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.
"Alexa, make my tiny apartment more tech-friendly."
Promising review: " The Instant Pot is one of my favorite and most versatile kitchen tools. It's a fantastic addition to my small apartment kitchen. Perfectly cooks rice, shredded chicken, and pretty much everything I've tried in it so far. There's also lots of accessories available and plenty of recipes/how-to videos online. It replaced my rice cooker and my slow cooker with zero regrets."—John
Get it from Amazon for $59.99+ (available in three sizes).
Promising review: "I needed a way to see the time in the dark without moving, without fussing with the phone, without it taking up space on my small nightstand, and without being fully awake. Several tries later, after trying old-fashioned windup clocks and clocks that cast a light on the ceiling, I found this perfect little gem. It's small enough to be tucked into the bookcase at a perfect height, and the light of the numbers is adjustable at three levels." —Nelle D'Arlen
Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in four colors).
Promising review: "I bought this little vacuum as a joke but it actually helps me clean the dust on my desk. With the two different attachments it helps me go in between cracks and small spaces. Since it’s a small vacuum, the suction isn’t that strong, but overall it does the job.” —Urban Outfitters customer
Get it from Urban Outfitters for $15.95 (available in three colors).
Pair it up with a set of smart bulbs and you won't have to use a switch. Just say "Alexa, dim the lights" next time you're binge-watching your favorite movie or TV show.
Promising review: "I love Alexa! The routines are one of my favorite parts - as well as the integration of a smart plug. Setting up the 'Start my Day' routine changed my mornings! It impressed me how loud it can play for its small size! It also does not take up a lot of space, huge plus for a small bedroom." —Kaitlyn Goudey
Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (available in four colors).
RayTec is a woman-owned tech business based in Cleveland, Ohio. They're known for their cool smartwatch straps, AirPods cases, and noise-canceling headphones.
Promising review: "I needed to get headphones to listen to class lectures in my noisy home space, and these are perfect for me! I'm not an expert, but I think the sound quality and noise-canceling ability are better than most headphones I've owned. I also appreciate that an aux cord is included, so I can still use them with my electronics that don't have Bluetooth capabilities." —RayTec Customer
Get them from RayTec for $89.
BuzzFeed editor Heather Braga owns this rechargeable lighter and said: "I'm obsessed with candles, so it was a no-brainer for my husband to gift me this surprisingly super fun gadget for Christmas. It's really simple to use and charge, and it really works! I'll never have to buy another lighter again." Read more of her rechargeable lighter review (it's number one).
Promising review: "If you're looking for an easy way to light candles, look no further. I've had this thing for a couple months now and I've only had to charge it once! I got tired of using matches and regular lighters to light the candles around my apartment and was initially going to buy one of those elongated neck lighters with the trigger. Thank goodness I decided to go with this electric lighter instead. Easy to use, no gas or fuel required, and the battery lasts a long time. Also, it's super convenient to not have to tilt each candle in order to light it!" —Matt S.
Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (also available in a 3-pack).
Promising review: "I purchased this charging station to organize the increasing gadgets that were accumulating in my apartment. I like that the items can fit in the slots, it comes with a variety of cables to fit different items. It also has a lot of ports so there is no need to compete. It is compact and an awesome purchase." —Tracy
Get it from Amazon for $34.99+ (available in five colors).
It comes with a poaching tray, omelet tray, six-egg holder tray, measuring cup, recipe book, and recipe database access!
Promising review: "While researching how to more easily boil a perfect egg, I came across this awesome little egg cooker. You put in the water (measuring cup provided), add the eggs (holds up to six), pierce the egg ends with the pin provided, turn it on, and wait for the buzzer. You can walk away and not worry about watching boiling water. So easy. Both soft-boiled and hard-boiled eggs come out perfect. Everything stores away inside the cooker, so it takes up little counter space (a premium in my small apartment)." —CAW
Get it from Amazon for $19.45+ (available in five colors).
Promising review: "I actually like my Google Mini. I like that I have the option to ask Google anything I want in any room and that it works with other items in my home. The voice recognition is great and I love the options for the voices. You can order groceries, make calls, listen to music, podcasts, books, you can listen to the news, and you can control other items in your home." —Walmart Customer
Get it from Walmart for $37.99+ (available in four colors).
Promising review: "This little white noise machine has been perfect! I live in an apartment, above a family with a newborn, and it blocks out *all sound*. Great for blocking out street noise too! I use the “ocean wave” sound to help me fall asleep, just because of how peaceful it is. The settings are super simple and easy to use." —Katherine Kelly
Get it from Amazon for $33.95.
My colleague Abby Kass loves the Kindle Paperwhite and said: "I've been an avid Kindle user for the past four years, but when I saw the new version, I knew it was time to upgrade. The main selling point is the fact that this one is waterproof. So waterproof, in fact, that it can be in up to 2 meters of freshwater for more than 60 minutes. Plus, it's lighter, has more storage, and the battery lasts for WEEKS." Read more deets in her Kindle Paperwhite review.
Promising review: "I love the experience of reading actual books, but living in New York City, I have been running out of room in my apartment to store them, which is why I purchased the Kindle. This device is small and light, and has solid battery life. I take it everywhere with me and have had no issues so far." —Denay
Get it from Amazon for $124.99+ (available in 8 GB and 32 GB, ad-supported or without ads, with or without Kindle Unlimited, and in four colors).
This gadget has a three-stage filtration system (a pre-filter, a HEPA filter and an activated carbon filter) and a sponge below the air purifier outlet you can fill with essential oils.
Promising review: "We have an 833-square foot apartment with poor ventilation. With two adults, a dog, and a business office, it can get stuffy and smelly quickly. This little machine does everything I hoped it would and is super simple to use. The place for essential oils is so nice. The noise level is not unbearable even on high. It looks good sitting in the corner of the room.We are not sneezing as much, the dog seems less itchy, and the home smells so much better! I find I use much less scented wax and air fresheners since we bought this gem." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $49.99+ (available in two colors and in 2-packs).
You can buy this flashlight and mini first aid kit to complete your emergency set.
Promising review: I really like the compactness of this charger. I can take it in my handbag without it taking up much space. It comes with only a short, foot-long USB cord, so you'll need a separate adaptor if you want to plug it into a wall outlet. It makes for a good spare charger if you're going to be out and about without access to a power source for the day, for instance, and need to juice up your phone or device." —Ellie
Get it from Amazon for $11.99+ (available in five colors).
Promising review: "I do my best singing in the shower and this speaker is perfect. Pairs with my iPhone and away we go. The sound is very good. Great design, battery life per charge, and comes with a clip in case you don't want to use the suction cup." —bombercoach11
Get it from Amazon for $23.98.
Promising review: "I don’t have cable and I only have one TV with a DVD player in my apartment (since I just don’t need to have two). Consequently, my other TV was just sitting there for a few months without being used. The Fire TV Stick was super easy to program and use. I love that it comes with its own batteries too! The plug in to the TV is rather large but it is no big deal. I am limited on outlets so I have it plugged into an extension cord. Has worked great from streaming and I am happy that my TV isn’t just sitting there anymore." —CH
Get it from Amazon for $39.99.
Promising review: "I can't say enough about this little guy. It works great, cleans great, finds its way home great, and is quiet. I have a longhair cat and having a robot vac is a must! It cleans up the hair and the other little bits of trash with no problem. It is quiet enough to continue watching TV while it moves through the room. It very seldom gets hung up or needs to be rescued. The low profile of this vac makes it perfect for cleaning under furniture and the cat has never been afraid of it." —Matthew's Mom
Get it from Amazon for $149.99 (available in two colors).
Promising review: "This makes my life so much easier. I'm hearing impaired and if I go into another room, I never hear anyone knock on the door. I live in an apartment and I had to sit in the same room not knowing when someone was going to show up. I don't have to worry about this anymore. A few days ago, one of the maintenance heard the door from outside. He liked it! He thought it was cool considering it was playing Jingle Bells. I got a laugh out of that. ☺️" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $16.99+ (available with one receiver or two receivers).
Promising review: "I'm the only person drinking hot coffee in my apartment, and this machine is perfect for me since it holds water for one cup at a time. Easy to add water, and the coffee is plenty hot and ready to drink. I use ground coffee and all I have to do is clean out the included ground coffee filter between cups. Clean up would be zero if you're using K-cups. Sleek design and does not take up much space at all. Great buy!" —Larry G.
Get it from Amazon for $58.95.
Promising review: "I did not know I needed this in my life. I’ve only made one drink, but I’m super excited for future matcha lattes and practicing latte art. Also, my coffee shop costs like $5 almost $6 for a latte, I’m lactose-intolerant so every latte I have to pay $0.70 more. I just hate that, overall this will save me money and I get my cozy, caffeine fix in the comfort of my own home!" —RobinFromCalifornia
Get it from Amazon for $21.95+ (available in 27 colors).
Promising review: "I burnt out a prior smart plug after a power overload--this smart plug handles the large air conditioner unit in my living room without a problem. When using a rather out of reach outlet, I had no problem finding the button or seeing the indicator light, makes things a lot easier when reaching into the rat's nest of wires in the dark. Also found 15A very responsive with Google Nest, it's great being able to turn the AC units off with one command when I run out of the apartment, or on occasions when I forgot or decided I won't come back home soon, to be able to control the appliances through the Google Home App and use the app to schedule the apartment to be cooled down before I arrive home from work." —Iggie
Get it from Amazon for $10.99+ (sold alone or in a four-pack).
Promising review: "Every time we go out with friends or go to work, we constantly worry what our pup Obie is doing. We are worried about if he's getting into stuff, or just going rogue in our apartment. This completely eliminates this and when we do see him getting into stuff, we can big brother voice call our dog to stop. It has been so helpful and amazing. Also, my husband and I just get a kick out of throwing the treats to our dog while we are gone." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $168.98.
A Smart Sensor adjusts your thermostat based on how many people are in the room and the indoor temperature.
Promising review: "My ecobee3 was incredibly dependable and has saved me a ton of money over the last several years by helping to optimize A/C runtime and comfort levels while I'm both home and away. The ability to control the thermostat remotely via the app, web portal, or even directly through homekit has come in handy countless times. Over the years, I've invested in wireless room sensors for each room in my house, and now I can see at a glance the temperature and occupancy status of any room at a given time." —Jake
Get it from Amazon for $248.50.
Promising review: "I run cold. So what I consider 'just right' is broiling hot to other people. This thermometer helps me to self-check. If I'm layered up with four long sleeve shirts and a sweater and this thermometer shows it's like 65 degrees Fahrenheit, then I know I can turn up the thermostat a bit. If the same layers of garments are in place and the thermometer shows like 73 degrees Fahrenheit, then I'd better throw on another layer or a blanket." —Melissa R Elsworth
Get it from Amazon for $14.99.
Promising review: "I love this product. Highly recommend for any one looking to add some relaxation to their life. This diffuser emits enough of the oil to really allow you to smell the aroma. I also like the feature that you can keep a solid color or have the diffuser change colors." —Erin Streibig
Get it from Amazon for $26.99.
Promising review: "I set up this projector in my living room for casual Netflix/movie-watching. It works great with all the lights off and had the projector far enough back to display eight feet diagonally. I noticed the image is a bit dark at startup, but gets better as everything warms up. I really like how big I can make the view and how lightweight and portable it is." —Marr
Get it from Amazon for $99.99.
Promising review: "We bought two of these, one for myself and wife and I cant be happy enough. We keep our small apartment very cool so drinking coffee at our desks tend to get cold after only a few minutes. Having these has really saved us from having to make trips to the microwave. :P" —Alex & Matt Centonze
Get it from Amazon for $23.29+ (available in five colors).
Reviews here have been edited for length and/or clarity.