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All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
By Jessie Atkinson and Thomas Barrie
From the most luxurious food hampers to chocolate, drinks and grooming gift boxes we’ve got a selection that's bound to have what you're looking for
Unrealistic though it may be, the absolute best hamper is the one that you compile yourself using their favourite alcohol, snacks and spa treats. That’s rather a lot of effort though, isn’t it? A good thing that there are myriad brands putting hampers together for you, then.
A tradition dating back centuries, the wicker hamper filled with treats has become one of the most-loved gifting hacks, whether you’re searching for one the best gift for dads or want to land an impressive gift for her for Valentine's Day. Today, there are hampers dedicated to grooming and beauty, spa products and even books, though the majority — and our favourites — concern food and drink from nuts and coffees to lobster tails and champagne. With so much on offer, it’s no wonder this is one of our editors’ favourite gifting hacks.
Every hamper featured on this guide has been selected by our writers and editors, and — though we don’t tend blow our own horn often — we have pretty great taste. What does that mean? Well, that every hamper featured here is well worth the spend. Looking to buy one of the best gifts for him? You'll find beer and nibbles, post-workout grooming omnibuses and cheese collections galore. Souring for the best gifts for her (a present for your mum, perhaps)? Discover fizz ‘n’ chocolate, candles ‘n’ fragrances, and lovingly compiled odes to gin ‘n’ tonic.
If you want to drill down on a specific brand we think you’ll want to go to again and again, we recommend Fortnum & Mason for build your own spectaculars, Cutter & Squidge for fresh baked goods and Cheesegeek for fine dairy paired with crackers and wine.
SKIP TO: Is a hamper a good present? | Why do people make hampers? | Why is a hamper called a hamper?
A hamper is one of the best gifts you can give because it delivers maximum luxury while requiring relatively low effort on the part of the gifter. Of course, you could always put a hamper together yourself by collecting their favourite things in one neat little basket, or by selecting what you’d like from hamper brands that allow a more bespoke approach (such as in the Fortnum & Mason Create Your Own Hamper, or in Guzzl’s indie brand equivalent). Even without going to these lengths, a hamper will always be a much-appreciated present, and there are so many types and themes to choose from that it’s always going to look as though you put a lot of thought in — even if you didn’t.
Simply put: a hamper is one of the best examples of gifting on the market. Brands love them because they can offer their most popular products in one place, while those seeking a thoughtful present can keep their gifting compact but decadent. People often make hampers at home, too. Some may want to show their love by spending time hand-baking a giftee’s preferred goodies, while others will dutifully collect their loved one’s favourite things and assemble them in one place ready for a special occasion. What we love about a luxury hamper is that they pack all of that same thoughtfulness alongside the guarantee that the products your giftee receives are lavish and delicious… plus, they cut down on the time it takes to hand-assemble your own.
As with most English etymology, the origins of the word ‘hamper’ go back centuries, probably to the Middle Ages, when the Latin word hanaparium referred to a case containing a large goblet. We can only speculate as to the reason for the importance of said cup, but the term for the compartment that carried it soon went into use in Anglo-French as hanaper. There is speculation that the word ‘hamper’, in the sense that we know it now (a place to house fancy cheeses and wines), could also have descended from the verb to hampren, which refers to the act of surrounding, imprisoning, confining… or packing into a container. Every day is a school day here at GQ.
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There are so many Fortnum & Mason hampers to choose from, needing to create your own might seem unnecessary, but then you consider how picky your giftee actually is and…well, you know. Thankfully, there is the option of compiling your own F&M omnibus, with options ranging from almost everything in the food hall to a Jo Malone candle if you’re feeling extra generous too.
Buying for a cheese connoisseur? Even someone only mildly interested in dairy will be thrilled to receive something from The Cheesegeek its very self. There are a smorgasbord of cheesy gifts to select over on its site, including those that pair wine with dairy. The Tina, which we’ve selected here, is a perfect option for six to twelve people (so four, then) and is an elite cheese hamper in that it comes complete with seasonal cheeses, condiments and crackers.
Nio Cocktails has stepped up again, ever one move ahead of us on the gifting front. In this experience box, you can select your own contents, from margaritas and cosmos to negronis and sidecars. Six of your selections will come presented in a box with two cut glass tumblers and an XL ice cube tray.
There are hampers and hampers, but when it really comes down to it, the core of both kinds will often be chocolates and prosecco. Selfridges knows this and has facilitated a box with only the essentials.
A hamper for those who linger in the Harrods chocolate hall a little too long, this box of sweetness comprises some of the Knightsbridge destination’s most mouth-watering snacks, milk chocolate raspberries and an almond nougat Belgian ‘Gold Bar’ included.
Something a little different? Wright Bros. specialises in fish, and that is what your giftee will be getting in this unique wicker filled with the fanciest fillets, from smoked salmon to mackerel and beetroot gravlax. There’s hot horseradish and dill & mustard sauce included too, but the real clincher here is a bottle of Piper-Heidsieck champers.
A little bit of tasteful cliché with your cuppa? Hamper overlord Fortnum & Mason knows a thing or two about the tradition, having been making them for gift-seeking Londoners for hundreds of years. For Valentine’s Day: loose leaf tea, choccy raspberries, shortbread and chocolate caramels in a heart-shaped box.
There’s no replacement for lying on a white sandy beach and feeling the sun beat down, but for when visiting the other side of the world is a little out of budget, The White Company’s Seychelles hamper is certainly second best. Transport them to island life with this hamper, which uses amber, bergamot, vanilla and other soothing notes in its assorted candles, creams and fragrances.
Harvey Nicks adds a chic black sheen to its wicker hampers, but in everything else it is perfectly traditional. As such, you’ll find chocolate truffles, biscuits, teas and other assorted treats within, plus a bottle each of rose prosecco and rosé wine.
There’s nothing quite like posh chocolates, and Green & Black’s does some really lovely ones. A slew of them — including our favourite, milk chocolate with sea salt — star in this big bundle of organic faves, with two bottles of wine included, to boot.
If you’re seeking a hamper in the quest of nailing that gift for her, Lisa Angel is an elite destination to try. With a build-your-own function à la F&M, you can assemble a truly charming pile of favours via dried flower poseys, personalised jewellery, candles and more.
A (hand-illustrated keepsake) box of perfectly iced biccies from Biscuiteers is plenty special enough all on its own, but you can now make it a hamper by adding a bottle of fizz too. That’s both food groups (edible sugar and quaffable sugar) covered off.
An afternoon tea hamper to toast the last vestiges of summer — or bring the picnic inside come colder days — Cutter & Squidge’s bakery classic is quickly becoming a classic of the genre as a whole. Select a delivery day close to the occasion in question for guaranteed freshness and get ready to experience such delights as scones with cream and jam, brownies, lemon drizzle cakes, prosecco and the delightful-sounding cheesey courgette loaf.
Tinned Fish Company might look as though it trades on the beauty of its packaging alone, but it turns out that the goods inside are as delicious as their aesthetic foretells. In this big hamper of popular hits, your giftee will discover such fishy delights as tuna fillets with fennel, extra spicy sardines in olive oil and mackerel pate.
A round £100 can get you an awful lot, even in this economy. You have M&S to thank for that, which has managed to stuff this basket with seven treats: Belgian chocolate biscuits, hazelnut crème and the requisite bottle of champagne included.
For grooming or skincare lovers, a hamper of new products will always go down a treat. Designed to help encourage relaxation and to restore skin to a better state, Espa’s Energising Collection will help them unwind and try some new things while they’re at it. With a soothing fragrance, the collection includes a candle, bath oil, shower gel, and pulse point oil – all the ingredients for a relaxing spa night in.
Liberty London’s twist on the genre comes in the physical hamper itself: instead of a wicker basket, your giftee will receive a suitcase finished in one of the department store’s unique prints. No messing with the formula of the contents though: expect chocolates, biscuits and tea.
The oracle of hampers, Fortnum & Mason has turned its hand to breakfast boxes, with everything you need for pancake, smoked salmon or cooked English ceremonies. The ultimate version of said collection? The Champagne Breakfast Box feat. everything you need for Eggs Benedict or Eggs Royale alongside a cup of coffee, tea, and/or – the pièce de résistance – a bottle of Brut champagne.
If you live with a coffee addict you’ll know that no amount of therapy can dissuade them from talking about their favourite thing. Best to lean into it, we say. For a caffeine die-hard’s next birthday, furnish them with this luxury gift set, which comprises Baileys, espresso martini mix, salted caramel canneloni, and — of course — lashings of coffee.
Cartwright and Butler is unique in many respects, and one is its use of a collectible tin in place of a wicker hamper for its bundles of food and drinks. This example assembles tea, marmalade, fudge and condiments in a pale blue box that would function beautifully as a bread bin after the last shortbread round has gone.
With an entire site dedicated to the domain of the hamper, you’ll find serious quality here, in everything from the titular River Cottage beers and ciders to the Godminster cheddar.
A gourmand’s dream courtesy of hamper specialists Virginia Hayward, “A Touch of Class” is just that - a wicker basket of fine wines and both sweet and savoury offerings. Expect a bottle each of merlot, prosecco and sauvignon blanc, smoked almonds, houmous, red onion and balsamic chutney, cinnamon popcorn, mince pies, orange biscuits, maple-glazed ham… the list feels almost endless.
Watch Gift Box Cheese and cold cuts go together like Sonny and Cher, a truth Cheesegeek has discovered and appropriately taken advantage of. This whopping hamper packs 600g of cheese and pairs each of them — Morn Dew, Winslade and Old Winchester — with a corresponding cold cut — Spiced Coppa, Levantine Loin and Air Dried Ham. If your giftee is a lover of picky bits…this is your luxury gifting solution.