20 things I bought on Amazon you might want, too
Here are some items that I recently purchased on Amazon. I thought maybe you could use a few of the things that I purchased, too.
1. Easiest way to keep your info private
For years, I’ve been printing, signing and sending sensitive, as well as financial, documents from home. It’s just dumb to throw those papers in the trash. Sure, you can tear them up, but that’s not good enough.
More secure than the typical strip-cut shredder, this AmazonBasics cross-cut paper shredder slices through documents diagonally in both directions, turning full sheets of paper into tiny particles. It holds 15 sheets at a time which is handy and cuts up credit cards and DVDs, too. I think every home needs a good solid shredder.
2. Make a USB cable as long as you need it
The webcam that I use to do the show from home had a 3-foot short cable. The extra light’s cable was only a foot long. It was a total pain to set up. Not anymore.
You can use this AmazonBasics extension cable to extend a USB connection by more than six feet. It’s perfect for use with printers, cameras, keyboards and other USB gadgets. Love when tech works!
3. A quiet fan for your home office or bedroom
It’s summer, it’s hot and I hate the sound of a fan. The Honeywell eight-speed tower fan is fantastic. It has Quiet Set technology that allows you to control sound and cooling options, making it the perfect year-round fan for any home.
4. Easily hide those ugly cables
Cords are an ugly tech by-product. You can make them disappear like I did.
These Delamu Cable covers help conceal and organize cords in your home and office. For less than $20, you get 10 channels and 19 connectors, plus 29 screws and 20 anchors. The pack comes with adhesive tape, too, if you prefer not to put holes in your walls.
5. Keep charged wherever you’re working or playing
Since I am working from home, I like to leave my office during the day to go out on the patio or work at the kitchen table. The problem is that there isn’t a power outlet always near. Power up your devices and recharge your battery at high speed with Anker’s USB-C Power Delivery.
I like this power bank because you can charge a few things at once. I typically charge my laptop, along with my phone and earbuds simultaneously. Take that dead battery!
6. One of the highest-tech razors you’ll ever find
Now, this item was on my Amazon order list not for me! The heated razor by Gillettelabs is like a hot towel shave at home. I bought this for Barry for Father’s Day.
Now, it is on the pricey side but it’s totally worth it. The starter kit comes with a heated razor handle, 10 blade refills, a wireless charging dock and a smart plug. Each charge lasts six shaves and it’s waterproof for all you shower shavers. It looks great on the counter, too. Barry loves his!
7. Never touch that nasty trash can again
It seems silly, but a nice trash can makes a big difference. I bought the iTouchless SoftStep trash can and it’s great. It opens and closes easily (and silently) and it’s a beautiful rose gold stainless finish. The best part is it’s fingerprint- and smudge-proof.
This one is 13.2 gallons so you don’t need to empty it all the time, and it includes an odor-absorbing filter. And you don’t need to use fancy custom bags like with other premium garbage cans; standard cheapo Costco 13-gallon bags fit just fine.
8. Take this impressive e-reader outside or even by the pool
This is the thinnest, lightest Kindle Paperwhite to date. I went with the 32 GB option, and it’s enough to store everything I could possibly want to read this summer. The glare-free display makes reading on a Kindle so much nicer than a regular tablet, and it’s waterproof so you can read by the pool or in the bath without worrying.
It’s got a built-in light that goes dim enough to read in bed without waking up your spouse, and a single charge seriously lasts weeks.
9. It’s a wearable that you’ll wear
This is on my must-have tech list: The Apple Watch Series 5. I love the way it integrates with my iPhone, and seeing my steps every day motivates me to get out there and walk.
It’s got built-in cellular so you can get calls, texts and emails — even if your phone isn’t nearby. That’s really handy. It comes equipped with GPS, an ECG app and a heart rate sensor, too. This is great if you’re a fitness buff, but it’s also a life-saving feature if you ever have a health emergency.
The Apple Watch 5 stays charged for 18 hours, it’s Bluetooth enabled and it’s water-resistant up to 50 meters.
10. This isn’t your grandma’s mixer
I have all the kitchen gadgets, but I absolutely love my KitchenAid stand mixer. I got it at the beginning of the pandemic knowing that I would be cooking a lot at home. I use it all the time.
There’s nothing like it if you love to bake and cook. The 5-quart bowl is big enough to hold whatever you want to whip up — like four loaves of bread, dozens and dozens of cookies and seven pounds of mashed potatoes. I’m not judging if you want to make that much.
KitchenAid mixers look beautiful on the counter, too, and come in a ton of colors. You can also pick up attachments for just about anything, from rolling your own pasta to making ice cream to grinding meat at home.
11. Take videos like a pro
You should look your best on video calls. Lighting makes all the difference. The QIAYA selfie light ring makes getting the perfect video or photo at home simple. It charges via USB, which I love. Forget about running out of batteries when you need your light. Just plug it in and it charges up in a couple of hours.
The light is small, light and easy to move around, so you can use it wherever you need. It has three different brightness settings, and the light is so much more flattering and natural than your phone’s flash.
12. The smartest charging station you’ll find
Working at home means a ton more gadgets. With this atolla USB hub, you can instantly expand one USB port of your computer to seven external USB data ports. That means you can plug in your phone, tablet, keyboard, mouse, printer or any other peripheral. Handy!
You can turn individual USB ports on and off, and each one lights up with a blue LED light when it’s on. The cord is nice and long, too. If you need one central charging station for all your devices, try this out.
13. Easy way to video chat hands-free
This universal phone stand is simple and sleek. It works with just about every smartphone out there, including the iPhone 6 or later, the Samsung Galaxy line and Google Pixels. It’s made of high-quality aluminum, not cheap plastic, and the bottom is lined with rubber. That means it won’t fall over or scratch your desk.
There’s a hole through the back, too, so you can charge while your phone is in the stand. Functional!
14. Cook a new way
The beautiful pink Himalayan salt tile is one of my favorite kitchen secrets. It looks beautiful, and it adds great flavor to whatever you cook. This one is my favorite. It’s 12 inches by 8 inches, and it can withstand heat up to 500 degrees.
I use it to cook ahi, shrimp, salmon, veggies, steak, and whatever else I can think of. Heat it on the stove, use it on the grill or in the oven. You can serve food chilled, too. Shrimp cocktail, anyone?
The salt block is antibacterial and antimicrobial, too, so it’s a snap to clean up. Just rinse and let it air dry.
15. This screen saved my butt
You know the feeling when you drop your phone. Your stomach drops a little, too, thinking your screen may have cracked. That’s why I won’t go without a tempered-glass screen protector anymore.
This one fits the iPhone 11 Pro Max/XS like a dream, and it’s easy to apply without any annoying bubbles left behind. It’s tempered to withstand 10 KG of force and your touchscreen will work just like normal. They come in different sizes for different phones too.
16. Turn any outlet into a smart outlet
This smart plug connects to the internet through your Wi-Fi, no hub or subscription required. Just plug it into an outlet, connect a device to the smart plug and wirelessly control your lights and appliances like a coffee maker or fan. I love being able to make my home smarter without the creepy smart assistant.
They come equipped with a timer, so you can schedule your lights to dim at night or your coffee maker to switch on in the morning. If you do have an Echo or Google Home, these will work great for you too.
17. The ultimate adjustable workstation
I got sick of sitting all day, so I bought a stand-up desk. The Tranzendesk is fully adjustable and looks nice in my office. It adjusts high enough for someone who is 6’4″, and it supports 70 pounds so you’re good to go if you have a few monitors or a heavy workstation.
When you get sick of standing, you can adjust it to a seated height with the easy-turn crank.
18. For the nature lover in all of us
Celestron’s Nature DX Series binoculars are the perfect companion for us nature lovers.
Here’s the review that sold me: “After evaluating a lot of 8X42s this turns out the best value for money. Spending a lot of time with really great birders, I always have the feeling, that many of them want to have a Leica or Zeiss for the prestige. When I ask them their opinion on these Celestron’s, they look at me with some hidden contempt … After all, I am not a real birder, but just a professional ecologist … in spite of my PhD and 5 decades in the field: NOT A BIRDER! And they are right. However, my vision is still 20-20. And you know what? I just don’t see all that much difference between those $2000+ binoculars and these $125!”
19. Another way to organize your cables
The cord organization never ends. These cord holders keep those cluttered cables and cords around your desk, TV, power strip, computer or cellphone separated and easy to manage. This pack of 16 is under 10 bucks, and you can use them just about anywhere in your house. Just peel off the back and stick them where you need them.
20. Portable UV light sanitizer wand
I’m not taking chances with germs in this pandemic. I don’t know about you, but I’m going through disinfectant wipes faster than I can believe. That’s why I bought this UV light sanitizer wand. It’s light, portable and foldable — and it kills 99% of germs, viruses and bacteria.
Bonus: Capture those hard-to-reach photos
This is on my to-buy list. The Mavic Air 2 camera drone is seriously impressive. It shoots 4K/60fps video and 48MP photos. Translation: It’s good enough for professional use.
It has a 34-minute flight time and smart shooting functions to make aerial photography easy for even beginners. It travels up to 42 miles per hour, which will lead to some pretty fun videos. It’s compatible with Apple and Android phones and tablets.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Tags: Amazon, Android, Apple, Apple iPhone, battery/batteries, browser extension, charging station, coupon codes, devices, fan, gadgets, Google, internet, pandemic, phone stand, power banks, saving money, screen protector, shredder, smart plug, trash can, Wi-Fi
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