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 bottle of Folex Instant Spot Remover — I always keep it around because it's been a lifesaver multiple times when smoothies, chocolate (like in my pic below!), and mystery smears end up staining pretty much anything made of fabric in my house. You simply spray, rub, blot, and repeat... then before you know it, the stain has vanished for good!
I first discovered Folex thanks to this job — the dozens of amazing before and after photos on Amazon really sold me on it! — and have used it dozens of times over the past four years with great success: on both blueberry smoothie and dog poop on rugs, when I dropped hummus on my sweater, for multiple drink spills on the couch, and, as illustrated above, when I accidentally melted a chocolate chip into my favorite fuzzy pillow and discovered it like, three days later.
The directions ask you to spray it on liberally, gently massage the stain with your fingers to help the liquid grab a bunch of the stain particles, then use a paper towel to soak it up. For the pillow example, I repeated the spray-and-soak process about three times, and now you can't even find where the stain was in the first place! That's why I have two after pics here — when I came back after it had dried to take a pic, I literally couldn't find the spot the pillow had been stained again, so wanted to show y'all both sides for proof.
I will say it's not the best for pet accidents, because those need an enzyme to help really get rid of the smell (like the popular Rocco & Roxie cleaner), but it definitely works in a pinch. And I still — luckily! — haven't needed to try it out on red wine, nonfood grease, ink, or makeup stains, all of which it claims to clean. But I couldn't recommend it more for all the random food and drink spills that are bound to happen in life!
Get it from Amazon for $6.65+ (also available in multi-packs).
2. A pack of Munchkin snack catchers designed to make snacking for toddlers and little kiddos both easy AND miraculously spill-proof. They can get thrown into a bag, accidentally kicked over, and even held upside down and shaken vigorously, and not even a single grape or Goldfish will fall out. Anything that means a happier kid and less cleaning for you = a win.
Promising reviews: "We love these snack catchers so much that we ordered more! We've had two of these for a couple of years, and we decided that we needed more, so we bought these, and they've proven to continue to be as awesome as they ever were! I love that they are dishwasher safe, and that they come in nice colors! I would definitely recommend these!" —CatsNCoffee
"As a new mom, I didn't even know something like this existed. It's super helpful for car rides and when shopping with baby. I just bought it for my son at 13 months, and after two or three uses, he picked it up right away. Now snacks are easily eaten anywhere and with little-to-no mess! Wish I would have bought this sooner, but now I know for the next one." —Geraldine Brophy
Get a pack of two from Amazon for $6 (available in two color combos and as a set of four).
3. A pet hair remover that you simply brush over any fabric surface to instantly pick up basically every last bit of shedding your furry friend's always leaving in their wake. Because it doesn't rely on adhesive paper, you only have to buy it once and use it forever!
I used this a BUNCH in 2020, while living with my boyfriend at his parents (for various pandemic-related reasons) and their two sweet but shed-prone dogs. So I can tell you with resounding certainty: it works! Give it some simple back-and-forth swipes over your upholstered furniture, and it easily picks up TONS of pet hair. Then it's simple to pop open the back compartment and swoop that unbelievably big pile of collected hair right into the trash or compost.
Promising reviews: "This is awesome!! I just went back and bought 2 more…I’ve had one for years and it is the best thing to get cat hair off the furniture, clothes, blankets,etc.! I would give this 10 stars if I could!" —Donna LePera
"TikTok made me buy this, and it is money well spent!! I’m convinced that my beagle sheds a full coat of hair and regrows it daily! I use this on my bed every single day and it blows my mind how well it works. Before this I was going through 4–5 disposable sticky rollers a month and spending 3x longer to remove dog hair. I am buying these for everyone in my family as Christmas gifts this year! ❤️" —tiff4short
Get it from Amazon for $31.95.
4. A nonstick microwave pasta cooker because with it, preparing a batch of your favorite noodles goes MUCH easier and faster — you don't even have to wait ages and ages for the water to boil. All you do is measure your servings of spaghetti using the holes in the lid, add it to the cooker with the right amount of water, and microwave it. Minutes later, it's bon appétit!
Of course it works for other shapes of pastas too! The lid doubles as a strainer, so you don't even have to dirty your colander. And it's dishwasher safe.
Promising reviews: "I bought my first Fasta Pasta more than 30 years ago. It is by far the easiest way to cook any shape of pasta. No oil needed, just put noodles in the box with water and microwave! Easy peasy. My old Fasta Pasta literally aged to the point it started to crack, but after 30 years, that’s okay. Once you’ve cooked pasta this way, you’ll never return to boiling water in a pot, then adding pasta, then keeping an eye on the pot to ensure it doesn’t overflow when boiling.
Draining is easy due to the lid slots. DO NOT USE THE LID WHILE MICROWAVING! (Could damage lid.) Highly recommend." —Fish Tattoo
"This little thing is great. I wish I'd bought it sooner. It's a very simple container with draining and measuring holes (for long pasta) in the lid. The container itself isn't anything special. Honestly, the part that makes it REALLY worth buying is the little instruction card. It accurately shows you how long to cook many different kinds of pasta, how much water to add, etc. It takes out all the guesswork, which saves SO much time. Every kind of pasta I've tried so far has come out perfectly al dente by strictly following the instructions." —T. B. H.
Get it from Amazon for $17.99.
5. A flame-free electric lighter you'll be able to use basically indefinitely, because when it runs out of juice, you just plug it in to charge it! No need to mess with lighter fluid refills or having to buy a whole new lighter. It'll be easier to use than matches, not to mention safer. And it's just downright pretty!
Promising reviews: "I love it! I have had it for about three years and have only charged it one time a year. I just bought my boyfriend one." —Jessica Springfield
"Sleek and well-priced. Charge, turn on, and use. Works well and has a nice design. Saw this product on BuzzFeed." —GloGirl
My colleague Emma Lord also owns and loves this: "It comes in other pretty colors, but I am especially partial to this one because I first bought it for my parents (their kitchen is entirely pink and one of my favorite places on Earth), and this is SO EASY to use — not to mention super safe! It worked like a charm on their stove, which needs to be lit by hand. I bought one for myself and have used it for all my candles now for over a year now. I'm a big weenie about fire (LOL, self-preservation) so I've always stuck to extended arm gas lighters, but this is much better for the environment (plus cuter), so I feel a lot better about using it. Read my full review of the Leejie electric lighter for more deets!"
Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in five colors).
6. A pair of Teva Tirra sandals designed to keep you comfortable and cool to the point that you'll want to wear them every single day. Neighborhood walks? Check. Longer hikes? Check. Beach day? Check. They'll be your new go-to pair before you know it, and yes, literally last for years.
My colleague Danielle Healy has these and loves them! Here's what she has to say: "I cannot say enough wonderful things about these sandals. They required ZERO break-in time and were ready for long-term wear right out of the box. For a hiking sandal, I think they still look sleek enough to pair with a casual sundress, and they keep my feet cool while still managing to put an actually supportive sole between my feet and the sidewalk. I've worn them constantly for close to three years now and they still look basically perfect."
Promising review: "Best walking sandals ever! I am now on my 3rd (or 4th) pair of this particular style of Teva. I have worn these for years. They are comfortable for walking and are very durable. I have walked up to 6 miles in them with happy, comfortable feet! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!" —Vickie S.
Get it from Amazon for $59.81+ (available in sizes 5–12 and in 21 colors).
7. A weekly shower spray because it only requires a few spritzes in bathtub/shower situations, plus a quick rinse the next day, to totally block that tedious buildup on your glass-enclosed shower from reappearing! Especially when you combine its powers with your favorite squeegee.
It could take a few applications to get your shower totally banish the soap scum and hard water buildup, according to some reviewers, but it will! And yes, it works on glass shower doors!
My colleague Abby, an editor here at BuzzFeed, has this and says: "I finally bought this after putting into approximately 7,375 posts, and honestly, I'm mad at myself for not adding it to my cart sooner. I am not the biggest fan of cleaning the bathroom, especially the shower. It's just so cumbersome to get to everything and really feel like you've gotten a good clean. But this spray made it SO easy. I just spritzed my whole shower and let it sit — 24 hours later, I came back and rinsed it. I could tell there was a noticeable difference. I'm super happy with this and will always clean my shower this way from now on."
Promising reviews: "I started using this product after my bathroom renovation. Seven years later it still looks like new. I use it as directed. Love it." —Laura Godfrey
"I saw this on TikTok and after reading dozens of comments and reviews I purchased it. WOW! One use and our 1984 bathtub is looking at least as good as a 1997 bathtub! Can’t wait to do round two and bring it into this century. Very easy to use. I have tried everything including but not limited to steel wool and bleach… spray this let it set and wiped it out with a magic eraser and could not believe my eyes." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $19.98 (also available in a refill bottle).
8. A go-to under-makeup daily sunscreen so you can enjoy all the benefits of SPF's protection without having to endure grease, color cast, or just a weird smell or texture. This is another product I've bought again and again because it's just that good!
I have oily, acne-prone skin and use a prescription retinol, which means I MUST use sunscreen on my face everyday. (Even if you don't use a retinol though, wearing sunscreen everyday is incredibly good for the longevity of your skin.) For the first few years, I stubbornly insisted that I should be able to find a decent, non-greasy sunscreen option at the drugstore. And while I still hold that I shouuuld be able to find such a thing, I tried four or five different formulas — even ones that were supposed to be matte or non-greasy — and all of them left me with an oil-slick face by the end of the day. Finally my mom, who had been using this Supergoop stuff the whole time, got me a bottle of this cult-favorite for Christmas in 2019 (moms do know best sometimes!!) and have kept buying it ever since.
I couldn't be happier with it! A dime-size amount covers my entire face, because it's translucent it leaves absolutely no white cast, and 10 minutes after putting it on, my face just feels like I applied a little bit of a nice moisturizer or makeup primer, not anything that's grease-central, like sunscreen usually is. It does pill if I put it on too soon after my morning topical acne prescription, but as long as I give that script about five minutes to sink in I have no issues. I've worn makeup maybe a grand total of thirty times over the past few years, but every time I have, I've been impressed by the way my matte foundation glides over it, looks with it, and lasts with it. I use it daily, so a bottle lasts me about five or six months, but I love it so much I don't mind rebuying."
Get it from Amazon, Sephora, or Free People for $38.
9. A set of vacuum storage bags to compress your out-of-season clothes, extra bedding, or any other bulky fabric things you use often enough to keep, but not so often you want 'em taking up space in your tiny linen closet or out all the time.
I use these myself to store coats, blankets, and other bedding, and they work great! I've also used the name brand, and while those work really well too, these are just as good in my opinion. I bought the ones I use now back in 2019, and they're still good four years later. Each order comes with a screw-in pump you can use to suck out the air, or you can use your vacuum — I've tried both ways and both work well! They come in multiple sizes, and you can browse around the set options to get the number and the size varieties that would work for you. The medium's good for t-shirts, the large is good for coats, sweaters, and sheets, and the jumbo is best for things like queen- and king-sized comforters. Although for a while I had my entire "linen closet" in one of the jumbo ones!
Promising review: "I have so many blankets and linens. I can’t help myself, I love them and my daughter seems to have picked up the habit. We have run out of room in the linen closet. But now we can get twice as many items in the closet. Once all of the air is sucked out they stay that way. After trying many variations in size, I’ve decided that medium bags works best for me. I have purchased the variety pack and there is a use for every size though. The Amazon bags are just as good as the other brands and they cost less. These work with any vacuum cleaner, but they come with a hand pump if you want a work out. And the small bags are good for packing in a suitcase." —Ela
Get a pack of fifteen (five each of the jumbo, large, and medium) from Amazon for $25.19 (available in multiple pack combinations).
10. A pack of LED-dimming stickers — these work, blend in, and stick so well you'll completely forget about them until you randomly notice it again on your microwave LED clock in like 2028 and remember how awfully bright those numbers used to be. They're nondamaging (kind of like window clings) and stick on many surfaces, so your computer charger, internet router, and other electronics can finally stop keeping you awake (or even just annoying you) with their overly bright lights.
One reader has left comments on our posts a couple of times with their review and reasons why they love these stickers:
"I thought I would take a shot on these blackout stickers since they weren't that expensive. I was SO delighted with my purchase! I couldn't have imagined. I keep a fan on when I sleep — it has a row of lights that no longer bother me. My power strip for charging my phone/tablet/watch/headphones — completely dark. Every penny of this purchase I consider well spent, and I literally only did two things with it. Cannot recommend enough!" —sitkal
"I bought them based on one of these reviews and absolutely love them. I haven't had any issues with them not sticking." —sitkal, from this sleep problem-solving products roundup
These dim 50%–80% of the light, so the rest of the day you still know that everything's working the way it's supposed to! Although if you prefer, you can double 'em to block even more light, or go for the ~blackout edition~. They're completely removable and leave no residue behind, too! I've been using them on my own stuff at home — the microwave, the internet router — and they work exactly the way they say they do, and have stayed put since I got them a couple of years ago. And the sheet comes with so many stickers, I have plenty left and pull it out anytime another annoyingly bright electronic light shows up!
Promising review: "I hate the glow of lights on electronics at night. You can use one sticker to dim the lights but still see that it's on or layer the stickers to completely black it out. Two layered stickers worked perfectly on both our humidifier and air purifier to keep our bedroom as dark as possible for sleeping. I also used it in my car for a couple of unnecessarily bright indicators for my infotainment system. Looks much better than just using electrical tape! :)" —Kristi
Get a sheet of over 100 stickers in different shapes and sizes from Amazon for $2.89. If you have a big clock face you'd like to dim, also check out a similar product that you cut to size, $9.99 for two 6-inch-by-3-inch sheets.
11. Some produce savers that really will keep berries, spinach, lettuce, bell peppers, and all kinds of fruit and veggies day-one fresh for nearly two full weeks. You'll actually have enough time to eat it all before it goes bad! I know these work because I have 'em, and have been using them pretty constantly since March 2018.
They legit keep produce fresh for up to 10-11 days in my experience — you can read my full Rubbermaid Freshworks review for more! These days, I *also* refrigerate my bag of sliced bread in my large one, because I can't make it through a loaf before it gets moldy, and these help keep the fridge from drying out the bread even like, two weeks later. Yay for less waste!!
They're also 100% top-rack dishwasher safe; when I had a dishwasher in my last place, I ran 'em through all the time.
Promising review: "These things are the best thing since sliced bread. I have a ton of them and am ordering new after using the last batch for about 5 years. The last batch held up, but my house guests loved them also so a few disappeared when they left. No matter. The new ones are just as great as the old ones. I love the fact that my fridge DOES NOT STINK and I eat a lot of onions and fresh garlic. The veggies hold up longer than if left in bags or the bins that come with the fridge. They are well worth the price." —Kindle Customer
Get a set of two from Amazon (a lettuce/bread size and a berry size) for $18.99 or check out all the available packs and sizes here.
12. An ergonomically designed click-and-carry grocery bag carrier so you can get ALL of your grocery bags in ONE trip, even if you don't have anyone to help you carry them in. Each one holds two big reusable bags and sits sturdily on your shoulder — which also leaves your hands free for carrying a kiddo, keeping your keys handy, brushing your hair out of your mouth, opening the door, or whatever else you need to do.
Each one can hold up to 80 pounds, so you'll probably find it useful for tons of things besides groceries like paint cans, sports equipment, and dry cleaning! And you don't have to put them on your shoulder if you preferred to carry them by hand, although I imagine that for something really heavy, your shoulder would make it easier!
Promising reviews: "I have had these for a couple of years. They are awesome. I bought a three pack. I keep one in the car at all times. I also keep another one by my nylon totes and my husband keeps one in his car, too. You never know when you are going to need one and how many things you can carry using these. Great product." —MaryR
"Best product ever. I love using these! I am a single mom of three girls and we live on the top floor of our complex. These make it to where I carry one load up! It eliminates me having to go up and down three flights of stairs. Easy and comfortable to use! I 100% recommend. I can carry 1–8 bags on each side!" —Raven Bain
Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in seven colors and as a two-pack).
Click and Carry is a woman-owned small business — the inventor (like the rest of us!) needed a better solution for carrying a bunch of shopping bags at once.
13. A wine-sealing system that sucks out a bunch of the air to keep a partially-finished bottle tasting fresh for an entire week. Just quickly wet the bottom of the rubbery stopper, put it in the bottle, and use the pump until it makes a clicking noise! Then reopen and reseal as each night until you finish the bottle.
My parents have owned one of these for as long as I can remember, and I've had mine for nearly a decade now, and both still get used at least several times a month and work pretty darn flawlessly. I'm no sommelier, but I can tell enough to know that, especially for the first few days, the wine still retains its original taste. I love wine but my partner is a cocktail/beer drinker only, so this gizmo keeps me from throwing out so much wine!
Promising reviews: "It works! It really works! It's amazing how much longer this product keeps your bottles of wine! And it's so inexpensive as well. We've only tried this up to five days so far, but the wine is still perfect after five days! Our wine never goes to waste anymore!!" —Scott Rose
"I've been using Vacu-Vin for years, but lately my pumping device seemed to be moving in a creaky way, like something was worn down which should have made the motion smoother. The new one now only works more smoothly, but has a neat signal to show when you've reached the right level of vacuum — a slight click." —Gloria
Get the pump and two stoppers from Amazon for $12.99 (available in six colors).
14. Some Goo Gone — it quickly and painlessly removes everything from tape residue to mysterious sticky substances, pretty much wherever you find them around your home.
I bought a bottle of this stuff when I moved in 2021 — it was super useful then, and since that point I've used it to clean stubborn grease off of kitchen cabinets and my stove's hood several times, and pulled it out for several other mystery sticky stains and messes. But the move story is the most compelling:
Back then, my partner 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: "This stuff is amazing. So far, I have used it to remove heavy adhesive from a tile floor where we had previously had a cover for a wire running across the area. I applied Goo Gone, scraped the majority of the adhesive and fibers off, then wiped off the remaining residue with a paper towel. I also used it to clean grease off of wood veneer cabinets using a paper towel, and it was so effortless! We have a microwave above the stove, and I also used Goo Gone to clean grease from the exhaust vents, which was so much easier than ever before." —Cass
Get a bottle from Amazon for $7.73 (they also make a spray-on version, $19.98 for two bottles).
15. A bottle of Poo-Pourri because it actually works to cover up poop smell *before* it has a chance to escape the bowl. The oils its made of float on the surface of the water — you spray once before you sit — blocking the gross smells for good. I've used it for about three years now and don't like to be without!
Okay, yes, this has been a long time favorite product at BuzzFeed. But in quarantine, my S.O. and I moved in together, which means we also started sharing a bathroom on a much more regular basis than before. After a couple of months, it became clear that we needed something that would actually work to cover up poop odor, and STAT. So I turned to this spray-before-you-go essential oil concoction. And yes! It does exactly what is says it does. Thank goodness. The standard bottle comes with 200 sprays, and you need one spray per go.
Promising review: "I was first introduced to this product a few years ago when my roommate bought some for our place. Tried it once and I was sold, I will never live someplace without this product. It's especially handy when you're first dating someone and you're not into the comfort zone of going number two around your significant other yet. This product is just amazing — spray a few times into the toilet before you go, and when you're done it's almost like you were never there." —Elizabeth D
Get the 200-spray lemon scent from Amazon for $12.86 and see all of the available scents and sizes, including refills, on the Poo-Pourri Amazon store page.
16. A pair of durable, machine-washable flats from Rothy's because I can prove that they last and look brand new for years — those are my pair pictured in 2021 after about four years of wear, and I can tell you now that about one year later, they *still* look and feel exactly as they have since I finished breaking them in. Even better, because I can wash them, they don't smell at all! Before I got these, I was going through a pair of $100+ leather flats about once a year. So these have saved me, at this point, about $370 in new necessary shoes over the past five years. That's a pretty penny!!
I got this pair of flats in 2017 and reviewed ‘em back then (BuzzFeed bought me that pair to try out), but I recommend them any chance I get. Name any OTHER brand of flats that you can wear up and down the streets of NYC for five years and have them look (and smell) basically the same as they did on day one. They’re cute, comfortable, breathable, machine and hand washable, and while they have basically no arch support, I’ve used ‘em with Birkenstock inserts with no problems. I have the round-toe, but you can get them with a pointed or square toe, as loafers, or as driving shoes or Mary Janes.
Get them from Rothy's for $129 (available in sizes 5–13 and 22 colors and patterns).
17. A reusable Stasher silicone bag that has all of the functionality of disposable plastic bags with none of the waste. There are no little parts to lose, they're thick and durable, and they seal even more easily than the disposable bags do!
I've personally had a couple of these since 2016, and they still work exactly the way they did when they were new — which is as a seamless replacement for disposable bags! I've bought more since and they work just as well as the old ones. When I had a dishwasher, I ran them through the top rack all the time; now I hand wash them and the silicone means they don't hold onto anything, which makes that easy too. I recently bought one of their bowl-shaped bags ($21.99) to keep in my purse to use for leftovers at restaurants, and it works like a charm!
Promising reviews: "I’ve been using Stasher bags for years and love them — so much better than other reusable silicone baggie designs. Easier to clean, stand up better on a rack to try, leak proof, easier “zip” than other brands I’ve tried for opening and closing. I can’t say enough great things about Stasher bags. I haven’t used single use plastic baggies in my kitchen or for travel for years since investing in these!!" —hope
"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 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. 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 them from Amazon: the snack size for $9.99, the sandwich size for $12.99, and the storage size for $29.99 (8+ colors / patterns available, depending on the size). Or get a pack of four bags for $54.99.
18. A pair of stretchy shoelaces toddlers (who can't tie knots), teens (too lazy to tie knots), and grown-ups (too busy and too lazy to tie knots) can all benefit from. You and your whole family will be able to easily slip in and out of your shoes, no need to tighten and tie or untie then loosen every single time. And yes, you did see these on Shark Tank!
One reviewer notes that they're great for people with limited mobility too. They come in nine different lengths, so you can get the ones that work best for you (or your teen, toddler, parent, best friend, etc.!)
Promising review: "These are literally the best brand of elastic laces on the amazon and the planet. They are thick enough so you don’t have to worry if they will snap or break and feel amazing on the shoe. I’ve tried other brands of elastic laces and nothing comes close to these. I’ve had my first set of these laces for 4 years in the shoes I wear most and the elasticity is just as good as day one. I will never use regular laces again! Never tie or untie shoes ever again — best life hack ever." —obie_juan
"The answer for untied kids' shoes. My son loved them. His shoelaces are always untied, drives me bonkers. I bought these for him so we can double knot his shoes once and be done with untied shoes. Also, he has a pair of low-top Vans that he cannot slide right on like his running shoes since they are very rigid. He’s forced to untie the Vans, which he’d rather just not wear. So these solved two problems. He now wears his Vans, and the laces are always tied!" —Anthony S Davis
Get it from Amazon for $10.99+ (available in 14 colors and in lengths 24 inches–72 inches).
The Original Stretchlace is a small business founded by a mom of three who hated tying her kids shoelaces every single school morning!
19. A pair of Bluetooth wireless sleep headphones that'll actually be comfortable — no more laying on poky, hard earbuds — *and* stay in place as you listen to calming music, your favorite podcast, or white noise. Your partner or roommate won't be bothered one bit while you peacefully drift off to dreamland. Just imagine how much better you'll feel after getting good sleep for YEARS thanks to these!
The headphones range is 33 feet, so your phone could be across the room and they'd still work. There are forward/reverse and play/pause controls on the forehead, so whether you sleep on your back or side, you can easily access them. And they're designed to help block ambient noise.
This reviewer talks about how these headphones help their narcolepsy and work with their CPAP machine — and as a person with narcolepsy myself who relies on music at night to help with my hypnogogic hallucinations, I'm thinking I need a pair for myself!
Promising reviews: "This headband fits snugly on my head and the earbuds stay in place. It's made of a wicking fabric so I'm not sweating in my sleep, AND it fits under my CPAP headgear with no problem whatsoever. My headgear leaves a telltale impression on my face, but the headband does not — #bonus. The battery lasts the entire night to about noon the next day playing continually. I'm going on four years with my gray headband. The headband fits looser, but that's to be expected considering I wear it nearly every night." —OldWomanNoShoe
"This is amazing!! I wish I would have bought sooner. My husband has a terrible snoring problem and refuses to go get help for it. I was spending more time awake and resenting him each night than I was actually sleeping. I decided to try this along with a fan app on my phone, and I have had the best sleep in years!! Holds the charge great. It is very comfortable to wear while sleeping, and it doesn’t fall off. I would recommend this to anyone in the same situation." —RG
Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in 17 colors).
20. A pair of disposable hair catchers to stop those gross built-up clogs in their tracks, so you never find yourself sloshing through ankle-deep water while trying to take your morning shower in peace. They're especially useful if you share a shower with roommates, a teenager, or someone else who irresponsibly lets their long hair wash down the drain.
They'll also let you skip those toxic drain cleaners all together! (Those don't even really work on hair anyway.)
Promising review: "I have a teen daughter with a ton of hair....I've been using these for several years now and will never stop. It's gross really, how much hair they catch. Very easy to use with no need to remove the drain plate." —Jean Clarke
Get a pack of two from Amazon for $6.99. (Or if you prefer something reusable or your drain won't work with that kind of hair catcher, I also recommend this $11.99 Oxo silicone one that fits any type of drain.)
21. A ramen cooker because sometimes you just want to enjoy a hot, cheap, and delicious meal fast, with the most minimal dishes possible. It could even make it easy for your kids to start making ramen for themselves!
It would even protect a package of uncooked ramen in your work bag from getting crushed, then be the perfect dish to cook it in once you got to work!
Promising review: "Making instant ramen got even easier to use with this microwave cooker. Dishwasher safe. I’ve had same model for more than 5 years and still works like brand-new. I even bought an extra one." —DC
"This has changed my life. You just put in the brick, add water to the line, and four minutes in the microwave gives you perfect ramen. You can either add a bit more water for the usual broth or leave it as is for a more flavorful one. The noodles are perfect. Like this changes everything for me. No more boiling a pot of water and waiting for a rolling boil blah blah. FOUR MINUTES!" —HapaGrey
Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in one or two packs and in up to 13 colors).
22. A Bissell multipurpose portable cleaner so you have an immediate solution anytime something gets spilled or a pet makes a mess on your carpet, couch, rug, car seat, or mattress. Even if you don't have spills to clean, you'll be astounded at how much disgusting grime it'll suck up from your furniture!
Promising reviews: "I've had this machine for almost 3 years now and I can honestly say I love it. I've used this to shampoo my couch monthly, as well as spot cleaning pet messes on the carpet and cleaning my car floor mats. Despite using this regularly to clean my couch, the water always comes out a murky brown, not sure how my couch gets to be so dirty but I'm glad to see all the dirt and grime getting extracted effectively. Afterwards, all I have to do is rinse the two tanks and leave to dry overnight, then it's ready for use again. Definitely recommended for those wanting a simple, lightweight upholstery cleaner." —Sara
"This vacuum is amazing. I first heard of it on TikTok where people were using it to clean their stairs, mattresses, car seats, etc. and from the videos, it already looked amazing. But considering how dirty my dining chair cushions were, I was a little bit apprehensive and skeptical. I purchased the item and used it on my chairs for the first time and the results were SO AMAZING. Best vacuum I've ever used. I even bought a second one!" —Davina
Get it from Amazon for $123.59 (also available in a pet style).
23. An under-cabinet lid opener so you never have to get frustrated at a stubborn jar lid again, especially if you don't have anyone else in the house who can take turns trying to open it with you. Just imagine how nice it'll be to eliminate that regular nuisance from your life!
Promising reviews: " I'm old, kinda weak and have loved this for 11 years!! I'm in my 70s and over a decade ago realized the healthy young lifeguard I used to be was half a century gone. In 2011 I bought and installed one of these under a kitchen cabinet and it's never failed to work as advertised with regular use when needed. I'm posting this to hopefully save others who might be on the fence saying it's just another gadget you'll never use. Please reconsider. It'll save you an immense amount of anguish and maybe even a strained ligament or two." —WSJ
"Once in a while you stumble on a product that is better than advertised. This is one of them. Having arthritis in my hands, I struggle to open some large jars. This works like a charm and makes it a one-handed operation. Following the advice of another reviewer, we mounted it ‘backward’ so the point of the V is towards the front of the cupboard rather than the back. This allows us to pull the jar towards us, rather than pushing it away. It also means we can’t see the metal teeth from our sofa. Now I want to open every jar in the house. :-)" —Eric K.
Get it from Amazon for $21.35.
Read BuzzFeed's full EZ Off jar opener writeup here.
24. A set of bed bands to hold your fitted sheet on your bed because waking up with the fitted sheet halfway off the mattress is just.....UGH. You have too many other things to deal with in your life without needing to pull those elastic corners over your mattress every morning. Thankfully these will solidly keep everything in place.
Promising reviews: "I bought a set of these about five years ago. They still are being used on the bed in our master bedroom, and instead of rearranging the bottom sheet every single morning we now have gone almost five years without having to do it even once. It does take a few minutes clipping them back on after washing the sheets, but they have made me quite happy every morning." —Builder Guy in Days Gone by
"I have a pillow-top and pillow-bottom queen-sized bed that is a little too small for king sheets, and with queen sheets, I have battled to keep the sheets from popping off. I have tried everything! Then I saw this. It works. I was shocked. My sheets have not popped off once. I ordered this in February and it is May now — and they have not popped off once! They used to pop off EVERY...SINGLE...NIGHT. To say this is life-changing is not an exaggeration. Such a relief to be able to sleep through the night without ending up in rumpled sheets." —TinkerbellAPixie
Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in four pack sizes and five colors).
25. A pack of four smart outlets so you never have that "OMG DID I TURN MY CURLING IRON OFF??" moment ever again. Stick one in the outlet, plug in your lamp / hair tool / decorative (or holiday) lights, and you'll be able to turn each thing on or off using an app on your phone whether you're out of the house or just cozy in bed. You can even put them on a schedule! If I'd had one of these back in high school, my old bathroom cabinet would have had wayyy fewer yellowish burns from my forgotten straightener...
There are two versions, one that works with either Apple HomeKit or the Kasa (that's the manufacturer) app, or one that's a little cheaper that works just with the Kasa app.
Promising review: "So far, I've not found any Kasa product that doesn't do exactly what it's supposed to... and these plugs follow this. I have five of them in use now and they simply work. No issues. Great for turning on/off Christmas lights or tree. Have been a user for about 2 years now and recommend them to everyone." —AmazonReviewer
"I bought a set like this last year and was so impressed with functionality that I bought a second set to expand my remote, controlling capabilities of lamps, bug lights, cameras, etc. The nice thing about these smart plugs is that they are also programmable on the app to turn on and off whatever is connected to them according to your specific schedule. This is great if you just want the bug lights to come on at specific times, or a portable fan in a bedroom to turn on at specific times. Very useful also to have some lamps in different areas of the house come on at different times to give the impression the home is occupied." —NoBSCustomer
Get the pack of four from Amazon for $26.99+ ($6.75+ each; available in two versions).
26. A moisture meter to make it easy to know if your plant needs water or not, no need to try and stick your finger down to the bottom of the pot (and get it all covered in dirt) to figure out how moist the soil feels — a trick that only works with small pots, not big ones, anyway. Slide the stake in, and the meter will tell you if it's time to water!
I've lost enough plants to over- or under-watering that I definitely need to get myself one of these.
Promising reviews: "Works great every time...On our second batch after 6–7 years of use." —Murray Steeg
"This item is great. I can check how wet my plants are down where the roots are. So no more over watering! It is very accurate. This works great!!" —Terri Carlson
Get it from Amazon for $9.97+ (available in three colors).
27. A Souper Cubes freezer tray with four one-cup compartments perfect for fitting a single serving of chili, soup, sauce, or whatever other freezer-friendly big-batch meal you desire. Why? Those single-portion sizes are *much* quicker and easier to pull out of the freezer and safely defrost than the whole hunk would be at once. And if you only need one or two portions that night, the other potions can go back in the freezer!
It's BPA-free, dishwasher-safe, and to make it even more genius, it has half- and full-cup fill lines on the sides of the compartments so you know exactly how much you're putting in.
Promising reviews: "There are so many good things to say about these little cube trays. I have had these three years and they’re in absolute pristine condition, even with consistent use. They are SO convenient for having frozen things (soups, broth, large ice cubes, etc) in small freezers where bulky containers are wasting space. They stack in each other when not in use; helpful for tiny kitchens with limited storage space. 10/10 would recommend." —Savanna Brown
"LOVE LOVE LOVE. My freezer is so much more organized now. Gone are the days of having to defrost an entire bag of chicken broth for one cup for a recipe. I now have perfectly portioned 1/2-cup and 1-cup blocks ready to go. They fit easily in freezer bags, take up less space, and make me incredibly happy. There was a lot of attention to detail put into the design and I particularly appreciate the wire inside the rim that holds everything steady — no more worrying about spilling all the liquid on the way to the freezer. Just a fantastic product all around. I purchased this and a cheaper version from another manufacturer at the same time but returned the other product. This one is definitely worth the added cost." —Kate
Get it from Amazon for $19.95.
Souper Cubes is a small business run by a family who wants to reduce food waste!
28. A pair of silicone stove-counter gap covers to A) block crumbs and spills from falling into that annoyingly difficult to clean tiny crack and B) make your kitchen look a little more neat and put-together.
Promising reviews: "I've used this for a few years and it is great. It fits right in, is easy to remove and clean, and keeps the side of the stove clean. I use a black color and it looks sharp." —Mark
"I've been using these for about a week on my new freestanding range. When they removed my old range, I was really surprised to see how much stuff had slipped through! Now when I cook, I can see the splatters and seasonings left on the silicone that would have fallen between the stove and the counter. These gap fillers really do clean up easily, too. Although they are that extra thing to clean, I prefer that to knowing there's a mess hiding in the cracks." —JMom
Get a pack of two from Amazon for $10.95+ (available in three sizes and three colors).
29. A SockDock because if you do add your dirty socks to it daily (or even just put all your socks on it right before washing them), 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.
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 reviews: "My husband is a daily runner so between his regular socks and his running socks, the socks were everywhere and getting continually lost in the laundry. The Dock is weathering the high temps of washer and dryer without issue. Cording is strong, with no breakage (socks do dry despite being crimped by cord). The plastic parts are good as new. We have 2 sets and they stay in use constantly! I've had these several years and they are worth every penny." —LK
"For the last six years, I have lost literally dozens of socks. It must be the sock gnomes. I have been using the SockDock for about a month, I've washed about three or four loads and guess what, not one sock lost. It does take some commitment to load soiled socks on the tree, but it's worth the effort. They come out of the wash, and you just hang them up and pull fresh ones off. I highly recommend if you can commit yourself to the process." —S. Peterson
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in four colors).
Kevin Bunn founded SockDoc, a small business, in March 2017 after experiencing that common frustration of favorite socks going missing from his laundry.
30. A set of seat gap fillers that'll save you from the despair of dropping your phone down the crack of no return for the umpteenth time — or from your teenager accidentally losing a few pieces of popcorn leftover from a movie, never to be recovered.
Because it fits over the car's seat belt holster, it moves along with the seat as they adjust it — which means you can stuff it in and forget about it, at least until it saves a half-eaten lollipop from disappearing into the abyss.
Promising reviews: "I bought a set of these years ago and have never regretted it. It's such a simple concept, but so useful!" —Letitia Harris
"I have to admit, my expectations weren't very high. I thought it was more of a joke when my husband got this for me for Christmas. Little did I realize it would be one of my most favorite gadgets ever! I don't know if I realized just how many things went missing in my seat gap. It has really saved a lot of things from disappearing into that black hole. It was easy enough to fit into my car and it's soft! It's just like an extension of my seat, except it fits every curve of my seat! There really isn't another product that compares to this." —Tessa Forbes
Get a two-pack from Amazon for $24.99.