Most people have special engineering friends in their lives, which is why there is this amazing list of the best presents for engineers. With minds that work a million miles an hour and unique perspectives and ideas on the world around them, engineers can be trick to shop for, but also a lot of fun.
Although engineering is a serious profession, it can be fun to play with the stereotypes associated with engineers and get them gifts that have a funny touch and a good sense of humor. Gifts for engineers can range from practical to pure silliness. Don’t be afraid to go a little outside the box; you will likely end up with a novel gift that they will love.
No matter which gift idea for engineers stands out to you, remember that you know them best. Keep them in the forefront as you peruse these good gift options.
29 of the Best Presents for Engineers for a Special Occasion
Multi-Configuration Industrial Desk Lamp
This super neat lamp is more than meets the eye. This gift idea for engineers takes something that appears simple but, in the right hands, can do some really impressive things. The body of this lamp is extremely adjustable, meaning you can shine light on all your ideas, whether they are on the desk, the wall, or the ceiling. Your friend will love analyzing this unique and creative design and will get a kick out of its usability and versatility.
Check PriceMechanical Engineering-Themed Charm Necklace
Just because your friend knows how to use a monkey wrench, doesn’t mean she doesn’t also appreciate some cute jewelry. Gifts for engineers don’t have to always be mechanically minded, and this piece does a great job of representing their passion in something pretty. At under twenty dollars, this is also an excellent cheap gift idea if you are shopping on a budget. Be sure to include their birthstone, or, if you like, you could instead pick their favorite gemstone.
Check PriceSuper Chic 3D Printed Architectural Necklace
Made from 3D printed sterling silver, this trendy geometric necklace is one of the best presents for engineers. It is so cool that everyone who sees it will love it, but it is also interesting and niche enough to represent your friend’s love of design and engineering. They will love all the interesting interlocked cubes and trying to figure out how it was crafted as a single piece. This is a good gift idea for the architects in your life as well.
Check PriceFunny Comic of Your Friend
Almost everyone loves the Simpsons, and this artist will take a photo of your friend and turn it into a Simpsons style work of art. This particular design focuses on electrical engineers or electricians and is great for that friend who works with wires and amps. This portrait comes in a digital format, so you will need to make sure to find a good place to print and frame the finished product before giving this funny gift for engineers.
Check PriceEngineering Sign Cheap Gift Idea
The best presents for engineers are sometimes the simplest. This sign lays it out there exactly as it is. With a somewhat weathered design, it looks as though this could be a vintage sign circa 1950s. Since this is a completely ungendered gift, it is one of the best unisex gift ideas. Get one of these for every engineer in your life if you like; they are all sure to love it and hang it in a special place.
Check PriceFunny Tech Support Coffee Mug
Many engineering friends probably get bombarded with questions about computer issues. This mug is a cheeky way to acknowledge the ridiculous questions, making for a funny gift for engineers. A noteworthy feature that an engineer might also appreciate is that the mug is printed on both sides, meaning it can be seen by both right- and left-handed users, a feature that, tragically, is often overlooked. This mug is dishwasher and microwave safe and is sure to become their office favorite.
Check PriceFunny Gift for Engineers with a Sense of Humor
If you know your friend won’t mind a small jab, this mug is a great gift. There are two size options available, so be sure to consider if your friend is an 11-ounce or 15-ounce kind of coffee drinker. This Etsy store can do customizations if you have something else in mind. Pair this mug with a bag or two of their favorite flavored roast or with a box of the best caffeinated teas.
Check PriceAmazing Retro Floppy Disc Notebooks
These notebooks are a must have for any computer engineer and make a neat work accessory that can be used for notes. They harken back to a simpler time of desktop PCs that only read these square plastic floppy discs. Be sure that your friend is old enough to “get” it, and pick their favorite color out of the ten different options. Pair this with a fun retro game like the Oregon Trail card game for a complete ‘90s-inspired cool gift for engineers.
Check PriceSuper Fun Great Civilization Brain Teasers
These tiny toys are the perfect cool gift for engineers. With their witty themes and clever designs, these mini teasers will have your friend’s heads spinning for hours. These puzzles each represent some of the greatest global civilizations, including the Romans, Chinese, and Aztecs. Not only will your friend love solving these top tier puzzles, but they will love having this new unique coffee table toy to entertain guests with. This is a great gift idea for anyone who enjoys puzzles.
Check PriceEngineer-Themed Spin on a Classic
The phrase “Trust Me, I’m an…” has become a pop culture staple. This fun trucker hat is perfect for that engineer in your life who loves to always have the right answer. This hat is easily customizable, and you can choose your own color and even change the wording if you like. Although, why would you when this is such a perfect funny gift for engineers. They can wear it anywhere – maybe even while working – and will always be reminded of you.
Check PriceNerd Chic Circuit Board Tie Clip
Luckily for your engineering friend, nowadays it is very cool to be smart, as it should be. There is no longer a reason to hide their geeky jobs or interests. Instead, help them tell the world where they lie. This cool present is the epitome of nerd chic and will stand out in a good way as part of any ensemble. Perfect for work or a wedding, this clip comes in various colors to match their style.
Check PriceAwesome Circuit Board-Styled Notebook
Not only is this amazing notebook one of the best presents for engineers, it is also a super useful gift. Encouraging someone to get their ideas down on paper is a good way to show someone you care. It lets them know that you value their ideas and thoughts and want to encourage them to flourish and keep thinking big. If you want to pair something with this already perfect gift, consider a super high-tech pen that writes underwater or lasts ten years.
Check PriceStunning Tesla Draft-Style Poster
A poster is one of the greatest unisex gift ideas, making this ideal for any engineer in your life. No matter their age or gender, any engineer will appreciate this vintage-style poster of Tesla’s original alternating current design. To most people, this wouldn’t mean much, but to someone who knows the impact this invention has had, it is super cool. Be sure to select a color that goes with their home or office décor and find them a nice frame.
Check PriceWatch Inspired by Military Radar
This watch is one of the best gift ideas for anyone who appreciates midcentury military radar. With a push of a button, the screen will shift into one of 200,000 different patterns, perfect for keeping your engineer on their toes. This design is clean and simple, making this watch very wearable but also super cool – an ideal fun gift. For a small gift idea, this watch packs in a lot of cool features with a digital face and WWII-style look.
Check PriceHip Poster Featuring Welding Goggles Patent
A patent holder might be a bit put off to realize that, ironically, their effort to safeguard the originality of their invention was the very thing that made folks want to commercialize their invention. In any case, this one-of-a-kind (legally speaking) poster displays the patent application for welding goggles, a crucial tool for many an engineer. Excellent gifts for engineers are those that celebrate the achievements of vigorous minds and innovative technologies, and this poster does just that.
Check PriceBent Classic Ruler Metal Bracelet
This bracelet is such a beautiful and unique gift idea. It is so cool-looking that anyone can appreciate it, but it is still specialized enough that only someone as into math and science as an engineer could really rock it. Made of high-grade stainless steel, this bracelet can be worn through anything, and your friend will always know just how far it is around their wrist. Cute and whimsical, this bracelet is a sure hit with any jewelry-wearing engineer.
Check PriceMini Engineer USB Flash Drive
A USB drive may seem like an unusual gift, but one this adorable for someone who uses their computer a whole lot is a perfect present. This small USB is hidden under the figurine’s head so that when put together, no one would even know that it was a flash drive. The drive offers 8GB of memory and is compatible with all major computers. Your pal will love being able to secretly stash their info away on this unassuming little man.
Check PriceAwesome Why I’m Right Engineering Tee-Shirt
Clothing is such a useful gift, but it should always offer a little something extra when being given as a present. This shirt sports a funny and sassy saying, letting everyone know that your friend knows what they are talking about. Available in many colors and sizes, this shirt definitely has the perfect fit for your pal. Just be sure to note how they prefer to wear their tee-shirts and order up if they prefer a looser fit.
Check PriceYour Friend the Super Engineer
Wine glasses are a cool gift on their own, but you can take them to a whole other level with these super cool etched glasses. This one pits your awesome pal against all the other boring engineers out there, letting them know that you see them as something special. Order them just one or grab a few to make up a set. You can change it to add their name instead of saying “you.” And don’t forget a bottle of their favorite red!
Check PriceEngineer and Chef in One
Cool gifts for engineers also touch on their other interests. This fun cutting board pays homage to their day job as an engineer, but then it brings out a different side of them with the nod to their cooking hobby. Your friend will know that you get them with this present, and they will appreciate the reference to not one but two of their interests. Made from bamboo, this is a high quality, double-sided cutting board with a convenient hook for storage.
Check PriceCool Present for Working Engineers
Mugs are a great gift idea. They are useful to everyone and often seem to be in short supply, especially around the office. If you know your friend has had a hard time keeping their coworker’s hands off their favorite mug, this personalized cup is exactly what they need. With their perfectly rendered cartoon character self and name plastered right on the side of the mug, there will be no denying just whom this cool cup belongs to.
Check PriceSterling Sliver Nuts and Bolts Ring
Most rings are studded with diamonds or rubies, but gift ideas for engineers aren’t nearly so mainstream. This cool silver ring features a standard nut at its pinnacle, showing everyone that the wearer is definitely into mechanics or building. The best presents for engineers are ones that incorporate their passion into their day to day, and this ring certainly does that. It is wearable, referential, and overall very cool. The ring sizes listed are for men, but women could certainly enjoy this piece as well.
Check PriceSilver Keychain with Adorable Mathematics Charms
Are you looking for a gift idea for engineers? How about a gift idea for mathematicians, or for teachers, or for students, or for math club participants, or for anyone who takes pleasure in the mechanical operations of a compass and protractor? This adorable little gift has broad appeal, resonating with anyone mathematically minded or arithmetically inclined. (How inclined, exactly? You’d have to use the protractor for that one!) Never in all of human history has math looked so cute.
Check PriceTrendy Tee-Shirt Featuring Biplane Patent
Engineers know and appreciate that the modern world is full of human-made marvels, not least among them the almost incredible feat of the airplane. This visually attractive graphic tee makes for a cool present because it is useful – who couldn’t use another tee in the wardrobe? – but also super interesting and slightly nerdy (in a good way, of course). Since a tee-shirt easily rolls or balls up, this can actually be a good small gift idea, too, if you are short on gift wrap.
Check PriceSound Waves Turned Wall Art
There are about as many types of engineers as there are genres of music, and if your engineering friend is into acoustics, they will totally dig this visual representation of a favorite song. Although this may not be the most useful gift in the world, not every present needs to be practical. This one captures a cherished melody in a manner that is simultaneously scientific and artistic. You have many finishes and materials to choose from, so consider your friend’s aesthetic carefully before ordering.
Check PricePlaning Machine Anatomy Poster for the Mechanically Minded
The best presents for engineers make something stylish out of brainy interests such as math, design, and geometry. In this case, this fun gift turns machine schematics into wall art, making for a very cool urban look that will appeal to anyone who likes to understand how things work. This poster is also surprisingly customizable, with the option to choose from several types of paper and frame colors. Think about which room your friend is most likely to hang this, and order accordingly.
Check PriceSimpsons-Style Portrait of Friend at Computer
The Etsy description bills this artistic rendering as a portrait of a “yellow cartoon character.” Who are we kidding here? We all know that this Etsy shop may as well be run by Matt Groening himself. If your buddy eats up pop culture, chances are they are huge into The Simpsons. They’ll be tickled to see themselves enshrined in an office portrait that looks straight out of Fox. This unusual gift is also a very cool gift because you can even customize the office décor.
Check PricePewter Box with Royal Engineers Insignia
If you want to stun your friend with a unique gift idea, then you came to the right spot on this list. You can pretty well guarantee that your pal doesn’t already have one of these lying around the house. In addition to the gorgeous pewter finish and smooth curves of the circular design, this jewelry box features on the lid the insignia of the Corps of Royal Engineers. This makes a meaningful gift for someone who has served in the British Army.
Check Price29 of the Absolute Best Presents for Engineers of all Kinds
If you’re nearing a special occasion and want something endearing, you best be clearing your schedule lest you find yourself fearing that you get the wrong gift for your friend who’s into engineering. Was that not cute enough for you? Well engineers aren’t known for their love of words, anyway. Plus, you don’t need poetry to win over your friend; you have this list of top gift ideas, a thoughtfully selected assortment of the best presents for engineers that anyone could ask for. Browse thoughtfully, buy intentionally, and give joyfully. Your buddy will be sure to love it.