From practical and functional, design conscious and elegant, to fun and quirky, salt and pepper sets have come a long way over the years. If you’d like to make a design statement on your table, create a talking point at dinner parties or add a bit of fun to your kitchen, then we’ve gathered up our top 10 salt and pepper sets.

1. Alberto Mantilla Hug Salt and Pepper Set

Hugging pair

This cute little pair of salt and pepper shakers celebrates the art of hugging. Made from porcelain and designed by Alberto Mantilla in 2003, from the award-winning New York design company, Mint,  the black and white pair fit together in the embrace of a hug when not in use.

The Hug salt and pepper shakers are £20 from Cool and Collected.

2. Robert Welsh Stainless Steel Salt and Pepper Set with Bamboo Stand

Sleek and stylish salt and pepper set

This sleek and stylish stainless steel salt and pepper set is designed by Robert Welsh.

It’s the perfect addition to a contemporary dining table and comes with a bamboo wooden stand.

The Robert Welsh salt and pepper set costs £32 from John Lewis.

3. Salt and Pepper Robots

Wind up salt and pepper robots

We’re increasingly seeing more robot trends in homeware products and this pair of salt and pepper bots is a great example. The white robot has salting duties and the black one deals with the pepper and they can be wound up, so that they waddle across the table to deliver the goods.

Fun for adults and children alike, the salt and pepper bots cost £11.99 from Totally Funky.

4. Alessi Lilliput Salt and Pepper Set

Funky magnetic salt and pepper set

Alessi are renowned for producing modern and contemporary homeware and accessories and, amongst their range, they do a variety of weird and wonderful salt and pepper sets. It’s hard to choose only a few to feature (we could easily do a whole post just on Alessi condiment sets), but one of them has to be the Lilliput salt and pepper set.

Designed by Stefano Giovannoni and made from thermoplastic resin (with an 18/10 stainless steel base), the quirky salt and pepper characters have magnets on them, so they can be attached wherever you wish on the steel stem.

It’s definitely an unusual cruet set to have in use and can be enjoyed by any age.

The A di Alessi Lilliput salt and pepper set is available in a choice of colours, including orange, green, blue, black and white and yellow. Most of the colours cost £21 from Amazon, but the yellow version is currently on offer for the super bargainous price of only £14.67.

5. Lobster Salt Shaker

Stunning lobster salt shaker

In this case, you only get the salt shaker, but it’s quite a show stopper!

The realistically designed metal lobster, with it’s accurate detailing, is 10cm long and the salt is dispensed through a few holes on the top of its body (it is filled easily via a stopper underneath).

To get this amazing creature on your dining table, head over to Distinctly Living, where the lobster salt shaker costs £18.

6. Rubik’s Cube Salt and Pepper Mills

Bring the Rubik's Cube to the table

These wonderful Rubik’s Cube salt and pepper mills are designed in the shape and style of the favourite 1980s iconic retro puzzle. There’s no puzzle to solve to get the salt and pepper out though, just twist the top to get the grinder into action and your favourite condiment will be dispersed.

The Rubik’s Cube salt and pepper mills are sold separately for £11.99 each, or can be bought as a pair for £19.99 per set from Firebox.

7. Triangular Shaped Salt and Pepper Set

Sleek stainless steel salt and pepper set

If novelty salt and pepper shakers aren’t quite your style, but you do like good design and unusual shapes, then how about this triangular salt and pepper set?

Made from 18/8 stainless steel and hammered by hand, this pair of shakers are crafted into triangular shapes that are easy to hold and use. They’re refilled at the base and won’t tarnish.

The triangular shaped metal salt and pepper set is sold by Indigo Flair and costs £24.50.

8. Alessi Birds of Paradise Salt and Pepper Set

Birds in a tree

This weird and wonderful brightly coloured salt and pepper set is made from thermoplastic resin and features a small tree with two birds hanging from it – one offering salt and the other pepper. This one is guaranteed to be noticed if used on your table when entertaining!

The birds of paradise salt and pepper set is £31 from Alessi.

9. Bud Matryoshka Russian Dolls Salt, Pepper and Toothpick Set

Russian dolls cruet set

Matryoshka, or Russian Doll, designs have been a favourite trend in homewares and fashion in recent years and here they’re immortalised into a salt, pepper and toothpick set.

Designed by Bud, the three piece Matryoshka set is in graduating sizes and is available to purchase from Dotmaison. The usual price is £20, but they’re currently on offer for £16.70.

10. AIGA Wild Boar Design Ceramic Salt and Pepper Set

Wild boar animal silhouette

This salt and pepper set is handmade from cream coloured earthenware and is styled in a slim, cartridge shape. Both the salt and pepper shakers are decorated with a black wild boar silhouette design. It’s perfect for the minimalist, who doesn’t want a flamboyant set, but appreciates style and design.

The wild board salt and pepper shaker set is designed by Aiga Siceva-Sattler and is part of the Wildlife ceramic tableware collection. It can be purchased from the AIGA  store and costs £29.