Best Smelling Men’s Fragrances Under $20

We are fast approaching the holiday season once again and so I thought that I’d do another post about inexpensive options in men’s fragrances. This time around I’m going to concentrate on those colognes that are available for under $20 but above $10.

(Note: Updating this post 7 years later, some of them are now slightly above $20, but it can depend on which bottle size you opt for. But, I’ve added other perfumes that stick to the original $10-20 range).

I ended up with numerous types of  selections on this list, so there is basically something for everybody on here.  However, if you want even more options (or you searched for scents in the 20 pound or euro range) also check out: Best for under $10, Best other cheapies Part 1 and Part 2

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Quick Takeaways

I go further in depth into each of these and other picks below, but here’s a quick look for those in a hurry.

• Most Popular under $20– Nautica Voyage By Nautica
• Quality and Great smell– Spice & Black Vanilla
• Brand with a ton of nice colognes for cheap: Paris Hilton for Men

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What Colognes for Around $20 are the Best to try?

A Voyage Beyond

Nautica Voyage By Nautica For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 oz– A 3.4 oz bottle can be purchased for under $30 and a 1.7 oz for under $20. This is a really great fragrance and is affordable for just about any budget. 

It’s a citrusy aquatic scent with good longevity and an attractive aroma.  It has been a best-seller for years and Nautica has spun off the name into numerous flanker colognes, almost all of which, aren’t nearly as good as this original.

Voyage opens up with a cooling scent that is unique and attractive. Apple, musk, and mimosa. This is a floral fragrance in its middle act, still with an aquatic and dewy aroma throughout. My Full Review of Voyage Cologne

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Spiced Delight

Spice & Black Vanilla– You could honestly go with numerous options from Cremo (like Blue Cedar & Cypress or Palo Santo), as they all smell really good and the price is right around $20.

The spice mix seems to be a cardamom and cinnamon blend, with the latter being weaker, and not to the same extent as the Viktor & Rolf cologne, Spicebomb. That top is spicier, but the dry down is vanilla based and quite woody.

The longevity is actually decent, but the sillage here isn’t overly powerful. It seemed to hit that 5-7 hour mark of wear, just mostly sitting close to the skin. For the price? Great quality and aroma. Also, available at Target and Wal-Mart currently.

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Original Penguin Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce– Sweet morphs into a pleasant spice with notes of apple, fir, vanilla, pepper, and musk.

But, what you end up with is a good deal of the vanilla note, with woody notes and that peppery kick. Early, you get a light apple scent which adds a fruity sweetness to the overall composition.

A bit floral with neroli and the lavender which blends with the vanilla late. Yet, it never felt all that heavy to me.

Penguin is blended well and also smells pretty good. Not my first pick, but it can do the job for a truly low price (under $15, at times). A good mix between work and casual wear.

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Sculptured Citrus

Nikos Sculpture Homme for men Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.4 Ounces– Sculpture is a really nice cheapie and has been around for decades now. The opening act is full of a bright/sour/sweet lemon note that stands out in the summer months.

The citrus opening, prominent orange blossom and floral notes, and at times bitter herbal qualities. Light with a clean and somewhat powdery finish in the latter stages. This one routinely goes for under $20 per bottle.

Wouldn’t be my first pick with an unlimited budge, but for cheap, Sculpture does a good job at providing value. The brand has a few other options, as well, if this style doesn’t do it for you.

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The Seduction of Guess

Guess Seductive Men Edt Spray, 3.4 Ounce– Warm, sweet, and with a bit of spice. Guess Seductive Homme is an all-around good performer but really shines in the colder months of the year.

I still have a bottle of this one (update: finished it off) and it’s my go to from the Guess lineup. Seductive Blue also smells really good but it doesn’t have the same longevity as the original. You could also go with Los Angeles 1981, which is another great cheapie from the brand.  My Original Guess Seductive Review

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A Clean Hei

Hei by Alfred Sung for Men, Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.4-Ounce– Alfred Sung’s Hei is a staple for those who need a cheaply priced scent that does a fantastic job at delivering the goods. It is a really clean and fresh scent with a bit of powdery aroma to it.

Longevity and projection are good but not amazing, which is to be expected in this class of scents.

Watery notes and violet leaf give this an aquatic feel, but you also have a great bamboo note, and citrus top that energize the blend. This one is unique because you dry down into something woodier and greener with less of the aquatic start.

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The Hilton Options

Paris Hilton for Men– The Paris Hilton line of colognes for men are very nice for the price point. Nowadays, they tend to go for around $25, but I’ve seen them recently for under $20 as well.

Really, you have multiple options from this brand beyond the listed Paris Hilton for Men. Gold Rush, Just Me, and Heir are all worth checking out. Depending on what kind of style of scent you’re looking for. For example, Just Me, is an Acqua di Gio styled fragrance.

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An Older Standard for under $20

Yves De Sistelle Thallium for Men 3.3 Ounce EDT SP– Fairly powerful and sweet candy-like fragrance with some powder to boot.

Interesting mix of apple and pineapple notes to go along with some woodsy ones. That start can really explode off the skin. Pineapple and bergamot citrus together, are quite sharp.

It stays sweet, but follows things up with musk, woods, and lavender. I do have to say this doesn’t have a naturalistic smell at all, with its notes. So, it absolutely won’t appeal to everyone. If you like bold and sweet fragrances, this might be the one for you.

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