There’s nothing like the delight of finding useful products on Amazon that provide solutions to annoyances in your day-to-day life. It’s that elusive thing you’ve been looking for: the organizing solution that wrangles a nest of tangled cords, the smart outlet that turns off the lights, or the gadget that solves the problem you didn’t even know you had. (Carpet tape, anyone?) The discovery never fails to give us a little boost, especially after we’ve clicked “buy now.”
It’s even better when the most wanted Amazon product costs a little more than a round of drinks — and thanks to the site’s famously low prices, finding budget-friendly useful Amazon products is quite common. So common, in fact, that when we hit the site to compile a list of the most useful products that we could find, we weren’t surprised at all by the nifty knickknacks out there. Click through to see the most clever products we could suss out — all for under $40.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
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Best Used For: Keeps appliance cords organized, tidy, and out of sight.
The Hype: 4.4 out of 5 stars and 1,025 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “Went through a crazy re-organizing of my kitchen and now that I have these I can’t believe I went so long without them. They adhere very well and truly have given me more space in my kitchen cabinets due to not worrying about cords taking up space and getting caught on one thing or another. You won’t regret getting these, highly recommend!”
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Animal-Gifts Cord Organizer for Appliance, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Keeping pills organized in fashion
The Hype: 4.3 out of 5 stars and 2,311 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “The container is cute, sturdy, and big yet doesn’t look out of place in a purse. This is more for people that take lots of medications and vitamins, it fit a total of 10 pills + vitamins included in one days worth.”
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Betife Cute Pill Organizer 7-Day, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Holding baking soda to keep your fridge smelling nice and free of mold.
The Hype: 4.6 out of 5 stars and 4,059 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “I prefer Chill Bill over the box of baking soda that takes up too much space on the door of my fridge. I just fill Bill up with baking soda & slide him to the back corner of the fridge and let him do his work.”
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Monkey Business Chill Bill Refrigerator Deodorizer, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Easily chopping vegetables with no knife.
The Hype: 4.6 out of 5 stars and 55,745 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “This is gonna make your life way easier, cutting vegetables has always been tedious, but this thing saves a lot of time and frustration for me, you’ll have to be a little strong to cut some vegetables, but nothing that an adult can’t handle.”
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Fullstar Vegetable Chopper, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: A mini vacuum that picks up crumbs and dusts off your desk, laptop and more.
The Hype: 4.3 out of 5 stars and 12,860 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “This vacuum is little but mighty and keeps my desk very neat and tidy. I have a tendency to eat at my desks so there are always little crumbs but this vac is right there to clean up the mess. Love it.”
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ODISTAR Desktop Vacuum Cleaner, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Makes your toilet and bathroom smell citrusy and fresh.
The Hype: 4.7 out of 5 stars and 29,330 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “Unlike traditional air fresheners, this is used as just one small squirt on the top of the water prior to sitting. It swallows all of the stench and toxic fumes and when you flush [it] carries all of that away.”
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Poo-Pourri Before-You-go Toilet Spray, Original Citrus Scent, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Holding up tea bags with all their might
The Hype: 4.4 out of 5 stars and 3,866 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “If you have a friend that is a tea fiend, these are a PERFECT gift. They’re adorable, and since they’re silicone, they’re easy to clean. They do their job of holding the tea bags too! Love these little guys.”
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SOSUO Silicone Snail Tea Bag Holders, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Making rings fit just right
The Hype: 4.3 out of 5 stars and 56,893 ratings
Jinnie Lee says: “These little squiggly doodads are such a saving grace….They’re super-easy to use — all you need is a pair of scissors to cut a little piece and wrap it around the thinnest part of the band. I’ve already adjusted two regular rings so I can wear them as pinky rings.”
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5 STARS UNITED Ring Sizer Adjuster for Loose Rings, 12 Pack, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Super-speedy charging
The Hype: 4.3 out of 5 stars and 4,784 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “Very durable, I have bought them for more than half a year [and] they are still perfect! I won’t use another charger besides these guys especially for the price, they are not $20 but they are worth whatever price tag they put for a fast charge when you are on the go!”
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MateStar iPhone Lightning Cable, 2Pack, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Identifying all the “dumb” birds in your backyard
The Hype: 4.6 out of 5 stars and 3,207 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “Purchased this as a gift for my hardcore birding father. He read the title, and asked “what is this for?” I asked him to just read a page and he was in tears laughing so hard. Honestly it isn’t a book to read cover to cover but a couple pages at a time will get you a great laugh. Be warned, there is ‘fowl’ language in it, so that might bother someone.”
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Matt Kracht The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Zapping zits overnight (with medical grade hydrocolloid)
The Hype: 4.8 out of 5 stars and 18,371 ratings
Karina Hoshikawa says: “In short, the stuff works — and insanely effing well, might I add….For chronic zit-poppers — you know who you are — the patches also act as a kinder alternative to a fingernail, satisfying the urge to extract in a way that’s much less scarring (physically and emotionally).”
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Mighty Patch Original (72 Count), $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Shower jams and phone calls
The Hype: 4.3 out of 5 stars and 30,710 ratings
Alexandra Polk says: “This shower speaker landed itself in my Amazon cart this month, and I can confirm that it is worth the eerily low price tag. Trust, it will not give you Bose or Sonos levels of bass, but it will give you a great start to your morning with a lovely shower jam. It even has a button to pick up calls.”
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Soundbot SB510 HD Water Resistant Bluetooth 4.0 Shower Speaker, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Securing earring studs
The Hype: 4.5 out of 5 stars and 1,986 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “I’ve got a bunch of extras now, so if I lose the pair…I should be fine. I can only wear 925 Silver due to allergies so these came in so clutch.”
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Hollosport S925 Sterling Silver Earring Backs, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Keeping cups of jo’ hot
The Hype: 4.2 out of 5 stars and 51,607 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “This is the best cost-effective [way] to get warm coffee throughout the morning at work. I teach algebra and once students arrive I am nonstop. There’s no time to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee. There’s certainly no time to go to the teacher’s lounge to reheat it. I have this on my desk and I can easily grab a warm sip here and there.”
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Mr. Coffee Mug Warmer, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Keeping your hands warm and toasty all winter long
The Hype: 4.6 out of 5 stars and 3,090 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “This little rechargeable hand warmer is just the ticket for whenever you need something to keep your fingers warm. I bought for days that I have tennis matches and need to keep my hands and fingers from being too cold.”
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Karecel USB Hand Warmer Reusable Powerbank, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Helping our senior writer FaceTime her mom (and propping up phones and tablets)
The Hype: 4.6 out of 5 stars and 696 ratings
Karina Hoshikawa says: “I know it’s a bold statement, but this may genuinely be my best Amazon purchase to date. Whether I’m FaceTiming my mom or taking a cute selfie, this extendable phone stand has become a total life-upgrader for hands-free screen time. (You can apparently balance an iPad on there too, but I haven’t tried that yet.) Best of all, the base is weighted so that it never topples over, and you can adjust the height and angle to your liking.”
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LISEN Adjustable Desktop Phone Stand, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Stopping the never-ending battle between you and the broom behind your door, in between the fridge and the wall, or wherever you stash your sweeper
The Hype: 4.7 out of 5 stars and 35,954 ratings
Alexandra Polk says: “These contraptions were elegantly holding two brooms (as pictured) and completely ridding their bathroom of any behind-the-door clunkiness….[I] have no problem recommending them to any organization-savvy peeps.”
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Command Broom and Mop Grippers, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Preventing chafing
The Hype: 4.6 out of 5 stars and 4,922 ratings
Chichi Offor says: “I went on a 2-mile walk (about 40-ish minutes) and experienced absolutely no discomfort in that time. As I walked, I noticed how the friction was all but gone, and my thighs slipped past each other with no issue.”
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BodyGlide Original Anti-Chafe Balm, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Leaving surfaces squeaky clean & spotless
The Hype: 4.4 out of 5 stars and 17,348 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “Oh my gosh — this stuff is a life-changer! Used it to get my fiberglass shower totally clean. Nothing else would get it done and this stuff brought my shower back to near-new in one use. We’ve since cleaned a weird chalky film off our garage door, removed wall markings, and cleaned my storm door. We’ll never be without a jar (or three) of this stuff.”
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Stardrops The Pink Stuff & Multi-Purpose Spray 2-pack Bundle, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Cleaning tight corners and crevices
The Hype: 4.1 out of 5 star 18,518 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “Great Product. It works just like it states. It removed all of the gunk from my keyboard. I then took it out to my car and it took care of my vents and all the other hard-to-reach places that seem to collect gunk. Will buy again.”
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ColorCoral ColorCoral Universal Gel, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Getting our affiliate director through TSA like a pro
The Hype: 4.6 out of 5 stars and 6,546 ratings
Elizabeth Buxton says: “A now sworn-by packing hack that recently helped me make it through an international getaway without needing to check a bag is this four-pack of refillable, TSA-approved toiletry bottles I found on Amazon. I’m particular when it comes to my grooming products, and these cute little silicone tubes helped me take my precise beauty routine on the fly. I filled one up with my preferred body lotion, one with my sensitive-skin-approved sunscreen, and the other two with my go-to shampoo plus conditioner. They’re multicolored (which makes it easy to differentiate between products), squishy (meaning they will squeeze into a tightly packed toiletry bag), and only cost $10 (aka a lot less than that extra packed baggage fee).”
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Gemice TSA-Approved Refillable Toiletry Bottles (4-Pack), $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Reducing bad breath, cleaning your tongue
The Hype: 4.6 out of 5 stars and 82,623 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “I used a plastic one for like six years and the difference of having a metal one is huge! It’s super easy to clean and always seems fresh. It also does a way better job of actually cleaning my tongue than the plastic one did. I love that it comes in a two-pack so I don’t have to repack one in and out of my travel bag!”
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BASIC CONCEPTS Tongue Scraper (2 Pack), $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Eradicating dirt off your dishes and tricking children into cleaning
The Hype: 4.8 out of 5 stars and 48,428 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “My 9 year old son told me if I bought these, he’d wash the dishes. HE FRICKIN’ WASHED THE DISHES. I didn’t even have to rewash them, like they carry some sort of magic spell that teaches children how to wash the dishes properly.
I boil mine after one week’s use and I’ve been able to use it for two months without replacing — they withhold a lot of stress before giving up on their life. Then, when they’re no longer good enough to wash the dishes, I use them for cleaning. Great for scrubbing bathrooms.”
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Scrub Daddy Scratch-Free Multipurpose Dish Sponge, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Keeping rugs in place
The Hype: 4.6 out of 5 stars and 48,099 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “Best double-sided tape ever. I have used quite a few brands over the years with mixed results. This tape has the two most important qualities that you need in this type of tape. One, it sticks well and stays stuck. Two, it’s easy to peel off the vinyl protective with a light slice of a razor knife.“
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YYXLIFE Double Sided Carpet Tape, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Safely and easily lighting candles
The Hype: 4.6 out of 5 stars and 32,689 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “Yes yes yes. The answer is yes — you need this, yes it’s awesome, yes it’s eco-friendly. I am so pleased with my purchase of this handy dandy little gadget. As an avid candle user, this is KEY! Always stumbling through drawers to find a lighter that works, that’s not out of lighter fluid and having that dreaded click click click from being used up — you won’t have that problem anymore!“
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REIDEA Electronic Candle Lighter Arc Windproof Flameless, $, available at Amazon
Best Used As: A level, ruler, stylus, flathead, Phillips, and pen all in one
The Hype: 4.6 out of 5 stars and 1,976 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “I use the heck out of this, I like the Phillips and Flat Head Screw Driver in it and I use the Level as well, the rulers on the outside is a good way to measure real quick.”
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CRANACH Multitool Pen Construction Tools, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Making oily skin matte
The Hype: 4.2 out of 5 stars and 50,112 ratings
Karina Hoshikawa says: “I was really pleased with the finish on my skin; sometimes powder makes me look flat, but this bestowed a satiny finish that still left my skin looking natural. (Plus, you could see tiny pinpricks of gross-yet-satisfying oil on the surface of the rock.) The roller also is designed to work over makeup, something I found to be true as I tested it out.”
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Revlon Volcanic Face Roller, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Scheduling lights, fans, and appliances to turn on and off automatically
The Hype: 4.7 out of 5 stars and 529,851 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “Got this smart plug so I can remotely turn appliances/the lights on and off in an Alzheimer’s patient’s home. I can remotely make sure things are off by simply turning them on and off in the Amazon Alexa app — it’s super simple to use and really helps me out. Now I don’t have to drive over there to make sure the lights, the AC, or the TV are off, etc. Thank you!”
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Amazon Smart Plug, $, available at Amazon
Best Used for: Slicin’ and dicin’ bagels in seconds
The Hype: 4.8 out of 5 stars and 18,025 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “Picked this up because my heart could no longer take the stress of watching our 11 year old daughter slice bagels. This not-so-little little device slices through every single bagel, every single time — and my kid goes through kicks where she’ll eat two or three each day. I no longer worry about serious cuts even though the (covered) blade on this thing is SHARP!”
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Hoan The Original Bagel Guillotine, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Making perfect watermelon slices fast
The Hype: 4.5 out of 5 stars and 420 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “This is the perfect kitchen tool for even watermelon slices perfect every time. The directions on the box indicate slicing off one end so as to provide a stable cutting edge. However, I am short and old and found that with my 74 year old muscles I had to put the melon and the “slicer” on the floor. But it really works!”
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Mannice Extra Large Watermelon Slicer, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Keeping cable cords in check
The Hype: 4.6 out of 5 stars and 4,066 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “I bought this organizer for a two-week trip to France. My wife laughs at me for obsessing over travel organization, but she didn’t complain when I had all our gear handy for stops over I the airport or in the hotel. This is a little too big for my 1-2 night work trips but works great for traveling longer periods when I pack in a carry-on rather than a small duffle.”
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BAGSMART Small Travel Cable Organizer Bag, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Trips to the laundromat
The Hype: 4.8 out of 5 stars and 3,301 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “This laundry bag is wonderful! I have to go down three flights of stairs and back up with the laundry. Between the knapsack styling and its easy closure, it’s not as frightening to carry. I can hold the railing and safely go up and down. I wasn’t expecting the quality of the material for the price. It’s very sturdy and stands up so you can fill it.”
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Azhido Backpack Laundry Bag, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Hot and cold therapy for neck and shoulder pain
The Hype: 4.3 out of 5 stars and 2,894 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “This freezes quickly and is very comfortable to use. It is also quite versatile — [when] used vertically you can cover your whole spine at once. … Horizontally you can wrap [your] neck and shoulders or lower back, or a knee or ankle. It is soft and comfortable and stays cold enough for the 20-minute icing my doctor recommends. Lies flat in the freezer and takes up very little room. Well made product.”
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AlierGo Reusable Neck Gel Ice Pack, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Soft and plump lips
The Hype: 4.5 out of 5 stars and 9,080 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “I absolutely love everything about this lip exfoliator … It is so easy to clean — I take mine in the shower to deep clean it and use it to exfoliate my face creases.
When using it on my lips I see and feel such drastic results. Not only does it do a great job of removing the dead skin making my lips super soft it also actually helps my lips plump up more than using a plumping gloss.“
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YOUKOOL Double-Sided Silicone Exfoliating Lip Brush (2PCS), $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Eyelash, eyebrow, and hair growth
The Hype: 4.4 out of 5 stars and 73,833 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “Castor oil can be a bit gloopy in texture for those new to it. This was safe to use around the eye and did not cause any irritation or redness when applied to the eyes. The pack comes with an applicator brush and a spoolie. I have used it regularly for a month and can see significant growth on both my lower and upper lashes. Curious to see how much healthier and thicker my lashes can be with consistent use.”
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Kate Blanc Cosmetics Castor Oil (2oz), $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Installing ports on baseboards for wiring Ethernet throughout a house
The Hype: 4.7 out of 5 stars and 606 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “Great for mounting baseboard Ethernet jacks to the wall. These jacks are white plastic and blend in well with white walls. Mounting it was easy with the two included screws and punching the CAT6 cable down was easy with the guide on the box. Excellent value if you cannot run ethernet through walls.“
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Cable Matters UL Listed 5-Pack RJ45 Surface Mount Box, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Stashing away cords around the house
The Hype: 4.5 out of 5 stars and 31,150 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “I ordered these cord covers as a, “I’m really sick of looking at all these wires! New year, new me! Let’s get some house to-dos done!” I received them and immediately procrastinated … until finally I was sick of looking at the unopened box and just decided to tackle what I thought would be a project. Turns out the hardest part of everything was removing the protective backing of the adhesive used to keep the covers in place on the wall. … Now I’m actively looking for more areas with exposed wires because A) I’m simply obsessed, and B) I have A TON of covers and angle clips, and tape, leftover. “
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Delamu Cord Cover Raceway, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Quickly cooking up eggs in style and under 15 minutes
The Hype: 4.7 out of 5 stars and 109,807
Practical Peeps say: “Hard-boiled eggs are a pain (in my opinion) to make all the time so I figured I would buy it. … I am so happy that I did! I have only tried hard-boiled [eggs] so far. They come out 100% perfect every single time. … As for the device it does get dirty after using it but I am able to easily clean it with water or vinegar [and] water after each use (or two if I’m being lazy) and it’s brand new!“
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StoreBound Rapid Egg Cooker: 6 Egg Capacity, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Making sweaters look brand new
The Hype: 4.2 out of 5 stars and 1,909 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “This little comb works perfectly. Super easy to use and fast. I can’t say how long my sweater will remain pill-free, but I can say this comb made it look brand new! I’m hoping it will extend the life of my secondhand find even longer!”
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Comfy Clothiers Cedar Wood Cashmere Fine Wool Comb, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Brushing your pearly whites
The Hype: 4.7 out of 5 stars and 1,356 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “I’ve found that the darker spots on my teeth and a cavity area I have really seemed to be going away. I’m very surprised at how well this worked. It took forever to finally take the plunge and buy it, but I’m happy I did and will continue to purchase this product.”
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Apagard M-Plus toothpaste 125g (2-Pack), $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Keeping away mosquitos for good
The Hype: 4.4 out of 5 stars and 4,943 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “Definitely the best bug repellant candle I have tried! It lasts a long time compared to other citronella candles I have tried. Living in the south, bugs are all over around this time of year. I have noticed that this candle deters bugs from my patio space and allows me to enjoy my patio without being swarmed by bugs. Great longevity for the size, price, and the scent is nice and light compared to other citronella candles. Will definitely buy these over any other brand.”
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Murphy’s Naturals Mosquito Repellent Candle, $, available at Amazon
Best Used For: Feeding your plant pals for months
The Hype: 4.7 out of 5 stars and 262 ratings
Practical Peeps say: “It’s really easy to use these spikes — you water the plants until the soil is moist and then use the included plastic stake in order to push the food into the pot. It’s great for a variety of sizes of indoor plants simple to use.
We’ve only had this in the soil for a few weeks, but I can see a noticeable difference in the color of our plants. They’ve taken a bit of a downturn during the winter months and these Plant Food Spikes seem to have brought back some of the color — I think it will help these to thrive year-round.”
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Miracle-Gro Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food Spikes (4 Pack), $, available at Amazon
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