HOME ESSENTIALS

A home should be a place of respite. That’s why this year’s Verge holiday gift guide offers a variety of items that you don't have to charge, check, update, or dock. Are there tech products on our list of home essentials? Naturally, because we think a virtual assistant or a tiny device that turns a dumb speaker into a smart speaker can make a home more comfortable and convenient. But we’re wagering that your friends and family will be equally thrilled by faux fur blankets, hand steamers, Nessie ladles, and chic Swedish raincoats.

GoPro Fetch harness

Is attaching a GoPro Fetch harness to your dog cruel or cool? Either way, Fetch will get you footage from places unimaginable. Like other dogs' butts.

Amazon Echo

Alexa, silence drunk Uncle Jerry. Okay, Echo isn't that good, but Amazon's virtual assistant is remarkably smart and responsive, and makes for a pretty good Bluetooth speaker, too.

Nest Cam

The new Nest Cam is strikingly similar to the Dropcam but comes in a slimmer profile, and with HD video streaming. Oh, and you should probably also gift your loved one Nest's $10 per month video recording service.

Joy Mangano Go Mini Steamer

You're a grown person. Stop wearing wrinkly shirts. Respect yourself and pick up one of these travel-sized steamers — you deserve it.

Geometric Terracotta Pot

Nick Fraser's geometric creations are definitely not your grandma's pots. These small, modern-looking containers might even inspire you to finally water your plants.

Juicy Salif Citrus Juicer

This Phillipe Starck-designed juicer may not be the most practical kitchen accessory, but it looks like an intergalactic arachnid here to suck the sweet sustenance out of Earth's fruit. We're sold.

Everlane Weekender Bag

The Everlane Weekender Bag, a Verge editor favorite, is a classic, durable travel bag (or large gym bag) at a reasonable price.

Cold Bruer Drip Coffee Maker

Hot coffee is dead. Long live the cold brew. And for $80, the Cold Bruer Drip Coffee Maker gives you the power to brew a chilled, 20 oz. glass of Java right at home.

Mamma Nessie Colander Spoon

Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster soup ladle, is officially the most adorable kitchen utensil ever made. Added bonus: almost guaranteed to help put kids to work in the kitchen.

Mazama Glassware

We love everything about Mazama Glassware. This year, we're coveting the Portland company's finely crafted cocktail glasses. They're not cheap, but we guarantee your holiday libations will taste even better in a honey-toned artisanal glass.

Alpha Industries MA-1 Flight Jacket

Whether you're looking for a gift for an actual pilot or a friend who still quotes Top Gun regularly (our condolences), these sleek flight jackets from Alpha Industries will be much appreciated.

Stutterheim Arholma

Leave it to the Swedes to make raincoats look this good. And they're durable too! Stutterheim claims to have subjected these coats to "severe testing in horrible conditions both at sea and in the city." Our sympathies to the test subjects.

Yonanas Elite

The sturdier sibling to the Yonanas Frozen Healthy Dessert Maker, the Yonanas Elite transforms plain old frozen fruit into tasty, non-ice-cream desserts. Break your New Year's resolution without breaking your New Year's resolution.

SENA Heritage Wallet Book

Ditch your wallet or purse: these beautiful leather Wallet Book cases store everything — your iPhone, your license and credit cards, some cash, and a snack. Okay, maybe not a snack, but you get the idea.

Obsessive Chef Cutting Board

The Obsessive Chef Cutting Board is perfect for OCD cooks. The bamboo board is burnished with grid lines for extremely precise cuts, slices, and dices.

Restoration Hardware Ultra Faux Fur Throw

Restoration Hardware's Ultra Faux Fur blanket is so ridiculously cozy that you'll never get up from your couch again for all of eternity. RIP you.

Google Chromecast Audio

Chromecast Audio is the perfect stocking stuffer for audiophiles. Better yet, it won't break the bank. This $35 plastic puck has a 3.5mm optical port and and can be attached to any stereo or Bluetooth speaker to stream music over Wi-Fi. Though it can't cast iTunes, Chromecast Audio will have your dumb speaker streaming high-fidelity audio.

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