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Mother’s Day is May 8th this year and that doesn’t give you much time to find something she may need or something she has no idea she’s wanted. My mom sometimes scoffs when I suggest she try a new tech gadget.
Of all the gadgets I’ve tried out in the past 5 years, the one I use the most is a Sous Vide precision cooker. Once reserved for commercial kitchens and steakhouses, these magic wands are becoming a staple in home kitchens because it makes cooking easier, save time, and the food turns out perfect every time.
These “magic wands” heat water to a precise temperature. Most, like the popular Anova sous vide cooker, come with an app that tells you what temperature to cook beef, chicken, pork, and fish (I’ve used one to make a delicious creme-brulee). Put whatever you’re cooking into an air-tight bag and drop it in a pot of water. The Sous Vide cooker circulates the water at that temperature cooking the food to that precise temperature. Meaning, it’s impossible to overcook. Once it’s done, throw it on the grill or a cast-iron skillet for a quick sear. She’ll spend less time in the kitchen and the food has never been better.
I’ve found a Sous Vide cooker is a great way to cook thick pieces of chicken breasts that are nearly impossible to cook or grill to the right temperature. If someone asks for a steak at medium-rare, set the Sous vide cooker at 125-degrees, and when you insert a meat thermometer the breast will be 125-degrees from one end to the other.
Anker’s Soundcore Frames are sunglasses with built-in Bluetooth speakers in the temple. The sound quality is surprisingly excellent. She can listen to music, and podcasts and take phone calls without needing a pair of earbuds. These are great for biking when you need to be able to hear cars or people around you while still listening to music. The frames are exchangeable if she wants to find a new style.
If mom hates tech, it’s maybe because of all the cords that need to be plugged into the wall. Ugly. I found an outlet cover with an attached power strip that’s easy to install. Plug it into the outlet and hide the power strip behind the furniture. They come with clips to hide the cable against the baseboards. No installation is required, just plug and cover.
For moms who read, Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite can replace the hard and softcover books she loves. Better than trying to read on a phone, the Paperwhite is water-resistant, and can be read in bright sunlight or in bed. If she likes library books, she can check them out and download them to the paperwhite using the Libby app. Plus, Amazon frequently offers deals on popular books that are much cheaper than buying the hardcovers.
You might still want to gift mom a digital picture frame, Bluetooth speaker (because you can never have too many), or a portable battery charger for her phone. Just don’t assume she won’t like something because she doesn’t “like tech”. Moms do, especially if they make life easier or more fun.
Ideas for some “me time”
Moms are super busy taking care of us and they seldom think of themselves. So I’ve rounded up a few gift ideas to help mom de-stress, no matter what she enjoys doing.
Mom doesn’t necessarily need a green thumb to grow flowers, vegetables, or herbs. The Aero Garden does all of the hard work. These hydroponic grow kits use seeded pods of whatever she wants to grow. The Aero Garden automatically feeds and waters the plants and provides the optimum amount of light each day.
I first used it to grow Italian herbs and the amount of Basil, Italian herbs, oregano, and thyme was impressive. Every week I needed to harvest herbs because they were growing so fast. About 3 weeks ago I replaced them with cherry tomato and jalapeño pepper pods. They’ve already come up and I should have organic salsa in a couple of months. There are pod kits for flowers, salad greens, and more.
Moms who spend time at the gym could use wireless earbuds. Apple’s AirPods are a can’t miss option, but so are the Bose Quiet Comfort earbuds that seem to cancel more noise. All she’ll hear is her favorite music or podcast.
Also for the gym mom, a fingerprint scanning lock. The Tapplock requires no need for a key or remembering a combination, just a touch to unlock. You can also choose to unlock it with a smartphone app.
Every TV should be smart and a Roku, Firestick or Chromecast allow mom to watch Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and dozens of other channels and services. If she says she wouldn’t know how to use it, I suggest the Chromecast. It puts every channel she can get on one screen and it learns what she likes to watch. She can just scroll and select, or use her voice to tell it to change channels.
Mom may need a break and you can give her some Zen with a Buddha Board. These re-usable sketch boards use water and a paintbrush. She relaxes by sketching or painting and when she’s done, the water evaporates so she can use it again, the next time she wants to take a break and relax.
Which should be right about when the board dries.