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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Samuel Mathewson

Best Christmas gifts for men that he’ll actually want to keep

Christmas is almost here and lurking among the mistletoe and whimsy of the season is the slight stress of finding the perfect gift. Men can sometimes be harder to shop for than women, known to proclaim that they “don’t want anything this year”, which is frankly unhelpful.

That’s why I have searched high and low to make sure every type of person is covered with my men’s Christmas gift guide for 2025. From the best men’s fashion gifts to affordable grooming sets, these all come from tried and tested brands that we at IndyBest know and recommend.

The best gifts for men 2025 are:

How I tested

Some of the men's gifts I tested (The Independent / Samuel Mathewson)

I’m always on the hunt for great gifts for men, and I ensure that quality and practicality are thought about in my recommendations. I’ve also aimed for a range of gifts that cover different price points and functions to account for varying tastes. These gifts (all tested by me) are not throw-away single use items, but are design led, functional and thoughtful.

Gap nap logo hoodie

Rating: 5/5

Best: Gift for men overall

Category: Clothing

Next day delivery available: Yes

Why we love it

  • Super soft
  • Good quality

‘Tis the season for naps, so this tongue in cheek hoodie is probably the best way to honour the sacred act of hibernating. I love the brushed lining on the inside, which feels super cosy and high quality.

Made with a lovely soft cotton blend and with a classic cut, your giftee won’t want to take this off until spring. It’s available in a wide range of sizes (XS-2XL) and if the festive green isn’t your thing, you can get it in pink or black too.

Buy now £45, Gap.co.uk

Backbone One gaming controller

Rating: 4/5

Best: Gaming gift for men

Category: Gaming

Next day delivery available: Yes

Why we love it

  • Transportable gaming
  • Can be used on a variety of cloud consoles

The Backbone One is a handheld gaming console that attaches to your iPhone or Android phone, and transforms it into a handheld games console. I tested the Backbone One Playstation edition, but it is also compatible with Xbox, Steam and other gaming platforms.

Your phone slots inside the Backbone One gaming controller (Samuel Mathewson / The Independent)

You will need to have a subscription to an existing PlayStation service to be able to play PlayStation games on your phone, but there are plenty of free games and app games that are compatible. You can search the full list on the Backbone website, but I loved playing Fortnite for free using the handheld console – it was even better than playing it on a Nintendo Switch device. If you have a man in your life who loves a bit of casual gaming, this is a great gift.

Buy now £99.99, Amazon.co.uk

Jo Malone red and blue men's Christmas cracker

Rating: 4/5

Best: Men's gift for fragrance fans

Category: Body care and fragrance

Next day delivery available: Yes

Why we love it

  • Excellent stocking stuffer

This little stocking stuffer from Jo Malone contains three of the brand’s bestselling scents, so it’s sure to win over your giftee, if he’s not already thrilled with the inviting packaging.

The fresh and light wood sage and sea salt is a classic scent, and is a great one to put in a work or gym bag. Hand and body care is taken care of too, with the deep and moody cypress and grapevine wash and fresh lime basil and madarin hand cream.

If you’re after a last minute gift, next-day delivery is available at Lookfantastic.

Buy now £38, Jomalone.co.uk

Aubin frome sock

Rating: 4.5/5

Best: Socks to gift

Category: Clothing

Next day delivery available: No

Why we love it

  • Soft and cosy
  • Fun colours

Socks are no longer an afterthought gift thanks to Aubin, who creates socks that feel extra special. The frome socks are 80 per cent wool and 20 per cent cotton, making them super soft and gentle on the skin, unlike some 100 per cent wool socks.

The colour options are all fun and vibrant, with my favourite being these deep olive green socks with pink and navy highlights.

Buy now £26, Aubinandwills.com

Yeti rambler bottle with chug cap

Rating: 4.5/5

Best: gift for men that travel

Category: Kitchenware

Next day delivery available: Yes

Why we love it

  • Sturdy
  • Stays cold all day
  • Can be used for hot or cold drinks
  • Easy to clean

Take note

  • Quite heavy

I’ve found my new favourite bottle, and it is perfect for keeping drinks cold and hot for hours on end. The rambler bottle comes in five different sizes, from 530ml to 1.9 litre capacity, and features a “chug cap”, which makes spill-free sipping a breeze. The chug cap is removable from the main bottle for easy cleaning, and you can even replace it with a special teacup cap (£30, Yeti.com).

This keeps drinks hot and cold for hours (Samuel Mathewson / The Independent)

All Yeti bottles are dishwasher-safe, but also easy to hand wash, so I wasn’t worried about bacteria build-up. There are a range of colours and sizes, making them entirely customisable to your giftee. The smallest bottle starts from £30, too.

Buy now £40, Amazon.co.uk

Bose quietcomfort ultra headphones (gen 2)

Rating: 5/5

Best: Headphones for gifting

Category: Audio tech

Next day delivery available: Yes

Why we love it

  • Great, adjustable noise-cancellation
  • Lightweight
  • Sleek design

The Bose quietcomfort give the AirPods pro max design a run for their money. The lightweight wireless headphones are sleek with soft edges, and come in a range of colours including off-white, a golden hue and even a burgundy red.

They feel super light and don’t squash or put pressure on the ears, even with prolonged use. The strong noise-cancellation is perfect for drowning out the sound of the commute to work too. The Bose app makes controlling the volume and anti-noise level easy.

You can switch between quiet mode and aware mode with these headphones (Samuel Mathewson / The Independent)

Quiet mode allows full audio enjoyment, or aware mode for situations where you’ll need a little bit of the outside world, such as walking outside or working out. The battery is also long lasting – up to 23 hours with immersive audio on or a huge 30 hours without.

If you need these to arrive quickly, next day delivery is available at John Lewis.

Buy now £449.95, Amazon.co.uk

Le Creuset stoneware cafetière

Rating: 5/5

Best: Coffee gift for men

Category: Tableware

Next day delivery available: Yes

Why we love it

  • Made from sturdy stoneware
  • Keeps coffee hot

Take note

  • Quite heavy

Amp up the breakfast table with a colourful French press from iconic kitchenware brand Le Creuset. Available in a slew of different colours, this is the coolest way to have your morning coffee. I love the azure colour - it’s definitely not a gift to stow away in a cupboard.

The one-litre capacity means it’s perfect for sharing, or to enjoy three to four cups alone (no judgement). It’s made from substantial and heavy stoneware, and because of this the coffee stays hot for a long time.

Buy now £51.75, Amazon.co.uk

Harry's plus starter kit

Rating: 4.5/5

Best: Shaving gift for men

Category: Grooming

Next day delivery available: No

Why we love it

  • Minimalist design
  • Handy razor travel cover included

Give the gift of a close shave with Harry’s newest razor. Harry’s has become a staple razor for millions of men with its simple, unfussy product design and razor that actually works. The latest razor from the brand adapts to the contours of your face for a smooth shave every time.

The razor now has pride of place in my bathroom (Samuel Mathewson / The Independent)

This gift set includes a handy travel cover and gentle shaving cream that didn’t cause me any skin irritation. If they’re not a Harry’s lover already, they’ll be converted in no time with this gift set.

Buy now £19.5, Amazon.co.uk

Fortnum & Mason robin roy cocktail

Rating: 4.5/5

Best: Ready-mixed cocktail gift for men

Category: Alcohol gifts

Next day delivery available: Yes

Why we love it

  • Stylish bottle design
  • Good for parties

The Scotch version of a Manhattan cocktail, the robin roy (a play on rob roy) is made from sweet vermouth, bitters and Fortnum’s own single malt whisky. This is a fantastic one to whip out at Christmas time, as it’s already diluted to the perfect drinking strength.

Garnished with a cherry, this is a sweet, complex and heady drink for the refined gent in your life.

Buy now £29.95, Fortnumandmason.com

Oliver Bonas olive martini glasses

Rating: 4.5/5

Best: Cocktail glasses to gift to men

Category: Drinking glasses

Next day delivery available: Yes

Why we love it

  • Sturdy glass
  • Whimsical design

Martinis are having a moment, and for good reason. Gin splashed with vermouth is an acquired taste, but nothing is cooler than knowing how to order one just to your liking.

These glasses are a fun nod to the drink and a lovely gift for someone who likes this classic cocktail.

Buy now £29.5, Oliverbonas.com

Kiltane solid cashmere scarf

Rating: 5/5

Best: Scarf for gifting to men

Category: Clothing and accessories

Next day delivery available: No

Why we love it

  • Warm and soft
  • Comes in a range of colours

A cashmere scarf is a great gift for someone to keep them cosy when the wind blows. Cashmere keeps you extra warm because of the fine weave that traps warm air close to the body, insulating against the elements.

Kiltane has a range of affordable cashmere pieces, from knitwear to accessories. This scarf is super warm and stylish, and long enough to bundle up with on chilly days. This will serve your giftee from Christmas day through to spring.

Buy now £59, Kiltane.com

Simba rok slippers

Rating: 5/5

Best: Slippers for gifting to men

Category: Clothing and accessories

Next day delivery available: Yes

Why we love it

  • Comfortable
  • Durable enough for outdoor wear

Mattress maker Simba has released slippers, and it makes a lot of sense if you’re looking for ultimate comfort. Utilising pressure points on the feet to (reportedly) ease stress, they are simply some of the most comfortable shoes I’ve put on.

These have become a staple in my wardrobe (Samuel Mathewson / The Independent)

They’re perfect for shuffling about the house but are also hardy enough to wear outside. The neutral beige-taupe colour goes with lots of outfits too.

Buy now £89, Amazon.co.uk

What is the best gift for men?

A comfy sweatshirt makes a wonderful Christmas gift, with my favourite being Gap’s nap logo hoodie with its quirky wordplay slogan. For gamers who can’t bear to be away from their console, the Backbone One gaming controller can travel anywhere for cloud gaming anytime. And for fragrance fans, the Jo Malone red and blue men's Christmas cracker comes with a best-selling scent and two body products.

How I selected the best gifts for men

When I selected the gifts for my guide, I looked at the following criteria:

Why you can trust IndyBest reviews

IndyBest is comprised of a team of shopping experts who are experts in their fields, from tech to homeware and parenting products to specialist-recommended beauty, we have thousands of unbiased product reviews and only recommend our tried and tested favourites. In the gifting space, we also have guides on the best gifts for women, for young people whether they’re newborn or turning 18, presents that dad will love and many more.

When it comes to gifts for men, Samuel Mathewson knows which ones are worth your money, having created this guide for years. He is on top of men’s fashion, fragrance and accessories having tested everything from the best shorts to weekend bags, making him well placed to evaluate the quality, functionality and price of each item.

For more festive gifting, we’ve rounded up the best advent calendars for men

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