22 Products That'll Help Upgrade Your Life For Under $25

Next level home, kitchen, beauty, and fashion finds you can totally afford.

1. A game-changing wine gadget that's a stopper, pourer, aerator, filter, and re-corker all in one and a must-have addition for anyone who drinks wine. It's only $6, so wine not?

Amazon

Promising review: "Throw out the others, this is the one. I have a drawer full of wine pour spouts of varying designs. Some don't fit all bottles, some leak while pouring, and some are so tall that storing upright in a refrigerator is difficult and none seal completely. This spout/stopper seals completely and lets you lay the bottle on its side. The aerator allows air to move back into the bottle while pouring to avoid the 'glug glug' effect of other pour spouts. The strainer may filter large cork pieces, but is not fine enough for sediment. The portion of the corker that fits inside the bottle has fit every bottle I've tried it in, from standard size bottles to the larger 1.5 liter bottles. It appears to be made from a flexible material that doesn't add any unwanted taste to the wine. " —Jack Dallas

Get it from Amazon for $5.56.

2. A keychain-friendly car escape tool to up your emergency-preparedness game. This tiny miracle has both a seatbelt cutter and a window breaker to get you to safety ASAP.

Amazon

Check out this review from an actual firefighter with tips on how to use this tool!

Promising review: "Just had to use one of these that I keep on my keychain. I was first on the scene of a nasty wrong-way crash. The driver and a passenger were stuck inside the vehicle. The doors could not be easily opened (on the driver side) so I pulled out my keys and used this tool to pop out the window. It instantly caused the tempered glass to shatter and I knocked the excess away with my flashlight before using a knife to cut away at the airbags. The woman survived and it was incredibly comforting for her to see me face to face and know that she had a way out and that she wasn't stuck. We waited for a little and paramedics arrived and were able to give everyone the care they needed. This was a real-life scenario and this product worked. Would absolutely recommend." —Madison

Get it from Amazon for $7.15+ (available in seven colors).

3. An ingenious blind cleaner brush that'll make cleaning those hard-to-reach crevices way easier. After all, letting all that dust sit there just because blinds are hard to clean would be downright (window)sill-y.

Amazon

It comes with five microfiber sleeves!

Promising review: "Where has this blind cleaner been for the past 50 years???? I have struggled to keep my blinds clean for so many years, and happily found this item. It WORKS!!! And I love that it comes with extra sleeves, and the sleeves are machine washable. The handle is plastic, but I feel confident it won't break any time soon." —marionvgt

Get it from Amazon for $7.99 (available in two colors).

4. The BuzzFeed Tasty Dessert cookbook filled with 75 recipes to help you create the same kinds of mouthwatering sweets you see on your feed even if you're a total baking beginner. Something's telling me all your friends are gonna want to hang out at your place from now on.

Amazon

Before you even get to the recipes, the book provides the 411 on everything from common ingredients to types of baking tools to tips all the best bakers should know. Another fun section? "One Brownie 100 Ways," featuring all the fun add-in ideas you could imagine.

Get it from Amazon for $11.95+.

5. A cool personal library kit so your friends will never "forget" to return the books they borrow ever again and your collection of favorite tomes will look so much more official.

Amazon

It includes 20 stick-on pockets, 20 checkout cards, a pencil, a date stamp, and a stamp pad.

Promising review: "I keep all the books I read and at this point, I have way too many books. When I lend them out, I like people to sign their name and the date they read the book, only because I find it interesting if I have an old used book and see the information in it. So I thought these were a cute throwback to the library system I grew up with and people could sign their names on the cards. Great quality — very sturdy, smooth, cardstock-type paper." —Holly Tracy

Get it from Amazon for $13.78.

6. Go-with-everything rhinestone earrings that'll instantly make a sweater and jeans look all ~fashun~ and make you look like you splurged on major bling.

amazon.com, amazon.com

Promising review: "These earrings are SO classy. I have literally worn them every day since they arrived. A MUST HAVE!" —Kaylynn

Get them from Amazon for $15.90.

7. A sleek, stackable toiletry jar to make your bathroom counter look as polished as a fancy salon. Fine, I admit it, my current ripped-box-of-Q-tips storage situation is not cute.

Amazon

One reviewer decided to put the lid on the bottom and keep the top open for pretty makeup brush storage!

Promising review: "I'm so impressed with this cute storage container! It is beautiful — the perfect rose gold, has no scratches, doesn't look cheap, and is sooooo helpful for storage. I bought two! I'm using one at work to store rubber bands on one side, binder clips on the other side, and paper-clips on the top tray! It goes perfectly with my other rose gold office decor, makes my desk look sleek/cute/trendy, and I've gotten compliments. The second one I bought for my vanity to store cotton balls on one side, Q-tips on the other side, and the top open for jewelry or hair clips that I need to just set down somewhere for a short time. Love it! Would totally recommend!" —Triple L

Get it from Amazon for $8.99 (available in 11 colors).

8. Biodegradable and organic hair ties you can feel way better about than the normal elastics you currently have slapped on your wrist.

amazon.com, Amazon

Promising review: "Love these organic, plastic-free hair ties! They’re noticeably thicker and more durable than your generic hair ties, and the added environment-friendly piece is a bonus. They also hold hair well and don’t slip when exercising. Great product and highly recommend!" —Jordan

Get a pack of 27 from Amazon for $14.95.

9. A LOL-worthy ice cream cozy, aka the product you never knew you needed. Because getting freezing hands can completely ruin the magic of devouring a pint of Ben & Jerry's while rewatching Queer Eye.

Kanudles/Etsy

The ideal night.

Get it from Kanudles on Etsy for $10.99. Find more colors and styles here.

10. An efficient sushi-making tool that couldn't be easier — you just load it with rice and the filling of your choice, close it up, and shoot out a roll that's ready to be wrapped and cut into maki. If you're tired of your meal prep being limited boring salads and pasta, this'll rock (and ~roll~) your world.

Amazon

It also comes with a mat to wrap your creation in nori!

Promising review: "I honestly wasn't expecting it to work as well as it did. It makes making sushi something you don't even think about, rather than a whole day event you have to plan for. I make it for work every day now, and it's easy enough that if I have the rice made the day before, I can even make it last-minute that morning. You just put the ingredients in and the device does the rest, and it comes out in a perfect, easy-to-work-with roll, just like the commercials promise. Kind of like an icing gun, but for sushi. Probably will buy again since they make a wonderful gift for lazy sushi lovers. If you buy take-out regularly, this thing pays for itself in no time." —Amanda

Get it from Amazon for $9.88.

11. A set of adorbs owl planters to add a distinguished sense of wisdom to your space, and to prove to your always-dying plants that you truly ~give a hoot~ about them.

amazon.com

Promising review: "These little owl planters are super adorable (without being too cutesy) and nice quality. They are small though. The opening in the top is about 1.5 to 1.75 inches. It's a nice size for small succulents. They also have that oh-so-important drainage hole. I love them and may buy more to use as gifts." —Mich81

Get a set of six from Amazon for $17.99.

12. A handy book stand that over 1,000 reviewers swear by for keeping textbooks, tablets, cookbooks, and notes (*extremely Jesse McCartney voice*) right where you want them.

amazon.com, amazon.com

It's adjustable and can be set to five different angles!

Promising review: "I've never had a cookbook stand before. Why have I never had a cookbook stand before?!?!?! You know that dance of trying to hold a cookbook open while keeping all the flour on your hands away from it? Have you ever tried to balance two cans (or whatever else is handy) on a book so that you can still see the recipe? Have you ever spun around your kitchen, looking for your phone for the fourth or fifth time that recipe, just to verify that you needed a teaspoon and not a tablespoon? Have you ever tried to prop a floppy printout on a mixing bowl? Well, maybe I'm just a real-life informercial, but I sure struggled with all those and more. This thing has earned a permanent spot on my very limited counter space (although it folds up easily to a slim shape, so it's easy to tuck away). The range of angles is perfect for anyone at sitting- or standing-height. The bamboo is beautiful and the metal accents are subtle. The black 'hands' are perfect for holding open books that range from a thick textbook-y tome to a small magazine. It's easy to rest a phone, iPad, book, sheet of paper, whatever for reference. I've used it for about a month, but it feels solidly built and like it'll last for years. It better, because I'm in love." —L. Smith

Get it from Amazon for $14.99.

13. Genius pant waist extenders perfect for making those old jeans that are just a little too tight comfy again or making your trousers work during early pregnancy or after a medical procedure, without having to buy a new pair.

Amazon

Promising review: "They work great. I had a kidney transplant and the new kidney was put in around waistline, which made all my pants tight. I have several pairs I would've had to replace, but waist extenders did the trick." —jde

Get a pack of 13 (with a mix of hooks and buttons) from Amazon for $18.95.

14. OPI ProSpa Nail & Cuticle Oil to banish the cracking cuticles that, up until this point, you'd just accepted as a fact of winter.

amazon.com

You can also get a version that comes in a traditional nail-polish bottle!

Promising review: "I’ve been using this oil almost every night for several months now and it works great. My cuticles used to be so dry and cracked from constant handwashing (I’m an elementary school teacher, so I’m always scrubbing my hands!), but I’ve seen a huge improvement since I started using this oil." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $9.95.

15. A chain-detail, faux-croc clutch, which'll give all your upcoming night out looks a badass finishing touch that only looks expensive.

Boohoo

It's got an optional chain strap!

Get it from Boohoo for $8 (originally $25).

16. A tube of hair finishing cream to tame flyaways and get an updo so perfect that Audrey Hepburn herself would be shook.

Amazon, amazon.com

Promising review: "This hair finishing stick is perfect for people who need to have their hair completely out of their face. I coach figure skating, and during competitions my students need a clean, every-hair-in-place look. I grabbed this gel to try it out on them and it’s great! It's not sticky at all and the mascara-like brush does a fantastic job of grabbing all the little flyaway hairs and keeping them in place. I also liked that it didn’t leave a crunchy, gel-like look. And it smells so good! Very light scent but you can tell it's there. It’s a product my students will now keep in their skating bags!" —Gwen Merecky

Get from Amazon for $7.98.

17. Miraculous NYX glitter primer so you can actually rock a glam makeup look without shedding glitter all day or having your look be ruined by the time you leave the dance floor.

amazon.com, amazon.com

Promising review: "This stuff is the bomb! I LOVE glitter and have tried a few other types of primers and they were meh at best. This primer holds all my fun loose glitter and makes my makeup looks complete and sparkly! Not only does it hold my gorgeous glitter, but it holds it well! I can go out dancing and sweating and my glitter stays put AND I don’t have to scrub my delicate skin to get it off. A simple facial oil and it comes right off!" —Cat

Get it from Amazon for $4.55.

18. Athletic ankle socks that aren't just regular socks, they're upgraded socks. They're cushioned and ventilated to make your workouts more comfortable — because you don't need sweaty feet on top of your spin instructor yelling at you.

Athleta

Promising review: "Very comfortable socks. I've worn these since I started working out three days a week, and no more blisters." —Tina

Get them from Athleta for $13 (available in two sizes and six colors).

19. A gorgeous hand lettering workbook here to teach you how to DIY all kinds of cool fonts for signs, cards, or just something to brag about to your coworkers.

Amazon, amazon.com

Promising review: "Not only is this introductory book beautifully put together, but the author helps you to build your own beautiful style! She provides easy-to-follow guides and plenty of room to practice, plus references for different alphabet styles that I continuously look at to practice lettering. I’ve been practicing lettering for a while and have picked up a couple books here and there to practice with, but this book really took my hand lettering to the next level physically and confidence-wise. I also really appreciate that it has good quality paper to practice on, as I’ve used other books with poor quality paper that has ruined some of my pens. Definitely recommend this to any and especially new hand-letterers!" —Melissa

Get it from Amazon for $17.99.

20. The Fenty Beauty Pro Kiss’r Lip-Loving Scrubstick, a cruelty-free exfoliator in a lipstick shape so you can pamper your pout even on the go.

Sephora

Promising review: "I've FINALLY found a lip scrub that can actually deal with the enormity of my dry lip problem. I compulsively rub my lips together all day long. As a result, I don't just have chapped lips, but closer to calluses. I have EVERY lip exfoliator on the market. The only one that made some improvement was Bite's lip scrub combined with their new overnight balm. Fenty's scrub isn't bitter like Bite's aftertaste can be, and its scrubby bits stay put so you can ACTUALLY get a scrubbing action. When using this, roll the product up just a millimeter or so. DON'T roll up the entire product or, of course, it will break off just like any other lip tube product. A millimeter is all you need and just run it back and forth over your lips. Adjust the pressure to fit your needs. Simple. I've been using it tons since I got it and I've barely used any of it. It may not have a lot of product, but I think it will last me quite a long time. And it has a delicious, delicate banana flavor! Love it!!!!!" —ReluctantSpllCk

Get it from Sephora for $16.

21. Fun climber-shaped wall hooks to make your closet or doorway look like a modern art installation (and actually motivate you to hang up your stuff instead of tossing it on a chair like usual).

Amazon, amazon.com

They come with hanging instructions and all the hardware you need to mount them, and they can support up to five pounds!

Promising review: "I love these things! I wanted something a little more stylish than coat hooks on the wall in our rather attractive front entry. I have to say, these look pretty cool and we've had lots of compliments. Oh, and they do work well." —DOC

Get a set of three from Amazon for $19.50+ (available in five colors).

22. And a must-have sticker for the new year, because the upgrade we all really need in 2020 is a new president.

LittleWomanGoods/Etsy

Get it from LittleWomanGoods on Etsy for $3.75.

Want more? Check out last month's roundup of products that'll upgrade your life for under $25.

All your friends when they see you with this new stuff:

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The reviews used in this post have been edited for length and clarity.

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