We all buy things we soon regret — that bargain bin discovery or impulse purchase — but what about the things that have turned out to be surprisingly great investments?
Whether it’s just plain useful or a very lucky price drop right when you were poised to purchase, a quality buy sparks a whole lot of joy — and there are a plethora of hidden gems among the many offerings on Amazon.
If you’re like us, when you find yourself with a hidden gem, you want to tell everyone all about it. Here are some of the items our staff has bought and remain happy with day after day.
Lodge 10.25" Cast Iron Skillet
How we found it: Several of us were looking for tools to help us do more cooking and meal prep at home, so we did some research on how to elevate our game. We read a lot about the benefits of cooking with cast iron.
Why we love it: This 10.25-inch Lodge skillet is an incredibly versatile cooking vessel. With this one pan, we've seared meat, sauteed veggies, simmered sauces, made omelets, baked brownies, cooked camp meals, and more. No other implement in our kitchen seems so well equipped to perform so many different tasks with this kind of reliability.
ECOVACS DEEBOT N79S Robotic Vacuum Cleaner
How we found it: It was on sale on Prime Day and we had heard good things about it in our research.
Why we love it: After testing the top-of-the-line Roomba models from iRobot, we were curious if lower-priced brands performed as well. We found that this more affordable option cleaned our floors just as well. It's made keeping our office and homes tidy so much more easily – especially those of us with pets who shed.
How we found it: We’re all about finding affordable small appliances that make preparing meals fast and easy, and we found this low-priced, entry-level air fryer that’s very easy to use.
Why we love it: We wanted a smaller model that didn’t take up too much space, and this was the ideal size. We’ve been thrilled by how well it works making great-tasting “fried” food with little or no oil at all.
BubbleWally Floating Wine Glasses
How we found it: We love the outdoors and were searching for unbreakable wine glasses that we could take everywhere from the lake to the deep woods.
Why we love it: They float! This pair of shatterproof wine glasses is perfect for everything from the pool to the beach and lightweight enough to bring camping or hiking. Pair with a wine pouch for a safe, glass-free way to bring cocktail hour with you.
How we found it: When we’re on the go, we hate worrying about a drained phone battery, but this power bank provided us the perfect solution.
Why we love it: It's lightweight and gives us the freedom of a full charge anywhere. When commuting or traveling, you can just plug in your phone and leave it in your bag. Plus, you can get up to four charges out of it at a time — so even if you don't need it, you can always share it with someone else.
Moistenland Indoor Watering System
How we found it: We love to travel but hate when we come home to wilting houseplants. This indoor watering system came to our rescue.
Why we love it: We love that this allows me to water my plants how we want to. We can schedule how often and how much water the plants should get. Also, the water tubes can be cut to any length, so the whole set-up looks tidy. While setting it up initially took about an hour, it's easy to use each time now.
EASELAND Microfiber Bed Sheets Set
How we found it: We were looking for a new set of sheets at an affordable price point, and we found these on the Today’s Deals page.
Why we love it: These sheets are softer than the other sheets we paid well over $100 for. They are indeed comfortable — soft as a peach, breathable, and just the right size for deep pocket mattresses. On top of that, they’re easy to care for, durable, and at less than $30 per set, these are a wise buy.
Rowkin Pace True Wireless Earbuds w/Charging Case
How we found it: We love truly wireless earbuds but worry about them falling out. We found these after countless hours reading reviews and comparing every brand on the market.
Why we love it: After a year of constantly using the Rowkin Wireless Earbuds we haven't had any issues. We especially enjoy the Qi-compatible wireless charging case that provides plenty of battery for all-day use. There is also a mobile app that helps locate your earbuds just in case you lose them.
How we found it: A quick Amazon search for a simple planner.
Why we love it: Keeping track of deadlines can sometimes feel overwhelming, and we love the simplicity of this agenda. The clean layout helps us keep life organized without all the frills of more complicated planners. Other options can be $30-$40 or more, but for a significantly lower cost, we found this quality planner.
How we found it: We can't recall exactly how we stumbled across this product, but we sure are glad we did.
Why we love it: When putting up a tree every year, the job was so fraught with problems made us dread the holidays – until the Krinner. We think everyone who plans to install a Christmas tree should buy this stand.
How we found it: When we need to take work with us while traveling, this car power inverter can power our laptops on the go.
Why we love it: We’re able to travel and work (as long as we have a driver) without missing a beat. It keeps electronics charged and allows us to complete work in the car, so we can truly enjoy ourselves once we reach our destination. We absolutely love it!
