Best Deals Under $25

Justin Huynh, a CR product manager, completely reseals his chips rather than clips them closed. “I personally like using these melting sealers because I often don’t come back to snacks for a long time after opening them, so I feel that this gives them a better shelf life,” he says. “I’ve used multiple sealers before, and they’ve never performed consistently, but this one is the closest. I can get a good seal within 2 tries on this one, and it includes a blade on the inside that can cut the excess bag before sealing. This is also by far the smallest one I’ve gotten, which makes it easy to throw into the pantry for easy access.”

The runner-up in our digital food scale test, the Etekcity Digital Food Scale came very close in ranking to the Escali Primo. Still, it needed to be more accurate and precise and measure a 1-gram measurement in our testing (it remained at zero during this test). It was on target with weights between 2 and 20 grams. It was also the only digital scale that gained 20 percent accuracy when measuring high weights of up to 5,000 grams, but be aware that this accuracy percentage is still low overall, as this model was on target only 1 out of 5 times.

This handy nonslip silicone mat comes with measured markings that can take the guesswork out of baking. The food stylist and cookbook author Jesse Szewczyk loves to use this silicone mat for rolling out dough into specific shapes and for many other kitchen jobs. “Need a 10-inch circle for a pie? Or an 11-inch square for shortbread?” he says. “Just check the mat! Not only does it help make measuring easy, but it’s nonstick and makes cleanup a breeze.” The best part? You can roll it up and take it to the sink—no need to clean the countertop—and just as easily stash it in a drawer when you’re done.

The 22.5-watt Anker Nano Portable Charger aces our tests and is petite enough to easily slip into a bag or even pocket. It has enough juice to charge an average smartphone battery from empty once or top it off a few times, and its two USB-C ports can charge two devices simultaneously. 

This two-meter cord, designed for the iPhone 5 through the iPhone 14, survived 11,500 bends without failing in the rig we created to test charging cord durability. That’s the equivalent of more than six years’ worth of use, according to our estimates.

If you are strict about using non-acetone formulas, this one from Mineral Fusion was at the top of our list. Although it didn’t place first, second, or third in fastest removal speed among the three nail polishes we used, it removed polish in respectable time frames. More importantly, it provided a dry finish to nails and cuticles without being too drying, and it didn’t leave an oily film, unlike many non-acetone polish removers, making it a great choice for those who aren’t fans of essential oils.

The Gillette Venus was a clear winner in our evaluations of the best razors. The silver handle is pleasantly weighted, and it has a grippy spot for your thumb that makes it easier to hold in the shower, and the razor head has a large lubricating strip. Since the head is so bulky, you may need to angle it carefully while shaving difficult areas, such as the hollow of an underarm or an ankle. 

Detangling brushes save not only time but also effort when tackling knots or an unruly mane. And for me, the FHI Heat Unbrush is the one to beat. It earned the distinction of being the best for curly hair in our evaluations of the best detangling brushes, and our testers liked its lightweight feel. I personally switched to it because my old brush had those beads at the end of the bristles, and they were snagging in my hair and ripping out my extensions. The Unbrush has smooth bristles, so it glides through my hair so smoothly and detangles without catching my extensions. It’s available in a variety of colors at different prices, but this is the lowest price you’ll find.

If you prefer spray sunscreens, this one from Neutrogena is a great option, and it’s on sale now so you can stock up for your next vacation. Of all the spray sunscreens we’ve tested, this rates among the best. It’s very good in overall performance across the board with excellent UVA protection and very good protection from sunburn-producing rays. And it ranks highly for people with darker skin tones, too. Testers said they were extremely satisfied because the sunscreen enhanced their skin tone without leaving a white cast.

This spray did a good job at removing static electricity from toddler socks and microfiber cloths, but note that the scent is very strong.

Choosing a soap bar like Nellie’s Dish Butter, which was our top choice for dish soap bars, helps you cut down on plastic waste and still get your dishes, pots, and pans squeaky clean. This one created a nice amount of suds and boasted an herbal scent that we found pleasant and not overpowering.

Although hard to close, these are very sturdy bags, and make a great option for parents with toddlers who have a penchant for throwing their snacks.

Tub O’Towel Heavy-Duty Cleaning Wipes are big enough for heavy-duty cleaning and reusing. Dried-up sweet potato, milk, hot sauce, and rice were no match for these wipes. They were also easy to dispense from the tub.

For a middling price, Finish Powerball Ultimate dishwasher pods deliver above-average results in our tests, with excellent scores in both cleaning dishes and resisting film and mineral deposits. They also ward off water spots. They include scum-fighting enzymes, but no bleach.

Pair this lickable food mat with a delectable treat to keep your kitty content and happily occupied. Mary Beth Quirk, one of CR’s shopping editors, spreads Churu purée treats on the mat with the spatula provided and attaches them to her cat Frannie’s food tray with the suction cups on the bottom. “She’ll spend minutes on end cleaning out every nook and cranny, leaving me to work in peace,” she says. 

This is a great, budget-friendly option if you’re not sure your pets will adapt from a bowl to a fountain. You can try it out without investing too much (and you can always invest more in an upgrade later on if you want). The Veken water fountain, consisting of five parts, was intuitive for our tester to assemble, and the carbon and foam filter replacements are low-cost as well, at $10 for a four-pack or $24 for 16. It was the noisiest option, but that didn’t deter the tester’s pets. And the flower can be removed for a low-profile bubbler effect rather than a raised fountain.

The Bagail 8Set Packing Cubes won over CR’s evaluator with the sheer number and variety of cubes it offers. In addition to three packing cubes (medium, large, and extra large) that have mesh on the top panels to help you identify the contents inside quickly, it also comes with two zipper bags, a cosmetics bag, a shoe bag, and a drawstring bag that you can use to separate your dirty laundry. The extra organizational features were ultimately what gained Bagail the edge over the other packing cubes CR tried.

There are 14 different color options, but not every variation is on sale for as low as the price highlighted.