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Dec 31, 2023

27 Home Products For Living Alone

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed collects a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.

Yes, being without your roomies can be scary, but these are here to help.

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And, a carbon monoxide detector because CO is the silent killer! This deadly gas has no odor or color, so the only way to alert yourself before it's too late is to have this alarm go off. (Again, one of those safety things that really just ought to come with every apartment or house but often doesn't.)

A first aid kit with 57 essential supplies because it's always a good idea to be prepared for emergencies or small boo-boos. Especially when you won't be able to rely on mom to locate the bandages and fix you up anymore.

A window insulation shrink-adhesive kit if you want to keep the AC from escaping during summer and eliminate the cold draft seeping in during winter. I invested in this myself, so I can confirm that it is relatively straightforward to apply all by yourself and makes a noticeable difference.

Promising review: "After using this for a week, I must say this is an excellent little machine. If you put your water and pod in, press the button and just wait for the thing to finish, it will make you extremely hot, rich coffee. It takes less time than my previous machine, and it makes much, much hotter coffee. Again, this is a great machine." —William

Get it from Amazon for $91.49+ (available in eight colors).

Promising review: "I've been using these for about a month now. I didn't even know that these existed 'til I saw them and tried them out. I was a bit skeptical that they would hold my variety of mug sizes on top of each other securely but I figured for the cost it was worth a shot. The mugs hold steady, even when stacking smaller mugs on top of larger ones. The diameter adjusts smoothly and the material is stronger than it looks. Now I can take out, or put in, my coffee mugs without worrying of knocking any over!" —NJ Buyer

Get it from Amazon for $24.99 (available in three colors).

While I haven't had to use it yet (thank goodness), I did accidentally drop it once, causing it to go off, and it scared me half to death — and people were definitely staring at me, so even though it was so embarrassing, it's nice to know that it works at drawing attention.

Promising review: "Here to say that — as you all may have heard — the NYC subways have gotten unsafe again. My train car was just under attack by a woman who began violently hitting and kicking the train windows and seats next to and above passengers, myself included. She then stared spitting on passengers and aggressively kicked the seat next to me. As she hovered over me, the woman sitting across from me pulled her Birdie alarm and it worked. She saved me from being aggressed upon (thank you so much, stranger), and the attacking woman retreated. Ordering ASAP as I am forced to commute to work five days/week in a growingly uncertain transportation system." —AG

Promising review: "I’ve used this alarm twice on dogs that were about to charge on my walks. Has completely backed the dogs off. Both were big and aggressive and it's loud, but even higher pitched for a dog. I feel so much safer walking with this." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $29.95 (available in six colors).

Promising review: "I bought these Command hooks for a storage idea. I needed hooks for my kiddos multiple coats and to help hold bins in place to hold their hats and gloves. Amazon had the best price for a larger amount of Command hooks that hold up to 5 pounds. I had enough for my boys coats/hats/gloves storage on the back of their bedroom door plus extra for a towel hook next to the shower (steamy showers and it still hasn't fallen), a robe hook on the back of the bathroom door (still sticking), and a few extra places to hold heavier adult hoodies/coats. They are still hanging after a couple of days, and honestly I don't think they will unstick until I pull that tab. Perfect purchase for all the things you may need to hang." —KLP

Get a 7-pack of hooks from Amazon for $10.99.

Get your plan from Blue Apron starting at $7.99+/serving.

Promising review: "I rarely do reviews, but I can say this is truly THE BEST TOILET PLUNGER ever!!!" —Dawson

Get it from Amazon for $20.98 (available in three colors).

Promising review: "Well made, whimsical and very convenient. The portability of these bags make them perfect." —Victoria Pankovich

Get it from VISParadiseGoods on Etsy for $5.98 (available in 11 styles).

I love my Instant Pot and use it for all sorts of things. It's such an easy and quick way to meal prep for the week, or portion and freeze for easy weeknight meals. I love that it usually gives me plenty of leftovers too hehe.

Promising review: "This product is my best friend and I would marry it and grow old with it if I could. I’ve put pork loins, potatoes, yellow bundt cakes, rice, corn on the cob (look up INSTANT POT MILK CORN ON COB and you will never eat it any other way again!). I’ve made pierogis, lasagna, apple dump cake, a whole chicken, bone broth, chicken noodle soup... and more. This is all in less than a month. I’m eating healthier. Eating out less. Cleanup is easy. The food tastes awesome." —sugabuga

Get it from Amazon for $99.90+ (available in four sizes and four styles).

Promising review: "Amazing how easy this purchase has made cooking! It has eased the stress of preparing meals and actually made cooking something to look forward to! You really don't need high heat to make amazing meals, and the nonstick pan and easy cleanup are *chef's kiss!* And the handle holder is an amazing bonus! This would make an amazing birthday, housewarming or holiday gift for friends and family! Amazing investment for cooking at home!" —Alison S.

Get it from Our Place for $150 (available in eight colors).

Promising review: "I used this level to balance my pool table, and it clearly worked. If it can balance a pool table with this level, then it can level anything. It also feels sturdy, so I'm thinking it'll hold up for quite a while, and the price is about what I would expect. I would definitely recommend this level to a friend based on my own usage." —Kooky Kage

Get it from Amazon for $19.98+ (available in three sizes).

Promising review: "My sons recently married and bought their first homes. First homes, we know they're usually not brand new and perfect, and since I was NOT interested in running to the kids homes every time they needed a hammer, wrench, screwdriver, we bought each of them one of these sets as part of their housewarming gift. It has everything someone starting out and who has little or no experience doing their own repairs would need to assemble furniture or make minor repairs. The tools come in their own convenient space-saving case and of course are the classic Craftsman quality." —Lindacarol6

Get it from Lowe's for $109.

Promising review: "This product WILL save you money on your heating cost. I have a couple of tips for you: 1. Make sure you clean the area where the tape will be placed with alcohol or Windex. It will not stick on dirty surfaces. 2. If the surface is too smooth use a little sandpaper. 3. It does stick on clean wood/some painted wood might be a little more difficult depending on the paint finish. In all cases, put tape on, leave on for a few minutes, then rub (hard) the paper over the tape a couple of times, before you peel off (slowly) to place plastic over it. Hope this helps with your tape issues!" —Jeanette

Get it from Amazon for $6.90+ (available in packs of one, three, and nine and three kits).

Promising review: "I just treated myself to this new broom set after far too long using a worn and shaggy one. This truly make sweeping a joy, because it captures dust and dirt, easy to sweep into the dustpan and really stays quite free of that stuff that used to stick in the bristles. Had a bit of trouble getting the handle on the dustpan, but I believe that is due to my hand issues, not the product. I highly recommend this household essential to any user." —Siri

Get it from Amazon for $13.95.

Promising review: "We've been using Brita water filter pitchers for many years and they've all been great! The reason why I've purchased this unit was only to replace our old pitcher for a fresh look and larger capacity. The difference between drinking tap-water and filtered water is immediately noticeable, so based on years of experience, I can highly recommend THIS brand to everyone!" —MR. G.

Get it from Amazon for $25+ (also available with filters).

The set comes with five place-settings which includes salad forks, dinner forks, dinner knives, dinner spoons, and soup/tea spoons.

Promising review: "I got this set in silver. We love how heavy duty these are. My boyfriend can't stop talking about the spoons. I have scrubbed them and they have been through washer several times. I was nervous about rub off but there has been zero. These are better than others I've bought that were way more expensive. Definitely worth it. I really wanted the gold but I ordered the silver just in case. I was nervous it would rub off." —Angelina Sarmiento

Get it from Amazon for $21.99+ (available in three colors).

It's so easy to put them in your kitchen (it didn't take me long at all to measure, cut, and place them in my drawers and cabinets), and they definitely make a difference! Not only do they prevent damage from my plates and sharp utensils, but they also catch any residue from my oils and condiments and generally just keep the dirt and dust at bay.

Promising review: "I bought these for my apartment and immediately covered my kitchen. They were so perfect — even the overhang came in handy. We had some of those wire shelves that hang on the shelf above them and the overhang helped protect the edge of the shelf. The pattern was super cute and the liner was easy to clean with a Clorox wipe. They came up as easy as they went down and I kept them when we moved. I put them into our new place and trimmed the extra. I really love the protection." —Sarah A

Get it from Amazon for $6.60+ (available in 10 sizes and seven styles).

Promising review: "I have ADHD and I misplace literally everything. ESPECIALLY my keys and phone! I love that when I lose my keys it's easy to find. It plays out a tune and also on my app I can see how close I am to them. And when I inevitably misplace my phone but have my keys, a quick double click and my phone is playing a tune for me to find it" —Haley Peterson

Get it from Amazon for $23.42+ (also available in multipacks).

Promising review: "The kitchen towels are wonderful quality and the colors are accurate (and super nice)." —Akshobhya

Get it from WildAndStoneHome on Etsy for $16.20 (available in four colors).

Promising review: "I was so pleasantly surprised by this product. I got it on a whim. I literally use this cleaner for EVERYTHING! I mean from my wood furniture, mirrors, granite counter tops, even my hardwood floors! The smell is so nice and not overpowering like other cleaners, and I feel safe using it around my kids. I'll be buying this product as long as it's made." —Casandra

Get a three-pack from Amazon for $14.64 (also available in a concentrate bottle).

Promising review: "This is very useful. A guest on our boat was cut in the ocean by a large conch shell. I was able to get her in the boat. Used some clean bottled water. Applied triple antibiotic cream. We then put a few bandages on. Accidentally the case fell into the ocean. I’ll attest that it's definitely waterproof! We also used this when one of our grandchildren slipped on the lanai, fell, received a scrape on both knees. She also cut her elbow. We had everything we needed to fix her up. This is and has been useful." —Michelle Holt

Get it from Amazon for $17.43.

Promising review: "This is a handy power strip with a slim design. The USB charging ports are a really good addition to the power strip. I used this to neatly organize my son's electronics. I appreciated the extra spacing on the end — it accommodated a larger charging box without losing use of another spot." —April-May-June

Get it from Amazon for $15.97

Promising review: "I live in the upper Midwest and every single winter when the temperature starts dropping my car battery will die without fail. It's not that old of a battery so I'm not ready to replace it yet, but I got tired of spending $60+ for a tow truck to come and jump-start my car every time the battery died. I bought this, charged it up as soon as it arrived, and it's since paid for itself in two uses.This device is a LIFESAVER for anyone who lives alone, doesn't know their neighbors well enough to ask them for help, and can't afford to have a tow come and give them a jump. The USB outlet and flashlight features are also great for if you need to charge your phone or other device when you're broken down on the road, or need to look into those deep nooks and crannies under the hood to figure out what's going on if the battery isn't the issue. It's lightweight too, easy to keep in your glovebox for an emergency when you're out on the road. I'm so impressed with this thing I'm considering buying a few more to give as gifts to a couple family members. If you're shopping for a reliable, portable jump-start device this one is worth a try!!" —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $99.95.

Promising review: "Life just got easier. It fits in the crack between the fridge and wall, and I no longer have to struggle to reach anything. I feel safe climbing up and down on it because it is sturdy and I can hold on to the top of it without worrying it will tip over. Can't believe I never bought one sooner!" —Dapperdawn

Get it from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in two sizes and two colors).

Promising review: "These are amazing! I do about 2–3 loads of laundry a day. I love these! I bought a six-pack of Smart Sheep Dryer balls and a six-pack of dryer balls from another brand. I wasn't sure what to expect, and I’m amazed. They are all used together for drying my laundry. After eight months of use, I still have all six Smart Sheep Dryer balls (they are holding up, no unraveling like the other brand, smell pleasant, are keeping their shape, etc). I like them so much I bought them as gifts for other people. Out of the six-pack from the other brand, I am down to two left — they all unraveled and became misshapen. The pictures I’m adding don't lie! These Smart Sheep ones are fabulous! I use them with Essential Oils as well to freshen stuff up. Highly recommended!" —Bluebug29

Get a six-pack from Amazon for $19.95+ (available in four colors).

Promising review: "Very happy with these boxes. Fire proof, water proof, and has a lock. Fits all of my documents and more." —Nici P.

Get it from Amazon for $35.99 (available in two colors).

Promising review: "I've had Kidde fire extinguishers for years. I've checked the pressure and it always was good even after 10 years. I just had to use two I had on a deck fire. One completely extinguished but I overkilled it and used two. They put the fire out (pretty big, a large box caught fire on my deck because it had bubble wrap in it and got a small ember on a super windy day. The ember was miniscule. I had no clue that something that small could start such a big fire, but I do now) but my Kiddes snuffed it out in seconds. Thank you Kidde for making such a great product that saved my deck and house. Because my outside water is turned off for the winter, they were my only way and came through with flying colors." —SusanW

Get it from Amazon for $34.99 (also available in multipacks).

Promising review: "I honestly believe this product saved our lives. We had a fire in our fireplace on a cold day. It warmed our house so much that the furnace actually turned off for most of the day. When we went to bed and the fire went out, the furnace kicked back on. We hadn't realized that the exhaust for the furnace was not to code (not high enough on the roof pitch). This alarm sounded in the middle of the night and woke me up. My husband's thought was that it was just the battery and suggested that I pull the battery and deal with it in the morning. Luckily, I read the digital number readout on the alarm and knew that it was NOT a battery issue. I knew immediately that we needed to open windows/doors and get out. I now have one on each floor of my home. Never, NEVER disregard when you hear this alarm sound. The digital read out definitely confirmed that there was an issue and I loved the fact that I could unplug it from the wall and walk around the home watching for a change in the readings." —L.R.

Get it from Amazon for $26.10.

The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.