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.
1. A pair of vintage cat-eye sunglasses that come in so many colors it will be virtually impossible not to find one that matches your 'tude.
Promising review: "These are perfect. I ordered these for summer and just wanted some cute cat eye sunnies little did I know these were better than what I had expected and maybe even better than the more expensive version from Nordstrom Quay. I will be ordering again! They aren't too tight on my head and feel like an expensive pair!" —Kat
Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in nine styles).
2. A small crushed ice machine with a *ton* of useful purposes — people mention using it for homemade Sno Cones, Frappuccinos, or even just a fix for anyone who loves crushed ice from the gas station or fast food restaurants they might not to get to very often now.
Promising review: "I really like crushed (read: Sonic) ice, but I've not been getting soft drinks there since the pandemic started up. So, I decided to try this. For the price, I was surprised how good this gadget is. My half-moon ice cubes from my ice maker fit well, I can do about eight cubes at a time. The cranking is not hard, just make sure it's on a surface that the rubber feet can grip. I like the ice texture." —CJG
Get it from Amazon for $20.98.
3. A sparkling-wine saver to keep your bubblies bubbling, so you can pop your prosecco any day of the week without worrying about wasting the leftovers.
I purchased one of these at the aggressive behest of a friend, and it's LEGIT. I told myself I was a Red Wine Lady my whole life because it was easier to save for later, but now that I don't live in constant fear of wasting the bubbly stuff, I am an All Wine Lady and have finally achieved my truest form.
Promising review: "This product was a real surprise for me, I was never able to keep my bubblies as fresh and bubbly after the first opening. Three days later, and my expensive BRUT tastes just as nice. Frankly, this is probably going to become my go-to gift from now on... pair a nice bottle to it and voila! Thumbs up!" —RonBY
Check out BuzzFeed's review of the wine saver here!
Get it from Amazon for $11.97.
4. A set of 50,000 (!!) highly popular, 100% biodegradable water beads that are basically microscopic when they arrive, but expand into small, bouncy jelly-like balls when exposed to water. People love them for at-home spa treatments, for fun games with kids, for making stress balls, for home decorating — the world is your water bead oyster.
Promising review: "Quarantine made me do it but I’m not sorry. Don’t bother buying the expensive name brand Orbeez — these are essentially the same and work great. My kids LOVE these! A million uses and great for all ages of kids (except for babies). We have filled up a huge bin and used cups to scoop and play. We have put them in the water table outside. We have used a funnel to fill up balloons and make homemade squishy stress balls. We have made foot spas. We have talked about filling a baby wading pool and lounging, but I’m not willing to buy enough. 😂TIPS — a small amount of these goes a LONG way. About half the beads in this container will fill up half of a Rubbermaid garage storage tub. Just pour them into your container with a large amount of water and wait, wait, wait. Did I mention WAIT — It will take ONE TO TWO DAYS for them to fully expand, so plan ahead!!! We’ve gotten hours of fun and I’ve also heard they’re good for gardens, so you can dispose of them there when you’re done (though you might want to do your own research on that one!)" —Deeber
Get a set of 50,000 from Amazon for $7.99.
5. A rainbow prism suncatcher you can easily hang indoors or out to refract sunlight and make a bunch of teensy little rainbows all over the place, like you're living in your own little magical realm.
Promising review: "This might be the best thing I’ve ever purchased. My room looks magical on sunny afternoons. If you love yourself buy these crystals. Not only are the rainbows pretty but the crystals are too." —Tiffany Tyree
Get a set of two from Amazon for $9.99.
6. A soft silicone coffee straw designed to be super gentle on your teeth and mouth and help prevent you from getting a ton of coffee stains on your teeth. Its thin design means it can slide right into the sipping hole of small caps like Starbucks, too.
KoffieStraw is a family-owned small business that specializes in sustainable silicone straws made with comfort, safety, and convenience in mind.
Psst — this straw works for both iced *and* hot coffee, and is also completely dishwasher-safe.
Promising review: "I’m in love with this straw. I have been using stainless steel straws with silicone tops. But this straw is just so very comfortable to use." —Sandra
Get it from The Grommet for $9.95 (available in four colors).
7. An assortment of international snacks so you can take a whole trip around the globe without ever leaving the living room.
Each assortment is a mix of salty and sweet, and is curated so meltables like chocolate don't ship out in the warmer months!
Promising review: "Fun quarantine activity. The kids absolutely LOVED this, they acted like YouTube unboxers😅 We really liked the guide that they sent us. We will be purchasing more from this brand." —Mandy
Get it from Amazon for $14.95.
8. A shampoo scalp massager you can use in the shower to massage and exfoliate your scalp, not just helping promote hair health and growth, but making showers feel 800 times more decadent than they have any right to be.
Promising review: I cannot explain how good this feels when your using it! It relaxes you and for sure is better than just using your fingertips to shampoo your hair. It actually goes down to the roots and makes sure that it gets into all the spots it can to clean your hair. I can tell you right now that my hair has never felt more smoother than after I started using this product. I would definitely recommend this!" —Romie Patel
Get it from Amazon for $6.99+ (available in three colors).
9. A leak-proof sphere ice mold to make everything you drink feel so top shelf and fancy that you may just spend your entire night writing a self-insert James Bond fan fiction.
Promising review: "These spherical ice cube makers are a lot of fun. Given that they're pretty cheap, I really wish I had bought them earlier! I was able to get significantly clearer spheres of ice when I boiled tap water before freezing (I poured it into the mold while it was still hot)." —dyanecek
Get a set of two from Amazon for $11.95 (available in eight shapes).
10. A combination sleep mask with wireless headphones so you can listen to white noise, audiobooks, or music to relax without risking your ears getting snore while you snooze. Bonus: it's designed to work for side sleepers, and the inside is contoured with a cooling memory foam so you don't feel pressure on your eyes, either.
It takes about two hours to charge, with each charge offering 10 hours of continuous play time.
Promising review: "I love, love, love this mask! I was truly impressed by the sound quality of those little speakers! Very comfortable to wear and sleep in various positions. It is a blackout mask and trust me if you have it on correctly, you will not see any light at all. I normally have difficulty falling asleep, but now I can't wait to put it on, because I Bluetooth it to my phone, turn on my sleep meditation, and I promise you I am sleep in about 10 minutes or less. I accidentally overslept last week because I forgot to turn my alarm back on and when I took off the mask the sun was shining bright so I knew I was late — thankfully not too late. The charge on the mask lasts a long time as well." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $24.97.
11. A gorgeous fluttering crop top so you can beat the heat *and* maintain your vintage, slightly mysterious aesthetic with its fluttery sleeves and unique tie.
Promising review: "I was invited to a winery in Temecula with friends and didn't want to wear a dress because of the heat. I was eyeing this too online and pulled the trigger on a Medium hoping it would close on my 36C chest because Large tops usually fit long on the shoulder seams. IT FIT LIKE A DREAM! It has a clip near the tassels that you tie to it is super secure. I paired it with jeans also from Target from Unique Vintage." —Jgutierrez
Get it from Target for $20 (available in women's sizes XS–XXL and three colors).
12. A set of eye-popping fine-point pens designed for planners and journals that will not only delight anyone with their easy gliding, but also the way they never bleed through pages.
Promising review: "The best pens out there! I love love love these pens!! I’m all about superfine tip pens. These are absolutely amazing! They glide and fill in areas and no bleed through. I use them to color in my mandala meditation coloring book, markers and colored pencils didn’t work for me. I need to buy more!!!" —Carol E. Adams
Get a set of 18 from Amazon for $7.99.
13. A set of super chic reusable, washable mesh bags in assorted colors, so there will always be one that just *happens* to match your outfit (totally by accident!).
Promising review: "Very pleased. Bag colors are great, material feels sturdy, handle and bag have good stretch. Cute, and made me look forward to grocery shopping. Keeping them in the car as they'll be handy for other things too. Especially book sales. 😊" —L Marie Townsend
Get a set of five from Amazon for $16.98.
14. A Memory Lane candle made with rich scents like vanilla, amaretto, and dark musk that also comes with its own ~surprise~ curated '70s R&B playlist, so you can enjoy the vibe long after the candle's blown out.
Treble & Flame is a Florida-based, Black-owned Etsy shop established in 2020 that specializes in 100% soy candles with carefully curated playlists.
Promising review: "First off, the packaging of the product was gorgeous. It was wrapped so well and presented even better. I bought Purple Rain, Bonita Applebum, and Ascension. The scents were all amazing and different in their own way. I love them and can’t wait to purchase more! I think these will also make great gifts for my girlfriends. The customer service is also probably the only thing better than these candles. They are super responsive and reached out about my purchase! I will be purchasing again." —mallory jordan
Get it from Treble & Flame on Etsy for $23.
Check out the rest of Treble & Flame's candles for more scent/sound combinations.
15. Plus a rechargeable, flameless electric lighter to replace all your old gas ones — this is a godsend for anyone trying to light deeper candles or even fireplaces and gas stoves with minimal effort.
People also swear by this for camping! It comes in other pretty colors, but I am especially partial to this one because I bought it for my parents (their kitchen is entirely pink and one of my favorite places on Earth), and this was SO EASY to use — not to mention super safe! I'm a big weenie about fire (LOL, self-preservation) so I've always stuck to extended arm gas lighters, but this is much better for the environment (plus cuter), so I feel a lot better about using it.
Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in five colors).
16. A jar of Aztec healing clay masks for acne that essentially suck the gunk out of your pores (and pre-existing acne) like a vacuum, and will leave your skin feeling so smooth and firm you'll want to pet it.
People in the reviews are also singing its praises for reducing the size of their pores! Many of them advise mixing the mask with apple cider vinegar for best results.
Promising review: "I woke up with six tiny pimples on my right cheek this morning. This was delivered today so I decided to give it a try. Mixed with water, left on for 10-15 minutes. The pimples are gone. I’ve never bought a product that has had such immediate results. This is magic. I can’t believe I waited so long to buy it." —Samantha Jensen
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
17. A bottle of Drop It, a natural wine sulfate and tannin remover that works its magic on your glass in just 20 seconds, so you can rest easy with your nightly glass of Pinot knowing you've spared yourself the infamous Post-Wine Headache or allergic reactions.
It's also a lot more cost-effective and environmentally friendly than wine wands or other competitors — a single bottle of this can be used to treat up to 55 glasses of wine, as opposed to wands that can only do a few glasses each before they get tossed. Drop It recommends 1-2 drops for each glass of white wine, 2-3 for a glass of red, and 7-9 if you're treating the whole bottle at once. Once it's in the glass, swirl lightly for 20 seconds, and you should be raring to go!
Promising review: "I became really sensitive to wine in my thirties and through a lot of trial and painful error, I thought I might have to give up on wine altogether. Then I found out about the preservatives being a possible cause and decided to give this product a shot. So glad I did!! I'm still pretty sensitive to reds but this helps tremendously so that I can have a glass with dinner without a headache immediately settling in. Whites cause me no problem what so ever! I love that it takes so little product to make a difference to a whole bottle. Just a few drops, a few minutes and we are good to go." —CastawayIrons
Get it from Amazon for $14.99.
18. A pair of ridiculously soft seamless bike shorts from Free People perfect for wearing under your favorite summer dresses, running errands, or lounging around the house.
These shorts come in a bazillion rotating colors because they sell out so quickly you might blink and miss them. I own a pair in pink (that is me being v cheeky above) and can confirm that they are so comfortable that I genuinely had to look down and make sure I wasn't naked a few times, but still opaque enough to venture out into the world without worrying about everyone seeing your booty. I probably own 10 pairs of bike shorts now (don't look at me), and these are the comfiest by far.
Promising review: "From the comfortable stretching fabric to the integrated design, these are my go-to for exercise shorts or when I want a little more under a short dress. Even the label info is printed, so no bumps, seams or uncomfortable tags to worry about. So comfortable you could forget you have them on." —Larimar
Get it from Free People for $20 (available in women's sizes XS-L and five colors).
19. A tiny milk frother that makes rich, creamy froths in seconds, making you as powerful as the Starbucks mermaid herself. It also doesn't need to be plugged in, cleans with a quick stream of hot running water, and is teensy for storing.
Promising review: "A MUST-have. All of my friends and family had this so naturally I had to get one and I am obsessed. Makes every homemade coffee taste like you went out and bought one. Very affordable and worth every penny. I love that is comes with a cute holder for it." —Kayla Dillinger
Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in five styles).
20. A thick clear lip gloss that glides on without getting so sticky that half your hair ends up in your mouth the second you get hit by a gust of wind, and will give your lips the perfectly dewy shine of your Instagram dreams.
The flavors include Mint, Rosehip, Mango, Coconut, and Argan oil.
Promising review: "The cute little package that these glosses came in came pretty fast. The glosses themselves are moisturizing, come out easy, and VERY thick. If I ever run out (I feel like I won’t for years — a little of this goes a long way) I’d purchase this again." —nessie
Get a set of three from Amazon for $3.95 (available in six flavor combos).
21. A travel-sized whipped shower frosting so even those of us without bathtubs can feel decadent as heck while we're getting our suds on. Each of these comes with three unique layers of soapy ~frosting~ in so many combos that it might actually make your mouth water.
Indulgence Spa is a Maryland-based, Black woman-owned Etsy shop established in 2015 that specializes in soaps, hair care, and body products.
Promising review: "These were SO GOOD, I can't wait to order more. They foam up way more than you think they will! If you ever start selling body lotions, please let me know!" —alterashley
Get it from Indulgence Spa on Etsy for $5 (available in over 50 scent combinations).
22. A gorgeous pastel paint-by-number with an end result so beautiful you'll want to frame it in the front hall — nay, tack it right to the front door. This is what you see when you look up "aesthetic" in the dictionary.
Each set comes with a detailed numbered outline, three brushes, and a set of numbered acrylic paints with extra to spare.
Promising review: "I loved this painting! I was weird that it wouldn’t look right but it turned out perfect! Way more than enough paint! Some lighter colors you had to go over twice." —Anonymous
Get it from Amazon for $9.59.
23. A bunch of teensy macaron boxes you can use to upgrade so many little corners of your life, whether it's storing pills, jewelry, cash, or just as a cute display in a pastel room.
Promising review: "Just received these cute little boxes and am in love with them. Very thick and sturdy plastic but easy enough to open. These will work perfectly for filling solid perfumes and giving out as stocking stuffer gifts as I don't have to worry about it being a snug fit/lid falling off. I imagine these would also be great for pretend food for kids play-sets or for a kids trinket box. Overall I love them, love their feel, love the colors and am very happy." —Mary
Get a set of six from Amazon for $6.99.
24. A reviewer-beloved Mane Club 10-in-1 leave-in spray that honestly deserves its own theme song, for the amount of work it's putting in. Its unique formula of cannabis sativa seed oil helps it condition, detangle, heat protect, prevent breakage, hydrate, smooth, soften, control frizz, boost shine, and strengthen your hair, and keeps it nongreasy to boot.
Mane Club is a New York City-based small business established in 2019 that specializes in affordable haircare products.
Promising review: "I’m a hairstylist, so I’ve tried just about every leave-in conditioner out there, and I was amazed at how soft my hair felt after one use. My curls were so happy! The smell is amazing too!! I will definitely be repurchasing." —Allison S.
Get it from Mane Club for $8.
25. A chic BruMate insulated can cooler so all your beloved White Claws, Red Bulls, and LaCroixs can stay cool as a cucumber, and you can enjoy them while taking your sweet time.
This fits a standard 12-ounce slim can, and was designed to still be able to fit in car cup holders. It'll keep drinks icy cold for several hours, and twenty times colder than a standard neoprene can cooler. Psst — you can check out the rest of BruMate's options for different-sized cans, wines, cocktails, and more.
Promising review: "Like to keep your beer cold? Get this. Slow drinker but don't want to let your friends on to how slow you're drinking? Get this. Want your White Claw/Truly to stay as cold as it was when you took it out of your fridge? Get this. I kid you not this thing keeps drinks cold like that's its job (because it is). Once I got mine and saw how effective it was, I decided all of my cold beverage loving friends and family will be getting one also. With most of my friends being Michelob Ultra and White Claw drinkers, this seems to be the perfect fit. So hard to find a can koozie that holds those slim cans! Love this product and definitely recommend!" —Brooke Stull
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in 28 colors).
26. A bottle of Dr Teal's soothing Epsom salt to help ease all the mysterious aches and pains and generalized body nonsense that comes with existing all day long.
Promising review: "I needed something to help me relax that was not a nap and this did it for me! I used this in an evening bath. Not only did it help me relax, it also helped me fall asleep so good that night. I tend to stay awake in bed (usually on my phone) most nights, but after this bath I fell asleep right away. It didn't bubble a whole lot for me, but it smelled amazing and made my skin the softest it's been in a long time! It's a good sized bottle with a sufficient amount of baths per bottle. Overall, I loved it. I don't take baths too often, but this has inspired me to do this more! 10/10 would buy again." —Priscilla Perez
Get it from Amazon for $4.87.
27. A set of adorable hanging cat spoons, because truly, is there a more purrrfect weekend breakfast companion than one that will stir your coffee and your heart?
28. A set of satin pillowcases that create less friction for your hair, so you don't have to wake up every morning ten minutes early to work through your tangles. It's also ridiculously cooling on your skin in the summer months.
I got a set of these for my bed, and although my hair is baseline pretty wild no matter what state of existence I'm in, the overnight tangles have pretty much stopped. If I put my hair up in a scrunchie, I'll usually wake up with it more or less still intact, too (which is especially nice if I'm late for my ~morning power walk~ around the neighborhood). Most of all, though, it's soooo nice to sink your face into these in the hot summer, especially when your AC is subpar (*glares at mine from across the room*).
Promising review: "Couldn't afford silk so ordered these. I love them. I've heard that sleeping on cotton is like rubbing your face on steel wool all night since that's how delicate the skin there is. All I know is I shower and style my hair at night and after sleeping on these, my hair looked freshly blown dry the next morning. I'm not exaggerating, hair looked the exact same in morning as it did after I styled it the night before. So, if this material is that nurturing to my hair I can only imagine how my face is loving it. I'm hooked and will be buying more colors." —BinaryCode
Get a set of two from Amazon for $9.99 (available in seven colors and three sizes).
29. A massive variety pack of tea bags from Taylors of Harrogate, an independent family tea and coffee company that's been working at perfecting its flavors since 1886.
The box includes 48 tea bags in total, with six of each of these flavors: English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Decaffeinated Breakfast, Lemon & Orange, Pure Assam, Green Tea with Jasmine, Organic Peppermint, and Organic Chamomile.
Promising review: "*in Oprah voice* I LOVE THIS TEA! Taylors of Harrogate Green Tea with Jasmine has quickly become one of my favorite boxed teas. I received a box via Prime samples and have bought three boxes since then. I really love this stuff! The flavor feels light but tastes full. I'm not a fan of jasmine-flavored things but this tea has a sweet and light floral flavor I love. Also, I have a fondness for large mugs but only need 1 bag (at a 2-min steep) for my 12 oz mugs. Normally I need two so it's nice to save money. And speaking of which, this tea is SO AFFORDABLE! Right now it's less than $4 and Taylors seem to always have a 20% off coupon on here. You can't beat that price especially for their quality! I digress. I'm so happy I found this tea and will continue to drink it unless they change it somehow." —Kay
Get it from Amazon for $11.49.
30. A set of six satin scrunchies designed to hold back your hair without damaging, pinching, or snagging. Your regular hair bands are shaking.
Promising review: "I’m never going back to regular ponytails again. These are absolutely perfect. I’m a dancer, and I need ponytails that 1. don’t rip out my African American hair and 2. actually hold my hair in place. These are so comfortable that I’ve fallen asleep with them in, but so secure that they didn’t move an inch throughout my entire dance practice. Absolutely iconic." —Taro
Get a set of six from Amazon for $4.99.
31. A teensy make-your-own cheese set with everything you need to learn to make four batches of of farmer cheese and live your most delicious life in a half hour. Once this set teaches you the ropes, making your own cheese from here on out will be a cinch.
Urban Cheesecraft is an Oregon-based Etsy shop established in 2009 that specializes in make-your-own cheese kits in a variety of cheeses, including vegan options. Each kit comes with a cheesecloth, citric acid, flake salt, instructions, and "email support for life" — all you need is milk (and a mouth to consume it all).
Promising review: "So fun! I sent this to myself and a friend who lives in another state. We did it together over FaceTime. Such a fun activity to do 'together.' The cheese turned out well too!" —amyleannbohner
Get it from Urban Cheesecraft on Etsy for $12.
32. A mini Innisfree Daily UV Defense Sunscreen, which sets like a lightweight moisturizer and is formulated with green tea and sunflower seed oil, so it hydrates your skin to boot.
33. A wine caddy for your bath tub perfect for any tub vibe, whether it's "set off a bath bomb and channel my inner mermaid" or "sit here and watch reruns of The Office until the water dissolves around me."
Bonus: it also holds cans, so you can pop in a LaCroix or enjoy a shower PBR, if you're feeling yourself.
Promising review: Such a simple idea, how is this just coming into my life now? I didn't think showers could get any better but now I have a brew/wine within reach at all times. Really helps take the edge off after a long day. The thing is way sturdier than you'd expect, I've tugged on it and it's not going anywhere. The slotted design allows you to use stemmed wineglasses too. A truly perfect product. This $13 piece of plastic is working as hard as my therapist and I stan." —Steven
Get it from Amazon for $13.95+ (available in five colors).
34. A temporary tattoo you can get in a whoooole bunch of different designs, whether you're just feeling yourself or genuinely want to test out what it'd be like to have a tattoo before getting permanently inked.
Tattoorary is an Etsy shop established in 2014 and based in the Netherlands that specializes in temporary tattoos, offering a large range of sizes, colors, and designs. Each tattoo lasts from two days to a week.
I am *obsessed* with these temporary tattoos — I waited for ages to get them, and I wish I'd done it much sooner, because I've had such a blast mix and matching them every week this summer as a fun quarantine distraction! They transfer beautifully with warm water and look like legitimate tattoos (my neighbor truly thought I'd gotten some great ink), and are so easy and gentle to remove with a light scrub in the shower.
Get them from Tattoorary on Etsy: the vintage floral tattoo for $8, and the little birds tattoo for $3.
35. A bottle of Mike's Hot Honey, so you can add a pinch of sweet and a kick of spice to — well, just about anything. If you can dream it, you can hot honey it. (Pro-tip, though: drizzle it on grilled cheese.)
Promising review: "This is now a staple for my kitchen. How I cooked without it before, I'll never know. Makes the best vinaigrette ever, quick pan sauces for pork, unexpected zip in dozens of dishes. Does it come in gallons? Have given it as hostess gifts several times and everyone gets hooked." —Martha Ronemus
Check out BuzzFeed's review of Mike's Hot Honey for more info!
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
36. A pretty pink, super-soft Makeup Eraser that wipes makeup right off your face with nothing but water and a gentle scrub — and, more importantly, has a microfiber blend specifically designed to clear gunk from your pores and prevent blackheads and breakouts in the long run, too.
It's got two sides — one that can wipe off all your makeup with water and a light scrubbing, and another that exfoliates your skin. Plus, all you have to do when you're done using it is wet it and hang it up to dry! No more wasting money on icky washcloths that hurt your skin!!! I can hear your pores singing from here.
Promising review: "THIS. THING. IS. AMAZING. I have literally never had clearer skin. It does exactly what it says it does: erases your makeup. Waterproof or not, it all goes away with just a little water and a little bit of scrubbing. I will forever be amazed by this. Never buying another makeup remover product again." —Brittany
Check out BuzzFeed's review of the Makeup Eraser for more deets!
Get it from Amazon for $12 (available in five colors).
37. Essence's Lash Princess mascara, because TBH, we've all wasted too many years and too much money looking for the ~holy grail~ mascara. This one is less than $5 and will give you such instant length you'll feel like your eyelashes are about to pull a Butterfree and take flight.
Hello, that is my face above, because I bought into the hype of over 110,000 five-star reviews and now I will never look back!! Putting it on is like giving my eyelashes butterfly wings. It doesn't get clumpy, it stays put ALL the live long day (I spent all of last year's ridiculously hot pandemic summer wearing it, so I can speak to that), and you can apply it on very lightly if you don't want it to look so dramatic, or continue applying for longer lashes each time.
Promising review: "I am a 30 year old who has been wearing mascara since I was probably 15 or 16 and this is by far the best mascara ever. This beats Dior's almost-$40 mascara. A few times I made make up purchases based off of what reviewers and make up influencers hyped up and was disappointed, this surely wasn’t a disappointment." —Mary
Get it from Amazon for $4.99.
38. A bottle of unusual cocktail bitters to seriously amp up your home-bartending skills with unusual and ridiiiiiculously delicious flavor combos like "Earl Grey" and "Japanese Chili & Lime."
18.21 is an Atlanta-based, women- and queer-owned business established in 2014 that specializes in unusual bitters flavors and cocktail syrups. The Earl Grey bitters are bergamot-forward and with notes of vanilla and pair best with gin, bourbon, whiskey, and amaro; the Japanese Chili & Lime bitters are spicy with notes of citrus and smoke, and are ideal for spicy margaritas, Blood Marys, or any cocktail that could use an extra kick. I've tried Japanese Chili & Lime in bourbon and it is the *chef's kiss* perfect combo of heat + pucker!
You can check out the full line of bitters for more unusual flavors.
Get it from 18.21: the Earl Grey bitters for $18.99 and the Japanese Chili & Lime bitters for $18.99 (available in two sizes).
39. Plus a tin of cocktail sugar or salt for the rims of your at-home cocktails that come in so many inventive flavors you might just call the Food Network to get your own bartending show.
I recently started putting this on my end-of-the-week whiskey drink (quarantine has made me go full Mad Men, who knew!!) and it is SO darn satisfying. I tried the citrus petals version, and it's got a light lemon, faint floral, and vaguely minty taste with its sweetness that just makes the whole experience a delight and a half. The container it comes in is actually quite wide, so what we did was pour lemon juice on the top half to prep the rim, and a bit of sugar in the bottom half to coat it. In other news, I am officially too fancy to exist.
Promising review: "Since COVID-19 I have become my own bartender. Taco Tuesdays and margaritas! The lime comes through so well with this salt. I use it for Bloody Marys as well. It is thick and chunky so its a learning curve to get the right amount of salt on. Don't press down too hard if you don't like a lot of salt. I do like extra salt but my husband said it was a little much for him, so I have mastered just a light salt for him." —cobrajet427
Get it from Amazon for $6.99 (available in nine flavors).
40. A rapid egg cooker so you'll finally get the kind of ~dream eggs~ that make your home cooking feel like room service, whether you want a good old-fashioned hard boil or like 'em a little runnier.
I, a certified Lazy Individual (TM), own one of these babies and have faithfully used it every week for upward of two years. Perfectly medium-boiled eggs every time. I even bought one for my parents so I could spread its majesty to them as well (but also mostly so I could use it when I come to visit, if we're being real). Some reviews note that the alarm on it is a little loud, but the new models have significantly decreased the volume!
Promising review: "Where has this been all my life?! This little gadget has really made my life easier! No more having to stand around keeping an eye on the water to be boiling just right. Just turn this little baby on and go about your business until the adorable music comes on to alert you that it's done. I've gotten perfect hard-boiled eggs every time! Just please be sure to follow the directions to pierce the eggs with the included needle. It is surprisingly easy! I highly recommend this item!!" —BeautyBird
Get it from Amazon for $16.99+ (available in five colors).
41. A beginner's sushi-making kit that'll let you take the fate of your rolls into your own hands by working with whatever ingredients you have on hand, so you can have hours of delicious sushi experimentation.
I'm definitely going to sushi jail for this, but I've started putting peanut butter in my avocado rolls. Don't knock it until you try it. Anyway, each kit comes with two sushi rolling mats, five pairs of chopsticks, a paddle, a spreader, and a PDF of instructions, including recipes for six popular rolls.
Promising review: "The entire Bamboo Sushi Kit is absolutely well made, easy to use, easy to clean, high-end restaurant quality, and durable. it was very nicely packaged, and instructions clear, in-depth and very easy to follow. No one (myself included) in my household has ever made sushi before but (thanks to the enclosed instructions), there were no issues making it. My daughter did an awesome job utilizing these products to make 'FISH-FREE SUSHI' with Pickled Ginger on top, was delectable! Finally, I highly recommend this set. It comes at a small cost but don't let that deter you — the quality and overall aforementioned features is undoubtedly above and beyond excellent, thus (IMO), it is the perfect product! Loooooove it!" —Liza
Get it from Amazon for $9.33.
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