gifts they might actually want

A Gift for Every Type of Wife

Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers

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Although every wife is different, the idea behind finding a gift for them is usually the same. You want to surprise them, delight them, and make sure your gift isn’t gathering dust in the back of a cupboard in a few months. Sometimes ticking all those boxes seems almost impossible — especially if you’ve been gifting back and forth for years and the well of inspiration is running dry. Luckily, I’m on hand to help. I’ve combed the Strategist archives, perused numerous stores of note, and rummaged through my mental Rolodex of good presents to put together a list of 60 gift ideas for almost any type of wife who’s interested in just about any activity — from wives who are in marathon training, to wives who prefer to sleep in at the weekends. With budgets in mind, I’ve also organized the gifts by price, so you should find something that speaks to you.

Under $25

For the wife who eats lunch over her laptop

This electronics cleaning brush is good for getting into those hard-to-reach nooks and crannies between keys, and Strategist readers love it: It was a best seller during last November’s Black Friday sales.

For the wife who plays Wordle on hard mode

If one Wordle a day isn’t quite enough, your wife can tackle these not-too-challenging Times crosswords, recommended to us by literary critic Molly Young.

For the truly mycological wife

This teeny night light cycles between a whole rainbow of shades once plugged in, casting a soothing glow while she drifts off.

For the wife who needs a moment to herself

She’ll like these eye patches, which Paris Hilton has used for 15 years. As Hilton told us: “I wear them anytime I’m not in glam or working. On the weekend I’ll be wearing them all day long.”

For the wife who’s waiting for spring

$15

Glossier’s soft buildable blusher will give her the illusion of a springtime glow as she patiently waits for picnic weather.

For the wife who had to explain “everything showers” to you

She can store everything she needs in this wash bag, which opens almost flat.

For the wife who knows the difference between bourbon and rye

She can use these sweet, dark cherries to garnish Manhattans, old-fashioneds, or even an ice-cream sundae.

For the wife who prefers White Claw

This super-slim, super-insulated koozie will fit her spiked seltzer of choice like a glove.

For the wife with a Goodreads goal to beat

This wearable book light paired with noise-canceling headphones makes the perfect gift for the wife who snuggles up with a page-turner while you snore.

For the wife who likes things salty

Maldon Sea Salt Bucket
$15
$15

There is something so indulgent about sprinkling some crunchy Maldon sea salt over whatever it is you’re cooking. John Derian told us he has one on hand at all times.

For the wife who spruces up her takeout

If your wife likes to spruce up a takeaway pizza, then there’s “no better duo for the job” than Zab’s hot sauce, according to our kitchen and dining writer.

For the wife who’s discovered plopping…

AQUIS Wrap
$20
$20

Wives with a wash-day routine will appreciate our beauty columnist’s beloved hair turban (it reduces drying time and strengthens hair.)

… And a hair mask to use with that towel

A suitable-for-every-texture hair mask from the brand that makes our favorite conditioner.

For the wife who plunges

She’ll love this perfectly pink coffee press that Michelle Visage brews with every morning (even when she’s on tour.)

For the wife who says she doesn’t want anything

$6

A set of mother-of-pearl spoons for scooping salt (or caviar) is a truly charming gift.

For the (pet-owning) wife who’d rather cuddle with her fur baby

No fewer than three Strategist dog moms own a version of this yoga blanket, which they say is just as good for snuggling on the couch with their furry friends as it is for picnicking in the park with their human friends.

Under $50

For the wife who has an entire wardrobe of glasses

For the wife who rubs her glasses more than she wears them, this ultrasonic jewelry cleaner, which also cleans lenses, will have her seeing in 4K.

For the wife who writes her to-do list on a CVS receipt

A Hobonichi Techno planner can restore a sense of order for the wife with a snowballing to-do list. We should know — it’s made its rounds among a dozen Strategist staffers over the years.

For the wife who has her fantasy Met Gala outfit preplanned

She’ll want to plan her outfit around these celestial earrings.

For the wife who prefers visiting MOMA

This colorful little book will brighten up her coffee table and is packed with 40,000 artworks curated by art historian Ferren Gipson.

For the wife who likes to go full glam

Busy wives will appreciate that these extension-looking falsies last for up to five days (with no reapplication).

For the wife with Sephora VIB status

This pillowcase, which may already be on her wish list if she’s into skin care, is made of (skin-care-friendly) 100 percent mulberry silk. (And it’s so nice she’ll never know it was under $30.)

For the wife with a skin-care fridge

Snail mucin — yes, the slime from snails — is an ingredient your wife is sure to be eyeballing if she’s a skin-care obsessive. Non-early-bird wives will appreciate its under-eye-tackling ingredients too.

For the wife who mists

Nicole Scherzinger loves the “illuminating” effect this French face mist has on her skin.

For the wife who longs for the Amalfi Coast

While it won’t turn her kitchen into a balcony over the Tyrrhenian Sea, this moka pot that André Aciman swears by can make her morning espresso feel a bit more Italiano.

For the wife who was wearing drainpipe jeans and a skull scarf when you met

$25

Let her relive her indie-sleaze youth by flipping through this archive of unseen pictures from the aughts, including shots of rising stars like Virgil Abloh and Katy Perry.

For the wife who can’t keep a cactus alive

As well as being immortal, this LEGO centerpiece is customizable.

For the wife who has “guest” candles

This candle is a twofer: 90 hours of sandalwood to burn through and a gorgeous jar at the end.

For the wife who is mourning Jimmy Buffet

$26 for 6

Hailee Steinfeld of all people told us about these funky, stemless margarita glasses that she keeps in her home bar.

For the wife who always picks dessert over an appetizer

Her sweet treat will taste even better from these glamorous spoons designed by Miriam Mirri.

Under $100

For the wife who loves to sleep in on weekends

These pajamas are equal parts cotton and modal with a relaxed cut, but they’ll never look sloppy — even if she’s rolling out of bed in the morning.

For the wife who’s a traditionalist

Named after the town where Romeo and Juliet took place, this bouquet of roses is a sure thing of a gift (and we highly doubt any similar tragedy will befall you).

For the wife who never checks a bag

This pleasingly puffy Baggu nylon tote will squeeze perfectly beneath an airplane seat.

For the wife who always lets you take the window seat

Thanks to its unusual, upright shape, our favorite travel pillow means she can get truly comfortable on an airplane, even if she’s given you the best spot.

For the wife who hosts a weekly paint and sip

This watercolor set will keep her and her gal pals happy.

For the wife who’s a minimalist

Sleek and simple, this Swatch watch will go with anything.

For the wife who Bikrams

These stretchy tights from Lululemon won’t budge when she hits downward dog.

For the wife with a latte habit

Chinya Milk Frother
$48
$48

With three modes (hot foam, cold foam, and heated milk), the Chinya will help her to perfect her hot chocolates, matcha lattes, and frothy coffees at home.

For the wife who’s a pickler

This pickleball set is great for the wife who’s been not-so-subtly hinting she wants to get you and the kids involved.

For the wife whose mug collection has seen better days

A set of six colorful Le Creuset mugs is just the type of thing she’d never buy herself.

For the wife who is weighted-blanket-curious

It’s a good option for someone looking to dip their toe into the wide world of weighted blankets. Strategist writer Lauren Ro found it to be ideal for cuddling up with on the sofa.

For the wife who’s Team Edward

SK-II Facial Treatment Mask
$70
$70

Based on a recommendation from the set of Twilight, I recently tested the face packs our beauty columnist first wrote about back in 2017. Just one go left me feeling moisturized, dewy, and glowing.

For the wife who goes to bed by 9 p.m.

This silk mask is squishy and blocks light, so you can still scroll away as she drifts off.

For the wife who watches the Great British Baking Show

She’ll enjoy decanting her flour and sugar into these (food-safe) enamel spatterware canisters.

Under $200

For the wife who has too many books

If you’re quickly running out of bookshelf space, store her entire collection inside a Kindle which can hold thousands of titles. Also great for wives who can never wait for their new read to arrive in the mail.

For the wife who never travels light

She’ll need an appropriately capacious bag to lug around her entire ecosystem. This is one of our favorites.

For the wife who wants loungewear she can Zoom in

Eberjey The Wide Leg Pants
$124
$124

Some actually nice loungewear for the comfy — but never frumpy — wife.

For the wife who changes into her slippers as soon as she gets home

Cozy platform Uggs that are also errand appropriate.

For the wife who dreams of her own garden

Although it’s slim enough to be slotted on the kitchen counter, this Aerogarden has space for six plants.

For the wife who applied to Top Chef

We think this 15-piece knife set will prove equally as big a hit with the culinary wife as it was with our readers on Black Friday (it was one of our most clicked-on items.)

For the wife who’s training for this year’s marathon

$127

The heated rolling spool of this foot massager can soothe her aching feet before bedtime.

For the wife who has an New York Times “Cooking” subscription

Our kitchen writer Emma Wartzman calls the Made In skillet “truly a professional-grade piece of cookware.”

For the long-distance wife

The We-Vibe Sync can be used both during sex and as a “fantastic long-distance toy,” says sexual-health educator Archie Bongiovanni.

For the wife who’s a new grandma

We like this easy-to-use digital photo frame so much that we put it in our Strategist 100 — a list of the 100 items we most stand behind.

For the wife whose cacio e pepe is legendary

Each cooking enthusiast our kitchen writer interviewed about this pepper mill says “it’s worth every penny.”

Over $200

For the wife who insists vinyl sounds better

If she can’t walk past a record store without making a purchase, she’ll appreciate our best-in-class turntable, modeled after the iconic yet discontinued Technics 1200.

For the wife who reads The Strategist Beauty Brief

The Supersonic is beloved by celebrity stylists and beauty columnists due to its rapid drying time, low-heat settings, and quiet motor. It also has its own adoring fan base on Tiktok, so it’s probably already on her wishlist.

For the wife who dreams of a wine cellar

She can distinguish a Chardonnay from a Chablis with just one sip — this at-home wine fridge will allow plenty of space for her bottles of premier cru.

For the wife who volunteers at the Park Slope Food Co-Op

VegTrug Raised Planter
$203

All she needs is some outdoor space and she can finally watch her herbs, plants, and produce bloom.

For the wife who can quote every line of Legally Blonde

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
$850
$850

Reintroduce the flip phone to her life with the snap-shut-able Samsung that “everybody” asks our tech writer about.

The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best women’s jeans, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, ultra-flattering pants, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.

Every editorial product is independently selected. If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission.

Gifts for Every Type of Wife