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.
1. A multi-functional brush to clean up all kinds of suede and nubuck shoes, coats, and bags with no need to drive to and pay for the shoe repair place. It even diminishes water stains, no spray or other cleaner required. Seven dollars once is SO much cheaper than paying $10+ every time you need a touch-up on your suede!
You can totally use it with another cleaner or spray if you want, but it seems like reviewers have success without! It just takes some elbow grease.
Promising review: "This little brush works incredibly well! I was skeptical at first, because the shoes I need to fix were very damaged — as you can see in the photos, they are nude suede and have a lot of watermarks and dirt. I didn't think these shoes were salvageable, but this brush changed my mind. It's not perfect and you can still see where the watermark like is if you really really try, but overall, the shoes look 95% better and only took me about 10 minutes to fix." —Alexa
Get it on Amazon for $6.99.
2. Some dishwasher-safe, Shark Tank-approved Souper Cubes — silicone trays that let you freeze food in cup-size portions to easily thaw in the microwave — because they'll both keep you from throwing out leftovers before they go bad, and then let you skip paying $$ for takeout on a time-crunch or empty-fridge day because you can have a serving of that delicious pasta or stew you made weeks ago ready in like, 10 minutes.
The trays have half-cup measurements, marked for easy portioning, and come with tight-fitting lids to keep moisture in and odors out. Oh, and it's easy to pull out the individual servings one at a time: simply push them out since the silicone's very flexible. I've had a couple of these and it's saved us so much money on takeout and helped with leftover fatigue, because no one wants the same dinner three nights in a row. Whenever I make a big batch of pasta, soup, or stew, I go ahead and freeze half of it immediately, then several weeks later can enjoy it again as if I just made it! Read my full Souper Cubes review for even more reasons why I love them.
Promising review: "When I first got it, I was excited to store soup in individual portions for easy lunches. Then, I realized I could pop the frozen soup out and store it in a bag while I freeze more soup. So now I have frozen single servings of four kinds of soup, chili, and applesauce. My teens are delighted to grab what sounds good to them for lunch." —Linnea
Get a pack of two from Amazon for $34.99.
3. A two-pack of draft blockers because your entire home will stay warmer if the hot air the heater's working so hard (and costing you so much money) to make can't slip out that annoyingly large gap under your front and back doors. They also keep things cooler in the summer!
It can also help reduce outside noises, especially if your apartment building or roommates can get kind of loud!
Promising review: "I’ll admit I was skeptical of these at first but after applying them to four of our doors we are thrilled! We live in an older home that is in no way energy efficient. ;-) We got these to help keep the hot summer heat out of the house. We have only had them for a short time but they look so good! They actually upgrade the doors a bit. ;-) The application went well and it is a firm hold. The flooring in our house meets the door almost so there’s not much room for movement and these stay put firmly when opening and closing the door. I have no doubt that they will stay on for a long time. Will probably buy another pack for the doors leading to our garage." —AHA
Get a set of two from Amazon for $9.95+ (available in five colors).
4. And if you need something for just one internal door, a weighted door draft stopper designed specifically in a triangle shape so it can wedge under there and block warm air from leaking out — or distracting noise from your kid's TV show from leaking in.
Promising review: "If you have a drafty door you absolutely need this. It is made of fabric and has some weight to it which is a great feature. The added weight helps hold it down and absorb the cold. When I walk by the door and the draft stopper is on I can't feel ANY cold coming in... I highly recommend this door stopper if you have a drafty door. Whether it be for cool air in the winter or you losing AC in the summer." —Nikki
Get it from Amazon for $13.59+ (available in seven sizes and six colors).
5. A dishwasher-cleaning tablet — it works to disband the lime scale and mineral buildup preventing your dishes from actually getting as clean as possible. Debating replacing your dishwasher because of annoying white streaks? Try this significantly less expensive solution first!
Promising review: "Works really well! It's easy to use, can be done with or without dishes in there. It REALLY helped clean the dishwasher and now I use one each month as suggested to keep it clean. The glasses don't have that "film" anymore (and I always used a rinse agent too, but we have a lot of lime in our water). I feel like the dishwasher is working better too, not that it had any problems before but it seems quieter now. I'm very satisfied with these." —BH
Get a pack of six tablets on Amazon for $8.50.
6. A fast-drying topcoat so you can do your own nails for wayyy cheaper than a weekly mani, but avoid inevitably smearing at least one of them because you're impatient about letting them dry completely. No more using extra polish remover + another coat of polish to fix those smudges!
Promising review: "I have not used the base coat yet but OMG!! The fast drying top coat really works. It's the first one I have tried so I wasn't really expecting a miracle product. I thought I'd still have to wait about 10 minutes at least but I touched my nails after only a couple minutes and the polish was completely dry. This seriously exceeded my expectations!!" —Aundra-Lyn
Get a duo base coat and fast-drying top coat on Amazon for $9.37.
7. A battery-operated (two AAs) Conair fabric shaver to cut all the pesky pills off your favorite sweaters and other winter knits in no time, so they look perfectly brand new again — and all in the space of one commercial break from Survivor. If you love your clothes and want to take good care of them instead of paying hundreds of dollars to replace them, shaving their pills is a good quick and easy place to start!
It has three different depth settings you can adjust depending on the fabric you're working with. Oh, and it works on furniture upholstery, too!
Promising review: "Love this thing! I bought this for a particular cushion of my couch that my dogs like to lay on so it was extra pilly. It worked so well that I’ve been searching around my house for other things to de-pill. I’ve done some sweaters, pillows, pants, and even my slippers. Worked great for it all. Super happy with this little contraption." —ScarLo
Get it from Amazon for $17.99+ (available in six colors).
8. A 20-pack (!) of extra thick magic cleaning pads because (shh), they're made out of exactly the same melamine foam as the famous Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and can restore all kinds of mess to like-new in seconds. Just like the name-brand, this one's super durable and holds up to tough scrubbing, and will similarly magically vanish all kinds of gunk — including that dirt you let build up from muddy puppy paws on your back door because it's just been too darn cold to wipe it off regularly.
Promising review: "I own a cleaning business and have spent a small fortune on the name brand. I clean everything from condo rentals to long-term lease/residential rentals and I have had to clean unimaginable NASTY, I mean 'pics or it didn't happen' kind of nasty, and these cut right through it. These work just as well as the name brand, if not better, and they seem to last a little longer!" —Keisha Marie
Get a pack of 20 from Amazon for $13.95.
9. A set of two miniature spatulas — they reach into even the deepest corners of makeup bottles and food jars so you can use every. last. bit. of product. This will get you at least another week if not more out of your Holy Grail $20+ moisturizer before you have to shell out for a new bottle!
Because be it artisanal mustard or a drugstore foundation, you paid good money for every ounce of that product! And yes, they actually work, like, really well — here's our Spatty review.
Promising review: "So worth it! I'm so happy with it. You will definitely save money using this. I think about how much I could have saved if this was invented 30 years ago. I mostly use it for small makeup jars. I tested out the longer one on a 18oz lotion and it worked fine. Some reviews complain about not being able to get every curve and corner of their container. ..oh please.! You get so much more than you would without it." —Liz
Get the set of two — one with a 6-inch handle, and another with a 12-inch handle (for different tasks!) — on Amazon for $9.99 (also available in green, pink, or grey on the Spatty Amazon store page).
10. A five-window insulation kit that'll put a stop to any drafty cold air that might leak through, so your heat doesn't have to work so hard *and* you save $$ on energy bills. (That's so many small problems solved at once!) It may look difficult, but you simply tape it to the top and bottom of your sill, then shrink it with your hair dryer until it's not noticeable — except in your utility bill savings.
Plus, of course, you stay warmer!
Promising review: "For decreasing drafts at a cheap price, this stuff works wonders. I bought this three years ago for four old basement windows and I’m just replacing the plastic now so I could clean the windows. I did have some paint come off of my window frames when removing this but it’s a minor issue. I wish I had known about this sooner and definitely recommend it." —Adam Miller
Get the five-window kit from Amazon for $17.92.
11. And an insulated, self-adhesive weatherproof and soundproof strip you can run along the edges of all your exterior doors and windows to block hot air from leaking out and cold air from leaking in — which it 100% will if you don't have something that stops it. And anyone can install this, even if you're not handy because it's basically like a long sticker!
It'll also help block sound noise from your reality TV obsessed neighbors.
Promising review: "JUST WHAT I NEEDED! This weatherstrip worked great for me. It came in two attached strips with an adhesive backing. The strips can be separated as needed. It was easy to peel the backing and install the strips. I installed both strips on the door casing where the door meets it when closed. It immediately stopped the draft that was coming in around the door." —RH in TN
Get it from Amazon for $8.97 (available in four colors).
12. Plus a pack of foam socket sealers that'll stop any last little bits of determined cold in its tracks for very little effort or money, and be invisible behind the wall plates. All it takes is a regular screwdriver to unscrew the plates, stick these blockers on, then screw the plates over it!
Promising review: "These actually work. I admit that I had my doubts at first, but then I verified the results with a Thermal Leak Detector. Outlets that were at least two or three degrees lower in temperature prior to install were actually warmer than the wall after install. Pretty amazing. Package comes with mostly double round socket and a few square. Our house has all square, so we cut the round to fit the square plate and they work very well. We used the light switch cutouts for cable coax outlets, which made a huge difference." —K. S.
Get a pack of 16 from Amazon for $9.99.
13. Some cushion supports so you can turn back time on your slouchy sofa, and continue spending happy evenings there for years to come. New sofas cost literally thousands, but each set of these will only run out $40 — so even if you need one for all three of your sofa cushions, that's just $120 compared to $1000+! Talk about major savings.
It's basically a piece of thick foam that you insert into the bottom of each cushion to plump up all the other layers, and a piece of thin foam that goes near the back of the cushion for extra support. So your couch will feel equally comfy but look brand new.
Promising review: "The sofas are sturdy and only three years old but several cushions were sagging. I ordered two of the large size for our live seat to try them out. I easily cut an inch off to have it fit with an Exacto knife. Easy to slide in, easy to close with my husbands help. The difference when sitting on the sofa is amazing. Firm and they feel like new cushions. I just ordered three more for the large sofa." —doris
Get them on Amazon for $39.99+ per kit.
14. A couple bottles of Bar Keepers Friend Cooktop Cleanser that eliminates the built-up residue on shower doors *and* the burnt-on grime on glass cooktop stoves. There's no need to pay housekeeping help for this stubborn problem when this stuff works in literally minutes and with zero elbow grease!
Promising review: "Like a hot knife through butter for built-up hard water stains on my glass shower doors. I've tried everything and this stuff worked in two minutes. Made me a little embarrassed it took so long to find something so effective. I haven't tried it on anything else yet but I guarantee I'll be reordering just to have extra. Just can't have enough of a good thing." —Ron
Get two bottles on Amazon for $13.85.
15. A mold and mildew remover made from a no-odor gel that sticks and stays to your grout and caulking so it can actually do its job: banishing the grossness from your bathroom. No need to hire a contractor to replace your caulk OR bother with the mess of re-caulking yourself when this works while you snooze.
You do have to let it sit for four to five hours (or even overnight), but the results, as proven by the review photos like the one here, are worth it.
Promising review: "I’m very happy! I applied it this morning and by noon you could see the difference. The caulking around the tub is so white just like I just resealed it. I’ve tried other bleaching products like Kaboom and Clorox with less than similar outcomes. The biggest difference was the mold spots behind our shower products. Those have been an eyesore for so long and now they’re gone. My only regret is I didn’t do a before and after photo." —CButin
Get it from Amazon: one bottle for $14.99 or two bottles for $26.99.
16. A powerful no-rinse stain remover — it can conquer many of the seemingly impossible messes you throw at it. Simply spritz it on, wait a second, then blot it up to see most stains truly vanish like magic without spending an arm and a leg on auto detailing or specialty carpet or upholstery cleaning professionals.
It claims to work on both old and new stains (including red wine!), and on any color-safe fabric that you can safely wet with water (read: not dyed silk or wool, probs, or anything that says "dry-clean only"). One of our readers who uses it and recommends it (#33) says it doesn't work on every stain they try, but it makes most stains — even really old ones — disappear! You simply spray the product on the stain, work it in with your fingers, then blot it up with a clean paper towel.
Promising review: "I had terrible rust and oil stains all over the seats of my car. I tried other cleaners to get them out, but they actually made the stains darker. I took it to the dealership to see if they could get it out and they flat out told me no, so I gave up and lived with it for almost five years. Then I tried this after it was recommended by a friend. I sprayed it on and literally watched the stain run right off my seat. It was amazing! I thought I was going to have to pay hundreds of dollars to replace the seats in my car because nothing else would work. This stuff really is awesome!" —Brittany
Get it on Amazon for $6.65.
17. And a leather stain remover spray because even though leather's usually relatively stain resistant, years with kids, pets, spouses, or just our own messy selves eventually take their toll, and this will basically give you a refund for $15. That's at least 10 times cheaper than replacing EACH piece of furniture you'll save!
This also works on Durablend, vinyl, compound, saffiano, faux leather, and other leather or leather-like surfaces.
Promising review: "Used the microfiber cloth to apply and after the first treatment noted only mild improvement, but after the second treatment (done just after the first treatment dried), the stain was not visible!! I then did the entire chair and the results are great. Advice: Do not scrub the area hard. This may roughen up the leather. Apply lightly and wipe off with another microfiber towel." —mich
Get it from Amazon for $15.98.
18. Speaking of leather, a leather recoloring balm so you can spend many more years reading in your favorite chair, reveling in the afternoon sun, *without* A) tapping your bank account for furniture restoration or B) having to put up with anything that looks like it's on its last legs.
You just rub it right into your leather. It can even help minimize the look of cat scratches, depending on how bad they are. Note that it's very important to test to see if it will work with your particular leather, because it's for absorbent leather only — you simply put a drop of water on your leather and see if it soaks in. If it does, this product works! (Here's a video; skip to 0:42.)
Promising review: "Can I give it TEN stars? My hubby was ready to get rid of the set. It's SUCH a comfortable set, and well-built... scale was just right for our new home... I couldn't let that happen! I had cleaned the chair with a tiny amount of mild dish soap and water previous to the stain's arrival. I threw on some latex gloves, dipped my fingers into the gel, and started massaging it into the leather. Results were immediate and impressive!! AMAZING!!" —Muysson
Get a jar from Amazon for $29.95 (16 colors available).
19. An enamel paint designed specifically to refresh metal surfaces — like fridges, washers and dryers, metal bed frames, and bathtubs — that have been scratched or rusted over the years. Retouching and repair is SO much cheaper and less wasteful than buying something new!
20. Some vinyl peel-and-stick tiles to install on a Sunday afternoon to instantly make your kitchen, bathroom, or laundry room look more modern and brand-new (and to make it easier to clean than bare wall). Hey, if you have the cash for a contractor and fancy new tile, go for it, but if not, well, here's the answer you've been looking for!
They're removable, so it's renter-friendly — yay! That involves heating it with a hair dryer to loosen the adhesive, slowly pull it off, then using something like GooGone ($15.89) to clean the residual glue. But maybe it'll look so good your landlord will want you to keep it!
Reviewers say you'll also need a level, sanding block and sand paper, measuring tape, ruler, screwdriver to remove outlets, and utility knife or scissors.
Promising review: "These are great and easy to install. You have to cut the first section. I did put them on a textured wall and have no issues with them peeling off. I made a mistake and had to pull some of them off and they came off with no problem. They are sticky so I did have to pull a little bit, no damage to paint or wall though. You will need a VERY sharp knife and a pair of scissors. I used a metal carpenter's square as a straight edge and it worked nicely. Nice upgrade to my little kitchen. I needed about 30 tiles and I had to buy 40 for cuts and mistakes. You can't reuse the sheet if you pull it off. I found that if you have to cut the tiles, make sure you have the "grout" on the cut, it makes it easier to align and hides small mistakes." —Tricia Hendrickson
Get it from Amazon, for $28.09+ (available in ten colors, and in dozens more designs and colors on their store page).
21. An oil stain remover that works wonders on basically any kind of stone (whether it's untreated *or* sealed and polished) because you shouldn't have to live with the consequences of that one leaky bottle of olive oil, or feel like you need to spend precious dollars on either a pro cleaning or *gasp* replacing the kinda-expensive piece entirely. Especially when this $10 solution exists!
It works on marble, granite, limestone, travertine, slate, sandstone, grout (for ceramic and porcelain tile), masonry, and concrete — and it won't discolor the surface of the stone even one bit!
Promising review: "Had an oil stain on my untreated West Elm marble top buffet from a kids toy. I purchased the oil stain remover and crossed my fingers that it would work. Followed the directions, waited 72 hrs to let it dry completely, and then scraped it off with a credit card. It worked perfectly! I couldn't be happier with the results. I highly recommend this product!" —parkhaven916
Get a can of it on Amazon for $11.48.
22. An earwax removal kit so you can clear up your muffled hearing in less than 10 minutes (who knew everything had such crystal-clear sound??) no need to swipe your credit card for the copay at your doctor's office.
The kit comes with removal drops and an ear syringe. Not to dissuade you from going to the doc, of course; if you have major wax impaction or some other mystery thing stuck in your ear, then please do go! But if you're like me and just know this happens to you every once in a while, it totally does work — I use these drops then rinse with a bulb every few months when my hearing's slightly muffled by wax, and it's always cleared everything out.
Our readers love this and told us so! See more products they endorse here.
"I just got the Debrox based on this article and got a clump of wax that had been blocking my hearing for weeks. It's only a dollar more for the version with a bill syringe in it, so don't buy one separate (you can use a baby one if you already have it)." —stephaniesm, from products that basically pay for themselves
Get a pack with both pieces from Amazon for $8.12.
23. Some heel cap covers — sure, it's not SO much cash to get the cobbler to swap out the original cover for something new that'll cover the tappy nail peeking through the heel of your favorite dancing pumps. But sometimes it's just 100x easier (not to mention cheaper) to order a solution online than coordinate your schedule around getting that single pair to the repair shop.
Promising review: "I bought these because I have and old pair of heels that still had a lot of life in them and I wanted to revamp them. The heels were worn down to the screw and the XS fit perfectly. If the cap looks like it will fit but the end of your heel is too square, I recommend you file it down with a really good nail file and round it out. My shoes look like new now. I love them !" —Yeya93
Get two pairs from Amazon for $9.99 (available in nine size combos and also in taupe).
24. A handheld knife sharpener because it will fiercely hone each and every blade you own until they're back to their peak, like-new sharpness that makes it a thousand times easier to slice and dice. Yes, you can pay for experienced people to sharpen your collection for you, but this tool's right-at-$10 price is SERIOUSLY right. *And* you can use it over and over again.
It has two slots: coarse for sharpening dull and damaged knives, and fine for polishing a knife or giving an already-sharp knife a quick touch-up.
Promising review: "I use this on my high-end German knife and it performs as well as any expensive sharpener. If your 'good' knife requires some fancy sharpener, perhaps the knife is the problem. I use this on three large kitchen knives as well as paring knives, and it keeps them all in tip-top shape. I do a lot of chopping, so having every knife tomato-ready is great. If you want an expensive sharpener, be my guest; for me, I'd prefer to spend my time USING sharp knives rather than adding undetectable macho sharpness I don't need. Find a couple of good videos before you start — the instructions are OK, but don't actual demonstrate all the features!" —Pete
Get it on Amazon for $10.95.
Elizabeth, one of our editors, owns one of these and loves it — you can read her full knife sharpener review for more!
25. A drain clearer covered with thousands of micro-hooks to grab every last bit of the hair and gunk slowing down your sink and tub drains, so they actually flow freely again. That's $20 for pretty much the same solution that your typical $100+ plumber house call might run you...whoa.
You just insert it down your drain, twist it a few times via the handle, let the grabby micro-hooks on the tip (similar to Velcro) do their work on the stuck, clogging hair and debris. Then pull it up, and your sink will drain like it's new!
Promising review: "As someone with long hair, I am constantly having slow and stopped up shower drains. I have gone through so much Draino and still slow. I've tried the plastic snakes and they've done nothing. Then I saw this product on one of those BuzzFeed lists and I thought I would give it a try. OH. MY. GOD. It pulled up a giant wad of hair that looked like a small, dead animal on the first go. I decided to try again just to be sure it was clean and pulled up another small animal's worth of hair. It was pretty gross but now my drain runs better than in years." —S. Gross
"I have a very slow draining sink in the bathroom and I was skeptical, but I thought I would give it a try. It worked exactly like they said it would. I can’t even imagine how much money I’ve saved by not having to call a plumber. Highly recommend this product." —Magee
Get one with five included refills on Amazon for $19.99.
26. A foaming garbage disposal cleaner that you simply drop in, run a little water, then let its fizz reach down into the depths of your disposer for you, ridding it of any built-up slime and grossness. This could save you a call to the plumber if you're issue's just a stinky one (though if it's clogged, definitely call a plumber).
Promising review: "After seeing it say it only takes two minutes (mine was closer to four) I thought there was no way it would work. But I can literally hear how much easier the disposal spins. I can see the metal which used to be black. I'm in an apartment where it has probably never been cleaned. I didn't even know the second sink drain was white until this. It had a layer of brown gunk. Simply amazing, I'm shocked how well this stuff works." —J. Peace
Get a pack of four uses on Amazon for $3.78.
27. A bottle of jetted tub cleaner because over the years those pipes get coated in soap, dead skin cells, and all kinds of other gunk that you definitely don't want keeping you company in your relaxing bath. Multiple reviewers say this got gunk out even after they paid to have their home professionally cleaned — so save yourself the $$ and try this first.
And it takes just 15 minutes to see results; simply run your water, pour in some cleaner, and start your jets.
Promising review: "This stuff is seriously amazing! I am relentless about cleaning my tub because I use it so often. Before I purchased this, I used the typical homemade recipe of bleach and powdered dishwashing soap. I’d have to run two or three cycles to get it crystal clear. One cycle with this stuff, 15 minutes, and the results are amazing! I first ran my tub with the solution, then drained it and wiped it down with a sponge. When I refilled the tub up and reran the jets, I kid you not the water was CRYSTAL CLEAR! I’m so impressed!" —Chelsea
Get it on Amazon: a bottle good for four cleans for $17.84 ($4.46/clean), two bottles for $31.49 ($3.94/clean), or a gallon good for 32 cleanings for $56.29 ($1.77/clean).
28. A glass and ceramic cooktop cleaning kit that comes complete with a heavy-duty scrubber, a razor blade, and a bottle of powerful cleaner — basically everything you need to conquer even the messiest of burners so it shines like it was painstakingly restored by an actual pro...for under $20.
Promising review: "I hadn't thoroughly scrubbed my glass cooktop in years, only wiped down with random multipurpose cleaners which never seemed to do much. Then a friend recommended this product... AMAZING! The included scrubbers and scrapers really make the difference. It will leave your cooktop shiny and new. Even marks that had been on there for years came almost completely off. 98% better. The key is to use very little product. Let it dry to a haze and buff with a clean, dry cotton towel, just like waxing a car." —B. Swartwood
Get the kit on Amazon for $16.48.
29. Some Goo Gone — it quickly and painlessly removes everything from tape residue to mysterious sticky substances, pretty much wherever you find them. Why pay to replace something if you can simply clean it up in a jiffy?
This is a product I bought for my move a couple years ago: My boyfriend had hung up these posters that used big foam adhesive squares (no, they were not Command strips), and when we pulled them off the wall, they left a bunch of foam and sticky stuff behind. Goo Gone (plus a plastic scraper) came to the rescue! It took a little patience, but the stuff would never have come off without the Goo Gone. It helped break down both the foam stuff and the adhesive, which came off in little bits, leaving nothing behind. We did then wash off the paint with some dish soap and water — Goo Gone is super greasy — but by the end, you couldn't tell anything had been there at all, and the paint was undamaged.
Promising review: "I have some three-year-old sticker glue on a stainless steel kitchen appliance. Put a squirt of this stuff on a paper towel, and 20 seconds later, sticker glue all gone! Not really sure if I can give higher praises here." —Berkford
Get two bottles on Amazon for $15.97 (they also make a spray-on version for $17.98).
30. An under-$150 carpet shampooer that will scrub away then suck out years' worth of mystery stains now, leaving your floors looking fresh, then come in handy over and over later, whenever you discover your spouse/toddler/teen/pet left you a surprise...like, several weeks ago. No need to spend big on professional cleaning when this beauty takes care of it for you!
It also works wonders on area rugs! And it only weighs about 13 pounds — heavier-duty carpet cleaners usually weigh around 20 — so you won't feel completely exhausted by the time you're done with your living room.
Promising review: "I run dog services, boarding, and daycare out of my home. My carpet sees high traffic regularly and potty accidents on occasion. Love this Hoover! Holy moly! It picks up an INCREDIBLE amount of deeply imbedded debris, dirt, stains, and hair. The difference in how much cleaner my carpet is after using it is OUTSTANDING!! I regularly vacuum and spot clean with other carpet cleaners and couldn’t fathom the filth I was actually living in after using the Hoover. It’s easy to assemble and light weight too. You can’t deny the results when cleaning out the dirty water tank. Easily the best purchase I have made for my small business! Very impressive!" —Patty DeCarlo
Get it on Amazon for $90.20.
31. A specialty dryer vent cleaning kit and brush that (optionally) attaches to your drill, because lint can seriously build up in those vents and once you push the excess out, you'll reduce your fire risk and your clothes will dry faster (which means you'll save on energy bills *in addition* to not paying a pro for a relatively quick, cheap, and easy job).
Just make sure you get enough rods to extend all the way through your dryer vent in one direction (see below for options) to completely clear the buildup. BTW, several reviewers recommend using duct or electrical tape to secure the rods even more!
Promising review: "We bought a 16-year-old house from the original owners, who are fine people but not legendary for their routine maintenance. The dryer that came with the house would take two 40-minute cycles to dry towels. I followed instructions, cleaning about three feet at a time, then pulling out the assembly and adding two more shaft sections, and repeating until the brush got to the roof vent. All told, about half a grocery bag of lint came out of the vent pipe. 20 minutes work, and drying time has been cut in half. Worth every penny and effort." —Hillyb
Get it from Amazon: with 15 feet of reach for $15.95 or with 26 feet of reach for $17.95.
32. A set of storage containers — it'll literally keep produce day-one fresh for about two weeks. If you want to cut down on your grocery bill by making all kinds of fruit and veg last longer, well, consider this your sign!
I know it sounds too good to be true, but these things do work — I have a couple I use all the time, and talk about my experience in this review. Their secrets? A snug-fitting lid with a filter that lets just the right amount of air circulation happen, plus a plastic grate in the bottom that lets your fruit sit above any water. Oh, and all the pieces are completely dishwasher-safe.
Promising review: "The grapes I bought nearly a month are still fresh and crisp. Raspberries are notoriously difficult to store for more than a few days, but mine were two weeks old before they were all eaten—and still looked and tasted fresh. Very durable and easy to clean." —Sheri Hanigan
Depending on the size you need, Amazon sells various options: get a set of two (one blueberry size and one lettuce size) for $16.79 or a set of four (one bell pepper size, one lettuce size, and two blueberry size) for $26.99.
33. A set of two blindspot mirrors so you always have full visibility of everything that's directly beside your car, and never accidentally open your door into a hidden lamppost. Even a little dent like that can cost more cash than you want to spend — and with the mirror just under $7, it need not be so expensive either.
Promising review: "The size is nice, at 2", adequate for the average passenger vehicle. I don't get very much use out of them while driving around, but they're great parking mirrors for backing into tight spots or reversing around obstacles.
The mirrors indeed look and feel like glass. They are virtually rimless for a clean look. I attached them in a fixed position (no swivel base.) For installation, I took a few steps to make sure they were 100% secure. I cleaned my vehicle's mirrors with alcohol. I also wiped and dried them with a coffee filter (no fibers or streaks left behind.) Then I attached the mirrors. The installation couldn't have been done any cleaner, thus if the mirrors fall it will prove the adhesive to be inadequate.
*One month update.* The mirrors have not come loose. They survived a touch-free car wash and tons of rain. I applied Rain-X spray to them to keep raindrops from sticking. They're good parking mirrors and don't block my normal view at all, so I see no reason not to have them on my vehicle." —m.
Get the set of two on Amazon for $6.97.
34. And a shoe cleaning kit to help keep all your favorite kicks in their best condition, even if you accidentally step in a mud puddle. Look, I love how my boots come out of the shoe repair shop once a year, but if you're looking to clean multiple pairs, you'll save money DIYing it!
You'll be able to clean multiple pairs (it works on leather, canvas, vinyl, mesh, cotton, plastic, nylon, and rubber, among other materials) for less than the cost of one professional shoe cleaning.
Promising review: "This works perfectly! I just wish I had learned about it so much sooner. I used it on some tennis shoes I had worn hiking and they looked brand new again! Amazing. Also, it didn't smell horrible/toxic as so many powerful cleaners do — I am pretty sensitive, and this seemed safe and so easy to use. Hooray!" —Shannon Lynch
Get the kit (which includes the cleaner, a scrub brush, and a microfiber cloth) on Amazon for $16.97.
35. A buy-once makeup-remover cloth that's just as easy as disposable wipes or cotton rounds, but removes long-wear makeup faster AND *pays for itself* in less than a year. Oh, and it only needs a little water to work its magic.
While some reviewers say that most nights they're able to rinse most of the makeup off of it to use it again the next day, it is machine washable. It's also a BuzzFeed Reviews pick for best makeup remover!
Promising review: "This product really works! I was very impressed with how quickly it took all my makeup off, even mascara with little effort and faster than with disposable! Recommend!" —Amazon Customer
36. A reusable silicone zip bag because there's absolutely no need to buy box after box of disposable bags when this one could replace hundreds if not thousands of bags over its lifetime. You can use it to pack snacks and sandwiches, steam veggies in the microwave, and even seal up sous vide (if you're fancy enough to cook like that). They're my favorite reusable bag brand I've tried!
Bonus: they're totally dishwasher safe. (I have a couple myself and have used 'em for a couple of years. I run them through the top rack all the time!)
Promising review: "I've tried a LOT of reusable bags as there are a lot of options out there all using a variety of materials. The fabric ones just get gross over time. The vinyl ones are hard to clean and aren't usually dishwasher safe. There are other silicone ones that need a separate rod to close them that you can easily lose. This one is the most simple and easy to use. No separate pieces to lose. Can withstand any temperature/microwave/dishwasher/whatever. And if they get gunky they are very easy to clean and I trust that they aren't hiding gross crumbs in any of the crevices." —Megan A.
Get a sandwich-size bag on Amazon for $11.04+ (available in four colors; also available in more sizes and colors on the Stasher Amazon store page).
37. A manual Shark Tank-featured back-and-body massager so you can get relief for the tension in your back (and shoulders, and feet, and legs) on demand, no need to bother with the hassle or cost of making an appointment with a masseuse.
Promising review: "I am always looking for new solutions to help my chronic pain, and I had a feeling when I saw the Q-Flex on Shark Tank that I needed one ASAP. I used to do acupressure with a massage therapist but had to stop for financial reasons, and this is a great way to get the same relief for a fraction of the price. This has been so helpful for relieving the tightness in my neck, back, and shoulders and I’m so glad I bought it. Honestly this has been the BEST. PURCHASE. EVER. I even got one for my dad for Christmas since he has shoulder issues also. I seriously wish I had just bought it the day I saw it!" —Amelia
Get it on Amazon for $34.99.
38. Or a Renpho percussion massager that's ready to pummel even the most stubborn knots into submission in seconds, pretty much wherever they are on your body. Sure it's a lil' pricey, but still less than the cost of one IRL massage, and you get to use it over and over again.
Check out a TikTok of the massager in action.
Promising review: "I have tried EVERYTHING for my feet, nothing works and I am always in pain. It came, I tried it out, and I thought wow, that feels AWESOME. But the true test is how do you feel the next day right? You cannot always walk around with a massage gun in your hand. The next day, I felt AMAZING. AMAZING. I used it on my hubby's back too, and he said he felt so much better today as well! In addition, this one is way QUIETER than my original massage gun. It's just really a quality piece. You won't be disappointed in this one. It really is what it says. I know it is hard to choose from all the models on the internet, but this one is the real deal. It's worth the money if you have pain." —L Johnson
Get it from Amazon for $59.99+ (available in three colors).
39. A low-flow shower head to instantly make the most of any low-ish water pressure you do have, all while saving you cash on your utility bills. Small changes really can add up over time!
Promising review: "OMG! I LOVE THIS SHOWER HEAD!! I've spent so much money looking for ways to boost our water pressure. We're on a well. We have a pressure tank. Still, we have poor water pressure especially noticeable in the shower. I've bought so many shower heads I finally gave up hope of ever getting more pressure. I'M SO GLAD I DECIDED TO TRY THIS ONE!! I literally rinsed the shampoo from my hair in half the time it normally takes me. Same for the conditioner! I was absolutely astonished. I couldn't wait to write this review! My husband, who has always complained about the lack of pressure, WAS HAPPY! I'll never have a different shower head." —R.L.B.
Get it on Amazon for $26 (six colors, four gallons-per-minute options).
40. A bottle of wood restorer — you can use it on basically any dehydrated or lightly damaged wood surface (floors, tables, finished and not finished) to transform it so it looks like new. Now if that's not a serious bargain, idk what would be!
If you have wood patio furniture that always fades with the sun and rain, it'll be like getting brand new furniture every single year — with the help of a little bit of elbow grease. A little goes a long way!
Promising review: "OMG! This is the most AMAZING product! We inherited some antique furniture from the '30s that had been in storage forever... it was dry and dirty and not much to look at. I used this product on it and the oak wood literally came alive showing the beautiful grain and texture of the wood. I have since used it on my oak kitchen cabinets and they look AMAZING! I will never use anything else other than this product on my wood surfaces!" —Tiffany Sadowski
Get a 16oz bottle on Amazon for $8.48.
41. A bottle of Fanola Purple Shampoo, which works wonders to give your dyed-blonde hair that platinum shine week after week without a pricey visit to the colorist. Win, win, win.
You just leave it on for 1–3 minutes (any longer and it can dye your hair lavender! Which is also cool, you do you) once a week. And if you want to avoid staining your nails, remember to wear gloves when you do it!
Our readers love this and told us so! See more products they endorse here.
"The Fanola no yellow shampoo is AMAZING! I live in the country with very hard well water and within one month of getting it done, my hair was a brassy mess. Two washes with the shampoo and it looks even brighter than when it was freshly done! I didn't find it drying when used with the Fanola Restructuring conditioner." —lizizcool, from cheap solutions to expensive problems
"My results weren't quite as dramatic as the photos, but it's still by far the best purple shampoo I've ever used. It's so powerful that it'll even turn my fingers purple if I don't wash it off quickly! Love it and totally worth the price!" —brituhny
Get it on Amazon for $8.75.
42. A set of bra extenders — new bras are EXPENSIVE, and when the one you bought last year still feels and looks brand new except for the chest band, might as well opt for one of these babies instead of watching another necessary expensive shopping trip get added to your credit card statement.
Promising review: "This extender is perfect for my need. I have some new bras that need breaking in. I wear a 30 to a 32 DDD and have a hard time finding the perfect fit so this does the trick. I was able to measure accurately since the description have the dimensions needed to choose the correct extender." —V K
Get a pack of three from Amazon for $6.99+ (available in various colors, inch spacings, and number of hooks).
43. A purse-sized jewelry cleaning pen, which you gently brush over your diamond, sapphire, emerald, and other precious gem rings for a sparkling clarity worthy of a professional, without the professional bill.
All you have to do is twist to dispense a little of the liquid, brush it over your jewelry to make everything sparkle, then rinse your jewelry off. It works for stones, gold, and silver, but not pearls!
Our readers love this and told us so! See more products they endorse here.
"A miracle worker!! It brings back the sparkle and shine of my gemstone jewelry. I had one white topaz ring I thought would never be clear again. I used this pen, quick and easy, and the stone is now clear and sparkly again!" —nicoleg4fbf770b4
Get it on Amazon for $7.99.
44. Or a big tub of the jewelry cleaner, if you have lots of gold, silver, gemstone, and even costume jewelry that could stand a little TLC — but that you don't want to schlep to a professional jeweler only to have to pay $$$ for a deep cleaning that you could do at home in minutes.
It's available in three formulas: fine jewelry (gold, diamonds, precious stones), silver, and delicate (made for costume jewelry).
Promising review: "Holy smokes! What a difference! This is fantastic! I have a pair of earrings I haven’t worn in forever because they looked horrible. I stuck them in this cleaner (one at a time) and you can clearly see the difference! It’s quick, easy, and super effective! I wish the brush that comes with it had two lines of bristles rather than one, but this is absolutely fantastic!" —hoconnor570
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
45. A restorative headlight wipe kit because it'll give you similar results in an hour or less and for under $20 that a five-times-as-costly visit to the auto shop would give you, and you'd have to leave your car there the entire time. Clarity >>> cloudiness, both in terms of aesthetics and safety — and the results can last for years!
Promising review: "The advertisements made this thing sound like click bait. But it was either $13 here, or $100+ at an auto shop. So I figured what the heck. There is a little hard scrubbing involved and your headlight will look scratched up afterwards but that's normal. ALSO PLEASE DO THIS OUTSIDE. The chemicals on the little wipe could knock out an elephant, so hold your breath. But oh my god did it work. My car is a 2000, and this stuff took off 18 years of gunk in ten minutes. This is absolutely worth it." —Sophia Monti
Get it from Amazon for $14.99.
46. A super cheap leather polishing sponge so you have yet another reason to A) avoid paying big bucks at the shoe repair store, and B) get your wardrobe in peak, celebrity-worthy condition, all with minimal effort. Just think of how sharp you'll feel when you slide into those dapper, no-smudge-in-sight fancy kicks!
Promising review: "The shine lasts for quite some time and doesn't require too much shoe shine to really take effect. Quality. Worth every dollar." —Toby Larone
Get it from Amazon for $5.60.
47. And a windshield repair kit because it'll effortlessly fix that little nick (who knows where it came from) ASAP before it has time to spread and become a huge crack that requires you to replace your entire windshield. And all without having to shell out at the auto shop.
You get the resin to fill the chip, an applicator, a little stencil that makes sure the resin goes only where it's supposed to, plus the instructions.
Promising review: "I had a 'professional' come and fix a chip on my windshield and was not impressed with the repair. Based on his results, I decided to try this product on a chip on a different windshield (Can you believe two freeway rock chips in a week? Ugh!) and do it myself. Each kit comes with everything that you need for a single repair. This worked better than the pro job. If you follow the easy-to-use instructions, you should get very good results." —LaserBill
Get it from Amazon for $9.35.
48. An ink remover — you'll feel SO smart you kept this in reserve when your kiddo or partner comes home next week with a huge blue and black splotch over their brand new shirt, all thanks to tripping and falling with a pen in their pocket. Thankfully, this'll make every bit vanish, and you won't even have to swipe your card at the cleaners.
Promising review: "I wish I could give this stuff 6 stars! My husband washed a load of clothes with a blue pen in his pocket. I thought one of his shirts and some khaki pants were done for. In a last ditch effort I decided to try this. I applied it twice with a tooth brush, let it sit, and washed it, then did that all again. The before and after pics are pretty amazing, especially since the stains were washed in. Glad I found this stuff, i will be using it again!" —Kelly N
Get it from Amazon for $10.89.
49. A Dryel starter pack because it cleans up to 20 garments for just over $10, a price no dry cleaner can beat. Simply erase any stains with the included stain remover, then toss up to five pieces in the dryer bag with the dry cleaning cloth. 20 minutes later, et voila!
Promising review: "I use this product for my winter sweaters. It works great and does not effect the size and shape of the sweaters. The results are better than dry cleaning and obviously cost effective and more convenient. I highly recommend." —angela jarvis
Get the set from Amazon for $10.77.
50. A waist extender so you don't have to give up your favorite pants quite yet, even if it seems like every single time you pull them out they're a lil' harder to fit into. Wear the pieces you already own and love AND be comfier — and at the price of a five-pack for under $7, in the iconic words of Linkin Park, what the hell are you waiting for?
Promising reviews: "I do not know how I lived without them. I have saved a bunch on unnecessary alterations." —Gerald Voigt
"These are a life saver! They are sturdy enough to hold my pants well, and yet flexible to where the loop holds my button tightly without fear of slipping off. Yes, it makes it impossible to completely zip your pants up. But being able to button my pants, zip them mostly up, and getting my belt on to tighten everything up is all I could have asked for. For me, it’s a definite recommend for these!" —JV
Get a five-pack from Amazon for $6.99.
51. Or, a set of no-sew jean button pins if you have the opposite problem and your jeans are a tad too big, leaving an annoying little waist gap at your belly or back. These tighten the waistband by looping around the button hole, and you won't even have to wear a belt.
Promising review: "There are the best things ever. I have jeans that fit great but the waist is always too loose. So I saw these on TikTok, and I was so curious to see if they worked or not. But seriously, you need to buy these, the buttons are great material and just the most useful things overall." —Alexa Botello
Get a set of 8 from Amazon for $6.99.
52. The Sock Dock because if you do use it daily, you will *never* see a sock separated from its matching mate *ever* again. Plus you'll be able to fold all your socks in basically no time at all. If you have to buy new socks every year or so because your dryer won't stop eating half of each pair, consider this a small financial bonus.
You simply slip each day's pair of dirty socks through its own secure slot in the cord, then when it's full, throw the entire thing in the wash as normal. When it comes out of the dryer, every sock will be clean but also secure in its spot!
Promising review: "I love this product! This saves me so much time. Instead of having one for dirty socks and one for clean as they suggested, I hung one by our dirty clothes hamper, and one by the kids'. Once it is full, it goes in the wash. It takes me two seconds to fold the clean socks. No more hunting for a match every morning!" —amanda courneya
Get a two-pack on Amazon for $16 (each one holds nine pairs; four colors available).
You to your bills, if you could:
