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!

A shampoo bar, a hooded towelling robe thing you put over your head with arms.

Dry/wet bags use them regularly
Great for traveling to keep stuff separate or going swimming/hospital, you can get cheap and cheerful or quite expensive ones depending on how much you plan you use them.

That looks good @Hickory247

What should I search for to get one please?

Are there lots of wires? I looked at some online but there looked like lots of wires

Thanks

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fulenyi-Umbrella-Festival-Portable-Waterproof/dp/B0C73HN3TL/ref=asc_df_B0C73HN3TL?mcid=14fdb6389c55334ea69881bba4449b72&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=697258250623&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=91101050134115861&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9189478&hvtargid=pla-2195341221519&gad_source=1&th=1

This thread is fantastic.

My offerings are a little complete manicure set in a case that I keep in my handbag to stop me picking skin or biting nails if they're rough or ripped.

Space mask heated eye masks - I love these so much they're so relaxing when you're poorly or tired

One of those card multi tool things, I scoffed at first but they're surprisingly handy

This is my latest, I'm ridiculously excited about it - cross stitch advent calendar with a mini cross stitch every day, not the most useful in terms of practicality but I'm terrible at sitting still and this will make me focus on something creative and fun for a bit every day.

https://www.notonthehighstreet.com/marvlingbros/product/happy-holidays-cross-stitch-advent-calendar-with-24-cross-stitch-projects?referredBy=plp

Battery pack with built in wires, iPhone,type b and c. So handy

Ooh the Uniqlo bag is a great suggestion.

Hamman Towel
Brilliant as a towel for lightweight travelling - a thousand times better than my silly expensive Dock and Bay microfibre towel. Also beach wrap, as a scarf, as a head scarf, as a blanket

Phin cup/filter , love mine ( stainless steel because I've got tiled floors) but you can buy some beautiful ones from about £3 up

Some examples

Cat fur/lint remover. Only about £15
So satisfying and really well used in a house full of cats (or dogs)

OXO gravy separator jug -- not only skims out all the fat & strains out the bits it helps to make really good gravy from the roast juices. About £12
I use it regularly.

These little berry colanders by Zeal. Lots of fun colours and surprisingly useful

www.amazon.co.uk/Zeal-G300K-Colander-Melamine/dp/B0CD2N3XWY/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?crid=3OP7W5CMG4W91&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.0uV77TfLSJdRkbkt4AWv8gskH541OZ9UKDOP7ky0NtbpmAi1SfekXHGiXvWAXXgGBaK3hh8FMYgt2c5m3yVRFLdpsH5LNS-KqvdXbyfjoSd1hKYx140nrPY9UgSq1p0okjXHNP-K-bSg7erh6DxW2ZZBDx7_xC-Y30g9GejI0xJwUN1Nx7BNIHo2u1nCXe9WFKndvdXY7cRP6EJR8Mj9VA.WTSqpxQhGD_uI9ndN0sz7QQD09QOMcjU_t0voLHBkGo&dib_tag=se&keywords=zeal+mini+colander&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1732644888&sprefix=Zeal+mini+c%2Caps%2C151&sr=8-7#

Marking

@Jaq27 a gravy separator that dispenses from the bottom!!
Mind blown.
Out goes my impossible to use and clean jug with it's long thin spout.

I've ordered lots of things from Thurs thread.
Nearly all for me !

So do I but I can’t get over how noisy it is, occasionally I’ve not used it because it makes a racket.

I just couldn't get on with mine...and it only did a half cup🤷‍♀️

already mentioned, but I love my Swiss card and a small powerbank. Both fit in my wallet, and I've used them numerous times. Small powerbanks like that don't hold much of a charge, but certainly helpful in emergencies.

@DecafDodger wallet size power bank? Any particular brand?

mine is this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Auskang-Charging-Lightweight-Compatible-thickness/dp/B096FX9226/ref=sr_1_3?crid=17SXKJ7JNOB5D&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.CdGXA1ui2wLmEVBBqJL7cDxhRCpYCItt06GiolXM63_5S5Xq6ikBwtz93ypTfOdOGrCb8O7vNtwAi2Lb3zk0-y4kZt-vROWlIIZxD0jmO8wOdrp8MMyNj-HVCxUOcbsveacwn9pVI0atlaJYBoXMAXFhtLPhxQ9694gea5ybr9j2Mnnd5Rb4iIBMc3krSAL_QRXTUZAGhEcX-_7MeE2Ls6KMlTQPZKioHtPRwjjBINs.6tUqt1UcbVzjjBq_0bYD-Ct_LNlVBea6aqsWxZTSMD8&dib_tag=se&keywords=auskang+slim+power+bank&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1732657562&sprefix=auskang%2Caps%2C101&sr=8-3

note this is iphone model, the cable is built in so there's a different version for USB-c

@DecafDodger thanks! that's super I'd dismissed the idea of a small one.
Good spot!! I'm android (&don't pay attention!)

@Jaq27 that was also my tip right near the top of the thread. Glad I'm not the only person getting excited about their meat juice separator 😂

I was given one of these by another mum at a mums coffee morning I was hosting once. It was described to me as a jam spoon and that's how I use it. It has a hook on one side for the jar. (pictured)

Honestly remains to this day one of the most thoughtful and useful gifts I've received. It was wrapped with a bow in a pretty bag. Genius coffee morning gift.

I also use it for scraping out the tall nutribullet mixer.

Several things...

Garlic presser
Mandoline slicer
Nivea Q10 firming body lotion
dr lewinn's ultra surge collagen gel