35 Under $35 Amazon Buys That Are Just So Good
🎯 My favorite purchases that are under $35 but perform and work WAY above their pay grade! Elite in class and 10/10 recommend everything on this list! Kitchen, travel, clothing, beauty, food & more!
Sometimes you don’t need to spend a lot of money for something to be really good.
Like it exceeds its pay grade because it’s just elevating your life, making some aspect of your routine just a little bit better, or simply out-performs expectations.
And let’s face it, for under 35 bucks these days, you just don’t know what you’re going to get. But I can assure you, everything on this list I own, have used, I love it, and will happily recommend it to my best friends, family, and you too!
I have a whole Amazon Storefront of all my various favorites from kitchen to books to travel to cats so if you’re curious, it’s all there and well organized.
If you don’t shop on Amazon, that’s great. I do and I find value in it (to varying degrees) and that’s why I am sharing my favorites that are well-vetted and useful.
Kitchen
Nonstick 8” Pan - If you need a small, safe, nonstick skillet for a couple eggs, this is the one. Of course you can use it for other things but I find it’s perfect for eggs, no oil needed. And the size is great when you don’t need anything too big. When I need to break out the big guns in the safe, nontox, nonstick pan arena, I reach for my Caraway or my OurPlace. They’re a different price point, totally and completely worth it, but not under $35. They’re also much bigger, especially the Caraway and it’s more pan than I need for just a couple eggs or egg white omelette.
Silicone Spatula/Flipper - They call this a fish spatula but it’s excellent for getting under a couple of eggs and flipping them without breaking the yolks. Of course, it’s also great for fish or chicken. The angle of the flipping part, combined with the silicone coating that protects your nonstick pans, you’ll want to throw all your other spatulas out. I did.
Kitchen Scissors - This super cheap (price, not quality) set comes with two pairs of scissors. I actually have had my set for 5 years, and I am still on the first pair, they’re still not dull! And I use them EVERY day for cutting open plastic packages, for snipping herbs, for opening a stubborn anything. Basically these are free for the price-to-longevity situation going on.
Set of Two Half Sheet Pans - If yours are ratty, bent, stained, charred, weird stuff molten on, move on and get these. NordicWare doesn’t mess around and these are the most resistant to doing that one corner up, one corner down, thing that most sheet pans do in an oven over 350F. Not these. And make a sheet pan dinner or some cookies while you’re at it!
Viral Veggie Chopper - While I don’t break this out all the time, when I need it, I need it. For recipes with a fair amount of chopping or prep work, slam in those onions, carrots, celery, potatoes, etc. and let this thing chop it for you in a couple whacks. Anger management issues? This will help. That slam-down is therapeutic.
Food Scale - If you’re weighing your ingredients for a recipe OR you’re tracking your food, you need a scale. I weigh almost all my proteins that I consume, especially my lunch and dinner, because while I can eyeball things, I like to know, to make sure I’m consuming what I think I’m consuming, and not just guessing. I track using the Lose It app.
🎯 On a personal note, I’ve seen the biggest changes in my body, physique, energy, sleep, and fitness when I’m consuming 120-130+ grams protein a day and in order to know with certainty, it’s just obligatory to weigh my food.
There’s no way to know the difference between 4 ounces vs. 5 1/2 ounces of chicken when it’s sitting in a bowl on top of a salad. But that’s ~15 grams of protein which can make or break your goals for the day, one way or the other.
I wrote about protein in this post below. What to eat, how to do it, how to clock in 100 grams daily. For everyone who’s still not on board: You should be eating nearly 1 gram of protein per day for every pound of body mass. So if you weigh 150 pounds you should be eating nearly 150 grams of protein. At a minimum, 0.8 grams per pound. So if you’re 150 lbs, that’s 120 grams protein.
And I have a High Protein Recipes ebook each with 30 grams protein per serving for anyone who needs recipe ideas!
Health, Beauty, Fitness
Digital Bathroom Scale (for you, not your food). The BEST scale I’ve ever tried! Reminds me of the high end scale at my gym that personal trainers use and it scans your body. But this is done in your home and in two seconds with all your data.
Weight, body fat, BMI, visceral fat, muscle, bones, water, and more. You put an app on your phone (it’s super easy to install, no million user names and codes), open the app, it tells you to step on the scale, and in 2 seconds all your data is passed to your phone. And it saves it so the next time you step on the scale, it tells you which categories you’re up, down, and what percentage. Super helpful tool for me after not stepping on a scale in about 5 years.
Collagen and Biotin Pills - Works as well as products twice or triple the price and you only need to take two a day, not a half dozen like with many brands. I’ve seen great skin texture improvement, longer lashes, better stronger nails, definitely recommend these.
Workout gloves - No amount of time in the gym has ever prepared my palms for “toughening up”. I’ve tried. I just end up with blisters. Not to mention, this gives a little bit of help when you’re trying to pick up weights since there’s texture things are less slippery. I am a medium.
Grippy Things - I don’t know what these are really called but basically you put them in your palms (I keep my gloves on), then put this in your hand, and your grip just got so much better. It feels like you have so much more grip strength and if you’re working on pullups, assisted pullups, dips, anything where your grip strength and grip ability is at the forefront, these have been a game changer. for me. I saw these on a Facebook ad but got them on Amazon for so much cheaper than the ad was trying to sell them to me. Why is grip strength important? See below.
🎯 Also, if you don’t know, grip strength is one of the most accurate predictors of longevity and health. Just go Google “grip strength longevity” and a whole slew of information comes up including a National Library of Medicine article about it being a key biomarker.
Moving on…
The Holy Grail Makeup & Toiletry Kit - This is a knockoff of the Parallel brand which is $155 AND it’s always sold out. This is one of only a couple items on this list that is over $35 (it’s $42) but honestly I have looked for years and years and years to consolidate ALL my makeup, hair, beauty, creams, pills, etc. into ONE kit for travel so that I am not lugging multiple bags in and out of hotel bathrooms to my suitcase.
This is a big, roomy kit and I love that all your products stay upright. Honestly best dupe ever and I truly love it. I traveled with it to Disney last week and it has changed my travel game. I have looked and looked for years and years and bought so many other dob kits, makeup, toiletry bags, it’s all here - forever. Super high quality and EQUAL to Parallel which I have it in the smaller $110 size.
I love this thing so much I just made a video!
Makeup Brush Cleaning “Bucket” and Brush Cleaning Solution - I cleaned my brushes and my daughter’s the other day (it had been way too long, you don’t even want to know) and this little bucket is key because it has a textured base so do this in kitchen sink with lots of running water and watch what comes out. I don’t even want to know. Best $20 bucks for both I’ve spent in ages. Then you can prop the brushes up to dry in these little “holes” in the bucket. I set that on my patio table in the sun to dry for an afternoon and all was well.
Apparel for Both Women and Men
Lightweight Tank Top - Also for my Disney adventures, I got some tank tops that aren’t overly clingy, that can easily hide bra straps underneath, at a great price point, soft fabric, thick enough not to show every lump and bump, and this delivers. I actually loved it so much I got pink, apricot, ivory, and black. I’m set for the summer for $80 bucks :) I got a large but could take a medium. I’m 5’11” and don’t like tight anything on top. Especially in hot weather.
Men’s Golf Shirt - This shirt is so good. It competes at an elite level with those $115 Peter Millar’s which IYKYK. Honestly, run and buy this in every color for every guy you know. It’s just so so go good. The fabric is buttery soft, silky, just an incredible shirt for $20 bucks!
Next Men’s Golf Shirt - This is the one my husband is wearing in the photos above. Also a $20 shirt that plays way above its league. He’s a medium. He’s about 5’6” and 165 pounds.
Men’s Linen Pants - Purchased for a Europe trip and they’re a solid buy in many different colors.
Women’s Sweater Top - I went through a phase where I bought this in tons of colors - black, red, ivory, tan, cream - and I don’t regret it. I’ve had them 18-24 months, the black and ivory especially I’ve worn and washed the heck out of them and they’re still looking great! For work, for a casual date night, for a girls night, the ivory one for chilly church mornings with a cardigan on top. Photo below.
Wireless Bra - I like this so much better than Eby, Negative, or bras that are $65+ dollars each. I take the pads out but you can keep them in and they don’t move around. I have it in 3 colors and started buying the set but they’re sold individually. Comes with a clasp extender so if you’re between band sizes, I’d probably size down knowing that there is a band extender included in the package but you know your girls.
Travel Related
I have a large travel section on my Amazon storefront but want to feature a few key items here. But make sure to check that out for all my recs!
Bendy Travel Pillow - No more U-shaped collars around your neck! This one molds to you. Enough said.
Packing Cubes - If you still aren’t using them to organize AND maximize space in your suitcase, you’re missing out. Hop on the packing cube train. I’ve stretcheddddd these to their max capacity for 3+ years now, this exact set, all over Europe and South America, and they’re perfect. Zippers intact, no rips.
One Charger For the US and North America, South America - Stop carrying all those chargers! Just get this one.
One Plug In/Charger For Everything for Europe - Going to Europe? Get this ONE thing. It’s just that simple.
Pills & Supplement Case - If you take collagen pills, probiotics, or bigger pills (and you need to take 3 to 6 of them per day) then you need this organizer. Magnetic, seals well, everything stays organized.
The Holy Grail Makeup & Toiletry Kit - Also in the above health/beauty section, but putting it in Travel too because it’s that good!
Food and Grocery
I do not obsess with the most organic, the cleanest ingredients, the most perfect. I find value in the items in this section but just like everything else, your mileage may vary.
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts - Without a separate subscription to Amazon Grocery. This may vary by your area what’s available. However, in San Diego I can say that the quality is excellent. Tastes like a much higher level of organic, farm-raised, etc. type of chicken than it’s labeled as. Kind of like Trader Joe’s chocolate bars are rumored to be Scharffen-Berger. This chicken may likely be much more elite than it is, but because of labeling laws, they can’t over-promise things. I don’t know. What I do know is that it’s sold in 4 to 5 pound packages. I always receive 4.5 pounds. I grill it all and have meal prep done for 3-4 days.
Last week’s Amazon chicken.
Last night’s Amazon chicken.
Quest Birthday Cake Protein Bars - 20 grams protein, 12 grams fiber (which is about HALF of your recommended daily fiber intake in 1 bar so IMO they could be also sold as high fiber bars!), 1g sugar, really sweet, and if you’re eating healthy enough, these definitely taste like a treat to me.
Aloha Bars - Much cleaner ingredients so I’ve been told (again, I don’t really care and don’t obsess). My daughter loves the peanut butter and I’m all about the cookie dough.
Clear Protein with Electrolytes - The ONLY protein powder that I’ve ever tried that ACTUALLY DISSOLVES without issue. Barely needed to stir it with a spoon. No shaker cups, no clumps, no undissolved blobs, these are elite. I travel with them, I love them, I get a cup of water from a Starbucks or the first place I see when I get off an airplane, add a packet, and drink. Not only is there protein, but there’s also electrolytes which save me from altitude or travel-induced migraines, headaches, and just feeling off. Does not upset my stomach at all. Also great for early mornings when you don’t want “creamy”, chocolaty, or heavy traditional protein. I also have a link through the Arrae website and if you’re willing to sign up for autoship, it gets a lot cheaper.
What have you bought on Amazon that’s been elite in class and just a great buy?