I love women, but when it comes to which sex is the best to gift at Christmas, men win the battle. The range of gifts available this year, coupled with guys being less fussy than us girls, makes sourcing good gift recommendations a breeze...
Now, there isn't a man out there that doesn't love a gadget. Most men you're gifting this year are likely to have the latest PlayStation, Beats Headphones, or Amazon Echo, but not all of them will have a dash cam. Nextbase - the UK’s top-selling and multi award-winning Dash Cam manufacturer, recently launched its latest model, the 212 Lite (£69 currys.co.uk). This new dash cam captures high quality footage (1080p HD) that is filmed through a Six-Element Sharp Lenses. This footage can be used as evidence in an insurance claim or evidence of dangerous driving - giving your man a chance to play cop. The cam itself is super lightweight at 78g and boast a 2.7" screen. It also features SOS data protection, preventing impact/event recording from being deleted. Pretty impressive, huh?
A great gadget for gamers who love a bit of nostalgia is the Sega Smartphone Controller (£29.99 firebox.com). This handheld gadget enables anyone to turn their smartphone into a Sega Saturn! This ergonomic, retro controller hooks up to your smartphone via Bluetooth (and a universal smartphone holder), so your man can play the classic games just like he used to. There are currently 17 classic games available, including Sonic the Hedgehog, Streets of Rage, and, Golden Axe, with more being added regularly. These games are all accessible for free via the Google Play store!
Now, if the man in your life is more into grub than gadgets, I recommend The Spicery's How To Be A Curry Legend Cookbook Kit from Lakeland. This kit includes everything your man needs to create a feast of spicy delights, including a beautifully illustrated 240 page recipe book, four unique spice blends (made from 18 different spices), a measuring spoon and a bookmark, all contained in a handy storage tin. The recipe book alone is impressive, with 80 recipes covering curry classics, to more adventurous dishes, such as Pav Bhaji (spicy vegetable curry) or the North Indian Bhindi Massala (okra-based curry). In addition to these great recipes, this special set will also give your man access to exclusive online content and recipes on The Spicery website, to help him maintain his (new-found) curry legend status. Not bad for £33.99!
If your man is already an expert chef, you could opt for kitchen equipment, rather than recipes. ProCook is an amazing kitchen brand that has an extensive range of cookware, knives, non-stick bakeware, and kitchen and table accessories. Nearly everything is own-brand and exclusive to ProCook, keeping quality high and prices low. Whatever kitchen accessories or gadgets your man is in need of, ProCook will have it - whether it's a meat mincer, cheese board or cast iron casserole pot (like the gorgeous one above). Check out the ProCook website, here!
For men that like a drink, I recommend Where to Drink Beer. This book is the ultimate insider’s guide to the best places to drink beer across the globe. It features 500 of the world’s most revered brewers and beer experts sharing their insider knowledge of over 1600 listings across more than 70 countries. He might be so inspired by some of the locations that you may end up with a weekend away! Not bad for £16.95 (Amazon).
If your man is more spirited and prefers whisky, you can't go wrong with the Dartington Crystal Dimple Double Old Fashioned Whiskey Glasses (£50 dartington.co.uk). These large crystal glasses are weighty and stylish, making them the perfect accompaniment to a quality whisky. They are made in Britain and hand-blown for the ultimate whiskey drinking experience.
If you're dealing with a caffeine addict, a great option is the Corkcicle Tumbler (£22 Selfridges). Finished in triple-insulated stainless steel, this cool tumbler keeps cold drinks cool for nine hours and hot drinks warm for three. It will enable your man to enjoy his favourite beverage whenever and wherever he wants, whilst racking up those environmentally-friendly points! It comes in a variety of colours and sizes, and will hold 454ml worth of his chosen tipple!
Now, if your man loves to keep himself well groomed, there is no where better to find a gift than feelunique.com. The site stocks a huge number of amazing brands, with amazing products - ranging from fragrances and electricals, to skincare saviours and hair products. Feelunique.com actually have many exclusive products available this year, as well as their own collab boxes, featuring a variety of different hero products from different brands. One of which is The Little Beauty Parcel - The Men’s Edit (£25 feelunique.com), which includes the Gentlemen's Tonic Exfoliating Facial Scrub 100ml, men-ΓΌ Matt Moisturiser Buddy Tube 15ml, Barber Pro Gentlemen's Sheet Mask™ 23g, ManCave Natural Original Moisturiser 30ml, and TIGI Bed Head For Men Lion Tamer Beard & Hair Balm 100ml.
If your bae is bearded, you could also kit him out with the Hawkins & Brimble Beard Gift Set. This affordable set contains two products that any man with a beard will apprentice - a cleansing Beard Shampoo and nourishing Beard Balm Conditioner. If you're anything like me, you'll love a man with a beard, but probably won't appreciate how much maintenance goes into keeping one perfect (spoiler alert... it ain't easy). This set will not only get your man's beard clean and tamed, it will also prevent it from irritating the life out of him! Oh... and it's just £19.95 (hawkinsandbrimble.co.uk)!
Now, if a grooming gadget gets your guy going, you can't go wrong with the Philips Sonicare AirFloss Pro (£75 John Lewis). The handy device takes the hassle and time out of regular flossing by using air and micro-droplet technology to remove plaque and improve gum health. The AirFloss Pro removes 99.9% of plaque, whilst still being gentle and safe for use on orthodontic and dental work. It is super easy to use, cleans the mouth in 60 seconds and will give your man massive brownie points with the dentist. No apple needed.
If your man is style conscious, check out Chatham. It's a British footwear brand with almost 30 years' of shoe-making expertise and design creds, inspired by country life and its own nautical roots. The brand offers a range of styles - from its famous desk shoes and driving shoes, to Chelsea boots and brogues. I'm a huge fan of the Alpin Chukka Boots (£75 chatham.co.uk), so much so that I even got a pair for my Mr Big this year.
For those men who want to be as stylish in the house as they are out of it, I recommend a personalised Christy bathrobe. Christy offer a complimentary personalisation service that enables you to have monogrammed initials embroidered into a robe (or towel) of your choice! Christy also provides various fonts and thread colour options, giving you even more creative freedom! Personalised bathrobes start at £69, which isn't bad considering one is sure to make your man feel like Lord of the Manor!
Finally, if none of these recommendations float your boat, I have one final idea that will really get him going... lovehoney.com. Love Honey is the ultimate destination for spicing up your sex life, thanks to a huge variety of products that are guaranteed to benefit the both of you (including sexy lingerie and couples sex toys). Some great gift ideas include the Fifty Shades of Grey There's Only Sensation Ultimate Gift Set, Lovehoney Oh! 52 Weeks of Role Play and Fishnet and Lace French Maid Costume. Just make sure he doesn't open these gifts in front of family!