If You’re Looking for a Mom-Approved Present, My Mom’s Sharing The 13 Favorites She Has Tested and Loved

My mom is my second opinion when it comes to testing home products and kitchen gadgets. After all, she’s lived longer than I have so by default has more experience and wisdom. Whether it’s red light therapy devices or a natural dish sponge, she’s doing a second test on a variety of products I myself have done initial testing on. And one fast way to know if she’s really liked something enough is, well, if I don’t get it back. Or, she’ll make note of getting one of her own.

As a shopping editor, I always have at least a dozen items on my desk that I’m testing, but here are the 13 that have gone through a second pair of eyes, hands, and in-life testing to vet what’s worth the buy and what’s not. My mom’s favorites include a milk frother she uses quite literally every single morning, a new take on a classic home-cleaning device, eco-friendly laundry tablets, and her secret to alleviating allergy symptoms—we’ve got something in every category. And with Mother’s Day right around the corner, what’s better than taking the rec of a mom herself?

Best Mom-Tested Home Gadgets and Products 

• Subminimal Nanofoamer, $57
• Kasa Smart Light Bulbs, $25 (was $40)
• Clorox Air Purifier, $100
• Glasshouse Diffuser, $65
• Shark Steam Pickup 3-in-1 Hard Floor Cleaner, $199
• Blueland Laundry Detergent Tablets, $42
• iRestore Laser Hair Growth Cap, $439 (was $549)
• Hedley & Bennet Crossback Apron, $90
• Honsva Natural Loofah Kitchen Sponge, $8 (was $11)
• Chef IQ Sense Smart Wireless Meat Thermometer, $71 (was $130)
• FoodSaver Handheld+ 2-in-1 Vacuum Sealing System, $150 (was $170)
• Our Place Splendor Blender, $100 (was $125)
• Owala SmoothSip Coffee Tumbler, $30

Subminimal Nanofoamer

After going through several cheaper alternatives, I wanted to see if a “nicer” handheld milk frother was actually worth it. I’ll tell you this: I haven’t had to overnight a replacement after it randomly stopped working and the milk foam is as smooth as high-quality velvet. Aka, it’s actual microfoam milk versus a whipped up froth, and it’s better than a lot of the coffee shops I’ve been to. The device is powered by a lithium battery that my mom and I have rarely had to charge, despite the daily use. And even the lower speed (two are offered) works faster than the standard $10-ish dollar frother you’d find at Amazon. Oh, and it’s fantastic for creating the smoothest matcha, too. 

Kasa Smart Light Bulbs

Smart-ifying your house will more often than not make things easier and give you back your time. My mom recently replaced all the lights in the outdoor sconces with these Kasa Smart Light Bulbs, and now, she doesn’t have to walk to and fro various parts of the house or go outside to check if everything is off to on her “closing shift” before she turns down for the night. These bulbs were easy to install and synced right up to the mobile Google Home app, which is where you can control the brightness, warmth, and even hue of the bulbs. You can also create schedules to have them turned on or off, or you can simply say “Hey Google, turn off all the lights” to command the light with just your voice. 

Clorox Air Purifier

As a New Jersey resident, my mom is no stranger to seasonal allergies. (After all, it’s called the Garden State for a reason.) But thankfully, there’s an air purifier in almost every room in her house that keeps allergens, dander, dust, and more at bay. Out of the handful I’ve tested, I recommended she try this one by Clorox to cover the second floor of the house. When it’s running, she doesn’t suffer from severe allergy symptoms like itchy eyes and a stuffy nose, which, in result, has improved her sleep. We both like how the purifier is reliable and doesn’t have the complexities of too many “smart” features: It has three fan speeds, an auto feature, and a timer. With daily use, the indicator light rarely shows anything but green (it goes through six colors depending on the air quality) in the area. Plus, this air purifier is a Real Simple lab-tested favorite, too. 

Glasshouse Fragrance Country Diffuser 

In recent years, my mom has been opting for diffusers over candles—that way she can have them out for longer without the worry of a flame. This Glasshouse diffuser is her latest obsession that she took for herself after I had received it. (She’s actually done that for every Glasshouse item that I’ve received and bought.) Her latest steal is this Country Couture collection diffuser, and not only did the notes of cashmere, redcurrant, and rose pretty much steal her focus, but, as one of her favorite brands, she treats the bottle as a little decor accent in the living room. But the designs aren’t just stunning for special collections, everything released is pretty enough that these are my mom’s favorite home fragrance brand to gift for her friends and family. We both also found the oil doesn’t diffuse as fast as other brands’—even when we’re using more reeds—so it feels like more bang for your buck. 

My mom’s favorites don’t end there. She’s a bit of a social butterfly and big on gifting, so she, too, is always keeping an eye out for what’s a worthwhile recommendation. Keep reading to see what else she’s stamped her approval on. 

Shark Steam Pickup 3-in-1 Hard Floor Cleaner

Blueland Laundry Detergent Tablets

iRestore Laser Hair Growth Cap 

Hedley & Bennet Crossback Apron

Honsva Natural Loofah Kitchen Sponge

Chef iQ Sense Smart Wireless Meat Thermometer

FoodSaver Handheld+ 2-in-1 Vacuum Sealing System

Our Place Splendor Blender

Owala SmoothSip Coffee Tumbler