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It doesn’t need to be difficult or overly costly to find an amazing gift for the holidays or to celebrate a new stage in life, like gifts for new homeowners or those starting a new business. Something as simple but well thought out, such as a cordless drill or an oscillating tool, is more than enough to bring excitement to most DIYers without spending more than your budget can handle. Check out this list below of Bob Vila’s favorite gifts under $100 to help figure out the right gifts for your loved ones.
Pedestal Fan
Pelonis 16-Inch Pedestal Fan With DC Motor
Photo: Amazon
Keep the bedroom, living room, or even a home office nice and cool with this oscillating pedestal fan. With a low decibel rating of just 38 dB, the Pelonis pedestal fan is even well suited for nurseries and kids’ bedrooms as one of the best quiet fans available for a reasonable price. Give it as a gift to new parents or to someone you know starting a business out of the home, so they can be comfortable as they tackle this new and exciting stage in life.
What our tester says: “You don’t have to spend a lot of money to purchase a quiet fan that keeps you cool and helps reduce utility bills. The Pelonis 16-inch pedestal fan features 12 speeds and a DC motor (the quietest type), so you can enjoy a soothing breeze without distracting noise.” —Glenda Taylor, Product Reviews tester and writer
Meat Thermometer
ThermoPro TP27 Long Range Wireless Meat Thermometer
Photo: Amazon
For the grill master in your life, pick up this long range wireless meat thermometer by ThermoPro. The best grill thermometer for those who may not have the time to spend standing directly beside the grill, this little device includes four color-coded meat probes to measure the temperature of up to four different types of meat, and will then send an alert to the handheld receiver when the meat reaches the desired temperature.
What our tester says: “We found this helpful when all four probes were inserted into proteins of large shape and relative size. They worked most efficiently in the smoker, where the receiver helps monitor the lengthy process.” —Jen Karetnick, Product Reviews tester and writer
Shower Head
American Standard Spectra Duo 2-in-1 Shower Head
Photo: Amazon
Give the gift of relaxation with this polished chrome 4-function 2-in-1 shower head by American Standard. After a long day at work or spent tackling a DIY project around the home, the hardworker in your life can hop into the shower and choose between four different spray patterns for their ideal shower. This top shower head even has a magnetic docking mechanism that makes it easier to remove and reattach than a basic bracketed shower head.
What our tester says: “This dual shower head uses a toggle to change between spray patterns and a diverter paddle to swap between heads. When the handheld unit is attached to the main one, the two combine to create a rainfall-like flow. By pushing the paddle to limit the handheld flow, we got a higher-pressure spray perfect for rinsing shampoo and conditioner.” —Tony Carrick, Product Reviews tester and writer
Growing Kit
Ahopegarden 10-Pod Aeroponics Growing Kit
Photo: Amazon
The Ahopegarden growing kit is one of the best hydroponic systems for both experienced and inexperienced indoor garden enthusiasts. This system is suitable for growing fruits, vegetables, or flowers, so there is a wide selection of options for your indoor garden. The growing kit is made to grow up to 10 plants at a time and comes with sponges, grow domes, and fertilizer, ensuring you get the best results.
What our tester says: “The Ahopegarden was simple to set up. We love that it has automatic lights for growing fruits and flowers or vegetables. We planted dwarf tomatoes and mini bell peppers in our growing kit, and they sprouted within a week.” —Katie Barton, Product Reviews tester and writer
Electric Blower
Sun Joe All-Purpose Electric Blower
Photo: Amazon
With the compact design, affordable price, and lightweight build, this corded leaf blower is an excellent gift for new homeowners who suddenly have a yard they need to maintain. This top leaf blower is easy to maneuver and features a pigtail electric cord for a more secure connection, so it won’t come unplugged from the slightest pull on the cord.
What our tester says: “The Sun Joe electric leaf blower offers an impressive airspeed of up to 155 mph to effectively remove leaves and small twigs from driveways and walks. In our tests, it performed as well as bigger, more powerful blowers on hard surfaces.” —Mark Wolfe, Product Reviews tester and writer
Charcoal Grill
Weber Smokey Joe 14-Inch Charcoal Grill
Photo: Amazon
Made for the griller who is always on the go, this top portable grill by Weber is lightweight and easy to use in the park, campsite, or at a tailgate party. The grill features vents at the bottom and top to help control the temperature and provides the grill master with 147 square inches of cooking surface so they can make steak, burgers, sausages, hot dogs, or just about any popular grilled food as long as they have charcoal and a lighter.
What our tester says: “The nice thing about the Smokey Joe is that it doesn’t require a huge amount of charcoal—it only took about 20 briquettes to fill it up. Per Weber’s recommendation, we used a chimney starter to light the coals, which gave us an even burn across all the briquettes.” —Tony Carrick, Product Reviews tester and writer
Space Heater
Lasko Digital Ceramic Space Heater With Remote
Photo: Amazon
Keep your DIYer warm throughout the fall and winter months with this remote controlled space heater for the workshop or garage. Lightweight and easy to maneuver around the workshop, this top garage heater has a very powerful heat output, despite being one of the quietest heaters available. It even has an oscillation mode and built-in overheating protection for user convenience.
What our tester says: “During testing, the Lasko proved to be a surprisingly powerful (and very quiet) heater. The oscillation mode is particularly nice for spreading a bit of heat over a larger area, like a workbench or a shop floor. We also liked that it has a remote control for adjusting the temperature and swapping through modes.” —Tom Scalisi, Product Reviews tester and writer
Video Doorbell
Eufy Wireless Video Doorbell
Photo: Amazon
Ideal for new homeowners or those looking to add a bit more security to their current home, this top video doorbell comes with an installation walkthrough video, detailed slide, and clear instructions for easy setup. Once the video doorbell is set up, it records in 2K HD video quality at a 4:3 aspect ratio for a full view of visitors and anything on the doorstep, while using 16 gigabytes of local encrypted storage for simple recording and playback.
What our tester says: “The live feed was accessible after waiting a few seconds for it to load, and we appreciated the in-app controls, allowing us to screenshot, record, or reply at the touch of a button. The audio quality from the doorbell’s microphone was crystal clear, and we liked the quick-response options, which include three default responses and the ability to add our own.” —Paul Rankin, Product Reviews tester and writer
Power Station
Craftsman V20 Power Station
Photo: Amazon
Designed for Craftsman enthusiasts, this innovative power station connects to any 20-volt Craftsman battery to turn it into a small portable power station to power lamps, charge cell phones, or supply power for a corded tool. It’s one of the top portable power stations available for busy DIYers with Craftsman batteries and includes a USB-A, USB-C, and standard AC outlet.
What our tester says: “Runtime will be determined by the size of the battery it’s on, but with a 150-watt output, it can handle lamps, cell phones, and other devices. It also has a built-in work light to illuminate work or a path back to the truck.” —Tom Scalisi, Product Reviews tester and writer
Tool Box
Trusco ST-350-B 2-Level Tool Box
Photo: Amazon
The quality construction of this durable steel tool box won’t be overlooked by new or experienced DIYers. Despite the small appearance and easy portability, this top tool box has a surprising amount of storage space with a tiered interior that can be customized with reconfigurable metal dividers. Additionally, the tiered compartments cantilever out smoothly, so there is no sticking when you open or close the tool box.
What our tester says: “It isn’t often that a product surprises us enough to take the top spot during a hands-on review, but we very much liked the Trusco. Compared with other boxes of its size, it’s made with much higher-quality metal, and the fit and finish were spot on.” —Tom Scalisi, Product Reviews tester and writer
More Gifts Under $100 We Love
- Inkbird IBBQ-4T WiFi Grill Meat Thermometer for $63.99: Connect wirelessly to the grill thermometer with Wi-Fi to monitor the temperature of the food from anywhere in the house or the yard.
- Romanticist 20-Piece Complete Grill Accessories Kit for $22.99: This set of grill accessories has an attractive stainless steel design and comes with an impressive complement of tools for the grill.
- Fiskars 8-Inch Power Lever Hedge Shears for $23.59: Grip and cut through thick branches with the serrated stainless steel blades of these impressive hedge shears.
- Back to the Roots Self-Watering Terra-Cotta Olla Pot for $8.49: Bury this terra-cotta olla pot next to your plants, fill it with water, and insert the cap for a set-it-and-forget-it automatic watering system, so you never forget to water your plants again.
- Sangean AM/FM/Weather+Alert Emergency Radion for $75.91: Stay up to date on weather patterns and alerts in your area with this durable, reinforced emergency radio by Sangean.
- CAT Second Shift Steel Toe Work Boot for $93.71: DIYers and construction pros can stay safe with these classic, heavy-duty, steel toe boots made with top-quality leather for durability and comfort.
- Ironclad Ranchworx Work Gloves for $32.21: Keep warm and protected with the durable work gloves which feature multiple rows of overstitching, a Kevlar strip between the index finger and thumb, and rubber-reinforced knuckles.
- DeWalt ⅜-Inch Quick-Release Ratchet for $24.99: The easy-to-use ratchet features a quality chrome vanadium steel body that is sturdy and contoured, while the 72-tooth-count gearing allows this ratchet to progress after only 5 degrees of swing.
- Black+Decker BDL190S Line Laser With Stud Finder for $53.99: Strike level lines to hang pictures or shelves and take advantage of the built-in stud finder and electrical wire detection feature to ensure you are driving fasteners into the right location.
- Black+Decker 20V MAX Cordless Random Orbital Sander for $89.99: With hook-and-loop sanding discs, DIYers can quickly replace a worn disc so they can get back to work with this 5-inch sander that comes with a 20V 1.5 Ah lithium-ion battery, a charger, and a detachable dust collection system.
The post Under-$100 Gifts Homeowners and DIYers Will Definitely Use appeared first on Bob Vila.
