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Whether you need a last-minute gift, aren’t sure what to get someone, or want to surprise a loved one, a gift basket is a versatile present. To help you select a basket that’s right for the occasion, the This Old House Reviews Team researched the best gift baskets on Amazon. Here are our top four recommendations.
Top 4 Gift Baskets
- Best Non-Food Gift Basket: Burt’s Bees Classics Gift Set
- Best Chocolate Gift Basket: Bonnie and Pop Chocolate Gift Basket
- Best Fruit and Nut Gift Basket: Oh! Nuts Holiday Nut and Dried Fruit Gift Basket
- Best Cheese Gift Basket: Wisconsin Cheese Company Deluxe Cheese and Crackers Gift Basket
Best Non-Food Gift Basket: Burt’s Bees Classics Gift Set
This gift basket is a solid choice if you’re buying for someone who would prefer beauty products over food. It contains several Burt’s Bees’ skincare items, including hand repair cream, foot cream, lip balm, and cuticle cream.
Key Features
- Includes hand repair cream, foot cream, hand salve, lip balm, cuticle cream, and Res-Q ointment
- Comes in a tin box
- Features paper strips in the box for padding
What Customers Are Saying
Those happy with this gift basket said that the products worked well on sensitive skin and had a pleasant scent. Customers also liked that the products came in small sizes because they could travel with them. However, some customers said that the basket arrived with missing items or that it wasn’t well-packaged.
Best Chocolate Gift Basket: Bonnie and Pop Chocolate Gift Basket
This gift basket set will satisfy the sweet tooth of anyone on your shopping list. It features a wide variety of chocolates ranging from white and dark chocolate truffles to sea salt caramels. The tin the chocolates come in has compartments to separate the different treats.
Key Features
- Includes pretzel clouds, peanut butter squares, peppermint patties, double dark silk chocolates, English toffees, peanut clusters, chocolate haystacks, butter pecan clusters, dark chocolate pretzels, sea salt caramels, cashew clusters, and pecan clusters
- Comes in a tin box
- Features compartments in the box
What Customers Are Saying
Customers liked that this gift basket had a wide variety of chocolates and that the chocolates arrived fresh. They also appreciated that the chocolates came labeled. However, some customers said that the basket came with fewer items than expected and that some of the items were overly sweet.
Best Fruit and Nut Gift Basket: Oh! Nuts Holiday Nut and Dried Fruit Gift Basket
Some people aren’t fans of sweets, so this gift basket provides a healthier alternative. This basket includes dried fruits, such as kiwi, papaya, apricot, and pistachio and almond nuts.
Key Features
- Includes dates, papayas, peaches, apples, apricots, cranberries, pineapple, kiwis, pears, plums, pistachios, and almonds
- Comes in a paper box
- Features compartments in the box
What Customers Are Saying
Happy customers liked this gift basket’s wide variety of vegan-friendly items and reusable box. Those who didn’t like it said that the fruit sometimes arrived stale and that the box sometimes had an unpleasant smell.
Best Cheese Gift Basket: Wisconsin Cheese Company Deluxe Cheese and Crackers Gift Basket
With two four-ounce blocks of cheddar and pepper jack cheeses each, a box of wafer crackers, and a box of savory garlic and herb crackers, this basket makes a delightful gift for any foodie in your life. It also includes other snack items, such as spreadable mustard and dippable pretzels.
Key Features
- Includes cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese, mustard, pretzels, and crackers
- Comes in a basket
- Features paper strips in the basket for padding
What Customers Are Saying
Satisfied customers were impressed by the mustards and the fact that the box arrived quickly and well-packaged. However, some customers claimed that this gift basket was overpriced for the amount of food it provided. Many were also unhappy that the cheese was pasteurized.
Buyer’s Guide
When deciding on which gift basket is best for your family member or friend, consider some of the following factors.
Type
Although gift baskets can include a variety of items, some of the most popular themes are:
Non-Food
Gift baskets that don’t come with food typically have flowers, plants, stuffed animals, bath products, beauty products, or candles in them. For loved ones with allergies or picky eaters, this type of basket can be a safe bet.
Chocolate
Chocolate gift bags typically come with various chocolate-themed sweets, such as chocolate-covered strawberries and caramel candies. These can be fun baskets to gift to children or romantic partners, and it can also be fun to send traditional sweets from your region to a faraway friend.
Charcuterie
These baskets typically come with snacks that you would put on charcuterie or cheese boards, such as crackers, cheese, and meat. If you’re looking for a sophisticated gift or the perfect picnic basket accompaniment, gifting a charcuterie basket is an excellent choice.
Fruit and Nut
Fruit and nut baskets are a healthier alternative to other food-related gift baskets. They typically contained roasted or flavored nuts and dried fruits. The added benefit of a fruit and nut gift basket is that these types of snacks last longer than other food-based baskets on the market, giving your present longevity.
Size
Once you’ve determined which type of basket is best for your loved one, you’ll need to decide how big you want it to be. If you’re buying for one person, you won’t want to overwhelm them with too many items, especially if the basket is food-related. However, if you’re buying for a group, be sure to get enough for everyone to try each item.
Variety
Some gift baskets specialize in a certain item, such as chocolate. This can be a great choice if you know the recipient’s taste and preferences. However, if you’re getting a gift basket for someone you don’t know as well or for multiple people, you may be better off with one that has a variety of items. This makes it more likely that there will be something for everyone to enjoy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are gift baskets customizable?
Gift baskets usually contain a specific assortment of items curated by the company making them. However, some companies allow you to fully customize the basket, switch out a few items, or add personalized messages.
Can gift baskets be delivered to hospitals and hotels?
Gift baskets can usually ship anywhere. However, if you’re shipping one to a hospital, hotel, or dorm room, be sure to leave specific instructions about how to deliver it. Depending on the establishment, they may deliver it directly to the intended recipient or hold it at the front desk for pickup.
How do you make a DIY gift basket?
If you want to give someone a gift basket but can’t find one that matches what you’re looking for, try making one yourself. To build your own gift basket, start by purchasing a basket, box, or bag to hold the items. Then, add items to the container that match the recipient’s interests. You can either stick with a particular theme or mix and match items.
Why Trust The This Old House Reviews Team
This Old House has empowered homeowners for more than four decades with top-notch home improvement content in the form of television programs, print media, and digital content on its website and social media platforms. The This Old House Reviews Team focuses on creating in-depth product and service review content to help inform your purchasing decision for just about any item or resource that you might need for your home. The This Old House Reviews Team has written over 1,000 reviews on products in the home space, from cordless drills to kitchen trash cans, lawn mowers, and dining room decorations.
We recommend products in each review using an intensive research process, spending hours combing through the best available models on Amazon. For a product to make our list of top picks, it must hold a solid sales record on Amazon, have consistently positive customer reviews, and offer unique features, among other factors. After narrowing down our list of recommendations, we conduct additional research and sometimes in-person testing to ensure that the products meet our standards. Once we conclude the research phase, we craft a well-rounded, user-friendly article that includes our recommended products and additional information to help homeowners like you make the right purchase.
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