Worst Christmas Gifts 2026, Ranked by Regret Score
The worst Christmas gifts of 2026, ranked by real Regret Scores. Popular products owners regret most, plus what to give instead this holiday season.
Every year people spend real money on gifts that end up in a closet by February. We ranked popular, giftable products from the Pregret catalogue by their Regret Score, the 0 to 100 measure of how much owners regret buying something. Higher is worse. These are not obscure items. Each one has thousands of Amazon reviews, which is exactly why they keep getting bought as gifts.
The ranking
| Rank | Gift | Regret Score | Would buy again |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wink Hub 2 Smart Home Hub | 96 | 35% |
| 2 | VASSOUL Dual Magnetic Eyelashes | 95 | 48% |
| 3 | Crayola Bathtub Markers | 93 | 32% |
| 4 | Amariver Eyebrow Stencil Kit | 89 | 48% |
| 5 | IntroWizard Bloody Bath Mat | 81 | 55% |
| 6 | TEMI Kids Race Track Toy | 81 | 53% |
| 7 | Padgene DZ09 Bluetooth Smartwatch | 79 | 57% |
| 8 | Rhode Island Novelty Water Squirters | 77 | 55% |
| 9 | Conair Touch-n-Tone Handheld Massager | 74 | 50% |
| 10 | GeoSafari Jr. My First Kids Telescope | 73 | 57% |
| 11 | Skullcandy Indy True Wireless Earbuds | 72 | 68% |
| 12 | Sony LinkBuds Open Ring Earbuds | 71 | 65% |
1. Wink Hub 2: Regret Score 96
The Wink Hub 2 has the highest Regret Score on this list, and the original Wink Connected Home Hub is right behind it at 95. Smart home hubs depend on the company behind them. Wink moved its service to a paid subscription in 2020, and a hub that needs a monthly fee to keep working is a hard gift to love. Smart home gear is best left to the person who will live with it.
2. Magnetic eyelashes and brow stencils: 95 and 89
VASSOUL Dual Magnetic Eyelashes score 95 and the Amariver Eyebrow Stencil Kit scores 89. Beauty tools that promise a salon result at home are a classic stocking stuffer, and they are a classic regret. If someone has a beauty routine they love, a gift card for the brand they already use is the safer move.
3. Crayola Bathtub Markers: 93
The Crayola Bathtub Markers score 93 with only 32% of owners saying they would buy them again, the lowest would buy again rate on this list. A trusted brand does not guarantee a good product. Check the score, not just the logo.
4. Gag gifts: the Bloody Bath Mat and water squirters
The IntroWizard Bloody Bath Mat scores 81 and the Rhode Island Novelty water squirters score 77. Gag gifts get one laugh on Christmas morning, and then someone has to find a place for them. If you want a funny gift, pick something people can eat or use up.
5. Kids toys that do not last: TEMI race track and a first telescope
The TEMI Kids Race Track scores 81, and the TEMI die cast construction truck set scores 80. The GeoSafari Jr. My First Kids Telescope scores 73. Toys with lots of small plastic parts are the gifts parents regret most, because the fun wears off faster than the clutter does. Compare that with the LEGO Super Mario Starter Course, which scores just 9.
6. Cheap smartwatches: Padgene DZ09
The Padgene DZ09 Bluetooth Smartwatch scores 79. A budget smartwatch looks like a great value gift, but a watch that does not pair well with a phone gets taken off and never put back on.
7. Massagers: Conair and Wahl
The Conair Touch-n-Tone Handheld Massager scores 74 with a 50% would buy again rate, and the Wahl All Body Massager scores 71. Small massagers are an easy gift to grab, which is part of the problem.
8. Earbuds people stop wearing: Skullcandy Indy and Sony LinkBuds
The Skullcandy Indy scores 72 and the Sony LinkBuds score 71. Even a big brand can miss. If you want to give audio, the Apple AirPods with Charging Case and the Sony WH1000XM3 both score 8.
How to avoid giving a regret
- Buy for a habit they already have. Gifts that upgrade something a person does every week get used. Gifts that ask them to start a new hobby usually do not.
- Avoid anything that needs a subscription. If the gift stops working when the payments stop, you gave them a bill.
- Check the Regret Score before you check out. Search any product on Pregret. Under 30 is a safe gift. Over 60 is a gamble.
- Include a gift receipt. Even a good gift can be the wrong one.
Better gift ideas
For gifts that people keep using, start with our Holiday Gift Guide 2026: Gifts with the Lowest Regret Scores. Shopping on a budget? See low regret gifts under $50 and low regret gifts under $100. Buying gifts in the Amazon.ca Black Friday sale? Our Amazon Black Friday Canada 2026 guide lists popular products with the lowest Regret Scores.