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Someone should’ve invented an effective duvet cover lock before I was born.

As a Deputy Editorial Director for BuzzFeed’s shopping team, I love to get into the weeds of why a product’s worth the money by deep diving into customer reviews, and product-testing as much as possible.

Regretsville is no place worth living. So don't plan on moving in once you learn about these extra clever home items, like a "soap" that'll rub dough off your hands, no-drill Roman shades, and even a stone bath mat that'll sap your post-shower drips up ASAP. You can always invest in them now and start reaping all the benefits!

Promising review: "I recently moved into my first solo apartment and I knew I needed a step ladder to reach things because your girl is 5'2. This ladder is very sturdy, and I love that it folds up easily so I can hide it in my storage room. Would definitely recommend." —kmill

Promising review: "Bought the 2-pack. Wanted my mother to be able to reach rarely used items in the topmost cupboard without getting on a step stool if my sisters and I weren’t available. I’m using the other one to pick up trash when out mudlarking. Sturdy and convenient that it folds up." —Kristen

Promising review: "The attic drop-down door in the home I'm renting is located in the interior of the home in the bedroom hallway, plus the door is warped, leaving a half-inch gap open. In this flaming hot summer, the heat was pouring into the hallway, and my AC ran 12 hours per day to keep the house reasonably cool. The thermostat is 3 feet from this attic door (poor design), which exacerbated the problem. Within five minutes of installing this, I noticed a complete change! In the South, it doesn't get terribly cold in the winter, but this will keep the cold from leaking in as well. Great product for less than $40. Beats paying for a new attic door on a home I don't even own." —C A

Get it from Amazon for $29.77+ (available with or without a staple gun). 

Reviewers love this because it doesn't require you to "smart enable" other parts of your home. It's also a great way to turn on your kettle or coffee brewer from the other room so it's ready for you when you get out of bed! 

Promising review: "This is exactly what I was looking for and had no idea it existed until I saw someone mention it on TikTok! Our front walkway gets pretty dark at night, and I was frustrated with trying to remember to turn on the light every evening and off every morning. I looked into those light sensors you can plug in, but our front porch light is under an awning with enough shade that it would have kept the light on 24/7. This little Switchbot solved the problem. I applied it to the indoor light switch and set the time on my phone. It has worked perfectly ever since." —Alecia McLochlin

Get it from Amazon for $25.99+ (available in white and black). 

Promising review: "Cleaned stove top and the hood vents. Then, I had to clean the sticky grease from the sink. Worked very easily and without chemicals. Easy to use and to refill. The attachments make various jobs easy to clean." —Lori

Promising review: "It looks beautiful in a darker portion of the living room that does not have enough light for a real plant." —GHMN

Promising review: "I had the previous version of this and this product was definitely worth upgrading to. This new version is absolutely silent over a bump I have in my curtain rod (whereas the previous version made a slight noise). Installation and instructions were super easy and the calibration using the magnets worked well. The device is basically hidden behind the blinds so you don't even notice it is there, though the device itself feels and look good. Despite my heavy curtains and them not sliding super well on the rod, the device had no problem moving them.

I got the version with the remote and I was able to add the remote to the app seamlessly and program the buttons to open and close the curtains. I wish there was a way to have different speeds for opening and closing the curtains though and when triggered by different things. Additionally, maybe I was doing it wrong in the setup but as far as I could tell, if you get the two pack, you have to install both; it is not a substitute for two single items." —Nikhil Gupta

Promising review: "I finally invested in blackout curtains for my room and my kids' room, and now I’m kicking myself for not doing it sooner! These curtains do exactly what they are supposed to do. My kids are early risers, usually getting up when the sun comes up. Today, I was able to sleep until 9:30 because they were still in bed! I woke up not even knowing what time it was because my room was still so dark, haha! These especially made a huge difference in my room which faces the side of the house the sun rises on. These curtains are silky feeling, which I wasn’t expecting, but it gives a sleek appearance. I highly highly recommend this brand." —Jessica Duvall

Get it from Amazon for $19.95+ (available in 30 sizes and 31 colors).

Promising review: "This faux mulch border was just what I was looking for. I wanted something simple (not elaborate) to keep my bark in place. It looks good and now I need to order more : )" —Eva

Get a 1'' H X 120'' W X 4.5'' D roll from Wayfair for $34.95.

Promising review: "I love everything about this item. This is my second one. We use one for Lego Duplos and the other I got for our massive Fisher-Price Little People collection. It's expensive but worth every penny! If you have to scoop small toys into a bin daily...do it. It works exactly as it says and makes cleanup of small items a breeze." —R. Stratton

Get it from Amazon for $49.99 (available in four colors).

Promising review: "Cleaned three items in less than five minutes. Vacuum brush head and two hair brushes that have three girls' long hair. I can’t wait to get the whole vacuum and rug cleaner bristles cleaned. I had to write this review after testing it out. Design is strong, sturdy, and handles great. Highly recommended." —Rob

Promising review: "Two weeks ago, I didn’t even know stone bath mats existed! But wow! What a game changer! I’m one of those people that avoid my cloth bath mat when it’s wet. Because eww! Now, I can take a shower right after my husband and not have to worry about stepping on a wet bath mat. The stone absorbs the water so fast! Can’t wait to upgrade my other bathroom mats." —Angela

Promising review: "So I want to say I am always a fan of little octopus hangers. It makes it easier for bras, scarves, and anything that isn't quite right for the door, but you don't want to take up too much closet space.The fact that this move was a game changer for me. I adore these. I also actually prefer having the balls at the end. I use one for bras and one for my purses/mini backpacks. They're sturdy, and the two-pack is a great value. The hanger with the purses has a decent weight on them, and they still feel very secure." —Lucille

Get a two-pack from Amazon for $14.99 (available in three colors as well as individually and in packs of four).

Promising review: "They just work so much better and easier than a nail. Use them all the time." —HomeDepotCustomer

Promising review: "Absolutely the best coffee maker I've owned. Been through quite a few of that other pod brewing brand and this one is so much more reliable and makes a better cup of coffee with a very flexible cup size and the option to use pods or grounds. Best part is the small footprint in a very small kitchen with limited countertop space." —Cyndi

Get it from Amazon for $99.95+ (available in six colors).

Doap was created by Joshua Grange, a musician whose love for breadmaking led to the creation of a tool that would solve the problem of perpetually sticky dough hands.

Get it from Doap for $29 (available in four colors).

The fan filters come with a Velcro-like adhesive that allows you to easily replace the filters. Some reviewers noted that when they removed the adhesive, it peeled the finish off their fans. Consider installing the filters with Command strips if you're concerned about that!

Promising review: "I wasn't sure what to expect when purchasing these, but now they are a staple in every room of our house. Within three days the air smelled more crisp and was easier to breathe in our home. So simple and effective!" —Haylee Marez

"We have these on every ceiling fan in our house and have noticed such a difference since installing them! There is less dust on our furniture, and the general air quality in our rooms has improved. There is no longer dust build-up on our fan blades. Super easy to install!" —Hannah McClam

Get a three-pack from Amazon for $22.99.

Check out a TikTok of the drink dispenser in action. 

Promising review: "Super happy with this purchase. Our two little ones (5- and 3-years-old) can now easily fill their own drinks. We also purchased a dual cereal dispenser from Amazon, so now the kids can get their own breakfast cereal with milk!" —April M. Ramos

Get it from Amazon for $17.49 (available in three colors and in multipacks). 

Colorized Design is a Georgetown, Indiana-based small biz that 3D prints a variety of problem-solving home solutions. 

Promising review: "We couldn't close our garage door due to the angle of the sun this time of year. Quick google search, Colorized Design came up. We followed his tips on ordering the correct cover. Received the cover within days, slid it on, and it works like a charm. Thank you again." —Linda R. 

Get it from Colorized Design on Etsy for $14.06.

Promising review: "I bought this so my puppies could traverse to/from their backyard pen area...and keep flying insects out. It is AWESOME! The puppies figured out quickly that they could go through the screen — the screen snapped back into a closed state immediately after they got through the opening. If only all things in life could be solved this easily!" —Lynette S Quigley

Get it from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in eight door sizes). 

Wine Wash Co. is a woman-owned small biz that specializes in dishwasher attachments. 

Promising review: "I had a hard time finding wine glass holders for my dishwasher. My previous dishwasher had built-in holders, but my current dishwasher does not. I got tired of having wine glasses break during dishwashing cycles. These holders are sturdy and fit the bill for standard glasses. They can fold up when not in use. I would not use them for expensive Waterford crystal wine glasses, but they are perfect for everyday glasses. A must-have for wine drinkers!" —Alicia

Each hanger holds 10 pairs of leggings. After putting these in several stories, I finally bought a pair and my gosh, just using one legitimately freed up a third of a drawer. But because it came with two hangers, I'm using the other one for my nice scarves! (I use tissue paper in between the clamps and my actual scarves.) 

Promising review: "Yes...I have too many clothes. I LOVE my leggings. These saved me soooo much room! Now I have much more space, AND I can see them all easier." —Larry Seymour

Get two from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in nine colors). 

Promising review: "I knew I wanted something to finish off my bench seat windows. These blinds were not only easy to install, but I am impressed with the quality and how easy it is to raise and lower them. I think all four were out of the box and installed in 15 minutes. Offers light filtering, which is perfect for my needs. If I want to take them down for my holiday garland, it will be super easy to remove and put back up after the holiday." —doug huntley

Get each panel from Amazon for $47.19+ (available in 10 styles and a range of sizes).

Promising review: "This bracket is awesome and was extremely easy to install. We were able to hang curtains over our vertical blinds in just a few minutes and didn't even need any tools. Great product!!!" —Amazon Customer

Get a set of two from Amazon for $18.95 (also available in gold, and brass, and also available in inside-mount brackets).

Made from heavy-gauge steel and can store up to 36 cans of various sizes.

Promising review: "These units were easy to assemble. They felt sturdy. I love that they are made of metal and not cheap plastic. I'm considering buying two more, and going side by side and stocking up on can goods!" —Amazon Customer

Promising review: "These are so much fun! We ordered the small size, which fits standard hardback books (approximately 5–7 hardbacks in my experience). They're a great way to add some extra storage to our very small home, and we've placed them in our hallway so people ask us about them all the time. I'd highly recommend!" —LaBuenaVidaMere

Get a set of three from Amazon for $25.49 (available in two finishes and two sizes).

Check out a TikTok of the Ninja Crispi Air Fryer System in action. 

Each air fryer comes with the "PowerPod," two containers (a 4-quart and a 6-quart), and lids. The PowerPod has auto-shutoff and four modes: Max Crisp, Bake, Air Fry, and Recrisp. The "feet" are heat safe, so you can prop it on any surface without worrying! 

Promising review: "I got my Ninja Crisper today and reheated some stuffed bread with feta cheese and spinach, and it did a wonderful job. It was like it just came out of the oven the first time. Nice and crispy outside, but the inside heated just right. I love that the bottom glass can be covered with the lid it comes with. They come with a metal plate you can put in the glass bottom part, and it actually fits into the lid, so it doesn't get lost. The glass makes a difference in the taste, too. It is a great product and well worth it." —Jennifer 

Get it from Amazon for $152.95+ (available in eight colors). 

Promising review: "These little guys are so bright!! Got these on a whim after seeing it on a TikTok. These are super bright and charge when the light is turned on. These are worth the price." —Reid524

Get a two-pack from Amazon for $25.98 (available in two colors and a four-pack). 

SnapPower is a small biz that specializes in unique and innovative lighting products. 

Promising review: "I ordered this after seeing it on TikTok. I’m very happy with this product!" —Miss. Harris 

"Game changer. When I get up, I don’t want to wake everyone up with flipping on lights and all. These provide plenty of walking through the house light. Super easy installation, too." —Monica Martinez 

Get it from Amazon for $22.98 (available in three outlet styles and two colors). 

Check out a TikTok of the duvet clips in action. 

Pinion Pins is a small biz specializing in home improvement products. 

Promising review: "I was super worried about if I would have enough of the Pinions, and I totally do! My duvet is kinda thick and the Pinions pierced through with no problems! Plus with a little extra room if I had some extra layers. I REALLY like how you have to have the magnet tool to pull them apart. Absolutely no moving! Don’t walk, RUN TO BUY THIS. I also like how unnoticeable they are." —Abigayle Mishler

Get an eight-pack from Amazon for $17.95 (also available in a pack of 16). 

Each set comes with four bins: a six-cell (for scarves, hankies, and ties), an eight-cell (for undies), a seven-cell (for bras), and a 24-cell (for socks). They're also collapsible and fold flat if you need to store them away!

Promising review: "I am a neat freak, so these were right up my alley. They are great organizers for my socks, undies, and some of my beauty products. Not super sturdy, but still pleased with this product and will most likely order a few more for organizing other drawers." —Kelley Anderson

Get the set of four from Amazon for $16.97 (available in seven colors).

macraYAYmacrame is an Indianapolis, Indiana-based shop that makes a variety of cool macrame accessories. 

My colleague Jenae Sitzes owns and loves this: 

"I recently picked up this macrame basket (in the Cactus shade) and *highly* recommend it if you're looking to add a cozy touch to your kitchen. As someone with a relatively small NYC kitchen, I need every bit of counter space I can get, and this lets me keep produce out without having to take up space with a fruit basket or banana stand. I'm a big fan of utilizing vertical space as storage, and this does just that; plus, it allows for ventilation to help your fruit stay fresh for longer. I'm constantly cooking with onions or grabbing an apple as a mid-day snack, and having them right there at an arm's reach is sooo nice. BTW, these come with hooks that screw directly into a cabinet, but if you (like me) want to avoid that damage, I recommend using Command hooks — I'm using four of these small toggle hooks and they've held up the basket *with* produce in it wonderfully."

Get it from macraYAYmacrame on Etsy for $35.

Cup Cozy Pillow is a small biz as seen on TV specializing in cleverly designed cup holders. 

Promising review: "I liked that it worked with cups and mugs, perfect for clumsy friends." —YAZ

"This thing is great! I’m home on maternity leave with my new baby and spend most of my time on the couch under a sleeping baby. This product makes it easy for me to keep my drinks, remote, etc close by even with crazy dogs running around. It’s a little more expensive than I would have liked but it works and I love it so money well spent!" —Amber

Get it from Amazon for $34.99 (available in more colors).

Promising review: "I love these! Since I started using them my sheets haven’t popped off once and that used to be a several-times-a-night problem because I toss and turn when I sleep. Thank you, TikTok!" —Gabby

Get a set of four from Amazon for $9.59 (available in three colors). 

Check out a TikTok of the rectangular lazy Susan in action. 

Promising review: "This is perfect for short people with big refrigerators! I could never reach anything on the top shelf and had to grab a step stool, now everything fits perfectly on this, and I can reach them all! It glides great and is very sturdy." —Tara Mann

Space is a small biz that's passionate about eliminating curtain cling and giving people more shower space! Their design is also machine-washable, so you don't have to replace it like a run-of-the-mill liner. 

Promising review: "Wow! This is exactly what I was looking for! I have a tiny bathroom in an old apartment building, so I have an untreated window that needs to be covered with a shower curtain inside my shower. Every time I'd shower, I'd be attacked by curtains from both sides. That is until I purchased this curtain. It gives so much more room in the shower, like a curved shower rod, but without all that hardware and work associated with it. It's weighted enough so it doesn't move, either. I'm no longer attacked by my shower curtains. 100% would purchase again." —Brittany Hopkins

Get it from Amazon for $42.50+ (available in 31 colors).

Tulip is a small biz from Lori Smyth. Her inspiration? The drab lighting in a college dorm! Her innovative design requires no re-wiring, no power tools, no nothing! Check out the different styles and how easily they install via Tulip's TikTok. 

My colleague Chelsea Stuart has tried and loves this: "I just had a chance to try one of these and I am simply OBSESSED. I live in NYC in a rental and I have a really drab light in my kitchen that even an electrician couldn't get off of the ceiling without breaking... so I gave up on replacing it right after I moved in. Alas, fast forward a year and I found Tulip on TikTok! Instantly, I thought 1. This is absolutely genius and 2. How has no one come up with this before?!?!

"Installing" it (installing makes it seem way more involved than it is) took all of 10 minutes and that includes removing it from the box, Command Strip-ing the ring to the ceiling, and then popping the magnetic shade in place. (Honestly, the thing that took me the longest was fishing my step stool out of the depths of my junk closet.) Not only is the shade itself beautiful, but the diffused light is just so soft and pretty. I can't wait to get another one for my entryway!!!"

Promising review: "I have been searching for a paper lamp or replacement for my current apartment lights, but they either wouldn't fit or it would require too much effort that my landlord wouldn't appreciate. That's when I came across Tulip. I can't be more blunt than this — you literally Command Strip the ring to the ceiling and the shade attaches via magnet... seriously ingenious." —Oliver O.

What's included: Ceiling mount, Tulip shade, 12x removable tape, and 3x screws (as needed for textured ceiling applications). 

Promising review: "Such a great and simple solution to help redirect A/C and heat. Super simple and easy to install. Universal fit makes it a cinch to work with any vents within the size range." —Heydaddy

Get a pack of two from Amazon for $13.99+ (also available in packs of four and six).

Promising review: "This is one of my favorite things I've ever purchased from Amazon! The fact that they're so customizable allows you to cut them and shape them to any drawer size! I think this will be my go-to gift for all of my friends who love cooking as much as I do! Freeing up cabinet space and having something that can so easily be rinsed off in the sink makes this a for sure buy!" —momonono

Get a 10-foot roll from Amazon for $19.99.

Promising review: "It has doubled my closet space in my apartment where I can’t make any damage in terms of adding another permanent shelf — so this has been a perfect solution. It was easy to assemble and is sturdy. I’ve had it for a couple of weeks now with no issue. Your closet has to be pretty high for this to work or else your shirts above are going to get caught on the hangers below and for my case, some of my shirts are dragging on the floor — just keep this in mind when you’re thinking about purchasing." —Alex

Get it from Amazon for $19.87 (available in three colors).

Promising review: "Where I live, it’s so dark and I have no outside electricity off my screened-in deck. I wanted lights for my stairs for safety and found these lights, which work and look great! They come with everything you need to fasten them to the stairs so they don’t fall off as well. I even bought extra and tested them in the event that the ones that are currently outside get damaged for any reason, and they are no longer sold. Definitely recommend for the price, nice and bright, and easy installation. Plus, they last all night long!" —Brooke

Get it from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in warm or cool white light and six pack sizes).

Promising review: "I absolutely LOVE this product!! It’s a cute trash can for my bathroom and hides the unsightly garbage. It does take a second or two for the motion detector to work BUT I’m OK with that. You don’t want it going off every time you move by it. Highly recommend this!!" —Amanda

Get it from Amazon for $34.99 (also available in a gray style). 

Promising review: "This is a well-made and well-designed product that works perfectly. The motion sensor is just sensitive enough. We have two: the earlier model from years ago and the new model with a latch to make it pet-proof. The outside cleans up very easily. These are two of the best kitchen purchases we ever made." —SNR

Get it from Amazon for $70.17+ (available in eight styles).

Promising review: "This is quite possibly the coolest, most versatile kitchen gadget I’ve ever owned. I love it so much that I’ve purchased two more for friends and relatives. What can it do? I think the real question is 'What can’t it do?' I truly believe you could replace every cooking appliance (including your oven and stove top) and do EVERYTHING in the Instant Pot. I purchased two sizes for my own use: the 3-quart (which is my almost-every-day workhorse for two person dishes) and the 8-quart (which I bring out to handle my dinner party dishes). Everything I’ve tried has been fabulous. In the realm of kitchen appliances, there is no better investment than the Instant Pot. Highly recommended!!!" —Stereoman

Get it from Amazon for $70+ (available in three sizes).

Promising review (from April): "Fabulous! we’ve already made pizza dough and bread…machine is almost too easy. I’m so happy that I can control the ingredients and I know what’s in everything. It’s so easy and simple. Very happy with the machine and perfect for breaking up with pizza delivery.

**Update 10/1** still super happy with this machine. We make pizza almost weekly (and now we are making our own sauce too!). I can't imagine how much $$ we have saved! I've also made cinnamon raisin bread and cinnamon 'buns.' Still working on presentation ;)" —Michelle

It has automated self-emptying, self-washing roller mops, self-refilling, hot air drying, and more.

Promising review: " Very easy to use and set up, I like the auto detergent feature. It's missing features from other flagships, like being able to access the camera, being able to run mop-only jobs, or vacuum-then-mop jobs, which I would really like to see added in the future. I have a very pet hair-friendly home, and it's had no issue keeping up with that. No clogs to speak of so far. I did have some dog fluff get tangled in the extendable brush arm, but it was easy enough to remove. Obstacle avoidance is okay; it sees larger objects and avoids them. It pulled the cable out of my electric couch, which was probably hard to see as it was black against a dark floor; other cables it avoided well. It's navigated under chairs and tables, which was a pain point on previous vacs, that was really good to see. It got stuck on a coat rack leg, which was odd but again not a big deal. Overall, I'm very happy with its performance, no hair tangles on the brush roller, and it uses mopping water efficiently. Areas of improvement will likely come in later revisions, such as better cameras/obstacle avoidance, more mopping pressure, etc. Overall, I'm very pleased with it and think it's one of the best options for your money in the sub $1000 price point." —Zero3

Promising review: "For those not fully familiar with how it works, what it's accomplishing is trying to surround your liquid with as much ice-behind-metal as possible. So, it has a center chamber of ice behind the metal, then an outer chamber of ice. The inner chamber fits inside the outer with about a cup's worth of space that's between the inner and outer chamber. This exposes your liquid to the greatest surface area of super-cold metal that they can, and since your liquid is only touching metal, and not the ice itself, it doesn't matter the temperature of the liquid poured in. You can pour in boiling water and while it may end up melting a bunch of the ice behind the metal, none of that water will mix with your drink. So, whether you're chilling a wine, dropping hot coffee to cool it off, or just wanting to rapidly drop the temp of that fresh lemonade you made without making it watery, this will get that done." —P. Ericksen

Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in five colors).

Promising review: "The best! TikTok made me buy it. The squeeze power is unique, this product wastes no juice, and the way the seeds stay inside is just a great feature. This is the best, look no further!" —MJ Zuniga

Get it from Amazon for $16.99+ (available in three colors). 

Promising review: "Before: three remotes, one for the screen (on/off), a separate one for the sound system (volume) and of course the fire stick remote. After: just the one convenient integrated unit. No more scrambling to find the which remote to do what I want, cause it's all right there in the one unit. I wish I'd have bought one years ago cause the multi-remote tango got old real fast." —Chapman B.

Also, built-up lint is a fire hazard! Make it a part of your weekly cleaning routine.

Wad-Free is a small biz that was launched during the pandemic. Cyndi, the founder, learned CAD (computer-aided design) to create the pads. And 5% of profits are donated to the American Brain Tumor Association.

Promising review: "In the 45+ yrs I’ve been washing sheets, I’ve tried everything to keep them from wadding up like a burrito. This works! I use them for my king sized bed and no more wet little bundle in the middle after drying them! The pillowcases now wind up on top instead of twisted and wet inside. It’s super easy to attach the corners of the sheet to the silicone square. The sheets come out cleaner and there’s no need to re-dry them! I bought one for both of my daughters — always happy to make life easier for them! Now I use them for my queen-size beds as well. I enjoy washing my sheets weekly now! I highly recommend." —Leslie Burch

* Renter-Friendly Upgrades That’ll Keep Your Home’s Aesthetic *And* Security Deposit Intact

* If Your House Is Your Favorite Place To Be, Here Are 45 Things To Make You Love It *Even More*

* Things To Turn Your House Into A Home Without Drilling, Painting, Or A Major Renovation

* Your Home Will Be Soooo Much Better Off With These 43 Under-$25 Convenient Products

* Products To Help You Do A Lil' Home Improvement This Fall

Plus, the home products we gave 2026 Buzzy Awards to and finds from Amazon, Target, and Walmart.

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/or clarity.