Gifts for homelab and smart home fans (2026)

Buying for someone whose idea of a treat is a faster network or one more drive bay? Give them the next piece of a project they already want to build. Start with a five-port 2.5GbE switch, a USB-C meter or a filament dryer; save the NAS, GPU and 128 GB mini PC for a choose-it-together surprise.

Picks from maker specifications; setup details are in the linked full guides.

Start with their kind of fun: 19 gift ideas, from network tools and NAS upgrades to printed parts and off-grid radios. Stocking stuffers means small things to unwrap; bigger projects deserve a shared shopping session.

Find their kind of fun

Your giftee	A useful next piece
The network tinkerer	A 2.5GbE switch or serial console cable
The storage collector	A four-bay NAS, with drives chosen together
The power detective	A USB-C meter, rack PDU or matched DC mini UPS
The person rescuing headless boxes	A portable HDMI screen
The Proxmox enthusiast	A dedicated PCIe USB card
The local-AI fan	A 16 GB graphics card or 128 GB mini PC
The smart-home tinkerer	A Zigbee radio for their existing host
The 3D-printing maker	A dryer, dry box or first printer
The off-grid radio fan	A pocket node or the start of a solar build

Stocking stuffers: small things, excellent rabbit holes

1. Yubico Security Key C NFC: a login button they can keep

Give the admin-account enthusiast USB-C and NFC for supported FIDO logins, including hardware-backed SSH. Make it a pair and enroll both separately: the satisfying part is having a spare that actually opens the door.

Full guide: hardware security keys for SSH, Proxmox and admin accounts.

We earn a commission if you buy through our links — it doesn’t change our picks. How we make money → As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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2. StarTech ICUSBROLLOVR: get the switch talking again

For the friend who enjoys rescuing network gear, this USB-A console cable connects to a compatible Cisco-style RJ45 RS-232 console. Match that console pinout, then give them the pleasure of getting a prompt before the network is working.

Full guide: USB serial console cables and their electrical differences.

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3. AVHzY CT-3: solve the USB-C mystery

For the person with a drawer of suspiciously similar cables, the CT-3 reads cable e-markers, supports PD/PPS investigation and logs voltage and current. Wrap it with a note saying “Find out what that charger is really offering,” and let the detective work begin.

Full guide: USB-C power meters for PD, cables and charging.

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4. SONOFF Dongle Plus MG24: open the sensor shelf

This Zigbee USB coordinator gives a Home Assistant host a local route to compatible sensors and switches, with an extension cable included. Give it to someone adding their first Zigbee devices to a host they already own. For a Pi-based host, follow the complete Pi 5 NVMe build for the official PSU, cooling, storage and case parts.

Full guide: Zigbee and Thread coordinators for Home Assistant.

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Main gifts: a good afternoon in a box

5. TP-Link TL-SG105S-M2: a faster lane for the NAS

Five unmanaged 2.5GbE ports make a lovely gift for someone whose NAS and mini PC already have faster Ethernet ports. The switch is fanless, and the first job is refreshingly short: connect the matching devices and retire that gigabit bottleneck.

Full guide: 2.5GbE switches for a homelab.

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6. TalentCell SL3400: a tiny outage project

This 97.2 Wh DC mini UPS suits the person planning battery backup for a compatible router or ONT. Choose it together around the device’s permitted voltage, polarity and barrel connector: its nominal 12 V output spans 9–12.6 V.

Full guide: DC mini UPS voltage, plugs and runtime.

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7. ViewSonic VG1655: eyes on the boot screen

Give the headless-server enthusiast a 15.6-inch 1080p screen with mini-HDMI, USB-C and a stand. Put the matching video cable and separate power adapter in the kit, and their next recovery session can start with a picture from a host with video output.

Full guide: portable HDMI monitors for a homelab crash cart.

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8. StarTech PEXUSB3S44V: give a VM its own USB playground

Four independent Renesas USB controllers and four USB-A ports make this PCIe card an interesting gift for a Proxmox builder working on device passthrough. Choose it around their spare slot and IOMMU groups; the full guide explains how controller ownership works.

Full guide: PCIe USB cards for Proxmox passthrough.

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9. CyberPower PDU15M2F8R: tame the rack’s power spaghetti

For a 19-inch rack builder, this ten-outlet PDU gathers the power connections and puts combined current in amps on a front LCD. Give the person who keeps adding “just one more box” a useful number to watch.

Full guide: basic, metered and switched rack PDUs.

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Big-ticket projects: choose the hardware together

10. UGREEN NASync DXP4800 Plus: room for the file empire

The diskless four-bay NAS with 10GbE is a substantial upgrade for someone planning a growing media collection, backups and containers. Choose compatible drives and a separate backup destination together, and make the gift the start of a storage plan they’ll enjoy using.

Full guide: NAS picks for Plex, backups and Docker.

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11. ASUS Dual RTX 5060 Ti OC White 16 GB: room for the next model

Sixteen gigabytes of VRAM gives a desktop local-AI project a clear new capacity target. Choose this exact White OC card together around their models, case and PSU, then leave the first big download to them.

Full guide: 12 GB, 16 GB and 24 GB GPUs for local LLMs.

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12. GMKtec EVO-X2 128 GB: the dream-model machine

For the enthusiast planning larger local models, this 128 GB RAM / 2 TB SSD configuration is the choose-it-together dream gift. Start with the model sizes and software in our hardware guide, then give them the fun of filling that machine with possibilities.

Full guide: GPU boxes vs unified-memory mini PCs for local LLMs.

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The 3D-printing maker

For the friend who sees a missing bracket as an invitation, start in our 3D printing corner. A useful accessory makes a lovely surprise; choose the whole printer together.

13. Bambu Lab A1: turn the bracket sketch into a project

Give a first-time maker an open-frame printer for PLA and PETG, with automatic calibration to get the project moving. Let them choose the first cable guide or Pi mount; keep this printer open rather than wrapping it in an enclosure.

Full guide: 3D printers for homelab tinkerers.

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14. SUNLU S2: give the next spool a fresh start

For the maker whose filament collection is growing faster than the finished parts, this single-spool dryer earns its patch of desk. It can feed the printer while drying; use the filament maker’s drying profile.

Full guide: filament dryers, dry storage and humidity.

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15. PolyDryer Box: a home for the colour waiting its turn

Give a dried spool a sealed home that can feed the printer, with desiccant and a hygrometer. This is the storage box only; the heated Dry Dock is separate.

Full guide: choosing a print-from dry box.

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16. Shelly Plug US Gen4: meet the printer’s power habit

For the maker who loves a graph almost as much as a finished print, this local-control plug adds power and energy readings. The setup guide explains suitable loads and making any automatic shutoff wait until the printer has cooled.

Full guide: 3D printer placement, fumes and power.

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The off-grid radio fan

Give them a reason to send the first hello. Our Meshtastic corner covers pocket nodes, antennas and solar builds; choose US915 hardware and the US region setting for US gifts.

17. SenseCAP T1000-E: a conversation that fits in a pocket

A cased node with GPS, a built-in battery and an internal antenna makes a neat starting point. Pair it with a phone for messages—or give a pair so the first conversation has someone at both ends.

Full guide: Meshtastic starter nodes and the first-message setup.

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18. muzi works 915 MHz whip: for the node with an antenna socket

This 17 cm SMA-male whip is an add-on for a radio with a matching external SMA connection, not the T1000-E’s internal antenna. Pair it with the placement guide and give them an afternoon of finding the better spot.

Full guide: Meshtastic antennas, connectors and placement.

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19. RAK WisBlock Mini and a project box: the solar-build invitation

For someone who enjoys wiring the thing as much as using it, start with the RAK19003 + RAK4631 US915 kit and a TICONN junction box. They’re the beginning of the build: choose the battery, regulated solar feed, antenna leads and mounting parts from the full plan together.

Full guide: the complete solar Meshtastic relay parts list.

Check RAK WisBlock Mini on Amazon → · Check TICONN box on Amazon →

Wrap up a project, not homework

Add a note with the useful bit: “For the NAS you’ve been planning,” “Your recovery screen, ready to go,” or “Let’s get that radio talking.” Include the full-guide link so the first step is easy to find.

For small add-ons, find out what they already own. Choose a NAS, printer, computer, GPU or host-specific card together, then save the surprise for the wrapping.