It’s even better when the item in question costs little more than a round of drinks — and thanks to Amazon’s famously low prices, this is a common occurrence. So common, in fact, that when we hit the site to compile a list of the most useful products that we could find, we were surprised at all the problem-solving potential out there. Click through to see the most clever products we could suss out — all for under $29.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
Murphy's Naturals Mosquito Repellent Candle
Best Used For: Keeping away mosquitos for good
The Hype: 4.4 out of 5 stars and 2,980 ratings
Practical Peeps say: "Definitely the best bug repellant candle I have tried! It lasts a long time compared to other citronella candles I have tried. Living in the south, bugs are all over around this time of year. I have noticed that this candle deters bugs from my patio space and allows me to enjoy my patio without being swarmed by bugs. Great longevity for the size, price, and the scent is nice and light compared to other citronella candles. Will definitely buy these over any other brand."
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Murphy's Naturals Mosquito Repellent Candle, $, available at Amazon
Revlon Oil-Absorbing Volcanic Face Roller
Best Used For: Mattifying oily skin
The Hype: 4.3 out of 5 stars and 18,917 ratings
Our Beauty Editor says: "I was really pleased with the finish on my skin; sometimes powder makes me look flat, but this bestowed a satiny finish that still left my skin looking natural. (Plus, you could see tiny pinpricks of gross-yet-satisfying oil on the surface of the rock.) The roller also is designed to work over makeup, something I found to be true as I tested it out."
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Revlon Oil-Absorbing Volcanic Face Roller, $, available at Amazon
Amazon Smart Plug
Best Used For: Scheduling lights, fans, and appliances to turn on and off automatically
The Hype: 4.7 out of 5 stars and 435,422 ratings
Practical Peeps say: "Got this smart plug so I can remotely turn appliances/the lights on and off in an Alzheimer's patient's home. I can remotely make sure things are off by simply turning them on and off in the Amazon Alexa app — it's super simple to use and really helps me out. Now I don't have to drive over there to make sure the lights, the AC, or the TV are off, etc. Thank you!"
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Amazon Smart Plug, $, available at Amazon
Gospire 10 Pcs Plastic Nail Clip Polish Remover
Best Used For: Soaking off nail polish
The Hype: 4.5 out of 5 stars and 7,966 ratings
Practical Peeps say: "I really enjoy doing my nails at home but hate soaking my fingers in acetone to get acrylics off. I was hoping these clips would help make me more mobile and possibly speed up the process. I'm happy to say the clips work great!"
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Gospire 10 Pcs Plastic Nail Clip Polish Remover, $, available at Amazon
Ecolution Original Microwave Micro-Pop Popcorn Popper
Best Used For: Fast personal servings of gourmet popcorn
The Hype: 4.4 out of 5 stars and 34,027 ratings
Practical Peeps say: "I’m glad I bought it and here’s why—the red top, cover, and bottom are made with silicone so they don’t get hot. The top indentation in the cover is for measuring the kernels and I use two instead of one and it pops almost to the top. No worries about chemicals in microwaveable bags any longer and I can choose my own healthy organic Great Northern popcorn, avocado oil, and sea salt."
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Ecolution Original Microwave Micro-Pop Popcorn Popper, $, available at Amazon
Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food Spikes
Best Used For: Feeding your plant pals for months
The Hype: 4.4 out of 5 stars and 51,537 ratings
Practical Peeps say: "It's really easy to use these spikes — you water the plants until the soil is moist and then use the included plastic stake in order to push the food into the pot. It's great for a variety of sizes of indoor plants simple to use.
We've only had this in the soil for a few weeks, but I can see a noticeable difference in the color of our plants. They've taken a bit of a downturn during the winter months and these Plant Food Spikes seem to have brought back some of the color — I think it will help these to thrive year-round."
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Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food Spikes, $, available at Amazon
Hoan The Original Bagel Guillotine
Best Used for: Slicin' & dicin' bagels in seconds
The Hype: 4.8 out of 5 stars and 5,361 ratings
Practical Peeps say: "Picked this up because my heart could no longer take the stress of watching our 11 year old daughter slice bagels. This not-so-little little device slices through every single bagel, every single time — and my kid goes through kicks where she'll eat two or three each day. I no longer worry about serious cuts even though the (covered) blade on this thing is SHARP!"
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Hoan The Original Bagel Guillotine, $, available at Amazon
Yueshico Stainless Steel Watermelon Slicer Cutter Knife
Best Used For: Making melon cubes
The Hype: 4.2 out of 5 stars and 4,200 ratings
Practical Peeps say: "This tool is so handy!! I hate cutting watermelon and this is so fast and easy to use and easy to wash. I cut a watermelon in less than 5 minutes... The included baller is great for the small left over, hard to reach places."
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Yueshico Stainless Steel Watermelon Slicer Cutter Knife, $, available at Amazon
NOONI Marshmallow Whip Maker
Best Used For: Whippin' up skincare products
The Hype: 4.4 out of 5 stars and 4,480 ratings
Practical Peeps say: "So amazing! So surprised this isn't a 'must-have' tool. It only requires a dime-sized drop of face-wash for a full container of foam. The foam feels very luxurious, and by the end of the wash, your skin will feel very soft and taken care of."
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Nooni Marshmallow Whip Maker, $, available at Amazon
BAGSMART Small Travel Cable Organizer Bag
Best Used For: Keeping cable cords in check
The Hype: 4.7 out of 5 stars and 6,499 ratings
Practical Peeps say: "I bought this organizer for a two-week trip to France. My wife laughs at me for obsessing over travel organization, but she didn't complain when I had all our gear handy for stops over I the airport or in the hotel. This is a little too big for my 1-2 night work trips but works great for traveling longer periods when I pack in a carry-on rather than a small duffle."
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BAGSMART Small Travel Cable Organizer Bag, $, available at Amazon
Azhido Backpack Laundry Bag
Best Used For: Trips to the laundromat
The Hype: 4.8 out of 5 stars and 17 ratings
Practical Peeps say: "This laundry bag is wonderful! I have to go down 3 flights of stairs and back up with the laundry. Between the knapsack styling and its easy closure, it's not as frightening to carry. I can hold the railing and safely go up and down. I wasn't expecting the quality of the material for the price. It's very sturdy and stands up so you can fill it."
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Azhido Backpack Laundry Bag, $, available at Amazon
AlierGo Reusable Neck Gel Ice Pack
Best Used For: Hot and cold therapy for neck and shoulder pain
The Hype: 4.5 out of 5 stars and 756 ratings
Practical Peeps say: "This freezes quickly and is very comfortable to use. It is also quite versatile — [when] used vertically you can cover your whole spine at once...Horizontally you can wrap [your] neck and shoulders or lower back, or a knee or ankle. It is soft and comfortable and stays cold enough for the 20-minute icing my doctor recommends. Lies flat in the freezer and takes up very little room. Well made product."
Shop AlierGo
AlierGo Reusable Neck Gel Ice Pack, $, available at Amazon
YOUKOOL Double-Sided Silicone Exfoliating Lip Brush (2PCS)
Best Used For: Soft & plump lips
The Hype: 4.5 out of 5 stars and 5,599 ratings
Practical Peeps say: "I absolutely love everything about this lip exfoliator...It is so easy to clean — I take mine in the shower to deep clean it and use it to exfoliate my face creases.
When using it on my lips I see and feel such drastic results. Not only does it do a great job of removing the dead skin making my lips super soft it also actually helps my lips plump up more than using a plumping gloss."
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YOUKOOL Double-Sided Silicone Exfoliating Lip Brush (2PCS), $, available at Amazon
Cable Matters UL Listed 5-Pack RJ45 Surface Mount Box
Best Used For: Installing ports on baseboards for wiring Ethernet throughout a house
The Hype: 4.7 out of 5 stars and 330 ratings
Practical Peeps say: "Great for mounting baseboard Ethernet jacks to the wall. These jacks are white plastic and blend in well with white walls. Mounting it was easy with the 2 included screws and punching the CAT6 cable down was easy with the guide on the box. Excellent value if you cannot run ethernet through walls."
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Cable Matters UL Listed 5-Pack RJ45 Surface Mount Box, $, available at Amazon
Starfrit Rotato Express 2.0
Best Used For: Peeling veggies
The Hype: 4.4 out of 5 stars and 1,687 ratings
Practical Peeps say: "Excellent product! I had my doubts when I ordered this, wondering whether or not it would work as advertised...I've used it numerous times with both apples and potatoes and it is amazing. It's very simple to use. It has reduced my prep time significantly with foods such as mashed potatoes and apple pies"
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Starfrit Rotato Express 2.0, $, available at Amazon
Delamu Cord Cover Raceway
Best Used For: Stashing away cords around the house
The Hype: 4.5 out of 5 stars and 18,777 ratings
Practical Peeps say: "I ordered these cord covers as a, “I’m really sick of looking at all these wires! New year, new me! Let’s get some house to-dos done!” I received them and immediately procrastinated... until finally I was sick of looking at the unopened box and just decided to tackle what I thought would be a project. Turns out the hardest part of everything was removing the protective backing of the adhesive used to keep the covers in place on the wall... Now I’m actively looking for more areas with exposed wires because A) I’m simply obsessed, and B) I have A TON of covers and angle clips, and tape, leftover. "
Shop Delamu
Delamu Cord Cover Raceway, $, available at Amazon
REIDEA Electronic Candle Lighter Arc Windproof Flameless
Best Used For: Safely & easily lighting candles
The Hype: 4.7 out of 5 stars and 14,458 ratings
Practical Peeps say: " Yes yes yes. The answer is yes — you need this, yes it’s awesome, yes it’s eco-friendly. I am so pleased with my purchase of this handy dandy little gadget. As an avid candle user, this is KEY! Always stumbling through drawers to find a lighter that works, that’s not out of lighter fluid and having that dreaded click click click from being used up — you won’t have that problem anymore!"
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REIDEA Electronic Candle Lighter Arc Windproof Flameless, $, available at Amazon
StoreBound Rapid Egg Cooker: 6 Egg Capacity
Best Used For: Quickly cooking up to six eggs under 15 minutes
The Hype: 4.7 out of 5 stars and 15,195
Practical Peeps say: "Hard-boiled eggs are a pain (in my opinion) to make all the time so I figured I would buy it...I am so happy that I did! I have only tried hard-boiled [eggs] so far. They come out 100% perfect every single time...As for the device it does get dirty after using it but I am able to easily clean it with water or vinegar & water after each use (or two if I’m being lazy) and it’s brand new!"
Shop StoreBound
StoreBound Rapid Egg Cooker: 6 Egg Capacity, $, available at Amazon
YYXLIFE Carpet Tape
Best Used For: Keeping rugs in place
The Hype: 4.6 out of 5 stars and 31,814 ratings
Practical Peeps say: "Best double-sided tape ever. I have used quite a few brands over the years with mixed results. This tape has the two most important qualities that you need in this type of tape. One, it sticks well and stays stuck. Two, it's easy to peel off the vinyl protective with a light slice of a razor knife. "
Shop YYXLIFE
YYXLIFE Double Sided Carpet Tape, $, available at Amazon
Artmalle Bamboo Laptop Desk
Best Used For: Working on couches, beds, and converting tables into standing desk
The Hype: 4.5 out of 5 stars and 595 ratings
Practical Peeps say: "Beware, this product is definitely MVP worthy, but it WILL keep you glued to your bed because it’s so efficient. Once 2021 hit, I gave up on trying to get out of bed for work every morning and instead started using this bamboo, multi-use bed desk that my dad gifted me for Christmas. My posture has improved ten-fold, my computer rarely overheats because of the desk’s vents, and no coffee has been spilled since this purchase..." (Read more of my personal review over at our June MVPs round-up.)
Shop Artmalle
Artmalle Bamboo Laptop Desk, $, available at Amazon
Comfy Clothiers Sweater De-Piller
Best Used For: Making sweaters look brand new
The Hype: 4.3 out of 5 stars and 1,186 ratings
Practical Peeps say: "This little comb works perfectly. Super easy to use and fast. I can't say how long my sweater will remain pill-free, but I can say this comb made it look brand new! I'm hoping it will extend the life of my secondhand find even longer!"
Shop Comfy Clothiers
Comfy Clothiers Cashmere & Fine Wool Comb for De-Pilling Sweaters, $, available at Amazon
Basic Concepts Tongue Scraper
Best Used For: Reducing bad breath, cleaning your tongue
The Hype: 4.6 out of 5 stars and 2,758 ratings
Practical Peeps say: "I used a plastic one for like six years and the difference of having a metal one is huge! It’s super easy to clean and always seems fresh. It also does a way better job of actually cleaning my tongue than the plastic one did. I love that it comes in a two-pack so I don’t have to repack one in and out of my travel bag!"
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BASIC CONCEPTS Tongue Scraper, $, available at Amazon
Apargard M-Plus Toothpaste (2-Pack)
Best Used For: Brushing your pearly whites
The Hype: 4.5 out of 5 stars and 2,118 ratings
Practical Peeps say: " I’ve found that the darker spots on my teeth and a cavity area I have really seemed to be going away. I’m very surprised at how well this worked. It took forever to finally take the plunge and buy it, but I’m happy I did and will continue to purchase this product."
Shop Apargard
Apagard M-Plus toothpaste 125g (2-Pack), $, available at Amazon
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