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As someone who has held the title of “boyfriend” for most of my 20s, I like to think that I know a thing or two about gifts that truly stand out. Like my colleague Tembe Denton-Hurst wrote in her roundup of the best gifts for girlfriends, choosing the right gift all comes down to specificity. The more you can pinpoint his interests and align them to the right product, the better the gift will be. If you need a little assistance discovering that special something for your special someone, I’ve put together this list of thoughtful gifts at a variety of prices. To compile it, I scanned our story archives for the unusual, useful, and occasionally splurgy items — the stuff your boyfriend wouldn’t normally buy himself — rounded up all the surefire hits, and included some picks of my own. And to make it even more convenient for you, all of the items on this list are available on Amazon.
Whether your boyfriend is a coffee snob, a bookworm, an aspiring grill master, or a guy who likes to golf, there’s a gift that will satisfy his specific hobby or obsession. I even have a few options for the guy you’ve recently started dating and don’t know much about yet. Everything is organized by price, so you’re bound to discover a gift for your boyfriend that he’ll find delightful, no matter how many dates you’ve been on. But if you do need more ideas, we’ve got dozens more gift guides for every type of person and every budget. Time is running out, however, and not everything on this list will make it in time for Christmas. I’ve noted where this is applicable, below, but shipping times will vary by location, so be sure to double-check before you check out.
Update on December 20, 2024: Added some new gift ideas; noted items that won’t arrive in time for Christmas; checked stock and updated prices on all products.
Under $25
For the boyfriend who craves competition
Get him a card game that, as my colleague Erin Schwartz says, “can get downright Machiavellian.” Saboteur also comes in different stand-alone versions: The Dark Cave and The Duel. Note: The original version of Saboteur is required to play Saboteur 2. (There’s also Dutch Blitz, if he would prefer something along the lines of a “very energetic solitaire.”)
For the boyfriend who’s a light sleeper
This mask has built-in Bluetooth speakers, so he can block out light and listen to whatever sounds will lull him to sleep.
For the boyfriend who wants to perfect his grilled cheese
This simple kitchen gadget will not only level up his sandwich game by weighing each one down for full-on toastiness, it’s also great for evenly cooking meats and veggies.
For the boyfriend who gets hangry
These celebrity-approved beef sticks aren’t just great snacks — they also come in handy during food emergencies. Now he won’t have a hunger-related meltdown ever again.
For the boyfriend with impeccable rolling skills
These papers burn consistently (and slowly) and are easy to roll. Rapper Sen Dog approves.
For the boyfriend who’s the letter-writing type
This Strategist-favorite fountain pen will add an extra touch of refinement to his stationery (or allow him to sign his name like AOC or André Aciman) and has just the right amount of heft to feel satisfying to write with.
For the boyfriend who just moved into a new apartment
The notes of cinnamon and frankincense will make his new place feel extra homey.
Editor’s note: This item may arrive after Christmas.
For the boyfriend with holes in his socks
These socks offer just the right amount of stretch for equal comfort in a Chelsea boot or a trail-running shoe. Plus, their wool construction naturally cuts down on odor.
For the boyfriend who makes a killer margarita
This stainless-steel shaker is one of our favorite expert-recommended shakers.
Under $50
For the boyfriend whose beer has taken over the fridge
He can keep his six-packs in the pantry, and when he’s ready for one, ding! It’s cold.
For the boyfriend looking to improve his short game
This collapsible net makes practicing chip shots more like a fun Skee-Ball-like game.
For the boyfriend who’s training for a marathon
If your boyfriend has become a marathon runner (or aspires to be), he will be ravenous. The RunnerBox from Fuel Goods is a curated box of snacks and supplements, such as energy gels and electrolyte powders, delivered every two months. Think of it as a sampler kit that will lead him to his favorite new running fuel.
For the boyfriend whose toiletry bag has seen better days
This is one of our favorite men’s dopp kits because it’s deceptively large yet can squish into an overnight bag.
For the boyfriend who says he needs to read The Power Broker
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Robert Caro’s definitive biography of Robert Moses.
For the bookworm boyfriend
An intricate DIY diorama that can fit in between a stack of books on his bookshelf.
For the boyfriend who writes feverishly
If he finds the paper in his Moleskine notebooks too thin, this notebook — which is available with dotted, squared, and ruled lines or plain — will do the trick. It also has a table of contents and each page is numbered, so he’ll never lose track of his ideas.
For the boyfriend who’s serious about his post-workout shake
This stainless-steel shaker bottle keeps smoothies and drinks colder than a regular plastic blender bottle.
For the boyfriend who sips coffee on his commute
This travel mug is my favorite because it has a double-lid system that prevents any dripping or leaks, and it keeps my coffee hot for hours.
Editor’s note: This item may arrive after Christmas.
For the boyfriend who’s always tap-tap-tapping away on his phone
This Bluetooth keyboard will help him scratch that I-need-to-send-just-one-email itch and give his thumbs a break.
For the boyfriend whose phone battery is always at one percent
This charging stand snaps to the back of his phone and comes with a kickstand.
For the boyfriend who’s happiest in a tent
Whenever I get stuck while brainstorming gift ideas, I know I can find something from Snow Peak my recipient will like. Everything the brand makes — from a nice set of chopsticks to a mini gas-powered lantern — is high quality, well designed, and built to last.
For the boyfriend who likes sipping espresso at camp
These stackable ceramic-lined cups have the durability and heat retention of the larger Rambler mugs we love, but in a more packable, four-ounce size.
For the boyfriend who has, yet again, lost his gloves
These are the best liner gloves I’ve tested. And when worn by themselves, they’re thick enough to take the bite out of cold wind.
For the boyfriend who is still working on that 1,000-piece puzzle
This handy mat will let him save his progress, thanks to a grippy rubber bottom and foam tubes that provide an even roll.
For the boyfriend who’s really into Steely Dan
This book not only dissects Steely Dan’s lyrics and dives deep into the imagery of their discography, it also steps back and provides helpful context about how the band’s music was written.
Editor’s note: This item may arrive after Christmas.
For the boyfriend with “creative director” ambitions
In this inspiring collection of essays, legendary record producer Rick Rubin intersperses poetic meditations on creativity with more practical advice on how to approach the creative process.
For the boyfriend who likes to camp
This inflatable solar-powered lantern emits warm, ambient light.
For the soccer-loving boyfriend
These classic soccer shorts will be a staple in his warm-weather clothing rotation.
For the boyfriend who’s an actual prepper
When he needs to make a fire — whether that’s during the apocalypse or at the state-park campsite — he’ll be ready with this knife.
For the boyfriend who just realized he has dry skin
This moisturizer is lightweight, vegan, not too perfumy — and doesn’t leave a heavy residue.
For the DIY boyfriend
The ideal starter kit for the guy who wants to build more than Ikea furniture (though it would be good to have on hand for that as well).
Under $100
For the boyfriend who prefers to make his coffee at home
For the boyfriend who insists that his suitcase fits in the overhead bin (it won’t)
This simple, hard-side spinner luggage is one our favorite carry-on suitcases.
For the boyfriend who has always wanted to grill on the patio
This compact yakitori grill is great for tight spaces and holds heat very well — perfect for kebabs or a few steaks.
For the boyfriend who works in an open-plan office
These noise-canceling Anker headphones deliver supremely good audio quality for just $60. (I recently bought a newer version of the Q20, the Q20i, but have heard this pair is just as good as, if not better than, the pair I own.)
For the boyfriend who has watched every season of Top Chef
If they want to cook meat with true precision, they’ll need a meat thermometer. Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio says this thermometer from Meater is the best one he’s ever used.
For the boyfriend who hates flossing (but hates the dentist more)
We like this water flosser for smaller bathrooms because it’s cordless and doesn’t take up much space on the bathroom-sink counter or medicine cabinet.
For the boyfriend who wants to work on his stir-fry technique
A proper wok will expand his cooking repertoire. Artist Andrew Kuo uses this lightweight pre-seasoned carbon-steel wok, which he says conducts heat well.
For the boyfriend who loves his Weber
Consider this brush an upgrade to his old set of grimy grill brushes — this one can scrub and steam.
Editor’s note: This item may arrive after Christmas.
Under $200
For the boyfriend who’s into wine
Oenophiles are going nuts for this two-volume opus devoted to French wine that took author Jon Bonné nine years to write.
For the boyfriend who loves Wong Kar Wai films
A retro-looking flip clock from Hong Kong–based Twemco. (He might recall seeing one in Chungking Express.)
Editor’s Note: This item will arrive after Christmas.
For the boyfriend with (literal) cold feet
Slippers might seem a little obvious, but any boyfriend would be happy to receive this timeless wool pair that will double as “picking up the mail” or “walking the dog” clogs in a pinch.
… And cold hands
Out of all the winter gloves I’ve tested, these feel the most luxurious.
Editor’s note: These gloves are available in different sizes on Amazon. Hestra lists them as separate products, but you can find them all here.
For the boyfriend who keeps complaining about his dull knives
Our favorite European-style chef’s knife is versatile and comfortable to hold.
For the boyfriend who keeps raving about the hotel toilet
This bidet from Tushy is easy to install and use, and will change his bathroom routine for the better.
For the outdoor-gearhead boyfriend
The Gobox is fully submersible and will withstand scratches and dings if he decides to fill it with fishing gear and throw it in the back of his trunk.
Editor’s note: This item will arrive after Christmas.
For the boyfriend training for American Ninja Warrior
This set is much more packable than your average at-home pull-up bar. Comedian Kel Mitchell loves his for doing hotel workouts.
For the boyfriend who can’t keep his plants alive
This full-spectrum light will help his plants thrive in low light — finally! Also, setup takes less than 20 minutes.
For the boyfriend who can’t fit more books in his carry-on bag
Strategist tech writer Jordan McMahon says this e-reader displays vivid color — comic books in particular.
For the boyfriend who prefers his sandwiches hot
For the boyfriend who has referred to coffee’s “complexity”
He probably needs a serious coffee grinder then. Over a dozen serious coffee people told our kitchen and dining writer that this is the one to get.
For the boyfriend who’s a little scratchy
A genuinely useful item that he might not splurge on for himself. This electric razor, which we’ve deemed the best, gives a consistently close, non-irritating shave.
For the boyfriend who hates mornings
The solution might be swapping his phone alarm for a sunrise alarm clock like this one.
For the boyfriend who prefers an outdoor La-Z-Boy
I’ve tested dozens of camp chairs in the past decade, and this two-seater is the most comfortable one I’ve tried.
Editor’s note: This item will arrive after Christmas.
Over $200
For the boyfriend who (begrudgingly) wears his company-branded backpack
This is our top recommendation for a laptop backpack. McMahon says it “offers the best balance of style, comfort, and function.”
For the boyfriend who likes to host movie nights
Our friends at The Verge give this “take-anywhere projector and Bluetooth speaker” their stamp of approval.
For the boyfriend who’s always wishing his Kindle fit in his pants pocket
This sleek, extra-portable e-reader not only makes it more convenient to take his latest read with him, it also runs Android, so it has many more capabilities than a Kindle.
For the dapper boyfriend
A cashmere V-neck that layers well and comes in a range of colors.
For the boyfriend who loves to tailgate
He’ll keep the party going with this 33-liter cooler that can hold up to 28 cans — with ice (that will stay frozen for days on end).
For the boyfriend with pizzaiolo aspirations
This pizza oven is electric, so it can be used inside or outside, unlike gas or charcoal models. Plus, its dials help control the heat on top and underneath the pie.
For the boyfriend who always brings the party wherever he goes
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best women’s jeans, rolling luggage, bedsheets, coffeemakers, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
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