Have you ever bought something small that changed your everyday life for the better? It could be a product that helped you sleep more soundly, eat more healthily, or save money at the salon? Something that, for a minimal outlay, made a significant difference.
We asked our team about the things that improved their lives, no matter how small. From a reading light to a hairdryer, a pair of walking shoes to tweezers, their answers inspired us – and we hope they inspire you, too.
The face cloths that changed how I cleanse
I’m not proud to admit that I had used single-use makeup remover wipes until I discovered these reusable face cloths a few years ago. I use the microfibre cloths with oil-based cleansers – Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm when I’m feeling flush, other times just baby oil – to remove every trace of makeup before washing my face with a foaming cleanser. I also love how gentle the cloths are and how they don’t cause friction on my sensitive fortysomething skin. Emily Goddard
Reusable face cleansing cloths, £4.99 for a pack of six
amazon.co.uk
£8 for a pack of seven
superdrug.com
The garlic crusher that elevated my cooking
My boyfriend’s mum got us a garlic plate one Christmas. It’s such a simple thing – a ceramic plate with little bumps on that you scrub cloves against to create a paste – but it’s genuinely been a gamechanger. It’s so much quicker and more pleasant than the tedium of chopping garlic into tiny cubes that I cook with it far more than I used to. The result? Dinners are more delicious – and healthier. Kate Lloyd
Handmade ceramic garlic grater, £14
etsy.com
Jerez garlic crusher, £8.99
souschef.co.uk
The toothbrush that revolutionised my brushing
I’ve always had terrible teeth but my previous go with an electric toothbrush, about 30 years ago, did not convince me to change from my manual. About three years ago, I decided to try again with the rechargeable type, and the results have been great – my dentist asked me what I was doing differently. A light stops me from brushing my gums too hard, a previous bad habit, and a timer makes sure I clean each part of my mouth equally and for long enough. Sadly, it doesn’t also nag me to floss. If it did, it would be perfect. Hilary Osborne
Oral-B Pro toothbrush, £40
shop.oralb.co.uk
amazon.co.uk
The football boots that stopped my feet aching
As I approach (or, perhaps more accurately, endure) middle age, waking up the day after playing football without feeling as if I’ve been hit by a lorry is rare. Thankfully, I have a pair of 10-year-old boots that ensure the only bit of me not aching is my feet. Adidas’s Copa Mundials have been around since the early 80s and are still beloved by amateur footballers of skills high and low, though I can speak only for the latter. The version for playing on artificial grass, Mundial Team, are so comfy and hardy that, with a bit of care (don’t walk on concrete with the rubber studs), they ought to last a lifetime. In fact, they’re so good that I bought the same pair for playing indoors. Will Dean
Adidas Mundial Team boots, £130
adidas.co.uk
The pressure cooker that saves me time
When my boyfriend and I first moved in together, a family friend kindly gave us his late mother’s pressure cooker. An original 1960s high-dome Prestige, it’s heavy, powerful, and a bit intimidating (too many stories about exploding beans). It spent several years in the back of a cupboard. But in the past year, now married (to that boyfriend) and with two young children, I have discovered the joys of the pressure cooker. It can make curries in minutes. I can shove a load of veg, lentils, stock and spices in, whack it on the heat with its clever weighted lid, and have a stew or dal in the time it takes me to tidy the kitchen. I know there are now fancy air fryers, crockpots, multicookers and the rest, but I remain devoted to my big old pressure cooker. Thank you, Lionel! Ruth Lewy
Prestige pressure cooker, £64.99
prestige.co.uk
£52.99
amazon.co.uk
The reading light that keeps me sane
Throughout the mayhem of early parenthood – the disjointed working schedules, nightly toddler wake-ups and baby feeds – my clip-on reading light has helped create as much restorative escapism as a bath infused with brandy. It’s lightweight, flexible and far less glaring than a table lamp. My partner and I have one each, and we can read using the disturbance-free glow at whatever time of night, in whatever room of the house we end up. Matt Collins
Clip light, £11.99
robertdyas.co.uk
£9.99
amazon.co.uk
The veg box that changed how I eat
We got stuck in a veg rut, a hangover from when the kids were at home and we would buy broccoli and carrots on repeat. But having a selection of seasonal veg delivered to our doorstep – we get a Riverford box every fortnight – forces me to seek out recipes for stuff we’ve never eaten before. Kohlrabi and black kale are now among my favourite ingredients. And Riverford’s deals with organic growers in Spain and southern France mean the boxes include tomatoes, peppers, aubergines and more – instead of endless swedes and cabbages over British winters. We also have sourdough, eggs and butter delivered with our veg box. And my husband makes a big soup with anything we haven’t managed to get through. Liz Boulter
From £15.15 for a small weekly organic veg box
riverford.co.uk
From £15.30 for a small weekly organic veg box
abelandcole.co.uk
The knee pillow that saved my sleep
It’s probably the least sexy thing I own but my memory foam knee pillow has been a gamechanger. And if, like me, you’ve reached the age when back niggles and snoring confine you to sleeping on your side, and you have slightly spindly legs and knobbly knees, one could be for you too. Mine has a loose strap that means the pillow comes with me as I turn from side to side, all the while keeping my knees cosseted and comfortably separated. Simon Usborne
Knee pillow, £10
dunelm.co.uk
£13.95
amazon.co.uk
The hairdryer that leaves my locks glossy
There are all kinds of fancy hairdryers around now, but I remain completely devoted to my Parlux. I have thick hair, which takes an eternity to dry using anything else. Professional hairdressers use them, they last for ever and mine cuts my drying time in half. It also leaves my hair glossy and manageable, and that lasts until the next wash (weather-permitting). My Parlux always travels with me. Laura Potter
Parlux 3200 compact hairdryer, £126
lookfantastic.com
£109.95
parlux.co.uk
The sunscreen my kids don’t complain about
I discovered roll-on sunscreen this summer, and it was truly transformational. The mechanism made for mess-free application – a gamechanger when it came to my wriggly kids whose default position is always “resist”. And it’s easy when you’ve got wet or sandy hands. The kids even loved putting sunscreen on themselves. You buy the empty roll-on vessel and can fill and refillit with any sunscreen. We bought a duo pack, so the kids could have one each to avoid squabbling. Abigail Radnor
Solar Buddies sun cream applicator, £7.98
boots.com
Duo pack, £16.98
amazon.co.uk
The shoes that made me walk more
I’m a non-driver, who is used to walking everywhere. I’m probably a bit hooked on pounding the streets of London – even when I have to spend a day in the office – and make sure to get in at least 10,000 steps daily. Since finding these waterproof, ultra-grippy black Salomon hiking shoes, I’ve been walking even more, and in all weathers. They’re so bouncy and light that they make me want to clock up more miles. Jo Griffin
Ultra 360 hiking shoes, £140
salomon.com
cotswoldoutdoor.com
The headphones that got me through Couch to 5K
I am a slow but very sweaty jogger, and my old earbuds used to switch off or slip out of my ears when I ran. Wearing these, I’ve finally completed Couch to 5K and stuck to a regular running routine. Rachel Dixon
JLab sport headphones, £29.99
johnlewis.com
argos.co.uk
The goggles that upped my swimming game
I spent years wearing contact lenses to swim – meaning that every calming length was punctuated by growing panic that a dastardly microorganism was going to burrow its way under the seal of my goggles, get trapped under my lenses and render me blind. Then I discovered prescription swimming goggles and #MyStruggle was over. The only downside is that I’m so shortsighted that I have to wear them to navigate my way from the lounger to the pool, which is possibly not a great look. Joe Stone
Prescription swimming goggles, £24
prescription-goggles.co.uk
The tweezers that finally gave me nice brows
I get my eyebrows professionally shaped once a year, max; the rest of the time, I try to follow the brow line with tweezers. These slanted ones were gamechanging because they’re slim enough to ensure precision plucking. Errant lip and chin hairs are also easy to dispatch. Hannah Booth
Slant Tweezers, £23
boots.com
cultbeauty.co.uk
