The 10 Most Popular Home Products We Tested and Reviewed on Apartment Therapy in 2022
Here at Apartment Therapy, we test out a whole lot of products. The goal: to help you make your home — and life — as happy and healthy as possible. In 2022, we reviewed so many items to share with you our recommendations for the most useful, most beautiful, and all around best, from organizing and cleaning products to comfy and cozy bed ones. It’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it.
We’ve got a review for just about every product category and every homeowner or renter, but if you’re wondering which ones were the most popular all year, keep reading to find the product reviews that the most readers purchased in 2022.
“The resemblance between my grandma’s attention to detail — those you can see, at least — and my own is uncanny. I didn’t, however, get her same attention to the details you can’t see, so my methods for cleaning those deep, dark crevices were lackluster at best. So, when she recently pulled out her latest Amazon buy, I took furious notes. I’m not generally in the business of exploiting my grandmother, but the solutions she finds cleaning and organization tend to be the game-changing hacks we all deserve. The Hica Retractable Microfiber Gap Duster is no exception.” —Kendall Cornish, Best List Writer
Buy: Hica Retractable Microfiber Gap Duster, $13.99 (previously $17.99)
“Probably the biggest flex about my current apartment is that it has absolutely massive windows. And don’t get me wrong, I love the sunlight and fresh air those windows bring in the summer. But the winter is a completely different story. During the colder months, these beautiful windows can make my apartment very chilly. And the building is on the old side, so I can, on occasion, feel the outside wind. (I may or may not have found actual snow inside my apartment during the last storm.) So I’ve been on the lookout for something to better insulate my apartment without ruining the aesthetic for a while, and that’s when I found MIKOSI Draft Stopper Adhesive Tape on Amazon. As soon as it arrived, I stuck this transparent silicone tape to my drafty windows and noticed an immediate difference.” —Grace Cooper, Contributor
Buy: MIKOSI Draft Stopper Adhesive Tape, $13.69 for 35 mm
“It feels as if my apartment is a museum of sorts. Every time I have someone over, the first 10 minutes of their visit is spent with them wandering around, taking in the space, and asking me the same question over and over again: “Where did you get this?” Now as a shopping editor, this is a question I hear often and love answering (After all, I do what I do for a reason!) There’s nothing more thrilling to me than falling in love with a fun piece for my home and having my friends fall in love with it, too. And if there’s one thing I’m always asked about, it’s my headboard — or rather, my substitute for one. You see, instead of a traditional headboard I decided to go for something that upped the cozy factor both literally and stylistically: the WOWMAX Bolster Pillow Headboard.” —Sarah M. Vazquez, Commerce SEO Editor
Buy: WOWMAX Bolster Pillow Headboard, Queen , $135.95
“If you have a small bathroom like me, you know the struggle that comes with doing and storing your makeup. The counters are a no-go (too easy to knock over breakable containers when reaching for the toothbrush), but minimal drawer space means cramming your cosmetic collection into a tiny box and not being able to see all the individual products. I don’t like to admit how many times I thought I’d lost a face primer or an eyeshadow brush and bought a new one, only to later find the original “missing” item toward the back of the drawer. As you can imagine, this only exacerbated my small space/big makeup collection issue.” —Nikol Slatinska, Commerce Editorial Assistant
Buy: Syntus 360 Rotating Makeup Organizer, $19.99 (normally $23.99)
“There aren’t many laundry boosters that have been in constant circulation for more than 100 years, but Mrs. Stewart’s Concentrated Liquid Bluing launched in 1883 — and it’s still going strong today.” —Danielle Centoni, Contributor
“I’m in the middle of moving (which is one of my least favorite activities) and noticed that in my new one-bedroom apartment that I have even less bathroom storage space than I used to. As a former beauty writer, I have quite the skincare and makeup collection — eight bags worth. My new place only has a cabinet under the sink for me to use (and share with my boyfriend). If you do the math, you’ll realize that eight bags definitely can’t fit in there. I immediately took to Amazon to see what budget-friendly storage solution I could find.” —Alicia Kort, Senior Commerce Editor
Buy: madesmart 2-Tier Organizer, $24.64 (normally $28.99)
“If there’s one thing I know I’m good at, it’s gift-giving. Ever since I was little, I’ve loved giving gifts more than receiving them (What can I say, I’m a Cancer — I live for making people feel loved). With that being said, even with my fine-tuned skills, finding a good gift for everyone isn’t always easy. The hardest person to shop for is my grandmother. At 100 years old, she always tells me, “I have everything I need, you don’t have to get me anything!” which makes figuring out what to gift her a particularly fun challenge. So last Christmas, I put on my thinking cap and began digging around for a gift that she would not only enjoy but would be of good use to her (she’s a big fan of practicality). That’s when I came across what may just be the best thing I’ve ever gifted her: Intelex Warmies Slippers.” —Sarah M. Vazquez, Commerce SEO Editor
Buy: Intelex Warmies Slippers, $26.95 (normally $29.99)
“Sometimes I discover a product that is so special that, before I know it, I’m singing its praises to everyone I know. From the candles I can’t get enough of to the genius floor sweeper that rids my apartment of unruly pet hair, I am certainly not shy about sharing my passion for products. And for the past year and a half, I haven’t stopped raving about the Amazon Basics Water Resistant Vinyl Shower Curtain Liner. Yes, ever since I first tested this item for our Shower Curtain Liners Best List, I have been sort of obsessed. And I’m not the only one who loves this Amazon find. It boasts a whopping 15,000 five-star reviews.” —Amy Gordon, Contributor
“As a young adult who still lives with my parents, I’ve heard plenty of other college grads in similar situations share horror stories of constant arguments, invasions of privacy, and overstepping of boundaries. All things considered, I think I have it pretty good. Whenever squabbles do occur in my house, though, they almost always revolve around the kitchen. Whether all three of us are trying to cook at the same time, someone left a greasy spot on the stove, or the fridge is unduly full, the place that should bring us together often does the exact opposite. In fact, the latter is a consistent source of tension. Not only are our refrigerator shelves teeming with cookware and other leftover containers at all times, but the door compartments are also stuffed to the gills with condiment bottles and smaller items. Fortunately, there’s an incredibly cheap solution on Amazon (when isn’t there?) in the form of these QIENGO storage bags.” —Nikol Slatinska, Commerce Editorial Assistant
Buy: QIENGO Refrigerator Door Storage Bags, $10.99
“When considering the most important feature in any room, windows are definitely near the top of the list. They provide a look out into the world, keeping us connected to nature, helping reduce stress and regulating our biological clocks. At Apartment Therapy, we love a good window; that’s why we have articles on how to dress one up and the best blackout curtains for every season. But just as often, windows can offer outsiders a look into our homes, disrupting the sense of privacy we value so much. Fortunately, Amazon has a solution — I mean, when does it not? For just $12, the Coavas window privacy film promises to keep potential snoopers away, which can be especially helpful when living in close proximity to neighbors or in a high-volume neighborhood.” —Nikol Slatinska, Commerce Editorial Assistant
Buy: Coavas Window Privacy Film, $11.99 (normally $12.89)