You could save £62 this Christmas with Lidl’s £18 four-table set: will it handle 12 guests?

Guests, gifts and a shrinking living room loom on the horizon, and households start hunting for quick space savers now.

A budget-friendly answer arrives mid-October, promising extra surfaces without permanent clutter. It stacks away, pulls out fast, and costs less than a takeaway.

What shoppers are rushing to buy

Lidl is putting a compact Livarno Home nesting side table set on shelves from Thursday 16 October. It’s four metal tables that slot inside one another. Members using the Lidl Plus app pay £17.99. Non-members pay £19.99.

Four separate side tables, one stack, and a member price under £18 land in stores on 16 October.

Each table moves easily from sofa end to armchair corner. The design stays minimalist, so it blends with most living rooms and hallways. You get instant space for mugs, bowls and remotes. When guests leave, the set tucks back into one neat column.

Key specifications at a glance

• Price: £17.99 for Lidl Plus members, £19.99 for non-members
• Material: metal
• Format: four stackable side tables
• Use: living room, hallway, bedside, occasional entertaining

Why this £18 set matters before Christmas

More people arrive. Drinks multiply. Coffee tables vanish under crackers and chargers. You need flat surfaces near seats, not one bulky folding table in the middle. This set fans out to four locations in seconds. You can park a bowl of crisps by the armchair, a candle behind the sofa, and a hot chocolate by the window.

Stacked, the footprint equals the largest table. Deployed, you gain four usable platforms across the room.

The form factor helps small homes. Narrow tops reduce trip hazards. Straight legs slide beside sofas. Heights range from 30 cm to 45 cm, which suits low seating and kids’ spots as well as standard couches.

Where to put them

• Living room: one at each sofa end for cups, the small one behind the tree for a lamp.
• Hallway: the medium size for keys and post near the door.
• Bedroom: pair the taller two as compact bedside tables.
• Work corner: a perch for a notebook and headphones during video calls.

How the value stacks up

At the member price, each table costs about £4.50. Comparable single side tables on the high street often run to several times that per unit. Buying four individually would usually stretch a tight December budget. Here, you spread storage and function around the home for less than a cinema trip for two.

Per-table cost: roughly £4.50 if you use the Lidl Plus price, or £5.00 at the standard price.

Think in real terms. Hosting six to eight people? You likely need at least four extra landing spots to avoid laps and arm balancing. These pieces reduce spills, protect upholstery, and stop guests stretching over the tree lights to reach the coffee table.

Practical checks before you buy

The largest top is 30 cm square, so a dinner plate fits, but a platter might not. Each table supports up to 10 kg, which covers a heavy candle and a stack of books, but not a person sitting down.

Room and safety checklist

• Measure sofa arm height. A 40–45 cm top sits well with most three-seaters.
• Check carpets. On deep pile, add felt pads to stabilise the legs.
• Keep hot items centred. Narrow tops tip if loads hang over the edge.
• Place smallest tables away from toddlers. Low height invites climbing.
• Mind door swing. A 30 cm square beside a doorway can catch toes.

Care, storage and longevity

Wipe with a soft cloth after sticky December snacks. Use coasters to avoid rings from hot mugs. If the finish is painted, avoid abrasive sprays. Stack them when not needed; the tower uses the same footprint as the largest piece, so you can hide the set by a bookcase or under the stairs.

Protect floors with stick-on felt discs. That reduces noise on laminate and avoids scuffs. If you plan to move them around a lot, keep a packet of spare pads in a drawer and replace when they compress.

Timing and availability

Stock goes on sale from 16 October, which gives you a clear run into party season. Lidl’s seasonal lines often sell through fast. Check the latest store leaflet before you head out, and have a back-up colour in mind if options vary by branch.

A quick space plan for your next gathering

Position the two taller tables at either end of the main sofa. Place the medium table beside the most used armchair. Tuck the smallest behind the sofa to lift a lamp and free your main table for sharing plates. Keep a tray on the largest top to carry glasses in one go. This layout brings surfaces within arm’s reach for 6–8 people and reduces traffic around the tree.

Who gets the most from this buy

Flat-dwellers gain storage without permanent bulk. Families get kid-height platforms for crafts that slide away at bedtime. Renters who can’t add shelves still create landing zones around the room. If you host occasionally but live small daily, this mix of four light tables hits a useful balance.

Two extra tips that stretch the value

• Turn one into a plant stand in January. Rotate the tallest between living room and hallway to freshen the look.
• Use socket timers with a lamp on the smallest table for a cosy corner without dragging extension leads across the floor.

Four pieces, one stack, and a total under £20 give you flexibility now and year-round utility later.

One last check before you commit: think about your busiest week in December. Count seats. Count mugs. If you can place four extra surfaces within 60 seconds and store them in the same footprint as a shoebox when quiet, this set earns its keep. If you entertain more than a dozen people, consider two sets and zone the room into conversation clusters to reduce crowding and spills.