40 Gifts for Hosts That Love to Entertain

Getting invited to someone’s house for a homemade dinner is a privilege, and it should be treated like one. While an expensive bottle of wine is a great host gift, a cheap bottle that’s been collecting dust on a supermarket shelf is less than ideal. Instead, you should look for unique and memorable products that your friend, family member, or boss will enjoy using after their dinner party. Smooth and buttery olive oils, spherical ice cube molds, and durable fish spatulas fit the bill — and they start at just $8 at Amazon.       

Best Overall Unique Host Gifts 

• Kaizen Casa Acacia Wood Salt Box, $10
• Henckels Statement 8-Inch Bread Knife, $16, originally $25
• 60% Off: Cuisinart Cast Iron Smashed Burger Press, $10, originally $25
• Soft Butter on Demand: Le Creuset Stoneware Butter Crock, $45
• Fellow Atmos Electric Vacuum Canister, $64, originally $80
• 26,000+ 5-Star Amazon Ratings: Tovolo Sphere Ice Molds, $10
• Editor-Loved Olive Oil: Brightland California Extra Virgin Olive Oil Duo, $59, originally $74 
• Pasta Essential: Jacobsen Salt Co. Disco di Sale, $19  
• Naomi After Cooking Hand Scrub, $29
• Selling Fast: JoyJolt Layla White Wine Glasses, $24, originally $50

Best Kitchen Gifts 

Cooking for a dinner party takes a toll on your kitchen utensils and cookware, and depletes your stock of sponges and dish soaps. Naturally, a host would be overjoyed to receive such gifts in return. Whether you bring a spoon rest to keep their counters clean or a luxe hand scrub that eliminates garlic and onion odors, these actually useful kitchen gifts will ensure you’re invited back time and again. 

• Earlywood Kitchen Utensils, Set of 4, $65 
• Henckels Statement 8-Inch Bread Knife, $16, originally $25
• Cuisinart Grilling Prep and Serve Trays, $18, originally $30
• Gaivis Electric Salt and Pepper Grinder Set, $18, originally $38
• Kaizen Casa Acacia Wood Salt Box, $10 
• Le Creuset Stoneware Butter Crock, $45 
• Staub Ceramic .75-Ounce Petite Pumpkin Dish, $50
• Cuisinart Cast Iron Smashed Burger Press, $10, originally $25
• KitchenAid Set of 5 Classic Mixing Bowls, $34, originally $58
• Fellow Atmos Electric Vacuum Canister, $64, originally $80
• KitchenAid 4-Sided Stainless Steel Box Grater, $17, originally $27
• Souper Cubes 1-Cup Silicone Freezer Molds, Set of 2, $32, originally $40 
• Seyatoo Ceramic Spoon Rest, $11, originally $14 
• Naomi After Cooking Hand Scrub, $29
• Joyce Chen 2-Tier Bamboo Steamer Baskets, $20, originally $26  
• Misen Stainless Steel Fish Spatula, $14, originally $19
• Geometry Kitchen Tea Towels, Set of 2, $26, originally $32  
• Nextmug Temperature-Controlled Mug, $90, originally $130  

Le Creuset Stoneware Butter Crock 

The Le Creuset Stoneware Butter Crock is how French chefs ensure they always have spreadable butter when they need it. Simply fill the bottom with a small amount of water, spoon softened butter into the bell-shaped top, and turn the top upside down so the surface of the butter is submerged in the water. The butter will keep for up to a month at room temperature if you change the water out every few days, making this a great gift for a host who loves to bake cookies or eat buttered toast. 

Souper Cubes 1-Cup Silicone Freezer Molds, Set of 2 

Souper Cubes are an ingenious solution to the problem of defrosting small amounts of soup at a time. The brand manufactures these silicone molds in a myriad of sizes, each ideal for a different task: The 2-tablespoon tray is great for freezing leftover herbs in oil or making ice cubes, the 1-cup tray is perfect for oatmeal breakfasts, and the 2-cup tray is ideal for portioning out the proper amount of soup for lunch. With these clever containers, your host can say goodbye to food waste and hello to harnessing the power of their freezer.       

Best Bar Cart Gifts 

Stocking your host’s bar cart is another fantastic option, but instead of bringing grocery market wine bottles that no one will enjoy, you should grab ice cube trays, seasonal simple syrups, or cute cocktail picks. Bar cart accessories like these are fun, functional, and make awesome gifts for friends who love to entertain.   

• Yeti Rambler 20-Ounce Cocktail Shaker, $42, originally $60 
• JoyJolt Layla White Wine Glasses, $24, originally $50
• JoyJolt Layla Champagne Glasses, $23, originally $29
• Tovolo Sphere Ice Molds, $10 
• W&P Crystal Ice Tray, $20, originally $25
• Oster Cordless Electric Wine Bottle Opener, $19, originally $30 
• Gainwell Metallic Wine Glass Markers, $8, originally $16 
• Oggi Insulated Ice Bucket, $36, originally $45 
• Losneg Metal Martini Cocktail Picks, $8, originally $12  
• Portland Syrups Spiced Cranberry Syrup, $15 
• Filthy Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives, $11, originally $14 

Tovolo Sphere Ice Molds 

The shape of your ice cubes might seem unimportant, but it can have a big impact on your drink. Smaller cubes melt, cool, and dilute your drink much more quickly than their larger counterparts, making them the perfect choice for sodas or Mint Juleps. But when you want to cool, dilute, and prolong the sipping of a drink — as you would with bourbon — a large sphere is your best bet. More than 26,000 Amazon shoppers swear by this set of two for making perfectly round ice cubes with ease.         

Gainwell Metallic Wine Glass Markers

Playing the game of ‘is that my wine glass or yours?’ is never fun. These washable markers are a great (and inexpensive) way to keep this from happening, and they make a thoughtful gift for exactly this reason. With these, your host won’t have to wash extra glasses the next time guests come over.  

Best Food Gifts 

You can also never go wrong with fancy vinegars, expensive nut butters, mustard variety packs, and more food gifts. Whether you buy something you know they’ll need to replace eventually (like nice bottles of olive oil) or a product you think they’ll love but haven’t tried yet (oaty biscuits that taste like a cross between a cookie and a cracker, for example), these recommendations are anything but boring.    

• Brightland California Extra Virgin Olive Oil Duo, $59, originally $74 
• Acid League Strawberry Rosé Living Vinegar, $10
• Giusti Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, $44  
• Flor de la Jara Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil, $19 
• Bushwick Kitchen Bees Knees Honey Sampler, $35, originally $45
• Ground Up Almond and Cashew Nut Butter, $20  
• Jacobsen Salt Co. Disco di Sale, $19  
• Maille Mustard Variety Pack, $19, originally $20 
• Burlap & Barrel Cured Sumac, $10, originally $13 
• Beyond Good Organic Pure Ground Vanilla Powder, $20
• Effie’s Homemade Biscuits Variety Pack, $25

Acid League Strawberry Rosé Living Vinegar

Amazon shoppers describe Acid League’s strawberry rosé vinegar as “sharp and fruity” and “smooth with just the right amount of tang.” Its unique flavor is ideal for a host who loves to experiment in the kitchen. This vinegar instantly adds complexity to salad dressings, shrub drinks, and more.      

Beyond Good Organic Pure Ground Vanilla Powder

Beyond Good’s vanilla powder is made from dried and ground vanilla beans. Unlike vanilla extract, the powder leaves behind the coveted specks that you only get when working with the beans and it doesn’t change the color of your cake mix. Your host will love using it in spice rubs, sprinkling it over their morning oatmeal, or mixing it into their coffee. Really, the sky is the limit with this powder.