Fine Food Store Deluxe Sandringham 4 Person Wicker Picnic Hamper Basket with Accessories - Luxury Christmas Xmas Wedding, Birthday Presents for Her Women Mum

I spoiled myself with this beautiful picnic basket! Can't wait to use it ALL summer long!!

Looked for ages for a good sized picnic basket that would take a day on the beach's worth of food for four with two bottles of vino and a few cans of Coke. Also the basket has some decent quality K&F's, plates and other bits and bobs so read on.This nearly made the grade but not quite however I can't find anything better at a reasonable price.So here is our take on this picnic basket split into 'The Good Bits', the 'Could do better bits' and a 'Summary' for those who just want a 'Headzup' and don't want the detail.GOOD BITS1. It is a very nice attractive basket and a good size for four adults or even 2 + 2 smaller ones.2. The basket is large without being over sized and will carry lots of food, wine and coke for a decent day out. A second cooler section is a must and fits very conveniently alongside the one which comes in the basket - these are available from the original distributor (sorry but you have to search for Fine Foods !) for a fiver and is worth every penny.3. Quality: The knives, forks, spoons are really nice being all stainless steel and strong. I suppose someone will like the salt and pepper things but not for us. The plates, yea OK and nice in china but read the 'not so good section' below. The glasses are glass and nice to hold and drink out of for wine. The SS flask that comes with the basket is BRILLIANT - genuine 'Thermos' and will keep Tea, Hot chocco, Coffee hot for absolutely ages - it also fits neatly in the basket. Don't be fooled but the fleece blanket that is supplied is really a very nice 'table cloth' for setting your picnic out on - it also fits flat inside the box and takes up any spare space when closing the lid. IF you want a waterproof backed picnic rug then buy a separate one and strap it to the side of the basket, it will fit well. Haven't decided about the separate wicker box with the SS mugs yet but we squeezed two into the box anyway for a refreshing cup of Tea.4. The Wicker basket itself - Well made with a good handle and fixing straps even if not leather (a shame really as I would have paid another tenner for leather quality) . Given some respect it should last a long time. However see point A on the downsides below - this is important but remedied for a few squids and all other 4 seater baskets I recon will similarly suffer.THE COULD DO BETTER BITS (and there aren't many) but they are important:A. The basket can get quite heavy with contents - food and wine etc - and the basket simply can not take the weight as is demonstrated by the upward bowing of the handle side of the basket when picked up. The basket really needs a third (middle) hinge and a third (middle) clasp. IMHO, most larger 4 person baskets will suffer from this and the solution is simple. For about a fiver you can visit a local DIY store and buy a cambuckle tie-down webbing strap that will go round the middle of the picnic basket - job done : ).B. Oh, yes, the nice china plates. Well having china is nice other than it adds to the weight of the basket BUT at 7 inches diameter the plates are seriously too small to eat off. It is so easy to supply nice 9 inch diameter plates I can't understand anyone not doing so !! There are some fantastic mid sized 'dinner' plates available on the tinternet so we bought a set of four very pretty melamine plates from a high street supplier for 14 squids and adjusted the internal strapping so they could fit in the lid.SUMMARY.A really good picnic box suitable for four people with wine etc. Good for a family avec kids as well. You really should consider a second cooler box, so useful and they work very well. I resolved the weight issue (the handle section WILL bow) by adding a webbing strap around the middle. All in all, a superb box, just a little bit more thought by the manufactures would make it BRILLIANT and what our Grandparents might have owned back in the 1930's and even later.With the small adjustments I mention above - A VERY WORTHY 5 STAR RATING otherwise a mere four stars (but I haven't found anything better).I really hope that someone finds this genuine review worth reading.Andy.

This items is described as quality and a lovely gift.. Frankly appalled at the quality.. I need the size of basket - hence buying.I AM REPLACING nearly ALL of the contents as cheap and NASTY..I can not recommend.