I like to think of myself as something of a music connoisseur and as such I’m constantly turning my friends onto new tuneage. The easiest way to get someone to like a new song or band is obviously to play it for them, but that’s not always possible. I usually have my iPod on me, but I don’t want my friends sticking my earbuds in their ears (no offense). I have a headphone jack splitter, but that only really works if my friend has headphones on them. Also, if you have more than one friend (go you!), then that’s not going to work either.

There are a lot of portable speaker options out there and I can assure you that most of them are absolute crap. If you’re a professional music appreciator such as myself, then you need the Tembo Trunks (Generate Design, $39.00). Sold as a two pack, these silicone wonders amplify your musical selections up to 80 decibels – that’s three times louder! With no electronic components or moving parts (that also means no batteries), you’re probably wondering how these things work. All you need is your earbuds. No joke, that’s it. Just put each earbud in its respective earbud holder located in the back of each speaker and press play. Because you’re basically just using your iPod to power everything, your battery will actually last longer than one song. There’s so many awesome things about these speakers, it borders on insanity.

Do you think elephants helped design this technology?

5 out of 5 stars.

Specs:

• -Dimensions: 6.5″ x 6.5″ x 2″
• -Amplify music up to 80dB
• -Music is 3x louder
• -Compatible with iPods of all generations
• -Apple earbuds recommended
• -No parts or electronic components
• -No batteries required
• -Waterproof
• -Shockproof
• -Stackable
• -Available in ruby, green, blue, grey, or white
• -Made of high grade silicone rubber

I like to cook. I do not like to clean. The problem is, cleaning almost always seems to follow cooking in some regard. Maybe you’re proficient enough in your culinary skill that your kitchen doesn’t need a thorough cleaning after each time you cook, but mine usually looks like a bomb went off in there. If I need a tablespoon of flour, you can bet there’s a cup of it scattered throughout my kitchen. My point is, I don’t need any help making messes but I sure could use some when it comes to cleaning them up.

The Utensil Pot Clip (Vat19, $6.99) understands me and as such, has decided to help make my life easier. Instead of putting my cooking utensil of choice on the counter, which leaves a pile of food to be scraped off later as well as picking up whatever crumbs might be left there from my last cooking attempt, I can now slide said utensil into this handy holder. This little guy clips to the side of most pots and will hold your cooking utensil up off the counter and over the pot. No more messes! No cross-germ contamination! The clip features heat resistant rubber feet that won’t scratch your pot and the whole shebang can withstand temperatures up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit so you won’t even burn your hand when you unclip the contraption. It’s kinda perfect, right?

Note: You still have to do the dishes.

5 out of 5 stars.

Specs:

• -Dimensions: 3″ x 2″
• -Clips onto most pots
• -Food residue drips into pot
• -Heat resistant rubber top and feet
• -Withstands temperatures up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit
• -Dishwasher safe

Ladies, I know you put a lot of effort into the way you look. Guys, not so much. As a result, the menfolk have a lot of trouble understanding why women need all these gadgets and chemicals just to get ready to go out. I’m gonna level with you: you’re never gonna understand it so don’t even try. All you need to know is that this is the way it is and you should put your energy into finding a way to simplify your lady’s grooming routine because that way you’ll both benefit.

To that end, the Adjustable Hair Dryer Stand (Taylor Gifts, $14.98) will greatly reduce the aggravation your best girl gleans from trussing up her tresses on a daily basis. Fellas, I bet you don’t understand how hard it is to dry a full head of long hair every day (or maybe you do, Axl), but it’s a chore. If you don’t want your strands getting all tangled, you’d better arm yourself with a brush in one hand and a hair dryer in the other. The problem with this is that it can take awhile to dry your hair completely and a hair dryer can get pretty heavy after holding it nonstop for a half hour. The simple solution is this adjustable stand, which holds the hair dryer via a flexible gooseneck stand and secures with a Velcro strap. Now your gal only has to worry about brushing through her hair because the stand provides a third hand to wrangle the hair dryer.

Ladies, you can also use this stand to hold your hair dryer in place to dry your nails after a mani/pedi!

4 out of 5 stars.

Specs:

• -Dimensions: Adjusts from 27″ to 39″ in height
• -Saves time styling and drying hair
• -Supports hair dryer
• -Flexible gooseneck stand with Velcro strap
• -Made of aluminum and PVC

My house is always cold in the winter. I don’t know what it is, but I can’t ever seem to get warm enough. I can turn my heat up to 80 degrees, yet you’ll still find me huddled underneath a blanket and shivering. In fact, it could be freakishly hot outside (like today) and I’d still have the heat cranked all the way up. Maybe it’s me?

Whether you’re shivering or sweating, the Heating and Cooling Vent Fan (Convenient Gadgets & Gifts, $59.95) will help you find that temperature homeostasis. This fan fits into existing vent structures to provide an energy efficient solution to ineffective ventilation systems. In English? It’ll save you money because you won’t have to turn your central air up to Russian Tundra just to get some relief in the height of summer. Samesies for your heating bill in the winter months. A built-in temperature sensor indicates your heating and cooling needs to the fan system, which then pulls air from the ventilation system and pushes it toward the room. Basically, it does what your vents should be doing but probably aren’t.

I’m too cheap (and lazy) to install a dual thermostat in my house, so I think this thing is the cat’s meow.

4 out of 5 stars.

Specs:

-Dimensions: 4″ x 10″, 4″ x 12″, 6″ x 10″, 6″ x 12″
-Fan redirects and increases air flow
-Slides into existing vent openings
-Easy assembly
-Save on energy bill
-6′ cord included
-Available in almond or brown
-1 year warranty

There’s nothing quite like a good night’s sleep. It’s one of those things that you don’t realize how much you need it until you can’t get it. There are a lot of reasons why you might not be able to catch some zzz’s, ranging from uncomfortable temperatures to caffeine overload to even that tiny red light on the television. However, nothing is worse than the sleep deprivation that follows a significant other’s absence. I mean, at first you resent having to share your sleep space and then it’s virtually impossible to snooze solo. You just can’t win!

-Dimensions: 15.5″ x 130″ (unfolded); 15.5″ x 65″ (folded)
-Weight: 10.5 lbs
-Includes one white polycotton pillowcase
-Optimal upper and lower extremities support
-Fully flexible
-Filled with hypoallergenic Fusion fiberfill
-Machine washable