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31 Practical Things You’ve Probably Never Thought To Buy Before
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We hope you love our recommendations! While every product is independently chosen by our editors, BuzzFeed and our publishing partners may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. You can read more about how our affiliate partnerships work in our Editorial Standards & Ethics Guide. This is me implanting a thought to ~get yourself a butt mask~ into your head. Promising review: "I love WD-40 products and use them for everything. I spray on shovels to keep dirt or snow from sticking, spray around windows and thresholds to deter bugs, clean Sharpies off wood and walls, and, of course, stop squeaky doors. These small direct-point application pens are great. Keep one in the glove box, my kitchen 'junk' drawer, and in the house toolbox." —BBP623 Get a three-pack from Amazon for $12.49. Promising reviews: "LOVE it. It took three minutes to cut grapes that would have taken me at least 10. As a mom of a toddler, those minutes are precious. It was also fun and easy to use." —Jacqueline "I wish I had had this a LONG time ago. This little gadget has come in so handy. If you have a toddler or small child, you NEED this. It quarters grapes, cherry tomatoes, olives, etc., so they aren’t choking hazards for little ones. So much faster than slicing every tiny grape up yourself. 10/10 would recommend." —Sara Waits Promising review: "These wine aerators are FABULOUS! I do wine demos for different wineries, and I don't always have time to let a bottle of wine breathe properly before a demo starts. These greatly enhance the flavor, and they make all the difference in the world. My sales numbers increased greatly. And you can't beat the price!" —AshBash Get a two-pack from Amazon for $15.95 (available in black and rose gold). Promising review: "I never knew how tough it would be to clean my high-efficiency washer. It is a never-ending battle. Life is a little easier now that I can toss in a tab and have it do most of the work for me." —Maggie Dennis Promising review: "This thing is excellent. I just 'repaired' two cashmere sweaters and one modal-blend jersey top to like-new condition. The waste compartment fills up quickly and will start clogging the blades if not emptied frequently. I will share one trick I found for emptying the area around the blades. Remove the waste compartment and hold the unit vertically over a garbage can while turning the defuzzer on. Blades will spin, and the rest of the pills will fall out. Enjoy." —Fine Print Reader Get it from Amazon for $8.54+ (available in two colors). Promising reviews: "I use these every six weeks or so to keep my machine from getting gnarly and disgusting. They do exactly what they promise and are super easy to use. Staple in my household since trying them for the first time." —AL “I bought this product because the needle in my Keurig 2.0 keeps clogging, causing inconsistent brewing and taste. These cleaning cups fixed both of my issues, and I especially liked that they were really quick and easy to use. I put the cleaning pod in and ran one cycle, then took the pod out and ran a rinse cycle to clean out any leftover grinds. FAST, EASY, and GREAT results…VERY HAPPY!!” —Corey West Promising review: "I’ve used Color Catchers for many years, so I can wash darks and lights together. They save time and money. (I’ve given boxes to each of my children as they head off to college.) You can tell they work because you see the color they soak up. Recently, a new purple shirt took me by surprise and ran profusely. I had two color catchers in that load, and they both turned deep violet." —Go Steelers BuzzFeed writer Heather Braga owns this and swears by it! Check out our The Pink Stuff review! Promising review: "THIS STUFF IS MAGIC. If you’re questioning getting this to clean harder stains or anything, this is your review to read! I was a little skeptical because I’ve tried many things to clean my shower door with the hard-water stains and nothing really ever got it completely clean...this stuff did! I wish I would have taken before pictures. It did take a couple applications and some scrubbing, but honestly I didn’t have to scrub hard. Just used a wet cloth and this and my shower door is now completely clean without any hard water stains! I’m obsessed. Now to see what else I can clean with it." —R. Ford Get it from Amazon for $5.97+ (available with or without a sponge). Promising review: "Holy cow, I've been trying to get my clear glass shower doors clean using other products, and to no avail; they just weren't getting clean. This product is AMAZING! Worth every penny! You will not be sorry you bought this. After using this product to get the doors sparkling clean, I also used the Rain-X Shower Door Repellent to keep water stains from building up again so that they don't have to be cleaned as often. Buy them both. You won't be sorry." —MellyB Promising review: "This product is exactly as shown. Rubber backing keeps it from slipping off. Just the right size to hold everything you need. I recommend it." —Madelyn White Get it from Amazon for $11.99+ (available in two sizes and nine colors). BuzzFeed Shopping contributor Negesti Kaudo had this to say about the ChomChom roller: "I just got one of these, and I use it on everything. My chow chow puppy is only seven months old, so we haven't even hit his true shedding season, but he's already started leaving fur any and everywhere around my house. This roller keeps my couch, bed, blankets, and definitely my clothes, looking like I don't even have a dog at home. It's my new favorite product, seriously." Promising review: "I've had it in my possession for like two hours, and I've cleaned everything. The couch, the blinds, the cat tree pad, the chair; I'm obsessed. I feel like this thing should win an award for being so awesome. I feel like it should be in raffle baskets and giveaways, and silent auctions for every event that highlights 'things cat people need.' It's better than those sticky rollers, and it's better than the one-directional velvet wand thing that I always use the wrong way. It's the best." —Meowser Get it from Amazon for $23.99+ (available in two colors and a mini version for use on the go). Promising review: "These things are awesome! I cleaned my bathroom tile grout first because the lady who lived there before me really let it go. A few places stayed stained, and I was worried it wouldn't cover them, but all grout areas are bright white and look new now!" —Donna K Cook Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in two tip widths and a variety of colors). Promising review: "I have two children, ages 8 and 5, and they both love their lunch boxes. We have not had any spills, and it is very easy to clean. My son receives occupational therapy, and he has no problems opening and closing his lunch box. I really like the proportions and that it has five spots for different foods." —Iris Colon Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in 33 styles). Promising review: "This is my favorite detangler/leave-in conditioner for my goldendoodle! She has super-tight curls that I have to brush regularly, or she becomes matted. This is great for making her coat shiny and smooth! I am sensitive to fragrance, and this scent is light and does not bug me at all! I would HIGHLY recommend this product for keeping your dog nicely groomed.” —Jillian Travis Get it from Amazon for $16.99 (also available as a concentrate). Wad-Free is a woman-owned small business working to make sure your laundry day isn't in vain! After wasting time and energy on wadding problems, Cyndi Bray invented Wad-Free for bedsheets. Promising review: "I was mildly skeptical, but it works exactly as promoted! I've used it five times, and each time, there's been no twisting of the sheets and no pillowcases balled up and still wet when the dryer goes off. Super helpful that it comes with two units, one for the top sheet and one for the fitted sheet, so I don't have to split them into separate loads. I no longer dread washing sheets and plan to buy some of these as gifts. LOVE it!" —Amazon Customer Promising review: "I love this knife! I stumbled upon it when I was shopping for a sushi knife. It was so cheap that I decided to take a chance. Wow. It is such a great little knife. Yes, it works perfectly on soft tomatoes. But, to be honest, I use it for many other fruits and vegetables. It is amazingly sharp, the serrated edge is very effective, and it has a great feel in my hand." —Jane S. Fellow BuzzFeed writer Amanda Davis swears by this spray. Check out her Foot Matters Shoe Stretch spray review for more information! Promising review: "I purchased my second pair of Dr. Martens three days before I was headed to New Orleans. Seemed like a mistake, right? Maybe it would have been if I didn't have this spray. I used it once and then walked around the house for a bit with some thick socks on. Then I sprayed the boots again, put beer cans inside them, and let them sit overnight. I wore my NEW boots all over three different airports (thanks to layovers) and all over New Orleans. These were the only boots I packed, too. It could have ended up a nightmare, but it didn't! My boots still have a little way to go to be fully broken in, but they are definitely ahead of schedule when I compare them to my first pair. I will use this spray on every pair of boots from now to forever." —lauren EZ Off is a small biz working to make life in the kitchen a little bit easier with their jar opener. Promising reviews: "I have tried a million different tools and gadgets for help in opening jars of all sizes, and each one had its own issues! Finally, someone has invented the perfect jar opener that is simple and requires no space in your kitchen drawers or counters. It works perfectly and easily. I have already placed an order for another one as a gift for my sister." —cat lover Promising review: "I clean my dryer vent after every single use. I was shocked to see so much lint and dust come out! It was very simple to use and it really works! I kept one for myself and gave the other to my daughter." —Shari Schmidt Promising review: "I ordered a pair of SkyClips. I keep one on my desk at work and one in my computer bag for when I travel. I'm able to keep my phone next to my computer. My colleagues commented on what a great idea this was and asked where I got it. When I travel, the SkyClip attaches easily to the tray table in front of me. You can adjust the placement of your phone in one of two grooves, giving you the perfect angle, whether the seat in front of you is reclined or not. This is a far better option than trying to lean my phone against a cup or can." —Tom Brady Get it from Amazon for $11.98+ (available in five colors). Promising reviews: "It's inexpensive, and it smoothed my bottom. Good purchase for the price!" —Carey S. "Who would've thought? My new obsession: BUTT MASKS. Best used right before a beach/bikini day. Leaves skin smooth and hydrated. Helps lessen visibility of cellulite." —Kellie Daniel It has massage rollers and two speed settings! Promising review: "Since using this, I haven't shaved my legs in months, and used to have to every three to four days. I've honestly seen the best results on my armpits, though; I used to shave them every other day, but since I epilated two weeks ago, I've seen no hair growth and no hair shadow. Way more convenient than waxing, too, because you can target individual shorter hairs as they grow in rather than waiting for everything to grow back a certain length." —k3upikachu Just clean your side mirror with alcohol (to remove outdoor grime or residue) and attach this round mirror — the 3M adhesive will hold strong. They attach to a pivoting base, so you can adjust them for the perfect view. Promising review: "I bought these for my mom's car and mine a while ago, and these little things are great. Since I've gotten my license, I've hated merging or switching lanes; I never felt good or safe doing it. Having these has been a blessing; I feel less like a scared new driver. I'm currently encouraging my sister and friends to invest in these, too! These are also great for backing up because you can see exactly how close you are to hitting the car behind you. They're helpful when I parallel park in the city, and I like parking backward, so this is great for doing that, too." —Mariam Abass Get a pack of two from Amazon for $6.29+ (available in seven shapes and in packs of four). This set contains a large travel bag, two collapsible bowls with carabiners, two leakproof food storage containers, a removable shoulder strap, and a removable bag divider. Promising review: "I am impressed with the layout and all of the options of different pockets. I don't know why I didn't buy something like this sooner. It's like a diaper bag for my dogs. I was originally looking just for the collapsible bowls, but when I saw this, it made perfect sense to have everything all in one place while traveling. I did purchase a collapsible scoop for the food separately to complete the setup." —DAKLP Get it from Amazon for $42.95+ (available in seven colors). Comes with six pre-printed labels and six blank white labels. Promising review: "This is a perfect size! I use reusable cotton rounds, and I find it difficult to find a holder for them. Most are too small. These are large enough to fit my cotton rounds and cotton swabs. I couldn't be happier!" —Emily McKnight Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in three sizes, four colors, and in several pack sizes). Bagnet is a woman-owned small business based in Sacramento, working to make the lives of women easier. Promising review: "OMG! This is a great product. I keep it in my designer bag, so I don’t have to set it down anywhere disgusting (aka public bathrooms). It works exactly how it’s supposed to! Couldn’t recommend more as a holiday gift or just for yourself." —Terese Get it from Bagnet for $29.99 (available in other colors/styles). Promising review: "I am not one to write reviews, but this product deserves one! I have the absolute sweatiest, smelliest feet, and I have tried every product to help with the smell and sweat; nothing has worked until these! They are AMAZING!! Anyone with sweaty feet needs these!" —TJ Get one pair from Amazon for $11.95 (also available in packs of four and six). Learn more about them in our Moso Natural air-purifying bags review. Promising review: "This organizer is amazing!!! I always kept our surplus water bottles in the small cabinet above our sink. Every time I took one out, three more would fall out. I am so glad I found this!" —RT17 Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in two sizes and two styles). British Book Art is a small business creating literary-inspired art, bookmarks, and reading progress trackers. Promising review: "This is absolutely perfect and is exactly what is in the photo. I've been wanting a bookmark like this to help keep track of which books I am reading without having an app that gets clogged up. I would highly recommend this!!!" —Georgia Bowen Get it from British Book Art on Etsy for $3.92. Promising review: "This is it: the solution to all pet odors EVER!!!!! I moved into a rental but could definitely tell there had been a cat here before us. Sorry, cat lovers! They are cute, but they can smell bad if not properly cleaned up after, and I’m seriously allergic!!! So, I knew I had some scrubbing and massive cleaning ahead of me so that I could live here. I bought this, and OMG! It was like magic!!! The smell was gone from every room except the downstairs bathroom, which I figured was the scene of the crime: the litter box location!!!!! I sprayed that room as though I was cleaning up evidence from a horrific crime and got the doorjamb really well. It is unreal, but the smell is GONE." —LauraLiz Knapps Knots is a San Diego–based macramé and woodcraft shop. Promising review: "We love this! We have a tiny apartment kitchen, and this lets us save on counter space and adds a really cool aesthetic! Great quality and the color was exactly as expected." —Brittany Get it from Knapps Knots on Etsy for $28.90+ (available in two sizes and 12 colors) BuzzFeed Shopping is service journalism first: our writers and editors spend all day shopping so you don’t have to, vetting products, fact-checking brand claims, and surfacing what actually helps in real life. We center readers over revenue, recommend products with authenticity (using real experiences, not ad-speak), and reflect our diverse audience, inclusive of a variety of price points, people, and needs. We cut through fake deals, favor useful info over glossy fluff, and recommend both budget and splurge options with context so you can decide what’s right for you — and still have a little fun along the way. Taylor Steele is a staff writer on the BuzzFeed Shopping team who focuses primarily on practical and problem-solving products (although you can also catch her writing about cute, fun, and ~weird~ products, too!). The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.