It's that time of year, when everyone from your girlfriend to your mom to your cubicle mate wants gift ideas for things you want. Coming up with a list of things we want isn't the hard part; I'll take a 3D printer, new Allen Edmonds, and a week in Norway – it's coming up with things we want in affordable gift ranges that makes this so difficult. If it's something we want, and it only costs $25, we probably would have just bought it for ourselves already, right? That's where the Primer Gift Guide comes in. It's chock full of awesome stuff you'd love to have, but might not be able to justify shelling out the money for. The gifts are categorized in price ranges so you can easily come up with ideas for your office Secret Santa from the under $30 range, or ideas for your girlfriend in one of the higher ranges. She's been begging for ideas since Thanksgiving, lets give her some. | ↓ |  What's Primer Approved? On some of the gift ideas there's a small “Primer Approved” badge. This is a classification for some of the products I've tested hands-on and feel they're worth the money. Companies can't pay for this distinction: The product we used must have met both the advertised promises and our expectations. |
Guitar Wall Mount
For practically pennies you can change your old acoustic from a dust collector to wall art.
Tovolo King Cube Ice Trays
These large ice cubes are slow melting, perfect for your next Old Fashioned.
Wall-mounted bottle opener
Ditch the plastic keychain and install this die-cast zinc wall-mounted opener.
ManCans Candle
A 13 year old boy had an idea: What if you buy a can of soup, donate it to a food shelter, and then make a candle with a “manly” smell inside the leftover can. Sounds pretty good to us.
Nicer socks
Reusable Metal Filter for Aeropress
Love your Areopress but hate the paper filters? Upgrade to this American Made stainless steel alternative.
NEW SCENT Pick up a bottle of expensive smelly water. Here are 4 to consider. |  |
Belt blanks
Give our easy DIY belt project a try for a nicer belt than you'd feel comfortable buying in a store.
Infared thermometer with laser
Sure, you'll probably just use it for the grill or to futz around with boiling water, but it'll be fun won't it?
Tightvac Vacuum sealed coffee container.
This unique coffee container creates an airt-tight seal, while also allowing the beans to vent CO2.
Houndstooth Tie Clip
At 1” this sharp looking tie clip will look great with a casual getup or a suit.
Charcoal and cinnamon knit tie
With a suit or a sweater, this beautiful tie will keep you stylish all year.
Bittercube artisanal cocktail bitters
Mountek Phone/GPS auto CD player mount
Fits almost any GPS or phone and slides into that unused slot in your dashboard. CD players…remember those?
Swiss Stays
One set of collar stays for all of your shirts. Swiss Stays are adjustable to four different sizes.
Dockers Grooming Set
The Pleasures of Cooking for One
Just because you're on your own, doesn't mean you can't eat good food.
American-made magnetic lightswitch plate
A nice pair of underwear, for a change
Grab a pair of shorts that you won't be embarrassed to strip down to. Made in the US of A.
Chefman Cordless Electric Kettle
Whether you're a sophisticated tea drinker or a nightly spaghetti eater, an electric kettle makes everything faster and easier.
Cedar hangers
Keep your clothing in shape and give your closet a better smell than your gym bag.
Treeline Woodworks Butcher Block
I don't think they ever clean those cutting boards that come built into the kitchen counter when people move out. Need I say more?
Merkur Model 180 Safety Razor
One of the finest starter safety razors at an unbeatable price.
Cuisinart 14 piece stainless steel grill set
You won't have to keep stabbing your steaks with forks with this nice grill set that packs away in an included case.
Flat wallet by TGT
Small enough to fit in your front pocket, big enough to hold everything you need. Made in New York.
Logitech wireless adaptor for Bluetooth devices
Control your tunes from wherever you are – wirelessly. Check out our review here.
Old Calgary Whiskey Wallet
Pandora One subscription
Sick of those cheesy localized commercials? Get the upgrade as a gift.
Leather watch strap
A new watch may be outside of the Secret Santa budget, but a new leather strap can revive an old ticker with a new style.
Bathrobe
Stop doing that weird “It's freezing when you get out of the shower” dance – get a bathrobe.
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Victorinox Chef's Knife
Use the right tool for the job with this highly rated chef's knife from the same makers as the Swiss Army Knife.
Monogrammed rocks glasses
The guy with his initials on the glasses doesn't have to pour the second round.
American Optics Square Frame Aviators
Still my go-to sunglasses all these years later. They look great on everyone.
American-made test tube spice rack
Norelco 3 piece face and body groomer
I've always hated having to have 19 different shavers to do different things.
Alec Bradley Taste of the World cigar sampler
It's hard to learn what you like if can't compare it to something else.
1 TB external hard drive
You know what the best gift of all is? A back-up of every song, paper, and photo on your computer.
Star Wars Frames
After completing Episode III, George Lucas scoured the entire 6 film saga frame by frame to construct this beautiful retelling in the form of photography.
Ben's Chili Bowl Half-smokes
No matter where you live, you can get DC's best dogs from the world-famous Ben's Chili Bowl. 16 hot dogs and 2 pints of chili sauce for $5 each – easier than braving downtown DC traffic.
Cuisinart 10 Piece Stainless Cookware Set
Take a look at the pot you use most. Are there scratches all over the non-stick surface? Do you find flakes in your food? It's time to upgrade, my man.
Aerobed
Having a place for guests to stay in your first couple years out of school is almost impossible. This air mattress is double-high and is more comfortable than a pull-out.
J.Crew peacot with Thinsulate
Sig Sauer .22 Mosquito
Jack
I’m jewish, but this is an amazing comprehensive gift guide. Cool Beans andrew.
Max Nachamkin
It’s Hanukkah right now, brotha.
And pshh on the safety razor…straight razor all the way. I recommend The Dovo Shavette (http://www.amazon.com/Dovo-Silver-Shavette-Straight-Holder-Matt/dp/B001ASOD86/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1386278954&sr=8-2&keywords=dovo+shavette)
+ Feather Razor Blades & Proraso shaving cream.
Frickin’ amazing.
Jack
haha good point, but hannuka officially ended yesterday. and besides, ‘gift giving’ on hannukah in my family usually means cold hard cash.
Kory Leach
Well then, think of this as a spend some of that cold hard cash guide for what isn’t saved or invested.
Kevin J
I would like to suggest in replace of or in addition to Knockaround, Midwest Shades http://midwestshades.com/. Having owned both Midwest and Knockaround I can say that the quality on the Midwest Shades are way higher and at least for me they fit better the knockarounds fit a little small for my head.
Andrew
Which ones did you get?
Kevin J
I’ve had two pairs of the Frank the Tanks and one of the Baconater, which have super dark lenses, I really dig them and they are cheap for the quality.
stevembk
Thanks, just ordered both of those!
KRMusician
I can vouch for the M-Audio midi keyboard. Works great with both Sibelius and Finale notation software.
BJ McGeever
A good bottle of scotch for under $30? Unlikely. Heck, that bottle of Dalmore in the picture is $40+.
Andrew
Sorry dr the confusion, the bigger images don’t fall within the price categories.
Helmut
Glenmorangie.
TJ
Definitely agree with the AO pilots. They are one of my favorite pairs. I Was devastated when I lost my old pair and had to order a new pair right away. Well devastated may be a bit much, but still.
Also agree with the merkur 180 razor. I started wetshaving 2 years ago and that is the first and only razor that I use. It’s a good starter razor. Some feather razors would be a nice addition with that.
Doug Davis
I would like all of these please.
Will
So much better than GQ’s Gift Guide. Good job.
Jano
Agreed x100.
Paul Sousa
These openers make awesome gifts. I know the craftsman and these are well made, look great, and function perfectly.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/171360046/hardwood-bottle-opener?ref=cat_gallery_5
7dlp2
Hands down the best gift list I’ve seen yet. Stylish, thoughtful, and affordable. Very well done!
Steven Stone
Just saying thanks for the work Andrew. You always do a great job and I enjoy just about every post.
Andrew
Thank you! I really appreciate it.
Leroy Dankins
As far as the underwear are concerned, I HIGHLY recommend checking out Undertech boxer briefs if you can find some. One of the best clothing purchases I’ve made, and 2 pairs can be had for a paltry $15.
Adam Brewton
Several things on here I want. Great job! I’ve never tried the Mosquito, but I owned and carried 2 different Sigs when I was in LE, and they are, hands down, my favorite. As for things I’d use daily, that houndstooth tie bar and herringbone pocket square are being sent to the wife right now so she can add them to the Christmas list.
Sunny
Microsoft Surface RT?
Really? I highly suspect Primer was paid off for that recommendation.
Andrew
Not at all! I’ve got one.
Brandon Johnston
I am using one now and I absolutely love it…I got it on black Friday…it’s like a hand held personal computer
Sean S
FYI – Wal Mart has 30 wooden hangers for $30. Not cedar, but still an upgrade from plastic! Search their site for “Wood Hangers W Bar 30 Pack”
JackHuang
Kudos on one of the best men’s-style gift guides I’ve ever seen. I love the sheer variety of items you’ve chosen while still maintaining a fairly cohesive aesthetic.
One thing that stood out a bit simply because the rest was excellent: the three pairs of boots you chose are all basically the same boot with regard to both design and price point. Maybe a standard Wolverine/Red Wing, a wingtip boot (Allen Edmonds? Florsheim?), and a Sorel-style waterproof winter boot for the next guide?
Again, bravo.
BW
Great list! How can I get the Treeline cutting board for 30 bucks? With the 20% discount its $44.
Joseph
Is there a gift guide for women in the works? I can’t figure out how to out do the kindle I got her last year.
David Bjerke
Must agree with everyone else, great guide. I have a hard time putting lists together for family and this is definitely a help.
Really love the industrial wall clock. I’ve been needing one for a while and this one looks like it will do the trick. If anyone comes across a similar item that’s available for purchase online, please reply to my comment. My family is all in WI and probably don’t want to drive 2+ hours for a $20 clock…
Thanks as always Andrew!
Robert
I’d be worried about MVMT watches. They’re a brand new company and their creators have been VERY sketchy about the quality/craftsmanship of their watches. Every time someone asked a question about the quality or craftsmanship in one of their many Reddit AMAs they would ignore the question. They may wind up being nice watches in the end, but I would wait until next Christmas perhaps until we hear how they hold up.
Aaron
Andrew! Quick! Do you have a Primer certified women’s gift guide? I’m running out of ideas!!
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Sean
Awesome list! I wish there one one of these for “Gifts for her.”