Our pick of the season for best all-rounder, the John Lewis Festive Fireside Hamper includes a wide range of sweet and savoury treats with something for everyone in the family, and a couple of unexpected but welcome items in the mix. Read on for our thoughts on the Christmas hamper after trying it out.
| Information | John Lewis Festive Fireside Hamper |
|---|---|
| Best for: | A classic selection for the whole family |
| Alcohol: | Yes, x3 bottles |
| Number of items: | 12 |
| Price: | £150 |
| Delivery: | UK delivery within 2 to 5 days, 8am - 8pm, Monday to Saturday. Free over £50 |
Initial impressions
The classic wicker basket of the hamper is very smart, and unbranded, meaning that it can seamlessly be repurposed as a storage box long after its contents have been enjoyed. This felt like one of the sturdiest hamper baskets, so we imagine it would have a long second life as a storage basket.
Contents review
With 12 items in the John Lewis Festive Fireside Hamper, this is the most jam-packed of all our top hamper picks, in terms of quantity. When all the items are unpacked and put out together, it looks like a very impressive spread. And as this is the ever-reliable John Lewis that we're talking about, this hamper is anything but quantity over quality. At £150, it sits in the middle, price-wise, of our top picks for the best Christmas hamper. With the high quality of the products inside, and the little extras like the box of Christmas crackers, I think its price tag is justified.
Some of my favourite items in the hamper were: the delectable chocolate-covered marshmallows, the chocolate brownie biscuits, the prosecco and the truffle nuts. I love that a box of crackers is included, bonus festive points awarded for this. And as well as reusing the hamper basket, the sweet Christmassy tin that the panettone comes in could be used to store biscuits or crackers in years to come. Additionally, some people aren't fans of Christmas pudding, which frequently pops up in Christmas hampers, so panettone is a lovely alternative for a festive dessert.
Alcohol-wise, the bases are covered with three bottles: red wine, white wine and sparkling wine. A bag of ground coffee is included too, so this hamper will take you all the way from Christmas morning until night.
- John Lewis Chiostro Traditional Panettone, 1kg
- Waitrose San Leo Prosecco DOC, 75cl
- Marcel Martin Merlot, 75cl
- Marcel Martin Sauvignon Blanc, 75cl
- Café Direct Columbia Reserva Ground Coffee, 200g
- Abbey Biscuits Chocolate Brownie Biscuits, 150g
- Fairfields Farm Crisps Sea Salt & Aspall Cyder Vinegar, 150g
- Grandma Wild's Alcohol Free 4 Luxury Mince Pies
- Linden Lady Milk Chocolate Covered Marshmallows, 125g
- Rendles Cheese Straws with Mediterranean Herbs, 100g
- Cambrook Extraordinary Baked Truffle Nuts, 80g
- John Lewis Winter Bird Crackers x 10
Suitability for gifting
I feel like this hamper would be a lovely gift to take to a family party, due to the breadth and amount of its contents. It is like a slightly more expanded version of our other top John Lewis pick, the Spirit of Christmas hamper. The marshmallows and cheese straws are ideal for children to snack on, and the wine and coffee will keep the adults happy.
Delivery
John Lewis offer free delivery over £50, which is much appreciated when you're splurging on a luxury Christmas hamper. The hamper arrived in a recyclable cardboard box with the items inside well-protected. I didn't feel like there was an excess of packaging.
Festive Fireside Hamper verdict
This hamper feels and tastes very premium, strikes a perfect balance between sweet and savoury, and more than lives up to its £150 price tag.
