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I think the hostess gift should depend on the hostess... Anyway, how does this work?

"Anyway, how does this work?"

You spread the jacks around, put a hot pot on it and it keeps the pot from burning the table...

I can think of better ways to spend $44 - like a vintage tile trivet and a nice bottle of wine.

No seriously, how does it work as in, what keeps the jacks from moving or falling over when you place the pot on top of them? I wouldn't give this as a gift.

It looks like a medieval and/or ninja weapon.

It looks to me like it would easily get lost in a drawer and be forgotten. A more useful gift would be appropriate.

It looks precarious; that's why I'm wondering how it works.

I agree with visualingual. I'd like to know a bit more about it and how it works and is stabilized. Without and explanation, it does look precarious. And one thing I don't want precarious is something supporting a steaming hot pot of something. 3rd degree soup burns are never a good housewarming gift.

I have this, and it's not precarious at all. That is, as long as you arrange the jacks close enough together to fit under the pot! And they're nice and higher than most trivets, which I like.
...Still, I must say that I'm a little disappointed with them, design-wise. I'm not sure exactly why. Maybe they look a little too disjointed, like clutter. So I rarely use them.

My host/ess gifts tend towards the usable, instead of stuff my host/ess might not have room for. Candles, wine, cut flowers, fancy soaps, and regional snacks are my go-tos.

Who has $44 to spend on a trivet?