Mother’s Day is exactly a month away, and if you haven’t locked down a gift yet don’t worry — see below for a round-up of the perfect items for home or travel to gift, at any budget, even the most discerning mum.
Kilne Everything Pan ($140)
Instead of having multiple pieces of cookware for different uses in the kitchen, wouldn’t it be nice to help your mother consolidate a few of those and save some much-needed counter space? The Everything Pan by Canadian company Kilne lets home chefs do just that. Possessing a minimalistic aesthetic and a non-toxic and non-stick ceramic coating (the latter also aids the heating and cleaning process) the 2.6-litre capacity and complementary self-basting lid is great for boiling up noodles then cooking sauce all in one go, for example.
Sustainably made in Italy, the Everything Pan comes in three timeless matte colours: Sage green, Peppercorn black and Meringue white. Measures 11 inches in diameter, is dishwasher safe and compatible on electric, gas and induction stovetops.
Amazon Kindle ($129)
Now in its 11th generation, the Kindle emerges in its most portable and easiest to read form yet. Boasting 300 ppi of resolution — over twice as many pixels than the previous version — in a slim 157.8 x 108.6 x 8.0-millimetre housing weighing a mere 158 grams, text and images are noticeably sharper. The larger 16 GB memory is rated to hold thousands of books and an upgraded battery means a full charge, which takes about four hours via USB-C, typically lasts around six weeks.
Versatility is one of the best features of the latest Kindle. The screen does a great job mimicking real paper and is not fazed by bright sunlight, and a dark mode, along with an adjustable front LED light, makes night operation a pleasant experience.
Amazon Kindle Scribe ($509)
Amazon has released a new product for the journalers out there as well — meet the Kindle Scribe. The first model designed for both reading and writing, the 10.2-inch display utilizes eyestrain-reducing Paperwhite technology and bundles a basic magnetic pen so users are able to annotate directly on book pages, or jot down anything in a number of notebook templates like the day’s thoughts and to-do lists. Documents may also be imported through the Kindle mobile app and then marked up.
The unique silky surface of the Scribe allows the stylus to glide effortless across while writing, and the recycled aluminum body feels solid but not too heavy. A premium pen ($79.99) adds a digital eraser and customizable shortcut button. Battery life is quite amazing and can last up to three months before needing a top-up Currently sold in a Tungsten grey colour three storage options are available including 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB.
Porsche 75th Anniversary: Expect the Unexpected ($80)
For the classic and modern sports car enthusiast matriarchs of the family, Porsche 75th Anniversary: Expect the Unexpected is the ideal coffee table title. Written by Randy Leffingwell and created in partnership with the German luxury automaker, the hardcover packs 256 pages and 300 images — many from the official archive — of legendary vehicles such as the original 1948 to 1951 Gmünd Coupé, all the way up to the contemporary 911, Cayenne, Panamera and Taycan EV.
Diving beyond the models, the author and brand expert Leffingwell speaks to key figures throughout Porsche’s history who recount stories in colourful detail. And of course, given the pedigree there’s plenty of race talk and stats.
Wacaco Exagram ($52.90)
True javaphiles know the value of a good coffee scale helping dial in just the right amount of grounds to achieve a proper extraction. The features of the recently-launched Wacaco Exagram are many: built-in tare function automatically subtracts the container weight for optimal accuracy; the timer ensures perfect pour overs; and a two-kilogram capacity should be more than enough to satisfy even the thirstiest of brewers. A non-slip pad underneath provides stability, and a silicon cover fitted over the attractive stainless-steel top protects against heat and accidental spills.
Two AAA batteries power the small device that easily slips into a bag or suitcase pocket.
Wacaco Exagrind ($149)
Going on vacation shouldn’t mean leaving quality cuppa joe behind, and Wacaco comes to the rescue with the Exagrind. This stylish and compact grinder is only 143 millimetres tall and accommodates 20 grams of beans (enough for a pour-over or double espresso) to be run through its 38-millimetre stainless steel burrs delivering a precisely-sized grind to suit all brewing methods. Simply turning a knob permits fine adjustments at 33-micron increments. And unlike some competitors, the actual handle rotation remains smooth even at the finest setting.
Made out of machine-milled aluminum and silicon virtually everything comes apart so clean-up is easy, and the handle folds neatly down the side and packs into a carrying case when not in use.
Benjamin Yong 