13 Gadgets Under $10 Users Say Are Actually Worth Buying

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E-waste is a huge problem, and it only seems to be getting worse. The WHO says that we dump tens of millions of tonnes of it every year across the world while only recycling a fifth of that amount. It's no surprise that some U.S. states have made it illegal to throw away electronics. We recommend repairing or trading in devices before even considering disposing of old electronics. But another way to reduce e-waste is to buy fewer things you don't need, and for the things you do buy, make sure they're actually worth it. Cheap gadgets under $10 likely contribute to a huge amount of e-waste every year — so let's change that.

We've compiled a list of 13 cheap gadgets that cost less than $10 but won't get an early retirement in the garbage bin. Items on this list range from tools to kitchen appliances to travel must-haves. All of them punch above their dollar value and are meant to live a long, useful life.

It's been said that sitting is the new smoking. This isn't really true, but it is true that we sit too long. Sitting while staring at a screen for eight hours a day — and in many cases, much longer — seems to be all but a guarantee for bad posture and pain. While you're making sure to keep your eyes protected from frequent daily screen time, a massage ball goes a long way toward easing sore muscles from long hours spent sitting. This Zongs Manual Massage Ball might be just the ticket at $7.99. Use it to work out the tough spots in your shoulders, neck, and back periodically throughout the day to prevent soreness and tension. It gets 4.3 out of 5 stars with over 12,000 reviews, and it's the sort of thing you can easily slip into an office desk drawer.

If that's not your style, you might try the OPTP Super Pinky Ball, a squishier option at the same $7.99, without the plastic housing. This one is great for rolling massages or against-the-wall massages. It gets 4.5 out of 5 stars. For sore feet, you can try the discreet ChiFit Reflexology Foot Massager Tool, which holds a solid 4.4 out of 5 stars. For facial massages on a hot day, the Teenitor Blue Ice Roller does the job for $6.99 with 4.6 out of 5 stars.

Wand candle lighters are convenient for lighting candles and the like, but they still involve an active flame that poses a fire risk — and, of course, can be blown out easily by a small breeze. Plus, they always seem to be empty for some reason, despite you rarely using them. So change the way you light candles (and other things) forever with an electric candle lighter like this one from Fukkuda. Rather than a flame, it uses a plasma arc that wind can't buffet. Refills will be a thing of the past too, since it's USB rechargeable. All of this goodness only costs $9.99, and almost 15,000 reviews rate it highly at 4.4 out of 5 stars.

The stylish design of the Fukkuda lighter doesn't really lend itself to more rugged tasks outside the house. If you'd like the same flame-free, USB-rechargeable lighter design, try the LcFun Electric Lighter for $9.87. The only downside is that a single charge will power about 28 lightings, but the concentrated, focused arc may work faster than a flame when it comes to starting campfires and similar tasks. This model also gets high ratings at 4.6 stars out of 5.

Amazon is awash with credit-card shaped multi-tools meant for cheap stocking stuffers and Father's Day gifts. Whether those tools are worth the low price is another question entirely. If you're looking for a small, useful tool that costs less than $10, one of our recommendations is the Gerber Gear Shard, a 7-in-1 tool that can drive screws, open bottles, and more. Gerber is one of the leading brands in knives, known for its high quality; we recommended one of its knives in our list of the best Swiss Army knife alternatives. The Gear Shard costs only $9.45, and the 4.6-star reviews suggest you'll get your money's worth.

Admittedly, the Gerber Gear Shard has a somewhat threatening appearance that probably wouldn't make it past most TSA checkpoints. For something a bit more discreet with a different form factor, the Mafehan 9-in-1 Multi-Tool Pen serves well. Aside from the pen, it's got a ruler on the side, a bubble level, and even an LED light. Since it lacks a knife, this one likely wouldn't get confiscated at a TSA checkpoint.

Jars can be such a pain to open that it's a surprise there isn't a heavyweight jar-opening event in the Olympic Games. In any case, they're not really designed to be opened easily unless you like showing off your muscles when you cook — and risking early carpal tunnel in the process. A cheap, convenient way to open jars faster and pain-free is with this Bloss Anti-Skid Jar Opener. The clamp-shaped design features four sizes, from standard jars down to smaller metal lids like those on bottles of oyster sauce. For $5.99 with a 4.3-star average, this is worth buying even if you only open a jar once in a decade.

An alternative to the clamp design is Prepworks Progressive Jar Grips. They do cost more at $9.95 each, but they have the benefit of molding to virtually any jar size — and work for lids, too. The textured, rubbery material ensures a tight grip on virtually any surface. The 4.6-star average and almost 14,000 reviews speak to a product you can likely buy once and use for years.

Don't throw out old USB cables if they still have a use, even if that use isn't for you. Instead, get this Azvegr Multi USB Charging Adapter Cable Kit. It fits into a compact, makeup mirror-like container and includes plugs for the vast majority of use cases: USB-C, Apple Lightning, USB-A, and Micro USB. For $7.99 with a 4.4-star average, you can't go wrong here.

Not all USB-C cables are the same, so this kit helpfully ensures you get the fast charging or data transfer speeds that you need. And since we're in that awkward phase where we haven't quite fully transitioned to USB-C on charging bricks and laptops, you've got every USB-A configuration — and vice versa — you can imagine. For those who still have Apple devices with that pesky Lightning cable, this serves as one of the best Lightning-to-USB-C adapters, too.

It also has a few extra goodies. Inside the case you'll find a SIM card removal tool and two slots for storing a SIM or nano-SIM card. On top of that, the back pops open to double as a phone stand. We have some recommendations for the ultimate tech go-bag and the things you should never travel without. But this tiny multi-plug converter is so small that it can go in almost any bag, virtually anywhere.

We're slowly returning to an era of smartphone repairability. Apple may still heavily discourage non-Apple replacement parts when repairing your iPhone, but even the notoriously recalcitrant tech giant has massively improved its repair program. Regardless, phones and other electronic gadgets are filled with tiny proprietary screw types that most toolsets aren't equipped to handle. It's a huge bummer when you want to add more storage to a laptop, only to be delayed until an Amazon delivery shows up with the right bits. Prepare in advance with the AXTH 25-in-1 Small Precision Screwdriver Set for $9.99.

Aside from having a convenient case with 25 screw bits — more than most people will ever need — the driver itself has a swivel-cap handle that's a real game-changer. Screwing and unscrewing one-handed is way easier this way. Magnetized tips also make it hard to lose one of those screws in the dark internals of an electronic device, never to be found again. If the price and all the features weren't enough, AXTH offers a lifetime warranty for this product.

If there's one thing screws love, it's pulling a Where's Waldo. You drop one and it bounces away, somehow winding up in the backwoods of Siberia. A handy (pun intended) solution that works for any small metal pieces — screws, nails, drill bits, hex nuts, whatever — is this Horusdy Magnetic Wristband. The $9.99 wristband may not be the most fashionable thing in the world, but nothing beats being able to slap a handful of screws onto it instead of digging through your pocket. If it's magnetic and small, the wristband will hold onto it for you; one customer picture proves this by lifting the wristband — still in the box — while attached magnetically to a pair of scissor blades. Enough said.

If the series of 10 magnets doesn't hold something, that thing goes into one of two additional pockets. The pockets are bigger than one might think based on the product photos, since another user was able to fit the full length of scissor blades inside one of them. The breathable mesh ensures it doesn't get too hot and sweaty during a busy day outdoors. You also get a free telescopic magnetic pickup tool.

The best major espresso machines cost so much that you might as well sell your car to buy one. That said, you can make great coffee with something simple and cheap like a French press. Add a milk frother, and it's hard to tell the coffee came from humble ten-dollar-tool origins. FrothBlast's Handheld Milk Frother gives you that fluffy cappuccino foam you see in far more "expensive" coffee for only $5.19. The wand has a stainless steel tip that will endure many mixings (and washings) and is small and compact enough to be conveniently stored in a drawer. Simply insert it into milk of any temperature, press the button, froth, and done.

According to FrothBlast, the batteries last up to six hours, meaning you may not have to replace them for weeks or months, depending on how often you make frothed milk. Of course, it also works for other types of mixed drinks like milkshakes and protein shakes. Reviews are high at 4.5 stars out of 5, and they consistently praise the device for exceeding expectations in every category — particularly value for money.

Whoever invented AA and AAA batteries may well have enjoyed watching the world burn, since it always seems like whenever you need batteries, you somehow only have the wrong kind. That's where these LampVPath AAA to AA Battery Adapters come in handy. Simply open the casing, make sure the battery is placed inside in the proper orientation, and you're good to go. The hard, transparent ABS material allows you to see the battery inside and should last a long time — likely outliving the many batteries it will house.

One big caveat here: AAA batteries obviously have a lot less capacity compared to AAs, so prepare for devices that don't last as long. This is more of a crutch until your next opportunity to buy batteries, not the ideal long-term solution. Some devices that are more battery-hungry may get less than optimal usage with adapted AAAs.

However, in certain cases you may be just fine; some reviewers noted that it works well in low-powered items that typically have longer battery life, like computer mice. Of course, the smarter choice would be to stock up on AA batteries, but $5.99 is nothing if it means being prepared for a rainy day when you just happen not to have them.

It's not just vampires that hate garlic. Peeling just a couple of cloves can make your hands smell so bad they're like a vampire weapon of mass destruction — a smell that persists even after multiple washings. So if you work with a lot of garlic — or any other uniquely pungent kitchen ingredient, like onions or fish — the Amco Rub-A-Way Bar will become your new best friend. It looks like a soap bar if soap were made in a foundry. The 1.6-ounce stainless steel bar works as an odor killer simply by rubbing your hands with it — and since it's stainless steel, you can comfortably leave it by the sink without worrying about rust.

According to Amco, the science behind it is that the stainless steel works at a microscopic level to bond with molecules from strong odors. In theory, this single bar could last decades without losing potency. Water isn't required. You can use it in any situation where a cling-on stink presents an issue. Fishermen and hunters in the great outdoors will appreciate it when soap isn't available, and Amco even says it could help after a gym workout. If you want to keep certain scents separate — like having one bar for fish only — Amco sells stainless steel rub-away products in the shape of a fish or a garlic clove. The 4.5-star reviews agree that it works, even on sensitive skin.

Few things are worse than finding out your baggage is a few pounds over while at the check-in counter for a flight and then having to reshuffle your carefully packed bags in front of the whole airport. Weighing your baggage while standing on a bathroom scale is also not fun. Solve both of these problems for $8.99 with a digital luggage scale like this one from Bagail. Seriously, if you haven't used one of these yet, you've been missing out on one of the best innovations in travel. Provided you can lift your bags, the two-handed yoke design works with most baggage handles and gives you an accurate readout.

Importantly, this extremely light and portable device can go with you on your travels. Gone are the days of asking the hotel concierge for a scale when you've got a flight to catch in a couple of hours. Plus, it works in both imperial and metric. The device can lift bags weighing as much as 110 pounds or 50 kilograms — so unless your baggage is so overweight it wouldn't be allowed on an airline, this will do the trick.

In recent years, people on social media have gotten increasingly concerned about their security when staying in a hotel or Airbnb. While it's hard to find evidence that hotel-room break-ins are happening at increasing rates, it is a legitimate concern. Hacking devices like the Flipper Zero could make it easy to clone hotel key cards, for example. If you're the sort of person who takes security into your own hands, this Jaswill Portable Door Lock for Travel may give some needed peace of mind. It costs just $6.48 and can be brought with you anywhere to be used on a wide variety of doors that have questionable security.

Deploying the door lock takes only a couple of seconds. You fit one end around the lock's latch bolt, close the door, and then block the door shut with the triangle-shaped metal piece. It won't work on every door, but it will work on most of them.

Keep in mind that this is not a foolproof solution. The Modern Rogue tested it and found someone applying a bit of force could detach it pretty easily if they really wanted to get in. However, it may deter quiet entry (like when you're sleeping), which is what most people are likely concerned about. To prevent a forced entry, a deadbolt safety strap may be a better option.

Anyone who travels a lot knows that in-flight entertainment often isn't great. If you'd rather not be subject to whatever B-list media your airline cheaped out on, you'll want to download your own media in advance. The problem is, you have to use your phone screen, not the hands-free headrest screen that lets you kick back and at least attempt to relax. In situations like these, this $9.75 Airplane Phone Holder by Wicked Chili is a game-changer.

The adjustable clamp latches onto whatever clampable surface you can find, like a folded-up tray table. Wicked Chili advertises it for other uses, like your standing bike or treadmill if it doesn't have a phone holder already. At full extension, it can hold the biggest phones out there, such as the iPhone 16 Pro Max or Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Again, this is a small, light product that won't eat up your precious packing space and pairs well with the best wireless headphones on any budget.

As we stated at the beginning, we'd be loath to recommend cheap, throwaway products that epitomize over-consumerism and choke our landfills and oceans. We carefully researched products that go above and beyond expectations to provide something truly useful while staying under a $10 threshold. Candidate items have to serve users well over the course of years, possibly even decades. We feel that each item displayed here stands above the rest for solving an actual problem in an effective, reliable, and affordable way.

We've carefully chosen items that have high average reviews from verified buyers. Each one retails for less than $10, so none of these products require waiting for a sale to get them sub-$10. We've checked through reviews to ensure the product does what it says it does and actually makes a meaningful impact for the person using it. If there was a consistent theme among reviews pointing to a particular issue, we made sure to point it out so you go in with eyes wide open.