Friends are the family we choose, and in the same way, your co-workers are the family selected for you by work life. Whether they are people you work with in person, over Zoom, your boss, or even a close colleague, you can show them they are unique and more than just “work friends” by giving them gifts.
These gifts can include sweet treats, desk items, or cozy slippers, all meant to brighten up their workday or workspace. After all, we spend so much time with these people.
Looking for more work-related gift ideas? Check out our suggestions for White Elephant gifts under $25, gifts for people who work from home, and gifts under $50.
Forever flowers
We love Lego plants for places that don’t get much light or for people who forget to water plants. These pink Lego Cherry Blossoms bring a cheerful and stylish look to any desk or cubicle, and they don’t need
much care—just a little dusting now and then. Plus, the 430 pieces are fun and not too hard to put together.
Jargon generator
We’ve all heard the confusing, fancy office talk like “Let’s circle back to synergistically align action items.” This clever Corporate Nonsense Generator makes fun of all that business jargon used in meetings. It’s a fun way for work friends to relax and joke about office speaking.
Happy feet
Give your coworker the gift of cozy feet and bring new meaning to the phrase “office casual.” The cotton-and-fleece Merippa Reversible House Shoes feel like cushy socks on your feet and are reversible and machine-washable. Each pair comes with stick-on grippers, which the giftee will have to apply themselves (valid to their roots; these shoes are incredibly slippery without the adhesive grippers).
Sophisticated sweets
The sparkly sour mini strawberries, shiny chocolate-covered rice puffs, and sophisticated Swedish Fish in the Bon Bon Medium Gift Box are the grown-up version of that proverbial kid’s candy shop. A favourite of Wire cutter kitchen team, this New York City shop imports high-end Swedish candies that arrive gift-ready in a chic box tied with a pretty pink ribbon. They’re also available in large and even larger gift box sizes.
Work buddy
Work-from-home desks and office cubicles can feel empty and lonely. Give your co-worker companionship in the form of Smoko, a charmingly chubby potato. Tap its round head or tummy, and this cute potato-shaped light glows softly with three brightness levels. It runs on a USB-rechargeable battery. This little potato will offer just the right blend of whimsy and usability to create a sunnier, starchier space.
Japanese snacks
When neither the fridge, the cupboard, or the vending machine entices, it’s time for a snack refresh—up their workday nosh game with a box of 22 thoughtfully chosen, individually wrapped Japanese snacks, candies, and teas. While not every item was a home run, we did love the Edamame Senbei (a salty-sweet cracker dusted with soybean powder), the freeze-dried White Strawberry injected with white chocolate, and Seaweed Tempura Setouchi Sudachi (a citrusy, salty, and earthy morsel of crisped rice clusters and seaweed). Taste preferences aside, novelty always spices up the day.
Perfect pear
This sleek pear is a glossy desk decor and office doodad organizer in a lovely marriage of form and function. It measures nine by 6 inches (about the size of your average potted plant). It neatly stashes away pens and pencils, chargers, earphones, and other small daily supplies cluttering your workmate’s desk. And if they’ve gone fully digital, with nary a physical tool in sight, it can always store a secret candy stash.
Sweet treats
Workday sweet treats aren’t just hunger soothers but also morale boosters. If you have a coworker with a sweet tooth who also loves chocolate and peanut butter (and who doesn’t? ), This Reese’s variety pack has enough candy to last a month! It has 30 packs featuring six kinds of Reese’s treats, like the classic Peanut Butter Cups, Sticks, White Creme Cups, Take 5 Bars, Pieces, and Big Cups. It may seem random, but that’s what makes it fun. You can even do a taste test with co-workers to discover their favorite types!
Decision maker
This fun 20-sided die adds a clever twist to office humor and can help lighten the mood when making decisions at work or home. It’s perfect for geeks and nerds who love design or art! Ask it a question, like “What font should I use?” and it will give you a random, funny answer (like “Not original enough”). It’s all about laughing. There are also Developer and Emoji versions available!
Fragrant olive oil
If your coworker likes to cook, they probably use olive oil. That’s why they’ll love the Graza “Sizzle” Extra Virgin Olive Oil from southern Spain. After testing 40 types and tasting 15, experts picked this as the best for its fresh tomato-like smell, grassy and peppery flavor, and rich but not heavy texture. Plus, it’s affordable, so they can easily buy more once it’s gone!
Go-anywhere charger
If your work significant other always asks the bartender to plug in their phone at happy hour, ease their low-battery woes. The Apple-certified Belkin Boost Charge Pro Portable Wireless Charger Pad with MagSafe, which has a built-in kickstand, is our top pick for the best Qi wireless charger for iPhones. In our tests, it was faster than Apple’s own MagSafe Charger.
Classy key ring
Your colleague with the stylishly appointed desk and killer work outfits would undoubtedly appreciate the quietly elegant Craighill Closed Helix Keyring. It’s the perfect size for house, car, or office keys in brass or stainless steel without being too big for your pocket. The wire folds neatly across itself, and your giftee can readily and securely add or remove keys by unscrewing the ridged endcap.
A permanent scratch pad
The Quartet Glass Dry-Erase Desktop Easel (8½ by 11 inches) helps tidy your workspace by replacing sticky notes and scratch pads. You can lay it flat or stand it up like an easel. It doesn’t stain or leave marks, comes with a dry-erase marker, and has a clip to hold bills or papers. Work-from-home expert Melanie Pinola says it feels great to clear your notes and start fresh each day!
Refined writing
The Caran d’Ache 849 Brut Rosé ballpoint pen is among our top picks. It has a matte rose-gold finish (made with real gold!) and a unique hexagonal shape. This Swiss-made pen is both stylish and comfortable to write with. And you won’t need to wrap it since the metal case makes for an excellent presentation. Do your recipient a solid and throw in a couple of refills, too.
The best travel mug
The Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug has been a favorite since 2013 (we even wrote about how much we love it!). It’s lightweight, slim enough to fit in a cup holder, and has a one-handed latch for easy opening. Plus, it keeps drinks hot for up to 10 hours—perfect for your workday and commute home.
Sweet succulents
Plants clean the air and brighten any environment, even a cubicle. The Rooted Baby Desert Box comes with three small, easy-to-care-for succulents that can sit on a desk. They’re tough to kill, even with little sunlight or dry office air. For less hassle, you can order them in terra-cotta pots for a small extra cost.
Nice spice
Don’t let your coworker suffer through boring desk lunches! The Fly By Jing Mini Sampler Set can make any meal more exciting. It comes with four small jars of bold Sichuan flavors, including numbing peppercorn, spicy chili, savory umami, and a touch of sweetness. The flavors are strong, so a little goes a long way. The 2-ounce jars are small enough for the office fridge—but your coworker might want to hide them to avoid sharing!
Neck-knot untangler
Sitting at a desk all day can leave anyone with a sore back or neck. The Thera Cane Massager is an easy and affordable way to get relief. It has six knobs that target tight muscles, and its hooked shape lets you control the pressure. Made from durable plastic, it won’t bend or break, even with your full weight. Plus, it’s flat, lightweight, and doesn’t need batteries, making it super convenient to use at home or in the office.
Organized bookends
If your Co-Workers always have a book in their bag or their bookshelves are overflowing, they’ll probably love these sleek steel bookends. This set of five comes in a rainbow or ombre gray design, with tabs at different heights to help organize books like Oscar Wilde and Ernest Hemingway. Since they’re thin, they’re also great for keeping manuals, binders, and folders neat on a small desk.
Chill out
Ice cream makes a foolproof gift for the boss you’ve known for a while and the brand-new colleague. Our kitchen team considers Ohio-based Jeni’s one of the best edible gifts you can send. This set includes Jeni’s five most popular ice cream flavors, like the fantastic Darkest Chocolate and the sweet Brambleberry Crisp. Shipping costs between $13 and $19, depending on where it’s going (maybe send it to the office so everyone can share).
A sleek sleeve
Your coworker can decorate their laptop with stickers, but a cute laptop sleeve is a more straightforward choice (especially if the computer belongs to the company). One of our favorites is from Society6, where artists put their designs on many items, so there are thousands of prints to pick from, like the line-drawn faces shown above. The sleeve is made from firm, padded polyester to protect the laptop from dust, scratches, and bumps, and it zips shut with a strong YKK zipper.
A professional backpack
Whether your coworker is commuting to the office or just going upstairs to get away from their kids, Everlane’s The ReNew Transit Backpack is one of our top picks for a laptop bag that’s both practical and stylish.
Our testers especially loved the fold-over flap’s convenience: One side is a handy pouch for essentials, and the other clasps with a satisfying magnetic closure. This bag has a water-resistant, recycled polyester exterior and is available in a handful of bright, muted tones. So, it will keep your coworkers’ laptops safe and dry, even if they accidentally spill a carafe of coffee or get caught in an afternoon sprinkle.
A daily dose of vocab
There’s something special about a tear-off daily calendar. The 365 New Words-A-Year Page-A-Day Calendar 2025 is a fun gift for a coworker who loves language or learning. Each day has a new word, its origin, and example sentences from Merriam-Webster. Staff writer Dorie Chevlen has gotten one from her mom every year for about ten years and loves it!
Mighty matcha
Sustainability editor Katie Okamoto loves Kettl, a tea company that gets its teas from small farms in Japan. She recommends the Kettl Genmaimatcha Tea Bags, which she says have a rich, fresh taste with a nice nutty flavor from roasted rice. While some matcha fans like whisking their tea, these easy tea bags are great for quick sips during a workday
Better cold brew
The OXO Compact Cold Brew Coffee Maker is a miniature version of our top-pick cold-brew coffee maker. The OXO Compact brews 16 ounces instead of 32, so it’s perfect for the at-work cold-brew friend who might also like the option of sleeping at home.
Since this coffee maker is less than 9 inches tall, you don’t have to feel bad about giving the recipient another bulky kitchen item. This small but mighty model consistently makes strong, smooth coffee that the sipper can dilute according to their needs.
A happy-go-lucky tchotchke
For the coworker who loves decorations, this little figurine will brighten up their desk or work-from-home space. Danish woodworker Hans Gustav Ehrenreich designed the Hoptimist in the 1960s as part of a movement focused on happiness. It’s sure to bring your recipient joy and even supports the Danish Hospital Clowns, a nonprofit that entertains sick children.
Hands-free carrying
Fanny packs are one of those things that are both random and useful. Chances are, most of your coworkers don’t have one but would probably like to. We love them because they free up our hands when we’re biking and spare us the annoyance of carrying a tote. The JanSport Fifth Avenue Fanny Pack, one of our fanny pack picks, is available in several colors, so you can find one to complement any ccoworker’saesthetic. It’s also roomy enough to fit sunscreen, a phone, and even a wallet.
A personalized mug
Maybe your co-worker misses your smiling face in the neighboring cubicle now that they work primarily from home. Or maybe they miss their dog now that they’re sometimes back at the officeFor a thoughtful or fun gift, consider uploading a picture onto a mug. This way, your coworker can enjoy a special memory while having their morning coffee—or use it to stop anyone from “borrowing” their mug!
We ordered custom photo mugs from two companies and found that Shutterfly’s Photo Gallery Mug had more vibrant colors and decals. It also seemed more durable overall than the one we tried from Vistaprint.
Better instant coffee
Coffee can make good times better and stressful times less so.
Depending on what your coworker needs (like, do they have kids who need their attention before they can even make coffee?), You can get them instant coffee, which they can whip up without a thought. Don’t be repelled by the concept: Instant coffee has improved a lot since the days of stale-tasting Nescafé. We taste-tested several brands, so we feel confident recommending Verve Coffee Roasters’s mild, malty coffee with a pleasant roasted scent. If your co-workers are less harried, send them regular coffee. We like Atlas Coffee Club’s choices, which are sold by the bag or even as a subscription (for the colleague you want).
Skin saver
You’d be surprised how often a good all-purpose salve comes in handy at work and beyond (and since this one comes in a two-pack, maybe you can find out). We love Lucas’ Papaw Ointment for treating itchy, cracked skin. Supervising editor Hannah Morrill noticed makeup artists often had it in their kits on celebrity photo shoots. The “papaw” in the name refers to fermented papaya, which helps lock in moisture. This salve is great for dry hands from hand sanitizer, nicks, rashes, chafing, dry lips, minor burns, or chapped cheeks.
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