The best Labor Day secret is out. (Photo: Amazon)
We LOVE a good deal. Every week, we spend hours combing the internet for the very best products at the lowest prices to share with you. But there's only one thing that makes a deal on a product even better: it solves a problem.
You probably already know that Amazon is loaded with items that meet both criteria. What you might not know is that Amazon has a secret section with awesome overstock items that you can get at a serious bargain. It's packed with everything you need, but we've zeroed in on the items that can simplify, clear up or just make your life a little bit easier — all at a massive markdown with Amazon's Labor Day sale.
We searched through hundreds of products — from vacation-saving gadgets to quirky items to make lounging more relaxing — and picked out our favorite items. Scroll down for hidden gems to help out around the house.
This gadget takes a spoon rest to the next level. Designed as a place to put your messy utensils while you're cooking, it has an extra large to catch all the drippings and there are four slots for all the wooden spoons and brushes you need to pull off dinner.
"Great for cooking big meals!" wrote a rave reviewer. "I have the single utensil holder that’s glass and looks cute, but when cooking big meals for friends and family I was laying down napkins and just dirtying the stove top without having a place for stirring items and scoopers and whatever else I’m using for cooking. This has been GREAT for getting rid of that problem! I will say, things like curry will stain it. But it also stains a lot of other plastic items so that’s on me for not thinking ahead. Otherwise, easy to clean, I can easily hold 4 utensils while cooking on 4 burners, and adds a pop of color to the kitchen! Hands down best thing in my kitchen to have."
Say goodbye to spills! This clever automatic drink dispenser lets you pump drinks from bottles instead of pouring, which is a game-changer for people who have trouble lifting big jugs of beverages. The tap and straw contraption fits into most bottles and features an automatic trigger for hands-free dispensing — just push the edge of your cup against it and the liquid flows.
"Absolutely love this product," wrote a five-star fan. "It is so very helpful for my elder mother who struggles with pouring. This is so great for anyone with Parkinson’s, stroke or after surgery and you can’t lift heavy items, amazing for children also. I can’t say enough about this product."
Perfect for small kitchens, this dish drying rack saves counter space by using the sink to catch dripping water. Bonus: it rolls up for easy storage.
“Ooooh, I scored big for Valentine’s Day this year!” wrote a doting husband. “My wife loves it. She likes order in her kitchen, and leaving things on the counter to dry is horrific. This little baby is easy to store and unroll for use, and enables one to keep all dishes/pots/pans over the sink. It can be a good space-saver by allowing you to use the area above your sink. Also works well as a cooling rack. So easy to use, and yet so enabling.”
For those cooks who haven't gotten around to getting that coveted hand blender, now's your chance to get one of the best on the market. Cuisinart appliances are known for how well they can pulverized vegetables and crush nuts into bits, and this hand blender holds up that reputation. You can whip, blend and grind with this gadget without being cumbersome.
"This little handheld blender is so useful so I don’t have to pull out the big Cuisinart every time I want to make some soup," share a happy cook. "It’s blending power is amazing and it is so easy to use and clean. I highly recommend it."
If you really want to make meal prep fast and easy, start with sharpening your kitchen knives. This one is inexpensive and gets your knives razor-sharp thanks to its three-stage process. That means you won't have to replace your knives when they get dull — you'll save a lot of money in the long run with this device.
"We had a set of extensively used knives that needed to be replaced or re-sharpened, as the edges were worn out and blunt," shared a happy shopper. "Ordered this knife sharpener to try out. It worked perfectly - a few strokes of the knife edges over the fine stones made the knives work like new - even sharper than when they were just bought!"
If you spend any amount of time on your couch, you might want to invest in this organizer. On one end, it has six pockets to hold items like books and remote controls. The other end slips under the couch cushion to hold it in place. Amazon shoppers love it for de-cluttering their space.
"I have arm covers with small long pockets for remotes and my mom came by for a visit and wanted just one arm cover to store her iPad and puzzle books in," reported a rave reviewer. "We decided on this one because it says it is extended so you can tuck more under the sofa cushion to prevent slippage and it's perfect! She picked the color she wanted, the teal and she's been using it for several weeks now and she could not be happier. The pockets are plenty big enough to store her iPad, puzzle books and pens and even the thick zip up case that the iPad is stored in when not in use. The material feels like a soft burlap and seems quite solidly constructed. It is absolutely worth the asking price."
A hook is an all-purpose problem solver. Whether you're short on shelving or you need nail-free solution for hanging decor, these adhesive hooks work magic without damaging your wall.
"These worked out wonderfully for what I needed them for," wrote a happy shopper. "I even tested one out by hanging a cast iron pan on it to see if it really could hold a heavy item. It didn't even budge a bit with the pan on it. They are very easy to apply and worked in the area I needed them to work. I had an issue with another brand where they wouldn't stick to the paint we used in our kitchen. This product had no problem sticking and staying at all. they have been up for several weeks and are still holding strong."
The end of summer means we'll be swapping out our summer bedding and clothes for cozier items. If you're short on closet space, these Oxford cloth storage cubes keep things compact and out of the way when you don't need them.
"Ordered these to store bedding, blankets, comforters, etc," a satisfied shopper shared. "I previously stored those items in the plastic zip packaging that new sheets and quilts come in, but I had so many and they were scatter in our storage room and in various closets. Now they're all together and still protected and easily available. Love the see-thru front with two-way zippers on the front and the top. They can be a bit heavy and unwieldy when fully loaded, but they seem sturdy and hopefully will last a long time for what I'm using them for."
This bag is designed with two openings and a loop at one end for easy hanging. You can use it for plastic grocery bags you want to reuse — or anything else that needs corralling in your house.
"I love these bags!" reported one enthusiastic shopper. "Very strong cording & material, excellent sturdiness. And it holds a lot of bags. What I love most is the bottom allows me to pull one out, but isn’t allowing bags to fall to the floor."
Not only is the umbrella made for the rain (it's never too early to prepare for the rainy season!) but it's also designed to provide shade from the sun and block damaging UV rays.
"Sitting in full sun with temps in the 90's, I found it to be very comfortable sitting under this umbrella," wrote a happy shopper. "I am typically bothered by heat and my husband not so much. The first Sunday that I used this umbrella I was cooler than he was using a regular umbrella."
If you're traveling at all this fall, having an RFID blocking sleeve is a must-have. Instead of magnetic strips, credit cards now transmit information through radio frequency identification (RFID) technology — it allows you to tap your card on a machine for payment instead of swiping. These sleeves block the transmissions so thieves can't intercept them when they're in your wallet and they're just $7 when you apply the on-page coupon.
"I can rest easy not only when I carry my cards individually but also the card in use remains in the sleeve right up to the point I slide it out for immediate use, then right back into the sleeve," wrote a savvy traveler. "When I travel sometimes I do carry my wallet when I want to use cash but when I am relying on credit or debit I only carry the card. Again these will be perfect. What it comes down to is if you believe the RFID protection really works and I do. I love the colors of them and they are very well made. They seem like they will be very durable and not tear at all. A very useful product I highly recommend."
If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And even those without Prime get free shipping on orders of $25 or more).
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
