16 Hidden Gems on Amazon You’ll Wish You Owned This Whole Time
Updated: Jul. 17, 2023
Prepare to fill your cart with these Amazon hidden gems.
Along with being the number one marketplace for products you’ll use every day, Amazon has your back when it comes to the things you never realized you needed. And no, we’re not talking about the usual Amazon bestsellers, many of which may be on your wish list already. There are hidden gems on Amazon that might not come up in your regular search, but would make for unique Amazon Prime gifts (for yourself or others).
While some of these Amazon hidden gems may initially strike you as bizarre, what distinguishes them from the straight-up weirdest items you can buy on Amazon is that these products are not merely delightful and quirky, but also super practical. It’s one of the best ways to save money on Amazon.
Amazon Prime Day 2023 is coming on July 11 and 12! Shop all your favorite home, beauty and outdoor products at some of their lowest prices of the year. You can even save deals in advance for a quicker checkout. Happy shopping!
Coffee Mug Warmer
There’s nothing sadder than a lukewarm cup of coffee, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to get up every 15 minutes to microwave it. Consider this coffee mug warmer the solution—it’s a surface that automatically keeps your mug at the perfect temperature. Every sip of coffee, tea, cocoa or coffee alternative is just as warm and comforting as the first.
“I love that I can now set my tea on the warming plate and write, study and internet, then return to my tea and still find it warm and delicious! Definitely worth it!” raves five-star reviewer, Courtney Smith.
Carpet Spot Remover
The longer you stare at your carpet, the more it looks a little more colorful than you would like. After spilling coffee (or wine) on the carpet, just spritz some of this Folex cleaner and watch the stain disappear before your very eyes. Bonus: It’s completely non-toxic and safe to use around children and pets.
“I loved Folex Carpet Spot Remover and think anyone with carpet, area rugs, pets, kids or car upholstery should keep a bottle on hand,” writes our tester in her Folex review. “Plus, a full 32-ounce bottle is enough to treat dozens of stains and should last even the busiest households several months.”
Magnetic Screen Door
Every time you open your screen door, you’re inviting the outside inside—and by that we mean those tiny things with wings that don’t want to be in the house any more than you want them to be there. This walk-through magnetic screen door attaches to the doorframe with Velcro, and closes up nice and tight with surprisingly strong magnets. It’s especially useful during the warmer months when you’re trying to keep mosquitos away.
Five-star reviewer, Lee Paulson, writes, “I have bought a lot of screens over the years. This one is head and shoulders above the rest, primarily because the strength of the mesh screen is much better than the other flimsy ones. Even the dogs that paw at things have been unable to destroy or tear this screen.”
Desktop Vacuum Cleaner
Ever been to one of those really nice restaurants where the server brushes the crumbs off the table between courses? Now you can enjoy this luxury at home. This teeny, tiny handheld tabletop vacuum is guaranteed to make your old vacuum feel positively irrelevant. We discovered that the TikTok-viral tool is useful for lots of life’s little messes, from car crumbs to pet hair.
“Keep one in the car for quick seat and console cleanups so dirt doesn’t collect—and you won’t have to lug out a heavy vacuum later,” writes associate shopping editor, Madi Koetting.
Flameless Pillar Candles
As much as you love candles, sometimes you just don’t want an open flame. These no-flame candles are made with a genuine wax finish, but their flickering light is battery generated, so they never burn out. And the best part? They’re controlled via remote, and you can set them to turn themselves off and on.
“I love, love these candles!” raves Sonia A., a verified purchaser who’s been using them to add a glow to her home (and help keep electricity costs low). “The candles create a warm and inviting feel and look so pretty. The remote feature is pretty cool, too! Great deal for the amount of candles received. I would definitely recommend!” she shares.
Transparent Knife Block Set
If you’re constantly grabbing the wrong knife from your knife block (or putting them back in the wrong slots), this set will straighten you out. The 17-piece stainless steel knife block set shows you exactly which knife or utensil you’re reaching for.
Sara V., a verified buyer, loves the quality of the knives. “I got this new set for my brother’s new apartment and he says it’s really great! I’m definitely going to buy one for myself as well,” she writes.
Reusable Storage Bags
Zip-lock bags are convenient, but they’re awfully wasteful considering you can’t recycle them. Enter: this game-changing set of four silicone Stasher bags that are reusable. Buy them once and you’ve got sustainable food storage indefinitely. Best of all, they’re dishwasher and microwave safe, making cleanup and food prep a breeze.
In her journey of using less plastic waste, five-star reviewer, Leila Hamzagic, writes, “We have saved a lot of money and the planet with these. Love them. Will keep adding to the collection as we go plastic-free in our home.”
Egg Cooker
Eggs are one of the best protein options for breakfast, but who has time to cook them in the morning? You will—with the help of a Cuisinart egg cooker. Not only will it boil your eggs how you like them—hard, medium or soft—but it can make poached eggs and omelets, too, without you hovering over the stove. By the time you’re out of the shower, the eggs will be ready and waiting.
Among thousands of other five-star ratings, verified purchaser, John K., writes, “I could not believe how great this egg cooker really is…You won’t regret this purchase if you like boiled eggs.”
Photo Printer
Uploading pictures online and sending them to a print shop is such a hassle. This handy Polaroid photo printer isn’t much bigger than your phone, and it lets you send any picture via an app for instant prints. Welcome to the 21st-century version of Polaroid.
“My daughter was using a Polaroid camera for a while, but this device is so cool because she can use it with her phone and the quality of printed photos is excellent!” says five-star reviewer, Michael Sykes. “She loves to bring [it] on trips and print photos to stick in her travel journal. Super impressed.”
Rechargeable Hand Warmer
This hand warmer from Zippo is rechargeable for warm hands again and again. When freezing cold temperatures render your gloves useless, this reusable hand warmer keeps chilly fingers warm for nine hours. It’ll soon become a winter staple, just like your favorite winter boots.
“This battery-operated hand warmer heats up quickly and provides real warmth,” says Janet, a verified purchaser. “I am finding that when my hands are warm, the rest of me relaxes and is warmer, too. So glad a friend got me onto this product.”
Dishwasher Magnet
“Are the dishes in the dishwasher clean?” is a sentence that will never again be called out in your house with this nifty dishwasher magnet. Flip it from “dirty” to “clean” when you run the dishwasher to end any future confusion. It’s one of those Amazon products with practically perfect reviews.
Julie H., a five-star reviewer, wonders why she didn’t buy this sooner. “This is a great idea. Since the lights on the dishwasher go off as soon as someone opens it and that person doesn’t always empty the dishwasher of clean dishes. Now I have a reminder that those are still clean!” she writes.
Facial Radiance Pads
Time to get a wow-worthy glow! These treatment pads from First Aid Beauty safely and effectively exfoliate, tone and brighten all types of skin, including the most sensitive. This product is completely vegan, gluten-free, non-comedogenic, soy-free and oil-free. Just make sure you follow the right order to apply your skin care products.
“I have not been this confident in a long time. Please buy if you struggle with your acne. I am 30 years old and finally found something that works!!” writes Lyndsay Gustavson, a five-star reviewer.
Large Deck Box
You can now organize and store all your patio furniture in style. This deck box from Keter holds up to 150 gallons and is made of a weather-resistant resin with a wooden aesthetic. It keeps all its contents dry and in good condition throughout the seasons.
“My daughter and I put this together in about 10 minutes,” says verified buyer, Nikki C. “I store gardening supplies, six deep chair cushions and backs and there’s still plenty of room when I organize everything. My husband is thinking of getting one for pool supplies.”
Cordless Stick Vacuum
The days of tripping over the vacuum cord are long gone. This cord-free (and hassle-free) Dyson V10 stick vacuum is light and versatile for easy cleaning and easy storing. Made by Dyson, it’s one of the most dependable vacuums on the market.
Verified purchaser, Steven I., is a fan of this cordless vacuum. “If you are on the fence as to how well this will do on carpets as a replacement for an old corded upright, it works great. Plenty of runtime, even at full power for an entire one-level house and then some.”
Sunscreen Applicator
We’re stocking up on the best sunscreens on the market, but sun safety without a greasy mess? Unheard of—until now! The Solar Buddies sunscreen applicator is designed for kids (but useful for everyone in the family), and will change the way you apply sunscreen. Just fill the refillable applicator with your sunscreen of choice, snap the lip closed and roll it all over using the roller ball.
Verified purchaser, Caitlin J., says this is a miracle product. She writes, “My kids hate having sunscreen rubbed on them and we all know the aerosol sunscreen sprays are the worst, so when I found this device I was skeptical it would work well but it’s amazing! So great my 2-year-old asked to put it on herself!”
Bar Soaps
Hotel soap can be quite luxurious, and it’s one of the things you can take from your hotel room. The only issue is, vacations can be few and far between, which means you’re stuck with those questionable communal soap dispensers while en route to your destination. These tiny, individually wrapped Freschscent bar soaps solve that problem. They weigh a mere half ounce and have a light, fresh scent. Plus, they come in a package of 100, so you’ll want to take them everywhere.
Verified purchaser, Ron Epstein, also loves it for the gym. “Much better than that cheap stuff in the gym shower stall that can take the paint off your car, or using a plastic soap box that gets slimy and gross,” he writes. “Plus it takes up like zero space in the toiletries bag/gym bag.”
With additional reporting by Marissa Laliberte.
Originally Published: November 12, 2020
