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Nov 05, 2024

The 23 Best Gift Baskets of 2024 | Reviews by Wirecutter

By Gabriella Gershenson, Anna Perling and Wirecutter Staff We’ve added a variety of new picks, including a vegan gift basket for chocolate lovers, immaculate Syrian sweets, addictive Swedish gummies,

By Gabriella Gershenson, Anna Perling and Wirecutter Staff

We’ve added a variety of new picks, including a vegan gift basket for chocolate lovers, immaculate Syrian sweets, addictive Swedish gummies, and a mother lode of tinned fish.

Gift baskets often get a bad rap, and many deserve it for their uninspired components: stale crackers, gritty chocolate, Red Delicious apples that are anything but. We wanted to find the standout choices, gift baskets that would be delightful all year long.

After considering more than 130 gift baskets since 2018, we found 23 outstanding options. We also have a section featuring other gift baskets that we recommend, with caveats. In all, that means there are 26 gift baskets to choose from in this guide.

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This array of premium tinned fish plus Spanish hot sauce and olive- oil–fried chips is a party in a box.

Why it’s great: This eclectic selection of preserved seafood from Caputo’s, a specialty food market and importer in Salt Lake City, Utah, is an all-you-can-eat buffet for the tinned-fish lover. A bag of Torres olive-oil-fried potato chips provides textural balance, while a bottle of Espinaler pepper sauce offers a tangy dab to each bite.

Some of the preparations, like Jose Gourmet’s satisfyingly meaty sardines with lemon and olive oil, are on the simpler side. Others are more elaborate: Jose Gourmet’s Spiced Calamari in Ragout, tender squid stuffed with seasoned rice in a rich tomato gravy, is like a meal in a can.

Because they’re shelf-stable, you can savor the tins one at a time or crack them open all at once for an instant party—just add drinks, toothpicks, olives, and bread or crackers (the included potato chips, though a nice touch, aren’t nearly enough for this feast).

The tins are individually wrapped in tissue paper, making them feel extra gifty. Though some of their boxes are so beautifully designed that they’re even prettier naked.

What’s inside: Seven ready-to-eat tins of seafood, a bag of Torres potato chips, and a bottle of Espinaler appetizer sauce. The selection includes trout, mackerel, sardines, mussels, squid, and anchovies, in a variety of sauces and preparations.

The tinned fish are subject to change—Caputo’s will replace any out of stock items with one of equal or greater value.

Potential allergens: shellfish

Shipping: free over $75 within the United States

This curated snack box is full of shelf-stable Japanese delights. There are longer-term subscription options, but we recommend choosing one month, for a single Seasons of Japan box.

Why it’s great: Bokksu’s Seasons of Japan Snack Box is filled with thoughtfully chosen, individually wrapped snacks in a multitude of dazzling flavors. A booklet explains where each item comes from, its significance, and potential allergens.

A note on ordering: When you place a one-month order, you get the Seasons of Japan Snack Box that we recommend. This is the only buying option that comes with free shipping, an e-gift message, and no receipt.

What’s inside: This box includes 22 Japanese snacks, candies, and teas. It seemed like enough to last one person a week or two or to tide over several people for a few days.

Some standout items included the snappy Edamame Senbei (a salty-sweet cracker dusted with soybean powder), the freeze-dried White Strawberry injected with white chocolate, and Seaweed Tempura Setouchi Sudachi (a citrusy, salty, and earthy morsel of crisped rice clusters and seaweed).

The box also held a few meh snacks. The baked goods were blandly sweet though satisfyingly carby, and green-tea packets were nice but basic compared with the showstoppers.

Potential allergens: wheat, soy, milk, shellfish, eggs, alcohol, peanuts, tree nuts (Bokksu has a disclaimer saying the allergens are translated from the package as a reference, but it cannot guarantee their presence.)

Shipping: free with a subscription

This ample gift box includes both sweet and salty treats.

Why it’s great: Zingerman’s The Weekender Gift Box is one of the Michigan-based grocer’s most popular items. This solid snacking collection would be appreciated at a gathering or as a treat for someone who needs a pick-me-up.

Zingerman’s is a wonderful gift-basket resource for many occasions, from sending condolences to celebrating holidays. You can even customize a gift.

What’s inside: The Weekender box covers the sweet and savory bases. From the latter group, you can make a meal out of Zingerman’s Farm Bread, Holy Cow Beef Sticks, and Nor’easter Cabot Cheddar. And there’s a generous array of desserts, including the no-nut Black Magic Brownie, Ginger Jump-Up Molasses Cookie, Sour Cream Coffee Cake, and Zingerman’s Peanut Brittle.

We like that this basket packs a lot in—and many of the contents don’t have to be eaten immediately. Though we found the baked goods a little generic, they were still tasty and fresh. We particularly enjoyed the tangy coffee cake and the fudgy brownie, and we appreciate that the latter is nut-free.

The Weekender comes in a colorful, cartoon-printed box with paper confetti, so it feels very festive.

Potential allergens: dairy, walnuts, peanuts

Shipping: free in the US

This basket from an award-winning cheese maker had the best-tasting cheeses and crackers of all the options we tried.

Why it’s great: The cheeses in Jasper Hill Farm’s The Vermonter gift basket are made at the company’s Vermont creamery or ripened in its aging facility, and they embody the terroir of the Northeast.

With selections that are approachable and delicious, this basket is one we’d gladly give to friends, colleagues, and turophiles alike. One tester went so far as to call this basket “a true superstar,” and we agree.

What’s inside: Compared with other cheese baskets we tried, this one offered the best balance of complex and down-to-earth flavors. We loved the luscious, spruce-bark-wrapped Harbison (a bloomy rind cheese). Even the pickiest eaters enjoyed the Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, which is salty and tangy, with subtle notes of caramel. The two other cheeses rotate; currently they are the Willoughby, which Jasper Hill describes as a “succulent and buttery washed-rind cheese,” and the Alpha Tolman, a nutty, Alpine-style cheese.

The basket also comes with some quality snacks: Sugarbob’s Spiced Pecans and Brewer’s Sea Salt Flatbread (or a gluten-free alternative). You can add a bottle of Ellie’s Maple Syrup (for another $12).

Each cheese is tastefully wrapped in butcher paper, and the gift items come tucked in a bed of rustic wood shavings.

Potential allergens: dairy, tree nuts, wheat

Shipping: free in the US for orders $99 and up

This generous sampler of dry-cured sausages and pâté—from a renowned European-style salumeria—comes with an array of top-notch accouterments.

Why it’s great: The Olympia Provisions Euro Charcuterie Box offers a hearty and varied spread—a veritable charcuterie board in a box. The Portland, Oregon–based salumeria uses Old World techniques and Pacific Northwest pork to create its utterly delicious cured meats and pâtés. Carnivores will appreciate the care that goes into every item in this basket.

What’s inside: This box is a cured-meat-lover’s dream. It includes three different styles of salami, a seasonal pâté, a wheel of seasonal cheese, Jacobsen honey, Olympia Provisions pickled beets, crackers, Oregon dry-roasted hazelnuts, Castelvetrano olives, and Dijon mustard.

The charcuterie is the main event, and it’s nothing short of exquisite. We particularly enjoyed the spicy chorizo rioja, the cumin-spiked loukaniko, and the smooth, nutty pork-and-pistachio pâté. Complementary items, like the briny pickled beets, help cut the richness of it all. We haven’t tried the Point Reyes Toma, the seasonal cheese at the time of publishing, but we’re confident it’s worthy of the other items in the box.

This gift is pricey, but we think the quality and the level of craftsmanship warrant the cost. “I’m not a charcuterie person, but these are delicious,” one tester said.

Potential allergens: dairy, tree nuts, wheat; processed in a facility with fish, dairy, wheat, eggs, and nuts

Shipping: free for orders over $50 within the continental US

You may also like: For fish lovers, the charmingly named Tin of Tinned Fish ($130) from Zingerman’s is filled with fancy seafood from across Europe, as well as one bag of Elderflower Pike Fish Gummies from Sweden, for kicks.

Send a little bit of New York City to loved ones, with this jam-packed box of sandwich fixings (and more) from one of the country’s most cherished delicatessens.

Why it’s great: Mail order has been part of Katz’s legacy for generations. “Send a salami to your boy in the Army” was its slogan during World War II, and the tradition is still going strong.

Katz’s Birthday Box is a great gift for a homesick New Yorker or for anyone who will relish an easy deli meal for a crowd. Simply put the contents on the table, and lunch is ready. Comforting as it is, it’s also a good bereavement gift.

What’s inside: Katz’s Birthday Box is an embarrassment of riches and an excellent value. It includes 1 pound each of pastrami, corned beef, and Swiss cheese, plus rye bread, sauerkraut, Russian dressing (should someone want to make a Reuben), 1 quart each of full-sour and half-sour pickles (because why choose?), mini black-and-white cookies, and, of course, mustard.

The food arrives neatly stacked with ice packs in a well-insulated box, which is illustrated with an iconic street view of Katz’s that will make a pastrami lover’s pulse quicken. You can also add a personalized greeting. The meat comes in vacuum-sealed packets, with heating instructions that are easy to follow—just slide the packets into simmering water, warm through, and serve.

Potential allergens: dairy, gluten, wheat

Shipping: free in the US; $20 for rush shipping

Sweet, sour, salty, or all of the above, there’s something for every taste bud in this assortment of Swedish treats.

Why it’s great: If you think there’s just one texture of “gummy,” think again. The selection from BonBon, a candy vendor dedicated to Swedish bulk sweets, is a master class in texture (and tastes pretty great, too).

There are tender jelly-like gummies that you can sink your teeth into, borderline hard coin-shaped gummies that require gnawing and salivary showers to soften into submission, bouncy gummies that are like trampolines for your teeth, and foamy ones that you sink your maw into like a pillow.

And that’s not even mentioning the sweet versus sour flavors, chocolate-covered confections, and all of the seemingly endless licorice varieties that you’d be hard-pressed to find this side of the Baltic.

The candies are so addictive that several Wirecutter kitchen team members suggested having a stash in the office at all times. The sweets come in a pink paper bag nestled in a pink box with the swooping BonBon logo. For petite appetites, there are small and medium sizes, too.

What’s inside: 2 pounds of assorted Swedish gummies; choose from sweet, sour, or black licorice mixes, or a blend of the three also available in gluten-free and gelatin-free options.

Shipping: $10 to $20

This generous platter of handmade Syrian pastries from Brooklyn-based Mansoura is meant to be savored.

Why it’s great: The Mansoura family has been making Syrian sweets at their bakery in Brooklyn since 1961, but the recipes they use in their store have been perfected for centuries, tracing back to their roots in Aleppo. You may have had traditional pastries like baklava, bird’s nests, and maamoul before, but this level of refinement is hard to come by.

What’s inside: The exquisitely crafted sweets are tidily lined up on a ready to serve platter. The rows of delights include maamoul, barely sweetened pastry with two different fillings: fresh, plush date and electric-green pistachio scented with orange blossom water (an especially memorable bite).

There are also two types of baklava, one with layers of finely chopped walnuts, and the other with more pistachios. Both are exemplary. Somehow, Mansoura manages to keep the notoriously soggy pastries exquisitely crisp. If you look close enough, you can almost see each layer of phyllo, crinkly and distinct yet glistening with syrup.

Pistachio bird’s nests wrapped in homemade kataif (a delicate shredded dough) and appealingly dense almond baklava fingers round out the platter.

The pastries in the baklava platter are kosher, pareve, and vegan. They also demand a cup of tea.

Potential allergens: nuts

Shipping: free

This assortment of dark chocolate confections from New York–based Chocolat Moderne happens to be vegan, but it’s universally delicious.

Why it’s great: This chocolate bonanza is vegan, but we’re confident it would also please the cacao-loving omnivore in your life. The elegant gold gift box, from New York City–based Chocolat Moderne, is overflowing with dark chocolate in an array of eye-catching and mouthwatering expressions: filled and solid, bars and bite-sized, snackable and drinkable.

What’s inside: We appreciated the variety of fillings in the 12-piece Vegan Victory box, which in a world of so many ganaches, also includes jammy cordials, toasty pralines, and runny caramels encased in dark vegan Valrhona. One vegan staffer can’t get the wild strawberry balsamic bonbon out of her head.

Other standouts were the Avant-Garde and Vegan Victory bars, filled tablets in decidedly grown-up flavors: an assertive espresso caramel and chili-spiked gianduja. (They’d make great stocking stuffers, too.)

The Vegan Vanguard Gift Basket also includes two bittersweet chocolate bars wrapped in beautiful handmade paper (75% and 85%), a bar paved with caramelized nuts, and a tin of hot chocolate, generously spiced (if heavy on the clove).

Potential allergens: nuts

Shipping: $15 to $65

This generous box of beautifully executed treats includes something for every type of sweet tooth: assorted toffees, caramels, homemade jams, and chocolate bars.

Why it’s great: The Large Gift Set from Los Angeles–based Valerie Confections is a true crowd-pleaser—suitable for people with a straight-up sweet tooth and those who go gaga over refined technique.

What’s inside: The box includes an 18-piece Baby Grand Assortment (a pick in our boxed chocolate guide), Almond Toffee Treats, two jars of fresh jam (Blenheim apricot and a seasonal flavor), two bars of chocolate (bittersweet and milk chocolate with toasted rice and black sesame), and a box of chocolate-coated caramels (almond fleur de sel and toasted rice).

Our panel was smitten with most of this box’s contents, but the toffees were the big stars—both the thin, snappy ones in the Baby Grand Assortment and the chunky Almond Toffee Treats. Though the selection is dominated by classic flavors, it also holds some surprises, such as the Baby Grand Assortment’s uncanny Mint Toffee and nose-tickling Black Pepper Truffle. The only disappointment was the toasted rice caramel, which tasted a bit musty.

The items come in an elegant, ribbon-wrapped box with the company’s gold logo. You can add a note at checkout.

For $100, Valerie Confections offers the smaller Classic Gift Set, which includes some treats from the Large Gift Set, plus others we haven’t tried.

Potential allergens: dairy, tree nuts, soy lecithin

Shipping: $17 standard shipping, $35 express shipping

The extra-creamy best-selling flavors from a renowned ice cream maker will delight the 6-year-old in just about anyone.

Why it’s great: Nothing beats the drama of opening an unassuming foam box and being greeted by theatrical wisps of dry-ice vapor, and the giddy realization that you’ve been air-mailed five pints of ice cream. Behold the Jeni’s Best Sellers Collection.

Jeni’s, based in Columbus, Ohio, is well known for making extra-creamy frozen treats with fun flavors that are special enough to warrant shipping them around the country. Tasters said they would send this for a holiday, a birthday, or a breakup; we think ice cream is a perennially appealing gift.

What’s inside: This gift box offers a sampling of the company’s most popular pints: Brown Butter Almond Brittle, Darkest Chocolate, Salted Peanut Butter With Chocolate Flecks, Salty Caramel, and Brambleberry Crisp.

We especially loved the salty-sweet Salted Peanut Butter, the deeply buttery Salty Caramel, and the tart and refreshing Brambleberry Crisp. If those flavors don’t speak to you, Jeni’s has other collections to choose from, including gluten-free options and dairy-free pints that are among the favorites in our guide to vegan ice cream.

Potential allergens: dairy; other potential allergens vary per flavor

Shipping: $13 to $19; $50 for Alaska and Hawaii

This six-pint pack, from a fourth-generation ice cream maker, includes flavors loaded with the company’s signature massive, fudgy chocolate shards.

With this gift box, you can get a few of Graeter’s chip-laden flavors in ice-cream-sandwich form.

Why it’s great: Ice cream from Graeter’s is an if-you-know-you-know kind of gift. The Ohio-based business, in operation since 1870, has acquired a nationwide cult following for its broadly appealing frozen desserts in classic flavors. So for loved ones who adore ice cream, we recommend Graeter’s Signature Chip Gift Selection and the Assorted Chip Wheelies 12-Pack.

What’s inside: The Signature Chip Gift Selection comes with six pints, and the over-the-top Chip Wheelies are basically Chipwiches, but better. For loved ones who prefer vegan options, you can choose a six-pack of Graeter’s Perfect Indulgence vegan pints—among the best ice cream doppelgängers we’ve tried (and we’ve tried many). But two of the included pints are duplicates, and overall we liked the vegan offerings from Jeni’s even better.

The Signature Chip Gift Selection features six flavors—including the beloved Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip—all stippled with the company’s uniquely soft and fudgy chocolate shards, which can be massive. While the chips are a selling point for many Graeter’s fans, the occasional mouthful of chocolate was too much of a good thing for some tasters. But the ice cream itself got high marks—one tester called the Mint Chocolate Chip refreshing and sharp, and another tester enjoyed the interplay of chocolate and fruity black raspberry. (If chocolate chips aren’t your thing, you can assemble your own gift pack.)

The Assorted Chip Wheelies were the crowd favorite. No one could deny the appeal of densely packed ice cream crammed between two hulking chocolate-chunk cookies, rolled in chocolate sprinkles. Did we mention they’re big? Just one of these could satisfy a couple of people. You can order a box of 12 Vanilla Chocolate Chip Wheelies or the Assorted Chip Wheelies 12-Pack (the one we tried), which includes Vanilla Chocolate Chip, Double Chocolate Chip, and Black Raspberry Chip. The cost is steep, but the satisfaction is real, and your recipient will feel properly spoiled.

Potential allergens: milk, soy, wheat, eggShipping: $30 to $40

The organic fruit that Frog Hollow Farm is famous for is channeled into these delicately flavored, fine-tuned ice cream sandwiches.

Why it’s great: Frog Hollow Farms has long been respected for the quality of its California-grown, organic mail-order fruit. These frozen treats take the bounty to the next level by sandwiching fruity ice cream between yieldingly soft homemade cookies.

What’s inside: Our box was stacked with 12 individually wrapped, brick-shaped ice cream sandwiches in the following orchard-driven flavors: apricot, peach, pear caramel, and pluot (they may vary depending on the season). They were layered between buttery vanilla-scented wafers, with the exception of the pear-caramel, which was paired with spiced ginger cookies.

The luscious ice cream delivers on its fruit-filled promise: As it melts, the flavors of the fruit come forward, whether it’s tangy pluot or ripe, heady pear. The cookies complement both the flavor and texture of the ice cream (the pairing of ginger with pear-caramel is especially successful). The sandwiches, all a bit irregular in size and shape, look charmingly handmade. They also have an impressively short list of ingredients, most of them organic.

The price (about $13 apiece) set our expectations high, but we weren’t disappointed. Our tasters agreed that these would be a lovely (if big-ticket) gift, and they would be a welcome addition to any barbecue or dinner party.

Potential allergens: dairy, wheat, eggs; manufactured on equipment that processes milk, eggs, soy, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, and seeds

Shipping: free

For sweets aficionados nationwide, you can send a package of these oversize, crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside cookies, which have acquired legions of fans in New York City.

Why it’s great: The Levain Bakery Signature Cookie Assortment includes the beloved New York City–based bakery’s massive, mouth-watering cookies. This gift is sure to impress anyone who loves a formidable baked good.

What’s inside: This gift box comes in packs of four, eight, or 12 hulking, 6-ounce cookies (yes, that’s the weight per cookie). The flavors cover the classics: Chocolate Chip Walnut, Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip, and Oatmeal Raisin. (And though we enjoyed this variety, gift boxes are also available in single and limited-edition flavors.)

Part of the cookies’ charm is that they’re crammed with whatever mix-ins they promise. This box comes with easy-to-follow reheating instructions, so the recipient can replicate the fresh, ooey-gooey cookie interiors that are Levain hallmarks.

We also admired the efficient yet attractive packaging: The cookies come in a single box, stacked four apiece in cellophane bags tied with ribbon, and nestled in nooks that prevent them from jostling during transit. It’s a miracle of design that they arrived with nary a crumb out of place.

The checkout process is simple and transparent: When you place an order, a calendar shows the shipping cost of each delivery day. There’s also a clear prompt to include a card.

Potential allergens: dairy, eggs, soy, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts

Shipping: $12 to $20 for a pack of eight

This vibrant mix of seasonal tropical fruit brings a sunny vacation right to a loved one’s door.

Why it’s great: If you have family or friends who love trying new things or who are fond of tropical produce, the Miami Fruit Variety Box is an awesome gift. It’s especially great for staving off the winter blues. According to the website, Miami Fruit harvests most of its fruit weekly from its own farm or from local farms in southern Florida.

What’s inside: The produce changes seasonally, but each small box (the size we tested) contains 3 to 5 pounds of fruit. Our order included a cacao pod, an avocado, a mamey sapote, a guava, a jujube, a tree tomato, a few varieties of bananas, and some passion fruits and key limes.

The mamey sapote ripened into a soft, delightful mix of flan, pumpkin pie, and papaya. The beans in the cacao pod were covered in wispy white flesh that reminded us of the tropical flavor of mangosteen. Even the conventional fruits tasted special: The bananas were tastier and more tart than supermarket varieties, and the avocado was mildly sweet.

The fruit comes in a cardboard box with plenty of cushioning, along with online ripening guidelines so you know when to enjoy each fruit. The presentation isn’t fancy, but the fruit is so visually appealing that it makes up for it.

Potential allergens: varies by season

Shipping: $20, or free with code FREE (Note: The California Department of Agriculture restricts the entry of many tropical fruits from Florida. The fruits allowed: bananas, black sapote, passion fruit, jackfruit, and white, red, sunrise, and yellow dragon fruit.)

This luxurious gift box showcases a dazzling assortment of chocolates from one of our favorite chocolatiers.

Why it’s great: The Recchiuti Confections Sharing Box, from the renowned San Francisco confectioner, is an elegantly wrapped, grand display of delicious, handcrafted chocolates. We’d also send this as a formal gift to pretty much anyone who loves sweets.

What’s inside: This box includes a generous array of confections—the nine-piece Sepia Collection of exquisitely crafted truffles; cacao nib and fleur de sel mendiants (chocolate discs); fleur de sel caramels; dark hot chocolate; a dragée sampler of chocolate-coated nuts and dried fruit; and three chocolate bars (dark milk, semisweet, and bittersweet).

The silky texture and complex flavor of Recchiuti’s chocolate stands apart from the waxiness and cloying sweetness of lesser-quality chocolate we’ve tried. The chocolatier’s judicious use of flavorings enhances the quality, rather than distracting from it. In the Sepia Collection, we were most taken with the Peanut Butter Puck, an epicurean version of a Reese’s, with a silky, dark milk chocolate shell and velvety filling. We also enjoyed the rich, satiny salted caramels, as well as the chocolate bars, which perfectly balance bitter and sweet flavors and dissolve on the tongue.

The Sharing Box is a stylish gift and a great value. But if you’re looking for something smaller, we recommend the 16-piece Recchiuti Black Box.

Potential allergens: milk, peanuts, soy, tree nuts (almonds, hazelnuts), and wheat; made on equipment shared with milk, eggs, peanuts, soy, tree nuts, and wheat

Shipping: $14 to $30

These distinctly flavored jams are nuanced and delicious, with a fresh, delicate consistency.

Why it’s great: With its bright, flavorful jams, the We Love Jam Gift Box would make a great gift for toast fanatics, brunch lovers, and bakers who enjoy using exquisite jams in their baked goods.

We appreciate the jams’ loose, spreadable consistency, which feels indicative of their freshness. And we like that you can choose which jams you want in your box.

What’s inside: This gift box includes six handmade jams of exceptional quality, some of which are only seasonally available. (The company also offers two-jar and four-jar gift boxes; to find them, scroll down on the website.)

The blueberry lemon jam, which tasted like a slice of berry pie, was among our favorites. The Blenheim apricot had a striking fresh-fruit flavor, and it was far more nuanced than any premium jams you might find at the grocery store. The vanilla blackberry entry exhibited a mellow sweetness, while the raspberry mango passion fruit jam was tart and incredibly balanced (somehow all three flavors dazzled).

The jars come neatly packed in an understated cardboard gift box filled with crinkly shredded paper. Ordering is straightforward: Before you add the box to your cart, just select the flavors you’d like, and write a message for the gift note.

Potential allergens: tree nuts

Shipping: varies based on UPS quotes for your order

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These full-flavored harissa condiments and spice blends will add magic to anything you spread or sprinkle them on.

Why it’s great: Husband and wife Ron and Leetal Arazi’s line of Middle Eastern– and North African–style spices and condiments have gained a devoted following, and for good reason. The offerings in New York Shuk’s The Harissa Collection are a brilliant shortcut to flavor, and they add a depth and complexity that would be hard to achieve on your own.

What’s inside: This collection includes two types of harissa (a spreadable, chili-based condiment), as well as three harissa-inspired spice blends.

The condiments are “cozy and impressive at the same time,” said Wirecutter editor Marilyn Ong. “They taste like someone just pulled them off the stove after hours of simmering and ladled them into a jar.”

The spice blends can elevate simple preparations, including roast chicken and salads. For example, just roasting cauliflower in the Herby Harissa Spice will fill your kitchen with beautiful aromas (and a flavor to match).

Our testers fawned over the lushly illustrated labels, whose appeal makes up for the fact that the jars are packed in a regular brown box with practical paper wrapping. You’ll also have to let the recipient know the present was from you—gift messages are not an option at checkout.

Shipping: free for orders over $60

Fly By Jing’s beloved sauces and oils contribute heat and intricate flavor to just about anything you’re eating.

Why it’s great: Fly By Jing’s By Jing Box includes a fiery lineup of condiments that are sure to add excitement and sophistication to any home-cooked meal (or takeout order). These sauces and oils are skillfully made with high-quality ingredients sourced from Sichuan, where Fly By Jing’s founder was born.

What’s inside: This gift box includes Fly By Jing’s signature Sichuan Chili Crisp, Xtra Spicy Chili Crisp, sweet-and-spicy Zhong Sauce, super-versatile Chili Crisp Vinaigrette, legume-studded Chengdu Crunch, and Sichuan Gold chili oil (an immaculate high note of ginger, garlic, and numbing spice that makes soup dumplings sing).

All of the condiments in this box—including the widely adored Sichuan Chili Crisp—can add layers of flavor to any dish. The Chili Crisp Vinaigrette, a blend of aged black vinegar, premium soy sauce, and chili crisp, is a salve for leftovers. It can create a sophisticated salad out of just about anything in your fridge: the previous night’s dumplings, some forgotten cucumbers, or those last few leaves of lettuce in the crisper.

Our new favorite is the Chengdu Crunch, which is like an extra-chunky version of the original Chili Crisp. It offers a similarly addictive spice, but the jar is crowded with protein-packed legumes and seeds, all toasted to a glorious, satisfying crunch. (It’s reminiscent of salsa macha, but there are no nuts at this party.) We’ve put it on fried eggs, slathered it on pizza, spooned it over congee, and more. And it steals the show every time.

Potential allergens: sesame oil in all jars but the Sichuan Gold; soy and sesame in the Chengdu Crunch; and wheat, soy, and sesame in the Zhong Sauce

Shipping: free for orders over $65

This box features a sampling of edible Italian delights for throwing together a simple pasta dish. It also includes ground coffee and a jar of chocolate hazelnut spread, for an after-dinner treat.

Why it’s great: Gustiamo is a Bronx, New York–based Italian American food importer known for sourcing quality ingredients from Italy. This company offers a wide selection of beautifully curated gift baskets, but we think the luxurious Gustiamo Party in Cucina Gift Basket is approachable enough that it will appeal to most recipients, whether they’re clients, colleagues, or family members.

What’s inside: This box provides all of the ingredients for creating a quick pasta dish: a bag of durum wheat semolina pasta, canned San Marzano tomatoes, crushed Castelvetrano olives marinated in herb-infused oil, a large bag of coarse sea salt (not pictured), and a bottle of gorgeous Quinta Luna extra virgin olive oil. This box also includes a bag of wood-roasted ground coffee and a jar of Piemontese chocolate hazelnut spread that’s like a thoroughbred Nutella.

We wanted to taste the ingredients as simply as possible. So we cooked the pasta al dente, and then we tossed it with an improvised puttanesca-style sauce, made with the gift basket’s sweet-tart tomatoes, pungent olives, and aromatic olive oil. The result was outstanding, with each best-in-class ingredient pulling its weight.

We love that these goodies come packaged in a reclaimed wooden crate, which makes everything feel even more special.

Potential allergens: tree nuts, wheat

Shipping: $7.75 (Call 718-860-2949 or email [email protected] for shipping rates outside the continental US.)

For cooking enthusiasts who have tasted it all before, these heirloom beans and the accompanying cookbook will inspire creativity in the kitchen.

Why it’s great: Rancho Gordo is a California company dedicated to sourcing the highest-quality beans from Mexico, California, Oregon, Washington, and New Mexico. Too often, beans are an afterthought. And we believe the Rancho Gordo Deluxe Gift Box will win the hearts of vegans, vegetarians, and anyone who appreciates quality ingredients or unique heirloom foods.

What’s inside: The Deluxe Gift Box includes five 1-pound bags of colorful heirloom beans that are sure to be unlike anything you’ve ever tasted. They’re springy, with a creamy and tender inside, and they can possess a subtle, nutty sweetness. Each bag of beans comes with simple cooking instructions.

The offerings change based on what’s available: The company harvests every fall and sells most of its beans within that year. So everything is fresh—you don’t even have to soak the beans overnight, as you would dried beans from the supermarket. Also, when stored in a dark, cool, dry place, these beans will keep for a year or two, so the recipient can savor them over time.

The gift box also includes a sturdy canvas tote bearing the company’s logo, a copy of The Rancho Gordo Heirloom Bean Guide, and a postcard with directions for slow-cooker, pressure-cooker, and stovetop methods.

Shipping: free for orders over $50 within the contiguous US

This cleverly packaged sampler of roasted-to-order coffee beans should meet (or exceed) the standards of the coffee enthusiast in your life.

Why it’s great: A curious coffee lover will appreciate the Collection Box, from Rogers, Arkansas–based Onyx Coffee Lab. This cleverly packaged sampler offers beans in varying styles, including single-origin and house blends. All beans are sourced globally and roasted to order.

What’s inside: This box contains eight 4-ounce bags, which smelled heady upon arrival. The cardboard box they come in looks unassuming, but it unfurls like a scroll, revealing intricate line drawings and bags of beans in a palette of appealing colors.

On each bag you’ll find the roasting date, the coffee’s origins, tasting notes, details on how the beans were processed (natural or washed), and where the flavor falls on a scale of “traditional” (chocolaty, nutty) to “modern” (citrusy, floral). One bag makes about four mugs of filtered coffee (enough to provide a sense of each selection and allow the giftee to finish all of the beans while they’re fresh).

We were also impressed with the accuracy of the tasting notes. The Costa Rica Las Lajas Natural—which promises hints of blueberry, vanilla, papaya, and Concord grape—tasted so potently of chocolate-covered blueberries that it could convert flavored-coffee drinkers.

Although the packaging’s intricate graphics seemed info-packed at first, brewing instructions were vague. Instead, we went to the Onyx website and followed the brewing guidance included at the bottom of each coffee listing. We found this to be more helpful.

When you order, there’s an option to leave a gift note at checkout.

Shipping: free for orders over $50

Tea lovers will appreciate this collection of high-quality, best-selling teas.

This set includes the same selection of teas as the best-selling sachets box, but in loose-leaf form.

Why it’s great: If you have a tea lover in your life, you probably can’t go wrong by giving them the Harney & Sons Best Sellers collection (also available in loose-leaf form). We think the high-quality tea in its extremely elegant, reusable packaging is an excellent value.

What’s inside: The Best Sellers collection features four crowd-pleasing, high-quality teas: English Breakfast, Earl Grey Supreme, Paris, and Hot Cinnamon Spice. (Again, we tried the sachets, but this selection is also available in loose-leaf form.)

The English Breakfast tea was bright and clean, and the Earl Grey (a blend of black and oolong teas, with Italian bergamot oil) was pleasantly aromatic. The Paris blend was tea-forward, with subtle hints of black currant and vanilla.

And the Hot Cinnamon Spice was sweet and cinnamony, but somehow the natural tea flavor was still able to shine through. One of our testers, who’s averse to flavored teas, said, “This was easily the most enjoyable version of cinnamon tea I’ve encountered.”

Each tea comes packaged in a colorful tin, with 20 sachets. The tins fit snugly in an elegant black box with the Harney & Sons logo embossed on the lid.

Shipping: free within the US

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If you’re buying for tapas fans: Spanish food importer Despaña offers a generous Tapas for Two Gift Box ($100, plus shipping) that can easily feed more than that. The opportunities for grazing seem endless.

Highlights include anchovy-stuffed olives, three types of Spanish cured pork (Serrano ham and loin, and a massive chorizo link), and delectable tinned sardines. The gift comes in a brown paper box tied with a red ribbon, with an option to add a card.

A caveat: The recommended expedited shipping for this perishable gift can get expensive depending on where you’re sending it.

This product is unavailable from May through September, when temperatures are less hospitable to shipping perishable items.

If you know some smoked-fish enthusiasts: The salmon in the Russ & Daughters Smoked Salmon Medley ($195, including shipping) is sliced translucently thin, and it’s so buttery that it practically melts in your mouth.

This gift box from the celebrated New York City appetizing shop includes 8 ounces each of Scottish smoked salmon, gravlax, and pastrami-cured salmon, all tidily packaged in branded wax paper. It also includes a pound of cream cheese, a dozen bagels, and a 3-ounce jar of capers.

Our testers agreed that the quality of the fish was unsurpassed. But when it came to the fixings, some of them found the bagels (on the spongy side) and the cream cheese (slightly grainy) to be the weak links.

If you’re seeking a matcha starter kit: The Ippodo Tea Essential Matcha Kit ($150), from the revered Japanese tea shop, includes everything you need for a cup of matcha: 20 grams of grassy Horai matcha tea, a chawan (a matcha tea bowl), a bamboo tea ladle, a tea strainer, and a bamboo whisk with a stand.

This set is as much about the experience of making tea as it is about drinking it, and Ippodo offers clear instructions on how to brew a correct cup. This is a special gift for someone who appreciates the ritual and flavor of fine matcha, and with proper care, the included tools will last for years. But this kind of quality comes at a premium.

I’m a lead editor at Wirecutter covering all things kitchen-related. I have overseen many guides including several of our taste tests—such as peanut butter, vegan ice cream, American cheese, tequila, and margarita mix. I currently write our guide to boxed chocolates and have been the author of our gift baskets guide since 2022. During my decades-long career as a food writer, I’ve given culinary gift advice in publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Saveur, and Time Out New York.

For this guide:

Since 2020, a number of Wirecutter’s kitchen experts, including senior staff writers Lesley Stockton, Michael Sullivan, and Rachel Wharton, and editors Marilyn Ong and Marguerite Preston, have contributed research, testing, and writing to this guide. Wirecutter contributor Anna Perling wrote our original guide to gift baskets in 2018, in close collaboration with contributor Winnie Yang.

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Since we first published this guide in 2018, our guiding principle has been to recommend gift baskets we’d be happy to give or happy to receive. We’ve crowdsourced among our Wirecutter colleagues, combed through online guides and reviews, scoured retail sites, and visited specialty food stores in person to seek out noteworthy treats.

Over the years, we’ve considered 131 gift baskets with several criteria in mind:

Since we started testing gift baskets, we’ve sampled condiments, brewed coffee and tea, nibbled on cured meat and fish, savored chocolates and cheeses, lapped up ice cream and fresh fruit, and cooked with all manner of pantry staples.

We examined what each basket looked like and what it contained, discussed each element, and noted any potential allergens (if you have serious allergy concerns, always check with the purveyor).

This article was edited by Marguerite Preston and Marilyn Ong.

Gabriella Gershenson

Gabriella Gershenson is an editor on Wirecutter’s kitchen team. Since the early aughts, she has been covering food for publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Time Out New York, and Saveur, and she is a James Beard Award nominee. She considers herself an honorary Canadian but will not take sides in the Montreal–versus–New York bagel debate.

Anna Perling

Anna Perling is a former staff writer covering kitchen gear at Wirecutter. During her time at Wirecutter, she reported on various topics including sports bras, board games, and light bulbs. Previously she wrote food and lifestyle pieces for Saveur and Kinfolk magazines. Anna is a mentor at Girls Write Now and a member of the Online News Association.

Wirecutter Staff

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