I Tested 10 Popular Date Boxes With My Milestone Dates

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• Best Date Ideas Book with Variety

  

  The challenge of adventure

  Couples Edition

  The Adventure Challenge is kind of the OG when it comes to the date box genre. The Couples Edition features 50 date ideas, organized into sections, with each idea outlined in gray and symbols indicating how long it takes, how much it costs, supplies needed, and more. Depending on the symbols, you will scratch to reveal the date underneath (scratch lottery ticket style).

  I tried this set with an ex-partner (current spouse at the time) several times, without enthusiasm, throughout our relationship. Last year on New Year’s Eve, at a cabin nestled in the Ozark Mountains, we did our own version of the Adventure Challenge painting and baking challenge. I admit, a lot of these date ideas were a little too cheesy and tame for us. The painting challenge was to encourage you to paint your partner’s body for a sexy time, but we didn’t want to permanently stain the Airbnb sheets. So we pivoted and painted self-portraits of each other, like the viral TikTok trendwhich was a fun and unusual experience without being too cringe-worthy. For the next challenge, we didn’t have any baking supplies on hand at Airbnb, but we did have plenty of alcohol. We decided to take on the baking challenge, which involves blindfolding your partner and guiding them while they bake a pie, and turning it into weird, boozy concoctions for each other. This resulted in taking photos and dancing to EDM. A solid date, if you ask me.

  Even though most of the dates were a little cheesy and not something I would normally choose, we both found it to be a great way to spend some intentional time doing things outside of the usual. I’ve come to view them more as a great jumping off point for other date ideas (like we did above). He bought The Adventure Challenge camera (you can also use a Instax) to remember date nights, and even though we didn’t face many challenges, we continued to use the camera. It’s become our favorite way to get cuter partner photos outside of my phone’s camera roll.

  Date: Jez, 10/10

  Box: 8/10

  CABLE

  • Fifty date ideas
  • Scratch Off Surprise Brings a Fun Element to Dates
  • Icons that give a vague idea of ​​what is needed for the date

  FATIGUE

  • Some date ideas can make you cringe
  • I didn’t enjoy it as much without the camera

• Ideal for discovering flaws and desires

  • Photography: Molly Higgins

  • Photography: Molly Higgins

  The fantastic box

  Yes, I would

  This appointment box from Fantasy Box includes a range of themesSince sexy wine tasting has naughty poker eveningall aimed at helping couples communicate and connect intimately. I tested the “Yes, I would.” box, designed to push couples out of their usual routine and help spark conversations about sometimes delicate topics, like problems and other desires.

  I tested this with Tysen, who I’ve been dating for over a year and consider Hinge’s greatest achievement. He’s a monster and he doesn’t take himself too seriously. He’s the perfect co-tester. We completed the sexy survey independently, with multiple choice questions about preferences for foreplay, dirty talk, initiation, and more. Next, we counted how much we’re willing to explore sexually, with questions about comfort level regarding sending nude photos, public acts, and more. We were both open to everyone. Good to know. We have a very healthy sex life, but this was a great way to open communication about our desires without the pressure of starting a conversation.

  The box included a satin blindfold, leather paddle, lingerie, lube, massage gel, feather wand, mini vibrator, and silky wrist restraints, which we put to the test. He wasn’t the biggest fan of the tight blindfold, and the lube had a jammy, sticky consistency and smelled like a blueberry muffin. This may be one of the most successful boxes, partly because I was using it as intended, with someone I had been dating for a long time. This helped facilitate new conversations and sexual exploration that we normally wouldn’t have done without prompting.

  Date: Tysen, 10/10

  Box: 10/10

  CABLE

  • Offers a quiz and questionnaire to facilitate open discussion
  • Includes toys to easily explore what was discussed
  • A good mix of toys and other sex accessories

  FATIGUE

  • Instructions regarding the order in which to take the quizzes were unclear
  • Lubricants were sticky, overly flavored and seemed cheap

• Best card game to open discussions

  • Photography: Molly Higgins

  • Photography: Molly Higgins

  This simple card game is designed to foster deeper connection and help start conversations about sexuality on more open terms. The Spicy Pack is a complement to the OG Fluster Pack ($25)which includes deep questions that aren’t focused on sexuality and can be played with non-romantic partners. The questions on the cards range from discussing relationship tensions to past mistakes. The premise of the Spicy pack is the same, but the peppers indicate the intensity level of the card, with questions ranging from problems to past sexual partners.

  I tested this with Benny, a man I regularly call the sexiest in North America, with whom I had gone on two dates before testing. This simple card game has perhaps been the most successful of all date nights in getting us to open up and become more emotionally (and physically) intimate, without any fancy pressure. We were able to just casually cuddle on the couch and ask each other questions, which led to even more conversations about our growing feelings for each other and led to some really hot sex. Fluster, I salute you.

  Date: Benny, 10/10

  Box: 10/10

  CABLE

  • Conversation Starter Cards to Help Build Intimacy
  • Regular and spicy card versions

  FATIGUE

  • Questions vary greatly depending on intensity
  • Just a card game rather than an immersive nightclub

• Ideal for reconnecting in the bedroom

  • Photography: Molly Higgins

  • Photography: Molly Higgins

  The challenge of adventure

  …In bed

  Another offshoot of the Adventure Challenge, this book contains 50 date ideas specifically designed to bring fun and connection into the bedroom, organized by activity type in sections like food, dancing, “sexploration” and more. Each date is covered by a black box, with only icons indicating details such as duration, cost, etc., required for the date. One of the biggest complaints I had about it was the quality of the scratch-off coating; many of the prompts below were unreadable because the coating removed the letters when scratched.

  I tried this with Gabriel, who I’d been dating for a few months, so it was less cringe-worthy than it could have been. It was a good sport, but most of the ideas we tried simply involved slowly undressing while listening to or dancing to music (often from a playlist created by Adventure Challenge). He was just like, “Why are we doing this again?” Slow dancing and slowly undressing in front of Sade while my cats eyed us suspiciously might not have been the exciting Friday night in Brooklyn he had signed up for. Overall, though, it provided a starting point for intimacy, and I could see it being a great icebreaker if initiating sexy time didn’t come as easily.

  Date: Gabriel, 10/10

  Box: 7/10

  CABLE

  • The surprise element is fun
  • Offbeat date ideas

  FATIGUE

  • Scraping quality was poor and quick descriptions were often torn

• Better if you are excited and in a hurry

  • Photography: Molly Higgins

  • Photography: Molly Higgins

  The challenge of adventure

  Fast

  It’s sort of the quick alternative to …In bed date book above, with 30 spicy adventure prompts on cards that you scratch off, again, with a symbol next to each to note whether it’s free and what to prepare before the date. (And the boxes themselves were smooth and easy to scratch). These were smaller ideas, with a short lead time and requiring less (or no) planning. Plus, I found them overall less squeaky than many others I’ve tested from the brand.

  Full disclosure: on my first appointment s with Ryan, I went to the bar bathroom and texted my sister, “I never want to spend time with this man unless we’re naked.” Have you ever met someone so hot that it was clear they never needed to develop a personality? That was kind of the vibe. Still, since I had a deadline looming and a roommate was out of town, we went home and started scratching cards. The first required us to create codes for the sex acts we wanted to try and broadcast them throughout the night. Very quickly, he asked me if I wanted to try a “prickly pear”. I said maybe later, but I’d be up for a “Dennis Rodman”. We also did a “The Floor Is Lava” challenge and placed our clothes on the floor, which, considering I was only wearing a Forever 21 crop top, mom jeans, and a thong, didn’t stretch very far. Thank goodness he hadn’t skipped leg day, because he was able to pick me up and carry me to the bedroom. A true gentleman.

  Date: Ryan, 6/10

  Box: 9/10

  CABLE

  • A quick alternative to initiating intimacy rather than a full date
  • Easy to scratch with sleek design
  • Lots of free ideas

  FATIGUE

  • Many challenges were repetitive

• Best Interactive Intimacy Coach

  Note: My married colleague tested this dating box on my behalf because it features an interactive coach designed to help strengthen long-term relationships.

  This is a subscription designed for couples to experiment outside the box, literally. When you sign up, you’re matched with a concierge who puts you where you are as a couple in terms of your sex life and potential fantasies. From there, you get access to videos from sex workers about key things that get overlooked during intimacy, or simple ways to reconnect that are intimate, but don’t require getting naked just yet. A few days after your subscription, your Arya box is coordinated around a “scene” that you select with the help of your concierge. What I get is a pretty nondescript cardboard box containing sex toys and a prompt card to help you piece it together yourself. This is not a film project for adults (even if that’s your thing, of course) but rather a communication medium mixing physicality and intimacy. You can add other toys and upgrades beyond the ones (usually two) that your caretaker coordinates for you.

  Some of the game’s prompts were brutal conversation starters, others were a little cringe-worthy, and some were a spicy literature lover’s dream. If you fall into the latter category, this is an easy way to bring this to life. —Julia Forbes

  Date: 10/10

  Box: 7/10

  CABLE

  • Personalized coaching, activities and toys to help you reconnect
  • Designed for increased communication
  • Lots of stimuli to get things moving, visually and in terms of accessories

  FATIGUE

  • Some questions on the cards are a bit bland, even off-putting
  • One person signs up for a subscription, but the second person may have issues accessing the platform

• Ideal for long-term couples

  

  Photography: Molly Higgins

  This date box is aimed at long-term couples and a little more clever than the others. It comes with a jar to decorate, stickers, colored pencils and gummy fish for snacks. You’ll start by filling an included book with your 50 favorite memories and goals; put them in your homemade time capsule; and open it in one, three and five years. In the year you’re expecting, the date box contains 52-week challenge cards with simple, easy-to-do date ideas. Each partner also writes down a relationship goal to ensure that you are both intentionally using dates as a way to strengthen your relationship.

  When I told Dom, over drinks on our first date, that I was testing sex swings and vibrators, he asked for the check and my address and opened the Uber app. Well, it’s a joke: we would come home to decorate a jar of our favorite memories from the last three hours we knew each other and dreamed of our future. (Spoiler: There was no future.) We primarily tested the 52-week challenge cards, which were minimally portable and seemed like a feasible way for real couples to stay connected each week. One was to create a shared playlist, which we did on Spotify and got a 69% match. Good. There was also a breakfast in bed date idea, but he opted to get me a can of White Claw from the fridge instead. Who said chivalry was dead? There were also cute ideas like planning double dates or buying concert tickets in the future, but none came to fruition, unsurprisingly.

  This date box was a little cheesy, but it seems like one of the simplest boxes couples can actually make. Plus, it’s a great way to reflect on your relationship and create intimacy goals. I admit it’s very unbalanced to take on a 52-week challenge with someone you literally just met, and my date was much more interested in seeing my boobs than writing love notes about where he sees our relationship a year from now. Rude.

  Date: Sunday, 4/10

  Box: 10/10

  CABLE

  • Ideal for long-term couples
  • A whole year of date ideas

  FATIGUE

  • Some dates are extremely simple
  • Crafting may not be for everyone

• Best Sexy Advent Calendar

  

  Seductive pleasure

  Ultimate Adult Gift Set For Couples

  The premise is super simple: you receive a box with an assortment of sexy items and a 15-day Advent calendar with daily challenges designed to strengthen bonds, both emotionally and physically. Our box came with Victoria’s Secret scented lotion (which gave me a gym class in seventh grade about PTSD), a vibrating wand massager, a spanking paddle, and a sex swing, as well as an item information booklet and the 15-day challenge flyer. Every day, it inspires you to express your gratitude to the other person, whether it’s recalling a good memory or sharing something you’re excited about for the future. And there is also an intimate act with each, starting with neck kisses and progressing to using the sex swing.

  Full disclosure: We did this over the course of one night rather than two weeks, and found that each daily challenge didn’t require too much effort, but was a good way to connect both physically and emotionally. Sitting on the lap of a guy you’ve been on three dates with and making eye contact for two minutes straight while you talk to him about how he made you feel safe is sure to form a stronger bond. The sex swing had virtually no instructions (and was a slight disaster that we never got to fully use), but the progressive prompts helped facilitate the seamless introduction of toys and paddles into intimacy. Overall, I really enjoyed this experience and it brought us a lot closer.

  Date: Benny (again), 10/10

  Box: 9/10

  CABLE

  • Simple ideas that don’t take a lot of time
  • Each daily challenge had both emotional and physical elements

  FATIGUE

  • The items in the box for the challenges seemed a bit random
  • Daily challenges were very tame (except the sex swing)
  • Instructions for setting up the sex swing were virtually non-existent

• Great for an upgraded sexy dinner

  • Photography: Molly Higgins

  • Photography: Molly Higgins

  The challenge of adventure

  Five senses

  This date night upgrades a normal dinner at home with sexy guests and moments of intimate connection, asking couples to expand beyond the usual takeout and TV. As for the others Date night party pack, there’s a deck of cards with instructions for partners one and two, and you follow along in secret until you’re invited to share or scratch the next one together, with optional “level up” cards to enhance your experience.

  After creating a playlist (I used one of her pre-existing Spotify mixes) and lighting some candles, you can order takeout for each other, or ask the restaurant to order for you if you’re feeling really cray-zee! The cards told us to blindfold ourselves and feed each other, with the option of “leveling up” using blackout curtains or foil on the windows (??) to make the situation completely dark. So there we were, two strangers from Hinge, eating Thai food in the dark. Trust me, nothing turns you on more than accidentally missing your mouth and dripping curry down your chest. He asked, “Is this supposed to be sexy?” Baby, I don’t know. Then the cards inspired us to ask questions, slow dance, and massage ourselves, hoping that all those carbs, smooth jazz, and baby oil would give us energy.

  In all honesty, it would be nice for a married couple in a rut who just needs an extra boost to make their nights at home a little sexier, but we’re still new to dating and didn’t need all the slow dancing or making out to want to hook up.

  Date: Gabriel (again), 10/10

  Box: 8/10

  CABLE

  • Makes a Dinner Date Better
  • Can be done at home

  FATIGUE

  • The order of the cards is unclear, it was easy to mix up the sequence

• Ideal for couples who need a boost for intimacy

  • Photography: Molly Higgins

  • Photography: Molly Higgins

  The challenge of adventure

  Red means go

  Same as Five senses card game above, this scratch card game plays out in sequence, with optional “level up” cards to really push the intimacy, and separate cards for each partner with secret instructions. For this date, you will both bring a red object that you will show at certain times to signify that you are open to physical contact. Then you’ll go out to dinner and have an intentional conversation, and each time a partner brings out the red object, you’ll follow instructions to initiate increasingly intimate physical acts, from hand holding to neck kisses. So we were there, Illegal taqueriasurpassing himself on the al pastor tacos (just kidding).

  Many cards urged a partner not to interrupt or resolve problems, but to ask questions and speak rudely. My date said: “I think it can be for couples who hate each other. » I had to agree. The second part of the date involved driving and running red lights, but since we were in Brooklyn, we walked on the trash-filled sidewalk and pretended to be a broken-down suburban couple instead.

  The rest of the date consisted of buying things for sexy time, like whipped cream and blindfolds. I’m vegan and had no desire to lick the cream off my chest hair, so we came home, stripped naked and did our best to keep our eyes closed (instead of a blindfold). It was overall a strange experience for both of us, I think. If you and your partner need a lot of incentive to connect, compliment each other, and be physical, this set is for you.

  Date: Greg, 10/10 (Note: I didn’t find this man on Hinge; I met him the old fashioned way, at a bar at 2 a.m.)

  Box: 6/10

  CABLE

  • Gives couples a boost in initiating intimacy
  • Includes sexy date and time

  FATIGUE

  • Requires car and purchase of items
  • May not be exciting enough for healthy couples