The California Classic Gift Basket from igourmet.com had the most exotic flavors and finest cheeses of any of the baskets we tested. Our testers ranked this basket as the second best, and the Purple Haze goat cheese with lavender buds was one of the top food items of all the baskets we tested. Though this basket didn’t come with any crackers, we didn’t feel that was a dealbreaker because it’s much easier to find crackers than quality cheese.
In our testing, this basket received an average rating of 3/4 for all the food items, which is the second best score in our tests. Though some of the items we received were different from the ones in the product description, this was simply a result of availability of items. The website clearly states that unavailable foods will be replaced with items of equal value, and our testers had no complaints about the replacements. We gave the food for igourmet’s basket a B+ rating.
This basket contained one of the foods that ranked highest in our testing, a lavender-infused goat cheese. While some testers complained of the strong taste, the majority loved the unique flavor. The blue cheese and the habanero-infused chocolate were also favorites. Though this basket had more cheese and meat than others, it didn’t have as many snacks or sweets as some of the baskets we tested. If those are important to you, we recommend that you choose a basket like the Orchard’s Abundance Gift Basket from GourmetGiftBaskets.com because it had a larger selection of snacks and sweet treats.
Overall, igourmet has one of the largest selections of fine foods and food gifts of all the companies we researched. If you need to purchase a gift basket that is kosher or vegan, you can find many options from this website.
The box containing the gift basket arrived in good condition, and there weren’t any problems with the packaging or the delivery. The basket was protected with foam padding and a cold pack that kept the food cool during transit.
Though it cost about as much as the other baskets we tested, the igourmet basket was smaller, due to the high-quality nature of the food items. The basket came sealed in plastic wrap, but there was a small hole in the back of the plastic and some of the sawdust at the bottom of the basket had escaped.
This website offers over 200 different gift baskets to choose from, beating out many other options including FTD which has less than 50 baskets. Additionally, if you want to purchase single servings of other gourmet foods, this website is a great place to look for interesting and exotic foods.
This company doesn’t offer as many payment options as some of the other companies we reviewed; you can pay with credit card, PayPal or an igourmet gift card. The company also only offers three shipment methods: ground, expedited or overnight. However, it will deliver to APO/FPO addresses, so you can ship your gifts to members of the military. This company can’t ship baskets internationally.
In terms of additions or extras that you can easily add to your basket, this company falls short. You can add snacks to your order but that’s all. The best gift basket companies let you add a stuffed animal, greeting card or box of chocolates for extra special occasions.
This company offers phone, email and chat support on its website, and it also features a FAQs section. Each food item has a detailed description and a section called “Ask the Expert” where you can submit questions about an individual food item.
If you’re looking to purchase a basket for someone who enjoys gourmet food and isn’t afraid of some unexpected food items, the California Classic Gift Basket from igourmet may be the best basket for you. Our testers loved the selection of fine cheeses and interesting flavors, and the lavender-infused goat cheese was one of the highest-rated food items out of all the baskets we tested. This is a great choice for the connoisseur in your life.
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