49 Products That'll Life Hack Your, Ahem, Life
Thanks to these products, your life hacks won't feel like hack jobs.
We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, BuzzFeed may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.
1. A soothing behavioral aid toy with a faux heartbeat that'll be your puppy's ~dream~ toy and help *you* finally get to sleep while crate training.
Promising review: "My partner and I recently got a 4-month-old Italian greyhound puppy and this has been great. We slept with the stuffed animal a few nights before picking up our puppy and placed it in his crate before he arrived. After playing with us and exploring his new home he walked into his crate and curled up against it and went right to sleep. He slept right through the first night with no issue. Today is week two and the batteries are still going strong. I plan on buying one for my sister who will be getting a puppy in the next few months. This is cute and functional." —Jeb
Get it from Amazon for $36.80+ (available in five colors).
2. A CovoBox that's hollow on the inside, so you can cover your Wi-Fi router with elegant "books" instead of leaving it out on display. What a *novel* idea!
Before adding this to your cart, you have the option to customize it, including selecting from 14 lengths and 15 colors (including custom colors). The CovoBox is made from reclaimed books and sustainable wood.
BTW — Covogoods is a small family-owned business creating home decor in Utah!
Promising review: "I’m pretty sure I’ve never loved a purchase from Amazon as much as I love this one. This product is EXTREMELY well made and very unique. Plus, it does the job of hiding the ugly routers and cords. And the customer service was great and responsive. I was a little hesitant to spend the money on this but after years of living with the husband’s pile of technology, the money was well spent!" —AmazonEmme
Get it from Covogoods on Amazon Handmade for $29+ (available in customizable sizes and colors).
3. An inexpensive Pop2Play foldable indoor slide that'll LITERALLY pop up in minutes, instantly turning any room into a playground. This packs flat and'll store easily. Go ahead, slide this right into your shopping cart.
The slide's capable of holding up to 50 pounds.
Promising review: "We just received our slide, and it took less than five minutes to get it out of the box and set it up. Super easy and convenient with two little girls waiting to see what was inside the box! My girls (3.5 & 1.5) got on this slide immediately after opening it up, and I am not even kidding when I say they played on it for an hour straight. I was surprised at how nice and how sturdy the slide was considering it's made of cardboard. The girls had a blast playing on it, and when it was time to go to bed, it took about 15 seconds to fold it up to store until tomorrow. I love that it folds flat for easy storage if you want it out of the way. Very happy with our purchase!" —Amanda Sobol
Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in two styles).
4. A rechargeable hair trimmer — this thing is the future of hair removal. The nifty palm-sized gadget doesn't require soap or water, so you can use it anywhere! Get this and "shaving" can be smooth sailing from here on out.
Promising review: "I love, love, love this shaver. It works great. Easy to use. It's design is a comfortable fit in my hand. The side grips allow no slipping. The more I use it the smoother my legs are. I have course hair and trouble with razor burn and ingrown hairs. Thus unit feels like an exfoliant treatment each time I use it. Really great. No irritation. I highly recommend it." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $59.88.
5. A toilet target light with a motion sensor and clear projection — this is sure to make potty training a bright spot in your child's life.
To apply, simply clean the area with an alcohol wipe before attaching the light. Take the sticker off the back and press firmly against the lid for 90 seconds. That's it! Batteries are included.
Promising review: "I got this thinking 'Dear lord I hope this works. If I drop my pants in pee again or have to scrub another wall I am going to go insane!' I thought the price was a bit much but it is okay now that I now it works! I don’t know why people are saying theirs don’t stay on. I’m truly hoping they cleaned the area first... but anyways. All I did was clean the surface of the lid with some rubbing alcohol and stuck this light on, like it said to do. My husband and son are in and out of the bathroom several times a day. Slamming the lid closed. Lights on and off all the time. This still lights up bright as ever and it’s going on three weeks. Now when I sit I sometimes might lean back into it but it’s really not an issue. I'm just overwhelmed with joy because this target works and I do not have to scrub any extra walls, floors, or pants!!! You better believe I’m getting one for every darn bathroom in my house!!!" —NoRestForTheWicked
Get it from Amazon for $34.88.
6. A length-adjustable pet hair broom with rubber bristles that'll pull the years of hidden fur your vacuum never grabs (no matter how many times you plug in that clunker and run it over the carpet).
Want more info? Check out my coworker's FURemover Evrilholder broom review. You'll learn a thing or two AND enjoy some very satisfying hair-removal photos!
Promising review: "I saw this on TikTok and thought it was worth a shot. I have two dogs and a cat, and being one with a dust and dander allergy I have to vacuum often but the vacuum can’t always get in deep enough. This actually works and I was shocked at how well it does. I brush the carpet a few times and vacuum it up and the carpet even looks better!! I highly recommend this to everyone- especially pet owners." —Theo Ackerman
Get it from Amazon for $12.98.
7. A pack of vacuum storage bags so you can get back SO much storage space. Fill up a bag with clothes, towels, or other linens, suck out the air, and watch the pile shrink down to a fraction of its original size!
Read BuzzFeed editor Maitland Quitmeyer's praise for these space savers:
"The plastic is thick, the bags rarely re-inflate, and I feel confident that everything is safe and secure when stored inside. When you take things out, just give anything a quick steam if super wrinkled and it's ready to wear! Take it from this Virgo, my closet game is forever changed!!! Seasonal closet transitions = a breeze with these."
Love what you're reading? Check out Maitland's full Spacesaver vacuum storage bags review!
Get a six-pack from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in four sizes and in a variety pack).
8. A set of three nylon kitchen knives — with these, your sous chef is able to chop 'til they drop (without hurting any of their adorable digits) when they insist on "helping" with dinner.
Promising review: "My 2-year-old was desperate to join me in the kitchen, and I wanted to be sure she was safe. These knives come in three sizes. They are not sharp to the touch but easily cut through most fruits and vegetables! For denser foods like carrots, she needed a bit of assistance, but she was quickly chopping all of the asparagus for dinner!!! We just got these, so I can't speak to durability, but for the price, these seem like a great value for my little chef!" —Nicholas and Zarya Fogelson
Get it from Amazon for $8.91.
9. An adjustable bakeware rack is gonna keep your kitchen tools upright and at-the-ready for every midnight bake shesh that comes their way.
Promising review: "By the picture, I was expecting a lightweight plastic base with flimsy metal uprights that would hold a lightweight pan or cutting board. BOY WAS I WRONG!!!! This is a very heavy-duty base with a good grip on the bottom. The uprights are heavy coated wire to prevent scratching of the items it is holding. I am SO PLEASED with the quality of this rack that I will be ordering a couple more to use for my skillets. Buy with confidence as these are really a quality product." —labbie1
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
10. A Doona car seat stroller that'll convert from a safe and cozy carseat into a stroller simply by popping out the legs! You'll no longer bother your baby by moving them from their carseat when you're out and about. I'm also drooling thinking about all the space this saves in a car.
Promising review: "This is the best infant seat ever. The Doona makes life so much easier. Having three kids, grocery shopping is a breeze with the Doona. My oldest pushes the baby, which leaves the car open and my hands free. I just wish it were a little lighter in weight." —Christina B.
Get it from Pish Posh Baby for $550 (available in seven colors).
11. A ridiculously charming exfoliating stick for gently scrubbing your skin, drawing out excess sebum, whiteheads, and blackheads from your pores. This is specifically designed for removing the gross octo-puss from inside your pores!
Promising review: "After just two days of use, this adorable little octopus has done wonders for me, smells great too. Here's how I used it: I wore down the stick just a little to where the texture from the salt is visible, scrubbed around on my face so there was plenty of product, then I used my fingers to gently massage all the gunk away. Rinse, pat dry, and enjoy the softness. Highly recommended for people with sensitive skin like myself." —LuckLocust
Get it from Amazon for $12.50.
12. A gray and black crocodile peel-and-stick wallpaper — this can give a wall or old piece of furniture some texture and depth. This is no croc — this material is *made* for sprucing up your plain white walls.
Animal print not your passion? You can also grab a solid color version if that's your taste.
Promising review: "This wallpaper has all the looks of expensive, sexy wallpaper without the high price. I used it to cover a simple dresser which I also purchased through Amazon (pictured above, left). The wallpaper is strong and has a great texture to it. I would recommend this wallpaper to anyone. This is not a true deep black if you're looking for that. It definitely have a lot of gray tones in it." —Jake Strickland
Get it from Amazon for $45.12.
13. A pack of Downy fabric spray — if you find yourself getting worry wrinkles over keeping your linen wardrobe pressed, this spray is gonna *finally* rid your caftans and pants of those stubborn crinkles and creases.
"I hate wrinkles *and* am lazy — two at-odds conditions. This stuff has been a staple in my life since approximately ninth grade (thanks to my mama). As a former Catholic school uniform wearer, I have discovered that this stuff was VITAL to freshening up wrinkly dress shirts that spent the after-school hours stuffed in a gym bag. The scent is light and fresh and its wrinkle-releasing powers are nearly instant. It definitely works better on some fabrics than others (great on cotton, less great on some synthetics), but it'll improve the look of most without dealing with an iron or steamer." —Danielle Healy, BuzzFeed
Get a two-pack from Amazon for $15.14.
14. A ball launcher for making sure your dog (and your rotator cuff) enjoy a day at the dog park.
Promising review: "I don’t know who has more fun my dog or me? LOL. I’ve used this for fetch every day for over a week now. It’s a ton of fun! I like that you can pick the ball up with the end of the gun. It saves your back and while my dog isn’t a slobber hound like others I’ve had...it’s nice you don’t have to touch the ball after it’s dog slimed. Get the mini model for small tennis balls and the large gun shoots conventional size tennis balls! Get it! You and our dog will thank me!" —workoutnut2010
Get it from Amazon for $22.95.
15. And a tug-of-war toy that'll suction cup to your floor, giving you some alone time when Spot doesn't want to stop playing.
Promising review: "We bought this for our 7-month-old labradoodle and he absolutely loves it. He is a big fan of tug of war so this toy is great to just leave on the ground and let him have at it. It certainly helps distract and burn his puppy energy. You can hide treats in it as well which was a bonus. This also comes with two sticky pads for extra suction. Five stars all around!!" —P. Bom
Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available with one or two suction cups).
16. A pack of five airtight silicone lids in different sizes to securely store leftovers without waisting a bunch of plastic wrap *or* wasting a bunch of time trying to find a perfectly sized container and lid.
These have saved many a bowl of leftovers in my place. I don't have space for lot of containers, so I was constantly using plastic wrap or plastic bags when I wanted to save food. It was an awful waste. These saved the day! They pack flat and the sizes fit on any container (even if I just leave my leftovers in the bowl I ate dinner in). I'm a sucker for this stuff.
Promising review: "These are super cute. I love the colors and they work great. The array of sizes they came in is also very handy. In fact, these are so much cuter than the other options available online that my friends decided to get the same set. If you took the time to google other silicone lids your eyes will burn. For my purposes these are perfect. Highly recommend." —DemiChang
Get them from Food52 for $40 (available in two colors).
17. A can of fire extinguishing spray with a design that'll spark your muscle memory, because nothing sounds scarier than not knowing how to use an extinguisher when you notice a fire start to spark.
Promising review: "I bought one for beside the grill, one for beside the stove, one for the laundry room, and one for the car. I think the intuitive, easy to use design is fantastic. We already have the muscle memory for using a spray can. In an emergency, it's so much easier to grab this and use it, and turn a small fire into a non-fire. I don't have time to remember a three step method of fire control when my bacon has gotten out of control on the stove. I'm not a firefighter! I'd really like to have one in every room. Think about it. Isn't it better to immediately contain a small fire than deal with a big one? This could save your life, and your house." —K. Zander
Get it from Amazon for $10.69.
18. A multi-use car hammer can help you escape from your car in an emergency – the safety edge slicer can cut through your seatbelt and the rounded hammer breaks through windows and windshields.
Promising review: "My puppy got tangled in her leash, car seat safety clip, harness clip, and seat belt. The release buckles could not even release because it was twisted so tightly. I knew I had to cut her free, it was such a relief when it hit me I had the seat belt cutter under the seat. I never thought I would use it, but so glad I had it today (pictured above)." —Elizabeth
Get two from Amazon for $10.04.
19. A roll-up drying rack made with metal grates covered in soft silicone that'll prevent scratches and take up basically no storage space. Roll this on top of the sink when in use and tuck it away in a drawer when the dishes are done! It dries fast, so no worries about drippings in your drawers.
Promising review: "This is very sturdy and it allows air into cups, pans, etc. to dry easily – unlike a drying pad. It holds heavy pans with no problem. The color is soft and goes great with my white and gray countertops and it's extremely functional. It's easy to clean, just roll it up and store it under the sink. Highly recommend. 👍🏻" —Denise
Get it from Amazon for $24.98+ (available in three sizes).
20. A ball cap cage can make washing your hats and baseball caps (while keeping their shape!) easy as ever. There's no striking out with this system. Seriously.
This is also a really useful tool if you're planning to pack hats on vacation!
Promising review: "This arrived on time and undamaged. It looks just like the photo and works as described. It fits well in the dishwasher and is unaffected by the heat. I have tried it on several hats already and I am very satisfied with the results. It's simple and works well. The dirt and sweat smells are gone. I purchased it through Amazon Prime at a great price and would recommend it to anyone." —AT-AT RIG
Get it from Amazon for $12.75.
