Best of Amazon: From A Guy’s Perspective

I think we’ve made it very clear by now around these parts that Amazon is a BIG part of our daily purchases and deliveries. It’s not just me who is hooked in our household though, I think it’s fair to say that Shawn likely has more packages show up from Amazon on a regular basis than I do. 

Once again, Shawn gathered all of his more recent favorite finds and wrote about them [yes, in his own words] on why he believes you [or your guy] will love them too. Feel free to use this as a gift guide for Father’s Day, a Birthday, or simply send this post to your man letting him know he may want to check this post out for his own benefit. But whatever you do, just be warned that an Amazon purchase may likely happen during the duration of this post. [If you missed his first post, here you go!] And now, for a man’s favorite Amazon purchases in no particular order…

Yes, they’re crocs brand. No, you won’t care because of how comfortable they are. I’ve had multiple pairs of these over the last probably 10 years, and wear them constantly in the summer. They hold up incredibly well, can get wet, dirty, muddy, you name it… and with a quick rinse or maybe a washing machine session, go right back to looking like new.

 I’ve recently found this brand Gradual on Amazon, and have been very impressed with their quality and even more so at their price points. Under $20 for one, or under $30 for two, these shorts are not only a great length for me, not too long and not too short (bought in medium and I’m 5’8)… but also, the pockets zip. Not common in gym shorts, but very much appreciated when you don’t want your phone or wallet slipping out of your pocket while you’re sitting down.

Again this Gradual brand on Amazon has been impressive. Under $15 for a good quality, dry-fit shirt that fits well is not easy to find. As many guys do (I assume), once I’ve found something I like, I typically buy it in as many color variations as possible. So I have a number of these shirts, wear them often, and am very happy with how they’ve held up and fit. Pair them with the shorts above, and you’re all set to hit the gym, walk, mow, or do whatever you’d like.

Full disclosure I’ve ordered this and am awaiting its arrival, however, it gets great reviews and as a single garage floor cleaning system, I’m looking forward to giving it a shot. Having all the floor attachments and a rack to hold them organized on the wall will save a lot of space that’s currently taken up by older, individual brooms.

We’ve had great luck with our latest switch to the Ring Doorbell. We previously had Nest doorbells, but we were having significant delays with the Nest from the time of a doorbell ring to when it came through on our phones. That’s no longer an issue after switching to Ring! Whether it’s a delivery person dropping a package and wanting to confirm they’re at the right place, or a neighbor dropping by to ask who farms a field next door (welcome to midwest living) the Ring provides great peace of mind while you’re home or away. Simple to install in the wired version like we have, but they also offer wireless with a rechargeable battery that makes the installation as easy as two screws and connecting to your wifi.

The Traeger Grill is one of the best gifts I’ve received to date! Simply fill the wood pellets, set it to the temperature you’d like, and come back when it’s done. We’ve smoked pulled pork, ribs, wings, bacon-wrapped jalapeños, mac and cheese, buffalo chicken dip, you name it. Our most recent favorites are jerky, and bacon on weekend mornings. Traeger has an app to download with thousands of recipes for free that gives exact ingredients and step-by-step instructions for any dish you can think of. I believe it comes with a spiral cookbook with a lot as well, but don’t quote me on that. Either way, the Traeger and a free app are both fantastic and will not disappoint!

You might think, a power washer off of Amazon? I say why not, it really is my first go-to for almost anything I don’t need instantly (although they’re not too far from instant). A few weeks ago my old beloved power washer kept dying on me in the middle of a cleaning project, and I knew it was time for an upgrade. A friend had purchased this previously, and after his positive review, I figured I would give it a shot. For the price, it offers great power and flow, and I didn’t experience any of the water recharge downtimes I was having with my old one. Quick and easy to assemble, it comes with everything you need except gasoline. I used it for a few hours the other weekend to finish my project and there was a significant improvement over my older and now broken down power washer.

If you’re washing a deck, patio, driveway, etc. this will cut your time in at least half, probably more. I’m on my 2nd one after my father-in-law used the first one and wanted to keep it for himself. If you get the power washer, I’d strongly recommend this attachment as it’s worth every dollar and then some to save time (and your back).

Trunks [true to size, size up for a looser fit]

I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again. These are by far the best bang for your buck swim trunks out there! This is a new version, much softer material with stretch and very comfortable. *Disclaimer: Careful with the lighter colors (at least the haze blue)… that color can become a bit too transparent after being in the water. I’d suggest sticking to the darker colors or patterns as we’ve had no issue with those!

If you’re looking to step up your Apple Watch game, this band has held up great for me for quite a while. Personally, I like that the inside is rubber so it can be cleaned up a bit over a full leather band. They offer a ton of colors and styles, and for under $20 it’s a great alternative to the standard Apple Watch band.

On the topic of Apple Watch and technology, I’ve had a number of these phone/watch/airpods chargers, and this seems to be the first one that has lasted a while and will charge all of the items quickly and to a full charge. There’s a light that indicates charging which can be turned on or off. After more than a year of usage, this is still going strong!

I drink a significant amount of water every day, and really dislike the one-and-done disposable plastic bottles, which also don’t hold enough water for my liking. This bottle comes in a few colors, and multiple sizes, and the outside of the flip cap has no moving parts that can break over time. The finger loop for carrying is a major plus so it doesn’t take up a full hand as you’re carrying 35 different things into or out of the car, or office, or wherever we all carry too many items and still want to be hydrated. For under $10, you can’t beat it.

Erin got me this hot sauce as a gift last year, and as a hot sauce connoisseur, I’ve really enjoyed using each one. I’ve learned to like some better than others and there are a few I’d like to look into purchasing a larger bottle on their own. A unique gift if there’s someone in your life that enjoys hot sauce!

I said it the last time and still mean it. I used to absolutely despise hanging anything on the wall. Hanging a picture with a single nail? Disliked it, but it’s tolerable. Hangs by two nails? Forget it. Anytime this came up, trying to make sure the nails are the right distance apart, make sure they were level, and in the correct spot was the absolute worst. Last year I knew I’d have a number of things to hang on the walls coming up so I thought I’d give this tool a try, as anything had to be better than a tape measure and level. This Never Measure tool is legit. It is plastic so you’ve got to be careful, but so far I’ve hung dozens of things and have had no quality issues. Do I love hanging things now? Not exactly. But, it’s very much tolerable and much easier than ever.. There’s no measuring, no leveling, you simply extend the arms to the desired length for each hook on your picture, lock the arms in place, move this to where you want it on the wall, and hammer the nails in. Easy as that.

Last but not least, my beloved Amazon pens. Not much to say even after almost a year of using them. They write great, they’ve held up well, they’re very inexpensive, and there are 18 of them in a pack for under $8 so you can lose them constantly and not sweat it!

Founder and creator of LIY, Erin turned her dream of a hobby blog into a full-time career which she now runs alongside the LIY team! When not in front of her computer screen [with a La Croix or wine in hand] or in front of a mirror taking mirror selfies, you can find Erin spending time on the water, cuddled up with her two pups and husband most likely watching the latest Shark Tank episode, or getting lost in an easy beach read.