The Ultimate Valentine’s Day Gift Guide for Him

It may feel like New Year’s Day was just yesterday, but we’re now under a month away from the next holiday: Valentine’s Day! How do you typically celebrate? Are you a big gift giver? Or do you feel the holiday is too commercial?

I love giving gifts, and while Valentine’s Day is a great excuse, these gift ideas could work year round for your man. Here are some of my favourite suggestions, wrapped up in a Valentine’s Day gift guide!

(Looking for something at the last minute? My post 14 Great Last Minute Gifts For Everyone On Your List has you covered! Read it here.)

#1: A Home Cooked Meal (or Cooking Experience!)

I’m not sure about you, but I love experiential gifts. They’re meaningful and create lasting memories, making them truly unique. And you can often come up with some ideas that are both budget- and time-friendly.

A home cooked meal is a great example of just that. It gives you quality time with your partner and can be a lot of fun! If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, plan to cook dinner together or make a dish you’ve never tried before.

Budget Option

Make a menu based on your and your partner’s favourite dishes. I like Genius Kitchen and Allrecipes for inspiration, though Pinterest and cookbooks are also helpful! Then shop, cook, and serve. Add background music and candles to make it feel special.

Convenient Option

If you’re like me and don’t always love all the planning that goes into cooking, get a meal kit delivery for your Valentine’s Day meal. Just choose your meals for the week, and have everything delivered in pre-portioned servings, ready to go. Here are some options:

Chef’s Plate

In May 2015, I tried Chef’s Plate for the first time and can confidently say that it’s the number one reason I love cooking today.

As I mention in my Chef’s Plate Review, their recipe cards provide detailed, step-by-step directions and after cooking with them for a few weeks, I felt more comfortable in the kitchen and became familiar with many techniques. In fact, you can see me in action cooking one of their meals in my Chef’s Plate Vlog!

If you sign up through my link, or use promo code #3platesFromBeyondTheSafeHarbor you can actually score your first 3 plates for FREE! That’s one additional plate free versus signing up on your own.

3 Free Plates from Chef’s Plate

HelloFresh

We recently tried HelloFresh for a few weeks and really liked it! Read all the details in my full review. Check below to see if they operate in your country and use the links to score some savings!

• Canada (and save 40% off your first box by using code SAFEHARBOR40!)
• US (and get $30 off your first order or get $40 off your first two orders combined!)
• UK (and get 50% off your first order!)

40% Off at HelloFresh Canada with SAFEHARBOR40

Blue Apron

Blue Apron is the grandfather of ingredient-and-recipe subscriptions and services almost the entire United States!

Since I live in Canada, I haven’t been able to try their boxes but if you live in the U.S. you can get $30 off your first order by signing up through this link.

 $30 Off At Blue Apron

#2: A Super Useful Water Bottle

Let’s face it – guys are generally practical people and many just want a useful gift (like one of these handmade goodies!) For many, a great water bottle makes the perfect gift. It keeps him hydrated, and is perfect for athletes, commuters, and everyone in between.

This was actually the standout gift I bought my fiancé last Christmas. He drinks a ton of water all day, especially on the golf course, and always found it to get hot throughout the day. Now he uses his S’well bottle all the time and is even considering buying a larger bottle.

S’well bottles are made from stainless steel and use a double-walled design to keep hot drinks hot for 12 hours and cold drinks cold for 24 hours! They come in a wide variety of colours, sizes, and styles.

Price range by product and country, but bottle pictured retails for $35USD or $45CAD in most stores.

S’well at Indigo S’well at Amazon.ca S’well at Amazon.com

#3: The Best Shave

Another practical gift is a razor or shaving-related present. While not glamorous, most guys shave and most guys don’t like shopping for shaving products. Get them something they’ll actually use and cross something off their shopping list, all in one go!

The first company I want to mention here is Harry’s. My Dad has been using Harry’s razors for years, and speaks highly of the quality of their products. But what stands out to me most is how they responded to the recent hurricanes to the U.S.. Seeing that my Dad’s razors had been shipped to Florida, they reached out to him after Hurricane Irma to see if there was anything they can do to help. We were blown away! Great products, and great company.

Harry’s

If your valentine has been needing a new electric razor, that can be a great gift idea too. My fiancé has a Braun 7 Series razor and really likes it, but there is a huge variety available at different price points.

Braun 7 Series at Amazon.ca Braun 7 Series at Amazon.com

Lastly, if you’re looking for an even more affordable gift or a smaller add-on, consider a post-shave cream or similar product. I bought my fiancé the Jack Black Bump Fix Razor Bump & Ingrown Hair Solution a few years ago and he swears by it. It’s an oil-free solution that treats painful razor bumps and acts super quickly.

Jack Black Bump Fix at Amazon.com

#4: A Sleek Watch

Watches also make for great gifts. They’re practical, stylish, and in many cases you can’t have too many! Plus, if your valentine wears business clothes to work, they may appreciate having different colours and styles depending on their outfit or the occasion.

While there are a ton of options to choose from, I wanted to highlight this Daniel Wellington Classic Collection Bristol Watch due to its simplicity and style. It’s versatile enough to go from work to play, and has a timeless quality (no pun intended!)

This Watch at Indigo Daniel Wellington on Amazon.com

#5: Over-Ear Headphones

Does your valentine commute to work or work in a noisy office space? Mine does, and last year  I bought him a great set of over-ear headphones. The fact that they sit over the ear make them comfortable to wear for long periods of time. And the fact that they don’t cancel out noise make it easier for him to stay alert at work in case anyone needs to get his attention.

I bought him the Bose SoundTrue Around-Ear Headphones II for Apple Devices in Charcoal which you can grab on Amazon.ca and Amazon.com. You can find other headphones by different brands and price ranges at most electronic and department stores. I just liked the sound quality of these and their comfort!

Bose Headphones at Amazon.ca Bose Headphones at Amazon.com

#6: A Cool Drinking Accessory

If your man is into bartending to any degree, there are a wealth of gifts you could give him! From coasters to a custom sign for the bar and everything in between, this is a great territory for gifts.

One specific product I’ve gifted (and recommend!) is a set of sphere ice molds. They melt much slower than regular ice cubes or smaller spheres, keeping drinks cold for longer and preventing them from getting diluted too quickly. They also look fancy! Bonus tip: want them to look completely clear? Boil the water before freezing them!

The Tovolo Sphere Ice Molds are my pick, and at under $15 for the pair, they make an affordable gift.

Tovolo Ice Molds at Amazon.ca Tovolo Ice Molds at Amazon.com

#7: Touch Screen Winter Gloves

If you live in a cold climate like me, having solid winter gear is essential. Touch screen gloves make the perfect gift since they’re practical, something he may not buy for himself, and act as a pick-me-up in the middle of what feels like a never-ending winter. They let your valentine text, call, pause a podcast, skip a song, snd more – all without having to take off their gloves.

This pair from Amazon is hard to beat. It gets INCREDIBLE reviews and comes in four different versatile styles. I like how there are sportier options and more formal options, all with touch screen capability.

Touch Screen Gloves at Amazon.com

#8: Funny Socks

Cute socks are some of my favourite gifts to give and it’s no wonder why! They’re fun, practical, and affordable. And if your valentine is more serious or needs socks for work, you can certainly go with something more formal.

My favourite places for funny socks for men are Forever 21, H&M, and AliExpress. I can normally find them for under $5CAD a pair at those stores! Happy Socks is another great option for higher quality socks that are still fun and colourful.

In Closing

There you have it – a wide range of gifts and price points for your valentine! Looking for unique or handmade gifts? My holiday gift guide for men has you covered. And What to Get for Fathers Day: 15 Great Gift Ideas has even more ideas for gifts for men.

Happy shopping, and an early Happy Valentine’s Day!