We tried 48 afternoon tea deliveries – these are the best for gifting

Score: 91/100

Our testers were impressed with this well curated, premium hamper. Inside are 12 items, including a bottle of prosecco, a collection of teas, a fruit cake, lemon curd, strawberry jam, clotted cream, shortbread and sables (buttery cookies to you and me!).

Highlights include the locally made Victoria sponge and scones, and our experts thought this would make a delicious gift.

Read more: Best prosecco

Score: 89/100

Ensuring no one misses out, Piglets Pantry offers a fresh selection of sweet and savoury bites for meat-eaters and veggies alike. We tried a meat-free selection, which impressed our panel with its special touches and exciting flavours.

The cakes were incredibly moist, while the veggie scotch "egg" opened to reveal a bright beetroot interior. It's excellent value for money as well, with easily enough to serve three people.

Please note that this will arrive in the form of a voucher from Virgin Experiences, which the lucky recipient can then redeem for their tasty Piglet's Pantry hamper. It's a handy solution if you’re not sure they will be in to receive a fresh delivery. The voucher can be redeemed within 12 months, on a date of their choice.

Score: 87/100

Our testers loved this beautifully curated afternoon tea, which has a mixture of classic sweet treats made in Devon and Cornwall, including buttery shortbread, rich fudge, and classic fluffy scones with strawberry jam and a generous tub of clotted cream. You also get a refreshing bottle of prosecco to wash it all down with.

Score: 85/100

Whether you choose to send it as a free e-voucher, or as a physical gift pack, the lucky recipient has 12 months to redeem this afternoon treat. The generous selection includes four scones and 10 (yes, 10!) sandwiches, alongside sweet treats, making it ideal for a family.

The packaging isn’t quite as attractive as our top-rated hampers, however, the contents more than make up for that. The classic sandwiches — generously filled with smoked salmon, cucumber, ham and mustard and retro coronation chicken — were impressively fresh, while the fluffy scones come with an abundance of clotted cream and strawberry jam.

Alongside lemon drizzle cakes and flapjacks, there’s also a colourful assortment of macarons (the dulce de leche being our favourite!), and a choice of tea to serve.

Score: 83/100

Moist, fudgy, rich and sticky — these indulgent brownies received no end of superlatives from our judging panel. So, you may be surprised to learn that they’re also vegan! Our mixed case featured three of the brand’s most popular flavours — sea salt, Biscoff and salted caramel — and, conveniently, they’re sent in a letterbox-friendly package.

And in case you need further convincing, one enthused tester said, “I could eat a whole box of these brownies and die happy!”.

Score: 83/100

A lovely choice for traditionalists, this pretty, giftable box contains moist fruit scones, strawberry jam and a classic tea loaf. You’ll also receive 80 tea bags, so you’ll have plenty left over long after the last crumb is hoovered up.

Although we would have loved this package to include clotted cream or butter, at this price, it’s not a dealbreaker. The scones were a real highlight, and we loved that these could be frozen too (although we wouldn’t blame you if you eat the lot in one sitting!).

Score: 82/100

This luxurious edit serves four people, and the quality of the produce more than justifies the price tag. The traditional scones are packed with juicy sultanas and come with a generous array of clotted cream and raspberry jam, so you can slather on with wild abandon.

The lemon drizzle cakes also proved a highlight, while the box of macarons adds a touch of class.

Score: 81/100

Proving afternoon tea doesn't have to be all about the sweet treats, this savoury hamper still ticks all the right boxes. It comes with two of Snowdonia's waxed cheese wheels – our panel particularly enjoyed the cranberry flavour in the Bouncing Berry cheese – and the crackers and fig & apple chutney make the perfect accompaniment.

There's also a box of Joe's Ever So English Tea and a jar of strawberry jam (though no scones, sadly), and the sweet tooths will be pleased to know there’s a box of decadent Belgian truffles to finish.

Score: 81/100

Gin fans, rejoice! This cream tea hamper includes a mini bottle of craft gin, alongside Franklin & Sons mixers for a refreshing aperitif before you get stuck into the scones (and tea!).

Standout elements for our experts included the moreish baked apple and custard all-butter biscuits from Elegant & English – the perfect crumbly dunker for your cuppa. Elsewhere, the scones proved the ideal vessel for lashings of strawberry jam.

Read more: Best gin | Best gin gifts

Score: 81/100

Huffkins specialises in luxury hampers and delicious handmade cakes, sent directly to your door from the Cotswolds.

This afternoon tea delivery box contains freshly baked fluffy scones, smooth and creamy clotted cream and the brand's homemade strawberry jam. There are also tea bags and chocolate brownies, making this a great all-rounder, which impressed our panel.

Score: 80/100

A good brew just isn’t quite complete without dunking a biscuit or two, so Cartwright & Butler has covered all bases and collated four distinct types.

From zingy lemon zest shortbread to chewy cranberry, our testers appreciated the mix of flavours, all of which are presented in a reusable green tin alongside tea and coffee.

Score: 79/100

This crowd-pleasing edit of Marks & Spencer's best baked bits conveniently fits through the letterbox and is great value too. Testers loved the spicy carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, and who can resist a classic Victoria sponge when it's this moist?

With chocolate-coated biscuits, brownies and shortbread making up the rest of this care package, all that’s left to do is to pop the kettle on (don’t worry, tea bags are included).

Score: 78/100

Can’t get to a Patisserie Valerie store in person? No problem. The brand has packaged up its best bits, ready to send straight to your door (with nationwide next day delivery available, perfect for last minute gatherings!).

It's frozen before sending, to ensure absolute freshness, and includes enough goodies to serve two to four people. Inside, you'll find indulgent choux pastry filled with fresh cream, and freshly baked cake slices. Our experts were impressed with how natural and fresh everything tasted, especially considering it had been defrosted on site.

Score: 74/100

Moving away from the traditional theme, there's not actually any tea in this hamper, but what you get instead is two bottles of Hawkstone premium Cotswold lager. And you can still put the kettle on at home, if you can’t be without your cuppa.

The goodies come in a Union Jack jute bag, and also include bready savoury scones, which are delicious served with the extra mature Black Bomber cheddar and spicy tomato and caramelised onion chutney. Warm the scones up a touch to enjoy them at their best.

Score: 74/100

London’s 100% natural bakery has packaged up all the classics into a modern orange gift box. You’ll start with warm scones, slathered with jam and clotted cream, before moving onto treats like lemon drizzle cake and freshly baked chocolate brownie. Served with loose leaf black tea, it’s almost like being at the cafe in person.

Cutter & Squidge also makes it easy to send afternoon tea deliveries to multiple locations, so this is ideal for different groups and catch-ups from afar.

Score: 70/100

If you’re looking for the perfect gift for the tea-lover in your life, we think we’ve found it. Containing four pretty floral caddies and a silver tea strainer for using again and again, you’ll find a brew for every occasion. For extra brownie points, you could make your own sweet treats to serve alongside…