These clever things on Amazon are selling quickly & tons of reviewers say they wish they'd known about them sooner
Brilliant little game-changers.
When a product is life-changing, you might measure time by "before I got it" and "after I got it". This is obviously true for civilizations when it comes to things like cars and electricity but, in a smaller way, it can be true of things like electric can openers and blackout curtains.
Before the blackout curtains, for example, you might have been unable to nap — and were probably paying too much money to heat and cool your home. Now, you can sleep during the day and have some help saving on those electricity bills. This list has 50 clever things on Amazon of this nature that are selling quickly — and that tons of reviewers say they wish they'd known about sooner. Get in here! Don't waste any more time doing things the hard way.
If you are giving precious bag space to a portable charger, make it this slim and powerful one with two USB ports so you can charge two things at the same time. There's also a built-in flashlight to save your phone when power is low, and — best of all — the adorable paw print indicator tells you how much power is left in the battery. It comes in five colors.
Reviewer: "I wish I found this sooner! It charges the battery in minutes! It is one of the best battery chargers I have ever purchased."
When it comes to cleaning the microwave, there is one method that's much better than all the others: Prevent the mess! To do that, set this microwave splatter cover over your plate before you reheat dinner. The splatter will be contained and — bonus! — your food will heat more evenly. It comes in three colors and three sizes, collapses for storage, and cleans up easily in the dishwasher.
Reviewer: "I only wish I knew and bought this sooner. It's a must-have to make microwave cleaning so much easier. The expandable feature allows you to choose the height level you need this cover to be without impacting the cooking of the food."
Creating salads starts with this large salad spinner. It makes it so easy to wash greens, salad will go from annoying to prep to the easiest thing to eat. Rinse the greens in the inner colander, drop it into the bowl, and press the spinner button till your leafy greens are centrifuged dry. There is a brake that stops the spin instantly and the big clear bowl is pretty enough to serve your salad in.
Reviewer: "I wish I bought this sooner. I love eating salad but I hate preparing it every day. With this salad spinner, I can prepare my lettuce and other components over the weekend and toss them into a Tupperware during the week. And the lettuce is good all week."
End the frustration of charger cords that slip away when you reach for them or are always under the bed by sticking these cable clips everywhere you have errant cords. They are simple to implement — peel and stick them to a flat surface — and make life less frustrating.
Reviewer: "These are an absolute game changer! I am not sure why I didn't buy them sooner. I have these everywhere — my nightstand, my desk, my side table. I even have them on the side of the table instead of the tabletop, and they are sticking perfectly! I highly recommend [them] if you hate the inconvenience of searching for your chargers or crawling on the ground every time your laptop charger falls behind your desk!"
If you hate everything about your colander — such as how bulky it is to store, wash, and use — you will love this modern solution rendered in colorful silicone. Just clip the strainer to the edge of your pan and pour the hot water through it, leaving your pasta or parboiled vegetables in the pan. Then drop it in the dishwasher and get on with your meal. It comes in five fun colors and is flexible enough to fit just about any pan.
Reviewer: "This works so slick! Wish I would have found it sooner!!! Bye-bye bulky metal colander!!"
There is a new sport trending — it's called adventure napping! (I might be the only person doing this but it's a trend worth starting.) All you need is this ultra-packable camping hammock and a couple of trees. The hammock is so small and light — 24 ounces and the size of a small eggplant — you can fit it in a day pack. But it's so comfy that you can snooze happily for hours. And when it's hanging, the attached stuff sack becomes a pocket for your water and phone.
"Reviewer: "Have connected this to two trees in our garden and the hammock works brilliant. Wish we'd got one sooner!"
Strap this clever trunk organizer into your car and you will admire its helpful order every time you drive. The big compartments are a great place to stash a gym bag and tuck your groceries so they don't fly around when you drive. And the multitude of side pockets — some mesh and some solid — hold everything you like to keep in the car, from hand lotion to sunscreen, umbrellas, and backup batteries. It even folds up, all the way or only partially, if you have other cargo.
Reviewer: "My car was getting so messy. I got this storage box hoping it would help. It is sturdy enough to hold my air pump, jumper cables, and road safety kit along with maps, ice scrapers, extra hats scarves, and gloves. I find everything so easily. And things aren't getting crushed or banged up from being loose in the back. It solved my problem. I should have bought it sooner."
You do not have to fork over all your money for a great cup of pour-over coffee. This beautiful little coffee maker — and some terrific ground beans — are all you need. The mesh stainless steel filter fits neatly into the flared top of the heat-resistant glass. Put the coffee there, pour slowly, and precisely measure your delicious brew as it fills the glass carafe below. The silicone collar makes it comfortable to pour the hot coffee into your cup.
Reviewer: "I am mad that I didn't buy this sooner! This brewer makes amazing coffee [that is] smooth and full of flavor."
This set of three, durable, fabric resistance bands brings weight training to your workout without the bulk and storage problems of actual weights. Loop the long bands around your foot or a wall hook to pull or lift while isolating muscles. There are three strengths so you can start with the easiest one and work your way up. They even come with an exercise guide.
Reviewer: "I had been using rubber loops but they were so frustrating and kept rolling all the time. What a game changer [these] are! No rolling at all, no having to pause my workout to put it straight and catch up."
Point this UV black light flashlight at your carpet and it will tell you if your pets have been behaving as well as they claim. Take it with you when you travel and it will show any bedbugs that might be hoping to bite. Aim it into the desert and you might discover a family of scorpions just ahead. It's small enough to tuck in your cleaning kit but its 68 LEDs throw a lot of light.
Reviewer: "This flashlight works as intended. I bought one because I was looking around to see the scorpions in my yard. This black light easily illuminates them. It also illuminates all the other stuff you don't want to see [in your] house and on your carpet! Good for finding out what you need to clean!"
Wherever there is a dark corner or a room you have to fumble in till you get the lights on, plug one of these six dusk-to-dawn LED night lights in and make your home easier to navigate. Put one in every bathroom and at that treacherously dark section of the stairs. They light up when there is no light, turn off when there is light, and draw very little power.
Reviewer: "With a newborn we purchased these to add around the house so we no longer had to use our overhead lights at night and they give off enough light for us to see everything we need. Super easy to install and the motion sensor is great! It does sometimes flicker during the day if we put something directly in front of it, but at night they come on perfectly."
These big, flat under-bed storage bags are the perfect solution to your crammed closet problems. Open the clear lids all the way up and fold your off-season clothes, sweaters, spare blankets, and bulky coats into them. Then zipper them closed and put them under the bed. It's easy to get them out again with the handles on the sides and you can see what's in them without opening them up.
Reviewer: "I used these for my hanging clothes when I moved. I simply put the clothes still on the hanger in the bag and zipped it. Holy cow did it make moving clothes easier. The handles on the sides were super helpful and now I use the bags for under-the-bed storage. So mad at myself for not thinking of it sooner!"
Put some handy shelves right where you need them — in the closet — without doing any construction. Just hang this five-shelf closet organizer from the closet rod and you can put your bags, folded sweaters, hats, and other challenging-to-store items with your shirts, slacks, and everything else you wear daily.
Reviewer: "This is very convenient to have in my dorm. It looks nice and is able to hold many of my belongings. I wish I'd bought one sooner."
If you have a dark closet or the space under your kitchen cabinets is too dim, stick (or screw) one of these three battery-powered LED puck lights and fix that in a couple of minutes. You can tap the light to turn it on or use the included remote. Setting the brightness is also easy with the remote, and you can choose to have them turn off automatically a few seconds or minutes later.
Reviewer: "I bought these to put under my cabinets in my kitchen and I love them so much I had to buy another set to put in other places in our house. Wish I would have bought [them] sooner but better late than never."
Slip this slender and efficient wallet into any pocket you have. It will go in that tiny pocket on your T-shirt, and the back pocket of your super tight, disco jeans. But you will still have everything you need because there are eight slots, a clear one to house your ID, and a center one where you can stash some folding money or your tickets. It comes in so many colors you will be spoiled for choice, and all your data will be protected from RFID pirates.
Reviewer: "I drive a bus for a living and don't know why I didn't switch to a front pocket wallet sooner. This is perfect. Cards don't slip out, yet are easy to remove when needed. Very slim even with several cards in it."
If you sip your hard seltzer or beer from a slim 12-ounce can, this is the can cooler you want for keeping that beverage cold for hours. Just slide the can in and forget about the weather or the fear of encountering warm seltzer on the last sip. This colorful insulated can cooler will keep your favorite drink cold until you are done with it. It comes in so many colors, too.
Reviewer: "I love having a beer but when it gets warm, it's gross. But every night when I crack one open I put it in here. It stays flipping cold!!! Every sip-cold. I wish I bought this sooner. You’ll love it if you like a nice cold beer!"
When you are winding up to hammer some meat, you don't want a feeble tool. You want this serious, heavy, and nice-looking meat tenderizer because it will not only get the job done right — and quickly — but it will make you feel like a serious chef (or lumberjack). It has a flat side and a texturized side, and comes in four colors.
Reviewer: "I’ve been using my rolling pin to flatten my chicken breasts. Don't know why I didn't get [this] meat tenderizer sooner. It's so easy to clean and is just the right weight for me to use and do what needs to be done."
Take these LED camping lanterns with you on your next outing or keep them at home for emergencies. They collapse into a small package for storage, are bright enough to light your room or tent, hang from double handles, and are fun to carry lantern-style into the night when searching for the headless horsemen of the apocalypse. The base is magnetic, too, which is handy when you are grilling or working on your car.
Reviewer: "I couldn't be happier with these lanterns. Our neighborhood inexplicably loses power for a few hours at least once a month and I was tired of dealing with candles. These are small and lightweight, but provide an impressive amount of light. Wish I'd bought these sooner!"
These nonstick baking mats have pre-measured circles on them so you can make uniform cookies or macaroons and space them evenly for baking. But they are also useful for anything you bake because they replace the substance you once used to "grease the pan," as well as foil and parchment paper. Your cookies won't stick to them and they are easy to wash.
Reviewer: "I have always seen bakers recommend these...but never tried them myself. When I recently received new bakeware I wanted to protect them so I bought these mats. I should have bought some sooner! So easy to clean, heat distribution was great, and my new pans are saved!"
When you want some comfy over-ear headphones that sound great, connect to your phone via Bluetooth, fold up small so you can fit them in a bag, can also connect via wires, and have easy-to-use controls right on them, you might assume that you will have to pay a lot of money. Not so. These are $20, come in great colors, and have almost 41,000 five-star reviews.
Reviewer: "Sound is fantastic, bass is great, and noise cancelation is way better than you would expect for the price. You can not beat the quality all around for the low price. Wish I had bought these sooner."
If you are going to use a mouse, make it one that looks good on your desk, connects wirelessly (via a 2.4G USB receiver so there are no lags), and feels good in your hand. This noiseless wireless mouse is that very accessory. It comes in 17 colors, is super affordable, and is sized for travel.
Reviewer: "This little mouse is great. I love the color and it works without any issues. I have started working from home on my laptop ... and my wrist was hurting from constantly bending it to use the touchpad. This mouse has helped with my wrist pain and is much more convenient to use than a touchpad. I'm mad at myself for going all these years without buying one."
If the idea of an electric can opener appeals, but a counter appliance just for opening cans does not, welcome to modern times. This little electric can opener runs on batteries, stashes in a drawer, and removes the can lid without exposing you to sharp metal. It cuts the side of the can so that removing the lid is super easy. Choose from many great colors.
Reviewer: "This works like a charm! It's easy to use and to keep clean and it saves me from the pain of my arthritic thumb and wrist that were being greatly aggravated by trying to use my manual can opener. Why did I ever wait so long to purchase it?"
Set dishes, glasses, and pans on this super absorbent, microfiber dish drying mat so there is never a wet puddle on your counter when you wash up. It's gentle on dishes, won't transfer water to your counters, and comes in so many patterns and colors that you can use it to bring a decorative element into your kitchen.
Reviewer: "This thing is amazing and I wish I had found it sooner."
Want to be able to glance at your phone in the night or while you work to see the time or notifications? Set it on this cell phone stand. It's made of a light aluminum alloy that looks high-tech and minimal, and has a hole to run your charging cord through so you also always know where that is. It comes in 10 colors and holds most phones and tablets.
Reviewer: "The stand makes it easier for me to watch videos at my desk, or simply have the phone in a better position to see notifications. I actually like it so much I'm sort of annoyed at myself for not buying one sooner."
This angled measuring cup is so smart! Pour your ingredients into it and you can see precisely how much is in there without lifting it up to look at the measures on the side — because there are measure marks you can see from above. Genius.
Reviewer: "We have several measuring cups. But this has become my go-to. No more holding the cup up to eye level to see the amount. Just place it on the counter and wait until the liquid reaches the line on the slanted portion. In spite of its odd construction, it's easy to clean."
You can stop guessing about the doneness of your steaks, burgers, and roast meats. Flip open the probe of this digital meat thermometer and stick it in. You can see the internal temperature in clear, accurate numbers on the LED screen and check the chart printed on the side to know, with certainty, whether that meat is rare, medium, or well-done. It's magnetic so you can stick it to the fridge.
Reviewer: "These are the best I have ever found. They are just a joy to use. It is as accurate as stated but tells you how to check the calibration if you want. Reads the temperature fast. Takes a lot of abuse and is amazingly affordable."
What is that lighter port in your car doing to make your life better? Anything? Plug this car charger adapter into it and turn that thing into two USB ports that can fast charge your phone as well as a passenger's phone. It's a small, easy car upgrade and — at this price — probably the cheapest one you can make.
Reviewer: "How did I ever live without this? No longer do I worry about my phone dying while I'm in the car. This charges my phone so fast. It's been a lifesaver! Especially on long road trips."
These strange dishcloths are the kitchen tool you have been looking for whenever you reach for a paper towel. Absorbent, flexible, and slightly abrasive, they are perfect for wiping up spills, keeping appliances spotless, and more. But instead of throwing them out, these are so durable you can throw them in the wash and use them repeatedly.
Reviewer: "I have been using these for over a month to do the dishes. I absolutely love them. Easy to clean in the dishwasher or washing machine. I have been using the same one for a month on my dishes and it's still in great condition. Wish I knew about these sooner! Never going back to regular dish sponges!"
This water bottle is here to keep you hydrated, no matter your beverage of choice or preferred method of sipping the same. It comes in lots of sizes, tons of colors, and with three lid options so you can fill it with coffee — it will keep that hot for hours — and put on a flip lid. Or fill it with water — it will keep that icy overnight — and attach the sip lid. Take it camping or hiking, too, because the wide-mouth lid clips to a pack.
Reviewer: "Bought this for son during sports. This bottle keeps ice water all day. Great choice! Great product! I wish we had one sooner."
Put away the bulky old oven mitts that made you clumsy and were so hard to wash. These silicone oven mitts have a grippy texture, protect you from high temperatures, and are so easy to wash you can just run them under the faucet. They come in lots of colors so you can refresh the look of your kitchen, too.
Reviewer: "I was always burning my hands in the oven with traditional pot holders. Now I can safely grab dishes from the oven without worrying about burning myself. They are perfect! Wish I had gotten them sooner."
When you pack a suitcase, pack your clothes and sundries into this set of packing cubes first. Not only will your suitcase look orderly and colorful (there are lots of colors) if you open it in public, but you will be able to find a shirt — folded into the shirt cube — or a pair of socks — filed in the sock cube. There are four cubes in three sizes and a laundry bag. The set makes living out of a suitcase much easier.
Reviewer: "These packing cubes are the best invention for the traveler!! Wish I had ordered them sooner, they are an amazing way to organize and keep things wrinkle-free!"
Keep your fresh herbs fresh much longer by giving them what they need while they are in the fridge. This herb keeper has a water well in the bottom so the stems can sip water while the leaves stay fresh in the container. Air vents let them breathe. All you do is keep the water well filled and you will have plenty of time to cut and use your herbs.
Reviewer: "This helps our cilantro last a long time! No more pulling it out of the drawer and it being a gross mess. We love this thing! Wish we would have bought sooner!"
How do you get a loaf of bread out of the oven? How do you get a pizza onto a hot grill? This pizza paddle is here to help. It folds up so you can store it when you aren't making pizza, and when you are, slides neatly under the dough and lifts it in or out of the heat.
Reviewer: "Everyone needs this. So much easier to get things in and out of the oven without burning myself."
Whether you want to whip up a sauce or make a big salad, there is a bowl in this set of stainless steel mixing bowls that's the ideal size. They range from .75 quarts all the way to five quarts. And with flat bottoms, they are easy to use. They look good enough to serve that salad from, as well. And the tight-fitting lids let you store the leftovers with very little effort.
Reviewer: "I use these bowls for baking. These bowls are so well finished that I have to work at getting them oiled up when I want my dough to rise. Love them. Should have bought them sooner."
When the room is hot and sunny and your body craves cool and dark, pull closed these blackout curtains. The insulated backing blocks out those bright and warm UV rays so you can chill. And the color options will style your interior to look just how you want it. They work just as well for helping keep warm or cool in, and the weather out.
Reviewer: "I bought these for my living room. The curtains that I had were too sheer and it was hard to keep the room warm in the wintertime. These curtains really help to keep the cold out, I can really tell the difference. I wish that I had bought them sooner."
There's a certain finesse to learning how to use this professional-level wine opener but, once you master it, you will be volunteering to open all the bottles. It makes getting the cork out fast, easy, and effortless. The knife removes the foil, the levered, double-hinged fulcrum gives excellent purchase for pulling out the cork, and it comes in beautiful colors and finishes.
Reviewer: "This is PROFESSIONAL!!! I don't know why I didn't get one of these sooner! This will last forever!!"
With three heat levels and ion technology, this beard straightener will take you from scruffy to sleek in a matter of minutes. And you don't have to worry about absent-mindedly leaving it turned on because it shuts itself off after 30 minutes. It comes with a handful of helpful accessories: a two-pack of moisturizing beard oil, beard balm, a comb, brush, scissors, and travel bag.
Reviewer: "My beard is very curly and gets tangled. When I comb it, it gets painfully pulled. Since using this product I can straighten my beard and it ends up silly smooth with no tangles. The included comb, brush, and oils are a bonus."
Before you destroy the expensive interior of your car with the pressure, spills, and crumbs that will result from putting a child's car seat there, put this car seat protector on the seat. It is waterproof, cushioned, and sturdy so your car will survive this stage unmarred by baby detritus. It comes in five colors to match your interior and gets 19,000 five-star reviews.
Reviewer: "Fits perfectly under my grandson's Britax booster! No marks on the leather seats from the car seat pressing down. Should’ve bought it sooner!!"
Take your sneakers from scuffed and dirty to clean and spiffy quickly with these clever sneaker cleaners. There are ten in the pack, and each one is like an eraser for all that dirt. Just pull one out, wipe off the midsole, sole, and uppers, and they will remove all the dirty bits quickly.
Reviewer: "This product is easy to use and affordable. I only wish that I had purchased it sooner."
Just because you enjoy sipping your coffee or tea from a real mug does not mean that you have to accept that your hot beverage will get cold before you are done with it. Set that mug on this mug warmer and your cuppa will remain at the perfect sipping temperature for as long as you like. A gravity switch detects the presence of a mug so you can't accidentally leave it on without a drink to warm.
Reviewer: "Prior to this life-changing gadget my only options were to reheat my coffee in the microwave (yuck!) or brew an entirely new pot (not cost-effective). I wish I had found this thing sooner!!"
If you set your laptop on this sleek, aluminum laptop stand, not only will your work rig look nice, but your neck will thank you. Raising the screen up so you don't hunch over to look at it is a terrific way to help prevent computer-induced neck pain. It comes in 10 pretty colors to spice up your workspace and snaps apart so you can take it on the road.
Reviewer: "This is the best solution! Perfect for the Teams calls with video and it also allows great ventilation for the underside of the laptop...I have one of these at home and one at work. I wish I had this sooner!!"
This camping cookware kit has everything you need to do meal prep in the wild. And it all packs down into a bag you can fit in your pack. It has two nonstick pans with fold-out handles, a lid that fits them both, a ladle, spork, two bowls, a wooden spoon, and a sponge to clean it all with.
Reviewer: "I am seriously so happy with this cooking set. My hiking backpack is only 55L, so I don't have a huge amount of room and ... [I] like to be prepared for anything when I go out, so having at least basic cooking items with me when I go out exploring is a must. This set exceeded my expectations."
Drop this compact and clever knife block into a drawer and all your knife storage problems are solved. It holds up to nine knives of various sizes in a compact space. They won't move around when you open and close the drawer, and the blades are secured so you don't get cut. It comes in four colors.
Reviewer: "This is the perfect flat knife holder! It easily fits in a drawer. It holds a lot of knives. I am in the middle of a kitchen remodel and wanted something different from my bulky wooden holder that was beginning to fall apart. Wish I would have found this sooner!"
Save the paper baking cups for the bake sale and use these silicone baking cups for everything you plan to eat at home. The silicone baking cups are nonstick so it's easy to get your creations out of them. They also wash up so you can use them repeatedly so you will never run out. This is a set of 12 and reviewers gave them over 61,000 five-star ratings.
Reviewer: "I was skeptical at first but finally got around to needing these baking cups. Amazing! I wish I had found these sooner. I will never use anything else ever again!"
Set this clever cotton swab dispenser on your bathroom vanity and you will never again have to dig through drawers and under cabinets to find them. The lid lifts off to make filling it easy, and it feeds cotton swabs one at a time from the bottom so all the others stay clean.
Reviewer: "It is compact, lightweight. Good for a small space."
Make sure you always have a handy way to get your groceries home without grabbing a plastic or paper bag — just stash these reusable shopping bags in the car or your bag. They fold up super small so you will forget you have them until you need one. And they come in so many colors and patterns you can choose a set that speaks to you.
Reviewer: "After my first shopping trip using these I was kicking myself for not finding these sooner! They hold so much more than my old ones did and they are strong and very easy to use. I'm thrilled!"
Next time you cook a pizza at home, use this pizza cutter wheel to cut it quickly and easily into slices. It whips through the crunchy crust and piled-on toppings because you hold it in the palm of your hand so you can apply all your strength to the process. It breaks apart and goes into the dishwasher for cleanup and comes in three bright colors.
Reviewer: "I love this pizza cutter. After using the old-fashioned type for years, I got tired of the strain on my wrist. I am truly impressed with this cutter. Wish I had found it sooner!"
These electric salt and pepper grinders not only update your dining area with fresh pepper and fresh-ground sea salt, but they also bring your spices into the age of futuristic science. Just turn over the grinder to start its "engine." It uses a gravity switch to know when you want to spice your food. It looks good, works well, is convenient, and is fun to use.
Reviewer: "I'm sad I didn't find these sooner ... All you have to do is flip it over and it does all the work for you. It's also very FAST so you have to keep an eye on how much you're adding."
Plug this outlet extender in any room that has a deficiency of power. It transforms a single outlet into six plugs, two USB ports, and a night light. It's ideal, for your expanding horde of bathroom appliances or a kitchen with a number of plugs incompatible with modern existence. The light comes on only when the room is dark, and makes it easy to navigate without flipping on the overhead lights.
Reviewer: "This is such a functional plug ... wish I would [have] known about it sooner."
Save some steps when you make your morning smoothie by blending it in this personal blender that has a to-go cup as the blending jar. Just toss in your fruit and other ingredients, push the button, and take the jar of pulverized yumminess with you. It even has a travel lid. And the jar and lid can go in the dishwasher for cleanup.
Reviewer: "It chops ice up just like a bartender does — quick and easy. It cleans up nice and I like how I can drink directly from the container. I wish I had found out about this thing sooner!"
This article was originally published on Sep. 18, 2022
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