Housewarming gift ideas

A closer look: Alongside the wound-dressing basics there’s a moleskin pad for blisters and an emergency blanket, which makes it as handy in a walking rucksack as in the kitchen drawer. Have a quick look through once it’s unpacked so everyone knows what’s inside, and replace anything that gets used straight away.

Why we picked it: Properly stocked with 210 pieces, including a cold pack, in a compact bag that fits a kitchen drawer.

• 210 pieces
• Cold pack included
• Compact bag
• Reflective strip

What owners say: Comprehensive, compact and great value. Handy for the house or car.

A closer look: The dimples along the edge let a little air in between blade and food, so slices of potato or cucumber fall away instead of clinging. At 107g it’s light, and the wide blade doubles as a scoop to carry chopped veg to the pan. A good pick for anyone who finds a big chef’s knife unwieldy.

• 17cm santoku blade
• Fluted edge stops food sticking
• Only 107g
• Ergonomic handle

What owners say: A favourite knife for many owners: sharp, holds its edge, and balanced and comfortable to use, especially for veg prep.

A closer look: Put the chips in one drawer and the chicken in the other, give each its own time and temperature, and set them to finish together. Each drawer takes up to 1kg of fries or a 1.6kg chicken, and the drawers and crisper plates go in the dishwasher. The dehydrate setting is a fun extra for dried apple rings.

• Two 3.8L drawers (7.6L)
• Both drawers finish together
• 6 functions, including dehydrate
• Dishwasher-safe drawers
• Serves 4–6

What owners say: Brilliant results and simple controls. Owners love cooking two things at once, and say it’s quicker and cheaper to run than the oven.

Heads up: At 38cm wide it takes a fair bit of worktop, so measure before buying.

A closer look: Mount it within reach of the cooker but not directly above it, so nobody leans over flames to grab it. As it opens, wrap the pull tabs round your hands so the blanket shields them while you lay it over the pan, and turn off the heat if you can. Beyond that, it just needs a yearly check that it’s clean and undamaged.

Why we picked it: BSI Kitemarked, from a UK fire safety maker. Hang it by the cooker and hope it’s never needed.

• BSI Kitemarked
• 1m × 1m
• Woven fibreglass
• Pull, unwrap and smother
• Soft storage case

What owners say: Good quality and well made. Owners say it put a pan fire out instantly.

A closer look: Metric and imperial markings sit side by side on the blade, handy when a secondhand sofa or a pair of curtains is measured in inches. The slide lock holds the blade out while you jot down a figure, and the return is strong, so guide it back by hand rather than letting the hook snap into the case.

Why we picked it: From STANLEY, the brand tradespeople trust. A wide, clear blade that stays rigid, and accurate to half a millimetre per metre.

• 8m / 26ft
• 25mm wide blade
• TRU-ZERO hook
• Class II accuracy

What owners say: Classic Stanley quality: tough, accurate and easy to read.

A closer look: Carbon monoxide is all it watches for, so it sits alongside a smoke alarm rather than replacing one. Fit it in the room with the boiler or gas hob, press the test button once a month, and write the fitting date on the back so it’s obvious when a replacement is due. Green and red lights show its status at a glance.

Why we picked it: A ten-year sensor from one of the biggest names in home safety. Every home with a boiler or gas hob needs one.

• 10-year sensor
• Battery powered
• Test button
• End-of-life warning

What owners say: Easy to install, loud with flashing lights, and reassuring to have.

A closer look: Pump as soon as the last glass is poured rather than at the end of the evening, as the less time the wine spends open, the better it keeps. Only one stopper comes with it, but extra Vacu Vin stoppers work with the same pump, which helps with a red and a white on the go. Skip it for fizz: a vacuum draws the bubbles out.

Why we picked it: The original wine saver: it pumps the air out so an open bottle stays fresh for days. For those rare occasions a bottle isn’t finished.

• Vacuum pump + stopper
• Clicks when sealed
• No batteries
• Fits most bottles

What owners say: Easy to use and keeps wine fresh for several days.

A closer look: Activated charcoal gives the lava salt its black colour, so it’s at its most striking scattered over food just before serving, on white fish, avocado toast or a wedge of melon. Keep the flaky jar by the hob for everyday seasoning, and pinch it between your fingers rather than spooning it, so the flakes land where you want them.

Why we picked it: Hand-harvested in Iceland using geothermal heat: flaky salt plus a smoky black lava salt that makes eggs look spectacular.

• Flaky sea salt
• Smoky black lava salt
• 2 × 90g jars
• Hand-harvested in Iceland

What owners say: Amazing flavour, especially the smoky lava salt. Great for finishing dishes.

A closer look: Each bottle carries its harvest date, which is worth a glance: early-harvest oils like this Greek one taste boldest in the months after pressing. Keep it in a cool cupboard rather than beside the hob, and try it first with nothing more than good bread, where the peppery catch at the back of the throat really comes through.

Why we picked it: An organic early-harvest oil, lab-tested for polyphenols, with a peppery, grassy kick. For drizzling, not frying.

• Organic
• Early harvest
• Lab-verified polyphenols
• Peppery, grassy flavour

What owners say: Some of the best olive oil they’ve tasted, with a lovely peppery kick. Many buy it again.

A closer look: On the first light, let each candle burn until the melted wax reaches the edge of the tin, usually an hour or two, which stops it tunnelling down the middle. Trim the cotton wick a little before relighting, and once a candle is finished, the patterned tin is handy for hair grips, buttons or paper clips.

Why we picked it: Four soy candles in lavender, fig, spring and lemon, each burning for over a day, in a gift box with a card.

• 4 soy wax candles
• Lavender, fig, spring, lemon
• 25–30 hours each
• Gift box and card

What owners say: Beautiful scents and pretty tins. Owners say the people they gave them to were delighted.