Over the past few months, I’ve spent an obscene amount of time on AliExpress. There’s practically nothing you can’t find on the platform these days. But I’m talking about more down-to-earth things: it all started innocently — I was looking for just one cable — and ended with a dozen packages arriving at my pickup point almost every week. Some purchases were pure impulse buys, but almost everything ended up becoming part of my daily life and settled in alongside my iPhone and MacBook. I’ve put together ten of my best finds for you: from a dirt-cheap cable to a robot vacuum.
I was running to the pickup point for orders several times a week
Angled USB-C Cable That Doesn’t Break at the Connector
With this cable you can easily play while charging
I’ll start with the smallest but arguably the most useful purchase. It’s a half-meter angled USB-C cable with a connector bent at a right angle. Sounds trivial, but my cables used to constantly fray and die right where they exit the port. With this one, the cable goes sideways instead of sticking up — the phone sits calmly on the nightstand while charging, and nothing gets snagged. The braiding is dense and pleasant, it supports both fast charging and data transfer, so I use the same cable to transfer files from my MacBook. For the price — the best small item in this roundup.
Price — 220 ₽ (with combo cart).
Pillow Stand for Tablet — Perfect for Reading in Bed
A convenient stand for reading
Next up — something I initially laughed at, but now wouldn’t give up. It’s a soft triangular pillow stand for a tablet. You place it on your lap or on the blanket, set the iPad on top — and you no longer need to hold it up or prop it with your hand. I use it to read in the evenings and watch TV shows; my neck and wrists finally get a break. You choose the viewing angle yourself by simply placing the tablet on a different side. Works for a phone and even a book too. An unexpectedly handy thing for very little money.
Price — 530 ₽ (with combo cart).
Xiaomi Pocket Photo Printer for Smartphone Photos
Print photos from your smartphone instantly
Now this one is my favorite toy for the whole family. The small Xiaomi pocket photo printer connects to the iPhone via Bluetooth and prints photos directly from your smartphone in a couple of minutes. A pack of paper was included, so I started printing that very evening. The kids love it: we pick a shot from a walk, and a finished print is already heading to the fridge. The photos don’t fade, and it prints without ink. I take it to birthday parties — real printed photos instead of a phone gallery still surprise guests.
Price — 5,320 ₽.
UGREEN GaN 100W Charger for MacBook and iPhone
A charger with multiple ports for everything at once
When you have a MacBook, an iPhone, and a couple of headphones at home, there are never enough outlets. I got a compact UGREEN 100W charger with three USB-C ports and one USB-A. Thanks to GaN technology, it’s noticeably smaller and cooler than the old power brick, and 100 watts is enough to quickly charge even a MacBook Air. Now I have one charger for the whole desk: the laptop, phone, and watch all charge simultaneously, and I only take this one on trips. One charger instead of four — saves both bag space and nerves.
Price — 2,360 ₽ (with coupon).
Roborock S8 Pro Plus Robot Vacuum with Mopping
The robot is available in black or white
The most expensive, but also the most life-changing purchase. The Roborock S8 Pro Plus robot vacuum in the Russian version not only vacuums but also mops the floors, and after cleaning, it automatically empties the dustbin into the docking station. I start it from my phone on my way home and walk into a clean apartment. It builds a map of the rooms, navigates around chair legs and cables, and automatically increases suction power on carpets. With a small child in the house, the floors needed constant mopping — now it handles that. It truly frees up your evenings rather than just driving around the house.
Price — 21,480 ₽ (with coupon).
Xiaomi Smart Kettle That Maintains the Desired Temperature
