10 years ago, these genius home upgrades would've been expensive, but now they're cheap as hell

Clear your dental tools off the countertop while keeping them clean and germ-free at the same time. This wall-mounted toothbrush holder has a built-in UV light that sanitizes up to 99.99% of bacteria, automatically disinfecting them every four hours. It also dispenses toothpaste and holds two mouthwash cups for swishing. Mount it to smooth surfaces with adhesive strips, or to rough surfaces with screws.

This outdoor security camera doesn’t require any wires or rechargeable batteries. That’s because it pulls power from a standard E26 light bulb socket while simultaneously illuminating your outdoor space. Pair it with an app on your phone using Bluetooth to get motion alerts, two-way audio, and 2K video resolution with color night vision. (While it comes with limited local storage, cloud storage is sold separately.)

Open your front door with a quick scan of your biometrics. This fingerprint doorknob scans your unique thumbprint, allowing quick, easy access for your family members while denying everyone else. You can also unlock it with a key or through an app, and it’s rechargeable with a battery life that lasts up to a year on one full charge.

Amplify the speaker on your phone without any wires or pairing. This induction speaker boosts volume by over 350% without affecting the quality. One reviewer said, “The sound is clear and surprisingly loud for its size, and the induction audio feature works great with both my iPhone and Android devices.” It also functions as a phone stand, a color-changing LED light, and a wireless charger.

It fits in the palm of your hand, but don’t let the size of this mini thermal printer fool you: “Easy to set up with my phone, and the print quality is surprisingly sharp,” one reviewer said. From an app on your phone, you can design and customize photos, memos, coloring sheets, and labels before printing them on black-and-white sticker paper.

Not getting enough natural light to keep your indoor plants alive? These grow light stakes stick straight into the soil, nourishing most types of plants with full-spectrum wavelengths. They’re USB-rechargeable with height-adjustable stems, and you can customize the output with three automatic timer settings and four brightness levels.

Don’t let its reasonable price tag fool you. This air purifier has a true HEPA filter, a primary filter, and an activated carbon filter to remove allergens, dust, and unwanted odors from the air. It’s also quiet and covers rooms up to 1,086 square feet. “I have had the absolute worst allergies this year,” one reviewer said. “My life changed when I bought this air purifier.”

Personalize and illuminate your entryway, art space, man cave, or home bar for way less than you’d think. This neon sign features a custom LED message in your choice of several different colors and fonts. Each one is suspended in transparent acrylic with pre-drilled holes for easy mounting, and the cord is clear for a seamless look.

Deep-tissue massagers used to cost hundreds of dollars — and some still do — but judging by its more than 8,000 five-star ratings, this one delivers quality relaxation for way less. “Can’t beat the quality for the price,” one reviewer raved. “Looks and feels just like the [high-end] ones.” It’s rechargeable for cordless use, comes with 10 interchangeable heads for various types of massage, and offers seven speed levels to adjust the intensity.

Slip this slim tracker into your wallet so you always know where it is — whether you lose it somewhere in the house or accidentally leave it behind in an Uber. Available in several bright or neutral colors, it weighs next to nothing, but its long-lasting battery creates a stable signal so you can track it on a map with Apple Find My or prompt a loud beep from up to 300 feet away.

These electric salt and pepper grinders have earned an average 4.5-star rating from over 5,500 buyers, and one reviewer called them “The best kitchen item I ever bought.” Their battery-operated motors automatically grind coarse sea salt and peppercorns when you flip them over, so you can season your food without straining your wrist and with a single hand.

If you don’t floss as often as you should, this water flosser makes the process much easier and more comfortable. With six pressure settings and three interchangeable heads for various jobs, it’s designed to flush away residue and clean plaque more effectively than brushing alone. It’s also lightweight with built-in nozzle storage for portability, and USB-rechargeable for cordless use.

This portable air compressor pump fits in the palm of your hand and weighs less than a pound, but it packs a serious punch when you need air. Its rechargeable battery can fill up to eight tires on one charge, while its various attachments can inflate car tires, bike tires, sports balls, and pool floats. It even doubles as a flashlight and a portable charger for your devices.

Use this jellyfish lamp as a mood light for ambiance, a night-light for kids, or a visual meditation aid to boost mindfulness and relaxation. The quiet, brushless motor circulates the water, causing the silicone jellyfish to swim at your choice of three speeds. It also has seven color-changing LEDs and a gradient mode, and its wide base resists tipping.

A decade ago, light therapy would be an expensive in-office treatment. Now, you can buy this face and neck massager for a fraction of that price. Its adjustable vibration modes boost circulation, while its seven color light settings aim to tackle various skin issues. It’s also rechargeable with a built-in heater for cordless, comfortable use.

Make sure your pets are fed on time, no matter your sleep, work, or travel schedule. This automatic cat or dog feeder holds up to 4 liters of dry food and automatically dispenses up to eight meals per day at the desired times, which you can set with the backlit digital display. You can even record a 10-second voice clip to announce feeding time or soothe your pets while you’re away.

Install these smart LED strips behind furniture, under cabinets, or along the ceiling to create the ultimate customizable ambiance in your home. Each adhesive strip spans 16.4 feet and connects to an app on your phone, so you can choose from festive modes or assign each segment a different color. You can even sync up the lights to music or automate your lighting with timers.

A heated blanket is one of those simple luxuries that you don’t understand until you’ve experienced it. This electric blanket has six temperature settings and six automatic timer settings, so you never have to worry that you left it on. Its internal wires are flexible, fast-heating, and consistent, while its reversible exterior has soft fleece on one side and plush sherpa on the other.

Add moisture back into the air to breathe easier in the winter, combat dry skin, and soothe your sinuses when you’re sick. This cool-mist humidifier has a 3.5-liter tank that lasts for up to 40 hours on a single refill. It also has an adjustable dial to customize the output, a seven-color night-light for ambiance, and an essential oil tray for aromatherapy, plus it automatically shuts off when water levels run low.

“I don't know how I lived without it for all my life!” one reviewer raved about this toilet bidet, which was “very easy to install.” Its ultra-slim design fits most bowls without gaps or getting in the way, while its easy-grip knob lets you adjust the water pressure or switch between rear and frontal cleansing modes. Despite its low price tag, it has stainless steel fittings for leak-resistant durability.

This automatic trash can opens in four different ways: Wave your hand or bend your knee over the sensor, tap the bottom, or manually press the button. The battery-operated lid opens sideways, so you can throw out your trash without hassle or spreading germs. Despite its 2.6-gallon capacity, it’s slim to fit in tight corners or next to toilet bowls, and it’s water-resistant for easy cleaning.

Light sleeper? This wireless Bluetooth sleep mask is a “total game changer,” said one reviewer who’s sleeping better than ever. It blocks out up to 99% of light with its cotton-filled fabric, and it plays music, podcasts, or white noise directly into your ears with its flat Bluetooth speakers. The rechargeable battery lasts for up to 15 hours, and it has buttons on the front to adjust the volume.

Yes, this alarm clock has a digital display that showcases the time, temperature, and date — but it also has a projector that casts the time onto the wall or ceiling, so you can check without rolling over. Among its other high-tech features, you’ll also find a dimmable screen, 10 alarm tone options, three alarm modes, a battery backup, and a USB port to charge your phone.

Leave the harsh overhead lights off, especially when you’re unwinding with a nighttime shower or bath. This cordless lamp “gives the bathroom a soft, relaxing glow that creates a spa-like atmosphere,” one reviewer said. It’s rechargeable for up to 40 hours of cordless light, customizable with three color modes and stepless dimming, and waterproof so you can bring it in the shower with you.

Smart plugs help you automate old-school lights and devices, so you can turn on a lamp with your voice, start your coffee from bed, turn off your straightener from anywhere, and set your holiday decorations on schedules. These smart plugs come in a pack of two for an amazing price. They’re compatible with Google Home and Alexa, among other smart platforms, and you can control everything from an app on your phone.

I have this smart scale, and I absolutely love how fast, easy, and accurate it is. In addition to tracking your weight, it also has highly sensitive electrodes that measure and record 13 body composition metrics including bone mass, metabolic age, hydration, and muscle mass. Using Bluetooth, it syncs with a phone app, so you can review your results and track your fitness journey over time.

Turn your bedroom, bathroom, or living space into a magical light show. This remote-controlled LED galaxy projector comes pre-programmed with 33 color combinations and three lighting modes: starry sky, aurora, and a combination of the two. It also doubles as a Bluetooth speaker for parties and a white-noise machine to lull you to sleep.

Studies show that most phone screens contain more bacteria than a toilet seat. This UV sanitizer box uses ultraviolet light to disinfect up to 99.9% of germs. It’s rechargeable for cordless use and it fits most phone brands smaller than 6.6 inches — or you can use it to sanitize remote controls, earbuds, jewelry, baby items, and more.

Even if it takes you eight hours to drink your morning beverage, this coffee mug warmer ensures that the last sip is as hot and delicious as the first. Its roomy warming plate fits just about any heat-safe cup, while its three temperature settings and automatic timer functions offer customizable control. Last but not least, its woodgrain base and color-changing LED lights look chic and futuristic on your desk.

Outdoor string lights used to cost a pretty penny, but now you can get them for several dollars each. This 29-foot strand has a classic Edison-bulb design with shatterproof casings and dimmable LEDs. The cord is flexible, yet durable and weatherproof, and you can connect up to 60 strands to span your entire porch, patio, or yard.

To you and your guests, this insect trap looks like a sleek, futuristic night-light. To bugs, it’s a deceptive beacon that lures them in with a blue UV light before catching them with curved sticky sheets. It’s designed to attract fruit flies, gnats, house flies, moths, and mosquitoes, and each plug-in base comes with three sticky sheet refills.

Park your car perfectly in the garage every single time. This parking assistant uses dual lasers to provide easy-to-see guidelines for up to two cars at once, so you can pull all the way in without hitting anything. It plugs into an outlet with a battery backup for power outages, and it has a motion sensor and an automatic timer to save energy.

Enjoy the soothing benefits of aromatherapy, even when you’re commuting to work or sleeping in a hotel. This portable essential oil diffuser is waterless and rechargeable, so you can bring it virtually anywhere without having to worry about outlets, spills, and messes. It comes with four fragrance oils, and it has three mist modes with timer settings for automatic use.

Cold weather and short days got you down? This light therapy lamp is way more stylish than your average SAD light, but it still produces 10,000 LUX of full-spectrum, UV-free illumination. Its vertical tube design takes up minimal space on your desk while shining 360 degrees, and it has three color temperatures, adjustable brightness settings, a memory function, and automatic timers for a customizable routine.

Remotely monitor the temperature and humidity in any room of your house. These hygrometer thermometers come in a pack of three. Using Bluetooth, they sync with an app on your phone and send you notifications when conditions are outside the standard range. Mount them on the wall or prop them up on a flat surface for versatile placement.

Attach the weighted balls for tangle-free workouts, or the steel-core rope for traditional jumping. Either way, this battery-operated jump rope has 360-degree ball bearings for smooth rotations and a precision chip that automatically tracks your jumps, calories, weight, and time. Get it in four colors, all wrapped in soft silicone for grip and comfort.

Screw this smart bulb into virtually any E26 lamp, ceiling fixture, or wall sconce to turn it into a smart light on a budget. Its corresponding app lets you choose from 16 million color options, schedule automatic timers, and set the brightness from 1% to 100%. It’s also compatible with Alexa and Google Home, so you can control your lights with your voice.

This smart feeder provides dinner and a show — dinner for the birds in your yard, and a show for you. Its HD camera is solar-powered for cordless use, and it’s motion-activated with a built-in bird encyclopedia to send you notifications, identifications, and facts when a winged guest comes calling. It even has two-way audio so you can listen to the chirps and scare away squirrels.

This portable Bluetooth speaker has over 118,200 five-star ratings — and for a good reason: It offers up to 24 hours of clear, powerful sound while weighing less than 1 pound and fitting in your pocket. It’s also IPX7 waterproof, so you can take it from the bathroom to the beach, and it has on-device buttons for pairing, pausing, and volume control.

Research shows that even mattresses with covers contain dust mites and dead skin cells. This handheld bed vacuum is specifically designed for fabric surfaces like mattresses and sofas. It has strong suction to remove dust and allergens, a UVC light and heating function to tackle bacteria, and a dust mite index display that monitors allergen levels in real time.

Now you can check what’s inside a box, bin, or drawer without even opening it. Scan these QR code labels with your phone to instantly see photos and a list of their contents. You can also search for a specific item to track down its container. Since they’re color-coded and subscription-free, they’re a no-brainer for seasonal storage, moving, and keeping track of inventory.

When your TV isn’t big enough, this mini Wi-Fi projector lets you create screens up to 130 inches. “The picture quality is surprisingly clear and vibrant for its size, making movie nights at home so much more enjoyable,” raved one reviewer who called it “compact, lightweight, and incredibly convenient.” It also has a built-in speaker and a base you can rest on a table, mount to the ceiling, or secure on a tripod.

Play music, watch videos, and take calls in the shower, all while keeping your phone safe and dry. This shower phone mount fits most smartphone brands in its waterproof, touchscreen-friendly case. It also has an adhesive base for drill-free mounting on most smooth surfaces, and its fog-resistant display rotates 360 degrees so you can view your phone at any angle.

Clean your retainer, aligners, mouth guards, and more with minimal hassle. This ultrasonic cleaning machine uses gentle vibrations to dislodge residue, micro-bubbles to lift buildup, and an optional UV light to zap away bacteria. Choose from three automatic timer modes for quick, daily, or deep cleaning, and use the included tray and tweezers for easy removal. You can also use it to polish jewelry.

Once laptops no longer included CD drives, most people stopped having a way to play their DVD collection. This mini DVD player comes with HDMI and AV cables, so you can hook it up to televisions and projectors for old-fashioned movie nights. Reviewers love that it’s compact and quiet with multiple ways to power it. It can also play CDs.

Monitor safety without an expensive security system, or turn your home into an automated smart home. This smart sensor detects when doors or windows are open, so you know when someone enters and can automate your lights when you come or go. Connect it to the Aqara Hub (sold separately), and it’s compatible with HomeKit and Alexa for hands-free control.

A dead battery can quickly ruin your day. This smart car battery charger is an all-in-one solution that charges, maintains, desulfates, and trickle-charges to prevent unexpected breakdowns. Its sensor automatically adjusts the current as needed, while maintenance mode lets you leave it connected for extended periods of time without overcharging. You can also use it on motorcycles, ATVs, lawn mowers, and boats.

Since they sit flush against your landscaping and produce a bright, warm-white glow, these solar ground lights look expensive and hard-wired. In actuality, they take seconds to install, and their solar panels absorb sunlight during the day and turn on automatically at night, making them virtually maintenance-free. They also won’t trip you or get in the way of your lawnmower.

“My skin has never looked so good,” one reviewer said about this facial steamer, which uses nano-ionic mist to cleanse pores, boost circulation, hydrate your complexion, and improve the absorption of your skincare products. You can also use it to clear your sinuses when you’re sick, plus it comes with a five-tool stainless steel extraction kit to remove blackheads and blemishes.

Name-brand sunrise simulators can cost triple the price, but this sunrise alarm clock is “exactly like the more expensive one,” said one reviewer. The light gradually brightens to mimic the rising sun, gently rousing you from sleep while working with your circadian rhythm. It also has 30 white noise settings that you can use before bed or to wake you up in the morning.

Remove unwanted facial hair in seconds and without nicks, pain, irritation, or breakouts. This portable facial hair remover is USB-rechargeable with rotating razors underneath a rounded, low-friction head. It also has a built-in light to illuminate stray hairs, and you can use it anywhere else on the body, too.

Keep your cat active and entertained while you’re busy with other tasks or when you’re away from home. This laser toy automatically turns on when it senses movement from up to 13 feet away. Its three speed modes produce random patterns to engage your cat’s natural hunting instincts, plus it’s rechargeable for days of cord-free use.

Save yourself some serious money by giving yourself gel manicures at home. This professional nail lamp has a UV/LED light that cures almost all gel polish and sculpting formulas. It’s also touch-activated with four automatic timer settings, and it includes a pair of protective gloves that guard your fingers and hands against UV exposure.

If your thumb isn’t as green as you’d like, this smart hydroponic growing kit takes all the guesswork out of gardening. Its adjustable full-spectrum light helps indoor plants grow up to 300% faster, its smart sensor alerts you when water levels are running low, and the app lets you control the growing conditions from anywhere. Your order includes everything you need, including seed pods and plant food.

You don’t have to spend thousands on a home security system. This indoor security cam delivers 2K video footage straight to your phone. It also has two-way talk audio, 4x zoom, color night vision, and an LED spotlight, so you never miss a detail. With a Blink subscription (sold separately), you can also get cloud storage and smart detection notifications.