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I'm a mom, Senior Editor on the BuzzFeed Shopping team, and BuzzFeeder since 2015, and am constantly on the lookout for smart, genuinely effective problem-solvers, especially anything cleaning, home, parenting, fashion, and skincare related.

To see our coverage of all the best Fall Prime Day deals, come back to BuzzFeed Shopping on October 6th and 7th.

Promising review: "This has been the perfect tablet for my kids! I love that there are so many educational games, books, and learning activities included, so they can have fun while learning. My favorite feature is the parental controls through the app. They’re easy to set up, and I feel like I still have a lot of control over what my kids can access, how long they’re on the tablet, and what they’re doing. That peace of mind makes a huge difference. It’s been a great purchase for our family, and I’d definitely recommend it to other parents looking for a kid-friendly tablet." —Kasey

Price: $94.99 (originally $169.99; deal only on the model with 6 months of Amazon Kids+) — and shop all the deals on Amazon Devices here

Two of my former BuzzFeed Shopping colleagues love their TonieBoxes:

Mallory Mower: "My daughter is nearly three and her favorite part is organizing and playing with all the little characters. Our entire family loves the Animal World collection – the theme song is a constant hum in our house."

Heather Braga: "This toy has bought me so much time. My kids adore theirs — even though they're only 4 and 2 — they have no problem understanding how to turn the Toniebox on, change the volume, and place different characters on top to tell various stories. He's a big fan, as am I! It can also be used while it's charging, so there's no need to worry about your toddler having a meltdown if they want to play with it while the battery is drained (phew)."

And you can start to build your collection of Tonies based on your kiddo's interests — check 'em out.

Price: $69.99+ (originally $99.99; available in four colors)

Promising review: "Paid $1,800 for a new oven. I have used it two times now, because I cook everything in this air fryer, and I mean everything. I even make barbecue ribs in it. Best ribs I ever had! This air fryer is a game changer. You will not be sorry if you get it. If and when this one breaks, I'll be buying another one. That's how much I love it." —annie

Price: $89.99 (originally $139.99; also available in two other sizes) — and shop all the Instant Pot deals here

Promising review: "My students loved this — it was a huge hit at our STEM expo when the students explained and demonstrated hydraulics. It can help to have an adult or a person who’s good at putting things together work with young people; there are multiple pieces to put together. The students demonstrated the launcher for several hours, and it held together perfectly. It might be nice if the company offered refills of the planes and foam launchers because they launch far and fast, and can get lost if you’re not paying attention. In general, it’s a great project at a great price. My students are in 6th-8th grade, and it worked well for them, with some guidance." —LSL

Price: $19.99 — and see all the Smartivity kit deals here

Promising review: "This storage toy organizer was a great buy for me. Plenty of room to store my daughter's smaller toys. Perfect size for her room, worth every penny I paid for it. Installation was easy peasy, and every piece was aligned, screws placed with no issues, and the wood is very sturdy. I feel like it will last a long while, as the wood is not flimsy at all." —Brenda

Price: $85.47+ (originally $118.98+; available in four on-sale colors) — and shop all SpaceAid deals here

My former BuzzFeed colleague Heather Braga loves these: I cannot even begin to tell you just how many toddler cups I've tried out for my son before settling on these. They really don't leak, he can't open/close it for fun like he does with flip-top cups, and he has no issue using the straw (I think because it's thicker than most!). I personally like that they come in a bunch of fun styles. My favorite feature, however, is that I can toss it into the dishwasher for easy cleaning!

Promising review: "They don't leak or volcano everywhere! It's taken so long and so many different straw cups, but we finally found ones that don't make a huge mess, even when our son is trying to make a mess!" —A. Smith

Price: $13.99+ (typically $21.99; available in 11 styles) — and shop all the Zak deals here.

Promising review: "This is a fantastic machine!! It was so easy to clean. Unbelievably easy. Everything comes apart. Everything. I was able to get the dirty water tank clean, the rollers, the front suction thingy. My old machine was trash, I couldn't clean anything without using skewer sticks and forget trying to clean the rollers! I am so glad I read all the reviews and asked Alexa for comparisons. Also, I was able to do one room with one tank of water! Usually, I had to refill like four times. The machine is definitely smaller than the one I had before (not same brand). I was skeptical of the water tank, but it held more than I thought!" —Stephanie Quezada

Price: $169.99 (usually $239.99) — and shop all the Hoover deals here

Promising review: "I got this for my school social work office, and it's been a hit from day one. Kids are always reaching for it when they come in, and it's popular with my K-1 students as well as coworkers! It's a fun way to keep hands busy while we talk, and I've noticed it helps some students relax and settle in. It's simple, well made, and has held up really well with lots of use. The key- it is easy to clean! This has definitely become one of the favorite fidgets in my office. If you work with kids or just want a fun sensory activity, I'd definitely recommend it." —kwb

Just note that when you get it, you need to take the filter out and unwrap it before using!

Promising review: "I waited over a month to write a review — this air purifier is amazing!! It’s one of those products that you don’t understand how much of a difference it makes until you get one. I have two cats,and my house is all carpet, so the house can smell stagnant sometimes, especially if the AC is off. One of my cats also has asthma, so I got this air purifier mostly for her, but it’s made such a HUGE difference in the way my home smells. Since having it, my house has consistently smelled fresh, clean, and odorless. Even after forgetting to clean the litter boxes, my house has not smelled like cat litter since I’ve had it. It’s very easy to set up. I bought a little plant stand to put it on so it wouldn’t be on the carpet. It’s very quiet, and the app is easy to use. It tells you the life of your filter, which is super helpful, and these filters last for a long time! You can set it up to be on a schedule, so you can set it up once and just forget about it. I recommend this air purifier to everyone. I’m NEVER worried about my house smelling anything but clean now. I would repurchase this a thousand times over." —hailee

Price: $69.99 (originally $89.99) — and shop all the Levoit deals here

Promising review: "Love these sneaks. Lightweight, generous toe box, incredible support, easy on and off. Perfect for travel needs, breeze through airport security, and works with jeans, athleisure wear, and dresses... not enough tread for hiking, but treadmill and road walking/running would be fine. The value is [great]!!" —CahakGirl

Price: $45.59+ (originally $56.99; available in women's sizes 6–11, standard and wide fits, and  seven colors) — and see all AllSwifit deals here

Promising review: "AMAZING! My daughter is in the first grade and we got her this game for Christmas to have a fun way to practice math. She absolutely loves it and we have been playing it daily and multiple times a day, because it's easy to set up and can be played at a quick pace. Honestly, we have just left it out on our table this week! It's well-made and sturdy, and the cards and board are colorful and fun! I think it is a good amount of challenge for my 6-year-old to play, but I still have to read the cards to her. It would be pretty easy for an 8-year-old, I think, so good age range. I think it has already improved her quick math facts and her math learning! Highly recommend, it's great value for the cost." —Kristen Stoeger

Price: $18.99 (typically $24.99) — and see the other Clever Fox Play boardgame deals here

Promising review: "I have been using Zero Water products for the last seven years. I have sulfur well water that tastes absolutely horrible. We were always buying bottled water, which became expensive, was a pain to store, and difficult to keep on hand. I also hated that I was contributing to the plastic water pollution in our landfills. This pitcher takes out the minerals from my well and tastes great!! It will fit easily in a refrigerator, but I have a plastic pitcher I put the water into that I keep in the fridge, which allows me to continuously filter water. It doesn't take up a lot of space in the refrigerator or countertop. Everyone in my home is a water drinker, and we easily drink over 150 ounces of water a day, and this filter keeps up with our usage with no problem. The water meter is great to keep an eye on when the filter needs to be replaced. Our well water is a 35 on the meter, and we replace our filter about every six to eight weeks. City water normally has a higher number on the meter, so I'm not sure how often it needs to be replaced when you have city water. The replacement cartridges might seem high, but if you are buying bottled water, you will be saving in the long run. I have a thermos of this water wherever I go. I even carry it with me into most restaurants because I absolutely hate city or fountain water. I love this item, and as long as they keep making them, we will keep using it!!" —Elissa

Price: $28.99 (originally $37.99) — shop the rest of ZeroWater's current deals here!

Promising review: "I purchased this product for my office, and I love it! The first time I realized it had been sitting for 30 minutes, my brain told me the coffee was going to be cold, and I remembered I had this cup now, and I had a temperature-perfect sip waiting for me. I do not take it off the base much during the day, but when I do, I love that it gives me enough battery to enjoy the rest of my cup before returning it to the charging base. I will also keep the cup heated while charging, so you don't have to worry about it losing battery while you are using it. If you do plan on taking it off the base for more than an hour, having a lid will prolong the battery life. I use the lid from my Yeti tumbler, it fits perfectly. I will be purchasing one for my wife for Mother's Day for sure. Highly recommend!"—Zachology101

Price: $99.99 (originally $149.95; available in two colors)

Promising review: "The best find this summer. We have been storing our purees and soups in these blocks, which are so much more practical than random freezer bags. They are a bit more work than plopping a freezer bag. The shape helps with easy storage and allows for a much better use of freezer space. We have them in two sizes. They are sturdy and seal well. Very easy to clean if you have any messes while filling the bag. It's versatile, and good with smooth purees and with stews/curries with chunks." —Ujwala S

Price: $13.99 (originally $19.99) — check out the rest of YouCopia's offerings!

This product’s packaging says to avoid using it around open food, so keep your chip bags closed and hot dogs covered while you hang out. But it should be fine to pull out a hot dog and handful of chips if you’re going to eat them right away. Read more about the low dosages of pesticides in products like this at the American Mosquito Control Association.

Promising review: "I really enjoyed using the Thermacell insect repeller in my yard this spring. I find the device to be very effective, and each pad usually lasts long enough for most evenings we spend outside. I also like that it has minimal smell and doesn't require spraying anything or having more heat. It's still pretty cost-effective and worth the price. Overall, I would highly recommend this for insect control." —Krash

Price: $13.49+ (originally $26.99; available in five on-sale colors) — and shop all Thermacell deals here

Promising review: "Plushie heaven. I love how much stretch there is to this, as my kids have sooo many plush stuffed animals! Keeps them all conveniently in their space." —Alexa

Price: $5.39 (typically $6.99; also available in seven other colors at a smaller discount)

Promising review: "I love this rug! The color is beautiful and adds so much life to my son’s room. It feels soft and cushioned, making it perfect for him to sit and play comfortably. The raised border also provides extra protection around the edges. It matches different styles of décor and makes the room feel warmer and more inviting. I’m very happy with this purchase!" —Geisha

Price: $49.99+ (originally $79.99; available in 10 on-sale colors and also available in many other sizes) — and shop all PaPaMat deals here

It's recommended for children between 8 and 45 pounds and can be used in four different holding positions — feeding/breastfeeding, side carrying, front facing, and face-to-face. See why this mama calls the Tushbaby "the best invention for parents of young children" on TikTok. 

Promising review: "This has been one of MANY items I have purchased thanks to TikTok, and I'm glad I did. Super easy to use, easy to adjust, and most importantly it helps with support tremendously. It comes with pockets and a place to hold bottles/sippy cups, which can be very handy. My 8-month-old weights around 30–35 lbs, and he's basically attached to me 24/7, carrying all day was killing my back and arms! Thank God for this invention, my arms and back can rest." —Jennifer Calle

Price: $63.70+ (originally $84.99; deal only available in the black with gold zippers) — and shop all the TushBaby deals here

Promising review: "This weatherproof mat is awesome! We have been having trouble finding one that works and stands up to a high traffic area but this is it!! We've had it about a year now and its awesome. No shedding, so durable and thick. The color was accurate and it helps keep my floors clean. Easy to vacuum and perfect!!" —Amazon Customer

Price: $18.99+ (regularly $22.99; available in 35 colors and six sizes (this is a Prime-exclusive deal; non-Prime members can get it for $19.99)

Promising review: "I have two 99-percentile boys, ages 5 and 8, and they both fit perfectly in the wagon! I really thought I would never be able to find something that would fit both of them at the same time without going over the weight limit (they have a combined weight of about 140 lbs). This wagon is absolutely PERFECT for them. Roomy and comfortable. High sides so they feel safe and secure. Easy to push and pull. Thick and durable fabric. Quality wheels. I’m so so so happy with this purchase!" —Hailey D.

Price: $199.99 (originally $249.99; only the black color is on sale)

My former BuzzFeed colleague Heather Braga loves this: I switched to the Nanit monitoring system when my daughter was born in 2024 because the app has an incredible split-screen option that lets me watch both kiddos at once — it's been a game-changer. It's super easy to set up, and once you've done so, there's nothing more to do but the occasional software update. The app itself is simple: it shows you a view of your kiddo's crib and notes how long they've been asleep, whether they're crying, or whether they're standing. The audio and picture are so clear (including the night mode), and the camera itself is unobtrusive to my kids' rooms' decor. I also love that even if I'm out (rarely) I can check in on my sleeping babies for some peace of mind. It was great when my daughter was an infant and sleeping in our room, too. I was able to use the monitor stand over her bassinet to keep a watchful eye on her, even if I wasn't in my bedroom.

Promising review: "This baby monitor is an absolute parenting game-changer — a solid 10/10 in every possible way! The seamless synchronization with your phone, even when you're away from home, is revolutionary. The real-time alerts for sound and motion keep you informed about every move your little one makes. The standout feature is the ability to meticulously track your baby's sleep patterns, capturing every waking moment, putting down, and sweetly falling asleep. Revisiting memories of your baby sleeping is an emotional treasure, and the expert advice on optimizing sleep for your child is a priceless addition. If you seek a baby monitor that seamlessly integrates advanced technology with practical parenting insights, look no further. This monitor has elevated my parenting journey, offering unparalleled peace of mind and heartwarming memories. A resounding 10/10!" —Savannah Wooden

BuzzFeed Shopping is service journalism first: our writers and editors spend all day shopping so you don’t have to, vetting products, fact-checking brand claims, and surfacing what actually helps in real life. We center readers over revenue, recommend products with authenticity (using real experiences, not ad-speak), and reflect our diverse audience, inclusive of a variety of price points, people, and needs. We cut through fake deals, favor useful info over glossy fluff, and recommend both budget and splurge options with context so you can decide what’s right for you — and still have a little fun along the way.

Reviews have been edited for length and clarity.