Most useful thing you've bought under £30

[KenAdams]

We do a game at Christmas where instead of presents, we do useful gifts in bags for people to win. Things like mango slicers, those cards that double up as ice scrapers, that sort of thing.

Have you bought anything surprisingly useful that you use more than you thought you would that cost under £30 please? I really need some ideas this year!

Slow cooker

Most recent I can think of is of is this phone holder charger for my car

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnetic-Wireless-Charger-Compatible-Rotatable/dp/B09NXT3J2T/ref=ascdffB09NXT3J2T?mcid=d3715383bd4e34a8ac155eaffaebcc2c&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=697263017037&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7714782718143946617&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045888&hvtargid=pla-1607469734091&psc=1&gadsource=1

Japanese tin opener, simple but effective, easy to clean

www.amazon.co.uk/Japanese-Can-Opener-Ganji-Kankiri/dp/B001TV6A7G/ref=pd_ci_mcx_di_int_pref_dp_d_d_sccl_4_2/262-4192413-5552817?pd_rd_w=8j3oc&content-id=amzn1.sym.266b81f3-1e7c-4d72-bb51-23ea116a61bb&pf_rd_p=266b81f3-1e7c-4d72-bb51-23ea116a61bb&pf_rd_r=PSJ6FYR623N4C251W2HM&pd_rd_wg=CB9UL&pd_rd_r=9687449b-2bb5-4409-9826-bd91981dbcaa&pd_rd_i=B001TV6A7G&psc=1

Microwave rice steamer/cooker from Sistema. So easy.
Weigh rice, add double the amount of cold water and put in microwave on high for 12-13 mins. Cover with tea towel for few mins whilst you get plates, etc, ready.
Makes perfect rice every time. I'm not sure how I lived without it, lol. They have a couple of sizes. Starts from about £7.

https://www.currys.co.uk/products/sistema-round-2.6litre-rice-steamer-21921879.html?istCompanyId=bec25c7e-cbcd-460d-81d5-a25372d2e3d7&istFeedId=4d7eb93e-055f-499d-8ee5-1cdcc50d67d1&istItemId=lxtqwqpx&istBid=t&srcid=198&cmpid=ppc~gg~0132+(Shopping+Ads)+SDA+Accessories+-+All+Products~0132+(Shopping+Ads)+SDA+Accessories+-+All+Products+ad+group~Exact~71700000118651883~&mctag=gg_goog_7904&kwid=GOOGLE&device=m&ds_kids=92700080172684546&tgtid=0132+(Shopping+Ads)+SDA+Accessories+-+All+Products&&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAuou6BhDhARIsAIfgrn5KY2OLLmrFBrItfrfLQetDISSuMpPuNDCDd-f65U0sCJis11I_9_EaAjz2EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds]]

I love this as I don’t like the smell of candles when they’re blown out - or the mess. And it looks so fancy 😂
www.dior.com/en_ie/beauty/products/candle-snuffer-Y0998080.html

A what now?

Revive power paste - don't know how I lived without it. It removes every inch of dirt and grime and made my old oven look brand new again.

Also a laundry basket with foldable legs. It's saved my back from all the bending when sorting laundry out.

Oh and Vicks first defence nasal spray - always works for me and I've only had one cold since I bought it at the beginning of the year because I forgot I had it 😅

plastic tray for dinner on the sofa, fake books to put clutter in. Extra long and strong phone charger and my Bluetooth nightlight with white noises and alarm with remote.

A spurtle's originally Scottish. It's basically a fancy stick, a big wooden dowel used for stirring porridge as a regular wooden spoon is supposed to cause clumps. So it can be useful for stirring other food that you want smooth/lump-free like mash.

I had to click on this link to see if it was some sort of modern day chamber pot you put in the cupboard!

Thank you @RainbowZebraWarrior they are lovely looking! Will have a hunt for one of these too.

@Tryonemoretime I looked at the glasses cleaner on Amazon.
It's got bad reviews and I can't see how it would work.
If that helps !

Brilliant, I try and buy something like this every year. So far the biggest successes have been:

Neck lights (bendy thing with lights either end)
Usb endoscope which attaches to a phone
ALDIs version of a Dremel Multi tool kit.

Joseph Joseph potato ricer. No more lumpy mash and so easy to use!

Ooh - that looks so much better than my "lose half the skin on your fingers" one!

This scraping tool, I do the stairs and area rugs with it (similar, bought cheaper, probably Amazon). It’s astonishing, far better than any vacuum.

Not to derail this brilliant thread but anyone who wants a cat should perhaps read about why cat rehoming/adoption is recommended instead.

Many cat breeders are not responsible animal owners. They often run an unscrupulous business & facilitate repeated pregnancies to sell kittens for profit.

There are responsible organisations that arrange cats/kittens for adoption/rehoming, with local schemes that offer affordable neutering, vaccination & chipping

https://m.facebook.com/catsprotection/

https://www.peta.org/features/cat-for-sale-never-buy-a-cat/

Litter picker £14.99

@Rosebud21 agree with rehoming , but it was just being jovial, isn't the mumsnet "rule" of mentioning your pet , that you included photo? And when you start a thread about parking you must include a diagram for everyone to look at?! I was not suggesting everyone gift wrapped kittens for their nearest & dearest.

I agree, the photo is very cute & I understand the cat love.

There were a few posts talking about 'buying' cats. It's important to raise awareness of rehoming/adoption options instead of buying from a seller

Great suggestions. I just bought 83 dishwasher tablets for £9 on Amazon as BF deal.

I got it on tiktok shop of all places but honestly for the price and considering its something aimed at kids it's fab. The likes of temu sell the same ones.

This is the one I have but think I paid something like £25 on tiktok shop it came with loads of the thermal paper too. Really impressed with it and great fun for a cheap stocking filler or whatever. And yes, the pictures do print, it doesn't need ink as the ink is in the paper. It's the same as how a till roll works basically. https://www.amazon.co.uk/ASTGMI-Camera-Instant-Digital-Birthday/dp/B0D6G8TXG8/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_sspa?crid=3FMCGTARVPM26&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.3T4gUclmgF_5is-WJtE2-hiPq1fe_sW9N_fiq2UeSdUaxhjAqTncKgmwe4fmTS6kHPAvXRTb__tx6FSPrd3ShTR4QW7iCkzGUgNCn5Te_hmo3eVmqt6k2dsIa7oobia_XtwdbzFscgg4R8umxQCJJz4Lk6G5wbYZQn6zqw1vYja2iiwhoWFu46Ktu3rncQT8NWIFBr-6UCjvoVH9Nav53w.7Xw9tgbYuYh5cs85xKSE5w-fKSRGV91IYdjwSTxQuFA&dib_tag=se&keywords=printable+camera+for+kids&qid=1732532176&sprefix=printable+camera%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1]]

IKEA jar and bottle opener. I've yet to have a jar it couldn't open.

I made a DIY version of these thermal curtain liners using thermal fabric I bought on eBay for about £3 a metre and some little metal hooks which were a couple of pounds! I installed them into my bedroom curtains and they are brilliant, they keep the room really cosy warm and completely block out all light.

Dunelm curtain liners

This is an absolute must have item for me too - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09ZLNCV1B/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

Long handled shoe horn. I don't have mobility issues, but I do have annoying feet and annoying boots that I struggle to get my heel into. This little beauty has been life changing and will no doubt help my boots last longer. All for £5.99!