Brilliant, weird things you didn't realize are essential to have in your home
Weird new things that’ll become staples in your home.
You should treat your home as your sanctuary, meaning it should feel cozy, safe, and as stress-free as possible. While you probably have all the essentials in your space, Amazon is chock-full of clever, odd items that are little-known essentials that make a big difference. From quirky problem-solvers to smart upgrades for everyday tasks, these unusual items are as genius as they are strange. Once you have a few, you may wonder where they’ve been all your life.
01Cheap drain clog removers that easily fix clogged sinks
Featuring long, flexible plastic tools and a 24-inch stainless steel snake with a claw grip, this set of drain clog removers will help you fix clogged drains without calling a plumber. Designed for sink and tub drains or pipes, the flexible plastic easily bends and grabs onto clogged food, hair, and debris, while the snake grabs hard-to-remove items.
02LED motion sensor night-lights that illuminate dark areas of your home
Install these LED motion sensor lights one of three ways — hang them with the included hangers, mount them with the adhesive strips, or attach them magnetically. Once up, these wireless lights illuminate dark spaces when they detect motion and turn off automatically after about 25 seconds. They’re great for closets, stairways, and bathrooms.
03A knife sharpener that saves dull knives
Revive dull blades effortlessly with this knife sharpener. It features a strong suction base that secures to your countertop so that you can glide knives through without any dangerous slips. Three tungsten and ceramic sharpeners help you revive dull scissor blades, sharpen dull knives, and maintain sharp knives to keep them prep-ready.
04The genius ceiling fan cleaner that cleans both sides of the blades
This ceiling fan cleaner has an innovative four-sided cleaning blade that slips over your ceiling fan’s blades to clean both sides in one fell swoop. Its telescoping handle makes it easy to reach any fan, while the microfiber cleaning cloths effortlessly grab dust. Plus, unlock the top to dust AC vents, walls, and more.
05Stove gap covers that prevent messy spills & drips
These stove gap covers solve the problem of messy spills and drips between your oven and kitchen countertop. Trim them to fit, then push them into place. Their matte black silicone will catch any spills, so you can easily wipe them away with a dishcloth. “I have been having trouble keeping the gap between the stove clean. It is so hard to clean,” wrote one reviewer. “[These were] game changers. Great to not get grease, food, or other things between my stove and counter. [They’re] durable, heat resistant, and seamless because [they] blend perfectly with my stove.”
06The wall-mounted toilet brush with a sleek holder
This toilet bowl brush has a sleek holder that mounts to your wall with adhesive hooks, saving floor space and looking neater than most toilet brushes. The brush’s sturdy bristles easily tackle grime, and its curved shape makes it easy to clean under the rim. The holder also has a handy automatic-open function.
07Heavy-duty storage straps with a 4.8-star average rating after 16,000 reviews
After over 16,000 reviews, these storage straps have earned an impressive 4.8-star average rating for their functionality. Made from tough, weatherproof material, each strap supports up to 50 pounds and features an industrial-strength hook-and-loop closure and a rust-resistant grommet for hanging. Use them to store yard tools, heavy garden hoses, extension cords, and more.
08A compact touchless trash can that’s perfect for small spaces
With an over-2-gallon capacity and a compact size perfect for bathrooms or cramped spaces, this touchless trash can will help you dispose of trash anywhere. Its infrared motion detector is waterproof and sensitive, so you only have to wave your hand to open the lid. It also has an airtight lid to keep odors locked away. One reviewer wrote, “The motion detection is consistent and allows enough time to toss items in without rushing. These have been a game changer in making it look cleaner while also cutting down on germs with the touchless lid.”
09Leak detectors that alert you to dripping faucets or leaks
Place these wireless water detectors anywhere you’re worried about a leak. They feature dual backwater probes and front drip sensors for comprehensive coverage, so they’ll alert you whether there’s a small or large water leak. Each detector has an adjustable alarm sound and a completely waterproof design for long-term use.
10A durable silicone mat that prevents spills & leaks under your sink
Made from durable, waterproof silicone, this under-sink mat protects your cabinet from water damage from leaky pipes and spilled cleaning supplies. It’s easy to clean when dirty and has a raised edge to keep any spills or leaks inside the mat. In fact, it holds an impressive 3 gallons of water.
11Emergency LED flashlights that double as night-lights
Plug these emergency LED flashlights into your outlets to use them as motion-activated night-lights, or remove them from your outlet, fold up the plug, and use the flashlight to see in the dark. When a blackout occurs, they’ll automatically turn on so you aren’t left in darkness.
12A pair of gentle pumice stone cleaners that won’t scratch porcelain
Use these gentle pumice cleaners on your porcelain toilet, tub, or sink, and they’ll remove limescale, buildup, rust, and grime without scratching their delicate surfaces. All you need is water to activate their cleaning power. And after cleaning, just rinse and air dry them in their storage containers.
13A garbage disposal brush that cleans out debris from your disposal
Tackle stubborn gunk and odors with this garbage disposal brush. Its stiff bristles effortlessly break up debris, while its length reaches areas other cleaning tools can’t. Its easy-to-hold handle makes it easy to scrub out your drain and disposal. It’s even top-rack dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup.
14The mold & mildew cleaner that tackles tough bathroom grime
This stain-cleaning gel has a thick formula that clings to surfaces and requires zero scrubbing. Just apply it to mold or mildew stains on tile, grout, walls, bathtubs, or even silicone sealants. Wait at least three hours, then rinse it off to reveal stain-free surfaces. “It took off all the black mold around the caulking in the shower, most of which was at least years of buildup. I left it on overnight and was stunned to see that in the morning, the black spots were perfectly white,” wrote one reviewer. “My god, this stuff is incredible!”
15The washing machine door prop that prevents unpleasant odors
Designed to keep your washing machine door open, this door prop promotes airflow and prevents moisture buildup, which keeps unpleasant odors away. It attaches to your washing machine magnetically and has a flexible, bendable arm to get the right fit. And its soft silicone coating won’t scratch your front loader.
16Clever anti-vibration pads for your washing machine that dampen noise
Get rid of noisy vibrations from your washing machine or dryer with these durable anti-vibration pads. Designed to fit the bottoms of washing machines, drivers, and other large appliances, their durable rubber reduces noise while stabilizing your appliance. They’ll also protect your floors from scratches and marks.
17Cabinet door bumpers that prevent slamming cabinets & drawers
These adhesive silicone door bumpers are almost invisible and apply easily to the inside of your cabinet doors and drawers. Once installed, they cushion your cabinets to prevent slamming noises when you shut them. You can also use them to prevent scratched surfaces and floors — they adhere to other materials like glass, metal, and plastic.
18Silicone door draft stoppers that block cold drafts
Apply these silicone door draft stoppers to the bottom of your doors, and they’ll block cold drafts from under your door gaps. Just trim them to fit your door and smooth them on. Their triple-layer design will also help reduce outside noise and may help reduce your heating bill.
19A genius drain protector that prevents expensive clogs
This drain protector might look odd, but its genius design fits inside most tub and sink drains and prevents expensive clogs. It allows water to flow while catching and wrapping hair around its flange. Once full, all you need to do is remove the hair with a tissue. One reviewer wrote, “I was a little skeptical at first, but this thing works exactly as it should and catches any hair or debris that would otherwise go down and possibly clog your drain. It pulls out easily, and cleaning up is a breeze. Highly recommend.”
20Silicone chair leg protectors that prevent scratched floors
These chair leg protectors help prevent scratched floors and make it easier to move your furniture. Simply stretch them over your chair legs (any shape is compatible), and the felt pads will protect your flooring. Since they’re transparent, they will easily blend in with your furniture, too.
21Sleek under-sink organizers for neatly storing essentials
Fix the mess underneath your kitchen or bathroom cabinets with these handy under-sink organizers. Each organizer has two tiers for storage, a pull-out bottom drawer, and eight hooks for hanging scrub brushes and accessories. Although compact, they fit many cleaning supplies, toiletries, and essentials to tidy up your storage. One reviewer wrote, “They’ve completely transformed the storage under my sink. The two baskets provide ample space for my cleaning supplies, toiletries, and other small items. The sliding feature makes it so easy to access everything, even things in the back, without pulling everything out.”
22Refrigerator deodorizers that eliminate funky fridge smells
Put these refrigerator deodorizers in your fridge, and they’ll banish stubborn odors. They’re compact so that you can store them on any shelf, and their zeolite minerals last six months longer than baking soda. As a bonus, they may also help extend the life of your produce by eliminating gases.
23Outdoor faucet covers that prevent frozen faucets
Protect your outdoor faucets from damaging frost with these faucet covers. Slip one over a faucet and fasten it with the hook-and-loop closure to protect your faucet with waterproof Oxford cloth and insulating cotton. Then, take it off whenever you need to access water. They even stay secure in windy weather.
24Door handle stoppers that save your walls from dents & damage
Made of shock-absorbing silicone, these door handle stoppers prevent dents, holes, and other damage from your door handles hitting your walls. With an easy-to-apply design, these stoppers are easy to apply by simply peeling off their backing to reveal the adhesive backings, then sticking them onto your walls. Over 7,000 Amazon shoppers have rated them five stars for effectiveness.
25A durable boot tray that keeps your floor clean
Whether you store shoes in your entryway, hall closet, or laundry room, this boot tray will keep your floor clean by giving you a designated spot to store dirty or muddy shoes. Its tough material has a ridged pattern that captures dirt, water, and debris. When it’s dirty, it’s easy to rinse and wipe clean.
26The dryer vent cleaning kit that removes dangerous lint buildup
Keeping your dryer free of lint buildup will help prevent a dangerous dryer fire (and keep it functioning at its best). Use this dryer cleaning kit to banish lint from your dryer’s vent, lint trap, and drum. It attaches to your vacuum hose and easily fits into hard-to-reach crevices to suck out trapped lint.
27A solar-powered lantern for blackouts, camping, & more
This solar-powered lantern is not just great in an emergency or blackout — its compact, inflatable design is also a great camping or poolside companion. Its lightweight, collapsible build makes storing or packing it a breeze. Once inflated, a charge lasts up to 24 hours and provides a bright, adjustable LED light. One reviewer wrote, “This lantern is the best on the market. It is so lightweight, and packs down so it doesn’t take up any space at all pretty much. It’s inflatable. Has three different brightnesses and then a flashing light option. The brightest is pretty dang bright. It lit up our eight-person tent at night no problem.”
28A collapsible cutting board that doubles as a dish tub
This clever cutting board has multiple kitchen functions to streamline prep work and save storage space. When you expand it, it doubles as a dish tub or spacious storage basket for produce (it fits over 8 quarts of items). When collapsed, it’s a functional cutting board.
29Stainless steel shower caddies that give your corner shower storage
Add extra storage space to your shower with these stainless steel caddies. Designed to fit in a shower’s corner, they install easily by hooking onto adhesive panels with hooks. Once up, you can fill them with shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and other essentials. The rust-proof set also comes with a bar soap caddy.
30A powerful electric scrubber for cleaning hard-to-reach spots
Clean hard-to-reach spots around your house with this electric scrubber. Its powerful oscillating head makes 60 rotations per minute to scour away grime and buildup effortlessly, while its battery-operated, wireless design makes it easy to use anywhere. It’s especially useful for cleaning around your faucets, grout lines, or window casings.
31A touchless soap dispenser that automatically dispenses soap
This soap dispenser is automatic and touch-free, so there’s no need to put dirty hands on the dispenser. Choose from five settings for the perfect amount of soap, then wave a hand underneath it to activate the dispenser. With its large 17-ounce capacity and transparent back, you won’t have to refill often and will always know when soap is low.
32Easy-to-install silicone drain stoppers for filling your sink or tub
These silicone drain stoppers have a genius suction cup design that latches onto your tub, sink, or shower, allowing you to fill them with water. Designed to fit most drain sizes, they provide a leakproof seal to keep water inside, and they easily remove once you finish. Plus, their soft silicone won’t scratch your surfaces.
33Dishwasher cleaning tablets that descale & deodorize your dishwasher
Use one of these dishwasher tablets monthly to remove funky odors from your dishwasher. Their powerful citric acid formula descales hard water stains, grime, and limescale inside your dishwasher with zero scrubbing. Put a tablet in the detergent tray and run an empty load to reveal a clean appliance with a refreshing, lemony scent.
34A silicone sealant that prevents mold & mildew
This silicone sealant is the perfect caulking for your bathroom, kitchen, doors, windows, and more. Use it with a caulking gun to seal your bathtub or faucets, and its waterproof silicone will not only keep out moisture but also prevent mold and mildew. It’s safe for everything from stainless steel to porcelain and won’t crack or turn yellow over time.
35A septic treatment that prevents septic backups
Formulated with natural bacteria and enzymes, this septic treatment will help break down waste, toilet paper, and grease in your septic system to prevent backups. Its formula is gentle on pipes and tanks and treats your system for a month. Just add the powder to your toilet and flush. One reviewer wrote, “Each month, I flush a box of RID-X Septic Treatment. We have not had any issues with our septic tank in the 15 years we have owned our home (our home is 30 years old), while some of our neighbors have had issues with their septic tanks [...] it's worth the monthly ‘flush.’”
36Dehumidifier packs that freshen your rooms
These moisture-absorbing packs are easy to hang inside closets, bedrooms, and bathrooms. Designed to dehumidify the air, they contain calcium chloride beads that naturally absorb moisture without emitting an unpleasant smell. They collect moisture in the bottom bags, remove musty odors, and freshen air quality for up to 60 days.
37Under-cabinet lights with motion sensors
Adhere the included magnetic plates to the underside of your cabinets, then attach these under-cabinet lights magnetically. Completely wireless and rechargeable, they have 40 bright LEDs, five brightness levels, and motion sensors that activate when they detect motion within 10 feet. They’re not only great for kitchens — use them inside closets or along stairwells.
38Nonslip rug grippers that keep corners from curling
Featuring a strong adhesive gel for a firm hold, these rug corner grippers attach to your rug’s corners and grip hard flooring to keep corners flat. In addition to making your rugs look better, they also make them nonslip. And despite their strong hold, your rug will remain easy to lift to vacuum underneath it.
39A compact battery organizer that fits 180 batteries
Keep all your batteries in one place with this battery organizer. Its compact size makes it easy to mount, hang, or store in a drawer. Meanwhile, its interior has 180 slots for batteries of all shapes and sizes, including AA, AAA, 9-volt, C, D, and flat batteries. It also includes a removable battery tester.
40Weatherproof motion sensor lights for your outdoor space
These motion sensor lights have three light settings (always on, smart brightness, and motion-activated) and a PIR sensor that detects movement within 26 feet. Their weatherproof build makes them perfect for any outdoor setting. Mount them on your home, patio, fence, or pathway with screws; their solar panels will keep them charged and ready to go at dusk.
41Comfortable foam mats that reduce fatigue from standing
Place these thick foam mats in your kitchen, and you’ll feel like you’re standing on clouds. Made of durable PVC with a cushioned inner foam, they have a fatigue-reducing design that may prevent back and foot pain from standing for long periods. Their waterproof, easy-to-clean material makes them perfect for kitchens or bathrooms.
42A charger organizer that neatly stores bricks & cables
Keep all your bricks and cables in one place with this charger organizer. It features one large compartment for storing bricks, earbuds, and other items and six compartments for neatly storing cables without cable ties. Once filled, put the lid on to keep your chargers dust-free.
43A furniture repair kit that permanently covers chips & scratches
Cover up chips and scratches in your wooden furniture permanently with this quick-drying furniture repair kit. The kit includes six wax sticks and six touch-up markers in common wood finishes such as black, maple, cherry, oak, mahogany, and walnut. Use the wax sticks to fill in gouges and the markers to touch up surfaces. One reviewer wrote, “These markers are AMAZING. I moved into a new home and have used them on the laminate flooring to hide any areas where the color has worn off, and you absolutely cannot tell whatsoever where I used marker [...] It is amazing what a huge difference touching up little blemishes makes.”
44A USB adapter kit that makes it easy to plug anything in
This USB adapter kit will make it easy to plug anything in. Inside the kit is a USB-C to USB-C fast charging cable, a USB-A adapter, a lightning adapter, and a micro-USB adapter. It also comes with a SIM card remover and three storage slots for nano and micro SIM cards.
45Anti-slip shower stickers that replace clunky shower mats
These shower stickers might look bizarre, but they cleverly replace clunky shower mats by making your shower floor nonslip. Apply the stickers inside your tub or shower, and their textured surfaces will keep you from slipping even in the soapiest of conditions. Over 14,000 shoppers have given them rave reviews for their brilliant design.
46Heat-resistant gloves for baking & grilling
While oven mitts work fine, these heat-resistant gloves will make it easier to grasp dishes from the oven or remove items from your grill by keeping your fingers mobile. Designed to withstand temperatures up to 932 degrees Fahrenheit, they’ll protect your hands from extreme heat. They’re also cut-resistant, so they’re perfect for prepping, cooking, and serving.
47Straps that’ll hold your bed sheets in place
These bed sheet straps are one of those genius inventions that you won’t know how you lived without. These hook onto the corner of your fitted sheet and strap them to the bottom of your mattress. No matter how much you toss and turn, your sheet will stay in place. These come in both white and black and in a set of four, one for each corner.
48An emergency fire blanket that is so smart to have on hand
This fire suppression blanket is a great home safety item to have tucked into your pantry in your kitchen or on a shelf in your garage. Lay this blanket down on an open flame and it will suffocate the fire, allowing it to extinguish before it spreads. Unlike a fire extinguisher, this has no expiration date and won’t leave any mess behind. Genius.
49A heated blanket that’s peak cozy
If you haven’t joined the heated blanket fan club, allow me to invite you. This heated blanket has six heating settings that are easy to adjust via the attached remote, and even comes with 10 timer settings so you’ll have peace of mind that it turns off when no longer in use. And the plush exterior is so soft.
50A privacy window film that casts beautiful light
This easy-to-adhere privacy film performs double duty. For one, it prevents anyone outside your window from seeing inside, and has enough film to fit multiple panes and many larger windows. But it also catches the light and casts it in a beautiful way across your room. And when you’re not feeling it anymore or need to return your windows to their normal state, it is easy to remove.
51Genius shower guards that block water from spilling out
You do not have to suffer wet bathroom floors after every shower. These splash guards adhere to the corner of your bathtub or shower and block water from getting onto the floor. These come in a pack of two so you can stick one to each corner of your space.
52A microwave cleaner that’s so cute
The Angry Mama microwave cleaner is a best-seller because it works so well. Put a little bit of vinegar and water into the body of this gadget, and pop on the hair. Pop it into the microwave for seven minutes, and it’ll go to work cleaning off the sides and roof of your microwave. Once the seven minutes is up, all you have to do is wipe it clean.
53Bed sheet organizers that’ll revolutionize your linen closet
Once they’re folded up, all bed sheets look alike. But these bed sheet organizers make it simple for you to keep different-sized sheets organized, so you’re never stuck trying to put a queen-sized fitted sheet on a king-sized bed. These organizers come in a pack of four, with areas you can label depending on what you decide to store inside each.
54A mop & bucket wringer set
When it comes to your mop setup, sometimes it’s easier just to store everything together. This set comes with a mop, bucket, and a wringer so you can easily wring the included microfiber cloths out when you’re done using them. This all-in-one solution to dirty floors is a game-changer that’ll put that old tired mop to shame.
55A shelf that clips to the side of your bed frame
Place a cup of tea, your phone charger, or your headphones or Kindle on this genius bedside shelf, which is roomy enough to fit so much. It easily clips to the side of your bed frame and can hold up to 15 pounds. This shelf comes in black and white, and will genuinely change the way you use your bed.