To get a Fortnum & Mason hamper as a gift for parents

[NotJustACigar]

As this year has been so rubbish I'm thinking of really splashing out and treating my parents to a Fortnum & Mason hamper in the £100 price range (which is a lot for us). However looking at trustpilot the reviews are surprisingly bad!
uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.fortnumandmason.com

Have you ordered one recently and did it go ok? I want to customise the hamper by choosing what to put in it and adding the hamper option when I check out but can't figure out how to do this... Any ideas?

I had a look at the hampers in store last year and you don't get much for £100. I would have a look at Harrod's I think they're probably better value.
*disclaimer I don't generally shop in F&M or Harrods but they're nice at Christmas.

I love an F&M hamper, but I must agree with the poster above £100, though a lot of money, doesn’t go far with them.

Can't comment on them but since a pp mentioned it, we ordered a Harrods one for BIL since he won't be able to come home for Christmas. They're pricey (obviously) but you do get a fair amount in them.

I love F&M hampers
The baskets are gorgeous too

Can I stick my oar in to recommend John Lewis? Here an example, they have a few around £200:

www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-partners-spirit-of-christmas-hamper/p5059041

If you wanted the wicker f and m hamper you won’t get a lot in it for £100 and it’s akways (they say) cheaper to buy the premade sets.

They aren't good value, but I know my mum would be delighted just to have something from F&M (we're from a very working class background where that kind of thing is aspirational!), so it'd be worth it.

An F&M hamper comes with a certain level of ‘special’, lots of people use the actual basket for years to come. Really depends if you think your parents would value that or prefer better value for money.
(Disclaimer- I’m on the fence myself about whether to get one this year for the first time!)
To make your own hamper you just select the food items you want then when you check out it gives you the option to add a hamper. When I tried it I had the option of 2 different hamper sizes but it recommends how many items it is best for etc.
Although this way might cost a little more technically it means you get items you know they would actually like. Pre-set hampers always seem to have a few rogue items lol
HTH

I often give hampers as pressies, but stopped with the F&M ones a while a go, there are far better out there with better contents for the price. Have a look at Bettys, Bothams of Whitby or Booths for a starter.

There are some lovely ones here

www.bettys.co.uk/gifts-hampers/hampers

Until this year, I had never looked at them. This year I have received two and sent one! The bits in them were lovely and high quality, although nothing absolutely spectacular but the whole package (especially the wicker hamper, although the plain box was also nice) was just such a lovely gift.

I received a Harrods hamper last year and it was lovely, lots in there and I would def recommend as a gift. The wicker basket itself is great too.

I had a terrible experience with their customer service this year - premium priced product but absolutely bargain basement customer service approach. Never again. Trust pilot suggests it's not just me either.

Virginia Hayward hampers are good.

www.virginiahayward.com/

I'd go for doing my own to send but I live in Cornwall and can get lovely special products. I've bought wooden boxes in Waitrose to package them in

I’d love one!!

There is the option to buy the hamper basket from F&M and fill it yourself with whatever of their food items you like, which might be a better way to do it since you can tailor the selection specifically to your parents.

Really shocked by their appalling reviews and total lack of response!! I feel very lucky that I received my order last week with no issues!

@HollyandIvyandallthingsYule

I’d love one!!

There is the option to buy the hamper basket from F&M and fill it yourself with whatever of their food items you like, which might be a better way to do it since you can tailor the selection specifically to your parents.

If you look at those Trustpilot reviews, this is only possible with selected items, no wine, champagne or fresh goods. But the website doesn’t make that clear until the very end.

Or alternatively, if they like cheese you could get them a cheese and accompaniments hamper - artisan cheeses and lots of yummy things to go with them. There are various cheese companies that do them.

I got a fortnum and mason hamper for my 40th and i love it, the picnic basket is gorgeous and everything in it has been really tasty so far. It's a special gift i think

@SparklingLime oh that’s a shame. I guess it’d be too easy for people to undercut the pre-filled ones.

Try Highgrove gardens for a hamper - really good value x

Their delivery service and customer service is the worst of any company I've ever dealt with. I'll never use them again. Listen to the TrustPilot reviews!

How about supporting a local shop e.g. Lewis & Cooper in North Yorkshire are famed for their hampers www.lewisandcooper.co.uk/view-our-full-hamper-range

Have a look at Selfridges to, you can buy the basket for 25 then fill it with what you fancy.

Betty' s hampers are quite nice. We often get sent them.

I give F&M hampers at Christmas but I choose my own stuff. It’s easy to do on their website. They’re always nice but don’t buy the fudge. It’s bloody awful