The 17 Most Popular Products Our Readers Shopped This Year
Our list mostly includes home essentials and popular gifts — and they all cost under $50.
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In the Readers' Faves edition of What's In My Cart, we reveal the top products our readers can't stop buying right now, selected from our editors' latest gift recs, trending new launches and the best products tested by Good Housekeeping Institute experts.
Over the course of 2024, I have written several installations of Good Housekeeping readers' most beloved products in a month. This time, instead of rounding up what you have been shopping in the last 30 days, this What's In My Cart reflects back on the entire year. This year's list includes several home essentials, and we spotted recurring favorites, like the Maelstrom Travel Backpack that claimed a top spot month after month, as well as timeless picks we think readers may continue buying in 2025, like the Oral-B Pro 1000 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush.
Several of the 17 reader favorites below overlap with our Lab pros' personal favorite products of 2024, and lots of them also happen to be top picks that stood out in Lab testing. From everyday home essentials to popular gifts, here are your most-shopped items in 2024.
What it is: While TikTok was first obsessed with the Maelstrom Travel Backpack, GH readers soon followed and never looked back. It qualifies as a personal item and even comes with a detachable crossbody bag for smaller travel essentials like your passport and phone. Frequent travelers will appreciate its shoe compartment, padded laptop sleeve, side pocket for a water bottle, internal zippered pockets and more — all for less than $50.
Why we love it: The backpack is budget-friendly but doesn’t lack organizational features. It does a good job of keeping everything compact and in order.
RELATED: The Best Amazon Travel Items
What it is: This affordable garment steamer is a helpful laundry gadget to have nearby when you need to get wrinkles out fast. It is an Amazon best seller and is ready to operate in just 40 seconds. The steamer features a built-in stand, five settings and a 3-in-1 attachment so you can smooth out a variety of fabrics.
Why we love it: This budget-buy pick acts as a steamer and iron in one and is designed to smooth wrinkles in 20 minutes, per the brand. Our Lab pros love it so much, that it holds a Good Housekeeping Seal.
RELATED: What is the difference between a clothes steamer and an iron?
What it is: Both Textiles Lab experts and consumer testers were impressed with these affordable cotton sheets that felt smooth and crisp. They were comfortable to sleep on and performed well in our durability evaluations, showing no pills or shrinkage.
Why we love it: These under $50 sheets held their own in Lab tests, outperforming more expensive styles. They also have almost 82,000 online reviews.
RELATED: The Best Cotton Sheets
What it is: Available in 10 solid colors, this trendy belt bag is quintessential for everyday errands and long walks with your furry friend. It is both stylish and practical, with an adjustable strap and interior pockets to help keep essentials organized. You can find it on sale throughout the year, but even at full price, it isn't super expensive at just under $40.
Why we love it: Our best overall belt bag, the Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag is a hot commodity among readers and GH staffers. Our Lab pros found that the quality lasts you through a few years; plus, the extendable strap gives you a more comfortable fit.
RELATED: The Best Belt Bags
What it is: Our best overall pick for electric toothbrushes, this Oral-B model is easy to use, lightweight and gentle on the teeth.
Why we love it: Not only is it an Amazon's Choice item with over 54,000 online reviews, but it aced our teeth cleaning evaluations. Lab experts appreciated it's two-minute timer, rotating head to help with plaque removal and pressure sensor to prevent over-brushing.
RELATED: The Best Electric Toothbrushes
What it is: A neon sign meant for room decor. It's a popular gift pick that lets you customize the name, font, color and shape of this neon sign — as well as add emojis. It features LED lighting and can arrive in about one week, according to the brand.
Why we love it: The cost of this neon sign is pretty affordable compared to other brands, plus it ships quickly. We like that it comes with a remote control to operate the light, and reviewers say it shines bright.
What it is: A top-tested pitcher that delivers filtered water quickly.
Why we love it: This one from Brita is certified to capture over 30 contaminants and filtered one cup of water in just 38 seconds.
RELATED: The Best Water Filters
What it is: A lighter, all-season comforter that feels soft to the touch. It's made with down alternative fill, but reviewers say it feels luxe.
Why we love it: It's consistent best value pick in multiple bedding guides. The comforter has an impressive 132,000 online Amazon reviews (and counting) and is available in eight sizes plus six neutral colors.
RELATED: The Best Comforters on Amazon
What it is: Our best overall pillowcase that received top scores for comfort and smoothness and even holds the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. This pillowcase is made from mulberry silk that has a substantial 25 momme weight.
Why we love it: While cheaper than other silk pillowcases available on the market, our experts were particularly impressed with the pillowcase's durability and moisture-wicking capabilities.
RELATED: The Best Silk Pillowcases
What it is: Come winter birthdays or the holiday season, the Orastone Rechargeable Hand Warmer is a go-to present the giftee will appreciate. It only takes two minutes to warm up and can provide up to four hours of warmth.
Why we love it: This compact hand warmer has more than 5,000 online Amazon reviews and is a popular gift for her. We like that it's slim and easy to hold.
What it is: This reader-favorite insect trap attracts insects via blue and UV light. Bugs will find themselves stuck onto a sticky adhesive, and all you have to do is refill the cartridges.
Why we love it: This is a staffer favorite that has helped staffers through brutal summers. We especially appreciate that you never have to touch the adhesive to dispose.
What it is: A popular gift for toddlers, this unique toy lets kids truly run with their blossoming imaginations. They can use the bilibo as a spinning seat, stepping stone, turtle shell or hero mask — to name just a few possibilities.
Why we love it: The Amazon's Choice toy is extremely versatile and encourages creative play for ages two through four.
What it is: Use it both as a conventional pen as well as a fidget toy that you can take apart, twist and bend. You can also have fun creating different shapes, sculptures, monsters and robots!
Why we love it: This fidget pen is practical and great for restless fingers. It found a spot in our best overall gift guide for kids.
What it is: It's all the rage again to deck out notebooks and journals with cute stickers, and this ink-less printer lets you do just that — all for under $50. Connect it to your Android or iOS device and use the brand's app to design personalized stickers.
Why we love it: This Amazon's Choice sticker pocket printer is the perfect gift for the kiddo who loves art, or even a student who wants to print their study notes.
RELATED: Best Art Gift Ideas for Kids
What it is: Snuggle up in this stylish duo that features wide leg sweats and a half-zip sweatshirt, available in over three dozen colors.
Why we love it: Even though it is significantly less expensive than other sets, this two-piece still feels high-quality and has 5k Amazon reviews.
What it is: An at-home hair color solution that delivers long-lasting, rich and even results.
Why we love it: In Lab tests, this product provided the most uniform and truest hair color. Our consumer testers also reported that it lasted longer than other formulas. Plus, it was the easiest to apply and contains nourishing oils like jojoba and coconut oil.
RELATED: 15 Best At-Home Hair Color Products, Tested by Experts
What it is: These $25 leggings have over 50,000 Amazon reviews and also happened to outperform more expensive styles in our testing. We found that the polyester/spandex fabric laundered well and maintained its shape after going through our stretch recovery tests. The side pockets are ideal for storing your phone or earbud case while on a run.
Why we love it: These high-waisted leggings don't roll down while working out. Plus, they look and feel great and cost a fraction of what competitor leggings would cost.
RELATED: The Best Leggings on Amazon
Shop Our Readers' Favorite Products from Each Month
If you want to jump back in time and see what has been in Good Housekeeping readers' carts in previous months, those shopping guides are in one place for you to check out, below.
- Readers' Favorite Products of March 2024
- Readers' Favorite Products of May 2024
- Readers' Favorite Products of June 2024
- Readers' Favorite Products of July 2024
- Readers' Favorite Products of August 2024
- Readers' Favorite Products of September 2024
- Readers' Favorite Products of October 2024
- Readers' Favorite Products of November 2024
Elizabeth Berry (she/her) is the Updates Editor at the Good Housekeeping Institute where she optimizes lifestyle content across verticals. Prior to this role, she was an Editorial Assistant for Woman’s Day where she covered everything from gift guides to recipes. She also has experience fact checking commerce articles and holds a B.A. in English and Italian Studies from Connecticut College.
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