The Verge’s 2025 Valentine’s Day gift guide

Few pairs of wireless earbuds provide as much value as the recently released AirPods 4 — especially if you’re an iPhone owner. The entry-level earbuds integrate seamlessly with Apple’s ecosystem of devices while delivering stellar sound and voice quality, rendering them a great pick if you can do without noise cancellation and more advanced features.

If your partner likes to burn the midnight oil reading (heaven forbid) actual books, Glocusent’s LED Neck Reading Light could be a godsend for the both of you. The wearable necklamp provides a soft, warm glow and several brightness settings, allowing your loved one to comfortably read in the dark without waking you up with a deluge of lumens.

The Onn Google TV 4K Pro is a twofer of a gift. It’s a great streaming device with support for Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, and HDR, all of which make for a visually rich, immersive streaming experience. It also functions as a smart speaker, meaning you can use it to play music, dim the lights, and carry out a host of hands-free commands.

If you want to score brownie points but spare your hands, the latest Theragun Mini is a no-brainer. The powerful, three-speed massage gun can melt away tension much like Theragun’s beefier models, only it comes in a travel-friendly package that’s far easier to lug around. The assorted attachments and included carrying case just add to the convenience.

Jem and Cozy’s illustrated notepad can be the perfect pick-me-up during a long day. The lined 50-page notepad adds a touch of humor to even the most tedious of tasks, making the process of jotting down a to-do list, a grocery order, and other helpful reminders (slightly) more enjoyable.

The Amazfit Active 2 is the kind of smartwatch that defies the odds. It’s equipped with a bright 2,000-nit OLED display and an array of upgraded health sensors, along with offline maps and a slick strength training mode that can auto-detect sets, reps, and rest. It even supports its own AI assistant, Zepp Flow, which is wild for a watch that retails for less than $100.

If you’re looking for a healthier alternative to a bottle of wine, For Bitter For Worse nonalcoholic cocktails will provide a similar “kick” without the high calories or hangover. The award-winning mocktails are made from organic raw materials and come in a variety of delicious flavors, ranging from tangy rhubarb and citrus to sweet strawberry and hibiscus.

If you’re looking for a way to brighten up your Valentine’s Day — either literally or figuratively — Govee’s Table Lamp 2 can get the job done. The color-changing lamp boasts built-in scheduling and more than 60 dynamic lighting effects, including preset scenes for various holidays. You can even create custom color combos for when “Dandelion” and other presets just aren’t cutting it.

Amazon’s latest Kindle Paperwhite — aka our favorite ebook reader — is perfect for the valentine who likes to relax by the pool or pretty much anywhere. It’s designed to last for weeks at a time, not days, while a larger seven-inch display and adjustable color temperature allow for more natural lighting in any environment.

Hey, we love a high-quality display as much as anyone, but there’s something so endearing about the disposable cameras that ruled the early ’90s. And while the screen-free Camp Snap isn’t made for instant gratification or capturing high-res stills, it’s a dead-simple way to take some vintage-looking shots and then export them to your computer via an SD card or USB-C.

The DreameBot D10 Plus is an all-rounder if there ever was one. The robovac’s dual rubber rollers suck up dirt and debris relatively well, and it’s outfitted with mopping, mapping, and lidar navigation for less than $400. That’s a steal, especially when you consider it comes with an auto-empty dock that prevents your giftee from having to lift a finger. Well, almost.

Is there anything more romantic than duking it out with your sweetheart for global supremacy? Of course not, which is why 7 Wonders Duel remains a great gift. You and your love are sure to have a blast with the two-player strategy game, which tasks you with building out your civilization via science, military might, or infrastructure.

With an Eight Sleep Pod 4, you’ll never fight over the comforter with your partner again. The mattress cover lets you dial in the perfect temperature for you and your beau, so both of you can get a good night’s rest. It also tracks your heart rate, sleep stages, and even your snoring habits, so you can get insight into your sleep without having to don a bulky smartwatch to bed.

If you’re looking to step up your self-care game at home, Lush’s handmade Bath Art set can turn your bathtub into a colorful piece of art. Not only do the included bath bombs smell incredible but they also let you bathe in swirls of sparkly gold, yellow, pink, and blue. They’re a true feast for the senses (and 100 percent vegetarian).

The ModRetro Chromatic offers gamers an incredibly fun and luxurious way to play both Game Boy and Game Boy Color games — if you’re okay with the Palmer Luckey of it all. From the buttons down to the D-pad, most everything about the colorful handheld takes a cue from Nintendo’s past. Yet, unlike the 1989 model, the Chromatic is made of metal and comes with modern perks like USB-C.

Ototo’s Katie ladle is purr-fect for cat lovers. The cat-shaped kitchen ladle is both adorable and functional, with a heat-resistant silicone design that’s suitable for serving everything from soups to sauces. It’s even sturdy enough that it can stand on its own should you need to set it down in a pinch.

The Instax Mini Link 3 lets you make the digital physical, allowing your giftee to create charming, wallet-sized prints within seconds using their phone. And thanks to Fujifilm’s handy companion app, they’ll be able to flex their creative muscles with colorful borders, background effects, and photo collages.

In Crumbs, celebrated food writer Ben Mims takes readers on a culinary tour, one that involves a whopping 300 recipes from nearly 100 countries. He includes all kinds of crumbly and chewy sweets, from French macarons and Portuguese biscoitos to snickerdoodles and Venezuelan shortbread cookies, while sprinkling in a brief history of each sweet.

The Aura Carver is a 10.1-inch, cloud-connected display that lets you or your partner easily upload photos via Android or iOS. It’s a great gift if you’re looking for something a little more sentimental, especially if your goal is to upload those special moments you’ve shared together and put them on display in either landscape or portrait orientation.

A portable power bank doesn’t sound romantic, but do you really think your loved one is going to care when their phone dies and there’s no wall outlet to be found? Anker’s 622 Magnetic Battery can provide newer iPhones with up to 7.5W of power, along with a foldable kickstand so they can prop up their phone to watch their favorite YouTuber while charging.

A scratch-off Valentine’s Day card is far more creative than your run-of-the-mill valentine from Target. All you have to do is jot down a heartfelt note with a pen or pencil before covering it with the provided sticker, which your giftee can then scratch off to reveal your hidden message. It’s a lot like gifting a lotto ticket, that is, if the odds were always in your favor.

No one wants to spend hundreds of dollars or their entire day just to cover some grays, which is why L’Oreal’s Colorsonic is so handy. The high-tech hair wand lets you quickly touch up roots and dye your hair without making a mess, rendering it an attractive alternative to both box dyes and salon visits. Best of all, it’s dead simple to use — just press a button and brush your hair! No mixing required.

If you want to gift a floral present that’s not a total cliche, Lego’s Pretty Pink Flower Bouquet set makes for a worry-free centerpiece. The 749-piece set comes with 15 buildable stems, from orchids and ranunculus to a brick-ified dahlia, all of which are in peak bloom no matter the season. Needless to say, it’s a nice way to let your creativity — ahem — blossom.

Most people hate Mondays, which is probably why The New York Times chose to publish its least aggravating crossword puzzles at the beginning of the week. The publication’s greatest hits collection is chock-full of puzzles curated by master puzzler Will Shortz, many of which will still offer you a chance to swoop in and aid your significant other when they’re stumped.

Planning a picnic or Say Anything-level romantic gesture? The Soundcore Select 4 Go is an inexpensive Bluetooth speaker that can help set the stage, especially since it easily pairs with a second Go speaker for stereo sound. It carries an IPX67 rating for dust and water resistance, too, meaning it’s perfect for seaside strolls, hikes, and other outdoor activities.

Sungboon’s collagen mask is the rare TikTok sensation that actually lives up to the hype. Like magic, the face mask works overnight to improve elasticity, temporarily erasing fine lines and wrinkles. It also soothes, hydrates, and rejuvenates your skin, leaving you with a glowing complexion that should last far longer than the viral videos from which it sprang up.

Comfyable’s Puffy Laptop Sleeve stands out among a sea of drab alternatives. The ultra-plush sleeve feels as comfortable as it looks thanks to attractive Scandinavian colors and its fluffy fleece lining, the latter of which helps protect notebooks up to 16 inches in size. It’s also waterproof, so you needn’t worry about the occasional raindrop or rogue cup of coffee.

If you can’t score tickets to Oasis’ upcoming reunion tour, then the 30th-anniversary edition of the band’s classic debut might be the next best thing. The newly pressed vinyl features a number of songs they’re sure to play on tour, including classics like “Live Forever” and “Supersonic,” as well as some unreleased material from the original recording sessions in ’94.