22 incredibly useful things on Amazon we're so glad we bought, from a giant tub of flaky sea salt to a genius pet hair remover

A pet hair remover that actually works

ChomChom Pet Hair Remover, $27.95 

Pet hair is a constant in the home of any pet owner … or so I thought. This tool is basically magic and removes cat hair with ease from my fabric dining room chairs, couches, and sheets. I can't take credit for this find, though, because I bought it on the recommendation of our senior home reporter Jenny McGrath. Thanks, Jenny! —Ellen Hoffman, editor-in-chief

 

Affordable leggings that stack up to Lululemon's

Colorfulkoala Women's Buttery Soft High Waisted Yoga Pants, $22.99

Colorfulkoala leggings look and wear like a high-quality pair of buttery soft leggings for a fraction of the price. The flattering high-waisted fit stays in place, and the fabric maintains its shape and quality after washing and drying. These yoga pants are a great wallet-friendly option for lounging or fitness. —Talia Ergas, freelance writer and editor

A bed frame

Zinus 14-Inch SmartBase Platform Bed Frame (Queen), $124.21

I bought an entire bed frame off Amazon Prime Now.

For anyone who hasn't used it, Amazon Prime Now is Amazon's courier service. Basically, anything that's in the local warehouses can be shipped out to you within one or two hours. 

It's a pretty mundane product, but you have to hand it to the company for nailing logistics down to the point where you can get a heavy, unwieldy package from Manhattan to Brooklyn for rock-bottom prices. (I tipped, generously.)

Apologies to the poor soul who had to load it onto the van for being that guy. —Connie Chen, former senior reporter

A "survival" bracelet for hiking

Atomic Bear Paracord Bracelet, $12.99

I won't stop singing the praises of this paracord survival bracelet I heard about from a wilderness survival Masterclass. It features a few essentials that could help you out in a tough situation during a hike, like a whistle, a fire starter, and paracord capable of holding up to 550 pounds in weight. I never hike without mine! —Lauren Savoie, deputy editor

A LifeStraw for clean water on the go

LifeStraw Personal Water Filter, $15.69

I bought a couple of these personal water filters on Amazon Prime Day to add to my family's emergency to-go bag ... and I wasn't the only person who stocked up.  —Ellen Hoffman, editor-in-chief

A deliciously floral black tea that's hard to find in grocery stores

Stash Breakfast In Paris Black Tea (6-pack), $17.94 

I love this "Breakfast in Paris" tea blend with notes of lavender and vanilla, but I never see it stocked in my local grocery store. Amazon to the rescue! —Ellen Hoffman, editor-in-chief

A TikTok-famous grout cleaner that lives up to the hype

Zep Grout Cleaner and Brightener, Pack of 4, $29.58

Zep is hands down the best grout cleaner I've used. I was impressed with how simple it was to use and how well it lifted the dirt from the grout. It took less than 10 minutes and I didn't even need to scrub very hard. —Brenna Darling, freelance writer

Yummy cheese powder for popcorn

Hoosier Hill Farm Cheddar Cheese Powder, $14.99

I generally eat pretty healthy, but I think I'm in love with this tub of powdered cheese. It's so good on popcorn, in mac and cheese, and sprinkled on any other sort of cracker, chip, etc. It's supremely cheesy and salty and delicious! This is honestly one of the best Amazon purchases I've made in years. —Sally Kaplan, executive editor

A versatile pan that also works as a cast-iron skillet, steamer, and baking dish

Ninja CW102GY Foodi NeverStick PossiblePan, $119.95

Although the Always Pan also made cooking easier and quicker, the PossiblePan is bigger, more durable with its high heat tolerance, and is a tad cheaper, making it the overall best multifunctional pan. I don't think you'll have a bad experience with either pan, but the Ninja Foodi PossiblePan is the one I'll be reaching for in my kitchen. —Kenedee Fowler, home fellow

A huge food coloring kit

AmeriColor Food Coloring, $32.25

Any baker looking to expand their repertoire won't regret buying this food-coloring kit. A food blogger I follow uses it, and the range of colors you can create with it is really cool.  —Ellen Hoffman, editor-in-chief

Japanese BBQ sauce that goes with everything

Bachan's the Original BBQ Sauce, $12.95

"I was originally sent Bachan's as a press sample when the brand was first launched in 2019, and my boyfriend, exhausted from cooking at the restaurant all week, was so obsessed with the flavor that we went through a single bottle in under two weeks. I quickly signed us up for auto-order to get three new bottles every two months (I had to put my foot down on pacing him) to make sure we always have it on hand when we need to throw dinner together on a time crunch." —Rachael Schultz, health and fitness editor

The 'Ferrari' of manual pasta machines

Marcato Atlas 150 Pasta Machine, $84.95 

I bought this pasta machine as a gift recently, and it was a total hit! My boyfriend and I have spent more than a few date nights making homemade pasta dishes together since I gave it to him, and we're consistently impressed by how easy the machine is to use. —Ellen Hoffman, editor-in-chief

A huge tub of Maldon flaky salt

Maldon Sea Salt Flakes Bulk Tub, $25

Flaky salt lovers, this one's for you: Amazon sells a huge tub of Maldon sea salt for $25. I'm now probably stocked for life, and I have zero regrets. —Ellen Hoffman, editor-in-chief

A nifty candle lighter

RONXS Rechargable Lighter, $8.99

I first read about this weird but very helpful candle lighter in my colleague Connie Chen's review, and I bought one immediately after. It's a small thing, but I love that I'm no longer wasting non-refillable plastic lighters thanks to a rechargeable version, and the flexible neck means I no longer have to contort my hand or even lift a candle to light one where it stands. Again, a small thing, but surprisingly very convenient. —Mara Leighton, senior reporter

A handheld blender that doubles as a food processor

Breville BSB510XL Control Grip Immersion Blender, $119.95

For $120, this has everything I need to make my favorite soups, dips, salsas, and more at home. Even though I'm relegated to the role of my girlfriend's sous chef in our apartment, home cooks will love the simplicity, versatility, and easy clean-up that comes with the Breville Control Grip Immersion Blender. —Danny Bakst, senior story production manager

A convenient holder for litter scoopers

iPrimio Universal Cat Litter Scooper Holder, $15.49 

I stumbled upon this litter scooper holder a few months ago, and I wish I'd thought to buy it years ago. Litter scoopers get gross fast, and this holder contains any stray litter that falls off of them so that it doesn't end up on your floor. It makes maintaining and cleaning the area around my cats' litter box a lot easier. —Ellen Hoffman, editor-in-chief

A foldable bike helmet

Closca Foldable Bike Helmet, from $39.90

I got this for my partner who bikes to the office every day — it's one of the best products we've ever tested and I think it's also one of the best gifts I've ever given. Instead of trying to stuff a full helmet into his already-full commuter backpack, he can neatly fold it and fit it right next to his laptop. —Julia Pugachevsky, hobbies, books, and gifts editor

Magnetic cable ties

Fironst Silicone Magnetic Cable Ties, $14.99

These magnetic cable ties are an easy, inexpensive way to take a drawer full of chargers and cords and untangle them. I was able to wrap all of my individual chargers neatly and ended up saving so much space! They're also great for anything you might use a twist tie for (like wrapping a loaf of bread) or hanging photos on your fridge. —Angela Tricarico, streaming editorial fellow

A tap light so no one bothers you while you work from home

Energizer LED Puck Lights, $10.50

I love working from home, but I don't love the frequent interruptions. Sure, I can close my office door, but that doesn't stop my husband from knocking to ask a random question about dinner or laundry. I wrote about how I love these $5 tap lights for communicating my availability directly so that I don't get so much as a tap on my office door. If you're constantly interrupted by partners, roommates, or kids during the work day, these simple lights are worth it. —Lauren Savoie, deputy editor

Some delicious balsamic vinegar

Due Vittorie Oro Gold Balsamic Vinegar, $20.99

 I buy a lot of random condiments and recipe ingredients on Amazon, the latest of which is this absolutely delicious balsamic vinegar. It dresses up any meat and cheese board, and it's a great addition to salads too. —Ellen Hoffman, editor-in-chief

An ice cream scoop that professionals in the ice cream business use

Zeroll Original Ice Cream Scoop, $16.80

We've all taken a knife to a tub of solid Rocky Road in frustration, resulting in haphazard clumps of ice cream in your cup. The Zeroll gives you a round scoop that fits perfectly in a cone or bowl, letting you stack flavors to create the perfect sundae. The ice cream slides right off the scoop, even when the flavors include sticky caramel or marshmallow swirls. —Lily Alig, home & kitchen reporter

Silicone wedding bands for outdoor activities

QALO Silicone Wedding Ring, $14.95 to $24.95 depending on size

My husband and I are really active and travel a lot, and we're always worried about destroying/losing our wedding rings when we're playing sports/hiking/swimming/staying in places we don't know much about, so for an anniversary present I bought us both these Qalo rings.

They're made of medical-grade silicone and they're super comfortable. Lots of users have switched to silicone rings permanently; I haven't gone that far yet, but I can see myself doing it in the future. Also, a couple started the company, and they do lots of philanthropic work. Cute. —Jada Wong, former editor