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.

    30 Cheap Impulse Buys You'll Actually Get A Lot Of Use Out Of

    Because the ideal impulse purchase lives at the intersection of Practical Parkway and Fun Avenue.

    1. A cute and under-$5 (!!!) trio of clear glosses, each with a different key ingredient boasting different benefits. Toss a different one in your bag each day to suit your mood!

    reviewer holding the three gloss tubes

    2. Surprisingly affordable bike shorts, which, like any of the trusty pairs you've been living in lately, are great for wearing for workouts, while chillaxing, or under dresses. What makes these particular comfy wardrobe staples must-haves? POCKETS and over 59,000 (!!!) 5-star ratings.

    reviewer in black mid length bike shorts
    A reviewer running in the dark gray pair with their phone in the pocket

    Promising review: "These are lifesavers. The charcoal pair is cotton and soooooo comfy for summertime. But I have multiple pairs of each color and swear by them. They are great for the gym and just wearing under dresses and skirts." —MissLee

    Get them from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in women's sizes XS–5XL, three lenghts, and 30 colors and styles).

    3. A nourishing shea butter and hyaluronic acid shower lotion designed to be applied when your skin is still wet and your pores are most open to absorb all the moisturizing goodness. Whoever came up with this is a skincare genius.

    diagram showing the lotion and instructions for using: turning off the shower, applying to wet skin, then patting dry

    4. A rocking garlic press, peeler, and scraper set that'll make meal prep way easier for the garlic lovers of the world. No more trying not to cut your fingers while mincing or trying to get pieces small enough — just peel the clove in the included peeling tube, and then crush it and rock the press back and forth over it for a perfect batch.

    5. Or, if you're the whimsical type, a Dracula garlic mincer (which you can also use for things like ginger and nuts, though those aren't as funny) if you wanna add some spoopy ~seasoning~ to your dishes year-round. Just pop in the garlic and twist to press, crush, and mice several cloves at a time!

    The mincer that looks like Dracula (just twist the head to mince) with garlic bread
    Amazon

    Promising review: "I purchased this as a gift for my friend who is a fantastic cook — she uses fresh ingredients almost exclusively — but pressing fresh garlic is a task usually delegated. No longer — Gracula is there for her. She uses him nearly every time she needs garlic (which is basically daily) and months later still makes a point of saying how much she enjoys the gift. I'm pretty sure she likes it better than other gifts I've gotten her which were more expensive/thought out, and I'm fairly certain it's what took me from good friend to best friend, but it be that way sometimes. Anyway, definitely recommended for people who cook with garlic and have a sense of humor." —L

    Get it from Amazon for $24.95.

    6. The most delightful and wholesome doormat to make your day every time you come home and make all your guests feel oh so welcome.

    brown doormat with black writing reading "yay it's you"

    7. A double-sided laptop-cleaning brush with a microfiber tip on one side and the WORLD'S SOFTEST retractable bristles on the other. You'll want to use it even when your computer is already clean because it's so satisfying (even if it's just to fidget with).

    8. An adorable but also durable squeaky plush duck sure to get so much use and love from your pupper. Just ask the over 5,000 pet parents who've left pawsitive reviews — it can survive longer than most toys even with pooches who love to tear things up, so it's sure to fit the ~bill~ and become their new fave.

    9. An incredibly helpful blind spot mirror that'll quite simply help you be a better, safer driver.

    small round blind spot mirror stuck to corner of car's side mirror

    10. A Revlon oil-absorbing facial roller to get your lovely face looking marvelously matte in no time. Why have you been burning through all those blotting papers when you could just grab this wonderful reusable option???

    11. A massaging, exfoliating, and blood-flow-increasing scalp brush over 6,000 (!!!) reviewers swear by to give you that feeling of someone deep shampooing your hair at a salon, not to mention help with dandruff and buildup and even help encourage hair growth!

    A reviewer using the teal silicone brush on their wet, shampooed hair

    12. The seemingly gimmicky but actually great ChopStir, designed to (you guessed it) both chop and stir whatever you've got cooking, as well as ~crush~ the job of crushing ingredients — so you'll find yourself using it for prepping pretty much any kind of meal. It's made from heat-resistant nylon, is dishwasher safe, and won't damage nonstick surfaces!

    13. A fantastical dragon bookmark/planner clip that'll guard your place in a juicy novel as well as it would guard a princess's tower.

    copper wire dragon page clip

    14. CND SolarOil, a low-key magical oil that is here to help banish brittle nails and dry cuticles for good, and is probably what your nails put on their letter to Santa this year.

    15. A 500-piece Mandalorian jigsaw puzzle sure to become your family's new fave, because more Baby Yoda in your life for under $15 is simply a no-brainer.

    reviewer's completed puzzle of mando holding grogu

    16. A ridiculously affordable and adorable cat spoon, which can conveniently perch on your cup and provide a smile on mornings when you're ~feline~ blue.

    17. A pack of colorful retractable gel pens with fine tips so you can smoothly write in every color of the rainbow.

    20 colors of gel pen with "hello" written from each

    18. Crunchy garlic with chili oil for adding just the right amount of spice to all your homemade meals and sure to make you (gar)lick your lips.

    19. A set of three dishwasher- and washing-machine-washable Swedish dish cloths that can absorb up to 15 times their own weight and will have you saying buh-bye to paper towels (which can't even hope to compete in the eco-friendly, long-term-money-saving, effectiveness, or cuteness departments).

    model drying veggies with lemon printed version
    model wiping counter with French bulldog version
    Amazon

    Promising review: "I originally picked these up to use in lieu of nasty, nasty dishrags that invoke my inner THIS IS NOT CLEAN demon. Since then, I have used them for everything from cleaning the kitchen to wiping up spills. After use, just toss in the wash and they are ready to go again. They are the perfect size and do an excellent job on every task to which I have applied them. They come in a variety of fun prints and I have yet to wear one out. Paper towel usage has taken a real nosedive, which is a good thing given its relative scarcity at present." —sandra simpson-kraft

    Get a three-pack from Amazon for $13.75+ (available in 30 prints).

    20. A cute and roomy duffel bag that could pass for a trendy brand and will be here for you on every weekend trip, gym run, diaper change, and/or flight for the foreseeable future. It can even attach easily to your suitcase handle!

    the pastel pink duffel bag with white logo tag
    Model wearing the duffel in various ways and strapping to a suitcase

    It's water-resistant and has an adjustable long strap and several interior pockets, including a place to separate out any wet items (like that bikini you didn't have time to dry before heading home).

    Promising review: "Exactly what I was looking for in a weekend bag. It is very well made, good construction from zippers to straps, inside and out. I was able to pack all my needed items for the weekend, including laptop. Extremely happy with this bag. Will gladly use this bag on longer trips as well. I purchased the light pink color and it's perfect." —pixie trinket

    Get it from Amazon for $21.49+ (available in tons of colors and styles).

    21. The Cat Dancer, a super-simple wire toy that's the under-$5 way to keep your cat entertained and get them to perform the most hilarious antics of their nine lives.

    22. A sleek and chic metal hair claw even folks with thick hair say actually works for them. A super on-trend fashion find that's also practical and affordable? Win, win, WIN.

    large twist design hair claws in matte and shiny gold and silver, gray, and rose gold
    LittleTwinkleCo/Etsy

    It's from a small accessory business based in New Jersey.

    Promising review: "I love this clip! I bought two of the matte silver ones. So much better than the plastic one I used to use. This holds my hair in place without much effort. I have thick hair, length to my belly button, so it surprises me that any clip can hold it but this one is perfect. And since it’s metal I know it won’t break easily like my old one did. Would definitely buy again. Thanks!" —Emily Miller

    Get it from LittleTwinkleCo on Etsy for $10+ (available in six colors).

    23. leave-in curl conditioning and detangling spray designed for kids, but that'll be a treat for your adult hair too. No more torturing your curls with a brush that refuses to go through knots and dreading washing your hair because of it!

    Reviewer's child's curly hair before using the spray and defined shiny curls after
    reviewer pointing to their gorgeous curly hair

    Promising review: "This is the BEST product EVER! I will never use another hair detangler ever again. We use this product daily in my house, my daughter, my son, and I. Both of us girls have long and thick curly hair, and it allows us to brush through our hair with no problems! And my son mostly uses it to style his hair before gel, and because it smells so good! We tried a few products from Walmart, Ulta, and Target, and nothing was good enough. This is now on my Subscribe & Save every month!" —Tamira McLelland

    Get it from Amazon for $8.63.

    24. Plus an epic detangling brush for all hair types — but especially curly styles — that'll work through the toughest tangles and make you realize that brushing your hair doesn't have to be a (sometimes literal) pain. And it comes in several cute colors and patterns!

    blue leopard print brush
    reviewer using pink brush
    reviewer with gorgeous curls

    Promising review: "I love this brush! My goddaughter and I both have long hair. It's always been so hard to brush our hair. Now it's not with this brush! It's easy on both wet and dry hair. Also I see less hair on the brush compared to when I use my other brushes. This is a must-try, must-keep-forever brush! Give it a try. What do you have to lose? Your hair will thank you for it." —SugarANDSpice

    Get it from Amazon for $11.99+ (available in nine colors and prints).

    25. A compilation of New York Times crossword puzzles edited by the famed Will Shortz that go from Monday (easy) to Friday (hard) so you can pick the perfect boredom buster for your mood (and how awake on a scale of Monday–Friday your brain feels) on any given day.

    the book cover

    26. A small-but-mighty pet hair scraper for a targeted way to de-fuzz areas big and small in a deeply satisfying way. Just look at that cat, sitting on the rug while their hoomin cleans it — like they don't even care that they leave such furry havoc in their wake.

    cat sitting on rug, half clean and half dirty, with piles of hair collected by the scraper
    the palm sized red scraper with a pile of hair from the rug larger than it

    Promising review: "My family drove from Wisconsin to Washington with our yellow Lab. I didn't think my van would ever be the same again. I bought this tool and was super skeptical, but I was desperate. THIS TOOL LEFT ME SPEECHLESS!!!! After finishing (it did take a bit of time, the tool is small) my floors and seats of my van look BRAND-NEW!!! I would pay triple the amount I paid for this tool. I've never seen anything like it! We own a pretty heavy duty shop vacuum and it didn't even scratch the surface. We also tried every type of pet/lint roller we could find and nothing came close. This tool will blow your mind! After cleaning out our van, I immediately messaged all friends and family with pets (yes, it really is that good!). Don't waste any more time or money on other products. This simple tool will do a better job than you could ever imagine! A MUST-own for any pet owner!" —Amazon Customer

    Get it from Amazon for $14.95.

    27. A cool toothbrush with super-duper thin "flossing bristles" designed to get into the trickiest grooves of your teeth (ya know, where you've had a little bit of popcorn stuck since you saw Barbie in the theater). 

    A toothbrush with two layers of bristles, one long and thin and one shorter and thicker
    Emma Lord/BuzzFeed

    Mouthwatchers is a dentist-founded small business specializing in upgraded toothbrushes. While these can't be a full substitute for flossing, they're helpful if you don't floss as much as you should (I feel you). As always, your dentist will have the best advice on the routine that's best for you!

    Promising review: "Seriously! I love this toothbrush, it’s the best one out there. I’ve tried all different kinds — I’m always looking for the next best one, but this is it for me. I feel like this manual brush would give any electric one a run for its money. Just buy it! You won’t be disappointed!" —Sarah T.

    Get an extra-soft version from Amazon for $4.94+ (available in four colors and in more styles and quantities here).

    28. Game-changing ceiling fan pulls, because apparently I'm not the only one who cannot for the life of me remember which cord controls the light and which controls the fan. Honestly, why don't they make all ceiling fans with these?!?

    29. A lil' on-the-go razor with an equally adorable carrying case that's perfect for gym bags, travel, or even leaving at your partner's house so you don't have to schlep your usual razor back and forth.

    30. An amazing Swiftie mug you can probably relate to on any given day — it'll be the perfect receptacle for the coffee you'll need to get through your hectic to-do list. But hey, at least you're not juggling a world tour, multiple album releases, pretending to care about football, and dinner with the A-list in the West Village several times a week...okay, I take that back, that sounds pretty good. 

    white, red, and black mug that reads
    BaylzOfHay/Etsy

    It's from a Pittsburgh-based shop dedicated to Taylor Swift and Harry Styles merch!

    Get it from BaylzOfHay on Etsy for $13.

    You impulse buying half these things: