The love klaxon has sounded, Cupid’s arrows are hunting for a target, and the countdown to Valentine’s Day is officially on.
Marking February 14 in any vaguely affectionate way is a divisive topic; some passionately reject the notion of making an effort on one single day, but we say why not use it as an opportunity to go above and beyond?
Of all the year’s holidays, it can feel like Valentine’s is engineered solely for women, what with the abundance of bouquets, lingerie and frothily ribboned boxes of chocolate.
In fact, there are so many female-centred options around that Google has found searches for men’s gifts are higher. Searches begin on Boxing Day, spiking to a high just before Valentine's before dropping off sharply after February 17. It means that despite weeks of research, and looking at various options, many are still stumped when thinking about the perfect gift.
Top line? Shopping for men is hard.
If you’re hoping to wrap something other than boring ‘man’ gifts - think underwear of any description (yes, that includes socks), cufflinks (do people still wear those?), or a panic-bought body spray set (leave Lynx Africa on the shelf where it belongs) - then consider the search over.
As your friendly shopping expert, we’ve rounded up the last Valentine’s Day gift guide for men you’ll ever need. From cool homewares and fashion pieces to smarten up his wardrobe, to non-naff tech he’ll cherish (nearly) as much as you, we’ve got all the gift-giving inspo you need to help you nail the day of love.
Want to go all out? Add a card - the smuttier the better, we say - and a bunch of flowers, because menfolk appreciate blooms as much as the rest of us.
Shop now - you can thank us later.
Paul Smith 'Artist Stripe' Dressing Gown
With sub-zero temperatures here, we’re deep in dressing gown season. Replace his tatty and tired terry robe with a smarter cut from Paul Smith. This piece magnifies the brand’s famous ‘Artist Stripe’ on 100 per cent cotton towelling with a contrast tie belt to match. For lounge lizards and stylish couch potatoes.
Buy now £235.00, Paul Smith
Van Hunks MCC Brut Sparkling Wine, 75cl
Worth getting for the label alone, but this South African wine is no novelty turkey. The sparkling Chardonnay puts itself on par with Champagne or Prosecco with a dry taste that sings when paired with seafood or tapas. It's perfect for romantic dinners a deux and also comes in a rose option.
Buy now £20.16, Amazon
Monica Vinader Linear Men's Friendship Bracelet
Whether your gift is for a romantic partner or your platonic partner-in-crime, a nice piece of jewellery is bound to go down a treat.
Monica Vinader’s sterling silver and braid bracelet is one of those simple looks that elevate any outfit, whether he’s at work or play. It is part of the jeweller’s complimentary engraving line, meaning you can have it personalised with his initials, a special date or a cute nickname.
Buy now £100.00, Monica Vinader
Gymkhana Curry sauce and marinade gift set of four
From Michelin-starred Indian restaurant Gymkhana comes this quartet of sauces and marinades to shoot your next home-cooked curry into the stratosphere. The perfect gift for spice-loving foodies, this set contains jars of butter chicken and goan curry sauce as well as tandoori and roasted chilli and garlic marinades. It'll leave your usual takeaway order in the dust.
Buy now £35.99, Selfridges
Amyisla McCombie Tomatoes Unframed A3 Print
Amyisla McCombie’s bright pink is perfect for adding vibrancy to bland kitchens. What’s more, a strategically positioned kitchen print can offer the right levels of passive persuasion. He’ll be fixing you plates of pan con tomate before you can say “what’s for brunch?”.
Buy now £45.00, Liberty
Axel Arigato Dice Lo Sneaker
Founded back in 2014, Axel Arigato has achieved global cult status in just a decade, and now it’s time for your favourite man to put his best foot forward. One of the brand’s more recent additions, the Dice Lo sneaker, is a vintage-inspired design with suede, leather panelling and a contrast heel, but with the modern update of recycled fabrics, a branded rubber sole, and gold foil logos. His favourite kicks, but better.
Buy now £220.00, Axel Arigato
Barbour Ashby Waxed Field Jacket, Navy
We’ve yet to meet a man who looks bad in a Barbour jacket. That’s the magic of the South Shields brand. Navy offers a lighter look to black while still offering the same level of depth (and stain-masking qualities).
The waxed Ashby design comes with a corduroy collar and deep pockets complete with metal hardware detailing. It will look as at home in the countryside as it will strolling around the streets of the capital.
Buy now £229.00, John Lewis
The North Face Wawona Fuzzy Blanket
A generalisation: slankets may be wildly popular amongst women, but men? Not so much. It might be something to do with the cutesy unicorns, emojis and koala prints they usually come in.
If he’s missing out, introduce him to the comforts of wrap-around blankets without denting his street cred with The North Face’s Wawona Fuzzy Blanket.
Essentially a poncho, it’s lined with cosy fleece and filled with synthetic insulation to double down on the warmth aspect. Meanwhile, the map print exterior stays true to the brand’s DNA and keeps the look cool.
Buy now £93.00, Slam Jam
AKT The Lantern Candle I Limited Edition
Giving a candle as a Valentine’s gift opens the door for all sorts of gags: “can you feel a spark between us?”, “you light me up”, and “ouch, that’s hot”.
Whether he grins or groans is down to the man he is, but once the dad jokes have been delivered, he’ll be left to appreciate AKT’s sweet, citrussy notes and its theatrical glow.
Buy now £39.00, AKT
Penhaligon's The Blazing Mister Sam Eau de Parfum, 75ml
For those who have become nose-blind to their own aftershave, it’s time to shake things up with a new addition to his toiletry bag.
Penhaligon’s parfums are miniature works of art with flacons topped with sculptural toppers and whimsical names straight out of storybooks.
The Blazing Mister Sam is a top choice for V-Day gifting, bringing together a mix of spicy, woody notes that he, and you, won’t be able to stop sniffing.
Buy now £220.00, F&M
Marshall Middleton Portable Bluetooth Speaker
An audio icon, what Marshall doesn’t know about sound isn’t worth knowing.
Bring a dose of rock ‘n’ roll glam into their lives with the Middleton speaker, which works via Bluetooth so there’ll be no tripping over pesky wires. The water-resistant design offers 360° sound and can play for 20 hours straight from one full charge. Let the music play.
Also available in black with brass hardware, and sold with a two-year guarantee.
Buy now £269.99, John Lewis
Meta Quest 3
Best for: Joining the mind-blowing metaverse
No, not a PS5 and now an Xbox Series X, but rather the very latest entry point into the world of VR gaming, the Meta Quest 3; and what an entry point it is too as having been hands-on and head-in with the device, I can quite honestly and emphatically say that I’m a complete and utter convert.
Currently costing about the same as the console twins, what you get in the box is the headset with the standard pre-installed facial interface, 2x Touch Plus controllers and power gubbins, so all quite simple and straightforward. Then you download the Meta Quest app on your phone, install some apps, slip on the headset and slip seamlessly into the virtual world.
Using mixed reality, you can let the Quest 3 measure and map the movable space within the room or do it manually, then bring up the virtual control panel to select games, TV streaming channels or, well, all manner of marvellous things to get started. Naturally, I waded straight in with some battle royales.
Games cost anything from free to around £30 for heavy hitters like Resident Evil and The Walking Dead, or up to £45 for stunning new stuff like Asgard’s Wrath 2. All of which are – and I can’t stress this enough – utterly thrilling to play.
With an adjustable head-strap, it’s simple to find a comfortable fit, and the ergonomic controls are intuitive to use.
While I’ll never abandon console or PC play, the Meta Quest 3 has dazzled me and thoroughly turned my head with its truly immersive play, sucking me in with its irresistible succubus charms.
Finally, I should probably mention that, yes, you can do much more than just play games with the Meta Quest 3, with other equally amazing work and entertainment options available.
Buy now £455.40, Amazon
SATECHI Dock5 Multi-Device Charging Station with Wireless Charging
True love in the modern age is... keeping his gadgets topped up. And who says romance is dead? Tech geeks will swoon at the sight of Satechi’s Dock5 Multi-Device Charging Station, the deskside companion they never knew they needed.
Not only will it juice your tech, but it'll keep them nicely organised too, with a mix of charging ports to see to devices new and old.
Find more charging stations here.
Buy now £57.99, Amazon
John Lewis & Partners Sirius Crystal Glass Whisky Decanter and Tumblers Set
If you’re looking for a substantial-looking gift minus the hefty price tag, John Lewis has this beautiful crystal decanter with six matching tumbler-style glasses for a mere £80. Not a bad price for a special occasion.
Buy now £80.00, John Lewis & Partners
Greasy Fingers Luscious Red
Now this is fun. Conceived specifically to complement gourmet fast food, Greasy Fingers flips the stuffy image of wine completely on its head with two bottles: Buttery Chardonnay and Luscious Red. It’s the latter you’ll need for your steak. A medium-bodied blend of Shiraz and Grenache, it features cherry and strawberry notes with soft tannins, providing the perfect match for grilled meat. Personally, we can’t wait to try it with a dirty burger.
Buy now £10.00, Asda
Everpress Queen of Clubs POD
Offering unique tees and sweatshirts by small artists, you're bound to stumble across some wardrobe flavour at Everpress. This monochrome sweatshirt has caught our eye thanks to the Queen DJ design on the back. God save the rave, indeed.
Also available as a t-shirt, both offered in sizes XS - 2XL.
Buy now £42.00, Everpress
Belgrove Hazelnut Rum
Rum: not just for pirates, as it turns out. This small-batch variety from Cumbria producer Carmel Spirit Company is a drop of pure indulgence thanks to the luscious notes of toasted hazelnut, cocoa and vanilla. A boozy liquidised chocolatey spread, in other words. It’s all the justification you need to mix with a breakfast cocktail in celebration.
Buy now £31.00, Waitrose
FLOWERBX Paradise Sterlitzia
Could his study do with a bit of greenery? Inject life into unloved corners with a gift from FLOWERBX’s plant selection. This Bird of Paradise beauty can grow up to two metres tall: impressive given it basically takes care of itself. It’ll be delivered in one of the florist’s white pots, which means it’s ready for placing and admiring instantly.
Buy now £50.00, FLOWERBX
Le Labo Santal 33
Worn by: Niall Horan and Jodie Comer
Instantly recognisable, it comes as no surprise that Le Labo’s Santal 33 is a hit among the celebrity set, namely One Direction and Killing Eve alum. The heady scent is addictive, and one whiff is never enough as notes of cardamom, iris, violet and ambrox evolve into the sensual leather and musk aroma that leaves an elegant scent trail that lasts all day.
Buy now £65.00, Cult Beauty
TENGA FLIP Zero Gravity White
Available in red and white, this flip sleeve takes alone time up a notch - although there's plenty of play to be had with two too. The hinged mechanism means you can fully open the device for cleaning the intricately detailed silicone.
Buy now £110.00, Amazon
