Do you own a can opener? A corkscrew? Of course you do. Because, usually, it's the most mundane things that are the most necessary — but at one point, these inventions seemed ridiculous. Imagine, for example, you lived in a world where bread was not sliced. (This was a thing once.) To eat bread, you tore it or cut it yourself. One day, you learned you could buy bread already sliced. It seemed frivolous, but you gave it a go — and it happened just like that. Suddenly, you couldn't believe you survived so long. It's the same thing with these weird but utterly brilliant things going viral on Amazon.
Sure, these products may seem a little strange now, but once you incorporate them into your daily routine, the old way of doing things will seem archaic. It'll feel astonishing that you never knew these very-necessary things existed. But instead of bread, it's mugs that immediately create iced coffee or adhesive sheets that turn any surface into a white board. Suddenly, you realize the world is full of items that before, seemed too absurd to exist, but now, they're totally indispensable.
And do you know where the world's largest cache of silly, ridiculous (but also really clever) things are? On Amazon, of course. So I went there and unearthed 45 of the most weird but brilliant things. According to real reviewers, you might just want every single one of them.
1. This Trigger Point Massager So You Can Reach Your Own Back
Sore muscles come with life, but getting to a massage therapist is not always in the budget. This simple, affordable device puts those body parts you can't reach within reach. Sure, it looks like an odd plastic tube with knobs (because that's what it is), but those knobs are strategically placed so you can get leverage on your own pressure points. No more begging for foot massages or rolling around on top of a tennis ball.
2. A Brilliant Drain Protector That Catches Every Hair
Everyone from your partner to your landlord to your plumber will appreciate this simple device, which catches the hair before it gets so far into the drain that it's a problem. (The kind of problem that requires an expensive call.) The revolutionary mushroom shape allows water to flow through while the hair wraps around the base. Just wipe it clean once in a while and you — and your drains — are good to go.
3. The Grip Handle Your Phone Needs
There are a lot of solutions out there that claim they will make it easier to hold your phone in one hand — but some are better than others. This simple handle is a fan-favorite because it pops out to two different heights for easy texting and selfies, and it doubles as a phone stand while you're cooking or watching videos. It's the small things, right?
4. This Toilet Spray That Traps Odors Under The Water
You're out somewhere and you suddenly need to go — but you'd rather keep that under wraps. Good thing you've got your secret weapon handy: A bottle of this Poo-Pourri, because you (wisely) read this article long before this situation. Just spray it into the bowl before you go, and the essential oils will create a film over the water that traps unwanted odors under the surface. No one will ever know you were there.
5. A Travel Pillow That Actually Travels Well
Sleeping on a plane isn't always comfortable. A travel pillow helps, but most of them are so big you have to wear it, clip it to your bag, or leave it home. This one is smarter than that. Just wrap it around your neck like a scarf and the rigid support within will let you fully relax. And when you aren't napping, you can forget all about it because it fits into your bag.
6. This Under-Door Tool That Stops Drafts
You could stop cold, expensive drafts like your grandmother did (with a towel or knitted pillow) — or you could just order this Under Door draft stopper. It opens and closes with the door so you'll forget it's there, quietly doing its job, until your power bill shows up slenderized.
7. The Best Luggage Scale, According To Reviewers
Have you ever gotten to the airport, put your suitcase on the luggage scale, and been told, "That will be $50?" If you made this simple luggage scale part of your packing routine, that would never have happened. The high-accuracy digital display tells you exactly how heavy your suitcase is, while the built-in thermometer and included battery are nice additional touches. No wonder buyers say it's the "best of the best for travelers."
8. The Microwave Upgrade You Didn't Know You Needed
Microwaves are finicky creatures. Sure they cook things fast, but often they don't do a great job. Luckily, this vented cover traps some of that microwave heat while releasing steam, so your food cooks more evenly and stays more moist. It also stops the food from spewing a mess inside the microwave. Better leftovers? That seems worth $8.
9. A Handbag Light So You Can Find Your Keys
How much time do you spend hunting in your purse for your keys, lipstick, or some other item you're pretty sure is in there? According to the makers of this SOI in-purse light, the average woman spends 76 days of her life searching in her bag. I don't know who did that math or how, but I want my 76 days back. Thanks to its motion-sensing abilities, this light comes on when you open your purse, but it'll switch off within 10 seconds to save battery-life.
10. This Touch Screen Upgrade For Your Laptop
When you bought your laptop, you didn't want to pay for a touch screen — but now you have regrets. No worries. Just plug the Airbar into a USB port, attach it (it's magnetic) to the bottom of your screen, and you have a touch screen. It's actually smarter than your average touch screen because it's calculating where you're pointing rather than feeling it through the screen. Wear gloves, use a pencil, keep the screen clean, and it will still know what you want.
11. These Light-Up Shoe Clips So You're Safer In The Dark
Are you careful about the colors you wear when you go out for a night run? Sometimes, that's not enough. Luckily, these lights clip onto your shoes so it doesn't matter what color you're in. Drivers will see you. You can choose a flashing light or a steady light — plus they're available in three colors and designed to fit most shoes.
12. This Magnetic Bottle Strip To Save Room In The Fridge
Beer (or any other bottles) take up a ton of room in the fridge. Install this magnetic strip onto the ceiling of your fridge, however, and you will never again be forced to choose between beer and cheese. The super strong magnets hold the beer aloft — an entire six-pack of them — leaving the shelves free. These also make a great gift for any beer lover.
13. Never Loose Your Keys In A Bag With These Clips
How many times have you had to empty your entire purse to find your keys? There is an easy, inexpensive solution to this common problem. Install these little clips in your bags and clip your keys to the hook instead of tossing them into the cavernous depths of your voluminous purse. They come in a six pack of all different colors, and they work in backpacks or briefcases, too.
14. A Whiteboard Sticker To Write Your Thoughts Anywhere
When ideas strike, you want to write them down ASAP. Or maybe you like to work problems out on a big space. Stick the Think Board to any desk, table, or wall, and you can write all over them to your heart's content. It works with any dry erase markers, so when you're done, you can wipe it all away and start fresh.
15. A 2-In-1 Wine Preserver & Pourer
If you're the type of person who drinks one glass of wine every three weeks, you probably end up wasting the rest of the bottle. Replace the cork with this stopper and it gets immediately to work protecting your wine from the oxygen and moisture that cause it to sour. It also doubles as a dripless wine pourer, so when you go for your next glass, it's fresh and mess-free.
16. A Folding Board That Creates Uniform, Stackable Squares
The pain point on laundry day is folding, right? It's irritating, time-consuming, and the results are often disappointing. It turns out there's a tool for that! This folding board. Put a shirt on it, fold the board, and the shirt comes out perfectly square — you can have a drawer of tidy and easy-to-find shirts in minutes. Your sweaters will stack neatly on a shelf. Reviewers say it will turn your closet into a retail-store-worthy display.
17. This Mug For Iced Coffee Immediately
Pouring hot coffee over ice does not make iced coffee. That makes watery warm coffee. That's why the world needs this chiller from Zoku, the creators of many nifty Popsicle makers. Keep it in the freezer. It's filled with a liquid element — between the walls of the cup — that chill hot coffee in seconds. You can even drink it right from the chiller, since it has a spill-proof lid.
18. The Laundry Hamper For Where There's No Space
If you've got dirty laundry in your bathroom, closet, and bedroom, but no room for a free-standing hamper, this little laundry hamper fits anywhere that there's a door. It has an easy-load top and a zipper-open bottom, and it will keep the dirty laundry from accumulating where it shouldn't. Hang one everywhere you want to capture the laundry before it hits the floor.
19. A Shelf For Double The Space Under The Kitchen Sink
Whether you've got under-the-sink cleaning products in the kitchen, detergents in the laundry room, or toiletry bottles in the bathroom, you usually end up with wasted space. Luckily, this two-tier shelf is designed to go there. It fits around the plumbing. It brings order. And it's about time you got one and got that place sorted.
20. A Handy Place To Charge Your Phone
Where do you charge your phone? Is it convenient? Or is it simply the place where there is the magic combination of an outlet and a table? Just add this tiny shelf to the outlet and you can charge your phone right there. It installs over your switchplate, can support several pounds, and even has a slot for the cord. Now your home is starting to work for you instead of the other way around.
21. These 2 Collapsible Laundry Baskets
Laundry baskets are super useful — but they are typically too big to store when they aren't in use. Much as you would like to have several of them on laundry day, where would you put them the rest of the time? These collapsible laundry baskets are the solution. You can stack several of them in the space one traditional laundry basket would take. They fit under beds, between the appliances, and on shelves. Genius.
22. A Lazy Susan In Your Cupboard
How handy is this thing? Forget all those little snacks that fill up your pantry with boxes. It has a place for all your food and condiments (or use it for cosmetics). You can spin it around, see what you have, and make your choice thanks to the transparent acrylic walls, and it's easy to clean for the same reason.
23. The Fastest Onions You Can Chop
If you like to cook, chopping onions is the chore that never goes away. This onion chopper, though, is here to take over that chore. It quickly chops an entire onion, traps the juices that make you cry, and stores the chopped onion you don't use. Thanks to the various interchangeable blades, it will even cut other veggies, too.
24. A Hilarious Rubber For Your Wine Bottle
What should you do with an open bottle of wine if you lost the cork? Put a rubber on it! These are, literally, wine condoms. Slide one over the top of the bottle and it seals it up so you can bring it to a party or stick it in the fridge — without spills and while keeping it fresh. They also make a silly (but useful) gift for anyone who drinks wine.
25. This Clip-On Strainer That Fits Almost All Cookware
Colanders take up a lot of space, and you use them, basically, for one thing: draining ingredients. This much smaller clip-on strainer does the same job and takes up a fraction of the room in your drawer or cabinet. It's flexible to fit most sizes of pots, pans, and bowls, and it's heat-safe up to high temperatures so it's fine alongside boiling water or hot oil.
26. These Lids That Fit Everything In Your Kitchen
You could go out and buy an entire set of storage containers and lids to match, or, with these lids, you could use what you have — bowls, cups, mugs, lidless storage containers. They stretch so they fit over anything. You can stop using that plastic wrap while you're at it, too. These work better, are less irritating, and are eco-friendly and reusable.
27. This Brownie Pan That Does The Cutting For You
Everyone does it. It's not just you. It's not just me. When the brownies come out of the oven, you want to cut them right away so you can eat them, and that usually results in warm, crumbly blobs. With this pan, you can do as you please, because the brownies will come out of the oven in perfect, uniform squares. But the best part? Each brownie — not just the corners — will have a dense, chewy edge.
28. This Knife That Makes Butter Way Easier To Spread
This butter knife is essential if your butter is hard to spread and you end up ripping your toast because of it. The holes in the stainless steel create thin curls. These are not only beautiful and artsy, but they will also melt much more quickly onto bread than a cold slab.
29. These Metal Straws That Collapse Into A Keychain
By now, everyone knows the damage plastic straws do to our environment. This kit is the fix. It fits on your key chain so you always have it with you. It's collapsible so you won't know it's there. And it comes with a straw-cleaning brush because you are never going to use a straw if you suspect it's filthy on the inside. Also? It's only $7.99 for two of them. What are the turtles worth to you? At least that, right?
30. These Will Save You At Fancy Outdoor Events
You've been invited to a wedding or shower that's being held outside. You could drop a lot of money on fancy flats, or you could buy some of these cute stoppers for the ends of your favorite heels. They prevent your heels from sinking into the grass, making if possible for you to walk across the lawn. In fact, you should probably bring a few extra sets for the other guests who didn't think ahead.
31. This Non-Sticky Balm That Prevents Chafing
If you've ever gone for a run or a walk and spent the days afterward suffering, you know that chafing is not to be taken lightly. Just rub some of this balm on your skin before you get dressed. It's made with natural ingredients, long-lasting despite moisture, hypoallergenic for sensitive skin, and prevents chafing between body parts or due to clothing.
32. These Underarm Pads That Absorb Sweat
Sweating is natural — but if you'd rather be discreet about it, these pads keep you feeling dry and fresh while simultaneously protecting your clothes. They're made from absorbent, non-woven fabric and stick to the armpits of your shirts with the built-in adhesive. You get 100 of them in this package.
33. Some Absorbent, Washable Insoles When You Want To Go Sockless
Socks are an annoying necessity, right? They don't make your shoes look better. They slide down when you are walking, and they get lost in the dryer. These insoles are a much better idea. They are made of cotton terry cloth, so they'll pamper your feet and keep them smelling fresh. And you can throw them in the wash, so they're a must-have for flats and casual sneakers.
34. This Massage Roller You Can Freeze
Put ice on it! Get a massage! When you have pain in your muscles, these are the things everyone tells you to do. This ice roller massager covers all the bases. Just roll it over your tight, sore, or injured muscles and it will chill and soothe simultaneously. Some reviewers keep one in the freezer at all times, because it feels that amazing.
35. A Vibrating Cleansing Brush Made From Silicone
Thanks to its vibrating motor and its tiny silicone bristles, this tool only needs a tiny amount of cleanser and some water (and to be recharged occasionally). It gently unclogs pores, removes makeup residue, and exfoliates away dull skin. According to buyers, it's about to become your go-to cleansing routine.
36. This Clock So You Can See Alexa's Timers On The Wall
I ask Alexa to time everything from yoga poses to the brownies in the oven — but I also have to ask her, sometimes repeatedly, how much time is left on those timers. This Echo Wall Clock gives you a visual for them instead. Hang it on the wall and connect it, so you can see the time as well as the timer you've got going. This is one step into the future, right here.
37. This Video Display For Hands-Free Video Calls
Hang this 8-inch Facebook Portal on the wall or set it on a table. When someone calls on Whatsapp or Facebook, you can take the call right there, even if you are in the middle of cooking dinner. You caller doesn't need to have one of these — they can use whatever they use — and when it's not being used for video calls, it will display your photos from Facebook.
38. A Sleeve That Keeps Your Beer Cold All Night
Beer koozies? Hah! This double-wall aluminum bottle thermos is vacuum-insulated, and that means your bottle (or can) of beer is not getting warm anytime soon. It also has a bottle opener in the lid, making you completely self-sufficient beerwise. Can that flimsy neoprene sleeve do that?
39. A Hanging Organizer For A Much Neater Closet
Inadequate closets? This hanging shelf will fix it. It will also help you get organized so that getting out the door in the morning is way easier while half asleep. Fold your shirts into the cubicles on top. Hang pants and skirts below. On weekday mornings, you can just mix and match. Then go.
40. These Compostable, Washable Cloths For Dishes
Do you use sponges to wash dishes? According to real reviewers, these dishtowels are better. They're made of cotton and plant-based cellulose fibers and are completely compostable. They are also machine-washable so it will be ages before you throw them away. Just keep washing them and using them till they fall apart — the designs are super cute, too.
41. A Reusable Notebook So You Can Write, Upload, & Erase
The tactile feel of pen on paper is not only pleasant; it also helps us to remember what we wrote down. The Rocket Book offers that with a futuristic twist. Write your notes in it. Send those notes to Google, Dropbox, Evernote, or wherever you store data. Then erase the pages and do it all again. Your notes are stores in your brain and online. Best of both worlds.
42. This Rack So You Can Store The TP Where You Need It
Small bathroom with no place to mount a toilet paper dispenser? That's okay. If you have a toilet in there, you can mount the toilet paper — with an extra roll — right on the side of it, thanks to this Over The Tank holder. It saves space. It's easy to install, it's well-made, and it's affordable. Problem solved.
43. This Thermal Mug That's Designed To Resist Tipping
Some day, electronics will all be waterproof. Until then, this cup is designed so that your morning coffee doesn't end up all over your laptop. Thanks to the suction-cup base, it sticks to the surface you set it on. Go ahead and try to spill it. It grabs on and refuses to fall. It's also BPA-free, top-rack dishwasher-safe, and lightly insulated to retain temperature — plus you can get it in seven different colors.
44. These Holders That Mount Your Toothbrush And Razor On The Wall
Where do you keep your razor in the shower? Get everything organized and clean by sticking these organizers to any shiny surface in your bathroom. Put one on the mirror for the toothbrush. Hang one in the shower for the small items you need in there. They don't use any glue. They just stick to the surface with some sort of science-y magic (AKA silicone grip technology).
45. This Cable Box To Tidy Up That Snarl Of Cables
Create a tidy charging station with this box — and all the cable management solutions inside it. You can get rid of that entire snarl of cables, or hide them and make it more functional. Use the Velcro wrappers to clean up behind the stereo. Direct your phone cords exactly where you want them with the stick-on wire guides. There is enough gear in this box of goodies to clean the wires in your entire house.
Mic may receive a portion of sales from products purchased from this article, which was created independently from Mic's editorial and sales departments.
