What's Your Favorite Cheap Thing You Got On Amazon? Here Are Our Favorite Answers

Elite Daily commerce editor Danielle Kraese originally got these cute cat socks “to give as gifts (a hit!)” but obviously had to purchase a few pairs for herself, too. “These are now my favorite socks in the rotation,” wrote Kraese. They’re made from a stretchy cotton blend with ribbed crew cuffs and adorable embroidered cat faces, plus they come in three color combinations.

• Available styles: 3

“My lips are really fussy with ingredients and also constantly chapped,” Kraese wrote. “These lip balms feel so soothing and hydrating, and I love the six-pack because I now keep one stashed in every room of my home and in my purse.” Made with beeswax, coconut oil, and vitamin E, they’re USDA-certified organic and they come in tons of scents and tints, with or without SPF protection.

• Available styles: 19

“I'm a sucker for fun mugs, and this one is my absolute favorite!” Kraese wrote about this Gameboy heat-changing mug. The retro handheld console “powers up” as the ceramic goes from cold to hot, revealing a Mario game on the screen. It holds 10 ounces of your favorite beverage and it makes a great gift for ‘90s enthusiasts, too.

This stitch gun has absolutely transformed my wardrobe. With a few quick clicks, I can add black or white stitches to my clothing, securing straps in place, creating hems, closing gaps, adjusting necklines, and pinning skirts. Both the fine needle and the micro-stitches are gentle on clothes to make temporary alterations without damage.

• Available styles: 3

I have extremely sensitive hearing, so needless to say, I’m a light sleeper. Loop Quiet 2 earplugs are the only earplugs I’ve ever used that are comfortable to wear all night long — and due to their powerful 24-decibel noise reduction, I sleep like a rock (even when my dog has the zoomies or my boyfriend is tossing and turning). The silicone ring makes them easy to retrieve while the four interchangeable tips make it easy to find a secure fit.

• Available styles: 6

Even though I’m super short, my standard bathtub barely fills enough to cover my body. This bottomless bath accessory covers the overflow drain, so you can fill the tub all the way to the rim (but it still has a hole on top to prevent flooding). It’s also easy to clean and sticks in place using powerful suction cups. Now, I take multiple relaxing baths every single week — and I actually enjoy them.

• Available styles: 9

“I'm a big fan of painting and sculpting, so this mat has come in really handy,” wrote Elite Daily commerce editor Karen Belz. “It's easy to clean, and much easier to set up than a bunch of old newspapers when it comes to protecting my table.” Made from silicone, it covers 20 by 16 inches of your work surface, has brush holders and raised grids for mixing colors, and comes with a collapsible water cup, a storage pouch, and 10 paint brushes.

• Available styles: 4

“If your toaster oven is your most-used appliance like it is in my house, this roasting scoop will change your life,” wrote Belz. “The tapered sides are a time-saver, and it's also easy to clean.” With its wide head and raised edges, it functions as a hybrid spoon and spatula for mixing, scraping, and serving, plus its nylon construction is dishwasher-safe, heat-resistant, and scratch-resistant on all cookware.

Elite Daily commerce editor Amy Biggart wrote, “I am quite literally obsessed with this phone stand. I love that it folds up so I can bring it with me everywhere.” It’s angle- and height-adjustable for watching videos, reading recipes, and video chatting — plus it has a cut-out that makes it charger-friendly and its universal design fits most popular brands of smartphones.

• Available styles: 9

Wish you could reach your own back in the shower? This back scrubber is comprised of a long wooden handle with a detachable loofah and a textured rubber grip lets you do just that, and it comes with an adhesive metal hook so you have somewhere to hang it for drying. “What a genius design!” Biggart wrote. “It makes showers so much easier and more luxurious.”

“I get a lot of use out of my microwave — I love that this keeps my hands from getting burned when I take the bowls and plates out,” Biggart wrote about these bowl huggers. They’re made from temperature-resistant microfiber with a curved design that encompasses your dinnerware from all sides, and they’re machine-washable in case of spills.

“The Bedsure satin pillowcases are top tier. I really love how silky soft they are,” Biggart wrote — and judging by their overall 4.5-star rating after more than 300,000 reviewers have weighed in, she’s not the only one who thinks so. The buttery-smooth texture not only stays cool for hot sleepers, but also reduces friction on your skin and hair to preserve moisture and prevent breakage. They even come in a body pillow style.

• Available styles: 39

These flexible cutting mats are made from durable, BPA-free plastic with a grippy back and designated icons for meat, fish, and vegetables. Needless to say, they’re a no-brainer for safely prepping and transferring food, and Biggart uses them all the time: “I really like that these have symbols so I can remember what I use each for. No meat contamination!”

• Available styles: 6

“If you want to smell like a beach day and get soft skin at the same time, this cult-favorite body oil is just the thing,” wrote Elite Daily shopping editor Anna Anderson. Palmer's skin therapy oil is loaded with cocoa butter, coconut oil, and vitamin E to hydrate skin and reduce unwanted scars and discoloration. No wonder it has an average 4.7-star rating from almost 40,000 Amazon reviewers.

• Available sizes: Pack of 1 — Pack of 2
• Available styles: 2

“This is so simple and if you don't have one, it'll change your neck for the better,” Anderson wrote about this laptop riser stand. Compatible with most notebooks between 10 and 15.6 inches, it raises and tilts your computer to promote better posture and allow airflow to prevent overheating. It’s also made from durable yet lightweight aluminum for portability.

• Available styles: 10

According to Anderson, these brightening pads “give such a nice glow over time and are a fraction of the cost of higher-end brands.” Made from cotton with plant-derived, hypoallergenic ingredients like sea buckthorn and niacinamide, they aim to moisturize, tone, and improve the texture of your complexion — and they have thousands of five-star ratings from impressed reviewers.

• Available styles: 7

This hyaluronic acid serum “is a steal and works wonders,” wrote Elite Daily commerce editor Lauren Beach. “It's legit the best product I've tried — my dry, flaky patches were gone within a few days of use.” The award-winning formula aims to boost elasticity, brighten your complexion, minimize unwanted discoloration, and create a dewy texture.

• Available styles: 3

According to Beach, these makeup remover cloths are “such a great deal and they work as well as the big-name brands.” Made from dense microfiber, they’re designed to remove oil, residue, and makeup using just water. They’re also machine-washable and reusable hundreds of times each, making them an eco-friendly alternative to single-use wipes.

• Available sizes: Pack of 12 — Pack of 24
• Available styles: 3

If you have trouble sleeping unless your room is totally dark, you’re not alone — but these blackout stickers can help. They come in tons of shapes and sizes to easily cover blinking lights and LEDs from TVs, clocks, routers, cable boxes, and other electronics. “These entirely block light and are a great price,” Beach wrote. “I keep a sheet in my travel bag for annoying random lights in hotels and Airbnbs.”

• Available styles: 5

“I was sick of hunting down the remote and this was a great solution,” Beach wrote about this multifunctional storage box, which both covers your tissues in elevated canvas and gives you two compartments to stash electronics, glasses, pens, and other essentials. “It is surprisingly well made and built to last,” wrote Beach, plus it comes in six color options, each with a magnetic lid.

• Available styles: 6

When asked what they’ve bought from Amazon that has changed their life, Reddit user _darealjohn wrote the “OXO precision pour” — and dozens of other Redditors agreed. This oil dispenser is made from glass and has two speeds that let you pour oil (or any other liquid ingredient) with precision and without drips, and it comes apart for easy cleaning in the dishwasher.

• Available sizes: 5.1 Ounces — 12 Ounces

“Oxo ANYTHING,” Reddit user soaringtiger responded on the same r/BuyItForLife thread. “I got a vegetable peeler, smoothest peel ever.” This also happens to be my vegetable peeler brand of choice, and I love how the stainless steel blade glides through tough skin, the durable materials are dishwasher-safe, and the textured handle allows for a comfortable, ergonomic grip.

“I have some ankle weights from Amazon that are so much better than any I’ve ever purchased from a sporting goods store,” wrote Reddit user lcbtexas. “They do not burst, the sand stays safely inside,” and they turn “a casual walk into a nice workout.” This pair is made from comfortable Neoprene with adjustable velcro closures, and you can add or remove the bags to customize the weight between 1 and 5 pounds.

• Available sizes: Adjustable 1-5lbs — 5lbs each
• Available styles: 3

Redditor Longjumping-Stock-90 bought a few of these Gonex duffle bags seven years ago and uses them “intensively without any care,” yet “they look unchanged.” Made from waterproof, wear-resistant honeycomb nylon with zippered pockets and multiple straps, it weighs significantly less than an empty suitcase, yet holds just as much — and you can fold it up when it’s not in use.

• Available sizes: 40L — 150L
• Available styles: 10

“A safety razor,” wrote Redditor Disastrous_Step537. “I don't have to shell out a million dollars on [cartridges] anymore or have to buy a new handle every few years because it got phased out.” This one is made entirely from metal (no plastic parts) with 10 double-edged stainless steel blades that you can replace as needed. In addition to the metallic rainbow, it comes in tons of other colors, each with a weighted stand.

• Available styles: 22

Redditors on r/BuyItForLife rave about most Anker products, but user otfitt is especially fond of the brand’s portable power bank: “I bought [it] back in 2013 and still have it!” This 10,000mAh version has an average 4.5-star rating from over 106,000 reviewers because it’s slim and lightweight, yet delivers over a full charge for most iPhones, iPads, and Google phones.

• Available sizes: 1 — 2
• Available styles: 3

After getting a fabric shaver on the cheap, Reddit user LorianneCyanide wrote, “It saved me [hundreds in] couch pillows alone, not even counting making your clothes nice and new again. I just never would have thought such a simple thing would be so amazing.” The Philips brand comes recommended from another Redditor; it’s battery-operated for portability and has a large stainless steel blade to cover a big surface area.

“I lose things constantly. I got a Chipolo Bluetooth tag for my car keys. Saves so much time and stress,” a user wrote on a Reddit thread about the best things people have bought on Amazon. Compatible with Android and IOS, this little Bluetooth tracker sends alerts when you leave things behind, lets you check your item’s location on an app, or rings your lost item with a 120-decibel noise if it’s nearby.

• Available styles: 8

“These elastic things with snappers on the end that you put under the corners of the bed sheet and it stops it riding up,” PineappleFrittering wrote. “Game changer!” These Gorilla Grip bed sheet straps have thousands of five-star ratings because they’re designed for durability with three adjustable elastic bands and metal clips that resist slipping and damage.

• Available styles: 2

“USB cables,” wrote Mountain_Strategy342 in a thread about the best cheap essentials. “You can never have too many of them.” This 3.3-foot iPhone USB charger is unlike most others thanks to its colorful beaded design — or you can get it in white so it looks like pearls. Either way, despite its cute appearance, one reviewer wrote that it’s “surprisingly good quality and durable.”

• Available styles: 2

According to BornNectarine4450, a water dental flosser is an amazing investment for a fresher mouth: “Oh my God that thing is incredible and cannot imagine my life without it.” This model is rechargeable, waterproof, and comes with five interchangeable heads for various strengths and spray types. Currently, it has an average 4.4-star rating from over 31,000 reviewers.

• Available styles: 5

In a thread on r/Frugal, one Reddit user wanted to know which long-lasting products greatly improve a frugal lifestyle. “Do you have a dog? Or go walking at night? I bought glow-in-the-dark dog collars,” Sweetnspicy77 wrote. “Some of the best investments I made — for my dogs and myself!” USB-rechargeable and certified waterproof, this LED option comes in three sizes and several colors that are visible from up to 1,000 feet away.

• Available sizes: Small — Large
• Available styles: 9

“Any reusable cleaning products,” one Redditor wrote. “I got my O’Cedar mop from Amazon and an extra mop insert.” It’s a reviewer-favorite with over 267,000 ratings due to its triangular shape that reaches into corners, microfiber mop head that’s machine washable, and included spin bucket that wrings the mop clean with a convenient foot pedal.

• Available styles: 4

“You can easily get a Lodge cast iron skillet with $25,” user dgwtf wrote, and another Redditor recommended this 10.25-inch Lodge skillet that “will take care of 85% of your cast iron needs.” It’s pre-seasoned with a signature teardrop handle, and thanks to its rugged construction and versatile size, you can cook just about anything with it on the stove, in the oven, or over a campfire.

• Available sizes: 3.5 inch — 15 inch

Microfiber towels are another repeatedly recommended item on Reddit posts about investment-worthy products, and these travel towels have an average 4.7-star rating from over 14,000 reviewers. The set includes three different sizes, all of which fit in the included mesh bag. They’re soft, lightweight, quick-drying, and compact for the gym, camping, hiking, yoga classes, or the beach.

• Available styles: 8

“Clothes drying rack!” Reddit user termanatorx wrote, and this collapsible drying rack is one of the most popular on Amazon. Made from coated carbon steel that resists rust, it provides 24 linear feet of space to line-dry your heavy or delicate clothing items — but when you’re done, it folds down flat to 3 inches for compact storage.

“A heated mat,” wrote markedmo. “Goes under my desk in my home workspace, warms my feet like underfloor heating but just that one spot. With that I feel warm through so don’t need the heating on so much.” This one has eight temperature settings, an auto shut-off for safety, and a single button you can press with your foot to adjust the controls, plus it’s non-slip on the bottom and water-resistant on top.

• Available styles: 4

Redditor CoffeeIgnoramus recommends a “shower speaker,” and this one is highly rated, IP67 waterproof, and about as compact as they come. “So cheap, but just nice to have music in the bathroom and have controls to skip and adjust volume. It's a little luxury.” The rechargeable battery lasts for up to eight hours on one charge, and the speaker comes with a travel case with a carabiner clip so you can hang it on the shower wall.

• Available styles: 4

“Reusable sponges for washing dishes,” wrote one Redditor. “When they have done their job - throw them in washer and dryer and use all over again. I’ve had my set for a few years now.” These ones are made from a long-lasting blend of cotton and resin for scratch-free scrubbing that’s easy on the planet, yet versatile enough to clean more than dishes.

“There's a surprising amount of joy to be found in owning an excellent [flashlight],” a Redditor wrote, and these two LED flashlights have an average 4.6-star rating from over 9,000 reviewers. They’re compact with three modes and more than 10 hours of runtime with new batteries (not included). They’re also built to withstand any weather, so they’re great for emergencies, camping, or walking the dog.

“I bought a flexible phone holder arm with a screw-down grab on one end for my phone so I can attach it to my bedside table and watch things in bed without having to deal with my arm being uncomfortable and aching holding my handset in the right position,” one Redditor wrote. “I love the modern world sometimes.” It also has a universal clip that fits most smartphones.

• Available styles: 3

User redditlady999 wrote that a pineapple corer is a “no-mess way to get fresh juicy pineapple very quickly.” In short, it’s “a tube-like thing with a handle on the end that is great for coring a pineapple and lifting out the fruit in a perfect spiral.” This one is made out of durable stainless steel with an ergonomic handle, and it leaves the shell intact so you can use it as a bowl.

• Available styles: 7

“What cheap essential should I buy to get my Amazon basket over the free shipping amount?” one Redditor asked. Another answered: “The Brix JarKey jar openers. [...] Just pry up. Amazing.” Its simple design releases the vacuum seal so stubborn jars open effortlessly, making it a brilliant thing to have in your kitchen.

User HotChoc64 bought “some cheap silver rings for fashion” and considers it one of the best Amazon buys they’ve ever made. This silver ring comes in 17 size options and has a stacked, rollable design that you can discreetly fiddle with to boost focus and minimize tension for added functionality. It’s also made from 925 sterling silver with a high-polish finish.

• Available sizes: 4 — 12

One Reddit user wrote that a trunk organizer is one of the best investments they’ve ever made because it keeps their car “neat and tidy.” This best-selling option has two big compartments and several small pockets to store tools, emergency essentials, sports equipment, groceries, toys, and more. It also has handles for portability and folds flat when it’s not in use.

• Available sizes: Medium — Large
• Available styles: 10

“Pizza scissors,” one user wrote. Basically, they’re curved shears that are designed to slice through crust with more precision and ease than a rolling cutter, and these Dreamfarm Scizza scissors have an overall 4.7-star rating. The two-in-one design has a steel blade on top and a non-stick platform on the bottom, so you can cut and serve slices with the same tool.

• Available styles: 2

According to one user, a “rotating cosmetic Lazy Susan for makeup, skincare, and perfumes” is one of the best things they’ve bought from Amazon. This one is available in five tinted colors with a fluted texture and gold-tone handles, so it makes your cosmetics look more like decor than clutter. It also spins smoothly and comes in multiple tiers for stacked storage.

• Available sizes: 1 Tier — 3 Tier
• Available styles: 5

“An instant-read digital thermometer,” wrote user lurkersforlife. “Makes cooking SO MUCH EASIER. I use it for everything.” With its stainless steel prong and easy-to-read digital numbers, it gives you a quick, accurate reading of your food’s internal temperature (without having to cut into it and potentially drying it out), so it’s a no-brainer for roasting, air frying, and barbecuing.

• Available styles: 2

If your back hurts when washing dishes, this recommendation is for you: an “anti-fatigue mat for standing at the kitchen sink,” Redditor fuddykrueger wrote. It has a stain-resistant, waterproof material on top with high-density foam inside to cushion your feet and absorb shock. You can also use it at a standing desk or in front of the bathroom mirror.

• Available sizes: 20" x 32" — 39"L x 20"W x 0.8"Th
• Available styles: 11

Redditors are obsessed with the AeroPress coffee and espresso maker, and when makinmoneyforbeer wrote that it “good coffee for the price,” the comment got tons of upvotes. Sold in two sizes and nine colors, it uses a patented design that combines pressure with agitation to bring out rich, fresh flavors while minimizing grit and bitterness — and the coffee drips straight into your mug.

• Available sizes: Standard — XL
• Available styles: 9

Alternatively, one Redditor recommended “a Vietnamese coffee maker, called a phin. Reusable, great coffee, less fiddly than a pour-over, no disposables. I can bring this anywhere and make great coffee with just hot water and ground beans.” This one is made entirely from stainless steel for durability and quick, easy cleanup in the dishwasher, and it has an average 4.6-star rating from over 1,300 Amazon reviewers.

“Gel insoles for my shoes,” wrote user DoctorSkelly. “My long work shifts are now so much more bearable.” Designed to cushion and massage feet at the same time, these Dr. Scholl’s insoles have a textured gel surface with three-zone support in the forefoot, arch, and heel. They’re also flexible, lightweight, and easy to cut to size, so they fit in virtually all types of shoes.

• Available sizes: Women’s 6-10 — Men’s 8-14

According to Unusual_Resident_784, a rice cooker is “really worth it if you can't cook rice like me. Very easy to use and understand.” A best-seller with over 61,000 reviews, this digital model makes up to 8 cups at once and has separate settings for white rice, brown rice, flash rice, and warming. You can also use it to make soup, chili, oatmeal, eggs, risotto, and vegetables.

• Available styles: 3

“Automatic cat feeder,” one Redditor recommends — and judging by its average 4.5-star rating from over 10,000 reviewers, others agree. This convenient gadget can dispense up to four meals every day with its programmable times and portion controls, and it even has a 10-second voice recorder for custom mealtime announcements. The tank holds up to 4 liters of dry food at a time though a larger, 6-liter model is also available.

• Available sizes: 4L — 6L
• Available styles: 3

According to a Reddit user, a dog hammock for the back seat is one of the best purchases because it “doubles as a regular car seat cover” and “closes up the space back there [to help your] dog settle down fast.” Made from durable material that’s waterproof and machine-washable, this one has adjustable straps that fit over the headrests and through the side handles in most vehicles.

• Available styles: 6