iGourmet Gift Baskets Review: An In-Depth Look at the Ultimate Gourmet Experience

For luxury gourmet gift baskets and hampers, iGourmet offers a specialized gifting service designed for those who love all things food. Their service is tailored to gifting and the home for those who enjoy trying new foods, experiencing unique flavors, and sampling high-quality items from some of the best domestic and international artisan makers, all with a focus on small-scale producers and gourmet products. For our hands-on iGourmet review, I ordered two gift baskets to experience a variety of products and flavors, as well as to get a feel for iGourmet’s delivery, product quality, and customer service. Here I’ve shared all the key points about my experience to help you decide if iGourmet might be a good option for your next gourmet gift basket. 

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My Experience Ordering Gift Baskets from iGourmet – The Essentials:

Style & Design:	Upscale, unique, and hard-to-find food items that will satisfy a sophisticated or adventurous palate.
Quality & Freshness:	Items were packed with cold packs and well-protected. While one package was dented on the outer box during transit, none of the items inside sustained any damage.
Packaging:	The packaging is sturdy and mostly recyclable. I appreciated the reusable ice packs for perishable items.
On-Time Delivery:	One package arrived within the delivery window. The other package was delayed due to weather, which wasn’t the fault of iGourmet, and would have arrived on time otherwise.
Ease of Ordering:	The iGourmet ordering process was easy to navigate. I appreciated the options to add gift messages, schedule a delivery date, or send items to multiple addresses on the same order.
Value For Money:	iGourmet offers a range of price points, with gift collections starting at around $50 and going all the way up to $999. You can also order individual items at low price points. My boxes were $139.99; given the gourmet nature of the products and the upscale presentation, I felt this was a good value.
Overall Score:	4.6 out of 5.

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About iGourmet:

Who They Are and Where They’re Based

Family-owned iGourmet got its start in 1997, but the company’s roots stretch back much further. CEO and founder Spencer Chesman comes from a family of cheese importers. Chesman’s grandfather, Charles, imported cheeses from Europe to the U.S. on steamships, carrying the cheese below the waterline so it would stay at the right temperature. Charle’s son Fred went into the import business, and his wife Marsha founded a catalog-based gourmet chase business. In 1997, their son, Spencer, took the business online and founded iGourmet.com. Today, Spencer and his sister Tracy work together to develop partnerships with European small-scale food producers. The iGourmet business operates out of Pennsylvania. 

What is iGourmet Known For?

According to their website, iGourmet carries one of the largest assortments of specialty and high-quality foods available anywhere. Their catalog includes more than 900 varieties of cheese from around Europe and the U.S. iGourmet is known for its wide selection of hard-to-find gourmet items, including products made by small-scale producers and artisans. 

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My iGourmet Experience

The Gift Baskets I Ordered

I ordered two gift baskets from iGourmet to share with family and friends, the Italian Premier Gift Box and the French Premier Gift Box. Here’s how these collections were described on the iGourmet website.

The Italian Premier Gift Box is large and impressive, filled with spectacular and memorable items from around Italy. The items included are: 

• Balsamic Vinegar: The right touch of acidity
• Boschetto al Tartufo Bianchetto, or Tuscan sheep’s milk cheese imbued with shavings of white truffle 
• Canestrelli Cookies: Cookies from Genoa
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A high-quality oil
• Grana Padano: Po Valley hard cheese perfect for grating
• Italian Honey: Perfect complement to cheese
• Mountain Gorgonzola: An authentic Gorgonzola from the Lombardy region
• Piave: Cow’s milk, artisanal cheese from the Po Valley
• Provolone Piccante: A spicy provolone that’s ideal with cured meats
• Soppressata: Hearty, coarsely ground salami
• Speck: Cured meat from Northern Italy with herbal flavors of juniper, laurel, and rosemary 
• Taralli: Complements wine perfectly

The French Premier Gift Box is described as an impressive collection of exceptional cheeses and desserts. It includes: 

• Agour Ossau-Iraty: Basque cheese made from sheep’s milk
• Camembert: Soft, creamy cheese from Normandy
• Comte: A nutty semi-hard cheese from the French Alps
• Crispy French Waffle Crackers: Light but a sturdy base for cheeses
• Dijon Mustard: French Dijon mustaard
• Duck & Pork Pate: Fabrique Delice pate
• Fourme d’Ambert: A creamy French blue cheese
• French Cornichons: White wine vinegar pickles
• French Olives: Olives from the Provencal region
• French Shortbread Cookies: Crispy cookies from the Brittany region
• Les Folies Fromage Fruit Spread for Cheese: Spreads by Guillaume et Lesgards that complement cheeses
• Michel Cluizel French Chocolate Bar: High-quality chocolate
• Mini Toasts: The perfect base for cheeses
• Saucisson Sec: Pork sausage made through an air-drying process
• Savory Cheese Biscuits: Bite-size cheese crackers

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The Online Ordering Experience at iGourmet

The online ordering process at iGourmet is straightforward. The website is easy to navigate. Though there are many (many!) items to choose from, the categorization system makes searching easy. 

The “add to cart” option was prominent on each page. Once in the cart, there are no annoying upsell options. Instead, you’re given the option to add a gift message, choose a delivery date, or ship to multiple addresses. These options are welcome and not intrusive. 

I appreciated that a shipping estimate was available on the screen the whole time. This made it easier to estimate what my final price tag would be. 

Once I entered my address, I received a tax total. I also was given a shipping option of Overnight or Saturday delivery, as both my orders contained perishable goods. 

I appreciated that the option to use a gift or promo code was prominent. This is helpful, rather than having to search for a place to enter a code. 

After entering my payment, I was given the option of checking out as a guest or creating an account for future use. Overall, the ordering process was simple, easy, and completely free of upselling.

Taking Delivery

On the day my box was due to arrive, my region experienced a terrible winter storm. Residential roads were largely impassible for a couple of days. This delayed the delivery of a box through no fault of iGourmet. The other box was rescheduled and came right on time. 

Both boxes were sturdy, with the iGourmet logo prominently featured on the outer packaging. This made me excited to open the boxes, knowing there were treats inside. 

Unboxing my Gift Basket from iGourmet

Unboxing was a lot of fun. The boxes were sturdy and well-packed. Inside, a section was “walled off” with thick cardboard. This part contained an ice pack to keep the perishable items, in this case, cheeses and meats, cool.

Breakable items were protected with bubble wrap. Any empty spaces were filled in with wood shavings. It made for an excellent presentation. 

Part of one box was slightly damaged outside in transit. But this didn’t affect any of the items inside. All were in pristine condition and appeared fresh. 

The items were very close to how they looked on the website. Some of the labelings were a bit different than in the pictures, but the website clearly noted that “Any item temporarily out of stock will be substituted with a similar item of equal value,” so this wasn’t a surprise or a negative. The differences appeared to be in item packaging rather than item contents. 

There were so many items in each box! It was fun to set them out on the counter and take a few photos. The number of items neatly packed into each box, without damage, was impressive. When family and friends came over during the holidays, the cheeses, meats, crackers, and treats were absolutely perfect.

I took a few items over to friends’ homes, as well, as host gifts. Everything was well-received and it was a lot of fun to try these high-end items that I could never find on the shelves of my local grocery store. 

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 iGourmet Review: The Verdict

My Overall Opinion of the Items I Received

I was really happy with the items I received in both boxes. Despite the delivery snafu — which, again, was not the fault of iGourmet — the foods were all in excellent condition and high quality. Absolutely perfect for the holidays, when friends and family are visiting. 

These special food items are really lovely for hostesses and holiday gifts. It’s so much fun to set out and try these foods from around the world. The cheeses felt very fancy and memorable, and many were types I’d never heard of or tried before. My guests loved the wide selection. 

The packaging was sturdy and secure. The box was attractive, and the items were as described. I would order from iGourmet again.

The PROs of ordering from iGourmet

iGourmet has a fantastic selection of cheeses from around western Europe and the U.S. It’s probably the most extensive selection I’ve seen. 

Due to their wide range of products, there’s truly something for everyone. The versatility and selection mean iGourmet has a gift for virtually any occasion, celebration, holiday, or remembrance. 

The items are high quality. They’re packed with care and stay fresh and cool through the delivery process. Plus, the company offers speedy nationwide delivery options, so I feel they would be a very dependable option for a host of gifting occasions.

The CONs of Ordering from iGourmet

While this is a minor issue, just be aware that you must time your order carefully if you want a package to arrive on a certain day. Due to the perishable nature of some food items, you’re limited on which days you can expect delivery and when to order.

This is definitely not a deal breaker. It just requires a bit of advance planning if you want to include perishables in your gift box. 

Pricing is also on the premium side throughout. Whilst smaller collections start from around $50, expect to pay upwards of $100 to $200+ for one of iGourmet’s signature foodie gift baskets or hampers.

What Occasions Might Someone Consider Ordering from iGourmet

iGourmet offers such a wide range of food items that their gift boxes are indeed a great choice for any occasion. From holidays to weddings, birthdays to housewarming parties, and even sympathy or baby showers, you will find food items that your recipient will love. Given the very broad price range, you will find options for your budget as well. 

For more, see iGourmet’s latest collections here.

Alternative Gourmet Gift Basket Delivery Services:

For alternative options, here are some of our tried, tested, and recommended gourmet gift basket delivery services offering nationwide delivery throughout the year:

Gourmet Gift Baskets – a vast collection of affordable, handcrafted gift baskets and hampers for every occasion and taste preference. Full review here.

Gift Tree – stylish and refined gourmet gifts paired with champagnes, vintage wines, and delectable treats from around the world. Full review here.

Mouth – artisanal gift boxes featuring all sorts of treats from artisan makers across the United States. Full review here.

Milk Bar – for those with a sweet tooth, Milk Bar offers some of the best cookie and sweet-treat gift collections around. Full review here.

Knack – modern and creative gift boxes for every occasion featuring treats, boozy cocktail collections, and thoughtfully considered homeware and spa gifts. Full review here.

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iGourmet Buying Guide: