Browse links
US residents can opt out of "sales" of personal data.
We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
Impress all your friends with your problem-solving skills thanks to these clever solutions.
BuzzFeed Staff
BuzzFeed Staff
Promising review: "These things are amazing! I bought two of them, one as part of my everyday carry and one for my get-home bag for the car. It instantly ignited anything between the diodes when you push the button. Waterproof when closed, wind proof when open. Charges in about two hours, give or take. I don’t know how long it will last on one charge. Normal lighters run out of fuel eventually, and having a free and easy way to sustain these is a major benefit of their rechargeable design. The lid latches tightly, and the hinge that attached above the release button holds very well. You shouldn’t have to worry about this coming undone and igniting your shorts any time soon. Works beautifully, functionally, and is small enough to be added to any every day carry or survival kit." —Charlie Bush
Get it from Amazon for $14.99.
Pull Start Fire is a small business founded by Mike Beyrodt, a mechanical engineer who was inspired to create this genius firestarter when he and his friends couldn't start a fire in the middle of a -22°F snowstorm during a snowboarding trip.
Promising review: "Bought this for use when we travel with our RV. Also shared with our daughter, as they RV, too. They used this the first time last night, and made a special point to call and tell us how awesome and easy to use this pull fire starter actually is. I’m back on the Grommet site today to order more. Many thanks for this invention." —Pat N.
Get a set of six from The Grommet for $24.
It even comes with a lil' straw cleaner so you don't have worry about reusing it on the go, and it has a silicone tip!
Promising review: "I bought this in an effort to be less wasteful with the plastics and also because I can NEVER find a straw when I need one — and this knocked it out of the park!! The awesome oil-slick coloring on the straw? Amazing! It collapses and opens smoothly and the little telescoping cleaner brush is fabulous! Everyone in my office is jealous and now wants one too." —Ashe
Get it from Amazon for $5.95+ (available in seven colors).
Each port has a charging speed of up to 2.4 amps — or 3 amps under direct sunlight. When it's folded, it's 11.1 inches by 6.3 inches. And opened, it's 26.4 inches by 11.1 inches. It even has stainless-steel eyeholes on each corner so you can attach anywhere — over your backpack, to your tent, or to a tree!
Promising review: "I’ve used this on four separate backpacking trips through backcountry; each trip ranging from three to six days. I’ve been able to keep a steady charge with this solar panel consistently. Very sturdy, works great. I love the pocket where the USBs go, you can put phone or cords in while charging. You can even clip it to your pack while trekking and get a charge while you're on the move. All in all, I’ve had no issues with it. So worth it." —nicole hernandez
Get it from Amazon for $69.99.
This bracelet is compatible with USB-C devices.
Promising review: "I usually have every sort of cable that I could possibly need when I'm at work, but I don't usually carry one on my person when I'm elsewhere. It looks sharp and isn't obviously a cable, but it's always available should I need it. One thing I have found is that the cable is compatible with Apple CarPlay, and when plugged into a computer it will function like a default Apple cable. I am incredibly happy with it and would recommend it to anyone who might ask. I need more things like this in my life." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $14.99 (available in two sizes and three colors).
Promising Review: "I didn't know what I was missing until I used this. My life is now complete. If you enjoy comfort and lazy binge-watching but don't care how ridiculous you look wearing these, you have found nirvana. My glasses fit in these just fine. Takes a minute to get used to, then it becomes your reason to live. Expect people to laugh at you, but forgive them for they know not what they are missing." —Michael Boyd
Get them on Amazon for $12.88.
Promising review: "Great little gadget, but you have to tighten it properly or it will seep out the soda, but do not overtighten. Also chilling the soda works better than a room temp soda. We connected them and put them on the bar, our guests all want one now." —Wayfair Customer
Get a set of two from Wayfair for $18.99.
Promising review: "These brushes are freaking fantastic. I tried them on a portion of my shower and bathroom floor tiles and grout. I immediately had to do the rest because it made the cleaner sections look dirty. I also tried it on the side of my fridge that is next to my stove top. It did a pretty good job there as well at removing grease and stains. The only downside is that it made me enjoy cleaning!" —Eric T. Ma
Get it from Amazon for $14.95 (available in six levels of brush stiffness from soft to ultra).
Promising review: "So I had a power adapter cable that while working had seen better days and was starting to fray. As the machine is coming up on 9 years of use investing in a new power adapter wasn't really high on my list of investments. So I figured I'd give this a try. I rolled and smoothed it out and let it settle for 24 hours as recommended. Well the cable has crazy reinforcement and is now strong like a bull. Now I just need to find more things to use the other packs on! 10/10 would buy again." —Chris Burke
Get a three-pack from Amazon for $7.99 (available in three color combinations).
This tool includes secateurs (aka pruners), a root remover, a knife, a saw, a bottle opener, and an easy weeding utensil.
EcoVibe is a Black-owned, family-owned, and woman-owned small business based in Portland, Oregon that specializes in selling plants, plant accessories, and gardening supplies.
Get it from EcoVibe for $40.
Promising review: "I originally bought this for a solo trip to Florida because wasn’t willing to leave my phone and credit card or rental car keys on the beach while playing in the ocean. For the price, this little thing has paid itself off and then some! I was able to fit my iPhone, two cards, and car keys in this while I blissfully floated in the ocean for hours. I even ordered this wristlet that makes your phone float in case I let go of it. I’ve also used it in my hotel Jacuzzi tub (and the bathtub at home), in the hot tub at the hotel, and the water park. I am not afraid to completely submerge my phone or just let it get splashed. Especially for solo female travelers, you never want to be separated from your phone because it’s your life source, so nothing ruins a beach day like water damaging your phone. I really love this product!" —SpikesInk
Get it from Amazon for $6.99+ (available in 14 colors).
Promising review: "I am an EDC junkie. I always want to everyday carry something that will get me out of a pickle. With microtools, I often carry two. My world is just an ongoing lab to test which microtools work best. This tool has NEVER been cut from the rotation since I received it. I've also used the smoking pipe, and it worked perfectly and was super easy to clean with a standard pipe cleaner. Get this!" —krakatoa
Get it from Amazon for $22.99.
Promising review: "These work amazingly well. I was surprised that you can charge and use them at the same time. I use them on planes to listen to the in-flight entertainment with my AirPods. I also use them to listen to music on my laptop with my AirPods. They work really well. Now, I don't have to carry my wired earbuds with me when I travel anymore. They really work as advertised. I have not had any issues with them since I started using them." —RPL
Get it from Amazon for $37.09+ (available in four options).
You basically clasp your necklaces to the corresponding sides of the detangler, then clasp the detangler — voila, no more untwisting your necklaces every day!
Theresa Rose is San Diego-based small business that creates personalized gifts, birthstone jewelry, and jewelry accessories.
My coworker Kayla, an editor here at BuzzFeed, loves these: "I recently bought a couple of these and had one of those very real, WHY DIDN'T I BUY ONE OF THESE SOONER moments. They do an amazing job at keeping your necklaces from tangling as you wear them, and I love that I can layer multiple of my favorites at once. I am forever sold on these."
Get it from Theresa Rose on Etsy for $12.49+ (available in gold and silver, and with two, three, or four clasps).
For some context: There are 30 medium bandages, six antiseptic wipes, 10 mini bandages, 10 alcohol prep pads, four knuckle bandages, four sting relief pads, four fingertip bandages, four butterfly bandages, one moleskin blister relief, two disposable PVC gloves, one first aid tape, one CPR mask, one trauma shears, one emergency glow stick, one pair of metal tweezers, one sewing kit, one whistle, one compass, give sterile gauze pads, one triangular bandage, one large trauma pad, one emergency blanket, 20 cotton tips, one elastic bandage, six safety pins, one instant ice pack, and one first aid guide.
There's also a mini first aid pouch with: 10 medium bandages, two alcohol prep pads, two sting reliefs, one non-woven pad, 10 cotton tips, one sterile gauze pad, one first aid tape, four safety pins, and one CPR mask.
Promising review: "A high-quality first aid kit that contains what you need. True to the description, it is compact and light. A lot of kits will stuff their kits with cheap product or include a high amount of small, inconsequential things to get the item count up. This kit actually delivers what you need with high quality items. I first looked at constructing my own kit, but this kit provides most of what I was looking for at a cost that would be really hard to replicate. You could do it, but you would need be producing a large number of kits and buy in bulk. The bag also had additional room in which I could put additional items to supplement the kit as needed/wanted. I will be buying more." —C Sund
Get it from Amazon for $24.79.
Promising review: "My friend has an ancient HP laptop with corrupted bios and an old 2.5-inch IDE drive. She wanted pictures from the old laptop, but, with the corrupted BIOS, the machine would no longer boot, and we thought the pics were long gone. Instead of spending time trying to re-flash an old BIOS, I saw this adapter and thought I would try to use it to copy the files off of the laptop's old IDE hard drive. In short, it was fantastic. I was able to read the old IDE drive, and I found her pictures and managed to copy them to a large flash drive without breaking a sweat! So as I'm writing this, I'm using it to clone an old 3.5 inch SATA HD, plugged into this adapter, to a new SSD on another SATA to USB adapter that I had around. Working perfectly. This is a very handy tool for anyone who plays with their old piles of hardware or works on computers for other people. I love it." —Toolmanjsp
Get it from Amazon for $27.99.
The inner dimensions of the case are 6.80 x 3.74 x 0.78 inches so you can sanitize pretty much anything that fits inside!
Promising Review: "I used to Clorox-wipe my phone all the time. It's such a pain and leaves a weird residue on my phone. I love that I can put my phone in and go wash my face. By the time I am done, so is my phone! I also clean my wallet, keys, and jewelry. Pretty much anything I can fit inside it that normally doesn't get cleaned. I thought it was kind of expensive at first, however, I have used it so many times that it more than makes up for the price." —DoeEyedFawn
Get it from Amazon for $79.95 (available in four colors).
These detanglers from Wad-Free aren't recommended for use with bamboo, eucalyptus, or rayon sheets.
Wad-Free is a small business that invented this laundry gadget to prevent sheets from tangling, twisting, and balling up during the laundry process.
Promising review: "Wow!!! You wonder if things like this really work and, well, I can absolutely confirm it does! First, I was impressed that the package came with two of the devices because I was only expecting one. So there was one for the fitted sheet, and the flat sheet. Finally, I tried it out and my sheets not only did NOT wad up, they came out of the dryer feeling fresher, feeling more dry, and unwrinkled! I will be buying a set of these for each of my immediate family members and close friends! What a great gift!!!" —katy
Get it from Amazon for $18.99.
The tool has a #1 Phillips bit, #2 Phillips bit, a 3/16-Inch slot bit, a 1/4-Inch slot bit, a 1/4-inch nut driver, and a 5/16-inch nut driver.
Promising review: "Simply the Best Six-in-One screwdriver on the market. I've installed alarms, cameras, and other electronics for 20 years. This driver is up to the task, and the bits last forever. This is my third one. Only because the first two were lost or stolen at/from commercial job sites. Hands down destroys all other competitors. Klein has an annoying habit of the driver biting into the screw too hard and actually pulling the driver from shaft. No issues like this with the Lenox." —Soaked in Bleach
Get it from Amazon for $7.99.
Each 6-foot extension cord has three outlets, so you can cover 12 feet of space with seven outlets.
Promising Review: "I have no idea why these are not sold everywhere. PERFECT for my room! I ended up getting this due to my king-size bed being against a wall with only one outlet. I needed a way to connect my two lamps on my nightstand and this is absolutely, without a doubt, the very best solution to connecting my lamps and also not having all my outlets taken up. I recommend this to everyone! Also perfect for outlets connected to a switch to turn on and off both lights at the same time." —Ryan
Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (also available in black).
The set of four comes with 2-mm and 3-mm wide adjusters, which are each 10 cm long — so you can pick the width you want, then cut it down to your perfect size.
Promising Review: "I lost weight during my pregnancy (and after) and my wedding rings kept falling off. I didn't want to get them resized, have a little ball welded in or wear one of those guards that slide around. I pretty much gave up on wearing them. I saw these in one of those silly BuzzFeed lists about Amazon products. I usually just read those things for a good laugh (really who needs a hedgehog shaped planter.) I immediately put this item in my cart and I couldn't be happier! It comes with four sizes. I used the smallest size for my engagement ring. It was super easy to wrap around." —DMA
Get a set of four from Amazon for $6.99.
It preps ya with a flashlight, bottle opener, screw driver, hex wrench, and, of course, an actual ballpoint pen.
Promising Review: "Really cool gadget; something I was looking for, for quite a while. I'm a type of gal that likes to carry basic tools in my purse, so this tactical pen comes really handy for me. It eliminates the need to carry a flashlight, screwdriver, and some other stuff (including the actual pen) separately! It's sturdy, has nice design and pen writes very smoothly. I'm really happy with this purchase." —Joanna H.
Get it from Amazon for $10.98.
Promising Review: "This was so easy to toss in my car. When I want to grab coffee for a group on a whim I just flip the handle up and spread the holders around. I used to get stuck carrying drinks inside two at a time; now I can easily get five at once, four in the carrier and one in my other hand." —Amy Shoemaker
Get it on Amazon for $9.95.
You'll need four AA batteries to get this thing going. It has three speed options — all you do is place it in a pan, turn it on, and it will rotate the food on its own! You can also take off the legs to clean them in the dishwasher.
Promising review: "Used it today to start a cheese sauce. I love it! I didn’t have to stand over the saucepan stirring or whisking. Lately, I have had some arthritis in some fingers. It’s perfect for us cooks!!!!" —PaulaBotta
Get it from Amazon for $35.95.
Rumpl is a small business based in Portland, Oregon that makes stylish, cozy "sleeping bag blankets" as well as other outdoor and camping products.
Promising review: "Where has this been?! A silky side and fleece side = all the options. I use this as a packing cube for clean clothing and that double purpose meets my needs well." —Michael B.
Get it from Rumpl for $35 (available in four colors).
Promising review: "This is a great product and a great idea. I am someone who has a lot of notebooks and journals; I like to write everything down so I remember it. I have wasted countless Post-it notes writing to-do lists and this little notebook not only helps me preserve my beloved Post-its, it's great for the environment as I'm reusing the same pages instead of tearing them out and starting with a brand-new page or notebook. I wish I had known about this when I was going to college, how much time and money it would have saved me. I love the fact that you can just scan each page and send it to a specific place that you have designated. Way to go, Rocketbook! You are my new favorite thing! I literally show as many people as I can about this." —Natasha
Get it from Amazon for $27.98+ (available in executive and letter and nine colors).
It definitely has strong suction power, so use it lightly! Whenever I've used it, I always get better results whenever I use it immediately after I get stung or bit, so make sure to bring it along if you're going on a hike or somewhere else you know bug bites are likely.
Promising review: "I am a magnet for bites of all kinds and carry topical and medicines with me at all times — so I figured this would be a good product to see if it really works. I woke up with a bug bite on my arm so I used this little tool (three times per the instructions) — immediately after using, it stopped itching! And less than 24 hours later the bump/bite gone! There is a very faint red mark from using the thing, but a small price to pay IMO. Bottom line: it’s awesome. I’m carrying it with me everywhere!" —Rebecca
Get it from Amazon for $9.95 (available in two colors).
Promising review: "I have four dogs in NYC. I have to wash their feet after every walk because the streets are so filthy. It would take me about 10 to 15 minutes to clean their paws with a spray bottle and towel. Now, it takes about five minutes. And the towel doesn’t end up filthy. The dirt gets caught in the cup. Plus the dogs seem to like it. The silicone bristles must feel good. A huge thumbs-up!" –Sandra
Get it from Amazon for $14.74 + (available in three sizes and six colors)
Promising review: "These work. They are of good quality construction. I had a sock problem, and these have stopped the unexplained disappearance of socks. Obviously, the sock monster can't swallow the Sock Dock full of socks, only single socks." —A.D. Burnette
Get it from Amazon for $16 (available in five colors).
Promising review: "I have these sneakers that I rarely wear, and when I do, I get so annoyed because the laces come off all the time. But I do love the sneakers. These lock laces are so great — whoever invented them should be getting a humanitarian award for helping people." —Inday G.
Get two pairs from Amazon for $15.99 (available in eight color combinations).
Matador is a small business that creates innovative, durable, and long-lasting travel and outdoor products, and in fact, the Pocket Blanket was the first product they ever created.
Promising review: "I love this product because the blanket can fold into a small pocket and I can bring it with me while traveling. I plan to order more to put in the car, to put one in an emergency kit, and give out as gifts. It’s so convenient being pocketable." —Evelyn
Get it from The Grommet for $29.95 (available in three colors).
The mat is 12 inches in diameter, making it the perfect fit for most microwave turn tables.
Promising review: "I’m a habitual canned soup eater. In the past I’ve burned my hands many times getting the bowls out of the microwave, and also dealt with explosive soup in the microwave that needed to be cleaned. This is a game changer! I lay it across my soup bowl, cook it, the fold down the sides to protect my hands from heat while I carry it to the table to eat." —JeanBean
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
Promising review: "I've tried so many different products that are supposed to allow you to carry multiple bags at once, but nothing has worked as well as this! It's easy to use: Just hold one end of the handle and thread the other end through the handles on the bags. Then you can either bring the two ends of the Grocery Gripps carrier together to carry the bags with a single handle, or place one end of the carrier through the other to carry the bags over your shoulder. Carrying the bags over my shoulder worked really well for me because it allowed me to spread the weight of the bags over my hips and back instead of taking all the weight on my shoulder. I initially balked at the expense of this product, but it's very well made and sturdy and really makes our lives easier. It's worth the money." —S. Hill
Get it from Amazon for $12.95.
Promising review: "I have a medical disorder that causes my fingers to lose dexterity in cold, and in my job, I have to go into a freezer and open taped up boxes every day. I was having way too much trouble getting the tape off, and didn't want to use a bulky box cutter. So I found this, put them on my keys, and it is ready to go immediately. It hasn't cut me, and I grab my keys over and over a day (I'm a delivery driver) and have yet to be injured. I love this thing! The blade is tiny, but strong. It does not retract, but it's still safe." —Rachel C.
Get it from Amazon for $6.99.
The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.