The 37 Best Gifts for Teachers

For teachers lucky enough to have their own classroom, it can feel like a second home—perhaps one worthy of a thoughtful housewarming-type gift. In our testing, Rooted stood out as the best online shop for ordering plants (and cheerful planters) as gifts. Many of their plants would be great for teachers, including a snake plant or money plant. Both are very, very hard to kill, so they’re perfect for classroom conditions. If you can’t find your preferred plant on Rooted, we were equally impressed by Horti’s quality and convenience, though the service offers fewer gift options.

What better to brighten a teacher’s classroom than rainbows? The Kikkerland Solar Powered Rainbow Maker is one of our favorite gifts for kids, and plenty of adults love it too. It attaches to a window with a suction cup. Solar-powered gears spin a suspended crystal, which, when hit with direct sunlight, projects tiny rainbows all over the room.

These brightly colored Annovero dessert bowls have a lot going for them. They look more expensive than they are, add a splash of color to any table, and are an ideal size for an ice cream sundae. Pair them with Wirecutter’s favorite ice cream scoop or a gift card for another of our picks, Jenni’s Ice Cream, which features tantalizing flavors including Darkest Chocolate and Brambleberry Crisp.

The first time I saw a clock like this one from Loftus in my colleague’s classroom, I thought my day of needing glasses had finally come. Soon, however, some sixth graders set me straight. “The clock is backward!” they said, delighted. To this day, that clock remains one of the most stared at and beloved items at our school. It’s a guaranteed kid-pleaser, and with its quirky brainteaser roots, teachers love it, too.

Teachers will love the story (and controversy!) behind Lily’s Home Glass Galileo Thermometer. Some claim that Galileo’s thermoscope was the inspiration; others say that scientists from a Florentine academy founded by Grand Duke Ferdinand II and his brother Leopoldo deserve the credit. The liquid-filled, laboratory-grade glass tube depends on Archimedes’s principle of buoyancy to work. As the ambient air temperature changes, so does the temperature of the liquid, which affects its density. This causes the counterweighted liquid-filled glass bubbles suspended inside the tube to rise or fall. The air temperature (stamped on the counterweight) is usually indicated by the ball floating in the lowest position in the top half of the cylinder. The thermometer is most accurate between 64 degrees and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, making it a great indoor gift for curious, inquiry-loving classrooms.

This gorgeous puzzle, perfect for an English teacher or avid reader, features over 60 titles by authors who are Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC). Bookworms won’t be able to resist the urge to complete the puzzle to see how many they’ve read (titles include Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer; The Fire Next Time, by James Baldwin; The Poet X, by Elizabeth Acevedo; and Interior Chinatown, by Charles Yu). In addition to the high-quality pieces and beautiful graphics, the charming and unusual book-shaped box eliminates the need for any additional gift wrap.

Every teacher has them: the students who finish their classwork early. Keeping them busy can be a challenge, but with Small Fish Metal and Wood Brain Teaser Puzzles, hands and minds will stay occupied while the rest of the class finishes up. The pack comes with three wooden and nine metal puzzles, each one challenging in a different way. Plus, they all fit into a handy fabric bag that makes delivering them to an antsy student (or taking them home to solve) a breeze.

Unlike people in many other jobs, teachers generally aren’t given business cards, stationery, or anything else embossed with their names. That’s why I’m grateful for the personalized notepad a parent gave me a few years back. It makes me feel like a professional. The Shutterfly Bordered List 5x7 Notepad is attractive, affordable, and perfect for writing quick notes to send home with students. For more formal correspondence, this personalized stationery set from Rifle is a luxurious choice.

Embossed pencils are another simple yet personalized gift. If a student decides to accidentally abscond with one, their teacher can spot it (you’d be amazed how often this happens). The fluorescent ones I ordered from Oriental Trading Company are inexpensive, and my name is clear and easy to read. I also like the bright colors—they’d stand out in a kid’s pencil box from the usual yellow variety.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that no matter how old students are, be it 5 or 15, they love stickers. Teachers do too. Star Student Personalized Teacher Stickers come adorned with a teacher’s name and encouraging sayings. They’re also available in apple and pencil designs.

Personalized stamps or bookplates make for thoughtful, unexpected gifts for teachers with their own classroom library (or to use on their books at home). I’ve had the GlitterPuff Custom Self-Inking Stamp for four years, and it still works well. The satisfaction of stamping a book guarantees that I can always find a volunteer when I need help in my library. For more intricate designs, Oiseaux makes personalized bookplates in a host of designs, including a teacher cat and wise owl. Felix Doolittle also has a lovely collection of bookplates, with a cleaner, more contemporary look.

If it’s the last day of school and you’re empty-handed, pop into your local big-box or office-supply store, grab a set of Expo Low-Odor Dry-Erase Markers, and wrap them up. Teachers covet them. If you’re feeling extra-generous, you could fill a gift bag with stand-out staples, like this super pack of Post-its and a set of high-quality pencils or pens.

And for a unique but useful gift, Dowling Magnets Adhesive Magnet Tape is a fly-below-the-radar school supply that will make any teacher who likes to decorate very happy. It may look like Scotch tape, but it’s actually a thin, adhesive magnet tape. Once a strip has been placed on a wall, a second piece stuck to whatever you want to hang will magnetize to it. It’s an unexpected treat that makes showing off student work and other wall art a snap.

There are stationery lovers and then there are stationery lovers. A set of 12 Palomino Blackwing 602 pencils, the upgrade pick in our guide to pencils, will delight any aficionado who prefers a smaller set of higher-quality pencils over the neon colors and personalization of the 72-pack of Oriental Trading Personalized Neon Solid Color Pencils. As for pens, if your teacher is a pen nerd, this journaling set of Zebra gel pens and highlighters, which includes both, is a fun choice. We recommend the highlighters in our guide to the best birthday party favors (we also have a full guide to more traditional pens).

Field Notes Original Kraft Memo Books are sized to keep in a pocket or purse for whenever inspiration strikes. They come in packs of three, making them an economical option when you have multiple gifts to give. Break up the pack, pair each with a pen of your choosing, and you’ve got a lovely, inexpensive gift for multiple teachers on your list. We also recommend an array of memorable notepads and journals in our guide to notebooks.

The MoMA Design Store Acorn Vase and Ilex Studio Avocado Vase are like little science lessons. Place a seed (not included) in the small chamber at the top of the vase, and then watch as it slowly begins to root and sprout. The vases are available in multiple colors and made with a sturdy, temperature-resistant borosilicate glass—so they won’t shatter if accidentally knocked over by a curious, eager student.

The 756 pieces of the Lego Flower Bouquet blossom into an engaging project and cheerful decor. Whether a teacher displays them at home or in the classroom, this arrangement will never wilt. Lego offers several botanical options, from cheerful sunflowers to a dramatic bird of paradise.

If there’s one thing teachers tend to agree on, it’s that they have plenty of ceramic mugs. But with schools replacing water fountains with eco-friendly bottle fillers, water bottles are more necessary than ever. The Takeya Actives Insulated Water Bottle, a pick in our guide to the best water bottles, has a wide mouth to easily add ice, and the spout lid locks in place after you flip it open. The silicone boot comes standard and prevents the bottle from slipping or making noise when placed on a hard surface, and it proved to be leak-free in our tests. All this combined with the option to add personalization through text and graphics (zodiac signs, anyone?) moves it squarely into the good gift category, especially for teachers (like me) who leave their water bottles behind in the most unexpected places. With the personalization, there’s a better-than-average chance it won’t end up in the lost and found.

Whether it’s shared in the school's staff room or not, a bag of beans or a gift card from a local coffee house is a lovely gesture. For something more novel, or if you prefer to buy online, MistoBox spotlights small-batch roasters and offers build-your-own gift boxes that can be mailed. And Intelligentsia Classics offers flexible, easy-to-modify coffee deliveries. Both are among our favorite coffee subscriptions.

Looking for a practical gift that will make the entire faculty and staff happy? Consider coordinating with other parents to replace a school’s aging or ho-hum coffeemaker with a superior model, like one from our guide to the best coffeemakers. Or simply restock the teacher’s lounge with fancy teas, coffee, sugars, and creamers. And consider pairing any coffee gift with this printable Thanks a Latte gift tag, fashioned to look like a miniature Starbucks cup. As a present for his kids’ teachers, Carlos Maldonado, a Wirecutter senior web producer (and former high school tech teacher), has attached the printed tags to paper coffee cups with gift cards inside.

When my schedule precludes me from sneaking to the teacher’s lounge for a much-needed caffeine hit, I use an insulated mug to keep my coffee warm as I nurse it through the day. The Stanley Classic Trigger-Action Travel Mug, which we recommend for drivers in our guide to the best travel mugs, is a great choice. Available in a wide range of colors, it keeps beverages hot for up to 10 hours and cold for around seven. Throw some ice in there and the mug delivers a whopping 30 hours of icy cold goodness. It comes with a lifetime guarantee.

Teachers lug around a lot of stuff, and the cream-colored canvas Lands’ End tote can handle most of it. This bag, which comes in sizes from small to extra-large, has a boxy structure, with interior and exterior pockets. The large bag can fit a laptop, books, folders, chargers, and more. Plus, you can pick from upwards of 12 strap colors, and the bag can be personalized. A pick in our guide to the best tote bags, the iconic and ultra-durable L.L.Bean Boat and Tote (sizes small to extra-large) is similar, but it lacks the pockets that make the Lands’ End bag so practical for teachers.

For something a little more fun, consider a Maptote Grocery Tote. These reusable bags are designed and sewn in Brooklyn, New York, and they feature hand-drawn maps of locations all over the US and beyond, so you can choose a place your teacher loves. Toss in some fun snacks, a bottle of sparkling water, and maybe some nice chopsticks, or this To-Go Ware bamboo utensil set (which my daughter got as a gift years ago and has held up well to frequent dishwashing). Now you’ve got a ready-made picnic.

So many teachers are undercover music lovers, and many share their love with their students. Others have made it their life’s work. If this sounds like a teacher you know, these Music Playing Cards might be an ideal gift. Each suit represents a different genre: pop, rock, country/folk, and R&B/soul/blues. Individual cards spotlight artists ranging from Taylor Swift and Beyoncé to Bob Dylan, Hank Williams, and Prince.

Teachers can use wireless speakers to pipe in music—or podcasts, or audio stories, or their students’ favorite beats. (Plus whatever else they feel like unwinding to during some well-deserved breaks.) The Tribit XSound Go, the budget pick in our guide to the best portable bluetooth speakers, is clear and loud (and waterproof, in case of spills). If you’re pooling with other parents for a more substantial group gift, both the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3, our top pick, and the W-King X10, our upgrade pick, offer superior sound quality. All three speaker options are compact, so they can fit seamlessly on a classroom desk or bookshelf; when school is dismissed, teachers can easily tuck the portable speaker in their bag and enjoy their favorite music at home.

If your teacher doesn’t have their own classroom, consider giving them a portable device charger, which can be a lifesaver for teachers who are on the move from classroom to classroom all day long. The Zendure SuperMini 20W, a former top pick in our guide to the best portable chargers and power banks, is still a great option if you’re looking for something reliable, compact, and available in several colors. Like our current top pick, the Belkin Boost Charge Plus 10K portable charger, the Zendure has enough juice to charge most phones three times. The Belkin has rounded edges that make it easy to slip into a pocket and built-in Lightning and USB-C cables, but it only comes in black and is significantly pricier than the Zendure.

If you’re looking for ways to honor everybody from the support staff to the custodians, individual chocolate bars, tied with a pretty ribbon and a note from your family, are a great budget choice. Tony’s Chocolonely chocolate bars are hefty and sumptuous. Bonus: You can even design a custom wrapper for the Tony’s Chocoloney bars online. They’re often available at grocery stores, too. Chocolove bars are also delicious, come in a wide variety of flavors, and are available in bulk from the company’s website and at grocery stores nationwide.

It’s hard to go wrong with a special sweet gift. For something luxurious, consider the Recchiuti Confections Black Box, the all-around favorite in our guide to the best boxed chocolates. Packaged in a sleek matte box, this assortment is memorable and intriguing, with adventurous flavors such as Tarragon Grapefruit and Star Anise and Pink Peppercorn. Treating a bigger group? Recchiuti’s much larger Sharing Box, one of our picks for the best gift baskets, should be a hit in the teachers’ lounge. If allergies are a concern or you want to avoid chocolates made with animal products, our vegan pick from Amore di Mona contains no dairy, gluten, soy, tree nuts, or peanuts.

Classroom libraries are a labor of love. They’re also expensive to maintain, and many teachers fund them out of their own pockets. That’s why most have a favorite online bargain bookseller. Mine is betterworldbooks.com. In addition to maintaining an impressive selection of new and used titles, the company says it has donated over 38 million books and $35 million to literacy and nonprofit agencies (for example, The Prison Book Program), as well as libraries. Another great choice is bookshop.org, which distributes a percentage of its overall profits to independent booksellers. You can also use the site to find and order books from indie bookstores nationwide, with 100% of the profit going to that specific store. Gift cards at both sites start at $10.

Every teacher I talked to loves a gift card. But it’s a shame to waste your money on a card that will never get used (I still have some Jamba Juice cards in my desk drawer that are at least 10 years old). Here’s where a little sleuthing will pay off: Ask your kids what their teachers like to do. Chances are they’ll be able to tell you whether a teacher loves to go to the movies, lives for the outdoors, eats out a lot (or doesn’t), or has another favorite hobby. For a teacher who can't wait to hit the trails on the weekend, a gift card from REI may feel extra-thoughtful, while a card from Home Depot or a beloved local hardware store could be perfect for the home woodworker.

The most generic option (but maybe the most appreciated) is an Amazon gift card, or a card from Visa, MasterCard, or American Express, all of which are accepted nearly everywhere that takes debit cards. One downside is that purchasing fees for many of these cards start at $3.95 for a $25 card and increase with the amount of the card. And know that not all gift cards are created equal. Make sure the card states “No Fees After Purchase.” Most cards sold at grocery stores and places like Walmart, Target, and Amazon fit this bill, but those sold through banks sometimes have unexpected fees. Finally, be aware that some schools and districts limit the value of gifts that teachers can accept. To avoid the awkwardness of the recipient needing to return a gift, check your school’s rules in advance.

Resort Pass enables recipients to purchase day passes to pools and spas at over 1,300 hotels worldwide, meaning that teachers can treat themselves close to home or while traveling. Access varies depending on the hotel and can range from the basic pool area to reserved, luxury, multi-person cabanas. Experiences start at around $20 based on location and luxury rating.

Ellen Lee contributed reporting. This article was edited by Amy Miller Kravetz and Kalee Thompson.