To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories
To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories Special Gift Box
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
By Jessie Atkinson , Esat Dedezade and Thomas Barrie
Stumped for gift ideas? Be it a personalised video message from Brian Cox or a nostalgic photo done in immaculate watercolour, our guide has even the most difficult-to-buy-for friend or partner sorted
The best unusual gifts for men are often far more obvious than you first expect, so if you’re seeking presents for an impossible man and those more predictable best gifts for him don’t feel quite different enough, you still have plenty of options available to you. Not everyone is satisfied by fine wines, gorgeous cheeses and exciting gadgets, and we get that. Perhaps the man in question already has all of these things and more in abundance. Does he already have a dressing gown he loves? How about a NASA telescope instead? Bottle of bubbles feel old and tired? Try an at-home beer dispenser in its place.
As you’ll see across the rest of this full-to-bursting list, there are plenty of things you can buy for the man who wants nothing and yet seems to have everything.
Contrary to festive window displays everywhere, there are plenty of unusual gifts ideas that — should you know where to look — are accessible buys for special occasions coming up in 2023. If the weird seasoning you bought four Christmases ago tells you anything, though, it’s to really think about whether your giftee will like the present you're about to pull the trigger on.
Having said that, if you think they’ll genuinely like a coffee-making alarm clock, bagel-shaped egg maker or high-end pencil sharpener, it could be the best pressie they ever receive. Still stuck? Unusual gift experiences for men are available in abundance: services like Paint Your Life turn sentimental photographs into watercolour paintings while Noah's Box sells comprehensive craft sets so the man you're buying for can learn a new skill.
The best unusual gifts for men at a glance:
Advent calendars | Alcohol Advent calendars | Gifts for women | Gifts for men | Gifts for mums | Gifts for dads | Gifts for girlfriends | Gifts for boyfriends | Gifts for friends | Best hampers | Gifts for sisters | Gifts for brothers | Gifts for teens | Gifts for kids.
For more fashion, grooming and technology releases delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our GQ Recommends newsletter.
Unusual when you first think about it but impossible to imagine living without once you buy one, a car diffuser is one of our favourite out-of-the-box things to buy as a gift. Whether it’s for someone else or you quite fancy one yourself, grab this alongside a selection of oils to transform the aura of any car you affix it to.
Resistance bands like these could really qualify as a home gym in a box. The Gymproluxe is a system of bands and pulleys that allow for seriously tough workouts without the need for a multi-gym or set of dumbbells. Whether they're a frequent traveller or a public gym-hobic, this is an ideal gift for many a fitness buff.
Just as we thought the most hyped-up cooking instrument in the world couldn't become any more hyped, Our Place dropped its coveted Always Pan (and a wider collection of saucepans and crockery) in limited Selena Gomez-cosigned colours. For the uninitiated, as well as her successful pop career, Gomez also hosts the cooking show Selena + Chef on HBO Max, so the celeb collab isn't as gratuitous as it might first seem. Plus, the vibrant azul blue and rosa red colourways are an excellent addition to any kitchen.
Hard to believe, perhaps, but we can vouch that the speaker in Soundascape’s pillow is impossible to feel when you place your cheek on it. Instead, you’re just left to be enveloped by the sound of whatever you choose to play through it as you drift off, be that the sound of rain, ambient music, spoken-word ASMR or technical death metal – it’s your choice.
There’s something very apt about the fact that nobody really knows who Matsumoto Hoji really was. The Japanese printmaker lived sometime around 1800, but beyond that, all that's really known for certain is that he clearly had great taste, having left the world a series of ukiyo-e prints of frowning frogs that have proven timeless.
It may not seem so unusual a gift for a keen golfer, but Aspinal’s tee holder gets a hole-in-one for its innovative twist on the classic luggage tag. Give them the gift of easily accessing their favourite tees with this leather-pebbled innovation in golfing chic and add a monogram for an extra touch of class.
An elegant gift for the pet-obsessed friend or family member, this choice from Animalist allows you to choose a breed of cat or dog before commissioning a line, silhouette or abstract print to represent it. Whether it’s a Picasso-inspired greyhound or a form-based Russian blue, there’s a unique piece here for every pet-owner.
Uniqlo has carved out a unique space within the world of high-street fashion through canny collaboration with artists, brands and famous figures — think graphic sweaters based on Attack on Titan or a line in partnership with Roger Federer — but none more so than Keith Haring. The late Pop artist, whose icon status is rivalled perhaps only by 1980s New York contemporary Jean-Michel Basquiat, has been co-opted here to bring his dynamic, kicking cartoon forms to a bold and striking T-shirt.
Be it a photo of your pooch or a beloved wedding snap, Paint Your Life will convert your favourite pictures into hand-painted works of art in a style of your choosing for a thoughtful and unique gift that's sure to be loved for years to come. With the option to choose between mediums (from charcoal to oil paint) and from the service's extensive roster of artists with varying styles, it's the perfect way to immortalise a cherished moment in paint without having to sit for hours on end.
Serve these to your favourite tennis lover – preferably by plate or hand, rather than racket. They’re exactly what they say on the tin: “tennis balls” made out of a combination of white and milk chocolate, filled with marshmallow (how else did you expect them to bounce on a clay court?). They’re ace.
If they know their wine, they know that it should only be poured when it’s just right. This thermal cuff sits around the body of the bottle, a bit like a wristband, and quickly displays its current temperature alongside the optimum one.
Shield your eyes! This gifting recommendation may be ugly as sin, but it’s also conversely highly coveted. The wearable duvet that should be seen no further than the privacy of their living room, this is a weird-but-cosy buy for your fellow couch potato.
Who knew Polaroid did speakers? Well now you do, there’s no excuse not to pick up one of its suitably idiosyncratic bluetooth music players, which allow you to play music through the Polaroid music app or through a range of internet radio stations. If one’s not loud enough, they sync with each other, too, giving you earth-shattering potential.
Until they invent a way for dogs to go skiing – God forbid – Tiger Sheds’ dog log cabin is the next best thing to taking the family Labrador on holiday to Courchevel. It also happens to be a great place for any small or medium-sized dog to curl up in peace and quiet in the back garden. Customise with a name plate for extra aaws.
A night at the movies, but not as they know it. Coming to a birthday card near you in 2023, Selfridges’ premium movie-night experience is a great gift for lovers of the silver screen, offering a private viewing of their film of choice in the iconic department store's exclusive VIP room. Included in the slightly elevated cinema ticket price tag are an entire private screening room for two, plus plenty of snacks and chilled Champagne to enjoy the flick, too. All that and right in time for 2023's most hotly tipped Academy Award contenders.
Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the greatest gift-giver of them all? Any magic mirror would tell you that it is they who gift an artful creation from Italian interiors label Seletti. Collaborating with Toiletpaper magazine, this mirror is typically eccentric and we need it in hanging in our bedroom right this second.
Hear us out: a blowtorch might seem like an odd gift to give, but pair it with a ramekin or two of custard and you’ll soon be cracking into the caramelised top of the crême brûlée your giftee has prepared for you. Other uses include searing steaks, tuna or chicken, or even lighting post-prandial cigars, should you desire.
Gifts for Foodies are often focused on edible items themselves, but most food fans also appreciate the means to keep making their favourite meals over and over again. That’s why this conveniently holey accessory allows for bagel-bound eggs to be cooked in the perfect shape.
Here to give Xmas 2023 an X-rating, Lelo's F1S V2 is one of this year's most coveted sex toys for men. A development on the label's best-selling masturbator launched earlier this year, it boasts highly sensitive sensors in its soft, flexible sleeve that offer up performance feedback via the Lelo app, which will allow him to tweak its settings just to his liking. It's solo intimacy at its most high-tech... but best hold off on gifting it until after Nan's nodded off in front of the TV.
One of Queer Eye Antoni Porowski’s favourite genres of candle (and you can trust him: he’s a candle nut) also happens to be one of the most surprising. Yes, pasta water is a real candle scent, and an irresistible one at that. A gift for the open-minded only.
A hundred different clubs adorn this England and Wales scratch-map, setting a challenge for even the most ardent away-day fan. As they visit each ground or see each team play (or both), they can scratch off the appropriate section until the whole map is revealed in its sodden-turf, beers-on-the-morning-train glory. Stone Island jacket not included.
Hotel Chocolat uses real grated chocolate in its hot choc formulations, meaning that even the unique cocoa flavour of apple pie will taste gourmet. For brewing in or out of the brand’s velvetiser.
Forget the latest hybrid mattress: we are entering the age of the dog bed for humans. Plufl’s ultra soft human-sized lounger uses memory foam and ultra-soft faux fur pillow bolsters to hem you in and tamp down on overstimulation. Ideal for people who prefer the floor to the settee or those who want yet another location to cuddle with their pets.
It looks as though someone has taken a bite out of these corn on the cob candles — and who’s to blame them? Nata’s creations of illusion really do look like the real thing. In reality, though, they’re a trio of hand-poured candles imbued with a jasmine, neroli and orange blossom scent.
A hot air balloon flight is one of those experiences you don’t realise you’ve been pining for until the opportunity suddenly arises, then you suddenly find yourself desperate to recreate the opening scene of Enduring Love (Google it). Happily, Virgin’s balloon flights don’t result in Rhys Ifans developing an obsession with whichever lucky person gets into the basket – they’re simply excellent experiential gifts.
James Patterson on writing; Bill Clinton on inclusive leadership; Lewis Hamilton on having a winning mindset… Masterclass is bursting with experts in every category you can imagine, and they’re all available to learn from. Is your friend a budding writer, musician, artist, makeup artist, scientist, yogi? Whatever their niche, there’s likely a Masterclass for them to explore.
Massage guns have gotten so popular that it’s getting hard to categorise them as “unusual” at all. Still, there are plenty of gym-goers out there who haven't yet been turned onto the benefits of these fitness recovery gadgets. The Theragun is still one of our favourite models, and its mini iteration allows your giftee to take the means to more swiftly recovered muscles in their gym bag.
Packing Sponge Foam If you have a loved one who you’ve heard rage-quitting Elden Ring one too many times, then this stress ball in the shape of the classic PS1 controller is the gift for them. it will relieve even the most intense gaming frustration: Godrick the Grafted will never pose a problem again.