It’s Uproxx Gift Guides szn, baby! When I started writing these guides a half-decade ago, I didn’t realize… just how f*cking terrible most gift guides are. I mean, I see trash published in gift guides all the time. Mostly, it’s because trash products give the best affiliate percentages. But also, other outlets often don’t test what they cover. They look at it, say “Seems cool,” think of a few words to lightly imply they’ve tried the thing, hit publish, and move on.

Anyway, these gifts aren’t that. They are owned by whoever writes about them and have stood the test of time (at least a few months). We don’t even have any affiliate links in this year’s guides. It’s all real stuff that we really like and that we don’t get any extra money for liking!

When it comes to the “Gift Guide for the Home,” well — this stuff is all in my home (except the one “Writer Pick” at the end). As you’ll soon be able to tell, my taste is 70s-inflected modernism with a lean toward the oranges, reds, and yellows of the BoHo in SoCal era that I never lived through but have admired on TV and in movies.

Houseplant Ashtray Set by Seth

Price: $74

Seth Rogen is a cool dude with the world’s best laugh. And he’s pretty serious about this pottery game. Also, he likes to get people high.

Not a terrible combo. Every time I get high, I at least contemplate getting way into pottery. Glad to know that Rogen is actually doing the thing.

Anyway, this is the ashtray I have in my home and I love it. The vase half is on my table, with a single flower inside. The ashtray half is on my coffee table with a partially burned joint.

This gift is neither overly complicated nor overly expensive. But it’s a lovely addition to the home made by someone with a true eye for minimalist design. And it’s something that will last for quite some time, as all the best gifts do.

Pick up the Houseplant Ashtray Set by Seth here.

Frontier: Cowboys of the Americas

Price: $85

So… I am single this year for the first time since the gift guides started. And I left a lot of books behind when my marriage split up. As I was repopulating my coffee table, I came up with a recipe for books on the table in front of the couch:

-One vintage novel for people to page through (I like the covers of the old LA Noir books).

-One cookbook or travel guide (The Pok Pok cookbook holds this spot right now).

-One traditional coffee table book that someone can get fully lost in (maybe while smoking the other half of the joint mentioned above).

This is one of those “fall inside of it” coffee table books. It’s so immersive and reflects the modern American West in a way that is both honest and revealing.

Cowboys are extra fascinating in modern America because culture would just as soon make myths of them. And yet, they are real, living, breathing humans. They are carving a path into the uncertain future just like the rest of us. And despite having wifi, they also have cultures, styles, and ways of operating all their own.

By owning this book you can come to know some of the aspects of modern cowboy life. Not the imagined version but the authentic and real cowboy existence, without ever losing the romanticism of it. That makes this a lovely gift for anyone intrigued by this era.

Pick up The Frontier: Cowboys of the Americas here.

Rise and Shine Vase — Orange Juice

Price: $28.95

This is kitschy-but-not-cheap and keeps nicely with my aforementioned aesthetic. It’s perfect for the breakfast table and brightens the room nicely.

As a gift, it’s built to last and fun and bright. If you don’t have someone who enjoys fun, bright things in your life — get yourself one! Then get them this!

Pick up the Rise and Shine Orange Juice Vase here.

Lelit Bianca

Price: $2999.95

Here’s what happened with this coffee maker:

1. I bought it.
2. I let it sit for a week.
3. I hefted it onto my counter.
4. I smashed three fingers.
5. I sucked my damaged appendages and screamed, “It’s probably not going to be better than my old one anyway!”
6. I took a few deep breaths.
7. I got it set up.
8. I tasted my first cup.
9. My knees literally buckled and I said aloud, “Oh. My. God. It’s so much f*cking better.”
10. I became a total coffee geek and never looked back.

Seriously, this coffee maker is… big. It is the heaviest thing on earth. It is heavier than should be humanly possible. Its insides must be 90% iron. But it is sorta shocking just how good the lattes and espresso coming from this thing are. Not just stellar, staggering.

As someone said online: “It’s the Ferrari of coffee. There’s going to be a learning curve if you’ve been driving a Prius, but it’s worth the effort.”

I couldn’t agree more. I used to pay for coffee out at least twice per week, because coffee shop lattes were usually at least slightly better than what I could make. I set the Lelit up three weeks ago and guess what? I haven’t bought a latte or mocha at a coffee shop since. The one time I met a friend at one, I skipped on a drink and got a croissant instead.

Is it expensive? Yes. But if you have someone worth splurging on who loves coffee (and, ideally, that person happens to live with you), it will not be lost on them. It’s the sort of gift you hear about years later.

Pick up the Lelit Bianca here.

Ettitude — Sateen Airy CleanBamboo Sateen + Sheet Set

Price: $503.10 (For Cal King)

HEAR ME NOW:

These are the best sheets on earth.

Seriously. I’ve tried them all. I’ve been to every hotel. These are like sleeping inside a perfectly ripe mango. They are delicious against your skin and durable in the wash. They are both the sexiest and the coziest.

This gift is very very simple — buy these sheets of a person whose bed you want to spend time in. Asleep or awake. There’s nothing else to write.

Pick up the Ettitude Sateen Airy CleenBamboo Sateen Sheet set here.

Milas Air Purifier

Price: $279 (For 1)

The picture above seems to reference a cat… which I guess would create a lot of need for an air purifier. I don’t have a pet. I just like to breathe clean-ass air. As such, I’ve tried a lot of air purifiers. This is the easiest and the smartest. It’s wildly intuitive and the filter doesn’t need to be cleaned often, compared to other devices I’ve had.

Confession time: I’ve had this running on auto since the second I plugged it in. Sometimes it hums quietly at 2%. Sometimes it’s cranking and humming along because there’s bacon grease in the apartment. If it’s really working, I check on it — I don’t want to burn the lil guy out. But the display is always there to report that everything is fine, there’s just some air to clean.

Get this for anyone who you want to be breathing lovely, clean air. Cat or no cat.

Pick up the Milas Air Purifier here.

Mustard Made — The Twinny (In Mustard)

Price: $599

Lockers have always been cool. They are minimalist and sleek and color blocked. Plus they conjure youth hostels and high school — offering a balance of function, form, and nostalgia.

These lockers capture that cool factor while also being incredibly easy to set up. While Twinny recommends you set up the larger lockers with a partner, I did mine solo and got through it in a cool 45 min. And after that… no problems whatsoever. Just a nice cool storage space perfect for an apartment dweller like me.

This is an ideal gift for college kids and your friend moving into a NYC or LA crash pad to chase their dreams. But don’t miss giving this as a gift to your hyper-stylish minimalist friend — who will pair it with some other non-plastic solid materials to fit it into their modern-retro vibe.

Buy the Mustard Made Twinny here.

Plufl — Human Dog Bed

Price: $299

It’s not rocket science. You know dog beds? This is that. Preciesely that. For humans. With lush fabric.

That said… It makes one hell of a gift. Mine is in front of my fireplace and gets used an absolutely shocking amount. It’s cozy. And, in the right setting, sexy.

Get one for anyone who loves being cozy or sexy. You will get medium thanked at the moment of giving but I’ll bet you anything that you get a whole bunch of add-on thank you texts the rest of the year.

Buy the Plufl Human Dog Bed here.

Samsung 30-100” The Freestyle 2nd Gen with Gaming Hub FHD HDR Smart Portable Projector

Price: $599

Confession time:

I have, personally, ordered and returned no fewer than… Don’t hate me, blame targeted advertising… FIVE projectors from Amazon. They are all trash. Incompatible with my phone. Hard to work. Impossible to adjust. Just trash all around. The cheap ones in particular.

This is the opposite. It’s perfect. Seriously. I use it every day. I have no TV. It’s on walls, it’s out by the hot tub. The battery life is two movies long.

You don’t need any more reviews. You don’t need to check what the Wirecutter dorks have to say. For regular folks using a projector in regular ways, this is THE. ONE.

Get it for… people you like and want to spend $600 on. Everyne will love it.

Buy The Freestyle Portable Projector here.

Meze Audio 109 Pro Headphones

Price: $799

Are you friends with a real audiophile? Like, real real? These are studio sound headphones that help you hear music at its richest, finest, and most sonically complete.

Are you friends with anyone who works with headphones on all day? Film editor? Studio tech? Person with ADHD who needs silence (🙋)?

If so, listen close:

These are THE. MOST. COMFORTABLE. HEADPHONES. ON. EARTH.

Those bars arcorss the top remove head pressure. The cushions are so cozy and soft. Outside sound is pushed out. Inside sound is rich and warm.

These were gifted to me by a friend. I will gift them this Christmas. They are bliss.

Buy the Meze Audio 109 Pro Headphones here.

GUEST PICK: Redwood Outdoors — Alaskan Cold Plunge Tab

Price: $1999

This is one of those wellness products that’s sort walking the line of self-torture in the name of feeling good. As an always-cold human, sinking into an ice bath for a few minutes every day sounds like my personal hell, but even after just a few weeks of plunging, I can’t deny the very real and noticeable benefits. Coming from my very non-doctor POV, I’ll say that cold plunging is like a shock therapy session for your body — boosting circulation, reducing muscle inflammation, and giving your immune system a kick. (Yes, that’s also what the influencers tell me on IG — but it has been my experience.)

My favorite and most notable effect is the rush of energy I get after every plunge that carries into the rest of my day. I personally like doing a midday plunge between exercise and a shower – right at the moment of the day I tend to feel a bit lethargic. And while I have yet to get over the dread of actually doing the plunge (I keep hearing people swear they actually look forward to it), the results are pretty transformative. I don’t think it’s a placebo effect that my sleep has improved, or that I have a sharper, heightened focus throughout the day. It’s a total reset for both body and mind.

A little about the tub itself: the one we’re recommending – the Alaskan Cold Plunge Tub crafted by Redwood Outdoors, is truly a masterpiece of design and functionality. There are a lot of plastic and inflatable plunges on the market — but this beautiful cedar plank tub is a full on vibe. The high-quality materials also ensure that the product will last. The tub has a natural, minimalist aesthetic that blends in with any outdoor setting, and it’s quite simple to use.

Get it for the health lover who lives close enough to invite you over for plunges!

Pick up the Redwood Outdoors Alaskan Cold Plunge Tab here.