Best last-minute Valentine’s Day gifts that will arrive on time

Let’s face it: most of us have procrastinated on buying a gift for Valentine’s Day before. Thankfully, there’s still time to pick something up before Monday, February 14th, especially if you know where to look. To help you find the right gift, we’ve rounded up a few ideas that are set to arrive on time. These include deals on smart displays like Amazon’s Echo Show 8, as well as retro-inspired instant cameras, AirPods, and even a portable message gun.

For those who waited until the very last minute, we’ve also included some digital gift ideas, including digital gift cards and games. And remember, if you need even more suggestions, you can always peruse our 2022 Valentine’s Day gift guide. There, you’ll find a selection of ideas spanning both the tech and non-tech spectrum, some of which start at just $10.

A few gifts that (should) arrive on time

Amazon’s second-gen Echo Show 8 provides access to the same Alexa abilities as Amazon’s Echo speakers, and is a great gift that can serve a variety of use cases. Your partner or friend can use the smart display as a digital photo frame, for instance, or use it to make Zoom calls, watch videos, or control a wealth of smart home devices. The 2021 model also features an improved, 13-megapixel camera and faster performance than its predecessor, which is one of the many reasons we think it’s the best smart display for most people.

Normally $129.99, the Echo Show 8 is currently on sale at Best Buy for $89.99, an all-time low. The retailer is even throwing in free shipping, so you won’t have to pay extra to get it in time for the holiday. Read our review.

Echo Show 8 (second-gen)

The Echo Show 8 is the midsized smart display in Amazon’s current Echo lineup and can be used to display the weather, news, calendars, grocery lists, and more. You can also use it to control your smart home devices, watch streaming video, or listen to music. It even supports video calling via Zoom and Amazon’s Alexa calling service.

Photo by Becca Farsace / The Verge

Instant cameras are quirky, go-to presents you can often gift anybody regardless of their age or the holiday. Fujifilm’s Instax Square SQ1 is similar to classic Polaroids — it can even print square photos onto Polaroid-framed film — but comes with a few modern features, including a one-touch selfie mode and mirror. Regularly $119.99, Amazon is currently selling it in various colors for around $100, its lowest price to date. Amazon Prime members should be able to get it in time for the holiday, but if your local Best Buy has the camera in stock, you can also pick it up from a brick-and-mortar store for the same price. Read our review.

Instax Square SQ1

The Instax Square SQ1 is Fujifilm’s point-and-shoot Instax camera released in 2020 that prints photos onto Polaroid-framed film. Instead of adding more tech, Fujifilm made the SQ1 as simple as possible.

Apple’s third-gen AirPods are great gifts for music lovers or friends, with support for features like spatial audio, which can make listening to select content a more immersive experience. The wireless earbuds are sweat- and water-resistant, too, and come in handy while at the gym or on a run, making them a good buy for the fitness fan in your life.

While these typically retail for $179, they’re currently on sale at Amazon for $149.98, their second-best price to date. Prime members should receive them in time for the holiday, but, if not, Target is also offering the same $30 discount with local pickup. Best Buy, meanwhile, is selling the latest AirPods for $169 with free shipping, which means they should arrive in time for the holiday. Read our full review.

AirPods (third-generation)

Similar in appearance to their sleeker sibling, the AirPods Pro, the latest entry-level AirPods boast a new charging case and shorter stems. They’re also water-resistant, unlike the 2019 model, and sport better battery life.

If you’re hesitant to book a massage this year because of the ongoing pandemic, buying a massage gun like the Theragun Mini might be your best alternative. The three-speed massager offers a safe way to give your partner an excellent soft tissue massage from the comfort (and safety) of your home. Plus, it’s compact and quiet enough that your partner or friend can carry it around whenever they need some muscle relief.

While not currently on sale, you can pick up the message gun in time for Valentine’s Day for around $199 at either Amazon or Best Buy, the latter of which is offering free shipping. Note that only Amazon Prime subscribers will receive it in time for the holiday, however.

Theragun Mini

The Theragun Mini massager is a small, ultra-portable massage device that’s quiet and effective at providing relief for muscle pain and melting away tension.

Now is a great time to pick up home theater and audio equipment, as Super Bowl season is in full swing and many companies are readying their 2022 models. Thankfully, if you’re looking to brush up rom-coms with your loved one this winter, the best streaming device you can buy is on sale at a number of retailers. Google’s latest Chromecast offers support for 4K content, Dolby Atmos, and Dolby Vision HDR, as well as access to all the major streaming services. It also makes it easy to find something to watch, with software that brings together recommendations from a variety of different streaming services.

Normally $49.99, the Chromecast with Google TV is on sale right now at Best Buy and Walmart for $39.99, matching its lowest price to date. Target is also offering the same discount, though, you would need to opt for in-store pickup if you want the streaming device in time for the holiday. Read our review.

Chromecast with Google TV

The Chromecast with Google TV introduces a dedicated remote and new software that brings together recommendations from all of your streaming services. It also supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.

Last-minute digital gifts you can buy on short notice

Image: Disney

With a streaming service subscription, you can enjoy Valentine’s Day from the warmth, comfort, and safety of your home. Each service offers an abundance of movies and TV shows that you and your partner can indulge in, no matter which one you subscribe to.

A Netflix subscription — available via Target, Best Buy, and Walmart — is an obvious choice with recent hits like Ozark and The Witcher, but the Disney Plus Bundle is a good option, too. A $14-a-month subscription grants you access to Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN Plus, which is cheaper than if you were to pay for each subscription separately. With it, you’ll also be able to watch movies from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and recent shows like The Book of Boba Fett and Pam and Tommy. Sports lovers, meanwhile, can watch content that isn’t always available on regular ESPN with ESPN Plus.

Netflix gift card (digital)

The well-known streaming service offers individual subscriptions for $10 per month, as well as more premium tiers that allow for 4K resolution and additional users.

Disney Bundle (monthly subscription)

For $14 a month, you’ll get access to includes Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN Plus, which is cheaper than you’d otherwise pay if you purchased each subscription separately.

Video games are ideal gifts for the gamers in your life, but there are thousands of digital titles you could buy or gift instantly. If you’re looking for a game recommendation that fits the Valentine’s Day theme, however, you might want to pick up It Takes Two.

In Hazelight Studios’ excellent action-adventure game, you and your beau play as a couple on the verge of a divorce, one that is learning to work together and overcome differences while grappling with various obstacles and tests. While not currently on sale, you can buy the digital version for the Xbox One and Series X/S at Best Buy or Amazon for $39.99, or the PC version at the same retailers (Amazon, Best Buy) for the same price.

It Takes Two

In the action-adventure game, you and your beau play a married couple on the verge of a divorce learning to work together and overcome differences while grappling with various obstacles and tests.

If you’re looking for more options — or you’re not quite sure which games your partner or friend might want — there are plenty of other digital gifts you can give, too. These include Xbox gift cards (Amazon, Best Buy, or Walmart), which start at $5, as well as gift cards for both the PlayStation Store (Amazon, Best Buy, or Target) and the Nintendo eShop (Amazon or Best Buy).

Xbox gift card (digital)

With an Xbox gift card, you can purchase Xbox games, downloadable content, and more from the Microsoft Store on your console or PC. You can buy a card for as low as $10.

PlayStation Store gift card (digital)

With a PlayStation gift card, you can purchase thousands of games, add-ons, subscriptions and more from the PlayStation Store. You can buy a card for as low as $10.

Nintendo eShop gift card (digital)

With a Nintendo eShop gift card, you can purchase more than 1,000 new, classic, and indie games from the Nintendo eShop on the Nintendo Switch, Wii U, and Nintendo 3DS family of systems. You can buy a card for as low as $5.

If your giftee loves music, there are a number of music-streaming services that offer gift cards to choose from. Spotify is a popular option (Amazon, Best Buy), but if you’re looking for an alternative given the current controversies with Joe Rogan, there are plenty of other options. An Apple gift card (Best Buy, Target), for example, can be used toward accessing millions of podcast episodes and more than 90 million songs via Apple Music ($9.99 a month). An Amazon Music Unlimited subscription, meanwhile, gives you ad-free access to over 75 million songs in SD, HD, Ultra HD — as well as spatial audio music tracks — starting at $7.99.

Apple Music gift card (digital)

An Apple gift card can be used toward accessing over 90 million songs on Apple Music, as well as the company’s various products and services.

Last but not least, if you’re unsure what you want to gift somebody or just you want to give them the most amount of options, a general gift card is perfect. You can give them the gift of choice with an Amazon gift card, for example, or one from Best Buy, which they can use to buy their favorite gadget or game themselves. It’s not a particularly clever gift, but hey, it’s the thought that counts, right?

Amazon gift card (digital)

Amazon gift cards start at $25 — or an amount of your choosing — and can be used toward almost anything, regardless of the department.