The best gifts for couples: Double-duty gifts they can enjoy together
Here's what to get the Jim and Pam in your life.
By
Leah Stodart
on
Leah Stodart
Senior Shopping Reporter
Leah Stodart is a Philadelphia-based Senior Shopping Reporter at Mashable where she covers and tests essential home tech like vacuums and TVs, plus eco-friendly hacks. Her ever-evolving experience in these categories comes in clutch when making recommendations on how to spend your money during shopping holidays like Black Friday, which Leah has been covering for Mashable since 2017.
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Credit: Mashable photo composite / egd / hamilton beach / furbo / godinger / sony
There's a reason "gifts for *insert a specific type of person here*" are commonly Googled phrases during the holiday season. As well as you may know someone, drawing a blank on the perfect gift for them happens to the best of us.
Gifting to a couple is a particularly daunting task, and one that many gift guides don't cover. Yet as Valentine's Day approaches, occasions like double dates or dinner parties may call for just that.
So when is it acceptable to give a joint gift? Many times, it's a case of not knowing each partner well enough to give a personal gift, but also knowing that you can't not get them something. Maybe your cousin married a horrendous guy but you can't give a gift to only her right in front of him. Or maybe you're on a budget, and buying one joint gift is more cost-effective than splashing out on two separate ones.
Hopefully, it's the best-case scenario: They're both your best friends, and you'd love to find your favorite duo a gift they'll both enjoy.
We suggest modern stuff that will improve your favorite couple's lives on a daily basis: streaming devices, double-duty kitchen appliances, personalized drinking items, and more. These are items to slow down mornings, to spice up date night, to make keeping track of kids easier, or simply to celebrate finding each other.
Here's what to get for the Jim and Pam (or whichever TV couple you stan) in your life:
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The Marshall Stanmore II Bluetooth speaker
Best For The Record-collecting Couple
Every home needs a good speaker, so why not get your favorite couple one that delivers great sound quality and looks good on the shelf? The sleek, Bluetooth-enabled Stanmore II has multi-host functionality, so they can take turns playing their favorite bops.
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Credit: AMAZON
An Echo Dot
Best For Couples Into Their Smart Home
Whether your favorite couple is still decking out their smart home or just needs to update their old smart speaker, consider gifting them a fourth-gen Echo Dot. It's compatible with Alexa (of course), delivers solid sound, and looks nice on the shelf. This one also doubles as a clock — a great option if they never seem to be on time to hang out with you.
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An espresso machine
Best For Caffeinated Couples
No offense to coffee shop dates, but getting Starbucks every weekday for a year costs about $1,300. The De’Longhi combination pump espresso and 10-cup drip coffee machine can customize to each of their preferences: one side makes lattes, cappuccino, and 15-bar espressos while the other brews slow-drip coffee.
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A smart mattress
Best For Couples With Tough Schedules
Moving in together means that both parties have to (begrudgingly) give up having a bed to themselves. They'll have to work out any blanket-hogging between them, but you can gift personalized shut-eye with the Saatva Solaire, an adjustable mattress. These things are known for being customizable with remote-controlled support and temperature — perfect for couples who have different preferences. And no, it’s not weird to buy a mattress for someone else when it's this nice.
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PROMOTED
An aesthetically pleasing office chair
Best For Wfh Couples
This lovely office chair from Homary is both beautiful and supportive — just like their relationship. Its height is also adjustable, so both of them can customize it to their preferences. Unfortunately, we cannot promise that they won't fight over it.
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A decanter set
Best For Whiskey Drinkers
The only thing better than unwinding with a drink after a long day is doing it with your boo. If you’re gifting to a couple whose home bar is their prized possession, a decanter set is probably on their wishlist. This three-piece one is made of fancy-looking crystal and works with the poison of their choice. “Ours” is written on the actual decanter while “Yours” and “Mine” are on the matching glasses.
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Han Solo and Leia pillow cases
Best For Couples Who Love 'star Wars'
They probably discussed Star Wars theories on their first date, so it's only right that their home is decked out in subtle (or not-so-subtle) references. These white pillowcases feature embroidered silhouettes of the princess and the scruffy-looking nerf herder; there's also the option to customize with names.
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Credit: PETSAFE
An automatic litter box
Best For Cat Parents
Whoever volunteers to clean the litter box is doing it because they love the other person — not because they love scooping litter. An automatic litter box makes disposing of trays the only grunt work they have to do. This one from PetSafe has a health counter and motion sensors that keep track of how often (or not) a cat does its business.
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An 11-bottle wine rack
Best For Couples Who Collect Wine
Liking wine is one thing; aspiring to have a wine collection like Dennis Quaid in The Parent Trap is another. This gold geometric wine rack adds a contemporary presence to any corner of the room and can display up to 11 bottles of their favorite whites, reds, and rosés. It can sit horizontally or vertically.
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Credit: UNCOMMON GOODS
A make-your-own hot sauce kit
Best For Couples Who Never Get Out
Can't talk, having a hot and spicy date night — literally. This DIY hot sauce kit will add a kick to their usual nights of making dinner together, and they'll have more than enough leftovers to add some flavor to multiple meals after that. Guajillo, chipotle, cayenne, ancho, curry, New Mexico chile, and chile de árbol spice packs are all included.
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An at-home beer dispenser
Best For Craft Beer-loving Couples
If they’re life partners who double as pong partners, an at-home beer dispenser is 100% up their alley. Whether they save limited-edition IPA growlers from their favorite brewery or actually brew the beer themselves, Nutrichef's pressurized mini keg system encourages the obsession by adding bubbles and keeping brews fresh for up to two months.
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A dual breakfast sandwich maker
Best For Busy Couples On The Go
A dual breakfast sandwich maker will let them both whip up a classic, quick meal without waiting in a drive-thru. As long as they keep bagels, breakfast meats, and cheese in the house, this will save them serious time and money.
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A Furbo pet camera
Best For Dog Parents
You know your pet parent friends wish they could bring their pet with them every time they leave the house. Furbo's pet camera will let them watch, talk to, and toss treats at their pup or kitty when one or both of them are away. It's also compatible with Alexa.
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A personalized cutting board
Best For Foodie Couples
This personalized cutting board will be a unique addition to your favorite couple's kitchen. You can customize it with two names and the year, and there are plenty of different fonts, sizes, and embellishments to choose from. Prices vary depending on your customizations.
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Roomba 694
Best For The Clean Freaks
For the days when neither of them feel like cleaning, this gift will come in handy. This Roomba can navigate under and around furniture with ease — reviewers particularly love it for sucking up pet hair. Plus, it's compatible with Google Assistant and Alexa.
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An electric corkscrew
Best For Couples Who Love Wine Night
If the couple you know is obsessed with wine, chances are that they already have just about every wine accessory you can find. But an electric corkscrew may be the one thing they haven't gotten around to copping (and afterward, they'll wonder how they ever lived without it). This one is stainless steel to match appliances and can open even the most stubborn bottles with the push of a button.
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A portable fire pit
Best For Couples Who Love Campfires
A portable fire pit is the perfect outdoor centerpiece to keep them warm on chilly autumn nights. This Amazon bestseller features a mess-free propane tank and can be assembled in minutes — no tools required. It’s also CSA-approved, making it safe to use at most campsites and places with campfire bans.
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The Ninja Foodi Pro
Best For Couples Who Just Moved In Together
Expand their nightly menu past Pasta Roni with the Ninja Foodi Pro. This ingenious all-in-one appliance has functions for air frying and pressure cooking, as well as baking, broiling, and steaming — plus, its pot and plate are both dishwasher-safe. Couples who live in small apartments with shitty ovens and no microwaves will particularly benefit from one.
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A smart picture frame
Best For Photographers
Couples who bombard your FB or Instagram timelines with mushy captions have no shame, but that constant documenting is low-key cute. When there’s no wall big enough for all of their memories, a digital picture frame is what they need to show it all off. This one's smartphone app and Alexa compatibility make choosing the lineup seamless, and its HD display works in both landscape and portrait modes.
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A picnic backpack
Best For Outdoorsy Couples
Picnic dates are some of the best dates, and this adorable picnic backpack makes them easy. It comes complete with knives, forks, spoons, dinner plates, wine glasses, and cotton napkins (all in twos, of course), as well as salt and pepper, a chopping board, a cheese/butter knife, a bottle opener, and a fleece blanket to sit on.
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A Playstation Classic
Best For Gamer Couples
Couples who Twitch stream together stay together — which means they probably have all of the new consoles out right now. Help them bond over the good old days with the Playstation Classic. This miniature version of the OG PS console from the '90s comes pre-loaded with 20 fan-favorite games and two controllers for some friendly (er, romantic) competition.
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A Google Nest Thermostat
Best For Couples Going Green
The path to being environmentally conscious can't always be paved with boycotting flights and going vegan. Installing the latest Google Nest Thermostat is a great way for couples to start reducing their carbon footprint (while simultaneously reducing their electric bill). Instead of leaving the heat or AC on all day, the device will let them create an energy-efficient schedule via the Google Home app.
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A set of pots and pans
Best For Newlywed Couples
A new marriage probably means a new house, and a new house means new kitchen equipment. This 10-piece Calphalon set includes two fry pans, two saucepans, a sauté pan, and a stockpot, plus matching lids. Each is coated in heavy-duty hard-anodized aluminum for lasting durability, and can withstand oven temperatures of up to 450°F.
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Bamboo thermoses with built-in tea infusers
Best For Couples Who Love Tea
"Don't talk to me before I've had my loose-leaf" — it's a thing. For these people, few things are more beautiful than romantic mornings of sipping tea on the porch. This gift of bamboo-insulated thermoses with built-in infusers will help them keep up the tradition, even when it's very cold out. And, since it's a two-pack, they won't have to fight over one precious thermos.
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A weighted blanket
Best For Long-distance Couples
Whether your favorite lovebirds are separated by time or place, or even if that's not the case and they're together all the time, they'll love a weighted blanket. This 20-pound option is heavy enough to make snuggles feel all the better, and its fuzzy side will offer extra warmth during cold nights apart.
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A couple's bucket list
Best For The Adventurous Couple
Whether they've just started dating or been together for years, this "bucket list" card game will help them create new memories together. The cards are divided into three categories: Life, Love, and Laughter, with prompts like "become a regular somewhere" and "spend an entire day out of the house without spending any money."
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A light therapy lamp
Best If They Live In A Gloomy Place
Help them through the winter doldrums with a lamp designed to mimic sunlight. It featured adjustable brightness and light temperature, as well as a timer in case they want to schedule a dose of "sunlight."
Leah Stodart is a Philadelphia-based Senior Shopping Reporter at Mashable where she covers and tests essential home tech like vacuums and TVs, plus eco-friendly hacks. Her ever-evolving experience in these categories comes in clutch when making recommendations on how to spend your money during shopping holidays like Black Friday, which Leah has been covering for Mashable since 2017.
