Housewarming Gift Ideas From $30 to $300

The Michelangelo Masterpiece stemless glass holds 15.5 ounces and stands about 4.7 inches tall. Luigi Bormioli makes it in its SPARKX glass, which the maker describes as ultra clear and durable, and cuts the rim by laser so it is thin at the lip without being fragile to hold.

It is the kind of glass that works for water at breakfast, wine at dinner and a gin and tonic on the weekend, which is exactly what a new household needs before it owns anything more specific. Four is enough for a couple and a pair of guests.

Skip it for a household that already owns good tumblers. For a wine drinker, the stemmed glasses in our wine gift guide are the better present.

The catch. A modest gift on its own; many people pair it with a bottle or double the set.

Emile Henry has made ceramic cookware in Burgundy since 1850, and its bakers are fired from the region's clay. This one is the standard 13 by 9 inch size that American recipes assume, glazed in Sugar, a soft white that sits on any table.

Clay heats more slowly than metal and holds that heat after it leaves the oven, so a gratin arrives at the table still bubbling. The maker rates it to 500°F, safe under the broiler and in the microwave, and the glaze is dishwasher safe.

It is heavier than a Pyrex dish, and more expensive. For a household that bakes once a year, the cheaper glass dish is fine. For anyone who cooks for friends, this is the one that ends up on the table.

The catch. Ceramic will crack if moved straight from a hot oven to a cold, wet counter.

Holland Bowl Mill turns its bowls from single pieces of hardwood in Holland, Michigan, rather than gluing up staves or laminating. This 12 inch cherry bowl is about 2 3/4 inches deep and serves up to four, which suits a new household of two with guests.

Cherry darkens with light and use, so the bowl the owner has in ten years will be a deeper red than the one you give. The maker backs it with a lifetime guarantee. Hand wash, dry it, and oil it when it looks thirsty.

For a family or a household that hosts big dinners, the maker also sells 15, 17 and 20 inch cherry bowls. Skip wood altogether for someone who puts everything in the dishwasher.

The catch. Not dishwasher safe, and it will crack if left to soak.

Faribault Woolen Mill has woven blankets in Faribault, Minnesota since 1865, and still makes them there. The North Shore is a 45 by 60 inch throw in 100 percent wool, a bold blue plaid named for the Lake Superior shore.

A new home rarely has a good throw, and the first cold night is when everyone notices. Wool is warm without weight and does not need washing often. The maker says this one can be machine washed and line dried.

At 45 by 60 inches it is a throw for one person, not a blanket for two. Skip it for a household that runs warm, or anyone who finds wool scratchy against bare skin.

The catch. Plaid is a choice. For a household with a quiet room, the mill's solid throws are safer.

Le Creuset's Deep Round Oven is its familiar enameled cast iron Dutch oven made taller, with 6.5 quarts inside. The deeper sides, the maker says, contain splatter and reduce boil-overs without taking more room on the stove, which matters in a small new kitchen.

Enameled cast iron needs no seasoning, and the pale interior shows how a sauce is browning. It is rated oven safe to 500°F, works on every cooktop including induction, and can go in the dishwasher, though most owners hand wash to keep the enamel bright.

It is heavy, as all cast iron is, and it is a lot to spend on one pot. For a couple in a first apartment, a 3.5 to 4.5 quart size is enough. For a family house, this is the one that will still be on the stove in thirty years.

The catch. Heavy when full, and white enamel shows scorch marks if the heat is left too high.