The 23 Best Retirement Gifts of 2023

We’ve reviewed the gifts in this guide and added a few new ones, including our top-pick mirrorless camera and a lovely watercolor set.

After someone spends years in the workforce, their transition into retirement is usually filled with joy as well as a bit of uncertainty—many retirees wonder what to do with all of their newfound free time. With that in mind, we’ve gathered our favorite retirement gifts to facilitate adventure, travel, and curiosity, and to help the person you love make the most of this new chapter and have fun along the way.

One part inspirational photo essay, one part indispensable route map, this guidebook is a go-to resource for current and aspiring road warriors.

Lushly photographed and expertly researched, The Most Scenic Drives in America is ideal for new retirees ready to cruise into the non-proverbial sunset. The one knock on the book is that it was last updated in 2012; we found the routes and primary attractions unchanged, though, and as a source of inspiration for amazing drives, it’s best in class. (Your gift recipient will of course want to do their own research for specifics like park and museum hours.) For each suggested destination, the book provides a predicted mileage, historical context, and untouristy pit stops, serving as an indispensable guide for almost anyone who hopes to see more of all 50 states, including Hawaii and Alaska. Don’t be discouraged if it lands on the coffee table at first—no doubt it will sit dog-eared and sun-bleached in the passenger seat in due time.

This sharp-edged steel and ash spade has a sturdy foot tread and a lifetime warranty.

Supervising editor Hannah Morrill first heard of the Pedigree Stainless Digging Spade With Treads mid-pandemic on British gardening legend Monty Don’s Gardener’s World. That spring, she gifted one to her partner; it has since become the most-used tool in the shed. (No surprise that Don won’t even let his friends touch it.) Though the carbon-steel edge is sharp enough for splitting unruly perennials or chopping tough roots, the spade is also sturdy enough for digging big holes and planting trees. Most important, the forged spade comes with a 25-year warranty, and if the handle gets left in the rain, your giftee can easily replace it for just $12.

Our top mirrorless camera pick has a vast lens selection, built-in stabilization, and excellent autofocus, all of which make it easy to capture great images anywhere.

For a latent photo buff yearning to be reawakened in retirement, the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV, our top-pick mirrorless camera, would be an excellent creative firestarter. A quick primer for non-photographers: Mirrorless cameras yield better images and provide more functionality than smartphone cameras do but aren’t quite as complex as DSLRs. This Olympus model offers excellent autofocus, superb stabilization, and a handy size that won’t feel too clunky for your giftee to lug around on scenic hikes. If your gift recipient is relatively tech savvy, they’ll also appreciate using the Wi-Fi functionality to transfer images to a phone for easy, instant sharing. Because this Olympus camera represents a substantial investment, it’s a great option for siblings or grandchildren looking to go in on a big group gift.

UPF 50 fabric, a 3-inch brim, and a sweatband make this model a great hat for hiking. It wrinkles when packed, but it’s one of the most breathable hats we tested.

Unassuming, yes. Essential, also yes, especially for an outdoor enthusiast—kayaker, beachgoer, forager—whose profession kept them indoors for the better part of the past few decades. The Columbia Bora Bora II Booney is our also-great sun hat for hikers pick, but its inoffensive silhouette and supreme functionality make it a slam dunk for most people. A particularly generous band of mesh makes it pleasantly breathable, and the wide, firm brim stands up to powerful rays. The hat also has two size toggles—along the crown and at the chin—so you needn’t know your gift recipient’s head size to nail a great fit. Intrepid travelers will also appreciate its excellent packability.

With unparalleled opacity, pigment, and gloss, these are the best watercolors we’ve found for all manner of amateur artists.

Painting, which prizes patience and perspective, is a wonderful pursuit in one’s later years, and the 36-color Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolors set is one of the best we’ve seen for artists of all skill levels. Made by a 115-year-old sumi-ink manufacturer in Nara, Japan, the paints are neither quite as sheer as traditional watercolors nor as thick as gouache, and as a result they’re both easy and satisfying to work with. The opacity, pigment, and gloss are so impressive, they even work well on dark paper. Complete your gift with Strathmore Watercolor Postcards and some Pentel water brush pens for a proper setup.

Not all national parks have fees. But 109 of the top ones do, and outdoor enthusiasts ages 62 and older will appreciate this pass, which waives the $10 to $20 charges for a lifetime.

If your loved one has always dreamed of seeing the Grand Canyon or has long waited to watch a geyser erupt at Yellowstone, give them a National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass. With it, they can freely enter the 109 national parks that charge a daily entrance fee—usually between $10 and $20—and bring up to three guests with them. Most parks have accessibility considerations in place, too, so your loved one can find an experience that’s just right for them. When you present your retiree with their pass, take things a step further and help them download the free National Park Service app, one of our favorite apps to get the most out of a park trip. That way they’ll be ready for their trip with interactive maps, self-guided tours, lists of amenities, and more.

Only a traditional fountain pen can provide such a satisfying feel. Though it isn’t cheap, it is more affordable than luxury pens with similar functionality.

A nice fountain pen might be less practical than a ballpoint, but it’s far more enjoyable to wield. Wirecutter’s director of photography Michael Hession has been building a fountain pen collection for about five years, and he recommends the handsome Pelikan M205 for journaling, sketching, and note-taking. “The feel is perfect,” he says. “It’s smooth with a hint of scratchy feedback—a good thing in my book.” Remember to include a bottle of ink, as the pen uses a piston filling system and arrives empty.

This sturdy if somewhat diminutive lead-crystal vase elevates a single stem with a twinkly and prismatic silhouette.

By now, your retiree probably has a handle on their decor style, but this tiny crystal vase brings a celebratory shine to any space and is sure to become an unexpected conversation piece they’ll treasure. This prismatic piece is made with lead-crystal glass that reflects and refracts light, so it picks up the colors around it—your gift recipient can try placing it near colorful books or plants to change things up. Though the vase fits in the palm of one’s hand (it’s merely 3 inches tall), it’s sturdy and just the right size to liven up a desk, an end table, or a windowsill with a single bloom or a taper candle.

Our top-pick carry-on suitcase offers the right balance of size, value, and durability. The rugged nylon siding isn’t particularly sleek, but it hides scuffs and scratches better than hard-shell models.

If your retiree plans on traveling, give them a suitcase that will protect their belongings and look nice doing so. The Travelpro Platinum Elite 21″ Expandable Spinner is our top pick for carry-on luggage, easily holding two weeks’ worth of clothes in its well-organized compartments. This suitcase has a height-adjustable handle and magnetic locking wheels, which together make it easier to maneuver than other models. And it comes with a lifetime warranty against airline damage, so it’ll surely see your gift recipient through years of adventure.

The RU22C concert uke produces a big, full, satisfying sound, plays easily, and offers a comfortable size.

Now that they have the time to dedicate to a hobby, a music-minded retiree might delight in receiving a ukulele, as these instruments are relatively inexpensive and largely considered one of the easiest to learn. While testing several with a panel of students and instructors, we determined that the Alvarez Regent Series RU22C is the best choice for new learners. It produces a clear and full sound, it feels comfortable to hold, and it looks far more expensive than it is, thanks to the careful workmanship and smoothly finished frets.

The ever-growing collection of digestible lessons from industry-spanning celebrity talent is as edifying as it is entertaining.

For retirees who are eager to master a new skill, a subscription to MasterClass gives them access to nearly 200 virtual courses taught by experts in their fields—everything from Indian cooking with Madhur Jaffrey to ballet with Misty Copeland. Billy Collins’s poetry course is a favorite of associate staff writer Ellen Airhart; other staffers have enjoyed Yotam Ottolenghi’s Middle Eastern cooking class. If you’re lucky, your gift recipient may even share what they learn throughout the course. (Ottolenghi’s garlic confit is delicious and packs up nicely to go!) MasterClass offers only one subscription plan, an annual plan, setting a rather high bar for entry; gifting the plan lowers the bar for curious learners.

Though a bread-specific Dutch oven isn’t strictly necessary, this hefty lidded pan offers extra features for seasoned bakers while reliably producing beautiful loaves.

One of our favorite tools for baking enthusiasts is the Challenger Bread Pan. Unlike a Dutch oven, which is a multipurpose tool that bakers often use, the Challenger pan was designed specifically with baking in mind and is sure to be a hit for any bread maker who is looking to up their game. The pan is made of thicker iron than most Dutch ovens are, so it’s better at absorbing and retaining heat. And its rectangular (rather than circular) cavity can accommodate loaves of more complex shapes, such as batards, demi baguettes, and boules. As Wirecutter supervising editor Ben Keough says, “If you’re hunting for a gift that will impress a bread-obsessed friend, the Challenger delivers.”

Our favorite bird feeder is sturdy and easy to clean, though the large perches accommodate bigger—and sometimes less welcome—species like grackles and blue jays.

What gardener wouldn’t like some winged company? Help your gift recipient bring on the birds with the best-built bird feeder we’ve tested, the Droll Yankees Onyx. Capable of holding many different feed types (such as cracked corn and sunflower seeds), it can help your retiree target which species they’d like to have visiting. And the tough metal components are secure enough that if the feeder ends up being frequented by squirrels, it still won’t break (though it comes with a lifetime guarantee, just in case).

Through monthly or bimonthly subscriptions, this coffee delivery service offers beans from around the world, working with regional farms to fine-tune the brews.

Whether your recently retired loved one is feeling lost without the office Keurig or just bored with their usual bean routine, a subscription to a coffee delivery service makes a fine treat. One of our favorites, Atlas Coffee Club, can expose them to beans they’re unlikely to encounter at the grocery store, since it sources from farms across the globe. Each delivery also comes with a postcard featuring interesting tidbits about that country’s coffee industry, so your retiree can learn as they brew.

True film aficionados will appreciate this ever-changing assembly of the world’s top hard-to-stream flicks.

The cinephile on your list deserves to be watching films worthy of their newfound free time. A subscription to The Criterion Channel gives them access to many of the most lauded titles ever made, spanning over 100 years of filmmaking history—and offering far more variety than they could ever hope to see on Netflix or Hulu. The channel curates its content with flair, offering groupings of films organized by guests such as Guillermo del Toro and Mira Nair, as well as creative themes like “bad vacations” and “glorious food.”

Our budget-pick watering can holds up to a half gallon of water, so it’s excellent for gardens large or small. Plus, the removable rose accessory expands the watering options.

If your recently retired loved one has a green thumb, give them a pretty vessel for watering. The Qilebi Watering Can is one of our favorite watering cans from our testing. With a half-gallon capacity and a removable pouring spout, it works for both indoor plants and outdoor gardens. The watering can has a simple design that’s cute yet unfussy, should your gift recipient choose to put it on display. And it comes in five cool colors, including mint and pastel pink.

With a large screen, a fast-enough processor, and Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard support, the 9th-gen iPad offers the features that most tablet users need.

If your retiree forfeited their computer along with leaving their job, they may be in need of a new device for browsing emails and doing some late-night shopping. We’ve been testing tablets for years, and we’ve concluded that the Apple iPad is still the best tablet out there. The 9th-generation iPad offers an unbeatable selection of apps, stellar hardware quality, long battery life, and unrivaled customer support. And though it isn’t the most up-to-date iPad available, its combination of price and performance makes it ideal for the retiree who doesn’t need the increased storage or slightly better camera of the more expensive models.

Our top-pick sunrise alarm has a more realistic red-tinted simulated sunrise and sunset than others we tested, plus excellent standard features such as a second alarm and power backup.

Without early-morning meetings to rush off to, your retiree might relish a more relaxing way to wake up. The Philips SmartSleep Wake-Up Light HF3520 is our favorite sunrise alarm clock, and it mimics the real thing: To awaken your gift recipient gently, the light gradually grows in intensity from a muted red glow to the bright white brilliance of a summer day. If they need a little more commotion to rouse them, they can also select an FM radio station or any of five mellow sounds, such as tweeting birds or lapping waves.

Our favorite ice cream maker reliably churns out rich ice cream, but the frozen insert mechanism takes a little extra planning.

If your retired loved one likes experimenting in the kitchen—or if they simply have a sweet tooth—an at-home ice cream maker makes an excellent gift. Of the seven models we’ve tested, the Cuisinart ICE-21 is our favorite. It makes consistently smooth and delicious ice cream, and the process is simple and straightforward: Just attach the frozen insert into the base, pour in the ingredients, and press the start button. It makes a smooth soft-serve-consistency ice cream in about 20 minutes—pop that in the freezer for a traditional scoop. Soon your retiree will be enjoying their frozen treat (and, hopefully, sharing it with you).

These classic sheepskin slippers are comfortable, warm, and well made, and they should last longer than cheaper shearling slippers we’ve tried.

These classic sheepskin slippers are comfortable, warm, and well made, and they should last longer than cheaper shearling slippers we’ve tried.

A pair of slippers is a thoughtful and useful gift for someone who is now spending more time at home. Wirecutter has spent years testing more than three dozen models, but none have been able to beat L.L.Bean’s Wicked Good Moccasins, which are available in men’s and women’s sizing and six color options. Made with suede shearling, they feel warm but not sweat-inducing; their tight stitching keeps them from tearing, too, and their rubber bottoms are durable enough for quick jaunts outside. And in the unlikely event they don’t hold up, L.L.Bean backs them with a one-year guarantee.

This inexpensive waffle maker produces thin, super-crispy waffles. But it has a flimsier build than some pricier models.

Leisurely breakfasts at home are a definite benefit of leaving the daily grind. Help your loved one make their meal more gourmet with the Cuisinart WMR-CA Round Classic, one of the best waffle irons out of the 30 we’ve tested since 2014. This Cuisinart model makes especially thin and crispy waffles but doesn’t take up too much space in the kitchen (it’s just a bit over 10 inches across). It makes only one waffle at a time, but if your retiree lives solo, or if they and a companion don’t have big appetites, this is the ideal model. Pair this gift with a nice bottle of maple syrup for an even more generous gesture.

This heirloom-quality investment includes hand-carved chess pieces, a mahogany and maple checkered board, and a slide-top storage box.

Whether your loved one has studied chess for years or just hopes to get into it because a grandkid is trying to learn, give them a beautiful, classic chess set. Wirecutter senior brand writer Breyden Sheldon plays on the Champion Series Chess Set made by The House of Staunton, a trusted company that provides equipment for the US Chess Championship and other big tournaments. Breyden reports that each hand-carved wooden piece comes perfectly weighted and with a soft base pad for easy placement. It’s a beautiful set to look at on display, and it also stores nicely thanks to its included slide-top box.

The most sumptuous robe we tested was also softer than any other and one of the warmest we wore. Some of our staffers have had it for years, so we know it lasts.

For plodding around in the morning with no rush to put on real clothes, nothing says “I am my own boss!” better than a cozy robe. Of the 39 models we tried during testing, the Restoration Hardware Luxury Plush Long Robe stood out as the most sumptuous of all. Its thick, smooth pile has the same texture as a stuffed animal, and in our experience it has stayed warm and soft even after 10 years of wearing. To make this an even more special gift, consider adding an embroidered monogram for about $10 more.

This article was edited by Hannah Morrill and Jennifer Hunter.

Dorie Chevlen

Dorie Chevlen is a staff writer from Youngstown, Ohio, now living in Los Angeles. She has worked as a copy editor, fact checker, and sandwich maker, but this is probably her favorite gig. Her writing has also been published in Science, Slate, and The Wall Street Journal, among others. She has been called—both flatteringly and not—“a lot.”

Hannah Morrill

Hannah Morrill is an editor on Wirecutter’s style team, spearheading the gifts and beauty sections. For the past decade, she has worked as a freelance writer and editor for publications such as Allure, Elle, and InStyle, among others. She lives in Portland, Maine, with her partner and their two children.

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