25 Best Cool Gifts People Can't Stop Showing Off

This is the gift that gets the biggest reaction on the list. A 3D-printed moon, made from a scan of the real lunar surface, floats and slowly turns above its base, glowing in any of 16 colours. It is as good on a teenager's desk as it is on a grown-up's bookshelf, and it is our top pick for anyone who loves space or simply loves a good conversation piece.

A globe hanging in mid-air and spinning on its own looks like a magic trick every time someone walks past. The LED frame cycles through seven colours, so it doubles as a lamp. It suits travellers, geography nerds and anyone who likes gadgets with a little theatre.

For someone who has always wanted to see the northern lights, this projects slow-moving aurora waves and stars across the bedroom ceiling. White noise and a Bluetooth speaker are built in, so it can replace a separate sleep-sound machine as well as a night light.

Plasma balls never stop being fun: touch the glass and purple lightning races to your fingertips. This one also pulses along to music, so it works as a retro mood lamp in a gaming setup or student bedroom.

A little cloud that rains onto a glowing mushroom is the coolest-looking humidifier you will find. It adds moisture to dry winter air, the drip sound helps with sleep, and the soft colour light means it can live on a desk or nightstand.

A Galileo thermometer is the perfect mix of science and decoration. Coloured glass spheres rise and fall as the room warms and cools, and the lowest floating tag tells you the temperature. It needs no batteries, it works for decades, and at under $30 it is our mid-price top pick for a gift that is clever and beautiful at the same time.

Ferrofluid is liquid that behaves like it is alive. Move the two magnets around this sealed bottle and the black fluid spikes, climbs the glass and forms shapes that look like sculpture. It is the desk toy everyone at the office will want a turn with.

The click-clack of a Newton's cradle is oddly calming during a long workday. This large seven-ball version keeps swinging for well over 50 seconds and is noticeably more substantial than the cheap ones. It makes a satisfying gift for a physics fan, an engineer or someone with a new home office.

Seeing the periodic table with actual samples of 83 elements is far more interesting than a poster on a classroom wall. Each tiny piece of metal, crystal or powder is sealed in clear acrylic, so a chemistry fan can finally see what gallium or bismuth looks like.

Flip this frame and coloured sand slowly settles into a new underwater landscape, with layered hills and ridges that never repeat. It is a few minutes of calm on a busy desk, and a good gift for someone who needs a reason to look away from the screen.

LEGO Botanicals are cool for grown-ups because the finished build looks like proper decor. These water lilies take an evening to put together and then sit in a shallow dish or on a shelf, never needing water. Ideal for the plant lover who keeps killing real ones.

UGEARS kits are laser-cut wooden models that clip together without glue and actually move once finished. The clock tower is a satisfying weekend project for an adult who likes making things with their hands, and the result looks far more expensive than it is.

This nearly 1,000-piece brick set builds a solar system whose planets turn around a glowing sun. It is a big build for a space-loving teen or adult, and it ends up as a moving display piece rather than a model that gathers dust in a box.

Once someone picks up a solid aluminium infinity cube, they tend not to put it down. It folds endlessly and almost silently, so it works in meetings and on calls. Far nicer to hold than the plastic versions, and a smart gift for an anxious fidgeter.

For anyone who learned to solve a Rubik's Cube and wants to get faster, the official magnetic speed cube is the right next step. The magnets snap each layer into place, so turns are quicker and more controlled than on the classic cube.

A walnut and maple chess set with magnetic pieces is good-looking enough to leave on the coffee table and practical enough to take on a trip. The board folds to hold the pieces, and the magnets keep a game going on a train or in a tent.

The Ember mug solves a problem every coffee and tea drinker has: the drink going cold while they are busy. Set the temperature on the dial or in the app and it holds there for up to three hours with the lid on. It is a splurge, but it is used every single day, which is why it is our premium top pick for the person who has everything.

The Rocketbook is a notebook with a trick: scan the page with your phone, send it to Google Drive or email, then wipe it clean and write again. It is a great gift for students, list-makers and anyone whose desk is covered in half-used notepads.

A mini projector turns a bare bedroom wall or a sheet in the garden into a big screen. This one has Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth and built-in streaming apps, so it does not need a laptop plugged in. It is a cool way to make a dorm or first apartment feel like a home cinema.

Instant photos are still the most fun thing to pass around at a party. The Instax Mini 12 handles exposure automatically, so every shot comes out bright, and the prints make great fridge and wall decor. Add a pack or two of film, which is sold separately.

A tabletop fire pit gives a balcony or small patio a campfire without the smoke. It is perfect for toasting marshmallows on a cool evening, and the carry bag means it can go camping too. A cool gift for anyone who loves being outdoors after dark.

This electric s'mores maker brings campfire treats to the kitchen table with no flames at all. Four trays hold the crackers, chocolate and marshmallows, which makes it a fun pick for a family game night or a dorm room that cannot have candles.

A big hourglass that runs for a full hour has a certain old-world cool. It looks great on a bookshelf, and plenty of people use it as a focus timer: flip it, work until the sand runs out, then take a break.

Cut from black vinyl in the shape of a record, this clock is a cool way to decorate a music room, studio or den. It arrives assembled, runs quietly on one AA battery, and suits the friend whose record collection takes up a whole wall.

Four little astronauts in shimmering gradient finishes can sit on a monitor, hang off a bookshelf or explore a houseplant. They are a fun, inexpensive way to give a desk some personality, and space fans love them.