Popular Boxed Valentine's Day Chocolates That Won't Break The Bank, Ranked

A box of chocolates on Valentine's Day remains a classic gift to show that special someone how much you care. Dating all the way back to the 1890s, Valentine's Day chocolate boxes are an age-old tradition. But with so many options flooding the market, how can you be sure you're choosing the right one — especially if you're on a budget?

Not every good box of chocolate has to be an expensive one. But, of course, some are bound to be better than others. And so, I'm ranking popular boxed Valentine's Day chocolates based on flavor, texture, and presentation for prices that won't break the bank. If you're in a bind and doing some last-minute Valentine's shopping, put those worries aside. Because I have intel on which chocolate selections will have your loved one saying, "They love me!" and which might leave them thinking, "They love me not!"

I'm a sucker for a good seasonal product. Every year around Valentine's Day, I watch with anticipation as the greens, reds, and blues of the holiday season disappear from store shelves, making way for an assortment of pink and red heart-shaped items. But not every brand embraces the holiday with the same excitement.

While I'm a fan of Reese's sweet and savory peanut butter cups as much as anyone else, their Valentine's Day packaging is the weakest of the bunch. An underwhelming presentation lands them at the bottom of my ranking. The only connection to the holiday is a heart-shaped box adorned with orange hearts, a detail that fails to stand out considering every chocolate box in my lineup is heart-shaped. Even more disappointing is the individual wrapping of each peanut butter cup. Wrapped in red foil with gold text, the presentation looks nearly identical to one of the three colors offered in their holiday edition minis. The lack of a new, innovative design makes the product feel more recycled than anything else — an afterthought for a holiday meant to signify love and appreciation.

If your Valentine is a Reese's peanut butter cup fanatic, this box may be a solid choice — particularly at $5.99 a box. But if you're looking for something that really embraces the spirit of the holiday, you may want to leave it on the shelf.

Reese's isn't the only brand keeping things simple this Valentine's Day. Kit Kat took an even more minimal approach, making absolutely no changes to the usual packaging of their minis. Despite the box featuring a more festive design of a red and purple wrapper with a big red heart, their presentation looks the same as usual: shiny red plastic wrappers with the Kit Kat logo front and center. Not a heart to be found.

While I am alarmed at this discrepancy between what the box advertised and what the package actually contains, I still decided to rank Kit Kat slightly higher than Reese's. While Reese's attempts to switch things up with red foil wrapping on the product, it felt more like a repurposed holiday design than a fresh approach to Valentine's Day. While neither chocolate brand is a true winner in my eyes, I have a slight preference for Kit Kat who stuck to its classic look. Still, if you're looking for an affordable box of chocolates full of Valentine's Day cheer, Kit Kat miniatures may not be your best option — the box costs $5.99 depending on where you purchase. 

Unlike Reese's, Russell Stover takes a far more festive and thoughtful approach to its Valentine's Day presentation, giving it a slight leg up. The bright red, rose-adorned box of chocolates initially comes wrapped in red foil. The beautiful, classy design makes this a gift a loved one would be pleased to receive — at least until the first bite.

While the packaging is eye-catching, Russell Stover falls flat when it comes to the quality of their chocolates. Despite having an assortment, it's hard to spot the difference between flavors as the chocolates possess just one note: sweetness. The six individual flavor options, which should have provided a balanced variety to choose from, doesn't come through, making it difficult to distinguish one piece from the next. While the idea of sampling different chocolates is fun, the lack of distinct flavors makes the actual experience quite dull.

Even more disappointing than the flavor of the chocolates is the texture. One of the chocolates in particular has such a hard and sticky filling that it's almost impossible to chew. Considering this is the first chocolate I tried of the bunch, I can't say I had a very positive mindset as the taste test continued. Out of the seven pieces of chocolate I tried in this box (which costs $5.99), I ultimately only enjoyed two.

So, don't be fooled by its elegant exterior. While Russell Stover may win on presentation, their underwhelming chocolate selection might leave your sweetheart with a sour taste in their mouth.

Hitting the scene in 1907, Hershey's Kisses are a modern Valentine's Day staple. When it comes to solid milk chocolate, Hershey's always delivers, with every piece bringing that sweet, rich flavor you would expect from their iconic Kisses.

While their packaging approach is simple, I appreciate the balance between tradition and festivity. Hershey's combines their usual silver foil wrappers with pink and red foil wrappers, making it abundantly clear that these Kisses were designed for the holiday. And how about that value? With 41 Kisses inside, this box offers more pieces of chocolate than any other on this list.

Although the classic Hershey's Kisses aren't my favorite box of the day, at $5.99 the brand outperforms others in multiple areas. Hersey's delicious, classic milk chocolate catapults them above Russell Stover, who struggles with flavor — and their festive presentation sets them apart from Kit Kat and Reese's, who lacks strong Valentine's-Day-themed packaging. A relatively solid option, the Kisses only fall so far down the list because both the chocolates and packaging lack a bit of inventiveness. But if you're on the hunt for a tried-and-true Valentine's classic, this box is a solid option for you.

It doesn't get much more Valentine's Day than heart-shaped chocolate. And, luckily, Hershey's is providing us with 18 pieces of them. As if answering my Valentine's wishes, Hershey's Extra Creamy Solid Milk Chocolate Hearts perfectly capture the holiday spirit with their festive packaging. Wrapped in stunning pink and silver foil and placed into a baby pink box, the presentation is one of my favorites of the day. Instead of taking the same elegant route that Russell Stover did, Hershey's opts for a fun, pink aesthetic for this box of chocolates that screams youth and playfulness.

My only critique is that I found myself searching for the extra creaminess advertised on the packaging. Now, it's no secret that Hershey's knows what they're doing when it comes to milk chocolate. While Hershey's Hearts are just as sweet and rich as their Kisses, after being branded as "extra creamy," I found myself hoping for a bit of a smoother bite.

Still, with its adorable packaging and classic flavor, this box (also $5.99 at Target) is sure to make your Valentine's heart soar.

As a longtime fan of Lindt truffles, I tried to approach this taste test as unbiased as possible. If flavor alone determined my rankings, this chocolate (at $7.49) would have been a contender for the top spot. The smooth, melt-in-your-mouth center of this rich, creamy milk chocolate truffle is hard to beat. But, unfortunately, presentation is another important piece of criteria, which brings this box down quite a few ranks. Upon trying to open and close the box, I realized why the innovative design had not previously hit the market. If you're planning to savor your truffles over time, perhaps this isn't the best box for you. After my third time opening it, the box ripped, and I was unable to close it again. So, make sure to have a sandwich bag on hand to store these chocolates — you'll need it.

And while Lindt's box design is innovative, the chocolate is not. The company keeps their classic truffle (and the wrapper that surrounds it) completely the same. Although a festive touch would've added to the experience, with the high quality of the chocolate itself, I can't say I'm complaining.

For the Lindt lover in your life, this chocolate could be a smash hit — just make sure they don't expect to keep the box for too long.

When I first picked up this product to include it in my taste test, I almost put it down. After all, I had already snagged a box of traditional Hershey's Kisses. How could this be any different? While my initial instinct is spot-on in some ways — for example, a Hershey's Kiss is always going to taste like a Hershey's Kiss, regardless of the box it comes in — it is incorrect in others. The experience of trying these Snoopy & Friends edition Kisses is one of my favorites, making it the highest Hershey's product on my list.

The traditional Hershey's Kiss flavor remains the same, but this box excelled in its presentation. The attention to detail on each Hershey's Kiss is outstanding. For starters, the Kisses are wrapped in one of two foil designs: pink foil with red, white, and pink hearts or red foil with an XO pattern. And Hershey's doesn't stop there. The brand replaces their traditional "Kisses" parchment paper, which they refer to as a plume, with a brand new custom design. Featuring two red paw prints and a red heart outline, the reimagined plume is perfect for these special edition chocolates.

My favorite design element is the addition of the Peanuts characters on the bottom of each Kiss. Sporting a variety of characters and poses — from Snoopy to Charlie Brown to Sally — these Kisses are almost too pretty to eat (although I recommend you do because they taste as good as they look).

Whether you're buying this box (it's $5.99) for your Snoopy-obsessed loved one or making a Valentine's treat for a child or younger sibling, people of all ages can enjoy the beauty and tastiness of this exquisite box of Hershey's Kisses.

Ferrero Rocher chocolates have always felt a bit magical to me. As a child, their shiny gold wrappers and reflective gold casing is a sight to behold. That same allure remains even now as an adult. This Valentine's Day, Ferrero Rocher adds a red bow and a few red hearts to the sea of gold in its packaging. With each chocolate placed in its own designated spot, the presentation exudes an elegance that not all options on this list are able to achieve. The sheer beauty of this mini heart-shaped chocolate box makes it the perfect gift for that special someone in your life.

But the real beauty lies in Ferrero Rocher's flavors. The smooth, creamy hazelnut filling, along with the crunchy, hazelnut outer layer creates a beautiful contrast of textures that not many chocolates in my taste test provide. While there are only eight pieces of chocolates in this box, the high quality of each piece makes it worth it — especially at $5.99 a box. Taking a similar approach to Lindt, Ferrero Rocher stuck to its traditional hazelnut truffle. And although I'm usually one to advocate for a festive twist on an old classic, there's truly no need to reinvent the wheel here.

With its perfect combination of elegance and high quality, delicious chocolate, this mini Ferrero Rocher heart is easily one of the best things you can buy to show your love this Valentine's Day.

Coming in at third place in my ranking is Ghirardelli with their Caramel Milk Chocolate Hearts. When it comes to presentation, I'm not entirely impressed by the brand. Unlike others who shape their entire box into a heart, Ghirardelli took a simpler approach by placing a heart design on top of a regular rectangular box of chocolate. But while the outside presentation is a bit disappointing, the inside made up for it.

Ghirardelli's chocolates are everything I'm looking for in an innovative Valentine's Day chocolate upgrade. Like Lindt and Ferrero Rocher, Ghirardelli has a signature piece of chocolate, but that doesn't stop them from experimenting to celebrate the holiday. Instead of sticking to their usual chocolate squares, Ghirardelli creates a brand new shape of chocolate: caramel-filled milk chocolate hearts.

Ghirardelli knows what they're doing when it comes to caramel-filled chocolates. While the design of the chocolate itself is beautiful and detailed, the texture and flavor might have been even better. The milk chocolate is tempered perfectly, with a crunch you could hear upon your first bite, and the caramel filling is smooth and perfectly balances sweetness with a hint of saltiness.

Ghirardelli takes the third spot in my ranking for not only having an exquisite piece of chocolate but for going above and beyond in their innovation of the shape of that chocolate for the holiday. This chocolate box (at $6.99) is any caramel lover's dream and certainly one that I'll be reaching for again this Valentine's Day.

While you may have heard of other brands in this ranking, this next one might be unfamiliar. Launched in 2021, Favorite Day is Target's food brand. I never had a Favorite Day product prior to this tasting, making their Valentine's Collection one of the most anticipated items of my ranking. This box of chocolates earns a high place in my ranking for its beautiful presentation, solid flavors, and overall tasting experience. Considering its second place ranking, it is certainly a favorite.

Although the flowers on the packaging gives a spring-like vibe, the heart-shaped box and pink and red color scheme stay true to Valentine's Day. What stands out the most, however, is the variety offered. This chocolate box features eight flavors and 18 pieces of chocolate.

The Favorite Day Valentine's Collection presents an experience that not many others on this list could. While not all of the Favorite Day chocolates are a home run, I thoroughly enjoyed trying several different pieces. My favorite of the bunch are the milk chocolate salted caramel hearts. Nearly rivaling Ghirardelli's, the chocolate shell is crunchy and the caramel is the perfect combination of sweet, smooth, and salty. I would have eaten all three pieces the box offers had I not been stuffed from the rest of my taste test.

While Favorite Day may not carry the name-brand recognition of some of its competitors, it provides the most fun taste test experience. If you're looking for that classic Valentine's Day chocolate box on a budget ($5 at Target by the way), I highly recommend going for the Favorite Day Valentine's collection.

When it comes to finding the perfect Valentine's Day chocolates, it's hard to compete with a classic. As you can see, I tried a lot of chocolates in this ranking — but Dove is the clear winner. While many chocolates on this list offer a beautiful presentation or a delicious bunch of chocolates, Dove executes both elements perfectly.

Dove's Valentine's Day Milk Chocolate Truffles are not only indulgent but beautiful. Although they don't capture the same variety that Favorite Day has, the quality of the chocolate is so good it doesn't matter.

What also sets Dove apart is their reusable tin packaging. Unlike the rest of the brands on this list which requires you to discard the heart-shaped box the chocolates come in, Dove gives consumers something they can keep forever. And why wouldn't you want to? The beautiful red heart with the gold bottom is beautiful.

Beyond the outer presentation, one of the best surprises of this chocolate box is what's inside. While the plastic casing looks relatively basic, there are unique hidden messages under each chocolate, ranging from inspirational such as, "Anything is possible" to more romantic messages like, "I love you." By adding in this element, Dove brings a level of love and affection that no other brand offers.

Dove is undoubtedly the clear winner here when it comes to an affordable box ($5.99 at Target) of chocolate that will show the person you love how special they are to you. Dove is another reason you don't have to break the bank to buy a beautiful (and delicious) box of chocolates for Valentine's Day.

The most important factors during my review of these chocolates are flavor, texture, and presentation. Considering that all of these boxes were within $3.00 of each other, I didn't factor in price as a variable. For flavor, chocolates (according to my taste buds) are successful when they are balanced — especially those with notes of sweetness and saltiness, and don't taste artificial. Smoothness is a big factor with regard to texture — and if the chocolate contains crunchy elements, both have to work together to create a mouthwatering balance. 

Presentation is one of the most important and frequently discussed details in my ranking, since these chocolate boxes are intended to serve as meaningful Valentine's Day gifts. I considered the presentation of the outside of the box, individual packaging of each chocolate (if applicable), and the overall look of each chocolate piece. Since all of the boxes are heart-shaped, no brand scored points for this aspect unless they had a unique approach to the traditional heart. In my opinion, chocolates are successful in presentation if they're more innovative and tailored to Valentine's Day.