fabric shaver
Make life easier with home and kitchen gadgets that are going viral on TikTok. Image Credit: Shutterstock

Trust TikTok to introduce the masses to nifty tools that solve everyday hiccups. Creators put thousands of home, beauty and kitchen items to use with honest reviews, and we, the viewers, get to reap the benefits of a well-tested product. If you’ve retired your favourite sweater because of pilling, a fabric shaver can give it a second life in seconds. How about a pocketable wax stick to lay down those pesky flyaways before an outing? Don’t go digging for these since we’ve done the work for you below.

Shop TikTok’s useful trending items from Amazon, and with a Prime membership, you can get free, fast delivery.

1. Best Kitchen Appliance: Zojirushi Micom Rice Cooker and Warmer

Pros

  • Versatile appliance for one-pot rice dishes
  • Cooks different types of rice
  • Pre-programmed timer with chime when done
  • Keep warm function

Cons

  • Expensive

One-pot meals in the rice cooker is the new effortless cooking hack on the internet. It's a no-brainer appliance for those who mainly eat rice-based dishes, but you can take it a step further by preparing oatmeal with fruits in it or steamed vegetables, fish or chicken along with your rice, drizzled in sauces and spices, all in one go. Once done, give the pot a good stir, and your dinner is ready to serve. To ace the many clever, budget-friendly recipes on TikTok, you'll need the famous Japanese rice cooker Zojirushi. This three-cup model cooks multiple types of rice, from sushi and mixed to brown grains. It also has a keep warm function, which, according to reviewers, does not dry out cooked rice even if left for up to seven hours. Despite being pricier than competitors, buyers don't regret investing in the appliance because of its unbeatable quality.

Bonus: Buy with 0% instalments and pay 144.90 for 12 months with select banks.

Warranty: Amazon offers a one-year extended warranty for Dh103 and two years for Dh146.

2. Best Wardrobe Essential: Philips Fabric Shaver 

Pros

  • Tackles fabric pills of different sizes
  • Compact and handheld
  • Collects shaved fabric in a container
  • Comes with two AA batteries

Cons

  • Can thin out fabric if overused

Pilled wool sweaters, blankets and couch covers get an instant makeover with a fabric shaver. This battery-operated handheld gadget uses a large blade surface to remove fabric pills from your garments with each stroke. Vintage collectors are always seen renewing old clothing with this tool on TikTok, and the best kind can be found in the Philips range. It uses holes of three different sizes on the blade as well as a height adjustment cap to tackle pills of all sizes. The shaved off pills are stored in a built-in container that empties easily. Reviewers use it to enhance the appearance of their mattress, thrifted clothes and armchairs. 

3. Best Hair Item: Utena Matomage Hair Styling Stick

Pin down your flyaways for good with this viral hair stick by the J-beauty brand Utena. Matomage fits in the palm of your hand and can be carried in small bags and pouches, ready to tame unruly hair wherever you go. The stick formula has a holding ingredient and non-sticky powder to keep the finish smooth and non-greasy. It's made with camellia oil, argan oil and baobab oil, so you're not smearing the strands with harmful additives. Thanks to the container, the stick application is sanitary. TikTok users who recommend it say that the stick is a game-changer for keeping their hairstyle neat on the go. 

4. Best Snack Tool: Zhuoai Mini Bag Sealer

Pros

  • Heat-seals and cuts plastic bags
  • Quick heating with no wait time
  • Compact gadget with magnetic back
  • Recharges with micro USB-C cable

Cons

  • Doesn't work with paper bags and cellophane

It's time to retire makeshift clips and resealable bags for chips the kids can't finish. Your kitchen drawer needs an electric bag sealer to keep crisps, popcorn and other snacks fresh. This rechargeable gadget comes with both a heat sealer and cutter in one, and either option can be picked via large, ergonomic buttons. You can reseal bags of chips, snacks, pet food, candy, sandwiches and plastic bags - there's no waiting time. It heats to the right temperature within one second. Place it anywhere or attach it to the refrigerator thanks to the magnetic back on the sealer. Reviewers find it an essential tool for the kitchen, where they reseal spices and snack leftovers quite often. 

Warranty: Amazon offers a one-year extended warranty for Dh6 and two years for Dh9.

5. Best for Family: Jegoteer Remote Control Finder (Pack of 4)

Pros

  • Doesn't need GPS or Bluetooth to work
  • Radio frequency waves penetrate through obstacles
  • Tags beep and flash when called
  • Comes with four stickers and four keyrings

Cons

  • Transmitter needs AAA batteries and tags use button cells

Families with full-fledged home entertainment systems will find it hard to keep track of all their remote controls. From the TV and projector to streaming devices, your collection of controllers can get misplaced easily, which is why you'll want a remote tracker on the table. Unlike Bluetooth trackers, the Jegoteer key finder is inexpensive and requires no app or smartphone. With the help of radio frequency, the transmitter unit communicates with the tags - stick each tag behind every remote and press the corresponding colour on the transmitter to trigger the beeper. The radio frequency wave can penetrate through walls, floors, cushions and more, working as far as 36 metres. Buyers pick it up for their senior parents and themselves, attaching the tags to wallets, phones and keys as well.

Warranty: Amazon offers a one-year extended warranty for Dh12 and two years for Dh19.

6. Best for Coffee: Foxnsk Self Stirring Mug

Pros

  • Mixes coffee, hot chocolate, protein shakes thoroughly
  • Option for automatic stirring every 20 seconds
  • Rechargeable with USB cable
  • Comes with a sealing lid

Cons

  • Can be slightly loud

A self-stirring mug, anyone? Add your ground coffee, sugar, milk and water to this electric cup and walk out of the kitchen without looking back. All you have to do is press the stirring button on the cup, and the propeller at the bottom will rotate for 20 seconds, mixing everything with a top of foam. You can even set it to mix after every 20 seconds to keep the coffee from setting at the bottom. It's made of IP67 waterproof material and 304 stainless steel, making it perfect for 300ml of coffee, tea, hot chocolate, lemonade, protein shakes and more. If you want to bring it to work, top it off with a transparent lid to keep the contents from spilling. Buyers love that they don't have to pack stirrers and sachets when they want to make a cuppa in the car or away from home. Others leave the mug running while they tend to chores around the house since it mixes everything well on its own without clumps.

7. Best Beauty Hack: SPOTMYUV UV Detection Stickers (48 Count)

If you're headed to the pool or beach with the kids this spring, then you need to pack a set of UV (ultraviolet) detection stickers. In the outdoors, you're more likely to forget sunscreen application, especially when the little ones are off playing. SPOTMYUV stickers show you if you're applying enough sunblock and when to reapply by changing colours. Stick one onto a stretch of skin that's exposed to the sun and get detection for up to 12 hours. It turns transparent with sunscreen, cycling to a dark purple once the protection wears off. The stickers are safe for kids aged three and above, and have a hypoallergenic, latex-free adhesive that's water-resistant. Reviewers manage to avoid sunburns with the help of these by the pool and at the beach, even working excellently on theme park trips. The stickers stay on through swimming and sweating, they add.

Our recommendations are independently chosen by Gulf News editors. If you decide to shop through links on our website, we may earn an affiliate commission, as we are part of Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.