Life

These 37 Weird Products On Amazon Aren't Gimmicks Because They Work

Amazon

Who hasn't stayed up late watching TV and caught an entertaining infomercial? More often than not, they can feel a little cheesy — and if you've ever ordered one of the products, you might find they fall a little short of perfection. And while Amazon certainly isn't lacking in the gizmos and gadgets category, it's definitely not the same end result: because a lot of the weird products on Amazon aren't gimmicks. They really work.

Sure, the silicone non-slip grips on these gloves form skeleton hands, but together with the material that's heat resistant to 932 degrees, they're the perfect solution to handling hot foods and baking and cooking equipment both at home and while camping. And this spot remover, with its folksy drawing of a cartoon grandma on the front label, practically has a cult following on Amazon — with reviewers routinely declaring their love for the product and telling tales of how Grandma has "saved the day" over and over again.

Sure, it's only natural this day and age to be skeptical, and a little critical thinking never hurt anybody. But when it comes to these weird-but-awesome Amazon standouts, you can rest easy: these are the ones you'll be using over and over again.

1

This Brita Bottle Filters For You While You're On-The-Go

From a name you trust — Brita — comes this water bottle that's excellent for use when you're on the go, away from your fridge-sized Brita filter. The sleek, 26-ounce, hard-sized, BPA-free bottle plays home to an integrated Brita filter to catch all the impurities before they make them to your lips — getting not only the allergens and bacteria, but also making your water taste great. It even features an enclosed straw so you can really go the extra mile in reducing plastic waste.

2

These Pens Whiten Teeth Safely And Fast

Get the same bright white you'd pay an exorbitant amount for at the dentist with these whitening pens — they use a form of peroxide to get your teeth clean and fresh. Pocket-sized pens mean they're easy to travel with, and they're really easy to use: simply leave the clear liquid on the teeth for one minute and then you're all set.

3

The Multi-Purpose Rubber Squeegee That's Great In The Bathroom And The Kitchen

Use this tool to eliminate small messes as they come up through the day, whether you're in the bathroom or the kitchen. It's double-sided: the flat side is great for scraping things like food or toothpaste off, and the bristles on the other side scrub down mess. It's flexible enough to get around corners and sinks, too.

4

A Cushioned Mat That's Perfect For Home Or Work

I have one of these mats in my kitchen and I don't know how I lived all those years without it. It makes a huge difference when you spend a lot of time cooking like I do (or standing in the laundry room or at work), and without it, I'd have sore legs. This Gorilla Grip version, unlike the others, doesn't slip around and provides superior support. It's 3/4 of an inch thick, and is waterproof. One reviewer writes: "So squishy! I bought it for my standing desk at work and I find that it's really helped with the fatigue. Most days I don't even notice that I've been standing for hours."

5

The Gloves That Are Genius For Handling Hot Foods And Cookware

With a fun skeleton pattern of non-slip heat-protectant silicone that withstands heat in and of itself, added to a flame-resistant fabric that features a 5-inch cuff to protect the forearms — these gloves can withstand heat up to 932 degrees for the most protection you can get when grilling or roasting marshmallows around the campfire. Flexible enough to allow finger movement, cooking is easy with them on, as is handling ingredients, kitchen implements, and anything else life throws at you.

6

A Garment Steamer That's Powerful And Quick-Heating

It takes just over a minute to heat up and can steam for nine minutes straight to get your entire outfit for tomorrow's big meeting all sorted out: This portable steamer is the one traveling companion you should never leave home without. The nozzle provides an effective distribution of steam to help speed along work on broad pieces like shirts and suit jackets — and the adjustable modes make it safe to use on a wide variety of natural fabrics.

7

The Clip-On Strainer That Makes Draining Pasta And Vegetables So Much Easier

Small and smart is the name of the game with this genius strainer that snaps on to the edge of nearly any round pot, pan, or bowl — then allows you to drain off water, marinade, and other liquids. Engineered from high-quality FDA-approved, BPA-free silicone that's also dishwasher-safe, it stores in much less space than a traditional colander.

8

A Tea Tree Oil Foot Balm Will Heal Whatever's Ailing You

It may be called a foot balm, but this tea tree oil preparation is good for so much more than just banishing cracked heels, athlete's foot, and nail fungus. This 100 percent natural plant-based concentrate treats everything from jock itch to ringworm — and its a great spot lotion for everyday use in repairing dry and scaly patches in trouble spots like on the knees and the elbows, and treating chapped, overworked hands. In addition to tea tree oil, this powerful formula contains a blend of lemongrass, eucalyptus, and lavender oils — plus organic arnica, neem, and turmeric for maximum healing.

9

A Set Of Little Silicone Farm Animals Watch Your Boiling Pots So You Don't Have To

What more could you ask for in the kitchen than a trio of farm animals to make sure your pots and pans don't boil over? Made from BPA-free, food-safe silicone, these clever lid lifters are designed to securely grasp the rim of most pots to ensure air circulation and prevent whatever's boiling or cooking inside from boiling over. This dishwasher-safe set includes a pig, a chicken, and a sheep — the whole barnyard crew.

10

The Perfect Accessory To Grow Your Own Avocado Tree

Next time you make avocado toast, don't throw away the pit — save it and load it into this unique bowl that's purpose-made to start your own avocado tree with nothing more than water. About 90 percent of pits will root and begin to send out a shoot, and once the plant is about 20 centimeters tall, it's ready to pot in dirt and put in a sunny place.

11

This Folksy Spot Remover Is An Amazon Legend

Formulated from a blend of ingredients that's biodegradable and non-toxic, this spot remover is a cult favorite for its versatility: It works on all those tough stains like blood, chocolate, ink, grease, red wine, and anything your toddler brings home from preschool or your dog picks up at the park. Safe for most fabrics and chlorine- and phosphate-free, all you need is a drop to get out even the most stubborn, set-in stains, and your garments will be good as new.

12

The Light Bulb That You Can Turn On And Off With Your Voice And Control With An App

Light up your house from anywhere in the world when you get this smart bulb. Download the app on your phone, and you can switch it on from Kalamazoo or Kuala Lumpur, as long as there's Wi-Fi — or control is via your Google Home or Amazon Alexa. The real benefits, of course, accrue when you use it to turn on the lights for you before you walk in the door on a dark night or just after you walk out on a cold morning, or set up a schedule while you're on vacation to deter prowlers.

13

This Shatterproof Glass Blender Is A Smoothie And Shake Whiz

Made from shatter-resistant borosilicate glass that's FDA-approved and BPA-free, this blender is just what you need to whip up delicious smoothies, shakes, and who knows — maybe even an adult beverage or two. Powerful enough to breeze through crushed ice — but lightweight enough to be a road warrior right along with you — it's fueled by a rechargeable lithium ion battery that can go up to a week on a single charge.

14

The Ultrasonic Humidifier That Gets Rid Of All The Bad Stuff In Your Indoor Air

A full-featured solution at a terrific price, this purifier takes indoor air through four stages to get out undesirable particles, including an activated carbon HEPA filter and an ion booster that strains out the ultra-fine allergens. Not only will you breathe easily, but unwanted smells will be whisked away into the filter's chambers — so you'll only smell freshness.

15

The Silicone Bottle Brush That's So Flexible, It'll Get Into All Those Tight Spaces

Made completely of BPA-free silicone, this bottle brush is so flexible that it's suited to clean a wide range of deep but narrow vessels in your home. The 12.5-inch handle is flexible, allowing it to dive down deep inside narrow spaces — and the bristles themselves flex to scrub, meaning they're great at cleaning everything from sports water bottles to baby bottles. Silicone is antibacterial and won't harbor odors, making this the perfect solution for getting out any left behind grime.

16

The Shiatsu Massage Pillow That Features Deep-Kneading, Multi-Directional Massage For Healing And Relaxation

Designed with four massage balls that rotate then reverse direction, this shiatsu massager is cordless for optimum convenience and features an optional heated massage for added pain relief. Mimicking a human massage with its 3-D design and automated depth and pressure, this massager is suitable for use anywhere on the body to relieve muscle tightness — and soothe away aches and pains.

17

The Bear Claws That Make Shredding Meat A Breeze

Get back to nature with these meat-shredding claws that mimic how a bear tears apart his prey. You'll definitely feel primal as you make short work of that pork roast, but these FDA-approved, BPA-free nylon implements have so many more uses: Use them to toss salads, to lift and transfer hot, heavy items from cooling board or rack to your platter, and as a stabilizer while carving.

18

A Cleaning System That Keeps Those Expensive Makeup Brushes In Top Shape

Invest in the money you laid out for your expensive makeup brushes by purchasing this makeup brush cleaning system that will keep them in top shape for years to come. It spins them through your favorite cleaner to achieve 98 percent cleanliness, removing not only old colors but also oils, dirt, and bacteria — then spins them to remove excess water. Allow them to continue to dry naturally before reuse and they're good as new.

19

A Massager That's Perfect For Relieving Repetitive Stress Injuries

For anyone suffering from hand pain due to repetitive stress injuries, arthritis, or other troubling conditions, this massager can help boost circulation, break up muscle stiffness, and provide manipulation that's targeted at the achy spots in these areas. This dual-sided massager features one side that provides manipulation on both sides of a finger at once — and the other end of the massager has smaller rollers for a trigger point massage.

20

A Cup Warmer That Keeps Your Hot Drinks And Soups Warm All Day Long

Enjoy a hot cup of coffee or tea on your time — not the beverage's — with this mug warmer. With three temperature settings, you can decide how you'd like the device to warm your soup, cocoa, or even hot milk, and the body of the unit is heat-resistant and fire-resistant, too. Its small footprint and light weight make it a comfort of home that's easy to take on the road, too.

21

The Copper Sleeves That Can Give You A Little Extra Edge While Relieving Foot Pain Quickly And Easily

We've known the power of copper for a long time — now apply its power to your feet with these foot sleeves, guaranteed to have the highest infused copper content on the market. Designed to work on common conditions like arthritis, plantar fasciitis, and joint and tendon problems in both the foot and the ankle, this device permits a full range of motion and is comfortable for all-day wear.

22

These Blind Spot Mirrors Make Sure You Know What's Headed Your Way

Buy yourself a little extra insurance against automobile accidents with these blind spot mirrors that maximize your view and ensure you're in the clear, especially when changing lanes. Equipped with 3M adhesive, they install easily in just seconds, and they're fitted with tiny swivel mounting brackets to extend your range of vision and enable you to customize the angles you want to monitor.

23

The Soft Headband For Sleep That Contains A Bluetooth Speaker For Soothing Tunes All Night Long

Rest peacefully while enjoying your favorite music with these wireless headphones — they incorporate a thin Bluetooth module and side speakers to help lull you to sleep . Sync up with your phone, tablet or any other Bluetooth-enabled device to stream your favorite playlist or podcast on this device that has a playing time of up to eight hours on one charge. The headband itself is a soft and comfortable poly-cotton blend.

24

The Convenient Shields Stop Makeup Smudges Before They Begin

With a patented design that protects your under eyes from eyeshadow fall out during the application process, these shields make a flawless face a breeze. What's more, they can also be used above the eyes and around the lips for precise application without errors. Adhesive strips on the top edge enable the shields to adhere to your face so you can have both hands free for application.

25

A Mouse That Works To Help Keep Your Posture Upright And Correct

With an ergonomic design that features a thumb-operated scroll ball on its left side, this mouse is engineered to keep your wrist and arm in a relaxed, neutral position that prevents repetitive stress injuries — and keeps you from tiring over long stretches at your computer. Wireless and suitable for use with all Windows-compatible machines, it also features built-in energy-saving functions you'll love.

26

This All-Natural Cleaner Is A Whiz At Busting Messes And Freshening Up Your Home

With its clean, fresh lemon verbena scent, this cleaning spray is cruelty-free and cuts through grease and dirt with ease. It's suitable for use on all your hard surfaces — from floors to countertops, walls, kitchen appliances and bathroom fixtures — and one reviewer writes that you can "use this cleaner for EVERYTHING!"

27

The Car Vacuum That Gets Into All The Nooks And Crannies

High-powered and designed to clean every nook and cranny in your car, this vacuum cleaner plugs right into the lighter port so that you can get busy. Its ergonomically-designed handle will help you easily glide into those tight spaces, and a light mounted just below the handle will help you see into the dark areas so you'll know what you're picking up. Designed for both wet and dry messes, it has plenty of suction to pick up whatever you've been putting down.

28

A Solar Power Bank That's Your Go-To In The Outdoors And In An Emergency

An eco-friendly way to charge all your electronics and the perfect accessory for campers and hikers, this solar power bank is sturdy and durable, shock- splash-, and fire-proof. Charge it initially via a power source through its micro USB outlet, then maintain the charge through sun exposure. It's equipped with two flashlights, a compass kit, and multiple USB ports, too.

29

This Odd-But Genius Device Will Spring To The Front Of Your Beauty Tools

Remove unwanted facial hair from the roots and enjoy the feel of baby-soft skin with this hair remover. Safe and healthy for your skin and easier on delicate tissues than waxing and shaving, this patented, 100 percent stainless steel device removes hair quickly and easily. Sanitize the device between uses by boiling it or washing it in the dishwasher.

30

A Handy Spray To Clean Up Your Toilet Aroma

Just spray a little of this Unicorn Gold before you sit on the throne, and any unpleasant odors you generate will be neutralized twice: Once on the way to the water, and again once your waste is in the bowl. Formulated with cherry and berry essential oils and — yes — colloidal gold, it traps the molecules that generate the unpleasant odors and keeps them locked beneath the water. They're flushed away, and you're golden.

31

This Cosmetics Organizer Has A Place For Everything

You'll look like you're operating a professional makeup counter right at home with this makeup organizer that features a 360-degree rotating tier. With five adjustable layers, it can be customized to accommodate your products in any way you like: the tray itself features partitions and slots for all the lipsticks and tools you could ever need. Crafted from strong and transparent acrylic, it's tough but cleans easily.

32

These Bags Eliminate Odors The Natural Way — With Charcoal

Filled with 100 percent activated bamboo charcoal, these bags are the natural way to get rid of odors and a much more eco-friendly choice than chemical sprays or solids. Crafted from attractive natural linen, this set includes four square bags for use deodorizing your home environment, and four smaller bags for use in your sneakers and other footwear. The charcoal absorbs unpleasant odors and also naturally dehumidifies to prevent the growth of mold and mildew.

33

A Cable Organizer That Will Keep Your Desk Neat And Orderly

With a weighted non-slip base so that it will stay exactly where you put it, this organizer will keep your cables straight — and the rest of your desk along with it. Its four notches are each capable of holding multiple cables, and it has a small overall footprint that belies the big impact it will make on your level of organization. Plus, cut down on the time you spend searching for a cable for each of your devices, because from now on, they'll always be at the ready.

34

This Motion-Sensing Light Gives You A Boost Of Illumination Right When You Need It

Weatherproof and designed to install in less than five minutes, this motion-sensing light is the perfect solution for that one spot — whether indoors or outside — that's not near a power source but where you just need a little light. It might be an issue of safety or just one of convenience, but regardless, Mr. Beams can take care of it, with its wireless design and light coverage of more than 120 square feet.

35

This Magnifier Allows You To Enjoy Movies And Shows On Your Phone Screen Without Squinting

Great for anyone with less than perfect vision or whenever you want to get your squad to gather around your phone to watch your latest viral video, this screen magnifier makes your display three to five times larger without losing any quality to the resolution. Your hands will be free, too — the base is also a smartphone or tablet stand, so you're not stuck holding your device.

36

A Brilliant And Spill-Proof Ice Tray

Have you ever seen anything from OXO that wasn't genius? Me neither. This ice tray is so smart, because when I'm using my trays to make extra cubes in preparation for a party, I invariably slop some over onto my toes on the way into the freezer. Not so here: The purpose-made silicone lid fits right down onto the silicone tray, so no sloshing allowed. Plus, this tray actually makes ice sticks, ideal for fitting down into the narrow neck of a water bottle.

37

This Drying Lotion Is A Great Way To Dry Out Pimples

Make this drying lotion a regular part of your nighttime routine whenever a pimple pops up — this legendary brand is a go-to when it comes to no-nonsense skin preparations you can count on, and this award-winner is no exception. Apply it at bedtime, and your acne will have noticeably faded and receded by morning.

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