By Samantha Schoech and Mari Uyehara
A thoughtfully chosen housewarming gift can help a new house become a home. But the last thing anyone who has just packed (and unpacked) all of their earthly possessions needs is stuff for stuff’s sake.
Still, down payments and movers are never easy on the bank account. Gift certificates to their local hardware store are always appreciated for all of the little fixes that come along with a new home. But if you want to support loved ones who have settled into a new space with a gift that’s more personalized, give them something useful, such as a trick empty book or an “infinity” towel — or just something beautiful that they’re unlikely to buy for themselves but suits their lifestyle.
If you’re looking for other thoughtful gift ideas, check out our best gifts for hosts and hostesses and our favorites for people who work from home. And if you’d like to help your giftee with their home improvements, check out all our picks for the best tools.
Personalized multi-tool
Available in a customizable version on the brand website, this light and slim multi-tool focuses on well-executed essentials — such as precise, comfortable pliers — and has no fillers. It’s easy to carry daily and built to last.
Quality tools are an essential when moving into a new house or apartment. And we’ve been recommending the Leatherman Skeletool CX as our top pick for the best multi-tools for years. The light, well-constructed gadget contains good pliers, a knife that stays sharp, a wire cutter, two screwdrivers, and a bottle opener for cracking open a cold one as a reward for all that. What makes this tool a particularly good gift, though, is that Leatherman now offers it in a bunch of cool colorways, and you can customize the blade on its site with patterns, illustrations, or text, say with their new address or a celebratory note along the lines of “The Jones Home.”
A tree grows in…
Come spring and maturity, this flowering tree shows off white blossoms from its arcing branches. It’s well suited to smaller spaces, since it grows to only 15 feet tall.
Young trees can look awkward and scraggly, a bit like teens, before planting. But it’s a joy to watch them grow into themselves once they get rooted, like young adults. If your new homeowners have a backyard ripe for planting, a statement tree, like the Fast Growing Trees Weeping Cherry that will bloom every spring, might be a very welcome gift and one that gives them even more joy over the years. This weeping cherry reaches only about 15 feet in height, so it won’t outgrow smaller plots. It’s best suited for growing regions 5 to 8, but you can also browse flowering trees by growing zones on the lower left of the Fast Growing Trees site or just check out your local gardening center. Just be aware: Trees can be shipped to cold-weather states only when the weather is temperate (not that anyone can plant one in frozen soil anyway).
Heady breakfasts
A rich aroma and deep maple flavor make this syrup luxuriously nuanced. And with the snazzy packaging, it’s also a lovely gift.
Once the boxes are unpacked and dishes are put in their rightful place, your giftees may want to sit down to a long, leisurely breakfast. Give them a good Sunday morning with the Laurel & Ash Farm Dark Robust Maple Syrup, one of our top picks for our best maple syrup guide. Unlike plastic jugs, the stately bottle capped with a black wax seal and handsomely labeled in gold lettering will be a sweet reminder of those fledgling early days at home weekend after weekend.
Fast-paced fun
This cooperative communication game prioritizes originality and clarity from its players.
After the stress of moving or post-inspection negotiations, it’s time to fill a home with some laughter. Just One is one of our top-five favorite party games, and the cooperative game, suitable for three to eight players, won’t run the risk of any sore losers storming off. To play, participants guess prompts based on other players’ single-word clues. For example, if the prompt is “eye,” players might write down hints like “glasses” or “see.” The fast-paced game is fun for ages 8 and up to play together, and it takes only a few minutes to learn — a welcome reprieve after working through so many IKEA assembly instructions.
Mini scissors
They’ll reach for these tiny carrot scissors that magnetize to the fridge for little jobs like snipping thread, removing clothing tags, or even getting stubborn chip bags open.
Even after the boxes are unpacked, it’s handy to have scissors on the fridge right in their line of sight — and not hidden in drawers they’re just getting to know. Made in Japan by a high-quality gardening company, the Niwaki Carrot Fridge Magnet Scissors are as useful as they are adorable. Gifts editor Hannah Morrill slipped a pair in her daughter’s Easter basket, and now the whole family is borrowing them. The teensy scissors, with 1.2-inch blades, can snip loose threads, clothing tags, twine, and more. Plus, they bring a bit of whimsy to any refrigerator door.
Sense of place
Get a map of any location in the US etched into this beautiful crystal whiskey glass.
For those who have moved into a new locale and love a stiff drink (or a short glass of juice), the Well Told Any Town Crystal Rocks Glass (or a pair of ’em) might make their day. To choose a location, just start typing the name into a dropdown menu and the name will populate (if it doesn’t, you can use coordinates). You can also add custom text to the side, bottom, or both of the 13-ounce lead-free crystal glass.
Small tool storage
This five-pocket canvas bag fits smaller tools, like pliers and screwdrivers, into zippered pouches that can roll up into a totable bag.
A new homeowner likely already has serious tool storage, and if not, our home-improvement team has some best-in-class toolbox recommendations. They also like the well-organized Official Legacy Tool Roll Bag for supplemental tool storage. The bag consists of five connected, zippered canvas pouches that can be rolled up and snapped together into a tidier mini bag. While the pockets aren’t big enough for larger tools, they can fit a socket set, box-end wrenches, pliers, and small screwdrivers. Or you can use the bag to consolidate electrical or plumbing tools. It’s nice to have for a small project when lugging around a larger toolbox feels onerous.
Wheel of color
This fan of 132 samples is made with the actual paint for an accurate representation of the hue.
This nearly 100-year-old color combination manual by Japanese painter Sanzo Wada provides 348 inspiring color combinations for designers, artists, or just someone looking to repaint a room.
If your giftees are still in the designing phase of moving into their new home, a Farrow & Ball Colour Fan might aid their quest for finding the right paint combos for every and any room. The fan includes 132 samples from the company’s signature palette, each made with the actual paint (not a printout) on rectangles that are approximately 8 by 2.75 inches. The back of each swatch has a recommended complementary white, a primer, and an undercoat tone.
And if you want a more generalist approach to the art of color-combining, there’s A Dictionary of Color Combinations, which has been used by designers since the ’30s to determine what colors work well together. The Japanese book, which also has English text, features nearly 350 beautiful color combinations and an index that provides CMYK color codes.
Soap rainbow
This box of 15 palm-size guest soaps in a vibrant rainbow of colors is handmade in Porto, Portugal, with the 19th-century company’s original ingredients.
Made by Portugal’s first soap and fragrance factory (established in 1887), the Claus Porto Iris Guest Soap Box offers a rainbow of orbs that look akin to a mixed box of macarons. Infused with shea oil, each palm-size soap is perfumed with a sophisticated scent, ranging from bright florals to earthy musks, and foams up into a creamy lather. The opaque sleeve contains 15 lightly scented discs.
Buttery babka
These traditional Jewish loaf cakes from Breads Bakery in New York arrive within 24 hours of baking and have a loyal, enthusiastic following.
Bread is a traditional housewarming gift in several cultures, including Judaism. While challah is more typical, the toothsome, heady Breads Bakery Chocolate Babka would be more than acceptable. The New York City bakery pioneered making babkas with a laminated version of the traditional yeasted dough. Like a croissant, the dough is folded multiple times, lending the babka a more tender, buttery crumb in flaky layers. And the bakery also swirls in a hazelnut-chocolate spread and a smattering of dark chocolate chips. “It’s a great combination of finesse and excess, and it’s hard to stop eating it,” says kitchen editor Gabriella Gershenson. “Warmed up is the way to go.”
Sparkly cleaning
Don’t let this great-looking set of three sparkly scrubbing sponges fool you: They’re effective for dish jobs big and small.
When moving house, there are lots of things to scrub — kitchen cabinets, sinks, and pots removed from shipping boxes. Why not add a little razzle-dazzle to the dreary task with the Hawkins New York Lurex Sponges? They come in a set of three metallic colors, and when they get gummed up, they can be refreshed in the dishwasher. While not as well suited for tougher jobs as our picks for the best sponges, they’re plenty good for tackling daily cleaning.
Quickie fix-its
Five mini tools — including an LED light and a bottle opener — are housed in the small, stainless steel key ring (which is about the length of a thumb).
May be out of stock
This clever ballpoint pen contains nine tools within its sleek steel shaft.
While any new homeowner needs a quality set of tools, it’s also helpful to have little extras stashed here and there. The cheekily named Thinga-Ma-Bob Multi-Tool Key Ring has a key ring that’s easy to attach to a belt loop. In addition to flat-head and Phillips-head screwdrivers and a little knife, it also has an LED light (for lighting the way after turning off the electrical breaker for the umpteenth time) and a bottle opener (for cracking open a cold one after that final coat of paint). Similarly, the lightweight Trixie & Milo 9-in-1 Builder’s Pen Multi-tool can unobtrusively slip into a shirt or pants pocket. Its components include a twist-up ballpoint pen, a 4-inch ruler, and a bubble level. While it’s not meant to replace full-blown tools, it certainly comes in handy when, say, your giftee finds a tiny fix to make in an upstairs bedroom while their toolbox is in the basement.
Fun finger protectors
These bright, food-shaped potholders are made from 100% cotton and insulated with recycled fibers.
10% off first-time orders w/ WC26
Like tea towels, a new pot holder is something that everyone with a kitchen can use (pot holders get grungy, burnt, or otherwise worn after a while). Help set up your pal’s new home with a freshie. These cheery, food-shaped cuties — avocado, tomato, oyster — are made from 100% cotton and filled with recycled plastic fibers that insulate hands from heat. The Neighborgoods Pot Holders have a hand pocket for a secure grip and a loop to hang them up, and they can be machine-washed and hung to dry. You can set up your gift recipient completely with kitchen towel and Swedish dishcloth sets that match the potholders.
Creative candlelight
Each acrylic candleholder in this stylish trio has strong little magnets in the corners, which allows for arrangements in fun configurations. They take standard tea lights and come in a range of colors.
10% off first-time orders w/ WC26
These three blocky, acrylic tea-light holders by American designer Nicolai Canetti have a distinctly ’80s look and the gleam and shine of crystal, but they’re lightweight enough to stack or stick together. Each corner of the Magnetic Acrylic Tea Candle Holders has a small but mighty magnet embedded in it, so your gift recipient can display them individually, stack them to make a single 3.5-inch-tall holder, or connect them in a staggered arrangement of their choosing. The holders are available in four color combinations, including clear, and they come with a velvet storage pouch to guard against scratches.
Artsy ice
This bright, 100% recycled ABS plastic ice bucket is a reissue of a 1972 design that is part of the permanent collections at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the New Orleans Museum of Art.
If your loved one’s new crib has any outdoor space (or even if it doesn’t), this ice bucket, designed in 1972, will get some real use. Made of 100% recyclable ABS plastic, the Heller Asti Ice Bucket has a removable polypropylene liner (also 100% recyclable) that makes it easy to fill and empty. It holds 100 ounces and works to keep ice frozen or chill a bottle. The design is so iconically stylish, it lives permanently in the Philadelphia Museum of Art. When we tested one in our office kitchen, it turned plenty of heads.
Modern tradition
Everything in this beautifully artisanal housewarming gift set of bread, salt, and a broom is handmade in Kentucky with traditional methods. Even the box is a one-of-a-kind gift.
10% off first-time orders w/ WC26
In many traditions throughout the world, you celebrate a new home with a gift of bread, salt, and a broom. This small natural-fiber broom maker from Kentucky has done the work of assembling a stunning version of this sweet custom. The modern but homey Sunhouse Craft Happy You’re Home Housewarming Gift Set contains a Tampico-fiber, stainless steel, and leather mini hawks-tail broom (my grandma called these whisks), dehydrated sourdough starter from Wild Lab Bakery in Lexington, and a jar of crunchy J.Q. Dickinson heirloom finishing salt. It’s a lovely gift on its own, but the handmade, marbled gift box with a magnetic close and the matching box for the starter are what make this set truly special.
Tidy tea towel
This absorbent-cotton kitchen towel loops around a range handle and closes with snaps, forming a continuous circuit for hand-drying and finger-wiping. The traditional French stripe pattern comes in blue, white, or red.
Bringing a tea towel is great — but how about an everlasting tea towel? No more crumpled cloths shoved haphazardly over the oven handle. This 100% cotton, wonderfully absorbent “infinity towel” has stain-camouflaging French stripes and looks permanently tidy. The Earth & Nest Range Towel hangs over a range handle and then fastens with plastic pop snaps to become a large, 16-by-16-inch loop. Because your giftee can rotate it as they use it, this towel needs less frequent washings.
Flip vase
These 4-inch, dual-colored glass vessels function as a bud vase or candleholder when turned one way and as a wide-mouthed vase when turned the other.
Turned one way, this delicate-looking, block-colored vase holds a good handful of short stems. When the bouquet starts to fade, your gift recipient can save hardy blooms by turning the vase upside down to become a bud vase. The 4-inch-tall Block Design Reversible Glass Vase is made from strong borosilicate laboratory glass to resist breaking and comes in a few modern color combinations. Block Design also sells a taller, 9.4-inch version, as well as a spherical bubble version.
Break bread
This realistic baguette is made by an 185-year-old Italian company known for gorgeous, over-the-top candles.
Put a unique spin on the tradition of giving bread as a housewarming gift. The nearly 200-year-old Italian candle company Cereria Introna is known for making cheeky and realistic food-shaped candles. A sfilatino is an Italian bread much like the French baguette, and this 10-inch, natural-paraffin-wax version with 100% cotton wicks looks good enough to eat. (But don’t.) The two wicks on the Short Sfilatino Baguette Candle should burn for about seven hours.
Pancake genius
This glass honeycomb dispenses a controllable stream of syrup or honey from its bottom with no slop or accidental plate lakes. It rests in a glass dish to prevent drips from reaching the table.
Recently, while wolfing down pancakes at writer Samantha Schoech’s house, a friend of her teenage son deemed this minimal-mess syrup dispenser “so cool.” Could there be a more resounding endorsement? This Glass Honey and Syrup Dispenser fills from the top and has a self-closing hole at the bottom, which opens only when the lever on the handle is pressed. It holds about ¾ cup and rests in a pedestal-like glass bowl that catches errant drips and can be filled with warm water to soften honey or syrup. This clever little dispenser will quickly join the ranks of things your giftee never knew they needed but will come to count on. It is, however, a little tricky to clean.
Better than grandma’s
These famous 9-inch berry pies from the Achatz family orchard in Michigan impressed our professional taste testers. They ship frozen and must be reheated in the oven.
You might be able to make a killer berry pie, but if the new homeowners are far away, leaving it steaming on their stoop could be complicated. This Crumb Michigan 4-Berry Pie not only received top marks at the National Pie Championships but also thoroughly impressed our kitchen team’s writers and editors (not an easily impressed bunch) with its sweet-but-not-too-sweet filling of locally grown tart cherries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, and its signature crumble topping. The 9-inch pie ships frozen, comes with baking instructions, and emerges from the oven better than most of the pies (including grandma’s) we’ve tasted.
Herbes de Provence
A study in muted greens with gentle pops of color, this 22-inch-diameter, aromatic wreath features herbs such as lavender, sage, and bay leaves grown on a family-owned California farm.
This year-round wreath of muted greenery is as pleasant to smell as it is to behold. The heady mix of lavender, thyme, bay, and sage is potent enough to scent a room and mouthwatering enough to inspire an appetite (though this gift is strictly for display purposes). Each Creekside Farms French Herb Wreath is made to order in California and arrives securely attached inside a structured cardboard box for safekeeping. Its vibrant colors fade within a couple of weeks, but the herbs keep their shape and structure for months, especially indoors. If French herbs aren’t your gift recipient’s vibe, Creekside Farms has many other long-lasting, anytime wreaths to choose from.
Brilliant napkins
The four brightly striped cotton napkins in this set are large, absorbent, stain-hiding, and blessedly wash-and-wear, with no ironing needed.
Not only are the bright Dusen Dusen Duo Stripe Napkins cheerful and bold, but they’re also large, thick, and absorbent. But what gifts writer Samantha Schoech, a cloth-napkin devotee, likes most about them is that they don’t need to be ironed to look good. Measuring a generous, lap-covering 20 by 20 inches, they are 100% Indian cotton, but the looser weave of the fabric leaves them relatively wrinkle-free right out of the dryer (though starched-crease purists might disagree). The set of four contains one of each vibrant color combo.
Subtle scents
Each pack contains five botanically inspired incense washi papers. Choose from yuzu, hinoki, kinmokusei (a sweet flower), and more.
The delicate POJ Studio Leaf Incense from Japan is made of white washi paper. Your giftee can set out the leaves as potpourri to fragrance a room for days, or they can burn the leaves to release scent for about an hour. Each natural scent — cypress, cedar, moss, osmanthus, and yuzu — is represented by a different leaf shape. They’re made by the Fukunaga family on the island of Awaji, known as the birthplace of incense in Japan. Each box contains five leaves.
Beautiful tool
Made in Germany of birchwood and stainless steel, this simple gutter shovel is made to scoop debris from gutters for years to come.
The utilitarian Burstenhaus Redecker Gutter Shovel, a handheld scoop for clearing out gutters, has a Yankee beauty that you might have to be a New Englander to fully appreciate. The oiled beechwood and stainless steel tool looks like it could have been made by the Shakers, and the attention to detail, including the 3.9-inch width and slightly off-center handle to help prevent the user from catching their hand on the roof, is proof of its designer’s genius. It works best on rounded gutters.
Perfect match
Just upload the art of your choice to this Etsy page — the store vendor is happy to troubleshoot sizing and process; custom matchbooks arrive in less than a month. Conveniently, the minimum order is 25.
Recently, gifts writer Samantha Schoech thrilled her stylish friend with a set of matchboxes, which were printed with the friend’s 1960s Italian lake house in a vintage Kodachrome filter, as a gift for letting her stay there. (These work well as hostess gifts, too.) The elegant House of Napkin Custom Printed Matchboxes are thoughtful and useful, and they include 20 wooden matches per box. You can order as little as two boxes or enough to stock a busy bar.
Key to the house
Made by a Tokyo outdoor company, this octopus-inspired, brass key ring has six individual rings for all sorts of locking needs.
When someone is moving to new digs, getting the keys to a new place can feel like a special little ceremony. Make it feel extra-official for your giftee with the A&F Octopus Key Holder. This stylish all-brass key ring, made by a Japanese outdoor company, has six individual rings — plenty for the upper and lower front-door locks, a car, a package drop box, a bike lock, and perhaps a shed behind the new place. Your giftee can release each ring from the central holder by sliding a small knob on its face.
Help with harmony
With dreamy gradient illustrations, interior design expert Cliff Tan explains the principles of feng shui and puts it into practice with actionable tips and approachable examples.
Figuring out how to style each room in a new space can seem befuddling. Help your loved ones out by giving them Feng Shui Modern from the endearingly nerdy Cliff Tan, an interior design and architecture expert who runs dearmodern, a popular Instagram and TikTok account. In a warm, friendly tone, he breaks down how chi (energy) can be harnessed to harmonize a space in different ways. And then he shows readers how to apply them to specific rooms (with chapters on the bedroom, living room, kitchen, and so on) and styling forms (such as clutter and storage, mirrors and crystals, and indoor plants).
Family portrait
This cartoon service offers fast, accurate caricatures in the style of more than a dozen cartoon and anime shows, including “Bob’s Burgers” and “Dragon Ball Z.”
Cartoon enthusiasts might be overjoyed to inaugurate their new home with a Happy Tooned illustration of themselves in their favorite show. Choose from caricatures in the style of more than a dozen cartoons, including Bob’s Burgers, Demon Slayer, and The Simpsons. Then select a background and upload clear photos of your giftees. The service promises a proof for approval in about eight to 10 days; we got ours in a speedy three days. You can either have it printed as a 16-by-12-inch matte poster (framed or unframed) or delivered as a high-res digital file to print yourself.
Pretty pitcher
This slim enamelware vessel resists chips and dings, comes in more than a dozen colors, and also moonlights as a vase.
These durable enamelware tumblers come in a huge array of attractive colors. They’re ideal for outdoor dining, but they’re also useful indoors, whether on a desk or by your bed.
The dishwasher-safe Falcon Enamelware 3-Pint Jug would look good serving mint-flecked mojitos, Arnold Palmers, or plain ice water. Unlike glass, the ceramic-coated steel isn’t prone to nicking and shattering. And the tall, slightly tapered pitcher comes in almost 20 modern colors, such as mustard yellow, tarragon green, and a blue-trimmed white. For a jaunty flourish, present it with a tall bouquet of fresh flowers overflowing from the jug’s mouth. The Falcon Tumblers are equally resilient and come in all the same chic colors. Editorial director and food-gear specialist Marguerite Preston writes that they’re “cute, durable, perfectly sized, and endlessly reusable.”
Sneaky storage
Inside each of these weathered-looking books is a velvet-lined box for hiding and keeping valuables.
Document safes and security cameras are worthwhile if somewhat utilitarian gifts for new homeowners. Slightly cheekier is the Puebco Empty Book, a 7-by-5.5-inch canvas-covered, velvet-lined box ideal for wads of cash, jewelry, or a small stash of weed. The distressed covers sport technical titles, including Rapid Identification of Some Metals and Alloys, that are unlikely to entice anyone to leaf through their nonexistent pages. Offered in four muted shades, the books are playful and practical, ideal as objects of curiosity displayed on a coffee table or nestled discreetly on a shelf.
Address update
You can personalize more than 160 beautiful note-card designs — from delicate, hand-drawn florals to simple, stately borders — with your name, initials, address, or a meaningful quote. The thoughtfully composed sets are available in quantities from 10 all the way up to 1,000 cards. Optional upgrades include thicker paper, scalloped envelopes, and a larger card size.
Nothing says “You really live here now” quite like custom stationery, and this is one gift you can be sure they don’t have already. We love the Papier Notecards, so much so that we named them a top pick in our stationery guide. You can pick from a wide range of designs, from artsy florals to graphic color blocking, many of which are handmade by actual artists. The paper is thick and nicely textured, and the personalization module is easy to use, with 20 classy fonts on offer. Plus, you can deliver them in a textured mint-green gift box for $6 more.
Fire starter
This colorful flameless lighter uses an arc of plasma (or ionized gas) to ignite candles, stoves, joints, and more. And it charges through a handy USB port.
The Botanica DuoTone Flameless Lighter, which comes in a handful of attractive color combos, more closely resembles a fancy pen than a Zippo. Just slide away the safety switch, and two small rods protrude to spark a hot arc of plasma (ionized gas). This lighter is smoother to use than matches, and it is less of an eyesore than gas-station lighters. Equipped with a USB port and a 5-inch cable, the windproof lighter is also rechargeable and butane-free. Similar to those of other flameless lighters, its ignition emits a soft, high-pitched sound that can irritate some people and animals; our tester was unbothered.
Drink up
Boasting more than 400 recipes, this comprehensive tome is peppered with illuminating essays from the country’s foremost drinks experts.
One of the great joys of being a new homeowner (or renter) is hosting family and friends in the space. This typically calls for celebratory drinks — lots of ’em. The New York Times Essential Book of Cocktails is an encyclopedic assistant that features more than 400 classic and contemporary cocktails, all organized within wide-ranging drink categories, such as martinis, Manhattans, and sangrias. What sets the book apart, though, are the artful accompanying essays from food and drink experts, including New York Times contributors Robert Simonson and Rosie Schaap and bartender Toby Cecchini (the somewhat reluctant inventor of the cosmopolitan).
House portrait
These decidedly non-AI-generated artworks are quick, accurate, and eminently charming. The house portraits are particularly successful.
If your loved one has forwarded you the Zillow listing for their new digs, you have a bespoke housewarming gift right at your fingertips. Just submit a high-res image of the front of the home to MyDaVinci (don’t let the Y2K-style website deter you), and choose an artistic medium, from a softly dappled watercolor to a restrained pencil sketch to a rich oil painting. Three or so days later, you’ll receive a quaint, artful, and accurate proof to review. The company offers a generous satisfaction guarantee, with options for unlimited revisions, changing the artist, or even a full refund. But you won’t need it. We ordered a simple, 5-by-7-inch watercolor of a family cabin (pictured above), and we got an instant heirloom that has elicited compliments from every visitor.
The sweetest pineapple
These Maui pineapples are the sweetest and juiciest ones we’ve ever tasted. But the price makes them special-occasion-only indulgences.
At Wirecutter, every employee gets a Maui Gold Pineapple yearly on their work anniversary, and we always look forward to receiving these tropical beauties. Picked ripe from the fields in Maui, Hawaii, and shipped to arrive within two days, they are ready to eat immediately, so make sure your recipients will be home for its arrival.
Candlelight without the flame
This USB-rechargeable LED light is the modern version of a traditional chamber stick. And it dims or brightens with a touch.
(price varies by size and color)
(price varies by size and color)
There’s nothing more romantic than a candlelit home, but an unattended flame might not be the best gift for new homeowners still updating their smoke alarms. The Graypants Wick portable table lamp offers a high-tech option: an LED light based on the form and function of a traditional chamber stick. The touch-sensor lamp glows warmly like a real candle, but depending on which of its four brightness settings is activated, it can stay “lit” for 12 to 115 hours between charges. It even has a pulse mode to mimic the flicker of genuine candlelight. And if your giftee brings this lamp outside, the breeze won’t blow it out.
A pride-of-place puzzle
Enter any address, and this company will create a 400-piece jigsaw-puzzle map with the address at its center.
For someone who is getting to know a new place — or is still pining for the sights and streets of their former home — consider the Personalized Hometown Puzzle. This custom-printed, 400-piece puzzle is designed from a map covering 4 miles north/south and 6 miles east/west of your gift recipient’s address. The box features a generic image, but it contains a folded, full-color map of the location, so they will have something to follow. A note on addresses situated near a big body of water: The puzzle will have a lot of extra-challenging solid-blue pieces.
A piscine pitcher
As it pours, this 42-ounce ceramic fish pitcher makes a soft and pleasant gurgling sound. Available in over a dozen cheerful shades, it makes a lovely vase, too.
For the hard-to-please friend or the proverbial pal who has everything, the GurglePot fish pitcher would be a charming new-home companion — just ask passionate fan Mandy Patinkin. It’s made of durable stoneware and comes in a kaleidoscope of colors. And as it pours, this 42-ounce vessel makes a soft and pleasant gurgling sound, not unlike that of a babbling creek (this could be considered cute or cheeky, depending on the recipient). Gifts editor Hannah Morrill also uses hers as a flower vase, and the mini version is delightful, too.
Easy seasoning
The unglazed interior of this ceramic salt cellar absorbs moisture, and the wide, curved opening provides easy access but also protects salt from splashes and spills.
If you’re thinking, “Wait, that doesn’t look like a pig,” you’re right: Some corners of the internet say this word usage is Scottish slang for an earthenware container. Regardless, the Emile Henry Salt Pig represents a step up from most countertop salt containers. The curved, open vessel is easy to pinch from, yet it protects salt from spills and splatters. The unglazed interior also absorbs moisture, so the crystals inside won’t cake or crust.
Coasting by
Merino wool felt coasters absorb condensation and don’t stick to the bottom of glasses. They come in dozens of colors, too.
These glossy stainless steel coasters, which come in a set of four, capture condensation, thanks to their elevated rims. Anti-slip pads prevent them from sliding and clanking.
There is perhaps no occasion for someone to be more adamant about preventing rings on the table than when said table is brand-new. If a recently relocated pal has also invested in a few new pieces, the colorful Graf Lantz Bierfilzl Merino Wool Felt Round Coasters will be much appreciated. Among our favorite coasters, these absorbent felt coasters suck up condensation from the chilliest glasses and prevent heat damage from piping coffee mugs. Gifts editor Hannah Morrill reports that even after using hers for about a decade, their vibrant tones haven’t faded. For sleeker options, we also love the stainless steel Holcomb Studio Puddle Coasters, which make a minimalist stack when not in use. They have lips around the side for containing condensation and anti-slip pads on their bottoms so they stay put on the table.
Friendship plants
This adorable assortment trio comes in mini 2-inch terracotta pots. They’re safe for nibbling cats and dogs but make for delightful greenery in pet-free homes, too.
Houseplants sometimes don’t survive moves, but even if they do, it’s nice to outfit a new home with more fresh greenery. Hey Rooted is our favorite spot to buy plants for gifts online, thanks to the company’s affordability, easy-to-use website, and well-packed and labeled shipments. And the Baby Pet-Friendly Box offers a trio of houseplants that won’t sicken dogs or cats who like to chew on leaves. Each comes with three mini terra-cotta planters with drainage holes.
Tea for two
These durable and functional Japanese porcelain mugs nest for easy storage and come in a range of muted, coordinating tones.
This teapot’s metal basket fills the whole glass pot, allowing the leaves to expand and steep fully. The short spout makes pouring easy and drip-free.
The Hasami Mug is a favorite among Wirecutter staffers, thanks to its timeless aesthetic, which works beautifully in nearly any home. Each mug is made and glazed by hand, so slight variations in color and finish are all part of the charm. They’re also stackable and microwave-safe, so they can be used every day. Pair a couple of mugs with one of our favorite teapots, such as the Hario ChaCha Kyusu “Maru” Teapot. Then, once the new homeowner is settled in, invite yourself over and arrive with a favorite tea blend in hand to help warm the house in person.
Classically delicious
This ample gift box provides both sweet and salty sustenance, but the coffee cake takes the prize.
The maker of one of our favorite gift baskets, Zingerman’s is an Ann Arbor, Michigan, specialty food shop whose delicious offerings have attracted fans from across the country. Zingerman’s The Weekender Gift Box includes some of its most popular items, such as the Sour Cream Coffee Cake, Zingerman’s Peanut Brittle, Holy Cow Beef Sticks, Nor’easter Cabot Cheddar, and Zingerman’s Farm Bread. All of the contents have a relatively long shelf life, so your gift recipients can nosh for days while unpacking.
A diminutive dustpan
This mini beechwood-and-horsehair broom set is perfect for cleaning small messes, such as desktop crumbs, and it nests together for easy storage.
Don’t be fooled by the 5-inch size of Iris Hantverk’s oiled-beechwood-and-horsehair Table Dustpan and Brush Set. Due to its compact dimensions, this set can be tucked away anywhere around the house for cleaning up dust, crumbs, and other small debris, and the soft bristles won’t mar most surfaces. Since the brush nests neatly into the half-circle dustpan, it stays out of the way between uses. Give a set to your tidiest friend, particularly if they grind their own coffee beans — they’ll appreciate how easily they can sweep up between brew sessions.
Pretty tablecloth
This classic, smooth linen tablecloth comes in three sizes and six colors. It’s both heirloom-quality and machine-washable.
An elegant tablecloth can elevate a simple meal into a special occasion, and Rough Linen’s Smooth Linen Tablecloth is one of the best we found in our testing. Contrary to the company’s name, it’s ridiculously soft, so their guests can settle in, elbows and all, for long, lingering meals. Made from 100% Belgian linen, this tablecloth is machine-washable and resistant to puckers and wrinkles, though it’s easy to steam or iron. Many new-home dwellers may already own a set of neutral linens, but Rough Linen’s offerings come in a range of subtle colors befitting of both holiday parties and festive taco nights. We also love the company’s rougher Orkney Linen Tablecloth, for a more relaxed vibe.
A versatile kitchen piece
This inexpensive Dutch oven looks great, is easy to clean, and rivals pricier models.
Nothing is quite like the smell of a slow-simmered meal, and any serious cook knows that Dutch ovens, which heat evenly and can go from stovetop to oven, are the right vessel for the job. Lodge’s 6-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven is our top pick. It performed just as well as pricier models we tested, and the large handles make it easy to carry, even when it’s weighed down by, say, a hefty roast or a batch of Super Bowl chili. Thanks to an assortment of cheery color options, this Dutch oven also looks darling sitting on the stove or table.
We love finding gifts that are unusual, thoughtful, and well vetted. See even more gift ideas we recommend.
Dorie Chevlen contributed reporting. This article was edited by Hannah Morrill and Jennifer Hunter.
Meet your guides
Samantha Schoech
I discover, vet, and write about gifts of all kinds from my office in San Francisco. I am particularly drawn to all things shiny or bookish, but I try not to impose my taste more than is strictly necessary.
Mari Uyehara
I cover a wide range of gift giving, with a specialty in food and drink gifts; I also touch on beauty on occasion. I work to ensure that we consider a diverse range of socio-cultural backgrounds in our guides.
Mentioned above
- You might not think you need a multi-tool — but when you have one you love, you use it seven times a day.The Best Multi-Tool
- We tested 26 maple syrups to find the best ones available in grocery stores and online.The Best Maple Syrup You Can Find at the Grocery Store
- After testing 16 games with 25 people, we’ve found the five best tabletop party games.The Best Tabletop Party Games
- We spent weeks testing the most durable, stink-resistant, and scrubby sponges that’ll swish through a sink full of dishes in no time.Our Favorite Kitchen Sponges for Washing Dishes
- Falcon Enamelware’s stylish, durable tumblers have eliminated plastic cups from my summer picnic setup.All of My Picnic Guests Ask Me About These Dreamy Tumblers
- We’ve tested 20 safes. These are the models that offer the best combination of fireproofing, waterproofing, size, and price.The Best Fireproof Document Safe
Further reading
Wirecutter’s 100 Most Popular Gifts Ever
by Wirecutter Staff
We recommend hundreds of gifts for every occasion, from celebrations to condolences to just because. Here are our top 100 most popular presents.The 100 New Gifts We’re Most Excited About This Year
by Sri Rain Stewart
We’ve rounded up 100 of our favorite new gifts from 2025, ranging from timeless home finds to indulgent skin care, hobbyist essentials, and more.The Most Popular Wirecutter-Approved Gifts of 2025
by Sri Rain Stewart and Sarah Gannett
These 100 items are the most-purchased Wirecutter gifts so far this year.The Best Gifts For Even the Pickiest Teens
by Ellen Lee and Wirecutter Staff
As teens near adulthood, they are ready for more-grownup gifts. But they may also appreciate items that help them relax and still feel like a kid.
Advertisement
SKIP ADVERTISEMENT
Comments are disabled for this review
You can also contact us or send us a tweet, or find us on Facebook.