It’s a little-known fact of the grooming world that not all expensive fragrances are good and not all inexpensive fragrances are bad.

When we think of buying a scent, we tend to think of luxury: thoughtfully packaged, celebrity-endorsed and backed by lavish marketing campaigns. But not everyone can afford to splash out on a £50 bottle of eau de toilette or £150 boutique scent.

There are times, too, when it’s more economical to save your favourite fragrance for special occasions, turning to a comparatively economical ‘workhorse’ scent for everyday use.

Can you get a decent fragrance for minimal spend? We took a cold, hard sniff of the market’s entry-level options to find the scents under £20 that are actually worth buying.

Versace Blue Jeans

A classic, masculine fragrance that men have returned to for more than two decades. Versace could well have hiked the price of its woodsy, citrusy Blue Jeans, but the fact it remains a highly affordable option only adds to its charm.

If his lyrics with Craig David are anything to go by, the inexpensive eau de toilette is a favourite of British MC Big Narstie (a man who could well afford most money-is-no-object alternatives), cementing it as a budget scent that nothing short of a steal.

£13.50 for 75ml eau de toilette, from Feelunique.

Adidas Extreme Power

Wait, before you run away, no this isn’t part of another naff gift set. Aromatic and woody with notes of lemon and tonka bean, but with an energising edge, Adidas Extreme Power debuted in 2012 and is, well, really quite good.

It’s a solid option for fans of Givenchy Play, as it comprises similarly spicy (but significantly less expensive) notes characterised by its top note of bergamot.

£8.76 for 100ml eau de toilette, from Amazon.

Zara Midsummer Orange Zest

Good for more than just fast and affordable fashion, Zara is worth a nose for an everyday fragrance, too. In the past, the high street behemoth has worked with the likes of acclaimed fragrance designer Alberto Morillas (Calvin Klein CK One and Giorgio Armani Aqua di Giò) to come up with relaxed, especially wearable summer fragrances like the fresh, perky Midsummer Orange Zest.