21 Best Valentine's Day Chocolates Ranked

Saxon Chocolates may be a relative newcomer in the world of chocolate, having only been established in 1994, but they've created some of the most sought-after chocolate products over the last few decades, including chocolate-dipped spoons and chocolate-covered pretzels. Since then, the Canadian chocolate company has built a collection of chocolate and confections that includes caramels, marshmallows, hot chocolate bombs, and more. Unfortunately, you can't order Saxon Chocolates directly through the company's website, as they sell directly to retailers. Instead, you can find the nine-piece set of Belgian chocolates, dubbed the "Heartfelt Collection" at Sur la Table, which includes raspberry truffles, sea salt caramels, and a solid pink chocolate heart. 

There's also a selection of Saxon Chocolate options available through The Shopping Channel that include drinking chocolate and marshmallows (because let's face it, it's still cold outside), and a trio of chocolate-covered raisins, blueberries, and pretzels that we think is perfect for some light romantic snacking.

You've undoubtedly heard of Ghirardelli chocolates, if not also tried Ghirardelli boxed mixes, syrups, and drinks. You can typically find Ghirardelli individually-wrapped chocolates in grocery and drug stores, and often large retailers like Target. The chocolate company has been around for almost 175 years, which is certainly one of the oldest candy companies on this list, and it's managed to make some developments in the world of chocolate production along the way (via Ghirardelli). Even though a wide selection of Ghirardelli chocolates can be found almost everywhere, the name is synonymous with quality chocolate. It's certainly a step up from some of the more generic chocolates on the market.

For Valentine's Day, Ghirardelli has created "Duet Hearts" in dark, milk, and crème brulee chocolate flavors, which are double-heart shaped chocolate bonbons filled with caramel. You can find the Duet Hearts individually wrapped, or in a small heart-shaped box during the Valentine's Day season. Additionally, Ghirardelli offers heart and square-shaped pink boxes filled with the company's signature praline chocolates. But if your Valentine adores the classic Ghirardelli chocolate squares, there are plenty of gift basket options full of all the chocolate squares you could possibly want. You even have the option to customize your Ghirardelli gift with as little as 15 pieces of chocolate, or up to a whopping 500 pieces of chocolate.

Like some of the other well-known chocolate companies on this list, there's a good chance you've tried Lindt chocolates at some point, either in bar or truffle form. The Lindor truffles by Lindt are nearly irresistible with their colorful foil packages that often grace checkout aisles to grab your attention. The round chocolate truffles give way to a luxuriously creamy center, flavored with one of 19 different ganache or caramel fillings. If you buy a bag, it's difficult to eat just one, and even more difficult to remember eating them all when the bag is empty. So a box of chocolates from Lindt is a practically no-fail option for Valentine's Day, and Lindt has provided us with lots of reasonably priced options to spoil that special someone. 

There are several heart-shaped boxes featuring the well-loved foil-wrapped chocolate truffles, and then several with truffles that have been decorated and neatly arranged. There's also a very generous gift basket that contains both chocolate bars and a truffle gift box for only $54.99 before tax and shipping — which we think is one of the better deals in this lineup for a chocolate we already know and love. If you'd like to have more control over the truffle flavors you're giving to your sweetie, Lindt also provides a 40, 75, or 150-piece custom chocolate gift option that allows you to choose from 29 truffle flavors, including the Valentine's Day and holiday flavor options.

Even with the impressive emergence of small-batch handmade chocolates on the market, there's still something luxurious about the classic gold Godiva box. The company celebrated its 95th birthday in 2021, and like many other artisanal food businesses, started out as a small business selling handmade Belgian chocolates in Brussels in 1926 (via Godiva). The large collection of chocolates Godiva makes includes traditional bonbons, truffles, chocolate bars, chocolate-dipped strawberries, chocolate-dipped snacks, and chocolate-covered biscuits (or cookies).

Godiva chocolates are relatively easy to find in many retail locations, but they're still on the higher end of the price spectrum, with Valentine's Day options ranging from $5.95 to $250 online. And even though it's Valentine's Day, we imagine the recipient would be thrilled to receive a box of these higher-end chocolates whether they came in one of the traditional gold boxes or one of the seasonally designed heart-shaped boxes – of which there are several options available. We counted 14 different heart-shaped boxes and chocolate sets, containing assorted chocolates, assorted dark chocolates, individually-wrapped chocolates, and truffles. There are heart-shaped gold tins, as well as red or purple and gold boxes. But the most luxurious of all the Valentine's Day options is the red fabric heart-shaped box, which contains either 14 or 37 assorted Godiva chocolates.

Lake Champlain Chocolates are based in Vermont and similar to what you'd find when ordering through a company like Harry & David, they offer a wide selection of chocolates, chocolate dipped treats, and gift baskets to choose from. There are boxes of sea salt caramels and boxes full of chocolate truffles, chocolate hearts wrapped in pink and red foil, and collections of miniature chocolate bars. You'll find a classic heart-shaped box of chocolates that's easy to love, but the one thing Lake Champlain Chocolates provides that we're absolutely crazy about is the organic Chocolate Frog. Is it romantic? Not really. Is it magical like the chocolate frogs from Harry Potter? Nope. It's more like a small lawn ornament you'd find tucked between the daises in your grandmother's backyard — but made of chocolate. It really takes kissing frogs to find your Prince to a whole new level. And for $15, we think this dark and milk chocolate frog sitting atop a white chocolate lily pad is one of the weirdest and most entertaining chocolate gifts you'll find, whether you've found your Prince Charming or not.

Neuhaus Belgian Chocolates are truly definitive Belgian chocolates, which have been in production since 1857, although Jean Neuhaus got his start in chocolate-making a little differently than many of the other chocolate-makers on this list. After studying medicine and moving to Brussels, he opened a pharmacy where he covered many of the medicines in chocolate to make them more approachable to his patients (via Neuhaus). Now that's a medical regimen we can get behind. Taking the concept a step further, Neuhaus' grandson tinkered with the idea of replacing the medicine with a more pleasing filling, thus creating the very first praline-filled chocolate in 1912.

Now Neuhaus is a worldwide company, but each chocolate is still made in Belgium. If you haven't had a Neuhaus praline chocolate, imagine a silky smooth milk chocolate that's just enough to satisfy your sweet tooth without being achingly sweet, filled with a hazelnut-heavy and equally smooth praline. In short, if you adore Nutella, you're going to like these chocolates quite a bit.

There are currently 15 Valentine's Day-specific offerings from Neuhaus, including hand-rolled truffles, boxes of the full assortment of Neuhaus chocolates, and a seasonal "Love Letter Box" of chocolates that we're especially excited about. It contains three different flavors of heart-shaped chocolates, that includes Milk Almond Sesame, Dark Bergamot Chili, and Red Cherry Hazelnut. Prices are on the higher side, ranging from $24.90 for a ¼-pound box of chocolates containing 10 pieces to $186.90 for an 84-piece heart-shaped chocolate box sampler.

We're suckers for exciting packaging (if you couldn't tell), and when paired with high-quality chocolates that are equally exciting to look at as they are to eat, we're sold. Max Brenner's esthetic positively screams "Party Time!!!" which is one of the things we find so appealing. These aren't moldy old chocolates in a little antique cross-stitched box. Instead, Max Brenner brings chocolate to you in playful ways that have you interacting with it other than mindlessly eating it. 

The First Aid Chocolate Box is here to support you through whatever emotional emergency you're up against today, whether it be a long day at the office, a fresh heartbreak, or even just who Clayton is giving a precious rose to on "The Bachelor." For Valentine's Day, Max Brenner has taken that same interactive spirit and created a Date For Two, which includes a chocolate fondue set alongside a variety of chocolate treats. If you're looking for something traditional with a contemporary twist, there's a heart-shaped tin filled with a dozen gorgeous chocolate pralines, as well as praline collections in 9,18, or 27-piece boxes with some of the coolest geometric heart-shaped patterned paper we've ever seen.

Hotel Chocolat is every bit of an escape as the name suggests. The chocolates themselves have a playfully modern look, and come in dreamy flavors you'd expect when you're in the mood to really treat yourself. Flavors like raspberry pannacotta, carrot cake, billionaire's shortbread, and treacle tart are just some of the exciting flavors you'll find in the "Just to Say" collection, which we think is a fantastic choice for someone who's more into chocolate than the fanfare of performative love on Valentine's Day (not that we don't love being told we're loved — we do).

If you're looking for something more romantic, Hotel Chocolat makes a heart-shaped box of chocolates for Valentine's Day and includes flavors that are actually sexy. In this box you'll find pink champagne and gin truffles, salted caramel kiss heart, and an oyster shell-shaped bonbon filled with praline. Finally, the Valentine's Day Sleekster box comes packed with heart-shaped chocolates, each with more conventional fillings like salted caramel, vanilla, dark chocolate praline, and lemon curd.

La Maison du Chocolat makes chocolates by hand just outside of Paris in Nanterre, France, and specializes in incredibly high-end chocolate. These are a real indulgence for Francophiles and chocolate lovers alike. Our hearts skipped a beat when we laid eyes on the 35-piece truffle set which is a part of the regular La Maison du Chocolat lineup. The three truffle flavors, which are described as "plain pure chocolate truffles, toffee caramel truffles with vanilla and a touch of Guérande salt, and fruit pulp truffles with blackcurrant pepper," are enough to make any truffle-lover swoon, even at $77 a box. 

For Valentine's day, we're impressed with the chocolate assortment packaged in heart-shaped boxes, but what we've really got our eyes on is the "Marvelously Paris Bouchee Gift Box." Several chocolates are fitted together like puzzle pieces with a long heart-shaped piece running across the center of the set. The top bar is made of milk chocolate and roasted caramelized hazelnut pieces, before being dipped into dark chocolate that's been flavored with crunchy puffed Japanese rice. The second bar is strawberry-flavored chocolate that's crunchy, and the third bar is made of dark chocolate with almond and hazelnut praline and studded with Venezuelan cocoa nibs. This one-of-a-kind chocolate gift doesn't come cheap though, costing $50 for just over 3 ounces of chocolate.

You may not have heard of Connecticut-based House of Knipchildt, which encompasses both Knipchildt Chocolatier and Chocopologie brands, but if you're a cookbook lover, you may have seen the Chocopologie cookbook in the baking section at the bookstore. Founder and chocolatier Fritz Knipschildt is inspired by incorporating savory elements into his sweets for curious flavor combinations like Rosemary infused caramel with mushroom salt, Madagascar pickled green peppercorn with topped with black Cyprus lava salt, and gooseberry jam filling. And there's one special confection here that you won't find anywhere else in the world — La Madeline au Truffle. Inside of a large dark chocolate ganache truffle that has been infused with (mushroom) truffle oil, you'll find an actual truffle. More specifically, a rare French Perigord truffle mushroom. The whole thing has been rolled in cocoa powder and set inside a golden box. All of that truffle, both chocolate and mushroom, is made to order, highly perishable, and can be yours for $250. But for a diehard truffle lover, we can't imagine anything more fitting.

If you prefer to go the more traditional route, Knipchildt has also created a line of heart-shaped boxes filled with handmade bonbons and smaller handmade heart-shaped chocolates as well. Of all of the chocolate options on our list, these are perhaps the most artisanal and personal chocolates in the lineup.

If you're looking for a set of chocolates that are both gorgeously luxurious and artistic with an ethereal flair, Vosges Haut Chocolat might just be the box for you. While these high-end chocolates typically come in a royal purple box embellished with silver foil, the company has created a small collection of heart-shaped chocolate boxes for Valentine's Day that are even more elaborate than the collections Vosges typically offers. Many of the chocolate flavors are based on a theme, and placed in highly decorative boxed sets, like the most recent "Prima Materia" collection which is based on the alchemy of sacred soils around the world that produce the powerful flavors you'll find in these special truffles.

For Valentine's Day, Vosges has created "The Love Eternal Chocolate Collection" which includes seven limited edition chocolate options ranging in price from $18 to $165. The collection pulls design inspiration from ancient Egyptian goddesses and presents exciting flavor combinations that you likely won't find anywhere else. There are three heart-shaped boxes with 7, 15, or 38 pieces, as well as two smaller round truffle boxes that include five truffles. Additionally, there are two gift boxes filled with smaller heart-shaped chocolates for those who prefer smaller creative chocolate bites.