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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.
These items prove adulting doesn't have to be so bad.
BuzzFeed Staff
BuzzFeed Staff
I (Chelsea) recently got bangs (what can I say, quarantine got to me) and this has been particularly handy for making sure they're Zoom-presentable. I have a really stubborn cowlick — right in the middle of said bangs — and it even manages to tame that so it's a major winner in my book!
Promising review: "I have NEVER been able to give myself a nice blowout until I got this! I would dry, then straighten, then use a curling iron. On my first try with this tool, I was able to get gorgeous, soft hair in about 20 minutes. Amazing!" —Rachel S.
Get it from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in five colors).
This is compatible with Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Ring-Con Grips. BuzzFeed editor Heather Braga loves using this as way to shake up her workout routine!
She says: "I've also been using this game as a way to supplement my trips to the gym. This may seem like a childish adventure from Nintendo, but JEEZ within moments I'm sweating my butt off. To play, you'll place a JoyCon into both the ring con and a leg strap so your movements are monitored. To move through each level you have to physically run in place and each time you "battle" an enemy you have to do 15 reps of an exercise of your choosing. For example, each time I complete a squat the enemy receives a 'kick.' It's so fun I don't realize I'm working out until the game reminds me to take a break and have some water. It even monitors your heart rate for you. It's more intense than you'd expect!"
Get it from Target for $79.99.
The fountain is super, super quiet unless it needs to be refilled in which case it gurgles. I (Chelsea) honestly like that, though, as it's impossible to miss so I know I won't ever let it run completely dry. It also has a soft blue light that really comes in handy at night.
Promising review: "Love that this constantly rotates the water and has a filter built in. It can be so tedious not only replenishing all the dog bowls but cleaning them out when they get hair or saliva or dust in them. This holds 2L and self cleans in a way. I'll still clean it out for my own sake but can think about refilling and cleaning a lot less regularly. I have it hooked up to a smart plug so it runs during the day and turns off automatically at night when no one is in the room. It's really quiet and relaxing — I have this one in my home office. But when it gets too low it will gargle and get's really loud tbh. Anyways, the dog took a while to accept it but now gladly uses it at will — still prefers his other water bowls but not sure if that's just due to habit and familiarity or actual preference." —Packy
Get it from Amazon for $23.99.
When signing up, you can choose how many people you're looking to feed (two or four) and how many meals you want per week (three to five). Each week, you'll have 16 meals to choose from. Options this week include crispy Caesar chicken with roasted carrots and garlic mashed potatoes, Cuban-style bean and rice bowls, and thyme seasoned steak with garlic ciabatta and roasted green beans.
If you're going away for a week or know you won't have time to cook anything, you can always skip a week or cancel your subscription altogether. It's truly that flexible.
Promising review: "It takes all the work out of having to meal plan and grocery shop. It not only saves me so much time, but it also saves me so much money!" —Kelsey Brackett
Get a subscription from EveryPlate for $2.99/serving + shipping (originally $4.99).
Other activities/readings include: Fun Facts about Aging!, Your Hotel Room Carpet: A Petri Dish of Horrors, and Soothing Facts about Hand Sanitizer (very timely).
Promising review: "This book is exactly what it says it is: a big activity book for anxious people! It’s got some great activities inside that totally keep me busy, keep my anxiety in check, and truly is a great time suck to keep my mind focused on the activities and an escape from whatever is consuming me those days. Cannot recommend this book enough!!!" —Alex R. Pepin
Get it from Amazon for $14.40+ (available in paperback and spiral bound).
Promising review: "I LOVE this timer!!! I am a school counselor with ADHD. I've tried a LOT of different timers to help me keep track of when to send passes, monitor time with students who tend to stay long too avoid class, and use the alarm to remind me to take a few minutes to eat lunch. It's fabulous to be able to just look at the time on the clock face, note I need to leave for a meeting in 20 minutes, and bam! A quick turn of the clock and a timer goes off with enough time to grab my stuff and head out. I don't have to think about setting it like with most digital timers, and there's no annoying ticking like there is with a traditional kitchen timer. I loved my cyan one at work so much, that I bought a black one for home. The stickers are to help it stand out so I can find it easily when I'm tired or spacey." —Laura M.
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in two colors).
I (Chelsea) have one of these and I love it SO much. It makes measuring PB particularly easy and once it's all in there, you just push the bottom up and everything comes out. This way, I don't have to use three spoons and a spatula to measure a single ingredient. It can measure regular wet and dry ingredients, too, but it really comes in clutch for the sticky stuff.
Promising review: "Saw Alton Brown using one of these to make peanut butter cookies and I had to have one. I've used it for PB, coconut oil, and sour cream so far, and it's great. Pop it apart and throw it in the dishwasher. No more scooping gooey ingredients into a measuring cup and then scooping them back out; just scoop them in and pop them out, scape with your spatula and it's done. Love it." —Laura Marks
Get it from Amazon for $12.23.
Just be sure to pick up some AA batteries while you're at it!
Promising review: "I bought this because it looks cute. However, it is powerful than I expected considering it is powered by AA batteries. I will buy again as gifts." —Simon
Get it from Office Depot for $9.99.
Promising review: "If you like waffles, but don't want to eat gigantic ones and/or don't have a ton of counter space to spare for a full size waffle maker, this little thing is well worth the price. Another benefit of this smaller size is that you can use the waffles from this little machine to make sandwiches, for those who like breakfast on-the-go, not to mention a sweet and savory treat in the morning. We have actually been surprised by how much we use this item considering other waffle makers we've purchased all end up collecting dust in the back of a cupboard. This really is a waffle maker that you'll use more than once; in fact, diehard waffle fans will probably use it every day." —Memory Lane
Get it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in 19 colors/patterns).
I (Chelsea) have an outlet next to my bed and would always have to move the mattress a bit to plug in my MacBook cord but now that I have this I don't have to move anything. The cover is connected to an extension cord and power strip with three outlets so it actually gives you more options than your regular ol' wall outlet.
Promising review: "Did y’all know they made these?!? Okay, I was movin' some furniture around in the guest room and my beautiful bride just wasn’t happy with how far the dresser stood out from the the wall because of the TV plug. She said there has to be some way to fix that in this day and time. Know what? She was right! I did some searchin' on the old internet and found these for sale on Amazon. I ordered them and they were at the ranch quick and fast. I put it on the outlet behind the dresser and shoved it into place. My beautiful bride was very pleased! Just so y’all know, the wall plug is indeed flat and it’s designed to cover the whole plug when ya use it. Please don’t ask me how thin or thick it is, cause I already put it behind the dresser and I dang sure ain’t about to pull it out to measure it for someone’s dang question. Just know that it’s flatter’n a bug in a windscreen and works great!" —James P.
Get it from Amazon for $23.95+ (available in five different lengths/configurations).
Promising review: "This year I have been attending medical school interviews all over the country. I have ONE suit that I do not have the money to continuously dry clean between interviews. I bought these to keep with me when traveling so my suit remains pressed and fresh. I typically spray it and do not hot iron it (as it's time consuming and I have other things to worry about on interview day, like answer prep and transportation). Really does what it says, is great at keeping clothes crisp and nice-smelling, especially if you have a garment that wrinkles easily and you don't feel like ironing before each wear." —Taylor
Get a pack of two from Amazon for $13.94.
Plus, it's broken down by priority so you can manage your time better! I (Emma) have this myself, and I love these little guys. They really do motivate me once I'm actually able to list things out! I'm easily overwhelmed, but since making these new friends, I feel so much more organized and on top of things.
Promising review: "I can no longer live without this planner. It keeps it all sorted for me so that I can focus on one area at a time and get things done faster." —Terri Boyd
Get it from Amazon for $5.95.
Its ~telescoping~ handle (with foam grips) adjusts from 33 to 52 inches so you can easily fit it in your car. Plus, it has two built-in flashlights on the front for dark winter mornings.
Promising review: "Especially great for any vehicles with a high roofline. Very easy to remove light or heavy snow quickly and safely on vehicle surfaces. Have always used the old brush type snow removers...this is faster and with telescoping pole reaches across roof line of SUVs and minivans easily. The scraper is useful for light buildup on windows, but a hand scraper will provide much more leverage. Only drawback is is does consume space in vehicle unless you unscrew the pole. No excuse for leaving that snow on the roof when driving with this tool!" —Frank
Get it from Amazon for $16.98+ (available in two colors).
Promising review: "I love this little gadget. I’m so tired of wasting my money on throw away things like lighters and I wanted a more sustainable product to reduce the waste I produce. I don’t know how hot this gets; I’m not going to touch the little spark it produces but it lights my candles and fires without me having to get to close to the flame and burning myself. The charge lasts pretty long and it charges really fast. The blue lights indicate how much charge is remaining making it easy to tell if it needs a charge or not. Portable and the flexible tip makes it easy to get into some of those bigger candles that you can’t reach." — Sara Ursitti
Get it from Amazon for $16.99+ (available in five colors).
This has a whopping 144 pages, including tabbed alphabetical pages so you'll never get locked out of HBO again!
Promising review: "I finally have all of my usernames, passwords, account numbers, service providers, etc. all in one place. No more sticky notes and little pieces of ripped paper or resetting my passwords all the time to only forget and reset them again. I searched for a couple of weeks until I decided on this particular book. It seemed to offer the best layout and amount of information I could log and hasn't disappointed me yet. I love it! You can even store internet service info for easy reference." —Elizabeth R.
Get it from Amazon for $7.95.
Promising review: "After a childhood experience that involved a pressure cooker spewing black beans all over the ceiling, I had no interest in ever trying a pressure cooker again. Until I started hearing about the Instant Pot. I've had it three weeks, and have used the pressure cooker function to make dishes as varied as black bean soup, butternut squash soup, dulce de leche, and cheesecake. My favorite aspect of it is that you set it and walk away. No more having to monitor the temperature. No more having to time the pressure phase. I also like the fact that the sauté function allows you to brown the onions or meat in the same pot, before adding the other ingredients and cooking at pressure. I'm big on avoiding recipes that create a lot of dirty dishes." —A. Jennerjahn
Get it from Amazon for $59.99+ (available in four sizes).
Learn more about the Instant Pot in "I Tried The Instant Pot That Everyone's Obsessed With."
Promising review: "Received as a wedding gift and LOVE this thing! If the marriage doesn't work out, I'm keeping this item for sure. Had no idea I even needed this until it was plugged in and started using it. Would definitely recommend." —Shaun
Get it from Target for $99 (available in two colors).
Promising review: "I have several houseplants that had stopped flowering, so I put a few of these spikes in the pot (there are directions on the back of package for quantity), and approximately a month after using these spikes, my peace lily had three flowers on it, and my African violets plants all got several blooms on them! This worked wonders for my plants that don't flower also! I noticed that my ivy and cactus plants started growing faster, and they became more green and healthy looking. I am very happy with this product, and I will buy it again." —Elizabeth
Get them from Amazon for $2.98+ (available in packs of 24, 48, or 96).
The dry brush cleaner is completely reusable — just wash it with warm soap and water once you're done and give it a quick spritz with makeup brush cleaner.
Promising review: "This is a time-saver! I really love how I can use one brush and just quickly remove the pigment with this sponge. I do think this is overpriced, however, it does get the job done. This has made me able to deep clean my brushes more often and alternate them since I use one or two brushes for an eyeshadow look. Highly recommend. This is kinda bulky but still well sized to take on trips. I plan to do so when I can actually travel again. At least I can look pretty while I mow the lawn or watch Netflix." —Dantinia
Get it from Sephora for $18.
Promising review: "This must be the greatest idea since the discovery of fire! Two days in, and my hardwood is shining! And all with just walking around! Of course the quality is pedestrian (pardon), of course it doesn’t look like it was made by Versace, but that’s not the point, is it?" —Nigel
Get them from Amazon for $11.99 (available in three sizes and 14 styles).
Promising review: "So I decided to try this product after reading the reviews, some great and some not so great. I also talked to a friend who loves them! So, I figured for less than $4 I didn’t have much too lose and let me tell you these things smell AMAZING!!! Super easy to apply and the scent isn’t too strong but you can smell it when you go potty! If you pay attention to the water in the toilet bowl you can see that it’s actually working as well! Not sure how long each one will last but for the price, you can just buy more!! I’ve also heard these are way better than the ones that hang onto the side of the toilet!" —Kay Kay
Get a pack of six from Amazon for $3.97.
Promising review: "These makeup remover towels are amazing! I wasn't sure because all you do is wet the towel and wipe your makeup off. These are plush like, soft, and gentle on your face. They just feel so magical, because they remove all of your makeup with just water. These are perfect for me after working a 12-hour shift, instead of accidentally falling asleep in my makeup because I'm so tired. This takes so little time and does a great job." —Meggy
Get it from Amazon for $6.99 (available in five colors).
To learn more, check out "We Tried The Makeup Eraser That Claims To Remove All Your Makeup With Just Water." And! See why this won best mid-priced makeup remover on BuzzFeed Reviews.
The Wi-Fi-enabled box self cleans, reduces litter usage up to 50%, manages odors with a carbon-filtered waste drawer, and settings can be controlled via an app on your smartphone. You can lock the buttons on the actual box so your cat doesn't mess with them; you can set a 3-, 7-, or 15-minute delay before the unit cycles (after your cat has used the box); and it'll notify you when the waste drawer needs to be manually emptied. Otherwise, just set it and forget it.
Promising review: "Hands-down best money I’ve ever spent. Less kitty litter used, no more scooping, happy kitty because her litter is always clean, no more doggie curiosity. Best invention for cat parents. My only caveat was I bought compostable trash bags to use when my original supply of Kitty Robot liners ran out. My 'hack' is that I put the entire bin inside a compostable trash bag and slide the edges of the bag under the clips near the air vent. Then, slide whole bin back in place carefully. Once it’s time to empty it, I just pull the bag and toss. Voila!" —Julieana T.
Get it from Litter-Robot for $499 (available in two colors).
Promising review: "Love it, been using it every day. Since the infuser is full length, you can add a lot of fruit, cucumbers, and herb combos, I keep refilling the water all day and still get the flavors. Update: Six months later and I'm still in love with this bottle. I got it as part of my New Year's resolution to stop adding so many plastic bottles to our planet and to stop drinking flavored waters with chemicals. It's the first New Year's resolution I've ever kept, and do not foresee an end. I'd be lost without this bottle now, and it's also one of my favorite gifts or gift add-on to give." —Sannies
Get it from Amazon for $14.90 (available in nine colors).
Promising review: "I bought this package of two sock docks for my parents who are 97 and 94. They still live at home and do all their own housekeeping. They hate sorting socks. So, I gave them one of these and they are so happy they never have to sort socks again. Every night they put their socks in the sock dock. On laundry day they go into the washer and dryer and come out dry and SORTED! This was one of the most useful and best gifts I've given them and it is such a simple thing. I'm glad I could make their lives easier. Wish I lived closer to them." —Gr8Lakes Girl
Get a pack of two from Amazon for $16 (available in five colors).
It has gentle silicone bristles to help remove dirt and mud from your dog's paws — which is all collected in this handy little device.
Promising review: "I love it! I highly recommend this to everyone. I have a golden and lab/shepherd mix, both dogs love water and the mud. I would go through multiple towels a week cleaning their feet, this changes that completely. At first my dogs were nervous about this, but after a few uses they don’t mind at all. It cleans in between my golden's feet so well, I can’t believe it." —Valerie U.
Get it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in three sizes and six colors).
These work on almost any surface: leather, fabric, furniture, hardwood, pans, metal, WHEREVER. And! They'll clean up grease, oil, tar, dirt, ink, lipstick, nail polish, food, and a whole lot more.
Promising review: "These are awesome! The size of the container is large and so was the quantity I received. The wipes are huge and tough, great for scrubbing! I cleaned my whole house with these and they removed stains I haven't been able to get out for a while. I also tried them on my walls and they did not remove the paint. Also, they smell fantastic: no chemical smell whatsoever. These are a great deal on Amazon, and I will be purchasing them again!" —Suze
Get a pack of 90 from Amazon for $9.11+ (available in five sizes/packs).
Promising review: "I purchased these sheets to see if they would actually fit my king size bed... they fit perfectly and don't pop off like my other ones do... they are so soft and comfortable... I love how vibrant the colors are and the fact that washing them didn't change that." —christine ellison
Get them from Amazon for $31.99+ (available in sizes Twin–split King and in 19 colors).
You'll get a pair: one for the right hand and one for the left hand.
Promising review: "I've been looking for an alternative way to manage my pup's shedding and all I can say I wish I got these sooner. These gloves showed to be more beneficial all-around compared to the typical brushing. For one, the pup likes it (as opposed to the brush he tried to avoid at every session), so I’m not wasting time any more trying to get him to come here and stay here, etc. Now it’s wagging tails instead at the sight of these gloves. The process is much quicker now, as the gloves gather not only more easily, but I’d say at least twice if not triple the amount of hair at a time. Apparently these gloves work on his mood too, as he always ends up starting a playfight nibbling at the gloves." —BOA
Get them from Amazon for $12.99 (available in two colors).
To learn more, check out "Pet Owners Everywhere Swear This $14 Grooming Brush Is The Best Thing Ever."
The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.