10 Un-Glamorous But Very Practical Amazon Finds I Bought

10 things that have made life better/easier here at the cabin!
10 practical amazon finds including windex outdoor window spray, powdered buttermilk, a cast iron grill pan, cute electric kettle, new cookbooks, and an instant pot that air fries!

Living in the middle of nowhere means that it can often be hard to get my hands on things that we need or want without a multi-hour excursion to town. Because of that, shopping on Amazon makes sense for our household. I know that it isn’t for everyone, but to me shopping on Amazon is a personal choice. I typically use the online store for practical, not-so-glamorous house items. So today, I wanted to share 10 of the practical Amazon finds I’ve ordered recently and highly recommend!

10 Amazon Finds I Bought Recently & Recommend

Victorinox Fibrox Pro Knife, 8-Inch

My favorite chef’s knife had an untimely incident a few months ago where the handle completely separated from the blade! It couldn’t be fixed, so I picked up this one at the recommendation of Cook’s Illustrated. Given the affordability, it’s been great!

ASCOT Stainless Steel Electric Tea Kettle

We are on a quest to reduce our usage of propane as much as possible because it’s gotten to be very expensive. Because of that, I’ve been adding a few key kitchen appliances to our collection including this electric kettle. It heats up water really quickly and keeps it warm for so long! I feel like it will really come in handy during the winter months when I want to drink hot tea all day.

Instant Pot Duo Crisp 11-in-1 Air Fryer and Electric Pressure Cooker Combo

Speaking of kitchen appliances… I finally did it. I got an Instant Pot. There is so much produce to preserve from the garden that I decided it was time. I’m excited to use this bad boy to make tomato sauce, stock and all kind of stuff! Plus, this one will replace our air fryer and can double as an oven that can run off our generator when the power goes out. I’m stoked.

Post-it Notes Limited Edition Super Sticky Color Collection

I’m obsessed with Post-it notes and have them all around the houses to remind me of everything. It’s the only way I can function sometimes with my ADHD! This array of colors was just too good to pass up.

Freeze Fresh: The Ultimate Guide to Preserving 55 Fruits and Vegetables for Maximum Flavor and Versatility

My friend Becca recommended this book to help me deal with all of the veggies I’ve been growing this summer. Not only are the photos gorgeous, I’ve learned SO much including the best way to preserve produce in the freezer. Cuz you know I love living that chest freezer life out here!

Lodge 12″ Cast Iron Dual Handle Grill Basket

When my friend Kristin posted this to her Instagram, I knew I needed one. All summer, I’ve been dodging dogs and carrying my beloved antique cast iron pan through the house while it was piping hot from using it on the grill… no more of that please!

Windex Outdoor Glass & Patio Concentrated Cleaner

Andy recently cleaned all of our ground-level windows, but I wouldn’t let him get up on the ladder to do the upper story. So I bought these sprays which connect to our hose. It’s so nice to have such clear windows now!

Grains for Every Season: Rethinking Our Way with Grains

I am definitely more of a cookbook person than an online recipe person. I just love the ritual of perusing them and looking for new dishes to try. I swear that this practice has helped me be a better home cook! This is the newest addition to my collection and I’m excited to try more of the fall-oriented recipes soon.

Anthony’s Premium Buttermilk Powder

Super random, but have you ever needed buttermilk for a recipe and didn’t have it on hand? That happens to me often and it’s not like I can exactly run out to the store to pick it up quickly! Our pantry is now stocked with this powdered version and it’s made life a lot easier.

Happierly Push Pop Fidget Toy

I have a bad habit of picking at my cuticles because I can get very fidgety. This pop it toy gives my hands something to do to avoid this behavior. Plus, it’s a cute shade of green which was surprisingly hard to find. Most of the ones I looked at were rainbow colored and in the shape of popsicles and unicorns!

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Leave a comment and let me know if you want me to keep doing round ups of the Amazon finds I score!

Behind The Blog

Joanna Hawley-McBride is a Pacific Northwest-based social media strategist, content creator, and former textile designer. Joanna is the founder and editor-in-chief of Jojotastic, a lifestyle blog focused on Joanna’s work-in-progress cabin, finding the best pair of underwear through #UnderwearThesis, and empowering women to explore nature — all in her signature unfiltered style. Her work has been featured in Domino, CNBC, and Eating Well.

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4 Comments

  1. 9.11.22
    Jenn said:

    Yes please! Especially functional and affordable. 😉

  2. 9.2.22
    sara said:

    ok have to get the buttermilk powder! having buttermilk on hand at all times is impractical, this is genius

    • 9.14.22
      Joanna said:

      right??? Couldn’t agree more!