- Some of the best parts of shopping on Amazon are the wide selections and low costs, but those things can also make it difficult to root out what’s really worth spending your money on.
- My favorite way to make sense of what’s great on Amazon is by getting recommendations from friends and coworkers.
- I asked my Insider Inc. colleagues about the best things they’ve bought on Amazon for under $25 and unearthed some interesting finds.
Amazon, land of 1 million things you need and 5 million options for each of them, has quickly become the one-stop shop for an unbelievable amount of online purchases. For me, that’s because they have a wide selection, carry most of the brands I want, list them at near the lowest or the lowest prices I’ve seen in price comparison research (with shipping in mind), and, last but absolutely not least, because I’m a Prime member and the internet has made me a glutton for instant gratification – something that two-day (or two-hour) shipping panders well to.
Some of the greatest advantages of shopping on Amazon are the wide selections and low costs, but those same features can work against you. It’s time-consuming and ultimately expensive to root out what’s really worth spending your money on, and which affordable options are similar (or better) in performance to their higher-priced competitors. The loophole is having trusted recommendations to help you navigate online.
My favorite way to make sense of what’s great on Amazon is by getting recommendations from friends. As a result, I decided to ask my colleagues at Insider about the best things they’ve bought on Amazon for under $25 – in the hopes of finding some new things to try without wasting time or money discovering them. Hopefully, they’re as helpful to you as they were to me.
Below are the 38 best things we've bought on Amazon that cost us less than $25:
A big mattress bag to make moving a piece of cake
"Anyone who's moving will need a mattress bag to keep it from getting dirty. I've moved three times and have used this each time. It's thick so you can drag it along smooth floors, smooth concrete, or up a few flights of stairs without ripping, though I wouldn't recommend dragging this over sidewalks. " - Jada Wong
A pizza cutter that turns you into a professional chef
"Anyone who makes their own pizzas from scratch or from the frozen food aisle should have a pizza cutter wheel. It's so much more ergonomic and efficient than a knife, and it makes you feel like a professional." - Jada Wong
A pair of $10 anti-glare, blue-light-blocking computer glasses
"This is the best thing I've ever purchased on Amazon! They are blue-light-blocking, anti-glare glasses, which are super helpful for looking at a computer/phone screen all day long. I don't normally wear glasses, but I wanted to try them out before buying a pair from Felix Gray or Eyebuydirect.com. These are so cute and they actually work... plus they are $10! Can't beat it." - Madison Conley
An easy-to-use, versatile cast iron skillet
"Can't say enough great things about this cast iron skillet. It heats evenly and consistently on the stove top, and has zero issues with tossing it directly in the oven or broiler. I use it for roasted chicken, bacon, roasted potatoes, frittatas, eggs, steak, and sauteing veggies. It's also super easy to clean, which is something that scares people away from cooking with cast iron. It's also on Prime." - Stephanie Asymkos
This product was originally under $25 when the article was first published. We've left it on the list since prices on Amazon tend to fluctuate often.
A natural clay mask that has a cult-following
"This mask, as seen on INSIDER. It transformed my skin and is probably my most recommended product. The best part? It's $10!" - Chelsey Hoffman
Editor's note: Currently unavailable at Amazon, but available at Walmart
A wash and stain bar that will keep your shirt collars looking nicer for longer
"No $6 has had a more positive impact on my effort to preserve my clothing than the $6 I spent on this bar by The Laundress. I learned about this product from Senior Editor Ellen Hoffman and I can honestly say it's the best thing I've done for my dress shirts. 1 bar has lasted me well over a year, and I just need to wet my shirt collar and rub the bar back and forth a few times before washing. It gets rid of all of the grime and oil from my collars. I was able to rehab shirts that were ready to go to charity or become rags." - Breton Fischetti
Ingredients for a favorite recipe
"I buy a lot of recipe ingredients, spices, and hot sauces on Amazon that I'm less likely to find in stores near me, like these freeze-dried strawberries. They are the star ingredient in my Berry Crinkle Cookies recipe; I use one whole package per batch." - Ellen Hoffman
A milk frother for homemade treats
"This thing is the BOMB. So easy to use and clean, and to spice up my weekend coffees/matcha drinks at home, allowing me to live my best bougie life." - Kirstie Jiongco
A salt lamp that gives off a nice, warm glow
"My partner gave me this salt lamp for the holidays, and I love turning it on at the end of the day. It provides a nice, warm glow that's bright enough for some late-night reading or just creating a gentle ambiance, which is much appreciated when coping with the chaos of living in New York." - Sally Kaplan
A pack of inexpensive toy mice to keep your cat entertained
"This $6 pack of toy mice is cheap, but it manages to keep my cat entertained for days on end ... until she manages to trap all of the mice under the couch and I have to rescue them." - Ellen Hoffman
Hangers that actually keep your clothes hung up
"Clothes falling off hangers are a thing of the past once you upgrade to these grippy velvet hangers." - Ellen Hoffman
A weekly planner that's desk-friendly and doesn't have dates, so it lasts longer than the calendar year
"I'm very Type A, so I live my life according to the lists I write for myself. I decided I needed a weekly planner pad to set on my desk so that I could better plan out my week, and after much searching, I found this one by Hashi. It has the perfect amount of space for writing, cute designs on the pages, and it's not dated, so it can last beyond the calendar year." - Malarie Gokey
A mini fan that fits inside a purse
"I got this one over the summer. It's small and easily portable in a purse. It's pretty nice to have it while waiting in hot subways or when there's no wind. Though it's not super powerful, it works well. The mint color is also nice, but can get dirty since the material is pretty soft." -Tiffany Chang
Alternative Buying Option: NSA USB Rechargeable Portable Bladeless Fan, $11.50
An easy and inexpensive way to make matcha lattes at home
"With some hot water and matcha powder, this nifty little bamboo whisk saves me from those annoyingly trendy and overpriced $5 matcha lattes." - Kirstie Jiongco
A perfectly crafted spatula
"This is the kitchen hero product of many Insider Reviews writers for good reason. It's the result of a Kickstarter campaign aimed at making the lone, perfect silicone spatula. Among other upgrades like a fiberglass core that keeps the handle cool, its most important feature is that it's made from a single piece of non-toxic, BPA-free silicone that prevents the top from becoming dislodged or hiding any unhygienic bits of food and ingredients." - Mara Leighton
A pair of $13 earbuds that sound like they'd cost way more
"These Panasonic earbuds were easily the best $8.25 [price at the time] I ever spent on Amazon. The sound quality is fantastic and they're incredibly comfortable. I'm not someone who would ever spend hundreds of dollars on a pair of over-the-ear headphones, so these are exactly right for me." - Andrew Meola
A little 'Tub Shroom' that catches your hair before it clogs the drain
"Between her curly red hair and my long brown hair, my roommate and I shed a lot. Our tub doesn't have a drain catch and after a particularly effortful session with a plastic drain cleaner, I decided it was finally time to try this viral hair catcher out. This small silicone tool fits into most standard tub drains and collects all the hair before it washes down and clogs your drain. Take it out, remove the hair with a piece of toilet paper, and it's ready for the next shower." - Connie Chen
Fun colorful handles for your cast iron cookware
I love my cast iron Lodge pans, but sometimes you need to grip the handle while it's hot, and you obviously can't when it's hundreds of degrees - so I bought a few bright silicone hot handle holders for all my cast iron cookware. Now my hands are safe, and my black skillets have fun colorful handles. - Malarie Gokey
A mini waffle-maker that gets the job done and takes up minimal countertop space
"This teeny tiny waffle maker is small but mighty. For those rare instances when I'm craving a waffle or two, this very small appliance easily gets the job done and stays out of the way when it's stored. It's very easy to use and clean; just plug in and wait for the light, add your batter and close the iron. To clean, wait for the iron to cool down, then wipe with a damp cloth and you're done." - Melanie Winer
A smart home camera at a fraction of the cost you would expect to pay
"I was completely surprised at how advanced this camera was given the very affordable price. Set-up was so easy, and the camera does everything the expensive models do, and possibly even better. Highly recommend." - Melanie Winer
A sound machine to replace the sounds of the city at night with nature or white noise
"I use this white noise machine while sleeping at night to blur out the street sounds of this noisy city. It's also really easy to travel with. Whether you want to blur out the crickets, car horns, loud neighbors, or just need some white noise, it's a must-have for the bedside table." - Chris Roth
A really thin wallet for just the essentials
"I use this slim RFID wallet every day. It's thin but sturdy and holds everything I need." - Navah Maynard
Alternative Buying Option: Zodaca Mens Faux Genuine Leather Silver Money Clip Wallets, $9.29
A fish spatula that's thin enough to dislodge but not disrupt food
"I have always and will always swear by fish spatulas - they're the only kind you need, and the one I love most costs $7 on Bed Bath & Beyond. Thin enough to dislodge but not disrupt crispy crust, strong enough to lift heavy food, and lithe enough to get under a warm chocolate chip cookie without smushing it ... fish spatulas are perfect in every way." - Sally Kaplan
No-slip gel gripped socks
"These PEDS socks are the only ones I use, and I wear sneakers almost every day. The no-slip gel grips on the heel keep them from falling off and bunching up." - Sally Kaplan
Reusable stainless steel straws
"Sometimes it's fun to have a straw with something, and sometimes it's just practical. I bought these to use in smoothies specifically so I could cut down on the massive amount of waste we all create by using disposable straws (something that even inspired a campaign by the National Parks Service). Once you've made the change, it's not even noticeable in your daily life, and it makes a big difference in the grand scheme of things for the environment. Plus, they come with their own cleaner, so you never have to worry about not being able to properly sanitize them." - Mara Leighton
An inexpensive, well-designed measuring cup
"OXO is my go-to kitchen brand for cheap, well-designed tools. This measuring cup set has a geniously angled surface that allows you to see measurement markings from above as you're pouring, so you can better measure ingredients without bending or lifting the cup to eye level.
I also highly recommend OXO's silicone baking mat for creating a non-stick surface that makes for easier cleanups, the steel bottle brush for cleaning inside water bottles and carafes, and this cookie scoop for scooping out balls of dough that are all the same size." - Ellen Hoffman
A slim wastebasket that fits almost anywhere, but also fits a lot of garbage
"Love this slim garbage can that fits into narrow spaces, but still holds a lot." - Navah Maynard
An inexpensive face mask pack that's more expensive at other retailers
"I buy all my sheet masks as 5-packs on Amazon. This pack from Too Cool for School is $16 on Amazon (currently unavailable), while the sheet masks go for $6 apiece at Ulta (and a set for $24). You do the math." - Ellen Hoffman
Editor's note: Currently unavailable at Amazon, but available at Ulta
A PopSocket to make gripping a large iPhone less strenuous on your fingers
When I got my iPhone X, I also picked up a PopSocket grip to make it easier to hold my phone without straining my fingers. I love it because it's practical, keeps my phone secure, and lets me express my crazy cat lady side. - Malarie Gokey
Editor's note: They come in a variety of colors and designs.
These multi-compatible smart plugs
"These inexpensive plugs are really useful if you're trying to create a smart home and want everything to work together. It's compatible with Amazon and Google devices, and the compact design won't cover the second outlet on a plate." -Jada Wong
Drain snakes that remove hair easily
"I have long hair that clogs the bathtub drains no matter how hard I try to avoid it, but these cheap, flexible drain snakes work wonders to pull clumps out. I prefer this approach over Drano since it's far less toxic." - Sally Kaplan
A perfectly sized memory card case
"I really like this memory card case. It's big enough that I don't lose the cards and they feel secure but small enough to throw into a camera bag." - Navah Maynard
Reusable K-cups for your Keurig or to use as impromptu tea balls for loose-leaf tea
"I recently got a Keurig for the sake of convenience, but I knew I didn't want to use wasteful plastic pods with it, so I got these reusable ones instead. They work great for their intended use, but I also figured out that they make excellent tea balls for brewing loose-leaf cups." - Sally Kaplan
A super effective foot mask to give you smoother feet
"This foot mask is the best/worst thing I've ever bought for under $25 on Amazon. My feet are so soft and smooth now, but my team did have to listen to me complain about my feet peeling for two weeks." - Maureen Lamping
A large Brita filter that always has excess water left after pouring a glass
"Many of us have filtered water pitchers in our fridges, but if you're anything like me, yours is probably still a holdover from your college days. There's nothing wrong with that, but I upgraded to a larger, more efficient model and haven't looked back. Not only am I refilling this container less often, but it's also encouraging me to drink more water since there's always some left." - Brandt Ranj
This product was originally under $25 when the article was first published. We've left it on the list since prices on Amazon tend to fluctuate often.
Phone cases that look good but cost a lot less than the price set by your phone care provider in-store
"When you go to phone stores, covers are so expensive. I always order mine on Amazon, they are inexpensive, cute, and durable!" - Chelsey Hoffman
Fun, decorative wall decals (and a lot of them)
"These decals are super fun and make it really easy to get creative with your walls." - Navah Maynard
A personal, portable fan that fits in a pocket or purse easily
"I carry this battery-operated fan with me all summer to stay cool on hot subway platforms - it's about the size of two lipstick tubes stacked and it fits in my pocket." - Sally Kaplan