Best perfumes for men 2026

Looking for a quality men's scent that smells great and lasts well?

You might not think to turn to Which?, but we love a challenge. We asked our highly experienced product-testing nerds to devise a people-powered test that would uncover the best perfumes money can buy. 

The result: more than 40 people weighed in on men's perfumes from Dior, Gucci, YSL and more. We conducted a blind test, so participants didn't know which brand or product they were reviewing. 

Some scents proved popular across the board, while others were described by testers as something they never wished to smell again. Of the most liked, some evolved nicely and didn't fade as quickly. 

Looking for a scent for women? Read our reviews of the best perfumes for women

The best men's perfumes from our tests

Your favourite perfume will always be a personal choice. But if you're unsure where to start, or buying for someone else, our testing reveals the most popular scents chosen from a blind test involving more than 40 people.

The fragrance that came out on top and scooped our only Best Buy recommendation was Rabanne 1 Million. 

Rabanne's offering was liked by most of our panel. The smell evolves cleanly on the skin, with the core of the scent still being detectable after six hours.

See reviews of the best fragrances for men, or check out the results of the other perfumes for men we tested to see how they compare.

Best Buy: Rabanne 1 Million Eau de Toilette

Our score and verdict 70%, Top men's perfume we've tested

Pros

• Sweet and spicy scent liked by most of our testers
• Even more appealing after it had settled
• Still smelled potent after three hours on the skin

Cons

• Some noted an alcoholic sharpness in the initial spray
• Still subtly detectable after six hours, but not quite as strong as others

Key notes Top – blood mandarin; middle – cinnamon; base – leather and amber

Sizes available 50ml, 100ml, 200ml

Our top pick is a solid choice if you want a perfume that packs a punch and appeals widely.

While a small number of testers said it had a slight chemical smell when initially sprayed, most loved its initial fruity and cinnamon/gingery spicy notes.

As it developed, more of our testers got on board, with several noting that it 'mellows out'. It stayed true to its original aroma but became deeper and slightly sweeter after an hour, then a bit more musky after three hours.

After six hours, its sweet and spicy core was still faintly detectable, but our testers found that the scent was less complex by then.

Valentino Born in Roma Uomo Coral Fantasy Eau de Toilette

Our score and verdict 68%, Long-lasting and multilayered scent

Pros

• Fruity and spicy start was popular with testers
• Becomes more woody and masculine smelling as it ages
• Retains a lot of the initial characteristics as it evolves

Cons

• Reviews a bit more mixed as the scent evolved

Key notes Top – apple; middle – sage; base – tobacco

Sizes available 50ml, 100ml

Most people liked this perfume in our blind test. It started with a fresh and sweet opening, with a hint of spice. The sweetness was more dominant after an hour, becoming more musky by hour three.

As it aged, people became slightly less keen on it. However, for most, it remained an enjoyable masculine scent.

Like most perfumes, it was much fainter after six hours. However, it was still detectable and lasted longer than some men's fragrances we tested, which were already mostly faded at the three-hour mark.

Dior Sauvage Eau de Parfum

Our score and verdict 66%, Lighter start evolves into muskier notes

Pros

• Strong masculine-smelling perfume
• Most testers liked the floral opening

Cons

• Some found the scent overly synthetic, with an alcoholic sharpness in the initial spray
• Quite faded after six hours

Key notes Top – bergamot; middle – pepper and lavender; base – vanilla

Sizes available 30ml, 60ml, 100ml, 200ml, 500ml

Most of our testers liked this scent. It opened with a strong and complex smell, with lavender being dominant. 

Some said it was reminiscent of shower gel or had a strong alcohol smell at the start. However, this faded and became a generally more-liked woody smell with a hint of spice or smokiness.

After six hours, the perfume was barely detectable and was less distinct than it had been initially. 

Jimmy Choo Man Extreme Eau de Parfum

Our score and verdict 65%, Women's favourite perfume to smell on a partner 

Pros

• Rated highly by female testers (when asked what they would like to smell on a male partner)
• Floral and sweet opening with a hint of musk was well received by testers

Cons

• Scent gets less complex and interesting, for some, after a few hours
• Very faint after six hours

Key notes Top – thyme and black pepper; middle – sage; base – tonka bean and vetiver

Sizes available 50ml, 100ml

While we give more weight to men's views on men's fragrances, we also asked women to rate them. If you're keen to pick a men's scent that appeals to the opposite sex, this perfume won out on that front.

It opens with a balanced floral smell with a hint of spice and mineral notes. Over the first few hours, it softens nicely, becoming subtler as the floral and spicy tones mellow into a smooth, woody base. 

However, by six hours, most testers found the scent very faint and less interesting.

Versace Eros Eau de Toilette

Our score and verdict 63%, Strong citrus notes

Pros

• Sweet and fresh with a distinct citrus opening
• Settles into a balanced, woody and masculine scent

Cons

• Some testers found the citrus notes too sharp
• Fairly faded by the three-hour mark, although still resembles the fresh spray

Key notes Top – lemon and mandarin; middle – geranium flower and sage; base – cedarwood and vetiver

Sizes available 50ml, 100ml, 200ml

This perfume is bright and fresh, with a very strong citrus note. One tester likened it to 'smelling like you're on the beach'.

If you're not a fan of lemons, it may be too much for you. But it starts to blend nicely as it ages, leaning towards a subtler woody scent.

It fades more rapidly than some other perfumes, already being noticeably fainter after three hours. The smell remains pleasant and reminiscent of the opening scent, though.  

YSL Myslf Eau de Parfum

Our score and verdict 61%, Subtly spicy

Pros

• Opening liked by most testers for its fresh, clean lemon notes
• Some liked its more subtle fragrance 

Cons

• Became more smoky and musky over time, which testers weren't so keen on
• Fairly faded by the three-hour mark

Key notes Top – bergamot; middle – orange blossom; base – patchouli and amber 

Sizes available 40ml, 60ml, 100ml, 150ml

A strong opening act from the Myslf perfume: most testers liked it, although some noted it wasn't as bold or 'seductive' as other perfumes. This more subtle blend may be more what you're after, though.

It becomes more musky over time, and was quite faded and almost smoky by the three-hour mark.

While no testers particularly disliked this change, many said they preferred the initial scent. 

Chanel Bleu De Chanel Eau de Parfum

Our score and verdict 61%, The scent evolves a lot over time

Pros

• Settles into a spicier scent after an hour, becomes sweeter after three hours
• Some testers liked its complex, musky smell

Cons

• Most people didn't like the opening scent, described as 'dated' or likened to cleaning spray
• Fairly faded by the three-hour mark

Key notes Top – grapefruit and lemon; middle – ginger and nutmeg; base – sandalwood

Sizes available 50ml, 100ml, 150ml

This perfume is complex, and testers commented that the strongest notes changed a lot over time. Most testers didn't like the opening scent. Several described it as too sharp and astringent, like a cleaning spray, or a bit dated.

After an hour, it softened and people preferred the spicy, sweet and woody notes that came through. But as it faded significantly after three hours, a lot of people's overall impression of the perfume became more neutral.

As one tester put it: 'It changes so much over time that even though I like it at some points, I don't know if I'd want to wear this all day.'

Superdrug Artiscent Atelier Vetiver Arome Eau de Parfum

Our score and verdict 59%, Not a lot of staying power

Available from Superdrug (£12) 50ml

Pros

• Clear masculine scent if that's what you're after
• Good value compared with most other brands we've tested

Cons

• Fades quickly
• Most testers found the evolved smell less interesting
• Some noticed a bit of an alcoholic sharpness in the initial spray

Key notes Top – grapefruit; middle – nutmeg and cardamom; base – woody

Sizes available 50ml

This perfume is cheaper than most, costing £24 per 100ml compared with an average of £105 per 100ml for all the men's perfumes we tested.

However, you do get less for your money, as it fades more quickly than others, so you'll need to top up regularly if you want the scent to last.

People found the opening fresh, with strong citrus and floral notes. After an hour it had faded, with just the floral note lingering. After three hours, it was very weak, and some thought the scent was rather soapy.

More men's perfumes from our tests

Here’s how the rest of the perfumes for men from our test measured up, listed in order of score.

How we test perfume for men

One nose isn't enough for a solid perfume recommendation. That's why we recruited more than 40 testers to sniff out the most alluring fragrances from those with a lingering 'cleaning product' scent. 

We buy the bestselling and most searched-for perfumes from UK retailers. We buy every one we test – no freebies from manufacturers – meaning our reviews are honest and unbiased.

We regularly revisit the perfumes for women on sale to see if any more popular models need testing. When we find them, we do.

• Blind smell test We decant all the perfumes into matching atomiser bottles, so the panel don't know which product or brand they are trying. The perfumes are judged solely on their smell and not influenced by brand reputation. Each perfume is rated based on the initial spray and on how it settles after a couple of minutes.
• Scent evolution and longevity After this initial round filters out the least popular options, the testers' favourites go forward for longer tests to assess how the perfumes smell on different skin types vs on a test stick, how the scent evolves over a six-hour period and how strongly the scent lasts over a six-hour period.

Why you can trust us: at Which? we're free from manufacturer and retailer influence. Find out more about our impartiality and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent

What is oud perfume? 

Oud oil is derived from resin produced by Aquilaria trees, known as agarwood – specifically, when they've been infected by a mould called Phialophora parasitica. 

It has a complex and sought-after scent: warm, woody, sometimes sweet, with strong smoky and musky notes.

Making oud is a lengthy process, and it's rare for it to occur naturally. Trees are often artificially infected to produce the resin. Due to demand, many species of the Aquilaria tree have been overharvested and are currently endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List.

All of this contributes to making oud expensive, and is why it's often referred to as 'liquid gold'. You can almost always spot a perfume containing it, because it will be included in the name.

None of the men's perfumes we've tested list agarwood (oud) as an ingredient, but that doesn't stop our top scorers having wide appeal and similar woody, musky notes.

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What's the difference between eau de toilette and eau de parfum?

This is down to the concentration of the fragrance. Eau de toilette perfumes typically have 5-15% of their concentration made up of fragrance oils. For eau de parfum, it's typically 15% or more.

On paper, this means eau de toilette is less intense and won't last as long as eau de parfum. 

In our tests, where people blind-sniff every perfume, we found that the Superdrug Artiscent Atelier Eau de Parfum faded more quickly than many eau de toilettes.

It had significantly faded by three hours on the skin, whereas most others could still be smelled strongly at the three-hour mark.

This perfume is much cheaper per 100ml than others, however, so if you want an eau de parfum that lasts, it's worth spending a bit more.