There is much more to today’s salt and pepper shakers than a simple ‘S’ and ‘P’ on the top.  There is no end to the range of novelty sets available and they are a great gift choice for the home. As well as being inexpensive, it is easy to find a set which will go with any colour dinner set, and which will be practical as well as fun.

Here’s a selection of 10 of the best fun and quirky novelty salt and pepper sets.

1. Mr Men Wind Up Salt and Pepper

Kitsch have a variety of novelty salt and pepper sets. These wind up condiment shakers should raise a laugh at any dinner party. Mr Greedy dispenses pepper while Little Miss Naughty holds the salt. Children in particular will enjoy being asked to pass the salt as they wind them up and send them across the table.

Mr Men and Little Miss salt and pepper

2. King and Queen Chess Pieces Set

Find Me a Gift specialises in novelty gifts. This set of King and Queen chess salt and pepper grinders looks really realistic. Made from rubber tree wood, an ethical choice, the king stands at 18cm tall with the queen 16.5cm. The design means that they will blend in well and will look smart on any table. The set costs £19.99.

Chess piece salt and pepper mills

3. Salt and Pepper Wands

Add a bit of magic to your cooking, with this pair of novelty salt and pepper wands. Currently on sale for only £2.99 from Find Me a Gift, they bring that extra bit of fun to cooking. The pink one is for salt and the blue one is for pepper. The sight of you sprinkling some ‘fairy dust’ into the cooking will amuse anyone watching you cook.

Salt and pepper wands

4. Magnetic Set of Salt and Pepper

For a salt and pepper set that’s both practical and eye-catching, these Click magnetic salt and pepper grinders fit the bill. Just click the ears together to dispense the salt or pepper. Thanks to their magnetic skills, they can stick easily to the fridge. The set costs £12 from Habitat.

5. Pool Balls Salt and Pepper Set

It’s always good to make an ethical choice when buying and Ecocentric have a good selection of ethical and eco-friendly products. Set up by TV eco-designer Oliver Heath, their Cue ‘n’ 8 salt and pepper set would make a great present for any pool fan. The set is a bit pricey at just over £25.

Pool ball novelty salt and pepper set

6. Grunwerg Salt & Pepper Combi Mill, Stainless Steel

At 13.99 this combi mill is reasonably priced. It is a new addition to the Grunwerg range and is available from Cook In Style. Grunwerg is a company which is dedicated to new product development and innovation so it’s always worth taking a look at their range if you are looking for something modern and innovative. Made of stainless steel it has an acrylic window so that you can check how much salt and pepper you have left. Using it is easy – twist left for salt and right for  pepper.

Grunwerg salt and pepper mill

7. Piano Salt and Pepper Set

Musicroom sells this set of piano salt and pepper shakers for £10.99. Both have a bold black and white curvy design and sit snugly together.

Piano salt and pepper

8. Brain Salt and Pepper Set

At first glance this looks like something from a joke shop but these ceramic brain salt and pepper shakers are actually very well made (although perhaps not for the faint hearted!). Two small magnets keep them together, and add to the joke element. Lazybone sell the pair for £9.99.

9. Joseph Joseph No Spill Salt and Pepper Mill

Joseph Joseph no spill mill

This Joseph Joseph electric mill is designed to capture all the excess grains after use, so you don’t end up with bits of spilt salt and pepper on your dining table. It’s adjustable, so you can choose between fine or coarse grains, and is suitable for use with either salt or pepper. It’s £35 from John Lewis.

10. Bride and Groom Salt and Pepper Set

This bride and groom salt and pepper pots from Gifts for Your Home makes the ideal wedding gift, and would take pride of place in the kitchen, keeping the memory of the wedding alive for the newlyweds. The couple are kissing with a magnet keeping them snugly together, and they are reasonably priced at £8.95 for the set.

Bride and groom salt and pepper

For more weird and wonderful salt and pepper gift ideas, check out the Top 10 Contemporary Salt and Pepper Sets on Fresh Design Blog.

By Jackie Cosh