21 Host and Hostess Gifts

The 7-inch Botanica Flameless Lighter is a stylish, reusable answer to ugly gas-station lighters, and it’s perfect for hosts who love candles, a crackling fire, or an occasional toke. This lighter, which comes in six modern color combos, looks like a pretty pen, and it’s much easier to use and more reliable than matches. Slide back the safety switch, and two small rods protrude to spark a hot arc of plasma (ionized gas). Equipped with a USB port and a 5-inch cable, the windproof lighter is rechargeable and butane-free. As with most flameless lighters, this one’s ignition emits a soft, high-pitched sound that can irritate some people, but our tester was unbothered. For an especially luxe gift, pair it with one of our candle picks.

Some may think all salt is pretty much the same. And though it’s true that it’s all just sodium chloride when you get right down to it (thank you, high school chemistry), Maldon’s flaky, crunchy version, produced in England since 1882, is truly something special. Beloved by professional and home cooks, including members of our kitchen staff, this salt is best sprinkled on top of food at the last minute, to bring out the flavor and add the perfect texture. If your recipient knows their way around a kitchen, this will be a guaranteed hit.

These dainty glass vases look great in a cluster on a shelf or in a row down the center of a table. Made from hard-to-break borosilicate glass, with slightly frilly Victorian edges, these little vases are almost guaranteed to mesh with your host’s decor. Maximalists can style them with tiny yet opulent arrangements, and minimalists can use them as bud vases for single, spectacular blooms (hint: grab a bouquet on the way). The tallest one is 6 inches, and, out of the box, these vases look way more expensive than they are.

We have waxed poetic more than once about our love for Stasher reusable bags. Made of food-grade silicone, they seal well, wash easily, last forever, replace plastic baggies, and can go from microwave to fridge to freezer. Oh, and feel free to pack toiletries in them too. We consider them to be gift-worthy in any form. But these three snazzy colored sandwich bags are more than just useful—they’re also downright pretty.

Everyone can use extra napkins, and this State set is so vibrant and playful it could work with just about anyone’s aesthetic. The 14.5-inch square napkins, which have an Indian-block-print-meets-Marimekko vibe, are 100% cotton and machine-washable. And we dare anyone to find a stain in the dazzling floral patterns. Our only gripe? They really do look better ironed.

A delight for any entertaining buff, the cleverly designed Ekobo Chip & Dip Set streamlines appetizer hour—with no bowls sliding around on heavy plates en route to the buffet. Made with renewable bamboo fibers in four muted colors, the self-contained set is lovely to tote, fill, and wash. It’s easy to refill the removable center bowl with salsa, warm spinach-artichoke dip, or any other kind of spread, and then load the capacious outer dish crudité, pretzels, or chips.

We love a good candle. But—not to freak anyone out—they do account for 23,600 house fires annually, according to FEMA. Be the stylish safety patrol by gifting your host a matchless Candle Warmer Lamp, which gently heats wax with two 50-watt halogen bulbs, to safely release the aromas. By melting the candle more gradually, the warmer purportedly helps it last much longer than if it were intensely burned at the wick. The plug-in lamp also has two-, four-, and six-hour shut-off times, as well as four brightness settings. If your recipient isn’t picky about scents, give it alongside the Boy Smells Hinoki Fantôme Candle or the Brooklyn Candle Studio Palo Santo Minimalist Candle, two of our favorites.

Who among us hasn’t uttered “which glass is mine?” at a buzzy and rollicking dinner party? Save your hosts the trouble (and extra dirty glassware), by giving them the erasable Chalkola Chalk Markers, which come in 10 colors. The chalk glides on easily, and the markings will stay put until wiped clean with water—unlike those futzy wine-glass charms that seem to always fall off (and aren’t all that easy to remember in the first place). The markers can also label jars or leftovers long after the party has ended.

For some hosts, nothing beats a good bottle of the brown stuff. But with dozens of quality bourbons on the market, choosing often presents quite a conundrum. The exceptional Old Forester 1910 Old Fine Bourbon was our favorite in arduous testing. Aged in charred barrels—a nod to a 1910 fire on the bottling line—this high-proof bourbon has a powerful, concentrated flavor that is more characteristic of vintage whiskies, as well as toffee and spice notes. Since it’s reasonably priced, you won’t grimace if your host decides to mix it into an old-fashioned or with soda, but it’s also sophisticated enough to sip neat late into the night.

These canned olives aren’t anything like the mushy and bland ones found in US supermarkets. The excellent Perelló Olives—which hail from Seville, in Spain’s Andalusia region—are made with a pitted Gordal variety (the name translates to “fat one” in Spanish). They’re firm and meaty, with a warming kick (thanks to guindilla chilies), so they are just right for tapas or pre-dinner snacking. The cans are charming enough to be repurposed—the large one for flowers, the smaller ones for crayons or markers. Since these olives are imported, shipping costs a bit more, but we like to order and keep several cans on hand, both for snacking and giving as gifts.

What smells great to one person might smell like cleaning fluid to another. For that reason, we choose to give tapered candles in place of scented ones (unless we absolutely know the olfactory preferences of our hosts). A twist on traditional tapers, these bright and shapely 11½-inch candles add a pop art flair to tabletops, and they burn for about 20 hours.

At Wirecutter, it’s a beloved tradition for every employee to receive a Maui Gold Pineapple on their yearly work anniversary. Pineapples are a symbol of hospitality. And these pineapples, which are grown on the slopes of Haleakalā and handpicked at peak ripeness, are in an entirely different category of sweetness and juiciness than what’s available in mainland grocery stores. If you’re traveling from afar to visit your host, order this pineapple a few days in advance of your arrival, so you don’t have to carry bulky gifts.

Bananagrams is basically a free-for-all, lightning-fast variation on Scrabble. Players use lettered tiles to build word grids, but there’s no board, and instead of competing for points, players compete in a race against time. We bring this game on all family vacations, and the kids have been playing with the adults since about age 10. Bananagrams is easy to learn, works for two to eight players, and comes in a portable, unmissable banana-shaped pouch.

Bringing a nice bottle doesn’t have to mean wine. A good olive oil is just as wonderful, and it lasts a lot longer. Graza “Sizzle,” our pick for the best grocery-store olive oil, is made for cooking. (The company also makes Graza “Drizzle”; this one is intended only as a finishing oil, never to be heated.) Our testers found this extra-virgin olive oil to be “balanced, green, and peppery” with “summer vegetable garden vibes.” It comes in an opaque plastic bottle, and even though many people prefer glass, this vessel protects the oil from light and photo-oxidation and has a handy squeeze top.

Even a bodega bouquet will look snazzy wrapped in these reusable, multipurpose cloths from Baggu. And after the flowers have found their way into a vase, your host can reuse these 20-by-20-inch bright cotton cloths as handkerchiefs, mini tablecloths, or even as gift wrap. Yes, these delightful fabric squares are endlessly useful.

This bubble-shaped vase—which is designed to hold an avocado pit, for optimum sprouting—has appeared in several of our gift guides. That’s probably because it’s such a surprisingly engaging and simplistically lovely piece. Or perhaps we include it so often because it reminds us of when we were kids, and we sprouted pits using jam jars and toothpicks. Made of shatter-resistant borosilicate glass, the Ilex Studio vase is available in clear, smoke gray, and blue, among other dreamy shades. And it comes with a helpful book of avocado lore and growing tips.

The chocolates in the Recchiuti Confections Black Box were more luscious than any other bonbons we tasted during testing (a very tough job). There’s never a wrong time to give candy, but this sleek box is especially great for a host you don’t know well—it provides a luxurious sensory experience that’s almost guaranteed to please. Slide open the modern box to reveal 16 elegant morsels—no two alike. Recchiuti uses high-quality cacao, and it doesn’t dull the intensity of the chocolate with preservatives or sugar (as do some other chocolate makers from our tasting). Flavors include classics like Burnt Caramel and Maple Pecan Praline, as well as punchier combinations like Sesame Nougat and Tarragon Grapefruit, which, while adventurous, are still subtle and balanced.

Pigeon Toe Spoon Rest

This simple porcelain spoon rest comes in seven style-conscious colors and can go right in the dishwasher.

Buying Options

$32 from Pigeon Toe

May be out of stock

The ceramic Spoon Rest from Pigeon Toe is something your hosts didn’t know they needed: It’s subtly cool, with an organic, hand-thrown shape, and there are six minimalist colors to choose from. Even if your hosts have a moment of confusion upon opening the box (“Oh, a spoon rest”), they’ll think of you every time they avoid slopping sauce on the counter while rushing to get dinner on the table. Though many other practical gifts can feel somewhat mundane, this spoon rest shines as a useful everyday item that will spark happiness. And if you really like your host, pair it with a lovely hand-carved wooden spoon (or two).

Our favorite felted wool coasters are a welcome addition in any home, plus they’re supremely easy to travel with. And they will be a little unexpected when given along with a nice bottle of whiskey. We like Bulleit, which is easier to find than some more-obscure brands. This reasonably priced Kentucky whiskey comes in a cool-looking bottle, and, most importantly, it’s smooth and delicious.

Salt and pepper are nonnegotiable kitchen staples, and the right tools make everyday seasoning immeasurably more satisfying. The Fletchers’ Mill Border Grill Pepper Mill is one of our favorite pepper mills. Its settings aren’t quite as precise as those of other models we tried, but it looks sleek and feels great in the hand. And it’s the only mill we recommend that comes in multiple colors, so it’s a fun gift to unwrap. We also love this salt pig from Emile Henry, a French brand we trust. Though you could keep salt in any number of containers, this open-mouthed ceramic piece has an unglazed interior, for absorbing moisture, and a wide, angled opening, so it’s easy to grab a pinch. This salt vessel is on the pricey side, but it comes with a 10-year warranty, which is more coverage than for others we considered.

To corral clutter, any vessel will do. But Hay’s geometric Kaleido Tray makes dumping house keys feel so much more sophisticated. This tray comes in extra small, small, medium, and large versions (each has a different geographic shape), and they can be nested together. The powder-coated steel is light but strong, and the tray is available in lots of punchy colors, for mixing and matching (or artistically clashing). The larger version is somewhat pricey, but even the small hexagons and parallelograms are so lovely that no host would scoff at receiving one.

We love finding gifts that are unusual, thoughtful, and well vetted. See even more gift ideas we recommend.

This article was edited by Hannah Morrill and Jennifer Hunter.