No matter what you're shopping for, the digital and physical shelves seem to be filled with endless options — it can be overwhelming. To make things easier for you, we at Shop TODAY started Ranked, a series where we put various items to the test to find the best of the best.
This time around, our editors spent weeks testing bath towels, stainless steel pans, stain removers, neck fans and more so you know what's actually worth it.
Not only are these products simple solutions to everyday woes, they're also budget-friendly, proving you don't always have to break the bank to find efficient products.
Editorial director Adrianna Brach shared which products received our Shop TODAY seal of approval on the 3rd hour of TODAY.
Ranked cleaning and home products seen on TODAY
Size rating: 5/5 | Efficiency rating: 4/5 | Volume rating: 3/5 | Ice capacity rating: 5/5 | Overall rating: 4.25/5
This affordable countertop ice maker was the top budget find according to associate editor Shannon Garlin. With a self cleaning function and the ability to make 26 pounds of ice per day, it’s a hot find that’s now under $50, unlike the other ice makers in the running all of which rang up for over $100. Additionally, Garlin notes that it came with ice bags which made it stand out as its competitors did not.
“While you only get one ice size option, this machine works just as fast and efficiently as the others,” Garlin says. “The cycle time is around six to eight minutes, and since it’s a smaller ice basket, I found that it finished filling a little quicker than others.”
See more top picks for the best countertop ice makers here.
Power: 5/5 | Comfort: 4/5 | Battery life: 4.5/5 | Noise level: 4/5 | Additional features: 3.5/5 | Overall rating: 4.1/5
This neck fan earned an overall score of 4.1 on a scale of 5 potential points, thanks to its “surprisingly powerful cooling effect,” according to writer Emma Stessman.
Other neck fans had to be on the highest setting to feel the effects, while this one only had to be on its second out of three settings for you to feel a difference in temperature. Other noteworthy features she calls out include a little flexibility to the fan that would help it stretch around larger necks, the fact that it’s not overly loud (even at the highest setting) and according to the brand, the battery life lasting more than 15 hours at the lowest setting and up to 5 hours at the highest.
See more top picks for the best neck fans here.
Softness: 4.5/5 | Absorbency: 4/5 | Drying time: 4.75/5 | Durability: 5/5 | Overall Rating: 4.56/5
Out of seven different bath towels, this find was the undisputed top pick for writer Danielle Murphy. "Its softness is simply unparalleled compared to others that I’ve tested," raved Murphy. "It’s incredibly fluffy, and I honestly look forward to using it on shower days. I’ve never been tempted to gift someone a towel, but I would look for any excuse to bring this option into anyone’s lives, or at least their shower routine."
Murphy was also proven wrong in terms of the towel's durability, noting that the "fragile-looking material" didn't budge or fray after multiple uses.
"And that softness I couldn’t stop raving about? That’s also still around, making me reach for it again and again," she said. The softness is no surprise as the towel is made from 100% cotton according to the brand. And when it comes to the textile of a quality towel, Frej Lewenhaupt, the co-founder and chief product officer for the brand Steamery, told Murphy to opt for cotton towels because “cotton is a durable material that can withstand many washes, which is important for bath towels that require more frequent washing than other textiles."
See more top picks for the best bath towels here.
Ease of use: 5/5 | Quickness: 5/5 | Effectiveness: 4/5 | Control: 5/5 | Overall Score: 4.75/5
When it came to testing every kind of mess, social media editorial assistant Annie Shigo splattered nail polish and spilled red wine on a white tee to test stain removers — and this sturdy wipe beat out top brands. She also tested to see how it eliminated lipstick, oil and foundation stains without utilizing too much elbow grease thanks to its dual-textured sides.
“While testing, it was pretty thick and had a pattern on one side so I could really attack the stains to lift the residue,” she says. “The other side was smooth, so I could then go back in and smooth out the stain more carefully. It was super easy to use because the wipe had the ability to be tough and gentle at the same time.”
See more top picks for the best instant stain removers here.
Reusability: 5/5 | Portability: 4/5 | Effectiveness: 4/5 | Overall rating: 4.3/5
Former Shop TODAY editor Amanda Fama put eight lint rollers to the test against cat hair on two surfaces: cotton T-shirts and her couch. There were two cotton T-shirts: one covered in cat hair (after her furry friend rolled all over it) and one covered in dryer lint. The couch was also covered in cat hair.
Each lint roller was evaluated by how many swipes it took to completely (or almost completely) clear the surfaces of lint and hair. While this one (which was deemed “Best Overall”) took about 20 swipes to completely clear the surfaces, she says “it performs well, is reusable (without getting other things sticky thanks to the cover) and is portable.” She adds, “Out of the washable options, this one offers a larger, oval-shaped roller that picks up more debris in one swipe.”
With an “incredibly sticky” inner gel material that will attract debris such as cat hair and lint alike, you simply run this lint roller under the sink to start anew after each use. Plus, it has a cover that you can use to conceal the sticky side, preventing anything unwanted from getting stuck.
See more top picks for the best lint rollers here.
More cleaning products we love
Freshness: 5/5 | Packaging: 4/5 | Fabric compatibility: 5/5 | Overall score: 4.6/5
"I was skeptical about the efficacy of wrinkle-release sprays until I tried Cold Iron’s formula," shares commerce writer Jannely Espinal. "Though it comes in a big bottle, this one can replace the use of iron and steamers. It has become my favorite ironing alternative when juggling many tasks around my home, since it’s gentle on the fabric and reduces wrinkles in minutes."
She sprayed 10 wrinkle-release sprays against various fabrics including linen, cotton and silk and let them sit for 30 minutes to allow the fabrics to dry completely. After the time was up, she compared each garment to evaluate wrinkle removal, remaining residue, freshness, packaging and fabric compatibility.
Cold Iron performed best on creases and natural fabrics, but can also be successfully used on denim and silk.
See more top picks for the best wrinkle release sprays here.
Portability: 4.5/5 | Cooling power: 5/5 | Ease of use: 5/5 | Noise level: 4.5/5 | Airflow quality: 5/5 | Overall score: 4.8/5
Nicknamed "the king of cooling fans" by associate editor Allie Wise, this sleek option will quickly replace your traditional box fan this upcoming summer.
It's easy to operate, thanks to the touch screen surface and remote control, that allows you to select between four different speeds and modes to cool down entire rooms. Plus, it has a thin build, taking up less than a foot of space width-wise.
See more top picks for the best cooling fans here.
Meet the experts
- Adrianna Brach is the editorial director at Shop TODAY, with over a decade of experience as an editor covering beauty, fashion and shopping.
- Shop TODAY is a team of shopping editors and writers who spend hours every day finding the best new products, tried-and-true favorites and more finds available on Amazon that are worth shopping, according to our high standards.
How we chose
Our editors spent weeks testing products based on parameters such as cooling power (for neck and cooling fans), ice capacity rating (for ice machines), softness and absorbency (for bath towels) and more.
They were asked to jot down notes throughout the testing period and rate them on a scale of 1 through 5, with 1 being a poor rating and 5 being exceptional. From there, an overall score was calculated, and a winner was determined. Each of the winners from already-published Ranked articles are featured here.
Why trust Shop TODAY?
Sierra Hoeger is an associate editor at Shop TODAY who started writing and reporting for Shop TODAY in 2022, covering topics related to travel, clothing, beauty and more. She’s also assisted in other Ranked testing processes, so she’s familiar with the rating system we apply to our product picks.
