27 Gifts For Others That Are Secretly For Yourself
You know, those gifts you can also use and benefit from. *wink wink*
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1. A mini cast iron skillet for making a sweet dessert for two. (Hint: One of them is you.)
2. A small box of table topics that'll ensure the conversation stays clear from the weather and never runs dry at a dinner party.
Promising review: "I have given various TableTopics sets as gifts. My nieces love their set and use it as a way for their family and friends to get to know each other. Great for introducing friends at cocktail or dinner parties. Some sets are especially good at avoiding after-school dinner conversations filled with 'nothing' and 'I don't know.'" —Cat
Get it from Amazon for $25.
3. A clip-on LED ring light that'll take incredible photos (read: selfies) that the two of you can share.
4. A homemade gin kit for the gin to your tonic. You can expect a call from them saying, "Hey, do you want to come over and try the gin I made?" Um, yes please.
Promising review: "I've bought this kit in the past, and I was so satisfied with the results that I bought two this year. The gin came out delicious, and my friends and I enjoyed it very much. I love this gin kit, and I definitely will buy it again. It's so awesome to make your own gin. I even bought the refill packs that offer different flavors, too. Can't wait to see how good those come out. If you like gin, then I would definitely recommend the Homemade Gin Kit." —Reub
Get it from Amazon for $42.
5. And! A cocktail recipe book with over 1,000 recipes so they can master their (and your) favorite artisanal drinks.
Promising review: "This is a great book which is the perfect complement for your home bar. To start with, the book is a great size to keep tucked out of the way but substantial enough that it will last a long time; plus its hard cover looks good. There are so many cocktail recipes in here that you won't run out. Add to that there's a ton of information about the basic tools and drinks/mixers as well as what you may want for a pretty substantial home wet bar. The book also provides information about the history of the cocktails and the various types of alcohol." —Stevil310
Get it from Amazon for $12.89.
6. A DIY mushroom ravioli kit even a novice cook can work with. And who will they share the finished product with? Their generous human who bought them the kit, obviously.
Get it from UncommonGoods for $30.
7. A pet candle, because as cute as they are, pets smell. Now both of your noses can waft in heavenly scents on wine nights, instead of wet dog.
Promising review: "We have a puppy who is not 100% house-trained yet, and we don't want our guests to know that we clean up pee puddles at least twice a day. This candle did the trick! We got the vanilla scent, and it's pleasant without being overpowering, and it filled our whole apartment with a yummy fragrance. It also has a good burn time. Our friends that came over said it smelled like a pound cake was in the oven." —Caylin
Get it from Amazon for $21.95 (available in 22 scents).
8. While we're on the topic of ~smells~, a bottle of Poo-Pourri. It can APPEAR like a gag gift but will turn out to be the most useful thing in a bathroom that everyone can benefit from.
Because spoiler: Everyone POOPS!
Promising review: "We are a family of six in a small one-bathroom house. This is, to put it lightly, a horrific nightmare — particularly after my teenage son spends some time in the bathroom. After a couple of weeks of gentle encouragement ('YOU ARE KILLING EVERYONE. SPRAY THAT STUFF ON THE WATER BEFORE YOU POOP OR I'M TAKING AWAY YOUR PHONE AND, SO HELP ME GOD, I WILL CALL YOUR GIRLFRIEND AND TELL HER EXACTLY WHY YOU GOT IT TAKEN AWAY.') he started using it regularly. The bathroom is much less disgusting now after he leaves." —Supa D
Get it from Amazon for $9.95 (available in several sizes and scents).
9. A 16-pack of sheet masks for some much needed R and R that you'll get to enjoy with them — you know, because there are so many in the set that they'll *have* to share.
10. A cold brew carafe with a removable filter to gift to the coffee snob (could be you, who knows) so you can head to their place for coffee dates and save some $$$.
Promising review: "Super easy to use and clean, and I'm very impressed with the quality of coffee it makes. It's a cute little pitcher that doesn't take up too much space in the fridge. It says you could also brew tea in it if that's your jazz. I also appreciate that it comes with a one year warranty!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in two sizes).
11. A technology guidebook for your parents and grandparents, so they can familiarize themselves with "all the stuff young kids use these days." Frankly, it's better at explaining stuff and being patient than you are. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
12. An airtight container that'll keep guacamole fresh for a long time which means there'll always be guac in the fridge — you know, for you to eat.
Promising review: "Because of this little gadget, I am enjoying making guacamole again. I hated the browning that always occurred, and I would end up throwing it away. Too expensive to waste. This thing really works! My batches are still appealing in color and taste four days later. It's always gone by then, so I can't vouch for any longer. I think it holds enough for a group of friends and an afternoon of football. I'm very glad I bought it." —Joyce M.
Get it from Amazon for $16.95.
See our full review of the guac lock.
13. A DIY animal plushie kit the two of you can enjoy together because it's ~sew~ much more fun to craft in good company.
Promising review: "I first have to say that I am really impressed with the Klutz kits that I have ordered thus far. They are not only cute, but the instructions are really detailed and well written, unlike a lot of other craft kits that I have ordered in the past. This kit is the follow-up to their first felt plushies kit, Sew Mini Treats (which I also highly recommend). I have to admit, the animal plushies are a bit more challenging to sew than the food plushies were, and even though the kit says 'ages 8 and up,' I think that's a bit of a stretch. However, if you stick with it and realize that your first few plushies might turn out a bit lopsided, you will be greatly rewarded. I highly recommend this kit, and the company is amazing to work with if you have any questions at all. 5 stars." —Rooney Belle
Get it from Amazon for $18.94.
14. A pair of trusty, affordable earbuds with over 50,000 reviews on Amazon because it's about dang time they stop stealing yours.
Promising review: "Compared to MANY other earbuds that I've had that cost $75, $100, $150, these sound as good as any of them. I'm astounded! I use these for running, and I've attached them to my sunglasses along with my iPod Shuffle. I figured for $8, I could afford to sweat up a few of these and replace them whenever I needed to. I'VE RUN 1,500 MILES WITH THESE in the last year and a half! I've gone through four pairs of New Balance shoes, two iPod Shuffles, three pairs of sunglasses, and am on the SAME set of earbuds! And, THEY STILL SOUND GREAT!" —Gene Goodell
Get them from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in 15 colors, and with or without a mic).
15. A Mickey Mouse waffle maker that'll make them want to scurry to the kitchen every morning...to whip you up breakfast.
We've all made Mickey-shaped pancakes on the griddle before, but this takes Disney breakfast to the next level. This reviewer (photo above) used strawberries to make a bow for Minnie!
Promising review: "I absolutely love this waffle maker! I get a perfect Mickey Mouse waffle every time and it doesn't take up too much room in my kitchen. It arrived quickly and it makes me think of Disneyland every time I use it!" —Jessica
Get it from Amazon for $29.95.
16. A sloth cooling and heating pad filled with lavender because nothing beats the gift of comfort — especially when it's for your roomie whom you can steal it from when ya need it for yourself.
17. A set of in-sync lamps they can simply touch to light up when they're really missing their person (you). After they turn theirs on, yours will light up and you'll know they're thinking of you.
Promising review: "My friend, who lives long distance, bought me this for my birthday. At first I thought nothing of it, but then we set it up the magic happened. It has a super nice design, very good quality. It definitely brings a smile to my face every time he presses his and mine lights up." —Cyan Fish
Get it from UncommonGoods for $85/each.
18. A funny card game to take game nights to an entirely new level of laughter, *AND* a Real Housewives extension pack because we're goin' all out here, people.
19. Spicy honey they (and you since you'll be at their house every day) can smother on all their favorite foods since it tastes amazing with everything.
Promising Review: "Saw this on a Food Network show and decided to try! LOVE IT! Great honey taste with just a bit of heat at the end. My husband loves 'hot' foods and even grows his own peppers to put on anything. He really likes this on his French toast and I like it with peanut butter. However, I just made baked beans and added a tablespoon of Mike's Hot in addition to the brown sugar (reduced amount) and they were the BEST baked beans ever!" —Ritakc
Get it from Amazon for $8.06.
Read our full review of Mike's Hot Honey.
20. A tower of chocolate that, spoiler alert, is brimming with an assortment of delicious sweets. There's so much of it, you're sure to get your hands on a good share of it!
The set comes with dark chocolate popcorn, chocolate-covered cherries, mini mints, milk chocolate malt balls, chocolate cake, chocolate-covered pretzels, chocolate-covered grahams, and a variety of truffles...soooo A LOT of chocolate.
Get it from Harry & David for $79.99+ (available in three sized and the option to add wine).
21. A wildly popular cookbook that'll take them from amateur cook to professional chef once they're finished with it. Dinner at their house!
The book covers the basics and how learning about seasoning, balance, and proportions is the key to becoming a better cook. The book is so beloved, that Netflix made a show based off of it!
Promising review: "Best text about cooking I've ever read. It's both logical and fun so the lessons will stick. I'd call it perfectly balanced, like a great meal. After reading the first several pages, I went poking around, only to discover that I was invited back to the beginning. You see, the book is about the 'journey, not the destination'. It's clever, witty, helpful, intuitive, and altogether a pleasure to read." —Pamela
Get it from Amazon for $14.81.
22. Himalayan salt shot glasses you will *both* love when you're shooting tequila.
These are greeeaaat! I have a set at my house and every time we use them, my guests want a set of their own. I typically fill them up and let the tequila sit for about a minute before shooting with a lime. The tequila becomes a little salty and makes the entire experience tastier. Just keep in mind, it *is* salt and will eventually dissolve but while it lasts, it's a good time. TL;DR: It's a fun gift that not only makes spirits taste better, but adds so much charm to a bar cart!
Get a set of four with a serving tray from Amazon for $30, or just a set (no tray) for $17.94.
23. A four-in-one phone lens kits complete with a 12x zoom, manual focus telephoto lens, fish-eye lens, macro lens, and wide-angle lens so they can take Insta-worthy photos...of you.
Promising review: "Let me tell you how much this kit is loved! We bought it as an early gift for my son's birthday. He loves using his phone for photos. He adored it and our son was obsessed with it from day one of our trip, and the photos he took were pretty good! He particularly liked the macro and wide angle lenses." —Enchanted Artist
Get it from Amazon for $19.98+ (available in other kit styles).
24. A fruit soft-serve maker capable of turning regular old fruit into a delicious ice cream alternative. Let 'em know now you'll be over for dessert.
Promising review: "I bought this as a present for my partner and he was ecstatic! He said that he had always wanted one but had never pulled the trigger and actually bought one so it was the perfect gift. I'm looking forward to having frozen strawberry treat dessert after dinner. It was a very inexpensive but fantastic present!" —Thomas A. Walsh
Get it from Amazon for $39.98.
25. A journal based on the best-selling book Wonder to give to any kid in your life. It'll teach them about kindness and how to appreciate YOU more. (But mostly the kindness part.)
Promising review: "This journal book is such a great find! I got it for my daughter's ninth birthday, and she loves it and has written in it every day since she received it. Such positive messages for them to really act on and reflect through writing. Highly recommend!" —Miriam K.
Get it from Amazon for $13.59.
26. A pair of lightsaber chopsticks so you two can have a pre-meal chopstick duel to determine who does the dishes afterward.
Promising review: "I bought these as a present for my dad. He loves them a lot, and I love them, too! They are super fun to eat with and are affordable!" —Annika Mosser
Get a two-pack from Amazon for $15.97+ (available in three color sets).
27. And a limited edition bottle of Johnnie Walker to give you both something to sip on while you sadly watch the last season of G.O.T.
Get it from Reserve Bar for $48.
Here's to reapin' the benefits from your great gifts.
If you're still on the search for more awesome presents, we've got you!
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