If you don't know their setup, give something every DJ can use whatever their gear: musicians' earplugs, a book, or closed-back headphones such as the Sennheiser HD 25 if they don't own a DJ pair. Bigger gifts, such as a bag, software or a controller, have to match the gear and software they already use, so find that out first.
Small gifts
These work without knowing anything about their setup, apart from the last two, which need one model name.
- Musicians' earplugs. Filtered earplugs turn the whole sound down by about the same amount, so the mix still sounds like the mix, only quieter. The DJ earplugs guide picks the Minuendo Lossless Earplugs, which have a lever to change the reduction, and the Etymotic ER20XS and Loop Experience 2 as simpler fixed-level options.
- A book. Last Night a DJ Saved My Life, Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton's history of the DJ, was reissued by White Rabbit in July 2022 with two new chapters and a foreword by James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem. Tim: The Official Biography of Avicii, by the journalist Måns Mosesson, is built on interviews with Tim Bergling's family, friends and colleagues, and Avicii AB's net proceeds from it go to the Tim Bergling Foundation.
- USB sticks, if they play club players. DJs who play CDJs or XDJs carry their music on USB sticks, ideally two with the same export. The USB sticks guide picks the SanDisk DJ Flash Drive, made with AlphaTheta for its players and rekordbox. A DJ who plays from a laptop and controller has less use for one.
- Spare parts for headphones they own. Owners of the Sennheiser HD 25 say every part that wears out can be replaced, and the cable, clamp and ear pads are sold as spares. The HDJ-CUE1 has a replaceable cable and ear pads, and colour packs sold separately. Check the model on their headband first.
Mid-sized gifts
- DJ headphones, if they don't own a pair. The best DJ headphones guide's default is the Sennheiser HD 25: every professional review read recommends it, owners report pairs lasting for years, and it isolates well enough to cue in a loud booth. The usual reservation is that the on-ear clamp gets uncomfortable after an hour. For a first pair, the same guide picks the Pioneer DJ HDJ-CUE1, which reviews call sturdier than its price suggests.
- A bag that fits their controller. Buy one whose maker lists their controller by name; the DJ backpack guide matches UDG and Magma bags to specific controllers and battle mixers.
- A laptop stand. Useful for anyone who DJs from a laptop on a table. The laptop stands guide covers a simple riser for home and a sturdier folding stand for gigs.
- A course. The online DJ courses guide recommends one taught on the controller and software they already own; several teach on the DDJ-FLX4.
- Software or a music subscription, with care. Before buying a Serato DJ Pro licence, check whether their controller already unlocks Pro free; Serato DJ Lite vs Pro lists those controllers. A DJ pool depends on the music they play, and the DJ pools guide sets out which pool suits which DJ. Both sit in the DJ's own account, so ask before you buy.
Big gifts
Agree these with the DJ first, because each one has to suit how they play.
- A first controller, for someone starting out. Most beginners should start with the Pioneer DJ DDJ-FLX4: all ten professional reviews read recommend it as a first controller, and it runs rekordbox or Serato DJ Lite, so they can choose software later. It needs a laptop, headphones and speakers to go with it. The beginner controllers guide covers a phone or iPad, a smaller budget and scratching.
- Speakers for practising at home. The studio monitors for home DJs guide sizes them to the room, starting with the JBL 305P MkII for a bedroom.
- An upgrade to their main gear. A new controller, mixer, turntable or player is a choice most DJs want to make themselves. If it is the gift, buy it together, or ask which model they want.
By what they already own
| They already have | A gift that fits | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing yet, but want to start | A first controller and headphones | Beginner controllers, DJ headphones |
| A controller and a laptop | A laptop stand, a bag that fits, monitors | Laptop stands, backpacks, home monitors |
| A controller running Serato DJ Lite | Serato DJ Pro, if their controller doesn't unlock it | Serato DJ Lite vs Pro |
| Club gigs on CDJs or XDJs | USB sticks, earplugs, HD 25 headphones | USB sticks, earplugs |
| Turntables | A cartridge that suits their tonearm, a bag for a battle mixer and records | DJ turntables, backpacks |
| A livestream | A microphone | Streaming microphones, streaming mixers |
| Paid events | Lighting, or the accessories they still lack | DJ lighting, DJ accessories |
A cartridge is the one gift on that list that has to match the deck exactly: each tonearm takes a set range of cartridge weights, and a scratch DJ needs a cartridge made for scratching, as the turntables guide explains.
How to find out what they use
Three questions settle most gifts, and you can often answer them by looking at their setup:
- What do they play on? A controller with a laptop, club players such as CDJs, or turntables. The brand and model are usually printed on the top panel.
- Which software? The common ones are rekordbox, Serato DJ, Traktor, djay, VirtualDJ and Engine DJ, and the name shows on the laptop screen when they play. The DJ software guide explains which runs on what.
- Where do they play? At home, at paid events or in clubs. It decides whether earplugs, USB sticks or lighting will get used.
How this page is made
Each gift links the guide, product page or source it relies on. Product details for the HD 25, HDJ-CUE1 and DDJ-FLX4 come from their records on this site, which compile professional reviews and owner reports; the other recommendations come from the linked guides, which cite their makers' pages. We haven't tested these products. Prices in the cards come from daily tracking across the retailers we link to. The methodology explains the whole process.
