Latest news with #Murdling
Buzz Feed
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
32 Products For Anyone Looking For More Ways To Get Their Brain Occupied
We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page. Shopping · No thoughts, only "Pocket World" stress relief coloring book and air dry clay. 1. A mini Bob Ross paint-by-numbers kit for anyone on their "happy accidents" beat — this itty bitty set comes with everything you need to create three tiny masterpieces of your very own. The kit comes with three different numbered canvas designs, seven paint pots, a mini brush, and an easel. Promising review: "I have to admit I was skeptical because of the price and size. However, I got these for my husband for his birthday (he loves Bob Ross) and what a find!! We had so much fun mixing colors and painting. Would definitely recommend. The fact that they are small makes them even more special. I wish there were more to paint!" — slb m Get it from Amazon for $6.80. 2. Murdle, Volume 1, a true essential for anyone who relaxes to true crime podcasts or Only Murders in the Building. The book is full of 100 mystery-themed logic puzzles with four different levels of difficulty that they can do solo or with pals, and in order or out of order (although if they do it in order, they get the full scoop on Deductive Logico and Inspector Irratino, whose hilarious misadventures guide you through the book). Check out a TikTok of Murdle in action. The best part?? Once you finish "Murdling," you can use your sleuthing skills on Volume 2, Volume 3, and a whole BUNCH of other themed Murdle books! Promising review: "The puzzles are a lot of fun but the characters, story lines, and other details take the Murdle experience to another level. I have no idea how the author came up with all of this creativeness! You can Murdle solo or with friends. I look forward to future volumes but this one will keep me busy for awhile!" — Liz Gately Get it from Amazon for $10.25. 3. Pocket World, a stress relief coloring book for adults full of whimsical miniature Polly Pocket-esque worlds to color, with no two alike. I'm talking fairy gardens, tiny hygge-style living rooms, quirky restaurants, and more. Psst — Coco Wyo has a *ton* of other cozy stress relief coloring books with different themes in their Amazon storefront! Another psst — you can pick up a cult-fave colored pencil set on Amazon! Promising review:"One of my favorites ever!!! The idea is perfect, and the pages are all unique and fun to color, with no repetition, and the details aren't too tiny. Great for anxiety if you're doing coloring for mental health. (I hate the pages that are just tiny patterns repeated endlessly. Makes my anxiety worse.)" — Ezra Johnson Get it from Amazon for $7.99. 4. And a Through The Seasons Reverse Coloring Book, which is a newer edition of the original Reverse Coloring Book that took the internet by storm — reviewers swear by this easy, calming artistic outlet to help ease their anxiety, relieve stress, and unleash their inner creativity without taking up too much brainpower. For those new to the concept — Instead of adding the color to these, you add the lines to create images within the colors. Sort of like a Rorschach test, but make it whimsical. Check out a TikTok of the reverse coloring book in action. Promising review: "Kendra Norton's beautiful art books, Reverse Coloring books, have changed my world! My whole life, I thought I was not creative and therefore, had zero artistic ability. Now, this has become my favorite form of artistic expression. I turn on music and/or an audiobook and allow myself to go for an adventure outside of my mind, beyond my mind, if you will. T his has become my favorite way to process through difficult emotions and experiences I'm working through." — K. DeWitt Get it from Amazon for $8.29. (Psst — check out these cult-fave black fine point pens for $6.99 on Amazon for a good doodling option!) 5. A sturdy, minimalist reading journal with such a comprehensive, satisfying design that you'll never bother with another again — this features space for 52 thorough book reviews, along with challenges and lists for Books I've Read, Finished, Favorites, Did Not Finish, Lent, and Borrowed. Kunitsa Co. is a small business that specializes in reading, exercise, and food journals. Promising review:"This book journal had plenty of room for all the book reviews and so much more. It has pages for daily reading tracking, pages for reading goals, pages for DNF books, favorite books, loaned-out books, and tons of review pages all you have to do is feel it out. It's perfect!!!!" — Cody McNeal Get it from Amazon for $22.95 (available in six colors). 6. An oh-so-sweet 1000-piece macaron puzzle for anyone with a sweet tooth *and* a sweet brain. This one might be a toughie with all the similar colors in the pattern, but the satisfaction you'll get when you finish it is simply delicious. Promising review:"I liked this puzzle, but it is a challenge. I had to work out a system and saved all the pink, red, lavender, purple pieces for last. You'll also need to check the picture on the box fairly often. But stick with it. It's fun." — Pioneer Woman Get it from Amazon for $8.99. 7. A copy of Burn After Writing, a guided journal that tens of thousands of reviewers swear by — through a series of questions and thought experiments, it encourages people to take time away from their screens to explore their feelings, both new and old, so they can embrace meaningful ones and try to let others go. Promising review: "I first saw this book on TikTok and decided to look more into it. I purchased four total because I know some people holding onto things that are difficult to let go of. It's a great way to look at things from a different perspective and truly hold yourself accountable to different things in your life. I love what it stands for, and I look forward to when I burn mine after I'm done. Self-love, self-care, and meditation for a better state of mind tomorrow are always the goal. I definitely recommend it to those susceptible to change and the willingness to try things differently." — Brent Helm Get it from Amazon for $7.70. 8. A pickling starter kit complete with everything you need to start fermenting small batches of INFINITE delicious things, from the traditional cucumbers and onions to yummy sauerkraut and kimchi to adventurous watermelon and mango 😋 . (If you've never had pickled mango before ... THANK ME LATER.) Amazon Fermentaholics is a small business that specializes in pickling and kombucha starter kits. Promising review: "This kit is great for first timers or experienced, and makes DELICIOUS pickles, or pickled anything for that matter. Pickles, carrots, onions, asparagus. The instructions are easy to follow and understand. Will be buying as gifts for my pickle loving friends and more for myself. Makes me want to try the other products this company offers." — KelF Get it from Amazon for $16.49. 9. An "Everyday Mindfulness"-themed word search book full of unique, relaxing puzzles designed to keep you engaged without stressing you out. Amazon, Promising review: "This is exactly what I was looking for! It lays flat to easily complete the word search and not have to fight with the book. There are different types of puzzles, and some have extra secret searches! It's great for the slow days at work!! I will definitely be buying more of these word searches!" — Roy Y Hahn Get it from Amazon for $8.50. 10. A buildable Lego succulent set with nine customizable lil' Lego plant babies you can display together or separately, so you can have all the joy of plant parenthood without the responsibility. Reviewers also love giving this as a housewarming gift! Promising review: "I LOVED playing with Legos as a kid and have recently been having a blast trying out some of their offerings for adults. This set was super fun to put together and looks so pretty! Everything is so well done, from the gorgeous instruction manual to the amazing, unique Lego pieces for this set. If you're looking for a peaceful and entertaining way to kill some time, this is a great choice!" — Lena Get it from Amazon for $39.99. 11. A set of reviewer-beloved chocolate bar molds for anyone with Willy Wonka tendencies who is ready to take matters into their own hands, darn it. These are great for mix-ins like nuts and cereal, but also have enough depth for you to add fillings like peanut butter and the viral pistachio Dubai chocolate bars. Promising review:"I used these molds to create homemade Nestle Crunch bars. It was easy to load these molds. I placed them on baking sheets and banged them on the counter to remove air bubbles, then loaded into fridge/freeze r. The molds are compact enough that they fit easily into my side-by-side fridge. I did not add any release agents to the molds before using, and the chocolate bars popped out very easily." — Keith G. Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in seven other styles). 12. A 5-pound bucket of Crayola Air Dry Clay to let you finally follow your inner pottery dreams without all the mess and effort of taking classes. After you pull the clay out to shape it, it'll harden on its own — no oven or any effort required! From there you can leave it as is or paint over it for a fun vibe. Psst — a lot of reviewers use silicone or plastic molds to get specific shapes! Promising review: "It's honestly just a really nice material to work with! If you want to create things with clay, this is definitely a good choice! It's definitely not for professional use, but I feel like that's a given? I mean, it is Crayola. But all in all, great for those who want to use it for fun!" — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $10.62. 13. And a beginner-friendly mini pottery wheel kit with everything you need to start making your teensy creations, and/or recreate that scene from Ghost as cheaply as possible. Each kit comes with a pottery wheel machine, a power adapter, eight sculpting tools, two paint brushes, three packs of air-dry clay, and 12 paints. Promising review: "I am amazed how well thought through this product is. It is very compact and has everything you need to get started and trying your hand at pottery! My kids immensely enjoyed using it and were very excited with their creations. It's very compact, built with very good quality materials. The wheel is very stable and you can control the speed as you get the hang of it. It's well priced for a starter kit and overall a great kit." — Synghal Get it from Amazon for $59.99 (clip the $12 off coupon on the product page for this price). 14. A guided visual sloth "breathing partner" you can use for meditation and calm to shift your mindset. This is designed to guide you through either the popular 4/7/8 or 5/5 "calming breaths" to help reduce stress and anxiety, using colors that fade in and out softly as cues. Bonus: it's kid-friendly! Amazon Mindsight is a small business that specializes in calming personal care and decor products. Promising review (for the original style):"I started meditating over a decade ago. Intermittent in the beginning, progressing deeper, and finding new joys over time. With Breathing Buddha, the last thoughts have dropped away as counting breath always seemed to keep me conscious of, well, counting. Granted, I have always dropped the counting after a handful of breaths, but Breathing Buddha has made for a delightful transition as I realize it doesn't have to count at all. It is a lovely concept, well executed, and very easy to start using." — Lynn Get it from Amazon for $22.95 (available in six styles). 15. Small Batch Cookies, tailor made for folks who live alone *or* for people who want to broaden their baking horizons, but don't want to deal with the mess of big batches (or the leftovers!). This book takes you through a bunch of delicious recipes for one to six people using minimal equipment, so you can have hassle-free treats and live your most delicious life. Promising review: "Edd Kimber is so creative with his bakes and this book is full of fun and interesting cookie recipes. love the flavors in this and layered. Baking small batches is surprisingly liberating. Most ingredients are on hand and I'm not stressing about what to do with large quantities of cookies. With small amounts, it feels easier to play and experiment." — Monica Get it from Amazon for $23.67. 16. A pink oyster mushroom kit that grows right there in the packaging, so you can add some cottagecore sweetness to your kitchen and add some savory umami flavors to all your favorite dishes by sautéing, roasting, or air frying them up. Back To The Roots is a California-based small business founded by two college friends that specializes in indoor gardening kits with a mission to reconnect families to food. Check out a TikTok of the mushroom kit in action. Promising review: "Easy to grow. Purchased these for my children for an experiment. They love them deep fried and sautéed. Great value, great activity for young and old. Even for my daughter who could kill grass by simply looking at it was amazed when hers grew big and strong. We had success without hardly following the simple directions of soaking for 6–10 hours and spraying daily. T hey still grew well! Even after a few days of neglect." — HoneyHideout Get it from Amazon for $12.99. 17. A beginner-friendly vintage-style tarot deck reviewers love not only for its intricate, sophisticated designs, but its size — these are much larger than a traditional deck for a more visual, weighted experience. A helpful (and very pretty!!) guide is included. Amazon Eighty Eight Miracles is a small business that specializes in tarot decks. Promising review: " I've been reading tarot for close to 15 years and have had many decks. This deck is one of the most beautiful I have purchased. I love the simplicity and elegance of the gold on black. I also love the enormous size. Yes they are a bit more difficult to work with, but I've always loved larger decks. They give an air of mystery, glamour, and drama. I recommend shuffling sideways or doing a table shuffle." — K. Lily Get it from Amazon for $34.99 (available in two styles). 18. A compact, beginner-friendly watercolor palette that comes with everything you need to start creating your own masterpieces, including 100 (!!) colors to choose from. Next stop, the Louvre. Each set comes with a 100-color palette, a sketch pencil, a sponge, a swatch sheet, and three water brush pens. Promising review:"Love collecting watercolor sets, and this one is amazing — so many exquisite colors to paint with. Creativity is everything, and imagination with all these colors is unlimited. Pure happiness!" — pve Get it from Amazon for $29.99. 19. Or a gorgeous pastel paint-by-number you can get in all kinds of intricate, deeply satisfying patterns for anyone who is looking for an activity that pairs perfectly with a screen-free night in. Amazon, Each set comes with a detailed numbered outline, four brushes, and a set of numbered acrylic paints with extra to spare. Promising review: "Colorful and fun! This is the third paint-by-number I've done, and by far the most challenging. Lots of fine point detail, and the paint brushes included were adequate, unlike other PBN sets I've bought." — Emily cox Get it from Amazon for $15.99+ (available in 12 styles). 20. A cider making starter kit so easy to use that you'll have four bottles of wine, cider, or mead in just nine days — and then you can repeat the whole process all over again for more boozey deliciousness. You can use any juice you want, or you can access over 5,000 unique recipes through Brewsy, which also includes online support if you have any questions! Brewsy is a small business that specializes in affordable, app-enabled cider, wine, and mead kits. Promising review:"I've been interested in making my own wine for awhile, but getting started can be costly and time consuming. This kit is a great way to get started for very little money or time. The instructions are easy to follow, and the ability to use any juice at all means you can make some really unique flavors. I have already made one batch of wine using grape juice because I didn't want to get too wild on my first batch. It was sweeter then most red wines I've bought, but tasted great and the alcohol content was at least 12 percent. I base that on my body's reaction after drinking two glasses. I recommend these for yourself or a friend, I think it's a great buy and product." — Maximillion M. Get it from Amazon for $24.99. 21. A National Geographic geodes science kit for all the budding geologists out there, young and old — this kit lets you break open and discover your own crystals while keeping you up to speed with a learning guide filled with info on geodes, volcanoes, and gemstones. Next stop, a cameo in an Indiana Jones movie! Amazon Each kit includes four natural crystal-filled geodes, one pair of safety goggles, one display stand, and one learning guide. Promising review:"I'm an adult in my thirties, but I was such a rock nerd as a kid, so when I saw this kit I knew I had to buy it! I ended up buying it for myself and my adult siblings as a Christmas present — we had so much fun cracking open the rocks on Christmas Day, it brought be back to my childhood! Highly recommend this kit, you get a lot of rocks for the price, and it's so fun cracking open a rock and discovering what's inside." — Anna Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in three sizes). 22. A simple silicone bread maker that proves you don't need any know-how or complicated instructions to make delicious bread at home — in fact, you can mix the ingredients right into the silicone maker and pop it right into the oven. (A bunch of easy recipes are included to prove it!) Promising review:"This is a must have. Best lazy bread making experience you'll ever have! Put everything into one container and then cook it in the same container! When you wash it everything slips off with no scrubbing needed. The brioche recipe rivals fresh bread served at restaurants." — FutureMrsBLW Get it from Amazon for $27.09. 23. A beginner's embroidery kit for adults, so you can have something soothing to do with your hands while you marathon yet another podcast full of murder, murder, and a side murder. (At least now your stitching will be tighter than the main suspect's alibi!) Each kit comes with a simple design, a cotton cloth, a bamboo embroidery hoop, a little scissor, colored threads, embroidery needles, and instructions, so you should be raring to go when it arrives! Promising review:"I've never done anything like this before ... but I like to try new things, and I've just recently moved and wanted to decorate my house with some handmade decor. This kit is a great value for the price! It came with the hoop, more than enough thread, and two needles! The printed pattern is very clear and easy to follow, and the little sheet of instructions on what stitch to use and how to do it is clear enough (and anything I don't understand, I just watch a tutorial on YouTube). I'm about three hours into the project already, and I didn't want to put it down last night." — Abby Get it from Amazon for $7.99 (available in 20 different patterns). 24. A sushi-making kit perfect for beginners or intermediate sushi makers, so you can finally mix and match the exact ingredients your adventurous heart desires. I'm definitely going to sushi jail for this, but I've started putting peanut butter in my avocado rolls. Don't knock it until you try it. Anyway, each kit comes with two sushi rolling mats, five pairs of chopsticks, a paddle, a spreader, and a PDF of instructions, including recipes for six popular rolls. Psst — if you REALLY want to level up your homemade sushi game, I highly recommend adding this truffle seasoning on Amazon for $13.27! It tastes so startlingly decadent. I've been ordering it for years to put on my avocado rolls and shiitake rolls when I order sushi. Promising review:"Received this the other day and the wife and I had our own sushi night at home...I did not realize there were two mats in the package which was a nice little surprise... everything is made of good quality materials, easy to use and a good fun activity for date night at home. I will be getting a few more as gifts for a few product, received it quickly and for the price you cannot go wrong." — Timothy J Stegner Get it from Amazon for $9.99. 25. A beginner's guide to calligraphy that is far more thorough and specific about technique and ink types than other versions, and will have you writing inspirational messages to your friends and drafting fancy invitations to your dog's birthday party in NO time. Paper Peony Press is a Texas-based boutique publishing company that specializes in purpose-driven books. Promising review:"I've tried several instructional books on hand lettering. This book is the best by far. I won't say the names of the other books, but suffice it to say they are all at the top of the list when you search for hand lettering. It is the only book that gives practice for the base strokes and also discusses posture and how to hold the pen, and at what angle to the paper. It is also a lovely book to work with; nice artwork/illustrations. I recommend this book to other beginners out there!" — Karen Rorick Get it from Amazon for $19.99. 26. A beginner's wood carving kit to get you started on an oh-so-satisfying, soothing hobby, so you can start gifting your loved ones with carved bluejays and cardinals in no time. Each kit includes two wood carving blocks (one cherry and one basswood), a carving knife, sharpening supplies, a template, and three types of sandpaper. Promising review:"The company is very supportive and their kit is great. It has everything you need to start working with wood. Additionally, I have really appreciated the professionalism and customer service received from them." — Sam Get it from Amazon for $32.99. 27. Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, a classic cookbook so trusted and time-honored that it's now in its 30th anniversary edition. This features beloved standard and unique twists to Italian recipes designed for any reader to enjoy, whether they're a cooking newbie living alone or a seasoned chef feeding a full family. This book is truly an investment both in learning new cooking skills *and* delighting your palate for years to come. Amazon, Promising review: "Twenty-six years ago I bought a tiny paperback for my mother called Classic Italian Cooking. I thought to replace it with a new copy, only to learn it is out of print. So I looked a little further and discovered Essentials Of Classic Italian Cooking. This book has only been with me a couple of weeks, but already I have made six of the recipes and have dozens of others I want to try. Hazan doesn't just give you recipes — she gives us the spirit of Italian cooking. She shows us how to love the ingredients we are using and teaches us how to understand that putting them together as she does, we don't create a 'dish,' but rather, something we have put a bit of ourselves into, to share with those we care about. This is probably the best book we will ever have on Italian cooking. It sits on my shelf right next to The Joy Of Cooking. Don't buy this book, treasure it. It's that good." — Laura Anne Scaife Get it from Amazon for $25.99. 28. A set of Shrinky Dinks sheets to transport you so immediately to your childhood pastime of Making Everything Very Small that you'll be gifting every single person you know a kitschy keychain against their will. If you are unfamiliar with this glorious witchcraft, Shrinky Dink paper lets you color designs on it that you can then cut out and bake to shrink them down, giving them a stained glass effect that makes them great for keychains, suncatchers, and little trinkets. Promising review: "Fun for ALL ages! Recently remembered how fun these were. I have a smaller daughter, so it gave me an excuse to buy these. They're secretly for me — half kidding. These are so simple to use and create great crafts. These will keep your little one's imagination going, occupied and helps practice fine motor skills. I would definitely recommend to ANYONE, not just little humans." — Alex Soper Get a 25-sheet set from Amazon for $13.49. 30. An origami starter kit so easy to use that it's perfect for kids *and* adults, guiding you through 38 different fun projects with clear, straightforward instructions and images. It even comes with high-quality origami paper to get you started! Amazon, Promising review: "This is everything you could want for an introduction to the art of origami! It has clear instructions, a variety of options and paper too! This has been an entertainment piece for the family for a few nights, as the kids want to try new projects each time. Fun for all!" — Bookbum Get it from Amazon for $12.71. 31. Cocktail Codex: Fundamentals, Formulas, Evolutions, a bartender-beloved book for beginner- to intermediate-level cocktail enthusiasts that breaks down six iconic "root" cocktails — the old-fashioned, martini, daiquiri, sidecar, whisky highball, and flip — to show you how to improvise and riff your own creations based on what combos work with the ingredients you have. Amazon Check out a TikTok of the cocktail book in action. Promising review:"This book has easily become one of my favorites. Great base knowledge and would recommend to anyone seeking to further educate themselves on spirits and cocktails. Even the first few pages is full of useful information. Purchase this for yourself or even as a gift. I cannot say enough good things about this book." — Adriana Get it from Amazon for $19.12. 32. The Adventure Challenge: Solo Edition for anyone who's got an ITCH to try something new, but no idea where to start. This scratch-off guide is designed to make any blah weekday night or open weekend an opportunity to make a cool memory, no overthinking or company required. Each book comes with 50 "challenges" you can scratch off — it's a surprise until you commit to scratching it off! You get a few hints about whether it involves food or needs supplies, but other than that it's a ~mystery~. You can take pictures and notes of each challenge, so then over time the book becomes a scrapbook of cool memories. The Adventure Challenge is a small business that specializes in themed activity guides and experiences to suit all lifestyles. Promising review: "Amazing way to find yourself. This book is well put together. Hard back, with scratchers and ready to stick pages. I love ideas to get out and about and really connect to yourself. Love, love, love this." — Dawn Chaplin Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (also available in a friends, couples, and family edition!). Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Buzz Feed
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
30 Products For Anyone Who Has Recently Been Told 'You Need To Find A Hobby'
We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page. Shopping · These chocolate bar molds and mini Bob Ross paint-by-number kits are a fast, cheap, and delightful way to get your brain occupied, fast. 1. A mini Bob Ross paint-by-numbers kit for anyone on their "happy accidents" beat — this itty bitty set comes with everything you need to create three tiny masterpieces of your very own. Amazon, The kit comes with three different numbered canvas designs, seven paint pots, a mini brush, and an easel. Promising review: "I have to admit I was skeptical because of the price and size. However, I got these for my husband for his birthday (he loves Bob Ross) and what a find!! We had so much fun mixing colors and painting. Would definitely recommend. The fact that they are small makes them even more special. I wish there were more to paint!" — slb m Get it from Amazon for $6.80. 2. Murdle, Volume 1, a true essential for anyone who relaxes to true crime podcasts or Only Murders in the Building. The book is full of 100 mystery-themed logic puzzles with four different levels of difficulty that they can do solo or with pals, and in order or out of order (although if they do it in order, they get the full scoop on Deductive Logico and Inspector Irratino, whose hilarious misadventures guide you through the book). Check out a TikTok of Murdle in action. The best part?? Once you finish "Murdling," you can use your sleuthing skills on Volume 2, Volume 3, and a whole BUNCH of other themed Murdle books! Promising review: "The puzzles are a lot of fun but the characters, story lines, and other details take the Murdle experience to another level. I have no idea how the author came up with all of this creativeness! You can Murdle solo or with friends. I look forward to future volumes but this one will keep me busy for awhile!" — Liz Gately Get it from Amazon for $8.71. 3. Pocket World, a stress relief coloring book for adults full of whimsical miniature Polly Pocket-esque worlds to color, with no two alike. I'm talking fairy gardens, tiny hygge-style living rooms, quirky restaurants, and more. Psst — Coco Wyo has a *ton* of other cozy stress relief coloring books with different themes in their Amazon storefront! Another psst — you can pick up a cult-fave colored pencil set on Amazon! Promising review:"One of my favorites ever!!! The idea is perfect, and the pages are all unique and fun to color, with no repetition, and the details aren't too tiny. Great for anxiety if you're doing coloring for mental health. (I hate the pages that are just tiny patterns repeated endlessly. Makes my anxiety worse.)" — Ezra Johnson Get it from Amazon for $7.99. 4. And a Through The Seasons Reverse Coloring Book, which is a newer edition of the original Reverse Coloring Book that took the internet by storm — reviewers swear by this easy, calming artistic outlet to help ease their anxiety, relieve stress, and unleash their inner creativity without taking up too much brainpower. For those new to the concept — Instead of adding the color to these, you add the lines to create images within the colors. Sort of like a Rorschach test, but make it whimsical. Check out a TikTok of the reverse coloring book in action. Promising review: "Kendra Norton's beautiful art books, Reverse Coloring books, have changed my world! My whole life, I thought I was not creative and therefore, had zero artistic ability. Now, this has become my favorite form of artistic expression. I turn on music and/or an audiobook and allow myself to go for an adventure outside of my mind, beyond my mind, if you will. T his has become my favorite way to process through difficult emotions and experiences I'm working through." — K. DeWitt Get it from Amazon for $8.29. (Psst — check out these cult-fave black fine point pens for $7.99 on Amazon for a good doodling option!) 5. A sturdy, minimalist reading journal with such a comprehensive, satisfying design that you'll never bother with another again — this features space for 52 thorough book reviews, along with challenges and lists for Books I've Read, Finished, Favorites, Did Not Finish, Lent, and Borrowed. Kunitsa Co. is a small business that specializes in reading, exercise, and food journals. Promising review:"This book journal had plenty of room for all the book reviews and so much more. It has pages for daily reading tracking, pages for reading goals, pages for DNF books, favorite books, loaned-out books, and tons of review pages all you have to do is feel it out. It's perfect!!!!" — Cody McNeal Get it from Amazon for $22.95+ (available in six colors). 6. An oh-so-sweet 1000-piece macaron puzzle for anyone with a sweet tooth *and* a sweet brain. This one might be a toughie with all the similar colors in the pattern, but the satisfaction you'll get when you finish it is simply delicious. Promising review:"I liked this puzzle, but it is a challenge. I had to work out a system and saved all the pink, red, lavender, purple pieces for last. You'll also need to check the picture on the box fairly often. But stick with it. It's fun." — Pioneer Woman Get it from Amazon for $9.99. 7. A copy of Burn After Writing, a guided journal that tens of thousands of reviewers swear by — through a series of questions and thought experiments, it encourages people to take time away from their screens to explore their feelings, both new and old, so they can embrace meaningful ones and try to let others go. Promising review: "I first saw this book on TikTok and decided to look more into it. I purchased four total because I know some people holding onto things that are difficult to let go of. It's a great way to look at things from a different perspective and truly hold yourself accountable to different things in your life. I love what it stands for, and I look forward to when I burn mine after I'm done. Self-love, self-care, and meditation for a better state of mind tomorrow are always the goal. I definitely recommend it to those susceptible to change and the willingness to try things differently." — Brent Helm Get it from Amazon for $7.70. 8. A pickling starter kit complete with everything you need to start fermenting small batches of INFINITE delicious things, from the traditional cucumbers and onions to yummy sauerkraut and kimchi to adventurous watermelon and mango 😋 . (If you've never had pickled mango before ... THANK ME LATER.) Fermentaholics is a small business that specializes in pickling and kombucha starter kits. Promising review: "This kit is great for first timers or experienced, and makes DELICIOUS pickles, or pickled anything for that matter. Pickles, carrots, onions, asparagus. The instructions are easy to follow and understand. Will be buying as gifts for my pickle loving friends and more for myself. Makes me want to try the other products this company offers." — KelF Get it from Amazon for $16.49. 9. An "Everyday Mindfulness"-themed word search book full of unique, relaxing puzzles designed to keep you engaged without stressing you out. Amazon, Promising review: "This is exactly what I was looking for! It lays flat to easily complete the word search and not have to fight with the book. There are different types of puzzles, and some have extra secret searches! It's great for the slow days at work!! I will definitely be buying more of these word searches!" — Roy Y Hahn Get it from Amazon for $12.07. 10. A buildable Lego succulent set with nine customizable lil' Lego plant babies you can display together or separately, so you can have all the joy of plant parenthood without the responsibility. Reviewers also love giving this as a housewarming gift! Promising review: "I LOVED playing with Legos as a kid and have recently been having a blast trying out some of their offerings for adults. This set was super fun to put together and looks so pretty! Everything is so well done, from the gorgeous instruction manual to the amazing, unique Lego pieces for this set. If you're looking for a peaceful and entertaining way to kill some time, this is a great choice!" — Lena Get it from Amazon for $39.99. 11. A set of reviewer-beloved chocolate bar molds for anyone with Willy Wonka tendencies who is ready to take matters into their own hands, darn it. These are great for mix-ins like nuts and cereal, but also have enough depth for you to add fillings like peanut butter and the viral pistachio Dubai chocolate bars. Amazon Promising review:"I used these molds to create homemade Nestle Crunch bars. It was easy to load these molds. I placed them on baking sheets and banged them on the counter to remove air bubbles, then loaded into fridge/freeze r. The molds are compact enough that they fit easily into my side-by-side fridge. I did not add any release agents to the molds before using, and the chocolate bars popped out very easily." — Keith G. Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in 8 other styles). 12. A 5-pound bucket of Crayola Air Dry Clay to let you finally follow your inner pottery dreams without all the mess and effort of taking classes. After you pull the clay out to shape it, it'll harden on its own — no oven or any effort required! From there you can leave it as is or paint over it for a fun vibe. Psst — a lot of reviewers use silicone or plastic molds to get specific shapes! Promising review: "It's honestly just a really nice material to work with! If you want to create things with clay, this is definitely a good choice! It's definitely not for professional use, but I feel like that's a given? I mean, it is Crayola. But all in all, great for those who want to use it for fun!" — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $12.99. 13. And a beginner-friendly mini pottery wheel kit with everything you need to start making your teensy creations, and/or recreate that scene from Ghost as cheaply as possible. Each kit comes with a pottery wheel machine, a power adapter, eight sculpting tools, two paint brushes, three packs of air-dry clay, and 12 paints. Promising review: "I am amazed how well thought through this product is. It is very compact and has everything you need to get started and trying your hand at pottery! My kids immensely enjoyed using it and were very excited with their creations. It's very compact, built with very good quality materials. The wheel is very stable and you can control the speed as you get the hang of it. It's well priced for a starter kit and overall a great kit." — Synghal Get it from Amazon for $59.99+ (available in green and purple) . 14. A guided visual sloth "breathing partner" you can use for meditation and calm to shift your mindset. This is designed to guide you through either the popular 4/7/8 or 5/5 "calming breaths" to help reduce stress and anxiety, using colors that fade in and out softly as cues. Bonus: it's kid-friendly! Amazon Mindsight is a small business that specializes in calming personal care and decor products. Promising review (for the original style):"I started meditating over a decade ago. Intermittent in the beginning, progressing deeper, and finding new joys over time. With Breathing Buddha, the last thoughts have dropped away as counting breath always seemed to keep me conscious of, well, counting. Granted, I have always dropped the counting after a handful of breaths, but Breathing Buddha has made for a delightful transition as I realize it doesn't have to count at all. It is a lovely concept, well executed, and very easy to start using." — Lynn Get it from Amazon for $23.95+ (available with sound and no sound; also available in other styles). 15. Small Batch Cookies, tailor made for folks who live alone *or* for people who want to broaden their baking horizons, but don't want to deal with the mess of big batches (or the leftovers!). This book takes you through a bunch of delicious recipes for one to six people using minimal equipment, so you can have hassle-free treats and live your most delicious life. Amazon, Promising review: "Edd Kimber is so creative with his bakes and this book is full of fun and interesting cookie recipes. love the flavors in this and layered. Baking small batches is surprisingly liberating. Most ingredients are on hand and I'm not stressing about what to do with large quantities of cookies. With small amounts, it feels easier to play and experiment." — Monica Get it from Amazon for $20.10. 16. A beginner-friendly vintage-style tarot deck reviewers love not only for its intricate, sophisticated designs, but its size — these are much larger than a traditional deck for a more visual, weighted experience. A helpful (and very pretty!!) guide is included. Amazon Eighty Eight Miracles is a small business that specializes in tarot decks. Promising review: " I've been reading tarot for close to 15 years and have had many decks. This deck is one of the most beautiful I have purchased. I love the simplicity and elegance of the gold on black. I also love the enormous size. Yes they are a bit more difficult to work with, but I've always loved larger decks. They give an air of mystery, glamour, and drama. I recommend shuffling sideways or doing a table shuffle." — K. Lily Get it from Amazon for $34.99 (available in two styles). 17. A compact, beginner-friendly watercolor palette that comes with everything you need to start creating your own masterpieces, including 100 (!!) colors to choose from. Next stop, the Louvre. Each set comes with a 100-color palette, a sketch pencil, a sponge, a swatch sheet, and three water brush pens. Promising review:"Love collecting watercolor sets, and this one is amazing — so many exquisite colors to paint with. Creativity is everything, and imagination with all these colors is unlimited. Pure happiness!" — pve Get it from Amazon for $29.99. 18. Or a gorgeous pastel paint-by-number you can get in all kinds of intricate, deeply satisfying patterns for anyone who is looking for an activity that pairs perfectly with a screen-free night in. Each set comes with a detailed numbered outline, four brushes, and a set of numbered acrylic paints with extra to spare. Promising review: "Colorful and fun! This is the third paint-by-number I've done, and by far the most challenging. Lots of fine point detail, and the paint brushes included were adequate, unlike other PBN sets I've bought." — Emily cox Get it from Amazon for $19.99. 19. A cider making starter kit so easy to use that you'll have four bottles of wine, cider, or mead in just nine days — and then you can repeat the whole process all over again for more boozey deliciousness. You can use any juice you want, or you can access over 5,000 unique recipes through Brewsy, which also includes online support if you have any questions! Brewsy is a small business that specializes in affordable, app-enabled cider, wine, and mead kits. Note: you have to provide your own jug or juice bottle (there's one on Amazon if you don't already have a vessel large enough!). Promising review:"I've been interested in making my own wine for awhile, but getting started can be costly and time consuming. This kit is a great way to get started for very little money or time. The instructions are easy to follow, and the ability to use any juice at all means you can make some really unique flavors. I have already made one batch of wine using grape juice because I didn't want to get too wild on my first batch. It was sweeter then most red wines I've bought, but tasted great and the alcohol content was at least 12 percent. I base that on my body's reaction after drinking two glasses. I recommend these for yourself or a friend, I think it's a great buy and product." — Maximillion M. Get it from Amazon for $29.99. 20. A National Geographic geodes science kit for all the budding geologists out there, young and old — this kit lets you break open and discover your own crystals while keeping you up to speed with a learning guide filled with info on geodes, volcanoes, and gemstones. Next stop, a cameo in an Indiana Jones movie! Each kit includes four natural crystal-filled geodes, one pair of safety goggles, one display stand, and one learning guide. Promising review:"I'm an adult in my thirties, but I was such a rock nerd as a kid, so when I saw this kit I knew I had to buy it! I ended up buying it for myself and my adult siblings as a Christmas present — we had so much fun cracking open the rocks on Christmas Day, it brought be back to my childhood! Highly recommend this kit, you get a lot of rocks for the price, and it's so fun cracking open a rock and discovering what's inside." — Anna Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in three sizes). 21. A simple silicone bread maker that proves you don't need any know-how or complicated instructions to make delicious bread at home — in fact, you can mix the ingredients right into the silicone maker and pop it right into the oven. (A bunch of easy recipes are included to prove it!) Promising review:"This is a must have. Best lazy bread making experience you'll ever have! Put everything into one container and then cook it in the same container! When you wash it everything slips off with no scrubbing needed. The brioche recipe rivals fresh bread served at restaurants." — FutureMrsBLW Get it from Amazon for $29.65. 22. A beginner's embroidery kit for adults, so you can have something soothing to do with your hands while you marathon yet another podcast full of murder, murder, and a side murder. (At least now your stitching will be tighter than the main suspect's alibi!) Each kit comes with a simple design, a cotton cloth, a bamboo embroidery hoop, a little scissor, colored threads, embroidery needles, and instructions, so you should be raring to go when it arrives! Promising review:"I've never done anything like this before ... but I like to try new things, and I've just recently moved and wanted to decorate my house with some handmade decor. This kit is a great value for the price! It came with the hoop, more than enough thread, and two needles! The printed pattern is very clear and easy to follow, and the little sheet of instructions on what stitch to use and how to do it is clear enough (and anything I don't understand, I just watch a tutorial on YouTube). I'm about three hours into the project already, and I didn't want to put it down last night." — Abby Get it from Amazon for $7.99+ (available in 20 different patterns). 23. A sushi-making kit perfect for beginners or intermediate sushi makers, so you can finally mix and match the exact ingredients your adventurous heart desires. I'm definitely going to sushi jail for this, but I've started putting peanut butter in my avocado rolls. Don't knock it until you try it. Anyway, each kit comes with two sushi rolling mats, five pairs of chopsticks, a paddle, a spreader, and a PDF of instructions, including recipes for six popular rolls. Psst — if you REALLY want to level up your homemade sushi game, I highly recommend adding this truffle seasoning on Amazon for $13.75! It tastes so startlingly decadent. I've been ordering it for years to put on my avocado rolls and shiitake rolls when I order sushi. Promising review:"Received this the other day and the wife and I had our own sushi night at home...I did not realize there were two mats in the package which was a nice little surprise... everything is made of good quality materials, easy to use and a good fun activity for date night at home. I will be getting a few more as gifts for a few product, received it quickly and for the price you cannot go wrong." — Timothy J Stegner Get it from Amazon for $9.99. 24. A beginner's guide to calligraphy that is far more thorough and specific about technique and ink types than other versions, and will have you writing inspirational messages to your friends and drafting fancy invitations to your dog's birthday party in NO time. Paper Peony Press is a Texas-based boutique publishing company that specializes in purpose-driven books. Promising review:"I've tried several instructional books on hand lettering. This book is the best by far. I won't say the names of the other books, but suffice it to say they are all at the top of the list when you search for hand lettering. It is the only book that gives practice for the base strokes and also discusses posture and how to hold the pen, and at what angle to the paper. It is also a lovely book to work with; nice artwork/illustrations. I recommend this book to other beginners out there!" — Karen Rorick Get it from Amazon for $23.22. 25. A beginner's wood carving kit to get you started on an oh-so-satisfying, soothing hobby, so you can start gifting your loved ones with carved bluejays and cardinals in no time. Each kit includes two wood carving blocks (one cherry and one basswood), a carving knife, sharpening supplies, a template, and three types of sandpaper. Promising review:"The company is very supportive and their kit is great. It has everything you need to start working with wood. Additionally, I have really appreciated the professionalism and customer service received from them." — Sam Get it from Amazon for $32.99. 26. Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, a classic cookbook so trusted and time-honored that it's now in its 30th anniversary edition. This features beloved standard and unique twists to Italian recipes designed for any reader to enjoy, whether they're a cooking newbie living alone or a seasoned chef feeding a full family. This book is truly an investment both in learning new cooking skills *and* delighting your palate for years to come. Promising review: "Twenty-six years ago I bought a tiny paperback for my mother called Classic Italian Cooking. I thought to replace it with a new copy, only to learn it is out of print. So I looked a little further and discovered Essentials Of Classic Italian Cooking. This book has only been with me a couple of weeks, but already I have made six of the recipes and have dozens of others I want to try. Hazan doesn't just give you recipes — she gives us the spirit of Italian cooking. She shows us how to love the ingredients we are using and teaches us how to understand that putting them together as she does, we don't create a 'dish,' but rather, something we have put a bit of ourselves into, to share with those we care about. This is probably the best book we will ever have on Italian cooking. It sits on my shelf right next to The Joy Of Cooking. Don't buy this book, treasure it. It's that good." — Laura Anne Scaife Get it from Amazon for $21.92. 27. A set of Shrinky Dinks sheets to transport you so immediately to your childhood pastime of Making Everything Very Small that you'll be gifting every single person you know a kitschy keychain against their will. If you are unfamiliar with this glorious witchcraft, Shrinky Dink paper lets you color designs on it that you can then cut out and bake to shrink them down, giving them a stained glass effect that makes them great for keychains, suncatchers, and little trinkets. Promising review: "Fun for ALL ages! Recently remembered how fun these were. I have a smaller daughter, so it gave me an excuse to buy these. They're secretly for me — half kidding. These are so simple to use and create great crafts. These will keep your little one's imagination going, occupied and helps practice fine motor skills. I would definitely recommend to ANYONE, not just little humans." — Alex Soper Get a 25-sheet set from Amazon for $13.49. 28. An origami starter kit so easy to use that it's perfect for kids *and* adults, guiding you through 38 different fun projects with clear, straightforward instructions and images. It even comes with high-quality origami paper to get you started! Amazon, Promising review: "This is everything you could want for an introduction to the art of origami! It has clear instructions, a variety of options and paper too! This has been an entertainment piece for the family for a few nights, as the kids want to try new projects each time. Fun for all!" — Bookbum Get it from Amazon for $12.71. 29. Cocktail Codex: Fundamentals, Formulas, Evolutions, a bartender-beloved book for beginner- to intermediate-level cocktail enthusiasts that breaks down six iconic "root" cocktails — the old-fashioned, martini, daiquiri, sidecar, whisky highball, and flip — to show you how to improvise and riff your own creations based on what combos work with the ingredients you have. Amazon Check out a TikTok of the cocktail book in action. Promising review:"This book has easily become one of my favorites. Great base knowledge and would recommend to anyone seeking to further educate themselves on spirits and cocktails. Even the first few pages is full of useful information. Purchase this for yourself or even as a gift. I cannot say enough good things about this book." — Adriana Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Buzz Feed
15-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
37 Fun Products You Will Love As The Chaos Goblin Of Your Family And Friend Groups
We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page. Shopping · Everyone loves coming over to your place to eat out of your skull-shaped popcorn maker and pat pat your sad duck night-light on its existentially-fraught head. 1. Murdle, Volume 1, a true essential for anyone who relaxes to true crime podcasts or Only Murders in the Building. The book is full of 100 mystery-themed logic puzzles with four different levels of difficulty that they can do solo or with pals, and in order or out of order (although if they do it in order, they get the full scoop on Deductive Logico and Inspector Irratino, whose hilarious misadventures guide you through the book). Check out a TikTok of Murdle in action. The best part?? Once you finish "Murdling," you can use your sleuthing skills on Volume 2, Volume 3, and a whole BUNCH of other themed Murdle books! Promising review: "The puzzles are a lot of fun but the characters, story lines, and other details take the Murdle experience to another level. I have no idea how the author came up with all of this creativeness! You can Murdle solo or with friends. I look forward to future volumes but this one will keep me busy for a while!" — Liz Gately Get it from Amazon for $10.25. 2. A NeeDoh Gummy Bear, another new release from the *elite* Needoh sensory fidget toy line. This one features a jelly-like filling with an oh-so-satisfying squuuiiiiiish factor that will make it your favorite lil' glob in no time. Schylling is a small business that specializes in modern and retro toys, games, and sets. Promising review: "This has to be in my top favorite stress toys, great squish! Not to difficult to squeeze, perfect size. Great price. Not sticky!!!! One of my pet peeves when buying stress toys. Overall great buy. 😄" — Christina Get it from Amazon for $8.29 (the color is either blue, yellow, pink, or purple and gets selected for you at random)! Check out the rest of the Needoh fidget toy options on their Amazon storefront! 3. A set of Slop Tart sponges to make every Pop-Tart-loving '90s baby love doing the dishes so much that they'll start fighting over who gets to do them. These also make top notch quirky kitchen decor to brighten your space! Promising review:"These look just like the real deal and you get four! My Cinderfella loved them." — queen k Get a set of four from Amazon for $9.99. 4. A dimmable sad duck night-light because sometimes you just have to look at this emotionally deflated creature on your desk and be like, "Welp. At least I'm doing better than that little dude." Amazon Promising review: "This duck makes me smile, even laugh. When I come to bed tired from a long day, she is there, mirroring my feelings. She is a night-light if I get up, at her brightest she is a reading light. He r legs hold my phone. And her texture is soothing. I have started to gift her to friends." — nana67 Get it from Amazon for $14.99. 5. A goth popcorn maker and bowl for anyone who wants an extra side of spook with their saltiness. This silicone skull is so easy to use that you can pour in the kernels, pop it in the microwave for two to three minutes, and get eight cups of freshly popped popcorn without even having to use oil! Amazon Promising review: "This has got to be one of my favorite purchases of the entire year. It's absolutely perfect in every single way. P erfect size, perfect cook every single time, perfect little skully face. Incredibly simple to use and clean. I can't rave about this thing enough. Absolutely fantastic!" — Kelsi E McCoy Get it from Amazon for $16.99. 6. Death Wish Instant Coffee Packets so downright (dare I say, DANGEROUSLY) delicious that even the biggest coffee snobs you know might trade in their precious pour-overs. That is, if they can handle the 300mg of caffeine per cup 👀. Check out a TikTok of the Deathwish Instant Coffee in action. (Also I read at least one review of someone PUTTING THIS IN THEIR MORNING SMOOTHIE, some of you are WILD.) Note: According to the Mayo Clinic, up to 400mg of caffeine is safe for most healthy adults. Death Wish Coffee is a small business that specializes in coffee pods, grounds, whole beans, and more. Promising review: "So let me start by saying that this coffee is delicious and works if you're someone like me who wants to stay awake. I work night shifts at a hospital, and in the mornings, when I get home, I'm quite tired and sleepy. I made myself a cup of coffee and waited for it to work. Now let me tell y'all!!! This coffee kept me awake for hours!! BOY, WAS I WOWED INDEED … best believe I went ahead and ordered three more boxes. This is now my to-go coffee if I need a BOOST!!!!!! If you like coffee and want to stay awake, then BUY THIS COFFEE!!! I'm happy I no longer have to take naps to get re-energized." — nancy Get a pack of eight from Amazon for $10.99. 7. " The Peckish Pirates," a brand spanking new addition to the cult-favorite Magic Puzzle series so beloved on TikTok. Like the others before it, this isn't just a puzzle, but a whimsically illustrated, colorful journey — there are tons of Easter eggs in it, a collection of miniature scenes full of optical illusions and surprises, *plus* a magical twist at the end. You'll have to solve the puzzle to find out! Promising review:"Another stellar puzzle from Magic Puzzle Company, featuring high-quality pieces, a hidden final image, and a unique solving experience. The artwork is full of detail, making it an immersive and engaging build. The pieces fit together snugly, with no puzzle dust, and the final reveal adds an element of surprise. If you're looking for a high-quality puzzle that's more than just a standard jigsaw, this one is worth every penny." — Baloptimus Get it from Amazon for $22.99 (and check out the DELIGHTFUL assortment of Magic Puzzles for more options!). 8. Pocket World, a stress relief coloring book for adults full of whimsical miniature Polly Pocket-esque worlds to color, with no two alike. I'm talking fairy gardens, tiny hygge-style living rooms, quirky restaurants, and more. Psst — Coco Wyo has a *ton* of other cozy stress relief coloring books with different themes in their Amazon storefront! Another psst — you can pick up a cult-fave colored pencil set on Amazon! Promising review:"One of my favorites ever!!! The idea is perfect, and the pages are all unique and fun to color, with no repetition, and the details aren't too tiny. Great for anxiety if you're doing coloring for mental health. (I hate the pages that are just tiny patterns repeated endlessly. Makes my anxiety worse.)" — Ezra Johnson Get it from Amazon for $7.99. 9. A set of deeply precious sardine pens so the next time someone's like, "Does anyone have a pen??" you can pull one of these out of your bag and let everyone know you're ~off the hook~. Promising review: "The tin is really cute and has almost a retro kind of look, and the pens are awesome! It makes for an adorable and whimsical gift whether you are into fish or not. Or you can break it up into individual gifts and give folks individual pens. Me, I'm keeping it for myself. love this so much I bought two more." — D Bruce Get a set of 10 from Amazon for $12.99. 10. A unique and oh-so-decadent Otherland candle for anyone who adores classic, welcoming scent profiles with whimsical twists. These candles push the box on your regular florals and fruits by adding distinctive layers like California Fig, Chili Salt, and even Tennis Ball. 👀 🎾 Otherland is a small business that specializes in unique vegan candles. Here's what my beloved fellow BuzzFeeder/soul twin Heather Braga has to say about it: " I'm SUCH a fan of Otherland candles. I've been burning them in my home for years and, honestly, cannot get enough of them. I've given tons of them as gifts as well, and everyone has always raved about how much they love them. They each have a burn time of 55 hours, are made of a coconut and soy wax blend, contain a cotton wick, and are hand poured in the US." Get it from Amazon for $30 (available in 14 scents). 11. An Uno rug so anytime you wake up on the wrong foot, you can step on this and be all, "UNO REVERSE!!!" and instantly turn the day around. 😎 Amazon Promising review: "I didn't believe it would be that good, seeing as that, it was so cheap. But to my surprise, this carpet is absolutely incredible. It's soft, colorful, and all of my guests love it! you will not regret buying this funky carpet. I can assure you, you are not going to be disappointed. I know that's hard to believe because you don't know me, but trust me, you're going to want to buy this. Believe me." — izzella Get it from Amazon for $22.99+ (available in two sizes and two styles). 12. A shaker of Thin Mint seasoning you need to buy as a favor to all your taste buds immediately. Allow me to paint a picture for you: Thin Mint coffee, Thin Mint pudding, Thin Mint popcorn, Thin Mint anything your dessert gremlin heart desires. Check out a TikTok of the Thin Mint Seasoning in action. I stared at this for months online before caving and buying it, and when I tell you!! It jazzes up my morning coffee in a way that makes my little '90s baby heart sing. I've also loved it on Greek yogurt, oatmeal, and mug cakes. Plus, when I am feeling lonely for a real Thin Mint, and we're not in Girl Scout cookie season, I'll shake this on an Oreo Thin to stave off the despair. Get it from Amazon for $5.99. 13. A set of lil' cat butt coasters so all your beverages can come with a side of 😳🐱😳🐱😳. Promising review:"These kitty coasters are the perfect blend of cute and practical! The craftsmanship is excellent, with intricate details that bring the cat design to life. They're thick enough to protect my furniture from hot or cold drinks without being bulky. Plus, they add such a fun and cozy touch to my home decor! I've received so many compliments on them from guests — they're definitely a conversation starter. Bonus: they make a fantastic gift for any cat lover. Highly recommend!" — Renae Get a set of three from Amazon for $9.99. 14. A mini Bob Ross paint-by-numbers kit for anyone on their "happy accidents" beat — this itty bitty set comes with everything you need to create three tiny masterpieces of your very own. Amazon, The kit comes with three different numbered canvas designs, seven paint pots, a mini brush, and an easel. Promising review: "I have to admit I was skeptical because of the price and size. However, I got these for my husband for his birthday (he loves Bob Ross) and what a find!! We had so much fun mixing colors and painting. Would definitely recommend. The fact that they are small makes them even more special. I wish there were more to paint!" — slb m Get it from Amazon for $6.80. 15. A light-up flying orb that's basically like if an alien made a boomerang and then dropped it on Earth — it's designed to ricochet back when you throw it, so you'll feel like you're bending space and time from your own living room. Gravity WHOMST???? Promising review:"Santa left this under the tree for my 9-year-old son, and he LOVES it! So easy to use and takes only a few tries to figure out the boomerang effect! So fun, my parents, his grandparents joined in and we had a blast with it! If you are thinking about purchasing this, DO IT!! And the charge life is not bad either. Lasts long enough to give you breaks!!" — Kerri "When my son received this, he was excited! I saw this on TikTok and surprised him with it! Was not disappointed with the quality and how it worked! Will definitely purchase again!!" — Jindee Get it from Amazon for $25.60 (available in seven colors). 16. A Frenchie-themed cheese board for some top notch char-woof-erie at your next party. House Party 2K20 is a small business that specializes in unique serving accessories. Promising review:"I absolutely love this bulldog charcuterie board, it's the perfect size and it's made so well. All the dog lovers wanted to know where to purchase one. I used it twice already for two parties and it was a hit!" — RN79 Get it from Amazon for $24.95+ (available in two sizes). 17. A mildly alarming, if not adorable, flexible flower vase that will fascinate guests when they can bend its limbs and hang it from any fixture they choose. That says if this thing *does* come to life in the middle of the night and starts singing and dancing all over your room, well. That's on you for buying whatever the heck this is. Promising review: "An affable, squishy, bendy, happy little vase! The consensus on my social media page is that everyone should have one of these. I finally got a chance to try it out with some daffodils, and really, it's hard not to smile when you see them." — Susy Lundy Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in three colors). 18. A pair of glowing lightsaber chopsticks to bring balance to The Force *and* to your sushi. As you can see from the above GIF, I bought these for myself, and I love them to pieces. TBH, I use them as decor every bit as much as I use them to eat. Sometimes I just keep them in my work area to light them up during the day to feel fancy. They toggle back and forth between a bunch of different colors, like red, blue, yellow, purple, and multicolor, so you can either make them match *or* have a red and blue one together and bring ~balance~ to the Force. Get it from Amazon for $11.97 (available in two colors). 19. A wonderfully ridiculous yodeling pickle with such potent "instant joy" powers that you really ought to be careful before you pull it out at a party. The serotonin is going to be LAWLESS. Amazon Dr. Dingus is a small business that specializes in unique gag gifts that encourage human interaction. Promising review: "I'm a CPA specializing in tax at an accounting firm; we get very tense, stressed and fatigued nearing the many tight deadlines. The laughter and snorts the yodeling pickle elicits are priceless and never fail to dispel some of the the above negative states. I purchased this to rival the screaming goat in the next office!" — Ting Peterson Get it from Amazon for $6.99. 20. A Grim Steeper silicone tea infuser to remind you that life is, in fact, too short to skip on your delicious morning cuppa. Promising review: "My best friend loved this for her birthday. She loves Halloween and tea, and this was such a cute and perfect gift." — Harley Nixon Get it from Amazon for $11.99. 21. The Game of Life Goals, the card game version of the OG beloved (if not very stressful) Game of Life board. This version rubs a little TOO close to your existential fright with the tagline "You can't control the card you're dealt, but you can choose what to do with them!" (Or you can just cope by turning off autonomy on The Sims, you do you.) This game requires two to four players, ages 8 and up. Promising review: "We love this game. All the kids are adults and we have a raucous time playing this. it is so much fun; great family fun. The pace is fantastic. Anytime we have a friend over, the first game goes a little slower but it doesn't take long to learn and develop strategies to win. Love this game!!!" — Kindle Customer Get it from Amazon for $5.19. 22. An evidence bag-themed zipper pouch so the next time you pull out your lipstick you can be all, "It's not my fault that looking this good is a crime 😘 ." Promising review:"What a great gift for a crime/forensic LEO (unless they are sick of seeing them) or a TV show aficionado of crime. I am in the second category, as well as a crime fiction author. Not only does it hold items like a phone, wallet items, and change, you can use it for a Kindle separately." — Claire O'Sullivan Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in three styles). 23. A "World's Tiniest Violin" keychain you can play the next time someone has the audacity to complain about dinner when you sure as heck didn't see THEM offering to cook a darn thing. Promising review:"This is the cutest thing. Super mini, like three inches tall. I keep it on my desk at work when whiners come into my office, LOL." — Lulu Get it from Amazon for $7.99. 24. A set of glow-in-the-dark "tree elves" so the next time you take an enchanted midnight stroll through your front walkway to get home at night, you'll have a whole host of magical critters to welcome you back. Promising review: "I have actually bought a couple of packs of these. I think they're so cute and fit so well in a little plant or around the house. Sometimes, I like to let my friends pick out some little guys as members of their families. Plus, did I mention how cute they are? And they glow in the dark very well." — Jen Get a set of 20 from Amazon for $12.98. 25. A pack of Skittles flavor enhancers for anyone who heard the slogan "Taste the rainbow" and said "BET ️🌈 😎." Promising reviews:"Adding Skittles flavor packets to my water has increased my daily water intake. They taste great and it's also fun to mix flavors." — Rene Kahl Get a pack of 40 from Amazon for $9.58+ (available in three flavor sets). 26. A book of Taylor Swift-themed Mad Libs designed with fans in mind, so you can do your next Eras tour rewatch with a side of UNCONTROLLABLE giggling. Amazon, This is also kid-friendly, with reviewers mentioning gifting it to kids ages eight and up! Promising review: "You will get much more out of this than what you paid for. Really well done and fun, even if some players aren't Swifties." — J. Hayes Get it from Amazon for $3.82. 27. An oat milk vase for anyone whose dairy intolerance is so well-known that it might as well just become part of the aesthetic. ✨Put your flowers in this and make your local barista proud!! is a US-based small business that specializes in quirky accessories, home products, and stationery. Promising review:"I absolutely love this vase! It's very cute and vibrant, just as pictured." — TexasPoonTapa Get it from Amazon for $25.95. 28. A Menstruation Crustacean lavender-scented heating pad perfect for when it feels like those cramps are ~clawing~ at you and you need an ocean's worth of relief. Promising review: "I've had my Menstruation Crustacean for almost three years and it's so lovely. It has helped my cramps a lot and heats up nicely. It also smells nice and is very cute." — KD Vaz Get it from Amazon for $19.98 (available in three other styles). 29. A chicken zen garden for anyone so stressed out that they don't give a cluck where there self-care comes from anymore. 30. A set of cat-themed tarot cards purrrfect for first-timers, complete with a guide on how to pull the cards and how to interpret them. You'll be doing readings for everyone from yourself to your BFF to your actual cat by the end of the week. Promising review:"Honestly, I saw this tarot deck and thought I needed this for ha ha's. But man. This deck's images are hilarious. It's so much fun, and I felt so drawn to it as soon as it was in my hands. I am smitten over these kittens. 😍 10000% worth the purchase!" — Kathryn Prouty Get it from Amazon for $17.45. 31. A sword-shaped grater for anyone out there who isn't just a cheese lover, but a cheese gladiator. Fight valiantly, my dairy-tolerant friends. Promising review:"It's so cute!!! I've ended up using it so much since getting it, there are plenty of times I've avoided using my regular grater but didn't because box graters are so hard to clean. This one makes it so much simpler, and it goes perfectly with our DND-ish themed home!" — Natalie Get it from Amazon for $14.90. 32. A retro-inspired, rechargeable electric gamer lighter that is not only a more environmentally-friendly alternative to gas lighters but will give you any and every opportunity to relive your glory days of being a Pokemon trainer, searching through a sea of Pidgeys in the tall grass to find a Pikachu. Promising review:"Love this lighter. It has some weight to it, so it feels like a real lighter. It makes a nice click sound when you open and shut it, and is easy to charge with the included cable. The blue lights on the side that show the battery level are neat, and the fact that it looks like a tiny Game Boy is awesome." — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $26.88 (available in three styles). 33. A set of Goldfish fridge magnets — aka "Holdfish" — to instantly assert the superiority of this cracker to anyone who enters your home and dares to think they can suggest a snack food that doesn't smile back. Handy Cute Art is a Florida-based Etsy shop that specializes in quirky home products. Promising review:"These are the cutest ever! My daughter ate these guys [a lot] growing up. Great reminder gift of her fave snack food!" — Teresa A Houtz Get a set of six from Handy Cute Art on Etsy for $10.20 (originally $12). 34. A truly WILD pack of ~~zombie~~ plant seeds that grow into a plant that will literally PLAY DEAD whenever you touch it — not unlike how you play dead whenever someone tries to make last-minute plans and your sweatpants are calling your name. Promising review:"This was a fun plant. My kids enjoyed watching the leaves pull up and then spread back out. I even mailed one to a family member so they could try it out. I would buy this again!" — Nene582 Get a pack of two from Amazon for $9.95. 35. A delightfully subtle cropped "silly goose" pullover with some real "if you know you know" vibes. The little beak is hidden on one of the sleeves, so it masquerades as an ordinary sweater until you lift your arm to reveal that it is, in fact, the coolest sweater you own. Amazon Promising review: "It's so cute! It's a perfect length in my mind, not too long, but not cropped either. Hits right below my belly button and I love that. The sleeves are so so cute! I got this for my 1-year-old's goose party!" — Keegan Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in women's sizes XXS–XL and four colors). 36. A "girl dinner" print that's actually just an illustration of your credit card bill (listen, it's cute of other food to exist ... but we all know the holy girl dinner trinity reigns supreme). La Maison De Jo/Etsy La Maison De Jo is a California-based Etsy shop established in 2023 that specializes in European-inspired prints and home goods. Promising review: "As always, Kailey's products are superior! I have 8 of her prints and this one is adorable, just like the others!" — Kelly Get it from La Maison De Jo on Etsy for $15+ (available in six sizes). 37. A set of emotional support fries perfect for days when you feel like a small potato and need someone to say it's okay to fry if you want to. 😭❤️ Amazon Promising review:"The kids loved these. They were bigger than I anticipated. They are soft like a good stuffed animal would be — suitable for an emotional support lovie for sure. Quality seems great. The faces on the fries are adorable." — K. Brown Get it from Amazon for $16.99 (available in 15 other styles). Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Buzz Feed
18-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Just 32 Products For Anyone Whose Taste Is A *Bit* Unconventional
We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page. Shopping · Put a lil' yeehaw in your hydration regimen with these cowboy hat straw toppers. 1. Murdle, Volume 1, a true essential for anyone who relaxes to true crime podcasts or Only Murders in the Building. The book is full of 100 mystery-themed logic puzzles with four different levels of difficulty that they can do solo or with pals, and in order or out of order (although if they do it in order, they get the full scoop on Deductive Logico and Inspector Irratino, whose hilarious misadventures guide you through the book). Check out a TikTok of Murdle in action. The best part?? Once you finish "Murdling," you can use your sleuthing skills on Volume 2, Volume 3, and a whole BUNCH of other themed Murdle books! Promising review: "The puzzles are a lot of fun but the characters, story lines, and other details take the Murdle experience to another level. I have no idea how the author came up with all of this creativeness! You can Murdle solo or with friends. I look forward to future volumes but this one will keep me busy for awhile!" — Liz Gately Get it from Amazon for $10.25. 2. A set of book-shaped sponges, aka what happens when Cinderella and Belle collaborate on your birthday gift. Promising review:"These sponges are adorable!! I've gotten so many compliments on them from friends and family. They're bright and look great along my sink. I haven't used them yet because I don't want to ruin them, but they look like decent sponges. They're so pretty, though you probably won't want to use them either! They would make a great housewarming gift!!" — EC Get a set of three from Amazon for $10. 3. A mini Bob Ross paint-by-numbers kit for anyone on their "happy accidents" beat — this itty bitty set comes with everything you need to create three tiny masterpieces of your very own. Amazon, The kit comes with three different numbered canvas designs, seven paint pots, a mini brush, and an easel. Promising review: "I have to admit I was skeptical because of the price and size. However, I got these for my husband for his birthday (he loves Bob Ross) and what a find!! We had so much fun mixing colors and painting. Would definitely recommend. The fact that they are small makes them even more special. I wish there were more to paint!" — slb m Get it from Amazon for $7.99. 4. A set of adorable rechargeable penguin hand warmers to stick in your pockets and keep you roasty toasty warm even when it's as cold outside as the Arctic they came from. These are also magnetic, so they'll stick together when they aren't in use like ~birds of a feather~. Promising revie w: "These hand warmers are exceptionally cute. They also work exceptionally. Love that they are rechargeable. Depending on what setting you use, they can last from three to five hours." — C. Boyea Get a set of two from Amazon for $13.99. 5. A NeeDoh "Dream Drop," the latest release from the *elite* Needoh sensory fidget toy line for anyone who wants to add more calm and focus to their day. This goo-filled, delightfully colorful fidget has a satisfying squish with a "slow rise" before going back to its original shape. Reviewers also love that it doesn't have the kind of stickiness that picks up debris and makes it hard to clean. Schylling is a small business that specializes in modern and retro toys, games, and sets. Promising review: "Great, and I love that it has a tray to sit on. I love how firm this is to squeeze, and the slow release is really relaxing. The included dish is a great touch — it keeps it clean and gives it a dedicated spot to rest." — AZMOM Get it from Amazon for $8.15 (the color is either blue, pink, or purple and gets selected for you at random)! Check out the rest of the Needoh fidget toy options on their Amazon storefront! 6. A set of rainbow aesthetic coloring pencils for some extra adventurous artists who aren't afraid to shake things up — each pencil has a whole bunch of different shades woven into it, so you never know just *quite* what it will look like as you draw. It's worth the risk, though — the beautiful results speak for themselves! Promising review:"Got these just to have a change of pace in my sketchbook. Kids loved them as well. They are fun to use. They write and draw smoothly. Great for any aged artist." — angela Get a pack of 12 from Amazon for $8.49. 7. A pair of sneaker socks so you can be the rebel in your "no shoe" household by kind of sort of wearing them anyway. 😎 Amazon Promising review: "These little ankle socks are so cute! The pattern on the top looks like Chucks (Converse) tennis shoes. Highly recommended!!!!" — Kiwi Get a set of five on Amazon for $14.99. 8. Electric Unicorn Ground Coffee Beans that taste like fruity cereal milk, aka that deeply nostalgic, faintly sweet taste of milk that's leftover after you've finished a heaping bowl of Fruity Pebbles. Growing up is inevitable but at least your taste buds can still be young and free! Amazon Bones Coffee Company is a small business that specializes in coffee grounds and beans with unique flavors and themes. Promising review: "Honestly, I wasn't expecting this coffee to blow me away, but it absolutely did. I was seriously impressed by how well-balanced the flavors are. It tastes like brewing your coffee with Fruity Pebble cereal milk — a combo I didn't think I'd enjoy, but it's fantastic. The quality of the beans is top-notch too. I used a French press, and the coffee always turned out amazing. The artwork and packaging are a nice touch too; they fit right in with my kitchen decor." — Kendra H. Get it from Amazon for $13.49 (available in dozens of other fun flavors, including decaf options). 9. A set of glow-in-the-dark "tree elves" so the next time you take an enchanted midnight stroll through your front walkway to get home at night, you'll have a whole host of magical critters to welcome you back. Promising review: "I have actually bought a couple of packs of these. I think they're so cute and fit so well in a little plant or around the house. Sometimes, I like to let my friends pick out some little guys as members of their families. Plus, did I mention how cute they are? And they glow in the dark very well." — Jen Get a set of 20 from Amazon for $13.98 (available in green or green and blue as well as a set of 10). 10. A set of cowboy straw toppers to add some much-needed "yeehaw!" into your hydration regimen, and keep your straws safe from germs out here in the wild, bacterial west. 11. A Cool Aunt Energy hat because being a cool aunt isn't just a title, it's an entire lifestyle 😎. Hannah Roberts is a small business that specializes in unique accessories. Promising review: "Love this hat. Super cute and the quality is great. The writing is threaded, not an iron-on or anything. Looks and feels sturdy in fabric." — The Foster Farm Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (also available in a Mom Era version). 12. A pair of rainbow drip candles to instantly turn any old wine bottle into decor — a perfect way to commemorate your favorite bottles of vino, or one from a special occasion. Amazon Promising review:" These have to be the coolest thing I have ever purchased. I have them in an empty wine bottle. I will be buying many more to cover the entire bottle in wax." — Bre Get them from Amazon for $6.99. 13. A dimmable sad duck night-light because sometimes you just have to look at this emotionally deflated creature on your desk and be like, "Welp. At least I'm doing better than that little dude." Amazon Promising review: "I ordered this lamp because of its appearance. I didn't NEED a depressed duck lamp ... but it has totally filled a void in my life I didn't know existed. Everyone who sees it pokes it. The lamp is actually very functional. It's got a really nice set of brightness options and the glow is yellowish, which is much nicer than white in a dim/dark room. One thing that isn't mentioned in the description is that its legs are utterly floppy. It's terrific." — Literated Get it from Amazon for $17.99. 14. A reviewer-beloved Cozy Spaces-themed coloring book featuring lil' bugs sleeping in upside down teacups, koalas snuggling in mushrooms, and all kinds of little critters reading, eating, and chilling in whimsical scenes. Psst — Coco Wyo has a *ton* of other cozy stress relief coloring books with different themes in their Amazon storefront! Another psst — you can pick up a cult-fave colored pencil set on Amazon for $8.99! Promising review: "This coloring book is a wonderful way to unwind and de-stress. The illustrations feature familiar, cozy corners that are both charming and relaxing to color. The designs are intricate enough to keep you engaged but not overly complicated, making it perfect for both adults and teens. The quality of the paper is great, holding up well to colored pencils, markers, and gel pens. I love how each page feels like a little escape, and coloring them has become a therapeutic routine." — Ali El-Khatib Get it from Amazon for $7.99. 15. A set of troll doll lighter cases so the next time you're looking for a good metaphor to explain your emotional state to your loved ones, you can just whip one of these gremlins out and light its little head on fire. Amazon, The lighters aren't included, but reviewers mention that the cheap little ones from gas stations work perfectly (but that standard Bic ones were a tight fight)! Promising review: "I can't even. This is literally the cutest thing I have ever impulse bought. It's a hit at parties and I giggle every time I remove the cute little hat to use the lighter." — Catt Pecknold Get a set of two from Amazon for $14.99 (available in five styles). 16. A bubbling, textured sensory toy that's basically a hybrid between a lava lamp and fidget toy. The outside has soft silicone ridges designed to promote calm and the inside has an oh-so-mesmerizing bubbling liquid that will enchant you even when all that stress from capitalism is coming for your brain. Promising review:"This sensory toy is calming. I just sit in my recliner and run my finger along the bumpy silicone texture that encloses the plastic bubbler. It's removable also, exposing a surprisingly thin bubbler, which I get joy out of flipping over and over in my hand. I have high anxiety and this toy actually makes me focus and relax. I like the colored liquid inside, it draws my attention, allowing me to calm and focus on something else. This is a good tool to help me ground and recenter myself. I highly recommend." — Tanya Elizabeth Get it from Amazon for $6.62 (available in six colors and two sizes). 17. An oat milk vase for anyone whose dairy intolerance is so well-known that it might as well just become part of the aesthetic ✨. Put your flowers in this and make your local barista proud!! is a US-based small business that specializes in quirky accessories, home products, and stationery. Promising review:"I absolutely love this vase! It's very cute and vibrant, just as pictured." — TexasPoonTapa Get it from Amazon for $25.95. 18. A unique colorblock water bottle that is just an adorable little CHONK of a thing, and also super practical. It's designed to keep liquid cold for up to 36 hours and hot for for up to 24, comes with a nifty handle for easy carrying, and has a silicone bottom to avoid that noisy clanking sound when you put it down. Amazon Promising review: "Finally replaced my emotional support water bottle!!!! I love the colors, the handle is easy to hold, and my drinks stay cold!!! I t's been hard finding an ergonomic water bottle, the small handles or lack there of can be really hard on my hands. I'm so happy with it I almost don't want to sticker it. (Almost.) 💛" — Sarina Get it from Amazon for $31.19+ (available in eight styles). 19. A spinning disco ball wax warmer with rotating colors so you can have a lil' dance party and celebrate how glorious your bedroom smells. 20. A "girl dinner" print that's actually just an illustration of your credit card bill (listen, it's cute of other food to exist ... but we all know the holy girl dinner trinity reigns supreme). La Maison De Jo/Etsy La Maison De Jo is a California-based Etsy shop established in 2023 that specializes in European-inspired prints and home goods. Get it from La Maison De Jo on Etsy for $15+ (available in six sizes). 21. A truly WILD pack of ~~zombie~~ plant seeds that grow into a plant that will literally PLAY DEAD whenever you touch it — not unlike how you play dead whenever someone tries to make last-minute plans and your sweatpants are calling your name. 22. A sardine tin cosmetic bag because as sweet as your makeup looks are, the truth is you're always a little salty. Amazon Promising review: "Spacious. I love this little pouch, it's so cute and even bigger than I thought it'd be." — Sarah R. Get it from Amazon for $15.19 (available in ten colors). 23. A set of mini Stanley-inspired shot glasses for when it's THAT kind of party — do everyone a favor and roll up to the bachelorette, birthday, and themed shenanigan with these cheeky "bottles" in tow. Promising review:"Perfect for tastings. These were a hit at a paint-and-sip party that I attended. I made a couple of cocktails and carried them to the event in larger containers, but gifted each of the attendees one of these little cups so that they could sample each. They loved them." — SoBeGaPe Get a set of six from Amazon for $22.09 (also available in a pack of three and a pack of eight). 24. A set of french fry clips that not only secure your food bags, but rest in their own little magnetic fry pouch that sticks onto the fridge. Just further proof that there is nothing the humble potato cannot do. Promising review: "These are very cute, and I love the magnet holder to stick on my fridge so they are easily accessible. Not sure about the durability, haven't used very long." — Save the Bees Get a set of 12 clips from Amazon for $14.90. 25. A unicorn head squirrel feeder because you know what the world needs?? More mildly terrifying TikToks and Instagram stories of hybrid creatures frolicking in your backyard. This is your task. Go forth, my friend. Accoutrements is a small business that specializes in offbeat home and lifestyle products. Promising review:"This is both ridiculous and spectacular. It just might be my best Amazon impulse buy ever." — Meredith Get it from Amazon for $20.76. 26. A ravioli spoon rest to flex on all your friends — they may think they love pasta, but you actually LOVE!! PASTA!!!!!, as evidenced by this half decorative, half functional snack. Amazon Promising review: "This is a great spoon rest, but an even greater conversation piece for anyone who walks by the stove. 'Is that a giant ravioli on your stove?' 'OMG, no, it's just my adorable spoon rest!' Jealousy ensues. You get the idea. Also, it keeps the stove clean(er), and everything washes off of the spoon rest quite easily." — Melissa McMahon Get it from Amazon for $9.99. 27. A set of quirky ceramic mini espresso cups so cute that from the moment you start sipping from them, it'll be like one touch and they brand new'd it for you ✨. Promising review:"These espresso cups are the cutest. They are very different and unique. I was scared about the handle being hard to hold, but it is just fine." — Sandra Vehabovic Get a set of two from Amazon for $16.99 (available in 10 styles and in packs of four). 28. A mousepad that's actually an artistic rendition of you in a Zoom meeting that doesn't have enough of your coworkers' cute dogs and/or babies making cameos in it. Promising review: " Ordered this to use at work, and every single person who's seen it has commented on how funny it is. The quality is great, color is bold, and the printed lines/edges are clear (no blurring of the image). It's slightly larger than a standard mouse pad, which I kind of like. Definitely a great buy and worth the cost." — K Kuykendall Get it from Amazon for $11.02 (also available in four other styles). 29. A buildable Lego succulent set with nine customizable lil' Lego plant babies you can display together or separately, so you can have all the joy of plant parenthood without the responsibility. Reviewers also love giving this as a housewarming gift! Promising review: "I LOVED playing with Legos as a kid and have recently been having a blast trying out some of their offerings for adults. This set was super fun to put together and looks so pretty! Everything is so well done from the gorgeous instruction manual to the amazing unique Lego pieces for this set. If you're looking for a peaceful and entertaining way to kill some time this is a great choice!" — Lena Get it from Amazon for $39.95. 30. A set of four cat-themed car hooks for your head rest to help prevent clutter — this is the purrrrfect solution to hold up your purse, your groceries, or your emotional support water bottle so they aren't rolling around in the ether of your car. Amazon 31. A set of cat-themed tarot cards purrrfect for first-timers, complete with a guide on how to pull the cards and how to interpret them. You'll be doing readings for everyone from yourself to your BFF to your actual cat by the end of the week. Promising review:"Honestly, I saw this tarot deck and thought I needed this for ha ha's. But man. This deck's images are hilarious. It's so much fun, and I felt so drawn to it as soon as it was in my hands. I am smitten over these kittens. 😍 10000% worth the purchase!" — Kathryn Prouty Get it from Amazon for $17.46. 32. Wititude's 2025 Day-to-Day Calendar with the theme of "Revenge Is Beneath Me, But Accidents Happen" — the art on these may be retro in style, but their sarcastic, delightfully blunt messages are timeless. Amazon
Buzz Feed
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
33 Products For Anyone Who Has Recently Been Told 'You Need To Find A Hobby'
We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page. Shopping · These chocolate bar molds and mini Bob Ross paint-by-number kits are a fast, cheap, and delightful way to get your brain occupied, fast. 1. A mini Bob Ross paint-by-numbers kit for anyone on their "happy accidents" beat — this itty bitty set comes with everything you need to create three tiny masterpieces of your very own. Amazon, The kit comes with three different numbered canvas designs, seven paint pots, a mini brush, and an easel. Promising review: "I have to admit I was skeptical because of the price and size. However, I got these for my husband for his birthday (he loves Bob Ross) and what a find!! We had so much fun mixing colors and painting. Would definitely recommend. The fact that they are small makes them even more special. I wish there were more to paint!" — slb m Get it from Amazon for $6.80. 2. Murdle, Volume 1, a true essential for anyone who relaxes to true crime podcasts or Only Murders in the Building. The book is full of 100 mystery-themed logic puzzles with four different levels of difficulty that they can do solo or with pals, and in order or out of order (although if they do it in order, they get the full scoop on Deductive Logico and Inspector Irratino, whose hilarious misadventures guide you through the book). Check out a TikTok of Murdle in action. The best part?? Once you finish "Murdling," you can use your sleuthing skills on Volume 2, Volume 3, and a whole BUNCH of other themed Murdle books! Promising review: "The puzzles are a lot of fun but the characters, story lines, and other details take the Murdle experience to another level. I have no idea how the author came up with all of this creativeness! You can Murdle solo or with friends. I look forward to future volumes but this one will keep me busy for awhile!" — Liz Gately Get it from Amazon for $10.25. 3. Pocket World, a stress relief coloring book for adults full of whimsical miniature Polly Pocket-esque worlds to color, with no two alike. I'm talking fairy gardens, tiny hygge-style living rooms, quirky restaurants, and more. Psst — Coco Wyo has a *ton* of other cozy stress relief coloring books with different themes in their Amazon storefront! Another psst — you can pick up a cult-fave colored pencil set on Amazon! Promising review:"One of my favorites ever!!! The idea is perfect, and the pages are all unique and fun to color, with no repetition, and the details aren't too tiny. Great for anxiety if you're doing coloring for mental health. (I hate the pages that are just tiny patterns repeated endlessly. Makes my anxiety worse.)" — Ezra Johnson Get it from Amazon for $7.99. 4. And a Through The Seasons Reverse Coloring Book, which is a newer edition of the original Reverse Coloring Book that took the internet by storm — reviewers swear by this easy, calming artistic outlet to help ease their anxiety, relieve stress, and unleash their inner creativity without taking up too much brainpower. For those new to the concept — Instead of adding the color to these, you add the lines to create images within the colors. Sort of like a Rorschach test, but make it whimsical. Check out a TikTok of the reverse coloring book in action. Promising review: "Kendra Norton's beautiful art books, Reverse Coloring books, have changed my world! My whole life, I thought I was not creative and therefore, had zero artistic ability. Now, this has become my favorite form of artistic expression. I turn on music and/or an audiobook and allow myself to go for an adventure outside of my mind, beyond my mind, if you will. T his has become my favorite way to process through difficult emotions and experiences I'm working through." — K. DeWitt Get it from Amazon for $8.29. (Psst — check out these cult-fave black fine point pens for $6.99 on Amazon for a good doodling option!) 5. A sturdy, minimalist reading journal with such a comprehensive, satisfying design that you'll never bother with another again — this features space for 52 thorough book reviews, along with challenges and lists for Books I've Read, Finished, Favorites, Did Not Finish, Lent, and Borrowed. Kunitsa Co. is a small business that specializes in reading, exercise, and food journals. Promising review:"This book journal had plenty of room for all the book reviews and so much more. It has pages for daily reading tracking, pages for reading goals, pages for DNF books, favorite books, loaned-out books, and tons of review pages all you have to do is feel it out. It's perfect!!!!" — Cody McNeal Get it from Amazon for $22.95 (available in six colors). 6. An oh-so-sweet 1000-piece macaron puzzle for anyone with a sweet tooth *and* a sweet brain. This one might be a toughie with all the similar colors in the pattern, but the satisfaction you'll get when you finish it is simply delicious. Promising review:"I liked this puzzle, but it is a challenge. I had to work out a system and saved all the pink, red, lavender, purple pieces for last. You'll also need to check the picture on the box fairly often. But stick with it. It's fun." — Pioneer Woman Get it from Amazon for $8.99. 7. And " The Forest Feast," yet another addition to the cult-favorite Magic Puzzle series so beloved on TikTok. Like the others before it, this isn't just a puzzle, but a whimsically illustrated, colorful journey — there are tons of Easter eggs in it, a collection of miniature scenes full of optical illusions and surprises, *plus* a magical twist at the end. You'll have to solve the puzzle to find out! Check out a (SPOILERS INCLUDED) TikTok of the Forest Feast in action. Promising review:"My family (including daughters 26 and 30) has had a Christmas tradition of puzzles the week leading up to Christmas. This year I bought this Magic Puzzle based on great reviews. Didn't really know what to expect for the 'surprise,' but was not disappointed; so much fun! This puzzle is challenging enough for adults, but would not be too hard for kids and the puzzle pieces and shapes make it more fun than most puzzles. Upon finishing this one, we immediately logged in to see how quickly Amazon can get another one to us! Highly recommended, good quality puzzle worth the extra money." — DJ Carolina Get it from Amazon for $22.97 (and check out the DELIGHTFUL assortment of Magic Puzzles for more options!). 8. A copy of Burn After Writing, a guided journal that tens of thousands of reviewers swear by — through a series of questions and thought experiments, it encourages people to take time away from their screens to explore their feelings, both new and old, so they can embrace meaningful ones and try to let others go. Promising review: "I first saw this book on TikTok and decided to look more into it. I purchased four total because I know some people holding onto things that are difficult to let go of. It's a great way to look at things from a different perspective and truly hold yourself accountable to different things in your life. I love what it stands for, and I look forward to when I burn mine after I'm done. Self-love, self-care, and meditation for a better state of mind tomorrow are always the goal. I definitely recommend it to those susceptible to change and the willingness to try things differently." — Brent Helm Get it from Amazon for $7.70. 9. A pickling starter kit complete with everything you need to start fermenting small batches of INFINITE delicious things, from the traditional cucumbers and onions to yummy sauerkraut and kimchi to adventurous watermelon and mango 😋 . (If you've never had pickled mango before ... THANK ME LATER.) Fermentaholics is a small business that specializes in pickling and kombucha starter kits. Promising review: "This kit is great for first timers or experienced, and makes DELICIOUS pickles, or pickled anything for that matter. Pickles, carrots, onions, asparagus. The instructions are easy to follow and understand. Will be buying as gifts for my pickle loving friends and more for myself. Makes me want to try the other products this company offers." — KelF Get it from Amazon for $16.49. 10. An "Everyday Mindfulness"-themed word search book full of unique, relaxing puzzles designed to keep you engaged without stressing you out. Amazon, Promising review: "This is exactly what I was looking for! It lays flat to easily complete the word search and not have to fight with the book. There are different types of puzzles, and some have extra secret searches! It's great for the slow days at work!! I will definitely be buying more of these word searches!" — Roy Y Hahn Get it from Amazon for $8.50. 11. A buildable Lego succulent set with nine customizable lil' Lego plant babies you can display together or separately, so you can have all the joy of plant parenthood without the responsibility. Reviewers also love giving this as a housewarming gift! Promising review: "I LOVED playing with Legos as a kid and have recently been having a blast trying out some of their offerings for adults. This set was super fun to put together and looks so pretty! Everything is so well done, from the gorgeous instruction manual to the amazing, unique Lego pieces for this set. If you're looking for a peaceful and entertaining way to kill some time, this is a great choice!" — Lena Get it from Amazon for $39.99. 12. A set of reviewer-beloved chocolate bar molds for anyone with Willy Wonka tendencies who is ready to take matters into their own hands, darn it. These are great for mix-ins like nuts and cereal, but also have enough depth for you to add fillings like peanut butter and the viral pistachio Dubai chocolate bars. Promising review:"I used these molds to create homemade Nestle Crunch bars. It was easy to load these molds. I placed them on baking sheets and banged them on the counter to remove air bubbles, then loaded into fridge/freeze r. The molds are compact enough that they fit easily into my side-by-side fridge. I did not add any release agents to the molds before using, and the chocolate bars popped out very easily." — Keith G. Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in 12 other styles). 13. A 5-pound bucket of Crayola Air Dry Clay to let you finally follow your inner pottery dreams without all the mess and effort of taking classes. After you pull the clay out to shape it, it'll harden on its own — no oven or any effort required! From there you can leave it as is or paint over it for a fun vibe. Psst — a lot of reviewers use silicone or plastic molds to get specific shapes! Promising review: "It's honestly just a really nice material to work with! If you want to create things with clay, this is definitely a good choice! It's definitely not for professional use, but I feel like that's a given? I mean, it is Crayola. But all in all, great for those who want to use it for fun!" — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $10.62. 14. And a beginner-friendly mini pottery wheel kit with everything you need to start making your teensy creations, and/or recreate that scene from Ghost as cheaply as possible. Each kit comes with a pottery wheel machine, a power adapter, eight sculpting tools, two paint brushes, three packs of air-dry clay, and 12 paints. Promising review: "I am amazed how well thought through this product is. It is very compact and has everything you need to get started and trying your hand at pottery! My kids immensely enjoyed using it and were very excited with their creations. It's very compact, built with very good quality materials. The wheel is very stable and you can control the speed as you get the hang of it. It's well priced for a starter kit and overall a great kit." — Synghal Get it from Amazon for $59.99 (clip the $10 off coupon on the product page for this price). 15. A guided visual sloth "breathing partner" you can use for meditation and calm to shift your mindset. This is designed to guide you through either the popular 4/7/8 or 5/5 "calming breaths" to help reduce stress and anxiety, using colors that fade in and out softly as cues. Bonus: it's kid-friendly! Amazon Mindsight is a small business that specializes in calming personal care and decor products. Promising review (for the original style):"I started meditating over a decade ago. Intermittent in the beginning, progressing deeper, and finding new joys over time. With Breathing Buddha, the last thoughts have dropped away as counting breath always seemed to keep me conscious of, well, counting. Granted, I have always dropped the counting after a handful of breaths, but Breathing Buddha has made for a delightful transition as I realize it doesn't have to count at all. It is a lovely concept, well executed, and very easy to start using." — Lynn Get it from Amazon for $22.95 (available in two styles). 16. Small Batch Cookies, tailor made for folks who live alone *or* for people who want to broaden their baking horizons, but don't want to deal with the mess of big batches (or the leftovers!). This book takes you through a bunch of delicious recipes for one to six people using minimal equipment, so you can have hassle-free treats and live your most delicious life. Promising review: "Edd Kimber is so creative with his bakes and this book is full of fun and interesting cookie recipes. love the flavors in this and layered. Baking small batches is surprisingly liberating. Most ingredients are on hand and I'm not stressing about what to do with large quantities of cookies. With small amounts, it feels easier to play and experiment." — Monica Get it from Amazon for $23.67. 17. A pink oyster mushroom kit that grows right there in the packaging, so you can add some cottagecore sweetness to your kitchen and add some savory umami flavors to all your favorite dishes by sautéing, roasting, or air frying them up. Back To The Roots is a California-based small business founded by two college friends that specializes in indoor gardening kits with a mission to reconnect families to food. Check out a TikTok of the mushroom kit in action. Promising review: "Easy to grow. Purchased these for my children for an experiment. They love them deep fried and sautéed. Great value, great activity for young and old. Even for my daughter who could kill grass by simply looking at it was amazed when hers grew big and strong. We had success without hardly following the simple directions of soaking for 6–10 hours and spraying daily. T hey still grew well! Even after a few days of neglect." — HoneyHideout Get it from Amazon for $12.99 (also available in a shiitake mushroom version). 18. A beginner-friendly vintage-style tarot deck reviewers love not only for its intricate, sophisticated designs, but its size — these are much larger than a traditional deck for a more visual, weighted experience. A helpful (and very pretty!!) guide is included. Amazon Eighty Eight Miracles is a small business that specializes in tarot decks. Promising review: " I've been reading tarot for close to 15 years and have had many decks. This deck is one of the most beautiful I have purchased. I love the simplicity and elegance of the gold on black. I also love the enormous size. Yes they are a bit more difficult to work with, but I've always loved larger decks. They give an air of mystery, glamour, and drama. I recommend shuffling sideways or doing a table shuffle." — K. Lily Get it from Amazon for $34.99 (available in two styles). 19. A compact, beginner-friendly watercolor palette that comes with everything you need to start creating your own masterpieces, including 100 (!!) colors to choose from. Next stop, the Louvre. Each set comes with a 100-color palette, a sketch pencil, a sponge, a swatch sheet, and three water brush pens. Promising review:"Love collecting watercolor sets, and this one is amazing — so many exquisite colors to paint with. Creativity is everything, and imagination with all these colors is unlimited. Pure happiness!" — pve Get it from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in four sizes). 20. Or a gorgeous pastel paint-by-number you can get in all kinds of intricate, deeply satisfying patterns for anyone who is looking for an activity that pairs perfectly with a screen-free night in. Each set comes with a detailed numbered outline, four brushes, and a set of numbered acrylic paints with extra to spare. Promising review: "Colorful and fun! This is the third paint-by-number I've done, and by far the most challenging. Lots of fine point detail, and the paint brushes included were adequate, unlike other PBN sets I've bought." — Emily cox Get it from Amazon for $15.99+ (available in 12 styles). 21. A cider making starter kit so easy to use that you'll have four bottles of wine, cider, or mead in just nine days — and then you can repeat the whole process all over again for more boozey deliciousness. You can use any juice you want, or you can access over 5,000 unique recipes through Brewsy, which also includes online support if you have any questions! Brewsy is a small business that specializes in affordable, app-enabled cider, wine, and mead kits. Note: you have to provide your own jug or juice bottle (there's one on Amazon if you don't already have a vessel large enough!). Promising review:"I've been interested in making my own wine for awhile, but getting started can be costly and time consuming. This kit is a great way to get started for very little money or time. The instructions are easy to follow, and the ability to use any juice at all means you can make some really unique flavors. I have already made one batch of wine using grape juice because I didn't want to get too wild on my first batch. It was sweeter then most red wines I've bought, but tasted great and the alcohol content was at least 12 percent. I base that on my body's reaction after drinking two glasses. I recommend these for yourself or a friend, I think it's a great buy and product." — Maximillion M. Get it from Amazon for $24.99. 22. A National Geographic geodes science kit for all the budding geologists out there, young and old — this kit lets you break open and discover your own crystals while keeping you up to speed with a learning guide filled with info on geodes, volcanoes, and gemstones. Next stop, a cameo in an Indiana Jones movie! Each kit includes four natural crystal-filled geodes, one pair of safety goggles, one display stand, and one learning guide. Promising review:"I'm an adult in my thirties, but I was such a rock nerd as a kid, so when I saw this kit I knew I had to buy it! I ended up buying it for myself and my adult siblings as a Christmas present — we had so much fun cracking open the rocks on Christmas Day, it brought be back to my childhood! Highly recommend this kit, you get a lot of rocks for the price, and it's so fun cracking open a rock and discovering what's inside." — Anna Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in three sizes). 23. A simple silicone bread maker that proves you don't need any know-how or complicated instructions to make delicious bread at home — in fact, you can mix the ingredients right into the silicone maker and pop it right into the oven. (A bunch of easy recipes are included to prove it!) Promising review:"This is a must have. Best lazy bread making experience you'll ever have! Put everything into one container and then cook it in the same container! When you wash it everything slips off with no scrubbing needed. The brioche recipe rivals fresh bread served at restaurants." — FutureMrsBLW Get it from Amazon for $27.09. 24. A beginner's embroidery kit for adults, so you can have something soothing to do with your hands while you marathon yet another podcast full of murder, murder, and a side murder. (At least now your stitching will be tighter than the main suspect's alibi!) Each kit comes with a simple design, a cotton cloth, a bamboo embroidery hoop, a little scissor, colored threads, embroidery needles, and instructions, so you should be raring to go when it arrives! Promising review:"I've never done anything like this before ... but I like to try new things, and I've just recently moved and wanted to decorate my house with some handmade decor. This kit is a great value for the price! It came with the hoop, more than enough thread, and two needles! The printed pattern is very clear and easy to follow, and the little sheet of instructions on what stitch to use and how to do it is clear enough (and anything I don't understand, I just watch a tutorial on YouTube). I'm about three hours into the project already, and I didn't want to put it down last night." — Abby Get it from Amazon for $7.99 (available in 12 different patterns). 25. A sushi-making kit perfect for beginners or intermediate sushi makers, so you can finally mix and match the exact ingredients your adventurous heart desires. I'm definitely going to sushi jail for this, but I've started putting peanut butter in my avocado rolls. Don't knock it until you try it. Anyway, each kit comes with two sushi rolling mats, five pairs of chopsticks, a paddle, a spreader, and a PDF of instructions, including recipes for six popular rolls. Psst — if you REALLY want to level up your homemade sushi game, I highly recommend adding this truffle seasoning on Amazon for $13.27! It tastes so startlingly decadent. I've been ordering it for years to put on my avocado rolls and shiitake rolls when I order sushi. Promising review:"Received this the other day and the wife and I had our own sushi night at home...I did not realize there were two mats in the package which was a nice little surprise... everything is made of good quality materials, easy to use and a good fun activity for date night at home. I will be getting a few more as gifts for a few product, received it quickly and for the price you cannot go wrong." — Timothy J Stegner Get it from Amazon for $9.99. 26. A beginner's guide to calligraphy that is far more thorough and specific about technique and ink types than other versions, and will have you writing inspirational messages to your friends and drafting fancy invitations to your dog's birthday party in NO time. Paper Peony Press is a Texas-based boutique publishing company that specializes in purpose-driven books. Promising review:"I've tried several instructional books on hand lettering. This book is the best by far. I won't say the names of the other books, but suffice it to say they are all at the top of the list when you search for hand lettering. It is the only book that gives practice for the base strokes and also discusses posture and how to hold the pen, and at what angle to the paper. It is also a lovely book to work with; nice artwork/illustrations. I recommend this book to other beginners out there!" — Karen Rorick Get it from Amazon for $19.99. 27. A beginner's wood carving kit to get you started on an oh-so-satisfying, soothing hobby, so you can start gifting your loved ones with carved bluejays and cardinals in no time. Each kit includes two wood carving blocks (one cherry and one basswood), a carving knife, sharpening supplies, a template, and three types of sandpaper. Promising review:"The company is very supportive and their kit is great. It has everything you need to start working with wood. Additionally, I have really appreciated the professionalism and customer service received from them." — Sam Get it from Amazon for $32.99. 28. Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, a classic cookbook so trusted and time-honored that it's now in its 30th anniversary edition. This features beloved standard and unique twists to Italian recipes designed for any reader to enjoy, whether they're a cooking newbie living alone or a seasoned chef feeding a full family. This book is truly an investment both in learning new cooking skills *and* delighting your palate for years to come. Promising review: "Twenty-six years ago I bought a tiny paperback for my mother called Classic Italian Cooking. I thought to replace it with a new copy, only to learn it is out of print. So I looked a little further and discovered Essentials Of Classic Italian Cooking. This book has only been with me a couple of weeks, but already I have made six of the recipes and have dozens of others I want to try. Hazan doesn't just give you recipes — she gives us the spirit of Italian cooking. She shows us how to love the ingredients we are using and teaches us how to understand that putting them together as she does, we don't create a 'dish,' but rather, something we have put a bit of ourselves into, to share with those we care about. This is probably the best book we will ever have on Italian cooking. It sits on my shelf right next to The Joy Of Cooking. Don't buy this book, treasure it. It's that good." — Laura Anne Scaife Get it from Amazon for $25.99. 29. A set of Shrinky Dinks sheets to transport you so immediately to your childhood pastime of Making Everything Very Small that you'll be gifting every single person you know a kitschy keychain against their will. Amazon If you are unfamiliar with this glorious witchcraft, Shrinky Dink paper lets you color designs on it that you can then cut out and bake to shrink them down, giving them a stained glass effect that makes them great for keychains, suncatchers, and little trinkets. Promising review: "Fun for ALL ages! Recently remembered how fun these were. I have a smaller daughter, so it gave me an excuse to buy these. They're secretly for me — half kidding. These are so simple to use and create great crafts. These will keep your little one's imagination going, occupied and helps practice fine motor skills. I would definitely recommend to ANYONE, not just little humans." — Alex Soper Get a 25-sheet set from Amazon for $13.49. 30. A beginner's butter churner complete with a recipe book so you can finally become the captains of your own condiment ships. Your fridges will be full of so many butters (raspberry butter! truffle butter! CHOCOLATE BUTTER!) that there won't be enough bread in the world to satisfy you. Amazon, Promising review:"I am delighted with this product. The accompanying instructions were very helpful. I made my first hand-churned butter, which I consider being a homage to my grandparents, who were dairy farmers. The process is really surprising when the butter seizes up — I think it was very important to me to see and experience that moment. Subtle, but crucial... At any rate, I used it, cleaned it, so have experienced both. I don't think you'll be disappointed with this little yet sophisticated butter churn." — Nanci Hamilton Get it from Amazon for $45. 31. An origami starter kit so easy to use that it's perfect for kids *and* adults, guiding you through 38 different fun projects with clear, straightforward instructions and images. It even comes with high-quality origami paper to get you started! Amazon, Promising review: "This is everything you could want for an introduction to the art of origami! It has clear instructions, a variety of options and paper too! This has been an entertainment piece for the family for a few nights, as the kids want to try new projects each time. Fun for all!" — Bookbum Get it from Amazon for $12.71. 32. Cocktail Codex: Fundamentals, Formulas, Evolutions, a bartender-beloved book for beginner- to intermediate-level cocktail enthusiasts that breaks down six iconic "root" cocktails — the old-fashioned, martini, daiquiri, sidecar, whisky highball, and flip — to show you how to improvise and riff your own creations based on what combos work with the ingredients you have. Amazon Check out a TikTok of the cocktail book in action. Promising review:"This book has easily become one of my favorites. Great base knowledge and would recommend to anyone seeking to further educate themselves on spirits and cocktails. Even the first few pages is full of useful information. Purchase this for yourself or even as a gift. I cannot say enough good things about this book." — Adriana Get it from Amazon for $19.12. 33. The Adventure Challenge: Solo Edition for anyone who's got an ITCH to try something new, but no idea where to start. This scratch-off guide is designed to make any blah weekday night or open weekend an opportunity to make a cool memory, no overthinking or company required. Each book comes with 50 "challenges" you can scratch off — it's a surprise until you commit to scratching it off! You get a few hints about whether it involves food or needs supplies, but other than that it's a ~mystery~. You can take pictures and notes of each challenge, so then over time the book becomes a scrapbook of cool memories. The Adventure Challenge is a small business that specializes in themed activity guides and experiences to suit all lifestyles. Promising review: "Amazing way to find yourself. This book is well put together. Hard back, with scratchers and ready to stick pages. I love ideas to get out and about and really connect to yourself. Love, love, love this." — Dawn Chaplin Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (price shows in cart; also available in a friends, couples, and family edition!). Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
