Stubborn stains? Pilly sweaters? Lifeless hair? Not 'round these parts. (Amazon)
Prior to making a big purchase, I spend hours doing market research, poring over reviews and asking for input from friends, family or experts. However, many of of my favorite purchases were things that I picked up without much thought at all, like a car cleaning gel while I was in a checkout line, or a shockingly flattering under-$10 lipstick I added to my cart to hit a shipping minimum. Sure, impulse shopping might get a bad rap, but sometimes, that's also how you find treasures — or at least the stuff you didn't know existed, especially on Amazon.
Of course, Amazon doesn't make it easy to find the real gems. Some of the best finds are sitting in secret sections and hidden behind filters — and who has time to do all that digging, except your friendly neighborhood professional deal hunter? After combing through thousands of Amazon shopper-fave impulse buys, I put together the 12 you can't miss out on, like a beloved cleaning paste, a fabric shaver that'll make your linty old sweaters look brand new and a gel callus remover that'll get your tootsies sandal season-ready. The best part? They're all under $25.
This handy gadget removes fuzz, loose threads and pills, leaving old favorites looking brand new — all in less time than it takes you to buy a new sweater. The handheld device uses a rotating blade to remove unwanted pilled fabric without damaging the garment. The sharp parts are hidden behind a honeycomb mesh cover that protects hands and fingers, and there are three distance settings for tackling various types of fabrics. Read my full review of the fabric shaver here.
At this price, you can stock up in various shades — choose from several different colors like steel, pink and white.
Not a fan of cooler lights? These also come in this warmer hue.
This cushy comforter, which has tabs and can double as a duvet insert, was designed for all-season use, keeping you cozy yet cool during the warmer months and toasty come winter. Box stitching helps keep the fluffy filling evenly distributed.
At just $19 for a queen, this quilt is down to the best price we've seen, so grab it while it's over 55% off.
Check out our full Bedsure Comforter review for more.
Lee Beauty's callus remover is legendary in foot-care circles for dissolving even the roughest, thickest skin on your feet and doing it fast. The gel formula is Amazon's No. 1 bestselling callus remover, with over 37,000 five-star reviews.
The application here is simple: soak your feet in water until they're extra soft (I do this in a bath), apply the gel and, after around five minutes, the hard bumps on your feet are easily sloughed off with any at-home scraper.
This fan declared: "This works awesome! I used it the first time and my feet are at least 50% better than 10 minutes prior to using it. A couple more times doing it and I am convinced my feet will be like they were 25 years ago. It works well and glad I tried it. Definitely use the scraper after you rinse your feet off. You will be amazed."
"You're probably thinking that something this cheap, bright and effective has to have an off-putting chemical smell, right? Wrong!" wrote one Yahoo Life editor who considers herself a fan. "It has a light floral scent, so no need to hold your breath when you open the jar. As for application, just use a cloth or sponge ... and gently rub away the stain. It takes minimal elbow grease — in just a few minutes, the cat-food residue on my walls was gone for good. It took a little more time to work its magic on scratches and paw-print stains, but they're history too."
Check out her full The Pink Stuff review for more.
This nifty nuker warms up beverages in just two minutes or less and keeps them warm for hours to save you trips to the microwave!
Can 25,000 5-star reviewers be wrong? Maybe! But in this case, Essence's $5 in-the-know Lash Princess mascara happens to be worth the hype. The formula is super smooth and effectively lengthens and volumizes (though you will have to deal with minimal smudging and scant flaking). This is all due to the clever cylindrical wand design — it looks like a cone — which makes coating even the hardest-to-reach lashes a breeze.
In warm weather, I often switch to the waterproof version, which is equally as good.
If you dream of thicker hair, dream no more — Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kyle Richards says this stuff delivers. During an Amazon livestream, she pulled out the bottle of root lifting spray that she claims gives you "the look and feel of 3,000 more strands" and admitted that once upon a time, she didn't always use it. But after she realized it was a game-changer, she revealed, "I will never not use that again."
"Recently my hair has been thinning and I shed more," raved a five-star fan. "I take hair and nail vitamins. I just started using a thickening shampoo. I have tried three other spray-in hair thickeners and this is the only one that has truly made my hair feel fuller. The price is also reasonable. I can't afford super pricey hair products that I use daily."
Skip the snake: This gizmo is designed to catch hair before it potentially clogs your drain. It's covered in holes, so water will still flow freely.
"Ew," declared one grossed-out shopper. "Just... ew. I knew we were washing a lot of hair down the drain, but this thing proved it. After snaking the drain on a whim, I was shocked at how much hair I pulled out... . We bought this, and wow — it's full after every shower. It's gross but effective, grabbing hair filled with soap scum. It has managed to get my husband to clean up his hair instead of sticking it to the shower walls, so that's a plus."
Nowhere near an outlet? These pocket-sized saviors can juice up to two devices at a time, including your phone, tablet, headphones and more. Plus, you have an extra one to keep around as backup, or share with a friend.
"I bought these to keep my phone charged during baseball tournament weekends," explained one 5-star reviewer. "They work great, charge quickly and are easy to use. I have also used them to keep a tablet charged for travel."
There's a reason celebs, experts and Amazon reviewers alike reach for this cleanser — it's gentle enough for those with sensitive skin, plus it promises to hydrate and soothe while cleansing. Who doesn't love a multi-tasker?
"I have used this product for years," shared a fan. "Tried a bunch of others, but always come back to what works the best. Very gentle, but get all the dirt and makeup off."
Made of eco-friendly PEVA material, this No. 1 bestselling liner will keep your shower fresh and mildew-free. Metal grommets and a trio of magnets ensure that it'll install quickly, slide like a breeze and stay put when you need it to.
"Hanging this new shower curtain with hooks was challenging, but at least this curtain had no chemical smell," one shopper noted. "And it repels the water great!"
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 by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.)
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.