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“Would Recommend” — a collection of our shopping editors’ favorite finds on the internet, brought to you by HuffPost Finds.
In usual times, you might have been soaking in the sun somewhere other than your backyard. But these are unusual times, meaning that the past few months haven’t been at all what any of us had in mind.
This year’s shaping up to be a strange one, with the coronavirus pandemic turning pretty much everything upside-down. These days, we’re focused on staying safe, social distancing and wearing a mask.
In the last couple of months, our shopping editors at HuffPost Finds have been learning everything there is to know about our new everyday essentials, like face mask filters, face masks for exercising and even places to buy essentials when Amazon and Walmart are out of stock. We’ve also searched for the things to help with spending more time at home, like desks for small spaces, kid-friendly meal kits and much more.
While we were looking for products for you, our readers, we found products that have helped us get through the days, too. This is the quarantine edition of our “Would Recommend” series, where our shopping editors recommend their favorite finds. This time around, we’re featuring our favorite finds (both practical and excessive) that have made the past few months feel a little bit easier on us.
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From an espresso machine to make lattes at home to a water bottle that’s a reminder to stay hydrated and gold bed to finally get some shuteye, these are the best buys we’ve made in quarantine so far.
Check out the best purchases we’ve made in recent months:
1
A gold bed for some seriously sweet dreams
Wayfair
"I'll be completely honest: I should have replaced my bed years ago but I just always found an excuse not to. A huge mistake on my part, considering all the dreams I could have been having. But I know I'm not alone in saying that everything going on in the world has left me feeling tired — and I definitely haven't been getting the shuteye I should have. So, I decided to get myself a new bed at last.
After a few weeks of online window shopping, I found this gold platform bed from Wayfair, which took less than two hours to put together. It fits into my aesthetic and can go with almost anything since it's simple enough. It doesn't need a box spring (that was important to me since I didn't want to overspend) and has space underneath to store whatever I want. I paired it with a new affordable Allswell mattress that's perfectly firm. Now that I've had it for a while, I'm happy to say that I'm not tossing and turning anymore." - Ambar Pardilla, Commerce Writer
Find this bed starting at $241 at Wayfair.
After a few weeks of online window shopping, I found this gold platform bed from Wayfair, which took less than two hours to put together. It fits into my aesthetic and can go with almost anything since it's simple enough. It doesn't need a box spring (that was important to me since I didn't want to overspend) and has space underneath to store whatever I want. I paired it with a new affordable Allswell mattress that's perfectly firm. Now that I've had it for a while, I'm happy to say that I'm not tossing and turning anymore." - Ambar Pardilla, Commerce Writer
Find this bed starting at $241 at Wayfair.
2
A pint-sized, top-recommended espresso machine to make lattes at home
Williams-Sonoma
"I got this small-but-powerful Breville Bambino espresso machine in early May, once I realized that my work-from-home lifestyle wasn't going anywhere fast. Before buying this machine, I knew nothing about pulling an espresso shot or frothing milk. After watching way too many YouTube videos about how to make a latte with a Breville Bambino, I've mastered how to pull the perfect shot of espresso — and steam the right amount of frothy milk for a morning latte.
The best part is that the machine is mostly automated, so it does the hard work for you. It can do a single or a double shot of espresso, and includes three temperature options and three milk frothing options so customize to get the perfect drink. While you can choose to use your college barista skills to manually froth milk with the steam wand, the machine is also intuitive enough to do it automatically for you, which is what I prefer to do. It even comes with equipment and automatic sensors for cleaning and maintenance, so you know it'll last for the long haul.
Now that I'm no longer buying a latte each morning from my favorite workplace coffee spot, I'm at least continuing to buy my espresso beans from them. Even though things might not be back to normal for a while, at least they can taste like they are." - Brittany Nims, Head of HuffPost Finds
Find it for $500 at Williams-Sonoma.
The best part is that the machine is mostly automated, so it does the hard work for you. It can do a single or a double shot of espresso, and includes three temperature options and three milk frothing options so customize to get the perfect drink. While you can choose to use your college barista skills to manually froth milk with the steam wand, the machine is also intuitive enough to do it automatically for you, which is what I prefer to do. It even comes with equipment and automatic sensors for cleaning and maintenance, so you know it'll last for the long haul.
Now that I'm no longer buying a latte each morning from my favorite workplace coffee spot, I'm at least continuing to buy my espresso beans from them. Even though things might not be back to normal for a while, at least they can taste like they are." - Brittany Nims, Head of HuffPost Finds
Find it for $500 at Williams-Sonoma.
3
The meal service that made lunchtime stress-free
Daily Harvest
"I know I talk about Daily Harvest a lot, but I've literally eaten a Harvest Bowl every weekday for the past two months, and don't know how I could have survived quarantine without them. Being able to grab a Harvest Bowl from the fridge, pop it in the microwave and enjoy a healthy and delicious meal for lunch without any effort on my part has been a dream. I just love their unique vegetable pairings and am never disappointed with the options. Now that I'll probably be working from home more often, I'm definitely going to continue my subscription with them for easy at-home lunches, and will probably toss in a pint of ice cream and a flatbread too." - Danielle Gonzalez, Associate Commerce Editor
Check out Daily Harvest's meal options. Get $25 off your first box with promo code HUFFPOST at checkout.
Check out Daily Harvest's meal options. Get $25 off your first box with promo code HUFFPOST at checkout.
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4
Durable and affordable face masks from Old Navy
Old Navy
"We've all been on the hunt for the best face masks these days. I purchased a pack of Old Navy's cloth reusable face masks mostly because they were really affordable for the price (a five-pack for adults is only $12.50). But out of all the masks I've bought since the beginning of the pandemic, these Old Navy ones are certainly the most durable. Experts agree that you should wash your mask every time after you wear it, and the three-ply cotton material is extremely durable for frequent washing. I'm glad I purchased them when I did. And now Old Navy also sells larger variety packs of 10 masks and even sells cute face masks for kids. - Nims
Find Old Navy's face mask multi-packs start at $12.50.
Find Old Navy's face mask multi-packs start at $12.50.
5
A treasure trove of earrings for all those video calls
HuffPost Finds
"Pre-pandemic, I usually wore studs (or when I felt truly fancy, hoops) every day. And those were a part of the over 200 jewelry pieces that I've been collecting since I was a teen. (It's excessive, I know.) But with all the video calls happening in the past few months, I wanted to try out earrings that could actually be seen, even with my headphones on.
I may have gone a little overboard and bought close to 12 new pairs of statement earrings in the first few months of quarantining. I don't really have a justification except that they just made me happy (and they were on sale). They gave me an excuse to dress up even if I didn't even go outside to my backyard. And they gave me something to look forward to, even if I couldn't control anything else happening. Among my favorite pairs are these crystal waterfall ones, curved hoops and a heart-shaped pearl pair from Loeffler Randall and then this cloud-shaped earrings from Kate Spade. I can't wait to wear them out-out when this is all over." - Pardilla
Find these waterfall ones for $45, curved hoops for $150 and cloud earrings for $43 at Amazon. You can rent these pair of pearl hearts at Rent The Runway.
I may have gone a little overboard and bought close to 12 new pairs of statement earrings in the first few months of quarantining. I don't really have a justification except that they just made me happy (and they were on sale). They gave me an excuse to dress up even if I didn't even go outside to my backyard. And they gave me something to look forward to, even if I couldn't control anything else happening. Among my favorite pairs are these crystal waterfall ones, curved hoops and a heart-shaped pearl pair from Loeffler Randall and then this cloud-shaped earrings from Kate Spade. I can't wait to wear them out-out when this is all over." - Pardilla
Find these waterfall ones for $45, curved hoops for $150 and cloud earrings for $43 at Amazon. You can rent these pair of pearl hearts at Rent The Runway.
6
Comfortable cropped tees, a work-from-home staple
Girlfriend Collective
"In the Before Times, I was never really a T-shirt person. But these days, you'll hardly see me in anything besides a tee. I bought a few of these Girlfriend Collective cropped tees, and basically live in them now. They're sustainably made using cupro, a lightweight, breezy material that feels softer and more luxe than cotton. They hold up well to wash and wear, and look just as cute paired with yoga pants as they do denim shorts and layered necklaces. They're available in sizes XXS to 6X." - Nims
Find this tee for $32 at Girlfriend Collective.
Find this tee for $32 at Girlfriend Collective.
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7
A pair of prescription sunglasses, in order to ditch contacts
EyeBuyDirect
"I normally wear contacts 80% of the time, but being nearsighted and spending more time at home has allowed me to go without contacts and glasses for most of the day. I've been wanting a pair of prescription sunglasses to use for the pool, beach and sunny midday walks, but have held off because I don't take good care of my sunglasses and know they can be expensive. I found these super cute and affordable prescription sunglasses and have worn them multiple times a week this summer." - Gonzalez
Find these sunglasses for $25 at EyeBuyDirect.
Find these sunglasses for $25 at EyeBuyDirect.
8
A stylish sneaker for an athletics-adverse writer
Loeffler Randall
"Not only am I your resident summer-adverse writer, I'm also not super athletic. I'm not into sweating my face off or working out all the bones in my body. Climbing up the stairs instead of taking an elevator counts as exercise to me, so I'm definitely not an expert in sneakers. I usually just find the cheapest pair for when I want to get on a bike.
But I couldn't resist these knit sneakers with a leopard print in the right places. They're super stretchy, and been wearing them whenever I have to run an errand — and in my backyard. Plus, they have a slight platform that gives me a little more support, too. And they are marked down right now to less than what I paid for them." - Pardilla
Find it for $89 at Loeffler Randall.
But I couldn't resist these knit sneakers with a leopard print in the right places. They're super stretchy, and been wearing them whenever I have to run an errand — and in my backyard. Plus, they have a slight platform that gives me a little more support, too. And they are marked down right now to less than what I paid for them." - Pardilla
Find it for $89 at Loeffler Randall.
9
A top-rated sunscreen, for all of that extra outdoors time
Amazon
"Earlier this year, we wrote about the best sunscreens of 2020. After discovering that La Roche-Posay's Anthelios Melt-In Sunscreen Milk was consistently top rated for several years in a row, I decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did. Every time I step outdoors, I slather on La Roche-Posay's Melt-In Sunscreen Milk and a few sprays of a DEET-free bug spray, just for precaution. I purchased mine from the FSA Store using my FSA account (where it appears to still be sold out), but you can also find it on Amazon." - Nims
Find it for $36 at Amazon.
Find it for $36 at Amazon.
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10
The water bottle that keeps me hydrated AF
bkr
"I ordered this bkr liter water bottle a few weeks before quarantine in an attempt to drink more water at work. It never made it to my office desk but quickly became my lifeline to staying hydrated during quarantine. The glass bottle keeps the water at perfect room temperature, isn't too heavy and the rubber sleeve protects it from getting knocked around. I try to fill it up twice a day and keep it by computer while I'm working from home to drink 68 ounces." - Gonzalez
Check out bkr's water bottles.
Check out bkr's water bottles.
11
A dewy face cream that does what it says
Sephora
"While I've definitely had days that I've just tossed my skincare routine aside, I've always tried to remember to moisturize. I've used a sample of Tatcha's Dewy Skin Cream before and really loved how it left my skin feeling: soft, supple and with a healthy-looking glow. I took the plunge and bought the full-size version around May.
It has a small spatula to scoop up the product, making the cream seem special. The smell isn't strong, meaning you can leave it on without worrying that it'll clash with perfume. I've loved putting it on every day and feeling hydrated. There's a lot of product, too, so while it was pricey, it was so worth it." - Pardilla
Find it for $68 at Sephora.
It has a small spatula to scoop up the product, making the cream seem special. The smell isn't strong, meaning you can leave it on without worrying that it'll clash with perfume. I've loved putting it on every day and feeling hydrated. There's a lot of product, too, so while it was pricey, it was so worth it." - Pardilla
Find it for $68 at Sephora.
12
Slip-on sandals, because real shoes are canceled
Saks Fifth Avenue
"I can't remember the last time I wore a pair of shoes that weren't my Allbirds sneakers or these Freedom Moses sandals. So far, I have purchased two pairs of Freedom Moses slides, and have not once regretted buying them. I also own a pair of rubber Birkenstocks Arizona slides, but I like the Freedom Moses sandals because they come in better colors and have a textured footbed that's easier for your foot to grip. (It also means they're probably safer for wearing with wet feet at the pool or beach). They're my go-to shoes for errands, walks around the neighborhood and even as house shoes when I don't feel like taking work calls in my bare feet." - Nims
Find these sandals for $45 at Saks Fifth Avenue. You can check them out in other colors, too.
Find these sandals for $45 at Saks Fifth Avenue. You can check them out in other colors, too.
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