10 Best Picnic Hampers for This Summer

Image: Unsplash

It's high summer, and while eateries may be opening again, you just can’t beat a good old-fashioned picnic, whether in a park or garden.

Nowadays, picnic hampers come in all shapes and sizes, with different styles and features. So finding the right one to best suit your family picnic needs can be tricky.

Useful things to consider when buying a quality hamper include its capacity, and how many delicious items and accessories it can hold. How functional and practical is it? You don’t want a hamper that’s awkward to hold or bulky to carry around while searching for your picnic spot. You can benefit from handy accessories included in your hamper, such as insulated compartments, separate cool bags or even a complete service of crockery and blanket. For dozens of ideas on glamming up your picnic, see our dedicated article.

Here are some of the top, park-ready picnic hampers. Note: Images are illustrative only and do not relate to the products listed.

This is a modern, 32-litre capacity, picnic basket cooler bag with an aluminium foil insulated lining. With a soft-touch padded handle for those heavier loads, and zip compartments, this basket is designed to keep your food and beverages cool for much longer. It can be pushed out from the inside to allow plenty of space for your sandwiches, drinks and snacks, with enough room for crockery.

Best of all, it collapses flat for storage, and has a space-saving, collapsible handle. A perfect basket for all the family.

Buy from Amazon, £29.99

For those who prefer to be hands-free instead of hauling around a heavy picnic basket, this waterproof backpack is convenient. Designed to be durable and lightweight, it still has enough space to pack in all your treats and has plenty of insulated compartments. It’s packed with useful accessories including melamine plates, stainless steel cutlery, wooden chopping board, cutting knife, salt and pepper shakers, napkins, tablecloth and a tidy-up bag. Detachable bottle holders are at the side, and with its special Ice Tech+ technology, drinks are kept cool (or warm) for up to 7 hours. The padded straps are adjustable to fit comfortably on your shoulders while you’re on the go.

Buy from The Greenfield Collection, £49.99

This lovely picnic basket comes with all of the trimmings. With a stylish, green floral print cotton lining, it has handy green PU Straps inside to keep all your crockery secure.  It includes an array of accessories including, dinner plates, wine glasses, stainless steel flatware, a bottle opener, salt and pepper shakers, cotton napkins and a portable fleece rug with waterproof PEVA backing. All you’ll need to worry about packing are your yummy treats!

Buy from Amazon, £63.99

A modern take on the traditional wicker is this stylish, picnic holdall. Designed to be durable and practical, it has plenty of room for your picnic essentials. The outside has an attractive design of a grey woven, flannel effect with tan leather features, while inside is an aluminium, foil-lined insulated cooler compartment for keeping your food fresh. Inside contains everything you need for a family feast including, cutlery, BPA-free plates, plastic wine glasses, plastic chopping board and more.

Buy at VonShef, £49.99

With its colourful floral and stripe piping design inside a wicker basket, this is certainly ready for the summer! Inside the lid are faux leather straps to hold down any plates and crockery, and cutlery is held in a ‘jewellery style’ wrap. There is also a small matching, floral ‘cool’ bag to keep any drinks or refreshments chilled.

Ideal for a family of four, this already comes equipped with wine goblets, ceramic plates, cotton napkins and cutlery. A quality picnic basket that is functional and stylish for when you’re on the move!

Wayfair, £86.99

This classic wicker and pin stripe design basket comes insulated and designed for keeping your refreshments cool or warm. Simply add freezer bags in with the colder items to keep chilled. Suitable for the family, it’s easy to use and carry, and comes with a sturdy carry strap to ease the load. Included in the hamper are four plates, cutlery and wine glasses and a bottle opener.

Buy at Oliver Bonas, £62.50

Another contemporary take on the traditional basket, this woven willow has a stylish denim lid with brown leather straps. Designed with an insulated main compartment, it’s spacious enough for your treats and crockery. It comes filled with ceramic plates, plastic glasses, cutlery sets (forks, knives and spoons), glass holders and even a picnic table. This basket is also easy to carry, and to sponge-clean.

Next, £55

This basket has a very convenient, double lid that opens up from the middle, giving you easy access to all your treats. Under each lid, there are handy straps to hold your cutlery and plates firmly in place. This leaves you with plenty of interior space for your picnic food and drinks. It comes with handy plates inside and is light enough to carry around.

Wayfair, £83.99

If you don’t fancy carrying a heavy load, this picnic meals-on-wheels is ideal. Inside is an insulated lining that will keep food and drink fresh for longer. Designed to be sturdy, it’s easy to pull along on its two wheels with ease. It’s spacious with a 30-litre capacity to fit all you need, and compact to still fit in the back of a car. And it has a useful toggle on top to secure your picnic blanket or extra items.  It’s also super easy to  wipe clean and maintain.

John Lewis, £45.00

This traditional style of basket is well organised and can fit all your picnic essentials in. Equipped for a family of four, this set is made from wicker which is light to carry around. It has handy interior fastenings to ensure all your plates, cups and cutlery are firmly secured and neatly arranged. Not only does it include crockery but also a bottle opener, and handy napkins.

Debenhams, £40.00