With the arrival of autumn/winter comes the promise of dinner parties galore. When the weather is dreary outside, it’s the perfect opportunity to host your nearest and dearest to a delicious home-cooked meal indoors (though if you use some supermarket ready-meal cheats, we won’t tell).
But if you’re hosting your first dinner party or have some big party plans with Christmas on the horizon, the whole ordeal can be daunting. How do you set up a gorgeous tablescape to remember? Or where do you even start with the menu? Closer’s Editor, Katie Banks, and Lifestyle Editor, Neeru Sharma, have come to the rescue with their top buys from Amazon to help ace your hostess duties. From matching place settings to those kitchen gadgets that’ll make prepping the perfect menu a breeze; you can check out all of their recommendations in the video below.
With their selection, you’ll be able to make delicious meals from scratch including pasta and home-made ice cream. And your guests will be seriously impressed by those special finishing touches like beer on tap(!) that bring that real wow factor. When’s the next casting for Come Dine With Me anyone?
All that’s left is to light the candles, mix the cocktails and get your party playlist sorted.
SHOP: Our favourite Amazon buys for the ultimate dinner party
Cooking hacks
Ninja/ AmazonAbsolutely smash your menu with the Ninja Combi that not only can cook family-sized meals in just 15 minutes but also has a huge 12 cooking functions removing the need for 10+ kitchen appliances. You can cook different meal components at once and it comes with a handy recipe inspiration guide to get you started.
Ninja/ AmazonWho doesn’t love a frozen dessert? And while most are digging through the freezer, you can make your own from scratch with the Ninja Creami. We’re talking ice cream, gelato, sorbet, slushi, frozen yoghurt, milkshakes, frappes and more 😍 Experiment with your flavours or even make custom desserts for your lucky guests.
Instant/ AmazonIf you haven’t already jumped on the air fryer hype, this is your sign. The air fryer has become a staple in the kitchen for quick, healthy, energy-efficient meals, and the Instant VersaZone is no different. It has two drawers you can expand into a larger single drawer and eight cooking functions to play with.
Instant/ AmazonWith the arrival of autumn/winter, it’s time to welcome back cosy meals and the slow cooker is the perfect appliance to get the job done. So easy to use, you can bung all your ingredients in the one pot and go about your day, letting the slow cooker do all the hard work for you. The results speak for themselves.
Philips/ AmazonNothing tastes as good as fresh restaurant-quality pasta and you can create your own with the Philips Pasta Maker. This bad boy will weigh your ingredients, mix your dough and shape your pasta with eight shaping discs to switch between. And don’t worry, it’s easy to clean too. Result.
Tablescape tricks
Catherine Lansfield/ AmazonDressing your table in a tablecloth immediately takes it up a notch, and the fact this pick from Catherine Lansfield not only looks the part but is machine-washable too, means it ticks the boxes for both ease and style.
Catherine Lansfield/ AmazonAlternatively, you could try a table runner in the same design which is fantastic for adding a little style and symmetry. And when you’re not using it on the dining table, reviewers have used it on the kitchen island/ sideboards too.
Catherine Lansfield/ AmazonCarefully allocate your place settings with these matching placemats – you get two in a pack. All you need to do is lay out your crockery beautifully on top ready for your guests.
Catherine Lansfield/ AmazonWhy not go to the next level with a matching apron? It’s all in the details after all. Nothing says *coordination* more, plus you can get matching tea towels and oven gloves in the same design to match!
Enesco/ AmazonHow special are these wine glasses? So much more decorative than your standard glass, we also love that it comes with a fun cocktail recipe on the bottom – great for inspiration and a little surprise for guests once they’ve finished their glass.
Enesco/ AmazonAs well as the ‘Be Kind’ design, you can get this ‘Hope’ alternative in a gorgeous blue.
Enesco/ AmazonOr this dragonfly design could be just the ticket for elevating the look of your basic wine glass. And again, cocktail recipe included!
Finishing touches
Philips/ amazonThere’s nothing better than having a dinner party and being able to show off to all your friends. And with this beer keg machine, you are guaranteed to impress - they can actually drink fresh, cold draught beer straight from the tap, rather than a can or bottle.
Keter/ AmazonIf you’ve got an outdoor heater and are looking to take your dinner party outdoors, this Keter side table doubles as a drink cooler with a spacious 30L ice bucket to keep all your beverages cool.
Shark/ AmazonYour home might get a bit heated with all the cooking, so make sure you and your guests stay comfortable regardless with the Shark Flexbreeze fan. It’s super versatile – use it corded, cordless, standing or as a tabletop fan. No matter where your party goes, this gadget is coming with.
Spear & Jackson/ amazonIf you’ve got some flowers or eucalyptus growing in your garden, snip off a couple of stems to make your own beautiful table centrepieces.
Post-party clean up
Brabantia/ amazonIt’s not all fun and games, but this dish drainer should make the washing up a little less arduous. There’s space for 13 plates, a removeable cutlery drainer and a silicone drying mat. We never thought we’d call a dish drainer stylish, but here we are.
Brabantia/ AmazonKeep your countertop looking *pristine* with this bread bin from Brabantia. It’ll keep all your baked goods neatly tucked away, as well as help them to stay fresh for longer. We love this white option but you have a bunch of other colours to choose from.
Brabantia/ AmazonNot only does it look super sleek (we’d happily house it in any room) but the Brabantia Bo Touch Bin comes with two compartments, perfect for splitting your rubbish and recycling.
Curver/ AmazonAnd once all the cooking is done, beautifully organise your cabinets Mrs Hinch-style with these storage baskets. Organise your spices, snacks, and everything in between.
Enter to win
Competition terms and conditions
These terms and conditions (the “Specific Terms”) for the Competition should be read alongside our general competition terms and conditions at: Competition General Terms and Conditions 2023-07-11 — Bauer Media Group: Legal (the “General Terms”) which will also apply to this Competition. Where there is any conflict between these Specific Terms and the General Terms, the Specific Terms shall prevail.
Entries are restricted to one entry per person.
Entry to the Competition is available via the following routes:
Online at https://closeronline.co.uk/family/money/fixing-up-with-amazon-dining/
There will be one winner of the Competition. All valid entries will be pooled and the winner will be chosen by electronic random draw on 02/12/2024.
Entries must be submitted during the following entry period:
From 12:00AM GMT 28/10/2024 to 23:59PM GMT 20/11/2024.
Entries received before the Start Time or after the End Time will be invalid.
However if the winner cannot be contacted within 7 days from the date of the initial attempt to contact them then we will re-draw until we draw a winner that we are satisfied (in our sole discretion) fulfils all the eligibility criteria and is in compliance with these Terms.
-
Open to UK residents aged 18 years or over on date of entry.
-
Our employees (and their family members) or employees of any company involved in the Competition, including any Prize Provider, are not permitted to enter.
-
We reserve the right to disqualify any entrant or winner who does not comply with any of the eligibility criteria and/or is in breach of these Terms. We reserve the right to repeat the competition mechanic or any stage of it in order to draw a winner that fulfils all of the eligibility criteria and is in compliance with these Terms.
1 winner will receive the following prize (the “Prize”):
-
Catherine Lansfield Dining Table Cloth 137x229cm Grey
-
Catherine Lansfield Tea Towels Pair Grey
-
Catherine Lansfield Adult Apron Grey
-
Catherine Lansfield Cotton Double Oven Glove Grey
-
Catherine Lansfield Placemat Pair Grey
-
Catherine Lansfield Table Runner Grey
-
Lolita Be Kind Wine Glass
-
Lolita Be Home Wine Glass
-
Lolita Dragonfly Wine Glass
-
Ninja CREAMi Deluxe Ice Cream Maker & Frozen Dessert Maker
-
Instant VersaZone Dual Air Fryer
-
Instant Superior Slow Cooker
-
Philips Pasta Maker Series 7000
-
Philips PerfectDraft Beer Keg Machine
-
Brabantia Dish Drainer, Light Grey
-
Curver My Style Rattan Effect Set of 4 Plastic Storage Baskets, Dark Grey
-
Keter Pacific Rattan Style Outdoor Cool Bar Ice Cooler Table Garden Furniture
The Prize is provided by Amazon EU S.àr.l.( (the “Prize Provider”). We are not responsible for any aspect of the Prize, including unsatisfactory quality or late delivery or a prize winner being unable to take up any aspect, or the entirety of the prize due to their own circumstances or restrictions.
Prizes are non-transferable, non-refundable and no cash alternative will be offered.
OTHER CONDITIONS
Data Protection. Names, email addresses, and /or telephone numbers (which, for all SMS competitions, will be shared with our SMS provider) will be collected and used to process entries. Winner’s details may be given to a Prize Provider to arrange delivery of the prize. Your details may remain stored after the End Date but will not be used for marketing unless you have ticked an opt-in box on entry. For SMS entries you automatically consent to receive marketing. You may opt out at any time by texting the word STOP to the relevant text shortcode number. If you have opted in to receive marketing communications, then your details will be used in accordance with the information given when you ticked the opt-in box and gave your consent. For more details, see: http://www.bauerdatapromise.co.uk/.
Intellectual Property And Consents. By entering this Competition, you are consenting to our use of your entry both to publicise this Competition, the magazine or any other magazines or media platforms which we own or control. This means that we may use all names, images, descriptions, photographs video footage, and other information, which you have submitted on entry, in any media, without paying you any remuneration therefore and without any time restriction. You also agree that we may film, record or photograph you in connection with the competition and /or the Prize if applicable. We will own these films, recordings or photographs and we may use them publicly, including on the internet, in any of our magazines and/or for any promotional purposes. You will also have waived any moral rights or right to payment that you may have had.
Miscellaneous.
-
Entries which do not comply with these Terms or the General Competition Terms and Conditions will not be accepted and any entries may be disqualified if we have any reason to suspect that there is a breach of, or non-compliance with, these Terms.
-
Where a competition mechanic involves the answering of questions, the correct answers to questions must match our answers to win (or be sufficiently close in our sole reasonable opinion) to be acceptable. In the event of any dispute about any answers given and whether they are correct, we reserve the right to amend what we deem a correct answer, however we are not obliged to, and our decision in either case is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
-
We are not responsible if you fail to get through when you call / text to enter, or if you lose signal during a call.
-
You are responsible for all costs of entry and where necessary, obtaining the bill payer’s permission. Please refer to your tariff with your network provider for information about charges you may incur for entry into our competitions via any SMS or phone call entry route.
-
We accept no liability for network, technical or signal errors, issues or failures experienced by entrants when entering the competition or at any stage during the mechanic of the competition.
-
As part of your entry or playing of the Competition you must not make any inappropriate, profane, indecent, harmful or offensive statements. If you do so we reserve the right to disqualify you from the competition. You may be also disqualified from the competition at any time if you are incomprehensible, inaudible or if you appear to be driving, intoxicated or likely to offend listeners. Any prize already won may be withdrawn and re-awarded to another entrant.
-
As far as it is lawful to do so we exclude our liability for any losses suffered in connection with the Competition or any element of the Prize.
We may cancel, end or suspend the Competition where we are required to do so in circumstances outside our control. We reserve the right to amend these Terms at any stage during the Competition if such amendment is necessary to facilitate the administration of the Competition.
Contact Details. Any concerns? Please email: projectmanagement@bauermedia.co.uk. Correspondence will not be entered into regarding any competition which has closed more than 14 days prior to correspondence being received.
The promoter of this Competition, H Bauer Publishing, with company number LP003328 and whose registered address is The Lantern, 75 Hampstead Road, London, NW1 2PL
Eleanor Weaver is the Commercial Content Editor for Closer, specialising in home décor, furnishings and appliances. In her spare time, Ellie enjoys going to gigs in London, reading a good thriller and finding homeware inspiration online.