We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. A 100% cotton table cloth with a contemporary take on the classic checkered pattern. The perfect backdrop for all those #dinnergram pics your friends will be snapping.
2. A 16-piece set of white porcelain dinnerware for a simple and cohesive tablescape. You can set a minimalist table with just these and some simple flatware and glassware, or dress it up with fun, colorful textiles and serverware.
3. Or a more colorful 16-piece dinnerware set if you want something with a little red hot pizzazz. 🌶️🌶️🌶️
4. A set of five acacia wooden spoons complete with speckled ceramic holder and a wooden spoon rest for durable and stylish cooking and serving. Acacia is a wonderful wood for kitchen supplies — it's dense enough to resist scratches and dents and has a deep, rich color. Placed on your kitchen counter or around your dining table, these are sure to look gorgeous.
5. An acrylic veggie serving plater with eight compartments that sits on a bed of ice so your crudités stay perfectly chilled and crisp. There's a central compartment for your favorite dip, too!
6. A vintage-esque glass pitcher that'll look good on any table, whether you're hosting indoors or al fresco. It's ornate yet subtle design will compliment nearly any type of place setting.
7. A veggie chopper to cut way down on prep time so you can spend more time with your guests when they arrive.
Promising review: "Makes life so much easier. I can't imagine chopping onions or bell peppers by hand anymore, and it does so much more. We used to have a Prepworks chopper, which was a similar idea, but you had to press so hard to chop, and it broke after not too long. This one requires very little effort to cut through the food, and it has a generous container." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in four colors and four sizes).
8. A TableTopics game, because sometimes it's hard to get the conversation going once everyone is seated. This is a collection of 135 questions covering a wide range of topics.
Promising review: "I bought this set after having received the 'dinner party' edition as a gift. It is a great icebreaker at any gathering. I took my 'dinner party' set to a holiday gathering to share some fun conversations. It was an instant hit. So I have purchased this original set for our hostess on that evening. The nice thing is that it isn't a game that demands scoring or a specific time. It is simply conversation starters." —Teej
Get it from Amazon for $23.48 (check out all the editions).
9. A set of two heart-shaped bowls to serve up love with every dish. These charming bowls are just the right size for decadent desserts or stylish starters.
10. A complete 12-person flatware set so all your place settings match. You definitely need this if you're the type of person to have 10 or more people over for dinner.
It includes 12 dinner forks, dinner spoons, salad forks, steak knives, butter knives, and tea/dessert spoons, along with a serving spoon, slotted serving spoon, pie server, butter spreader, and ice cream spoon.
Promising review: "I am so impressed with this flatware set. I was worried that they would feel light or cheap due to the price, but they don’t feel that way at all. This isn’t one of those good-for-the-price moments. This is a GOOD flatware set, the price is just a bonus. We’ve been using them for over a month now and still haven’t seen any rusting. So impressed." —Allie Williams
Get a set of 77 pieces to serve 12 people from Amazon for $50.99+ (also available in black, as well as in 29- to 65-piece sets).
11. Or a 49-piece gold flatware set if you want something with a little bling. This set includes enough utensils for eight people, is dishwasher-safe, and will add a some glamour to your dinner table.
12. A charcuterie board set to keep guests occupied while you finish cooking. We've all been there. You give yourself ample time to finish a recipe, but the meal still isn't ready when your dinner guests arrive. Have them wait it out while noshing on delicious cheese and crackers.
13. A cocktail shaker set if you're into customizing cocktails for each guest. And if, for whatever reason, you need a little inspiration, this set comes with 20 cards of the most popular cocktail recipes.
14. A matching decanter and glass set so your whiskey has an absolutely gorgeous home of its own. And, uh, no one has to know it's the cheap stuff from the bottom shelf at the store.
15. A classic wooden salad bowl that is simple enough to also hold fruits, chips, you name it! Every host needs a big wood bowl, you know?
16. A set of gorgeous yet practical stackable cups so you have matching cups that can easily be stored away when not in use. They're also acrylic, so when the inevitable happens and you drop one, you don't have to worry about it shattering.
Get a set of four from West Elm for $7+ (available in two sizes, four colors, and also sold in a pack of eight).
17. A set of three flameless flickering candles to add a bit of mood lighting to your table without the risk of a rowdy guest accidentally tipping one over and starting a real fire. You control these with a remote, so you have the freedom to adjust the brightness and turn them on and off with the press of a button.
Check out a TikTok of the flameless candles in action.
Promising review: "I bought the gold glass candle set. It's almost iridescent gold and looks very elegant. The flame actually moves back and forth. I have mine set to come on in the evening and go off after four hours. The remote allows you to control the brightness of the candle, set a timer for auto on and off, and you can control how bright you want the actual candle inside the glass. I love them and plan to buy the gray glass set for my bedroom. Buy them, you will love them!" —Tammy B.
Get them from Amazon for $34.99.
18. Or a dripless candle with a built-in base if you prefer the real thing but don't want to bother trying to get tapered candles to stand up straight in a candelabra.
19. An automatic spice grinder for giving you the perfect amount of freshly ground spice. Just one push of a button and boom! The perfect amount of spice is delivered.
finamill is a family-owned small business in San Diego that makes electric spice grinders.
Promising review: "I'm so glad I ordered one of these after I read about them on Oprah's list of favorite things for 2022. As billed, it's so attractive and can sit on your counter, so easy, the charge lasts so long and the interchangeable pods rock! It's easy to add freshly ground flavor and fresh pepper is sooo much better than from the shaker. It's so easy to adjust the grind and the color selection is fantastic. What a great hostess gift for the holidays. I love mine." —Sasha
Get it from Amazon for $44.99 (available in four colors; comes with grinder and two interchangeable pods).
20. An electric wine bottle opener so you don't have to struggle to open a bottle. You can open 30 bottles on a single charge.
21. A wine decanter that doubles as a work of art — it's so beautiful! Wine needs time to breathe after it's been hanging out in an airtight bottle for years, and a decanter is used to help aerate wine. This one's flat-bottomed design makes for maximum aeration, which means your merlots, cabernets, and pinot noirs will be ready to drink in no time.
Promising review: "I love this decanter! Firstly, it was packaged safely in molded styrofoam, so it arrived intact and on time. Secondly, the decanter has become a focal point of our hosted dinners. It is pretty to look at and does its job in letting the wine breath. Amazon will suggest other items such as a decanter drying rack or cleaning brush, but they are not needed. It's easily cleaned with soap and water, and I use a regular bottle brush to swish away any spots needing attention. It's easily dried in the dish rack (because of the shape, you will have to rotate once to ensure all of the water is out of the bottom). Great buy, and will consider for future gifts!" —KG
Get it from Amazon for $42.49.
22. However, a red wine stain remover if someone (including, ahem, yourself) makes an oopsie and spills red wine all over your tablecloth.
23. A set of four wineglasses made in the Czech Republic (the Czech are known for their glasswork!) to seriously impress your wine enthusiast dinner guests. There are two sets available — one for white wine and one for red. Good design is the details, people!
24. And a pack of floral wine charms so that guests know which glass belongs to whom.
25. A chic Wi-Fi sign to place on your kitchen counter so guests will know how to get on your network. You can also request that the network name and password part be left blank so you can write it yourself in a dry-erase marker (for folks who regularly change their password).
26. Some washable round placemats that'll take up less space on your table than traditional horizontally-shaped ones. And no worries if they get covered in foodstuff, just give 'em a quick rinse in the sink and then toss them in the wash.
27. A set of cloth napkins to elevate your at-home dining experience. These look so much nicer and are so much more environmentally friendly than single-use paper towels.
28. A mini bar cart so you can have a well stocked bar even if you're short on space. It has a rack under the top for storing six wine glasses and five wine bottles, and is on casters for easy moving.
29. A countertop ice maker, because dropping everything to make a run to the corner store for bags of ice sucks. This tiny but mighty machine makes nine ice cubes in six to eight minutes and comes with a handy basket and scoop for easy fetching.
30. A set of cylindrical champagne flutes so you can toast in style. These have a very modern shape that goes with nearly any style of place setting.
31. A Hamilton Beach stand mixer if you love the idea of baking for your guests and want a machine that does the most. From mixing batters to kneading doughs, this thing has you covered.
32. Or a cordless KitchenAid electric hand mixer that can make everything from cookie dough to whipped cream, but without the bulk of a traditional mixer.
33. A pack of five Swedish dishcloths so cleanup is still a pretty affair. A single sheet outperforms 17 rolls of paper towels. Plus, they're odorless and biodegradable.
34. A rustic wooden stand that'll hold your cookbook so you'll be able to follow along with any recipe hands-free. It keeps your kitchen countertops tidy, so if guests are lingering in your kitchen they can check out your recipes without needing to sift through a pile of printouts or cookbooks.
35. A set of two handpainted oyster salt and pepper dishes so your special salt and pepper can take center stage on your table. The spoons are included!
36. A colorful Lodge Dutch oven that you can cook an entire meal in from start to finish! You can literally use it to marinate, cook, bake, refrigerate and serve. This thing is ready for the spotlight.
Promising review: "I have been experimenting with beef and pork roast meals with this. I LOVE it. There are no scorch marks on the bottom after cooking. The cast iron spreads the heat out so effectively that your entire contents are at nearly the same temperature with no hot spots. Indeed, this device is very heavy. That is what makes it work so well. I have used it on my gas stove in the oven and on a top burner. Both methods have worked very well." —quiet bells
Get it from Amazon for $79.90 (available in 20 colors)
37. A cake stand that lights up so your homemade (or store bought, I'm not judging) cake so you don't have to sacrifice your mood lighting just to show off your dessert's decorations.
Promising review: "I didn't know what to expect ordering this, but I was so pleasantly surprised. The stand is easy to assemble, and it is beautiful. My husband did not expect it at all. This is a perfect way to make a homemade cake seem even more special or take a bakery cake up a notch. You can even pack it with you and take it to a restaurant. It does not come with batteries so make sure that you have two AA batteries ready to go." —Emily Woolsey
Get it from Amazon for $15.99.
38. And an electric kettle with retro vibes and a cool, cottagecore-esque pattern. Now when your guests want coffee or tea you can heat up the water in this stunner.
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.