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!

Placemarking for when I’ve got time to read the full thread!

I have the apple corer and slicer. I'm 67 and love it 😁

Zyliss garlic press. Had it years.

I agree with the apple slicer thingy. I can’t really eat an apple without this now. Also use on potatoes to make wedges.

A stainless steel water bottle - keeps water so much colder than the plastic ones.

For running, cycling shorts with pockets in them.

I may have already said this but headphones, I have too many for only one set of ears.

Insulated water bottle
Yeti coffee cup
a glass lined thermos flask

A melon baller. Bought to replicate a melon ball and prawn cocktail I’d had in a restaurant, but used it for that once tben couldn’t be bothered with tbe faff. However, it is brilliant at removing the seeds and ‘stringy bits’ from butternut squash

We only use our melon baller for eating any melon. Never cut melon now, only ball it. I usually stand at the worktop and can go through half a melon in minutes eating it from the baller. A million times easier than a spoon!

I also own a cherry pop remover. I use it all summer when cherries are in season!

I'm resurrecting this as we've got the same game again this year and wondered if anyone had any new ideas?

Rechargeable reading light like this. I use it frequently for reading, puzzles, crafting, especially in the evening when others only want a low lamp on when watching TV. Honestly one of the most useful gifts I have bought myself 😁

Spider catcher.

Cat lap cushion.

Great for cat lovers -- stops the claws of love from prickling your thighs LOL

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/4360909197/various-cat-lap-mats?ls=s&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=cat+lap+cushion&ref=sr_gallery-1-1&pro=1&bes=1&sts=1&local_signal_search=1&content_source=dace54cf-8f6d-4c3c-84fb-cc6ccc1de114%253ALT52753a5c0051a9679209cde5430ee2b34a935b60&organic_search_click=1&logging_key=dace54cf-8f6d-4c3c-84fb-cc6ccc1de114%3ALT52753a5c0051a9679209cde5430ee2b34a935b60

I recently discovered lamps that don’t need to be plugged in and just charge up via USB. Our plug sockets are all in awkward positions and even with extension cables it’s hard to get lamps everywhere I want them.

I bought two of these ones for £7 each. They’re pretty tiny (only 22cm high) but they’re perfect for little reading lamps without having a little light attached to my book (which I find annoying when I’m turning the page and sometimes shines too much into my eyes).

My next purchase is going to be a couple of larger ones to sit on specific tables in the living room instead of these which I move around the house depending on where I am.

https://www.lookagain.co.uk/products/rechargeable-sage-cone-table-lamp-by-searchlight//A-57H516

for cooks, a mandolin was the best thing I’ve bought in a long time. You can also buy protective gloves to use with it.