The best hampers for your easiest gifting hack

Lisa Angel Build Your Own Gift Hamper

If you’re seeking a hamper in the quest of nailing that gift for her, Lisa Angel is an elite destination to try. With a build-your-own function à la F&M, you can assemble a truly charming pile of favours via dried flower poseys, personalised jewellery, candles and more.

Daylesford Picnic Hamper

Rejoice! For it is springtime again, and warmer weather calls for more than just a new pair of linen trousers. Why not get out into the many green spaces of Britain with a picnic date. You bring the blanket and Daylesford will bring the goodies: apricot juice, prosecco, tea, biscuits, cakes, sweets, chutneys, cheeses, bread and ham, to be precise. Try again, crisps and hummus.

Imp & Maker Match Day Breakfast Hamper

Some may say the Christmas period is one of excess, but real ones know that summer is when true hedonism reigns. Gear up for a Euros match day or carb load ahead of a day on the sofa watching the Olympics with Imp & Maker and its compilation of boozy brunch essentials: German beer and sausage and bacon rolls are the new espresso and granola.

Nio Cocktails Experience Box

Nio Cocktails has stepped up again, ever one move ahead of us on the gifting front. In this experience box, you can select your own contents, from margaritas and cosmos to negronis and sidecars. Six of your selections will come presented in a box with two cut glass tumblers and an XL ice cube tray.

The Newt in Somerset Say It With Rosé

The cliché “classics are classic for a reason” is a cliché for a reason. Classics like Ian McKellen, a bunch of flowers and a weekend trip to Paris need no convincing, and nor does this Valentine’s Day-adjacent hamper, containing as it does a bottle of rosé, a candle, a body butter and a bar of chocolate.

Harrods The Halal Hamper

Eid approaches, and with it, a mid-summer gifting opportunity. From Harrods, then, this completely Halal hamper comprising of the food hall’s most popular treats is a winner. Inside: chocolate almonds and raspberries, fudge, coffee and tea, Turkish delight and more sweet treats straight outta Knightsbridge.

Daylesford Organic British Honey Hamper

Honey is the focal point of this Daylesford Organic composition: a unique gift that presents the natural bee-produced wonder in several mediums: jars of London and Oxfordshire honey, creamed honey, honeycomb, chocolate honeycomb, honey spiced nuts and a “Hive” candle for good measure. What a buzz.

Aperol Spritz Hamper

(Almost) everyone’s favourite summer drink is the subject of this inevitably popular compilation, which provides a full bottle of Aperol alongside soda water and a proper sized prosecco so that they can make the pub garden staple for their own back yard.

Snowdonia Cheese Ploughman’s Hamper

The original ploughman’s lunch was intended for ease of consumption without the need for cutlery or crockery, but that's not to say it can’t be co-opted by privileged modern folks like us. Posh Ploughmans are available at Pret, in most Gastro pubs and here on the Snowdonia Cheese Co. site, with added extra craft beer.

Imp & Maker Italian Food Hamper

A best-selling ode to the food of Italy, this Imp & Maker parcel is overflowing with fresh food and pantry essentials for the pasta dish connoisseur. Among the many treats to be found here: picante olives, Dolce & Gabbana spaghetti, fennel salami and salted caramel cannoli. Get the biggest charcuterie board you own out.

John Lewis Belgravia Hamper

It might not be quite as old or well-regarded as Fortnum & Mason but you best bet that John Lewis knows its way around a hamper made up of little luxuries. Its Belgravia, then, contains quite the smorgasbord, from biscuits by (our favourite) Cartwright & Butler, olives by Olives Et Al, Source coffee, Waitrose prosecco and eleven other tasty bits and bobs.

Selfridges Congratulations Hamper

All the department stores have hampers on lock, so whichever you head to — Fortnum & Mason, Harvey Nichols, Harrods, Selfridges — you’ll be swimming in options. If your giftee prefers the shot of quirkiness that the latter provides, this 8-piece of wine and sweet treats should satisfy.

Flowerbx Peony/Vase/Candle Set

There have been many discussions about whether gift sets count as hampers (most of them, it has to be said, in our office) but we think the distinction lies here: in a hamper, the included products are different from one another, or come from different brands. That, then, qualifies this Flowerbx bundle of peonies, candle and your choice of vase.

Craft Gin Club Ultimate Gin Hamper

When you compare it to the amount of cheese-centric hampers there are in the world, gin-based equivalents are seriously underrepresented. Thank god for the Craft Gin Club and its wicker of herbal spirits: Mermaid gin, tonics, garnishes and accompanying cocktail additions all present and correct.

Green & Black’s Chocolate and Wine Hamper

There’s nothing quite like posh chocolates, and Green & Black’s does some really lovely ones. A slew of them — including our favourites, 70% dark chocolate and milk chocolate with sea salt — star in this big bundle of organic faves, with a white wine and a red wine included, to boot.

The White Company Seychelles Hamper

There’s no replacement for lying on a white sandy beach and feeling the sun beat down, but for when visiting the other side of the world is a little out of budget, The White Company’s Seychelles hamper is certainly second best. Transport them to island life with this hamper, which uses amber, bergamot, vanilla and other soothing notes in its assorted candles, creams and fragrances.

Kelly Loves Ultimate Sushi Kit

We love hampers that compile disparate products that your giftee will love for different reasons, but there’s a lot to be said about ones whose products unite to create a cogent whole. This Kelly Loves selection is one example of a gift that’s bigger than the sum of its parts: in this case, eight ingredients (plus lunch box) for creating sushi at home. Just add salmon and soy sauce.

Charcuterie & Fizz Hamper

One of the key things about a hamper is that it contains luxuries your giftee may not ordinarily buy for themselves or indulge in very often. A smorgasbord of charcuterie meats and an Argentinian sparkling wine qualifies for this honour particularly well, we say. Order early enough in the day and get it by tomorrow.

The Fish Society Smoked Salmon Bundle

And now for something completely different. A hamper from The Fish Society does what it says on the tin, offering premium fish cuts in abundance for the keen cooks and the hosts that go above and beyond. The fish to be found in this bundle include a Best Of salmon: smoked, smoked steak, and beetroot gravalax.

The Newt in Somerset Thank You Hamper

One of the more comprehensive hampers we’ve seen in recent months, Newt in Somerset’s ‘Thank You’ compilation combines both the edible and the non-edible in one extremely generous offering. The House’s cider joins sparkling grape juice and a bunch of fragrant foodstuffs, from clotted cream fudge to rosemary cheese straws. Sage body wash and butter is also included, all in a tote bag that’s rather fabulous itself.

Imp & Maker Champagne Movie Night Hamper

Prefer a date night in the house rather than out on the town? Imp & Maker has your back with this ‘Champagne Movie Night’ box, comprising everything you need for a perfect night in (besides the takeout pizza). The best bits? Moët champagne, Joe & Sephs white chocolate & raspberry popcorn and a box of Charbonnel et Walker mint thins.

Cutter & Squidge Mini Chocolate Love Hamper

Even purveyors of such inventions as the biskie must concede that plain simple chocolate is sometimes all that's needed to hit the spot. London bakery Cutter & Squidge still has its fun with the ingredient though: this hamper features two hot chocolate spoons, chocolate orange popcorn, shortbread and a pouch of strawberry meringue “bark”.

Cartwright & Butler Chocolate and Beer Hamper

Shirking the tradition of wicker for the chic, clean lines of an embossed pail, Cartwright & Butler clean up on the picnic market with chocolate-smothered sweets and biscuits plus three bottle of Black Sheep beer.

Emergency Gin & Tonic

No need to get your first aid qualification for this form of medicine: an emergency gin and tonic (plus pack of biscuits) courtesy of Sipsmith, Fevertree and Not Another Bill. When you think about it, a fully-stocked first aid kit really is just a kind of hamper…

Harvey Nichols Acqua Di Parma Candle & Champagne Hamper

Other than the wicker hampers themselves — which it paints black — Harvey Nicks treads a fairly traditional line with its compilations. No leftfield picks in this duo then: just a crowd-pleasing bottle of Veuve Clicquot and a citrus-scented Acqua di Parma candle.

Harrods The Little Luxuries Hamper

That you can buy anything besides a keyring for under £100 at Harrods is enough to arrest our attention. But a hamper! Said purchase is a miniature hamper (complete with diminutive wicker basket) containing some of the best of Harrods: shortbread, breakfast tea, red wine, chocolate caramels and Turkish delight.

Tinned Fish Company Hamper

Tinned Fish Company might look as though it trades on the beauty of its packaging alone, but it turns out that the goods inside are as delicious as their aesthetic foretells. In this big hamper of popular hits, your giftee will discover such fishy delights as tuna fillets with fennel, extra spicy sardines in olive oil and mackerel pate.

Espa Energising Collection

For grooming or skincare lovers, a hamper of new products will always go down a treat. Designed to help encourage relaxation and to restore skin to a better state, Espa’s Energising Collection will help them unwind and try some new things while they’re at it. With a soothing fragrance, the collection includes a candle, bath oil, shower gel, and pulse point oil – all the ingredients for a relaxing spa night in.

Mini Moet Hamper

Made for Valentine's Day but relevant for those who are loved up for the year-round, this miniature favour includes a tiny (20cl) bottle of Möet, a (heart-shaped) box of Charbonnel et Walker truffles and a (pick n mix) tub of sweets.

Virginia Hayward Whisky Lover's Hamper

Very few things in our gift guides have ever been as popular as a whisky-spiked marmalade, and that’s just one element of this hamper for whisky lovers. A bottle of whisky is included too, of course: Teacher’s, that is, as well as The Famous Grouse fudge and a whisky popcorn from Joe & Seph’s.

The Beautiful Book Company Book Lover’s Gift Set

Containing six books, all carefully selected by a team of literary experts for your recipient based on their favourite books and authors, this hamper is personalised uniquely for them, with the added inclusion of three bookmarks, a literary quotation print, three book plates and a hand-written gift message. The easiest way to save yourself some time spent desperately browsing in your local bookstore this year.

Madame Valerie's Patisserie Box

Is a hamper a hamper if it comes in a box? Since we’ve featured products that come in tote bags and others that come in tins, we certainly reckon it qualifies. This particular box is filled with cakes from Patisserie Valerie: ten slices of cake to be precise. Caramel, honeycomb and chocolate, strawberry gateaux, carrot cake and double chocolate gateaux are among the flavours your sweet tooth giftee will receive, as well as a few fondant fancies if you want to opt them into even more sugar.

Biscuiteers Mini Biscuit & Prosecco Hamper

A (hand-illustrated keepsake) box of perfectly iced biccies from Biscuiteers is plenty special enough all on its own, but you can now make it a hamper by adding a bottle of fizz too. That’s both food groups (edible sugar and quaffable sugar) covered off.

Harvey Nichols All Things Nice Hamper

Harvey Nicks adds a chic black sheen to its wicker hampers, but in everything else it is perfectly traditional. As such, you’ll find chocolate truffles, biscuits, teas and other assorted treats within, plus a bottle each of rose prosecco and rosé wine.

Hotel Chocolat Chocolate & Fizz Collection

If you open a bottle of fizz but no one hears the pop, did it make a sound? In this case: yes. This Hotel Chocolat hat-tip to opulence features a miniature bottle of prosecco and a selection of chocolates and truffles. Our serving suggestion? For one.

Nio Cocktails Italian Cocktails Box

Like cooking, cocktail mixing is only fun if it’s something you already enjoy. If it’s a bit of a faff for your giftee, then a Nio hamper is a great way of letting them into the deliciousness without any of the effort. Coming premixed in slim, environmentally friendly packages, this brand lets the object of your purchasing enjoy myriad drinks without having to muddle a single ingredient. In this box: four Italian tipples.

Cartwright & Butler Pocklington Picnic Hamper

Cartwright and Butler is unique in many respects, and one is its use of a collectible tin in place of a wicker basket for its bundles of food and drinks. This example assembles tea, marmalade, fudge and condiments in a pale blue box that would function beautifully as a bread bin after the last shortbread round has gone.

Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt Wonders

While nothing from Jo Malone could ever be described as wallet-friendly, this bundle of wood sage and sea salt favourites does at least save on three big purchases your giftee will love whether they’re 21 or 108. Included here: cologne, candle and body cream, all in the brand’s opulent seaside-inspired scent.

Hotel Chocolat Mug & Hug Hamper

Hotel Chocolat’s Mug & a Hug hamper goes one further than providing an actual hug: it furnishes your giftee with a pack of chocolate shortbread and a box of choccies. This ingenious collection also packs a chic mug so that they can have a hot chocolate or cup of tea with their treats right away. A chocolate gift with a little extra.

Guzzl Selection Hamper Box

A custom hamper just for you or your giftee: rather than assuming what you'd like, Guzzl lets you choose a price range and dietary requirements before packing either a wicker or ‘eco’ box to order. A typical example might include confectionery, pates and rillettes, biscuits, jams and preserves, sauces and ketchups, as well as a few more luxury items such as a truffle oil. Everything is made by local artisans from indie brands too, so you'll be supporting small while potentially seeking out a new favourite product to repeat purchase in the future.