Fashion & Beauty

15 ‘Things’ Actually Worth the Splurge from Oprah’s Favorite Things List, According to Our Editors

From the Beats x Kim Kardashian headphones, to a cold brew-making coffee machine, these are our picks for what you should actually be gifting from the media maven’s holiday recommendations

Bose is best known for its top-of-the-line active noise canceling, but this year it was their innovatively-designed Ultra Open Earbuds that made Oprah’s Favorite Things list. Instead of over-the-ear hooks, these earbuds have a flexible band that clips behind the ear, and the earbuds don’t sit in the ear canal. But they stand out from other tech gifts on the list because the comfort and convenience of the open-ear shape keeps you aware of your surroundings, without compromising on the top-notch sound quality Bose is known for.

Stylish headwear brand Dungeon Forward was founded by David Castro, whose creative journey started when he was an architecture student at Florida A&M University. Wanting to reinvent the look of average streetwear, he first launched in 2008 with a multi-colored expression of hats, caps, and accessories. Now Dungeon Forward’s “The Yard” collegiate collection features hats from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, with 41 HBCUs a part of their growing catalog. This is the gift that gives back, too — every purchase directly contributes to scholarships for current and future HBCU students.

The TV host (and foodie) chose Truff once again to make the list, this year for their gourmet hot sauce Holiday Gift Set, and for good reason. This gift box gets you their Jalapeño Lime Hot Sauce bottle — with a fresh and mild fusion of green jalapeños and tangy lime — and the Habanero Hot Sauce, which brings “full-throttle heat” with a rich blend of chili peppers and red habaneros. Both bottles have an umami base of black winter truffles, and both are great for cooking, as a salad dressing, marinade, dip and countless other uses.

As far as smart glasses go, the Ray-Ban Meta are as sleek as they come. Despite the promises of many tech-packed spectacles of the past, the Ray-Ban Meta have the ability to take 12 MP photos and videos up to three minutes on the fly in a way that feels both accessible and fashionable (and less obtrusive than holding up a phone during an artist’s set). They also have five built-in microphones and open-ear speakers, letting you make calls and listen to music without headphones when the concert’s over.

Forget the Stanley cup — Oprah’s favorite water tumbler is this 3-in-1 Litflask Smart bottle, which doesn’t just hold your favorite bevvies, but packs in a built-in, high-quality Bluetooth speaker and a 5000 mAh portable charger, too. The 20-ounce bottle is made from stainless steel and keeps drinks hot for up to five hours and cold for up to 12 hours. But this high-tech hydration carrier also comes with a built-in microphone so you can take hands-free calls on your walks, and an LED light to keep the party going at your campground or on the beach. Oprah even recommends buying more than one: “because the speakers connect, you’ll have an exceptional surround-sound experience at your next gathering.”

Few audio companies deliver consistently good design and performance quite like Beats (formerly Beats by Dre). Oprah’s list includes this reimagined pair of Beats Studio Pro headphones in three quintessentially-Kim K colors: Moon (light), Dune (medium), and Earth (deep). Just like Kardashian’s clothing brand, SKIMS, the Beats x Kim Special Edition Studio Pro headphones are practically begging to be gifted with modernized with minimalist colors, but still come with the same Beats features we know and love — noise cancellation tech, “spatial audio” for a more immersive listening experience, and up to 40 hours of battery life on a single charge.

The crème de la crème of home espresso machines, De’Longhi’s Eletta Explore is absolutely worth the splurge this holiday season. It offers a whopping 50+ different options and customizable settings all from a sleek panoramic touchscreen. From classic black coffee and single shots to iced lattes topped with the perfect amount of cold foam, this luxe, automated appliance really puts the power to create barista-level beverages at the touch of a button. Its specialized cold-extraction process even delivers the optimal flavor for cold brew in under three minutes. Simple and intuitive, consider it a compact café just for your counter.

An easy gift for the jet-setter in your life is a travel pillow, and this pick elevates the classic horseshoe-shaped design into something that can be compressed for those trips when you’ve decidedly over-packed. Oprah’s a fan of Pixie Mood’s because “unlike other travel pillows, this folds down into a small silicone carrying case to keep it clean while you’re on the go.” We like that it’s lightweight, but still made from memory foam that’ll comfortably support you without straining your neck.

Design-minded R&R seekers can rest easy with this essential oil diffuser by Aromatech. Not only did this make Oprah’s Favorite Things list for 2024, but the sleek silhouette looks handsome on anyone’s nightstand or coffee table. The best part? You can schedule it to turn on from your phone (as well as adjust the level of fragrance), which means that when you walk through the door, your home will smell like that aah feeling of stepping into a spa lobby. The matte ceramic cover also brings a touch of luxury to rooms of any decor styles (it’s available in multiple colors).

“Let the de-stressing begin.” Therabody (formerly Theragun) practically invented the massage gun, and they’ve stayed ahead of the competition ever since. Their newest offering that’s made the “Favorite Things” list this year is the Theragun Prime Plus, which adds a new element to the mix — heat. The advanced massage gun uses heated percussive therapy to speed up recovery or help you warm up before action. Whether you’ve got tight calves, or sore arms, it also comes with four different attachments for any type of massage your muscles crave.

One of Oprah’s goals for this year’s list was to highlight more Black-owned brands, and Loved01 is a perfect example of that. Founded by John Legend, his goal was to create a bodycare brand for melanin-rich skin that felt luxurious without breaking the bank — and this nourishing hand soap and lotion bundle definitely checks off those boxes for us. We’re big into splurging on scene-y hand wash (WSJ once called soaps the new “prestige candle“), and these formulas are lightly-scented with soft lavender notes, not to mention full of Rosehip and Sea Buckthorn oils that deeply moisturize.

Yes, you can ice cream that. That, too. Your gift recipient is never more than three steps away from making pretty much any creamy treat their heart desires with the Ninja Creami Deluxe: simply prepare your base, freeze overnight, process, and enjoy. There’s no need to be a chef or a dairy expert to understand how it works (the paddle and downward pressure finely shaves and transforms ice particles into delicious treats), just that it’ll be a snap to make everything from ice cream and sorbet, to slushies and Italian ices.

Cozy gifts are always appreciated and will almost certainly get used, and this sweater-inspired knit clog features an insole cushioned with gel-infused memory foam for a cloud-like feeling on your feet that makes it extra cozy. Better yet, these lightweight slippers actively regulate temperature, so your feet will stay dry all day long. Snag a pair of these and, as Oprah says, “you’ve just delivered relaxation-in-a-box to your nearest and dearest.”

This year, give the gift of rare coffees from around the world, with every sip like a new stamp in your flavor passport. According to Oprah, the Miami-based behind this whole-bean coffee set “curated each of the single-origin light, medium, and dark roasts from around the world. Home baristas will rejoice.” Whether you’re a fan of a delicate, fruitier light roast, or the bold intensity of a dark roast, this Explorer Box has something for every java enthusiast. Even better yet, Uncharted Coffee’s beans are sourced from farms that use sustainable growing methods, support fair wages, and preserve ecosystems for future generations.

Everyone loves lighting up an excellent-smelling candle, but if you’re gifting one, it needs to be able to stand on its own. One of the chicest picks on Oprah’s Favorite Things list for 2024, this company’s small-batch candles are all made with natural earth pigments sourced from Morocco, France, and the U.S. Each artisanal candle is presented in a beautiful, hand-cast cement vessel and has a burn time of up to 90 hours. Inspired by the opulent gardens of Marie-Antoinette at the Chateau De Versailles, this “Bone No. 2” candle is Oprah’s top pick and features notes of rose, black pepper, violet, and guaiacwood.

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