A personalized mug would make a thoughtful gift for yourself or a friend
From CB: I love little personalized items. This is a pretty coffee mug with a loved one’s name and your choice of stylized illustrations for under $16! The 11 ounce mug is $15.99. You can get a 15 ounce mug for $.99 more and a matching coaster for $5 more. Design choices include floral, bicycle, cactus, pineapple and more. They use both script and san serif fonts to create a custom message. These have 4.9 stars, over 300 ratings and a B on Fakespot. Reviewers say that these make an “amazing gift,” that the recipients are touched by their thoughtfulness and that the shipping is “super fast.”

A magic broom that picks up pet hair, liquids and more

From CB: The Erviholder is a telescoping multipurpose broom that you can use to quickly sweep up liquid, dirt and pet hair. It can even be used as a squeegee for windows or to clean your car. It’s under $13.50 for the broom alone or you can get other cleaning tools with it, like a brush and grooming mitt. This has 4 stars, over 10,000 ratings and an A from Fakespot. Pet owners with dogs who shed say they’re “amazed at what this picks up even after I just ran the vacuum” and that it’s “everything I hoped it would be for removing pet hair.” I want to get it just so I don’t stress when I spill something or knock the coffee grounds all over the floor. This has happened more than once.

Hair ties that won’t snag or break hair

From CB: Years ago my hairdresser told me that he saw breakage midway down my hair and he suggested that I stop using traditional hair ties and that I tie my ponytails looser. I switched to scrunchies and fabric ties and it did seem to help. I also bought a pack of these spiral plastic hair ties in Germany and they quickly became my favorites whenever I didn’t opt for a scrunchie. This is a pack of four clear spiral ponytail holders for $6. They’re supposed to spread the pressure out over a larger surface area, reducing the stress on your hair and scalp. Plus the smooth design keeps your hair from getting snagged. These have 4.3 stars, over 1,100 ratings and a B from Fakespot. Women say they hold even thick, curly hair back, that they don’t hurt at all, and that they don’t put dents or marks in your hair like other elastics.

Hooks for your car seats to hold your purse, groceries and more

From CB: I’m still throwing my purse in the back of the car to make room for passengers. Half the stuff falls out of it and it’s frustrating. This is a set of four hooks that attach to your car headrest for just $6! Unlike competing products, this has an A from Fakespot, over 2,800 ratings and 4.5 stars! Reviewers say the hooks work well and like that they have them for both their driver and passenger seats. They say they’re easy to put on and remove and that they’re a “nifty solution to an annoying problem.”

A can strainer so you won’t lose anything through the lid

From CB: If you’re like me you just open the can and then use the lid to strain out the liquid. This means that some of whatever you’re straining will invariably go down the drain, like beans, corn or pineapple chunks. This little can strainer is just $3.39. You open the can, stick it on and don’t lose any of the contents when draining. It has 4.5 stars, over 1,000 ratings and a B from Fakespot. People call this an “excellent kitchen tool” say that it doesn’t get stinky at all and that it is “especially good with tuna.”

An inflatable kayak will save space in your garage and car

From Hecate: I have so many friends that kayak. It looks really fun but I haven’t been in a kayak since my single digits. The biggest problem with kayak, is storage and transportation. This inflatable kayak might be the answer because it takes up a fraction of the space in the garage and it can go in the trunk of your car, rather than having to strap it to the roof. It earned 4.4 stars with 4,500 reviews and a C from Fakespot. It has removable seats and skeg. Reviewers say “Re-entering is easy and it won’t flip,” and that both the paddles and pump are designed and work beautifully. The description does say this is for smaller bodies of water, like lakes and rivers. So now all I need is an accessible lake and some coordination so I can keep the non-flippable claim honest.

A hanging punching bag to work out your aggression

From Hecate: The reason I have no room in my garage for a kayak is because we just hung this Everlast bag. Both my husband and daughter take martial arts and I have been looking for a arm/back workout I can stick with. I love this thing. It is a fantastic stress reliever. I can’t use it too much yet because I’m just learning how to punch, but my daughter tears this thing up. Not really, because it’s very sturdy, but she practices her karate more now than ever. This particular one only has 24 reviews but there are a couple versions of it on Amazon, like one with gloves and wraps and one with freestanding bar. I got this one because it was on several “best of” lists.

A dish squeegee to make quick work of leftovers

From Hecate: I’m one of those folks who thought it was totally fine to shove all my leftover food into the garbage disposals until I broke mine and got the lecture about how a disposal is not for all your leftovers. Now I use a drain net but I have to clear that thing several times a day. So I’m hoping this plate squeegee makes life easier. It’s only $5 so it’s worth it to find out. One reviewer said, “It’s one of those things you feel silly buying and then use every single time you wash dishes.” Others said it spares your sponge from sauces and melted cheese, which is a bonus as I hate goopy sponges. Plus they say it’s great for cleaning countertops and tables. And since my countertop composter bucket is small, I think this will really help. It has 503 ratings, 4.5 stars and a C from Fakespot, making the adjusted rating still quite good.

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