These home upgrades have super high Amazon reviews because they're so cheap & look so good

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Nov 21, 2023

These home upgrades have super high Amazon reviews because they're so cheap & look so good

Big improvements, little cost. If you think upgrading your home means taking out

Big improvements, little cost.

If you think upgrading your home means taking out a loan, hiring a contractor, and living in a construction zone, you have not yet been introduced to the universe of hacks, tricks, and resourceful solutions discovered and perfected by the customers on Amazon.

Save your money for necessary repairs and full-on transformations, because these solutions come with none of the cost, mess, or labor. (And they look amazing.) That's what makes them so popular and so clever. These home upgrades all have super high Amazon reviews precisely because they are so cheap and look so good.

Settle into your bath for a long, relaxing soak and banish the hard edges and neck pain by putting this bath pillow between you and the tub. It suctions firmly to the back and supports your head, neck, back, and shoulders as you relax. The soft cushion is breathable so there is no plasticky feeling and it hangs to dry so you can do this again without worrying about mildew. Nearly 9,000 people gave this five stars.

Never waste time hunting for batteries only to waste more time installing dead ones. This battery organizer and tester solves all of that. It holds 93 batteries in a variety of sizes in a clear case so you can see what you have on hand. And the built-in tester quickly tells you if each battery has power before you store it or install it into your gadget.

"Easy to use and see what you have. Fits nicely in the drawer," said one of over 14,000 five-star reviewers.

Buying new bedding is no longer a huge investment. This set of ultra-soft bed sheets comes with a bottom sheet, top sheet, and two pillowcases made from cool and breathable microfiber. There are seven lovely colors to choose from and over 103,000 people gave these five-star reviews.

"These sheets are super soft and I can't wait to order more," said one. "It's like sleeping on a cloud. If I could rate them over five stars I would!!"

These rug corner grippers are the solution you need for that rug that trips you or slips away when you walk on it. Just stick it to the corners of the rug to flatten the corner down and secure the rug to the floor. A sticky gel bottom grips the floor but you can still lift the rug to clean under it.

"If there is the slightest hint of a corner sticking up on my rug, my puppy finds it and tries to mutilate it," said one reviewer. "This was a perfect answer for that, as the corners lay perfectly flat.

These bright, battery-operated stick-on lights are wildly popular with Amazon reviewers because they solve so many lighting issues in the home and they do it quickly and easily. The motion-sensor lights only come on when you need light and turn off a few minutes later so the batteries last a long time. Stick them on stair risers, under cabinets, and in dark closets.

Create lots more storage in your closets by getting the clothing and blankets you don't use daily out of the way and into these huge underbed storage bags. You will still be able to access those stored items easily because there is a big handle on the side of the bags and the clear tops unzip completely for easy access. This is a two-pack and they come in three colors.

"This holds so much!" said one of the 13,000 five-star reviewers. "When I swap out my winter clothes for my summer clothes this is exactly what I need for storage. Slides easily under the bed."

Cleaning the ceiling fan does not mean you have to climb a ladder and make a dusty mess below it — at least if you own this long-handled fan cleaner. It makes this task super easy. Just slide it over the fan blades while you stand on the ground and it grabs and holds the dust so you can clean it off the duster instead of the furniture. It reaches up to 47 inches and works well on plants and other hard-to-reach places, too.

This weird moldable glue putty can fix most anything you throw at it. Got a broken pot or plate? Use it to hold the broken pieces together and fill in any missing parts. Lost the handle off of a mug? Mold a new one and stick it on. Use it to reinforce cables and much more.

"I bless the inventor of this stuff," said one reviewer. "There is nothing like it. [...] It is the equivalent of duct tape in the world of minor weird repairs."

If every shower leaves a puddle on your bathroom floor, your shower door isn't sealing right. But this shower door bottom seal will fix that in a few minutes. Just snap it onto the bottom of the door. The stiff plastic sleeve on the top holds it in place while the flexible and soft PVC guards on the bottom create a seal that keeps the water inside the shower.

When your eyes are scratchy and your skin feels dry, adding moisture to the air can be a godsend. Do that easily with this cool mist humidifier. With a tank large enough to moisturize the air in a 250-square-foot room for 24 hours, it can help make it easier to work, sleep, or relax. It shuts off automatically when the tank runs dry and 76,000 people gave it five stars.

Use these strange Swedish dishcloths for anything you once relied on paper towels for — you can save money and cut down on trash. They are just as absorbent as paper towels but much tougher and more durable. Just wring them out and let them dry sink-side and you can reuse them until they are dirty. Then toss them in the laundry. They come in lots of colors and reviewers call them "amazing," "the best," and "indispensable."

Whip up a big batch of cold brew coffee. Then store it in the fridge in the beautiful carafe of this cold brew coffee maker. The stainless steel filter sleeve, tight-fitting lid, elegant pour spout, and glass handle simplify everything about making and drinking your daily dose of liquid energy. And the measures printed on the side make it easy to repeat the process for different volumes of coffee.

If your wine budget is scant but you still love that nectar of the grape, pour your wine through this wine aerator. Even that cheap bottle will thrill because it will get all the air it needs to tone down the taste of tannins and boost the subtle flavors of the terroir and the fruit on the way to your glass. "Did many taste tests before and after using it and it definitely does something magical to the wine," said one reviewer. "Turns a cheap wine into something delicious!"

If your morning sip is matcha, coffee, or tea, this milk frother will turn it into a delicious frothy concoction in just a few seconds. No need to put on shoes, go to a cafe, or spend too much money. Use any milk — nut, oat, soy, or dairy — and have your latte and keep your time and money, too.

"Love frothing my milk for a delicious afternoon coffee without spending $6 at a coffee shop," said one reviewer.

Once you standardize on these slender velvet hangers, you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner. Having plenty of hangers makes putting clothes away easier. And these will hold even the slipperiest fabric firmly on the hanger so you don't have to rehang everything that slides to the floor. More clothes will fit in your closet, too, because they take up less space.

Take the hassle out of laundry day without giving up the savings and convenience of those giant liquid detergent bottles. Just mount the bottle onto this laundry detergent holder. It keeps that heavy, cumbersome bottle at a pouring angle so all you have to do is press the button to dispense soap into your measuring cup.

"It comes with all the needed things: an angled base, rubber grips, and a hearty strap to hold the bottle in place," said one reviewer. "No regrets, great product, worth the extra few bucks!!"

Step out of the shower or bath and onto this deliciously soft memory foam bath mat. It's super absorbent so your drips won't make the floor slippery. It has a nonslip backing so it won't slide out from under you. And it dries super fast so there's no mildew or icky wet rugs in the bathroom. It comes in so many colors and sizes you can use these all over the house, too.

"Probably the most luxurious feeling bath mat I’ve owned," said one of the 44,000 five-star reviewers.

This bidet attachment is the most impressive bathroom — and life — upgrade you can make for less than $30. Attach it under the seat of your toilet and take personal cleanliness to the next level. You will wonder how you survived till now using toilet paper to get your nether parts clean. This taps the clean water supply of your toilet to deliver a back-end shower at the turn of a dial.

"The best [30] bucks I've ever spent on Amazon," said one reviewer. "This makes using toilet paper feel absolutely barbaric."

This wireless doorbell is so easy to install, you could add it to your bedroom, classroom, or home office. Or use it in the traditional, front-door application. Just stick the bell to the entry and plug the receiver in where you will hear it. It has a range of 1,000 feet. Choose from 52 chimes and four volumes.

"I LOVE these," said one reviewer. "Super easy to install [... and] we can remove the big, ugly doorbell box in the hallway."

Instead of suffering under an inadequate showerhead, turn that daily ablution into something to look forward to. This rainfall showerhead douses you with a luxurious, aerated, high-pressure downfall from its 8-inch head. Turn the adjustable head to direct the water where you want it and save water with the flow restrictor.

"I look for any excuse to take a shower now. Tons of water! Luxury!!!" said one reviewer.

Set up your bar in an instant by dropping this bartender kit with a stand on any side table or shelf. It's complete with everything you need to master mixology. There's an 18-ounce shaker, strainer, double jigger, ice tongs, bottle opener, and mixing stand. You won't have to hunt through kitchen drawers for drink-making tools because they are all waiting in this wooden stand. There's even a deck of cocktail cards to get you sipping.

"I'm freaking loving this kit!" said one reviewer. "It's durable, easy to clean, and gets the job done."

Walk through your home and notice all the places where cabinet doors, doorknobs, lids, and drawers make an unpleasant banging noise. Then silence them all with this collection of 118 pieces of clear silicone bumpers. Just peel and stick them wherever you like. They are great for putting quiet feet on vases and cutting boards, too. Pro tip: Turn a pretty tile into a trivet or coaster by sticking these on the bottom.

Rest your head on this satin pillowcase because your hair and skin will love you for it. The silky texture doesn't press bedding impressions into your skin or dehydrate it by absorbing your skin oils. Your hair won't catch and frizz up on the fibers. A hidden zipper holds them on your pillows. The gorgeous colors — there are 26 options — will also make your room look sublime.

"So soft and silky! Great on my hair and skin," said one of over 35,000 five-star reviewers.

Create a spinning spice rack next to the stove by setting this stainless steel lazy Susan there and loading it with your most-used spices. The 10.5-inch diameter and two tiers hold lots of stuff in a small space and you can easily find what you want by spinning it. A raised rim keeps jars from sliding off.

"I LOVE this turntable!" said one reviewer. "It fits perfectly in my cabinet and organized all my spices. It turns smoothly, and fit so much."

Upgrade your lighting to voice- and app-controlled convenience simply by screwing in this smart LED light bulb. You can choose from an almost limitless color palette — even use your phone's camera to match the lighting to any color in the room. Connect it to your music to match the lighting to the sounds. And use timers to control when lights turn on and turn off.

"This definitely adds a vibrant atmosphere to my room," said one reviewer. "The app is also unbelievable with all the different options to customize the lighting!"

Stop the cords from taking over by slipping them into these cable clips. Stick your phone charging cable right where you want it. Hide the cords to your computer on the underside of the desk. There are so many uses and this 16-pack will cover them all with single, double, and five-slot clips.

"I first saw them when a friend used these in her car to hold her chargers/ other cords," said one reviewer. "I decided to get one for myself since I have tons of random chargers that go all over the place. The adhesive is great and now everything is so much more organized."

Add some retro vibe to your space while protecting the furniture from water and heat damage with this set of six record coasters that look so real you’ll want to drop them on a tiny turntable. The labels are convincing. There are scratches in the vinyl. The only telltale sign is the rubber feet on the bottom to protect the furniture.

"Bought these for my dad who collects records," said one reviewer. "The drink-related puns on record names gave my dad and [me] a good laugh."

Want to store things under your bed but it's too low? Set these bed and furniture risers under the feet and make the legs two inches taller. The foam bottom and leather foot pad for the furniture feet stop the furniture from moving around, too.

"I have [a] sofa that sits too close to the floor," said one reviewer. "The bed risers [work] perfectly to raise it to a level that allows for easy sitting and standing."

If there is anything grosser than fishing a wad of hair and soap scum out of the drain, it's showering with your feet in the murky water the wad caused. Drop this hair catcher into the drain and never experience either of those thrills again. It lets water through but catches the hair on the vertical filter. Just remove the hair occasionally and there will be no drain stoppages.

"My tub drain is no longer clogged," said one of 82,000 five-star reviewers. "It is very easy to install, remove, and clean."

Instead of sacrificing an entire kitchen drawer to your collection of plastic wrap, parchment paper, and foil, set this box organizer in the pantry and store them all neatly there instead. You won't have to fight with crumpled boxes jamming the drawer and you can see the entire collection at once.

"I got this to put on the top shelf of my pantry so that I could free up some drawer space in my small apartment kitchen. It fits perfectly and helped exactly the way I wanted," said one reviewer.

Set this easy-to-clean, squishy anti-fatigue mat down on the floor in front of your stove or sink and your back, legs, and feet will be much happier when you cook or clean up. The thick surface feels terrific on your feet and comes in six sizes and nine colors.

"It's wonderful. Comfortable and stays where you put it," said one reviewer.

Boost your sagging couch by sliding this foam insert under the cushions (inside the zippered cover) and you won't have to buy a new couch till you are ready. It restores the cushion density so the couch is comfortable again and doesn't sink into the middle.

"These inserts really work!" said one reviewer. "They added support and made the cushions look and feel much better. Definitely extended the life of the furniture."

Get creative with this spangly curtain of string lights. Make a lighting display with them for a party or wedding, install them on the patio, or create romantic lighting in your bedroom or living room. They have eight modes so you can set the lighting to waves, fades, twinkles, flashes, and more.

"[A] perfect, soft light glow that can transform any room from being okay, to cozy and magical," said one of 78,000 five-star reviewers.

When the placement of a power outlet is foiling your interior design intentions, this outlet concealer will make it go away — but still let you use its power. Plug the wall plate into the offending power source and run the cord discreetly along the wall to where you do want power. Then use the three-plug power strip to power your gear.

"My dresser can sit against the wall and I can have my lamp, my alarm clock, and my phone all plugged in," said one reviewer. "All the cords are hidden and it looks so clean and minimal."

If you have ever had to pull the stove out to clean up a spill or retrieve a tool, you know that this gap cover is a terrific idea. Just insert it into that gap and nothing will go into that hard-to-access space again. It comes in clear, black, and white and cleans easily. Once it's installed, you can barely tell it's there.

"I have a space between the oven that is impossible to clean and crumbs love it!" said one reviewer. "This [saves] a lot of time and effort. [...] Pull it up and clean it in the sink."

Welcome to the future. You will know it because when you turn these salt and pepper grinders over they know to start grinding and sprinkling spices. There are no buttons. These use gravity as a cue. You can adjust the coarseness right on the grinder end and there is even a light so you can see how much spice you are adding.

"They are literally all I use now in my kitchen when it comes to salt and pepper," said one reviewer. "They seem to work pretty well and they look great."

Keep these two bamboo toast tongs near the toaster and you will never burn your fingers on hot toast again. You will also use them for other kitchen tasks because they will be handy and are so easy to grab things with.

"Never stick a knife in your toaster again!" said one reviewer. "These are longer than usual wood tongs so I can use them when cooking [...] without burning myself or ruining my nonstick pans with metal utensils!"

Once you collapse into the couch, do you really want to sit up and reach for your wine, beer, tea, or phone all the way on the coffee table? Life is too short for such hassles and this sofa arm tray will put all your essentials within easy reach. The grippy bottom holds firmly to the arm and there is a slot so your phone stands on end.

"I didn't realize how much I would end up loving this little thing," said one reviewer. "I've gotten so used to drinking tea in the morning while journaling and this helps me cuddle in my blanket without having to worry about spilling tea all over myself."

Go on, hang the birdfeeder where you can enjoy a view of the wildlife. Your cat will love you for it. This window birdfeeder suctions onto the glass and has a perch and feeder to attract your local avian friends. They will be safe on the other side of the glass but you will get to know them better.

"Got this to stick on my living room window to amuse our cats," said one reviewer. "Our cats wait for sunrise so they can watch the birds feed, and sit by the window much of the day. Worth the price, for sure!"

Set up your house so Alexa can turn on fans, lights, coffee machines, and more with voice command — or on a schedule — with this smart plug. Just plug it in, connect it to Alexa via home hub or phone app, and start automating. If you get multiples, you can create one command to turn all the lights and fans on or off at once.

"Before this little gem, I would have to physically walk to the outlets to turn on and off my appliances. But now, with the power of voice control, I can just yell at my Echo Dot and boom! The coffee maker is on and I can have my caffeine fix in no time," said one reviewer.

Take movie night wherever you go. The backyard? The playroom? A hotel? This mini projector sets up quickly and throws a 60 to 176-inch image on the wall. Just set it on a flat surface and plug your phone, Roku, Fire Stick, computer, gaming device, or another media source into it and enjoy.

"We use this projector in our living room [...] and it works great!" said one reviewer. "It's handy that it comes with a projector screen [...] power cord, HDMI cable, AV cable, and a remote."

Modern minimalist aesthetic, meet the wooden digital alarm clock with built-in wireless charging. What appears to be a smooth, elegant wooden block clearly displays the time and essential weather stats on the front. The brightness is adjustable. Just set your phone on it to charge up — no more fiddling with wires. It has clever alarm options, too, including one that will wake you only Monday through Friday.

Plug this air freshener in wherever you have an odor problem. It filters the air to remove the bad smell and issues a fresh, clean scent in its place. There's also a nightlight built into it, making it ideal for a bathroom or trash area.

"I was amazed at how much it eliminated the odors," said one reviewer. "Even if one of [our] cats just used the box, it minimized the odors significantly."

Clean up the bathroom and make your morning routine easier, all at the same time, by mounting this toothbrush holder to the wall and sorting all your clutter into its clever storage solutions. A drawer holds small items. Two drinking cups cling magnetically to the underbelly. Cubbies on top hold your personal care items. Six toothbrushes hang from individual compartments. And your toothbrush dispenses from a slot in the front.

Set this slender and modern LED desk lamp down on your work surface and let it solve all the desktop logistics. A built-in wireless charger in the base keeps your earbuds or phone powered up. Two charging ports in the front offer more powering options. The touch controls let you take the brightness from ambient to task lighting and the arm adjusts to whatever angle you need. It also offers warm or cool lighting to suit your activity and mood.

Need a place to set a speaker, security camera, or other small items? These clear acrylic floating shelves are the solution. Peel and stick them to the wall right where you want to set your stuff and they disappear into their surroundings while holding your gear where you need it.

"I needed shelves to fit above my vanity sink, which is too small for all my stuff," said one reviewer. "These were the perfect size, blend in great with everything in my bathroom, and hold everything I needed to get off the sink and out of my way."

Protect your sink area from splashes and give your sponge, soap bottle, and other tools a place to live with this sink splash guard made from flexible and waterproof silicone. It channels the sponge water and soap drips back into the sink to keep your counters cleaner and looks good doing it. It comes in four colors.

"We have a gap between a soapstone counter and the sink, and this product wraps securely around the faucet, protects the gap, and feeds any water back to the sink," reported one reviewer.

It's so easy to clean up that mess of plugs, cords, and power strips cluttering up your desk or home entertainment area. Just drop the power strip into one of these two large cable management boxes, run the cords through the cord channels, and pop on the bamboo lid. You can use the box as a shelf on your desk or just tuck it into a corner on the floor.

Adding a backsplash in your kitchen or bath does not have to involve construction and tile dust. You can peel and stick this flexible, easy-to-cut faux tile backsplash yourself in very little time and chances are no one will know the difference. It's easy to clean and covers aging or dirty walls quickly, looking like you spent a lot of money. Reviewers describe it as "gorgeous" and "amazing."

If your room is drafty and lets all the noise in, the fix is so easy. Slide this door draft stopper under the door and instantly insulate the gap between the door and the floor. It puts two dense insulating pieces between your inner sanctum and the cold, bugs, and sounds of what's outside. It won't impede the door and there are four colors so you can blend it into your color scheme.

Christina X. Wood