Gifts for a male friend

It holds 473 mL (16 oz) and keeps drinks hot for up to 11 hours, or cold for 24, by Contigo’s figures. One hand holds, sips and locks it. A hook inside the lid keeps a tea bag’s string tidy, the lid goes on the dishwasher’s top rack, and the steel body is washed by hand.

• Hot up to 11 hours
• Push-button lid that locks
• Tea-bag hook in the lid

What owners say: Coffee stays hot for a long time and nothing leaks or spills, owners say, and they like the lock button; it travels well and cleans easily.

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It brews about four mugs at a time. The filter has three layers of steel mesh, and two spare screens come in the box: stack one on for a cleaner cup when the grind is on the fine side. The handle and knob stay cool, and every part, filter included, goes in the dishwasher.

• Double-walled steel, 1 litre
• 3-layer filter, 2 spare screens
• Won’t crack like glass

What owners say: Owners say it keeps coffee hot well after pressing, looks smart on the counter and is easy to clean, and they find it sturdy.

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It’s 14.6 cm (5.7 in) long, weighs 0.43 kg (0.95 lb) and runs quietly, with a 7 mm stroke and five heads; save the softer ones for tender spots. A 15 W USB-C phone charger fills it in about two hours, it switches itself off after 10 minutes, and a case comes with it.

• Weighs 0.43 kg (0.95 lb)
• 7 mm stroke
• Fits in a gym bag

What owners say: Owners are struck by how much power it has for its size, use it most on calves and thighs, and find a charge lasts a long time; no recurring complaint comes up.

Coriander joins the lemon at first, with violet leaf and rosemary in the heart, and after a while the violet leaf and amber take over and give it a warmer, softer finish. Spray onto skin rather than clothes so the scent develops as it should: one at the neck and one at the chest is plenty for a working day. It’s made in France, in a 125 mL bottle.

• Woody amber scent
• Lemon, violet leaf, amber notes
• Fist-shaped glass bottle

What owners say: Owners like the scent from the first spray and plan to buy it again, and the big bottle’s price goes down well with them; how long it lasts on the skin is where they part company.

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It reads generic and maker-specific engine codes, pending ones included, and shows live sensor data and the freeze frame. The two-line screen is backlit with adjustable contrast for a dark dashboard, and it reads out the VIN and calibration IDs, a useful check that the engine computer matches the car when buying used. Menus come in eight languages, French among them, and it lives happily in the glove box.

• Shows what each code means
• 8 languages, including French
• Shows VIN for used-car checks

What owners say: It handles everything owners needed and more, and plugging it in is about all it takes: it tells them the code and finds it quickly. Several are surprised how much it does for a small reader.

The trimmer has a zero-gapped T-blade for necklines, beards and nose hair, and the quiet mode runs at 70 dB. A fade comb, 2 mm at its base and 6 mm at the top, blends two lengths. The blade head lifts off for a thorough clean, and the display shows when the blade wants oil.

• Up to 240 min cordless
• Separate 3-in-1 T-blade trimmer
• Fade lever for blending

What owners say: Owners find it well made and sharp, with a battery that holds its charge and a case full of useful pieces. Its weight divides them: heavy in the hand to some, light to others.

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Anker’s 24 hours is measured at half volume with BassUp and the lights off, so a loud party drains it sooner. The handle makes it an easy carry from the car to the beach, it’s IPX7 waterproof and floats, and Auracast links it with other compatible speakers to spread the sound further. It runs on Bluetooth 6.0 and charges over USB-C.

• Up to 24 hours playtime
• 80W with bass boost on
• Dedicated subwoofer

What owners say: Owners like the volume and the battery, which lasts and lasts, and call it a little boom box that’s solidly built for its size. Connecting it is where experiences are mixed.

The 4+1 head has a trimmer built in for longer hairs and tilts through 40 degrees, and the sensor checks beard density 160 times a second. It’s fully waterproof, so it can go in the shower. Hold the head flat and shave against the direction of growth, as Braun advises, and brush the foils out now and then with the brush in the box.

• Foil shaver, 4+1 head
• Up to 60 minutes a charge
• Reads beard density, adjusts power

What owners say: Owners find it solidly built, with a close, smooth shave every time, a battery that stays charged a long while and a head that’s easy to clean.

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It keeps drinks hot for up to 18 hours or cold for 24, and the stopper pours with a twist without coming out. At 475 mL (16 oz) it holds two good cups. Rinse the stopper’s thread after sugary drinks so the twist stays smooth. The name goes back to 1904, when Thermos was founded in Berlin to make Reinhold Burger’s vacuum bottles.

• Hot up to 18 hours
• 475 mL (16 oz) capacity
• Leak-proof when closed

What owners say: Compact and still hot hours later, owners say, and it does the job it’s bought for; the lid design and its lifespan are open to debate.

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Three torque settings go up to 4 Nm, with up to 8 Nm when it’s turned by hand, and it brakes the instant the button is released, so the bit doesn’t spin on and mark the screw. At 250 g (0.55 lb) it works one-handed. A full USB-C charge takes under two and a half hours, and the bits cover Phillips, hex, Torx, Pozidriv and flat-head screws.

• 3 torque settings
• Torque up to 4 Nm
• Light switches on by itself

What owners say: Owners say it makes furniture assembly simple and feels robust, even heavy duty, and they rate the torque and how long the battery lasts; no complaint keeps coming up.

Heads up: None of the 12 bits is a square (Robertson) bit, but the chuck takes standard 1/4-inch hex bits, so one is easy to add.