardcovers once per month

3-Month Subscription, available at Book of the Month, $49.99

If she loves books, Book of the Month is an especially thoughtful and unique gift — it's a book club that has been around since 1926, and it's credited with discovering some of the most beloved books of all time ("Gone with the Wind" and "Catcher in the Rye" to name a couple). 

If you gift her a subscription, she'll receive a hardcover book delivered to her door once a month. Books are selected by a team of experts and celebrity guest judges.

If she's really more into audiobooks or e-reading now rather than hardcovers, check out a gift subscription to Scribd (full review here).

Fancy popcorn and a movie night

Amish Popcorn Gift Set, available at Williams Sonoma, $29.95

Make a reservation at a nice outdoor restaurant, stock up on her favorite movie candy and some fun drinks ahead of time (wrap them for an extra wow-factor), and create your own in-house cinema experience. Or, perhaps even better, order a bunch of take-out from your favorite local restaurants.

A gift set of a dozen decadent bath bombs

Bath Bomb Gift Set, available at Walmart, $41.07

This bath bomb gift set comes with 12 handcrafted bath bombs that range from mango-papaya to lavender in scent, and some of which include flower petals. They're a great addition to a long bath, as is a bamboo bathtub tray. 

A subscription to a coffee service that sends coffees specifically for her taste preferences

3-Month Subscription, available at Driftaway Coffee, from $44

If she loves coffee, she'll probably love to try Driftaway. It's a gourmet coffee subscription that gets smarter the longer you use it, remembering your preferences and steering you towards increasingly accurate brews for your specific tastes. The first shipment will be a tasting kit with four coffee profiles, which she'll rate online or in the app to start getting personalized options.

A book of love letters written by history's great men

Love Letters of Great Men, available at Amazon, $13.95

It can be hard to do yourself justice in words — whether they're spoken or written in a card. This compilation of love letters written by great men can help you say it without actually technically saying it. Bonus points if you write your own, or mark the ones in the book that most closely resemble your own feelings.  

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

A beautiful diamond necklace she'll have forever

Diamond Bezel Necklace, available at AUrate, from $320

A diamond necklace doesn't have to be thousands of dollars, as fine jewelry startups like AUrate are proving. This necklace is something she can keep and wear forever, and both the solid gold and conflict-free diamonds are of the highest quality. 

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

A plug-in that adds voice-control to outlets

Wemo Mini Smart Plug, available at Best Buy, from $17.99

These plug-ins will turn a "dumb" outlet into a smart outlet. Plug in the WeMo Mini Smart Plug, download the free app, and that's it — you control your lights and appliances from your phone anywhere and your voice through Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Home Kit. It only needs WiFi — no expensive hub.

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

Personalized cartoon couple mugs

Personalized Family Mugs, available at Uncommon Goods, from $30

These cute mugs can be personalized for what you're like as a couple, making for a special weekend morning coffee routine or just a nice reminder in the kitchen cabinet. On the back, you can add a family name and the year the couple was established. 

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

Lush, subtly scented body wash

Necessaire — The Body Wash, available at Sephora, $25

New startup Necessaire formulates its body care products with nourishing vitamins and clean ingredients. The subtly scented Body Wash will leave their skin feeling clean, soft, and nourished. 

A stylish weekender to keep her organized on the go

Caraa Studio Tote Large, available at Caraa, $250

Caraa Sport makes some of the most functional and best-looking gym bags on the market. This one can transition from tote to backpack by adding straps, has a hidden shoe compartment, and has a waterproof and antimicrobial lining.

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

An award-winning but pricey at-home facial

Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial, available at Sephora, $80

This is an award-winning mask with a big following in the beauty and skincare community. It's $80, but it's an at-home pro-quality facial she can use anytime — which is a fraction of the price required for regular facials.

Kitchen towels that rate wines by how well they pair with certain foods

Wine Pairing Towel, available at Wolf & Badger, $19

If she loves having a nice glass of wine and/or cooking, she'll appreciate the thought behind this unique wine pairing towel. Grab a bottle and some corresponding ingredients for a fun night in for the two of you.

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

A stylish, savvy carry-on with an external battery pack

Carry-On, available at Away, $225

Away's hyper-popular suitcases deserve their hype. Their hard shell is lightweight but durable, their 360° spinner wheels make for seamless traveling, and the external (and ejectable and TSA-compliant) battery pack included can charge a smartphone five times over so she never has to sit behind a trash can at the airport for access to an outlet again. It's also guaranteed for life by Away. Find our full review here.

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

A cooking class from one of the nation's top chefs

Gift Card, available at Cozymeal, from $50

With a Cozymeal class, they'll learn how to make anything from fresh pasta to Argentinian staple dishes from the nation's top chefs. In addition to cooking classes, Cozymeal offers food tours in various cities (when it's safe to do so). 

• Books (and book subscriptions) are some of the most crowd-pleasing gifts you can buy for people.
• While relatively inexpensive, books can feel really thoughtful — especially if you really know someone's literary taste.
• Below, we've listed 21 of the best books you can give as gifts — from instructional bibles like "I Will Teach You to be Rich" to collectible versions of beloved series.
• Read more: 55 fun and unique gift ideas for everyone on your list — all under $50
• Sign up for Insider Reviews' weekly newsletter for more buying advice and great deals.

If following the "If they like X, then buy them Y" formula, there's one universal gift you can't really go wrong with: a book. You can find books for every interest and type of reader — from beautiful coffee table additions to in-depth explorations of hobbies. 

While many of us are on a budget (or trying to find a gift for someone who usually buys whatever they want for themselves), books somehow never feel like excess. As relatively inexpensive and easy to obtain as they are, they can be some of the most meaningful gifts we receive. As you'll find below, many of us still remember the first time we read a particular story — or who was responsible for gifting us with a new fictional world, perspective, or just hours of fun.

Below, you'll find 20 of the best books you can gift, plus a great book subscription service, according to members of Insider's Reviews team. 

21 great book gifts:

"Wolf Hall" by Hilary Mantel

Available at Amazon, from $15.99

Or buy the whole trilogy at Amazon and Bookshop

The key to gifting books is to know your audience: What do they like to read? For my history buff friends, I always recommend "Wolf Hall" and the other two books in Hilary Mantel's trilogy about Thomas Cromwell during the reign of Henry VIII (assuming they have not read them yet). Both "Wolf Hall" and "Bringing Up the Bodies" won the Booker Prize, and the third volume in the trilogy, "The Mirror and the Light," was nominated. Awards aren't everything, but these books truly shine with unique storytelling, shifting perspectives, and prose that makes you feel like you're inside Cromwell's head.  — Malarie Gokey, deputy editor

"The Year of Magical Thinking" by Joan Didion

Available at Amazon, Target, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop, from $12.15

My sister almost always gifts me books and, because she's a voracious reader, they're typically the best ones I read all year. Sort of like a personalized Book of the Month.

The titles I've enjoyed most include "Pachinko", "A Little Life", and, my all-time favorite, "The Year of Magical Thinking." It's written in the aftermath of Didion unexpectedly losing her partner of 40 years, John Dunne, and is an unusually secular look at grief. It may not seem like the kind of thing you'd gift, but, here it is — maybe the best thing I've ever received. Didion, as always, is surgically honest and explorative. This book was intimate, original, and unforgettable — it made me feel grateful for my relationships long after I put it down.  — Mara Leighton, senior reporter

"Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking" by Samin Nosrat

Available at Amazon, Target, and Barnes & Noble, from $20.96

This book is more than just a cookbook. It's a textbook I'd recommend any home chef read cover to cover. It dives deep into the basic elements that make food taste good and is full of practical, easy-to-understand tips that have stuck with me for years. One of my favorite things about the book, aside from its prose, is its delightful illustrations that make each page so pleasant to read. It's the perfect gift — especially for someone who may be a bit burnt out by quarantine cooking.  — Emily Cohn, deputy editor in chief

"I Will Teach You to be Rich" by Ramit Sethi

Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop, from $8.75

I'm often asked to recommend a personal finance book, and pretty much without fail I go straight to "I Will Teach You to Be Rich." Ideal for new grads and younger folks who need a game plan for adulthood, it's also a straightforward, accessible, no-nonsense checklist for anyone who wants to take more control of their money and their life, no matter where they're starting. I regularly give away my copy, then buy another just in case I need to give it to someone else! — Libby Kane, executive editor, personal finance

'Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar' by Cheryl Strayed

Available at Amazon, Target, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop, from $12.59

This title — which a friend first sent to me because she loved it so much — is a great gift for a wide variety of people. It's a compilation of Strayed's "Dear Sugar" advice columns, which works well for people who traditionally find books too long to commit to. The topics are varied, so there's something for everyone, but Cheryl Strayed writes with the kind of generosity, compassion, and wit that's absent in much of today's instant communication.  — Mara Leighton, senior reporter

"What Kind of Woman" by Kate Baer

Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop, from $12.59

Like many of us, I discovered poet Kate Baer through Instagram, where she captures moments in words and turns nasty messages from outspoken critics into introspective poems. I bought her debut book, "What Kind of Woman" as a gift for myself this year, and it's fabulous: thought-provoking, honest, and funny. Her work is just as welcoming to people who "don't like poetry," and since it was only just released this year, it's unlikely your recipient already has it.— Libby Kane, executive editor, personal finance

"I Can Make You Feel Good" by Tyler Mitchell

Available at Amazon, Target, and Bookshop, from $39.77

Tyler Mitchell is one of photography's most notable contemporary stars. In his first book, "I Can Make You Feel Good" (2020), Mitchell depicts what he imagines a Black utopia could look like. As Mitchell wrote on Instagram in August, "I often think about what white fun looks like and this notion that Black people can't have the same... I feel an urgency to create a body of images where Black people are visualized as free, expressive, effortless, and sensitive."

Mitchell's work reminds me of the quote often attributed to Albert Camus, "The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion." In response to the constant politicization of Black bodies, Mitchell creates a space where Black people are able to move more freely and be seen through a loving lens. His images are intimate, optimistic, and gentle. 

For more coffee table books, you can find 27 of our coffee table recommendations here. — Mara Leighton, senior reporter

"Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close" by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman

Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop, from $16.99

This memoir of two BFFs going to therapy to mend their eventual long-distance friendship is a perfect gift for any of your close friends. Aminatou and Ann meet post-college and bond almost immediately, but when they deal with an accumulation of misunderstandings fueled by living far apart, they have a choice to work out their issues or move their separate ways. It's a great ode to platonic female friendship (which is sometimes treated as less important than a romantic partnership), and an honest portrayal of the work it takes to stay in each other's lives in the long-term. — Julia Pugachevsky, e-learning editor 

"The Eight" by Katherine Neville

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $7.99

Know someone who's super into chess after finishing "The Queen's Gambit"? "The Eight" is a fun romp spanning centuries and continents. First published in 1988, the novel moves between the French Revolution and the 1970s. Cat Velis is a computer expert who gets caught up in a quest while on assignment in Algiers. There are nuns on the run, an appearance by Napoleon, a mysterious chess set that supposedly belonged to Charlemagne, and a female chess master. —Jenny McGrath, contract guides editor

"The Immortalists" by Chloe Benjamin

Available at Amazon, Target, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop, from $6.69

For fiction lovers, this is one of my favorite books to gift and recommend. Here's the setup: A traveling psychic arrives in New York and tells four children their fortunes, including when each will die. The rest of the book explores how that fateful day informs each of their lives. Yes, it's a little weird, but it's also incredibly beautiful, moving, insightful, captivating, and like nothing else I've ever read. My favorite part of gifting this is that every friend who has read it immediately calls or texts me to discuss it when they finish, which has led to some fun and thoughtful discussions with friends and family.  — Hannah Freedman, associate travel editor

"Wow, No Thank You." by Samantha Irby

Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop, from $12.10

I'd venture to say that any Samantha Irby essay collection is hilarious and perfect, but if your gift recipient has read them all already, this most recent iteration is bound to please. Some highlights from this delightful assortment include a detailed breakdown of Irby's workday ("Breakfast was over four hours ago, so I start with lunch") and the awkwardness of making new friends as an adult. If you're the one introducing someone to Irby's work for the first time, this gift is even better! (And I'm personally very jealous they'll get to experience this writing for the first time.) — Julia Pugachevsky, e-learning editor 

"Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver" By Mary Oliver

Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop, from $18

One of my favorite gifts to give is a book I've loved (and believe the recipient will also love just as much). To me, it shows that you pay attention to someone's taste, and it creates the opportunity for a shared experience without needing to be in the same place. 

I've given this book to a few people, as well as this slimmer compilation. Mary Oliver may have won a Pulitzer for poetry, but her poems aren't stuffy or complicated — even people I know who don't like poetry have loved them. Oliver just loves life, and her poems feel peaceful and joyful — two things I want more of in my friends' and family's lives. — Mara Leighton, senior reporter

"A Kids Book About …" by Ross Szabo

Available at Amazon and Akidsbookabout.com, from $9.99

I first spotted these books on Oprah's list of favorite things for 2020. Then I spent over an hour on the website trying to narrow down my order to just four books for the kiddos in my life. There's a book for every complex, tricky, or topical issue you can think of. Each one breaks down the featured concept in a way that's meant to spark curiosity and conversation between grown-ups and children. Examples include money, belonging, bullying, systemic racism, feminism, body image, divorce, adventure, and anxiety. They're beautifully designed and wonderfully written by an incredibly diverse group of writers whose voices and personal stories are weaved throughout. — Tanza Loudenback, correspondent, personal finance

"In the Woods" by Tana French

Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop, from $13.39

Although I have not yet actually sent this book as a gift yet, I'm going to soon (don't tell anyone!). Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad books are my favorite mystery novels hands down, which is saying a lot because I deeply love mysteries and read a lot of them. French's writing is just beautiful, the suspense is riveting, and the way she looks inside of her characters' souls to spill their most deeply buried thoughts makes every book feel personal. The book follows two detectives as they investigate a murder in the woods by a Dublin suburb. It just so happens that the lead investigator was involved in an unsolved mystery in those exact same woods, but he remembers nothing about what happened or where his two missing friends are. The two mysteries intertwine, as memories the detective sought to repress come back. — Malarie Gokey, deputy editor

"Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine

Available at Amazon, Target, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop, from $6.99

My grandma gave me this book when I was eight years old, and it remains one of the best book gifts I've ever received. I've read it at least a dozen times, and I still read it now as an adult. It's the retelling of Cinderella with many magical twists, including a fairy who cursed the heroine Ella with the "gift" of obedience as a child, so she has to follow every command given to her. As she grows up, Ella tries to fight the curse and eventually break it for the sake of true love and the wellbeing of the kingdom she loves.  — Malarie Gokey, deputy editor

"The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown

Available at Bookshop, Target, and Walmart, from $16.56

"The Boys in the Boat" is one of my favorite books to gift, because it has something for everyone (especially those people who are nearly impossible to buy for): history, sports, personal drama, redemption … and since it's nonfiction, it's a great conversation starter as you descend down the rabbit hole of internet research (Did that actually happen? Is it on film? Are there pictures?). It's a great read, and a crowd-pleaser, too. — Libby Kane, executive editor, personal finance

"Bringing Down the Duke" by Evie Dunmore

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $11.99

I actually got this book through a Book of the Month subscription I was testing out, and I loved it so much I gifted a copy to a friend of mine who confessed that she, too, loves escapist romance reads. "Bringing Down the Duke" is actually the first in a series as well (the second book is just as good as this one, and I cannot wait for the third). It's a fun, historical romance novel that sizzles, but also has a lot of heart. My friend loved this book just as much as I did, and I think most historical romance fans will, too. — Malarie Gokey, deputy editor

"Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking" by Susan Cain

Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop, from $7.89

If you have someone in your life who's always complained about feeling too shy or reserved, this book can validate a lot of their feelings. Cain, a fellow introvert herself, explores the parts of American culture that overemphasize the importance of extroversion and loudness when it comes to professional and social success. But she also shows how working independently, exercising caution, and listening to other people are underrated strengths — ones you can channel to make yourself stick out. For the friend, partner, or sibling who kinda hates big meetings, brainstorms, and parties, give them this book to curl up in a quiet corner with."— Julia Pugachevsky, e-learning editor 

"The Underground Railroad" by Colson Whitehead

Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop, from $12.39

One of my friends gave me this Pulitzer Prize-winning book last Christmas, and I couldn't put it down. In the book, the Underground Railroad is a real railroad with trains and conductors that runs underground throughout the southern United States during the Antebellum Era. The story follows Cora as she escapes from the brutality of slavery in search of freedom. The story is at times heart-rending, terrifying, and exhilarating. It's also a powerful accounting of American history and one of its cruelest legacies. — Malarie Gokey, deputy editor

"The Wedding Date" by. Jasmine Guillory

Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop, from $11.66

Full disclosure: Author Jasmine Guillory is a fellow alum of my alma mater, and when she released "The Wedding Date," my friends and I all raced to buy it, then texted each other as we made our way through. If you know someone looking for a "beach read," or just a fun, sweet romance that will transport them from their couch when the beach isn't realistic, I've got the book for you. "The Wedding Date" will make you smile — and then go look up the following books in the series. — Libby Kane, executive editor, personal finance

Book of the Month (three-month subscription)

Available at Book of the Month, from $49.99

If you'd rather give them the joy of reading great books without the pressure of deciding what those books will be for them, we can't recommend Book of the Month enough. 

Every month, the bookworm in your life can choose a hardcover from five new titles and settle into a story that often goes on to gain national attention or win major literary awards; This is the same book club that selected "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway in its first year and "Gone with the Wind" by Margaret Mitchell in 1936 — before its mass recognition. More recently, we've credited it with turning us onto books like the page-turner "Circe."— Mara Leighton, senior reporter

• If you're spending hours searching for unique gifts but are finding more generic repeats, here are 16 online retailers that specialize in the unexpected, like Uncommon Goods, Etsy, and Jungalow.
• Shopping for last-minute gifts? Check out the rest of Insider's gift guides here.
• Sign up for Insider Reviews' weekly newsletter for more buying advice and great deals

Choosing the perfect gift can be challenging, and the multitude of options available online can be more overwhelming than helpful. While big retailers like Amazon and Target have plenty of interesting finds, you may have to go off the beaten path to ensure your gift isn't a repeat. To speed up your search, we found 16 stores that offer truly unique holiday presents for your loved ones.

Some stores are still offering expedited shipping to ensure delivery by Christmas, but the shipping deadline has passed for many of them. However, we bet that the person who appreciates the cool gifts from such unique shops won't mind the delay.

The best online stores for unique gifts:

Uncommon Goods

Shop all Uncommon Goods here

The products available from Uncommon Goods are hard to categorize. Browsing the pages and gifts guides is an exciting and inspiring adventure. You can start with a personalized bedtime story, take a left at a set of BBQ rubs and spices, and finish with a shattered glass ceiling necklace. 

Even with expedited shipping, we expect these products to arrive after Christmas. Most of these gifts are so cool, though, we're sure the recipient won't mind if it's a little late.

Sugarfina

Shop all Sugarfina here.

Everyone loves candy, and Sugarfina has cornered the market for grown-up sweet treats. The brand offers cocktail-inspired flavors, like Champagne gummy bears, as well as classic chocolate bars, so there's something for everyone. You can even add a personal touch with custom gift boxes.

While delivery by Christmas is not guaranteed, no one will be too upset about getting an assortment of Sugarfina treats a few days late. Sugarfina products are also sold at department stores like Bloomingdales and Neimann Marcus, where shipping times vary.

Leon and George

Shop all Leon and George here

We're stuck indoors more than usual this year, so give a low maintenance piece of the outdoors with Leon and George. This online plant shop is one of our favorites because of its multiple shipping options and online plant care resources. Choose from helpful categories like pet-friendly and low light plants, or browse plant care tools and accessories for someone with a green thumb. 

Standard shipping starts at $9 per order.

*Gifts arrive after Christmas.

GlobeIn

Shop all GlobeIn here

The lifestyle goods available at GlobeIn are handmade by female artisans in ethical working conditions and paid fair wages. On each product page, you can read about the artisans responsible for items such as a recycled silk travel bag or a handwoven clutch by artisans in India. Shopping at GlobeIn supports female creators, a gift for the world and your loved ones.

Due to the five to 10 day shipping and handling, these gifts will arrive after Christmas.

Food52

Shop all Food52 here

Thanks to its collaborations with home cooks in the design process, Food52's line of cookware has an answer to almost every kitchen need no matter how small. When we tested its Five Two products, we were impressed by the useful details in each product, like lipped rims on the stoneware bowls and corner potholders on the ultimate apron. 

Beyond the kitchen, the Five Two Shop carries home goods with the same quirky and well-made style. While there is a standard $9 shipping fee, delivery times differ between products, so make sure to check each page when ordering. 

*Gifts may arrive after Christmas.

Etsy

Shop all Etsy here

One of the best places to shop small, Etsy is home to thousands of independent artisans selling everything under the sun. If you're truly stuck in your search for the perfect gift, try browsing the Etsy listings for an unusual piece of jewelry or a unique item of pop culture merchandise. 

Shipping times and costs vary at each Etsy shop, but we've pulled together a list of shops offering free shipping to narrow down the options.

*Gifts may arrive after Christmas.

ModCloth

Shop all ModCloth here

Quirky is ModCloth's MO, and their selection of gifts embraces that aesthetic. Clothing ranges from solid color joggers to festive dinosaur print sweaters, wide enough to appeal to everyone's tastes. ModCloth's unique gift guide is a curated collection of its most unusually fun products, like a Jeff Goldblum graphic tee. 

When purchasing, factor into the listed shipping time that ModCloth does not ship on the weekends. December 22 is the last day to purchase for arrival by Christmas, but you have until December 28 for delivery by New Years with express shipping.

Society6

Shop all Society6 here

Art comes in many forms, and Society6 features almost all of them. Independent artists upload and sell their print work, or receive a commission on products printed with their designs and produced by Society6. Finally, the mushroom superfan on your gift list can wear leggings and gaze upon a canvas print both featuring a mushroom heart design. 

The cutoff date for Christmas delivery has passed, but they'll still love the thought than went into their gift, so what's a few days?

Artifact Uprising

Shop all Artifact Uprising here

Celebrate the sentimentality of the holidays with photo books, framed prints, and personalized calendars from Artifact Uprising. Its helpful guides point you towards the best gifts for whoever is lucky enough to receive one, whether it's a modern wall calendar for a dedicated teacher or a baby board book for new parents. 

Consult its holiday delivery guide for Christmas shipping options and rates.

*Gifts may arrive after Christmas.

The Happy Planner

Shop all The Happy Planner here

The colorful and whimsical designs at the Happy Planner turn everyday items into pieces of art. Give someone a work from home refresh with printed office supplies and planners designed by Black artists. Practical gifts can be just as fun as silly ones, especially when uniquely designed and thoughtfully purchased. 

The Happy Planner will close its warehouse and will not ship orders from December 24 through January 1st.

*Gifts may arrive after Christmas.

MoMA Design Store

Shop all MoMA Design Store here

You don't have to be a modern art aficionado to love the MoMA Design Store's catalog. There are many different gifts, both creative innovations like a knife that turns butter into spreadable ribbons and modern art products like Andy Warhol banana bookends. Even the selection for kids embraces the fun and colorful aesthetics of modern art. 

The holiday shipping deadline has passed, but express and overnight delivery are still options for delivery by New Years'. Standard shipping is an $8 flat rate and delivers most in-stock merchandise within five days.

Maisonette

Shop all Maisonette here

Bringing a boutique experience to the masses, Maisonette is the spot for hundreds of children's boutique and luxury brands like Meri Meri and O8 Lifestyle. The tasteful toys, apparel, and accessories are from both brands carried at major department stores and lesser-known start-ups. Treat them to an iridescent jacket or a doll that represents their identity.

Since Maisonette is a marketplace for various brands, the platform cannot guarantee shipping times for all products. When purchasing, check the estimated delivery date for individual items.

*Gifts may arrive after Christmas.

Crown and Paw

Shop all Crown and Paw here

Pet owners everywhere will love the comical and adorable products for Crown and Paw. Turn a friend's beloved dog, cat, micro-pig, rabbit, or any other pet into a renaissance portrait, Marvel superhero, and more. Beyond canvas portraits, images can be printed on blankets, mugs, phone cases, and throw pillows, featuring up to four furry friends. 

Gifts will no longer be delivered by Christmas due to extended production times, but if you're not in a rush to exchange gifts on Christmas eve or day, this is a great option for animal lovers.

*Gifts may arrive after Christmas.

Urban Outfitters

Shop all Urban Outfitters here

Among the cropped cardigans and chenille beanies, Urban Outfitters has a surprising array of funky lifestyle and home goods. Urban Outfitters is like a big box department store with a modern boho flair, featuring constellation pie plates and velvet floor cushions. It may be a well-known brand, but a gift from Urban is unlikely to be found elsewhere. 

Orders placed by 9 am EST on December 23 will arrive by Christmas day via rush shipping for an extra fee. Standard shipping is a flat $5 for purchases under $50 and takes 7 to 10 days. 

b.Yellowtail

Shop all b.Yellowtail here

Native American-owned brand and retailer b.Yellowtail embraces storytelling through art and design. The b.Yellowtail collective supports indigenous artists by providing a platform to sell their work. The platform carries beauty products, like this Bison Star lavender set, and a wide range of apparel, from turquoise bracelets to suit blazers. 

The deadline for arrival by Christmas has passed. Allow up to two weeks for your order to be shipped.

*Gifts may arrive after Christmas.

Jungalow

Shop all Jungalow here

Anyone who loves color and plants will love Jungalow's bohemian home decor. Two trees are planted for each purchase, and everything is designed and curated by blogger-turned-businesswoman Justina Blakeney with sustainability and good vibes in mind.  

Jungalow does not offer expedited shipping, and it can take up to two weeks for delivery. While Christmas delivery is not guaranteed, Jungalow offers online gift cards and, of course, quality gifts that are worth it no matter when they arrive. 

*Gifts may arrive after Christmas.

• Whether it's for Mom, Dad, a friend, or a coworker, small kitchen accessories make nice gifts for just about everyone on your list. 
• Here are 30 fun and practical kitchen accessories that are $50 or less and make great gifts.
• Some of our favorite affordable kitchen gifts include a quality bottle of Brightland olive oil, a thoughtfully-designed apron, a modern twist on a bento box, and more.
• For more last-minute gift ideas, check out all of our gift guides for more inspiration. 

Whether they have a cookware collection that rivals Martha Stewart's or their most prized kitchen accessory is their drawer of takeout menus, any friend or family member on your gift list will appreciate a nice new kitchen tool to add to their space.

For a solid gift that you can bank on them loving, check out our list of kitchen accessories that'll please kitchen pros and newbies alike. It runs the gamut from practical to quirky and everything in between, plus you can find all of it for $50 or less. 

For most retailers, you'll need to spring for priority shipping to get the gift by Christmas. Check the shipping times of each retailer and keep in mind that there may be delays. But even if delivery is a little late, a useful kitchen tool is timeless and we bet your loved ones won't mind.

The top 5 best affordable kitchen gifts:

1. A set of non-skid mixing bowls ($27.99)
2. A high-quality bottle of olive oil from Brightland ($37)
3. A modern bento box for adults ($35)
4. A small melting pan that lets them top everything with gooey, melty cheese ($9.99)
5. The ultimate apron from Food52 ($45)

The 30 best kitchen gifts under $50:

A portable grill

Smokey Joe 14-Inch Portable Grill, available at Amazon, $34.99

You can get the quality you know and love from full-size charcoal grills in this 14-inch portable version. The surface holds five burgers, and the whole grill is just under 10 pounds.

A pre-seasoned pizza stone

15-Inch Seasoned Cast Iron Pizza Pan, $42.95, available at The Lodge

This cast iron pizza pan has convenient handles for lifting on and off a hot grill — one of the thoughtful features that earned it a top spot in our guide to pizza stones. The 15-inch diameter surface is pre-seasoned with vegetable oil and conducts heat evenly for a perfect crust.

Note: Arrives after Christmas

A set of non-skid mixing bowls

OXO Good Grips Mixing Set, $27.99, available at Amazon

A set of dishwasher safe mixing bowls is a must-have for every kitchen. With non-skid bottoms, rubber grip handles, and pouring spots, this set of bowls is perfect for whisking, mixing, and preparing meals.

A serving board

Circle Serve Board, $19.99, available at Target

This two-tone Acacia wood serving board is an elegant and practical kitchen item. The cut-out handle makes the 13-inch board easy to handle and hang up to save space.

Note: May arrive after Christmas depending on location

A stovetop espresso maker

Bialetti Moka Express Stovetop Coffee Maker (6-cup), $38.97, available at Walmart

For the coffee-loving types who have already tried just about every way to get their morning brew, give them this moka pot. Bialetti actually invented the first stovetop coffee maker in the early 20th century and, even after all these years, the original model is our favorite option out there. 

Note: Arrives after Christmas

A thoughtfully designed apron

Five Two Ultimate Apron, $45, available at Food52

This is the apron to top all aprons. In addition to practical design considerations like extra-long waist ties and an adjustable neck strap, there are smart details like built-in pot holders, a conversion chart sewn into one pocket, and a narrow chest pocket to hold tools like pens and thermometers. 

Note: All colors arrive after Christmas, only Smoked Salt currently in stock

A cheese melt pan

Cuisinart BBQ Cheese Melt Pan, $9.99, available at Amazon

If they're not already melting cheese on all of their favorite foods — they should probably start. Help them out with this pan that makes the gooey, cheesy topping of their dreams a reality. 

A useful microwave cover

Hover Cover, $14.99, available at Bed Bath & Beyond

Gone are the days of microwave overflows, resulting in a lengthy cleaning process that totally defeats the purpose of using a microwave in the first place. This cover guard protects food from microwave splatters, while the included steam vents assure that food still cooks evenly. 

Note: Arrives after Christmas if shipped

A lazy Susan turntable

Copco Non-Skid Lazy Susan Turntable, available on Amazon, $5.99

They can use this lazy Susan for anything from condiment organization to food serving. It's easy to clean, can withstand weight, and it makes hard-to-reach items far more accessible.

A smoothie set

Chef'n Smoothie Set, $34.95, available at Williams Sonoma

This set has all the little prep tools they never thought they needed. A strawberry huller, citrus juicer, and kale and green stripper will help them quickly turn their favorite fresh produce into a delicious smoothie. 

Note: Arrives after Christmas

A cheeky pig trivet

Felt Pig Trivet, $34, available at Food52

Keep your countertops safe from hot pans and dishes with this trivet. It's made from 100% merino wool felt and is adorably shaped like a pig.

Note: All colors arrive after Christmas, only Heather White currently in stock

A rapid egg cooker

Dash Rapid Egg Cooker, $15.99, available at Amazon

Whether they like them hard-boiled, poached, or scrambled, this rapid egg cooker lives up to its name — it makes cooking eggs way faster and easier than ever before. 

A versatile spatula

GIR Premium Silicone Spatula, from $7.95, available at The Grommet

They'll never run out of uses for a silicone spatula, and GIR (short for Get it Right) does exactly that by making a spatula that's both heat resistant and strong. 

Note: Arrives after Christmas

A foldable cutting board

Joseph Joseph Foldable Plastic Cutting Board, $16, available at Amazon

They probably already have a cutting board, but this one is a seriously smart upgrade. With a sturdy handle and sides that fold up when squeezed, this board will help them seamlessly chop and then pour into a pot or pan, without dropping any of the good stuff along the way. 

Mickey Mouse ramekins

Le Creuset Disney Mickey Mouse Ramekins (set of 2), $49.95, available at Williams Sonoma

Good ramekins are useful for baking and serving just about any dish —  and these Mickey Mouse ones are some of the cutest out there. They're adorable, but they're also made of seriously durable stoneware that'll last them a lifetime. 

A popcorn maker

Whirley Stainless-Steel Induction Popcorn Maker, $49.95, available at Williams Sonoma

A vintage-style stovetop popcorn maker that you crank by hand — this thing is the real deal. It's a little more effort, but they'll never want to return to the microwave stuff after this. 

Note: Arrives after Christmas

A mini rice cooker

Dash Mini Rice Cooker, from $19.99, available at Amazon

This appliance is small but mighty — it can make rice, stews, soups, pasta, and more. The two-cup capacity is good for making small meals and won't take up too much of their precious counter space. 

A spiralizer

Paderno 4-Blade Spiralizer, $49.95, available at Williams Sonoma

Zucchinis, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets — anything can be a noodle if you really believe, or if you use a spiralizer. Plus, these spindly shapes make eating veggies a lot more fun. 

A splatter screen

Silicone Splatter Screen, $24.95, available at Williams Sonoma

Save them from one of the perils of frying foods at home: the dreaded hot oil splatter. This screen has holes to release steam, so everything stays crunchy, but keeps all of the grease in the pan as it's intended to be. 

A s'mores maker

S'mores Maker, $49.95, available at Williams Sonoma

When it's too cold to head out to the fire pit, they'll appreciate this thoughtful set with all of the tools they need to get outdoor quality s'mores — without ever having to leave the kitchen. 

Note: Not available for shipping

A state pride dish towel

State Dish Towel, $20, available at Uncommon Goods

Add some sentimentality to their kitchen with a dish towel of their home state. The bright towels include iconic names, landmarks, and images of what makes their favorite state so special. 

A molcajete

Molcajete, from $29.95, available at Williams Sonoma

An old-fashioned mortar and pestle set is the key to crushing and grinding everything from fresh herbs and spices to making perfectly smooth guacamole. 

An Oreo cup

Dunking Buddy, $14.95, available at Amazon

A thoughtful gift that shows you understand their cookie obsession, this cup helps them get the perfect dunk every time. It also comes with a pack of Oreos for good measure.

Note: Arrives after Christmas.

A bento box

Modern Large Bento Box, $35, available at Food52

This bento box is made up of multiple stackable components. It's dishwasher- and microwave-safe, and surely an upgrade to the brown paper bag.

Note: Arrives after Christmas

An electric griddle

Family-Sized Electric Griddle, $24.99, available at Target

Though just five pounds, this electric griddle has 200 square inches of cooking surface that reaches 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Minus the electric parts, the entire griddle is dishwasher safe, including the removable drip tray.

Fancy olive oil

Alive Extra Virgin Heirloom Olive Oil, $37, available at Brightland

A drizzle of good olive oil adds a flavorful punch to any dish. Brightland's high-quality olive oils are sharp, peppery, and come in sleek, coated glass bottles that will look nice on their kitchen counter. 

Note: Arrives after Christmas

A cookie spoon pan

Cookie Spoon Pan, $18, available at Uncommon Goods

Indulge their sweet tooth with this innovative pan that lets them turn their favorite cookie doughs into spoon-shaped cookies. They can use them to scoop ice cream, stir their coffee, or dip into the Nutella jar — every use is equally delicious. 

An automatic pan stirrer

Automatic Pan Stirrer with Timer, $25, available at Uncommon Goods

Help them save time and elbow grease with this little gadget. All they have to do is place it in the pan, set the timer, and let it whiz around so they can do other kitchen tasks while their sauce is stirred for them. 

Note: Arrives after Christmas

A pancake pan

Nordic Ware Silver Dollar Pancake Pan, $34.95, available at Crate & Barrel 

This pan lets them cook seven silver dollar pancakes at once and ensures that each one is a perfectly round circle. 

Note: Arrives after Christmas

A food scale

Bamboo Food Scale, $29.95, available at Crate & Barrel

If they're serious about baking, they'll appreciate this food scale. It'll help them make sure they're using the exact measurements every time. Plus, the bamboo and sleek LED display make it look nice in their space. 

Note: Arrives after Christmas

• High-quality sous vide machines — also known as immersion circulators — should heat up to specific temperatures quickly, maintain an accurate temp, and feature an intuitive interface.
• The Breville Joule Sous Vide is our top pick because of its high-tech features, compact size, and excellent customer service.
• Sign up for Insider Reviews' weekly newsletter for more buying advice and great deals

Sous vide machines work by preheating a water bath to a specific temperature. Food is then sealed in a container — usually a plastic bag — and lowered into the bath where it stays until it reaches the temperature of the water. This is not a fast process, but it virtually guarantees that you will not overcook your food.

There are two main types of sous vide machines: stick-like units called "immersion circulators" you use in your own container (a large pot should work fine) and all-in-one boxes, known as water ovens. We prefer immersion circulators because they're more compact and easy to store, they heat water faster, and you can use them in any size vessel to suit your needs. 

Though any airtight bag should work just fine, you may want to consider purchasing a vacuum sealer along with your sous vide machine. The transfer of heat through water is 11 times more efficient than through air, and the vacuum sealer removes all of the air pockets and decreases the chance of uneven cooking. It also ensures that water won't leak into the food you're cooking.

The sous vide machines and immersion circulators featured in this guide have a track record of excellent performance and durability and produce delicious steaks, vegetables, and other dishes.

Here are the best sous vide machines

• Best overall: Breville Joule Sous Vide
• Best with onboard controls: Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker
• Best on a budget: Kitchen Gizmo Sous Vide Immersion Circulator

Prices and links are accurate as of 12/22/2020. We also added a section about products we're currently testing to add to this guide. 

The best overall

If you need a compact, high-tech sous vide machine that is powerful enough to get water up to temperature quickly, look no further than the Breville Joule Sous Vide.

Pros: Compact design, excellent customer service, ongoing app improvements

Cons: Requires a smartphone and Bluetooth 

Aside from the ability to heat water to precise temperatures, there are a couple of features that set the Breville Joule Sous Vide apart from others.

It's only 1.3 pounds and 11 inches tall so it's much smaller and easier to store. Breville has also clearly put a lot of work into its app. Not only does it allow you to monitor your meal, but it also has a "Visual Doneness" feature that shows you how your food looks as it cooks so you can see exactly what's going on.

Insider Reviews writer Brandt Ranj tested it and was very impressed that it let him cook steaks as perfectly as a professional chef and called it one of his favorite kitchen tools.

The Joule connects with your phone via Bluetooth, and the app has more than 100 cooking guides. Plus, it works with Amazon Alexa so you can cook with your voice too.

Breville backs the product with a one-year limited warranty. And, if you are not completely happy with the Joule within 90 days of purchase, the company will give you a full refund.

This is a great option because it's small enough to fit in a cooking utensil drawer, has a magnetic bottom that keeps it in place in metal receptacles, and is quiet when operating. However, keep in mind that you do need a phone and Bluetooth or Internet connection to use it. 

Read our comparison of the Joule and the Anova sous vide immersion circulators

Read our review of the Joule Sous Vide

The best with onboard controls

The Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker can be programmed through an app or manually on the device itself.

Pros: Second smallest option on our list, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth compatible, works with a variety of containers, has onboard controls for those who don't want to have to use an app

Cons: Slower to heat, the app is sometimes buggy

In the world of sous vide machines, the Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker and the Breville Joule are in a class of their own. When it comes to which of our top two picks are better, it's really a toss-up. We gave the Joule the edge because it has a higher wattage and smaller size. But, the Anova Culinary model can be used manually without an app in case you want to put your smartphone away. 

The unit attaches to your container via a ring clip. This allows you to adjust the depth of the circulator to fit the container. The Anova has a temperature range of 32 to 197 degrees Fahrenheit, a timer that runs up to 99 hours, and it can heat up to five gallons of water (that number goes up to 13 if you're using a lid). The size is nice and compact with an easy-to-read display.

This is also backed by a two-year warranty. 

The best on a budget

If you're interested in giving sous vide cooking a try and don't care if your cooker connects to a smartphone, then the Kitchen Gizmo Sous Vide Immersion Circulator is an excellent choice.

Pros: Affordable, energy-efficient, quiet, easy to set up and operate

Cons: Doesn't have Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity, questionable customer service

Unlike our top two choices, the Kitchen Gizmo Sous Vide Immersion Circulator does not have Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity. You simply set it up using the intuitive controls on the top of the device. This is ideal for when you don't want to have to use an app.

The 800-watt motor heats to temperatures up to 194 degrees Fahrenheit with a margin of error of 1 degree. This circulator clips to the side of your container and can circulate up to eight liters (or a little more than two gallons) per minute.

What we're looking forward to testing

While we stand by our current picks, we're in the process of testing a new crop of sous vide machines and are planning to update this guide in early 2021. Here are the models we're testing and comparing to our current top picks:

• Anova Precision Cooker Nano ($99): If you can do without the Wi-Fi function and deal with less power, Anova makes the affordable Nano Precision Cooker. This is a sleek device that connects to a smartphone using Bluetooth, but can also be programmed on the unit — just like the non-Nano version, except smaller. Despite its fewer features, Insider Reviews Guides Editor Les Shu, who uses the Nano, found it very capable at cooking steaks beautifully. It just requires a bit more time to bring the water to temperature. Read our Anova Precision Cooker Nano review here.
• Anova Precision Cooker Pro ($199): For those who are serious about sous vide cooking and are willing to spend a bit more, Anova makes a Pro version of its Precision Cooker. This model packs 1,200 watts of power to heat larger vessels of water faster. It also comes with onboard controls and app connectivity. Read our Anova Precision Cooker Pro review here.
• Tribest Sousvant Complete Sous Vide Circulator ($299.95): If you're looking for a water oven, options are fewer and further between. The Tribest Sousvant is one of the remaining water ovens on the market. We're currently testing it to see how it compares to our top immersion circulator picks.
• Breville Polyscience Hydro Pro ($499.95): The most recent product from the manufacturers of the Joule, this immersion circulator is meant for professional use and may appeal to some home users who use sous vide cooking a lot. It's a powerful unit with an entire built-in menu of different foods to choose from. 
• Instant Pot Duo Crisp ($179.95): While this option may be a bit of an outlier, Instant Pot recently introduced sous vide functionality to its Instant Pot Duo Crisp. If you're someone who is interested in sous vide, but don't want to buy an entirely separate device to try it out, this multicooker model may be a good option. 

Check out our other small kitchen appliance buying guides

The best juicers

The best espresso machines

The best toaster ovens

The best blenders

Coinbase, the popular platform used to buy, sell, and store bitcoin, ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies, confidentially filed paperwork for an initial public offering to the Securities and Exchange Commission last week, officially setting off the process to go public.

Coinbase's IPO would be highly watched because it would be the first major US cryptocurrency exchange to go public.

The San Francisco company was founded in 2012 by CEO Brian Armstrong and Fred Ehrsam, its board director. The company has raised $525 million in its lifetime and was last valued at $8 billion, according to PitchBook. 

In October, about 5% of Coinbase's workforce, or about 60 employees, left the company after Armstrong declared a controversial policy that banned social activism from the office. The company counted about 1,000 employees at the end of 2019, according to The New York Times.

Since the exit of those employees, the company has been on a hiring tear, multiple sources told Business Insider in October.

So how much does Coinbase pay its workers? 

We can catch a quick glimpse inside the company's payroll from looking at what Coinbase pays the workers it hires from overseas. Employers have to disclose to the federal government how much they pay employees through the H-1B visa program, a major part of how tech companies recruit workers. That information is published by the Office of Foreign Labor Certification. 

Insider went through data released in the third quarter of 2020 to discover how much Coinbase pays software engineers, marketing managers, and a data scientist for roles in San Francisco, Miami, New York, and Austin, Texas. When there were multiple jobs with the same title, we included a salary range. This is salary data only and does not include other compensation, such as stock. A company spokesperson declined comment.

Take a look at how much Coinbase's employees make annually.

SEE ALSO: Tech unicorn Faire is offering new small businesses up to $20,000 after surviving its own 'disaster movie' last spring

Coinbase paid software engineers a salary range of $144,000 to $230,000.

Many of the jobs that Coinbase filled from overseas involved software engineering, which isn't surprising because Coinbase is at its heart a technology startup founded and based in San Francisco.

The pay scale varied widely for this title from $144,000 for a software engineer in Bellevue, Washington, to $230,000 for a staff software engineer in San Francisco.

Software engineer: $160,000 to $230,000 (San Francisco)

Software engineer: $144,000 (Bellevue)

Senior software engineer: $165,000 to $200,000 (San Francisco)

Software engineer, back end: $140,000 (San Francisco)

Senior software engineer, back end: $200,000 (San Francisco)

Coinbase paid a data scientist $160,000.

Coinbase also hired at least one specialist in data science, artificial intelligence, and machine learning from overseas.

According to a recent job posting for a "principal data scientist," Coinbase is willing to pay $150,000 to $200,000 for someone to "interpret Coinbase data correctly" and build "analytics models and systems that help scale Coinbase insights more broadly." 

Data scientist: $160,000 (San Francisco)

Coinbase paid a senior manager in New York as much as $280,000.

A senior manager in charge of compliance tools in New York was paid $280,000, the highest salary out of the 24 Coinbase jobs that Insider examined related to workers it hired from overseas. So why is this job so important?

According to a recent job description, the role is to manage relevant compliance tools related to anti-money laundering and other compliance functions. The job requires at least seven years of experience in financial-services compliance, either at a large global financial institution or a consulting firm with relevant experience.

Senior manager, compliance tools: $280,000 (New York)

Coinbase marketing managers make an annual salary of $207,000, regardless if they are in San Francisco or Miami.

The question that is on the mind of many Silicon Valley investors and founders these days is if they should join the exodus out of the Bay Area for warmer weather in Miami or Austin.

The good news is if you work in a marketing role for Coinbase, your salary will stay the same if you make the move.

The salary data listed two jobs with the same pay under the broader category of "marketing manager" with the specific job title of head of product, Pro and Prime in both Miami and San Francisco.

Head of product, Pro and Prime: $207,000 (Miami)

Head of product, Pro and Prime: $207,000 (San Francisco)

A graphic designer at Coinbase can make up to $200,000.

The average base salary for a graphic designer in San Francisco is $64,531 a year, according to Glassdoor, a job-reviews website. At $200,000, Coinbase pays its designers well above that average.

Senior product designer: $200,000 (San Francisco)

• Gift baskets should be thoughtfully curated and contain items that fit your recipient's tastes and interests.
• Whether their holiday indulgence of choice is chocolate, cheese, or wine, these 17 gift baskets and gift boxes check the boxes off for both quality and relevance. 
• Need more last-minute gift ideas? Find all Insider Reviews holiday gift guides here. 

A gift basket is a common and easy gift to give to a client, host, or your in-laws, but all too often, gift baskets share the same pitfalls. Once you take a closer look at the basket teeming with treats, you realize only a small percentage of its contents are actually worth keeping. Or, there's an excessive amount of packaging that makes the basket look more substantial than it really is. 

When you're gifting a gift basket or gift box, you want something with both quantity and quality. Gift baskets shouldn't be cheesy presents that seemed like a last-minute buy. Though time is quickly running out to send a Christmas gift, these gift baskets are still thoughtfully curated and contain items that fit your recipient's tastes and interests. 

Many of these gift baskets contain perishable items, which means they tend to be shipped quickly. However, there's still a chance your gift will arrive after Christmas. 

The top 5 best gift baskets:

1. A cheerful assortment of Godiva chocolate
2. A collection of cheese from a New York City institution
3. A snack box with treats from a different country every month
4. A unique charcuterie assortment you can't find at a regular grocery store
5. Eight servings of 'tea drops'

Here are 17 last-minute gift baskets to treat your loved ones:

Treats for the ultimate sweet tooth

The Sweet Spot, available at Milk Bar, $90

It'll be hard to decide what to eat first from this trio of Milk Bar favorites — will it be the moist birthday cake truffles, buttery Milk Bar pie, or the chewy cookies in creative flavors like Blueberry & Cream? 

Note: May arrive after Christmas 

Unique infused olive oils

Giusto Sapore Olive Oil Gift Set, available at Amazon, $59.99

The five-bottle set of flavored olive oil will transform their dinners — from spicy chili to make their pizza more exciting to blood orange to freshen up seafood dishes. 

An advent calendar of pour over coffee

12 Days of Pour Over Set, available at Copper Cow Coffee, $48

If they're getting tired of the same old coffee every day, give them this variety set of delicious pour over to mix things up. The beautifully packaged set of drawers contains black and flavored coffees, along with Copper Cow's signature condensed milk creamers. 

Note: Arrives after Christmas

Six pints of ice cream (toppings included) to get them through the winter

Oddfellows Classics Ice Cream Sundae Kit, available at Goldbelly, $119

It's usually hard to gift ice cream without showing up at the door with a melted mess. Thankfully, Goldbelly packs all its gift kits with dry ice so your recipient can enjoy this huge sundae kit of six ice cream pints and four toppings. Along with classic toppings like rainbow sprinkles and Oreo cookies, there's miso butterscotch and salted caramel. 

Note: Arrives after Christmas

Boozy gummies and the actual vodka that inspired their creation

Tito's x Sugarfina Candy Bento Box, available at ReserveBar, $49

Pour a tiny Moscow mule in the included copper mug and say cheers to these creative gummies inspired by and infused with Tito's Vodka. In addition to the candy and mug, your recipient will get a bottle of Tito's. 

Note: Arrives after Christmas

Red-and-green brownies and cookies of all sizes

Holiday Cookie Brookie Basket, available at Baked in Color, $50

Whether you choose the rainbow colors or Christmas colors, these cookies and brownies stand out. The basket contains a tube of mini cookies, a bag of four regular cookies, and four thick brownie-cookies.  

Note: Arrives after Christmas

A unique charcuterie assortment you can't find at a regular grocery store

Delicious Duck Cure Bundle, available at D'Artagnan, $87.95

Expand their charcuterie horizons with this box of dried and cured duck meats, including duck rillettes, duck prosciutto, smoked duck breast, and duck saucisson sec. There's also a rich black truffle foie gras, which goes well with some bread. 

Read our review.

Note: Arrives after Christmas 

The gift basket that's perfect for a picnic

Bella Cucina Italian Antipasti Basket Gift Set, available at Food52, $239

They'll definitely want to reuse this spacious woven tote, which contains savory and sweet spreads (like artichoke lemon pesto), crackers and flatbread, and an olive wood knife. It's a gourmet splurge, but a beautifully packaged one at that. 

Note: Arrives after Christmas

A cheerful assortment of Godiva chocolate

Holiday Celebrations Chocolate Gift Box, available at Godiva, $91.95

No one is ever unhappy with a box (or six) of chocolates. The huge assortment of candy includes your classic milk and dark chocolates, along with Bundt cake- and holiday-inspired chocolates and truffles. 

A healthy variety of nuts and fruits

Oh! Nuts Holiday Nut & Dried Fruit Gift Basket, available at Amazon, $36.99

There are a few out-of-the-ordinary fruits in this box: dried summer plums, papaya, and pear. Pair them with crunchy nuts, meat, and cheese, or enjoy them on their own. 

Note: Arrives after Christmas 

A carb-heavy box of pastries and breads

Signature Bakery Tray, available at Harry & David, $79.99

The tray of cookies, cakes, and other pastries will be a big hit for anyone who loves lingering in bakeries. Reviewers love the lemon poppyseed cake and raspberry galettes. 

Note: Arrives after Christmas 

A cheesy collection from a New York City institution

Greatest Hits, available at Murray's Cheese, $95

If they crave a mild cheese, there's a manchego. For a sharper edge, try the cheddar. There's also an aged gruyere and creamy mini brie. To go along with this sampler of Murray's Cheese's popular varieties, there are cherry preserves, crackers, and almonds in the box as well. 

Note: May arrive after Christmas 

A box of Japanese snacks they can't get in the US

Classic Box, available at Bokksu, $49.95

Bokksu works directly with snack makers in Japan, so your recipient won't be able to find these unique and delicious treats here. Every month's box has a different theme and contains 20 to 25 snacks, as well as a tea pairing. The December Bokksu, "Snowy Hokkaido," celebrates Japan's northern prefecture and its beautiful, snowy winters. 

Note: Arrives after Christmas 

Eight servings of 'tea drops'

Best Tea Gift Set, available at Tea Drops, $14

Tea Drops are tea leaves that come in fun shapes such as hearts, flowers, and stars. As the name suggests, they simply drop the packed tea leaves into boiling water to create their cup. The tea kit contains both caffeinated and non-caffeinated varieties. 

Note: May arrive after Christmas 

Nostalgia-inducing Mrs. Fields cookies

Mrs. Fields Large Sunshine Basket, available at FTD, $80

Your favorite food stand from the mall offers a box of 48 bite-sized cookies, 30 brownie bites, and eight regular cookies that arrives right at their door. It wouldn't be a "Sunshine" box without four frosted sun cookies. 

Note: May arrive after Christmas 

A snack box that travels to a different country every month

Yum Yum Box, available at Universal Yums, $29

If you know that they're open to treats from all over the world, gift a box from Universal Yums. They can travel the world and sample the sweet and savory snacks from countries such as Greece, Indonesia, Colombia, and Italy. 

Note: Arrives after Christmas 

Crunchy, flavorful popcorn

Popcornopolis Gourmet Popcorn Mini 5-Cone Gift Basket, available at Amazon, $34.99

We love snacking on the savory and sweet popcorn from Popcornopolis, and your recipient will, too. The delicious non-GMO popcorn comes in five flavors (zebra, kettle, cheddar cheese, caramel, and cinnamon toast) and is wrapped up in distinctive striped cones. 

Note: Arrives after Christmas 

• You don't need to break the bank to find a reliable pair of running shoes — so long as you know what to shop for. 
• Some of the best athletic brands like New Balance, Hoka One One, and Brooks offer dependable runners in the range of $100 to $130.
• Whether you prefer ample cushioning, a shoe capable of logging heavy miles, or just want a wallet-friendly pair for quick weekend runs, there's an affordable running shoe fit for your lifestyle.
• Our top pick, the HOKA One One Rincon, is a cushion-heavy runner that's great for short jogs around the neighborhood or multi-hour training runs, and delivers premium performance, comfort, and durability.

I've been running for more than 20 years and in that time, I've tried just about every type of shoe on the market: stability, neutral, minimalist, cushioned, and everything in between. I've run marathons, navigated trails on the weekend, and crested the hilliest of country roads. 

So has Brian Metzler, author of Kicksology, a comprehensive look at the history and science behind running shoes. Likewise, Mike Fronsoe, owner of the Fleet Feet specialty running store in Monroe, LA, has decades of running in his legs. Combined, we've put in thousands of miles in running shoes and know what works for us and others. 

While the shoes have evolved and changed over time, the one thing that remains constant is the uptick in cost. Today, there are shoes upwards of $250 that promise — and deliver — faster running. For the average runner, however, that's more shoe than you'd ever want or need. Thankfully, the market offers its fair share of affordable options, too. 

"There are plenty of good, mid-range shoes in the $110 and under market," Metzler told Insider. "The challenge is there's a lot of marketing that goes into selling shoes and that jacks the prices up."

To help narrow down the growing selection of cheap running shoes, I highlighted a few of our favorites that I've enjoyed running in and that takes Metzler's and Fronsoe's advice to heart. At the end of this guide, I've also included some additional information on how to shop for cheap running shoes, as well as the testing methodology I used.

From brands like Hoka One One and Skechers to Brooks and New Balance, these shoes keep you running comfortably while also staying kind to your wallet. 

Here are the best cheap running shoes:

• Best cheap running shoes overall: HOKA One One Rincon
• Best-selling cheap running shoes: Brooks Ghost 12
• Cheapest running shoes: Skechers GOrun Fast Quake
• Best all-purpose cheap running shoes: The New Balance 880
• Best cushioned cheap running shoes: HOKA One One Clifton

Updated on 12/22/2020 by Rick Stella: Updated the sections on how to shop for cheap running shoes and the testing methodology used, checked the availability of each recommended shoe, and updated the prices where necessary.

Best cheap running shoes overall

This is a shoe that works for almost any type of runner, including those looking for some speed, anyone who enjoys added cushion, and just about everyone in between.

Pros: Lightweight (only 6.3 ounces in the women's model), cushy ride

Cons: With the differential between the heel and toe stack at only five millimeters, it can take some time to adjust to the shoe if you're used to a bigger offset — expect a couple of weeks of sore calf muscles

Runner's World voted the Rincon an "editor's choice" for a speed shoe in its Fall 2019 Shoe Guide — and with good reason. The shoe delivers what is typically hard to produce: a combination of heavy-duty cushioning and a feather-light weight. 

I must confess that when HOKA first came on the running scene some 11 years ago, I was a skeptic. The first iterations of their shoes were big and bulky, and I thought I could never run in something with that much cushion. But there was plenty of buzz around the shoes and I finally decided to give the brand a go a few years ago. I've since tried out several of its models and settled on the Rincon as my favorite for the road.

I've put a couple hundred miles on mine and you'd barely notice the wear. I've worn them for a variety of distances, from a six miler around the neighborhood on up to longer weekend runs in the range of 13 miles. It's a responsive shoe that carries me comfortably on any type of pavement. For $115, it delivers performance and longevity.

Best-selling cheap running shoes

Fleet Feet, Mike Fronsoe, says this is the number-one selling shoe in his store and remains a fan favorite, 12 versions in.

Pros: 13 different color combinations to choose from, tried-and-true design

Cons:  Pushes the limits of affordability at $130

Runners hate when their favorite shoe receives an update that changes the feel or ride they've come to love. That's why the Brooks Ghost stays as a perpetual best-seller in many running shoe specialty stores — it's always stayed true to its roots. 

It's also an all-around crowd-pleaser that's not too cushy, not too heavy, not too anything. It's designed with the neutral runner in mind and works well no matter your running goal. The shoe is known for its soft ride and it's even able to last up to 400-plus miles.

Cheapest running shoes

Long known for its street style, Skechers made a push into the running space several years ago and its budget runner is an impressive shoe that has marathon-quality style in its DNA.

Pros: You can't do any better on price than this shoe

Cons: Durability could be an issue if you're looking for a long-haul shoe

Even Olympic marathoner and winner of the Boston Marathon, Meb Keflezighi, runs in a Skechers model, so the brand must be onto something, right? Coming in at just $65, the GOrun Fast Quake is our most affordable shoe.

The Fast Quake is a lightweight trainer and features the brand's 5Gen cushioning and cooling "goga mat" insole. Skechers bills this as moisture-wicking and high rebound, to deliver energy return with every step. 

I've run in an older version of this model and liked its flexible sole and lightweight feel. The men's version weighs in at 7.8 ounces, and I can say the fit is comfortable and true to size. The shoe might not go the distance through heavy mileage, but it will get you through a couple of weekly training runs and should hold up for a few months.

Best all-purpose cheap running shoes

The New Balance 880 is the number two seller in Fronsoe's store with him adding that, "you can use this shoe for just about anything. It's firm enough to take to the gym but cushioned enough to run in it on roads."

Pros: A shoe that has something for just about everyone

Cons: The 880 has a wider toe box than some of its comparable models, so for runners with narrow feet, it may not be the ideal fit

I've been a New Balance fan for years and can confirm that the 880 delivers on an all-around basis. I've taken them on roads, black-top paths, and even on softer surfaces like a mulch-covered trail and they responded well each time. It's in its ninth iteration and one of the things I appreciate is that the tweaks New Balance tends to make are smaller, less noticeable ones, so I know I can return to the brands' shoes over and over again and know exactly what I'm getting. 

The 880 retails with a price tag of about $125, so it's not the cheapest of our choices but one that still checks most boxes. It features plenty of cushioning, a responsive ride, a mid-level weight at 9 ounces, and a mid-range heel to toe drop at about 10 millimeters. In short, it's the average joe of running shoes and will likely work for most runners. 

Best cushioned cheap running shoes

Hoka One One's Clifton offers premium cushion, a snug, comfortable fit, and can last for hundreds of miles — and it's the shoe many runners think of when mentioning the brand.

Pros: All the cushion HOKA is known for with an embroidered upper that provides a snug fit to prevent feet from slipping.

Cons: The stack height of the sole, which is quite big, can be off-putting to some runners, reducing the sense of ground feel. 

HOKA is long known for its cushioning and in the sixth iteration of the Clifton, seems to have found the perfect amount to satisfy most fans of its shoes.

Going back to my dislike for overly cushioned shoes, the Clifton surprised me with its performance. I've put in a couple of hundred miles in my pair and find that the soft landing remains, as does the responsiveness I appreciate. 

At $129, it hits the upper end of the affordability range but if you're after cushioning, look no further. 

How to shop for cheap running shoes

Before you dive in on price alone, you'd be wise to visit a specialty running shoe store to try before you buy.

"I get a lot of customers who buy a shoe online, find it doesn't work for them, and then come in to get fitted," Fronsoe said. "Much comes down to how a shoe feels on your foot."

Use your time in a shoe store to try a variety of shoes and figure out what works for you in the price range you're after. Once you know, you can then make it more affordable in a variety of ways. Some stores, like Fronsoe's Fleet Feet location, have frequent buyer programs offering credit after a certain value of purchases. You can also look for sale tables that feature last year's versions of shoes — most brands update shoe models about every nine months, which means a past version then moves to a discounted price. 

Finally, you can find decent mid-range models online and at big-box stores like Dick's Sporting Goods. According to Metzler, these stores don't carry the marquee models but they do have pairs that are functional, and that you can put some miles in.

How I test running shoes

Each pair of running shoes featured in this guide went through a testing process that included everything from sprint work on a track and leisure park runs to longer multi-hour training sessions and race-pace 5ks. When testing, I judged the shoes across these five categories: Fit, comfort, performance, versatility, and value. Here's how each factored into what shoes were ultimately selected:

Fit: Just because you're saving a few dollars on a cheaper shoe, doesn't mean it shouldn't still fit correctly — and running in an ill-fitting shoe is an easy way to wear yourself out quicker (or to just be mentally finished with your run before you hit your mile goal). Fit encompasses everything from how the shoe feels when it's first put on, if there are any unnecessary pressure points, and its underfoot feel. 

Comfort: Comfort is sort of an extension of fit but goes beyond just how the shoe feels on your foot — it also means looking at how comfortable the shoe stays during a variety of runs. Much of this also comes down to personal preference as some runners prefer highly cushioned shoes from brands like Hoka One One while others like to run on less cushion. The same goes for neutral runners vs. stability shoes. 

Performance: If a running shoe doesn't perform how you want it, you'll not feel incredibly motivated to keep running with them. This covers everything from stability underfoot and durability to its responsiveness and design. 

Versatility: Though I tried each shoe in a variety of environments, they're not all made to be a jack-of-all-trades style shoe. Some, however, did do well on several surfaces, adding to their versatility as an everyday runner. If it's a budget shoe you're after, it'd be great to find one that works just as well on a treadmill as it does on the road.

Value: Value is more than just the final sticker price. For this, I wanted to see if spending less on a pair of shoes was ultimately worth it long-term — since spending less money more often is equal to (if not more than) spending a lot of money once. Thankfully, there are plenty of impressive running shoes that don't break the bank. 

• As jobs change, so must educational systems so that workers can learn the skills needed to succeed in growing industries. 
• Skillshare democratizes education by offering thousands of creative, business, and technology online classes to students for a low price ($8.25 to $19 a month).
• Students learn from top teachers with real experience in their industries and share their work to receive feedback and improve their skills.
• Read more: Coursera offers affordable computer science courses from companies like Google Cloud and schools like UC Santa Cruz — and a bunch of them are free until the end of the year 
• Sign up for Insider Reviews' weekly newsletter for more buying advice and great deals.

Education — at least in the way we typically think of it, synonymous with the ivy-lined walls and hushed libraries of elite institutions — isn't a privilege everyone can enjoy, thanks to increasing tuition costs and deep-rooted economic inequality.

Formal education also doesn't guarantee that you'll be ready for the "real world," as more employers report that they're not seeing the tangible skills they want from college grads. Throw rapidly changing technologies and trends into the mix, and it's no wonder the modern job seeker often feels like they're drowning. 

Online education is touted as a solution that can even the playing field, giving job seekers the flexibility and opportunity to pursue quality courses and programs they wouldn't necessarily be able to access otherwise. Millions of results pop up when you search "online classes", but a select few, including those offered by online learning platform Skillshare, truly stand out.

Founded in 2011, Skillshare now offers more than 19,000 classes across creative, business, and technology categories, and has been used by more than seven million students worldwide. For an affordable price, students learn from some of the top leaders in their industries, such as graphic designer Aaron Draplin and entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk, as well as in-house professionals from companies like MailChimp, Squarespace, and DKNG Studios. 

In 2014, Skillshare became one of the first online education companies to move from a pay-per-class model to a subscription model, making it even more affordable for students to learn the new skills they want and need. Students can take unlimited classes across the Skillshare catalog with a Premium membership, which starts at $19 for one month or $8.25 a month for an annual membership. There are also hundreds of classes available for free on the site. 

More great e-learning classes to try:

• Yale's most popular class ever is available free online — and the topic is how to be happier in your daily life
• The 20 fastest-growing skills in the freelance job market, according to Upwork — and the online courses you can take to learn them
• 54 free online courses from the best colleges in the US — including Princeton, Harvard, and Yale

Plenty of sites boast talented teachers and accessible prices, but what sets Skillshare apart is that it provides a deep and broad set of expertise while also fostering a supportive community for non-traditional workers (such as freelancers). In fact, it doesn't consider itself simply an online learning website as much as an online learning community. 

Skillshare CEO Matt Cooper told Business Insider:

For freelancers, it can be a pretty lonely journey. When you're in a traditional company, you always have someone to run ideas by, get feedback from, and learn new techniques [from]. One of the voids that Skillshare fills is providing that network of peers and experts.

This community approach is essential to keeping students motivated. While anyone who is pursuing online classes is likely inherently self-motivated, Skillshare's project-based design further incentivizes students. They must upload completed projects to the site in order to receive feedback, validation, and constructive criticism to spur improvement. 

Learning-by-doing also bridges the gap between what job-seekers are offering and what employers actually want to see. Cooper says: 

You go from the value of your pedigree to "Show me what skills you have. I want to see your portfolio, your GitHub. I want to see what you've done."

When you look at our content, it skews heavily towards actually getting things done. The overall shift in our content is towards more tangible, hands-on deliverables, as opposed to purely academic content.

From UI/UX design and web development to illustration and even culinary skills, Skillshare courses empower students to take control of their own education and have something to show for it. 

Get unlimited access to 19,000+ courses with a Skillshare Premium membership here.

If you're not sure where to start on Skillshare, we've shared some of the top courses in business, design, and tech below. 

Read on for 15 of the top Skillshare classes:

SEE ALSO: The 20 fastest-growing skills in the freelance job market, according to Upwork — and the online courses you can take to learn them

SEE ALSO: Yale's most popular class ever is available free online — and the topic is how to be happier in your daily life

Business classes

1. Art of the Start: Turning Ideas into High-Growth Businesses by Guy Kawasaki
2. E-Commerce Essentials: How to Start a Successful Online Business by Tracey Wallace
3. Entrepreneurship Hustle: From Business Plan to Real Success by Michael Chernow 
4. Instagram for Business: Build an Engaged Community by Tyler McCall
5. Make a Living as an Artist: Strategies for Crafting Your Creative Business by Brooke Glaser

Get unlimited access to these courses and more with a Skillshare Premium membership.

Design classes

1. True Grit: Handmade Textures & Halftones for Designers & Illustrators by Andrew Fairclough
2. Illustrate Your Day: An Intro to Symbol Design by Edward Boatman
3. Surface Pattern Design 2.0: Design a Collection by Bonnie Christine
4. Watercolor for Surface Pattern Design: Working with Adobe Illustrator by Bonnie Christine
5. Brushpen Logo Design: Develop Your Signature Style by Matt Vergotis

Get unlimited access to these courses and more with a Skillshare Premium membership.

Tech classes

1. Web Design Essentials: Creating Marketing Homepages That Drive Results by Dennis Field
2. User Experience Design Essentials - Adobe XD UI UX Design by Daniel Scott
3. Understanding Web Development: A Beginners Guide to the Web by Christopher Dodd
4. Hand-Coding Your First Website: HTML and CSS Basics by Rich Armstrong
5. The JavaScript Toolkit: Write Cleaner, Faster & Better Code by Christian Heilmann

Get unlimited access to these courses and more with a Skillshare Premium membership.

We rounded up the best sales and deals happening online today, with savings at Sephora, Wayfair, and more. 

Deals in this story are subject to change throughout the day. The prices listed reflect the deal at the time of publication. For even more deals and savings across the web, check out Business Insider Coupons.

The best deals available right now

• Visit Insider Reviews' deals page for more sales.

The best on-going sales and exclusive discounts happening right now

Get an extra 20% off sale items from Sephora

Shop the 30 Days of Sephorathon sale now.

Sephora has been holding sales for its Beauty Insiders all month-long, culminating in a juicy extra 20% off sale items through January 1. It's free to join the membership and it's especially beneficial if you shop regularly at Sephora. Skincare, makeup, and haircare are just some of the categories you can find deeply discounted in the sale, so whether you're shopping for some belated gifts or to treat yourself, you won't want to miss out on this sweet discount.

Get up to 60% off at Wayfair

Shop the Wayfair End-of-Year Clearance sale now.

For furniture and decor for every room of the house, Wayfair has you covered. Right now the online retailer is holding its annual End-of-Year Clearance sale, during which you can snag some pieces for your home at up to 60% off.  Learn more about shopping for furniture at Wayfair here.

Get up to 50% off sitewide at Frontgate

Shop the Frontgate sitewide sale now.

Frontgate is an excellent place to find indoor and outdoor furniture, holiday decor, and so much more — especially with a sale this good. Right now you can get up to 50% off sitewide and an extra 25% off sale items. The retailer is one of our favorite places to shop for outdoor furniture, so even if the weather outside is frightful, this sale is a good time to buy. 

Get up to 75% off sale items at Too Faced

Shop the Too Faced Holiday Hangover sale now.

Too Faced is offering shoppers up to 75% off sale items during its Holiday Hangover sale. Eyeshadow palettes,  primers, lip glosses, and much more are deeply discounted, making it a great time to shop for yourself or for gifts. Though it's not included in the sale, one of our top eyeshadow palette picks is from Too Faced, and you can definitely find similarly pigmented shadows discounted. Shipping is free on orders $75+.

Get 60% off frames from GlassesUSA

Shop the GlassesUSA Holiday Sale now.

Whether you're looking to spend some FSA or HSA dollars before the year is up or just need some new frames, right now is a good time to pick up a pair from GlassesUSA. With promo code DEAL60, you can get 60% off frames with basic Rx lenses. The brand sees deals somewhat often throughout the year, but a hefty 60% off is one of the best discounts we've seen.

Get up to 50% off from Adidas

Shop the End of Year sale at Adidas now.

Get up to 50% off right now from Adidas during its End of Year sale, free shipping included. It's not sitewide, but many styles are discounted including some of our favorite white sneakers. The sale only lasts through December 15, so act fast if you're hoping to put together a new fit at a discount. 

Get 20% off at United by Blue.

Shop from United by Blue with the Mission Brand Alliance discount here.

The Mission Brand Alliance was launched just this past week by United by Blue to gather together sustainable brands including Faherty, Patagonia, and many more. Right now you can get 20% off your order from United by Blue with promo code MISSIONBRAND. It's shocking how comfortable clothes made from recycled resources can be, yet after testing the Bison Puffer Jacket and Responsible Flannels, we found the brand's apparel to be soft, warm, and durable.   

Get 20% off at Faherty.

Shop from Faherty with the Misson Brand Alliance discount now.

Another member of the Mission Brand Alliance, Faherty is a brand with sustainable and ethically-sourced materials that are comfortable to boot. Right now, with promo code MISSIONBRAND applied at checkout, you can get 20% off your order. Though it didn't quite make the cut, Faherty's work shirt was one of the top contenders for our best flannel pick. 

Get an extra 10% off sale items at M.Gemi.

Shop the M.Gemi Holiday Sale now.

M.Gemi having sale items may already sound too good to be true, but right now, you can snag an extra 10% off with promo code EXTRA10. The sale is limited to the holiday season — it ends December 27 at 11:59 p.m. ET. We've tested and reviewed a handful of M.Gemi styles, including the Corsa boot and the Felize loafer.

Get 15% off multiple pairs of glasses at Warby Parker.

Save $30 or more when you buy 2 or more pairs at Warby Parker.

Shop stylish and affordable frames from Warby Parker for both men and women with the added bonus of 15% off when you buy 2 or more pairs right now. Even if you aren't looking to stock up on frames for daily wear (though this is a great chance to), prescription sunglasses are also included in the sale. Learn about more about Warby Parker and its extended frame sizing here.

• Dating back to 1905, El Tovar is one of Arizona's most iconic hotels, directly overlooking the Grand Canyon.
• I spent a night at El Tovar in late November and enjoyed the lack of crowds the winter brings. 
• During peak times rates can jump to the $400s, but you can snag entry-level rooms for as low as $189 in the winter. 
• Read more: The best national parks for winter and where to stay

A stay at Arizona's historic El Tovar hotel just might make you feel like you've found yourself at the edge of the world. Nestled mere footsteps from the rim of the majestic Grand Canyon, this 78-room chalet-meets-villa essentially gives you VIP, all-day access to this world wonder. That means you can take your sweet time lapping up views of its great expanse, which is a notable bonus come sunrise and sunset.

That's exactly what guests have been doing since this legendary hotel, a registered National Historic Landmark, was erected in 1905. Since its inception, it's housed countless park visitors, including some very noteworthy names like Teddy Roosevelt, Albert Einstein, Paul McCartney, and Oprah Winfrey.

Having been in Arizona for the last decade, I've made the four-hour trek from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon on numerous occasions. It's basically a rite of passage for all those who come visit me, and a personal excuse to get another glimpse of this geological wonder. I've been there mid-summer (a cool reprieve from the blazing desert heat), in the height of autumn surrounded by falling leaves, and even mid-blizzard (a total accident, but worth seeing the ridges covered in a snowy blanket).

I can tell you firsthand that while there's technically an "off season" for visiting the Grand Canyon — December through March — there's really not a moment throughout the year when you won't find yourself appreciative of the views. In fact, staying here off-peak,  when the crowds are thinner, is appropriate amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In addition to fewer people staying during the low season, you can enjoy lower rates. In fact, the cost difference per night can result in substantial savings. For example, during January the price of a standard room ranges between $189 and $278, whereas in the summer prices usually hover in the low to mid $400s. 

I recently stayed in an entry-level room in late November and was impressed with the stunning location and thorough new COVID-19 protocols. While I've visited the Grand Canyon numerous times, this was my first time staying overnight, and I would highly recommend El Tovar and its historic charms to future visitors.

• The first impression
• The room
• On-site amenities
• What's nearby
• What others say
• What you need to know
• The bottom line
• Book El Tovar Hotel starting at $189 per night

Keep reading to see why I was so impressed by the El Tovar Hotel.

I knew going in that El Tovar was historic and had a sort of wintry lodge aesthetic, but driving up to the hotel immediately made me wholly appreciate its architectural novelty.

The four-story hotel was designed by Charles Whittlesey, whose goal all those years ago was to appease European tastes while affording some of the best views in the world. The result was a medium-sized boutique hotel that's meant to feel like a hybrid between a cozy Swiss Chalet and an elegant Norwegian Villa.

It's quite handsome with its log and brick exterior, and stepping inside transported me to another era. The lobby was dimly lit and wood-laden, with animals mounted on the walls. The rolling fireplace greeted me as I walked to the front desk to check-in.

I was relieved to see new COVID-19 protocols were being followed right away. Check-in was done with a staff member, but there were partitions. Signs requiring masks were also located throughout the lobby, along with hand sanitizer and signage noting how many people could be in certain areas at one time.

The check-in process was easy and speedy and I was off to my room in no time.

Part of what makes El Tovar special is its dedication to maintaining that original historic aesthetic. Adding to its uniqueness is the fact that no two rooms are exactly alike; each is appointed with its very own set of decor and trimmings. However, no matter your room allocation, you can expect quaint, old-timey elegant charm versus slick amenities and modern furniture. Some might qualify the rooms, and the hotel itself, as dated, but I would argue that's the very draw.

I stayed in a standard, entry-level room, which featured a Queen-sized bed in a sturdy wooden frame along with matching wooden chairs, a large TV cabinet, and a quaint desk. My favorite part of the room was the large windows, which were dressed in powder blue curtains and striking floral valances, and let in plenty of sunshine.

However, the views from the window themselves weren't that great. I essentially had an aerial view of the parking lot. I wasn't disappointed by this since I was well aware that was the case when I booked a non-view room. Plus, I didn't plan on spending much time in my room and the best canyon views were just steps outside the hotel's front door.

The bed was quite comfortable (something I'm very picky about) and there was little to no noise that carried through walls, the door, or even through the windows — a pleasant surprise in such an old property. 

The ensuite bathroom was quite spacious — about a third of the size of the hotel room itself —and featured retro-looking black and white tiles, a simple white pedestal sink, and a bathtub/shower combo. There were individually packaged hand soap, shampoo, and conditioner available, though they weren't particularly noteworthy.

Though I didn't really use it, there was free, standard Wi-Fi service and the cell phone reception was good. There was no fridge and no mini bar, though a little ice bucket was set out. Due to COVID-19, the coffee maker had been removed from the room, too.

The room felt very clean and safe. In addition to the coffee maker, notepads, and magazines being removed, there were signs indicating that housekeeping staff was no longer staying overnight. Rigorous cleaning still took place every day, but it was also easy to opt-out of the daily room cleaning service and/or turn-down.

As mentioned, I stayed in an entry-level standard room, which was relatively small. I would not recommend it for a family of more than three, but it felt cozy and welcoming.

Be aware that while the hotel is right at the doorstep of the canyon, most of the rooms do not actually have great views. If seeing the Grand Canyon from the comfort of your bed is your primary objective, you'll need to book well in advance and be prepared to shell out for a suite starting around $635 per night for uninterrupted scenery. As a plus, the suites do also come with separate sitting areas and private porches, which helps make the cost feel more worth it.

Some reviewers mentioned that they booked a non-view room but lucked out at seeing bits of the Grand Canyon, so you could roll the dice or ask the front desk ahead of time for one of these rooms if available.

For families or couples who want more space than the standard rooms afford but don't need a full suite, Deluxe rooms start at $312 during the winter and have much more lounge room available. 

Compare room types and prices for El Tovar Hotel

Since the main attraction here is the outdoors, the bulk of this hotel is dedicated to rooms, though there are a few notable on-site amenities. Near the entrance is a gift shop, which is loaded up with goods from local artisans, books about the canyon, and a range of giftable souveneirs. There's also a tiny newsstand on the opposite side of the front entry lounge, which has a selection of snacks, toiletries, and other essentials.

El Tovar's most notable on-site amenity is its historic fine dining room, which is constructed from native stones and Oregon pine. Its decor is the very embodiment of a rustic Swiss chalet, only instead of snowcaps out the window, you'll get a picturesque glimpse of the multi-layered Grand Canyon. And when you're not gazing out the window, you can enjoy beautiful murals on the walls which depict customs from the Hopi, Apache, Mojave, and Navajo Native American tribes.

I enjoyed an elegant dining experience, complete with white linens and a menu with classics like Salmon tostada and Prime Rib Hash, as well as rotating specials. All dining was still done indoors, but during my visit, waiters were masked and maintained appropriate distance. Additionally, it was apparent that tables had been removed and separated to allow for proper distancing.

While the food was decent, I wasn't blown away, especially considering the cost. You're really paying for ambience, views, the convenience of not having to drive anywhere, and a home-cooked comfort meal. You can expect to pay about $125 for two entrees, an appetizer, and two glasses of wine, which is hefty for an okay meal.

That doesn't seem to deter most guests though, and it's a popular place to dine, especially since options are limited within the park. Many visitors staying at other nearby hotels even come to enjoy a meal with a view, so I recommend making reservations roughly a month in advance. They do take walk-ins on the day-of starting at 5 p.m., which can be hit or miss. You're more apt to get a seat this way during the off-season.

Anyone staying at El Tovar is coming for the views. In that sense, the greatest attraction is obviously the canyon itself. To really enjoy the national park during non-pandemic times, I recommend signing up for a guided bus tour. You won't be able to cover as much ground by foot, but during COVID-19 that is the safer option.

It's also absolutely worth walking around the Historic Village, of which El Tovar is a part. Explore the Grand Canyon Train Depot, the Lookout Studio, the Buckey O'Neill Cabin, and the Red Horse Cabin.

For the more adventurous-minded folks, consider taking a mule ride either down into the canyon itself or simply around the rim. Alternatively, you can book a rafting tour. This involves a scenic flight from the Grand Canyon Airport (just outside the park) to nearby Page, Arizona. For $465 per person, you'll also enjoy a guided tour of Antelope Canyon's breathtaking sandstone slots, a 15-mile smooth water float along the Colorado river, and two meals. 

Of course, there are also ample trails you can hike and explore for free, including a trail that goes all the way to the bottom of the canyon and starts right near the hotel.

Check flight prices to The Grand Canyon on Expedia

Arizona's iconic El Tovar has 3,600 reviews and a 4 out of 5-star rating on Trip Advisor. On the site it's also voted the top hotel at Grand Canyon National Park. Guests commented on its incredible views, its authentic aesthetic, and its cleanliness. Primary complaints were about the small size of the room and some awkward layouts, the cost compared to value, and apathetic staff.

On Expedia.com, El Tovar received a 4.1 out of 5 stars with about 600 reviews. Again, guests were most pleased with the location, views, and its historic charm. Others also commented on the comfortable beds. Chief complaints include unfriendly or unhelpful staff and the pricing. Some recent reviewers speculated that COVID-19 might have something to do with the hotel losing some of its "mystique" and the less-than-desirable service, since staff is lower than usual.

Read reviews, compare prices, and book El Tovar Hotel on TripAdvisor

Who stays here: Because of its location, El Tovar attracts families and couples of all age groups interested in exploring this natural wonder. 

We like: The history of this iconic hotel has been prioritized and maintained in its century-plus existence. The restaurant was also a nice place for drinks and dinner and a satisfying way to spend the evening, despite the high price.

We love: The location. Mere footsteps from the canyon, in the mornings and evenings you essentially feel like you have the canyon to yourself. Take advantage of your proximity with coffee at sunrise or a sunset stroll.

We think you should know: Finding a place to park was tricky since there's technically no on-site parking. While parking is free, come with the expectation that you might need to circle for a bit. 

We'd do this differently next time: If I were doing a longer stay, I would splurge for a spacious, mid-tier Deluxe room.

The hotel has strict new COVID-19 policies in place and adhered to them throughout my stay. Some of the new safety measures include:

• Staff gets daily temperature checks
• Cleaning measures are enforced, including sanitization of hard surfaces in rooms and shared public spaces. The cleaning products and techniques used follow EPA guidelines.
• Hand sanitizer is located throughout.
• Certain in-room amenities have been removed, including coffee makers, notepads, and magazines
• Housekeeping staff is no longer staying overnight
• All employees are trained on COVID-19 safety and sanitation protocols. Those working in housekeeping, food and beverage, hotel operations, and security are getting more comprehensive training, as well

Living in Arizona, I can tell you that not every store, restaurant, and hotel abides by the COVID protocols they put in place, but at El Tovar it was clear they were being careful. During my stay, it also appeared like guests were following protocol. Masks were worn by staff and guests, in-store limits were imposed (and abided by), and the dining hall had been "made over" to make for a safer experience. 

If you're looking for a stay at the Grand Canyon, El Tovar is one of your best options. It boasts historic charm, sweeping views, and a cozy atmosphere. The price is what you'd expect for a three-star hotel located steps away from a natural world wonder, but there are discounts to be found in the winter season.

While the dining room and common areas have excellent views and the Grand Canyon itself is just steps away, it's important to know that most rooms here don't actually directly overlook the canyon. Unless you plan to spring for a top-tier suite or luck out, expect to wake up to a parking lot.

That said, most guests don't come here to spend the day in their room. The obvious draw here is the easy access to the park and its ample trails and outdoor offerings. In that regard, El Tovar delivers in spades since it's impossible to stay any closer.

Additionally, the hotel is currently adhering to strict COVID-19 guidelines that made me feel very safe throughout my stay. As someone who lives in Arizona and frequently has guests looking to visit the Grand Canyon, I'll certainly be recommending this hotel to those looking to do more than a day trip.    

Book El Tovar starting at $189 per night

• Most gifts are vaguely personalized in that they might address your recipient's interest, hobby, or style preference. 
• However, these 23 gifts are personalized in the truest sense of the word whether they sport your recipient's name or stem from other aspects of their background. 
• Need more last-minute gift ideas? Check out all of Insider Reviews' holiday gift guides here.
• Sign up for Insider Reviews' weekly newsletter for more buying advice and great deals.

Ideally, every gift you give would tick the boxes of thoughtful, unique, and custom-made. The recipient would feel that you had done your research and that you had cared enough to spend the extra time required for something customized to ensure it would adequately represent them. It shows attention, care, and appreciation — most of what we're trying to communicate in our gift-giving, anyway.

Below are 23 personalized gifts that feel a bit more "personal" than many others. You can pay homage to their interests (their dog, their college town, their sports team) while at the same time gifting them something useful to enjoy. It's the best of both worlds, and a great gifting strategy. 

Due to the custom nature of these gifts, it's unlikely that they'll arrive before Christmas if you order now. You can get around this by ordering a gift card instead, so your recipient can personalize the gift exactly to their liking. 

Below are 23 last-minute personalized gifts that feel special and unique to give:

An apron loved by professional chefs

The Essential Apron, available at Hedley & Bennett, from $85 [add embroidery for $15]

Buy a digital gift card instead

The sturdy, comfortable, and stylish apron becomes even more stylish and personal with the addition of embroidery on the apron chest or waist strap. You can choose from script or block font and a variety of colors. While we love the classic styles, now might also be a good time to take advantage of the limited edition holiday aprons. 

Note: Physical gift arrives after Christmas, though gift cards are available instantly. 

A wintry treat that's calling their name

Personalized Peppermint Bark, available at Williams Sonoma, $38.95

People love the peppermint bark and collectible tins from Williams Sonoma (which spends 12 weeks every year making this holiday treat). Your recipient will definitely want to reuse this tin once they see it's designed with their name on it. 

Note: Arrives after Christmas

A made-to-measure suit

Gift Card, available at Indochino, from $50

Nothing feels quite as bespoke as a custom-made suit. The startup Indochino just makes that gift a bit more achievable, and a lot less expensive. 

A thoughtful map of their favorite place on earth

Customized Poster, available at Grafomap, from $49

Grafomap is a website that lets you design posters with maps of any place in the world. You can make one of their hometown, college town, or favorite travel destination — you're only limited by your imagination.

Note: Arrives after Christmas

A pillow that's a permanent reminder of their best friend

Canvas Print Pillow, available at CanvasPop, from $39

Buy a digital gift card instead

If they love their pet more than pretty much anything in the world, a pillow immortalizing them is a pretty thoughtful gift they're unlikely to already have. It's also bound to be good for some future entertainment. You can also get them a custom painting if that's more their style.

Note: Physical gift arrives after Christmas, though gift cards are available instantly. 

A gold letter charm from an ethical jewelry startup

Mini Gold Letter Charm Pendant, available at AUrate, $250

Buy a digital gift card instead

AUrate makes beautiful, personalized letter charms that are meant to represent a no-compromise mix of quality, price, and ethical practices. They use luxury materials like 14-karat gold, original designs, transparent pricing, and sustainable production. In partnership with Mastery Charter, the startup has also given thousands of books to NYC students and schools.

Note: Physical gift arrives after Christmas, though gift cards are available instantly. 

A leather toiletry case they can take with them on trips for years to come

Double Zip Toiletry Bag, available at Leatherology, $120 [add monogram for $10 and up]

Buy a digital gift card instead

This luxe Double Zip bag is one accessory I never travel without. The dual compartments keep all essentials close, and the leather ages into something soft and personal over time. If you're looking for wallets, travel gift sets, or duffels instead, you can find pretty much any leather good at a good price and superior quality here— most available for monogramming. 

Note: Physical gift arrives after Christmas, though gift cards are available instantly. 

Membership for new vinyl records based on their music tastes each month

Three-Month VNYL Gift Membership Subscription, available at VNYL, $99.97 (originally $120)

VNYL's team of curators studies your music profile — assembled via a quiz and connected Spotify, Soundcloud, Instagram, etc. — to hand-pick new albums that they think you'll love. Then, they send you a vinyl of their tailored pick to your door. If your giftee is a music-lover and has a record player, this is a cool subscription that will help them discover even more music to love. 

Customizable Nikes

Customizable Nikes, available at Nike, from $90 (originally $95)

Buy a digital gift card instead

Nike makes great stuff, and they're popular for that reason. But it's nice to get the benefits of the big budget, years of product development, and design team without forsaking what makes something unique. You can customize a pair of Nike's for them, or gift them a gift card so they can get creative making something one-of-a-kind on their own. 

Note: Physical gift arrives after Christmas, though gift cards are available instantly. 

A personal styling service that helps them build their closet

Gift Card, available at Stitch Fix, from $20

Shopping can be difficult and time-consuming, which is where the stylists at Stitch Fix come in. A great gift for busy people, the service delivers the newest trends and styles to fit any occasion and price point. 

Tumblers personalized for family members' hobbies

Personalized Hobby Tumblers, available at Uncommon Goods, from $32

Buy a digital gift card instead

These fun tumblers celebrate each family member's unique passions — letting them feel seen and appreciated by you as well as enjoy seeing themselves in fun illustrations. 

Note: Physical gift arrives after Christmas, though gift cards are available instantly. 

An engraved shave set

Winston Set, available at Harry's, from $25 [add engraving for $15]

Buy a digital gift card instead

If he takes pride in having nice tools or taking the necessary grooming routine as a time for himself, he'll appreciate Harry's luxe gift set. It can be engraved for $15, and the special Winston handle is weighty, die-cast zinc with a polished chrome finish. The German-engineered blades come with a travel cover so they don't dull during travel, and the Foaming Shave Gel works up to a rich lather. 

Note: Physical gift arrives after Christmas, though gift cards are available instantly. 

A coffee subscription that caters to their taste preferences

Three-Month Subscription, available at Driftaway, from $44

Driftaway is a gourmet coffee subscription that gets smarter the longer you use it — remembering your preferences and steering you towards increasingly accurate brews for your palette. The first shipment is a tasting kit with four coffee profiles, which users rate online or in the app for the site to use as a flavor baseline. If they love coffee, this is a great way to ensure they'll discover new favorites and enjoy each morning cup.

A subscription that lets them try tea from all over the world

Personalized Tea Gift Card (3-month Subscription), available at Sips by, $45

If they're more of a tea person, there's a personalized service for them, too. Sips by takes their tastes and matches them to four tea brands (chosen from more than 150 tea brands around the world) each month. There's enough tea to make more than 45 cups of tea (if they re-steep) — the perfect amount to keep them warm and cozy through the winter. 

Bath towels embroidered with a monogram or full word

Piped Edge Starter Pack, available at Weezie, $230 [add embroidery for $15 per towel]

Buy a digital gift card instead

Weezie's soft and fluffy organic cotton towels are already gift-worthy on their own. To make them even more covetable, add embroidery. You can go with the classic monogram in a variety of eye-catching styles, or spell out an entire name in a cursive script. There are a few embroidery colors that are more unique, like bright pink and mint.  

Note: Physical gift arrives after Christmas, though gift cards are available instantly. 

A leather passport case that's perfectly sized for airplane tickets

Classic Passport Case, available at Cuyana, $95 [add monogram for $10]

Buy a digital gift card instead

I call this relatively simple passport holder one of my best travel buys. It's sized a bit longer than traditional cases to fit airplane tickets, so its owner can keep everything from business cards, their passport, and their ticket all in one easy-to-find spot. Like all of Cuyana's leather pieces, the pebbled passport case looks and feels high-end. It comes in four classic colors: black, navy, red, and stone, and can be monogrammed for $10 to add personalization.

Note: Physical gift arrives after Christmas, though gift cards are available instantly. 

A print of their favorite lyric, poem, or quote

Custom Quotes, available at Minted, from $38

Buy a digital gift card instead

Get their favorite lyric, poem, or quote printed for them so they can be reminded often of something that inspires or brings them joy. It's especially special that you remembered what it was. Minted is a cool company that curates what it carries based on design competitions, with the Minted community voting on what is eventually sold — but, if you'd like more options, Etsy also has great ones. 

Note: Physical gift arrives after Christmas, though gift cards are available instantly. 

A zodiac necklace that mixes luxury with personalization

Capricorn Necklace, available at Mejuri, $90

Buy a digital gift card instead

Mejuri's popular zodiac necklaces are a great way to gift jewelry that manages to feel both luxurious and intimate — something that can be lacking in refined gifts. The Canadian startup as a whole is a unique mix of approachability and elegance, which may be why they're known for waitlists that top out at 40,000 people. 

Note: Physical gift arrives after Christmas, though gift cards are available instantly. 

Another type of customized travel gear

Gift a Roam Gift Card, from $125

If monograms aren't their style, they might be better off with a Roam carry-on. Nine parts of the lightweight hardshell suitcase are customizable, allowing them to flex their creative color chops. 

A photo calendar

Wood Calendar, available at Artifact Uprising, from $49

Buy a digital gift card instead

This clipboard calendar makes a beautiful desktop display. The personalized selection of photos makes an ordinary calendar feel more special, but choosing only 12 of your favorite photos could prove to be difficult. 

Note: Physical gift arrives after Christmas, though gift cards are available instantly. 

An embroidered T-shirt

Women's Fitted Crew, available at Known Supply, $32 [add monogram for $10] 

Buy a digital gift card instead

Known Supply's ultra-soft tees are the perfect addition to their basics drawer. They're made from Pima cotton, which only gets more comfortable with each wash. 

Note: Physical gift arrives after Christmas, though gift cards are available instantly. 

A vitamin subscription

Gift Card, available at Care/of, from $30

Before Care/of, gifting a pack of vitamins would be strange, but the company has somehow normalized the process with its personalized packaging and even more personalized vitamin plans. After taking a quiz, they'll learn which vitamins and supplements they need the most and get them conveniently delivered to their house. 

Shampoo and conditioner designed for their specific hair needs

Gift Card, available at Function of Beauty, from $50

To get their personalized hair care, they'll start with a quiz that asks them about their hair concerns and needs. The final formulation they receive addresses those needs and is also free of parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, and GMOs. Plus, the bottle labels will feature their name. 

• You don't have to spend a ton of money to give unique or useful gifts.
• Amazon has plenty of great last-minute stocking stuffers for less than $20 that friends or family will love to receive, and most of them also come with convenient two-day shipping.
• Below, find 50 options under $20 that we've handpicked for you from the labyrinth that is Amazon.
• Sign up for Insider Reviews' weekly newsletter for more buying advice and great deals.

Unless you won the lottery or lost a bet, not everyone in your life is expecting a brand new car from you for the holidays.

And for the many instances in which it's better to give a small gift, most of us would love to give something that's both inexpensive and impactful — more than just a token space filler in a stocking. For that, you'll probably have the best luck on Amazon. It's home to a ton of great, affordable products people actually want, and you get the added perks of easy, fast shipping and prices that are nearly always the lowest on the internet. 

The trade-off is that you need to be willing to invest the time, eye strain, and concentration wrinkles necessary for going through 30+ pages of product results. To spare you, we curated a few of our all-time favorites and other great products from a wide range of interests below.  

If you're looking for something even more budget-friendly, we also have stocking stuffers you can get for under $10 here. 

The top 5 best gifts for stocking stuffers under $20 on Amazon:

1. The world's strongest coffee from Death Wish Coffee Co., $19.96
2. A Popsocket for their phone, $14.97
3. A warm winter hat from Carhartt, $16.99
4. The best hair mask for damaged hair from Arvazallia, $12.95
5. A bath bomb gift set, $19.99

Check out all 50 stocking stuffers under $20 below:

A warm Carhartt hat

Carhartt Men's Acrylic Watch Hat, $16.99

Grab a warm, comfortable hat from a trusted outdoor brand for less than $20 and in 30+ colors.

Ever-functional Popsocket Grips for their phone

Popsockets: Collapsible Grip, $14.97

Popsocket Grips look gimmicky, but they're a legitimately helpful tool. They make it easier to hold a phone without straining your fingers, and it makes your phone feel more secure — like you're not going to twitch and accidentally throw it into the ocean. Even naysayers have been convinced. 

The best hair mask you can buy for damaged hair

Argan Oil Hair Mask, $12.95

This super hydrating hair mask is made specifically to treat severely damaged and dry hair — and it's good at its job. 

Organic bath bombs full of essential oil aromatherapy blends

Bath Bomb Gift Set, $19.99

For less than 20, you can grab 20 vegan bath bombs blended with natural essential oils that range from peppermint to sweet orange to eucalyptus and more. 

A gag gift that's actually useful

Poo-Pourri Deck the Stalls Holiday Bundle, $14.99

With catchy names like Jingle Bowls and Toilet Tidings, Poo-Pourri's Before You Go Toilet Bowl spray might seem like a funny gag gift, but it's actually useful. Leave it in your bathroom at home or pack it in your bag to keep bathrooms smelling fresh when you go.

Medium roast coffee beans that support a good cause

BLK & Bold Coffee, $12.99

If you're shopping for a coffee lover, BLK & Bold's fair trade coffee beans might be the perfect gift. The brand also donates 5% of its profits to initiatives that help sustain youth programming, enhance workforce development, and eradicate youth homelessness.

A moisturizing hand sanitizer spray

Touchland Power Mist Hydrating Hand Sanitizer Spray, $15.95

Hand sanitizer is notorious for drying out skin, but Touchland's Power Mist is packed with essential oils to help keep hands soft while effectively killing germs.

A fast USB-C charger

Anker Nano 20W USB-C Charger, $16.99

This year's iPhones won't come with a charging adaptor in the box, so if you're gifting a new iPhone you'll want to include an Anker Nano as a stocking stuffer. It charges three times faster than the typical Apple charger and is physically the same size.

A jigger for making cocktails

OXO Double Jigger, $9.99

With people spending a lot more time at home and less time at the bar, mixology is becoming a more popular hobby than ever. If you're shopping for someone who likes to concoct new or classic drink recipes, a jigger is essential for accurate measurements. 

Barack Obama's bestselling book

A Promised Land by Barack Obama on Kindle, $17.99

If your giftee likes to read memoirs, Barack Obama's bestselling book, "A Promised Land," is probably on their reading list. Instead of risking having a hard copy arrive late, you can gift them the Kindle version. 

A little electric milk frother for homemade treats

Handheld Electric Milk Frother, $7.92

This handheld electric milk frother makes it easy for them to treat themselves to something extra special more often. It's easy to use and clean, and does a reliable job with everything from coffee to matcha drinks.

A $6 wash and stain bar that can revive even the most hopeless clothes

The Laundress Wash & Stain Bar, $6

This $6 bar is one of the first things we ever featured on Insider Reviews. With a little bit of water, the mix of vegetable soap, borax, and essential oils removes the dirt and grime from clothes extremely well. VP of Commerce Breton Fischetti called it the "best thing [he'd] done" for his dress shirts. 

A fruity hand cream that’ll look great on their counter

TonyMoly Peach Hand Cream, $12

This rich hand cream is made with shea butter and peach extract to moisturize seriously dry skin. We love the refreshing, light peach scent and the adorable container, which looks just like a peach. 

A pack of sticky notes to keep them on track

Knock Knock "To Accomplish" Sticky Notes, $12.39

For the friend who likes to keep it really organized, help them stay on track with this thoughtful set of sticky notes. With categories like "To Ponder", "To Remember", and "To Buy", they can keep track of everything they need to accomplish in the near future.

A mini, functional waffle maker that takes up minimal countertop space

Dash Mini Waffle Maker, $17.99

This small but mighty waffle maker takes up minimal counter and storage space, is easy to clean, and is perfect for when you're craving just one or two waffles and don't want to make a whole spread.

A famous hot sauce made from peppers grown in community gardens across the US

Small Axe Peppers NYC Bronx Green Hot Sauce, $6.99

This all-natural, tangy hot sauce is best known for its part in the popular Youtube series "Hot Ones." It's made from peppers grown in community gardens throughout the nation.

A two-year pocket planner

At-A-Glance 2021-2022 Pocket Calendar, $11.98

If they're always proactive and glued to their calendar, gift them the ability to concretely plan ahead (two years ahead, to be exact). 

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

A tracker for their valuable possessions

Tile Mate, $24.86

They can attach the Tile Mate to keys, luggage, a backpack, briefcase, or any other valuable possession to ensure they never lose that item again. If they misplace the object with a Tile tracker, they can just check the Tile app to see its location in seconds.

A stainless steel bar that removes strong smells from your hands after cooking

Amco Rub-A-Way Stainless Steel Odor Absorber, $8.99

This strange but useful stainless steel bar helps you remove the odor of onions, fish, and garlic from your hands after cooking. 

A protective cover for their AirPods case

PodSkinz AirPods Case Protective Silicone Cover, $4.95

Apple AirPods: They're incredibly convenient, but also incredibly easy to lose and scratch up. A silicone cover is a cheap and attractive way to protect their charging case that protects their beloved earbuds.

A pack of silicone animals that lift lids so steam can escape from pots and pans

Tovolo Pot Lid Lifts, Farm Animal, Set of 3, $7

These heat-resistant silicone lid lifts let steam escape from pots so they never boil over, and they come in funny shapes.

A velcro headband for washing their face at night

Spa Facial Headband, 3-pack, $10.99

Get them a cute and simple terry cloth headband that velcros on to keep hair out of their face during their nightly skin-care or morning makeup routine. 

A pair of $10 headphones with over 30,000 5-star reviews

Panasonic ErgoFit In-Ear Headphones, $7.99

These $10 in-ear headphones are sort of like finding diamonds in the rough. They have over 30,000 five-star reviews on Amazon and are one of few cheap tech products with universal praise. The best features include noise isolation, good sound, and staying put.

A duo of Mario Badescu's beloved facial mists

Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Rosewater & Facial Spray with Green Tea Duo, $14

Mario Badescu makes some of the most universally loved and affordable skin care products out there, and these facial sprays are the most recognizable. The Green Tea Spray hydrates, tones, and rejuvenates the skin. The Rosewater Spray is the real cult-favorite, and makes the skin look dewy and "glowy."

A cult-favorite clay mask

Aztec Secret Clay Mask, $13.99

The Aztec Clay Mask is one of those cult-favorite skincare products that's been plucked from obscurity and gone straight to the limelight of YouTube testimonials with over 4 million views. You can read a full review here, but suffice it to say the mask is very effective at cleaning the gunk out of pores and clearing up skin.

A small but mighty car mount for devices

TechMatte MagGrip Air Vent Holder, $6.99

The TechMatte car mount is another under-$10 diamond in the rough with over 9,500 reviews on Amazon. Its strong neodymium magnets allow it to be both compact and secure. 

A quirky loose-tea infuser shaped like the Loch Ness Monster

Loch Ness Monster Tea Infusers, Set of 2, $14.95

Make their tea time more fun with these cute loose tea infusers that look like a swimming Loch Ness Monster.

A five-year journal that tracks their answers to the same questions

One Question a Day: A Five-Year Journal, $15.29

This "one question a day" journal gives users the benefit of a personal record without the labor of a full-fledged journal. The simple guide has one question per day, to be answered for five years in a row. By the end, even if they don't write in it every day, they'll have great account of how they've changed over the course of five years.

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

Reusable stainless steel straws

SipWell Extra Long Stainless Steel Drinking Straws, Set of 4, $7.89

Most of us feel at least a little guilty using plastic straws given how bad they are for the environment. Reusable stainless steel straws that come with their own cleaning brush are a thoughtful (and impactful) gift most people will use often. If they're especially eco-friendly, check out other plastic replacements for spot-on gift ideas.

Cable clips that keep cords in place

Shintop Cable Clips, $5.99

These handy adhesive clips keep cables from slipping around on a table and control any cords that run along the wall.

A cult-favorite hair styling gel

American Crew Fiber, $14.4o

As some reviews note, American Crew Fiber is a common recommendation for thick, curly hair. The cream thickens, texturizes, and adds fullness to hair without looking shiny or spiky.

A cult-favorite lip balm with SPF 25 and over 1,000 reviews

Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm SPF 25, $8

They'll thank you for this cult-favorite lip balm with SPF during the winter months when the multi-pack from CVS isn't cutting it.

An extra-long charging cable, which is the closest you'll get to gifting never-ending convenience

Anker 10 ft Lightning Cable, $18.99

It's something every one of us will feel grateful for a couple of times per day, but always put off buying for ourselves: a serpentine, 10-foot long charging cable. 

A water bottle that lets them naturally infuse water with fruit

OMorc 32-ounce Sport Fruit Infuser Water Bottle, $14.99

Turns out water tastes much better when it's naturally flavored with fruits and herbs. This is a nice way to do that naturally, minus all the sugar and additives of other drinks.

An extremely fun card game that made Kickstarter history

Exploding Kittens Card Game, $19.99

Exploding Kittens is basically a highly strategic version of Russian roulette with a cat theme. It was the most-backed project in Kickstarter history, and this version is family-friendly.

A heatable eye mask for some beauty sleep

Heatable Plush Eye Mask, $12.55

Improving their sleep is a gift in itself. This eye mask will help them get some shut-eye, plus it's microwave safe for the colder months.

Ina Garten's newest cookbooks for her devotees

"Cook Like a Pro: Recipes and Tips for Home Cooks" by Ina Garten, $17.46

If they host or entertain frequently, chances are they've used an Ina Garten recipe before. Known for her elegant but laid-back style, Ina's new cookbook is full of the tips and tricks that bring a professional touch to simple, home-cooked dishes.

A popular reusable bag that folds up to the size of an envelope

Baggu Reusable Shopping Bag, $12

Baggu has a good reputation for its durable, super convenient, reusable bags. They're made from 100% rip-stop nylon so they're not likely to break, can carry up to 50 lbs, and fold up to the size of an envelope for easy storage. Plus, they come in a lot of colors and patterns.

A wine aerator that doesn't take up a ton of space

Vinetto Wine Aerator, $13.99

Wine drinkers will almost certainly enjoy the benefits of this inexpensive tool that can improve the taste of even the cheapest bottle. All they need to do is pop the gadget into the top of the bottle and pour themselves a glass, then they can put the cork or a bottle stop back in to preserve it.

A set of more than a dozen Korean sheet masks

Dermal Korea Collagen Sheet Masks, Pack of 16, $12.49

The gift of 16 Korean sheet masks means at least 16 nights of relaxation.

Reusable lunch bags that they’ll actually want to use

Diweiya Reusable Snack Bags, $11.99

Plastic bags are an unnecessary expense when you could just have reusable ones. Their environmentally-conscious and frugal sides will thank you for these sandwich and snack bags, which are dishwasher safe and BPA free. They'll save a ton of money and plastic waste by using these, plus the colorful patterns are much more fun than clear plastic.

A cute and practical phone holder

Dinosaur Silicone Phone Holder, $12.99

This endearing little dino isn't just a piece of decor, it can actually can hold their phone. It comes in over 10 colors, so you can find one in their favorite shade.

A wireless charger

Yootech Wireless Charger, $12.99

This ultra-slim wireless charger makes charging easy at home or in the office. The company says it should work with most phone cases, and the LED light will turn off to keep your room dark while charging at night.

A fun family game

Watch Ya Mouth, $15.99

Watch Ya Mouth is easily one of the most fun games to have come out in recent years, and it's especially great when playing with the family on a holiday morning.

Smart LED light bulbs

Aukora Smart Sensor Light Bulb, 3-pack, $18.99

Smart light bulbs usually fetch a far higher price since they often operate through an expensive hub, but these under-$20 options work without one. This specific set is programmed to turn on when the sun sets and off when the sun rises.

Socks modeled after famous paintings

Chalier Famous Painting Socks, 4-5 Pairs, $14.99

Unique, informal, and more convenient than most of us even realize — socks are a great gift, especially if they can add some personality.

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

Bargain computer glasses that remove strain from computer glare

Anti-Eyestrain Computer Glasses, from $7

These $10 computer glasses are a fraction of what you'll find at competitors, but they do the job of reducing eye strain. They're reportedly 40% blue-light-blocking, and they come in a standard tortoiseshell pattern that works on pretty much everyone. They're also lightweight enough to feel like wearing nothing. We count them as one of the best things we've ever bought on Amazon for less than $25.

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

The world's strongest coffee

Death Wish Ground Coffee, $19.96

Death Wish claims to be the world's strongest coffee, with about double the caffeine of your average cup. They attribute the added kick to a unique blend of Arabica and Robusta beans and a slow roasting process. It's Fair Trade, has no additives, and makes a pretty good cup of coffee. 

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

A pair of classic gold hoops

PAVOI 14K Gold Colored Lightweight Chunky Open Hoops, $13.95

This chunky gold hoop adds a simple, yet elegant touch to nearly any look. Plus, there are three different sizes and color options to choose from to complement their daily jewelry.

Editor's note: This gift may arrive after Christmas.

A wifi smart plug that lets them turn devices off remotely

Wemo Smart Plug, $17.99

Give them the gift of never needing to spend another night wondering if they turned off their heater or hair straightener before leaving the house. This smart WiFi plug works with Amazon Alexa, Google Home Assistant, and Apple HomeKit. They can use voice commands, create schedules for lights and appliances, and turn things on and off when they're leaving home or nearby.