If you're hosting a dinner party, we've got you covered
Is there anything better than filling your house with loved ones and feeding them? OK, maybe going somewhere to be fed vies for the winner here, but if it's your turn to host, you're going to need the right stuff. Hosting people for a dinner party doesn't need to be stressful.
The first step to making it as seamless as possible is having the right gear. Because you don't want to figure out two hours before your guests arrive that you don't have a platter that fits a turkey. Or a potato masher. Or a full set of glassware. You get the picture. Just don't forget about a wireless speaker to set the mood.
From our BestReviews Testing Lab to our editors, we've had our hands on tons of products. We've gathered some of our favorites here to make your dinner prep as easy as possible. And we've made sure to give you more affordable items to consider when our faves get a little too pricey.
Best kitchen utensils gifts
This GIR set is as sturdy as it is gorgeous. It's bisphenol A- and bisphenol S-free, dishwasher-safe, heat-resistant to 550 degrees Fahrenheit and is made of platinum-grade silicone. The set comes with a large ladle, whisk, large spatula, skinny spatula, flip, spoon, mini spoon, mini spatula, I-handle flat peeler and a "spoonula," which will fast become a favorite in your kitchen.
Food preparation makes a huge difference in cooking. Not having a wooden mixing spoon is something you can get away with, but there is no substitute for an excellent knife set. This set includes a self-sharpening block, eight steak knives, an 8-inch chef’s knife, a 6-inch serrated utility knife and a 7-inch Santoku knife.
Best cookware gifts
Every home chef deserves the beauty and functionality of a Le Creuset dutch oven, and this round model is a versatile kitchen star. Enameled cast iron means incredible heat retention while the tight-fitting lid helps retain moisture in foods. It's easy to clean and compatible with all cooktops.
Crafted in France, this stunning dutch oven has hand-applied enamel making it non-stick and easy to clean. It's designed to sear and oven-roast up to 580 degrees and features exceptional heat retention and even circulation. The cloud cover lid boasts pea-sized dimples that trap steam and return moisture to what you're cooking. It's part of the Google "Holiday 100" list, so you know it's going to be a popular gift this year.
This Viking cookware set features 3-ply stainless construction with a hardened titanium surface allowing cooks to use metal utensils without worrying about damaging the cookware. The set comes with eight and 10-inch frying pans, two and three-quart sauce pans with lids, three-quart sauté pan with helper handle and lid and a six-quart Dutch oven with lid.
Caraway's Cookware Set makes the perfect gift! Cookware from Caraway is beautiful, low-maintenance, and easy to clean. Plus, these nonstick cookware sets feature even-heat distribution and nontoxic ceramic coating. The eco-friendly packaging and sleek storage features are bonuses unique to the Caraway brand. The set comes in an array of aesthetically pleasing colors, which makes the pots and pans pretty enough to leave out on your stovetop even when you're not cooking.
When you require a simple roaster instead of a designer rack that doubles up as a serving tray, this nonstick steel roaster is a great choice. It has a removable flat rack and riveted handles.
Le Creuset's cast-iron cookware gets all the shine, but its bakeware is just as gorgeous and functionally perfect. This set has Le Creuset's signature quality, and the wide handles and deep hues make it perfect for going straight from oven to table. The set also comes in two shades of blue and a white.
A Dutch oven is one of the most versatile (and important) kitchen tools you can possibly have. Le Creuset’s Dutch oven is hugely popular and often sells out within days when an exciting new color is unveiled. The iconic round pot comes with a color-matching lid and should last at least a decade.
A proper skillet works miracles for red meat, as you have total control over both cooking and browning. This cast-iron skillet is 10.2 inches in diameter, with a sturdy teardrop handle on one side and a grip on the other. It is perfect for use in the oven, on the stovetop or on a campfire.
Best serving platter gifts
It is important to set the right mood and tone of a gathering before the meal is served, and that usually calls for a few snacks to whet the appetite. Forget about plastic serving trays and use these elegant acacia wood platters instead. It's a set of two, with the larger one measuring 12 inches at the longest corners of the octagon.
Best gravy boat gifts
A gravy boat should be the only way to pour the delicious sauce over a roast or vegetables. A spoon is simply awkward, but this gravy boat, made from fine china and decorated with a turkey, gives you a perfect pour. It sits on a small tray to catch any drips.
Le Creuset is famous for its Dutch ovens and roasting dishes, but the only way to complete your serving collection is with its elegant gravy boat. It has a large handle, making pouring easy, and a sturdy base. It's offered in a variety of colors.
Best drinkware and accessory gifts
Entertaining should be fun, and these wine glasses are the perfect way to keep guests from picking up the wrong glass. The six wine glasses are handblown, and each comes in a different color. Each holds about 18 ounces of wine, and their bell-shaped bowls make it easy to swirl and get the full aroma.
These elegant glasses are the perfect vessels for red wine. They have a wide bowl, letting you swirl it without spilling, and the rim is laser-cut and thinner than similar glasses. It comes in a set of four glasses, each holding about 18 ounces.
Fresh juice is a welcome addition to any breakfast, but this hand-operated juicer also works well when you need to squeeze lemons for fish and seafood. It's dishwasher-safe, with large handles that won’t easily slip, and its dual-gear mechanism gets about 20% more juice out than other models.
Whether for a wine bottle, a few cans of beer or some cold drinks, a cooler is incredibly useful, especially when entertaining. This double-walled cooler keeps your wine at the correct temperature whether you are hosting indoors or outside. It stands 7.5 inches tall, and the opening is just over 6 inches in diameter.
Keeping your drinks cold is an essential part of hosting, which means you need to have ice ready at all times. This ice bucket has a capacity of 3 pounds, has a sturdy handle, and is made of brushed steel. It comes with a set of tongs, so your guests don’t need to grab ice cubes with their fingers.
More of the best gifts for dinners
This gorgeous and ultra convenient charcuterie board is on the "Holiday 100" list released by Google. It includes all of the trendy items people are searching for this season, so that means this board is likely to sell out fast. It features a hidden drawer that holds cheese utensils and a deep juice groove to keep any mess off your surfaces.
End a delicious dinner with some freshly brewed coffee, made to perfection in this elegant glass and metal French press. It features a patented stainless steel ultrafine double filter and coffee basket system that leaves no mess behind. It promises to make a perfect cup of coffee every time.
When you don’t keep an eye on the meat in your oven, there's a good chance you'll overcook it. This usually happens when an oven is too hot, or the meat is left inside too long. The internal temperature needs to be just right, and that is where this meat thermometer comes in. It reads between 0 and 220 degrees, is made from steel and shatterproof glass, and comes with a protective sleeve.
One ingredient you should never compromise on is olive oil. It gives the food a rich flavor, is excellent for ensuring even heat distribution and is healthier than sunflower oil. Graza promises that this 25-ounce bottle is made from 100% Picual olives from Spain and is genuinely “extra virgin.”
Nobody should be struggling with salad leaves, a tomato rolling off the spoon, or grabbing a spoonful of chopped onions. The best way to toss the salad so the ingredients are evenly distributed and easy to serve is in a wooden salad-bowl set such as this one.
Preparing food and drinks for your guests is only half of the hosting job. In between everything else, guests need to be entertained, and there is no better way than with a wireless speaker to set the mood. The Era 100 has touch controls, is compatible with Apple AirPlay 2, and has one built-in woofer, two angled tweeters and three class-D digital amplifiers.
Ensure your guests have something to wipe their hands on and clean the corners of their mouths with while eating with these elegant napkins. The 18-inch squares are made from French flax stonewashed linen, with delicate stitching on the edges.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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