From CB: I really like the hiking poles I mentioned last week. They’re easy to adjust and have worked great on the 3 to 8 mile hikes I’ve gone on. Now that summer is coming I also wanted to mention the Thermacell mosquito repellent device. It works with a fuel cartridge and scent free mosquito repellent mat. I’ve had mine for over a year and we can have dinner on the porch without worrying about bugs at all. It would also be great for camping. Here are some more things Hecate and I are looking at.

Fancy kitchen towels you can use every day

From CB: If you’re like me you have the “nice” kitchen towels that are just for display and the ratty older towels you actually use. I was thinking about this and realized I could just order nicer towels and be done with it. I got this exact set in charcoal last week. You get ten 18 x 28” tea towels for $16! They come in so many colors including red, blue and the gray set above which I got. These have over 2,300 ratings, 4.6 stars and an A on Fakespot. I really like them and find them absorbent and pretty. I agree with these reviews. “I was replacing my tired old kitchen towels and these were a very good price. They are attractive, absorbent, and have a sewn in hanging loop. I’d buy these again.” “These are great towels. They’re huge and work great for cleaning surfaces or drying your hands.”

Lightbulbs that recharge and can be used for emergency lighting

From CB: Someone commented with a link to these ages ago and I’m sorry I forgot until now. These are lightbulbs which charge when they’re plugged in. That means you can remove them if needed to use outside or use them for emergency lighting in the case of a power outage. You get 4 approximately 60W lightbulbs for $35 or two for $18 and they come with little holders. These have almost 5,800 ratings, 4.6 stars and a B on Fakespot. People say they’re bright, last 2 to 4 hours after being charged, and stay cool to the touch. “Worked like a charm during a power outage. I put one in the kitchen and it lit up everything. The one in the bathroom was so bright it looked like I almost had the regular light on.” “Within 24 hours of putting these bulbs in 2 lamps, we had a power outage! My lamps were in the off position, but when I turned them on, the light bulbs came on. It was wonderful to not be scurrying around trying to find candles and flashlights.”

Pen loops that attach to notebooks so you’ll never be hunting for a pen again

From CB: I keep losing my pens all over the house and I buy the moderately priced kind (these are the best pens!) so it’s annoying. These are a set of 12 pen loops for either $8 or $9 depending on if you buy multicolor or black. These have 725 ratings, 4.6 stars and an A on Fakespot. People say that they fit all their pens, that they stick to just about everything and that they stay on, unlike other brands. “I’ve bought several name brand pen loops for my planners and they usually fall off within a couple of weeks. I like that these ones aren’t thick and they come in a ton of colors.” “The best invention. Stick it on the cover, under the cover, in the front, in the back of your notebook, iPad, book, laptop or anywhere you wish. These pen holders are absolutely a must-have.”

A blackhead remover kit that comes with a mask, silicone brush and extraction tools

From CB: I usually don’t recommend these blackhead masks and kits because they seem bogus to me. This one has an A on Fakespot, 4.4 stars and over 4,400 reviews! You get a peel off mask, extraction tools and even a silicone mask brush for $16. Reviewers say it works to remove blackheads and open pores and that it leaves their skin smooth and soft. Plus it’s said to be easy to remove. “I like the Biore strips to remove blackheads from my nose area. The problem is that they can’t conform well to the curves of my nose area. This stuff does! It pulled all the gunk out of my pores and even removed a hair or two. It seriously exfoliated my skin.” “Firstly, I love the mask. I used it this morning for the first time. It pulled out so many blackheads from my nose and T-zone. The little kit with all of the extractors and gadgets are great. I was very surprised by the quality.”

Tape to keep your cats from ruining your furniture

From Hecate: I am FINALLY getting a cat! So I currently have a whole cat specific wishlist on Amazon. (I guess that’s my way of warning you I might be cat heavy in my Amazon suggestions.) I found this training tape for furniture that customers swear will save your belongings from kitty claws. I’ve never heard of this stuff but I once lost a couch (no kidding, an entire couch) to my first pair of kittens. This one sided tape applies directly on the item you are trying to save, and the cat loses interest in it immediately. The tape comes off with no damage to the furniture. This roll is is 2.5” wide and 15 yards long for $10. There is a wider role (4″x30 yards for $19) It has almost 4,000 reviews with 4.4 stars and Fakespot rated it a B. Most customers said how quickly and effectively the tape worked, “My cat is constantly destroying my door frame and door from scratching at it… I just got this tape today. He took one look at the tape and hasn’t scratched it since I applied the tape.” This one said their cat kept climbing the the bench their big screen TV was on so they applied tape to the bench itself, “The first time he popped up there after the tape was applied, he bounced off immediately! The tape has been on for a month & our kitten now just stares at the bench from a distance but won’t go near it.” I think I’m getting the wide tape because I have a new couch and I’d hate to lose it.

Colorful pens for journaling

From Hecate: We have a pen issue at Hecate Temple. We hoard them. And not just one of us, we all do. So of course, I am eyeing these cool journaling pens. But they are so inexpensive! You get 18 colors for $9. And this week, they are on sale for under $7. These are fine tip so they are perfect for making notes. When I write on my calendar, I assign a color per person so I know who will be the pain in my ass that day at a glance. So really, I have to get these pens, right? They have over 55,000 reviews and 4.6 stars on ReviewMeta. Many commenters complimented the fact they don’t bleed, even on regular paper, “These really don’t bleed/ show too badly through college ruled or lined paper (or the regular printed paper as shown in my pictures) that I don’t write on both sides of the pages and I LOVE them for school work.” A self proclaimed pen hoarder with no self control wrote, “I use them at work to color coordinate information to be entered into production spreadsheets at a later date, and I’m very pleased with them.” I feel so seen.

Fun paw print and bone silicone molds for treats, candies or ice

From Hecate: Technically this doesn’t count as two pet items. These cute little molds can be used for ice cubes, chocolates, gummies or baked goodies. The pack comes with two paw molds and two bone molds. They are normally $17 for all four but this week, they are $9 for four. I want these for ice cubes because I prefer smaller cubes and I think little floating paws would be adorable but some cookies in the shape of dog bones would be fun. The molds earned 4.8 stars from over 2,800 reviews and an A on Fakespot. I was thinking of all the things I could make for me, but the comments had a bunch of suggestions for actual treats for dogs. I could do that too, “I took a can of pumpkin, spread and filled, and froze. They popped out so easily and my dogs will have affordable healthy treats!” Many folks commented how easy it was to get the treats out, which let’s face it, is the biggest challenge in molds, “I found they were much easier to remove frozen treats from than a plastic ice cube tray and they take up less room in the freezer.”

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