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46 clever products that make a big impact with almost no effort

We only recommend products we love and that we think you will, too. We may receive a portion of sales from products purchased from this article, which was written by our Commerce team.

by Christina X. Wood
Updated: 
Originally Published: 

Sometimes — at least according to a famous poet — life is a sea of troubles. There have been a lot of innovations since then, though — and many of them are made to help you worth through those struggles. All you have to do is pick up one of these clever products that make a big impact with almost no effort. They’re all available on Amazon, making your shopping journey that much easier.

That unwanted odor in the fridge, for example, might’ve once caused great trouble — but now, it’s just a matter of sticking one of these amazing deodorizers in there. Also, putting a doorbell on your front door once involved expensive wiring — and now it requires almost no effort. Even getting a good photo of yourself for an online profile quite recently involved a photographer and expensive gear, but now only needs a simple, inexpensive ring light.

That’s right, whatever you need is probably right here. Scan this list and find all of the products that’ll make a big, positive impact on your life.

1. This shaving powder so you can skip the razor burn

If you’re looking for a smooth and rash-free shave, try this shaving powder. It’s formulated to remove your beard without a razor — and the resultant razor burn — to touch your face. Over 15,000 people say it’s well worth the odd smell. All you do is a make a paste from it, spread it over the region you want shaved, wait, and wash it off.

2. These patches that cover & cure zits

That pimple does not have to ruin your look. Just stick one of these hydrocolloid patches over it when you go to bed, and by morning it will be well on its way to being healed. You can wear them during the day, too, since they blend in and can be covered with makeup. Over 40,000 people love these things and give them five stars.

3. A pack of strips that quickly whiten your teeth

These whitening strips are super easy to use — just peel the backing and stick them against your teeth after you brush. Their formula works quickly to whiten your teeth by a couple of shades in just a few applications. Keep going if you want deeper whitening. They are gentle, too, for sensitive teeth, with just 6% hydrogen peroxide.

4. The dehumidifier that’s small, portable & effective

Whether your bathroom isn’t vented well, the heat of summer is making it hard to sleep, or your home office is in a humid garage, this little machine brings relief. Set it down, plug it in, and enjoy the multi-color lighting while it quietly sucks the excess moisture out of the air and traps it in the tank.

5. These blue-light blocking glasses for better sleep

If all that screen time is starting to give you headaches or impede a good night’s sleep, you need these blue light-blocking glasses. The blue light emanating from screens stimulate the “wake-up” signals in your brain, so it can be a gamechanger to wear these non-prescription blocking glasses. The frames in the set are cute, and with three in a pack you can keep a pair wherever you might need them. They come in over 20 color combinations to match your style.

6. A fabric shaver that makes clothes look new

Pilled sweaters, jackets covered in lint, and bedspreads adorned in pet fur are so easy to spruce up with this shaver and lint remover. Choose a shave height, speed, and shaving hole size to match the fabric you are treating, and then just run it over the problem areas. The fabric will quickly look clean and fresh. It comes with two extra blades and a cover that adjusts the closeness of the shave.

7. These dryer balls that are so much better than dryer sheets

If you have been throwing money at dryer sheets that you toss after every load, you will love these reusable dryer balls made of 100% New Zealand premium wool. They fluff the load as it dries, reduce static, and soften clothes. They’re also basically infinitely reusable and you can keep using them for years. If you miss the scent of sheets, you can add a drop of essential oil to scent the load if you like.

8. The hangers that hold five garments in the space of one

Hang these clothes hangers on the closet rod, load them up with five garments, and unhook one side to let the hanger fall to a vertical position. Then keep going with another hanger. When you are done, you will fit twice as many clothes into your closet, and they will be much more organized. Reviewers say they are awesome and give them well over 11,000 five-star reviews.

9. This foot mask that’s a spa treatment in a sock

Wear these exfoliating socks for about an hour, and a few days later, your feet will shed all that dry, cracked skin like a molting snake, leaving you with baby soft dogs that look and feel like you’ve never worn terrible shoes or missed a pedicure. Reviewers love the strange experience, give them over 13,000 five-star ratings, and can’t resist sharing photos of the process.

10. A draft stopper that transforms the indoor atmosphere

It seems like such a simple thing — an under-door draft stopper — but you will be amazed at how much cooler in summer, warmer in winter, and quieter year round your home is when it’s installed. Just slide it under the door. It’s designed to open and close with the door, so it’s no hassle. It helps keep bugs out, too.

11. This selfie light that illuminates your photos

The secret to a clear photo is usually good lighting. You don’t need a lighting engineer, though; just clip this selfie ring to the top of your phone, laptop, or tablet and it’ll light you up in your choice of warm, cold, or a mix of warm and cold light so your photos have no unwanted shadows. It’s small enough to take anywhere, USB rechargeable, and improves all kinds of photos.

12. A glue that fixes anything (& is fun like modeling clay)

Is there anything that Sugru cannot fix, enhance, or become? According to reviewers, not really. Somewhere between a glue and Play-Do, you can work it into any shape and stick it to any surface within the 30 minutes after you open the package. Then, it starts to harden. Wait while it cures overnight, and you’ll have a permanent fix. Reviewers love it for fixing everything from shoes to electronics to musical instruments.

13. This herb mincer that makes a slow job super fast

Cutting herbs is one of those boring jobs that requires a deep breath, some zen, and patience — or, it was. With this herb cutter, it’s super fast. Just roll the five sharp blades over a stalk of thyme or rosemary — or whatever is on today’s menu — and it’ll chop it up into usable flavorings in seconds. The handle accommodates a palm or fist grip.

14. A pot that waters your plants so you don’t have to

Put your houseplants into this self-watering pot and relax your plant-care vigilance. The inner pot has hollow legs that sit in the water reservoir underneath it. Instead of watering from above, fill the reservoir — it holds a two-week supply — and set the pot into it. The soil will suck water through those legs so the plant gets plenty of water (but never sits in it).

15. The shoe cleaner that makes dirty kicks look new

Just put a few small drops of this pink shoe cleanser onto the brush that comes with it and scrub your old, mud-stained, dusty shoes clean in a few minutes. It’s so vast that it’ll make your running shoes, sneakers, or whatever else you sport look like new so you can wear them to dinner tonight.

16. This quick fix for the gap next to the stove

The gap between your counter and stove is annoying, especially when you drop a utensil down there that you want back. This silicone gap cover fixes that in seconds. Just cut it to the length you need and fit it in between the appliance and the counter. It’s easy to clean and blends right in with your stove and counter and there’s no more gap.

17. A simple, wireless doorbell so you never miss a visitor

If you can’t hear when people knock on the door, or there is a fence at the end of the driveway people won’t open, this wireless doorbell is a super fast fix. Plug the receiver in somewhere inside and stick or screw the bell where people will see and push it. You can choose the sound it makes.

18. These storage containers that help make produce last longer

All you have to do to preserve your produce so it’s not rotten when you are ready to use it is store it in these cleverly designed containers. An elevated base lifts the produce off the bottom of the container so air circulates around it while a vented lid keeps the interior humidity at the best levels. Over 2,700 people think they’re awesome, money savers and give them five stars.

19. The fridge deodorizers that get rid of unwanted odor

When your fridge has an unwanted odor, simply place one of these deodorizers inside. Most of the nearly 4,000 five-star reviews are about how people discovered — often after nightmarish efforts at fighting unwanted odor — that they work. You can even use it in your freezer, and they’re nontoxic.

20. These bracelets that chase away mosquitos

This set of 15 citronella-infused, microfiber bracelets are cute, colorful, and comfortable — and apparently, mosquitos hate them. They create a small cloud of citronella scent around you that most mosquitos tend to avoid. There’s no need for DEET or spraying sticky formulas onto your skin, and these are easy to put on and take off.

21. A shopping cart tool that’s a cup holder & bag carrier

Grocery shopping is so much better with a beverage to keep you hydrated, and this tool clips a cup holder to the shopping cart so you can have your hands free. It’s also a tote for your shopping bags so they are handy, and organized.

22. This wall-mounted power strip with a shelf & light

This diminutive power strip will transform your kitchen, office, bedside table, or bathroom by converting the one outlet that’s conveniently located into six outlets, two USB ports, a shelf for your phone or other gear (and a nightlight that comes on automatically when the room is dark). The shelf is big and roomy, and it has four channels that hold cables or earbuds in place.

23. A contoured memory foam pillow that cradles your neck

Whether you are a side sleeper or a back sleeper, this memory foam pillow supports your neck so you don’t wake up with a headache or crick. One side has a higher — almost 5-inch — contour, and the other side is lower so you can adjust it to fit your anatomy or position. A bamboo cover keeps you cool, and over 5,000 people give it five stars.

24. This bottle with a speaker that reminds you to hydrate

This water bottle is everything you need to get through the day. A double-wall aluminum thermal bottle that will keep your beverage hot or cold for hours screws into a Bluetooth speaker so you can listen to music or chat on speaker phone without carrying another device. And there’s a reminder mode that glows blue every hour to remind you to sip from the hydrating beverage within.

25. A cold-therapy headache helmet that covers your eyes

When the next headache strikes and all you want is a dark room and something cold on your eyes, you will be so glad you have this headache hat in the freezer. Pull it on and shut out the light while chilling your eyes and entire head. It applies slight pressure and there are no straps to fuss with.

26. The bottle-inverting lid so you can get every last drop

Instead of standing around waiting for the honey, ketchup, mayo, or soap to drip its way to the bottler opening, store your goods upside down so that when you reach for them, product comes out right away. These bottle-emptying caps have tripod feet and a pop lid so your bottles stand up, upside down, without leaking. This is a six-pack with four different sizes.

27. These smart lightbulbs with millions of colors

Remove your old lightbulbs and replace them with these two smart ones, and you can set schedules so your house anticipates your lighting needs. Ask Alexa or Google Home to dim, brighten, or change the light colors, and include your overhead lighting in your smart-home routines — all without doing any wiring.

28. A clever, cylindrical mini-vac for your desk, car, or kitchen

This powerful, rechargeable mini-vacuum cleaner is just the tool every desk jockey needs to clean up the keyboard crevices and spruce up the desk without moving all the small items that populate it. It’s also perfect for cleaning kitchen drawers, nooks and crannies in the car, and project tables. It’s sized to fit in a drawer or cup holder, can stand up on its own, has three crevice tools, operates as blower or a vacuum, recharges via USB, and comes with a storage bag.

29. The bottle brush that suctions to your sink

Ever watched a bartender whip through washing dozens of glasses super fast? A glass brush like this one that suctions to the sink is the trick. Just push the glass onto it, and the combination of brushes will scrub inside and out at the same time to help get rid of both beverage remnants and lipstick marks. It’s also great for bottles.

30. This set of cable-organizing boxes to clean up the house

That snarl of plugs, wires, and power strips under the desk or TV is probably chaotic looking. Put it all away into one of these three tidy boxes. There are channels on each end for cables to get in and out, along with a lid that snaps on securely. There are also three sizes to suit everything from your entertainment center to the bedside table.

31. These labels for the clothes in your closet

Retail clothing stores use these clothing rack labels to help people find the right size and color, but they are also great for organizing your closet and keeping things in order longer so you know what goes where. And when everything is labeled, getting dressed in the morning is much easier.

32. A foaming bag that cleans the garbage disposal

All you have to do to clean the garbage disposal is turn it and the water on and toss one of these bags down the drain. It creates a blue foam that fills the disposal and sink, and then it rinses away, taking the grime with it. Over 14,000 people give these five stars.

33. This stain remover that works fast

This stain remover can handle pretty much any stain that comes its way, from ketchup to fruit juice. It’s a nontoxic, fast-acting, biodegradable, pH-neutral formula that gets stains out as they happen. Just spray it on, blot it off, and rinse.

34. These pucks that clean your washing machine

Your washing machine processes a lot of dirt in a month. So, about every 30 loads, run one of these cleaning pucks through it to clean all of that away, making sure your clothes are being washed in a clean space. Over 94,000 people swear by these and have given them five stars.

35. A set of shelf liners for a cleaner, brighter fridge

Line the shelves of your fridge with these colorful shelf liners, and it will look pretty and bright when you open the door looking for a snack. And when something spills inside — and it probably will — cleaning that mess up will be so easy. Just remove the mat, wash it, and put it back in.

36. This pen so you don’t have to clean the grout

This grout pen is a terrific option if you are considering retiling or taking on a labor-intensive grout-cleaning job because your tile looks worn, stained, or dirty. Just draw right over the old grout like you are coloring. It’s easy, fun, and you will be surprised by how much better the room looks.

37. A hard-boiled egg maker that’s microwavable

You can skip the entire process of boiling water on the stove for hard-boiled eggs, all thanks to this microwavable egg maker. All you have to do is add some water (along with four eggs), and then place it into the microwave to cook. Of course, it’s important to follow the on-page instructions before using this product to ensure your eggs are cooked safely and properly.

38. This air fryer that cooks your fave snacks without oil

It’s true: You can make delicious fried snacks without the oil, and this air fryer can make it happen. It uses a nonstick, 2.6-quart frying basket that can cook any snacks from fries to chicken wings. The machine even features an auto-shutoff function and has a cool handle attached to the basket.

39. The packing cubes that’ll help you organize your luggage

Instead of stuffing your suitcase to the brim with clothes (and hoping it isn’t too heavy), try using these packing cubes. They’ll help you organizer your belongings before you pack so you can fit everything in your luggage. They’re made of durable nylon and have mesh panels, and six of them come with one order.

40. A 3-in-1 foldable charger that works wirelessly

This three-in-one charger can power your phone, AirPods, and Apple Watch — and it does so wirelessly. It’s also foldable and can work through slim phone cases that are less than 5 millimeters thick. It’s available in two colors — black and white — and even boasts overcharge protection, per the manufacturer.

41. A UV phone sanitizer that helps get rid of 99.99% of bacteria

This UV smart phone sanitizer will help rid your device of bacteria (99.99% of it, per the manufacturer). All you have to do is place it inside the container and turn it on. It’ll take 10 minutes to sanitize — and thanks to the thoughtful design, you’ll be able to hear notifications while it’s working. Bonus: You can use it on jewelry, too.

42. The sofa armrest clip that can hold your coffee & snacks

If you don’t have any room for a coffee table next to your living room furniture, why not opt for this armrest clip? It sits snug on one of your couch arms and gives you a sturdy spot to place your coffee, phone, and food. At the time of publication, it’s listed as a best seller on Amazon and has over 2,200 positive reviews.

43. The cushioned laptop desk with a built-in tablet holder

This laptop desk makes working on the go so much easier (and a lot more comfortable). It sits on an angled cushion, and there’s even a plush wrist pad that also helps keep your computer in place. The desk also features a tablet or iPhone holder so you can see those screens without an issue, along with some storage pockets.

44. An ergonomically shaped computer mouse that’s comfier to use

Whether you’re working or gaming all day, you’ll probably like using this mouse. Not only is it wireless, but it’s also ergonomically shaped so that it’s more comfortable to use (you hold it like you’re shaking someone’s hand). It’ll also automatically shut off after eight minutes of stillness in order to save power, and you can turn it back on by pressing one of the side buttons.

45. A laundry board that makes folding clothes so much easier

This shirt-folding board will make doing the laundry — dare I say — fun. It’s essentially a foldable platform where you can lay shirts, pants, and more before folding them in an orderly fashion. That way, you’ll have even piles of clothes in your closet that shouldn’t come toppling over. Choose from four colors: black, blue, green, and red.

46. This stainless steel dish-drying rack that saves so much counter space

This dish-drying rack truly does it all: Since it rolls out over your sink, it saves counter space while giving your dishes somewhere to air dry. It also provides a spot where you can wash produce — and since it’s resistant to heat, it can be used as a cooling rack. There’s even a pocket for utensils on the side, and it’s grounded with nonslip silicone.

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