Whether you just started dating or you’re practically engaged, shopping for the perfect Valentine's Day gift for your boyfriend can be a surprisingly tricky task. How much should you spend? Are you going for a big romantic gesture or keeping it simple? And what about the classic "we’re not doing gifts this year," but you still "surprise" each other with gifts anyway thing?

Seriously, though — what *is* that?

If you're stuck in a gift-giving rut, our best advice is to zero in on the items he uses daily and the topics he brings up whenever you hang out — these are easy jumping-off points for V-day gift ideas that'll make him feel seen. (Oh, he just mentioned in passing that his wallet's falling apart? Get him a really nice leather one that he'd never splurge on himself. Stuff like that shows you've been paying attention.)

Below, we've rounded up a list of Valentine's Day gift ideas for boyfriends that say "I love you and I get you" without being totally cliché. Spoiler alert: There will be no mention of whiskey stones or beard oil.

side by side images of a beagle wearing little beast's the love sweater (against a pink background) and the sweater laid out on a light yellow background

Credit: Little Beast / Mashable composite

The Love Sweater from Little Beast

For the dog dad

This festive sweater from the trendy-on-TikTok dog clothing brand Little Beast is made from soft acrylic yarn and available in seven different sizes. (There are a dozen other patterns available if you don't want to stay on-theme.) A friendly PSA that there are matching socks for humans.

Buying Options

$65 from Little Beast

white adidas samba shoes with untied shoelaces

Credit: Adidas

Adidas Samba OG Shoes

For the sneakerhead

These classics from Adidas are the "It" shoes of the moment, so if your boyfriend needs a new pair of everyday shoes, treat him to these unpretentious and comfortable sneakers for Valentine's Day. You can't go wrong with the iconic white-and-black colorway, but there are a dozen more to choose from.

Buying Options

$100 from Adidas

various perfume bottles, twigs, and cinnamon sticks laid out on fabric in dramatic lighting

Credit: Scentbird

A Scentbird subscription

For the guy in search of a signature scent

Cologne is a classic Valentine’s Day gift, but shopping for someone's just-right fragrance can be difficult. Sign your guy up for Scentbird and he'll get samples of scents from luxury brands like Givenchy, Tom Ford, and Bentley shipped to his doorstep every month.

Buying Options

$16.95 from Scentbird

side by side images of a Comme des Garçons wallet closed and open

Credit: Comme des Garçons / Mashable composite

A really nice leather wallet

For the luxury fiend

Made from soft Spanish leather with no obnoxious branding, this Comme des Garçons zippered wallet is a versatile accessory that'll last him decades. Its contains four card slots, two slip pockets, an interior cash pocket, and a snappable coin pouch.

Buying Options

$358 from Nordstrom

Credit: Mejuri / Mashable composite

Mejuri's Cable Chain Tag Necklace

For the style savant

Mejuri's handcrafted tag necklace is understated and ultra-wearable. You can add a personalized engraving of his or your initials for free and choose from three different finishes: sterling silver ($148), titanium ($250), or 14k yellow gold ($600).

Buying Options

$168 from Mejuri

Credit: Solo Stove

A Solo Stove Mesa

For the outdoorsman

Available in nine stainless steel finishes, Solo Stove's low-smoke tabletop fire pit is perfect for patio hangs and porch s'mores. It works with both pellets and regular wood and comes with its own stand (plus a nylon carrying bag for easy storage once it cools off).

Buying Options

$79.99 from Amazon

the white nintendo switch oled model on a wood surface

Credit: Nintendo

A Nintendo Switch

For the gamer

Nintendo's OLED Switch is easily its best iteration yet, adding a gorgeous 7-inch OLED screen and 64GB of storage. If $349.99 is more than you'd like to spend, the portable Switch Lite ($199.99) is a great budget pick. If he already has a system, sign him up for a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership ($49.99/year).

Buying Options

$349.99 from Amazon

three personalized golf balls next to their box

Credit: Titleist

Personalized Titleist golf balls

For the golfer

Yes, there are different types of golf balls, and yes, they can have different impacts on your game. Titleist Pro V1s are some professional-quality golf balls that are highly regarded for their spin and control, and you can customize them with any name, initials, picture, or logo. He'll be careful not to lose 'em.

Buying Options

$74.99 from Amazon

Credit: Bose

Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones

For the music maven

As far as premium headphones go, you really can't go wrong with anything Bose. And the new Mashable-approved Bose QuietComfort Ultra feature best-in-class audio quality, new immersive 3D audio, noise cancellation, and a 24-hour battery life.

Buying Options

$429 from Amazon

north face thermocell mules on white background

Credit: The North Face

The North Face Men’s ThermoBall Traction Mules V

For the lounger

These cloud-like house slippers from the North Face are an accessible tie-in to the puffer fashion trend of the moment. They have a soft Oso-fleece lining, Thermoball Eco insulation made from recycled materials, and a durable, water-resistant ripstop upper that comes in 11 colors.

Buying Options

$58.95 from Amazon

Credit: Govee

Govee Smart LED Light Bars

For the movie buff

Elevate your movie nights with these smart light bars, which create sick backlighting that syncs with your TV. Your boyfriend can mount them behind his display or just set them on his TV stand — they're super easy to install either way. Plus, they work with Amazon Alexa and Google Home for hands-free voice control.

Buying Options

$49.99 from Amazon

lego rose bouquet in glass vase on shelf

Credit: Lego

The LEGO Icons Bouquet of Roses

For the nerdy romantic

New from Lego, this is one of our favorite Valentine's Day gift ideas of the year. Get your boyfriend a bouquet of roses, Lego-style. Not only will he enjoy putting the flowers together brick by brick, but when he's done, he can display them on his desk or shelf for as long as he wants.

Buying Options

$59.95 from Amazon

the cookbook "foodheim" laid out on a bright white surface next to a glass of red wine

Credit: Las Jaras Wines

'Foodheim: A Culinary Adventure'

For the aspiring foodie

The taller half of comedy duo Tim & Eric is behind this New York Times bestselling cookbook, a mystical dive into one man's culinary infatuations. Its chapters cover everything from humble "grandma foods" (like handmade pasta) to luscious "juicy foods" (like Spicy Sichuan Rib-Ticklers) to small horses (no spoilers), which are accompanied by easy-to-follow recipes and stellar photography.

Buying Options

$35 from Amazon

Credit: Ninja

A Ninja Creami

For the guy with a sweet tooth

Gifting chocolates for Valentine's Day is so overplayed — go with homemade ice cream instead. The Ninja Creami can churn up frozen treats like gelato, smoothie bowls, and milkshakes right on his countertop (with endless options for mix-ins), and all of its parts are dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup.

Buying Options

$229.99 from Amazon

a woman in a blue shirt and white shorts arranges a bouquet of flowers on a kitchen countertop next to a red sodastream terra

Credit: SodaStream

A SodaStream

For the La Croix lover

Your boyfriend can make his own seltzers (or fizzy cocktails) at home with the bestselling SodaStream Terra, a sparkling water machine with a recently updated design and easy-to-use "Quick Connect" technology. The starter kit includes a CO2 cylinder, a one-liter plastic bottle, and lime bubly flavor drops.

Buying Options

$99.99 from Amazon

Credit: Nike / Mashable composite

Nike Sportswear Club Fleece Joggers

For the gym-goer

A virtually foolproof gift, Nike's bestselling joggers feature soft brushed-back fleece and a relaxed fit. The University Red/White and Pinksicle/White colors (pictured) are both very Valentine's Day-y, but if they're not his style, you have 14 others to pick from.

Buying Options

$60 from Nike

five potted houseplants on a wooden console in front of a picture frame

Credit: The Sill

A low-maintenance houseplant

For the guy who doesn't want flowers

Not everyone is a "bouquet of red roses for Valentine's Day" kind of person, and that's OK. The Sill sells a bunch of easy-care houseplants that are nearly impossible to kill, from winding Philodendrons to stately Snake Plant Laurentii (starting at $38). If you want to get really cutesy, gift it with a planter you've decorated yourself.

Buying Options

See Details

Credit: Lelo

A toy for two

For the pleasure-seeker

Sex toys are always some of the best Valentine's Day gifts for boyfriends, and no one does upscale adult fun quite like Lelo. The brand uses silky soft silicone in its designs, like the Tor 2, a vibrating cock ring that you'll enjoy every bit as much as he does.

Buying Options

$139 from Amazon

a dozen doctor squatch bar soaps in packaging

Credit: Dr. Squatch

Dr. Squatch Bar Soap

Best for soap stealers

Does your boyfriend just use whatever soap you happen to have in the shower? Then get him something actually built for men’s tougher skin, like this variety pack of Dr. Squatch bar soap. Personally, we love the heavy-grit varieties, but this sampler lets him find a scent and strength that works for him.

Buying Options

$29.21 from Amazon

Miller Kern

Deputy Editor, Shopping and Reviews

Based in New York City, Miller Kern is the Deputy Editor, Shopping and Reviews at Mashable, where she writes and edits reviews, roundups, and deals about tech products including headphones, skincare devices, laptops, sex toys, e-readers, robot vacuums, and more. She has five years of experience writing buying guides, gift guides, and deals, and covering shopping holidays like Prime Day and Black Friday. Miller can tell you which products are actually worth your money. She also explores trends in the shopping sphere, such as dupes and viral TikTok moments.

Haley Henschel

Senior Shopping Reporter

Haley Henschel is a Chicago-based Senior Shopping Reporter at Mashable who reviews and finds deals on popular tech, from laptops to gaming consoles and VPNs. She has years of experience covering shopping holidays and can tell you what’s actually worth buying on Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. Her work has also explored the driving forces behind digital trends within the shopping sphere, from dupes to 12-foot skeletons.

Haley received a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and honed her sifting and winnowing skills at The Daily Cardinal. She previously covered politics for The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, investigated exotic pet ownership for Wisconsin Watch, and blogged for some of your favorite reality stars.

In her free time, Haley enjoys playing video games, drawing, taking walks on Lake Michigan, and spending time with her parrot (Melon) and dog (Pierogi). She really, really wants to get back into horseback riding. You can follow her on X at @haleyhenschel or reach her via email at [email protected].