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Because you can still have ~romance~ without dropping over $50.

I am a contributor who has been writing for the BuzzFeed Shopping team since 2021, covering just about everything: home goods, beauty, fashion, gift guides, practical life hacks, tech, travel, personal wellness, and big sales events.

PS: check out the Level Two version of this game if you and your SO have already completed the Level One Version!

Promising review: "Got this for my husband for our anniversary this year and we absolutely love these cards! They provoke such good, deep, loving, funny, and insightful conversations with your partner. We like to answer a couple each night at dinner!" —Celest Rayanne

Promising review: "Seriously a great candle! Gave this a try and have repurchased multiple times. Great scent payoff! Sort of like a baked good but not as gourmand? It really is warm and cozy. And much cheaper than many other high end candles." —Tiffany May

Get it from the Sweet Water Decor Shop on Amazon Handmade for $19.99. 

Promising review: "I absolutely love this candle warmer! It looks beautiful on my nightstand and adds a cozy, warm glow to the room. The adjustable brightness and timer are very convenient, and it melts the candle evenly without an open flame, making it much safer than burning a wick. It also helps my candles last much longer while filling the room with a wonderful fragrance. The quality is excellent, and it was very easy to set up. Highly recommend this for anyone who loves candles or wants a stylish piece of home decor!" —Vandinha Maciel

Get it from Amazon for $13.85+ (available in 11 colors/styles).

Promising reviews: "We love decanted wine, but never seem to remember to allow time to breathe. Or maybe we’re just impatient to jump to the enjoyment part. Either way, this is perfect — fast, amazingly effective, no leaking, and simple to use and clean. Travel case is a nice bonus for parties, picnics and road trips. We blind taste tested this aerator with two others we had (one glass, one acrylic) and straight from the bottle, and everyone agreed that this gave the best flavor. Less time waiting, more time sipping. So happy that we purchased more for gifts and have shared the link when asked at gatherings. Highly recommend." —KML

Promising review: "Love, love, love these bowls!! My husband made bison spaghetti and we used the new bowls. Somehow they added class and a touch of elegance to the meal. They are heavy and the colors are bright and beautiful." —Robyn D.

Promising review: "Perfect for rice bowls, pasta, or anything you want to stir without spilling over the sides. Regular plates are obsolete now. Artena Pasta Bowls are the future. They are heavy, they don’t feel cheap, and dinner guests always ask where I got them." —Tuna

Get a set of four from Amazon for $47.51 (available in 10 set variations with blue and cream colored options).

Promising review: "I’m a massage therapist and these are my favorite stones to use. I also have a set for myself, to do cold stone therapy on my face with them. They are the perfect size and have a great edge for focused work." —Oak

Get a set of six stones (plus a storage pouch!) from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in three stone sizes and larger sets).

These are safe for the oven, microwave, and dishwasher! 

Promising review: "I love this pretty pot. I use it for dipping sauce and a melting pot, and keep it on the stove for decor. I love showing it off when people ask me where I get it from." —Sandra L. 

Get it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in three colors). 

Promising review: "Great ‘big’ room-filling sound out of a small footprint speaker. It’s so easy to set up and use. Sips power - it played all day and barely used half its reserve. Super happy with this purchase!" —Shanna B.

Get it from Amazon for $33.99+ (available in six colors).

You can request the colors you want, or let the artist choose for you! Each candle is unscented, 10-inches in length, and offers roughly 10 hours of burn time.

The Salt and Moss has been specializing in custom, one-of-a-kind clothing, bags, and home goods since 2022.

Promising review: "Bought a set of the candles for a friend as a housewarming gift and they loved them! I was able to request the color of flowers and the color of the candle wax. They turned out even better than I imagined they would! Sydnee did an excellent job of picking out the perfect flowers that matched the colors I requested. Will definitely order again in the future!" —holly

Get them from The Salt and Moss on Etsy for $18. 

According to Johns Hopkins, you may want to avoid diffusing oils around larger groups and young children because of the side effects of different oils. You may also want to avoid using an oil diffuser around pets with breathing problems, according to the ASPCA.

Promising review: "I really love this essential oil diffuser. It has a simple, elegant design that looks great in any room. The mist is gentle and consistent, and it operates very quietly, which makes it perfect for the bedroom or living room. I also love the seven LED light options, which create a relaxing atmosphere. The automatic shut-off feature is a great touch for peace of mind. Overall, it’s easy to use, works well, and is a great addition to my home. Highly recommend! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️" —Nathali Arostegui

Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in six colors).

Promising review: "Govee Smart Light Bulbs offer an incredible value for anyone looking to upgrade to smart lighting without breaking the bank. They pair seamlessly over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth without requiring a hub, easy set up, delivers vibrant colors, dimmability, excellent brightness, and reliable integration with voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant. While the feature-packed Govee Home app can feel a bit crowded at first, the wide range of customizable scene modes and music-sync features (which is really cool) makes them a standout, budget-friendly alternative to high-end brands." —C&B Harvell

The kit has everything you need, aside from the actual ingredients. It even includes a sushi knife, four sets of bamboo chopsticks, and four adorable cat chopstick-holders!

Promising review: "Complete is right. All the tools needed to make perfect sushi. The online video was so easy to access and understand. It was fun to use the sushi gun and easy to use the rolling mat. Well made a durable for long usage. Suitable for all levels of cooking experience. The clean up was simple and fast. Highly recommend this kit and I would definitely buy this as a gift." —Anna

Get it from Amazon for $23.39+ (available in three colors).

Promising review: "I really liked the tea set; I didn't expect it to be so good. It's very stylish, the quality is good, and I'm glad it will last a long time. The style, price, and capacity are perfect." —NYC_IR

My partner and I *love* 7 Wonders Duel. As far as board games go, it's one of the more engaging ones for two-person play. This is largely due to the clever, variety-focused gameplay design. There are multiple ways to win (and therefore multiple strategies), and you leave a few cards out each game, which helps ensure it's slightly different every time. It's so much fun to play, we often find ourselves playing at least two rounds in a row. If you both love board games, this is such a great option for when you want to have a one-on-one date night, but still play board games.

Promising review: "My wife and I love this game. It is the perfect length, ending right at the point where you want to play one more game, especially if you lost! The strategy is a little deeper than you might expect when you first open the game because there are multiple ways to win. It's nice because it's a quick setup and breakdown, so you don't get that feeling of spending longer setting up than playing. I'd recommend this to anyone who has a gaming partner they can play this one regularly with!" —CrimsonYell

Check out a TikTok of the cocktail book in action. 

Promising review: "This book has easily become one of my favorites. Great base knowledge and would recommend to anyone seeking to further educate themselves on spirits and cocktails. Even the first few pages are full of useful information. Purchase this for yourself or even as a gift. I cannot say enough good things about this book." —Adriana

Each kit comes with three different numbered canvas designs, seven paint pots, a mini brush, and an easel.

Promising review: "I have to admit I was skeptical because of the price and size. However, I got these for my husband for his birthday (he loves Bob Ross) and what a find!! We had so much fun mixing colors and painting. Would definitely recommend. The fact that they are small makes them even more special. I wish there were more to paint!" —slb m

Get it from Amazon for $8.76 (or get two for $17.52).

Promising review: "I purchased this as a gift, and she loves it! She is an olive oil connoisseur, and I trust her feedback. She likes the light, yet pleasant flavors. She also likes the small bottles." —Patrice Dickinson

Promising review: "I bought these for a girls trip just to have a little giggle. They were so much fun we laughed 😂 a ton. The bonus is my face felt wonderful after." —Kari

Get a pack of six from Amazon for $14.99 (available in four sets and also in packs of 12).

Elena Why specializes in handmade stationery. The artist, Elena, draws and prints their original designs from their studio apartment in Seattle, Washington. All paper is sourced from high-quality stationery paper brands in small batches and usually bought secondhand.

Promising review: "The stationery was GORGEOUS! The print and color are exactly as pictured, and the paper is actually quite a bit thicker than I expected. Feels very high quality. It's a little smaller than I thought, but I didn't check the listing for the size so that's on me" —Rose

Get a set of 15 letters and 15 envelopes from Elena Why on Etsy for $22.

This is IP44 waterproof certified, meaning it can withstand splashes of water, so don't put it directly in the stream of your shower or anywhere where it can fall into the water! 

Promising reviews: "I bought this for my bathroom because the one light is super bright and it's too much in the mornings. I still needed some light, so I looked into a lamp like this over some kind of night light or plug-in lamp. I bought this because the reviews were promising, and so far I'm really happy. I charged it when it arrived a week ago, and haven't needed to charge it again yet. I love the warm, but not yellow-y light it emits. The lamp also seems really sturdy, like if I knocked it off the counter, it would be fine. The dimming function is great, no flickering, and I'm really happy the lamp 'remembers' the brightness level it was last on. It says waterproof, and I haven't tested that, but the charging port plug seems to seal really well, so I'm not nervous to have it on the bathroom counter or right next to the shower. My one complaint is that the wood grain color appeared different on my computer than in real life, and it's a little more reddish in person. However, I like this lamp so much I've been moving it to my desk to use in the evenings, so I may just buy another one that matches my bathroom better and leave the wood colored one at my desk." —Syd Smith

"I bought this kind of as a joke for our shower, but it's the best thing I've purchased so far in 2025! It's easy to use, love the dimmer, and it creates a nice ambiance." —Holla

Get it from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in five colors and a mini size).

Promising review: "Works great! It was easy to clean and I didn’t feel any sharp spots while I was handwashing it. We used melting wafers and once they were melted, switched it to just 'keep warm.' If you leave it on hot, I believe that’s why some people said it was making the chocolate clumpy, or they weren’t using the right kind. Great value for the money, lots of room for treats to dip. The dish will get HOT, melted the chocolate in five minutes. Looked great and functioned perfectly for our at-home date night, can’t wait to use it for parties and game nights in the future, seems durable enough for the price!" —Lauren Kay

Promising review: "This blanket beats others because it is softer (a buttery and fluffy feeling), it is long enough for a 5'10" tall person, it is not too light and not too heavy (works year-round in Virginia), and it has a stretch to the material that I haven’t experienced with other soft blankets. The design is just so-so, but the colors are nice, and the price is right. If they updated the designs with more colors, patterns, then these would be absolutely perfect. I like this as much as my much more expensive Barefoot Dreams blanket and Williams Sonoma faux-fur blanket." —JH

Get it from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in three sizes and 11 colors). 

Just be sure to pop the freezer bowls in the freezer the night before your date! The actual mixing only takes about 20–25 minutes depending on the consistency you want.

Promising review: "Although you have to freeze the mugs for 24 hours, its worth the wait. Takes 20 minutes to mix. Wife and I mixed our protein coffee mix and made protein ice cream. It wasnt a hard ice cream but a true SOFT serve. Definitely worth it if you like actual creamy ice cream and not hard bricks of sugar." —Elijah Harris

Psst — a lot of reviewers use silicone or plastic molds to get specific shapes! Need some inspo? Check out these seaside shapes, nature leaf designs, or a floral option.

Promising review: "It’s honestly just a really nice material to work with! If you want to create things with clay, this is definitely a good choice! It’s definitely not for professional use, but I feel like that’s a given? I mean, it is Crayola. But all in all, great for those who want to use it for fun!" —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $13.58 (available in two colors and 10- and 25-pound buckets).  

Promising review: "I got this for my boyfriend as a 'just because' surprise, and it was so fun and sweet to fill out. I recommend this book if you want to surprise that special person in your life! He loved it, btw and tried to not cry" —Lizzi

Get it from Amazon for $10.99 (or get two for $21.98).

The set comes with two old crystal bourbon glasses and two large, spherical ice molds.

Promising review: "I love these glasses — and I was not expecting this level of quality. The glasses are thick, solid, and beautifully etched, the kind that make you feel like you should swirl your drink and say things like 'notes of oak' even if you absolutely don’t know what you’re talking about. The ice molds make legit, clean spheres, but honestly, the glasses steal the show. For the price, this is probably the best deal you’ll find for a high-quality whiskey glass set. Sturdy, classy, and dangerously good at upgrading your vibe." —Caleb Stinespring

BuzzFeed Shopping is service journalism first: our writers and editors spend all day shopping so you don’t have to, vetting products, fact-checking brand claims, and surfacing what actually helps in real life. We center readers over revenue, recommend products with authenticity (using real experiences, not ad-speak), and reflect our diverse audience, inclusive of a variety of price points, people, and needs. We cut through fake deals, favor useful info over glossy fluff, and recommend both budget and splurge options with context so you can decide what’s right for you — and still have a little fun along the way.

Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.