Browsing Amazon is a bit like exploring the local trash can: Sometimes you find yourself buying too many useless trinkets, but sometimes you come across a gadget that truly improves your life in unexpected ways. We wanted to get straight to that feeling of triumph by searching for five Amazon finds that solve household problems you didn’t even realise you might have.
These are tiny technological gadgets available at reasonable prices. All the products on this list are under $35, or even less if you can snag them on sale.
That said, cheap electronics are often among the items you should never buy on Amazon, at least not without taking a close look at customer reviews. Implicitly trusting every review is one of the most common mistakes people make when shopping on Amazon, so it’s important to look at the bigger picture. Every product on this list is rated 4 stars or higher (on a 5-star scale) based on at least 1,500 customer ratings, with no recurring issues or defects noted in reviews.
Cable Matters Right Angle USB-C Adapter Kit
The Cable Matters Right Angle USB-C Adapter Kit comes with two right-angle USB-C adapters for $8.99: one vertical and one flat (landscape). These right-angle adapters are perfect for situations where you need to plug in a device with limited space. You can’t always thread a USB cable through a tight crevice and bend it enough to fit into the port. With a right-angle adapter, you can insert a USB cable directly without bending it at an awkward angle. This also helps prevent damage to the cable itself. Bending or twisting a USB cable will damage its internal copper wires, which can ultimately lead to poor connections, cuts, or even complete failure.
Right-angle USB adapters come in a variety of shapes, sizes and types. If the Cable Matters bundle doesn’t quite fit your desktop setup, you can find other adapters on Amazon for a similar price, including some that support USB-A and Micro-USB connections.
Odistar desk vacuum cleaner
The Odistar Desktop Vacuum Cleaner is a cube-shaped vacuum cleaner small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. It’s easy to keep on your desk or store in a drawer so you can quickly reach it to clean up dust, crumbs or other debris. This USB charging device is available for $19.98, or you can get an AA battery-powered version for $15.98. A handheld vacuum is also great for cleaning your keyboard, and customer reviews also indicate that the Odistar is useful for counters, shelves, and other small surfaces.
Odistar claims its desk vacuum can run for a total of 400 minutes on a single charge of two to three hours. It also has an auto-off feature that kicks in after 15 minutes, increasing the number of uses you can get with just a little juice. This vacuum fits perfectly on the list of Amazon office gadgets you use daily.
Lamicall Cord Organisers
The Lamicall Cord Organisers Pack is a pack of six cable holders that you can use to secure wires in place with a spring-loaded locking mechanism. You might not notice how awkward it is to bend over to grab that charging cable, or how obnoxious all those wires actually are, until you use a cord organiser to keep them hidden or within easy reach. The Lamicall organiser uses a residue-free acrylic sticker that can attach to the side of your deck, wall, under a table or other surfaces. At $9.99 for six or $17.99 for a 12-pack, it’s an affordable solution for many chaotic cable setups.
These cable holders feature an 8mm-wide cable slot, so most USB cables can be easily pulled out to reach the device you’re connecting to. When you’re done, you can put the cable back in place so the thicker head hooks into the bracket itself. Keep in mind, however, that many HDMI cables are 8.5mm or more thick. This is especially true for longer cables, which require thicker copper wire to transmit information with the same efficiency. You may need a different DIY solution to hide TV cables if you’re dealing with thicker wires.
House Gem Mug Warmer
The House Gem Mug Warmer is a nifty desktop device that keeps your caffeinated beverage of choice warm all day long. Mug warmers are a nice addition to a home office setup, especially if you tend to get lost in your workflow, only to find that you still have a half-full mug several hours later… and it’s gone cold. Even if you’re not a hot-beverage drinker, you might have someone on your shopping list who is, and this warmer makes a perfect choice for remote workers. Available for $30.49, this gadget also works as a candle warmer, so you can use it to safely fill the room with the aroma of your choice when you’re not sipping coffee.
Many coffee makers come with a warming plate that uses 50 to 100 watts to keep the carafe warm after brewing. In comparison, the House Gem Mug Warmer is a 36-watt device, making it more energy-efficient than leaving your brew in the carafe, yet it still has enough power to keep your drink nice and warm.
Kasa Ultra Mini 15A Smart Socket
The Kasa Smart Plug Ultra Mini 15A is a discreet smart plug available for $9.99. It works over a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi connection and, as the name suggests, features a compact design that doesn’t obstruct other outlets on a power strip. Two Kasa mini smart plugs fit into a standard wall outlet, and a two-pack is available for $16.99. They can be controlled via the Kasa Smart app or by voice commands through Alexa or Google Assistant, although no separate hub is required for basic use. If you have other Kasa devices, they can be used in tandem to enable truly creative ways to use smart switches in your home.
By setting turn-on schedules for your smart plugs, you can use them to address the ever-present problem of energy waste. It’s more convenient than turning a power strip on and off every day, and using it to make your home appear “lived in” while you’re away is a common way to increase your home’s security. However, you don’t have to turn your entire house into a smart home. A standalone set of smart plugs is enough to make a big difference in convenience and energy consumption.
