5 Affordable Amazon Basics Gadgets Users Say Are Worth A Try

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

When you need an affordable quick item, ordering it from Amazon for same-day delivery is a great idea. For anyone on a budget, it never hurts to check out what's available on Amazon Basics, especially if you're on the hunt for a new gadget to use at your kitchen, home, or in the office. There are also several Amazon Basics gaming accessories you can pick up.

We've scoured the Amazon Basics page to check out the best gadgets based on user reviews. The items we've added to this list are not only quality items, based on what users have shared; they're also affordable, and you shouldn't feel you have to save up to make any of these purchases.

All of the items on our list have over four-star reviews on Amazon. We'll go into more detail surrounding our methodology for why these items are on our list at the end of this article.

Having digital files, photographs, or programs on the go can prove difficult if you don't have a proper USB drive at the ready. For many users on Amazon, the Amazon Basics Micro SD Card Reader is recommended to seamlessly transfer data between a desktop computer, laptops, tablets, or a 3D printer, so long as they have a USB port. As a budget item, consumers greatly enjoy the quality of the gadget for its price. It only costs $10.98, with 2,786 reviews, and 84% of them are five-star ratings.

The Micro SD Card Reader is designed to upload files from an SD card to other devices swiftly. Several users who picked it up shared how surprised they were that the device was so fast, seamlessly transferring files from the card to another device. Readers like this are a good way to avoid sending a large file via email or from the cloud network. Reviewers have shared that the reader works great with their existing SD cards that they used on their GoPro cameras or smartphones. The size of the device was a huge plus as well. It's small enough to fit in your pocket or you can safely keep it in a bag.

There are several SD Card Readers on the market, and the Amazon Basics is one of the cheaper options. There are several for you to choose from that Android users recommend, if you're looking.

When you want to get the best photographs or videos with your smartphone, having the right equipment is essential. Your smartphone is expensive, but the equipment that goes with it doesn't have to break the bank. For pictures, Amazon users recommend the 64-inch Extendable Tripod for iPhones and Smartphones, which also doubles as a selfie stick, and it only costs $16.30. Investing in a tripod is one of the best ways to take the highest-quality photos with your smartphone.

Consumers who picked up this tripod recommend it because of easy it is to use, and how effectively it's able to hold and stabilize a phone when taking a photograph or recording a video. Reviewers praised the quality of the device despite the low price, and they note that it's easy to swap between various heights. It easily became a small, compact, storable device, but it also extended to take great shots at eye level.

Not everyone experienced the same trend in quality, with some sharing that it seemed cheap. Other users struggled with attempting to adjust the length of the tripod and found the lock hard to use, as it wouldn't always stay in place. Still, despite the few negative opinions, this gadget has 1,629 reviews, and over 75% of them are five-star recommendations.

A wireless mouse is a tricky product, especially if you're trying to decide between a wireless or wired one for gaming. When you know you want to buy a budget mouse to take on work trips, or use in the office, the Amazon Basics Wireless Optical Computer Mouse might be the best option, based on consumer reviews. It's a wireless mouse you can pick up for $11.99, and it has 61,749 reviews, 76% of which are five stars.

The reviews talk about the quality of this mouse — how it functions when connected to a device. Consumers feel that it's a reliable option that you can pick up and use wherever you go, switching between work devices, capable of hooking up to a laptop or tablet during a meeting. Not only do they praise the quality of the device, but also how it feels, and how easy it is to set up wherever they go. The biggest problem seen in reviews is the size of the device and the battery life,  which reportedly caused it to be glitchy. Because it's a smaller wireless mouse, it won't last long, which means you might want to use this Amazon Basics gadget sparingly.

Still, for $11.99, reviewers believe it's a decent item that can be used in the office or on their personal computers.

When you want to plug multiple USB devices into a single port, a USB hub is the best route to go. It gives you the option to hook up various devices into a single section, rather than relying on the standard ones your desktop or laptop is always using. For those who are on a budget, consumers recommend going with the Amazon Basics USB Gen 2 Hub Dock, where you can plug four different USB devices into a single port. You can get it for $12.29, and it has 540 reviews, with 72% of them at five-star ratings.

Those who purchased this item enjoyed how easy it was to plug into their device and start using it immediately. The connector fit in and worked with the other devices, with consumers having no trouble using it out of the box. Many reviews detail how much easier it is to keep track of their cables because of it, and they all fit into the same port.

The biggest issue buyers have with this device is the cable length. You might find it limiting, which means you'll want to plan out where you put it. You may have to measure the length of your various USB cables to make sure they can all fit into the hub, getting the most from this gadget. There are specific docking stations for your laptop that you might want to consider getting.

A quick and convenient way to charge your smartphone while you're on the go makes life much easier. That's why many who buy gadgets from Amazon Basics recommend the 2-Port USB-A Car Charger, turning a traditional cigarette lighter into a charging station for their smartphones. It's a simple device for $10.79 that turns an obsolete slot into a charger. It's on Amazon's Choice list, with 11,176 reviews, and 76% of them are at five-star ratings. It's one of the several devices that use your car's 12V outlet.

Reviewers on Amazon talk about how effective the gadget is at charging their smartphones. It's fast and has two outlets, so a driver and a passenger can use it simultaneously. Because of the quality, consumers are hooked on the cost too. A consumer did report that theirs stopped working after two years, but given the price of an item, they admit it's a good deal based on other products on the market.

A notable problem users have reported with this device is durability. Others have reported that after plugging the device in, it unplugs itself during a car ride, and they've had to readjust it. You may have to check your smartphone every so often or double-check that the charger is slotted correctly while using this Amazon Basics gadget.

When assessing the various Amazon Basic gadgets available on the market, we relied heavily on the consumer reviews and recommendations shown on each page. Our primary focus was affordability, while also ensuring the quality, efficiency, and how satisfied consumers were. Although these affordable products did have negative reviews, and took those into account, the overall positive reviews were what we discussed.

When it came down to adding a gadget to our list, cost and quality were the most significant concerns. Not only did a product available from Amazon Basics have to be affordable, but it had to fulfill the task a consumer expected from it. We considered these while reading the reviews and going over the various experiences users shared after they had purchased the item featured on this list. For example, the Amazon Wireless Optical Mouse had several users share that they did not enjoy the size or that the battery didn't last as long as they expected. Still, overall reviews praised the item's quality for the price and how easy it was for them to use it across multiple devices.

Some users' experiences were different than others, especially those who had issues with shipping problems. There were a handful of consumer reviews that had issues with their gadgets immediately out of the box, but these had to do with shipping problems provided by Amazon.