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When you live in an apartment that has a minuscule footprint, hosting friends and family is certainly a challenge. But don’t let a small dwelling dash your plans to throw a big dinner party—it doesn’t take much to successfully host an elegant event in a tiny space. Plastic Cutting Board With Peeler
By making a few minor changes and investing in some multipurpose items, you can reduce clutter, add comfort, and minimize the amount of post-dinner cleanup. Whether you’re gathering to celebrate Friendsgiving, a big birthday, or simply getting through another week, these Wirecutter picks can help make your next party more enjoyable and less chaotic for you and your guests.
This teak cutting board is perfect for prep and also for serving hors d’oeuvres.
May be out of stock
A wooden cutting board can serve many purposes—it’s great for meal prep, and it can be an elegant way to serve cheese and hors d’oeuvres. We recommend the Teakhaus Edge Grain Professional Carving Board, a beautiful midsize option that’s large enough to hold a bountiful spread but small enough that it can be tucked away in a cabinet at the end of the night. This board’s shallow handle slots make it easy to grip and carry, even when it’s laden with charcuterie (though we do wish the slots were a little deeper). When you use a cutting board to both prep and serve your antipasto, you’ll have one less dirty platter to clean when the party’s over.
These classic French-bistro-style glasses can hold any beverage, alcoholic or not, and they stack neatly to save cabinet space.
When cabinet storage is scarce, multipurpose glassware becomes a space-saving necessity, and the versatile Duralex Picardie Tumbler fits the bill. These glasses are elegant and lightweight yet durable enough to survive accidental drops, and they stack easily for storage. (One restaurateur we spoke with for our drinking glass guide said she’s used the Picardie glasses for three years. If they can withstand restaurant use, we think they’re good enough for home use, too.) These clear glasses also come in an array of translucent colors, so if you decide to mix and match colorways, your guests will have an easier time keeping track of their drinks.
This sturdy folding table is cheaper than many we found, and it’s available at most Target stores. But it’s harder to set up than others we tested, and the tabletop shows scratches.
Only available for store pickup
This well-made tablecloth comes in eight sizes, and it has a tight weave, which gives it a structured drape.
This chair is wider than most folding chairs we tested. The flexible and breathable—yet firm—plastic-mesh back and seat make it comfortable to sit on, even for long periods of time.
When your guest list is long but your dining room table is tiny, it’s time to bring in backup. Our picks for folding tables and chairs are easy enough to set up and break down quickly.
The Plastic Dev Group Banquet Table is an affordable, sturdy option that won’t wobble or buckle under the weight of a Friendsgiving spread, and it folds in half for easy storage. (A tip: When closet space is tight, you might be able to store this table under your couch, if there’s enough clearance.) Although this table’s smooth surface scratches more easily than those of some pricier picks, you’ll probably want to cover it with a tablecloth anyway. And if you’re looking for something fancy, we recommend the durable Williams Sonoma Hotel Tablecloth (but you can just as easily find an inexpensive tablecloth at your local thrift store).
While most folding chairs are notoriously uncomfortable, our testers have found the HDX Black Plastic Seat Foldable Folding Chairs to be extremely comfortable to sit in, even for hours at a time. Made of steel and ventilated, flexible plastic, these sturdy foldable chairs have a wide seat and a tall, supportive back with a bit of give. They are available in black or black with a silver frame, so you can choose the finish that looks best in your space. And despite the extra width of the seat, these chairs have a super-slim profile when folded. So it’s easy to stash them away when the party’s over.
To maximize table space, a spinning cake stand can be used as a serving stand, so it’s easier for guests to access condiments during the meal.
Once dinner is underway, the table can quickly become a crowded cornucopia of serving dishes, wine bottles, and bread baskets. One of the simplest ways to maximize table space is to use a rotating cake stand (or two, depending on the size of your group) to centralize condiments and make it easier for guests to reach them. We like the Ateco 612, a revolving cake-decorating stand that easily doubles as a serving stand. Place a stand in the center of the table (or use two and place one on each end of a long table). Then stock the stand with shorter dinnertime accoutrements, like a butter dish, salt and pepper shakers, and a gravy boat. (Larger bottles are a bit more precarious on a twirling stand, and they can impede your guests’ view of one another). Made with a stable cast iron base, this stand lets guests access what they need, without having to call down the table for the salt shaker.
This slender speaker sounds good, fits easily into tight spaces, and offers convenient USB-C charging.
No Friendsgiving get-together is complete without a mood-setting playlist. Piping your music through a powerhouse speaker is a good way to ensure that guests can hear it through the din. The Soundcore Motion 300, a pick in our guide to the best portable Bluetooth speakers, has a loud, clear sound. And it includes a sensor that detects whether it’s standing vertically or lying flat, to optimize the sound for that particular position. It’s slim enough to tuck into a small space or to carry around as the party moves from the kitchen to the living room, and with its 12-hour battery life, it’ll easily outlast any guests lingering at the end of the night. It also has a carrying strap with a snap closure, so you can hang the speaker from a cabinet handle or curtain rod if space is tight.
This rolling wooden cart has two shelves that provide ample storage space, and its surface is wide enough to fit a large cutting board.
When it comes to throwing parties in a small apartment, a rolling cart is an easy way to add more prep or serving surfaces to the room without taking up too much floor space. Then, once the party is underway, you can roll it out of the kitchen and turn it into a bar cart or a tray for side dishes. We recommend the IKEA Bekväm kitchen cart, an inexpensive, sturdy piece of movable furniture made of solid wood. This easy-to-assemble cart also has two shelves that offer plenty of extra storage space for mixing bowls, small appliances, or booze.
This inexpensive fan is more powerful than typical barebones window fans, with better controls and more options, and setup is easy.
When the oven is cranked and the burners are blazing, a small home can quickly become a sweltering sauna. A simple window fan can help ventilate your space and keep your guests from schvitzing as you cook up a storm in the kitchen. We like the Bionaire Twin Reversible Airflow Window Fan because it’s powerful enough to provide a substantial breeze that can be felt up to 24 feet away, and it has an easy-to-use interface that allows you to adjust the fan speed. The Bionaire also has a reverse setting that’s great for sucking smoke out of your kitchen, to help prevent the fire alarm from going off when you’re searing meat over high heat or frying potatoes in hot oil.
This article was edited by Alexander Aciman and Catherine Kast.
Elissa Sanci is a senior staff writer for Wirecutter’s discovery team based in Denver. Her byline has appeared in The New York Times, Woman’s Day, Marie Claire, and Good Housekeeping. When she’s not testing TikTok-famous products or writing about car garbage cans, you can find her hiking somewhere in the Rockies or lying on the couch with a bowl of chips balanced on her chest. There is no in-between.
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