During this Black Friday and holiday shopping season, you're bound to come across countless gadget gift guides, but we (humbly) offer you our own distinctive take on the year's coolest gadgets that will make great but affordable gifts across a variety of price ranges.
These are the games, gizmos, home entertainment, and travel sanity indispensables that can transform hassling experiences into something approaching the sublime. All hyperbole aside, we think you'll find all eight of these gift suggestions to be solid investments in mood-lifting.
Related: Great Gifts for Geeks: 2022 Edition
As mentioned, with concerns about inflation and rising expenses everywhere you go, we're on the lookout to help you avoid breaking the bank and sparking a financial crisis.
In fact, most of these budget-friendly items are available at discounted rates during the notorious Black Friday weekend — we sourced all the prices from Amazon (where else?) and were pleasantly surprised to find the vast majority of them are offered at rates of up to 30% lower than normal.
Another bonus: Nearly all the gifts on this list are highly portable, allowing you to take this next generation of creature comforts with you as you travel around this holiday season.
Related: Geeky Stocking Stuffers for $50 and Under
The suggestions range from smart locks and pocket-size photo printers to sleek smartphone chargers and an AI-powered bird feeder, equipped with digital camera and solar power roof to boot. We're sure you'll find something here that is well-suited to a friend, family member, or even yourself.
About the author
Nathan Eddy is a freelance writer for ITPro Today. He has written for Popular Mechanics, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine, FierceMarkets, and CRN, among others. In 2012 he made his first documentary film, The Absent Column. He currently lives in Berlin. 
