41 Products To Buy If Your Want To Find A New Hobby

Jul 23, 2023

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed collects a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.

Whether you wanted to learn how to cook, read more books, or discover a new craft, these products will likely inspire you to try something new.

BuzzFeed Staff

The deck includes 78 cards and is an all-levels introduction to witchcraft. Each card features artwork on the front and simple instructions for a spell on the back.

Promising review: "I'm giving it 5 stars because of its design. The box is drop-dead gorgeous, has minimalistic artwork with a satiny feel touched with gold lines where its design concept is carried throughout the deck while separating the 8 categories by individual design. Love the bottom pull-out 'drawer' effect for safe-keeping secrets and tricks of the trade. To me, this is a very well thought out product. Its minimalistic approach is classy and enticing. I will have no problem gifting this while keeping my own copy." —Soul Masseuse

Get it from Amazon for $16.95.

Back to the Roots is a small business based in California that was founded by two college friends. They specialize in indoor gardening kits with a mission to reconnect families to food.

Promising review: "This product has been so much fun to watch! I followed the directions, exactly as written, and the mushrooms began growing within three to four days. I will say that I did soak them for close to 10 hours before putting them back in the box to grow and I believe this helped a ton. I also kept the box inside by a window with the blinds closed in order for them to get indirect sunlight. The mushrooms grew tremendously for almost a week before they started to shrink so I clipped them to cook with and they were DELICIOUS! This was such a fun product and process to watch. I am now in the process of trying to get a second batch of shrooms from the same box — fingers crossed!" —Steph A

Get it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in three styles).

Promising review: "I am a grad student in a very strenuous program and I like staying busy that way. But on breaks, when I have too much time, I sink into nothingness. I didn't expect this book to do much, especially since I thought 'mindfulness' was some BS. Even if it's the same prompts every day, it's what you make out of the book. I like mentally checking off the three small accomplishments I held myself accountable for in ink, somehow the book is better than my Post-it note to-do lists. And the main reason for the five stars, it helps with my depression." —KellBell

Get it from Amazon for $11.21.

The Duo Plus replaces nine common kitchen appliances. It can be used as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, yogurt maker, and egg cooker, with the ability to sauté, steam, warm, sterilize... and oh, it makes cakes too.

I got one of these via my wedding registry (almost four years ago, yikes) and FINALLY tested it out. It was definitely a bit intimidating (I blame This Is Us for my fears) but if you take the time to follow the initial directions it's not bad at all! I used it to make an at-home version of Trader Joe's butternut squash mac and cheese (seen above to the right) and it was delish! I definitely patted myself on the back for a job well done — and my very Italian husband was shocked at its ability to cook pasta in three minutes.

Promising review: "Perfect addition to the Instant Pot family. This little pot does the same incredible job as its bigger brother and sisters. Great for making the side dishes or smaller main dishes. If you haven't gotten on board the Instant Pot train, do not hesitate! This mini pot even makes yogurt. The benefits to pressure cooking are numerous, using the Instant Pot makes it incredibly easy. Can you tell I'm completely smitten with this little appliance?! It proudly sits on my counter and is used nearly every single day." —Prairie Princess

Get it from Amazon for $69.99+ (available in three sizes).

Promising review: "I'm normally bored by crosswords and word-search puzzles after a short time, but these have a twist in that you have to answer five Jeopardy-type questions in order to get all the clues for the puzzles. And they aren't necessarily easy, although if you don't know the answer, you can generally figure it out. I have enjoyed a number of the Brain Games series, and this is one of the best." —Ginger Russell

Get it from Amazon for $7.99.

Promising review: "Got this with a friend to complete during quarantine! (We each got one to work on from afar.) There are only a few spots where the adhesive isn't as sticky as others that I’ve had to reattach the gems but overall the price, shipping time and overall look is amazing!" —Meredith F.

Get it from Amazon for $11.87.

Obé Fitness can be accessed on a computer, smartphone, or TV. Just use an HDMI cable to connect to your TV or launch Obé from the app using Airplay, Apple TV, or Chromecast.

BuzzFeed editor Abby Kass has been using Obé Fitness for as long as I've known her. It's go-to workout! She said:

"I started using Obé and then went back to my old at-home workout and switched back to Obé again because I realized I liked it so much. The classes are a great workout, yet the 28 minutes go by super fast, and I’m not counting down the minutes till it's over. You don't technically need any equipment for the workout, but you can level up with simple equipment, such as a resistance loop, weights, and sliders."

Get it from Obé Fitness for $27+ (monthly, quarterly, and annual memberships available).

Check out our full review of Obé Fitness.

I was gifted a year of Book of the Month for my birthday one year and to date it is one of the best things I've received. There are few things as satisfying as getting truly lost in the pages of a good book. Each month you'll be permitted to choose one of four books, all of which are different genres. Then the book you selected will be delivered to your door. Magic! Excuse me, I need to re-up my subscription.

Get three months from Book of the Month for $49.99.

It's the thinnest and lightest Kindle Amazon has released to date! And — as is made abundantly clear by the photo above — it's 100% waterproof. I'm typically a hardcover girl through-and-through, but I recently gave the Kindle a whirl. It's very convenient to be able to slip it into any bag without it taking up much real estate and the transition between pages is very smooth.

Promising review: "I love the fact that I can read on this Kindle in both daylight and dim light conditions. It is so light and compact, which makes it easy to hold, easy to travel with, and the battery lasts forever. I love it." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $139.99.

And check out our full breakdown of the Kindle Paperwhite here.

This set comes with 15 nail art design brushes, 5 drawing/dotting pens, 10 assorted nail striping tapes, 12 foil stickers, and 2 boxes of rhinestones.

Promising review: "This was a great find! I’m having fun experimenting with everything! It includes a nice selection of skinny striping tape colors and they stick very well. I would’ve liked for it to have included black, but I’ll live. :) I love the size and color of the pretty little stones and the foils rock! I’m happy with the brushes and the dotting tools also. Just so you know, the dotting tools are all the same size on one end and five different sizes on the other end, which is adequate for me. Everything came neatly packaged. The entire set is thumbs up from me!" —Lyon B.

Get it from Amazon for $12.99 (available in four combos).

Olive & June is my go-to nail polish brand! It's a small business co-owned by two incredible women who clearly know what they're doing when it comes to manicures. The polish stays on for over a week, and when you purchase the full kit, you'll also find yourself equipped with tools to pull off a flawless mani. The Mani System comes with a cleanup brush, a polish remover pot, a nail clipper, a nail file, a nail buffer, The Poppy (used to hold bottles more comfortably), a glossy topcoat, a cuticle serum, and one nail polish of your choice. My favorite tool is the little brush, designed to help you clean up your cuticles after inevitably getting polish all over 'em. Treat yourself — you won't be disappointed.

Get the Mani Kit for $50+ (available with one polish or up to six and optional upgrades).

Check out our full review on Olive & June.

Promising review: "Ahhh I love these so much, takes doodling to a whole new level! It's an anxiety relief like you wouldn't believe. Plus my kids also get a kick out of them. These are so worth it and I'm going to be keeping these stocked up!" —Katie Toomey

Get it from Amazon for $16.79.

I admittedly am someone who thrives while working out at the gym, but there are many exercises I've been dying to try and don't because I don't want to embarrass myself. Boxing is one of them. Luckily, I can start practicing my skills (and break a decent sweat!) at home while playing this super-fun game on the Nintendo Switch. I use this game as a way to mix up my exercises / when I don't feel like venturing out to the gym. I have to say, it's a SERIOUS workout. I'm usually sore for days after and have burnt up to 300 calories in 30 minutes! If you get tired of the provided songs, mute your TV and turn on your favorite workout playlist — a great hack, if you ask me! The newest version of this game will combine your stats with the original, so no worries if you've already been playing Fitness Boxing for years!

Get it from Amazon for $49.99.

I've also been using this game as a way to supplement my other work outs. This may seem like a childish adventure from Nintendo, but JEEZ within moments I'm sweating my butt off. To play, you'll place a JoyCon into both the ring con and a leg strap so your movements are monitored. To move through each level you have to physically run in place and each time you "battle" an enemy you have to do 15 reps of an exercise of your choosing. For example, each time I complete a squat the enemy receives a "kick." It's so fun I don't realize I'm working out until the game reminds me to take a break and have some water. It even monitors your heart rate for you. It's more intense than you'd expect!

Get it from Amazon for $69.88.

Promising review: "I didn't want to spend a lot of money in case it turned out that we didn't like it. Well, we love it. We consume a fresh loaf every three days and it only takes me 10 minutes to measure the ingredients, add them to the pot and set it to go. Much faster. For reference, I have only made the basic 1.5-lb loaf set to light crust. I follow the instructions exactly except I substitute the water with warm milk. I made this modification after the first couple of loaves. They were good but just a little dry for our liking. Using warm milk, instead of water, turns out a softer loaf. I'm sure I will try other recipes down the road but for now, this is what I needed it for and it works wonderfully." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $89.99.

Reviewers agree that the instructions are clear, photos with *each* recipe are super helpful, and the step-by-step instructions helped them get amazing results on their first try. I got this cookbook over the holidays and can't wait to try my hand at some of the recipes — I think I'm going to start with scones! There are tons of mouthwatering bread recipes as well as a number of delicious looking desserts.

Since he's British, the book uses metric measurements (and weighing ingredients is really better for precise baking!) so you might also want to get a handy kitchen scale if you don't have one. You can get a top-rated one from Amazon for $11.99.

Get it from Amazon for $21.99 or Bookshop for $36.80 (to support local bookstores).

I recently finished playing Spiritfarer — which, IMO, has Studio Ghibli vibes and is both devastating and beautiful at the same time. It's *very* deep but an extremely satisfying game that many of my coworkers have also enjoyed. It would make a great gift for any gamer looking to try out an Indie game this winter.

Promising review: "You want a game that isn't too stressful and allows for a lot of exploration? This will do ya. And there's exploration of different characters as well as exploration of the environment." —Amazon Customer

Get the digital download from Amazon for $29.99.

Promising review: "This puzzle is good quality, with sturdy pieces and a nicely rendered illustration. What makes it tricky are the highly unusual shapes of the pieces. Some of the pieces just touch instead of interlocking, so it's a tough one to put together. I really enjoyed the challenge and just ordered another from the same company." —Gourmet Gal

Get it from Amazon for $24.

This woman-owned small business features an array of beautifully drawn puzzles from female artists — check out all of their offerings here.

Get a subscription from Jiggy for $26/month.

Promising review: "This jigsaw roller works perfectly for me. It's just a piece of felt with an inflatable tube, two straps and a bag but it worked well for me holding my 1,000-piece puzzles together. The felt is smooth, my puzzle pieces don't snag on it. It's on the thinner side but is thick enough to stay firm all the way across when rolled up." —Shaunie

Get it from Amazon for $18.99.

Promising review: "This gift was perfect for my teenage daughter and would be for anyone who loves bubble tea and DIY. My daughter had a blast learning how to make the tea and then showing off her skills to her family and friends. And the bubble tea was delicious! Other bubble tea kits seem to contain flavored powders with loads of artificial ingredients. Not this kit! Brewing your own tea makes it so much healthier and more authentic. Buy this! You'll be so happy you did!" —Rebecca

Get it from Uncommon Goods for $40.

Lacee Swan is a woman-owned small business based in North Dakota that makes fun fashion stationery and other paper goods. This specific set (and many others available on her site and Etsy shop) are amazing because they are super customizable with 36 hair color and skin tone combinations.

Get a set of 10 cards from Lacee Swan's site or their Etsy shop for $25+ (available in up to 200 cards).

The movies include diverse hits like Black Swan, Pixar's UP, and Gone with the Wind.

Promising review: "Got this as a Christmas gift for my boyfriend and he loved it. He thought it was so cool. Comes in a container to protect the poster, with a pick to scratch the boxes off. SUCH a great buy, good pictures/pigmentation! We're huge movie people and honestly sometimes we sit at home and we're like what should we watch? Well this now has changed that. Huge selection between comedies, dramas, actions, thrillers, etc. Every movie has been great so far in our opinion. Planning to frame it and hang it up once it's done TBH." —Edgar Salcedo

Get it it from Amazon for $27.97.

I invested in one of these last year and I'm so glad I did — I use it to make lattes at home and have saved a lot of dollars without having to run out to Starbucks every morning (just...once a week or so instead hehe).

Promising review: "OMG, this milk frother makes my homemade latte taste like it was made by a barista. It was perfect. So perfect that I bought a second one for my brother who loves coffee to use. I've already recommended it to some coworkers. It has changed my coffee-drinking life. This comes highly recommended." —Michelle Pirestani

Get it from Amazon for $21.99 (available in 17 colors).

Promising review: "I love it! The design is clean and simple. The games are basic, but still keep me in a plank longer than normal. I like the workout part, basically 30-second intervals of different exercises, you pick how many 30-second segments you want to do at a time. There is a daily challenge too. I would be bored to tears after one 40-second regular plank, I do over six minutes plus at each session on this and you really feel it strengthening your core." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $86.79.

Promising review: "Bought this for my very artistic 13-year-old daughter. She's forever asking, 'what should I draw?' I crossed my fingers when I ordered this, as we've tried many other books to inspire her that didn't. When I gave it to her, I was expecting a lukewarm response. However, as she thumbed through the book, she started giggling and smiling and couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I even got a spontaneous hug. She ran to the door when her dad got home to show him the book. And I think that the 642 options may just keep her inspired for a few weeks! ;) Any book that can charm a 13-year-old girl is a keeper in my book!" —Fascinated viewer

Get it from Amazon for $9.95.

You can also grab markers, crayons, or colored pencils here — pick your poison 😉.

Promising review: "I love coloring and I love cocktails, so this coloring book couldn't be more perfect! It's adorable and fun! I usually like to drink alcohol and color on my Friday nights, so this makes it even more fun!" —Ashley Moree

Get it from Amazon for $8.97.

Emberpearlco is a small business based in Shawnee, Kansas that sells an array of Paint by Number kits.

Promising review: "Loved it! Perfect size for me because I have a terrible attention span and never finish any paint by numbers 😂 great supplies also (the paint and brushes), cute packaging!" —Ayla

Get it from Emberpearlco on Etsy for $26.

Promising review: "I’m 17 and I loved this. In the intro it says the page instructions are all up to interpretation, so if it says 'spill your drink' or something you can take that literally or choose to paint on it with something such as tea or coffee that’ll look like brown watercolor. Which I love that it's bizarre prompts but that you have wiggle room if you don't want to do anything too crazy. I would recommend this if you’re just looking for something fun or if you’re going through some challenges this is really helpful to distract/express/push yourself!" —Marlee

Get it from Amazon for $9.59.

Promising review: "This was so much fun and pretty easy for a beginner. I’ve never done any embroidery so I had no idea what I was doing. I recommend looking up the different stitches on YouTube so you get an idea of how to do each one. I also made sure to sew a little outside of the pattern so that it didn't show on the finished product. This was a fun pandemic craft...I will be purchasing another." —Mrs. Hamilton

Get it from Amazon for $9.99.

Promising review: "This is a great kit perfect for any cross-stitch or Nightmare Before Christmas fan. It contains a booklet with instructions and four patterns, the needed thread, three pieces of canvas, the holder, and two needles. It's a really awesome set. The instructions were easy to follow, and I managed to already finish one of the designs." —witchykitty39

Get it from Amazon for $7.07.

Thanks to a handy lil' tortilla press from Verve Culture, making my own tortillas at home isn't much of a challenge at all. The press is made in Mexico from old Singer sewing machines and other recycled irons! The cast-iron should last you, basically, forever so it's definitely worth your money. I still can't believe how easy they were to make! We used Maseca's corn flour (the bag has instructions on the back how to make the tortillas) and it was so simple. They came out *so* well I was beyond impressed with myself.

Get it from Verve Culture or Amazon for $48.

Check out my full review of the Verve Culture tortilla press.

This kit includes sweet rice flour, potato starch, matcha green tea powder, cocoa powder, a dough cutter, a silicone mochi mold, and step-by-step instructions. It makes up to 32 pieces.

Promising review: "My friend's daughter had to have her graduation party via Zoom this year. Mochi is their favorite, so I thought this would be a great kindergarten graduation gift. It was a huge hit! They had so much fun making them and at the end they said it tasted just like 'real mochi' :). True praise from a 5- and 7-year-old!" —Kim

Get it from Uncommon Goods for $34.

Dungeons & Dragons is THE ultimate role-playing game. If you're stuck in the house for a bit (which we all seem to be), it's the perfect time to start a campaign. This kit comes with an eBook, 1,000 pre-generated characters, a map, and more to help you get started. If you're already familiar with DnD, check out the latest adventure book from Matthew Mercer for some fresh ideas.

Promising review: "I am brand new to DnD and this starter set is amazing and walks you through the first steps into a whole new world. This specific set comes with so many extra features like several sets of dice so you and your friends can start right away, and so many digital downloads that give you characters, monsters, and even a DM screen to help the DM get started right away. Thank you so much for an awesome set to an epic game!" —Kevin Brown

Get it from Amazon for $37.99.

My mother-in-law absolutely loves her Cricut — it's one of her favorite gadgets. She loves using it to craft cards for all of the family, accents for holiday meals, and to personalize gifts. It's a fun and easy way to unwind while also feeling like you've been productive with your down time.

Promising review: "I love my Cricut Maker! I waited too long to get this. If you’re on the fence just get it because it's awesome. I’ve made a number of personalized cards and gifts and my family and friends absolutely love them. I also label things for my 2-year-old (at home and for school) and decorated my house! Love love love!!! I get ideas on Pinterest and there's lots of Facebook groups you can join for even more ideas. Worth the money and works way better than I thought it would. It makes tiny little cuts for detailed pieces. Did I already mention how much I love it? Also they come out with new tools which makes your potential projects limitless!" —Stephanie N

Get it from Amazon for $240+ (available in four colors).

Me and my mother-in-law recently got our hands on this new gadget and, with some practice, nailed the crafting process. The Cricut Mug Press doesn't need to connect to Bluetooth like the other gadgets, it heats up and the transfer of the design is done by hand. You'll need a Cricut machine to actually do the cutting beforehand. Don't forget to order some mugs — you'll find yourself wanting to make a whole slew of designs right off the bat.

Promising review: "This mug press is amazing, especially if you’re limited on space! Traditional heat presses with mug attachments and regular mug presses are bulky and take up a good chunk of space. I love that I can easily pack it up and put is away when I’m not using it. The mugs came out amazing! I really like that I don't need to figure out the heat and time settings; it automatically detects the temperature of the mug, room, etc. and determines how long to press and what temperature is needed. I’ve tried it with infusible ink and sublimation and it works amazing for both!" —lindasierra

Get it from Amazon for $160.

Promising review: "Love, love, love it!!! I purchased this microphone when I upgraded from a laptop to a desktop gaming console (which did not have a built-in microphone like my laptop did). I needed this microphone for gaming and video editing purposes. My main concern from other reviews was that I would not have a crystal clear voice unless I was very close to the microphone. This is NOT true. I sit comfortably in my chair, a good two feet away from the mic and people online say my voice sounds crystal clear!!! I even tested playing music in the background while talking and my friend could not hear any background noise! Amazing!" —Brandon

Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (available in black and white).

My husband and I have one of these and I cannot believe how many games are available with this pass. I'm counting on this to keep me entertained for the entire winter, TBH.

Get a three-month membership from GameStop for $24.99.

Crafts are a great way to keep busy. Give this kit a try — if for some reason it doesn't help distract you, at the very least you'll learn how to make soap!

Promising review: "My son and I have been thinking of making soap for a while. But kept putting it off due to the cost of having to buy everything. This kit was right within my budget and made making soap so fun and easy! It comes with an ocean breeze scent that smells great and my son loves having soap he made in the bathroom!" —Deena

Get it from KiwiCo for $34.95.

The kit comes with three skeins of petite wool, wooden knitting needles, the sewing pattern, a small knitter's sewing needle, and an embroidered label.

Promising review: "Perfect for beginners and very easy to make! The year is very soft and squishy. My daughter is going to love this once I finish it. Highly recommend fo beginners or any level knitter." —HLC0987

Get it from We Are Knitters for $63 (available in 15 colors).

It comes with a doormat, paint, paintbrushes, and a stencil that's completely customizable! MichieBarnCo is a small business based in Utah that sells wooden signs and doormats.

Get it from MichieBarnCo on Etsy for $25+ (available in four sizes).

Some reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.