The best cheap present ideas for £20 and under

Fortnum & Mason Fudge

Fudge made by centuries-old Fortnum & Mason was always going to be spot on, but the department store has gone a step further with this recipe, making sure that the butter, sugar and syrup milk are all boiled in copper pans. As the prophecy foretold.

Anna + Nina Magic Potion Espresso Cup

Anna + Nina makes some of our favourite homely ceramic and glassware receptacles, and not all of them are expensive, either. This one, which bares the marks of the fingertips that shaped it, will give your giftee a cutesy espresso cup and require only £10 off you in return.

Horace Lemon & Mint Beard Oil

From the grooming gateway drug that brought you your favourite affordable moisturiser comes this: a beard oil that tames the roughest of stubble while smelling heavenly in the process. Also available in Tobacco & Vanilla and Patchouli & Cedar.

Crab Spoon Rest

So often the affordable gifts are the silliest ones, and this crab spoon rest certainly fills that quota… and yet, it is also the rare silly gift that will also serve a purpose. Made to hold the wooden spoon mid-cooking session, this little fella can also stretch his claws above his head to allow steam to release from inside a boiling pot. He’ll be doing their kitchen admin for years to come.

Personalised Prescription Ginger Whisky

Fill your prescription the old-fashioned way: with a slug of booze to quiet the symptoms. Coming with personalised capabilities, stick the name of your giftee on the label as well as a special message in the ‘dosage’ box, and feel smug in the knowledge that you’ve just filled personalised and booze quotas, all for less than £20.

12 Reasons Why I Love You Mini Love Letters

Let's get a little soppy up in here, shall we? Those wedded to — or going out with — a true romantic should at least consider something as daringly sentimental as this: 12 miniature letters personalised with reasons why you love them so.

Rituals Foaming Shower Gel

Limited edition this Ritual of Yozakura foaming shower gel may be, but Rituals is always keeping us in opulent body wash options, and though the scents may change, the formula is always one of our absolute favourites.

Bumblebee Glass Tumbler

Starring a duo of delicate bumblebees that looks as though they flew straight out of the dream world of Alice in Wonderland, a Stone & Mason tumbler never fails to charm. Floral, fish and personalised letter options also available.

Nata Concept Store Cheese Candle

No need to buy an expensive throw or glassware for the housewarming or home bird: how about something a little silly (and relatively inexpensive) instead? This Nata Concept Store candle is built to look like a block of Emmental cheese. Deliciously bizarre.

Fortnum & Mason Wild Garden Tea Towel

Though it's the kind of gift that might wrap up another in a Christmas stocking, this Fortnum & Mason spring/summer tea towel makes for a beautiful gift all its own.

Laneige Overnight Lip Mask

One of the more joyously frivolous beauty grails of last year, Korean skincare brand Laneige's sleeping lip mask is an essential for the self-care obsessed.

Caroline Gardiner Plate

You needn't be buying glassware from LSA International and crockery from Denby on your wedding gift hunt: side plates like this £16 one from Caroline Gardiner are desirable too.

Joe Strummer Action Figure

A true curveball of a gift that may work as a gift for dad — or anyone else who seems to have everything already. This little ReAction model depicts Joe Strummer of The Clash during the London Calling era: neckerchief and beaten up Fender Telecaster both included.

Invisible Cities Tour

Like The Big Issue and Pret a Manger before it, Invisible Cities is the programme helping homeless communities get back on their feet via worthwhile jobs. Now you can support the movement — and give a unique perspective of cities around the UK — by gifting a tour.

Whittard's Luxury Hot Chocolate Trio

There's something incredibly comforting about a good cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter's day. This set of three luxury hot chocolates make for a dreamy cup, featuring Whittard's signature flavours: luxury, luxury white and 70 per cent cocoa. The powder is best mixed with hot milk (or milk alternative), but can also be used for cold drinks and baking. Who could say no to such versatility?

Shark Glass Tumbler

An affordable find that doubles up as an unusual gift, this delicately hand hewn shark tumbler will make every sip of scotch (or red wine) more thrilling than it already is. Come to Quint.

Cats (Taschen)

Rarely do we find a coffee table book from Taschen for less than £50, but this one happens to be only £15. An encyclopaedia of feline photos as taken by Walter Chandoha, there are portraits of cats taken from 1942 to 2018.

Philosophy Vanilla Birthday Cake Body Wash

Of all the things that look edible but aren't — bath bombs, beauty blenders, lava — Philosophy's body wash in vanilla birthday cake may be the most difficult to resist. A delicious gourmand vanilla creation that you can buy off of Amazon for some last-minute gifting.

Transparent Jigsaw

A devilishly difficult puzzle for the person who seems to have completed every other jigsaw on Earth. This challenge — which is available in easy (9 pieces) to insane modes (330 pieces) will be the hardest puzzle they've ever attempted. Make it even meaner by adding in a bunch of pieces that don't even fit in the finished, ahem, “picture”.

Skipping Rope

For someone who’s into fitness, or who just enjoys trying new things, a skipping rope is a fun present that’ll give them a bit of nostalgia for days spent skipping in the playground, and a new bit of fun motivation to get their fitness goals ticking over. A fun, easy way to get fit, they can pack it up for trips to the gym or simply take it to the park.

Box of Dried Flower Offcuts

It can be a little extravagant — and short-lived — to buy a bunch of flowers as a gift for a friend, but a posy of dried blooms is quite a different matter. Increasingly popular for their rustic, cottage-core look and immortality, dried flowers from Lisa Angel come in a letterbox-friendly box, capitalising on off-cuts from larger projects and making for a perfect coffee table addition.

Personalised Egyptian Cotton Pillowcase

Looking for an extra wow? Personalise it. Not all monogramming, embroidering and embossing costs the earth, as demonstrated by this Marks and Spencer pillowcase, which comes in Egyptian cotton and includes the option to customise with your giftee’s name. A slip of a present but a luxurious one nonetheless.

The Book of Witches

A coven of short stories and poems compiled by horror and fantasy expert Jonathan Strahan and illustrated by Alyssa Winans, The Book of Witches celebrates the mysterious, eldritch feminine energy that dates back centuries.

Kiehl's Hand Cream

We've been over this a lot, but we're well aware by this point in January just how drying and damaging winter can be on the hands. Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve is a gift everyone will appreciate, no matter who you're buying for, thanks to its replenishing and moisturising formula.

Zodiac Socks

A punk-adjacent collection that experiments in the discipline of astrology, Happy Socks has created a design for every sign. Whether they're a luxury-loving Taurus or a confident Leo, hook them up with a gorgeous pair for an easy personalised win.

Hotel Chocolat Chocolate Batons

You don't get a more universally liked present than chocolate, and Hotel Chocolat knows its medium better than most. Made from high-quality English chocolate and West Indian cocoa, you won’t be hearing any complaints about this gift.

Our Place Hot Grips

Snail-like and pastel, the Our Place hot grips are designed to fit around the handles of this kitchen brand’s matching pots and pans, but work well on pretty much any. Considering how many people seem to be cooking with Our Place, a set of its hot grips is probably a good bet… especially since they can be used for anything too hot to carry — by anyone who doesn’t have asbestos hands.

Kiehl's Facial Fuel No Shine Lip Balm

An extension of the Kiehl’s life-saving hand salve, lip balm #1 is an intensive treatment for very dry and/or chapped lips. This may be a small gift but it’s a marvellous one: it is Kiehl’s after all.

Grind Iced Coffee Bundle

The Grind site is a mecca for caffeine-lovers, and not only in the category of gorgeous chrome coffee machines that far exceed any humble budget. There are some smaller bits to be had there too, including a giant ice cube tray and this: a pack of the Soho café’s iced coffees, comprising one each of black, mocha, oat latte, flat white and/or caramel latte.

Le Creuset Stoneware Mug

Everyone could do with a few more mugs in their home, especially when they are as sleek and stylish as this one from Le Creuset. Made from stoneware that is fired at high temperatures and produced with specialist clays, it's easy to clean and scratch-resistant, while also providing good heat distribution for keeping your coffee hot for longer.

UK Football Stadium Scratch Map

With 100 different club stadiums scattered all over this scratch-able map of England and Wales, your giftee's team is bound to be there, even if they're nowhere near the Premier League.

John Lewis Push Up Bars

If they’re partial to a gym sesh, push-up bars are an easy winner for affordable gifting. Durable and slip-resistant, this set from John Lewis is one they can use wherever they so desire, giving them a new twist on the classic upper body workout, and a challenge for 2024.

Truffle Infused Balsamic

The Gift of Oil has hit on a gold mine with its yassification of oils and balsamics. Too good to cook with, the brand combines flavour-infused olive oils for raw-drizzle taste bombs, while its truffle-infused balsamic is the best thing to accompany crusty bread since the invention of hummus in the 13th century.

This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray

For anyone struggling to sleep this year, This Works' iconic Pillow Spray is the saviour you need. Made with a specially formulated blend of essential oils, including lavender, vetivert and camomile, studies have shown that the relaxing aroma triggers a reaction in your brain that helps you unwind and destress before bed. It's no wonder This Works has sold more than six million bottles of this magical mix since 2004.