Best Gifts for Him Under $25 (2026)
By @pickwiseUseful gifts for him under $25, each a top pick in hands-on tests or reviews from Wirecutter, Serious Eats, CNN Underscored and others.
Carhartt Knit Cuffed Beanie (A18)
Three testers landed on the same hat: CNN Underscored, OutdoorGearLab and Travel + Leisure each named this acrylic watch cap their top pick, and CNN found it one of the warmest despite being one of the cheapest. It stretches to fit most heads. Being acrylic, not wool, it runs hot on hard hikes, and Gear Patrol finds the cuff a bit tight by evening.
- Material
- 100% acrylic rib knit
- Size
- One size (OS)
- Care
- Machine wash cold, tumble dry low
- Model
- A18
Hario V60 Ceramic Coffee Dripper (Size 02)
Serious Eats tested more than 20 pour-over brewers and picked this one, and America's Test Kitchen rates it the best cone-shaped dripper, especially for light roasts. It makes one to four cups of clean, bright black coffee in about three minutes. The catch is technique: the slow spiral pour takes practice and goes better with a gooseneck kettle, and it needs V60 paper filters.
- Capacity
- 1–4 cups
- Material
- Porcelain (Arita-yaki)
- Dimensions
- 140 x 120 x 102 mm
- Made in
- Japan
- Model
- VDC-02W (white)
Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew Lightweight Hiking Socks (Men's)
Wirecutter's top hiking sock is also OutdoorGearLab's favorite lightweight pair, and it dried fastest in OutdoorGearLab's tests. The merino-nylon knit suits warm weather, and Darn Tough replaces any pair he wears out, for life. It won't keep feet warm while standing around in real cold, and the micro-crew height is too short for tall boots.
Glencairn Whisky Glass, Gift Set of 2
For the guy who sips whisky neat, this is the industry-standard tasting glass. Food & Wine named it the best tasting glass after testing 11, and The Spruce Eats picked it for single malt, because the wide bowl and narrow mouth funnel aroma to the nose. It's no good for ice or cocktails, and the glasses don't stack.
- Material
- Lead-free crystal
- Capacity
- 200 ml
- Dimensions
- 115 x 66 mm
- Weight
- 124 g per glass
- Care
- Dishwasher safe
Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella
Out of 48 umbrellas Wirecutter has tested since 2014, this compact one has been its top pick for about a decade: nine fiberglass ribs flex in gusts, it folds to just under a foot, and the canopy spans 37.5 inches. Closing it takes a firm push. OutdoorGearLab's first sample snapped ribs in a wind test, though Repel replaced it and the second one held up.
- Ribs
- 9 fiberglass ribs
- Open/close
- Automatic, one button
- In the box
- Travel sleeve
- Warranty
- Lifetime replacement
ThruNite Archer 2A V3 LED Flashlight
Bob Vila's tester made it an everyday carry after trying eight flashlights, and it has been a Wirecutter pick since 2017, now runner-up only to a near-identical rechargeable version. It reaches 500 lumens and has a dim firefly mode for moving around without waking anyone. It takes two AA batteries, which aren't included, and on high it drains in about two hours.
- Max output
- 500 lumens
- Battery
- 2 x AA, not included
- Modes
- Firefly, low, medium, high, strobe
- Waterproof
- IPX-8 (2 m)
- Beam distance
- 93 m (max)
Opinel No. 08 Stainless Steel Folding Knife
France's classic picnic knife has barely changed since 1890. GearJunkie names the stainless No. 08 the best knife under $25 and CleverHiker its best budget pocketknife, citing a 3.28-inch blade that arrives sharp on a 1.6-ounce knife. It opens with two hands and has no pocket clip, and OutdoorGearLab found its steel well behind modern knives, though easy to resharpen.
- Blade length
- 3.28 in
- Overall length
- 7.59 in
- Weight
- 1.6 oz
- Blade steel
- Sandvik 12C27 stainless
- Lock
- Virobloc locking ring
Glocusent Bookmark Style Reading Light
Lets him read in bed without lighting up the room. Wirecutter tested 13 book lights and named this 1.4-ounce clip-on the best overall, with three color temperatures, five brightness levels and a battery gauge, though some testers found its buttons touchy. It charges from a built-in USB-A plug, so a USB-C-only charger needs an adapter.
- Brightness
- 5 levels
- Color modes
- 3 (1800K, 3400K, 6000K)
- Battery
- 500mAh, up to 80 hours
- Charging
- USB-A port
- Warranty
- 24 months
Codenames (2nd Edition)
Two teams race to find their agents from one-word clues in about 15 minutes, and the 2025 edition updates the words and art. Wirecutter has kept it on its beginner list for almost a decade, IGN ranks it among 2026's best party games, and it won the Spiel des Jahres. It's made for four to eight-plus players, and 3 Minute Board Games finds it best with six or more.
- Players
- 4–8+
- Play time
- 15 min
- Ages
- 10+
- In the box
- 200 cards with 400 codenames
Tovolo King Cube Ice Tray
A stocking stuffer for the man who takes whiskey on the rocks. Wirecutter's pick for large cubes makes six 2-inch cubes that melt slowly and water a drink down less, and its tester's own tray still works like new after five years. Like all silicone, it picks up freezer odors over time.
- Cubes
- Six 2-inch cubes
- Material
- Silicone
- Care
- Dishwasher safe
- Weight
- 2.4 oz
Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen (Black, Medium Nib)
The Pen Addict rates it the best first fountain pen, ahead of the Lamy Safari, for its smooth steel nib. It has a brass body and comes in a gift box with an ink cartridge and a converter for bottled ink. Pilot's cartridges are proprietary, so standard ones won't fit, and there's a sharp step where the barrel meets the grip.
- Nib
- Medium, stainless steel
- Barrel
- Brass
- Filling
- Cartridge or converter
- In the box
- 1 black ink cartridge, 1 converter
- Length
- 5.4 in capped
How to choose
Match it to the guy. For the coffee drinker, the Hario V60. For the hiker or dog walker, the Carhartt beanie, Darn Tough socks and ThruNite flashlight. For the whiskey drinker, the Glencairn glasses if he sips it neat, the King Cube tray if he takes it on the rocks. For the commuter, the Repel umbrella. For the reader, the Glocusent light or the Pilot pen. For game night, Codenames.
Pairs that work: the beanie and a pair of Darn Toughs come to about $45, the Glencairn glasses plus a King Cube tray about $30, and the Pilot pen with the book light about $38.
Sizing: Darn Tough sizes its socks by shoe size, so check his against the brand's chart, and the beanie is one size that stretches. Ordered by how many hands-on tests each won, then by how many independent reviewers recommend it, then by price.
Prices checked October 5, 2026.
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