22 peculiar items you didn't know you needed
While they may initially seem like impulse buys, here are the pros and cons of these useful items
This post will be continuously updated.
LAST UPDATED: December 13, 2025
ORIGINAL PUBLICATION DATE: July 22, 2025
WHAT’S NEW? Additions to “Appliances”
It’s the holiday season, and you don’t really know what you want to buy your family members and friends. They may already have the essentials, so why bother buying them something they don’t need? Consider buying something they didn’t know they needed instead.
Sometimes an oddball item will pop up that makes you think, “This is interesting, but why would I buy this?” It’s not something you even thought to use, but it’s too cool to pass up as a conversation piece for houseguests or a fun item to try out at home.
Here are 22 peculiar items that fall into that category. Will temptation make you buy one?
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Appliances
Pros: A portable air conditioner is a perfect investment if you have a condo or apartment rental with no air conditioning. Appliances like a Riseon Windowless Portable Air Conditioner save you from trying to uninstall a massive window version if/when you move out. You can just fill this up with water and roll it around. (After three years of living in a condo rental, I sold my portable air conditioner on Craigslist. The condo unit I purchased three years later had a wall unit already installed.)
Cons: Although in the minority opinion, one buyer insisted that this portable air conditioner couldn’t effectively cool a room. I had mixed opinions about my own portable air conditioner (a different brand), which seemed to work OK except on particularly hot days. Then, it felt more like a fan.
Pros: Maybe you’re tired of spending the big bucks on almond, soy and coconut milk in grocery stores. Or, you’ve found out that your vegan cashew cheese is way better than what you’re buying pre-packaged so you want to try more plant-based recipes. Either way, a HGUNBI 8-in-1 Automatic Nut Milk Maker Machine may be worth a shot.
Recommended Read: “First-timer makes disaster-free homemade soy milk ~ Two lessons learned while making homemade soy milk: Use a Crock-Pot and okara is the best vegan breakfast ever”
Cons: One user said it takes 40 minutes to make soy milk, and the nut milk maker leaves chunks. (Other homemade soy milk recipes guesstimate the preparation time at 20 minutes — minus the six hours or overnight time to soak soybeans.)
Pros: You don’t have to go to a spa to have an Evenchi Towel Warmer or a KLZUOPT Exquisite Heated Towel Warmer Rack. Whether you want a warm towel to wash your face in the morning before you brush your teeth or allergy season is kicking in and only a warm towel will get rid of those puffy eyes, a towel warmer comes in handy. And depending on the results of window installation, getting out of the shower can be dreadful. (Winters are the one time that windowless bathrooms are a major perk — that is, until the paint starts to peel.) Having warm towels in a bathroom can make you sit on the side of your tub for a few extra minutes.
Cons: For smaller bathrooms, this 10-pound towel warmer can take up much-needed space. It’s 21.5 x 12.75 x 12.75 inches. For green-friendly homes with energy-safe outlets, chances are the lights will have to stay on long enough to get the towel warmer to heat up and work. It also takes 30 to 90 minutes for the bucket to warm towels so you might be better off turning it on and going about your morning rituals before you want to use these towels. Or, if there’s an early bird in your household, ask this person to turn on the towel warmer beforehand. Unlike the KLZUOPT, the Evenchi warmer is not intended to be used for quickly drying wet towels after bathing or swimming; insert dry towels only. The KLZUOPT can be used like an indoor clothesline.
Books
Pros: You can use this YAKUNCL 100 Envelopes Money Saving Challenge book to teach your kid(s) to save or organize your own stash that doesn’t require you to get to a bank. Save $1, $10, $50 or whatever amount you’re most comfortable with.
Cons: One user said the lock stopped working correctly after a couple weeks.
Pros: If you’re a night owl who prefers to read while your significant other wants to go to sleep, this Glocusent Wingy Book Light is a happy medium. Or, maybe you just don’t need all the lights on while you’re at home alone and catching up on a book. Either way, you’re saving on the electricity bill.
Cons: Several users were disappointed that the wings don’t fold for packing or adjusting.
Cleaning and Grooming
Pros: The Nori Press Travel Steam Iron means you can avoid trying to find an empty space to unfold a large ironing board or wrestle with a small one on a table or bed. Find a sturdy hook on a door and iron two times as fast.
Cons: Multiple users complained about it being too heavy, awkward to iron the middle area and the steam section constantly needing to be refilled.
Pros: Whether you’re a no-shoes household or just leave messy shoes in the mudroom, making sure they’re clean the next time you wear them is equally important. That’s why this SCRUBIT Boot Scraper Brush comes in handy during muddy, snowy and sandy weather.
Cons: Multiple users complained about the bristles starting to disintegrate and breaks after about a year’s worth of using it.
Pros: No matter how meticulous you are at cleaning your car, crumbs love to get stuck in corners and dust wants to be everybody’s roommate and side-seat driver. PULIDIKI Car Cleaning Gel Clean Putty Car Interior Cleaner Slime can help get rid of this unwanted guest. It also may get hard-to-reach dust and debris on keyboards without worrying about rubbing off keys with keyboard cleaner air spray.
Cons: Never use this slime on a smartphone screen, a computer monitor or any other surface that is not water resistant. Several users were confused by the lack of instructions for cleaning the slime afterward. (The merchant’s suggestion is to just put the slime in a cool, dry place inside of a jar until it needs to be used again.) One user said washing rags and towels is much easier to do than trying to figure out how to reuse this slime. It also may leave a greasy feeling on your hands and the areas it cleans.
Electronics
Pros: Having a lunch box is convenient for a 9-to-5 job, but you appreciate this type of gadget much more when your refrigerator dies and you don’t want to give up prepared food. Or, there was that time when the power went out in my Chicago neighborhood for a first-ever dust storm. For three hours, we were in the dark and I got creative around dinner time. Having an electric lunch box can at least help you avoid wasting a meal (along with using this for work lunch hours).
The rechargeable self-heating lunch box has an automatic scheduled heater, so your food will be hot and ready when you want to eat it. (Start heating at least 90 minutes beforehand though, and the electric lunch box will automatically turn off when done.) Before first use, fully charge the device before operating or ensure the battery level is at least 70% for optimal performance. Designed for efficient heating with a 12V output, never use the unit while it’s inside the carry bag, which can cause the lid to overheat, melt or become deformed.
Cons: At least 10 users complained that it stopped working altogether, even after being fully charged, in a month or so.
Pros: Whether you love to meditate or are a light sleeper who is fed up with noisy neighbors, this LC-dolida Sleep Headphones eye mask and white noise headphones may finally help you get a decent night’s sleep.
Recommended Read: “Is a white noise machine worth buying for light sleepers? ~ Getting a good night's sleep in a multi-unit building will require a few electronics and tough conversations with early birds”
Cons: Several users complained about the comfort and breathability of the mask.
Pros: I never realized how sensitive the wrist is until I went a little too hard at Burpees. My wrist and finger were in such discomfort that it made typing hard to do. (I type 81 words per minute, so typing slowly was wearing me out.) For people with carpal tunnel or who have other typing discomfort, an ALLJOY Hand Massager for Arthritis and Carpal Tunnel Relief may help. I did not have this product. I did, however, do quite a bit of stretching, yoga, giving my own hands a massage and let time heal my wrist. I haven’t done a Burpee since.
Cons: Several users described it as more of a “hand squeezer” than actual massaging.
Food and Dining
Pros: MOWI WOWI Hemp Honey Straws are convenient for on-the-go breakfast food items and tea without carrying around a bulky jar or packages that may accidentally spill.
Recommended Read: “Oprah Winfrey impressed Michael B. Jordan with reusable straws, and I copied her ~ Trump's rambling about single-use plastic straws does not help the economy or environment”
Cons: These are single-serving straws and still present the same plastic problems that regular straws do.
Pros: If you were a Girl Scout who now misses s’mores as a vegan and feel like you’re missing out on marshmallow-filled hot chocolate during the winter months, here’s your chance to enjoy that fluffy goodness again with GoodMallow Vegan Marshmallows.
Cons: Paying $12 for marshmallows can be hard to justify, especially when there are cheaper versions such as the Dandies Vegan Marshmallows or 365 by Whole Foods Market, Large Marshmallows. The final decision is going to come down to taste preferences, which is often the case with plant-based foods.
Furniture
Pros: There is no better way to lie to yourself about “watching” a movie or “relaxing” for a few minutes quite like having a human dog bed. Within minutes, you’ll figure out why dogs sleep so much and so comfortably while you’re flopping around on a human mattress. While my own human-sized dog bed is different from the Plufl, The Original Human Dog Bed, I think I have slept on this bed almost as much as my dog — and sometimes I’ll wake up to find her on one of my couches or in my bedroom sleeping in her crate.
Recommended Read: “Review: Bedsure Foldable Human Dog Bed was always going to be a 5-star review ~ Why I became an Amazon and Impact Marketing affiliate”
Cons: If you want to stretch out more or sit on a human dog bed like a couch, the BedSure version may be a better option. You won’t have to curl in the fetal position. If you’re more likely to sleep on your stomach, BedSure is a better option.
Pros: If you’ve had it up to here with earrings, bracelets, necklaces and rings falling all over your dresser or the floor, or a small jewelry box just doesn’t have enough room, it may be time to try a larger version. Why not try a multi-use version? A duo mirror and jewelry box means you can see how your jewelry looks as soon as you put it on — and in a much larger mirror. Win win!
Recommended Read: “Can mirrors become wall decor? Absolutely ~ Top 21 mirrors that will wow houseguests and add style to your home”
Cons: One user complained about the door not staying closed on its own unless it was locked.
Gifts
Pros: Receiving a SOUFEEL Film Roll Keychain Custom Keychain will probably seem like a piece of junk unless you are a Baby Boomer, Generation Xer or a Geriatric Millennial. For these three groups, who are well aware of 35mm (and 110) film, this may be one of the most delightful gifts to receive for a birthday, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or Christmas. You may get extra brownie points from recipients who worked in a photo development department and developed prints in a dark box (“Love Jones” style) — not just printing digital images.
Recommended Read: “Women of color, stop trying to change your hue in photos ~ BlackTechLogy: What I never expected to learn in photo development”
Cons: Multiple users complained about the quality of the customizable images (ex. heads cut off, fragile film) and having to manually roll the images back into the 35mm case. (Of note, actual 35mm film also doesn’t automatically roll back into the case. It just curls. And actual 35mm film is fragile. These complaints suspiciously sound like they came from people who weren’t used to buying 35mm film.)
Hair
Pros: If you worry that you spend too much time curling one area of your hair and not enough of the other, the SDEALS SdBeauty 1 Inch Automatic Rotating Curling Iron may make you more conscious of curling your hair evenly.
Cons: Getting the hang of clicking the “left” button instead of the “right” button may take some practice.
Pros: I’m ecstatic about microwaveable heat items, specifically if I have a cold. It’s why I’m clutching on to my pure lavender Earth Therapeutics Comfort Wraps. (It was available in Kohl’s for quite some time, but it’s not available on Amazon and is missing from the official site.) I feel just as calm when I go to a beauty salon and sit under a hair dryer to allow the conditioner to settle in. The part that sucks is when the beautician asks you to get up from the hair dryer to get your hair wet all over again. Depending on what kind of hair conditioner you use, you may be able to enjoy this Glow by Daye Cordless Deep Conditioning Thermal Heat Cap without getting your hair wet again. Or, you might want to wait until your conditioner is washed out to use it to expedite drying your hair. (You could also invest in an Earth Therapeutics Ultra-Absorbent Quick-Dry Hair & Body Towel, Natural to let your hair dry while you sleep at night.)
Cons: Similar to my neck wrap, this Daye Cordless Deep Conditioning Thermal Heat Cap is intended for only about 20-30 minutes before it cools off. While heating the cap in the microwave, make sure to flip the cap over every 30-40 seconds — and a maximum of two minutes — for even heat distribution. Do a touch test for a few seconds to avoid the risk of accidental burns. Several users have warned that going over one minute is a bad idea. It resulted in the microwave smoking, burning smells and a burn hole in the cap. (This is yet another reason to flip the heat cap a couple of times to keep track of just how powerful the heat is in your microwave. In the case of my neck wrap, there’s a warning to never use it in a microwave with heat higher than 1,000 watts. Online warnings for the heat cap, however, are not readily available on the official site, so read any physical instructions carefully.)
Health
Pros: All the yoga, meditation and DIY humidifiers in the world just won’t speed up the sneezing and headaches of seasonal allergies. And it can be even worse for people who wear contact lenses because we can’t rub our eyes from that itchiness and watery (or dry) eyes. Similar to the lavender Earth Therapeutics Comfort Wrap (mentioned above), I’ll always have an Earth Therapeutics Anti-Stress Face Pillow. The latter should never be put into the microwave though. Just put it over your face. It’s an instant reliever for me when it comes to allergies and colds too. The cover is machine washable, but I prefer to wash it by hand.
Cons: If you have a small nose like mine, you might have to do some adjusting for breathability.
Pros: A little under a decade ago, I had a boss who really hated safety instructions. It was peculiar because she’d just had a baby months before, and usually new moms tend to be really into health and safety. Not this one! She was annoyed when she was informed that she had to go to CPR and Heimlich maneuver training, and happily allowed a Staff Writer to go in her place. She also rolled her eyes and complained when she was told to put an OSHA sign in our newsroom and stuck it in the corner. Interestingly, her rebellion against health and safety precautions made me far more interested in how to do the Heimlich maneuver, workplace safety and other health tips versus viewing a Human Resources video or getting a handout. This Fitiger Collapsible Anti-Choking Device for Baby and Adults device immediately made me think of her because I know she’d throw it in the trash.
Cons: There’s very little information about Fitiger or their device testing results. Additionally, this product has all 5-star ratings (which is suspicious to me). If you’re concerned about how effective it is, at the very least, learn how to do the Heimlich on your own. According to an American Red Cross survey of 2,000 U.S. adults ages 18 and older, four out of every 10 adults have completed or are interested in taking a life-saving course. For those adults who trained in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and first aid (which may include the Heimlich), 69% felt more prepared, 63% felt more confident and almost half were relieved because they had the skills to act in the event of an emergency.
Organizers
Pros: If you’re constantly losing sunglasses because you’re setting them in random places and your nightstand is filled with cologne just waiting to fall onto the floor, the Sakaki Cologne Organizer resolves both issues at once.
Cons: This is not intended to organize multiple large fragrance bottles over 3.4 ounces.
Pros: Packing and unpacking can be draining, whether you’re packing for college or a business trip. Anything that can make moving from one place to another easier is always appreciated, which is why Stow-N-Go Portable Hanging Travel Shelves may be more convenient than trying to hang your belongings for a blink-and-you-missed-it trip. This suitcase organizer hangs in a closet so you can instantly access your undergarments or outfits.
Recommended Read: “10 things I wish I bought before my first day in the dorms ~ The everyday things college freshmen, including car owners, will need to make campus living easier”
Cons: Multiple users pointed out that this suitcase organizer takes up a lot of room in a closet and would be better off for already-empty closets. And even if you do have the room, the hooks may not fit on all rods.
So now that you’ve perused these 21 items, which one(s) could you honestly justify using? Maybe it’s not this exact brand, but you like a variation of the brand. Try items that make everyday living easier, whether that means making seasonal allergies less miserable, avoiding eating lukewarm food before a board meeting or finally making your bedroom look more organized. Happy shopping!
Did you enjoy this post? You’re also welcome to check out my Substack columns “Black Girl In a Doggone World,” “BlackTechLogy,” “Homegrown Tales,” “I Do See Color,” “One Black Woman’s Vote” and “Window Shopping” too. Subscribe to this newsletter for the monthly post on the third Thursday. Thanks for reading!