Of All the Weird Things for Your Home on Amazon, These 45 Are Clever as Hell

Jul 13, 2023

Mind: Blown.

Amazon is a never-ending rabbit hole full of strange inventions, weird decor, and — sometimes — incredibly clever and affordable solutions to routine problems that so many people are struggling to solve. How much time do you have to spend, though, reading reviews and shaking your head in wonder as you sort the ideas from the genius things you need in your home STAT?

You don't: I already did that for you. And, of all the weird things for your home on Amazon, these 45 are clever as hell.

If you are struggling to get pet hair out of your carpets, try this carpet squeegee, which is designed specifically for the task. The rubber grabs and holds fur so you can pick up much more of it in a single swipe than a vacuum. "The cat hair getting stuck in my carpet was making me crazy and the vacuum just wasn't picking it up," wrote one reviewer. "What would take me an hour to clean on my hands and knees took me 15 minutes with the rake."

If your washer moves around while cleaning your clothes, the solution is remarkably simple: These anti-vibration pads. They level the washer — and come with a bubble level to make that easy — while sticking to the feet of the washer to the floor with the high-traction, tank-tread soles. "Completely isolated the vibration from our front load washer," confirmed one reviewer. "Very quiet now."

The shower is the best place to shave, since hot water softens your beard, allowing you to get a close shave that's easier on your skin. But how do you see what you are doing? Stick this fogless shower mirror to the shower wall and fill the chamber behind the mirror with warm water. "The hot water comes in contact with the back of the mirror, which GUARANTEES it won't fog on you," explained one reviewer. "This is physics, people. So the mirror doesn't need that weird film, it's just a regular mirror, which means it's crystal clear."

Solve the in-shower soap melting problem permanently by mounting this magnetic soap holder to the wall with its included adhesive. When you get a bar of soap, press the metal cap into it. Then stick the metal to the magnet. Your soap never sits in water, so it never gets slimy but is always within reach. The fact that it looks great and doesn't add clutter is all gravy.

If your dryer isn't getting the job done like it used to, the problem could be as simple as a clogged vent. This simple dryer vent cleaner kit makes it easy to flush that out. Just attach it to your power drill and snake it through the vent. In a few minutes, it will push out all the lint, lost socks, and whatever else managed to get in there. "I could not BELIEVE how much lint came out of my vent," raved one reviewer. "I have a 25-foot-long dryer vent and this little thing cleaned out an ENTIRE grocery bag worth of lint!"

Keep all your essentials — glasses, coffee, snack, phone — handy and within reach when you are relaxing on the couch by snapping this clip-on bamboo sofa tray to the arm. It has plenty of room, rotates to the position you want, stays put, and even has a mount for your tech that holds it at a comfortable viewing angle. Get it in one of four finishes to match the rest of your furniture.

Eliminate the bulky colander from your meal prep routine and make draining food easier, more precise, and less dangerous with this clip-on pot strainer. Instead of aiming hot water at a target in the sink, just clip this one before tipping the pan and pouring hot water down the drain. The flexible silicone is heat resistant and molds to fit pans of many sizes and shapes. "Life-changing in the kitchen," swore one reviewer. "So easy to use, when done just tossed it in the dishwasher."

Fresh produce is expensive. This fruit and vegetable keeper preserves it in your fridge so that, when you find time to cook, it's still edible. The raised floor holds produce above any moisture that might accumulate, but also allows you to add water for fruit or vegetables that like the extra humidity. A vent on the side allows for precise air circulation, and a chart on the side tells you the exact conditions that different kinds of produce prefer.

Stick this webcam cover on your laptop, tablet, or phone so you can cover the camera when you aren't using it. This will guarantee that no one who might have hacked your webcam to look in on your life can get a peek. Just peel off the backing and stick it over the camera, where it slides open and closed like a shutter. "It's so small you can't see it, but it [totally] covers the camera lens and is so easy to use," remarked one reviewer. Choose from four colors.

If you live with a pet, you have to be vigilant about cleaning up messes — their incredible sense of smell will lead them back to the same place next time, and it will go from accident to habit. This UV flashlight lets you locate those mistakes with accuracy so you can find them, even when you can't see or smell them. "If you have a pet, you need this!" said one reviewer. "It will help you to find and locate any odd scent you can't see but know is there."

For scouring grout, tiny crevices, corners, and all sorts of hard-to-reach places, this battery-powered power scrubber is a lifesaver. The oscillating head does all the scrubbing while you hold it against the mess. "My wrist says thank you," gushed one reviewer. "This works amazingly well! I do professional housecleaning for a living and this is a game changer!"

Speed up your cooking time and make your food fancy with this vegetable slicer capable of dicing an onion in seconds. It has five easy-to-swap blades so you can quickly slice, julienne, grate, or shred right into its big basin, which doubles as a storage container. "What a time saver," said one reviewer. "Wish I had had this years ago."

Put away your lint roller and get out your black pants. Your pet fur problems are solved. This pet-hair roller will get all the fur off the couch and carpets so quickly that you’ll find yourself saying out loud everything you can read in the nearly 103,000 five-star reviews: "It is absolutely amazing and picked up all the hairs on the bed in under a minute," raved one reviewer. "This clever tool has saved our sanity," swore another.

When you open the fridge to stare idly in search of a snack, don't look at bland chaos. Line the shelves with these refrigerator mats and gaze at a colorful, clean, interior. They make it easy to clean the fridge because you can remove the mats and rinse them off. And they silence that annoying glass-on-glass sound that frays the nerves. "I like the different colors, they're non-slip, easy to wipe and they keep my glass partitions from getting scratched," said one reviewer.

Bring order to your battery collection and skip the frustration of searching for and then installing batteries only to find that one of them is dead with this battery organizer case. It holds a total of 93 batteries and has a built-in tester so you can check the power level before you install anything. You can glance through the clear lid to check your inventory and it even mounts to the wall for easy access.

Whether you keep your off-season wardrobe in storage or in the attic, these garment bags are an easy way to store them. You can hang up to 30 pieces of clothing from any closet rod. The clothes will stay clean and safe yet are easy to access. "The bag is sturdy but not bulky, and the clear window allows you to see exactly what's in the bag," said one reviewer.

Cleaning the ceiling fan seems like a daunting and dangerous task involving ladders, but with this ceiling fan duster in hand, it's something you can easily accomplish. (And when you see how much dust comes off, you will be glad you did.) Just slide the fluffy duster — which extends up to 47 inches via the telescopic handle — over each blade to grab and remove dust without raining it down onto furniture.

When space is tight, you have to be sneaky about where to stash your stuff. This mobile shelving unit is so clever that it lets you create a storage cache in the small space between an appliance and counter, inside the pantry, or in a hallway. It is only five inches wide and has casters so you can pull it out when you need spices or canned goods. Despite the narrow with, it holds a surprising amount.

The phrase, "Lie down and put your feet up" is based in reality. Sometimes, that's exactly what you need to get pain relief, treat an injury, or even just read in bed without causing back pain. Keep this wedge pillow on hand for those moments. It elevates your feet eight inches with a 45-degree incline, holds its shape, and is super comfortable. "This pillow is AMAZING!" said one reviewer. "No sinkage whatsoever, completely supportive. Get this pillow!"

If you have been struggling to get the grout between your tiles to look truly clean, you can stop that right now. This chalk marker grout pen turns that thankless endeavor into a relaxing coloring project. One pen can paint up to 150 feet of tile grout a bright white. It's surprising how effectively this improves the look of a room. "This took me under an hour and I’m amazed at how fresh and new it looks," remarked one reviewer.

Letting humidity accumulate in small spaces like a bathroom, pantry, or water heater closet can result in mold, mildew, and foods that spoil quickly. This renewable dehumidifier is a terrific way to mitigate that, even in places where you can't plug in an appliance. The humectant silica gel beads inside absorb water from the air. When they are full, they turn orange. Then, just plug in this gadget to dry out the beads before returning it to your space.

Replace the toilet paper holder in your bathroom with this clever, modern-looking toilet paper holder with a shelf to update the look and give you a place to set your phone when you go. It's easy to change the roll — just slide it on — and the shelf has a raised lip to keep your phone safe.

Tripping over rugs that curl up at the corner is an annoyance — and hazard — you don't have to tolerate. Stick on these rug corner grippers to hold the rug down while the grippy bottom clings to the floor so it won't move no matter what you, the pets, or the vacuum cleaner do. "I have a problem with rugs and mats sliding on my wood floors and this is the first product I've found that actually works," said one reviewer. "The mat that used to trip me up stays put now!"

Turn shelves and drawers full of blankets, out-of-season clothing, coats, and other bulky items into tidy little parcels you can stack on a shelf, store in the attic, pack in a suitcase, or take to storage with these vacuum storage bags. Just stuff the bags, attach your vacuum cleaner or the included pump to the valve, and suck out all the air. It will reduce the volume by as much as 80 percent and turn your goods into easy-to-handle parcels.

When your cap collection takes over every surface in your house, you need this cap rack. It turns the otherwise unhelpful space on the back of a door into a clever storage system that makes it easy to put hats away and find them again. Just hook it over the top and bottom of the door. This two-pack will hold nearly 30 hats.

Marrying the absorbent nature of cellulose with the soft flexibility of cotton was a genius move that makes these Swedish dishcloths the paper towel and sponge replacement you will want to add to your cleaning toolkit. They soak up liquids, have a slightly abrasive surface, wring out and dry quickly, and go into the wash for cleanup. "So much cleaner, easier, and safer to wash dishes [with] than regular dishcloths or sponges," said one reviewer. "[They are] inexpensive enough to replace periodically and they're biodegradable."

When mini blinds get dusty and grimy — which they do far too quickly — you don't have to hire someone to deal with it or sacrifice your Saturday to the task. Just drop a few dollars on this handheld mini-blind cleaner. Its seven fluffy, microfiber fingers clean multiple rows at once, quickly grabbing all the dust and grime. When the duster fingers get dirty, rotate them and keep right on going. It even has an ergonomic handle.

If your skin is itchy and dry, your hair is brittle, or you don't feel clean after a shower, your water might be the culprit. This revitalizing shower filter reduces or even eliminates the chlorine, pesticides, scale, and dirt from the water before it lands on you. It installs easily, too. Just screw it into the shower pipe and your shower head. "I've gone from hair that looks like I stick my finger in a socket every morning, [to] soft, healthy-looking [...] hair that is manageable and doesn't break," confirmed one reviewer.

The scratches on your wood furniture, hazing on the table, and dings on your cabinets are easier to fix than you think. Just color the marks with these wood markers and crayons. No one will be able to see that cosmetic damage, so it's like it never happened. Use the crayons for deep scratches and the markers to fix surface scrapes. "I used these markers on my dining room table which had a couple of scratch marks," commented one reviewer. "It looks great!"

Making the bed is a physical struggle that involves lifting a heavy, unwieldy slab of foam while simultaneously wrestling a slippery piece of fabric underneath it. Your hatred of the task is completely understandable. This sheet tucker tool will make it fun to get crisp corners and a tightly-tucked top sheet. Just use it to slide the sheet under the mattress without any lifting at all.

Soothe your scratchy throat, dry eyes, and cough by setting this cool mist humidifier on your desk or bedside table. It's so quiet you could put it in a baby's room without fear of shortening the nap. You can turn the dial to adjust how much humidity you need, and the decorative slot on the front is actually a window that shows you how much water is left. "No lights showing, no sound, no spitting," said one reviewer. "This is the best bedroom humidifier."

If there is a gap at the bottom of your door, it is likely costing you money and making your space less comfortable by letting in bugs, noise, and light while letting out your air conditioning and heat. Slide this draft stopper under the door to put two inches of memory foam insulation between you and the great outdoors to seal the room. "Easy to install, keeps the draft out and works as a great sound barrier," said one reviewer. "I couldn't be more pleased."

Clean up all the crumbs, eraser dust, and other small debris on your desk without tracking down a tool for the job. Just turn on this little desktop vacuum cleaner and let it suck it into its inner chamber. It runs on batteries so you don't have to deal with a cord and it's cute enough to leave out as decor. It comes in five colors.

You can have a bedside alarm clock without making your room look like a motel. This wood digital alarm clock looks like art, with the adjustable LED numbers displayed through a minimalist, triangle of wood. You can set two alarms, have them go off every day or only on weekdays, and hit a snooze button when you need five more minutes. It even shows the date and temperature.

If you are considering replacing your toilet because it's impossible to get it clean, try this toilet pumice stone first. It quickly scrubs off the hard water and minerals that makes your bathroom look old and dirty without resorting to any harsh chemicals. "I didn't have very much hope for the toilet with [...] a rust stain," said one reviewer. "But within 10 min… it looked like a new toilet. It also didn't damage the porcelain."

Stash all the grocery bags you don't want to throw away in this clever wall-mounted grocery bag dispenser and turn a problem into a solution. Instead of contributing to plastic pollution, you will always have a bag handy. Push the bags into the top and pull them out the front. "No more paper bag clutter," said one reviewer. "I love this unit and think it is one of the most clever gadgets for a kitchen."

Declutter your bathroom vanity and simplify your daily routine at the same time by mounting this toothpaste dispenser to the wall. There is room for your personal care products on top, two drinking cups cling magnetically underneath, and it dispenses toothpaste onto your brush from the front. "Extra counter space!" said one reviewer. "Love that it has [the] option for two different toothpastes."

It takes about the same amount of time to install this shower seal strip as it does to clean up that puddle on the bathroom floor after every shower. Just snap it onto the bottom of the shower door via the rigid top section while the flexible bottom "wings" create a seal that keeps water in the shower. "This is great," said one reviewer. "No more water on my floor after a shower!"

This triangle dish drying rack is an elegant solution for drying a glass or bowl, setting the sponge down where it can drip dry, or watering a plant. You can leave it permanently resting on the corner of your sink or bring it out only when you need it. It rolls up small for storage. "Love the look and fit. The size is perfect and [this] item is just clever cool and awesome," said one reviewer.

Why use boring magnets when you can make your bulletin board or fridge look like a yummy sushi dinner? These eight refrigerator magnets in the shape of popular nigiri are so realistic you might want to glance away when you are hungry. The magnets are powerful enough to stay stuck, even when you use them to pin up notes, receipts, and reminders. "These are super cute and everyone loves them," said one reviewer. "[They] make me crave sushi though!"

Save money by investing in those giant laundry detergent bottles without worrying about how to get the liquid out of them. Just set the bottle on this laundry detergent holder. It balances that huge bottle at just the right angle for dispensing into a measuring cup so all you have to do is push a button. Rubber feet keep it from moving, and it comes with a strap to hold it in place. No mess, no wrestling with a heavy and unwieldy bottle.

This slender item might look like a pen, but it is actually a clever electronic candle lighter. Just press a button to activate the electric arc and set the wick burning. It's long enough to reach the bottom of most candle jars and you never have to fill it with butane: Just plug it into a USB port to charge it up. "What a clever idea, sleek design, and useful lighter!" said one reviewer. "I use mine daily once or twice and haven't needed to charge it yet."

If you find yourself with two twin beds — or a split king — and wish you had one big bed with no gap to fall into, convert it to a comfy king-size mattress with this bed converter kit. It holds two beds together so no one falls into the center gap and eliminates the uncomfortable place where the two meet. "We recently bought a split king adjustable bed and we have a 75 lb Goldendoodle who sleeps between us...and he was sinking!" said one reviewer. "It works perfectly! Happy Dog, Happy Couple!!"

Next time your adorable fur baby looks you in the eye while sinking those sharp murder mittens into your best armchair, don't get mad. Get these furniture protectors and laugh off that kittenish malevolence. They stick easily to your furniture, are clear so you can hardly see them, and the slick and impervious texture is absolutely no fun to scratch. "The cats hate them, but I love them!" said one reviewer. "I just wish we had gotten them sooner!"

When you are relaxing in a hot bath, don't let the hard porcelain damage your calm. Stick this luxurious bath pillow to the tub and rest your head, neck, and shoulders on its soft, breathable, and squishy comfort. Six suction cups keep it in place in the tub and a hook makes it easy to hang dry. "Easy to use; easy to dry, but most importantly, very comfortable," said one reviewer. "Perfect for a leisurely soak in the tub."