Paste’s 2023 Mother’s Day Tech Gift Guide

This is your annual reminder to get something, anything, for your mom. Mother’s Day is Sunday, so you still have time to profess your love and appreciation for your wife, mom, or mother figure in your life by buying something they’ll actually enjoy. Flowers are always great and homemade cards from the kids are a bulletproof option, but let’s be real, everyone wants to be surprised with a unique gift suited to their tastes. 

Buying a techie gift for mom can be risky though. Neither my wife nor my mom want to spend more than two seconds wondering what button to push on the TV remote, and tech-savvy moms can be difficult to shop for as well. Thankfully, Paste is here to provide a list of cool, tech-driven gifts that your mom won’t toss in the trash immediately. We’ve taken great care to pick gifts to make mom’s life a little more enjoyable, easy and entertaining. Ranging from chic charging stations to robotic gardens and composters, here is your 2023 Mother’s Day gift guide. 

My Mom

I have been advocating for cutting cable to my parents for more than a decade and I’m hoping this is the year it happens. My secret weapon? Roku. I got a couple of different versions so she can choose which she likes better. The Roku Express runs around $30 and includes a small interface with only two plugs. Easy! The Roku Ultra is double the size, but comes with premium offerings like lost remote finder, cinematic picture and sound, and private listening, allowing you to pair your headphones with the TV. That package runs around $100. Both come with access to a large selection of free TV and an easy-to-use remote. 

Weed Mom

Weed is the new wine, if you haven’t heard. I don’t advocate roasting a Backwoods blunt in front of your kids, but once they’re fast asleep or at grandma’s house for the weekend, there are a few ways to consume cannabis. If you’re into cartridges, the Vessel Compass is sleek and inconspicuous. It comes with an auto-off, charges with a standard USB-C and features a drop-in design without the need for additional pieces. If mom is more into roasting fresh flower, Vessel also makes the Helix and Cone, which are some of the most eye-pleasing one-hitters I’ve seen recently. PAX Labs is also a favorite. The company recently released a new slate of cartridges for their ERA device including Diamond and Live Rosin, as well as Infused Flower Pucks for the original PAX vaporizer.

Bike Mom

Brompton, which makes foldable bikes, has been around since 1975 and just this year rolled their millionth frame off the line. While the underlying technology is decades old, Brompton hasn’t stopped innovating and now has a line of more than 40 bikes ranging from the T Line One, which only weighs 16 lbs to several new electric models. If you’re looking for something a bit more traditional that can handle trails as well, HeyBike also makes a sleek mountain bike option that’s a little less expensive. Their Race Max electric bike is currently on sale on Amazon for around $500.

YouTube Mom

If you’re a podcaster and/or YouTuber and you don’t have cool lights illuminating your studio space, are you even influencing?  Nanoleaf offers a wide swath of aesthetic lighting, but the Elements have wood-like panels to provide a warmer light and more natural look. The lights can be arranged in a variety of ways and connected to other sets to make larger displays. The panels also react to touch and music and can be integrated into your smart home via the accompanying app. 

Podcaster Mom

Small, simple and super powerful, the Audigo recorder is perfect for on-site podcasts and performances of all kinds. The wireless microphone uses Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, and has 32GB of storage (or 40 hours or so of recording time). The little micro cube uses midsize stereo condensers and connects to an app that allows for mixing, editing and adding after effects. 

Vegan Mom

What do you get a busy mom on the go, who just happens to be a vegan? The Ninja Blast portable blender is perfect for that mom who wants to take her homemade smoothie on the road or just needs a backup in case there aren’t any viable food options nearby. The blender is small enough to fit in your car’s cup holder, cordless and lightweight. Most importantly, it’s leakproof and easy to use. 

Book Mom

E-readers are great because they provide the convenience of your smartphone without distraction. The Kobo Clara 2E is made with recycled plastic and comes with a 6” HD E Ink Carta 1200 touchscreen. The reader comes with 16GB of internal storage and can play audiobooks as well via Bluetooth. If you’re talking about e-books, that’s about 12,000. If you’re just listening to audiobooks, the device can store about 75 titles. Two other very cool features; it has built-in library borrowing via OverDrive and is waterproof. 

On-Her-Phone-All-The-Time Mom

We’re not here to judge, just help. There are endless phone charging options out there but since we’re living in 2023, why not upgrade mom to wireless charging? The Einova Charging Stone looks amazing and is made with actual stone. You can choose from a few different marble colors, Lava or Travertine limestone. The Charging Stone is Qi-certified, offers fast charging at 10W and works with a wide variety of devices including AirPods, iPhones and Samsung and Google phones.

Organic Mom

Uneaten food being tossed into landfills is a huge problem in America. It stems from several sources, including crops being left in the field due to overproduction, foods not meeting retailer standards or products being damaged in transportation. But the biggest cause of waste stems from American households. 39% in fact. Mill is a tech-driven solution for composters looking to cut down on their food waste at home. The subscription-based service comes with a bin that plugs in and mixes up your food scraps (pizza crusts, broccoli, cat food), heats them up and grinds them into a fine mix. When your bin is full, simply ship a prepaid, lined box back. The process conserves the nutrients, and Mill sends it to farms where it can feed chickens. 

Plant Mom

Gardening is a great leisure and educational activity for mom. But what if she lives in the city and/or isn’t able to properly tend to a large bed of vegetables? The Farmstand Nook is made by Lettuce Grow and is the second, more compact version of its original model. The Nook can grow up to 20 herbs, greens, flowers and more, all year long.