OK so you’re probably a DJ yourself, and so this article is most likely going to help you to either treat yourself to something, or help a clueless family member to figure out a present for you!
We recommend you leave it open on your phone, tablet or laptop, helpfully scrolled down to the item that most interests you, positioned helpfully within full view of your intended present buyer…
Of course, if good old Google has got you to this page and you are genuinely searching for a gift for the DJ in your life, you’ll find plenty here from “stocking fillers” to more substantial items. Enjoy…
23 Last Minute Gift for DJs
Glow in the dark knobs
Pimp up any DJ gear with iridescent knobs and caps, courtesy of DJ TechTools and its famous Chroma Caps. They’ve introduced premium models with even more glow this year, too, and they’re available in all kinds of colours.
They have a useful tool to help you match the right knobs and caps to your particular DJ gear, and overall these are great fun if you fancy customising your gear.
Price: From $2.49
Buy: DJ TechTools
DJ Jazzy Jeff apparel
World famous since the 80s, and one of the most respected scratch DJs in the world, DJ/producer Jazzy Jeff also just happens to be a Digital DJ Tips tutor (his course, DJ Jazzy Jeff’s How To DJ Right, drops early 2022).
Jeff also has a natty line in apparel, from T-shirts and hoodies to face masks! So why not support one of the most loved DJs in the world, and bag yourself, or the DJ in your life, one of these colourful items…
Price: From $15
Buy: DJ Jazzy Jeff Shop
Ultra-portable DJ controller
There are several cheap, portable DJ controllers out there, but this is our current favourite, the Hercules DJControl Starlight.
It’s impossibly tiny, but packs a surprising amount of control, and looks cool with all its LEDs glowing too. A great gift, even for DJs who already own a primary DJ set-up.
Price: $99 / £70 / €82
Buy: Amazon
DJ gear skins
You can also go a stage further, and skin your DJ gear. If so, DJ Skins are worth a look. As spotted on some of the biggest festival stages, the skins can also be highly personalised.
These will not only make your gear look cool, but they’ll help protect it too. Plus, the company ships worldwide.
Price: Various
Buy: DJ Skins
Reloop Stand Hub
I love this, and I use it myself in my home studio to hook up my sampler, Midi keyboard, audio interface, and laptop, plus a charger for my phone. It neatly does it all, and can be set up in several positions. It works best with Macs, as it’ll use your Mac’s power supply to power everything you plug into it.
Not cheap, but well made, and unique.
Price: $180
Buy: DJ TechTools
Read this next: Reloop Stand Hub Review
Minuendo adjustable earplugs
Earplugs are a good idea for DJs, as hearing loss is of course irreparable. However, foam plugs don’t cut it if you actually need to hear your music, as they block everything.
Not so these plugs – they let all frequencies through, just at lower levels – the twist is you can actually adjust the amount! It’s like a volume control for your ears. They’re built to last, too, with a 10-year guarantee.
Price: $159
Buy: Minuendo
A DJ Mag subscription
DJ Mag is a go-to publication for DJs, featuring not only club and music news but tech stuff too. And now wherever you are in the world, you can get it via a digital subscription.
There’s a definite place for publications like DJ Mag if you ask us, and by buying a digital subscription you’ll be supporting quality music journalism – so why not get yourself some great reading for the next year?
Price: £20 a year
Buy: DJ Mag
Corsair Survivor USB drive
The exact USB drive we use, basically because it is practically indestructible, coming in two parts which when screwed together protect your data from basically anything imaginable.
Available in all kinds of sizes up to 256GB – we’d suggest not going lower than 128GB.
Price: From $29 / £36 / €42
Buy: Amazon
Minirig Mini 2 Speaker
These are the best portable speakers out there, period. Made of metal, from a boutique UK company, they sound great, can be paired up (there’s even a subwoofer available), and can be wired to DJ gear as well as used via Bluetooth.
They also come with their own hemp zipped carry cases to protect them, and you get a choice of colours. Highly recommended, and used by us here at Digital DJ Tips for years.
Price: £99
Buy: Minirigs
Oh Yes, Oh Yes – book
This year, legendary DJ Carl Cox published a biography, and it’s a veritable guide to the the history of dance music since the 1980s – basically because Carl has been present for practically all of it.
It’s not the deepest book in the world with regards to revealing the drives and sacrifices that shape superstar DJs, but it is an enjoyable romp through an exciting life nonetheless.
Price: $25 / £11 / €13
Buy: Amazon
UDG camo headphones bag
So UDG sent us this bag here at Digital DJ Tips for us to review – and it was promptly pinched by our production manager, Faye, who has been happily using it as a handbag ever since!
Whether you use it for its intended purpose or just as a general carry-around, it’s superbly constructed, with an all-round zipper and a car seatbelt-style shoulder strap as well as a carry handle.
Price: $50
Buy: UDG Gear
“Born to be a DJ” mug
Give the DJ in your life something cool to drink their morning tea from, with this “Born to be a DJ” mug, complete with headphones logo.
If this one isn’t to your taste, the same seller has several varieties, including personalised mugs.
Price: £12 / €14
Buy: Amazon
Teenage Engineering production gear
An absolute phenomenon, especially through lockdown. For just a few dollars you can own a pro-sounding synth, sampler, sequencer, drum machine…
These little units are such a great way to play with music, get started in production, add a little extra something to your DJ sets,. I mean, what DJ wouldn’t be thrilled to unwrap a “Sub Bass Synthesiser”?
Price: From $49
Buy: Amazon
James Hype Stereohype merch
Our tutor James Hype has had a phenomenal year, with millions of people sharing his YouTube performance videos, two successful tours of the USA, and thousand of students taking his DJ course.
His Stereohype clothing label is innovative and fun, and we particularly like his new “Who does this?” T-shirts and hoodie. Support a rising star!
Price: From £7
Buy: Stereohype Global
Decksaver gear covers
All DJ and production gear is delicate – it’s all those knobs, buttons, faders and other assorted protrusions that make such gear vulnerable when on the move. Even a DJ bag can’t always protect from accidental damage to such parts.
That’s where Decksaver acrylic covers come in, offering not only an extra layer of protection, but also a way of keeping dust off of your gear even when you never intend on taking it anywhere.
Price: Various
Buy: Decksaver
Read this next: What DJ Gear Is Worth Spending Extra Money On?
808 and 303 pillows and cushions
So much fun, the Digital DJ Tips tutors famously had a pillow fight with them that got filmed and shared on socials a few years back – fact!
These vintage drum machine and synth pillows do indeed adorn our own houses, and they are always a conversation starter. Lots of colours and designs, from faithful reproductions to more abstract art.
Price: From $18
Buy: Redbubble
Tim – The Official Biography of Avicii
A troubled but highly creative person, Tim Bergling aka Avicii left us too soon – but left behind plenty of melodic, euphoric house music, as well as good memories in the minds of the thousands he played to.
The journalist here was given unique access to Tim’s notes, as well as to his family and colleagues, and is candid about the struggles he faced, making it a sobering but ultimately uplifting read.
Price: $25 / £15 / €17
Buy: Amazon
“On air” light
What a cool thing to have outside your home studio, to warn the family/colleagues that you’re mixing, livestreaming, or deep in production work.
This genuine “on air” light comes complete with cable and mounting holes, and will help turn any space into something that feels more like a pro studio.
Price: £125 / €145
Buy: Thomann
“Eat, Sleep, DJ, Repeat” T-shirt
Chance would be a fine thing, right? However, we can dream… and meanwhile the T-shirt is pretty cool, available in a variety of sizes and in fits for men and women.
Check the “Recommended” listings under this particular T-shirt for others if this one isn’t to your liking.
Price: $13
Buy: Amazon
The Secret DJ – Book 2
For anyone who lived through the rave scene in Europe in the 1990s, especially if you were in any way involved in the business side of it as a DJ or promoter, the first book will have caused winces of recognition, pangs of nostalgia, plus a singular feeling of watching a car crash in slow motion.
There’s no “difficult second book syndrome” here though, as our anonymous hero continues his trawl through the murky world of the international DJ. It’s an often hilarious and very readable follow up.
Price: $16 / £12 / €14
Buy: Amazon
DJ ANGELO “People’s Champ” hoodie
Our tutor DJ ANGELO has had a great year, winning the DMC Team Championship with JFB, and of course releasing his course with Digital DJ Tips.
If you like Angelo or have enjoyed his course, you’ll be interested in his People’s Champ hoodies, available worldwide.
Price: $59
Buy: DJ Angelo Store
Personalised wooden vinyl record holder
Here’s a nice idea – a wooden holder designed to allow the lucky recipient to display their favourite piece of vinyl proudly.
The cool thing is that it can be personalised, which makes it a gift that will likely please even the most discerning DJ. Just make sure they’ve got vinyl to display in it (not all DJs do nowadays, you know…).
Price: $50 / £35
Buy: Not On The High Street
The DJ Game – Underground Edition
This is a hoot – it’s basically Top Trumps (remember that?) but for DJs. Of course we can bitch about who’s included and who isn’t, but it’s all light-hearted anyway, and some of the categories are hilarious.
More seriously, it helps to support a worthwhile charity, so by buying the game you’ll be helping a good cause too. Note that currently they’re shipping to the UK only, but you can join a waitlist for other places.
Price: £12
Buy: The DJ Game
Finally…
Have we missed anything? What gifts are you buying for DJs in your life – or for yourself? What do you wish someone would buy you?
Let us know in the comments – and good luck with getting what you want this year.
Phil Morse
