1. Genius, as-seen-on-TikTok storage scrunchies, because we’ve established that the pockets in most clothes are simply insufficient. Pop one of these babies on your wrist or in your hair for a hands-free and discreet way to keep all your essentials close. Plus, your cash and lip balm will appreciate their George Costanza–approved new life of being draped in velvet.
Promising review: “LIFE CHANGER. I don’t have to bring my whole purse with me anymore. This fits so much more than expected and the colors are perfect. The blue especially is beautiful. Good quality.” —Tia
“I am so excited about this! I just picked this up today as seen on TikTok. It is truly as cool as it looks. It’s also stretchy and usable and the pocket is big. Satisfied!!” —Sinclair Mcsorley
Get a pack of three from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in six color combinations).
2. The cult-fave Instant Pot Duo, a programmable wonder that can cook pretty dang much anything and be the only kitchen gadget you need — it’ll serve as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, yogurt maker, sauté pan, steamer, and rice cooker. All you have to do is toss in your ingredients and hit a button, and let this baby take it from there.
Check out BuzzFeed’s full Instant Pot review.
Promising review: “There are so many people who say they can’t cook, but I swear I’m on a whole new level of not being able to cook. This little appliance helps expand our menu and I have learned to do so much with it. I love how easy it is and how I throw everything in and it comes out done. No stirring and not many messy dishes. I still don’t love it for meats, but I think that’s just a matter of needing to experiment more with them. I seriously can’t believe how many foods can be cooked in here! I found a recipe for a mac ‘n’ cheese that everyone loves. It’s only five ingredients and only requires washing a cheese grater and the pot and it only takes 20 minutes. Before this I had never once made spaghetti with meat sauce. Now I do it all the time. Again, I only have ONE thing to clean afterward. If I tried doing with without the Instant Pot, I would have a pan for the meat, pot for the pasta, and the strainer. It only takes about 20 minutes start to finish. Since I usually don’t have to do many dishes with the Instant Pot, I tend to enjoy experimenting. My family is constantly surprised at how much this has changed how we eat. I love that when we have a last minute neighborhood get-together and I can whip up a pasta dish and veggie real quick.” —Aundrea
Get it from Amazon for $79.95+ (available in three sizes).
3. An under-desk mount to organize *and* charge your must-have devices. It’s got three USB ports, two arms to hold over-ear headphones or a smartwatch, slots for cords and earbuds, and three wire clips included! Wow, tech you and your fabulous, do-it-all desk out.
Amazon
Promising review: “I love this thing. I didn’t use any screws to secure it under my desk, only the adhesive tape, and I doubt I could rip it off if I wanted to. The headphone mount on the side of my desk is nice, but the three powered USB ports in the front have been more useful than I expected; I actually bought a short 6-inch USB-C cable because it’s so nice to have my phone charging at the corner of my desk connected to this. Three USB ports within arm’s reach is so, so much better than having to reach to your computer or to a hub on your desk. I love it; it’s something I grabbed on a whim during one of those ‘I wonder what I can buy for my gaming setup’ Amazon searching sessions we’ve all had, and ended up loving it far more than I’d expected.” —Nino
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in three styles).
4. Bio Oil, an amazing vitamin A and E formula that over 38,000 people swear by for working all sorts of skincare miracles, from fading scars to smoothing and moisturizing. Basically, it’s the secret ingredient your self-care routine has been missing.
The reviewer’s results on the left are after just four weeks!!! I personally use this for help fading scars from acne and other small blemishes. It absorbs quickly and just feels nice to put on, so I’m tempted to use it pretty much everywhere!
Promising review: “I am using this for EVERYTHING! I have only used it for a few days and am already see a dramatic difference in my skin. I bought this because I just had a mole removed and my daughter has a scar on her face. We are applying to these areas, but I have used as a moisturizer on my skin (dry), my daughter’s skin (combination), both of my sons (both dry, one acne prone), and my husband’s skin (oily). We are all glowing! And the fine lines in my forehead are noticeably less!!” —Michelle Rayburn
Get it from Amazon for $11.12+ (available in two sizes).
5. A game-changing wine gadget that’s a stopper, pourer, aerator, filter, and recorker all in one and a must-have addition for anyone who drinks wine. It’s under $15, so wine not?
Amazon
Promising review: “Throw out the others, this is the one. I have a drawer full of wine pour spouts of varying designs. Some don’t fit all bottles, some leak while pouring, and some are so tall that storing upright in a refrigerator is difficult and none seal completely. This spout/stopper seals completely and lets you lay the bottle on its side. The aerator allows air to move back into the bottle while pouring to avoid the ‘glug glug’ effect of other pour spouts. The strainer may filter large cork pieces, but is not fine enough for sediment. The portion of the corker that fits inside the bottle has fit every bottle I’ve tried it in, from standard-size bottles to the larger 1.5-liter bottles. It appears to be made from a flexible material that doesn’t add any unwanted taste to the wine.” —Jack Dallas
Get it from Amazon for $13.89.
6. Jane Iredale Just Kissed lip and cheek stain, a long-lasting, two-for-the-price-of-one wonder in a tube that may be all you need for an easy, natural makeup look. It reacts to the pH of your skin for a custom shade that works perfectly for you!
It’s cruelty-free!
Promising review: “I love these! I’m an extremely fair-skinned redhead and it’s hard to find cheek and lip colors that work for me, let alone a single product that works for both. They are much bolder on me than the product pics show even on the lightest skin tone, but I’m used to that with most products. In the picture on the left I’m wearing the pink on both my lips and cheeks.” —Nathan
Get it from Amazon for $28.80.
7. Or a creamy, jojoba oil–infused lip and cheek stain from Subtl Beauty if you’re looking for a richer pigment. Each tub can last up to 60 uses, and it’s vegan!
Subtl Beauty
It’s from a small biz specializing in innovative, on-the-go makeup essentials, and can be snapped together with the brand’s other products to create their signature customizable stacks.
Promising review: “Love. Love. Love. I’m obsessed with this cream for both my lips and cheeks. I’ve never thought I could use cream blush, but this stuff is gorgeous and long lasting even on my oily skin. It’s beautiful on my lips and lasts a surprisingly long time.” —Katy Shaw
Get it from Subtl Beauty for $14 (available in nine colors).
8. A roll-up dish rack that’s so much more than a dish rack. It’ll save you a ridiculous amount of counter space, both during cooking and cleanup, since you can use it to dry dishes, thaw meat, and strain veggies, or even as just another place to put cutting boards and dishes during meal prep. And when you’re done, you can just roll it up and put it under the sink!
Promising review: “How did I ever get along without this thing? We were looking for a way to dry dishes without taking up counter space with a dedicated drying rack. I decided to give this little contraption a try, and boy, am I glad I did. It is incredibly versatile and is a wonderful addition to our kitchen. So far I have used it for drying large items over the sink, filling a pot when the sink was already full, and as a counter trivet for a hot pan, and it performs beautifully in all these roles. The metal rods are strong and sturdy enough to hold heavy items, long enough to span our sink from a number of angles, and best of all, it rolls up for easy storage when not in use. All around a great kitchen tool, and I’ll never be without one again.” —T. Eicher
Get it from Amazon for $19.98+ (available in three sizes).
9. Nizoral shampoo, which markets itself as anti-dandruff but can also be used as a game-changing wash-off mask to clear up fungal acne breakouts. Just look at these pics — it’s miraculous either way.
No wonder it’s got over 72,000 5-star ratings. I get recurring bouts of fungal acne on my forehead, and one summer when it was really bad, I started using this at the recommendation of the interwebs (its key ingredient is an antifungal). Every other day, I slathered it on the affected area, let it sit for a few minutes, and rinsed it off. My forehead looked better the next day.
Promising review: “This stuff is absolutely amazing. I was one step away from going to the dermatologist. I had severe dandruff that was so bad I could shake my head and it would come off. With just a few uses per week, I got rid of all of my flakes. My scalp also stopped burning from dryness. My hair has never been healthier.” —Moo Moo
Get it from Amazon for $15.88.
10. A tub of The Pink Stuff, aka an all-purpose paste you can use to scrub anything from cookware to cooktops and bathroom fixtures to rubber shoes shiny clean and free of stains. Just ~pink~ of all the icky things in your home you can finally clean with this stuff!
Promising review: “Oh my gosh — this stuff is a life changer! Used it to get my fiberglass shower totally clean. Nothing else would get it done and this stuff brought my shower back to near new in one use. We’ve since cleaned a weird chalky film off our garage door, removed wall markings, and cleaned my storm door. We’ll never be without a jar (or three) of this stuff. Worth every penny.” —Nancy F.
Get it from Amazon for $5.29.
11. A clever blending bottle that can take over every single part of the pancake-making process. It’s got a cap that doubles as a stand to fill it with mix, plus a built-in whisk ball so you can just shake it to mix your batter. Then you can squeeze out the perfect, mess-free amount into the pan. Batter up!
They seriously thought of everything — it’s even top-rack dishwasher safe!
Promising review: “I LOVE this thing! Breakfast has never been faster or easier! And it doesn’t make noise that will wake everyone up while I am mixing. The silicone tip is real silicone and does well against cast iron. I have never been able to get my pancakes this fluffy until now! So great! It is also super easy to clean. The bottom comes off to fill it up, and it turns into a stand by setting the top into the bottom setting.” —KC Hunter
Get it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in four styles).
12. Durable all-purpose wipes made with aloe vera and vitamin E for everything from your hands to your car to tricky stains like grease, makeup, adhesives, and permanent marker. Paper towels are cancelled.
Note that while these are great for messes and stains, they don’t disinfect.
Promising review: “These towels are awesome for so many things. They are large and very sturdy, so they work well for household cleaning. The real benefit for me, though, is having a wipe that works for things like the grill, the oven, the dashboard of my car, muddy shoes, chairs and umbrellas that go to soccer games and practices, and lawn furniture. I frequently wipe something down, rinse the towel, and wipe again. The wipes are heavy enough to go through three to four rinses and wipes and still hold up. The smell is mild and doesn’t linger on my hands or what I’ve wiped down. I use these almost daily, so the 90-count canister lasts about three months and the last towel is never dried out when I get to it. The lid closes securely, yet is easy to open and the towels dispense easily through the opening without getting bunched up. Because the canister is heavier than most, and the lid fits well, it’s easy to throw one of these in the trunk or cargo area, and I don’t worry about it leaking. The canister (minus the lid) is recyclable when the towels are gone — an added bonus.” —COMom
Get a pack of 90 from Amazon for $14.98.
13. The marvelous Alleyoop Pen Pal, aka an incredibly fun and convenient 4-in1 makeup pen that’ll remind you of the multicolor pens of your youth. Just click down the various levers for eyeliner, lip liner, highlighter, and an eye/eyebrow pencil, all in one portable and adorable package.
It’s vegan, and cruelty and paraben free, and the packaging is recyclable! Honestly, I’m fascinated by all the clever, time-saving beauty tools from this woman-founded brand — they look so cool and would totally upgrade your routine. Also, how did no one think of them till now?!?
Promising review: “I love the ease of this product. It’s so perfect and the colors are great for all looks — casual, fancy, quarantine extra, everything! I love how effortless it is and how easy it is to use. I’m serious that as a makeup novice, these colors are impossible to mess up. I love it! ” —Stephanie H.
Get it from Amazon for $20 or Alleyoop for $15 (available in three shades).
14. A sleep mask with built-in Bluetooth headphones that’s so much more efficient than having a flimsy eye mask and a white noise machine. Plus, with this, you can play your relaxing audio of choice without bothering your partner. @ my ex who would turn on white noise full blast from his phone without asking me first, please see the below.
They take around two hours to fully charge and can play for up to 10 hours with a single charge!
Promising review: “I love, love love this mask! I was truly impressed by the sound quality of those little speakers! Very comfortable to wear and sleep in various positions. It is a blackout mask and trust me, if you have it on correctly, you will not see any light at all. I normally have difficulty falling asleep, but now I can’t wait to put it on, because I Bluetooth it to my phone and turn on my sleep meditation and I promise you I am sleep in about 10 mins or less. I accidentally overslept last week because I forgot to turn my alarm back on and when I took off the mask the sun was shining bright so I knew I was late; thankfully not too late. The charge on the mask lasts a long time as well.” —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $23.99+ (available in 11 styles).
15. Mike’s Hot Honey, a chili-infused honey that may make you realize you’ve been eating food wrong all your life — because pretty much anything is better with this stuff on it. Time to throw out all your other condiments, because you’ve found the one topping that works just as well for pizza and chicken as it does for ice cream and even in cocktails.
Check out BuzzFeed’s full Mike’s Hot Honey review.
Promising review: “This mixed-up honey is absolutely fabulous. I gave in and ordered three bottles more after my initial order, because it’s really good on everything. And I mean EVERYTHING: soft pretzels, toast, biscuits, waffles, cereal, yogurt, ice cream, and definitely pizza. It gives everything in your kitchen a small kick of sweet-heat flavor without burning your mouth up. I’ve told many of my friends about this magical elixir and they all agree. This is the BEST specialty honey any of us have ever had.” —Jeff R. Clow
Get it from Amazon for $13.49.
16. A 4-in1 hole repair product that is a squeeze bottle of spackle with a built-in primer, plus has a built-in putty knife on the top and a sanding pad on the cap, so even the least handy people ever (me) can easily keep their walls looking like new.
I’m about to move and I just bought some of this in preparation!
Promising review: “Lifesaver! I recently moved from the apartment I’d been in for five years. It had faced some wear and tear. I like art so there were many holes in the walls. I was not looking forward to the daunting process of wall repair. Then I found this amazing little guy. It is so easy to use that I found myself searching for more holes to patch (it was oddly kind of fun too). Simply squeeze a little of the white primer onto the hole, flip it to the flat side, and smooth it out. I actually didn’t use the sandpaper much at all. Only used it a couple of times to sand down two particularly ragged holes. I was able to fill all the holes in my apartment and still have plenty left, and it helped me get my security deposit back. Well worth every penny.” —Julie
Get it from Amazon for $7.28.
17. An amazing and super-stretchy maxi dress with long straps you can wrap, tie, and drape in over 24 (!!!) different ways. Finally, the excuse you’ve been waiting for to order 24 new dresses (you can fit them all on one hanger). 😉
Promising review: “This is a beautiful dress. The Infinity dress costs more. I like this one better. The material is better and it covers my chest more. The length is perfect for me. I’m 5’6” and190 lbs. XL fits perfectly. The straps are plenty long enough. I found the straps to be short on the Infinity dress. The Infinity dress is too tight under my chest and I found the material too shiny. I’m taking this on a cruise next month for three formal nights. It will be such a space saver in my luggage and it doesn’t wrinkle at all. It’s so much fun creating different styles. It doesn’t come with instructions but there are a lot of videos on YouTube.” —Wendy Fiolek
Get it from Amazon for $33.99 (available in women’s sizes S–XL and in 16 colors).
18. A sheet of oh-so-clever window film that puts the fun in “multifunctional.” Not only will it give you the privacy you’ve been desperate for (hello, walking around in your undies in the middle of the day), but it’ll also provide a unique decor element to your home by projecting a cool prism effect when the sun hits it just right.
Promising review: “My wife was against it but I was tired of giving the neighbors a show when I wanted the sunlight and the blinds open. Since it just peels off, she didn’t fight me about putting it on. Now she loves it. It allows her to keep the blinds open for the sunlight on her flowers and I get to walk around without clothes on. It gives a cool prism multicolor effect when light hits it. It isn’t completely opaque but blurs anything offensive and looks good.” —DaveM
Get it from Amazon for $6.99+ (available in 11 sizes and four colors).
19. A multifunction pocket tool to keep on hand, because Scar may have been evil and all, but he had a point — you should always BE PREPARED. Even if you are someone (like me) who can’t tell different types of wrenches apart, you’ll be glad to have several at your disposal so you can be a hero next time you’re at a party and something breaks (or, ya know, someone needs a bottle opener).
Amazon
Promising review: “This is just what I needed! There’s a screwdriver, four-position wrench, butterfly wrench, direction ancillary tool, two-position wrench, can opener, knife edge, ruler, bottle opener, and saw blade. I find it very useful for any random emergency. It also comes with a carrying case so I can store it in my bag.” —Johann Christine Alcaraz
Get it from Amazon for $5.
20. An absolutely brilliant mini masterpiece that’s both a bookmark and a reading log. The adorable illustration features 50 blank book spines for you to color in and write in titles as you make your way through your reading list, and then you can save it as a permanent record of your bookworm tendencies.
This UK-based small business makes truly gorgeous art for book lovers!
Promising review: “I’ve been trying to get back into reading, and the urge to fill this bookmark is really making me want to read! It’s so cute, and I love how much space there is to fill.” —Kaitlyn Wells
Get it from British Book Art on Etsy for $3.44, or get a double-sided version with room for 100 books for $4.01.
21. A handy-dandy dish squeegee sure to make anyone who has ever done dishes and touched icky leftover food or struggled to clean up a spill say, “Where have you been all my life?!?!” One side is curved so it works on bowls as well as plates, and it can clean up sinks and countertops just as easily as it can dishes.
It’s BPA free and dishwasher safe! I’m a big fan of the Oxo brand and this was a BuzzFeed Shopping top seller I finally caved and ordered. I make a lot of orzo pasta, and anyone else who does knows those suckers really like to stick to the sides and bottom of the pot. This product is PERFECT for scraping those stubborn grains out. It feels so much less gross than a sponge, since your hand stays farther away from whatever you’re cleaning and it doesn’t just sit there wet and festering after you use it. I’ve also seen a friend use it in her bathroom to keep the sink free of soap and toothpaste residue — genius! Best of all, you can rinse it off and toss it in the dishwasher.
Promising review: “This product is AMAZING. We live in a studio apartment with a small kitchenette. Our sink likes to spray everywhere, and we don’t have a garbage disposal. This product is not only is fantastic at scraping food off of our plates (so it doesn’t go down the drain), but it helps to squeegee the countertop when water has sprayed everywhere!!” —Elizabeth
Get it from Amazon for $7.99.
22. The 2.0 version of Our Place’s cult-fave nonstick ceramic Always Pan with a built-in steamer and colander basket and a spatula that rests right in the handle. It’s designed to be able to sear, braise, sauté, boil, fry, and serve all in one, so you’ll get a ton of use out of this wonder. And even with all that practical stuff aside…it’s sooooooo pretty.
This version is oven-save up to 450 degrees! Check out BuzzFeed’s Always Pan review (number 4 in the post) to learn more.
Promising review: “My Always Pan is going to be my new favorite cooking ware. Super versatile and absolutely beautiful. Love the functionality that it possesses and the versatility range, someone really thought about all the best way to cook with this! Safe, easy to clean, and beautiful to look at! Makes you want to cook more delicious meals all day long! Shipping took a while because I preordered, but I was happy to wait!” —Celyn V.
Get it from Amazon for $150 (available in six colors) or Our Place for $150 (available in seven colors and also in mini and large versions).
23. A worth-the-splurge Roomba robot vacuum to really and truly clean your home for you. It is compatible with Alexa, works with an app that allows you to fully customize its routine and make a map of your home, and even EMPTIES ITSELF (!!!) into its docking port for up to 60 days. Yup, all you gotta do is program it and change out the bag every two months — I think even you have time for that.
Reviewers swear by it for both hard wood floors and carpet!
Promising review: “This Roomba is the best time-saving smarthome life hack EVER! The new app is awesome! I’ve had a number of iRobot product over the years and I’m truly impressed by the advancements that they’ve made with the Roomba i6+. We have kids and a dog and have been stretched very thin during COVID, so we finally made the call to upgrade to a self-emptying model that we can run every single day without lifting a finger and will cover the entire main floor of our house. We couldn’t be happier with the experience and especially love the ‘favorites’ option in the new app. This seriously saves us many hours a week! Stop wasting your time vacuuming and spend that time doing something you love!” —Bollingsalley
Get it from Amazon for $699.
24. A 3-in-1 avocado tool that’s a splitter, de-pitter, and slicer all at once, because the only bad part about eating avocados is actually trying to get all that goodness out of the skin.
I have this and use it all the time. Like all Oxo products, it’s sturdy, simple, and easy to use. TBH, most times I only use the splitter knife, but it’s worth it to me even just to not have to break out a super-sharp knife every time I want to eat an avocado (which is often). It’s very easy to clean and dishwasher safe, which is a must for lazy ol’ me.
Promising review: “This tool is awesome. It’s easy to cut open the fruit. The pit remover works well — just push onto the pit and give it a twist, and the pit pops right out. The best part is the slicer. It makes beautiful slices for a great presentation (see attached photo of slices…OK, one side came out perfectly, and I kind of messed up the other side). The tool can then be used to scrape any remaining fruit out of the skin. Really happy I bought this tool!” —NPR MAN
Get it from Amazon for $9.97.
25. Versatile and glitzy celestial ear jackets with optional cascading stars in the back. Rock ’em with the fringe for a bold statement, or wear just the front for a simpler stud that still packs a punch. Heck, you could even use the fringe part with different stud earrings. However you style ’em, your lobes will look ~out of this world~.
Amazon
Promising review: “Multifunctional earrings. Loved these!! They sparkle like wild, but what I really like even better is that you can wear the stars separately from the tassels for a daytime look. Then easily add the tassels for an evening wear look. Light on the earlobes.” —A. Lopez
Get them from Amazon for $8.66+ (available in two colors).
26. A genius butter dish and grip set that’ll put your butter knife out of business. This is all you need to both store and spread buttery goodness — just pop the stick straight onto the grip and spread away for hassle-free pan greasing.
It’s dishwasher safe and from a Miami-based small business!
Promising review: “Absolutely perfect. It holds a whole stick of butter and the butter stays in place — unlike some of the other products on the market that are supposed to serve the same purpose.” —Michelle
Get it from The Magnetack on Etsy for $14.95.
27. A pack of denture cleaning tablets reviewers also love for cleaning out their fave drinking vessels — and you can get lit’rally 10 times as many for less than the cost of a pack of Bottle Bright. We love a budget hack as much as we love a multiuse product!!!
Promising reviews: “Didn’t realize how gross my mouthguard was. Sorry, this is kind of gross. But man does this stuff work! I’d been brushing every night with soap and water as directed by my dentist. The pic is after one three-minute soak with this product. It does the job!” —Kelli Gonzalez
“These are absolutely wonderful in cleaning my thermos. I use these once a week, and doing so prevents my thermos from developing a weird, old coffee smell. Much cheaper than buying thermos cleaner tablets.” —Santo Esmeraldo
Get a pack of 126 from Amazon for $5.74.
The reviews used in this post have been edited for length and clarity.
