The more we spend, the more we expect our purchase to work out the way we imagined – to make our lives easier or more fun or more colorful or just more streamlined, maybe.
If you’re looking for those magical items – the ones that don’t cost much but are 100% worth the money – these folks have some solid leads.
1. It is revolutionary.
Electric toothbrush.
Speaking of oral care, I bought a tongue scraper on amazon 8 years ago on a whim. I can’t believe I wasn’t scraping my tongue before. The amount of plaque that I get off with that thing every morning is astounding and my breath is so much better now.
2. As someone with a bad back, this sounds nice.
Something called “the helping hand”. Its basically a litter picker (which was actually invented for the disabled btw).
I am disabled and a wheelchair user. My occupational therapist gave me this years ago to help me get things out of high up kitchen cupboards etc.
I still have it and it has been a life changer!
3. For the writing nerds.
This one mechanical pencil that I bought in high school or earlier. I’ll graduate college soon which means I’ve been writing with the same pencil for somewhat 10 years. It fits perfectly between my fingers.
I’ve kept a traditional diary since I was a kid and it has become more and more important since hardly anything requires paper and a pencil today. So many memories from the happiest moments to the absolute worst have been written down using this pencil.
I have a few other pencils as well but they don’t feel right and eventually I’ll put them away and return to my old friend.
4. Learned this from my parents.
A butter dish/butter tray. Room temp butter always available. No more fucking with trying to spread hard butter out of the fridge.
5. Is he on YouTube?
About 20 years ago I bought a 3 VHS tape set that showed me this guy, Sepp Holzer, doing pond and gardens and raising animals in a way far better than I imagined. It has been the core of my life ever since.
6. They almost make winters bearable.
A heated blanket, dont know how I ever survived winters before this.
My bedroom is in the attic and it gets cold. Due to how stuff is wired the heating in my room only goes on when it’s cold downstairs, but since it doesn’t get that cold downstairs my heating never starts up.
This has saved me so much cold nights curled up in a ball at night trying to warm up, it’s amazing
7. I need one!
Sheet suspenders!
I toss and turn a lot and would have to fix the fitted sheet every morning
8. Omg this is a thing?
Try a heated mattress pad. They are more efficient has the heat rises and gets trapped by the blankets. Most also have a zone for your feet.
9. If that’s your sort of thing…
A $1 corkscrew that I keep in my car.
The amount of times I have been the hero because of this you wouldn’t believe
10. For people without small children.
A coffee grinder. Buying whole beans and grinding them yourself gives infinitely better coffee than buying pre-ground.
11. I like the enthusiasm.
I do a lot of IT-ish things, so I decided it would be a good idea to get a backpack for my laptop. And backpack means IT’S KIT TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIME!!! All kinds of pockets and whatnot for all life’s basic concerns.
Stanley 6 way screwdriver? Done. Chargers & battery packs? Yep. Whatever random crap? Probably!
The amont of times I’ve been The Guy with whatever completely basic thing is insane. It’s not like the pack is busting with tools.
12. That’s quite an endorsement.
Rainex
If there is one product I would sell door to door, this is it (please don’t let it come to that)
13. I hate cleaning it and putting it away though.
A non-stick electric griddle. You can cook a bunch of stuff on that thing.
adding to the list:
A coffee maker and a knock off Yeti tumbler. You can save a crap ton of money that way.
14. Anyone else want to jump ship?
Affinity Photo on sale for 25$, I could leave Photoshop and the whole Adobe Creative suite nonsense behind me. No more monthly payments. Just these 25$ once and I won the thing.
Other thing was a used line tool for architects for 3€ (normal price is 25€), making comic panels never was easier
15. If you don’t already have one.
Pocket/Swiss army knife or multi tool
I have 2 that I keep on my at all times and use them pretty much daily
16. The longer the better (heh).
3 metre long charging cable.
I got a 10 ft USB extension cable to a friend who was recovering from surgery at a hospital. He told me that was the best present he ever got, his words “in my life”.
17. Hey, old people things work.
My 9$ pill organizer.
Friends have laughed at me because it seems like an old people thing, but I‘ve finally managed to stick to my meds (yes, ironically my ADHD is so bad I couldn‘t even get that done). To me this was a real life changer!
Bonus points: I‘m the only one who knows which day it is during the pandemic.
18. It’s always the little things.
It’s a small thing: a closet rod installed above my washer/dryer, and extra hangers.
Now clothes get taken out of the dryer and put on a hanger right away rather than end up as a pile on the floor, or in a basket never to be properly put away.
19. Comfortable beds are always worth it.
Fluffy duvet covers
My bed was always cold but now it’s not £12 for single £15 for double.
20. Just like a hotel.
Curved shower rod.
21. Electric kettles come in SO handy.
A rice cooker and electric kettle.
I used to sometimes eat rice and drink tea.
I now eat rice and drink tea all the time!
22. A game-changer.
A cheap microwave and coffee maker for my work van.
I have an inverter for my tools that I use to run them.
Hot coffee and hot lunches make a huge difference, especially on bad days.
23. This sounds sensible.
Solar power battery pack. Power went out during the hurricane and I was still up and running for 5 days.
24. A simple solution.
My apartment has like no counter space, in reality only a total of 5 feet spread through three areas next to the sink and stove.
I spent like $15 on a 4 foot table. That now holds all my kitchen stuff like toaster, distiller, crock pot, and instant pot. It has just enough room for all that.
Since it is a common question, the distiller is for purifying water. It boils water then collects the steam and condenses it back to water in a pot on the side. It is the exact same process as how to make stronger alcohol, but this is a higher temperature so it leaves behind solids that I clean out once a week. I like pure water and I get all my minerals from my foods. I enjoy cooking so I choose menu items that get all my minerals.
25. Buy them for cons, keep them for life.
Battery pack to charge your phone.
We’ve all been in situations where having your phone on is super important, and not having to be tied to an outlet is even better.
26. You can’t go wrong.
11 pound capacity digital kitchen scale. For baking, cooking and correctly identifying portion sizes.
It has changed the way I bake. No more trying to make the measuring cup level, or worrying about the compactness of my flour. I even buy the large block of butter instead of the more expensive 1/2 cup sticks because I can just weigh it out. Just put the mixing bowl on the scale and tare after each ingredient
27. All of these are on point.
Gonna sound silly but a good set of three different sized stainless steel whisks. You would not believe how much easier making sauces and eggs are with these.
Also a whiteboard to keep on the fridge, makes it easier to note down what you are low on or out of.
28. Pet owners everywhere rejoice.
A rubber bristled broom. I have two dogs and two cats, and my house is all hardwood and tile.
A regular broom just sends the fur floating everywhere, but my rubber broom keeps it all nice and tidy and easy to pick up.
It works on my area rug and upholstered furniture, too!
29. Cheaper than noise-cancelling headphones.
Earplugs.
They saved my final exams in high school when my sister and her 1.5 and 3yo kids tornadoed through the whole house.
30. Like a bath, but less germy.
Shower chair.
I’ve got a f**ked up back and I initially got it for that but even if my back was fine I’d still have one, they’re so useful.
If you shave your legs, you won’t regret it.
31. I would definitely like to try this.
A wake up light alarm clock. The light turns on gradually and wakes you up gradually rather than waking up to obnoxious beeping. Makes the start of my day more positive.
32. I need one of these.
Hot water bottle. I live in cold Scandinavia and have chronic pain. It gets used pretty much all year around.
I recently backed a Kickstarter campaign for the heat bag. It’s made by the guys that also made the ostrich pillow.
It has a clay core you can boil or put in the microwave. When heated, you can put it into a kind of pillow. Thick, soft and insulated on one side and silky on the other side. It feels amazing and keeps the heat longer because of the insulation.
This thing is amazing! I gifted it to my girlfriend for Christmas and she loves it.
33. A good night’s sleep is worth a million bucks.
Weighted blanket and/or A Good Pillow.
Your sleep quality will improve.
Being well rested has to be one of the few good things to happen to me in 2020.
34. Both will definitely improve your life.
A foldable laptop stand for $15.
Always thought you didn’t need this stuff, how different from without one can it be – but it does wonders for my neck.
Travels everywhere with me now.
Also: a 2mm phone cable. It’s the s**t.
I’ll definitely be following up on some of these, how about you?
Which ones are already in your Amazon cart?
Tell us in the comments!
