Cheryl Shops

Amazon has finally announced that Prime Day is October 13–14 (technically two days) and while I know it's popular to boycott it, I think Prime Day is kind of fun. I love refreshing the page to see what the hourly deals are, and let's be real, the deals can be pretty amazing. I do realize that Amazon undercuts small businesses, has a rather large monopoly, and probably has more data on me that I care to think about—plus there are some tax implications that need to be addressed on a federal level—but we can also thank Amazon for making user reviews, personalization, and search capabilities so widespread. Online retail wouldn't be what it is today without Amazon. I do try to buy things locally from small businesses as much as possible, but that said, I have found some amazing things on Amazon over the years. So in honor of Prime Day, here are six things that I've bought on Amazon that I love, and that I'd highly recommend. 

1. I recently bought a new MacBook, which is amazingly fast (and on which I'm writing this post as we speak), however it has a new USB-C jack, so none of my old devices are compatible. Thankfully this little hub lets me plug in my USB drive (plus two other USB ports), a memory card, and my HDMI monitor cable all at once, and the rose-gold color perfectly matches my computer. 

Lention USB C hub $25.99

2. I love my wool and cashmere sweaters, however I do not love the pilling that happens with natural fibers. This handy little machine shaves off the pills quickly without snagging any threads, and it makes your sweaters look as good as new. Oh, and did I mention that is has nearly 30,000 positive reviews? 

Conair fabric defuzzer $11.99

3. I will tell anyone who will listen how much I love my menstrual cup. It doesn't leak, it doesn't smell, you can wear it for 12 hours at a time, it's better for the environment, and it saves you money. It has literally changed my life, and my only regret is that I wish I had started using one sooner. It does take some getting used to (pulling it out is the hardest part), but trust me, it's so worth it. 

Cora menstrual cup $27.99

4. If you enjoy a glass of champagne from time to time but don't want to finish a whole bottle in one sitting, this little contraption is a life-saver. By magic (or science?), it preserves the effervescence of your sparkling wine, so you can enjoy those fresh bubbles days later—I've had bottles that lasted for a week! Just be careful when you remove it, as the pressure can cause it to pop off in a rather explosive manner. 

Kloveo champagne stopper $15.99

5. This little thingamajig is so simple, it's almost ridiculous. It sticks to your wall and the underside is magnetic, so you can hang your keys from it. We have ours right inside our front door, and it's just so intuitive—since we got it, I'd estimate that instances of lost keys have gone down by 90%. My only wish is that it were a tiny bit wider (to hold more keys), but for $10, you can't go wrong.

Twone cloud magnetic key holder $9.98

6. I hate wrinkles, but I hate ironing even more. This handheld steamer solves both problems. It heats up super quickly and is just as powerful as those big hose-and-rack contraptions that cost like $150, plus it's small enough that you can travel with it. Pro tip: make sure you use distilled water, because even regular purified water can cause mineral deposits. 

iSteam steamer $26.97