Gifts Under $100: From Drones to Telescopes

Choosing by the person

For him

Into mechanics? This budget covers a working engine. The Mini Stirling Engine ($62.99) starts once you light its wick, and shows every part of the Stirling cycle in a compact model. The Metal Oloid ($59.99) is formed from two circles and rolls with a steady wobble across the desk, in solid metal. For a fan of electricity, the Tesla Coil Music ($84.99) connects to a phone over Bluetooth and throws arcs of about 4 inches in time with the music.

For her

This budget also opens the door to fine glass instruments. The Teardrop Galileo Thermometer ($99.99) is a crystal glass teardrop whose five balls rise and fall with the temperature, from 64 to 79°F. The Storm Globe ($84.99) comes with a wooden or a glass base; its crystals change mostly with the room's warmth, far more than with the weather to come. The 3D Hourglass Sand ($59.99) builds sand dunes in a glass circle, in six sand colors.

For a kid

For a kid, this budget opens up drones, bigger building sets and electric circuits. The Micro Drone (from $79.99) is a durable drone that comes with three spare rotor blades, for ages 6 and up. The 3D Pen for Kids Starter Set ($59.99), for ages 8 and up, draws in the air with plastic that melts at low temperature, and comes with three spools of filament. The Electric Circuit Kit ($79.99) brings together 25 snap-on modules, with no soldering (two AA batteries, not included).

For a teen

For a teen, this budget buys something that stays in their room for years. The Molecular Model Kit ($59.99) has 267 color-coded atoms and bonds, used from high school to college chemistry. The Euler's Disk ($99.99) spins on a concave mirror and seems to speed up before it stops. The Infinity Cube Lamp (from $99.99) changes color and depth as you move around it, thanks to its dichroic glass.

For a grandparent

For a grandparent: a physics classic, in metal or in motion. The Metal Newton's Cradle ($69.99), all metal, lines up seven balls on a frame 7 inches wide and takes up little room. The Sand Pendulum ($67.99) swings above a basin of sand and draws a different pattern every time. The Orbital Solar System Desk Toy ($53.99) needs no power: a single push sets its gold and green spheres swinging.

What you'll find between $50 and $100

What this budget doesn't buy

Between $50 and $100, you'll find complete objects, but not the biggest showpieces: the motorized precision gyroscope or the V8 engine to build, for example, sit on our page of gifts over $100. No luxury brands here either: the price difference shows in size, number of parts or the technology inside (camera, battery, optics). Good to know: at this price, most single objects already qualify for free shipping on orders over $59.90. For a tighter budget, browse our ideas under $50 or our small-price selection, and our gift boxes if you'd rather have a ready-made set.