Stocking fillers that actually get used (2026)
The anti-tat manifesto: small things under £40 that are still in daily service next December.
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10%
The UK’s best-selling serum and the perfect fiver: universally useful, genuinely wanted, and the kind of thing people mean to buy for months.
£5UniBond AERO 360 Moisture Absorber
The unexpectedly-loved practical gift — for the car, the caravan, the misty-windowed bedroom. Sounds unglamorous; gets thanked for in February.
£12The Ordinary Skin Support Duo
Niacinamide plus hyaluronic acid in one box — a complete mini routine that looks far more considered than its price.
£13.80Anker Nano 20K 45W Power Bank
The stocking filler with the highest use-rate of anything on this page: charges a phone three times over, fast, and lives in their bag for years. Power Cut Ready’s pick of the compact class.
£34.99One tier up (£70): the Anker 165W 25K — the laptop-charging power bank for the person whose whole life is USB-C.
Frequently asked questions
What makes a good stocking filler?
Daily utility beats novelty - the test is whether it's still in service next Christmas. Consumables (serums, beans) and carry-items (power banks) pass; joke gifts don't.
What is a good stocking filler for someone who has everything?
Upgraded versions of things they already use daily: better beans than their usual, a faster power bank than the freebie one, the serum everyone recommends. Familiar category, superior execution.