We’ve all been there: Excitedly going to the mailbox, finding the package we’ve been waiting for, tearing it open, unrolling the bubble wrap, and putting our new gadget to work — only to discover that it doesn’t work all that well, or maybe even at all. (Think: a magnetic car phone holder with the weakest magnet on earth. Or a brush that doesn’t work on knots or ends up ripping your hair out.) But all these five-star products on Amazon? They actually do what they say they’re going to do.
Now, I’m an ardent believer in Amazon’s star rating system. I like knowing that the ratings come from people who’ve actually ordered the product and tested it out to see if it works — or doesn’t. It makes me feel much more confident when I take out my credit card and type in all those digits. (Okay, fine — I have one-click ordering turned on so I don’t actually type out all those digits.)
Of course, sifting through the ratings of Amazon’s zillions of products takes time, but I’ve got good news: I’ve done the sifting for you. So now you can go ahead and one-click order with confidence too.
1.These Squeezable Bottles For Traveling With Your Favorite Shampoo
Nothing is more annoying after a long day of travel than realizing your hotel doesn’t actually have conditioner. So skip the late night drugstore run and put your favorite shampoo and conditioner in these silicone travel bottles instead. The bottles are completely squeezable so you get every lost drop, and they’re TSA-approved for carry-on luggage. Use them for moisturizer, hair products, and sunscreen too.
2These Salad Tongs That Also Slice Your Veggies
These salad tongs do so much more than just mix up your romaine and spinach. The tongs themselves actually feature two blades on one side, so you can slice through fruit, veggies, and proteins right there in the bowl. The soft-grip handles go easy on your fingers — and they lock shut when not in use. One reviewer writes, “This has to be my favorite kitchen gadget EVER! Chops anything that will fit in its jaws and that’s plenty when it comes to salads. Artichoke hearts, tomatoes (sliced in half), leafy greens, you name it.”
3This Moisturizing Hair Repair Treatment Made With Actual Silk
Make your hair silky smooth by conditioning it with actual silk — the main ingredient in this hair repair treatment. The deeply moisturizing formula also includes Italian avocado oil, African argan oil, and New Zealand keratin. These powerhouse ingredients have major benefits for hair, like strengthening weak strands, repairing damage, preventing frizz, adding shine, preserving color, and shielding hair from environmental wear and tear. It’s sulfate- and cruelty-free, and suitable for all hair types.
4These Oven Liners That Catch Melting Cheese So You Don’t Have To Clean Your Oven After Baking
Scrubbing off baked-on cheese or marinade from the bottom of your oven is a drag. Worse, it can smoke up your house the next time you bake. To catch run-off juices, cheese, and pizza sauce, place one of these oven liners on the bottom of your oven before you pre-heat. When you’re done, remove the liner and give it a quick rinse or throw in the dishwasher. The heavy-duty liners are non-stick and heat-resistant for up to 500 degrees
5These Gel Shoe Inserts That Cradle Your Heel For More Comfortable Walking
If you spend a lot of time on your feet, it might be worth investing in these gel heel cups. The contoured inserts cradle your heels, align your ankles, and absorb shock. They’re ideal for anyone dealing with tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, or just plain sore and aching feet. Made from medical-grade gel, the inserts fit into all kinds of shoes, including heels, sneakers, and boots.
6These Nose Vents And Mouthpiece That Keep You From Snoring
If your partner hasn’t gotten a good night’s sleep in weeks because of your snoring (you can’t help it!) try using these nose vents. The vents fit comfortably in the opening of your nostrils, gently dilating them and increasing air flow. This set of nose vents also comes with a mouthpiece that holds your tongue in place and improves airflow through your throat. The result? Your partner sleeps like a baby (and so do you).
7This Heat-Resistant Oven Glove That’s So Much Better Than An Oven Mitt
This oven glove is a huge improvement on traditional oven mitts which tend to limit your mobility — making it much more likely you’ll drop that piping hot cherry pie on the floor when you take it out of the oven. With five individual fingers and non-slip grips, you can rest assured that pans, casseroles, and cookie sheets will remain firmly in your hand. Made from firefighter-grade Kevlar material, the gloves are heat-resistant up to 540 degrees and flame-proof, so they’re perfect for grilling too.
8A Fabric Shaver That Removes Pilling From Your Favorite Sweater
Your favorite cardigan is bound to pill when you wear it day after day. Freshen it up with this fabric shaver to remove pilling and freshen it up. The shaver comes with three detachable heads: one for bulky woolens and synthetics, one for cashmere, merino wool, and fleece, and one for silk, summer knits, and other delicates. A bonus built-in lint remover lets you remove pet hair and dust as you shave.
9A Skin-Soothing Aftershave That Prevents Ingrown Hairs
Razor bumps, ingrown hairs, skin irritation — it’s all part of the, ahem, fun of shaving. Luckily, you can leave all that behind with this aftershave by Bump Patrol. Once you’re done shaving, just apply to your legs, underarms, bikini area, or any other part of your skin that’s seen a razor, and you’ll effectively prevent ingrown hairs while keeping razor bumps and redness at bay.
10A Set Of Packing Cubes That Actually Give You More Space In Your Suitcase
Adding items to your suitcase in the hope of creating more space sounds downright counterintuitive — but it works. When zipped shut, these packing cubes compress their contents, creating extra space in your suitcase. And they don’t just create extra space: they also help keep things organized, which is a total dream for hotel hoppers everywhere. This set comes with six cubes that’ll compress clothing of any size and bulk. Choose from colors like pink, burgundy, and lime green.
11An Apple Corer That’s Easy To Maneuver
Make baked apples for dessert with the help of this apple corer. To remove the core and seeds in one fell swoop, just place the corer around the stem of the apple, push down, and twist. The corer is made with stainless steel and won’t bend or break after years of use. Try it on pears and bell peppers, too.
12A Mouthwash That Keeps Working For 24 Hours
The person who originated this mouthwash is an honest-to-goodness dentist — so you can feel confident that it works. The mouthwash is formulated with an oxygenating agent that neutralizes the sulfur-causing bacteria responsible for causing those not-so-pleasant breath. The best part? The mouthwash keeps on working for 24 hours after you rinse. It’s made without alcohol or artificial colors or flavors, and it’s gentle on sensitive teeth and gums.
13This Sleek-Looking Magnetic Knife Holder
Show off your fancy knives and keep them organized with this magnetic knife holder. Made from anti-bacterial bamboo, the holder has a hidden magnet that attracts knives and kitchen shears, securing them firmly in place. The holder has room for up to five knives, can be placed upright on your countertop, and has an anti-slip base that’ll keep it from sliding around.
14A Pair Of No-Tie Shoelaces So You Never Have To Bend Over Again (Maybe)
If you’re too lazy to tie your shoelaces (no judgment) or just have athletic shoes that are always coming untied, try these no-tie shoelaces. Once laced onto your shoes, they stay put — no need to bend over to lace your shoes when you’re rushing out the door, and no need to interrupt your jog to tighten them. Choose from a variety of sizes to get the snuggest and most comfortable fit.
15This Detangling Brush That’s Actually Painless
If you’re looking for a less miserable way to work out the knots in your hair, try this detangler brush. The soft nylon bristles are flexible enough to glide through hair without snagging or pulling, and the boar bristles distribute your hair’s natural oils to add softness and shine. Reviewers say it “works so much better than a wide tooth comb” and “goes right through tangles without pulling”.
16A Remote Control That Turns Appliances On And Off
Turn appliances on and off from across the room with this remote control outlet kit. Simply plug the outlet into your existing wall socket, then plug your appliance in: You can use the accompanying remote to turn your appliance on or off from wherever you are. It works from up to 100 feet away, and it’s super versatile — use one remote to control multiple devices, or multiple remotes to control one device (so it’s no problem if you lose track of one of the remotes).
17This Microwave Cover That Keeps Your Food From Exploding
Shield your plate with this microwave cover before heating it up, and you’ll never have to wipe up exploded spaghetti sauce again. (And it’s also much more eco-friendly than using paper towels to cover your food.) And here’s the most ingenious part: the cover is magnetized, so it actually attaches to the “ceiling” of your microwave. The cover is dishwasher-safe and large enough to fit over most plates, bowls, and platters.
18These Lights That Fit Right Under Your Cabinets Or Shelves
Light up your desk, countertop, or bookshelves with these under the cabinet LED lights. Equivalent to a 100-watt incandescent bulb, the lights offer bright white illumination but can be dimmed with a switch for a more subtle glow. The lights can be attached with screws or strong, double-sided adhesive. And no worries if your hand brushes the lights while you’re reaching for a book — they’re low heat, so they won’t burn like other lights.
19These Anti-Dust Plugs That Protects Your Phone’s Charging Port
You spent hard-earned money on that iPhone, so why not keep it in good condition with the help of these anti-dust plugs? The plugs fit snugly into your phone’s charging port, shielding it from dirt, dust, and moisture (which is great for camping). Each set comes with ten plugs — so you don’t have to worry about losing a few — and a port-cleaning brush to keep things extra clean.
20A Skin-Reviving Face Mist From A Thermal Spring In France
Revive skin with this face mist made from thermal spring water sourced in the small village of Avène in southern France. A few sprays on your face will add hydration, reduce redness, and balance your skin’s pH. You can also use it anywhere on your body as an aftershave, or to soothe itchiness and irritation. And because it’s rich in antioxidants, the mist will actually work to keep your skin healthy in the long term. The formula is hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic, too.
21This Sleeping Mask With Contours In All The Right Places
Get a good night’s sleep no matter what time of day it is with this 3-D sleeping mask. The mask is contoured around the nose for a more comfortable fit that blocks out even more light. Contours around the eyes give you space to blink and also keep your eyeliner from smudging. Made from soft memory foam, the mask has an adjustable elastic strap, and triangle wings that alleviate pressure on the sides of your face.
22This Water Bottle That Keeps Drinks Cold For 13 Hours
This water bottle really lives up to its name. Made with double-walled, insulated stainless steel, the water bottle keeps cold drinks cold for up to 36 hours and hot drinks hot for up to 13 hours. The water bottle has an extra-wide mouth, a leak-proof cap, and a rubber grip. Choose from colors like flamingo pink, sailor blue, and matte black. And if you should drop your water bottle when you’re out on the lake? No worries — the bottle floats.
23A Mat You Put Under Your Cutting Board To Keep It In Place
You know how your cutting board starts to slide around when you’re cutting into a juicy watermelon? You can keep that from happening by placing your cutting board on top of this cutting board mat: The mat is texturized to keep your cutting board in place as you slice and dice. Made from a non-porous material, the mat is resistant to bacterial contamination. When you’re done chopping, just stick the mat in the dishwasher to clean up.
24This Lumbar-Supporting Memory Foam
If your back gets tired from sitting for long hours in a desk chair or car seat, you’ll want to check out this lumbar cushion. Made from 100 percent pure memory foam on both sides, the cushion is contoured to provide lumbar support — all while improving posture and reducing strain on pressure points. The cushion is covered in breathable mesh, with non-slip material on the backside to prevent slippage when you adjust positions. There’s even a stretchy buckle strap so you can attach it securely to any chair.
25An Essential Oil That Promotes A Good Night’s Sleep
There’s nothing worse than a bout of insomnia, which is why this essential oil for sleep is a must-have for the restless among us. The 100 percent pure and natural formula is made from a blend of five therapeutic-grade oils: Bulgarian lavender to soothe anxiety, clary sage to relax the mind, balsam to lighten the spirit, Spanish marjoram to ease muscle aches and pains, and French chamomile to calm jangled nerves. Add a few drops of this to your diffuser or spray directly on your linens.
26These Muscle Pain-Relieving Massage Balls
These solid rubber massage balls are a simple and effective tool for loosening up tight muscles. Just place the heavy duty balls under the muscles you’re targeting (feet, neck, shoulders, lower back) and lean into them. The force of your body weight against the balls will support myofascial release and help eliminate muscle tension. This reviewer writes: “They were recommended to me at physical therapy and I’ve never had anything that is more effective at relieving my shoulder pain.”
27A Wrinkle Release Spray So You Don’t Have To Haul Out The Iron
Okay, so you hate ironing (who doesn’t?) but you also don’t want to go around town wearing rumpled, wrinkled clothes. Here’s the solution: this wrinkle release spray. Just hang your garment up or lay it flat on the bed and spray until it’s just damp. Then, smooth it out with your hands, using a little more tugging action for deeper creases, and hang to dry. The plant-based formula is lightly scented with citrus and mint (just like your favorite mojito).
28An Airtight Canister That’s Perfect For Storing Coffee, Flour, And Sugar
The Airscape food storage container just might be the best way to preserve the freshness of coffee, tea, flour, sugar, cereal, and nuts. When you press the down on the lid, a valve sucks all the air out of the container, ensuring the contents have zero exposure to oxygen. Made from BPA-free stainless steel, the canister holds up to 64 ounces and comes in colors like candy apple red, obsidian black, mocha, and classic brushed steel.
29This Miracle Pen That Softens Cuticles And Repairs Nails
This cuticle oil pen is a miracle worker when it comes to getting your nails in good shape. Formulated with organic oils that are rich in vitamins A and E, the pen works to soften and moisturize cuticles while strengthening nails and repairing cracks. The oil has natural anti-fungal properties, so it’s also perfect for toes that need a little TLC. Just apply the oil with the handy click-pen and you’ll see a big difference in just a few days.
30An All-Natural Shoe Deodorizer You Can Also Spray On Your Feet
Gym shoes getting a little smelly? Use this shoe deodorizer spray to freshen them up. The all-natural deodorizer is made with a blend of essential oils like tea tree, peppermint, eucalyptus, and thyme. And these oils don’t just give off a pleasant aroma — they actually neutralize bacteria that causes odor in the first place. And because the spray doesn’t use any harsh chemicals, you can spray them directly on your feet as well as your shoes.
31A Next-Level Meat Tenderizer For Next-Level Steak
Make an extra mouth-watering steak with the help of this meat tenderizer. Unlike mallets which can damage expensive cuts of meat, this tenderizer utilizes extra-long, extra-thin needles to puncture tiny holes in your New York strip or pork chop. The result is a juicy, melt-in-your-mouth eating experience. The tool is great for marinade too — all those punctures create channels so your meat can soak up every last bit of flavor.
32A Hair Straightening Brush That Makes Styling A Breeze
A hair straightener brush is so much easier to use than a traditional flat iron, and it’s also a lot less damaging. Just glide the brush through your hair several times to straighten it while adding sleekness and shine. The brush heats up within 30 seconds, and an LCD display allows you to adjust the temperature to your hair type (the thicker the hair, the higher you can go.) This brush comes with a heat-protection glove, clips, and a carrying case.
33This Handy (And Beautiful) Phone Ring And Kickstand
A phone ring holder and kickstand is one of the most simple and versatile upgrades you can make to your smartphone. Slip your finger through the ring to get a firm grip on your phone (i.e. no more drops), flip it out to create a kickstand for your phone so you can watch videos, or attach it to your magnetic car phone holder. Made with durable zinc alloy, this one adheres to the back side of your phone with double-sided tape. Choose from black, silver, or rose gold.
34An Eyeliner Stamp For The Purr-fect Cat Eye
Creating a half-decent cat eye is hard unless you’re blessed with super steady hands. This eyeliner stamp, however, makes getting that cat eye a cinch. Just place the stamp at the outside corner of your eye and press down to release the pigment — et voilà. This set comes with two eyeliner stamps: one shaped for the left eye and one for the right. On the other end of each stamp is an eyeliner pencil for your filling in any gaps. The stamps are long-lasting, smudge-proof, and water-resistant
35An Electric Kettle That Boils Water Fast
Make yourself a cup of comforting chamomile tea with this cordless electric kettle. It works much faster than stovetop kettles — boiling water within three to seven minutes. An automatic shut-off feature kicks in within 30 seconds of boiling, or if it detects there’s no water in the chamber. Made with virtually unbreakable borosilicate, the kettle has a stainless steel filter and a blue LED light that glows when it’s in boil mode. Use it for oatmeal and ramen too.
36A Non-Slip Pad That Keeps Your Rug In Place
You just an awesome vintage rug at the flea market, but every time you step on it, it slips around. Go ahead and place this non-slip rug pad underneath it to keep it in place. The extra-thick rug pad has two times the gripping power of other pads. It also comes in three different sizes, but you can trim them to fit any rug.
37A Completely Adjustable Rotating Cosmetics Organizer
You could spend hours of your life searching through your makeup bag for that tiny sample bottle of expensive eye cream or you could put everything where you can see it with this cosmetics organizer. The organizer rotates 360-degrees and has height adjustable trays to fit bottles and jars of any size. The top tray even has smaller slots that are perfect for lipsticks and nail polish.
38A USB-Rechargeable Electric Candle Lighter
This electric candle lighter is USB-rechargeable, so it doesn’t rely on lighter fluid to operate (i.e. it lasts much longer). The lighter creates an electric spark — instead of a flame — so it won’t blow out when you’re trying to light birthday candles at an outdoor barbecue. The flexible neck means you can get to hard-to-reach wicks, and an LED display lets you know how much battery life is left. This reviewer says it’s a “pretty awesome device for lighting candles without getting your hand burned,” and another writes that it’s “so much easier to reach down narrow glasses to light a candle”.
39This Shaving Cream Made With Macadamia Oil And Calendula
This shaving cream creates a slick molecular surface which means your razor can glide over your skin effortlessly. In other words, you’ll be a lot less likely to experience nicks, razor burns, and irritation. The cream is made with natural ingredients like macadamia oil, olive oil, aloe, calendula, lemon, and papaya — and it’s super concentrated so you only need a small amount to cover a large surface area. In fact, each bottle lasts for up to 90 days, so this set of two will last you half the year.
40A Combination Lap Pillow And Tablet Stand For Better Movie-Watching
If you’ve ever tried to watch a movie on your tablet, you know that holding it means your hand will cramp up before the opening credits are over. Use this tablet pillow stand the next time you dive into your Netflix queue. The memory foam base rests comfortably on your lap like a pillow, and the non-slip top surface securely grips your tablet. You can adjust the angle of the stand to ensure optimal viewing whether you’re sitting on a sofa or propped up on pillows in bed.
41An Extra-Long Razor So You Can Shave Your Back
Get rid of any unwanted hair on your back before you hit the beach with this back shaver. With an extra-long S-shaped handle, it’s easy to get to hard-to-reach places like the middle of your back or in between your shoulder blades. A flexible head glides across your skin without risk of nicks, and the safety blades allow you to shave both wet and dry.
42An LED Lantern That’s The Size Of Your Hand
Take this LED lantern with you on camping trips, or keep it in your car glove box for any unexpected flat tires. The USB-rechargeable lantern is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, and has three lighting modes: full brightness, half-brightness, and flashing SOS. The built-in magnet can be used to attach the lantern to a car or tent pole, or you can hang it from a tree branch with the built-in hook. Oh, and the lantern doubles as a power bank for your phone.
43This Makeup Bag That Can Fit Just About Everything
One reviewer says of this makeup travel makeup bag: “It fits everything. It’s like a clown car.” Other reviewers praise the bag’s adjustable Velcro dividers that let you change the dimensions of each compartments anytime you switch up your makeup. Stretchy elastic pouches hold your makeup brushes in place, and a zippered compartment is perfect for smaller items. And the satin-like bag is extra-padded, so you don’t have to worry about powders and blushes shattering.
44A Multi-Tool That Fits In Your Wallet And Performs So Many Functions
This credit card tool fits right into your wallet pocket, but performs an astonishing array of functions. You can use it as a bottle opener, can opener, screwdriver, wrench, ruler, fruit peeler, and knife. Made from stainless steel, the tool is extra-durable, and comes with a carabiner, whistle, and fire starter too.
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