We write about hundreds of products each week. Here, in our version of the Sunday circular, we’ve plucked some of our recent favorites: expert-recommended essentials, life-changing stuff you didn’t know you needed, newly launched gizmos, and very good deals we uncovered while trawling through the vast online-shopping universe — including the extremely firm mattress one writer found in Taiwan, the Peanuts doormat you can still order in time for Halloween, and the release of the coveted Lenox Spice Village.
Jason Stewart’s foam-roller alternative
You might own a foam roller, but have you tried massaging your muscles with lacrosse balls? Well, Jason Stewart does just that with these tiny hard-rubber ones. “If you’ve had a long, stressful day, you can put a yoga mat on the ground and just lie on it on your ass, on your ribs, on your side, your chest — everything,” Stewart explains, adding that you can also stand on the ball to relieve tension in the bottom of your feet. “They also make balls that are smaller, like an inch tall or whatever. They probably get into some dark and sinister places of your body.”
The weighted mask a narcoleptic uses to stay asleep …
Dawn Super, who was diagnosed with narcolepsy at age 11, frequently naps in her car. The autoimmune disorder causes excessive daytime sleepiness, making it nearly impossible for Super to stay awake for more than six hours at a time. When she is at home, she sometimes uses this weighted sleep mask, which we’ve written about before. “Especially if you’re having hallucinations, you automatically want to open your eyes. So having some sort of gentle pressure on top of your eyelids helps you relax that response,” says Super.
… And a mattress made for Taiwanese expats (and anyone else) who prefer to sleep hard
When Lisa Cheng Smith was a teen, her mom sent her to Taiwan to attend a culture camp for the children of Taiwanese expats. When she arrived, Smith remembers noticing the hard slab that would be her mattress. After having the best cool, comfortable, and firm night’s sleep, Smith had long pined for that specific bed until discovering Sleepy Tofu, a direct-to-consumer mattress company out of Taiwan that “has realized that the Taiwanese diaspora in the U.S. is missing that indulgently ascetic sleep,” she writes. The hybrid mattresses are 11 inches thick and contain pocketed coils and a 2.36-inch-tall polymer foam layer (both made in Taiwan). Graphite is also mixed into the foam to keep you cool. “This mattress is joyfully firm,” Smith explains. “Firmer than a Western-facing mattress company would dare to go.”
Editor’s note: The next order deadline is September 23 and will be delivered in January 2025. If you need a firmer mattress in the meantime, you can find some of our favorites here.
LaQuan Smith’s energy-clearing incense
When we spoke to fashion designer LaQuan Smith, he told us that burning incense is a ritual for him from a “spirituality perspective.” Anytime he’s entering a new office space or comes home from a tough day of work, Smith says it’s nice to clear the air with this earthy incense. “I love being able to reset the energy and gain a new perspective,” he says. “It gives me peace of mind and a clear heart.”
The Halloween doormat our sleep writer is eyeing
In a new edition of Strategist Brain, we heard from our sleep writer, Amelia Jerden, who’s spent a “not-insignificant amount of time” scrolling through the Vermont Country Store’s section of Peanuts merch. “I’m definitely not beating the Snoopy-pilled Gen-Z allegations, but I stayed strong and didn’t buy anything (in part because I already indulged in some packing cubes from Baggu’s latest Peanuts collection),” Jerden says. “The seasonal items, like this Halloween doormat, are especially fun.”
At-home drink dispenser for 7-Eleven-esque slushies (or frozen margs)
If you’re a fan of frozen margaritas, then you’ll be delighted to learn that the Ninja Slushi debuted this year. Strategist contributor Margaret Eby, who managed to get her hands on the often-sold-out machine, says it’s an at-home frozen-drink dispenser that can make slushies, milk shakes, and frozen cocktails. “Not to be hyperbolic, but it has made all my beverage dreams come true,” Eby says. The Slushi is also easy to operate: Simply mix up a beverage and pour it into the machine’s tank and press the corresponding button. Within 30 minutes or so, the drink turns into slush and stays that way for up to 12 hours.
Moisturizing and budgeproof lip stain
Last week for The Strategist Beauty Brief, our writer Arielle Avila reviewed Kulfi’s newest lip stain, which promises both hydration and staying power. After two months, Avila says she’s constantly reaching for Lassi Lips because, with just one swipe, her lips look glossier and fuller. The formula also doesn’t budge all day: She wore it to a very sweaty Pilates class and says her lips still had a healthy, subtle glow. “It felt like I wasn’t wearing anything — no tackiness and no spidery lines around my mouth,” she adds.
The energy gels Eluid Kipchoge used during his historic sub-two-hour marathon
Most endurance athletes know that energy gels are a highly efficient way to fuel your body because they provide quick-absorbing carbohydrates in small packets, which can be stashed in your pocket. In our guide to the best ones, Maurten is our top pick overall because its Jell-O-like consistency goes down easy, even without water or a sports drink. And, if you’re still not convinced, Hector Santana, the founder of the running group NYC Dragons, even credits Maurten gels with helping him shave 90 seconds off his half-marathon mile splits.
Non-slip kitchen tongs multiple chefs swear by
Your trusty kitchen tongs can be used for cooking, serving, plating, and more. In our roundup of the best ones, we named OXO’s 12-inch tongs our best overall pick in the category because the length makes them super-versatile and they’re the most comfortable to hold. “I have had mine for years,” says Jason Goldstein, founder of ChopHappy. “They are incredibly durable, dishwasher-safe, and can be used for so many different tasks.”
Lenox’s rereleased Spice Village
In our latest installment of Don’t DillyDally, you’ll find Kacey Musgraves’s collaboration with Reformation, 2025’s Girl of the Year, and the second edition of Lenox’s Spice Village, which was discontinued in 1993. The full set includes 24 tiny porcelain houses for $285, or you can buy sets of six for $72. The sets are currently available for preorder and will ship in September 2025.
The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
