21 Things Under $15 That Every Grown-Ass Adult Should Own

I cannot recommend owning a clothes steamer enough. Not only are they great for delicate items, they can also be used on your curtains and bedding, if you really want to get everything in your home smoothed the hell out. This one heats up in under a minute, which is definitely less time than it takes me to set up an ironing board (why is it so hard???) and find the heat setting on the iron that won't melt a hole in my belongings.

Get it from Amazon for $14.99.

I bought my first hot glue gun before my sister's baby shower, after decideding to add some wooden letters to the front of her guest book. As I purchased it, I kind of assumed it would be a single-use kind of thing that would end up in a drawer with other crafty things I used once and got bored of (read: adult coloring books, a calligraphy pen set, and watercolor paints), but it didn't. Instead, my hot glue gun is constantly being called back into action to fix things I previously would have thrown out, and to tackle DIY projects I never would have considered attempting before becoming a HGGO aka hot glue gun owner.

Get it from Amazon for $11.99.

There are many benefits of having ice cubes in your freezer, but they can essentially be broken down into two equally-important categories: cooling drinks, and soothing aches and pains. Most of us have at least one ice tray, but I've found that often these are cracked and quite frankly, a bit gross. This tray makes big cubes that are great for cocktails, in silicone that makes them easy to break free — an important feature in a hangover headache emergency.

Get a set of two trays from Amazon for $10.97.

I don't think I truly understood the power of a good role of duct tape until I entered the vortex of Gorilla Tape reviews on Amazon. This tape helped someone recover their phone, which they'd dropped down a storm drain. I know!!! Basically, they attached some of the tape — sticky-side out — to the end of a long stick, poked in inside the drain, and attached it to their lost phone. Honestly, if that story isn't reason enough to have a roll of this stuff laying around the house, I just can't imagine what could be.

Get two rolls from Amazon for $8.62.

There's nobody on this goddamn planet who can avoid falling victim to a lost button at some point. Without a trusty sewing kit, the items of clothing with said lost button are either thrown to the back of the closet never to be worn again OR they're worn again, many times, missing a button. But it doesn't have to be this way! Re-attaching a button or mending a small tear is actually a lot easier than you think it would be, as long as you have the right tools to do it.

Get it from Amazon for $6.99.

I know, I know, talking about plungers isn't very exciting but like a lot of things to do with being an true adult, it's a necessary bore. Having one is both a gift to your houseguests, and to yourself. On Amazon, 76% of reviewers gave this plunger five stars, most noting the "four step suction cup" design that allows this bad boy to be used in almost any kind of drain opening. (Including a hopelessly clogged kitchen sink — yes, it really works!)

Get it from Amazon for $13.99.

Whether it's from a candle, curling iron, or stove top mistake, fires do happen. Keeping an extinguisher in an place that's easy to access, and isn't likely to be blocked by a stove fire, is just a smart idea.

Get it from Amazon for $13.79.

OK, OK, I know that I'm showing my true not-American colors here, but every home needs an electric kettle. Sure, you can heat water in the microwave or on the stove, but why anyone would do that by choice is honestly beyond me. The great thing about a kettle is that you don't need to worry about it boiling over like you do when heating water on the stove, and you don't need to worry about timing it right, like in the microwave. It's such a good feeling to come home, flick the kettle on, and walk away, knowing that when — and only when — your water is perfectly boiled, the kettle will switch off.

Get it from Amazon for $13.30.

Owning a reusable, good quality drink bottle is, in general, a great idea because plastic is bad and drinking a lot of water is good. That said, getting into the routine of carrying water can be tough, especially when you're used to just stopping into a convenience store to grab a bottle if you're out and about and feel a little thirsty. I overcame this bad habit by buying a water bottle I loved, and was excited about using. Even once I overcame the initial thrill (yes, thrill), I'd still kicked the habit of buying water, saving a lot of money and wasted plastic.

Get this one from Amazon for $14.99.

I got my first skillet before a camping trip earlier this year and had no idea how attached to it I'd become. The cast iron skillet is like the pan that can do anything — it can be put over a fire, on a barbecue, or used on your regular at-home stove. This one here has over 1,000 reviews and a 4.5-star rating, so you know it's gonna be good.

Get it from Amazon for $14.97.

For years, my excuse for sleeping with my phone by my pillow was that I needed it to wake me up in the morning. And sure, I did use the alarm function, but having it there also meant that I would start each day with a "quick scroll" through Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook — that always lasted way longer than planned. Choosing a clock without a harsh backlight or ticking sounds was super important to me when shopping, and this one checks all the boxes.

Get it from Amazon for $14.69.