Men can be frustratingly tough to buy for. There’s only so much you can do with "I don’t mind”, especially when they do, in fact, mind quite a lot.
That’s why we’ve pulled together this list of the best gifts for men in 2024. It's packed with all the stuff he never knew he wanted, from affordable watches to eye-catching homeware to wardrobe essentials.
The one gift he definitely, definitely wants above all else? A subscription to Esquire, of course. You can get 47% off right this very second – which means a year’s worth of issues arrives at your door for just £19.99.
There aren't many things which say 'I appreciate you very much' like something from Smythson of Bond Street. Their lovely Panama cross-grain leather card holder has six pockets and a middle bit for extra odds and ends.
There comes a time in every friendship when you move away from giving each other gifts for consumption right now – pints, chocs, one-time gag presents which quickly get hoyed out – and start thinking that maybe you should be trying to beautify each other's lives more permanently. Get these and next time you're round theirs, they'll crack them out and you'll instantly feel like you're in a very exclusive small plates place. Except you'll probably have crisps and cans. Nice.
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You aren’t short of options if you’re after a pair of low-profile, moc-toe shaped derbies. The version from Paraboot has become ubiquitous far beyond the Paris boutique it calls home, leading many high fashion brands to get in on the action. But if it’s a super affordable (but nonetheless top quality) pair you’re after, then let us introduce you to Paris-based brand Kleman – specifically the ‘Padror’ style. First crafted in the nineties from cowhide leather, the super-comfortable classic is currently available in eight colours.
We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again: Montblanc’s Meisterstück fountain pen is a masterpiece. Not that we’re the first to arrive at that conclusion – “Meisterstück” literally means “masterpiece” in German, so there was clearly some confidence in the product when it launched 100 years ago – but it remains the ultimate stationery status symbol. A timeless gift will last for a very long time.
Sure, you can dash down important notes and momentous thoughts on your phone. But when your biographers come to piece together the intricate workings of that magnificent brain of yours, they'll be delighted to find you left behind your scribblings and works in progress in your many notebooks. And your pals are, if anything, even more luminous than you, so a really beautiful, gilt-edged, pocket-sized, leather-bound notebook from luxe stationers Smythson is the least they deserve.
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What’s the next best thing to a warm embrace? A Dryrobe, because it’s the sartorial equivalent. This wind-and-water-proof outerwear is what every surfer and sea swimmer wants to be greeted with after a quick dip, as its technical design is poised for any outdoor activity.
You know 19 Crimes wine. You’ve tasted 19 Crimes wine. This, after all, is not your first rodeo. But have you tasted 19 Crimes's new spiced rum? It’s called The Vanished, it carries hints of caramel & oak vanilla, and you’ll be seeing a lot more of it on supermarket shelves and drinks cabinets in the near future.
9
Mario vs Donkey Kong
A rivalry as enduring as the Gallagher brothers’, this is a remake of ye olde Game Boy Advance puzzle platform game, given a total overhaul. Solve puzzles to liberate stolen Mini-Mario toys from the antagonistic gorilla by working together with Toad in two-player mode. There’s 130 levels of increasing tricksiness. Suitable for players aged three and over, making this ideal for school holidays/ entertaining nephews and nieces on the weekend. £31.99; amazon.co.uk
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10
A membership to Elmtree by Spacemade
Spacemade aim to elevate the notion of what a co-working space can be. They have locations in London's Wandsworth and Archway, with a flagship in Marylebone, called Elmtree. The townhouse-style office has been designed to revive the traditional co-working offering by creating a hub of opportunity for its network Private office space at Elmtree starts from £800 per desk, per month and co-working spaces start from £129 per month. elmtree.co.uk
There's been early snow this year, so we're keeping everything crossed for good piste conditions into the next one too. And of course you'll want to be properly (and stylishly) equipped, so Oakley's newest Fall Line L rimless snow goggles will do nicely. Their generous sizing also means they fit over most helmets and accommodate prescription eyewear, while giving you a perfect view of whatever you'll be hurtling towards...
Giving your friend a massage: awkward, threatens to spill over into a doomed love affair that leaves you both heartbroken and adrift. Giving your friend a massage gun: nice.
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Smeg’s Manual Espresso Coffee Machine is as high-spec as you'd expect from the kings of design-led kitchen equipment. It offers the ability to grind coffee beans, create two espressos at once, froth milk to perfection and create a full coffee menu, turning any kitchen into your own personal coffee shop. The curvaceous, retro finish remains true to Smeg’s unique Italian heritage, while the features place it firmly in the 21st Century. You'll never set foot in Pret again.
A nice chopping board is the kind of thing that people rarely buy for themselves. They’ll spend heaps on Japanese chef’s knives and kitsch tableware, but they draw the line at prepping food on anything but a discoloured plank of scratched-up plastic. That changes now, with British kitchen brand Katto’s beautifully crafted two-sided chopping board, made with American black walnut and packaged with the matching stand it deserves. You can even get something engraved on it.
Around eight years ago, London-based eyewear brand Monc embarked on a mission to create very nice glasses in an ethical and sustainable manner. That means a small team of experience craftspeople, producing limited batches of product with a zero waste goal. We’re big fans of the mid-century-inspired Leith frame, made of hardy bio-acetate (itself made from cotton and wood pulp-based fibres). You can check them out yourself at the brand's pop-up in Piccadilly Arcade, London, which runs until mid-January,
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Or, alternatively, you could treat your eyeballs to Meta and Ray-Ban’s high-tech Wayfarers, fitted with an ultra-wide 12 MP camera (with photography, video and livestreaming capabilities) and open-ear speakers, which allow you to listen to playlists and take calls. Friends: we are living in the future.
No, they won’t be offended. And even if they initially are, they’ll soon be overwhelmed with gratitude that you introduced this retinal-based eye cream to their rotation. An active form of vitamin A, this potion accelerates the rate of cell turnover, meaning less wrinkles.
We’ve been mining Y2K for a while now, and it’s safe to say people are finally starting to appreciate the short-lived but influential days of translucent and transparent casings. This minimalist machine packs great sound into a tempered glass casing.
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19
Simba Hybrid Pillow
Of all the everyday household items we didn’t expect to get the space-age treatment it was the humble pillow, but then Simba came along and changed the game. With the Hybrid, they’ve somehow implemented temperature regulation features – inspired by the kind used by astronauts – to store and release heat to aid a restful night. You can also adjust the height and firmness by adding/removing foam ‘Nanocubes’ (yep, it’s all very sci-fi) and the whole pillow is made to an impressive eco-friendly standard. A deceivingly high-tech gift that could make a very big difference to his quality of sleep.
£81.75, simbasleep.com
There comes a point in every man's life when a black bin full of lukewarm water and Carling just won’t cut it anymore. Your New Year’s Eve party calls for a proper set-up; a well-stocked bar trolley and a state-of-the-art beer dispenser. The PerfectDraft Pro features variable temperature control, can be tinkered with via a dedicated app, and works with kegs from a huge array of top tier breweries.