By Dan Kim
Dan Kim is a writer focused on deals, commerce, and video games. He has contributed to over 30,000 deals posts, covering most of Wirecutter's picks.
The spring term is drawing to a close, and summer is looming, but many students have only one thing in mind: graduation. Whether the new grad in your life is continuing their education or leaving academia forever, our experts have the gift ideas and recommendations for any situation or stage of life. We’ve sifted through May’s markdowns to find you nine great deals on laptops, home necessities, and other terrific gifts that really make the grade.
Here’s the deal
Home essentials
Nespresso VertuoPlus
If convenience and caffeine are your grad’s greatest coffee concerns, the Nespresso VertuoPlus is the perfect gift. With an automatic lid and single-button operation, it is effortlessly easy to use, and it can brew espressos, 5-ounce gran lungos, and standard 8-ounce cups of coffee.
Other things to know: Cups are unstable on drip tray. We didn’t love the coffee, but it was still a big step up from Keurig coffee. Uses only Nespresso Vertuo pods, which cost more than Original Nespresso pods. One-year warranty. Shipping is delayed from Walmart.
Read more: The Best Nespresso Machine
GE Profile Opal 2.0 with Side Tank and 4 Filters
Nugget ice’s soft, chewable consistency has garnered a cult following, and this countertop ice maker produced the highest-quality nugget-shaped cubes of all the models we tested. Its sleek design includes a transparent, illuminated ice reservoir and Wi-Fi connectivity, so you can program it to respond to voice commands.
Other things to know: Expensive and large. Costco membership required. Comes with four additional filters, typically selling for about $20 each. We’ve seen this ice maker sell for less, but with the addition of the filters, this deal is a great overall value.
Read more: The Best Countertop Ice Maker
Bestinnkits Smart Coffee Warmer
If your grad relies on coffee to power through classes or the workday, they’ll love this simple solution for keeping it warm. The small hot plate activates automatically when it senses the weight of a mug, and it maintains a comfortably warm drinking temperature for hours without scorching.
Buying Options
Other things to know: Works with any heat-safe mug. No temperature-control settings or smartphone connectivity (despite the name). We liked the way it performed in testing, but we can’t speak to the quality of Bestinnkits’ support. Deal price is for the yellow color; white and pink are $1 to $2 more.
Read more: The Best Gifts for Coffee Lovers
Tech
Apple AirTag (pack of four)
Help them keep track of their most important items. AirTags utilize the vast network of Apple devices to find whatever’s been lost, pinpointing its location to within inches. And since it’s easy to swap in a new battery, these trackers can be used for years.
Other things to know: Doesn’t have any way to ring a phone. Cannot attach to belongings directly. Cannot be shared with another person. Not the lowest price for a pack of four or per AirTag we’ve seen, but a decent value.
Read more: The Best Bluetooth Tracker
Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2023, 15-inch, 16 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD)
You may choose to give your grad the pricey thing they wanted or needed for their next step. While it is an expensive purchase, this MacBook can get anyone through a full day of fresh courses or job hunting, and it has the specs to get them through years of school at the next level.
Buying Options
Other things to know: A great value; we demoted this model as a pick only because Apple stopped making it. Specs include the M2 processor, 16 GB RAM, and 1 TB SSD—notably more than our recommended 8 GB RAM and 256 GB SSD. Better for more-intensive tasks.
Read more: The Best MacBooks
Lenovo Yoga 6 (13", Ryzen 7 7730U, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD)
If their OS preferences lean toward Windows over MacOS, this ultrabook offers comparable power to the MacBook above, in a slightly more portable size. The Yoga 6 offers fast performance and a long battery life, and it can transform into a tablet thanks to a 360-degree hinge.
Other things to know: Difficult to open one-handed. Nearly as good as our top Windows ultrabook pick, but its display is a bit smaller and a bit dimmer, and the webcam isn’t as high-def. Store pickup required, but may be delayed depending on location.
Read more: The Best Windows Ultrabook
Keychron K6 Compact Mechanical Keyboard
A good keyboard can make a huge difference in the comfort and speed you get when typing. We love the Keychron K6 as a starter keyboard, since it’s compact, portable, and feels better to type on than any other affordable mechanical keyboard we tested. Plus, it can connect to up to three devices via Bluetooth.
Buying Options
Other things to know: The thinner ABS keycaps feel and sound cheaper and wear out sooner. Included USB cable is too short for some desks. Is not fully programmable. Includes keycaps for Windows and Mac.
Read more: The Best Compact Mechanical Keyboards
Gift cards
$100 Instacart Gift Card (email delivery)
While we’d be crazy to recommend a grad use Instacart for all of their groceries, it’s hard to deny the service’s convenience. This is a great option if your grad is sick, studying, or otherwise unable to get groceries that day. And it can be an excellent gift option from relatives and friends.
Other things to know: Instacart charges a higher premium for delivery fees and doesn’t deliver to every zip code. Gift card is delivered via email. It is nonreturnable and nonrefundable. Costco or Sam's Club membership required for purchase. Limit of two per member.
$60 IKEA Gift Card (email delivery)
Your favorite grad will love picking out things for their new place, whether it’s another dorm room or a home. There’s a lot we love at IKEA, from storage baskets to wardrobe systems to rugs. And right now, you can buy a $50 IKEA gift card and get a $10 IKEA gift card free.
Buying Options
Other things to know: You can schedule the email delivery of the gift cards. Cards can be used at any IKEA store in person or online.
Editor’s note: The photo at the top of this article may reflect previous deals that are no longer valid and have been removed. Check out our Deals page for more great discounts on Wirecutter’s expert-approved picks.
This article was edited by Janie Campbell and Nathan Burrow.
Meet your guide
Dan Kim is a senior staff writer for the Deals Team at Wirecutter and has been covering everything related to deals since 2016. When he’s not hip-deep in the trenches combing through deals on our picks, he enjoys writing about video games, computers, gaming accessories, and tech that he can't afford.