Best tech gifts under £50 for Christmas (UK)
The Sony WF-C510 earbuds, at around £30, are the safest gift here because nearly anyone with a phone will use them. For a stocking filler, the TP-Link Tapo P110M smart plug costs around £10 and quietly makes any lamp or kettle smarter.
Published 15 Nov 2026
Quick picks
- Sony WF-C510 EDIT'S PICK · Teenagers, commuters and anyone still using the earbuds that came free with an old phone · around £30
- JBL Go 5 NEW ARRIVAL · Students, campers and anyone who'd use a tough little speaker in the shower, on a bike or at the beach · around £35
- Xiaomi Smart Band 10 · Someone who's mentioned getting fitter in the new year, or wants sleep and step tracking without a pricey smartwatch · around £40
- 8BitDo Ultimate 2C Bluetooth Controller · A Nintendo Switch 2 household that needs a second controller for guests over Christmas · around £25
- Sony DualSense Charging Station · PS5 owners with two controllers, and anyone who leaves pads trailing from the console by a cable · around £25
- Belkin TemperedGlass Anti-Reflective Screen Protector for Nintendo Switch 2 · A small add-on for someone getting a Switch 2 this Christmas, especially if they play handheld near windows · around £15
- TP-Link Tapo P110M BEST VALUE · A stocking filler for the person who likes a gadget, or anyone curious about what the tumble dryer costs to run · around £10
No. 1 · EDIT'S PICK
Sony WF-C510
around £30 (price checked 15 Nov 2026)
Sony's entry-level true wireless earbuds, with two-device multipoint, an adjustable ambient sound mode, a five-band EQ in the Sony app and an IPX4 rating. They come in black, white, blue and yellow, which makes them easy to match to the person.
Why we picked it
What Hi-Fi? has given them three Awards in a row and five stars for sound and features, praising a fun, musical sound with solid bass and a comfortable, secure fit that suits smaller ears. Sony quotes up to 11 hours from the buds and another 11 from the case. The catches are no noise cancelling and a build that What Hi-Fi? says looks and feels a little cheap. They launched at £55 but now sell for around £30 at several UK retailers, according to PriceSpy.
Best for: Teenagers, commuters and anyone still using the earbuds that came free with an old phone
Skip it if: They fly often or ride noisy trains every day; there's no active noise cancelling.
| Battery | Up to 11 hours, 22 hours with case |
|---|---|
| Noise cancelling | No (ambient sound mode only) |
| Multipoint | Yes (two devices) |
| Water resistance | IPX4 |
| Works with | iPhone and Android |
Retailer links coming soon.
No. 2 · NEW ARRIVAL
JBL Go 5
around £35 (price checked 15 Nov 2026)
JBL's smallest speaker, new for 2026. It's a palm-sized block with IP68 water and dust protection, a loop for hanging it up, and tap-to-pair stereo with a second Go 5, so two make a good shared present.
Why we picked it
What Hi-Fi? gave it five stars for sound, build and features, calling it a clear step up from the Go 4 with fuller, more musical sound than its size suggests, and names it the best budget Bluetooth speaker. The reviewer notes that Playtime Boost stretches the battery by cutting much of the bass, and that there's no USB-C cable in the box. It has dropped to about £34 to £35 at Richer Sounds and Smart Home Sounds from a usual £39.99.
Best for: Students, campers and anyone who'd use a tough little speaker in the shower, on a bike or at the beach
Skip it if: You want a speaker to fill a living room or garden; something this small can't move much air.
| Battery | Up to 8 hours (10 with Playtime Boost) |
|---|---|
| Water and dust | IP68 |
| Weight | 230 g |
| Pairing | Tap-to-pair stereo, plus Auracast |
Retailer links coming soon.
No. 3
Xiaomi Smart Band 10
around £40 (price checked 15 Nov 2026)
Xiaomi's 2025 fitness band, with a 1.72-inch AMOLED touchscreen, 150-plus sports modes, 5 ATM water resistance and a battery rated at up to 21 days. It pairs with the Mi Fitness app on iPhone and Android, needs no subscription, and has no GPS of its own.
Why we picked it
TechRadar calls the Smart Band line the best cheap fitness tracker around, and Tom's Guide made the Band 10 an Editor's Choice for its comfort, useful app and accurate tracking. Reviewers do flag weak spots. Tom's Guide got about a week of battery rather than three, and TechRadar found the app buggy at times. Which? lists it at £39.99 from Xiaomi and a little less on Amazon.
Best for: Someone who's mentioned getting fitter in the new year, or wants sleep and step tracking without a pricey smartwatch
Skip it if: They run or cycle seriously and want accurate routes and pace without carrying a phone.
| Battery | Up to 21 days (claimed) |
|---|---|
| GPS | No (uses your phone's) |
| Screen | 1.72-inch AMOLED |
| Water resistance | 5 ATM |
| Subscription | Not needed |
Retailer links coming soon.
No. 4
8BitDo Ultimate 2C Bluetooth Controller
around £25 (price checked 15 Nov 2026)
A low-cost Bluetooth pad with Hall-effect thumbsticks and triggers, six-axis motion control, rumble and an extra mappable button on each shoulder. 8BitDo says it works with Switch 2 on system version 20.1.1 or later once you update the controller's firmware, and quotes about 15 hours of play from a two-hour charge.
Why we picked it
Engadget's review calls it a fabulous Switch 2 controller for a fraction of the Pro Controller's price, liking the Hall-effect sticks, which shouldn't develop stick drift, and the extra bumpers. There are no rear buttons, and Lon.TV found that rumble on Switch 2 is the standard kind and has to be switched on in the console's settings. Budget a few minutes on Christmas morning for the firmware update.
Best for: A Nintendo Switch 2 household that needs a second controller for guests over Christmas
Skip it if: They want HD Rumble or amiibo support, or a controller that can wake the console; Nintendo's Pro Controller costs more but does all of that.
| Sticks and triggers | Hall effect |
|---|---|
| Connection | Bluetooth, wired USB-C |
| Switch 2 support | System 20.1.1 or later, after a firmware update (8BitDo) |
| Battery | About 15 hours (8BitDo) |
Retailer links coming soon.
No. 5
Sony DualSense Charging Station
around £25 (price checked 15 Nov 2026)
Sony's own dock, which charges up to two DualSense or DualSense Edge controllers at once without the console being on. Controllers click into place, and it comes with its own mains adapter.
Why we picked it
GamesRadar+ calls it the best PS5 charging station, praising its reliability and its price. It charges no faster than a USB cable, at around three hours per controller, so the point is convenience and a tidier setup rather than speed. It's a safe gift because it's official and fits every DualSense, and PlayStation Direct lists it at £24.99.
Best for: PS5 owners with two controllers, and anyone who leaves pads trailing from the console by a cable
Skip it if: They have one controller and a spare USB-C cable by the sofa already.
| Charges | Two DualSense or DualSense Edge controllers |
|---|---|
| Power | Mains adapter included |
| Model | CFI-ZDS1 |
Retailer links coming soon.
No. 6
Belkin TemperedGlass Anti-Reflective Screen Protector for Nintendo Switch 2
around £15 (price checked 15 Nov 2026)
A 0.33mm tempered-glass screen protector cut for the Switch 2, with an anti-reflective finish, an anti-fingerprint coating and a 9H hardness rating. An alignment frame and a microfibre cloth come in the box.
Why we picked it
The Switch 2's large screen is easy to scratch and reflective in daylight, and Belkin's protector tackles both. The alignment frame makes fitting easier than a bare sheet of glass, and owners rate it highly on Belkin's UK shop. Belkin lists it at £14.99 and for Switch 2 only.
Best for: A small add-on for someone getting a Switch 2 this Christmas, especially if they play handheld near windows
Skip it if: They already have Nintendo's own carrying case, which comes with a screen protector, or they have an original Switch.
| Material | Tempered glass, 0.33mm, 9H hardness |
|---|---|
| Finish | Anti-reflective, anti-fingerprint |
| In the box | Alignment frame, microfibre cloth |
| Works with | Nintendo Switch 2 only |
Retailer links coming soon.
No. 7 · BEST VALUE
TP-Link Tapo P110M
around £10 (price checked 15 Nov 2026)
A compact Wi-Fi smart plug for UK sockets with energy monitoring and Matter. TP-Link lists Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple Siri, and it can be added with the Alexa, Google Home or Apple Home app by scanning its Matter code, or set up in the Tapo app.
Why we picked it
Mighty Gadget, a UK site, calls it its favourite smart plug and one of the most affordable with energy monitoring. The Tapo app shows real-time power and daily, monthly and yearly use, and can estimate the bill if you enter a tariff. It's an easy, useful present that doesn't need a smart speaker to be fun. The RRP is £16.99; Tapo's UK shop showed it at £9.39 but sold out when we checked, so expect to pay somewhere between the two.
Best for: A stocking filler for the person who likes a gadget, or anyone curious about what the tumble dryer costs to run
Skip it if: They already use another brand's smart plugs and app, or they'd want energy readings inside Alexa, Google Home or Apple Home rather than the Tapo app.
| Works with | Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri and Apple Home, SmartThings (via Matter) |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wi-Fi, Matter; Bluetooth for setup |
| Energy monitoring | Yes, in the Tapo app |
| Maximum load | 13A |
Retailer links coming soon.
How we chose
We started from the guides already on The Arrivals Edit, where each of these picks earned its place against rivals at the same price, and looked for things that make a good present rather than just a good buy. That meant gifts that work out of the box with the phone or console someone already owns, that don’t need a subscription, and that are easy to get right without knowing the person’s exact tastes.
Fifty pounds was the ceiling, and we wanted a spread: something for music, for fitness, for gamers on PlayStation and Switch 2, and a cheap stocking filler. Earbuds and a small speaker came first because almost anyone will use them, and the Sony WF-C510 and JBL Go 5 are the best-reviewed options we found at this price.
For gamers we chose accessories that fix a common annoyance, such as flat controllers or a scratched screen, over games, which are harder to choose for someone else. Both Switch 2 picks are ones to check against the console the person actually has, so we’ve said which model each one fits.
We left out a cheap power bank we’d have liked to include, the Cuktech 10 Mini, because we couldn’t confirm a current UK price this week. Prices are typical UK prices on the date shown beside each pick, and they move around Black Friday and in the run-up to Christmas.
This guide is based on manufacturer specs, retailer listings and expert reviews, listed below. We haven’t used these products ourselves.
Sources
- What Hi-Fi?: Sony WF-C510 review
- What Hi-Fi?: Why the Sony WF-C510 are still winning Awards
- Sony UK: WF-C510 specifications
- PriceSpy UK: Sony WF-C510
- What Hi-Fi?: JBL Go 5 review
- Richer Sounds: JBL Go 5
- Smart Home Sounds: JBL Go 5
- TechRadar: Xiaomi Smart Band 10 review
- Tom's Guide: Xiaomi Smart Band 10 review
- Which?: Xiaomi Smart Band 10
- 8BitDo: Ultimate 2C Bluetooth Controller
- Engadget: 8BitDo Ultimate 2C review
- Lon.TV: 8BitDo controller compatibility with the Switch 2
- Scan: 8BitDo Ultimate 2C Bluetooth controllers
- PlayStation UK: DualSense Charging Station
- GamesRadar+: The best PS5 accessories
- Belkin UK: TemperedGlass Anti-Reflective Screen Protector for Nintendo Switch 2
- Mighty Gadget: TP-Link Tapo P110M smart plug review
- Tapo UK: Tapo P110M mini smart Wi-Fi plug, energy monitoring
- Tapo UK store: Tapo P110M
FAQs
Which of these gifts need a subscription?
None of them. The Xiaomi Smart Band 10 works with the free Mi Fitness app, the Tapo plug with the free Tapo app, and the Sony earbuds and JBL speaker with free apps that are optional.
Will the earbuds and speaker work with an iPhone and an Android phone?
Yes. Both connect over standard Bluetooth. The Sony WF-C510 can stay connected to two devices at once, such as a phone and a laptop.
Do the Switch 2 gifts work on the original Nintendo Switch?
Belkin lists its screen protector for Switch 2 only, so it won't fit an original Switch. 8BitDo makes the Ultimate 2C Bluetooth for Switch, and says it works with Switch 2 once the controller's firmware is updated.
Do smart plugs work without a smart speaker?
Yes. The Tapo P110M can be controlled and scheduled from the Tapo app on a phone. A smart speaker only adds voice control.
Last updated 15 Nov 2026.