Consumer Reports' top tech gifts for 2023 holiday season

If you have a lot of people to buy for this holiday season, tech gifts are often some of the most popular, but also the most expensive. So Consumer Reports compiled a list of top tech gifts that cost $150 or less.

First, if you’re looking to spark some nostalgia or just need a cool gift for that fussy teen in your life, consider the Kodak Printomatic Instant Camera for $50 ($70 in Canada). Photos can be printed in just 38 seconds and stuck anywhere or stored on an SD card.

If you’ve got a budding cinematographer to buy for, check out the DJI OM 5 smartphone gimbal for $159 ($216 in Canada). It’s compact, lightweight, and easy to use. The gimbal takes smartphone videography to the next level. It stabilizes video, and it’s super-easy to use.

For the music lover on your list, the Monoprice BT-300ANC noise-canceling headphones for $25 have excellent active noise cancellation. They fold for easy storage and have integrated controls for calls, volume, and playback.

For the music aficionado, CR suggests the wired Grado SR80x wired headphones for $125 ($190 in Canada). The Grado company earns excellent scores for owner satisfaction and predicted reliability. The Grado headphones are one of the great bargains in all of audio. You can get the sound that you would only get on a big expensive system.

Want to cozy up next to your fire pit with some good tunes this winter? Then give the JBL Charge 4 portable speaker for $150 ($220 in Canada) to someone you love. What’s great about the JBL Charge is that you can bring your music anywhere, like out on the deck, into the yard, or even out to the fire pit.

Finally, for the gamer in your life, CR says the budget-friendly Staples Emerge Vortex gaming chair for $120 ($162 in Canada) is one of the more comfortable chairs it evaluated. When you’re gaming for 12 hours a day, comfort is key!

And if you’re not sure you’ll keep a gift, CR says don’t open the box! If you try to return an item and the original packaging isn’t intact, some stores impose a restocking fee. That’s especially common for electronics.