Stress Relief Gifts: The Gesture That Calms

Spin, fold, shape or simply watch: ideas chosen by the gesture that helps them unwind.

30 days to change your mind
A coworker A Secret Santa A geek A small budget

Stress relief gifts are small objects to handle or to watch, kept on a desk or in a pocket to keep the hands busy during a break, a call or a meeting. The most common are infinity cubes that fold endlessly, cubes of magnetic balls to shape, gyroscopes and tops to spin, and brain teasers. You choose one by the gesture that relaxes the person, the noise it makes, its material and its size.

Choosing by the gesture that relaxes

For the desk

Set next to the keyboard, the object stays within reach all day. At work, metal also looks more at home than a neon plastic gadget. The Stainless Steel Fidget Spinner ($34.99), in stainless steel, measures 1.8 inches and spins between two fingers. The Silent Fidget Toy ($23.99), a small metal cube just over an inch wide, is made to be handled without a sound. The Rainbow Magnetic Balls (from $29.99) add color: their six shades rebuild into a new shape at every break.

To spin

A gyroscope or a top is launched with one gesture, then you watch the spin last. The Inception Spinning Top ($22.99), a small metal top about 1.25 inches tall, is balanced to keep turning for a long time. The Galactic Anti-Stress Gyro Spinner ($19.99), very flat, spins on its base or on any flat surface, thanks to its low center of gravity. To make a statement, the Electric Gyroscope with Motor (from $189.99) is driven by an electric motor up to 12,000 rpm, with no string to wind.

Cubes and magnets

Two kinds of objects belong here. Infinity cubes fold and unfold in a loop: the Origami Infinity Cube ($24.99) holds its parts together with magnets, without hinges, and offers 70 transformations. Magnetic ball cubes are shaped like modeling clay: the Mini Magnetic Balls 3mm ($29.99) pack 216 tiny 3 mm balls into a cube that fits in a pocket, and the Magnetic Balls 1000 Pieces (5mm) ($109.99), with its 1000 balls, becomes a star, a cone or a gear in turn.

Hand-held games

These are small objects to keep in the hand during a break. The Metal Oloid ($59.99), in solid metal, does not roll like a ball: set down, it wobbles forward in a steady rhythm, and the eye follows it. The Cube Fidget Toy ($19.99), a 1.4-inch cube with metal balls, fits in any pocket, and the Galaxy Kinetic Desk Toy ($19.99) tilts, whirls or travels from finger to finger. More models are gathered in our collection of small objects to keep hands busy.

Brain teasers

When the mind races, a brain teaser keeps it as busy as the hands. The Metal Brain Teaser Puzzles set ($36.99) gathers 15 metal puzzles, from beginner to master level. The Sudoku Rubik's Cube ($28.99) crosses the mechanics of the cube with the logic of sudoku, and the Magnetic Rubik's Cube ($38.99), with magnets hidden in every piece, snaps each layer into line and sits on its own display stand.

How much to spend?

BudgetExamplesWho it suits
Under $30Silent Fidget Toy ($23.99), Fractal Fidget Hexagon ($26.99)A show of support before an exam or a busy week
$30 to $60Metal Infinity Cube ($34.99), Wooden Infinity Cube ($58.99)Someone who never lets go of their pen in meetings
$60 to $100Gyroscope Fidget Spinner ($89.99), Brain Teaser Escape Room ($89.99)A fan of fine mechanics or tough puzzles
$100 and upMagnetic Balls 1000 Pieces (5mm) ($109.99), Electric Gyroscope with Motor (from $189.99)A group gift for a promotion, a new job or a farewell

Before you give: noise, material, size

Three details matter as much as the gesture. Noise first: in a meeting or an open office, prefer a discreet object like the Silent Fidget Toy ($23.99), designed to be handled silently, rather than a hinged metal cube that clicks. Material next: metal feels solid, wood brings a pleasant touch and a more decorative look, plastic allows more intricate shapes. Size last: a top or a cube of magnetic balls slips into a pocket, an Euler's disk stays on the desk. Keep cubes of small magnetic balls out of reach of young children, and away from phones and cards: the Magnetic Cube Balls 216 Pieces (5mm) ($39.99) come with their own storage case for that. For more ideas, browse our gifts for a coworker.

Frequently asked questions

What are good stress relief gifts for someone stressed at work?

First, watch what their hands do in meetings. If they play with their pen, the Magnetic Fidget Pen ($37.99) is a real pen that writes, while also changing shape thanks to its magnets. If they like to watch things turn, the Gyroscope Toy ($27.99) is launched with its string, then spins on its base, on the desk or on a fingertip. If they build without thinking, the 512 balls of the Magnetic Balls Fidget 512 Pieces (5mm) ($67.99) form a compact block to reshape at will.

Which stress relief gifts work at the office without bothering anyone?

It all depends on how much noise the people around them tolerate. In an open office, the Silent Fidget Toy ($23.99) is designed to be handled without a sound, and the Stainless Steel Fidget Spinner ($34.99), just 1.8 inches long, slips into a pocket between appointments. In a private office, the small clicks of the Metal Infinity Cube ($34.99) won't bother anyone. For a gift from the whole team, our page of gifts for coworkers has more ideas.

What are good stress relief toys for adults?

For an adult, go for a handsome desk object rather than a toy. The Magnetic Rubik's Cube ($38.99), with its mirrored metallic finish, comes with a display stand. The Brain Teaser Escape Room ($89.99), rated 4 out of 5 for difficulty, is designed as a challenge for adults. And the Electric Gyroscope with Motor (from $189.99), in brass and stainless steel, starts with its motor, then you simply watch it spin.

Metal, wood or plastic: which material should I choose?

Metal gives a sense of solidity: the Metal Infinity Cube ($34.99), in aluminum, works with one hand and clicks softly. Wood brings a pleasant touch and a more decorative look, as on the Wooden Infinity Cube ($58.99). ABS plastic allows more elaborate shapes, like the Infinity Cube Star ($34.99) and its hollow sides. Choose according to where the object will live: a shared desk, a coffee table or a jacket pocket.

What are good relaxation gifts for someone who would rather watch than fidget?

If calm, to them, means watching rather than handling, choose something that moves on its own once launched. The Metal Spinning Top ($29.99), in aluminum, borrows its shape from the ripples of a drop falling into water: you spin it, then watch. The Metal Oloid ($59.99) rolls smoothly across any surface in a rhythmic motion that holds the eye. Two objects to let be, rather than to fiddle with.

Can I exchange the gift if it isn't right?

Yes. You have 30 days to change your mind, which leaves time to give the gift and see whether it becomes part of their routine. If it doesn't, you can send it back within that period. There is also free shipping on orders over $59.90, which makes it easy to add a second small object for yourself.