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Shopping for coworkers can become a never-ending parade of mild pine-scented candles, Hallmark cards, and candy that is destined for retirement in a desk drawer for most of January. It's easier to buy thoughtful, impactful gifts for your closest loved ones, and it gets harder once you add in the subtleties and professionalism of the workplace.
However, there are hordes of fantastic gifts out there for coworkers. And they don't have to be expensive — in fact, they probably shouldn't be. The ideal colleague present is thoughtful, unique, and lands somewhere in the casual middle ground between re-gifting paperclips from the supply closet and an all-expenses-paid trip to the Caribbean.
Below, you'll find 30 of the best coworker gifts for under $50. You'll also find 22 work-appropriate yet thoughtful gifts for your boss for under $50 here.
Looking for more gift ideas? Check out all of Insider Picks' holiday gift guides for 2018 here.
A three-month subscription of freshly roasted whole bean, single-origin coffees from a cool startup
Driftaway Coffee Subscription, Three Months, available on Driftaway Coffee, from $39
If they're practically tethered to the coffee pot, they'll probably love the fun and thoughtful gift of a three-month subscription to this cool Brooklyn startup's beans. Driftaway sends freshly roasted, whole bean, single-origin coffees from around the world to their doorstep.
An Atlas Obscura calendar full of daily photos and tidbits about the world's strangest and coolest places or festivals
Atlas Obscura Color Page-A-Day Desk 2019 Calendar, available on Amazon, $19.99
Add some fun to their day-to-day routine with the Atlas Obscura calendar. There are hundreds of photos that celebrate the world's strangest and coolest places, festivals, and foods. Travelers and life-long learners are particularly good candidates for this one.
A funny mug that acknowledges the bond forged by people who have to fix the same defunct printer every week together
The This is Fine Mug, available on Etsy, from $9.99
A "This is Fine" mug is the perfect gift for the only other people on earth who can truly relate to the particularities of your job: a defunct printer, last night's too-fun team happy hour, and the occasional avalanche of meetings and high-priority emails. Here's a $13 nod to the fond shared stressors.
Baby Baggu, available at Baggu and Amazon, $8
Grab a trendy, reusable shopping bag that's perfect for packing lunch, extra shoes, or taking a last-minute trip to the grocery store. This one folds up to about the size of a business card, and its signature version can hold 50 pounds of stuff easily.
Concrete Plant Pot, available at Etsy from $17.83
If your desk mate doesn't already have a plant, rest assured they would probably like one (fine print: if it requires next to no caregiving). Grab a handmade concrete planter from Etsy and fill it with an air plant they can forget about intermittently. According to science, it may make them happier just to see it every day.
Wine Pairing Towel Set, available on Uncommon Goods, $28
If you've got a wine lover on the team, grab these fun wine pairing towels and a bottle to go with them. They're thoughtful, informal, and unique.
Homesick Candles, available on Amazon and Uncommon Goods, starting at $29.95
Homesick candles are a great gift for pretty much anyone in your life. They're a nice acknowledgment of something important to someone else that you're likely to know regardless of intimacy level. Plus, with a candle, they'll get to enjoy it for weeks to come — and if your gift deals with nostalgia, scent is a great place to start.
Book of the Month, Three Months, available at Book of the Month, $44.99
If your team includes a bookworm, they'll appreciate a gift subscription to Book of the Month. It's been around since 1926, and it's credited with the discovery of titles like "Gone with the Wind" and "Catcher in the Rye". A team of experts and celebrity guest judges curate must-read books — usually new releases, hot topics, and debut authors — and send them to the subscriber's doorstep. If they're more into audiobooks or e-reading, check out a gift subscription to Scribd (full review here).
Twelve South HiRise 2 Charging Stand, available on Amazon, $39.99
This charging stand works with iPhones, iPads, and most other Lightning-charged devices. It takes up minimal space for optimal convenience.
Desktop Golf, available on Uncommon Goods, $35
Know somebody who'd rather be at the golf course, or who might appreciate the adult equivalent of doodling in class? Say no more.
Hydro Flask Double Wall Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle, available on Amazon, $21.95
It's often the most practical coworker gifts that make the best and longest impression, and this is one stellar candidate. The Hydro Flask is double-wall vacuum insulated and will keep their cold drinks cold for up to 24 hours, with hot drinks staying hot for up to six. We're big fans.
Portable Jackery Bolt 6000 mAh, available on Amazon, $29.99
If you want to get them something they're sure to love, save them from a dead phone on their next long commute or work trip. We ranked this one as the best battery pack you can buy because you can charge two devices at once, and because it has built-in lightning and micro-USB cables.
A self-betterment planner designed using the "best practices" of the most successful people in history
Best Self Co. Journal, available on Amazon and Uncommon Goods, $32.85
If you work with someone especially ambitious or concerned with self-progress, they'll love this daily planner. It was created by a group of "human performance junkies" after researching the most successful, high-performing humans in history, and it uses their common practices and psychology tips to break down a 10-year plan into doable, bite-sized pieces.
The Beatles Socks Box Set, available at Happy Socks, $42
Happy Socks makes some of the coolest and most elevator-small-talk-worthy socks in the industry. This gift set focuses on The Beatles, but there are more options to choose from, including some inspired by Andy Warhol.
Green Herbal Tea Kit, available on Uncommon Goods, $40
If they're more into tea than coffee, they'll love this thoughtful green herbal tea kit. It includes nine herbs and three varieties of green tea, so they can create their own custom blends.
Shintop 6-Piece Cable Clips Set, available at Amazon, $5.99
Pair a few of these cable clips with a nice card and some candy for a low-key, well-rounded gift that's fun and practical.
Pinch Provisions Binge-Watching Survival Kit, available at Barnes and Noble, from $19.95
If their evening takeout is often served alongside a recap of their favorite shows, this "Binge-Watching Survival Kit" is a great light-hearted gift.
An extra-long charging cable, which is the closest you'll get to gifting never-ending convenience
Anker 6 ft Charging Cable, available on Amazon, $14.99
It's something every one of us will feel grateful for a couple times per day, but always put off buying for ourselves: a serpentine, 6-foot long charging cable.
Canvas Pop Custom Photo Pillows, available at Canvas Pop, from $39
If your coworker is a pet parent, you may make the biggest impact by focusing here. Plus, in the days of dog and cat Instagrams, it's not too hard to find your own mini album of options.
Speks Original Magnetic Desk Toy, available on Amazon, $24.95
These tiny magnets are one "office toy" we actually liked enough to dedicate a full article to— they're fun, space-saving, and you can fidget without drawing attention to yourself.
Rocketbook Reusable Notebook, available on Amazon, $31.99
The $30 Rocketbook notebook is full of 32 reusable pages that wipe clean with a damp cloth when the owner uses a Pilot FriXion pen (included), so they can keep using the same notebook indefinitely. They can also send hand-written notes to Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud, email, and more. I use my own a surprising amount.
Beehive Cheese & Creminelli Salami Collection, available at Williams-Sonoma, $49.95
Everyone likes food, and most people enjoy gifting and receiving a good-looking food package that a) has great pairings, and b) they didn't have to put together themselves.
Echo Dot, 3rd Generation, available on Amazon, $29.99
If they don't already have an Echo Dot, this is a great tech gift without breaking $50. This is the newest version, but the 2nd generation is cheaper and may do just as good of a job.
Bob Ross Chia Pet, available on Amazon, $24
Do yourself, your coworker, and your section of the office a favor with a Bob Ross chia pet. It will be a great conversation piece for as long as it lives.
DIY Bitters Kit, available on Williams-Sonoma, $49.95
The DIY Bitters Kit from Easy & Oskey in Minneapolis comes with the essential ingredients, tools, and recipes to create homemade infused bitters for vodka and other spirits, so they can make the classics or invent new drinks at home.
Stainless-Steel French Press, available at Williams-Sonoma, $49.95
The Williams-Sonoma double-walled stainless-steel press brews great coffee right at the table, then keeps it at the ideal drinking temperature.
Tree Farm 6-Piece Chocolate Sampler Box, available at Nordstrom, $25
Gift them their own miniature holiday tree farm with this gourmet sampler box of milk chocolate pine trees with an assortment of fillings.
Sriracha To-Go Bottle Keychain, available at Urban Outfitters, $8
Perfect for the coworker best known for adding hot sauce to anything sweet, savory, or edible.
"Do Nothing" Three Sloth Stationery Cards, available at Society6, $15.99
Pair the sloth "Do Nothing" card with a few relaxing accessories (like face masks) to gift a well-deserved night off to a coworker. Like all of Society6's collection, it's also made by an independent artist — making it a bit cooler than what you might pick up from CVS.
Tile Mate Key Finder, available on Amazon, $9.99
You can't go wrong with a tracker for their keys that's compact, thoughtful, and useful to pretty much everyone.
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