5 Amazon Buys I Didn’t Expect to Love – But Now I Swear By
There’s nothing worse than reading product recommendations from someone who clearly has no real interest in what they’re writing about or worse, when it’s obvious they’re only doing it because it’s part of their job. It always feels a bit disingenuous to me.
So, I wanted to keep it real.
In this post, I’m sharing a handful of products I bought with low expectations, things I didn’t think much of at the time, or just hoped would do the job. But every one of them has earned a permanent place in my daily life and now I find that I can't do without them.
Who Am I to be Giving Recommendations
I run a small business built around woodturning but that’s just the beginning. My work also includes teaching one-on-one tuition, running tourist experiences here in Tralee, retailing tools and products I use myself, supplying craft materials, and producing my own range of handmade woodcraft.
Lately, I’ve added something new (or rather, revisited something old): writing blog posts again with fresh energy and purpose. I have used all the products in this post and as I am getting into the swing of Blogging I thought I would stretch my verbal legs and tell you why I wouldn't part with any of them. I have been an avid online shopper since I got my first credit card so I've plenty of experience to draw on. My hope is that you read all 5 recommendations fully, you might find your next truly great purchase.
I'm an Amazon Affiliate, want to help me out?
Author Note before you read on: If you find this post helpful and you’re planning to buy on Amazon anyway, you can use one of my Amazon UK or Amazon Ireland affiliate links below. These are blue hyperlinks and clearly labelled.
As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. It’s a simple way to support my blog/ business and help cover the time I spend researching and writing posts like this.
If you’d prefer not to shop through Amazon but still want to show your support, you can always Buy Me a Coffee below instead. Every bit helps keep the business going.
Revitive Circulation Booster – Still Going Strong
This was one of the riskiest purchases I’ve made in recent years. At nearly €400, it scared the life out of me, especially when I saw cheaper circulation boosters on Amazon going for a third of the price. I spent days reading reviews, medical claims, and user experiences before deciding it was worth the gamble.
To my surprise, it absolutely delivered. I was so impressed with how it helped my Peripheral Neuropathy symptoms (numbness, pin & needles, dull & sharp pains) that I ended up writing a full blog post about it. I have since split that post into three parts to make it easier to read. You can read the first Part of 3 posts if you'd like here, Peripheral Neuropathy Pain Relief with Revitive: My Experience.
In the beginning, I had no intention of becoming an Amazon Affiliate, I just wanted to help others in the same boat and maybe cheekily draw new people in to my website if I'm being honest. But when I saw how many people were reading the post, and realised I’d spent the better part of a week researching and writing it, I figured I might as well add affiliate links and see if I could help support my small business.
Fast forward almost two years, and my Revitive is still going strong. I try to use it every day (with the best of intentions), but realistically I might manage four to five sessions a week. Ideally, you'd try to use it daily at the highest setting you can comfortably tolerate for best results.
What I’ve Personally Noticed Using the Revitive:
- Improved muscle tone in feet and calves - especially after regular use over a few days.
- Less nighttime foot pain or tingling - helps calm things down after a long day on your feet.
- Better circulation and warmth after - feet feel less “cold and dead” as I once described it.
- Gentle stimulation without side effects - no meds involved, no discomfort during use.
- Passive use - I can sit and let it work while watching TV or doing admin work.
- Long lifespan - mine still works like new nearly two years later.
Buy Revitive Circulation Booster on Amazon UK. Buy Revitive Circulation Booster on Amazon Ireland.
Affiliate link – I may earn a small commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you.
Solar Garden Lights – Small Spend, Big Glow-Up
I wasn’t expecting much for the price of around €26, but now the garden lights up like a little runway from dusk and beyond. I'm not into gardening at all but I must say, the sight of these little lights illuminating small areas of the garden is surprisingly impressive.
We’ve tried several types of solar lights in the past, and these have outlasted all of them. Nearly two years on, they’re still going strong. Maybe the technology has improved, who knows…
They were simple to assemble, and installation was as easy as pushing them into soft ground. We liked them so much we ended up buying four sets to spread around the garden.
Note: One light didn’t work out of the box, but we had enough spares. It wasn’t worth the hassle of complaining to Amazon.
They seem to have held out very well in Irish weather and as we are about a mile from the coast through open fields, that says a lot. They would make a great gift or quick garden upgrade.
Tip: Want to install them in a bush or shrub?
Here’s a trick:
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Get a piece of plumber’s pipe that matches the light’s diameter
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Drive the pipe into the ground just below the top of the bush
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Push the solar light into the pipe
The light will sit higher, throw light further out, and look much more dramatic.
Buy 8 Pack Solar Lights on Amazon UK. Buy Alternate 8 Pack Solar Lights on Amazon Ireland.
Affiliate link – I may earn a small commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you.
Magnetic Mounting Cups – Tiny but Mighty in the Workshop
I’ll admit it, I originally bought these because I’m a sucker for gimmicks. I wanted something I could hang off my machines for quick storage, and these looked like a handy option.
When the first set arrived, I was fully expecting cheap, flimsy junk. But to my surprise, the quality was excellent and the magnet was unbelievably strong, much stronger than I expected for the price.
I now use them mostly to hold my Intrinsic colour bottles in place so they don’t tip over mid-project. They’re also brilliant for storing sprays, polishes, and to my own amusement - even the occasional drink.
These little cups aren’t just for the workshop, either. They’d be just as handy in the kitchen, shed, camper van, or anywhere you’ve got a metal surface. If it’s magnetic, it has a home.
And yes… in true “gadget addiction” fashion, I now own about 20 of them. No regrets, I swear.
Buy Magnetic Cups now on Amazon UK. Buy Magnetic Cups now on Amazon Ireland.
Affiliate link – I may earn a small commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you.
Baby Monitor as Budget CCTV – Smart Hack for the Home
Let’s get this out of the way first: this wasn’t bought for a baby. I needed a way to keep an eye on the front gate - mainly for spotting customers and delivery drivers - but I also needed something mobile that could move around with me.
I’d looked into CCTV systems many times before, but the prices and setup complexity gave me a headache. Then one day while browsing Amazon, I spotted a baby monitor with a built-in screen and thought, “There’s no way that’ll actually work.” I took the plunge and hoped for the best.
What arrived genuinely surprised me. It was incredibly easy to set up, and within seconds, I had a live view of the front gate from inside my workspace.
No, it’s not broadcasting in crystal-clear 1080p, 720p might be more accurate. The image quality is fine for general use, spotting movement etc. It occasionally jumps or lags depending on how far I am from the camera, and it definitely doesn’t work inside my steel shed (which is basically a Faraday cage). But even then, I just hang the monitor from the door and check it when needed.
You can also pan the camera left and right, up and down remotely which is another excellent feature.
For the price? It works brilliantly. An affordable, plug-and-play solution I didn’t expect to love and now wouldn’t be without. Oh, and you can also use it as a baby monitor lol.
Buy Hellobaby Monitor on Amazon UK. Buy Hellobaby Monitor on Amazon Ireland.
Affiliate link – I may earn a small commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you.
Fire TV Device – Fast, Reliable, and Better Than Android Boxes
I used to be a long-time fan of Android boxes but after a few months, they always went the same way: slow, buggy, and just generally painful to use. Eventually out of a lack of decent Android options, I decided to take a chance and bought the most expensive Amazon streaming device at the time: the Fire TV Cube. It turned out to be utterly fantastic.
The voice command feature is a great addition, though, to be fair, Alexa still misunderstands me now and again or just pretends not to hear me. Honestly, I think she’s programmed to be annoying once in a while… probably a coder having a bit of fun at customer expense. (He laughed out loud.)
I liked the Cube so much that I replaced my bedroom Android box with a Fire TV Stick, smaller, cleaner, and just as reliable. Another solid decision.
Both devices have - I believe - saved me money in the long run. I used to replace Android boxes every couple of years, but my Amazon devices are now going on five years with barely a glitch. They’ve been incredibly stable, with the Fire TV Stick having maybe one or two minor hiccups in all that time.
I’ve also sideloaded extra apps on both with no trouble, giving me tons of entertainment options without the mess of unreliable hardware.
For now, they seem to only be available through Amazon UK, but if you’ve switched to an Irish account, you can still order them using your old UK login.
Buy Fire TV Cube on Amazon UK. Buy the International Firestick Version here.
Affiliate link – I may earn a small commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you.
Time to Wrap it all Up
If I’m going to take a recommendation seriously, it needs to come from someone who actually uses the product - not someone ticking boxes or writing from a script. Every item in this post is something I’ve bought, tested over time, and still use today with minimal fuss and no regrets.
These aren’t just recommendations - they’re tools, gadgets, and little wins that have genuinely made life easier, more comfortable, or just more enjoyable for me. If you’re in the market for a few no-nonsense, handy bits of kit, I’d happily suggest giving one or two of these a try.
Hopefully, they’ll surprise you in the same way they surprised me.
Thanks for Reading, David
Have you tried any of these? Got your own favourite product that surprised you? Let me know in the comments below.
More Titles for You to Read:
Clever Home & Kitchen Finds on Amazon That Just Make Life Easier
Game-Changing Amazon Tech and Accessories for Everyday Use
Smart Amazon Health & Fitness Products That Actually Help
Useful Amazon Tools and Gadgets Every Maker or Handyman Should Have
💬 Blogger-Specific Ending Note
This is a brand new post for Blogger. If you like this kind of content, check out some of my other posts — and thanks for reading!
🔗 Want more? If you want, you can check out my main website over at David Condon Woodcraft where I conduct most of my business.
If this post saved you time, pain, or pointless Googling — feel free to buy me a coffee! It helps keep the lights on in my little craft-filled corner of the world.
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