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Dec 20, 2023

43 Things Probably Designed By Geniuses May 2023

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed collects a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.

A heatless curling rod headband, a solidifying powder to make disposing of cooking oil easier, a size-adjustable rolling pin, and other *super* smart products.

BuzzFeed Staff

Check it out on TikTok here!

Promising review: "You NEED this. This product is AMAZING. When I run errands, I hate bringing both a water bottle and coffee tumbler. This product solves that issue. I ran it through my dishwasher to clean it, and the plastic didn't morph at all. 10/10 recommend!" —Megan Huffman

Get it from Amazon for $14.99 (available in three colors).

They're compatible with the original Swiffer Sweeper!

Turbo Mops is a family-run small business that wants to help you live (and clean) more sustainably.

Promising review: "The Velcro closure alone is worth the purchase. It was really easy to put on (no more pinched fingers), and the hold is very strong. No more having to handle the dirty, drippy sheets to try to reattach them in the middle of cleaning the floor. I noticed that my floors are cleaner because the microfiber absorbs more and doesn't just push the grime around the floor. Also, these can be washed in the washing machine for the next use." —Rosemary Patterson

Get a pack of two on Amazon for $12.06.

Each spike can be used for 30–60 days, depending on the season.

Promising review: "I always kill my plants but I decided to try again. I just bought five houseplants, and three of them were marked down because they were looking pretty puny. Since I tend to kill them anyway, I figured I would give them a try and save some money. I put one of these spikes in each plant and they all looked so much healthier and happier after just a couple of days. I also added one spike to the only houseplant that I've had for years without killing (I was beginning to think it was artificial) the leaves looked healthier almost immediately. I'm very happy with this product and it was a great price." —victoria

Get 48 spikes from Amazon for $5.69.

Promising reviews: "Works well, traveled to Brazil from the USA. They worked all the time, and I did not have any problems. Was able to track all my luggage individually with a tag in each one!" —Wayne

Get it from Amazon for $29.

Promising review: "My last tape dispenser was awful. Threading the tape through the mechanism was a PITA. The gears and springs would fall out when you opened the damn thing. Eventually, the tape started to cling to the roller and would rip the paper I was trying to tape. This design is great; the tape self threads itself when you put it on the rubber bands, the tape stays on the inside of the device until you press the trigger to release it, the tape self cuts when you let go of the trigger. Everything can be done with one hand. Wonderful!" —Billster

Get it from Amazon for $13.99 (available in four colors).

They're BPA-free, dishwasher-safe, and have fill lines on the side of the compartments for half and full cups.

Promising review: "LOVE LOVE LOVE. My freezer is so much more organized now. Gone are the days of having to defrost an entire bag of chicken broth for one cup for a recipe. I now have perfectly portioned 1/2-cup and 1-cup blocks ready to go. They fit easily in freezer bags, take up less space, and make me incredibly happy. There was a lot of attention to detail put into the design and I particularly appreciate the wire inside the rim that holds everything steady — no more worrying about spilling all the liquid on the way to the freezer. Just a fantastic product all around. I purchased this and a cheaper version from another manufacturer at the same time but returned the other product. This one is definitely worth the added cost." —Kate

Get it from Amazon for $19.95 (available in three colors and multipacks).

Promising review: "The fur babies are in love. It's so easy to put together, extra soft, and hands down the BEST cat toy I’ve ever gotten them. They love running through the inside and hiding from each other, or playing with the hanging ball. It keeps them busy for hours, and they love sleeping in the center part, which is very pillow-like. If you are debating this purchase, believe me when I say just buy it now." —Lp

Get it from Amazon for $39.99.

Promising review: "If you're like me and living in a space that doesn't have a ton of room let alone space for a big old ironing board, this is the perfect solution. This mat easily sticks with the magnets to the top of the dryer. It's a great space-saving solution. If you're looking to minimize, this is what you want!" —JD

Get it from Amazon for $13.87.

Promising review: "This is the BEST detangler EVER!!! Do not use on dry hair though if you have curly or wavy hair. It will straighten your hair and leave it frizzy. But, use this in the shower with your conditioner and you can finger comb your hair, air dry if possible, and your waves and curls will be the best ever!" —TDHokey

Get it from Amazon for $12.49+ (available in five colors).

Promising review: "I laughed when I first saw the picture of this item. I thought, well if they don't work, I’ll use them for a costume. But they are amazing at pulling weeds. I use mine for those pesky weeds in the rocks. One pull and you get root and all." —cynthia Williams

Get it from Amazon for $6.36+ (available in two colors and as a pack of two).

Promising review: "This is perfect for when you need to pull weeds, plant or clean up flowerbeds, or pick berries. We are seniors, and it helps us get up off the ground. If we didn't have this, we would be sitting on the ground until one of us could pull the other up. It is the best item we have ever bought." —CSD

Get it from Amazon for $49.99+ (available in three colors and in two versions).

Promising review: "Love, love, love this pasta strainer!!! My husband and I hate cleaning out the strainer, so I ordered this to make life easier. OMG, does it make life easier!!! If this ever breaks, I’ll be ordering another! It's very sturdy and easy to use. Absolutely love it!" —ShylohsRedShadow

Get it from Amazon for $12.45+ (available in three colors).

You'll get five differing styles of *reusable* lashes to meet your different needs, and two tubes of magnetic eyeliner.

Promising review: "They look beautiful. I am so impressed with these lashes. This is the first time I have tried magnetic eyelashes, and they work so well. I tend to wear them once a week or so. They are all fun and so easy to put on. I have had these for a couple of months, and they still work great! I suggest cleaning them after each use with makeup remover like Neutrogena (the one with the oil in it that you have to shake), and they come out beautiful and clean. When putting them on, I did discover with trial and error to first put the eyeliner on and then let it dry by doing other makeup or getting dressed. Then, after that is set, put them on. I have small eyes so I found putting them on too close to the inner corner of the eye can be irritating to me and bothersome when I blink. If I put them a tiny bit away from the inner eye, they work beautifully. I would definitely buy these again!" —Holly

Get an eight-piece set from Amazon for $17.99 (also available in larger set sizes).

Tidy Cup is a woman-owned and family-owned small business founded by Julie Reinhold. Her ingenious little drip catchers are made in the USA and can easily be cleaned by rinsing with warm water.

Promising review: "The Tidy Cup is so simple, and yet, I completely love it! I have spent years cleaning the drips from the top of my washing machine due to my super sized, side-sitting detergent dispensers. It's so time consuming to clean thick, soapy detergent off of the machines. So far, this has done the trick! It catches all the drips, and keeps track of the cup I usually keep losing. It's easy to pop back off to rinse in a sink. This is one of those completely silly, cheap doodads that you wish you had owned forever, and don't want to ever be without again." —R

Get a set of two from Amazon for $12 (also available as a pack of one).

Just be sure to look up any weight restrictions on carry-on luggage!

Promising review: "These bags are amazing! Everything fits, and the compression keeps everything in order and leaves space for last-minute additions. No more emptying the suitcase looking for an item. So easy and organized. My travel life just became 100% easier! Highly recommend them." —LYNN vT

Get a pack of six from Amazon for $39.99 (available in a variety of colors and as a pack of two or four).

Here's why former BuzzFeed Shopping writer Brittany Ross loves these:

"I got the 2-pound weights as a Christmas gift, and as someone who is ~not~ the most enthusiastic when it comes to most forms of exercise, I think these are a great option if you want to get a little more out of even a simple walk around the block. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing with their pretty colors and matte finish, but they're also quite comfortable, given that they're adding extra resistance to your movements. I highly recommend if you want to make things a little more challenging for yourself while feeling good about wearing them in public. I got several compliments on them while I was out and about!"

Promising review: "I fell in love with the color selection and decided to give them a shot. They're one of my favorite purchases to date, because I use these ALL. THE. TIME. When I'm cleaning, organizing, or doing little chores around the house, I slip these on for subtle extra resistance, and when I'm doing bodyweight workouts, I have them on. They are so comfortable, and I can tell they've been helping me. I can't recommend them enough. <3" —Ashley

Get a set of two weights from Amazon for $55+ (available in eight colors and as one or two pounds).

You can totally use it with another cleaner or spray if you want, but it seems like reviewers have success without! It just takes some elbow grease.

Promising review: "I am very impressed with this product. I was new to suede shoes and instantly regretted buying a gray-colored shoe once I got them dirty. Luckily I found this lovely thing. Very easy to use, straightforward packet comes with it that tells you which sides to use and when. I would definitely recommend this. Since you invest so much in those shoes you might as well keep them nice and clean!" —Celeste

Get it from Amazon for $6.99.

Check it out on TikTok here!

Each swipe can cover about three lines of text, making it impossible to read from the front or back. Each roller gives up to 1,000 impressions. When it's *finally* time for a refill, you can purchase extra cartridges here.

Promising review: "I read a lot of mixed reviews of other rollers before deciding on this one. Some people mentioned the small size as a problem, but for me, it's a plus. I don't have room for a big gadget. I was also put off by rollers that spread the word CONFIDENTIAL, drawing attention to what you're trying to hide. This one uses a pattern of letters that leaves an unintelligible black thicket of lines. I use it every day, and while it still has plenty of ink, I'm glad it is refillable. Highly recommended! Now, I can recycle things I used to have to shred and discard." —rainforest

Get it from Amazon for $10.99 (available in five colors, as well as in multipacks).

Maitland Quitmeyer, a member of the BuzzFeed Shopping team, LOVES these! Here's what she has to say: "WHY didn't I buy these vacuum storage bags sooner?? I chose the large size (as opposed to the biggest size, called 'jumbo') because it seemed easier to move and store — jumbo is probably perfect for bedding, duvets, etc! And just one large bag was plenty to store 9 or 10 *very* large winter sweaters — all collapsed down to a fraction of their size. And it was surprisingly effortless, too! I am literally going to order another pack of five today — my closet game is forever changed!!!"

Get a set of 10 from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in four sizes and as a five pack).

Read her full review of the vacuum-sealed storage bags in "Just 7 Things You'll Want To Try In June."

Promising review: "Quite impressive. After making some fries, we added a packet to the hot oil and stirred a few times. Maybe 10 minutes later, we checked the pan, and the oil had solidified. Using a wood spoon, we easily removed the solid and put it in the trash. I will always make sure to keep a pack of FryAway in our pantry. Highly recommended." —Ryan O.

Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in two sizes).

Promising review: "Is this 100% necessary? No...however, it does make one thing a little easier for me in the morning. Instead of watching the pot and waiting for the water to boil to start the timer, you can just put the NobelEgg in the pot with your eggs, start the heat, and just wait for your eggs to be done. Can't wait to give some as gifts!" —BaileyBoo

Get it from Amazon for $8.49.

Ring Thing Designs is a California-based Etsy shop that specializes in ring storage, and donates a portion of each sale to anti-human trafficking nonprofits.

Promising review: "Great concept, execution, and delivery!! I bought five for various daughters and daughters-in-law for their beautiful rings when they exercise or travel. So convenient and helpful in safeguarding their precious items...They LOVE! Thank you so much for making such a wonderful product at a reasonable price and quick delivery!" —Celia Flynn

Get it from Ring Thing Designs on Etsy for $19.95 (available in six colors).

Promising review: "I really didn't expect this to work. We’ve had short-haired cats for years and I had a rubber upholstery brush that never seemed to do anything. Well, we recently got a dog — a black Great Pyrenees mix. There is fur everywhere. Our downstairs is all hard flooring with area rugs and I hate lugging my Shark vacuum every couple of days but just daily sweeping with a regular broom wasn't cutting it.

I decided to take a chance on this broom and I am so happy I did. It takes some elbow grease but it gets the fur off the area rug in my living room... Not only is it great for getting the fur off rugs, but it's also even better on the hard floors. My regular broom catches some of the hair (which I then have to clean off by hand) but much of it just swirls away in the breeze the sweeping creates. This broom actually collects even the tiny stray hairs and deposits them in the dust pile without me having to get my hands dirty (literally)." —Sarah R.

Get it from Amazon for $16.99+ (available in multiple styles, sizes, and in different sets; replacement pieces also available).

Promising review: "I recently got into baking shortbread cookies, and rolling them out to a uniform thickness can be really tough with a normal rolling pin. I have been loving this product! Its main body is a nice wood, and the discs and screw on the sides are a durable, hard plastic, so it's incredibly easy to keep clean. I've been able to roll out dough and have it be the perfect uniform thickness. My cookies come out looking a lot nicer and bake more evenly. It's exactly what I needed to add to my baking supplies!" —Cheryl P

Get it from Amazon for $23.55+ (available in blue or multicolor).

SockDock is a small business founded by Kevin Bunn in March 2017 after he got so frustrated losing socks while doing laundry.

Promising review: "For the last six years, I have lost literally dozens of socks. No one would fess up to having them stuffed in their drawers or crammed underneath their beds. So, it must be the sock gnomes or if you are familiar with Family Guy. I have been using the SockDock for about a month, I've washed about three or four loads and guess what, not one sock lost. It does take some commitment to load soiled socks on the tree, but it's worth the effort. They come out of the wash, and you just hang them up and pull fresh ones off. I highly recommend if you can commit yourself to the process." —S. Peterson

Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in four colors).

The set includes a curling rod, two hair scrunchies, a claw hair clip, and two duckbill hair clips to set it in place. You can use this on all hair types, but reviewers say it works best when used with damp hair!

Promising review: "Before purchasing, I’d seen a lot of reviews and tutorials on TikTok showing the results. My hair is thick, coarse, and naturally wavy, so I figured this might be a good alternative to rollers that are time-consuming to put in, difficult to sleep in, and ultimately not worth it. And MAN was I right to be hopeful. Wrap pieces of damp hair around it before bed, the tighter the wrap, the tighter the curl. Easy to sleep in since there's nothing on the back of your head, and my curls are BOUNCY the next morning. My only complaint is that it doesn't help give any top-volume, but nothing some teasing can't fix. 10/10. I’ll never go back to a curling iron." —Mariah

Get it from Amazon for $7.99 (available in six colors).

Promising review: "This product is something I didn't know I needed. It's like the creator crawled into my soul and found the deepest desire of my heart and then invented it. If you think I’m being dramatic, you should try soggy cereal and then eat cereal from THIS bowl. I’ll take 30 more, please, and hand them out as gifts." —Sarah F.

Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in three colors and in packs of two or three).

Promising review: "After I had my first child almost a year ago, I stopped getting acrylic nails because I couldn't get him out of his car seat without struggling or breaking a nail. I’d have to get them as an overlay or extra short. But I saw this product on TikTok and had to try it out, and OMG!! It works! It took me a while to figure out the best angle to get him out with it, but once I did, I went to the nail shop expeditiously!! LOL, if you’ve been thinking about this for a while, GET IT! It's worth it!" —Tora318

Get it from Amazon for $11.99+ (available in five colors).

Check out a TikTok of the glow-in-the-dark case in action.

Promising review: "It's a thin silicone case that slips right on and has holes for all buttons and the microphone in the right places. It also has raised dots on the back to make it easy to grip. With the easy-to-see color, I no longer lose my remote in the couch cushions. Highly recommend." —S. Mizrahi

Get it from Amazon for $7.99+ (available in six colors).

Clay in Motion is a family-run pottery studio based in Oregon. Since 1981, Bob and Corina Neher have been throwing, firing, and glazing functional pieces.

Promising review: "This is like sending your friend a hug every time they use it. I bought this to replace wifey's favorite mug that broke. It's just right. It feels so good when you hold it. The colors are warm and shade beautifully into each other, giving a pleasing subtle grading effect. Washing it is a bit weird, as the cup is also shaped differently inside, but it's easy to wash up since there are no hidden areas. This is her new favorite mug, hit it out of the park with its beautiful design. Bit pricey, but y'know, when it's perfect, you accept that." —kevin

Get it from Amazon for $33.94 (available in 16 colors and in a left-handed style).

Promising review: "I'm very pleased with this. I use it mainly for at-home hair styling. I often like to leave my styling wand on for last-minute touch ups before leaving early in the morning but, in haste, I often get on the freeway and worry that I forgot to unplug it. No more worries with this attached to the plug. I wish I'd gotten it sooner." —JDubya

Get it from Amazon for $11.60.

Some reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.