35 Products That Are Just Plain Fun To Have On Hand When Friends Visit

Buzz Feed

09-03-2025

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
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This DIY cheese kit that makes a batch in 20 minutes and this chaotic "Game of Life" card game are the vibes you bring to the function.
1. A set of vinyl coasters to give your coffee table a delightfully retro nostalgic touch *and* protect it from the perils of condensation mid-party.
Amazon
Promising review:"Good gift. Got these for my wife for her basement bar. They're cute on the pub table and great conversation pieces." — MJ
Get it from Amazon for $14.99.
2. A set of espresso martini mix packets that make this cocktail staple a little TOO easy to recreate at home — all you need to do is add vodka (or tequila) and water, and BOOM. That's that you espresso. (Bonus: these only have 30 mg of caffeine, as opposed to 60 mg to 120 mg of a typical one!)
Craftmix is a small business that specializes in instant drink mixers.
Promising review:"The closest thing to creating a drink from scratch as you can get! Tried the variety pack and the espresso martini mix, and it was a hit with folks, and most couldn't believe it when I told them it came from a packet. Especially if you're thinking of hosting or making drinks in batches, Craftmix is a real timesaver. Would definitely recommend and plan on repurchasing for future get-togethers!" — Kenneth Walfred Fojas
Get a pack of 12 from Amazon for $16.99 (available in 11 other flavors and a variety pack).
3. The Game of Life Goals, the card game version of the OG beloved (if not very stressful) Game of Life board. This version rubs a little TOO close to your existential fright with the tagline, "You can't control the card you're dealt, but you can choose what to do with them!" (Or you can just cope by turning off autonomy on The Sims, you do you.)
Amazon, www.amazon.com
This game requires two to four players, ages 8 and up.
Promising review: "We love this game. All the kids are adults and we have a raucous time playing this. it is so much fun; great family fun. The pace is fantastic. Anytime we have a friend over, the first game goes a little slower but it doesn't take long to learn and develop strategies to win. Love this game!!!" — Kindle Customer
Get it from Amazon for $5.19.
4. A 5-pound bucket of Crayola Air Dry Clay to let you finally follow your inner pottery dreams without all the mess and effort of taking classes. After you pull the clay out to shape it, it'll harden on its own — no oven or any effort required! From there you can leave it as is or paint over it for a fun vibe.
Psst — a lot of reviewers use silicone or plastic molds to get specific shapes!
Promising review: "It's honestly just a really nice material to work with! If you want to create things with clay, this is definitely a good choice! It's definitely not for professional use, but I feel like that's a given? I mean, it is Crayola. But all in all, great for those who want to use it for fun!" — Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $10.62.
5. Hues And Cues, a DELIGHTFUL party game that's easy and fun to play no matter how well you know the other players. It comes with a board of 480 color swatches — the aim of the game is to make your friends guess which color swatch you're looking at with either one-word or two-word clues. Whoever gets the closest to the color in each round gets the most points!
I played this at a friend's apartment with a mix of people I did and didn't know, and we all had a BLAST. It was a fun opportunity for us to reference hyper-specific things when trying to lock down a specific shade (if memory serves, "zombie Barney" and "aggressive banana" were the ones that got thrown around) and to get to know each other's tastes and ways of looking at the world. The rules and scoring system are super easy to learn, too, so there wasn't a big hurdle in getting everyone on board. I highly recommend for some good, wholesome, often laugh-out-loud party fun!
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
6. A marble board wire cheese cutter to serve as half decor, half kitchen tool, and 100% the biggest hit at any wine and cheese night when you let guests slice their own cheese with it.
www.amazon.com, Amazon
Check out a TikTok of the cheese slicer in action.
Promising review:"My mother-in-law had purchased one last year, and I tried hers at Christmas and fell in love with how easy it was to use. We have a lot of get-togethers with friends, and cheese is a staple appetizer in our house. So, I purchased my own and have been using it weekly since. It cuts easily and is mostly easy to clean. Sometimes cheese gets stuck in the crack, but some scrubbing with a small brush usually does the trick." — Jessica
Get it from Amazon for $17.64 (available in two colors).
7. Plus a Frenchie-themed cheese board for some top notch char-woof-erie at your next party.
www.amazon.com
House Party 2K20 is a small business that specializes in unique serving accessories.
Promising review:"I absolutely love this bulldog charcuterie board, it's the perfect size and it's made so well. All the dog lovers wanted to know where to purchase one. I used it twice already for two parties and it was a hit!" — RN79
Get it from Amazon for $24.95+ (available in two sizes).
8. Exploding Mantis, the cousin of the wildly popular, family-beloved Exploding Kittens game, except this one is a "colorfully cutthroat card game of rainbows and revenge." The objective is to get matching sets of cards by ruthlessly stealing from other players at top speed — it's a colorful, chaotic whirlwind for two to six players, age 7 and up!
Amazon
Exploding Kittens is a small business that specializes in unique family-friendly games.
Promising review:"Got this game for my game loving 5-year-old. We play it almost daily with two to five players. So much family fun! The colors are fun and we love picking our favorite mantis of the day. The game moves quickly so everyone pays attention. Easy enough for a 5-year-old, but fun enough for an older crowd too!" — Schyler McNeil
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
9. A bottle of truffle-infused clover honey so decadent and delicious that it will get passed around your kitchen faster than the juiciest gossip anyone's got.
www.amazon.com
Promising review:"Here's what you do for starters: Slice a baguette. Add a slice of blue cheese. Toast in the oven or air fryer. Drizzle with this truffle honey to finish and impress your guests. They'll think you're a genius." — T. A.
Get it from Amazon for $22.99.
10. A "Through The Seasons" Reverse Coloring Book, which is a newer edition of the original Reverse Coloring Book that took the internet by storm — reviewers swear by this easy, calming artistic outlet to help ease their anxiety, relieve stress, and unleash their inner creativity without taking up too much brainpower. The best part is, you don't need a ton of colored pencils to do it as a group — everyone just needs a pen!
For those new to the concept — Instead of adding the color to these, you add the lines to create images within the colors. Sort of like a Rorschach test, but make it whimsical.
Check out a TikTok of the reverse coloring book in action.
Promising review: "Kendra Norton's beautiful art books, Reverse Coloring books, have changed my world! My whole life, I thought I was not creative and had zero artistic ability. Now, this has become my favorite form of artistic expression. I turn on music and/or an audiobook and allow myself to go for an adventure outside of my mind, beyond my mind, if you will. T his has become my favorite way to process through difficult emotions and experiences I'm working through." — K. DeWitt
Get it from Amazon for $8.29.
(Psst — check out these cult-fave black fine-point pens on Amazon for a good doodling option!)
11. A set of Shrinky Dinks sheets to transport you so immediately to your childhood pastimes of Making Everything Very Small that you'll be gifting every single person you know a kitschy keychain against their will.
Amazon
If you are unfamiliar with this glorious witchcraft, Shrinky Dink paper lets you color designs on it that you can then cut out and bake to shrink them down, giving them a stained glass effect that makes them great for keychains, suncatchers, and little trinkets.
Promising review: "Fun for ALL ages! Recently remembered how fun these were. I have a smaller daughter, so it gave me an excuse to buy these. They're secretly for me — half kidding. These are so simple to use and create great crafts. These will keep your little one's imagination going, occupied and helps practice fine motor skills. I would definitely recommend to ANYONE, not just little humans." — Alex Soper
Get a 25-sheet set from Amazon for $13.92.
12. A mini ice cream maker from BuzzFeed's Tasty line that easily churns out ice cream with your favorite flavor-and-topping combos in 20 minutes flat. If I were the Nutella, peanut butter Ritz crackers, and/or the Girl Scout cookies in my fridge right now, I'd be verrrrrry nervous about this gizmo. 😈
Promising review:"Only had it a few weeks, but so far I've made Nutella ice cream, vanilla frozen yogurt, and my latest masterpiece: dulce de leche peanut butter swirl! Three words: taste bud paradise! This pint-sized wonder churns out three to four servings of pure bliss. It's like having your own little ice cream parlor tucked away in the kitchen!" — Stephanie R.
Get it from Amazon for $24.99 (available in two colors).
13. And a splurge-worthy Ninja Creami that lives up to all the hype and THEN some — this has seven presets so you can indulge in the creamiest gelato, most refreshing smoothies, and most decadent ice creams you've ever had, right from the comfort of your own home. It even comes with compatible storage pints and lids, in case you don't finish it all on the spot!
Check out a TikTok of the Ninja Creami in action.
Reviewers with dietary restrictions and preferences love being able to customize their own treats, and many point out that this will likely *save* you money, with the cost of specialty ice creams these days!
Promising review: "This is my favorite gift. I use it at least five times a week. The size of the containers is perfect for when you want a sweet treat, and I love that you can control the consistency and softness of the way they come out. Fairly easy to clean as well." — Luke Johnson
Get it from Amazon for $186.99.
14. A shaker of Thin Mint seasoning you need to buy as a favor to all your taste buds immediately. Allow me to paint a picture for you: Thin Mint coffee, Thin Mint pudding, Thin Mint popcorn, Thin Mint anything your dessert gremlin heart desires.
I stared at this for months online before caving and buying it, and when I tell you!! It jazzes up my morning coffee in a way that makes my little '90s baby heart sing. I've also loved it on Greek yogurt, oatmeal, and mug cakes. Plus, when I am feeling lonely for a real Thin Mint, and we're not in Girl Scout cookie season, I'll shake this on an Oreo Thin to stave off the despair.
Get it from Amazon for $4.98.
15. Oprah's The Life You Want: 100 Questions Everyone Should Ask, a set of conversation cards to help you start thoughtful conversations with friends and families to help you connect and make meaningful memories out of your time together.
www.amazon.com, Amazon
This was featured on Oprah's Favorite Things for 2024 — check out more of Oprah's picks on Amazon's gift shop!
The one hundred questions are often open-ended and thoughtful, like "What would it take to feel truly rested?" and "What doorway is open to you?" making it an ideal set of cards for journal prompts, too!
Get it from Amazon for $34.95.
16. A wireless, Bluetooth-enabled karaoke mic you can sync with preeeeetty much anything, including speakers, players, or downloadable singing apps. Now everyone can reenact Wicked from the comfort of your living room!
Promising review:"You don't understand, TikTok made me obsess over this microphone. As a 30+-year-old woman, I resisted purchasing it. I finally broke down and bought it because it was haunting me in my sleep. I'm so glad I did. When I am in a bad mood I start karaoke in my house and am instantly better. It has 'ruined' my teenage son's life because my performances can be heard through his Xbox microphone. This is a must-have product." — Zane A. Undercoffer
Get it from Amazon for $24.99 (available in 15 colors).
17. A reviewer-beloved electric fondue set for an investment in your future happiness, because I'm hard-pressed to think of anything a vat of melted cheese and chocolate *won't* fix.
Kusini is a small business that specializes in kitchen products.
Promising revie w: "I absolutely love fondue and this made at-home fondue easy and mess free! Warms up quickly and holds the perfect amount of fondue plus dippers." — Ruby Pagel
Get it from Amazon for $27.99.
18. A Lego-inspired brick waffle maker that's about to become the MVP of breakfast hangouts. Lego fans will love them for "building," waffle fans will love that they're small enough that they maximize crispy edges, and everyone will love that these are the perfect size to make whole breakfasts or eat as snacks!
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Promising review: "My boys loved this! They were excited to see lego waffles and had fun building with them and eating them." — Emily
Get it from Amazon for $39.99.
19. Yardzee, a jumbo dice game that boldly asked, "What if we took Yahtzee and made it ginormous?" This set includes six (lightweight!) giant dice, a storage bucket, and double-sided scorecards to play over 20 ridiculously fun outdoor games with the whole fam. Bonus: reviewers mention using it as game room decor when it's not in use, since it has such an elevated look!
www.amazon.com
Swooc Games is a small business that specializes in unconventional, giant games for home and outdoor use.
Promising review: "Our family loves Yahtzee, but Yardzee was so much more fun! It is like a giant lifesize game. It was so much fun to play outside as a family. We had ages 7–65 playing and enjoying the game. As a homeschooler, I also love that it sneaks in math and writing." — The Waldock Way
Get them from Amazon for $49.99+ (available in two dice sizes).
20. And a ridiculously fun Tiki Toss ring game so you can humble your jock friends REAL fast — this game is super easy to set up and learn, but tricky enough to get juuuust right that it will even the whole playing field. Reviewers love that is is a fun-for-all-ages game (but aren't not using it as a a drinking game too 👀 ).
Amazon, www.amazon.com
Tiki Toss is a small business that specializes in family-friendly games for home and outdoor use.
Promising review: "We all love this game. Everyone who comes over cannot stop playing Tiki Toss. So simple and so fun. Quality and design of product is fantastic. Also makes a great gift." — jzek
Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in two sizes).
21. An ankle skip ball for kids *and* adults so you can work up a sweat reliving the best part of the '90s with your pals and uphold tradition by teaching every child in the vicinity how to use it, too.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Promising review: "Hi millennials with babies, lol. Loved these as a kid? Or like me — always wanted one and never got one? Well, now's your chance. It's very similar to the ones popular when we were kids, and lights up. My baby loves to watch my daughter use this. My husband loves to skip-hop with it, too, and omg, that's worth the full price of this toy each time. This toy has paid for itself five times over with the laughter and fun it's caused." — Kassy
Get it from Amazon for $16.99 (available in four colors).
22. A sushi-making kit perfect for beginners or intermediate sushi makers, so you can finally mix and match the exact ingredients your adventurous heart desires.
I'm definitely going to sushi jail for this, but I've started putting peanut butter in my avocado rolls. Don't knock it until you try it. Anyway, each kit comes with two sushi rolling mats, five pairs of chopsticks, a paddle, a spreader, and a PDF of instructions, including recipes for six popular rolls.
Psst — if you REALLY want to level up your homemade sushi game, I highly recommend adding this truffle seasoning on Amazon for $13.09! It tastes so startlingly decadent. I've been ordering it for years to put on my avocado rolls and shiitake rolls when I order sushi.
Promising review:"Received this the other day and the wife and I had our own sushi night at home...I did not realize there were two mats in the package which was a nice little surprise... everything is made of good quality materials, easy to use and a good fun activity for date night at home. I will be getting a few more as gifts for a few friends...good product, received it quickly and for the price you cannot go wrong." — Timothy J Stegner
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
23. A magnetic rotating UFO-shaped Bluetooth speaker so you can have an ~otherworldly~ experience getting beamed up by your favorite bops.
www.amazon.com
Promising review: "Bought as a gift, but I will get one for myself. I was totally surprised at the quality of the speaker part of this. Got it for my grandson for Christmas. He set it up while here after opening, and we listened to Christmas music all day." — Dawna324
Get it from Amazon for $99.99.
24. A compact, beginner-friendly watercolor palette that comes with everything you need to start creating your own masterpieces, including 100 (!!) colors to choose from. Next stop, the Louvre.
Each set comes with a 100-color palette, a sketch pencil, a sponge, a swatch sheet, and three water brush pens.
Promising review:"Love collecting watercolor sets, and this one is amazing — so many exquisite colors to paint with. Creativity is everything, and imagination with all these colors is unlimited. Pure happiness!" — pve
Get it from Amazon for $29.99.
25. A set of rainbow wineglasses to really get some adorable bang for your buck, because there's no way you won't use them as decor whenever you're not sipping sparkling rosé from them.
Amazon
Check out a TikTok of the rainbow wine glasses in action.
The Wine Savant is a New York-based small business established in 2017 that specializes in unique, quality drinkware and accessories.
Promising review: "Love these! Wasn't ready to splurge on Estelle stemmed glasses so I got these instead. I've run them through the dishwasher once so far and they held up fine. Glass is thin near the top which I love in a wineglass. I would recommend!" — Tricia
Get a set of six from Amazon for $49.99.
26. Or a set of delightfully dainty butterfly wineglass markers so everyone knows exactly which glass is theirs, lest it fly away in another guest's hands. 🦋
Amazon
Promising review: "I keep a few of these on hand for quick last-minute gifts. The small packaging will even fit inside a large greeting card, no need to wrap!" — mf
Get a set of 10 from Amazon for $8.69.
27. A rotating disco ball diffuser because sometimes "come on Barbie let's go party" secretly means "come on Barbie let's diffuse some citrus essential oils and do some self-care." This lil' bub will give you the best of both worlds.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Check out a TikTok of the disco ball in action, make sure to grab them some essential oils for the full experience! Read more about aromatherapy and stress and tension at Johns Hopkins.
Promising reviews:"I absolutely LOVE my disco ball diffuser! It brings me joy. The diffuser works great and has timed options. You can use the disco ball without diffusing too. Lots of pretty color-changing options or you can have it cycle through all of the colors which is what I choose to do. There are two spinning modes too…slow and fast or you can set it to not spin at all. Get one. You WON'T be disappointed!! 🪩🫶🏼😍" — Heather
Get it from Amazon for $39.97+ (available in two sizes).
28. A shaved ice and slushie maker so everyone can relive their childhood pastime of dyeing their tongues a zillion delicious colors after taking one of these to the face. Bonus: a lot of reviewers use these for ~boozy~ slushies.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Promising review: "Great little crusher. Perfect for summer drinks. Bits of ice are large enough that ice doesn't melt right away after I filled the glass with cola, and the perfect size for those of us who like to eat crushed ice after the drink is gone." — Linda Stroupe
Get it from Amazon for $39.99.
29. A teensy DIY cheese kit with everything you need to make four batches of farmer's cheese and live your most delicious lives in a half hour — a perfect "appetizer" activity if you're hosting a dinner party!
Urban Cheesecraft/Etsy
UrbanCheesecraft is an Oregon-based Etsy shop established in 2009 that specializes in make-your-own cheese kits in a variety of cheeses, including vegan options. Each kit comes with a cheesecloth, citric acid, flake salt, instructions, and "email support for life" — all you need is milk (and a mouth to consume it all).
Promising review:"These kits are great gifts for the cheese lover and the person 'who's already got it all.' The packaging looks nice and gift-worthy and it's a perfect price range. I love that the recipient gets an experience as well as a tangible product and I can personally attest that the actual process is easy." — amyleannbohner
30. Plus a set of wineglass charcuterie toppers to create the ultimate wine-and-cheese night vibes — especially vital for guests who love to mix and mingle, but need at least one hand free for hugging and gesturing wildly about how obsessed they are with cheeses from Trader Joe's.
www.amazon.com, Amazon
Promising review: "These are so cute! I hosted a wine tasting at my house and the coasters fit into many different wineglasses. I had about three to four fairly decent size chocolates on top. These were a hit and everyone thought they were in a nice restaurant with the setup!!" — Melanie M.
Get a set of four from Amazon for $9.99.
32. "The Secret Soup," yet another addition to the cult-favorite Magic Puzzle series so beloved on TikTok. Like the others before it, this isn't just a puzzle, but a whimsically illustrated, colorful journey — there are tons of Easter eggs in it, a collection of miniature scenes full of optical illusions and surprises, *plus* a magical twist at the end. You'll have to solve the puzzle to find out!
www.amazon.com
Check out a TikTok of the magic puzzle in action.
Promising review:"This puzzle was delightful from start to finish. The oddly shaped pieces, the story being told within it, the surprise ending puzzle, the checklist hunt, the mobility of the sections, and the characters and design all gave it — and me! — such life. Regular puzzles tend to bore or frustrate me but each time I worked on this I was full of joy." — Brittany
Get it from Amazon for $22.99, and check out the rest of the Magic Puzzle lineup for more options!.
33. A beginner's butter churner complete with a recipe book so you can finally become the captains of your own condiment ships. Your fridges will be full of so many butters (raspberry butter! truffle butter! CHOCOLATE BUTTER!) that there won't be enough bread in the world to satisfy you.
Amazon, www.amazon.com
Promising review:"I am delighted with this product. The accompanying instructions were very helpful. I made my first hand-churned butter, which I consider being a homage to my grandparents, who were dairy farmers. The process is really surprising when the butter seizes up — I think it was very important to me to see and experience that moment. Subtle, but crucial... At any rate, I used it, cleaned it, so have experienced both. I don't think you'll be disappointed with this little yet sophisticated butter churn." — Nanci Hamilton
Get it from Amazon for $44.50.
34. A set of silicone teacup cupcake liners so you can have your cake and "drink" it, too. Reviewers loved these for tea parties and cupcake-decorating parties!
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Promising review: "Perfect size and color — so cute! My cupcakes did not stick. I did NOT spray the cups with anything. They were the perfect size. Fluffy. Nonstick. Lightweight. I received several compliments. The cupcakes popped right out of the cups. This brand was perfect! I'm truly impressed." — Denise Mendez
Get a set of six from Amazon for $7.99+ (available in white and pink, plus sets of 12 and 24).
35. An elegant stacking game to serve both as a conversation piece at the party and as decor to make you look like an oh-so-sophisticated tastemaker.
Amazon
Promising review: "Splurged a little. We like board games a lot, and have a cabinet to store them, and I wanted some nice pieces to display on top. This was a wonderful, on the hunt for more beautiful pieces but this is elegant and it feels expensive." — Rutva
Get it from Amazon for $47.95.
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.