24 Products Reviewers Swear “Work Better” Than The Pricier Version

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.

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1. A Simple Modern tumbler many reviewers love more than the viral Stanley cup (which is also more expensive). Not only is this cup super minimalist and pretty, but it also has double-wall insulation and a leak-resistant straw, and will help keep you hydrated all day long.

Promising review: “I love Simple Modern so much. I love it! It’s great. I love this tumbler so much. I very much prefer it over a Stanley and think that it works better.” —Genevieve K.

Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in 31 colors). Also available in a style without the handle!

2. Elizavecca’s CER-100 Collagen Coating Hair Protein treatment made with soy protein, allantoin, and ceramide 3. It works like a mask to revive your dry hair and give your strands the boost they need after you’ve used too much heat on them. Many reviewers say this is even better than the pricey Olaplex No.3 everyone won’t stop talking about. 

Bek O’Connell / BuzzFeed

It’s recommended for use on damaged, over-processed hair of all textures.

Promising review: “This stuff works better than Olaplex. It leaves my hair feeling super smooth and smells very nice. I recommend doing this treatment every other week to prevent any possible product buildup and to keep your hair healthy and light.” —kayla

Get it from Amazon for $6.77.

And read our full review of Elizavecca’s Hair Protein Treatment.

3. A set of makeup sponges that cost a fraction of all the other well-known brands on the market. And reviewers confirm these sponges hold up and work better than Beauty Blender and Real Technique ones. They work overtime to give you expert-level blending and coverage when applying foundation, BB cream, powder, and even concealer. Pro tip: try using them while wet for even smoother coverage.

Promising review: “Don’t hesitate, just buy these. I was using the Real Technique sponges for years, and I bought these on a whim after seeing several TikToks praising these. I love these sponges and the price. I apply liquid foundation with a damp sponge, and these work better than Real Techniques. They are dense but soft and ‘bouncy.’ I wash mine between each use, and these hold up very well and are much better than the RT. I’m very happy with my purchase and the price. I will definitely continue to buy.” —chris

Get a set of five from Amazon for $6.99+ (available in eight color combinations).

4. A teeth-whitening pen because you can only call them your “pearly whites” if they’re actually white… This pen will be a simple way to help remove discoloration. Each one can be used around 20 times and can lighten your teeth four to eight shades with consecutive use for a fraction of the cost of favorite Crest Whitestrips. 

Promising reviews: “Throw your expensive Crest Whitestrips away! Being the son of a dental hygienist, clean bright white teeth have always been important to me. Though I had my reservations about the whitening pen, it certainly didn’t disappoint and works far better than the Whitestrips I’ve been using for the last several years, not to mention it’s a much better deal for your money. I’m a total coffee connoisseur, which has always made having a bright white smile all the more challenging, but the Pen is giving me the upper hand.” —Franknsd

“We like these better than Crest Whitestrips and for a fraction of the price! The Crest Whitestrips make my teeth way too sensitive, these work JUST AS WELL and no tooth sensitivity.” —Travis Sheveland

Get a two-pack from Amazon for $18.95.

5. Hero Cosmetics Rescue Balm + Red Correct designed to help neutralize any redness on your face while the ingredients actually work together to help reduce the overall appearance of the dark spots. It’s light enough that you can wear it on its own so you can skip the foundation *and* also skip on purchasing the popular (and pricey) Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Color-Correcting Treatment people love.

This is probably my favorite Hero product at the moment. Because I deal with hormonal acne, I also deal with some scaring and dark spots, and this has become my new go-to for everyday wear. It really does neutralize the redness. I was shocked the first time I tried it. With this, I felt like I didn’t even need concealer to cover any spots on my face. The formula is super lightweight and feels great on my skin, which is why I think it works better than the popular Dr. Jart+ version. I wear it almost every day now, and I have noticed that many of the spots to seem a bit lighter. I will probably always keep this in my skincare cabinet from now on.

Promising review: “I’ve been an avid Dr. Jart+ user for years, but this color-correcting balm is sooooo much better! The formula is creamy and melts into the skin rather than lying on the surface. It gives a very natural color — you don’t need to wear foundation with this cream, PLUS it lasts all day. It doesn’t wear off or get patchy like other products I’ve tried. I love this product so much, I’ve sent it to friends.” —Jenny G

Get it from Amazon for $29.99. 

6. Wireless Bluetooth earbuds that have reviewers reevaluating if they even need to shell out their hard-earned money for AirPods because these are better but at a fraction of the cost. Plus, these are completely waterproof, so you can actually take them for a swim without fear you’ll ruin them. The earbuds come in a wireless charging case with up to 14 hours of charge. The earbuds themselves can play for up to four hours on a full charge. You also get different sized silicon tips to make sure these fit your ear perfectly. 

Promising review: “Best headphones ever. I originally bought these to hold me over until my AirPods were replaced, and they exceeded my expectations. They hold a really good charge, stay in your ear, and calls come through crystal clear. They honestly work better than my AirPod Pros. 10/10 would recommend.” —britt

Get it from Amazon $23.99+ (available in five colors).

7. E.l.f.’s Poreless Putty Primer made to be lightweight so you barely feel it when you apply it before the rest of your makeup. But it will make a big difference in ensuring your foundation goes on even and smooth and stays in place all day long. Reviewers are ditching their Urban Decay primer for this one!

Promising review: “Okay, so first nothing will make you ‘poreless,’ but this stuff is amazing. It helps even out fine lines and helps with super porous areas; my T-zone [has really visible] pores and this definitely gave me a boost in confidence. I would highly recommend. Especially to those not too familiar with makeup; this is a game changer. Honestly, it works better than my $30+ primer from Urban Decay and lasts all day. I am oily, so I usually blot some powder on later in the day, but if you have dry skin this could be the ultimate game changer!” —Olivia

Get it from Amazon for $9 (available in four colors).

8. Peach Slices acne spot dots you just want to have on hand if you have acne-prone skin. Then when a pimple ~pops~ up, you can place a dot on it, and it will work to help suck out all the gunk as your sleep. You’ll wake up with a flatter less red zit. And your wallet will be thanking you because you didn’t have to buy the pricier Starface ones all the influencers wear.

Peach Slices is part of Peach & Lily, which is an Asian woman-owned small business that specializes in Korean skincare products made of natural and toxin-free ingredients. 

Promising review: “These really work! Better than Starface for sure, especially with the affordable price. Will be buying this again.” —Works so well!

Get a pack of 30 from Amazon for $4.88 (also available in a pack of 60).

9. A milk frother to transform your boring old coffee into something straight out of a coffee shop. There’s no need to invest in the Nespresso Aeroccino when this will ~whip~ up milk even better. Get ready for a frothy and delicious coffee every morning.

Promising reviews: “I was worried it wouldn’t work well, since we got it pretty cheap on sale, but it works so well, better then our Nespresso frother!” —Janelle

“A MUST-have. All of my friends and family had this so naturally I had to get one and I am obsessed. Makes every homemade coffee taste like you went out and bought one. Very affordable and worth every penny. I love that is comes with a cute holder for it.” —Kayla Dillinger

Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in 50 colors).

10. A bottle of Nyx setting spray you can spritz on after doing your makeup in the morning and not have to worry about applying again. You’ll look and feel great all day long and won’t have to pay a pretty penny for Urban Decay’s version.

Promising review: “This spray is great, and in my opinion works even better than Urban Decay’s finishing spray. I have combination skin, so I was worried that it might make my face look greasy, but it never has.” —Lana

Get it from Amazon for $9.26.

11. Some magic cleaning pads designed to get rid of tough stains, grime, and dirt with only a touch of elbow grease to make it work. Almost 400 reviewers confirm they are ditching the name-brand Mr. Clean Magic Eraser for this affordable version. 

Promising reviews: “These are the best. Sooo much better than Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Won’t buy those anymore, and these will last me a very long time. I scrubbed and they got everything clean and didn’t break apart!!! Can even reuse if I wanted.” —Miguel Mendez

“I own a cleaning business and have spent a small fortune on the name brand. I clean everything from condo rentals to long-term lease/residential rentals and I have had to clean unimaginable NASTY, I mean ‘pics or it didn’t happen’ kind of nasty, and these cut right through it. These work just as well as the name brand, if not better, and they seem to last a little longer!” —Keisha Marie

Get a pack of 20 from Amazon for $14.95.

12. Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer with a sponge on the end, meaning you can swipe it under your eyes in seconds — nobody will know that you couldn’t fall asleep for hours last night. And as a bonus — you can ditch your “designer” concealer for good.

13. A K-beauty snail mucin essence here to help repair and rejuvenate your skin even more than the lavish SK-II essence does. This cult-favorite product has more than 55,200 5-star ratings, with reviewers raving about how it helps reduce dullness and soothe dehydrated skin, even for people with oily skin.

Promising reviews: “I have bought and repurchased this already a few times. I replaced my SK-II, which is expensive, with this, and it works even better. It’s a staple in my skincare and will be from here on out. My skin looks amazing. I would use a facial spray before you use this to help it absorb and glide over your skin, but, honestly, my skin loves it as much as I do!! Anyone who tries it won’t regret it, that is for sure. If you love SK-II,  then you’ll definitely love this.” —Brooke & Jason Wood

“This stuff is incredible. I have suffered from minor acne for almost two years and I finally realized the products I was using were far too harsh for my dry, sensitive skin. After using gentle products and eventually moving onto K beauty, I found this to lighten all the scarring from the years of picking at my breakouts. My scarring is still a bit noticeable but it was gotten tremendously better thanks to this product and this product alone.” —Marc

Get it from Amazon for $17.

14. L’Oreal Paris Elvive 8 Second Wonder Water here to help reverse damage to your hair in eight seconds. Yes, you read that right. It only takes eight seconds. It’ll basically make you feel like you have soft and shiny Disney Princess hair when you get out of the shower. And you won’t be paying Disney-level pricing for another hair mask…

It’s recommended to use this product on the ends of your hair (be careful to avoid your scalp) two to three times per week on wet hair after you shampoo. You should use one dose if you have fine to medium-textured hair, two to three if you have thick to curly-textured hair, and add one extra dose if you have long hair. 

Promising Reviews: “I used this tonight for the first time and purposely did not use any styling products to see what the difference was. I have wavy 2b hair, and wow! this stuff is great! It looks like I used a frizz serum. I got some IGK mask, and this works better than that. I love the packaging and it is very easy to apply.” —Robyn in CA

“I don’t usually do reviews on products, but for this one, I absolutely have to. I have 3c-type hair and struggle with a lot of breakage, unmanageability, and moisture. When my mom mentioned this product to me I didn’t take her seriously because of the simple fact that we have two completely different hair textures. I never would’ve thought this brand would work on my hair. I have never in my 22 years felt my hair like this. I feel like I have a completely different head of hair. This product is so amazing and I will FOREVER be using this product in my hair regimen.” —Theressa Hailey

Get it from Amazon for $8.97.

15. A set of matte lipsticks about to put every other lipstick you’ve ever tried to shame (just read some of the reviews dragging more expensive brands). This lipstick goes on easy and stays on — even through eating a cupcake *and* a whole night out, as one reviewer confirms.

Promising review: “What can I say, I saw a TikTok about this lipstick, and for $10 had to try it! The reviews are right, for some reason, this lipstick is better than even $20 name-brand ones bought from Ulta. Not only does it smell great, but dries in under a minute and survived eating a cupcake, a Starbucks drink, and an entire evening out, with no smudging, and it had to be removed with a makeup wipe. Fantastic product!!” —Claire

Get a six-piece set from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in three color combinations). 

16. A 6-quart Dutch oven, which may have an eerie resemblance to some other well-known and expensive brands out there — *cough* Le Creuset *cough* Staub *cough* — but this one you can get for $70 or less. This one has the same enamel coating and cast iron, so it’ll evenly distribute heat and lock in moisture, so your meal comes out beautifully (and deliciously) cooked every single time.

Promising reviews: “I have used this several times now using oven heat at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. No chipping of enamel or any other problems. It works as well as the Staub, maybe better with the enamel interior. Considering the low price, this would be my preferred Dutch oven.” —David

“Le Creuset? Don’t know her. I have always wanted one of these enamel covered cast iron beauties, but even from the outlet stores they were expensive. I saw this guy after finding a stew recipe that went from stove to oven, and I got it. I am DELIGHTED with this purchase! I’ve cooked in it several times, including a chili recipe tonight that had to reduce by half. It left a ridiculous ring on the inside, and that sucker wiped right out. I haven’t burned or scorched any of my foods and it’s pretty, too!” —HerRoyalHighness

Get a 6-quart Dutch oven from Amazon for $56.99+ (available in three sizes and nine total colors). 

17. A trio of hydrating lip sleeping masks resembling the uber-popular Laneige lip mask. You can either use them all yourself or even split them up between friends so you can all have soft and moisturized lips.

Promising review: “I have Laneige lip masks, and this product, and I had this product first. I really think this works 10 times better than Laneige because you wake up with it still on your lips, and they are hydrated. It’s also cruelty-free. I will state though, that I think the flavor is a bit weird and needs some work. Other than that, I love it.” —Kassidy Amaryllis

“This is the most moisturizing lip treatment on the market. When my lips started getting dry I was thinking of buying the Laneige lip mask, but it’s soooo expensive. This is a fraction of the cost and feels just the same. Very good product.” —Riya

Get it from Amazon for $9.90 (available in six combos). 

18. A highly pigmented eyeshadow palette that comes with 40 matte, shimmer, and metallic shades, meaning you can essentially ~paint with all the colors of the wind~ when you do your eye makeup. This pallet looks nearly identical to one by makeup star James Charles and is loved by everyone — from makeup newbies to professionals and everyone in between. It’s a great palette at an incredible price for anyone who isn’t afraid of a little color. Go for it!

Promising reviews: “Clearly time I got a new eyeshadow palette. Sargent Freddie Mercury (my not-even-4-pound bunny) made it his mission to destroy my James Chffroarles overpriced palette. This palette is the same quality, maybe even nicer. This eyeshadow was put on at around 3 p.m. and it’s almost 1 a.m., the ‘highlight’ stayed on my nose even with my mask on through a whole day of work. That blew my mind.” —Daniel T Adams

“Best palette I’ve owned and you can’t beat this price! The colors are beautiful and vibrant. They are also extremely pigmented, especially the shimmery colors, and they all seem to blend well. I’m happy to have every color I could ever want in an eyeshadow in the palm of my hands and I’ve been experimenting with colors I’ve never worn before!!” —Mary Diamond

Get it from Amazon for $9.99. 

19. Essence’s Lash Princess mascara to take your lashes to new ~heights~ and make people think you’re wearing falsies, when in fact, all you did was swipe on some mascara. Your lashes will look ah-mazing, and you won’t have to spend more than $5 on a mascara that’s not going to ~stand up~ to this one.
Promising review: “I was skeptical and have only used Better Than Sex by Too Faced for years, but I think this works better! The price point is much better and I’ll be switching.” —Melissa Steele

Get it from Amazon for $4.99.

20. A set of square wine glasses with such a modern and elegant look you may have spotted a similar version the last time you were at Crate and Barrel 👀. Plus, reviewers say these are MORE durable than others. And I can’t guarantee it, but I’m *pretty* sure these glasses will make your $5 bottle of wine taste a littleeeee bit better.

Promising review: “We’ve had four of these glasses for over six months now and finally just added four more to our collection. These glasses are SO CHIC and are very similar to ones sold at Crate & Barrel but are MUCH more durable. Unlike the C&B glasses, you can cheers without feeling like the glasses will break. In fact, they’ve tipped over in the sink a few times and are still intact. They dry beautifully, sparkle after the dishwasher and we get so many compliments on them. I love them!” —Katie B

Get a set of four from Amazon for $37.98 (also available in a set of two)

21. Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Oil made with vitamins E, C, 10, and rosehip oil to help nourish and hydrate skin and leave it with a nicer glow than the spendy Tarte Maracuja Oil.Amazon

Promising review: “I came across this looking for a cheaper replacement for my Tarte Maracuja Oil. I tried a few cheaper maracuja oils, but never any that made my skin look or feel anywhere near as good as this one does. I was a little hesitant as I hate the smell of cocoa butter. This has no cocoa butter smell to me at all. It actually works better than the Tarte oil at a fraction of the price. I can’t see ever being without this product. Definitely one — if not the best — budget-friendly beauty or skincare products I’ve ever tried.” –Jennifer Salley

Get it from Amazon for $10.97.

22. A Renpho percussion massager you can use to give yourself a great deep-muscle treatment that is said to increase blood flow to support the body’s recovery process. It comes with five different heads and speeds, so you can use it all over your body. If you’ve been eying the TheraGun, you may want to add this to your cart instead.

Promising review: “We had a Theragun, and the lowest setting was so rough. Rarely used it. The Renpho massager is so much nicer, and we use it all the time! The changeable knobs are wonderful to target different areas. The handle has a really nice feel to its size and material. We have had it for over a month, and it still has three out of four charge bars. We use it every few days for 5-15min. Love the case too! Really such a great buy.” —Murphtime

Get it from Amazon for $76.49 (available in three versions).

23. Bio-Oil, which is made with a mix of vitamins A and E, chamomile, and lavender that work together to help fade scars (no matter how old), minimize stretch marks, and also moisturize dry skin. Simply apply the oil to the affected area in the morning, and you may even see a more noticeable difference (within a few months) than if you shelled out for the pricier Mederma scar gel.

Promising review: “I have been using this every day for the past month and have definitely seen results. I had gallbladder surgery and just got some scars being pregnant and this has definitely helped with my scars and stretch marks! Smells amazing too! Works way better than Mederma!” —Skie bostwick

Get it from Amazon for $9.99.

24. A 3-in-1 foldable magnetic wireless charger with spaces to charge your iPhone, AirPods, *and* Apple Watch at the same time. One reviewer confirms it is “superior” to the Apple Duo (not to mention this one has a whole extra spot to charge Airpods!) It also folds up small, which makes it super easy to travel with.

Promising review: “My opinion is that it works better than the Apple product. I am sure there is a technical reason for it. I find it easier to correctly place my iPhone for a charge. I have an Apple-branded one at home and use this one for travel. I can tell the difference. This one is superior. Great value too. Highly recommended.” —Ray L

Get it from Amazon for $33.99 (available in nine colors). 

Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.