Nick's List
About
I'm constantly looking for even the smallest improvemnts I can make to my everyday life to save time, energy, space, and money, so I can spend those resources on things that really matter, like my family or hobbies. Over the years, I've amassed over 3000 orders on Amazon.com. Much of that is our standard consumables to run a household, but there are a ton of things I've found on Amazon that I'd highly recommend for one reason or another. This list is a collection of all those things I found that I love. Clever things that make life a little bit easier.
I also want to point out that this isn't BuzzFeed, or any of those other sites that just list a bunch of products that the writer has clearly never even used. Everything here is something that I have personally purchased, with my own money, and would personally recommend.
I am required to disclose that these links are associate links and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. There is no additional cost to you though.
Updates
I'll post updates here outlining changes I've made so you can just review new things rather than the entire list
-
November 2024
- Added new finds for 2024. I've collected them all in the 2024 section at the very end of this list if you want to jump straight to that and only check out the new things, and they are also sprinkled into the existing categories
- Recategorized some existing items
- November 2023 - Initial launch of this page
USB / Charging
Anker GaN Chargers
GaN (Gallium Nitride) chargers are the new standard for chargers. GaN is supposed to be 3x as efficient as standard silicon-based chargers, so you can pack more power into a smaller enclosure. Anker makes the best chargers in the industry, and they have a wide selection of GaN chargers on the market that are different sizes, different number of ports and different power levels.
1. 30W - Single USB C port
2. 47W - Two USB C ports
3. 67W - Two USB C ports, one USB port
4. 100W - Two USB C ports, one USB port
5. 120W - Two USB C ports, one USB port
USB C to C Cable
My favorite USB C to C cable. Supports up to 100W charging, so it can even handle laptop charging. It's super flexible, comes in a few colors, also comes in a 3ft length as well. It's not secret that Anker is my go-to brand for anything USB related, and the reason is simple: they make the highest quality USB products, and they don't charge a lot for them.
USB C Adapter
If you have a newer laptop that only has USB C ports, but you need a regular USB port, grab ones of these. I keep one stuffed in my laptop bag to have at all times just in case.
SD/Micro SD Card Reader
This is just the smallest micro and regular SD card reader made by Anker (pretty much the best brand to buy for anything USB related). I keep one at home, and one in my laptop bag just in case. Uses USB C, so make sure you have a USB C port.
Tiny Micro SD Card Readers
These really tiny Micro SD card readers are handy for your computer, but also for your phone or tablet. I got one to just toss in my bag in case I randomly need it to edit contents of some SD card like for my GoPro or any of my handheld gaming devices. They're not made by Anker, so I am breaking my own rule here, but it's because Anker doesn't make one this small.
1. USB C
2. Lightning
6 Port USB Charger
These are so handy now that basically everything charges using USB. I have one in the garage, one in my office, one for my night table next to my bed, one in the laundry room... you get the point. It will not charge things as fast as "fast" chargers, so don't get this for speed. Get this for utility, so you can charge all the little random things in your life all at once.
Lightning to USB C OTG Cable
You are probably wondering what an OTG cable is. Essentially you cannot connect a USB device to an iPhone with any regular cable, you need an OTG (on-the-go) cable. So if you have any USB C device, like a drive, that you want to connect to a lightning device, this is the cable you need.
USB C Power Meter
Wondering why your phone, tablet or laptop are charging slow? This handy power meter will tell you exactly how much power is flowing. USB chargers will usually tell you how many watts they will charge at, but cables are almost never labeled, so you are left guessing how much your cable will support. This will take all of the guess work out. This model handles up to 240W and is bidirectional.
USB C Dust Plug
Since I wirelessly charge my phone and I keep it in my pocket primarily, the USB port (previously the Lightning port) would collect a bunch of dust and lint over time. Then on the rare occasion that I would plug it in, the dust/lint would sometimes interfere and the port would not work well until blowing it out. Turns out there are some cheap, little plugs that solve this problem.
Smart Home
Meross Smart Plug Mini
IProbably the best smart plug on the market, and at a reasonable price. What sets this smart plug apart? It supports all major ecosystems (Apple Homekit, Google, and Alexa), plus it supports Matter which is the new standard protocol for smart home devices that will allow them to communicate across all ecosystems regardless of manufacturer. Setup is dead simple, and this thing has never left me wondering why it isn't working. It just works.
Universal Remote (Sofa Baton U2)
If you have a bunch of infrared remotes (TV, cable box, blu-ray player, lights, etc) you can load all of those remotes into this ONE remote. It has a scroll wheel to select between the different remotes it has memorized, and a little screen to show you which remote you have selected currently. It also supports Bluetooth, so you could use it for an Apple TV as well (for example).
Household
Collapsible Funnels
I don't use funnels often, but they are almost a necessity to have sometimes. These are nice because they take up a fraction of the space that funnels usually occupy.
Compressed Air Duster
A can of compressed air is incredibly handy in a bunch of situations. Blowing dust out of small electronics or computers, drying something off quickly, cleaning out a keyboard, etc. But it's annoying and wasteful to keep buying cans that are not reusable. Instead of buying those cans, just get this and it will last froever. This particular one has a brushless motor, which means it should last even longer than others without one.
Seam Ripper Kit
I'm one of those people who hates tags on things. Having a little seam ripper like this can come in handy. I've also sewn some adjustable straps closed on various bags, and would need to use this to remove those stitches if I ever wanted to adjust them. This kit also comes with some handy mini scissors for detailed work.
Caulk Savers
I don't use caulk super often, and even when I do I don't use an entire tube. In order to make sure it doesn't all dry up by the next time I use it, these little things have been the best solution I've found.
Magnetic Hooks
Super quick and easy solution for hanging little things on your fridge or toolbox. I've got these on my toolbox to keep car keys if I'm shuffling them around or working on them.
Bed Sheet Holders
If you have a thick mattress and your sheet is not quite deep enough to fit, the corners probably come up sometimes, especially if you roll around a lot at night. These little elastics clip on to the corners and keep your sheet down and in place.
Philips Dimmable Warm Glow Effect Bulbs
These are not smart bulbs, but they're also not your standard light bulb. They are dimmable LEDs, but what really sets them apart is that the color temperature of the bulb changes as you dim them! It's an incredible feature I've never seen on another bulb. At full brightness they will be 2700k, which is still considered a "warm" white. But as you dim them, they get even warmer, down to 2200k. Perfect for bright clarity when you need it, and a nice dim warm atmosphere when you want it.
1. A19 standard bulbs
2. BR30 flood light bulbs
Moving Labels
Moving is stressful and busy. Take away some of the stress by quickly and clearly marking your boxes with these labels. Especially handy if you have bad handwriting, and you hire movers. They won't ask you every 2 minutes what you wrote on the box, or where something should go.
Mini Tripod
In the age of TikTok and influencers, I'm probably behind on this type of thing. But this little tripod has been really handy for various home video situations, especially when I want to capture some time with my daughter and don't want to be stuck behind my phone the whole time.
Drywall Anchors
I've tried a lot of different drywall anchors, and these are hands down the best. I don't think I've ever had this stile of anchor fail on me, where all other styles have failed on me at least once. These are holding up a variety of shelves in my house right and can easily take the weight rating listed on the box. These are also easier to use than other drywall anchors. No need to pre-drill a hole. Also very easy to remove from the wall without completely ripping up the wall.
1. Smaller, #6 screws, 65 lbs
2. Larger, #8 screws, 79 lbs
Sawtooth Picture Hangers
I've replaced the hardware on the backs of many picture frames we have with these sawtooth hangers. It's very easy to measure and get them centered, leaving you just one nail you need to put into a wall instead of potentially two. Plus they hammer directly into the frame without the need for extra hardware, screwing or drilling. Very easy to hang the picture once you have this on your frame, and easy to level the frame too.
Pill Splitter
When Mo was with us, he was so tiny that we had to split his medication in half, or sometimes even quarters. This pill splitter is small, super easy to use, and has a really nice design feature that prvents pieces of the pill from flying across your counter.
Step Stool
Just a basic step stool, nothing too special to note here. This gets so much use in our house that we have one upstairs and one downstairs.
Rug Grippers
If you have a little area rug on a hard floor, it will slip around pretty easily without these. These little grippers are adhesive on one side (attaches to your rug) and just "grippy" on the other side, preventing your rugs from moving around. These have been critical in our kitchen.
Fireproof Document Bag
I wanted peace of mind that our important documents would be safe in case of a fire. Some other options like a safe exist, but are much more expensive. This was a nice cheap option. Hopefully I never have to discover if it actually works or not though.
Orange Automotive Paint
This is a weird one, but let me explain. I've specifically used this paint to get a warmer color temperature from light bulbs when they are too cool. For example I bought some LED bulbs for the string of lights in our backyard, and I couldn't get the same brand. The new brand has a color temp that was cooler than my original bulbs. Instead of replacing all of the bulbs, I just sprayed the new ones with a little bit of this to get the color to match better. I've since used this paint on various other light sources that are just too cool, like LED flames in fake candles. The paint dries very clear, so it still lets a lot of light through while slightly changing the color.
AA/AAA/C/D Battery Charger
This battery charger will charge rechargeable (say that 3 times fast) AA, AAA, C and D batteries. There is even a model that will recharge 9V batteries too. I like this particular model because it holds AAA batteries better than some other models where they rely on wedging the batteries into a small slot, and the batteries constantly pop out. No batteries have popped out of this one for me. It does NOT come with a cable or power source though, so you will need to supply your own Micro USB or USB C cable and power brick.
Switch/Outlet Plate Light
This is one of the coolest products I have found. It's a night light built into a light switch or outlet wall plate. The plate itself is no larger than normal wall plates, which is where the genius lies. They have single or double models for rocker or toggle switches and outlets. Perfect for bathroom light switches that you might use at night.
Emergency Fire Blanket
Fortunately I have never had to use this, so I can't speak to how well it works. But, I figured it was worth the cost to keep in our kitchen in case of an oven or stove fire.
Reading Light
I tried so many different reading lights before this one. I tried a clip style which clips onto your book, but it makes your book way too top heavy and awkward to hold. I tried a really clever light from Kickstarter that clipped onto two sides of your book and had an LED loop go across the entire book, but it was also heavy, and tended to get in the way. I tried a different neck style light, but the quality was cheap and it only had 3 levels of brightness so I couldn't get the exact brightness I wanted. This is the best light I found. The quality feels nice, it is dimmable (and gradually, not just 3 different settings, so you can get the exact brightness you want), and has 3 color temperature settings. It stays out of your way, you forget you have it on your neck, and you could even use it for non-reading purposes too.
Cordless Table Lamps
These super minimal table lamps are cordless (and rechargeable), dimmable, and have 3 color temperature settings. Perfect for a little mood lighting on a dinner table, on a night table next to your bed, or maybe an end table in your living room.
Heavy-Duty Disposable Gloves
I've used other nitrile gloves in the past, but they all turn out to be too thin, and sometimes can get too slippery. These are thicker, and I have yet to puncture a hole in one. They also have a nice texture to them, so do not become as slippery when wet.
Kitchen
Olive Oil Bottle
We use olive oil so much in our cooking that it made sense to get one of this refillable bottles to keep on the counter within reach. It looks nice too!
Under-sink Mat
I threw this underneath our sink where all of our cleaners and trash are. It's saved the wood underneath from all sorts of grime. You can easily cut it down to any size you need.
Air Fryer
This became an instant staple in our kitchen. It gets used probably every other day now. It's so convenient for reheating leftovers, cooking frozen food, getting crispy vegetables and a variety of other things. I don't know how we lived without one. I really love that it heats up way faster than our larger conventional oven, especially when I'm working from home and want a quick lunch.
Small Knife Set
These are my most used knives now. I generally use them for peeling or slicing fruit, which is super common when you have a toddler. They are sharper than any other knife in my kitchen somehow, and super light because of how tiny they are.
Water Bottle Cleaning Tablets
These things absolutely destroy anything inside water bottles that you can't seem to clean. I have a 64oz stainless steel bottle that I use for tea every single day, which I practically never wash, so it builds up this brown hue over time. The only thing I have ever found to clean that is these tablets. No amount of soap and water can do what these tablets do.
Meat Thermometer
Just the simplest, no frills, meat thermometer. Comes in a bajillion colors, and has a magnet to stick on the fridge or wherever.
Ramen Bowl Set
Despite being labeled as ramen bowls, we use these for pho more than anything. This set comes with 4 bowls, spoons, and pairs of chopsticks. Only downside (which I just noticed while writing this): not microwaveable.
Corn Holders
Another super simple kitchen gadget. These interlock in pairs, which is handy for not losing one.
Titanium Straws
These will last you a lifetime. Super easy to clean. I actually keep one in my EDC bag which has come in handy a number of times when my toddler tries to drink a chocolate shake through a flimsy plastic straw and ends up just completely flattening it.
Cold Brew Coffee Maker
I've used this every single day for the last 4 years. Just pick whatever coffee you want, let it sit for 12-24 hours, and you've got concentrated cold brew coffee.
Kitchen Knife Sharpener
Of course our kitchen knives dull over time. Instead of tossing them, or taking the time to get them sharpened somewhere, I just threw this little gadget in our knife drawer. Just a few seconds of use and a knife is noticeably sharper.
Cooking Stones
If you've never tried 'hot rock', you are missing out. We got these to have hot rock at home, and now we have it all the time. We get thin sliced wagyu at the local H Mart, heat these stones up as hot as our oven will go, and then cook the wagyu right on our kitchen table in just a few seconds per slice. Paired with the correct sauces and you have a 5 star meal at home.
Pet
Treat Holder
This has been really handy for our newest puppy. We keep his training treats in this, and can easily clip it to his leash or bring it with us for the day.
Canned Food Savers
We use these on canned pet food since a single can will last a few days. These are much more convenient and much less annoying than using plastic wrap.
Pet Food Mat
I originally purchased this mat to go under the cat's food and water dishes. The feature I really like was that it has a lip around the edge to hold in any spills. It's entirely silicone too, so very easy to clean. I also use one of these whenever I am working on some project involving small pieces (like small electronics or LEGO).
Pet Gates
We have 2 different pet gates that we use daily. Keep in mind, we have small dogs that can't jump over these gates, but bigger dogs probably could.
1. Straight - This is a free-standing, straight pet gate, good for putting in front of a door or hallway. We have 4 of these in our house to make sure the dogs don't suddenly run out the front door, or go upstairs without us. It is quite short, so it is easy for people to step over, and will only deter small dogs.
2. Configurable - This one has a series of hinges so you can shape it any way you want. This one is taller, people can't step over it, so one section of the gate has a door. We use this one to create a little area for the dogs in our kitchen where we put them whenever we leave.
CatGenie Litter Box
This is an expensive purchase so hear me out on this for two reasons: this saves time AND money. You will literally never have to scoop litter again. The "litter" that this uses is actually re-usable plestic pellets that are cleaned whenever your cat uses it, so you will spend significantly less on cat litter too. There are a couple downsides though. First, every once in a while (I'd estimate maybe 6 months) you will need to do a tiny amount of manual cleaning. What happens is that a water sensor gets slightly dirty, and the litter box will not operate when it cannot detect the water level during cleaning, so you just need to pull out the sensor, wipe it clean, and put it bag. The other downside is that when the litter box cleans yuour cat's #2, sometimes it can create the worst smell you have ever smelled. The downsides are infrequent enough that never having to scoop litter is completely worth this purchase.
Dog Collar Air Tag Holder
Very simple way to attach an Air Tag to your pet's collar. This gave us great peace of mind while on vacation and having someone watch our dogs.
Tools
Allen Wrench Set
Save yourself a bunch of hassle by getting a set of all possible hex allen wrench sizes. It seems like whenever I put together furniture or have to tighten something up I (used to) grab the wrong size allen wrench. Now I just grab the entire set from my toolbox and have all the sizes.
Screwdriver Sets
I have 2 different screwdriver sets that get used most frequently.
1. Smaller, with some other tools - This smaller set is good for working on anything like electronics, kids toys, glasses, etc. It comes with some other handy tools too like tweezers, little pry bars and spudgers and a magnet to hold screws.
2. Larger - This screwdriver is larger and gets used mostly for installing things on walls, assembling furniture, etc. It has practically every bit possible. It even has a special V-shaped bit which is handy for driving metal hooks - something I had never seen before and have used many times now.
Heat Gun
This has been particularly handy for applying or removing anything with adhesive, working with vinyl or working with stiffer plastic/rubber trim. It puts out much more heat than a hair dryer.
Magnetic Claw Pick-up Tool
Dropped a screw that you can't reach? Use this. It's magnetic, AND has claw for picking up non-magnetic objects.
Dremel
A rotary tool like this is incredibly handy. I've used it for all kinds of random tasks like shortening a screw/bolt, sanding or cutting a small amount of wood, removing grout from tiles, small cuts in plastic/wood/metal, and grinding. Once you have one you will see all sorts of little jobs that it can be used for.
Whizzy Wheel - Car Decal/Sticker Remover
I was so skeptical when I got this, but it really works. It is basically a giant eraser that attaches to a drill. Then you just spin it up and can rub off any decal or sticker residue from your car. I've used this any time I've replaced badges on my cars to remove the leftover sticker residue. It is much faster than using chemicals or heat.
Damaged Screw Extractor Set
This extractor kick works perfectly to pull out screws with stripped heads. This particular set is for smaller screws that you might find on things around the house.
Cleaning
Rocco & Roxie Cleaner
We have 3 dogs, a cat, and a toddler. We have spills and other gross stuff happen constantly. This cleaner is admittedly expensive, but I have never encountered a cleaner that removes stains and odors as good as this one. Save money by buying a gallon and using your own sprayer.
Lint Brush
If you've only tried a lint roller, give this style of lint brush a try. It works significantly better and will last forever.
Mop and Bucket
This particular mop and bucket are handy because the mop can reach into some smaller spaces, and the bucket has this crazy spinner contraption built into it that wrings all of the water out of the mop. I probably spend more time playing with it than cleaning with it.
Power Drill Brush Attachments
I admittedly have not found many uses for these since buying them except for one: cleaning the tub and shower. Anything that requires a lot of manual scrubbing to clean would benefit from this.
Organization
Adjustable Divider Containers
I love little containers like these. I've got a variety of sizes and use them for all sorts of things ranging from spare LEGO pieces, to extra nuts/bolts/screws/nails, to medical supplies, small car parts, batteries, bulbs, spare parts, you name it.
1. Large
2. Medium
3. Small
Water and Shock Proof Cases
These cases are super durable, waterproof (haven't tested that part), and shockproof. They come filled with phone that is scored in a grid pattern so you pick our little squares to fit the exact shape of what you want to keep in it. I've got one dedicated to all of my old un-modified gaming handhelds so they'll be protected and preserved forever. They come in a variety of sizes and colors.
Clear Card Cases
You could use these for the obvious (cards) but I have found them to be really handy for storing other little things too. I've got a bunch dedicated to Game Boy (the 150 count size) and Game Boy Advance (the 100 count size) games. You could use them store anything else roughly that size that you also want displayed.
1. Large (150 card count)
2. Small (100 card count)
Shelf Brackets
I have mounted a LOT of shelves on walls over the years, and I finally found the best shelf brackets. These are super minimal, so they can go with a variety of styles in your home. They do not come with a shelf, but the nice thing is they are the exact width of standard pine/oak/etc boards that you can get at Home Depot or Lowe's. This means you can finish the board in any color or style you want, and cut it to the exact length you want. The brackets come in two styles also: one where the shelf bracket goes up and looks like the shelf is hanging, or one where the bracket goes down and looks like it is supporting the shelf from underneath. To top it off, they come with good drywall anchors (the same that I have listed on this page in the household section). As of this writing, it looks like the 11.25" with the bracket going up are not currently listed on Amazon.
1. 7.25" bracket going up
2. 7.25" bracket going down
3. 11.25" bracket going down
Sunglasses Rack
We often just threw our sunglasses on the kitchen counter, and it would make the existing clutter even worse. So I hung one of these little racks on the wall next to our car keys, and it keeps the sunglasses organized and in the right spot to grab when we leave the house. Comes in a ton of different colors too.
Office
Headphone Anchor
This is a great way to store your headphones out of the way. I have one at work underneath my desk, and one at home underneath a shelf that is above my desk.
Laptop Stand
If you have a laptop at home or work that you connect to a full size monitor and keyboard, use this little stand to get your laptop out of the way.
Office Chair Wheels for Carpet
Is your home office carpeted, and your chair doesn't roll around easily? Replace your office chair wheels with these rollerblade-style wheels that roll much better on carpet! Make sure to find ones that fit your chair. IKEA apparently has different sizes than other standard office chairs.
1. Regular variant
2. IKEA variant
Cable Organizers/Holders
I have these EVERYWHERE. The side of my desk, my night stand next to my bed, on my work bench in the garage, my desk at the office, etc. Very hand for keeping a frequently used charging cable in place.
Cable Sleeving
This stuff is really easy to work with, cut to the exact length you need, and keeps all of your cables hanging down from your monitor/keyboard/etc together and looking nice.
SD Card Organizer
Over the years I have accumulated a huge number of SD cards. Most of them stay in a specific device forever, but the extras need a place to live too. This is a nice little hard case for both micro and regular SD cards.
Travel
Mini Spray Vial
Refillable with any lique you want. I use one for cologne, and one for hand sanitizer. This one has not leaked on me yet like some others have.
Swiss Army Jetsetter (TSA Approved)
This little pocket "knife" is handy because you can fly with it. The downside is that it has no knife. It does have: scissors, tweezers, bottle opener, philips screwdriver and a toothpick.
Gravel Explorer Toiletry Bag
There are a lot of toiletry bags out there, but this one seems to be exactly the right size, at least for me.I bring this one on weekend trips or road trips, not when I am flyinf simply because you need to have your liquids in a separate clear bag. I really like the adjustable loop it has for hanging up.
Travel Pill Case
This pill case is an incredible travel item. I load it with common things like tylenol, ibuprofen, etc, just in case. It's come in handy countless times. I also have some smaller pill cases in the Everyday Carry section, but this one is much larger for multi-day trips.
TSA Liquids Bag
Most people don't realize that a common quart sized ziplock bag is actually a bit smaller than what you can technically put your liquids in. This bag is more durable, and lets me fit all of my toiletries (including liquids) when I am flying.
Belroy Passport Wallet
If I am traveling out of the country, I bring this wallet which is large enough to fit my passport. It even comes with a mini pen inside the wallet which is useful for customs declarations.
Belroy Tech Kit
Belroy makes some really nice products and this one is no exception. I've used this for years when I travel to bring my charger, various cables and a battery pack. You could actually stuff quite a bit in there. I found the combination of pockets and elastics to be absolutely perfect.
Air Tag
I've tried some other trackers and they just aren't as good. The Air Tag benefits from the massive network of iPhones out in the wild. If ANY iPhone comes near the Air Tag, it's position will be uploaded to the cloud for you to see. Unless you are out on a hike or in a desert, it's very likely an iPhone will wonder by a lost Air Tag. No other tracker like this has the benefit of that network, and will never be as good as a result.
Garage
Pressure Washer Hose
The hose that comes with most pressure washer is a stiff unruly hose that is super annoying to work with and wind up. This hose is super flexible, much easier to maneuver around as you are working, and super easy to roll up. Save yourself the hassle with this upgraded hose. Make sure to get the correct size and PSI for your specific pressure washer.
Stubby Pressure Washer Gun
This stubby pressure washer gun is going to be much shorter than most that come stock with a pressure washer. The real reason to get one of these is not to wash your driveway, but to use with the foam cannon I recommend in the car washing section. It's much lighter and easier to use your foam cannon with this gun rather than a long one.
Pressure Washer Quick Connect Kit
You don't want to have to screw/unscrew your hoses every time you use your pressure washer. Save yourself time and hassle with a quick connect kit.
Pressure Washer Extension
Pair this with the pressure washer gun I have recommended here if you want a little extra reach. Both are very high quality and made by the same company.
Brake Bleeder
If you are handy enough to change your own brake fluid, get a simple brake bleeder like this (make sure to get one that fits your car though). You won't need a second person stepping on the brake pedal to help you bleed the brakes.
Overhead Storage
This is such a huge space saver for us in the garage. This was one of the only black ones I could find.
Garage Shelves
These shelves hold an incredible amount of weight and are pretty versatile. They are wall mounted, and look like floating shelves, but they have supporting cables that can be mounted to the wall, ceiling or shelf above. If you get multiple of these you can connect them to each other. They are easy to install if you have the tools (drill, drill bits, sockets, wrenches, level, etc), but otherwise might be a bit intimidating. I even use them to hang other things from like bikes. They come in a variety of sizes, and white or black colors. Tip: don't bother getting the 2' by 8' size. It's usually more expensive than getting two of the 2' by 4' size shelves, and provides no extra benefit because you can connect those together.
1. 2' x 4'
2. 4' x 4'
Rubbermaid FastTrack
This storage is incredibly easy to mount on your wall and has a big variety of different hooks that you can add to the rail. I have a few of these in the garage for various things on poles (mop, broom, lightbulb changer, squeegee, etc), my leafblower, chainsaw, a bunch of folding chairs and some winter clothes. You can easily add, remove, move, or change hooks any time without any tools.
Outdoors
Mosquito Repeller
This cool little device promises to repell mosquitos by heating up little pads that contain mosquito repellent. I think it works, but only got to use it a few times so far. The other cool thing is that it can recharge your phone, and has a nice lantern built into it too. It's a great thing to bring to a campfire or camping.
Water Repellent
Since I live in the PNW where it rains for 9 months out of the year, I spray down all of my shoes with this every Fall. It will not make your shoes fully waterproof, but it defnitely makes the water bead up and keep your shoes more dry for longer.
Lunchbox
I use this for the obvious reason sometimes, but I also have one as a bag for all of my GoPro gear. This one is super basic, which I like, but it does have a nice selection of pockets. Fits a 6 pack of beer perfectly, and will fit tall cans too.
Thin Ice Packs
I like this set of thin ice packs because you can fit more into a lunchbox by stuffing them between things, or just along the side or top of the lunchbox. Since they are a bit thinner they are more versatile.
Portable Tripod Chair
These are super leightweight and easy to carry around. Perfect for a day at a convention where you might spend a lot of time waiting in lines. I've also found it handy for other random things like sitting while my toddler takes a bath, or sitting at the right level for some car detailing.
Butane Torch Lighters
The pitiful flame on normal lighters is just sad and practicially useless. Don't let the flame burn out at critical times like lighting birthday candles or fireworks, and use this torch instead. Gives you a steady blue flame that wind won't blow out. It burns hotter than normal lighters and can easily start camp fires during the summers to. I've got two options for you here, and they are each just as good as the other, just look a little different.
1. Handle style
2. Pen style
Canopy Chair
I get a compliment on this chair just about every time someone new sees it. It has a built in canopy for shade (or I guess light rain too) which doubles as a sort of "case" the wraps the chair when folded up. It is a good chair that is made great by the canopy.
Titanium Camping Utensils
These are handy to leave in my lunchbox, keep at work, or keep in my backpack. These come with a really nice little titanium carabiner too.
Portable Projector (Nebula Mars Air 3)
This summer we had the idea to play movies for the kids (and well, ourselves too) in the backyard. This was admittedly the first projector I tried, but only after reading a ton of reviews on a ton of projectors. The picture quality, brightness, and auto-focusing/leveling of this one are all really good. It also has a battery large enough to last for one movie (we mostly used it plugged in), the sound is very loud and bass-y, and it has all the streaming apps built in. Or you could stream to it from your phone. It's super versatile, and even after using it just a few times this summer it was absolutely worth the price for us. We'll use it for many more summers to come.
Yard
Deck Box
Super basic little table for your deck that has built in storage. Perfect for storing kid toys while also holding your beers!
Yard Sprayer
If you use any spray fertilizer or weed killer, this sprayer is reffillable and doesn't require you to pump it since it has a rechargeable powered pump.
Yard Cart
This cart gets so much use. I use it to lug around fire wood, bark mulch, dirt, weeds, etc. I don't know why you'd pick a standard wheelbarrow over this as those are much more likely to tip over and require more effort to move around.
Outdoor Light Timer
Perfect for holiday lights! Has timer modes, but also has a dusk/dawn mode that works based on how light/dark it currently is.
Garden Hose Repair Kit
This is a pretty niche and odd thing to have here, but... if you get a kit like this in a store like Home Depot or Lowe's, you're getting one that is cheaply made and not going to withstand the pressure put on it and multiple seasons of use. This kit used thicker materials and is advertised as withstanding much higher pressure (200 PSI). I haven't had one of these fail on me yet.
Ladder
This versatile ladder can act as a smaller step ladder, or fully unfold and reach up to 22 ft. I needed this to reach my gutters for cleaning and putting up Xmas lights, but it's come in handy countless times just to reach shelves in my garage. There are smaller sizes available too if this one is too big. The cool thing is that you can adjust the height of each side individually in stap ladder mode, meaning you can use this uneven surfaces like stairs.
A/C Cover
This is a perfectly sized tarp with some bungy cords to cover your outdoor A/C unit and protect it from the elements for the 9 months out of the year you aren't using it. Protect your much more expensive investment with this cheaper one.
Winter Work Gloves
These are great for any work you need to do outside in the cold or wet, like cleaning gutters, putting up Xmas lights, moving firewood, raking leaves, etc. They're warm, waterproof, and grippy.
Gaming
Handheld Game Emulator (Miyoo Mini)
If you are at all nostalgic for any video games pre-2000 (or even some after 2000 like GBA), this little guy is going to be the most bang for your buck, and is ultra portable. You can load this all of your favorite retro games from Game Boy, to Super Nintendo to Sega Genesis and tons of others. It's hyper customizable, and considered to be one of the highest quality handhelds of its kind for a few years in a row now.
8BitDo SN30 Controller
I cannot give this controller enough praise. It's such a classic design, with modern features. Rumble, motion controls, shoulder buttons and triggers, dual joysticks, 4 connection modes, compatible with literally anything that has Bluetooth (consoles, computers, phones, etc). 8BitDo makes very high quality products, and this is no exception. There are a few colors and also a wired variant too (check other listings besides just this one).
8BitDo Pro 2 Controller
This is almost identical to the 8BitDo Sn30 Pro, but more ergonomic because of the handles. It also features hall effect joysticks (the TLDR is they will never wear out like regular joysticks can), customizable back paddles, and software to fully remap all the buttons. 8BitDo is very well regarded across the gaming community, and hands down one of the best, if not the best, controller manufacturer.
Playing Card Holders
There are probably a lot of card holders out there, but these are really simple and look great.
Just One
The concept of this cooperative game is very simple. One player closes their eyes, and all other players see a word (the same word). Those players then each write their own word secretly. The single player then opens their eyes, and tries to guess that one hidden word using the words written by the other players. The trick is that if any two players wrote the same word, they must both be erased!
Skull
A bluffing and betting game. All players will secretly place skull or flower cards in front of them. Then players make increasing bets at how many flowers they can find at the table. The highest bet tries to find the number of flowers they bet, but if they find a skull, they lose one of their cards. Lose all cards, and you are out. Win your bet just two times, and you win. Very competitive!
Hobby
Magnifier
I like this particular magnifier because it is hands free, has a built in rechargeable light, and comes with 4 different magnification lenses. Perfect for working on small electronics or crafts.
Silicone Solder Mat
Handy mat to keep small parts organized when soldering or working on small electronics. Even handy for building LEGO so the pieces don't roll off the table.
Solder Sucker
This solder sucker is unique in that it has a rubber tip that will conform to whatever surface you are working on, creating a seal that will make its suction even more effective.
Car
Sunglasses Clips
These are the most minimal and easiest to operate sunglasses clips that I have found. Just a super simple way to store your glasses.
Jump Starter
NOCO makes the highest rated jump starters on Amazon. This is one of those things that you don't know you need it until you need it, so get one ahead of time, especially for any longer trips. They have a variety of sizes for different sized cars, so double check which one you get. Most models will have a built in flashlight, and USB charging for your electronics too.
Battery Charger/Tender
CTEK makes the highest rated battery chargers/tenders on Amazon. Once the pandemic hit, I was not driving my cars often enough, and the batteries would be dead sometimes. I got a few of these and keep them hooked up to my cars that are less frequently used to keep the batteries topped off. If a battery gets too low, it will actually not be able to hold a charge any longer, and you'll have to replace it. Prevent that from happening with one of these.
Car USB Chargers
These are the best car chargers I have found. The 67W one has 3 ports, and is just slightly bulkier. The 52W version has just 2 ports, but is less bulky, cheaper, and probably more than enough for most people unless you have a whole family needing to charge devices.
1. 67W power, 3 ports
2. 52W power, 2 ports
Car Washing
Griot's Drying Towel
You'll see a theme here, Griot's makes some of the best car detailing products there are. This drying towel is no exception. Here's a huge tip for maintaining the effectiveness of drying towels like this: NEVER put it in your dryer. Dryer sheets and other stuff like that will make things in your dryer a bit more water resistant. And even if you don't throw a dryer sheet in when drying this towel, the leftover residue in your dryer will still impact the effectiveness of the towel! Always air dry it.
Car Wash Brush
I've used a bunch of different brushes and mits, but this has come to be my favorite. It has bristles on 4 sides, which means you are cleaning multiple surfaces at once in those more intricate curvy areas. Compared to microfiber mits, brush bristles can get into much tighter areas on your car like around badges and wipers, and inside grills.
Griot's Foam Cannon
You need a pressure washer for this foam cannon, but this is my new favorite way to wash my car. This is the only foam cannon I have found where you don't need to dilute your soap. Just pour it in and go. You can even get some results simply by foaming your car, letting it sit, and rinsing it off. This definitely speeds up my wash time because the foam sticks to the car much longer than if you are using the standard soap and bucket method (where you should be rinsing off each panel as you go). It's probably not the proper method, but I foam up my whole car, hit it with my brush, and give it a final rinse. You should consider an extra foam/rinse cycle first if your car is super dirty though. Also, check out the stubby pressure washer gun in the Garage section for the perfect pressure washer gun to pair with this foam cannon.
Solution Finish - Black Trim Restorer
I've tried a lot of black trim restorers, and this one is the best. There are youtube videos comparing dozens of products like this on a single trim panel over many months, and this product always performs best, or very close to best.
Everyday Carry (EDC)
Titanium Keychain Pill Holders
I've tried out 3 different pill holders small enough to keep on your keychain. These have been really useful in the case where I get a headache, feel some allergies coming on, or start to feel sick while reading in the car - and have instant access to medicine.
1. Narrow, with glass breaker - This one is the smallest. It's narrow enough that it will not fit some larger pills, but it will fit things like ibuprofen and tylenol. It has a point on the bottom that can break glass in an emergency. This one ended up on my daily keychain because it is small enough AND holds enough.
2. Larger - This one is a bit larger. I wouldn't keep it on a keychain personally, but it has been great as an adhoc pill holder to throw in my bag. It's big enough that it can fit Tums.
3. Largest, with compartments - This one I keep in a backpack usually. It is just slightly larger than #2, but the cool thing here is you have multiple compartments. If you need to reach pills at the very bottom, simply access that compartment rather than dumping out the entire container like options #1 and #2.
Titanium Keychain Belt Clips
There are 2 belt clips I like for keeping my EDC kit handy.
1. Quick release - This one simply slides right onto your belt, and likewise can slide right off without having to fiddle with any kind of mechanism. I use this one most of the time.
2. Secure latch - This one has a latch that you must open in order to put it on/off your belt. I use this one in any situation where I want to make sure it doesn't fall off like #1 potentially could.
Titanium Tape Measure
Too many times I went to Lowe's or Home Depot and wish I had brought tape measure. Now I keep this in my bag and it's always with me. It even comes with a clip to attach to a keychain.
Mini Titanium Pen
This is about the smallest pen I could find that is still possible to write with, plus has a loop to attach to a keychain.
Titanium Toothpick
This is a dead simple thing to carry on my EDC keychain. Comes in handy all the time.
Titanium Carabiners
These carabiners are all very lightweight and look great. The first 4 are roughly similar, and which one you might want entirely depends on preference. The last carabiner is about half the size of the rest, it is much smaller.
1. Standard Carabiner - Just your basic carabiner
2. With Bottle Opener - Basic carabiner, but with a bottle opener
3. Circular - Just a different shape
4. Rectangular - Just a different shape
5. Mini - This one is pretty small, about half the size of the rest
Mini Flashlight (RovyVon A3 Gen 4)
This tiny flashlight has 4 brightness modes. The dimmest mode lasts for a wopping 56 hours, while the brightest mode, which is WAY too bright to look directly into, lasts only a couple minutes before reverting to a dimmer mode. USB-C rechargeable, and super small. Even comes with a magnet so you can stick it to various things, and a clip so you could attach it to a hat (for example). Huge bang for your buck here.
HOTO Precision Screwdriver w/ 24 bits
This screwdriver packs the most bits into the smallest space absolutely possible. All of the bits pack into the center of the screwdriver, and to maximize space each bit is double sided. This is perfect for smaller things, like if you need to fix some sunglasses, or open a battery compartment on a toy.
Gerber Dime Multitool
Best mini multitool. Features spring-loaded needle nose pliers, wire cutters, tweezers, bottle opener, retail package opener, plain edge blade folding knife, scissors, small and medium flat head driver, fine and coarse file, and lanyard ring
Baby
Baby Brezza (Formula Maker)
This is absolutely the number one thing you should buy as a new parent if you are feeding your baby formula. All you do is press a button, and you have a bottle of perfectly mixed and warmed formula. You just have to make sure it is filled with water and formula. This was an absolute life saver for us. If you've read this far, and you know me, ask me about 3AM story involving this thing.
Silicone Suction Cup Plate
This was the best plate we could find. It suction cups to the table so baby can't easily tip it over or throw it (and the suction cup actually works like other plates we found). We kept one in our diaper bag too to have at restaurants.
Bath Tub Cushions
This was awesome for giving our toddler baths. A cushion for your arms with some storage for toys, and a cushion for your knees.
Diaper Pail
This is the highest rated diaper pail we could find, and for good reason. The best part about this thing is that you can use your standard kitchen sized garbage bags. No need to buy special bags or liners. Holds in the stink too.
Baby Monitors
We couldn't settle on one baby monitor so we got two of the best we could find. Each has their own merits, and honestly the combination of having both was great for peace of mind.
1. Nanit - Nanit gets mounted on the wall above the crib/bed, so it is a more permanent fixture. It pairs with an app, so you can view the camera directly on your phone. One of the best features of the app is that you can play the audio from the camera in the background on your phone, which is great at night. The Nanit also has a built in night light, white noise, two-way talking, and motion/sound detection.
2. HiPP Baby Monitor - This baby monitor doesn't mount on anything, so it is great for taking with you on trips, or if your baby is napping somewhere other than their crib. It doesn't rely on wifi or an app at all, so it is overall just more reliable. It pairs with a handheld unit with a screen. The handheld unit can play the audio constantly, which is great at night and when you don't want to suck down your phone battery with the Nanit.
Window Shades
Minimal and easy to use window shades to keep the sun out of your kid's eyes. They static cling directly to the glass.
Food
Red Robin Seasoning
Did you know you can just buy Red Robin's incredible seasoning on Amazon? Well, you can. There is nothing better in this world to put on french fries.
Truffle Zest
My wife and I are crazy about truffle. We throw it into as many dishes as we can. I particularly like it mized in with some alfredo sauce. It really enhances a ton of dishes.
Gourmet Collection Spice Blends
This company has a ton of different spice blends, and all the ones we have tried are incredible! This is a link to probably our most used which is a roasted garlic, rosemary and sea salt blend.
Truff Hot Sauce
Truffle + hot sauce = heaven in a bottle. If you can tolerate a small amount of heat, you can probably handle this. Lots of truffle flavor!
Clothing
Reversible Casual Belt
I don't dress "up" very often at all. Maybe once or twice per year. So owning both black AND brown casual belts seemed unnecesary. This belt has black on one side, brown on the other, and you just have to rotate the belt buckle to use either side. More colors are available too.
New for 2024
Sunglasses Rack
We often just threw our sunglasses on the kitchen counter, and it would make the existing clutter even worse. So I hung one of these little racks on the wall next to our car keys, and it keeps the sunglasses organized and in the right spot to grab when we leave the house. Comes in a ton of different colors too.
Dog Collar Air Tag Holder
Very simple way to attach an Air Tag to your pet's collar. This gave us great peace of mind while on vacation and having someone watch our dogs.
Portable Projector (Nebula Mars Air 3)
This summer we had the idea to play movies for the kids (and well, ourselves too) in the backyard. This was admittedly the first projector I tried, but only after reading a ton of reviews on a ton of projectors. The picture quality, brightness, and auto-focusing/leveling of this one are all really good. It also has a battery large enough to last for one movie (we mostly used it plugged in), the sound is very loud and bass-y, and it has all the streaming apps built in. Or you could stream to it from your phone. It's super versatile, and even after using it just a few times this summer it was absolutely worth the price for us. We'll use it for many more summers to come.
Universal Remote (Sofa Baton U2)
If you have a bunch of infrared remotes (TV, cable box, blu-ray player, lights, etc) you can load all of those remotes into this ONE remote. It has a scroll wheel to select between the different remotes it has memorized, and a little screen to show you which remote you have selected currently. It also supports Bluetooth, so you could use it for an Apple TV as well (for example).
Switch/Outlet Plate Light
This is one of the coolest products I have found. It's a night light built into a light switch or outlet wall plate. The plate itself is no larger than normal wall plates, which is where the genius lies. They have single or double models for rocker or toggle switches and outlets. Perfect for bathroom light switches that you might use at night.
Truff Hot Sauce
Truffle + hot sauce = heaven in a bottle. If you can tolerate a small amount of heat, you can probably handle this. Lots of truffle flavor!
Just One
The concept of this cooperative game is very simple. One player closes their eyes, and all other players see a word (the same word). Those players then each write their own word secretly. The single player then opens their eyes, and tries to guess that one hidden word using the words written by the other players. The trick is that if any two players wrote the same word, they must both be erased!
Skull
A bluffing and betting game. All players will secretly place skull or flower cards in front of them. Then players make increasing bets at how many flowers they can find at the table. The highest bet tries to find the number of flowers they bet, but if they find a skull, they lose one of their cards. Lose all cards, and you are out. Win your bet just two times, and you win. Very competitive!
8BitDo Pro 2 Controller
This is almost identical to the 8BitDo Sn30 Pro, but more ergonomic because of the handles. It also features hall effect joysticks (the TLDR is they will never wear out like regular joysticks can), customizable back paddles, and software to fully remap all the buttons. 8BitDo is very well regarded across the gaming community, and hands down one of the best, if not the best, controller manufacturer.
Emergency Fire Blanket
Fortunately I have never had to use this, so I can't speak to how well it works. But, I figured it was worth the cost to keep in our kitchen in case of an oven or stove fire.
Butane Torch Lighter
Traditional lighters are awful. The flame on them is barely hot enough to light anything, and the flame can burn out easily (especially in the most important moments like your kid's birthday party). Butane lighters are hotter, and are more like a torch, so they won't blow out as easily. I use this to easily start big fires in our fire pit during the summers.
Cooking Stones
If you've never tried 'hot rock', you are missing out. We got these to have hot rock at home, and now we have it all the time. We get thin sliced wagyu at the local H Mart, heat these stones up as hot as our oven will go, and then cook the wagyu right on our kitchen table in just a few seconds per slice. Paired with the correct sauces and you have a 5 star meal at home.
Tiny Micro SD Card Readers
These really tiny Micro SD card readers are handy for your computer, but also for your phone or tablet. I got one to just toss in my bag in case I randomly need it to edit contents of some SD card like for my GoPro or any of my handheld gaming devices. They're not made by Anker, so I am breaking my own rule here, but it's because Anker doesn't make one this small.
1. USB C
2. Lightning
USB C Dust Plug
Since I wirelessly charge my phone and I keep it in my pocket primarily, the USB port (previously the Lightning port) would collect a bunch of dust and lint over time. Then on the rare occasion that I would plug it in, the dust/lint would sometimes interfere and the port would not work well until blowing it out. Turns out there are some cheap, little plugs that solve this problem.
Silicone Solder Mat
Handy mat to keep small parts organized when soldering or working on small electronics. Even handy for building LEGO so the pieces don't roll off the table.
Solder Sucker
This solder sucker is unique in that it has a rubber tip that will conform to whatever surface you are working on, creating a seal that will make its suction even more effective.
Pressure Washer Extension
Pair this with the pressure washer gun I have recommended here if you want a little extra reach. Both are very high quality and made by the same company.
Damaged Screw Extractor Set
This extractor kick works perfectly to pull out screws with stripped heads. This particular set is for smaller screws that you might find on things around the house.
Handheld Game Emulator (Miyoo Mini)
If you are at all nostalgic for any video games pre-2000 (or even some after 2000 like GBA), this little guy is going to be the most bang for your buck, and is ultra portable. You can load this all of your favorite retro games from Game Boy, to Super Nintendo to Sega Genesis and tons of others. It's hyper customizable, and considered to be one of the highest quality handhelds of its kind for a few years in a row now.
USB C to C Cable
My favorite USB C to C cable. Supports up to 100W charging, so it can even handle laptop charging. It's super flexible, comes in a few colors, also comes in a 3ft length as well. It's not secret that Anker is my go-to brand for anything USB related, and the reason is simple: they make the highest quality USB products, and they don't charge a lot for them.
Reading Light
I tried so many different reading lights before this one. I tried a clip style which clips onto your book, but it makes your book way too top heavy and awkward to hold. I tried a really clever light from Kickstarter that clipped onto two sides of your book and had an LED loop go across the entire book, but it was also heavy, and tended to get in the way. I tried a different neck style light, but the quality was cheap and it only had 3 levels of brightness so I couldn't get the exact brightness I wanted. This is the best light I found. The quality feels nice, it is dimmable (and gradually, not just 3 different settings, so you can get the exact brightness you want), and has 3 color temperature settings. It stays out of your way, you forget you have it on your neck, and you could even use it for non-reading purposes too.
Cordless Table Lamps
These super minimal table lamps are cordless (and rechargeable), dimmable, and have 3 color temperature settings. Perfect for a little mood lighting on a dinner table, on a night table next to your bed, or maybe an end table in your living room.
Heavy-Duty Disposable Gloves
I've used other nitrile gloves in the past, but they all turn out to be too thin, and sometimes can get too slippery. These are thicker, and I have yet to puncture a hole in one. They also have a nice texture to them, so do not become as slippery when wet.
Car USB Chargers
These are the best car chargers I have found. The 67W one has 3 ports, and is just slightly bulkier. The 52W version has just 2 ports, but is less bulky, cheaper, and probably more than enough for most people unless you have a whole family needing to charge devices.
1. 67W power, 3 ports
2. 52W power, 2 ports
Air Tag
I've tried some other trackers and they just aren't as good. The Air Tag benefits from the massive network of iPhones out in the wild. If ANY iPhone comes near the Air Tag, it's position will be uploaded to the cloud for you to see. Unless you are out on a hike or in a desert, it's very likely an iPhone will wonder by a lost Air Tag. No other tracker like this has the benefit of that network, and will never be as good as a result.