49 popular products that deserve their hype because they're so damn useful

Hype is a funny thing. When there's too much of it, I start to doubt it's veracity — and when everyone is praising a certain product, a cynical voice in the back of my head warns, "This is just another pet rock!" But that voice is often wrong in the era of internet shopping and instant reviews. Now, when something goes viral, it needs to have scores of humans buying and backing it. That's what's happening with these popular Amazon products that deserve their hype because they're so damn useful. (Yes, there's an air fryer here — and yes, you do want it.)

Trust me: This stuff is the exact opposite of a pet rock, which was nothing but hype. These things are astonishing for their usefulness, and so many customers know it. They're the running socks people can't stop talking about, the beer bottle chiller that everyone's writing sonnets for in the review section, the double-sided tape people are using to fix nearly anything, and the tiny label printer that's causing widespread labeling. These things are receiving positive reviews on the regular (and rightfully so).

Are you ready to finally see what the hype's all about? Go ahead and start shopping.

1. These highly rated socks with cushioned ankle tabs

This six-pack of mostly-cotton socks has over 14,000 people writing five-star love letters about them. They don't massage or cure your feet — they're just socks. But they are perfect socks. They have cushiony soles that also offer compression, along with thickened heel tabs to keep them from sliding into your shoes. They even come in three basic colors and will likely become your go-to's.

2. The quick spritz that removes laundry wrinkles

A pleasant-smelling spray that irons your clothes within seconds seems too good to be true, right? But hundreds of people have written that this stuff is for real, and they rely on it to take out wrinkles at the last minute. It smells like jasmine, sweet musk, sandalwood, and citrus — and it's made from all natural ingredients.

3. This fabric shaver with a cult following

This battery-operated fabric shaver has a serious fanbase, and almost 30,000 people have given the gizmo five-star reviews. They also claim they can't stop de-pilling everything from their clothes to their furniture. It removes the fuzz, lint, and pills — and it comes in five colors. Not to mention, it's small enough to pack.

4. A thermos that keeps a bottle of beer ice cold

If you like your beer cold, then you might be looking for a way to keep your bottles chilly. Enter this insulated beer bottle holder, which, yes, was designed specifically for bottles. It protects the container inside while keeping the brew cold for a long time, and it's available in many colors (all of which are made with stainless steel).

5. This tiny vacuum cleaner for your desk

Zip this little vacuum around the dining room table and let it suck up all the crumbs and spills. Then, hoover up all the crud on your desk and keyboard. It's rechargeable, so you can grab it and clean any surface in seconds without worrying about changing the batteries.

6. A genius trick for fitting more clothes in your closet

When you have too many shirts crammed in your closet, it's hard to find anything. But there's a solution; just hang them differently with these vertical hangers that put five shirts in the space of one hanger. It also displays garment facing forward so you can see your options more easily.

7. These shelf dividers that bring order to your closet

You can easily bring order to your closet with the help of these shelf dividers. They slide onto shelves easily, hold stacks of folded items in place, and keep bags and backpacks upright. These comes in platinum or bronze and have over 1,500 five-star reviews from people with organized closets.

8. This genius way to extend the life of fresh herbs

The way you store your herbs usually determines how long they last in the fridge, so a good storage system helps prevent waste and save money. This herb saver promotes 360-degree air circulation while the bottom tray — which you fill with water — keeps them hydrated. Perfect for rosemary, basil, thyme, mint, and more, it comes in two sizes and has a hinge that makes it easy to access your greens.

9. A cordless iPhone charger that fits in your pocket

This little charger plugs into your iPhone and charges it while you keep on using it, letting you stay connected. There are no cords because the lightning charger is built right in, and it looks like an extension of your phone. It's also small enough to fit in your pocket between charges.

10. This security stamp that covers your personal info

When you throw away junk mail that has your address and other personal data printed on it, you risk exposing it to strangers — but shredder it is such a hassle. This roll stamp is a great alternative. It's already inked, so you just roll it over the personal information to obscure it with an encrypted pattern.

11. An insulated water bottle with a built-in speaker

Some people expect a lot from their water bottle — and in this case, they'll get it. This is an insulated water bottle with a built-in Bluetooth speaker that has a subtle, integrated hydration reminder. The lights flash when you should sip, the speaker is surprisingly excellent, and many customers love the whole kit for simplifying their everyday carry.

12. The double-sided tape that'll hold nearly anything

This double sided tape is strong enough to keep your rugs in place — and it can even help hang shelves on a wall or keep plants and other decor from falling over. It's also removable and shouldn't leave a mark on your floors or walls. Plus, it's so effective that reviewers are stocking up and posting pictures of their cool projects.

13. A template that helps you shave the hair you can't see

Getting a tidy line in the back when you are doing a DIY haircut is challenging. But don't give up! Instead of asking for help from a friend, don this silicone template and buzz the back by feel. It molds to the shape of your head, making that straight line attainable.

14. This in-car trash can that quickly brings order

This clever trash can is the organization hack that should've come with your car. It installs in a variety of ways, holds lots of trash, and has an insulated cup holder. Heck, it even sports plenty of pockets for storage and holds a standard grocery bag securely so you don't have to buy bags for it.

15. The dipping containers that connect to your car air vent

If you love to indulge in fast food while on the road, these dip holders that snap into your air vents will help you enjoy perfectly sauced fries while you do it. They fit a wide range of car vents (as well as nearly every major sauce packet on the market), so you can get the sauce you want on every bite.

16. An automatic soap dispenser that's loved by thousands

When you pump the dispenser on a standard soap dispenser, you are doing it with un-washed hands, which — if you think about it — can create a germ-filled spot right at your sink. Not so much with this touchless one, though. You don't press it at all because its infrared sensor drops one helping of soap when it detects a hand. It holds 7 ounces of soap, works with any liquid soap you like, and can be set on a counter or mounted to the wall.

17. This bamboo charging dock for all your gadgets

What do you prefer to look at? A pretty bamboo box with all your gadgets organized and charging, or a table cluttered with the chaos of chargers and devices? Hundreds of Amazon reviewers prefer this bamboo box, which turns their tech tools into a tidy display while everything is powering up. There are slots for every device and plenty of room for a beefy USB charging port to hide inside (which doesn't come with the dock).

18. This armrest tray that fits on the side of your couch

This tray is essentially a TV dinner stand for your coffee. The sides mold to whatever arms your couch has, the felt underside holds onto the chair's fabric or leather surface. All this cleverness conspires to put a small table surface exactly where you want it: on the arm of your chair. There's no need for a TV stand or table, and it comes in four colors to match your decor.

19. This powerful shower head with a built-in water filter

Guess what? The water coming from your shower can feel harsh on your hair and skin, but this shower head filters impurities out of your water before it gets to your body. There's no loss of water pressure because small, dense outlet holes increase the speed of the water. A great shower is bliss, which may be why almost 4,000 people give this one five stars.

20. This comfy lap desk with a built-in phone stand

If your favorite place to work is in bed or on the couch, you need a lap desk to keep your computer from getting too hot (and your accessories from rolling away). Two cushions on the bottom of this wide lap desk and a non-skid mouse pad reign in your rig while a slot holds your phone upright. Over 12,000 people have agreed that this is the lap desk to get.

21. The adhesive power strip that hangs it on the wall

It would be great if you could stick a power strip to the wall or underneath a desk, right? But what if you need to take it down? Mount it with this two-piece power strip holder so you can slide it off whenever you like. One piece grabs the wall and the other holds the power strip — and they slide easily apart. There are five of them.

22. This pocket-sized microscope with a flashlight

Need to identify a bug in your garden or see a trichome on a plant? This pocket microscope does the trick. It magnifies tiny things by 20 times their actual size so that your eyes can see them clearly, and it has a built-in flashlight as well as a UV light. It comes on a key ring, so you can keep it handy at all times.

23. A nose hair trimmer that doesn't tug

Add this handy noise hair trimmer to your grooming products arsenal and you can trim unwanted nose, brow, or ear hair in hard-to-reach areas with no pain or hassle. It runs on one AA battery and never yanks hair — and it boasts a 4.6-star overall rating after more than 1,300 reviews.

24. This tiny labeler that prints from your phone

This pocket-sized labeler connects to your phone so you can design labels in the connected app and print them out wherever you need one. You can use art, change fonts, and alter colors depending on the type of label you want. It's slightly larger than a deck of cards, comes in four hues, and is rechargeable.

25. A colander that fits right over the sink

It's so easy to set this genius colander over the sink where it's perfectly stable and drain directly into the basin. The arms are telescopic, so you can expand it to fit your sink — and it can be contracted again when you want to store it. Plus, the fine mesh lets nothing but liquid through.

26. This organized system for wrangling your cables

Looking for cables that have fallen to the floor feels like an inevitable irritation of life in the digital age, but these cable wranglers are fast and easy ways to put a stop to that. Peel and stick them to a desk or bedside table, snap the cables into them, and you'll always be able to find the plug you need. Choose from black and white.

27. A clever robot that peels fruits and vegetables

Okay, it's not really a robot but it's a cute, helpful, electric peeler that's willing to get the skin off your spuds or apples while you do something else. Just mount the fruit or vegetable in the peeling seat, turn it on, and watch it quickly and expertly spin the object against the blade, removing skin with very little waste.

28. This air fryer that's perfect for a small kitchen

In my opinion, an air fryer is one kitchen tool that deserves every bit of the hype it's gotten lately. It can fry up meats, veggies, and even eggs into a delicious meal in a matter of minutes without splattering oil or requiring too much attention. This 1-quart version is perfect for a small kitchen, and it's under $40 which is a bargain.

29. A milk frother for foamy cappuccinos right at home

All you need to enjoy a foamy cappuccino at home is some milk — dairy, nut, soy, or whatever you like — and this frother. Dip it into your cold or heated milk and push the button. The stainless steel whisk will spin so quickly that your milk will foam up in seconds. It stores in the included stand and runs on two AA batteries.

30. These beeswax-coated food wraps made of cotton

These three big sheets of beeswax-coated organic cotton will cover a serving dish, wrap a sandwich, or preserve produce in the fridge as effectively as plastic wrap (but with none of the waste). This stuff is pleasant to use: Just warm it with your hands to mold and seal it. You can wash it and reuse it as often as you like.

31. These shoe covers so you can wear your kicks in the rain

You want to always wear your athletic shoes because they're the most comfortable shoe for walking, right? But what if it rains? Pack along some of these shoe covers and stop worrying (or replacing perfectly good shoes). Available in four colors and nine sizes, they'll keep you dry and protect your kicks from mud, water, and dirt.

32. A cleaning set that spins your mop dry

This mop is a dense collection of microfiber strings that — because of its triangle shape — reaches right into corners. And the matching bucket has a clever foot-controlled wringer to get water out fast, making easy work of cleaning.

33. These rubber gloves with built in scrubbers

Skip the sponge altogether and wear these gloves with scrubbers built into both palms to do the dishes. Simply rub your hands around the dishes or pans to lather them up, and then gently scrape off food and mess; your hands won't even get wet. Reviewers have used them to wash everything from dishes to cars.

34. An insert for your backpack so you can find everything

Backpacks can get messy fast — especially if you're always using it. Bring structure to your daily carry with this in-pack organizer that holds your water bottle upright, has 12 pockets for all your small items, expands for long days, contracts when you are traveling light, and weighs almost nothing.

35. A slim storage cart you can fit almost anywhere

Sneak this clever cart into the bathroom, kitchen, or laundry room and store all your sundries without wasting space. It's just over five inches deep, which means you can fit it between your bed and bedside table for all your electronics and reading materials (or even between washer and dryer to organize that space). The casters spin, there are hooks you can place anywhere, and the trays are perforated so your gear dries.

36. This stretch spray that makes your shoes fit

Breaking in a pair of shoes or boots can be a painful experience, but you can speed it right along and prevent blisters by spraying those too-tight kicks with this shoe-stretching solution before you put them on. Once doused in this, the leather will loosen up quickly and mold to your feet or calves.

37. The pour-over coffee dripper for a perfect cup of joe

Pour-over coffee is the best way to brew for a flavorful cuppa, and all it takes is a few minutes of patience and this stainless steel dripper. Set it over a cup, spoon in ground coffee, and pour hot water slowly over the grounds. Inhale and enjoy the process. A fine mesh filter is built in, so you don't need paper ones — and you can put it right in the dishwasher for cleanup.

38. A beard straightener that comes with healing balm

If your once-tame beard has reached a stage of unwanted frizziness, this electric straightener will help tidy it up. All you have to do it wait for it to heat up and brush your beard and hair with it for an orderly look. It even comes with a beard comb for any finishing touches.

39. These locking shoelaces that upgrade your footwear

Putting on shoes doesn't have to involve struggling with double knots. These locking elastic laces only require you to pull them tightly to achieve that perfect, snugly tied shoe. Over 33,000 people have given these five stars — not only for simplifying this daily task, but also for making their shoes more comfortable.

40. A salad spinner that washes all your produce at once

What stops you from eating salad? Washing the produce, right? This salad spinner turns that task into a fun and easy one. Just drop the greens into the inner basket and run water over them. Then, spin them in the centrifuge bowl while using the hand crank to remove all the water. It's big enough to do all your produce at once, and it shouldn't slide around the counter. It even empties water with the lid still on.

41. This tool that opens doors & pushes buttons for you

With this tool in your pocket or on your keychain, you won't have to touch anything when you go out — like a doorknob, payment kiosk, or elevator button. A rubbery tip punches buttons and payment keypads, a hook pulls doors open and flushes toilets, and your digits remain in the finger hole.

42. This clever fix for the gap between stove and counter

That gap between the stove and counters is pretty much the Bermuda Triangle in every kitchen. Spills, utensils, and random items disappear down there where retrieval is a major production. Prevention is as easy as cutting this silicone gap cover to fit your counter depth and setting it in the gap. It's clear, so you'll quickly forget it's there.

43. These sliding covers for your tech cameras

For some guaranteed privacy (even if you forget to turn your webcam off after a call), just peel and stick one of these camera covers over your webcam and slide the window shut. There are eight here, and they can even work on your tablet or smartphone.

44. This makeshift desk that fits on your steering wheel

Whether you're on a quick lunch break or working in-between meetings, you can get a little work done using this in-car desk. It stores easily between the seats and snaps into the steering wheel when you're parked, quickly giving you a smooth surface for papers, a laptop, or a meal. If the thousands of five-star reviews are any indication, lots of people are getting use out of it.

45. The stretchy lids that fit all the containers in your kitchen

These lid covers let you leave your leftovers in the bowl or cup you served them in, because they fit right around the edges. To use one of them, just stretch it over a bowl of your choice and put it in the fridge. They come in six sizes, and you can use these over and over again.

46. A battery tester that checks their power

If you have a drawer full of batteries, you've probably been met with the frustration of not knowing which ones are alive and which ones aren't. Keep this battery tester in that drawer, too, and you can quickly test them before you install or toss anything. It works with various types of batteries and does't require power to operate.

47. A two-pack of smart plugs with voice control

These highly-rated smart plugs let you plug tech, appliances, lights, and more into a power source that you can control with Google Home, Amazon Echo, the Kasa app, or even your voice. Just download the app and plug it in.

48. A magnetic wrist band that holds all your small tools

Looking for a place to hold those screws while you work? Wear this magnetic wristband and stick them — along with your drill bits, screwdriver heads, and anything else that's metal and small — to your wrist where they're easy to reach. It adjusts to fit a wide range of wrists and sports strong magnets.

49. These flashlight gloves that hold the light for you

Turn yourself into a superhero by donning this pair of gloves with built-in flashlights. Point your finger to send a beam of light from your index and thumb. Not only is this pretty cool, but it's practical for doing repairs, working on electronics, or participating in sports — like fishing or climbing — when light is low.