25 Useful Host Gifts Under $50 They’ll Actually Appreciate

Quick — when was the last time you received a gift for hosting that didn’t go straight to the donation pile? Imagine how much time and money would be saved if all of us made a collective effort to bring gifts for the host that they’ll actually use (versus ending up in the junk cabinet). It’s true that gift-giving can be tricky business, especially if it’s for someone other than a close friend. So to help you get started, we’ve curated a list of 15 host gifts that are sure to land you a second invite and make you the talk of the party.
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For the cocktail lover who also happens to appreciate all things bougie, this ice cube tray will instantly make them feel like a professional mixologist (and add a little more pizazz to their drinks). This gift comes with two parts: a large, food-safe aluminum tray featuring a variety of patterns for ice (waves, chevron print, honeycomb and more), plus a silicone drip tray to catch any spillage. Jazzing up the ice cubes couldn’t be any easier: simply grab a few ice cubes from the freezer, place them on the tray and let your eyes feast on an imprinted ice cube 10 seconds later.
What’s better than a friendly game of four in a row? This modern, sophisticated take on it. Your giftee will be ecstatic about being reintroduced to the childhood classic. And, the fact that the gorgeous metal plated finish and frosted playing pieces double as home decor is just the cherry on top.
Your host will be thrilled when you show up with something to help them keep glasses filled throughout the event. Total Wine offers options for pickup, delivery or shipping from their site and you can’t go wrong with a bottle of Piper Heidsieck. The brut champagne has over 130 5-star reviews and pairs well with shellfish, smoked seafood and fried chicken.
Manual corkscrews are a thing of the past. If they don’t already have an electric wine bottle opener, Oster’s rechargeable model comes with a foil cutter and has over 35,000 5-star reviews. Customers love how easy it is to use and how much time it saves.
Help them level up their morning coffee game with this durable, powerful and rechargeable handheld milk foamer. Aside from its sleek, modern design, it comes with three different Nano screens (superfine, fine or normal) depending on the amount and density of foam that’s desired. Your latte lover can then use their perfectly microfoamed milk to play around with making barista-style art (which will certainly wow future brunch guests, might we add).
There are run-of-the-mill everyday candles and then there are candles that you save to set the mood on special occasions. The Holiday candle (and every other scent) from Harlem Candle Co. falls into the latter. Named for Billie Holiday and modeled after her favorite perfume, Holiday perfectly captures the scents of the season packaged in a reusable glass.
Your host likely put a lot of time and thought into the meal you’re attending, so they will surely appreciate receiving a bottle of this high-end EVOO harvested in Ojai, California. You can taste the difference between Heritage extra virgin olive oil from Flamingo Estate and the standard bottles from your local grocery.
We get it — showing up to a get together with a bundle of bathroom spray may seem kind of weird, but hear us out. If your host is hosting, that automatically implies they’d want nothing more than their guests to feel right at home, and what better way to get the message across than with enough iconic Poo-Pourri to last them the year? This giftable set includes five room-freshening scents including citrus, lavender vanilla, hibiscus, vanilla mint and lavender peppermint.
We have all experienced frayed charging cables or just generally not having enough cords to go around. Courant’s Catch:1 charging pad is made from Belgian linen and works with most recent iPhone and Galaxy models. HuffPost editors love this stylish, functional object.
Hosting can be stressful. Help them decompress by gifting Kitchen Kite’s highly-rated glass tea set, which comes with a teapot, four teacups, a removable diffuser and three tea flavors. The teapot is also microwave and dishwasher safe.
For lovers of all things retro and all things music, it doesn’t get any better than this charming Bluetooth speaker. Its palm-size design makes it easy to tote around everywhere from swap meets to picnics in the park. Plus, the fact that it offers six hours of playtime and produces decent sound quality given its portability just adds to its cool factor.
Boozy summer brunches are made a little cooler thanks to these tumblers that’ll keep drinks — and specifically, wine — at their ideal temperature. The magic is in the built-in active cooling gel, which effectively freezes or chills the tumbler depending on what’s being served (it also works for juices and tea). The insulated silicone band makes for a comfortable grip while holding, and the removable lid gets major cool points for versatility.
Say you’re going to a holiday party in the dead of winter — these electronic portable hand warmers make complete sense. Great for campers, golfers, skier or anyone living in icy climates, they heat up to 130 degrees in mere seconds, providing ample warmth for freezing fingers. If you’re feeling extra giving, throw in a pair of warm mittens to keep the theme going.
This gorgeous set of moisturizers is packaged beautifully in a floral-printed reusable tin (no gift wrapping required on your part). It includes three argan oil- and shea butter-infused hand creams, which means your giftee can keep one in their car, one in their gym bag and one at their bedside.
If your host has a bit of a green thumb, they will appreciate being able to clip fresh herbs on the kitchen counter instead of venturing outside to the garden. Spade To Fork’s indoor herb garden starter kit comes with everything needed to sprout basil, cilantro, parsley, sage and thyme.
Try this funky but functional tray if you’re looking to bring something out of the ordinary. This beautiful piece from Kamsah is made from a mix of ceramic and olive wood. It can be used as serving ware or just eye-catching decor for a coffee table.
Flowers are always a safe bet if you’re gifting a host, but for a more long-lasting option (and one suited for those without a green thumb), try this artificial arrangement, which comes housed in a reusable glass vase. It makes for a rustic centerpiece or living room accent thanks to the addition of pampas grass, bunny tails, eucalyptus and baby’s breath.
This isn’t your average bamboo cheese board. Yes, it includes ample space for charcuterie, dried fruit and a linear slot for nuts and crackers, but it also comes with four cheese knives that stand upright in their own slots (so as not to take away precious real estate from the cheese board itself). It’s perfect for entertaining a crowd and for mellow game nights alike.
This set is a must for hosts who take their candles seriously (and it looks way more expensive that it actually is). It comes with three accessories: a wick trimmer to reduce soot and increase burn time, a wick dipper to extinguish the flame of a small candle and a bell snuffer to extinguish the flame of a taller candle safely without any risk of splatter. Some other color and accessory combination are available at different prices.
After all that hosting, they’ll definitely want to wind down and practice some self-care. That’s where this bundle of face masks come in handy. With formulas for different skin needs (soothing, moisturizing, brightening and refreshing), each mask is infused with vitamins and minerals and deliver a cooling effect once applied. The result? Your recipient will be able to feel themselves relax as their skin gets the A+ treatment it deserves.
If you have a movie fanatic on your hands, this popcorn maker is a no-brainer. It makes perfectly delicious popcorn in as little as three minutes — a definite upgrade from microwavable popcorn bags. Play your cards right and gift this on movie night with the friends so you can take advantage of the theater-style popcorn for yourself.
Is your recipient still shaking salt and pepper from the store bottle they come in? Chances are they’ll appreciate this electric salt and pepper grinder, which features both fine and course grinding modes along with a charging dock that doubles as a holder. Aside from being great for those with wrist or hand pain (no twisting required), this’ll make them feel a little more legit in the kitchen. It’s the little things.
The problem: The host loves candles but isn’t always able to light them due to safety concerns for children or pets. The solution: this candle warmer lamp, which melts candle wax evenly and safely via seven various levels of dimming — no flame required. Each level has a different melting speed, and the lamp even has a timer and an auto-shut off feature for forgetful types. What’s more, the vintage-style aesthetic makes it look good in just about any room.
Getting physical mail isn’t the exciting experience it used to be, but they’ll look forward to opening up every envelope once you gift them this steel letter opener from Danforth Pewter. Everything from the brand is handmade in Vermont and each piece is slightly different from one another.
Spread a little holiday cheer with your host gift by bringing this set of hand painted ornaments from Danish brand Klarborg. The brand releases annual designs for their Nisserikker line featuring the adorable elves. Help them start a new holiday tradition collecting these to decorate their tree.