40 of the Coolest 21st Birthday Gift Ideas, According to People in Their 20s (2024)

Commemorate their 21st birthday with one of these beautiful glasses featuring their birth flower. Uncommon Goods has an option for each month (this is September's aster) and they're all dishwasher-safe.

If you want to see this kid/adult really go places, inspire them with what we'd call travel p*rn: The deluxe hardcover edition of this well-loved guide featuring gorgeous photography.

This Amazon bestseller is for the 21-year-old who's ready to try mixing some co*cktails. The set includes a shaker with a built-in strainer, long-handled mixing spoon, ice tongs, a corkscrew and more, and comes in silver, gold, copper or black.

No film or ink cartridges necessary — they can simply load this camera up with Kodak's sticky-backed ZINK photo paper and start capturing memories ASAP.

A glittery little pouch that contains everything she'll need for a night out, including double-sided tape, dental floss, lip balm, stain remover, extra earring backs and lots more.

According to Google, this is one of the most-searched gift ideas of the year — and it's no wonder, given that it comes in tons of fun designs (including clear and fleece) and it's surprisingly spacious.

if you suspect they've been skating by with a pretend birthday you can rib them a bit with this stemless glass which ships in a gift box. One grandma who reviewed it on Amazon says she put some rolled cash inside — now that's a nice gift!

If you're just looking for something small and funny, this drinking game will definitely get the party started.

Made of stainless steel, this compact flask will slip easily into their bag — and have everyone oohing and ahhing when they pull it out.

One grandmother we know got her 21-year-old granddaughter started with a charm bracelet that can hold future memories — because your 20s are often full of big milestones and achievements.

Layering Kendra Scott necklaces is all the rage with the young women. This classic chain holds a gem that's available in Night Opal (shown), Amethyst, Abalone Shell, many different reds — there are plenty to choose from so you can find the color that suits her.

Give the gift of a red, white or rosé you think they'd like tucked into this 21st birthday decorative wine bag. It will make the bottle more special!

The title really says it: This classic cookbook covers all the basics and might even keep your 21-year-old from searching the internet for "how do I make mashed potatoes?" This version is updated with photography and will load a new cook with confidence.

If beer is more their thing, and they have a favorite current city or hometown, we love these sets of two beer glasses that that come printed with an American city's skyline. There are 16 to choose from including Boston, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles and Seattle.

If they do hit the bars, they might need this the next day to calm a headache, de-stress or de-puff. It's got more than 18,000 five-star Amazon reviews and comes in 11 colors. To make it work they just need to store it in the freezer for about a half-hour before using.

They've officially reached the age when they'll be excited to receive a cleaning appliance as a gift. With over 10,000 five-star reviews on Amazon, this handheld vacuum is ideal for quick pick-ups on hard surfaces and comes with a two-in-one brush and crevice tool that can swiftly take care of crumbs on their laptop or in between couch crevices.

Save the real crystal for later (maybe as a wedding gift) and give your newly minted 21-year-old beautiful cut-glass-replica tumblers that can't break if they, well, tumble or need to survive a few moves. They'll feel fancy without any of the worry!

Whether they go to big concerts or big sporting events, many arenas and stadiums require clear bags for security. So this will likely be put to good use — and you could tuck a birthday card or tickets inside!