I spend up to two hours a day analyzing marketplaces, online stores, and, of course, AliExpress. My wife even says that I order things for our family more often than she does. And that’s basically true. But I enjoy it. Besides, it’s precisely because of this that I have a great understanding of what’s worth ordering and what isn’t. Today I’ve put together a few affordable items that genuinely make life easier. Take a look — maybe you’ll find something for yourself, just like my wife did, who keeps popping up on the covers of my unboxing articles.
Half of this stuff lives in my trunk — and every single item has come in handy at least once.
Jump Starter — I Charge the Car Battery and Even My iPhone
It’s been sitting in my glove box since last winter — already saved me from a tow truck once.
Last January, I walked out to my car in minus twenty-five degrees, turned the key — and nothing. The battery was dead. Since then, a portable jump starter has been sitting in my glove box, and I’ve completely stopped stressing about mornings. It works with both gasoline and diesel engines, and comes with alligator clips and a cable. Size-wise, it’s slightly bigger than a smartphone, so it fits easily anywhere.
The housing has a built-in flashlight and a USB output for charging gadgets — essentially, it doubles as a power bank in a pinch. You can charge your iPhone right in the car if the cigarette lighter isn’t working. Over nearly a year of use, I’ve only charged the device itself about three times — the battery holds up great.
Price: 3,300 rubles
Baseus VA1 Pro — A Compressor for Inflating Tires
Inflated all four tires in the parking lot — no wires, no outlet needed.
I used to drive to a gas station every time I needed to top off my tires — waiting in line, looking for tokens, getting frustrated with a broken hose. Now I have a Baseus VA1 Pro in my trunk, and the whole process takes a couple of minutes right in the parking lot. The compressor runs autonomously on a built-in 7,500 mAh battery — enough for several tires without plugging into anything.
The digital display shows pressure in real time, you can set the desired value, and the compressor stops automatically. It can also be connected to the cigarette lighter if the battery is low. Besides car tires, it works for bicycles and inflatable mattresses — handy at the cottage too.
Price: 2,400 rubles
Baseus Car Vacuum — Bought It Six Months Ago and Have No Regrets
Crumbs, sand, dust between the seats — picks up everything in five minutes.
If you have kids or even occasionally eat in the car, you know what it’s like to have crumbs in the crevices between seats. I got the Baseus car vacuum last fall, and since then the interior looks decent without trips to the car wash. Suction power is 12,000 Pa, and you can really feel it: sand, small debris, even pet hair from clothes — it sucks up everything.
It works wirelessly, charges via USB-C, and is compact enough to live in my driver’s door pocket. The kit includes several attachments — a narrow crevice nozzle for hard-to-reach spots and a brush for upholstery. The only downside: the dust container is small, so after a serious cleaning session you’ll need to empty it.
Price: 2,800 rubles
Faucet with Temperature Sensor — Installed It and Love It
A screen on a faucet sounds weird until you start washing your hands in ice-cold water blindly.
I first installed the faucet with a temperature sensor at my mother-in-law’s place — purely to test it — and then got one for myself. Now I wash my hands knowing for sure the water isn’t freezing. The body has a built-in screen that shows the water temperature in real time — in regular plumbing stores, something like this costs as much as a small fridge.
Control is via a side handle, and installation is standard — I set it up myself in half an hour. The body material is corrosion-resistant, which is critical for garage conditions. My daughter saw it and demanded the same one for the bathroom — she says it makes washing up more fun. So I bought it: she just thinks it was because she asked, not because my heart told me to.
Price: 4,860 rubles
UGREEN Wired Earphones — I Actually Use Them Instead of AirPods
When the AirPods are dead and you have an important call — that’s why they sit in my glove box.
AirPods are a wonderful thing — as long as they’re charged. But when they die on the road, chaos ensues. That’s exactly why I’ve had wired earphones sitting in my glove box since March.
