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The 12 best tech gifts for mom under $100: Happy Mother's Day

What is the best tech gift for a mom under $100? ZDNet chose the Amazon Echo 8, but we've rounded up other great gift options for your mom, guardian, or non-binary parent this Mother's Day.
Written by Allison Murray, Staff Writer
Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) | Best Mother's Day tech gift overall
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Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen)
Best Mother's Day tech gift overall
View now View at Amazon
HoMedics Shiatsu Deluxe Neck and Shoulder Massager with Heat | Best for at-home massage
neck-massager-best-mothers-day-gifts.jpg
HoMedics Shiatsu Deluxe Neck and Shoulder Massager with Heat
Best for at-home massage
View now View at Walmart
iDOO Hydroponics Growing System | Best for moms who love to garden
idoo-best-indoor-garden.jpg
iDOO Hydroponics Growing System
Best for moms who love to garden
View now View at Amazon
Native Union Leather AirPods Pro Case with Clip | Best stylish accessory
airpods-leather-case-best-mothers-day-gifts.jpg
Native Union Leather AirPods Pro Case with Clip
Best stylish accessory
View now View at Apple
BESTINNKITS Smart Coffee Cup Warmer Set | Best for coffee lovers
heated-mug-set-best-mothers-day-gifts.jpg
BESTINNKITS Smart Coffee Cup Warmer Set
Best for coffee lovers
View now View at Amazon
Amazon Kindle | Best for moms who love to read
Amazon Kindle
Amazon Kindle
Best for moms who love to read
View now View at Amazon
Hello Fresh Subscription | Best for easy cooking
HelloFresh
Hello Fresh Subscription
Best for easy cooking
View now View at Hello Fresh
Beauty Bar 24k Golden Pulse Facial Massager | Best for skin care
pulse-facial-massager-best-mothers-day-gifts.jpg
Beauty Bar 24k Golden Pulse Facial Massager
Best for skin care
View now View at Amazon
Fitbit Luxe | Best for fitness enthusiasts
fitbit-luxe.jpg
Fitbit Luxe
Best for fitness enthusiasts
View now View at Amazon
KOIOS Personal Blender for Shakes and Smoothies | Best for at-home smoothies
personal-blender-best-mothers-day-gifts.jpg
KOIOS Personal Blender for Shakes and Smoothies
Best for at-home smoothies
View now View at Amazon
YnM Weighted Blanket | Best for cozy nights in
weighted-blanket-best-mothers-day-gifts.jpg
YnM Weighted Blanket
Best for cozy nights in
View now View at Amazon
RENPHO Eye Massager with Heat | Best for relaxation
eye-massager-best-mothers-day-gifts.jpg
RENPHO Eye Massager with Heat
Best for relaxation
View now View at Amazon
Show more (7 items)

While we all should be calling our mother more and appreciating her daily, Mother's Day is a great way to show your mom or the mom in your life that you love her and to thank her for everything she has done for you.

Whether your mom needs some self-care, helpful smart home tech, or a way to keep track of her steps, we've rounded up the best tech gifts for Mother's Day that are all under $100. 

Features: 8-inch touchscreen | 13 MP camera with built-in shutter and auto-framing | 1280 x 800 resolution

The Amazon Echo Show 8 is the best tech gift for under $100 for Mother's Day because it's an all-in-one gift—it serves as a smart home assistant, a way to make video calls, and as a digital frame so your mom can show off her favorite photos of you.

Your mom can get calendar reminders, traffic updates, and set timers, or even enjoy her favorite playlist via Spotify. There is also access to streaming services like Prime Video and Netflix. The Amazon Echo Show can even control other smart devices in her home.

Pros:

  • Smart display that can act as an assistant or can display favorite photos
  • Auto-framing camera to always keep you in centered the frame  

Cons:

  • Need to have Amazon Photos or Facebook to use photo display feature 

Features: Three-speed massage | Heat option | Carrying handles to customize massage pressure

Give your mom the gift of massage with the Shiatsu Deluxe Neck and Shoulder Massager. This massager wraps around your neck to ease neck and shoulder tension with a deep kneading motion.

Added heat helps your muscles relax further and can get out any stubborn knots or tired muscles. There are also three speeds to the massager so your mom can choose between more relaxing to deeper and more intense.

Pros:

  • Heat option
  • Three speeds of massage from relaxing to intense

Cons:

  • Not cordless 

Features: 5-Liter water tank capacity | Fits 7 plant pods | Adjustable light height up to 14.57 inches tall

If your mom is into gardening or growing her own herbs, the iDoo Hydroponics Growing System would make a great gift. This indoor smart garden can easily fit a kitchen counter and can grow up to seven plants, making it easy to have fresh veggies year-round.

An adjustable light with 24-watt LED lights that simulate the sunlight spectrum grow as your plants get taller, so they are always receiving the most optimized light. The smart garden also has three light modes depending on the stage of the plants' growth.

Pros:

  • Adjustable light height
  • Different water and light modes

Cons:

  • The lights can be very bright so do not put in a bedroom 

Features: Italian leather | Wireless charging compatible | Metal clip to attach to any bag

For the mom that loves her Apple products, this leather AirPods Pro case is a great and stylish gift. Made of Italian leather, it comes in brown or black with a metal clip so she can always have her AirPods within reach.

Bonus: the case is also compatible with wireless charging, so she never has to take the case off to charge her AirPods.

Pros:

  • Can wirelessly charge
  • Fine Italian leather in brown or black

Cons:

  • Only compatible with AirPods Pro

Features: Up to 131 degrees Fahrenheit | Auto activation | Ceramic

Whether your mom is a coffee drinker or a tea drinker, she will love this smart coffee cup set that keeps your mug warm for longer. Simply place the mug that comes with the set (or a mug of your choosing) on the heating pad, and it will keep the liquid hot up to 131 degrees.

The heating pad is also waterproof, making it super easy to clean in case any spills happen.

Pros:

  • Pad automatically heats up when you put your mug down
  • Can also use your own mug with the warmer

Cons:

  • Short cord 

Features: 167 ppi glare-free display | 8 GB of storage | 6-inch glare-free screen

If your mom is always reading a new book, give her an Amazon Kindle so she can read anything on the go without lugging a book around. This e-reader has 8 GB of storage, which means your mom can store about 6,000 books in her Kindle.

The 6-inch glare-free screen also has adjustable light so she can read in the darkness or in sunlight. You can also gift your mom a Kindle Unlimited subscription, so she has full access to all 2 million book titles.

Pros:

  • Adjustable front light
  • Access to thousands of book titles

Cons:

  • Kindle Unlimited costs $10 extra a month after trial period 

Features: Six meal preference options | 2-6 recipes per week | 25+ weekly recipes to choose from

Save your mom a trip to the grocery store by gifting her all the ingredients she needs for quality homemade meals with a Hello Fresh subscription. Gift cards range from $70-$140 so you can gift your mom at least a week of fresh meals at the lowest gift card price.

Your mom can then choose between different meal preferences such as meat and veggies, family-friendly, fit and wholesome, and quick and easy, as well as different dietary options like salt conscious, carb smart, or high protein, so there is literally something for everyone.

Pros:

  • Easy-to-follow directions for any level chef 
  • Quick meals

Cons:

  • Recipes can become redundant/repetitive week after week

Features: 6000 vibrations per minute | Waterproof | Weighs 4.6 ounces

The mom who loves skin care will appreciate the Beauty Bar 24K Golden Facial Massager this Mother's Day. It pulsates at 6,000 vibrations per minute, which can help reduce puffiness and fine lines when used in conjunction with her favorite skin care products.

It's also compact at just 6 inches tall and weighs only 4.6 ounces so she can easily put it in her purse. 

Pros:

  • Small and lightweight
  • Increases blood circulation and reduces puffiness

Cons:

  • Not eligible for returns 

Features: Color display | Call and text notifications | 20 exercise modes

Fitbit's elegant addition to its band lineup is sure to please the stylish yet fitness-minded mom in your life. It's available in four color options, including a Special Edition with a gold stainless steel Parker Link bracelet.

One aspect of a Fitbit tracker that makes it compelling is the support for the expansive Fitbit ecosystem that includes active zone minutes, menstrual health tracking, sleep stages, stress management tools, guided breathing exercise, and much more.

Pros:

  • Long battery life
  • 24/7 heart rate and oxygen monitoring

Cons:

  • Small display 

Features: 2 x 17 oz travel bottles and a 10oz cup | 6-leaf blade | 850 watts

If your mom is the type to always be getting a smoothie, get her this convenient personal blender so she can make her own smoothies and take them on the go. This blender comes with three cups to easily transfer a smoothie into a to-go situation.

Its 6-edge blade can easily crush ice cubes, make shakes and smoothies, fruit and vegetable juice, and pureed food for babies or adults. The grinding blade can also serve as a way to grind nuts, coffee beans, or whole spices.

Pros:

  • Comes with cups to blend and go
  • Blend, puree, grind, and crush

Cons:

  • Small serving size 

Features: 41 design and color options | 72"L x 48"W | 15 poundsThere's nothing better than snuggling up with a blanket on the couch, so give your mom the ultimate comfort with a weighted blanket. This option is 15 pounds, but you can get as light as 5 pounds or as heavy as 30 pounds.

It's made of 100% cotton and has seven layers designed to contour to the shape of your body. The blanket can fit a full-size bed easily.

Pros:

  • Helps with anxiety and improves sleep quality
  • Different weight options

Cons:

  • Beads can shift and make weight uneven 

Features: Heats to between 104-107 degrees Fahrenheit | 180-degree adjustable design | Built-in speakers with music

The RENPHO Eye Massager will transport the mom in your life into relaxation bliss with a heated eye massage. Whether she suffers from headaches or is simply stressed from day-to-day mom life, this eye massager gently massages and heats the eyes for 20 minutes.

You can control the intensity of the massage as well as listen to built-in relaxing music or connect it to a customized playlist via Bluetooth.

Pros:

  • Heated massage with different pressure levels
  • Relaxing music built-in

Cons:

  • Battery life isn't that long 

What is the best tech gift for mom on Mother's Day?

Our recommendation for the best tech gift for Mother's Day is the Amazon Echo Show 8 because it is a smart home assistant, photo display, and a way to make video calls all in one device. However, any of the gifts on our list would be great for the mom in your life. 

How did we choose these cheap tech gifts for mom?

We chose these gifts to include different types of products and price points depending on your mom's likes and needs. 

When is Mother's Day?

Mother's Day always occurs on the second Sunday of May. This year, it falls on Sunday, May 8. 

Are there alternative Mother's Day gifts to consider?

Here are a few other options to look into for your mom: 

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