These incredible Amazon finds are the best way to feel like a fancy host on a broke-girl budget
In The Know Commerce Editor
Updated
Our team is dedicated to finding and telling you more about the products and deals we love. If you love them too and decide to purchase through the links below, we may receive a commission. Pricing and availability are subject to change.
There’s also nothing like the stress that comes with hosting a bunch of friends, especially when you don’t have the gear you need to pull off a flawless party. These must-have home items from Amazon will instantly make your next gathering feel way more sophisticated, and you don’t need a big-time budget to afford any of them — everything’s under $25.
Expect the oohs and ahhs to start immediately after you pull out this crystal cocktail shaker. It has the heft of something truly special, with the sort of intricate glasswork carving that makes it feel like a family heirloom. No need to put it away after the party — the shaker will look beautiful as a statement item on your counter, shelf or bar cart. Take the top off, and it also functions as a beautiful glass for whatever you’re drinking.
A fancy cocktail shaker makes fancy drinks, and fancy drinks deserve fancy ice cubes. Enter this set of two silicone molds. Each one makes eight 2-inch cubes, which, in addition to looking incredibly cool, also melt way slower than your standard cube. Try filling them with juice or tea during the summer for a cool and delicious treat.
If you’re planning to host, you’ve gotta have a cheeseboard. This one is about 1 square foot — ideal for getting that luscious look of high-stacked charcuterie and small enough to make sense even if you’re living in a really tight space. The knife tray slides under the tray into a hidden drawer, making storage all the more convenient. We especially love the light, natural look of this organic bamboo.
Cloth napkins will instantly up the adult factor of any table setting. Even when you’re the only one around, they’re still the way to go — cloth napkins are sturdier than paper, feel way nicer on your hands and are, of course, the more eco-friendly choice. This understated, sophisticated set comes with 12 per package and is available in many other nice colors as well. Best of all, you can throw them right into the washing machine when you’re done. (Come on, we’d never make you hand wash.)
Made of shatterproof and BPA-free Tritan plastic, this set of four wine glasses has the look and feel of actual glass without any of the fragility. Stemless glasses are the way to go if you — ahem, your friends — sometimes tend to be a little careless, as it minimizes the risk of accidentally knocking them over. And, of course, they look super cool.
A grown-up dinner party demands a classic wood salad bowl, preferably with matching servers. This affordable acacia option checks all the boxes. Even though you shouldn’t put it in the dishwasher, the tight grain is stain-resistant and doesn’t pick up odors, so it's a cinch to keep clean. When you’re not hosting, use it as an elegant way to store fresh fruit or bread out on your counter.
Astronomically increase your adult quotient by keeping olive oil out and available for guests at all times. It’s truly one of the most sophisticated condiments and truly makes anything taste better. To go even more mature, put it out on the table in a glass dispenser like this one. The spout helps you pour the perfect amount every time, and the dark-colored glass protects your oil from sunlight to preserve its shelf life. It also comes with a funnel to minimize mess when pouring oil into the dispenser.
Republicans in North Carolina and nationally are assessing the potential fallout for former President Donald Trump from a bombshell report alleging that Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, the party's gubernatorial nominee, posted disturbing and inflammatory statements on a forum of a pornographic website. CNN reported Thursday that Robinson, behind an anonymous username he allegedly used elsewhere, made the comments more than a decade ago, including supporting slavery, calling himself a "black NAZI" and recalling memories of him "peeping" on women in the shower as a 14-year-old. ABC News has not independently verified the comments were made by Robinson, and he insisted in a video posted to X prior to the story's publication that "those are not the words of Mark Robinson."
More than half of voters in a new survey say they support pop star Taylor Swift’s get-out-the-vote effort to push her fans to vote in this year’s election, but the number is down 15 points from February following a conspiracy theory surrounding the idea of a rigged Super Bowl. The newly released Monmouth University poll…
‘With crime at record levels, with terrorists and criminals pouring in, and with inflation eating your hearts out, vote for Donald Trump,’ Republican nominee pleads
Donald Trump's joint appearance with Polish President Andrzej Duda in the battleground state of Pennsylvania has been canceled, according to a source familiar with the Republican presidential candidate's plans. Trump and Duda had been planning to attend the unveiling of a monument at a Polish-American Catholic shrine north of Philadelphia on Sunday. It was not immediately clear why the appearance was canceled or if Trump would meet Duda at another time or place.
A segment on Wheel of Fortune was so bad that host Ryan Seacrest and the contestants were in disbelief. Footage of a recent episode of the long-standing show has surfaced online, and it might be one of the wildest sequences in Wheel o
The Outrun actress Saoirse Ronan exuded glamour in a plunging jumpsuit on Wednesday as she stepped out to attend a screening of her latest film, The Outrun.
The Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate by 0.5 percent, or 50 basis points, on Tuesday, thrusting it into the center of a political firestorm.Donald Trump quickly weighed in to suggest that the panel could be “playing politics” with its decision, given its proximity to November’s presidential election.Asked for his reaction at a New York City campaign stop, the former president said, “I guess it shows the economy is very bad to cut it by that much—assuming they’re not just playing politics