Mashable
Best gifts for mom 2025: 60+ thoughtful gift ideas that she probably doesnt have yet
There's a lot of pressure when brainstorming good gift ideas for your mom. She sacrificed a lot for you, and you'd like to show some appreciation back. Part of our larger series dedicated to finding the best gifts for everyone, this list of gifts for your mom (or any mom or mother figure, for that matter) attempts to think outside of the same old generic suggestions that have plagued moms at major holidays for decades.
SEE ALSO: The 71 absolute best stocking stuffers for 2025Does she have a unique interest or pastime that's a huge part of her life? You could look for hyper-specific items that speak directly to her passions, or pick up an item to finally get her started on that dream hobby. If she'd appreciate a more practical gift, rack your brain for a frustration that she's mentioned more than once — perhaps her coffee machine sucks or she's having trouble sleeping. You can't go wrong with gifting something that'll make her life easier.
Either way, the best Christmas gifts for mom will make her feel listened to, valued, or straight-up pampered. Consider what she does when she has no one putting demands on her time — then shop for those moments. And if you get stuck, visit our guide to the best gifts under $50 for even more winning ideas.
Finn Wolfhard teases the final 4 Stranger Things episodes with a word each
Getting actors to tease their upcoming projects with a word or two is a trend on The Tonight Show, and in the clip above Finn Wolfhard really steps up to the plate.
Stranger Things only has four episodes left of its final season, and host Jimmy Fallon goes through episode by episode, asking Wolfhard to sum them up in one spoiler-free word.
The words Wolfhard picks, in order?
Crispy
Shocking
Enlightening
Emotional
We'll find out exactly what he means soon enough. In the meantime, we have a lot of burning questions ourselves.
Finn Wolfhard teases the final 4 Stranger Things episodes with a word each
Getting actors to tease their upcoming projects with a word or two is a trend on The Tonight Show, and in the clip above Finn Wolfhard really steps up to the plate.
Stranger Things only has four episodes left of its final season, and host Jimmy Fallon goes through episode by episode, asking Wolfhard to sum them up in one spoiler-free word.
The words Wolfhard picks, in order?
Crispy
Shocking
Enlightening
Emotional
We'll find out exactly what he means soon enough. In the meantime, we have a lot of burning questions ourselves.
AI audiobooks have come to Libby; heres how to spot them
As AI creeps into nearly every realm of our world, it feels like you need to be in investigation mode all the time to sniff it out. The tension between the literary world and AI is especially present these days. ChatGPT is now a tool for creation, with writers being encouraged to use the large language model to write stories — but consumers aren't asking for it. In fact, they're asking how to avoid. Libby users have been especially keen to spot the presence of AI, which has infiltrated audiobooks in a big way.
As pointed out by user @ems.book.shelf_ on TikTok, AI audiobooks have arrived on Libby, the app that connects public library card holders with their library's e-book and audiobook collections.
This isn't the first instance of AI and Libby crossing over. On Nov. 20, 2025, Libby posted an article launching its 'Inspire Me' feature, which uses large-language-model generative artificial intelligence to recommend and suggest books to users.
The 'Inspire Me' feature is easy enough to avoid, but an underlying issue on Libby is the presence of audiobooks that are narrated by AI. For dedicated audiobook listeners, losing the human touch of a real person's narration is devastating. So if you want to steer clear of AI, here's how to spot AI audiobooks in Libby.
How to spot AI audiobooks and LibbyAfter sharing the news that AI content is available on Libby, TikToker @ems.book.shelf_ also shared how to spot it within Libby. Which AI audiobooks are available will vary from library to library, so rather than provide an extensive list of AI audiobooks, you'll need to do some searching.
Total Time- 5 min
- Libby app
Step 1: Search for AI voices
In the Libby app, go to the search bar and look at two specific terms: Digital Voice and Synthesized Voice. This will display all the titles that feature AI voice narration, which is commonly referred to as either a digital or synthesized voice.
Credit: Samantha Mangino / MashableStep 2: Browse through results
Once you've searched, click into individual book listings. In each book's details, the narrator will be listed. Any books that use AI will have the narrator listed as either a 'synthesized voice' or 'digital voice.' If you're looking to avoid AI, don't borrow these books.
Credit: Samantha Mangino / MashableAI audiobooks have come to Libby; heres how to spot them
As AI creeps into nearly every realm of our world, it feels like you need to be in investigation mode all the time to sniff it out. The tension between the literary world and AI is especially present these days. ChatGPT is now a tool for creation, with writers being encouraged to use the large language model to write stories — but consumers aren't asking for it. In fact, they're asking how to avoid. Libby users have been especially keen to spot the presence of AI, which has infiltrated audiobooks in a big way.
As pointed out by user @ems.book.shelf_ on TikTok, AI audiobooks have arrived on Libby, the app that connects public library card holders with their library's e-book and audiobook collections.
This isn't the first instance of AI and Libby crossing over. On Nov. 20, 2025, Libby posted an article launching its 'Inspire Me' feature, which uses large-language-model generative artificial intelligence to recommend and suggest books to users.
The 'Inspire Me' feature is easy enough to avoid, but an underlying issue on Libby is the presence of audiobooks that are narrated by AI. For dedicated audiobook listeners, losing the human touch of a real person's narration is devastating. So if you want to steer clear of AI, here's how to spot AI audiobooks in Libby.
How to spot AI audiobooks and LibbyAfter sharing the news that AI content is available on Libby, TikToker @ems.book.shelf_ also shared how to spot it within Libby. Which AI audiobooks are available will vary from library to library, so rather than provide an extensive list of AI audiobooks, you'll need to do some searching.
Total Time- 5 min
- Libby app
Step 1: Search for AI voices
In the Libby app, go to the search bar and look at two specific terms: Digital Voice and Synthesized Voice. This will display all the titles that feature AI voice narration, which is commonly referred to as either a digital or synthesized voice.
Credit: Samantha Mangino / MashableStep 2: Browse through results
Once you've searched, click into individual book listings. In each book's details, the narrator will be listed. Any books that use AI will have the narrator listed as either a 'synthesized voice' or 'digital voice.' If you're looking to avoid AI, don't borrow these books.
Credit: Samantha Mangino / MashableSabrina Carpenter rates Seth Meyers in Christmas-themed edition of Day Drinking
Sabrina Carpenter has gone day drinking with Seth Meyers, joining the Late Night host for a Christmas-themed edition of his regular alcohol-fuelled segment. Eschewing espresso martinis for beer and Long Island iced tea, the duo began with a game of Truth or Drink, in which Meyers quickly hurt his own feelings by asking Carpenter to rate him. Apparently, seven was not the score he was hoping for.
"I thought seven was sort of giving!" Carpenter later exclaimed, defending her assessment. "Like, I thought seven was sort of like, there's room to grow! I don't know, like, I thought seven was more than five!"
Despite Carpenter's good intentions, 51-year-old Meyers did not agree with her claim that he is still growing.
"I feel like I've just met a ghost on Christmas," quipped Meyers, referencing Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. "You're like, 'I'm from the future! You're an eight!"
They also inexplicably played with red light therapy masks, attempted to make animal noises, and partook in classic Christmas games such as "unwrap alcohol while wearing oven mitts then make the other person drink it" and "drunkenly decorate Meyers like a Christmas tree while singing 'Silent Night.'"
Hurdle hints and answers for December 17, 2025
If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.
There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.
An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.
If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.
SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hintEmpty.
SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answerBLANK
Hurdle Word 2 hintUnmarried.
SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for December 17, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 AnswerUNWED
Hurdle Word 3 hintPayment receiver.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for December 17 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 17, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answerPAYEE
Hurdle Word 4 hintAnother time.
SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for December 17 Hurdle Word 4 answerAGAIN
Final Hurdle hintA predatory fish.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answerMORAY
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Disclosure Day trailer offers first look at Steven Spielbergs sci-fi alien film
The teaser trailer for Disclosure Day has been released, offering a glimpse at Steven Spielberg's upcoming sci-fi film. Ironically, Disclosure Day's teaser doesn't actually disclose all that much. What we do know is that aliens appear to be involved.
Offering more vibes than plot details, the trailer features Emily Blunt as a Kansas City weather presenter who begins making strange sounds while on air — sounds which are definitely not the weather forecast. Meanwhile, Colin Firth is wired up to a machine and appears distressed by whatever is on the screen in front of him, while Josh O'Connor is determined to give "full disclosure to the whole world, all at once." What is he disclosing? It isn't clear. However, the crop circles and extremely suspicious deer may have something to do with it.
Disclosure Day will arrive in theatres June 12.
The Pitt Season 2 trailer teases chaotic July 4 emergency room shift
HBO Max has released the official trailer for The Pitt's second season, bringing back Dr. Robby (Noah Wyle) for a fresh shift at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center. Unfortunately for him, it looks no less gruelling than the first one we saw.
Picking up 10 months on from the last season, The Pitt Season 2 takes place during a busy July 4 weekend in the emergency room. It'd be unsurprising to see some firework-related injuries, which tend to significantly increase around Independence Day. If that wasn't stressful enough, it looks as though a cyber attack will take the emergency room's computer systems offline during this shift, forcing the team to "go analogue." It seems like a perfect recipe for chaos in an already busy emergency department.
Alongside Dr. Robby, Season 2 sees the return of Dr. Langdon (Patrick Ball), nurse Dana Evans (Katherine LaNasa), Dr. Mohran (Supriya Ganesh), Dr. McKay (Fiona Dourif), Dr. King (Taylor Dearden), Dr. Santos (Isa Briones), and medical students turned interns Whitaker (Gerran Howell) and Javadi (Shabana Azeez). Also joining them will be new physician Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi (Sepideh Moafi).
The Pitt Season 2 arrives Jan. 8 on HBO Max.
Fallout Season 2, did you just pay homage to David Lynch?
There's moment in Fallout Season 2 that isn't directly an ode to the late, great David Lynch but it absolutely, 100 percent is.
In the very first episode of the second chapter, there's a fleeting scene that Twin Peaks fans might find unexpectedly heartwarming in the middle of this forsaken Wasteland. And it involves a damn fine cup of coffee.
SEE ALSO: 'Fallout 2' is full of game details. Here's a handy guide.Late in Season 2, episode 1 of the TV adaptation of Bethesda's Fallout game franchise, we meet up with former Vault 33 overseer Hank MacLean (Kyle MacLachlan) who has trudged across the Nevada desert in T-60 power armor all the way to a massive underground Vault-Tec tower. It's completely devoid of life, instead a silent shell of a pristine office building.
Plus, Hank's got over 400,000 unread messages to attend to — it's been at least 200 years since anyone's checked them. With an aim for caffeination and his golden Pip Boy strapped on, Hank makes himself a pot of coffee and takes a sip — and if you don't think MacLachlan's character is about to remark that it's a "damn fine cup of coffee," you need to watch more Twin Peaks.
Featured Video For You What tech would the 'Fallout' cast steal from the show?In this scene, MacLachlan could very well be paying tribute to his longtime friend and Twin Peaks/Blue Velvet/Dune director, who died at 78 in January this year. The actor has long been synonymous with the phrase after playing Agent Dale Cooper in Lynch's iconic mystery series. The FBI special agent insists on taking a moment for his daily brew, and giving oneself a daily present while investigating horrific crimes, preferring "two cups of good, hot black coffee" for himself.
While Hank doesn't actually utter the words despite subtle "say the line, Bart," teasing, there's definitely a smile and a pause — enough for Lynch fans to fill in the famous line themselves.
TikTok isnt banned yet: Why you have until 2026
If you're a U.S.-based TikTok user who was anxiously counting down the days until the social media app was banned on Dec. 16, 2025, then there's good news. Christmas came early — you can start counting down the days until Jan. 23 instead.
Dec. 16 was, in theory, the latest deadline for TikTok, which is owned by Chinese tech firm ByteDance, to wrap up a sale of its U.S. business. That was supposed to happen by law (the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act of 2024, if you're feeling formal) on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, 2025; in fact, there was a brief shutdown.
The deadline has been extended four times, via executive order, since the Trump administration gained power on that date. The first delay took us to April 4, 2025. On that date, another executive order gave ByteDance until June 19, 2025 to sell. Then, guess what: a June 19 executive order pushed the deadline back until Dec. 16, 2025.
In the meantime, we seem to be no closer to a TikTok sale. By multiple accounts, negotiations have become bogged down, in part because the Chinese government takes a dim view of the U.S. strong-arming one of its companies and views the deal as leverage. Not to mention that a constantly-extended deadline isn't a real deadline at all.
SEE ALSO: How to vote for the TikTok Awards 2025 — plus date, nominees, and how to watchTrump, who has repeatedly drawn attention to his own following on TikTok, may appear like he's tactically delaying the ban. But he's also keen to take credit for the possibility of a sale, and it doesn't exactly take an international diplomacy expert to see weaknesses in this game of hardball. You just have to know one of 2025's most popular political truisms: TACO.
Indeed, on Sept. 25, Trump issued another executive order directing the U.S. Attorney General to take "no action for noncompliance" against TikTok for "120 days from the date of this order" — which brings us to Jan. 23, 2026. Why? Because, Trump wrote, "a plan has been presented to me to undergo a qualified divestiture of TikTok’s United States operations."
That plan was said to involve a $14 billion sale of the U.S. arm of TikTok to a consortium including Oracle, which is led by Trump backer Larry Ellison. But no further details have materialized, and the Chinese government insists the sale isn't going ahead — leading to widespread confusion.
So will TikTok be officially banned in the U.S. on Jan. 23, 2026, 368 days after the original ban was said to go ahead? Your guess is as good as ours — but given the evidence of the past year, it probably wouldn't be wise to bet your life savings on it.
Documentary fans can get MagellanTV for just $140
TL;DR: Get a lifetime of MagellanTV subscription access for $139.97, its lowest price to date, and explore thousands of ad-free documentaries across history, science, crime, nature, and more.
Opens in a new window Credit: MagellanTV MagellanTV Documentary Streaming Service: Lifetime Subscription $139.97$999 Save $859.03 Get Deal
If you’ve run out of documentaries on mainstream platforms, consider this price drop on a MagellanTV lifetime subscription. The service specializes in documentaries across history, science, nature, crime, and space, and it’s currently available for $139.97 (reg. $999) for a limited time.
MagellanTV is dedicated to documentaries, not sitcoms or reality shows. Every section is curated for viewers who prefer learning over laugh tracks. The library features more than 4,000 films and series, with playlists focused on major events, scientific discoveries, ancient history, and true crime investigations.
Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!MagellanTV works across mobile, desktop, and most smart TVs, and supports casting with Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast, and other compatible devices. The platform is ad-free, with new documentaries added every week, making it a practical plus for viewers who go through content quickly.
If you want even more control over what you watch, MagellanTV’s built-in collections can help narrow down big topics into structured routes — like multi-part space exploration series, deep looks at ancient civilizations, or crime investigations that span decades. It’s the kind of platform that rewards curiosity, whether you’re watching occasionally or streaming something new every night.
The lifetime subscription, defined as 75 years of access, is most valuable for frequent documentary watchers, households that lean toward factual programming, or those already juggling multiple streaming services. Accounts support up to five devices, and purchasers have 30 days to redeem the code after purchase.
For viewers who have already worked through popular history and science series on mainstream platforms, MagellanTV offers a more specialized alternative for a one-time payment.
For compelling, fact-filled TV time, MagellanTV brings learning to your screen.
Sign up for MagellanTV now at its lowest price ever, $139.97 (reg. $999) for a limited time.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
OpenAI launches new ChatGPT Images tool to rival Nano Banana: How to try it
ChatGPT Images doesn’t roll off the tongue like Nano Banana, but OpenAI finally has an answer for Google's uber-popular AI image editor. The company's "new flagship image generation model" is available now in ChatGPT Images and in the API under the model name GPT Image 1.5.
OpenAI has been on a tear recently, in fact. The company, which was rumored to be in a “code red” state following the launch of Google Gemini 3, launched GPT-5.2 last week. Today, OpenAI continues its counterattack against Google’s newfound momentum in the AI space with a rather large update to ChatGPT Images, promising to generate better images, edit images more effectively, and do so more quickly.
“Whether you’re creating something from scratch or editing a photo, you’ll get the output you’re picturing,” OpenAI says in its announcement post. “It makes precise edits while keeping details intact, and generates images up to 4x faster.”
In addition to the update, which does not appear to have a catchy name like Google’s Nano Banana, OpenAI also launched a new Images tab within the ChatGPT app and browser. In addition to being a dedicated space to create images, the new ChatGPT Images also acts as a sort of discovery and brainstorming feed to give you ideas of what to create. OpenAI says that the new feature is “designed to make image generation delightful — to spark inspiration and make creative exploration effortless.”
SEE ALSO: These 6 Nano Banana Pro prompts are wild with the Gemini 3 upgradeFor general performance, the latest update seems like a refinement rather than something totally new. OpenAI says the new ChatGPT Image model will be more reliable, adhere better to user intent, and keep details more consistent across multiple outputs. That last bit has been a bit of a meme in the AI user community, and many have tried the 100x ChatGPT image trend to see what they come up with.
OpenAI’s announcement post includes the full list of updates with GPT Image 1.5, plus some impressive examples of the new image model at work.
ChatGPT Images vs. Nano BananaNano Banana is the nickname for Gemini 2.5 Flash Image, Google's AI image generator. The tool has proven remarkably capable as a fast and easy-to-use AI image editor, and as its popularity has grown, Google has integrated it into Gemini, Google Photos, Search, and Messages. So, how does the new ChatGPT Images compare?
It took all of about 10 minutes, but GPT-Image-1.5 immediately took first place on LMArena’s Text-to-Image leaderboard, bumping Nano Banana Pro to second place. However, real-world examples so far have been a little mixed.
I asked both Nano Banana and the new ChatGPT Images to edit the same photo, and received very similar results.
Using the same prompt and image, I asked both models to edit a photo of my car from nighttime to daytime.
The original image Credit: Joe HindyWhile both models earn a passing grade, Google's version looks better to my eye.
Left: The result from Nano Banana. Credit: Joe Hindy / Google Gemini Right: The result from ChatGPT Images. Credit: Joe Hindy / OpenAI How to try the new ChatGPT ImagesPer OpenAI, the update is rolling out as we speak to all users, so it should be available to try immediately. In short, all you need to do is head to ChatGPT and look for the new Images tab. You can find the tool at chatgpt.com/images. As per usual, free users will have very limited access.
The new image model is also available in the OpenAI API, and you can check the pricing on the OpenAI website. So, developers and people with their own AI tools can start using it right away.
Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.
All signs point to big laptop and smartphone price increases due to escalating memory shortage
The artificial intelligence boom has become truly unavoidable, even for those who don't use AI in their daily lives at all.
Case in point: The world of personal computers, especially laptops and smartphones.
We're in the midst of a worldwide memory shortage, due in large part to the sudden explosion of AI data centers around the world and their enormous demand for these computer components. That's sparked an ongoing shortage of crucial hardware such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM), Samsung DDR5 RAM, and SSDs. As a result, smartphone prices could rise 6.9 percent in 2026, according to a CNBC report on the memory shortage.
Now, Samsung has reportedly doubled the contract price of DDR5 memory drives. At the same time, Framework, makers of easily repairable, enthusiast-centric machines, just doubled prices on those exact components. And as suppliers hike prices on memory hardware, device manufacturers will most likely pass that cost onto consumers, experts say.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. SEE ALSO: Forget the em dash — Redditors share 6 giveaways that something was written by AISamsung is hardly the only brand affected by the memory shortage. HP has warned that it will have to raise prices on its PCs starting next year because there just isn't enough memory to go around, per our colleagues at PCMag. The same goes for Lenovo and Dell, according to PC Gamer. In fact, RAM is in such short supply that some analysts are predicting laptop makers will push more low-performance 8GB RAM laptops on consumers in 2026 out of necessity. Either way, customers lose.
Additionally, it doesn't seem like there's an end date on any of this. Despite recent fears over an AI bubble, the AI industry is hardly slowing down. The need for more data centers could be indefinite, as far as anyone can tell.
All of this is to say that if you want a new laptop or PC, or even just parts for a PC, you better get to shopping now. That DDR5 RAM you need might cost a whole lot more in just a few months.
What tech would the Fallout cast steal from the show?
From radroaches to deathclaws, there are a lot of things in Fallout that I'm happy don't exist in real life. But there are several elements of its sci-fi technology that I wouldn't mind having around for day-to-day use. Who wouldn't want a handy-dandy Pip-Boy on their wrist?
However, the cast and showrunner of Fallout have their own ideas about what technology they'd steal from the series.
SEE ALSO: 'Fallout' Season 2 review: Our introduction to New Vegas is a blast, and more relevant than everIn an interview with Mashable, Fallout co-creator and showrunner Geneva Robertson-Dworet revealed she would steal cold fusion, the revolutionary, limitless power source introduced at the end of Season 1. That technology continues to play a big role in Season 2, as the forces of the wasteland jockey to control it — and the fate of the world.
Meanwhile, Aaron Moten, who plays Brotherhood of Steel Knight Maximus, would choose an item that's very on-brand for his character: the T-60 power armor suit.
"Just for getting groceries, or walking the dog," Moten joked. "Just the simple things in life, where you want to be impervious."
Walton Goggins, who plays the Ghoul/Cooper Howard, opted for a different route entirely.
"I don't like technology, you know? A phone depresses me. I'm going to be the only person to just say nothing," Goggins said. "You can have it, you can keep it! I don't want to live in that world!"
The response sounds like it came straight from Cooper Howard's mouth. "He avoids technology for sure," Goggins said. "He's an analog guy, which I think makes him so appealing, at least to me, anyway."
To learn more about the Fallout cast's technology of choice, and their favorite Fallout creatures, check out the full video above.
Fallout Season 2 premieres Dec. 16 at 9 p.m. ET on Prime Video, with a new episode every week.
Last-minute gift idea: This DeLonghi espresso machine is on sale for under $100
SAVE $100: As of Dec. 16, the De'Longhi 15-bar manual espresso machine is on sale for only $99.95 at Amazon. That's a 50% price drop and its lowest cost to date.
Opens in a new window Credit: De'Longhi De'Longhi 15-Bar Manual Espresso Machine $99.95 at Amazon$199.95 Save $100.00 Get Deal
Most espresso machines come with major sticker shock, so finding one for under $100 is a huge deal. Whether you're looking for a last-minute gift for less than $100 or you want to treat yourself, this De'Longhi espresso maker is on sale at Amazon for its best price ever.
Typically $199.95, which is already a pretty solid price for a countertop espresso maker, the De'Longhi ECP3630 manual espresso machine is on sale for only $99.95 at Amazon as of Dec. 16. That's 50% off and the lowest price we've ever seen on this model, beating its Black Friday price by a long shot.
While it's not loaded with extra bells and whistles, this sleek and compact espresso machine will definitely get the job done. And by job, I mean pumping out piping hot quality cups of caffeine on your countertop. It's equipped with an Italian 15-bar pump, a premium adjustable frother, and adjustable controls to modify to your taste preferences. There's no major learning curve like bigger, fancier machines. Choose from single or double espresso and select your milk setting, then create your own authentic coffeehouse favorite at home.
Everyone knows a coffee addict. This could be the perfect gift for that person in your life and it won't set you back hundreds if not thousands of dollars like some espresso makers would. Less than $100 for at-home daily espresso? That's just 33 double shots of espresso at Starbucks, to put it in perspective.
The Skylight Calendar, one of our top gifts for moms and dads, is $90 off at Best Buy for one day
SAVE $90: On Dec. 16 only, the 15-inch touchscreen Skylight Calendar is on sale for $229.99 as the Best Buy drop of the day. That beats its $249.99 Black Friday price by $20 — get the rare deal in the Best Buy app.
Opens in a new window Credit: Skylight Skylight Calendar 15-inch smart touchscreen calendar and chore chart $229.99$319.99 Save $90 Find savings in the Best Buy app Get Deal
The best gift for a parent is ultimately the gift of less chaos. You could buy them AirTags, offer to watch their kids, or send them on a vacation. The ultra-helpful digital Skylight Calendar is one of Mashable's top gift ideas for moms and dads, and it's $90 off at Best Buy as the Dec. 16 drop of the day.
At $229.99 on Dec. 16 only, Best Buy's price beats the record-low $249.99 price tag we saw at Amazon during Black Friday. The 15-inch Skylight Calendar is currently full price ($319.99) at Amazon, so this near-$100 savings is rare.
You'll only see the sale price on the Best Buy mobile app (Best Buy drops don't show up in a web browser.) From there, you can add it to your cart and check out like usual. The catch is that all Best Buy drops have a limited inventory, with a live status bar keeping track of the percentage left. As of 12:15 p.m. ET, 75% inventory was left for the Skylight Calendar.
SEE ALSO: Last minute gift ideas: Save 15% on 15+ e-gift cards from Uber, Crumbl, Hulu, a ton moreSkylight can sync with Google, iCloud, Outlook, Yahoo, and Cozi calendars to streamline schedules of multiple people to one communal device. Appointments, meetings, events, weekly chores, and even grocery lists can also be added right from the Skylight app, even if something pops up while you're not home. Everything can be labeled and color-coded for each member of the household.
But busy parents aren't the sole target audience for the Skylight Calendar — it's a life hack for literally anyone with a lot going on. Mashable contributor Jae Thomas, who is a journalist and editor, a dog trainer, and who works at a kennel one day per week, instantly felt more organized after bringing a Skylight Calendar into the weekly mix.
Thomas can confirm that yes, having a central hub like the Skylight is a worthwhile upgrade over merely sharing a Google Calendar with someone. "I find myself getting little hits of dopamine when I check things off my to-do lists, and it's easier for me and my partner to stay in sync on where we'll both be during the week. I truly wish I had this when we were sharing a car — it would have saved us many arguments and miscommunications about scheduling."
Keep a cleaner house for less work with $100 off the Shark Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo
SAVE $100.01: As of Dec. 16, get the Shark Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo for $599.98, down from its usual price of $699.99 at Amazon. That's a discount of 14%.
Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Shark Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo $599.98 at Amazon$699.99 Save $100.01 Get Deal
Here's one indelible truth: No one enjoys spending all their time cleaning their floors. It's a thankless task, and it's one that always needs to be done if you want to keep a tidy house. Thankfully these days we have robot vacuums that can handle it all for you. If you're ready to offload all your cleaning tasks, you'll want to recruit these gadgets to do so.
As of Dec. 16, get the Shark Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo for $599.98, down from its usual price of $699.99 at Amazon. That's $100.01 off and a discount of 14%.
SEE ALSO: 7 gadgets to help keep your home clean, from robot vacuums to electric scrubbersThis Shark combination robot vacuum and mop can handle just about anything you ask of it. It has powerful suction for vacuuming through dirt, debris, and hair, and it can also mop up tough stains. It uses NeverStuck technology to help lift it over obstacles and across thresholds, and keeps the mopping pad held above carpets to avoid issues with getting water everywhere, too.
When your robot's reservoir is full, it can handle itself there, too, emptying its debris into a 60-day capacity bin and refilling its own water tank for up o 30 days. It also washes and dries its mopping pad afer every time it runs. That means minimal interactions with you so all you have to do is set a schedule and let it go.
With LiDAR mapping, a 3D sensor, schedule-making, and targeted cleaning options, you don't even have to figure out how best for your vacuum and mop combo to tackle messes. Just sit back, relax, and watch it go. And be glad this is no longer something you have to worry about actually doing.
The Anker Solix F2000 portable power station is on sale at Amazon for under $850, which is almost 60% off
SAVE $1,150: The Anker Solix F2000 portable power station is on sale at Amazon for $849, down from the list price of $1,999. That's a 58% discount.
Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Solix Anker Solix F2000 portable power station $849 at Amazon$1,999 Save $1,150 Get Deal
Winter officially arrives in just a few days. But you've probably already been feeling cool temps and dealing with seasonal storms. If high winds, torrential rains, or ice storms threaten a power outage, there's a better way curtail the inconvenience — a portable power station. Amazon has a great model on sale today to put you in better shape during the next outage.
As of Dec. 16, the Anker Solix F2000 portable power station is on sale for $849 at Amazon, marked down from the standard price of $1,999. That works out a massive savings of $1,150 from a 58% discount.
Anker consistently knocks it out of the park with designing portable power stations. In testing, the Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 is my all-time favorite model for moderate power needs. But if you want more power to deal with a power outage, the Solix F2000 is a great option. It packs in 2,048 Wh of power while being able to power almost all of your home's appliances. Use it to keep the refrigerator cooling, the WiFi router online, and keep small devices charged.
SEE ALSO: Take a full $1,000 off this Bluetti portable power station and two solar panelsAnker says the Solix F2000 can keep a refrigerator cooling for 10 hours, a CPAP machine on for over 32 hours or a washing machine for 1.5 hours. Plus, you can keep some lights on at home so you won't have to fumble around in the dark.
Come camping season, you can take it along to power up an air fryer, mini fridge, portable freezer, and a projector. Its telescoping handle makes it easy to bring along to the campsite. It's also an excellent addition to the worksite, powering tools like a chainsaw, drill, or yard work tools.
While it's on sale for a shocking 58% off, equip your home and camping adventures with the Anker Solix F2000. Everyone in your party will thank you for the extra power.
Need a new TV? This TCL 85-inch QLED model from 2025 is $400 off.
SAVE $400: As of Dec. 16, the TCL 85-inch T7 QLED 4K TV is on sale for only $999.97 at Amazon. That's nearly 30% off its list price of $1,399.99 and matches its Black Friday cost.
Opens in a new window Credit: TCL TCL 85-inch T7 QLED 4K TV $999.97 at Amazon$1,399.99 Save $400.02 Get Deal
From holiday movies to the Olympics to the NFL playoffs, there's plenty of excuses to snag a new TV this season. Not to mention, it's one of the best times to score a big screen for a big discount.
As of Dec. 16, you can get the TCL 85-inch T7 QLED 4K TV on sale for only $999.97. That's nearly 30% off its list price of $1,399.99 and matches its Black Friday cost, which also happens to be its lowest price on record.
TCL just launched this monstrous screen last month as part of its new T7 Series — a lineup of budget-friendly QLED TVs packed with bells and whistles. So, just know that you're getting a brand-new 2025 model that's relatively future-proof. Despite its affordable price tag, it still features quantum dot technology, a native refresh rate of 144Hz, an AI processor that automatically optimizes color, contrast and clarity, Dolby Atmos audio, and Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support. It's powered by Google TV, so you can open apps, change the channel, or launch a movie right where you left off via hands-free voice control.
The TCL T7 is also a solid pick for gamers on a budget. Besides the 144Hz refresh rate, it also features Game Accelerator 288, an Auto Game Mode that automatically enables the lowest input lag and latency, and Motion Rate 480 with MEMC Frame Insertion for the ultimate clarity.
Don't endure any more dark and blurry viewing sessions. Upgrade your TV to the 85-inch TCL T7 while it's under $1,000. If that's too much TV for you, the smaller models (55, 65, and 75 inches) are also on sale for up to 33% off.


