A great Valentine’s Day gift strikes the balance between personal and indulgent, a different measure depending on whom you’re shopping for. Some guys may be yearning for a high-quality turntable; others may want nothing more than a reliable chef’s knife. Some want a trip to the spa and fancy skin care. (And, of course, there are the guys who truly just want a nice dinner and chocolate.)
To help you find the right Valentine’s Day gift for the man in your life, I combed through the Strategist archives to find 51 items special enough to gift. (Everything on this list has also been through a simple heuristic: Would giving this as a Valentine’s gift start a fight? So nothing purely pragmatic or self-improvement-y here.)
Many are things Strategist staffers have gifted (or were thrilled to receive) themselves. All of the things on this list are available on Amazon but I’ve found some of them elsewhere, too, for those who like to shop around. And if you’re looking for more ideas, we have gift guides for everyone, from the person who just wants flowers to foodies and wine lovers.
Merz b. Schwanen Authentic Fleece Classic Fit Sweatshirt
Strategist contributor Leon Hedgepeth tried nine gray sweatshirts to find the very best, and Merz b. Schwanen came out on top. (Hedgepeth’s original pick sold out, but this one is almost identical.) The brand is also the maker of Jeremy Allen White’s white T-shirt.