We know it's easy to let the hours, days and months slip by without taking a moment to think about anything outside the day-to-day routine, let alone ponder gift ideas for Mother's Day. But thinking about others, often ahead of their own needs, is what mums do best. So, whether it's your mum, guardian, grandmother or the mother of your children, Mother's Day is that one day of the year to stop, sit back and say "Thanks, Mum".
We know mum tells you that your presence is a present in itself and that a gift is unnecessary. While that might be true, a present, whether a physical item or an experience, is the only way we can come close to showing our mums how much we love them – words can't always hope to convey our appreciation of their love and affection. So, whether she wants it or not, a Mother's Day gift and written message in a card is going to have to try its best.
We don't mean to cause panic, but Mother's Day 2024 is creeping up fast, falling (as usual) on the second Sunday of May, which is May 12 this year. While there's still time to plan Mother's Day brunch, get the family together and grab a thoughtful gift, you won't want to wait much longer. Suddenly you're rushing around on May 11 or buying an Amazon gift card en route to Mother's Day activities.
To avoid that, we've done the hard work to collate a list of the best Mother's Day gift ideas for 2024, so you don't have to latch onto your child's mug they got from their school's Mother's Day stall. Whether mum’s a tech junkie or struggles to unlock her iPhone, there's something for every mother in our list – meaning less time figuring out what to buy, and more time to decide whether your card will make her laugh or cry.
We are TechRadar after all, so everything in our guide is at least a tad techy, but mum won't have to be a game developer to appreciate them.
Mother’s Day gift ideas
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Mother’s Day gift ideas: quick links
Here’s a quick look at which Australian retailers have curated products specifically for Mother’s Day:
- Adore Beauty: skincare, makeup, fragrances and bath and body gift sets
- Amazon: everything from books, fitness wearables, appliances and more
- Big W: shop fitness and wellness, home appliances and home decor
- Booktopia: books, ereaders, board games, puzzles and stationery
- Chemist Warehouse: deals on skincare, makeup, fragrances and more
- Dyson: everything from hair care and vacuums to headphones
- JB Hi-Fi: shop robot vacuums, headphones, tablets, ereaders and stacks more
- KitchenAid: up to 25% off selected stand mixers, blenders and more
- Myer: shop handbags, watches, fragrances, sleepwear and much more
- Nespresso: 25% off selected machines when you buy 100 or more pods
- Rebel: shop fitness wearables, massage guns, gym gear and more
- Sephora: spoil mum with skincare, haircare and makeup gifts
- The Good Guys: coffee machines, air fryers, health and wellness products
- The Iconic: shop clothing, sleepwear, handbags, wallets, watches and more
Gifts under AU$50
JLab Go Air Pop in-ear headphones
You don't have to break the bank to get your mum, wife or grandma a thoughtful and useful gift. This hair dryer from Remington is a fan favourite for its output at its price point. With a diffuser attachment included, the Pro Air Turbo is ready to take on any kind of hair, no matter how thick or curly. Of course, you aren't going to get the performance of a Dyson Supersonic at less than 10% of its cost, but you will get more than your money's worth.
Shop the JLab Go Air Pop earbuds at JB Hi-Fi
Tile Mate Bluetooth tracker
If mum tends to misplace things, a Tile Mate Bluetooth tracker could be just the thing she didn’t know she needed. These neat little devices will help her reunite with misplaced or lost belongings, all she needs to do is attach it to any valuable item she doesn't want to lose. One thing we love about it is that the Tile Mate can be used with both iOS and Android phones, so it doesn't matter what device mum has. While the individual device comes in at AU$39.99, Tile also stocks the Mate in two and four-packs.
Read our full Tile Mate (2022) review
Shop the Tile Mate Tracker at JB Hi-Fi
Remington Pro Air Turbo hair dryer
You don't have to break the bank to get your mum, wife or grandma a thoughtful and useful gift. This hair dryer from Remington is a fan favourite for its output at its price point. With a diffuser attachment included, the Pro Air Turbo is ready to take on any kind of hair, no matter how thick or curly. Of course, you aren't going to get the performance of a Dyson Supersonic at less than 10% of its cost, but you will get more than your money's worth.
Shop the Remington Pro Air Turbo at Myer
TP-Link C-100 Home Camera
A precarious balance between useful and thoughtful has to be found when gift giving, and while this might not seem like the best gift outwardly, its use will be much appreciated by mums new and the not-so-new. Easy to set up and able to pan with a 360º horizontal view and 114º vertical tilt, this camera is perfect for in-house security, even if it's just so you keep an eye on the little one while mum has some time alone.
Shop the TP-Link C-100 Camera at Amazon AU
JBL Go Essential bluetooth speaker
Obviously, this budget portable speaker isn't going to crack our list of the best Bluetooth speakers of 2024, nor should it. It's half the price of our budget pick and, for 50 bucks, what mum gets is impressive. Whether she wants to listen to music at a picnic or add some excitement to bath time, this tiny water-resistant speaker is up to the task, as long as that task doesn't last more than five hours. It's a rare gem at this price.
Shop the JBL Go Essential at JB Hi-Fi or Amazon AU
Russell Hobbs Carlton Kettle
A kettle might seem too generic to make a great gift, but in a world full of fancy coffee machines, a good kettle is still an appliance worthy of gifting. Whether it's for tea, coffee, hot chocolate or faster pasta, even for someone who doesn't need hot drinks, the kettle will be used often. The Carlton Kettle from Russell Hobbs is a great option at just AU$49.95, with a clean stainless steel design that suits any kitchen.
Shop the Russell Hobbs Carlton Kettle at Big W or Amazon AU
Gifts under AU$150
Fitbit Inspire 2
If mum recently began her fitness journey, wants to, or is just looking to pay a little better attention to her health, the small and minimalist design of the Fitbit Inspire 2 is the perfect addition to her wrist. With up to 10 days of battery life, mum can slap it on her wrist and not give it another thought… for a while. With 24/7 heart rate, active zone minutes, activity and sleep tracking, as well as counting steps, mum can treat it as a watch and let it do the rest.
In our review we loved its minimalist style and long-lasting battery, however, at its original price point it was just a little too basic. While it might not be one of the best fitness trackers almost two years on – the next-gen Inspire 3 is now available – the benefits are still there and the price is much more attractive. Often found for less than AU$100, the Inspire 2 would make a fantastic Mother's Day gift, but if you don't mind spending a little more, the Inspire 3 can be found around the AU$150 mark when discounted.
Read our full Fitbit Inspire 2 review
Wacaco Nanopresso
A good coffee machine for less than 100 bucks? Yes, it’s possible. While it earned the title of 'best for travel' in our best coffee machines of 2024, the Nanopresso isn't exclusively for travelling. Of course, if the special woman in your life is often travelling, or you love to travel as a family, then the Nanopresso is the perfect gift. Even if that's not the case, Wacaco's handheld coffee machine is great for making those morning brews at home tastier.
The only drawbacks we found were that it requires water to be boiled separately, and a bit more manual work than other coffee machines. While it specialises in espresso and won't be frothing any milk, an espresso can easily be transformed into your coffee of choice with extra water or milk. If mum loves her morning brew, do her a favour and give her this handy little machine (and make the first cup for her).
Read our full Wacaco Nanopresso review
Sunbeam Pie Magic
We should all be doing our bit to help reduce plastic waste, and getting a reusable water bottle is an easy place to start. But as the name suggests, the Philips GoZero Smart is no ordinary water bottle. It uses UV-C LED light to keep water fresh and the bottle clean, so it shouldn’t get smelly like some reusable water bottles tend to do.
Philips promises the tech can eliminate up to 99.999% of bacteria from the water bottle, and it can be used as a water purification device. That makes it a nice companion if your mum likes to hike, or just travels a lot and wants the peace of mind of clean drinking water.
Nutribullet Pro 900
of a caramel thickshake, you can't look past the Nutribullet Pro 900. With a 700ml cup capacity and a package that includes two blades, two cups, an extractor blade and a milling blade, this powerful little blender is ready for anything from fruit to seeds and coffee beans; capable of making anything from dips and sauces to smoothies and acai bowls.
Surprising us by how quickly it made its way through our tests, the main drawback we found was that it wasn't quite big enough for large batches and needed some help (pausing the blend to spatula down the sides) to make thicker treats like dips and smoothie bowls. Easy to clean, fast and powerful, this is the perfect addition to any kitchen, whether it's providing healthy and delicious smoothies or sauces and milkshakes.
Read our full Nutribullet Pro 900 review
Amazon Fire Stick 4K
You won't find more value than what Amazon's Fire TV Stick 4K provides. Amazon's most powerful streaming stick, you do is plug it into the HDMI port in mum's TV and voila, all of a sudden it's a smart TV with access to any streaming service or application she could ever need. Providing quick and easy access to Amazon's Prime Video and Prime Music, mum will also find Netflix, YouTube, Binge and most other streaming services, although each one will need to be subscribed to separately. Allowing mum to watch her favourites with the best picture possible, the Max is often found for less than AU$100, the regular Fire TV Stick 4K can often be found for close to AU$50.
Read our full Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max review
Gifts under AU$300
Breville The InFizz Fusion
The InFizz Fusion sparkling beverage maker from Breville is a fizzy-drink loving mum's new best friend. Unlike its competitors, the InFizz doesn't only turn water into soda water, but can carbonate almost anything else mum wants to add some fizz to. The InFizz Fusion adds carbonation to anything from juice to wine, cocktails, and even iced tea.
Whether mum is looking to curb her reliance on fizzy drinks or just wants to add some bubbly flavour to boring old drinks, Breville's InFizz Fusion is a wonderful option and it looks pretty darn good too.
Read our full Breville the InFizz Fusion review
Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition
We love physical books, but there is just no denying the ease and functionality of an ereader. The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition just happens to be one of the best on the market – because mum deserves the best after all. With all the benefits of the Kindle Paperwhite, namely reading like real paper thanks to its flush-front design and 300ppi glare-free display, easy one-handed reading, water resistance and access to millions of titles for considerably less than their paperback compatriots, the Signature Edition provides adjustable light temperatures for day/night reading and wireless charging that isn’t available on any other ereader on the market. Oh, and a single charge can last for up to 10 weeks.
If mum's an avid reader, or would be if it was easier to read a book on the go or while one arm is busy holding something else (like a baby!,) she will love this Kindle. While the Paperwhite is one of the best ereaders of 2024 , the cheaper Kindle or competitors like the Kobo Libra Colour are also excellent gifts.
Read our full Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition review
Nespresso Vertuo Next Deluxe
If mum likes good coffee fast, there are few better machines on the market better than Nespresso's Vertuo Next Deluxe, particularly at under AU$300 . There might be faster machines, and there are certainly more expensive ones that offer what might be a better coffee, but this pod machine has the perfect combination of taste and speed. Admittedly it needs a separate milk frother and there’s the ongoing price of the pods themselves to consider, it will have mum grinning from ear to ear when she opens it up and even more so when she takes her first sip.
The easiest coffee machine we have ever used, the most technologically challenged mum will have no problem making her Mother's Day coffee. Even without the extra milk frother that would be needed to make those frothy cappuccinos and lattes, froth-free milky coffee is delightful with this machine. If she needs it, a milk frother can be found for anywhere from AU$10 to AU$150, depending on her wants and needs. Fast, easy to clean and moderately priced, this could be the perfect gift for mum.
Read our full Nanopresso Vertuo Next Deluxe review
KitchenAid Cordless Hand Mixer
It's a hand mixer. It's made by KitchenAid. It's cordless. For the baking mums out there, those three attributes might make this the perfect kitchen gadget. While there is a slight power difference between the corded and cordless mixers, the loss in power is completely dwarfed by the ease of use provided with a lack of cords.
It just sits there, charged and waiting for the moment mum gets the urge (or a family member begs) to bake. She doesn't have to unplug the kettle to get a free powerpoint. She doesn't have to stop every few seconds to flip the cord out of the way. Mum just has to remove the charging cord, choose her desired speed and mix her ingredients. She's dreamt of such a thing and, often found for closer to AU$200, you can make her dreams come true.
Coravin Pivot
A great gift for wine lovers, the Coravin Pivot is a nifty gadget that’ll keep mum's bottle of wine tasting fresh weeks after opening. It’s a special bottle topper that can extend the life of your wine, and while Coravin says the device will preserve your drop for up to four weeks, one of our colleagues at T3 found their vino lasting for up to three – which is still quite impressive. It’s an especially good present for those who enjoy a glass or two every now and then, so they’ll be able to enjoy a full bottle rather than pouring it down the drain after a day or two.
Gifts under AU$500
Apple Watch SE
Smartwatches are on every wrist these days, and whether you think mum wants the fitness features or be able to call and text from her wrist, there's a lot to love about the Apple Watch SE. Most enticing, though, is its price. In no world is the SE, ranging from just under AU$400 to over AU$500, cheap, but in the world of smartwatches – and Apple products – under AU$400 is quite the bargain. What the SE provides makes it even more so.
Comfortable, seamlessly communicating with other Apple devices and water resistant up to 50m, this watch is the perfect addition to anyone's wrist. Coming in a variety of colours with almost never-ending band options, the SE is a viable option no matter the use case (unless mum's a mountain climber, in which case the Apple Watch Ultra 2 might be more applicable).
Read our full Apple Watch SE review
Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Sports Set
The only thing that mum's love more than capturing and holding family moments in a photo frame, is the enjoyment found in the actual time together. While that could be backyard cricket, a back-stabbing game of Monopoly or coffee and a chat, the family huddled around the TV playing Nintendo Switch Sports might be the best Mother's Day gift idea we've had.
Remember those days playing Wii Sports, mum dominating somehow despite having barely touched a video game controller in her life? You can bring those times back with the Nintendo Switch Sports bundle. If mum's more of a gamer, or you think she'd like to be, there are plenty of single-player adventures to be had, and she can even undock the Switch and play her games on-the-go.
It's worth mentioning that the Nintendo Switch Lite is considerably less expensive, though it is purely for solo gaming.
Read our full Nintendo Switch review and our full Nintendo Switch Lite review
Shop this specific bundle at Amazon AU or JB Hi-Fi
ghd Helios hair dryer
Is this a lot of money for a hair dryer? Sure. Is it more than half the price of a Dyson Supersonic? If you can catch it at a discount, it's considerably cheaper than that.
While it might not quite reach the heights of Dysons premium hair dryer, it comes close, and the price difference is too much to ignore – which is why it was our best overall hair dryer. Drying your hair quickly and leaving it shiny and frizz-free, the ghd Helios is everything you want from a hair dryer without the exorbitant prices of some others out there on the market.
Read our full ghd Helios Hair Dryer review
Therabody Theragun Prime
The Therabody Theragun Prime is not just for gym junkies and athletes, they can help anyone feel and move better. What sets this massage gun apart, besides its supreme performance, is its ergonomic triangle handle. Making it far easier to reach and stay in those hard-to-reach areas, there are no tight or aching muscles that the Theragun Prime can't reach. Actually there is – but it allows you to reach 80% of your body much more comfortably than competitors – meaning mum can hit all her sore spots on her own.
Not stopping there, the Theragun Prime comes with four unique attachments to better attack sore spots in different ways – reduce aches and pains, increase circulation, reduce soreness and ease tightness – and is easy to travel with, though there is a smaller travel-specific version if that better suits mum. If mum loves to run or hike, has some general aches or just loves a massage, the Theragun Prime is a great idea for this Mother's Day.
Read our full Therabody Theragun Prime review
KitchenAid KFP1319 13-cup food processor
Apart from essential pots and pans, knives and measuring cups, there are few more helpful and necessary kitchen accessories than a food processor. If you disagree, the chances are you don't have much experience with one. Like everything else they make, this 13-cup processor from KitchenAid is one of the best on the market, and while smaller models are worth your time, if you've got the spare change, bigger is better when it come to food processors.
This is the largest food processor on offer from KitchenAid, but it is still on the smaller side when compared to the best food processors, its 3-in-1 feed tube, exact-slice lever and various attachments, this processor will let mum do everything from chopping to slicing and pureeing practically any food. If KitchenAid's iconic red is a bit much for mum, there are plenty of other colours to choose from.
Read our full KitchenAid 13-cup food processor review
First Mother's Day Gift Ideas
Whether the new bubba is almost turning one, barely a month old or still waiting patiently to enter your home, a mum's first Mother's Day is an incredibly special occasion. To mark that, of course, you want a gift that symbolises and recognises that special occasion. More than that though, while sentimental and heartfelt gifts are always a winner, something mum (and dad) can get plenty of use out of is just as good an idea.
While many of the gifts above would suit, be it a coffee machine to make mum's coffee fix that much faster and tastier or an ereader so she can unwind while her baby sleeps in her arms, here are two great first Mothers Day gift ideas
1. Tommee Tippee 3-in-1 Ultra UV Steriliser, Dryer and Storage
We know, not every gift for mum has to be baby-related. While treating mum like her own individual human, and not just a baby-maker is crucial, the one thing mum's value above all else – or they will value once bub comes along – is making life as easy as possible. It can be hard to stay on top of storing milk, bottling it and worrying about whether they have been sufficiently sterilised. All while trying not to burn yourself. The Tommee Tippee 3-in-1 Ultra UV Steriliser, Dryer and Bottle Storage take care of all of that.
2. Digital Photo Frame
While it might be a little painful to see the little one growing, there are few things mum will cherish more than photos of her, her baby and her family during the first year before her first Mother's Day. Whether you've captured the moments right up until the baby is ready to come out or the majority of her first year with bub, a digital photo frame is the perfect gift to go with all those lovely photos that have been taken. Whether you're looking for a higher-end frame like the Google Nest Hub Max and Aura Mason Luxe digital frame or a more budget-friendly frame like the Jackson Frameo, there's plenty to choose from. As long as mum can throw her favourite photos on there and watch them slide through intermittently, she'll love it
Check out our guide to The best digital photo frame
Mother's Day FAQs
When is Mother’s Day 2024?
Mother’s Day in Australia and New Zealand is traditionally observed on the second Sunday of May each year, and in 2024 that's May 12.
It’s a day to celebrate the women who have cared and do care for us and our loved ones, whether that's our mothers, stepmothers, unrelated guardians and caregivers or the mother of our children. It's a chance to remind them how much you appreciate them and make them feel extra special, be it with a heartfelt card, a thoughtful gift, tidying the house, a day out or a home-cooked meal.
If you’re planning on shopping online, we’ve got some excellent Mother’s Day gift ideas right here. Just keep in mind you’ll need to have it ordered and shipped in time for May 12, so be sure to double check those delivery estimates.
