Best Mother’s Day Gifts 2021: What To Buy Your Mom For Mother’s Day

There’s really no algorithm for maternal gift-giving being that, well, my mom is not your mom. And while your mom might adore a set of handmade coupons redeemable for dish-doing and room cleaning, my mom would certainly prefer a silk scarf or a liter of gin. In any case, Mother’s Day has long been a storied gift-giving holiday, so regardless of mom’s taste, you’d better have something up your sleeve. 

That’s where we come in. Lucky for you, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to scour the world wide web in the hopes of making Mother’s Day shopping a little easier—whether mom is near or far, 30 or 90, a wine savant or a football fan. Ahead, find all the best goods and gadgets for every category of mom out there—or at least most of them. Then, start shopping before it’s too late (May 9 is fast approaching!). 

For the Chef Mom

Galactic Spoon Rest

Price: $36
Whether this is the sort of thing mom will find extremely handy, or the sort of thing that’ll merely serve as a stovetop garnish, this ceramic spoon rest, made by independent Brooklyn-based ceramicist Brooke T. Winfrey, will make for excellent kitchen decor.

Linen Tea Towels

Price: $34
Poketo is a solid go-to brand when it comes to bringing a little vibrance into the kitchen. And these geometric-printed, cobalt blue linen tea towels are a premiere example. Now, you may be thinking “what is a tea towel”—and we can’t help you there. But we can tell you these all-purpose cloths can take on just about any rag-towel-kitchen-counter need you have.

Equal Parts “Essential” Pan

Price: $95
If mom is in need of new cookware, it’s hard to go wrong with something like this non-stick, lidded pan from Equal Parts. It’s got a chic ceramic finish, an easy-grip handle, and it’s the perfect tool for everything from sautéing to frying to oven-safe baking.

For the Wine Mom

Hudson Wilder Aita Stemless Wine Glasses

Price: $18 per glass
The wine mom is no stranger to quality glassware. But no matter how extensive her collection, it’s unlikely she has anything quite like this amber-base set from artisanal glassware brand, Hudson Wilder. Plus, they make great tumblers too—for when Wine Mom pivots to Whiskey Mom.

Martha Stoumen’s Nero d’ Avolo Rosato

Price: $35
Produced by the ever-talented Martha Stoumen, this sustainably crafted Nero d’ Avola Rosata wine has a finish that tastes like early-season strawberries and fresh rhubarb—making it the perfect hybrid indoor/outdoor wine. 

Empirical Spirits 4-Pack

Price: $45
Mom may frown upon canned wine (with good reason), but this effervescent beverage from Copenhagen purveyor Empirical Spirits is anything but low brow. True to its name, the brand produces spirits of their own variety, crafted from flavors like sour cherry, toasted birch, oolong tea, and black currant buds—which are a) delicious and b) quite a classy alternative to your traditional shower beer.  

For the Foodie Mom

Saxelby’s Cheesemonger’s Choice Selection

Price: $145
Wine Mom is certainly going to need some cheese to pair with all that vino. So why not gift her the ultimate hors d’oeuvre experience: An array of five decadent cheeses, all at peak ripeness, hand selected by the highly trained cheesemongers from Saxelby’s. Not to mention the fig and black tea jam, the sea salt and olive oil crackers, and the perfect little jar of wildflower honey.

Wear Your Snacks Bolognese Bracelet

Price: $18
It’s important to show some sartorial appreciation where it’s due, and a dreamy kitschy bracelet, hand-beaded to read “bolognese” feels like a stunning place to start. 

Basbaas Tamarind Date Sauce

Price: $12
Created by Somali chef Hawa Hassan, Basbaas sauces are beautifully jarred, exceptionally tasty Somali spreads and sauces designed after the flavors Hassan grew up eating as a child in Mogadishu. This particular tamarind date sauce will taste fantastic on anything from fresh greens to roasted pork.

The Milk Bar Sampler

Price: $52
Objectively speaking, there’s no finer way to sate a sweet tooth than with a selection of Christina Tosi’s famed Milk Bar baked goods. Think: cloyingly sweet birthday cake truffles (in two varieties), the infamous “crack pie,” and plentiful cookies. 

For the Fashion Mom

Baggu Wavy Stripe Set

Price: $36 for a set of 3
It’s time you stopped giving your mom grief about her ever-growing tote bag collection, and instead, helped her celebrate the utter versatility of the classic tote. This Mother’s Day, feed the hoard with this set of three vibrant nylon bags from Baggu.

Lazy Hype Market Bag

Price: $20
When a standard tote won’t cut it, it’s time to introduce a classic netted produce bag—which mom will surely know is this season’s hottest farmer’s market accessory. 

Dandy Del Mar Terry Cloth Pajama Romper

Price: $119
The only thing preferable to a pajama set is a pajama romper—and this zip-up number from leisure-forward fashion brand, Dandy Del Mar comes in terry cloth, which means it’s just as absurdly cozy as it is flattering. 

Entireworld Classic Matching Set

Price: $125
Are they indoor clothes? Outdoor clothes? High fashion? Lounge wear? Formal? Casual? The answer is: All of the above. This jack-of-all-trades shorts-and-button down set from Entireworld is an easy crowd-pleaser if you’re not quite sure how to nail down mom’s taste. 

Cher Micro Purse

Price: $195
When it comes to more formalized bag needs, sustainable designer Angela Roi has plenty of options in vegan leather. This micro handbag is just big enough for a book but just small enough to say “I’m going out tonight.”

For the New Mom 

Parachute Waffle Robe

Price: $119
No one deserves a high quality robe like the new mom in your life. And you can’t do better than this waffle robe, made of 100{0c50a39dd584ba5fb4b6467726ffaa15c472727d41971bd60f72623a9464340d} Turkish cotton from Parachute. If nothing else, it’ll serve as a welcome reminder that she sure as hell does not need to put pants on until she damn well pleases. 

Girlfriend Collective Crossover Bra

Price: $42
“Nursing bra” might not be the sexiest phrase available to you at the moment—but this athletic-style top from sustainable athleisure brand Girlfriend Collective might just change your mind. Designed to make nursing as easy as possible, it’s soft, stretchy, and, well, sexy. 

Oofos Recovery Shoes

Price: $75
For new moms, an indoor shoe is all but crucial—specifically one that helps with sore, swollen feet. And in the realm of comfort, there are few more glorious options than Oofos recovery shoes—which will essentially massage mom’s feet each time she stands up.

For the ‘Wellness’ Mom

Ilia Super Serum

Price: $48
This innovative tinted skin serum from trendy clean beauty brand, Ilia, doubles as a perfect, even, matte foundation and a sunscreen—so it’s pore perfecting and it’s good for your skin.

Fur Oil

Price: $46
A soothing hair and body oil is an easy crowd-pleaser in the realm of mom-forward wellness. This one from Fur is safe on sensitive skin and it won’t stain clothes. Plus, it looks cute on a vanity.

Brooklinen Super Plush Bath Towels

Price: $62
Of all the self-care options out there in the world, it still holds true that few things are quite so reliably soothing as a perfect towel. So look no further than this wildly plush, sustainable option from Brooklinen made with 100{0c50a39dd584ba5fb4b6467726ffaa15c472727d41971bd60f72623a9464340d} Turkish cotton.