Are you thinking about sending a hamper gift to a loved one? There are literally thousands of hamper ideas out there, and high street stores and supermarkets are increasing their ranges every year. We have taken a look at who offers what, to help you find the perfect hamper!
1. The Fortnum and Mason hamper
Fortnum and Mason has been making and sending hampers since the late 1730s. They are now more popular than ever, with more than 120,000 packages being sent each year. You can choose from 90 hampers, hamperlings and gift boxes which sell for between £14 and £1,000. Why not try The 181 Hamper named after their famous address, 181 Piccadilly in London (current price £65)? Inside, you will find:
- Pink Marc de Champagne Truffles
- Two blends from the world-famous Fortnum and Mason tea range
- Italian chocolate Napolitains
- Jars of strawberry preserve and marmalade
- Jars of Fortnum’s Pickle and their very special Piccadilly Piccalilli
Or for a hamper that would make a perfect housewarming or new home gift, take a look at The Welcome Home Hamper (current price £100). Sure to delight, the recipient will find Blanc de Blancs Champagne to christen the new home along with some shortbread fingers. There’s also some tea and coffee and a pair of Fortnum’s Mugs to drink from. A Fortnum’s waffle tea towel adds a touch of glamour the washing-up!
2. The chocolate hamper
Everyone loves chocolate and there are plenty of chocoholic gift hampers to choose from. A great all-rounder is The Everything Collection (current price £25) from Hotel Chocolat. This includes:
- Salted Caramel and 40% Chocolate Puddles
- Billionaire’s Shortbread Selector
- Chocolate Brownie Selector
- The Mini Patisserie Collection
- Selection of Chocolate Nano Slabs.
Our other favourite hampers come from Cadbury’s where you can choose from no less than 46 chocolate gift ideas, and even send personalised chocolate. For the real Cadbury’s lover in your life, you won’t beat the Cadbury Ultimate Chocolate Basket (current price £70) which is a 20’ wicker hamper bulging with loads of goodies including Cadbury Milk Tray, Roses, Heroes, Chocolate Eclairs, Giant Buttons, Bournville Cocoa and Cadbury Fairtrade Drinking Chocolate, Dairy Milk Fruit & Nut, Double Decker, Fudge and heaps more!
If you need more to choose from, take a look at our reviews of the top chocolate hampers.
3. The John Lewis hamper
John Lewis is a British institution, opening its first store in 1864 on London’s Oxford Street. As you would expect from one of the UK’s premier retailers, it has a superb range of 28 hampers to suit all occasions and budgets. Their Taste of Britain Hamper (current price £35) showcases the very best of British gourmet products including:
- Farrah’s of Harrogate Original Harrogate Toffee
- House of Edinburgh Original Shortbread Fingers
- Linden Lady Handmade Fresh Cream Fudge
- Chocolate slims
- Strawberry jam
- English afternoon tea
4. The cheese hamper
Cheese lovers will thank you forever if you send them a fabulous fromage feast. We think the cream of the crop is The Alex James Presents… Cheese Box (current price £28.50) from Pong Cheese. It delivers cheeses from ex-Blur singer Alex James who now runs a 200-acre cheese farm in the Cotswolds. This gift box includes:
- Little Wallop (goats’ cheese, wrapped in a vine leaf)
- Goddess (semi-soft, washed in Temperley Somerset Cider Brandy)
- Blue Monday (soft, Gorgonzola-style, mellow and creamy)
- Farleigh Wallop (dense but creamy, with thyme coating).
If you are looking for some chutney with your cheese, how about the Cheese and Chutneys Gift Hamper (current price £22) from Cheshire Cheeses? Along with a Caramelised Onion & Rioja Cheddar and an Extra Mature 18 month-old Cheddar, the hamper contains jars of Gourmet Caramelised Onion Chutney and Gourmet Chilli Jam Relish – the perfect partnership!
5. The wine hamper
Red, white or sparkling? Decisions, decisions, decisions! We have found two great wine gift ideas to suit any taste. Next Wines have some great hamper gifts; our favourite is the Spanish Rioja Hamper (current price £34) which has a bottle of both red and white wine, some champagne-infused chocolate truffles and a free corkscrew for instant access (just add glasses!).
For those that like a bit of sparkle in their lives, we love the Fizz Trio (current price £80) from Harvey Nichols. This “absolutely fabulous” hamper covers all bubbly bases; a bottle each of:
- Champagne Brut Rosé
- Champagne Brut (white)
- Prosecco
What more can we say? Cheers, sweetie!
6. The Marks and Spencer hamper
Percy Pig is celebrating his 25th birthday, and we think he’s looking great on it. We all know someone who has to grab some Percy Pigs on the way to the till – why not send them the Percy Pig Gift Bag (current price £27, reduced from £30)? The set contains:
- Percy Piglets
- Percy Rosy Noses
- Phizzy Pig Tails
- Percy’s Family Mix
- Percy Pig Iced Biscuits
- Percy Plush Toy
- Percy Pig Mug and Tin
- Percy Pig Gift Bag.
For someone that enjoys nothing better than a decadent afternoon tea, the Luxury High Tea Hamper fits the bill perfectly (current price £50). They manage to pack in:
- Casa d’Amello Rose Spumante wine
- Devon Scones
- Strawberry Jam
- Raspberry Jam
- Victoria Sponge
- 10 Assam Tea Bags
- 4 Blackcurrant Sundaes
They all arrive in a stylish, deep-lid wicker basket, making this one of the best value hampers too.
7. The beer hamper
For the man or woman who thinks they have tried all the beers, surprise them with the World Beer Mixed Case (current price £38.50) from Beer Hawk. This really is the United Nations of beer gifts, with 15 bottles from countries like the USA, Belgium, Japan, Italy and Germany.
Craft beers are more popular than ever, and this Craft Cans Mixed Case (current price £36) of 15 cans is a great way to sample beers from carefully selected craft breweries including BrewDog and Harviestoun – perfect for sharing!
8. The baby hamper
To celebrate the new arrival, we have found the beautiful Luxury Baby Innocence Hamper (current price £37.99) which is suitable for boys or girls. It’s perfect as a baby shower gift and includes:
- Sleepsuit
- Hat
- Pair of booties
- Cuddle blanket wrap
- Cuddly bear.
It comes beautifully wrapped in a keepsake box, so it’s something that can be used time and again, and treasured forever.
9. The wedding hamper
Finding the right wedding present can be daunting, especially for couples that have already set up home together. One great solution is to get something personalised like the Luxury Wedding Gift Basket from Amazon which includes:
- Special blend tea
- Luxury strawberry and cream cookies
- Strawberry preserve
- Lily O’Brien’s Desserts Collection Box and Zesty Orange Chocolates
- Personalised Mr and Mrs china coffee mugs
- Personalised sweet jar
- Personalised, framed print
- Cutlery for two
- Crockery for two
All of this in a traditional hamper – ideal for romantic summer picnics together!
If you want to make your own, unique gift set, start with the Personalised Wedding Gift Crate from notonthehighstreet.com which comes in a range of 8 contemporary colours, from coastal mist to antique oak – gorgeous!
10. The gin hamper
No longer just good old mother’s ruin, gin is more popular now than it has been for the last century. The combination of botanicals makes each gin unique, and the Copperhead Gin Alchemist Gift Pack (current price £59.95) comes with a distinctly copper-coloured bottle of Copperhead Gin and three bitters: grapefruit and angelica, ginger and guarana berries. Each blend accentuates the gin’s botanicals in a different way – perfect for a tasting evening with some nibbles! If you want to send a variety of gins and tonic, those clever chaps at Fever-Tree have come up with The Ultimate G&T Tasting Selection including four different gins and four Fever-Tree tonics – that’s 16 gin and tonic combinations, and a great night trying them!
And don’t forget the delivery charges…
Take a look at our hamper delivery cost comparisons to save you money!
How do I save money on sending a hamper?
If you are looking for really personal and cost-effective hamper ideas, why not make your own hamper?
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