Black Friday 2026 Gift Guide for Him: 16 Upgrades He'd Never Buy Himself
16 upgrades he'd never buy himself: AirPods Pro 3, smartwatches, a Braun shaver and car gadgets, with prices checked at publish time.
The best gift for him is the upgrade he'd never buy himself. He'll keep using cracked earbuds, an old razor and a phone charger wedged in the cup holder forever, unless someone else steps in. Here are 16 upgrades from $24.95 to $409.99 across four categories: earbuds, smartwatches, grooming tech and car gadgets. Every price below was checked on the retailer's page today and is a price at publish time. Black Friday is Friday, Nov. 27, so some may drop further.
The skim
- Best overall: Apple AirPods Pro 3, $199 (list $249).
- Biggest splurge he'd never make: Braun Series 9 PRO+ shaver, $349.94.
- Best for Android: Samsung Galaxy Watch9, $409.99, or Galaxy Buds4 Pro, $249.99.
- Best under $35: onn wireless CarPlay adapter, $30.78, or Philips Multigroom 5000, $33.96.
Before you buy: iPhone or Android?
Apple Watch only works with an iPhone, and Samsung's watch and earbuds work best with a Galaxy phone. If you're not sure what he carries, the Bose earbuds and the Garmin watch work with both.
Earbuds
Apple AirPods Pro 3: $199.00 (list price $249.00)
If he's still wearing the earbuds that came free with a phone years ago, this is the upgrade. Noise cancelling for flights and commutes, and they pair instantly with an iPhone. Amazon is reported to have the same $199 price; see our Amazon Black Friday guide.
See it at Walmart.com · price at publish time
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds II: $299.00
For the guy who'd never spend $300 on earbuds but would love them: Bose's top noise cancelling, CustomTune sound tuned to his ears, multipoint for phone and laptop, and a wireless charging case. Works with iPhone and Android.
See it at Walmart.com · price at publish time
Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro: $249.99
The Android pick. Two speakers in each bud (a tweeter and a woofer), noise cancelling and Samsung's 24-bit hi-fi audio. Best with a Galaxy phone.
See it at Walmart.com · price at publish time
Smartwatches
Apple Watch Series 12 (GPS, 42mm): $399.00
The full Apple Watch for an iPhone owner who's been "meaning to get one" for years: workouts, notifications, Apple Pay and health tracking. This one's dark bronze with an olive band. Needs an iPhone.
See it at Walmart.com · price at publish time
Apple Watch SE 3 (GPS, 40mm): $249.00
The cheaper way into Apple Watch, with the core fitness, notification and safety features. Note the 40mm case is the smaller size. Needs an iPhone.
See it at Walmart.com · price at publish time
Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm): $409.99
The Android counterpart, built around health: sleep tracking and coaching, a Heart Health Score and a Fitness Index. It's also one of the Samsung wearables getting the upgraded sleep apnea feature. Best with a Galaxy phone.
See it at Walmart.com · price at publish time
Garmin Venu 3: $299.00
For the runner, cyclist or gym regular who hates charging things: GPS, a bright AMOLED screen and up to 10 days of battery. Works with iPhone and Android.
See it at Walmart.com · price at publish time
Grooming tech
Braun Series 9 PRO+ electric shaver: $349.94
The definition of a gift he'd never buy himself. Braun's top shaver works wet or dry and comes with a charging stand.
See it at Walmart.com · price at publish time
Philips Norelco OneBlade 360 Pro (QP6542): $69.96
Trims, edges and shaves stubble in one tool, on face and body. A great fit for the guy who keeps a short beard.
See it at Walmart.com · price at publish time
Braun All-in-One Series 7 trimmer kit (AIO 7550): $64.97 (list price $74.97)
One kit for beard, hair and body, with 40 length settings and a metal blade Braun says stays sharp for life.
See it at Walmart.com · price at publish time
Philips Norelco Multigroom 5000 (MG5900, 18 pieces): $33.96 (list price $39.88)
The budget all-rounder: 18 pieces for beard, face, hair and body, and no blade oil to deal with.
See it at Walmart.com · price at publish time
Car gadgets
Rexing 2K front and 1080p rear dash cam: $99.88
Records the road ahead in 2K and behind in 1080p, with loop recording, a parking monitor and Wi-Fi so he can pull clips onto his phone. Peace of mind he'd never get around to buying.
See it at Walmart.com · price at publish time
onn Wireless USB Plug and Play Car Adapter: $30.78
If his car has wired CarPlay, this plugs into the USB port and makes it wireless, so no more cable every trip. Check his car is on the compatible list first.
See it at Walmart.com · price at publish time
Stanley 1200 Peak Amp lithium jump starter (LJ12FC): $69.97
The winter-morning hero gift. A compact lithium jump starter with a USB port for charging his phone, and it comes with a case.
See it at Walmart.com · price at publish time
AVAPOW T12 cordless tire inflator: $38.88
Tops up tires to up to 160 PSI from a rechargeable battery or the car's 12V socket, with a digital gauge. Also handy for bike tires and balls.
See it at Walmart.com · price at publish time
iOttie Velox MagSafe vent mount: $24.95
The stocking stuffer: a magnetic MagSafe mount that clips to an air vent, so his iPhone snaps on for navigation.
See it at Walmart.com · price at publish time
How we picked
Every item here is sold and shipped by Walmart.com (not a marketplace seller), was in stock, and had its price read from the Walmart.com product page on Nov. 4, 2026, around 11:10 a.m. MT. Prices change often in the run-up to Black Friday, so the number you see may be higher or lower. Walmart.com doesn't adjust prices after you buy.
Shopping elsewhere? Best Buy is running early Black Friday deals too. Compare before you check out.
More gift guides are coming
This is part of Skimwire's Black Friday 2026 gift guide series. Already out: the best tech gifts under $25 and gifts for gamers. Shopping Amazon? See our Amazon Black Friday 2026 guide, plus Walmart's dates and our Black Friday 2026 overview. Next: gifts for her, kids, teens and more, one a day through Cyber Monday. Find every guide and deal update on our Black Friday hub, or subscribe free to get each one.
A note on affiliate links and AI
Some links in our deals coverage are affiliate links. The Best Buy link above is an affiliate link through Sovrn Commerce. If you buy through one, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate relationships never decide what we cover or recommend. Walmart links in this story aren't affiliate links. Prices and availability change, so check the retailer before you buy. Skimwire uses AI tools to help research and draft stories; prices and links were checked against retailer pages before publishing. See our disclosure page for details.
