Best Gifts for Graduates 2024

Our favorite picnic backpack: the Sunflora Picnic Backpack For 4

A picnic basket is perfect for the grad in your life looking for a budget-friendly date night or just an excuse to enjoy meals al fresco. This picnic backpack is compact and organized, making it ideal for those who don't want to carry a bulky old-fashioned basket on the subway or bus. 

But don't be fooled by its compact design; it's spacious, packing four sets of silverware, napkins, plastic plates, and plastic wine glasses. After all that, it still has room for sandwiches and drinks in its insulated compartments. In our review, we especially loved that it comes with its own picnic blanket!

Our favorite manual coffee maker: Aeropress Go Travel Manual Press

If the grad you’re shopping for is heading to college, get them a dorm-friendly single-serve manual coffee maker, which makes incredible coffee without requiring electricity.

It's portable and compact, which means it can be packed into backpacks of any size. It makes a 6-ounce shot of espresso-like coffee at a time, which is full-bodied and flavorful. It can be set up anywhere, whether it's on a tiny kitchen counter or at a campsite.

A stellar cast-iron skillet: Lodge 12 Inch Cast Iron Skillet

People swear by their cast-iron cookware—for a good reason. Cast-iron pans are sturdy and forgiving and can give foods a nice sear and smoky flavors. When treated correctly, it’s cookware that’ll last a long time and bring out many memorable meals. This is why a cast-iron skillet makes a great graduation gift. If you’re feeling generous, throw in an on-theme cookbook to get them inspired.

Is your grad a newbie to cast-iron cooking? Never fear—we have a full guide to help them learn how to season, maintain, and take care of their skillets so that they'll last a long time. 

Our favorite multicooker: Instant Pot Pro

For any budding home cooks, a multicooker is a great entry point to a vast range of recipes. It normally has a number of functions, which include braising, slow cooking, pressure cooking, and sometimes even air frying. A good multicooker, like our favorite Instant Pot Pro, offers a hands-off cooking experience and won’t heat up your kitchen. 

We liked the Instant Pot Pro because it was a kitchen workhorse that made delicious meals at a touch of the button. If the grad on your list is looking for a gadget that does the majority of the work for them, a multicooker is the way to go.

Our favorite air fryer: Instant Vortex Plus 6-Qt Air Fryer

It goes without saying how popular air fryers are these days. And I'm convinced that these appliances are especially popular among 20-somethings, as my sister-in-law swears by hers. A good air fryer not only speeds up the cooking process for most foods, but it's easy to use for those who don't want the fuss.

And air fryers are good for so much more than just late-night food. Sure, they make excellent french fries, but you can also use them for toasting nuts and spices, making steaks, baking just a few cookies, and so much more.

Our favorite bento-style lunchbox: Monbento MB Square, Litchi

Get your favorite grad a bento-style lunch box so that they can skip the lunch rush at their new job (or avoid the dining hall chaos, if they're heading to college). Our favorite model offers ample space to hold a large amount of food and is leakproof. It’s microwave-safe and easy to clean, which is great for those who are always in a rush. 

It also has the advantage of a compartmentalized design, which means you can organize your dishes so that they keep separated during transportation. Its two 4-cup compartments could also be used together or individually, giving you a versatile lunchbox that could accommodate all appetites. 

Our favorite handheld cordless vacuum: Black + Decker 20V MAX Cordless Pivot Vac

A handheld cordless vacuum has many advantages over the bulky, traditional canister or upright versions. For one, it's great for tackling small to moderate messes and getting into hard-to-access areas. It can clean so many things from car seats to couches. And the storage of a handheld vacuum won't cause a headache: It's so compact that it won't take up much precious closet space!

Perfect for pet owners, our favorite handheld vacuum excelled at getting rid of dog hair from sofas and car floors. It's easy to maneuver, and its nozzle pivots more than 200 degrees, making especially hard-to-reach areas easier to clean.

Our favorite backpacking cookware set: GSI Outdoors Pinnacle Backpacker Cookset

A dedicated camping cookware set is essential to the success of any hiking trip with a backpack. If the grad on your list often posts their outdoor adventures, a camping cookware set should be on your shopping radar. As an experienced hiker would tell you, the best cookware set on the trail should be versatile, compact, and lightweight.

Our favorite set covers all three bases and has a little more to offer: nonstick coating that makes cooking and cleaning a lot easier and stability when positioned on a camping stove. Needless to say, this cookware set will put a smile on any outdoorsy person's face. (Feeling generous? Throw in some backpacking meals while you're at it.)

Our favorite personal blender: Beast Blender

If the person you're gifting goes through a ton of protein shakes, recovery drinks, and smoothies, this high-performance personal blender is perfect for them. Our winner comes with accessories that'll help them take their favorite drinks on the go, so they can bring their snack to the gym with them.

The ones we liked the most, such as the Beast Blender, can make juice shop-grade smoothies without the chunks in a matter of seconds. Plus, a personal blender is compact and won’t take up much space if the grad is sharing an apartment with roommates. 

Our favorite insulated tumbler: Stanley Quencher H2.0 Flowstate Tumbler, 40 oz

This popular insulated tumbler is everywhere—and our testing proved why. It’s convenient to use, with an all-in-one lid that has an open hole for direct sipping with a rotating plastic tab. It has a reusable straw, which fits snugly into the silicone gasket that holds the straw.

We liked carrying it around, thanks to the spacious handle with soft silicone grips, making it easy to take to class. It’s also very durable and only chipped a little after we dropped it multiple times from six feet in the air. It’s well-insulated, meaning it can keep beverages cold or hot for a long period of time. Just make sure they know how to clean it properly.