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Oct 18, 2024

23 Best Gift Baskets 2024 - Forbes Vetted

The best gift baskets of 2024 are a far cry from the cellophane-wrapped bundles of the past. Thanks to high-end and gourmet brands entering the arena, our gift editors’ favorite options come in all

The best gift baskets of 2024 are a far cry from the cellophane-wrapped bundles of the past. Thanks to high-end and gourmet brands entering the arena, our gift editors’ favorite options come in all manner of chicly packaged ensembles, from sweet-and-savory collections like Harry & David’s Grand Signature Gift Basket to pastry assortments like Levain Bakery’s iconic Cookie Gift Tin. Plus, these unique gift bundles cater to recipients of all kinds and are priced for every budget.

The best gift baskets of 2024 are chicly packaged and chock-full of luxe and tasty surprises.

It’s not just food gift baskets that have been reimagined; bundles like Soap & Glory’s The Glorious Five Bath Gift Set and Lucoi’s Newborn Baby Gift Set feature thoughtfully curated products in one presentable package. In addition to polling Forbes Vetted staffers for their favorites, we consulted with two experts and spent more than ten hours evaluating each product’s assortment, price and presentation before finalizing this guide. Below, see our curated list of the 23 best gift baskets for any occasion or recipient.

Harry & David

Harry & David is famous for its bountiful gift baskets. The sweet and savory treats are consistently good, and the fruit offerings manage to be especially flavorful all throughout the year. This basket hits all the right notes, loaded with everything from juicy pears and apples to delicious gouda cheese, dry salami and mixed nuts.

Gourmet Gift Baskets

The red wine lover will be delighted by this assortment from GourmetGiftBaskets.com. It includes a bottle of cabernet from Viu Manent alongside savory treats, like crisp artisan crackers, cheese straws, vegetable cheddar cheese and sausage, plus sweet hazelnut wafer rolls and cinnamon pecan straws.

Di Bruno Bros.

If you have a loved one who takes every opportunity to make an elaborate cheese plate, The Italian Market Crate from Philadelphia-based Di Bruno Bros. is guaranteed to delight. Brimming with roasted peppers, Cerignola olives, candied nuts, and tons of meats and cheeses, all this gift basket is missing is the charcuterie board. For an extra-special recipient, you can add on a greeting card or extras like a miniature cutting board and a cheese hatchet.

Levain Bakery

They’ve been called the “best chocolate chip cookies” in the world, with lines snaking around the block at Levain Bakery’s original New York City location to prove it. But now you can sample their signature sweets without waiting in a queue. Levain bakes to order and ships an assortment of their eight signature (read: most popular) cookies, including chocolate chip walnut, dark chocolate chocolate chip, dark chocolate peanut butter chip and oatmeal raisin—all encased in a gorgeous tin.

wicked good cupcakes

Cupcakes, cheese, confetti and sparkling wine? Talk about the ingredients for the perfect birthday party. This indulgent gift set from Wicked Good Cupcakes delivers, with two of the brand’s signature cupcake jars, a bottle of Cheersi Birthday Blanc de Blanc Brut Sparkling Wine, and sweet and savory snacks. The cupcake jars can even be frozen for up to six months, should your recipient choose to save them for later.

Nuts.com

For the recipient who goes nuts for, well, nuts, this affordable gift box might as well be the jackpot. Featuring a mix of the most popular snacks from Nuts.com, it includes a variety of sweet, salty, crunchy and chewy treats, each inside its own 3-ounce bag. From wasabi peanuts and roasted cashews to dark chocolate sea salt almonds and dried strawberries, there’s something for everyone to munch on.

Bokksu

Bokksu is known for delivering uniquely curated assortments of authentic Japanese snacks, candies and teas, all of which are sourced from family-run businesses in Japan. If you choose the subscription option and select one month, your recipient will get the Seasons of Japan box, brimming with 22 tasty treats. If you’re feeling generous and want to opt for a lengthier subscription (up to a year), the price goes down to $40 per box—and the monthly themes only get better.

Flamingo Estate

Give your recipient a taste of the Flamingo Estate, the lifestyle company based in a lush villa that sits atop the hills of Los Angeles. This beautiful, aptly named gift set includes the company’s “greatest hits”—the result of a collaboration with hundreds of local farmers: sage-infused body wash and hand soap, honey from California hives, and olive oil hand-harvested from 150-year-old trees.

winebaskets.com

Wine lovers will delight in the delicious trio found in this gift basket, which consists of a pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, sauvignon blanc and chardonnay sourced from the company’s diverse and well-stocked wine cellar. They’re accompanied by tasty gourmet treats, like seasoned pretzels, roasted cashews, strawberry granola bark, milk chocolate cannoli truffle bars and more. Our favorite part: the satin ribbon you can personalize with your color of choice and text.

Do Your Whiskey

The adventurous whiskey drinker will be delightfully surprised by this DIY kit from the aptly named brand Do Your Whisky. All your giftee needs is vodka (which basically functions as unaged whiskey), and the box contains everything else: three flavors of wood chips, six tubes with botanicals like orange peel and cocoa beans, two filters, two bottles and stainless steel whiskey stones.

Amazon

The coffee lover in your life may have heard of Atlas Coffee Club’s diverse selection of coffee from around the world. (It garnered a spot on our Best Coffee Subscriptions story because of it.) If not, gift them the company’s Rare Coffee Sampler, a “tour” through specialty flavors hailing from Yemen, Indonesia, Jamaica and Hawaii. The gift set includes colorful postcards from each country and helpful note cards with tasting info for true coffee nerds.

Williams Sonoma

Nothing says luxury quite like a quintessential British gift basket from Fortnum & Mason, and it doesn’t get any more royal than the aptly named King’s Tea Hamper. It includes everything that the Anglophile in your life could possibly want come tea time: assorted biscuits, chocolates, preserves, marmalade, coffee, tea and, fittingly, a very chic mug.

Spoonful Of Comfort

Spoonful Of Comfort specializes in cozy foods like soups, rolls and cookies. This gift basket—also our favorite “get-well-soon” gift—is designed to comfort and soothe your loved one who’s sick, in recovery or feeling blue. Choose two 32-ounce containers of soup or mac n’ cheese, six rolls, six cookies, a keepsake ladle and a greeting card personalized with your heartfelt note. Plus, there are gluten-free and vegan versions, too.

Platterful

A gourmet charcuterie board is always a welcome date night gift—but what if you gifted your favorite couple a charcuterie experience instead? With Platterful’s charcuterie kits, you can. The company’s bundles include well-packaged artisan cheeses, meats, sweets, spreads and savory snacks, along with written and video instructional material to create their personalized, picture-perfect board. (We also appreciate that Platterful accommodates dietary restrictions.) These bundles pair the build-your-own kits with a handcrafted bamboo board and a knife set, too. Even better, with every box purchased, the company donates 10 meals to fight childhood hunger.

Amazon

New moms (and new parents in general) will no doubt appreciate this gift basket of cute baby essentials in adorable packaging. While advertised as a gift for baby girls, the earth-toned items are actually gender-neutral; they include a muslin swaddle blanket, two stretchy headbands with bows, a baby teether made with natural wood and silicone and a “Hello World” greeting card. And at $26, this gift is also a great value.

Amazon

This well-rounded cheese board impressed us with its versatility and included accessories. While it doesn’t include all the fixings, you’ll have everything else you or your giftee needs to host the perfect date night or park outing. In addition to the sleek gift box, this package includes a high-quality (and ethically sourced) bamboo cheese board, a cheeseboard guide, a separate food tray and a removable stone plate. Plus, it’s got useful tools, including four sauce bowls, four cheese knives, dessert forks and a knife opener.

etsy

Michelle Hensley, CEO of luxury gift basket company Nifty Package Co., says one of her go-to basket items are handcrafted goods like artisanal soaps, organic soy candles and luxe spa items. If you don’t have time to put together a curated basket for your best friend, we recommend this personalized box from small business Joygiftbox. Along with a personalized message, your recipient will get a total of nine items, including a handmade soy wax candle (with the scent of your choice), a body oil, a black silicone soap dish, an all-natural peppermint lip balm and more.

Compartes

Can’t decide what to get the giftee who just can’t get enough chocolate? This edible chocolate gift basket by Los Angeles-based gourmet chocolate maker Compartes is the answer. Not only is the container made entirely of decadent milk chocolate, but it’s also filled with a delightfully diverse assortment of the brand’s bestsellers, from truffles to caramels to chocolate-covered fruits.

Goldbelly

The true barbecue aficionados in your life have probably sung praises of Texas BBQ joints. Thankfully, Franklin Barbecue, one of the most lauded brisket makers (by Food & Wine Magazine, Bon Apetite, The New York Times and more), offers its 4- to 5-pound whole barbecued brisket, along with a bottle of Texas Original BBQ sauce. You also have your choice of add-ons (including sausage links, spicy BBQ sauce, and Franklin merch like tees and aprons), all of which comes in a giftable package with free shipping.

printworks

For a gift that will actually make them say “wow,” gift the sushi lover in your life this DIY kit that’s packaged in what looks like a classy coffee table book. Printworks’ Essential Sushi Tools kit includes a rice paddle, rolling mat and spreading knife, all made from bamboo. There are also eight chopsticks included, and they’re made from stainless steel, so your recipient can use them again and again (they’re dishwasher safe). And yes, they can keep the box to display on their coffee table.

Williams Sonoma

Give the gift of a ready-made picnic with this basket from Williams Sonoma. Filled with a gourmet spread that includes Manhattan Fruitier’s finest selection—seasonal fruit, freshly baked artisanal bread, handcrafted cheese and salami, plus sparkling apple cider—it has all of the essentials for a lovely meal outside. The reusable wicker basket also comes with paper napkins, a bamboo cutting board and a cheese knife, so they can head right to the park.

uncommon goods

You’ve probably gifted wine-tasting sets, but how about spiced olive oil tasting kits? Trust Uncommon Goods to offer this unique bundle, which includes a hand-curated gourmet spice kit of six (or more) international flavors, as well as a bottle of the rich Robust Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil to pair with those flavors. It’s all tied together by the included speckled blue dipping plates, which are cleverly divided into sections to dedicate to your bread and flavored oil.

Ulta Beauty

Updates writer Fran Sales swears by Soap & Glory’s bath and body products, mainly because all of them are infused with the brand’s signature Original Pink scent: a luxurious, sensual blend of bergamot, mandarin, rose, jasmine and musk. This bundle of Soap & Glory’s Glorious Five (which includes The Righteous Body Butter, Flake Away Smoothing Body Scrub and Clean On Me Creamy Clarifying Shower Gel) is the perfect self-care present for the frequent traveler.

The Forbes Vetted home and kitchen editors have extensive experience testing, researching and reviewing the best home products on the market. Over the years, we’ve published countless expert-backed articles on gifts, including the best advent calendars, best thank you gifts and more.

To determine the best gift baskets, we researched dozens of best-selling options, compared features and asked industry experts—along with our team of experienced staffers—for insights.

The best gift baskets are often the ones curated using useful gift items. But “useful” doesn’t necessarily mean “practical,” says Kathryn Selby Bell, founder of bespoke gifting company SelbyNYC. “I always focus on the ‘nice to haves,’ not necessarily the ‘need to haves’”—for instance, a satin eye mask for an overnight trip, she adds. Michelle Hensley, CEO of luxury gift basket company Nifty Package Co., also recommends focusing on utility. Her gift basket recommendations include sustainable items like reusable shopping bags and beeswax food wraps or “multipurpose products,” like a cutting board that doubles as a serving platter or a decorative bowl that can be used for both display and serving.

Both experts suggest sticking to five to 10 items when putting together or shopping for a gift basket. “[It depends] on your budget or the size of the item. You want the gift to feel substantial but not be overwhelming,” says Bell. Hensley advises always including a keepsake item in that number, such as vintage candles or high-quality socks. If you’re crafty, Hensley says, “Consider making something yourself, such as a homemade candle, infused olive oil or a photo album. These personal touches are often deeply appreciated.”

Yes, perishable food can spoil in gift baskets if not consumed immediately. Fruits, vegetables, and cheeses should be refrigerated, while most nuts, crackers and spreads can be stored in a cool, dry place. However, read the label, as many dips and spreads must be refrigerated after opening.

In the October 2024 update, lifestyle commerce editor Katherine Louie price-checked all products on this list and meticulously re-evaluated each option. She also added another frequently asked question and additional information on how our team chose the final winners for this guide.