Most people encounter inconveniences with a sort of resignation. We grumble that someone should find an easier way of doing it, then move on with our lives. But the people who invented these ingenious gadgets aren't like that. They see an inconvenience as a niche that no one else has filled yet, and they set about filling it.
Here are 40 of the most brilliant inexpensive gadgets you can buy on Amazon that will make your life way easier. From toilet lights to shrinking lanterns, to magical spice racks, there's something here for everyone.
Happy shopping!
Note: We may receive a commission on any purchases you make off this list.
40. This portable steam iron is a traveler's dream
Amazon
Tired of looking all wrinkly and weathered when you travel? This might just be the gadget for you. This iron is ready to use in 15 seconds, will fit cosily in your suitcase, and has dual voltage outlets for your travel convenience. Don't worry: the Steamfast SF-717 may be small, but it's powerful enough to de-wrinkle virtually any fabric.
39. A safe, cool gadget to remove food from the microwave
Amazon
If you're like me, you burn yourself taking food out of the microwave at least three times a week. The Home-X Micro Mate is here to help. It's totally heat resistant and comes with handles so you can reheat your mashed potatoes without losing all the skin on your fingers. It's also multipurpose and functions as a cover, tray, or plate stacker.
38. This spill-proof cupholder delivers thrills without the spills
Amazon
About two months ago I spilled coffee all over my laptop, killing it. If only I had been using CUPRIGHT. This cupholder not only keeps your drinks warm (or cold) and has a base designed to catch drips -- it also prevents clumsy spills that will send you running to BestBuy to drop $1,000 like it's hot.
37. How about a lunch box that actually heats your lunch for you?
Amazon
This portable crock pot holds your lunch and keeps it safe. And then when the time comes it will heat your lunch up too, saving you from touching that infamous break room microwave. It holds up to 20 ounces of whatever you eat, and the outside doesn't get hot when the insides do. Plus you can put it in the dishwasher.
36. Tired of your fruit and veg going bad? Try this shelf liner
Amazon
Don't lose your produce in a war of attrition with mold. The Fruit and Veggie Life Extender Liner keeps your greens safe from the moisture in your fridge. It also helps air to circulate, meaning you won't have to eat 20 apples in one day for fear they will go bad. These bad boys are also washable, thus extending the life of the thing that extends the life of your food.
35. The multi-purpose non-stick baking pan
Amazon
Let's take a moment to mourn all the muffins and cupcakes we've lost to crappy, sticky baking pans. With this food-grade non-stick silicone baking pan, those casualties will be no more. It can handle heat up to 450 degrees, plus it's FDA approved and BPA free. You can use it in the oven, the freezer, or even the microwave.
34. With this gadget you will never lose a sock again
Amazon
It's like a hat stand, but for your socks. One of the most annoying things about doing laundry is having to put all your socks back together again when you're done. With the SockDock, you can keep your socks together in the wash, in the dryer, and in your closet. This should help protect your foot gloves from the gremlins who live under the water heater and apparently love to steel the.
33. The collapsible solar-powered lamp
Amazon
The Goal Zero Crush Light is super convenient and green. The sun charges it for you, it can run for 35 hours on low, and you can crush it to the size of about half an inch when you're done with it. There's even a 'flicker' setting for those more romantic moments when you need a lantern. Altogether, it's perfect for your next camping trip.
32. The amazing cold butter knife
Amazon
This has totally happened to you: your toast is ready, but your butter is basically just a fat glacier. In your attempts to spread it across the bread, you end up ruining both your entire breakfast and day. Enter the Stainless Steel Butter Spreader Knife, which is designed specifically to spread the coldest of cold butter bricks. Genius.
31. No more pooping in the dark with the toilet light
Amazon
No more pitch black evacuations with the Vintar 16-Color Motion Sensor LED Toilet Night Light. It fits in any toilet, has 16 color choices for your pleasure, and has 5 intensity levels to choose from. Also (it's in the name) this bad boy has a motion sensor, so you won't have to talk to your toilet to make it light up at 3 in the morning.
30. This cleaning compound gets gunk and germs out of electronics
Amazon
Just push this putty into those hard-to-reach places on your phone, keyboard, camera, wherever, and it will kill 99% of the germs. Plus it will remove all those pieces of food stuck on your laptop because you believe in the 'working lunch.'
29. The thumb drive that gives your iPhone extra storage
Amazon
This little flash drive is compatible with your iPhone. That means you can stream stuff from the drive rather than wasting space on your phone. It's sort of like an external hard drive for your phone. Plus, you can transfer it from device to device, and it can handle almost any format.
28. This gadget makes banana slicing easy
Amazon
Cutting bananas can be time-consuming, slimy, and uneven. The Hutlzer 571 Banana Slicer removes all doubt, allowing you to slice your nanner quickly, cleanly, and safely. Then you can just throw it in the dishwasher. No muss, no fuss, as they say.
27. This chilling beer mug will keep it frosty for you
Amazon
Don't worry, it works for more than just beer. The cooling gel inside these glasses is designed to keep your drink cold for the long haul. Just pop it in the freezer for an hour or two, and you're good to go!
26. These magnetic spice jars provide seasoning for all seasons
Amazon
Is there anything worse than opening your spice drawer? It's just a bunch of interchangeable jars staring up to you, and it's a crapshoot trying to find the right one. This magnetic spice rack solves all that. Just put your spices on the fridge where you can see them, and pluck them down at your leisure.
25. Microwave bacon like a hero with this tray
Amazon
Relive your college days in style with this microwaveable bacon tray. Its grooves are perfect for collecting grease, but it can also be used to thaw other types of meat. It's also suitable for the freezer or the dishwasher. Versatile and delicious.
24. This spoon holder will keep you from having to mop up your counter
Amazon
You know that awful moment when you're stirring sauce and realize you're going to have to put the spoon down on your counter? This handy gadget has eliminated that moment forever. Just attach this spoon holder to the side of the pot and slide your utensil in. No need for paper towels or mopping up your counters after making your world-famous ragù.
23. This wine accessory does four things for the price of one
Amazon
The Corkcicle Air does it all. It's an aerator, chiller, pourer, and stopper all in one. It keeps your whites (or reds) cold, helps them breathe, makes them easy to pour, and it's adjustable so you can use it to cork your wine and save it for later. Bottoms up.
22. The stink-free indoor compost bin
Amazon
Easy to open and easy to clean, the Full Circle Fresh Air Odor-Free Kitchen Compost Bin is a great option if you want to compost food waste but don't want your kitchen to smell like a landfill. This bin is designed to keep the air moving, meaning less rot, less funk, and fewer flies.
21. This rack stand holds baggies open for you
Amazon
Saving leftover food is just common sense. But it's infuriating trying to dump a bunch of ground beef into a ziplock bag when you only have two hands. Thankfully, with this baggie rack, you can pour in peace.
20. This plastic cap will save your beer or soda
Amazon
Bottles are great and recyclable, but once you twist that cap off... you're committed. Not so with Beer Savers, silicone plastic caps you can pop on your soda or beer bottle to seal in the freshness. They will fit most bottle sizes, and they're dishwasher safe and reusable.
19. Aerate your lawn with this shoe accessory
Amazon
If you're big on your yard, you'll want to have the lawn aerated. But landscaping companies can charge hundreds of dollars for the service. For those who are interested in DIY solutions, these shoe accessories allow you to aerate your own lawn just by doing a bit of pacing. And it definitely won't cost you hundreds of bucks.
18. The life-proof travel bluetooth speaker
Amazon
This handy little speaker is waterproof, dustproof, and shockproof. It can play for up to 10 hours without losing its charge. All these factors make it ideal, either as a shower speaker, as a travel companion, or to provide your soundtrack for a day at the beach.
17. These clip-on camera lenses make your iPhone camera even better
Amazon
These accessories level up your iPhone camera, allowing you to take photos in super wide view, 180 degrees, or with a fisheye lens. Maybe now people will actually want to look at your travel photos and dog selfies.
16. The no-touch soap dispenser
Amazon
The irony of pumping soap into your dirty hands is that your hands are dirty when they touch the soap bottle. If you're troubled by that, you'll love this dispenser, which you can operate with the back of your hand. Now you won't have to visit public washrooms to get no-touch soap. Whew.
15. This gadget keeps your bedsheets in place
Amazon
That really says it all, doesn't it? Bed sheets come loose all the time, and it's a humiliating nuisance to have to put them back in place. The BedBand solves all that, with adjustable straps so you can achieve as much tension as you like. Plus it's 100% made in America.
14. This super adaptable, affordable security camera
Amazon
This little bad boy will only cost you about $26, but it's definitely multi-purpose. It has motion/sound recording, night vision, and you can stream the live footage anywhere in the world on your phone. It's also compatible with Alexa and Google. It's about as cheap and effective as home security cameras can get.
13. The magnetic keychain
Amazon
If you're like me, you lose your keys every day and you're getting sick of it. This magnetic keychain aims to help you keep track of your keys. It's magnetic, so you can just stick your keys to any metallic surface at eye level, the better to find them when you need them. The chains also come in bright colors, another benefit for us absent-minded professor types.
12. This bagel guillotine is definitely revolutionary
Amazon
Let them eat bagels! There's nothing worse than a bagel where one side is razor thin and the other is too thick to even fit in the toaster. Keep everything even with the bagel guillotine, an invention that combines the magic of breakfast with the worst excesses of the French Revolution.
11. These bracelet style headphones are always on hand
Amazon
The perfect gift for someone who loves to listen. To music. In order to avoid human contact. These headphones will never get lost, because when they're not in your eyes, they're on your wrist, functioning as a conversation starter.
10. Magnetic cable clips will keep you from losing your chargers
Amazon
If you're tired of losing chargers and cables behind the desk every time you unplug your devices, this is the ticket. These magnetic clips will hold all your cables cleanly in place until the next time you need them.
9. The cookie dipper that keeps your hands dry
Amazon
Dipr is the answer for all you Cookie Monsters who love to dip your biscuits in milk but don't like to get your fingers covered in milk. Just attach your cookie to the groovy hook thing on the end, and dunk away to your heart's delight.
8. This bib keeps your beard hair out of the sink
Amazon
As seen on Shark Tank! If you live with a man who tends to get his facial hair all over the bathroom every time he shaves... this is the ideal Christmas gift. It's also compact, making it perfect for the bearded man on the go.
7. The sweater defuzzer
Amazon
Sweaters are great, but the more you wear and wash them, the more they seem to accumulate annoying fuzz and dust bunnies that seem to be part of the shirt itself. Enter the fabric defuzzer, which is here to restore your sweaters to their natural smoothness. Good as new.
6. Never wonder 'did I leave it on?' with the auto shut-off outlet
You don't have to worry about A) burning your house down or B) panicking that you've burned your house down anymore! Just plug your iron into this outlet and set the timer. It will cut the juice after the amount of time you've chosen, meaning you'll never have to rush home from a party to check that your house is still there ever again.
Amazon
5. The shrinking water bottle
Amazon
Another must-own accessory for travelers and hikers. At its largest, this collapsible bottle can 500 ml (about 17 ounces), but it can shrink down to about half that volume. That makes it easy to pack when you have limited space, which... who doesn't?
4. The ultimate traveler's surge protector
Amazon
Surge protectors are a good idea in general, but this multi-purpose device is ideal for travelers. Its wraparound cord makes it extremely compact and easy to toss in your suitcase. It has two regular outlets and two USB ports, relieving you of the need to pack USB charger heads separately.
3. This magical machine dries your boots
Amazon
If you live in a climate where winter is a thing, you will instantly see the need for this device. Got snow and/or slush in your boots? No big. Just toss them on the VIVREAL HOME Boot Dryer and watch as your booties are left dry, warm, and devoid of unfortunate odors. How did it take humanity so long to think of this?
2. This gadget makes it easy to pour anything
Amazon
This doohickey is both a seal and a mouth that can make giant bags of foodstuff much easier to pour. Which is a big relief if you're ever accidentally dumped five pounds of rice onto your kitchen counter and floor, defeating the purpose of buying in bulk.
1. The ultimate spice rack measures things for you
Amazon
On the surface, it just looks like a Lazy Susan -- which is my favorite kind of Susan, but whatever. However, what makes this spice rack truly unique are the dials that will dispense the exact right amount of oregano or parsley every time. Cooking just got a whole lot easier.
