Sometimes all it takes is a smart product to save your sanity. We rounded up some of our favorite new developments that are either out now or hitting shelves in the next few months. From high-tech devices to simple, wish-we’d-thought-of-that tools, these low-cost innovations (most under $50!) can help you feel healthier, safer or more prepared—all the while easing everyday life.
1. Parrot Flower Power
Soon you won’t need a green thumb to keep houseplants happy. Just insert this battery-operated sensor into indoor soil to track light, humidity and temperature. Choose the type of potted plant you want to monitor from a library of 6,000 species via an app, and you’ll be alerted when it needs more water, sun or fertilizer. Available later this year. Price to be determined; Parrot.com
2. Revlon File ’N Peel 6-in-1
Ditch those worn-out nail files at the bottom of your purse! The File ’N Peel features layers you can lift and discard when they get dull to reveal fresh surfaces underneath. Three shaping layers and three smoothing layers keep nails pretty; one clever product keeps clutter at bay. And the layers last up to three months, assuming one to two uses per week. Translation: A single File ’N Peel can outlast a regular file three times over. $4.49; Revlon.com
3. Luci
The compact, collapsible Luci is a solar-powered light that works as a task light, flashlight or lantern. A seven-hour charge in direct sunlight can generate six to 12 hours of light, illuminating up to 15 square feet. And since the charge holds for as long as three months, you can keep it on hand for blackouts and in your car for emergencies, camping and other outdoor activities. Originally designed for the developing world, Luci provides light solutions where electrical services are inaccessible or dangerous to obtain. And with the new Buy-One-Give-One program, a Luci is donated to communities in need when you buy one for yourself. $24.95; Mpowerd.com
4. Pluck Egg Yolk Extractor
Whether you’re making an egg white omelet or a recipe calls for just yolks, this suction device makes it easy to separate the two. Hover it over a cracked egg, squeeze and release to suck up the yolk; give it another pinch to plop the yolk into a bowl. Unlike other separation devices, Pluck works with yolks of all sizes and doesn’t require breaking the egg over a small surface, making it one of the fastest and neatest separating solutions. $12.99; Quirky.com
5. Fitbug Orb
This button-sized activity tracker records the number of steps taken, calories burned and distance traveled during the day, and monitors sleep patterns at night. Since there’s no screen—that’s how the Orb stays so small and discreet—your data is delivered via Bluetooth to a mobile device. It’s the cheapest fitness tracker we’ve seen, and the cost includes a year of online coaching. Available for preorder now; the Orb comes out in late spring. $49.99; Fitbug.com
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