$50 and Under

Bombay Spice Potato Chips (2 pack)

We met chef Keya Wingfield at the Fancy Food Show and sampled her flavor-packed snacks. Her Bombay Spice Potato Chips left an addictive impression and the CH pantry has a new favorite. Keya says “(I’m) originally from Bombay but I’ve lived in the US long enough to know that the chip aisle needs to be as diverse as America. So I made these chips. They are the very first of their kind in their flavor category”—and she’s spot on. The chips feature her masala blend (turmeric, coriander, garlic, ginger, dried onion, fenugreek, garam masala, cardamom, bay leaves, fennel, clove, black pepper, star anise, nutmeg, tomato and pomegranate powders) pack an umami punch that will leave you wanting more. Two 6 oz bags are $10, and six 1.5 oz bags are $15.

This product is sold by Keya's Snacks

Portable Speaker S

Nothing’s portable Bluetooth CMF Speaker S offers great performance, design and usability at an amazing price point. Inspired by the geometric angles of a milk carton, it features customizable panels, a convenient utility hook, and an intuitive physical control knob. Pair it with a second one to create a stereo pair. Don’t let its compact size fool you—a custom 45mm driver with adaptive tuning and two passive radiators on its sides pushe a punchy 10W of adaptive sound. Use its equalizer to customize your sound or use its presets. The CMF Speaker S has an impressive 18-hour battery life per charge, an IP68 dust- and water-resistance rating, Auracast party chaining and NFC fast pairing, too. This little marvel is built for adventure and everyday use.

This product is sold by Nothing

Whitney Museum x Gap Lichtenstein Sock Box Socks

The Whitney Museum shop and Gap have created an 18 piece collection of clothing and accessories inspired by Roy Lichtenstein’s art in the museum’s collection. These crew socks are inspired by the artist’s 1962 work, Sock, and come in a see through package with a bright yellow border. A great stocking stuffer.

This product is sold by Whitney Museum x Gap

Laundry Detergent Cubes

You are likely aware that liquid laundry detergent is mostly water and comes in large plastic containers—and yet we expend a lot of effort, cost and pollution moving these containers around, just to wind up in a landfill. Then there’s the contents, which are often full of chemical surfactants, phthaletes, preservatives and more. There are several more natural options, like Nellie’s, which packages its small cubes in a square aluminum box. Nothing exotic in their very clean formula, which includes baking soda, citric acid, sodium carbonate, salt, natural enzymes, sodium metasilicate, alcohol ethoxylate as a biodegradable surfactant. One little cube, tossed in the washer drum, is all you need. We prefer the unscented version, but it’s also available in Spa Day, Lavender and Fresh Linen, all naturally scented. They also make dishwasher cubes and other laundry products. There are 64 cubes in a box, get four boxes and save $20.

This product is sold by Nellie's

Connections Puzzle Book

We became Connections fans instantly and remain daily players of the fun and at times maddening game by puzzle editor Wyna Liu. Connections makes its print debut, allowing offline puzzle solving. You’ll find some previously published boards, some new ones, and special print variations. If you haven’t heard our Design Tangents podcast episode with Wyna, it’s a great time to download it.

Use this code to sign up for a 20% discount on this book at Bookshop.org

This product is sold by Bookshop.org

Éditions de la Tour × Analog:Shift Vintage Watches Playing Cards

Our friends at Analog:Shift dropped a watch-inspired set of playing cards with Éditions de la Tour, adding to the ephemera they feel is part of celebrating and collecting watches. The horologically-themed standard deck features 52 different watches curated by Analog:Shift’s founder James Landin and is beautifully designed and printed. It focuses on various influences, styles and details; number cards feature blueprint-style illustrations, and full color illustrations bring the court cards to life. As with all of Éditions de la Tour’s decks you’re getting some of the best playing cards available.

This product is sold by Analog:Shift

SmoothSip Slider Ceramic Insulated Travel Cup / Mug

Owalla’s SmoothSip® Slider Insulated Travel Cup / Mug is lined with ceramic, which doesn’t hold the flavors and aroma from past contents and offers a less metallic taste. It comes in many colors, 12 oz and 24 oz sizes, and all with your choice of with or without a handle. Prices start at $30 for the 12 oz cup up to $40 for the 24 oz mug.

This product is sold by Owala

Nordic Seed Crisps

Jöey Nordic Seed Crisps are new on the scene and deliver a tasty crunch in many flavors, including our favorite, Nori + Tamari. These gluten free crackers are great to snack on out of the package, but go well with cheese, dips, anything you’d normally put on one. Watermelon seeds are the one ingredient you may be less familiar with, but they are among the most water-efficient and nutrient rich seeds, packing lots of magnesium, zinc, potassium, protein and iron. Pumpkin, sesame, flax, hemp, chia and sunflower round out the recipe along with brown rice flour. Various three packs and boxes are also available.

This product is sold by Jöey Organics

Yuzu Ginger Non-Ale Beer

This product is sold by Minus Moonshine

Mushroom Chips (six pack)

Popadelics Mushroom chips are simply dried shiitake mushrooms and seasonings—nothing more. These healthy vegan snacks come in three flavors, Rad Rosemary + Salt, Twisted Thai Chili and Trippin’ Truffle Parm. Available in single varieties or the variety pack with two packs of each flavor.

This product is sold by Popadelics

Pore Refining Toner Pads

Thayer’s is a CH favorite for its natural, simple and effective formulations. One of their everyday basics—Thayers Pore Refining Pads—is a great way to clear away the dirt, grime, sweat and residue from your busy day. A simple, effective formula—witch hazel and salicylic acid on pre-moistened pads—is all you need. One side of the pad gently exfoliates, the softer side helps clear any impurities, and together this simple step reduces your pores and preps your skin for what’s next.

This product is sold by Thayers

Charcuterie Trail Mix

Raisins, take no offense, but we’re excited about Beest Snacks’ Charcuterie trail mix featuring roasted almonds, pork jerky chips and parmesan crisps with some seasoning and zero added sugar. A 4oz bag delivers an impressive 52g of protein in 660 calories. Beef jerky chips, pork jerky chips, and assorted sets provide lower cost and more options.

This product is sold by Beest Snacks

Voyager Series USB-C Rechargeable Batteries

Paleblue’s Voyager Series USB-C rechargeable batteries provide a simple way to power all of your standard household items without compromise or hassle. They can be recharged around 1,000 times, providing years and years of more eco-friendly battery power. Currently available in AAA, AA, C, D, 9V and CR132A, packs of 2-12 batteries are available (depending on the size) and prices start at $25 for a four-pack of AAA or a two-pack of 9V. The USB-C recharging cable is included in each pack and charges four batteries at a time; just plug it in to one of your existing compatible chargers.

This product is sold by Paleblue

The Disappearers

Though we typically read the books we recommend the urgency to celebrate the release of Marlon James’ The Disappearers feels more important than our ability to complete it in a timely manner. The recipient of many awards including the American Book Award and The Booker Prize (for A Brief History of Seven Killings), The Disappearers is one of the dozen books shortlisted for this year’s Booker Prize.

The book is a journey with pop culture and music as its muses, about Jamaican homophobia, sex, violence, colonialism, AIDS, domination, submission and life in the margins, told by several of its characters. The reviews, unanimous in their praise for the book, speak to it better than we could:

“This Masterpiece Is the Novel of the Decade, if Not the Century” (The New York Times)

“The unrelentingly raw and profane vision is enlivened by the energy of the writing, and in particular its infusions of Jamaican slang. Mr. James does not simply reproduce the island’s singular patois; he uses it to create abrasive auditory rhythms.” (Wall Streeet Journal)

“…this polyphonic 640-page doorstopper is an emotionally bruising narrative that roves “uptown, downtown, ghetto and gully” through Aids-era Kingston with sidetrack excursions to 1950s England and a closing leap to 2000s United States.” (The Guardian)

“The Disappearers ends up as a violence-driven protest, a scream of rage—like Nirvana’s final album—against a world that keeps trying to kill people like him and then pretends that they asked for it, or that they never existed.” (The Atlantic)

Use this code to sign up for a 20% discount on this book at Bookshop.org

This products is sold by Bookshop.org

Non-Alcoholic Beer (12 cans)

Crazy Mountain is a new non-alcoholic beer brewed that way (thanks to a proprietary yeast) instead of brewing and removing the alcohol, which uses electricity and can change the taste. Made by the team behind Casamigos (George Clooney, Rande Gerber and Mike Meldman) who know a thing or two about creating new brands in the beverage space, it’s certainly not the first but it is one of the better tasting. Available in original and lime flavors, it’s a recommended addition to your NA line up. Price is for two six packs (you can mix the two flavors if you like). Also available in retail and delivery outlets.

This product is sold by Crazy Mountain

Postcard Set

Bienvenue Studios, a Zurich-based creative studio focused on biophilic design, uses “natural patterns showing how complexity and harmony can coexist.” They prefer to work in sets of images rather than stand alone works. These five print small art collections can be used either decoratively or as post cards, and come in many different options. The works are offset printed in Zurich on 400g stock, and are 104 x 140 mm.

This product is sold by Bienvenue Studios

Smoky Paloma Incense

Smoky Paloma incense comes in cigarette pack boxes and the incense sticks resemble cigarettes, so it looks like a smoking cigarette is in your ashtray, not a stick of incense. The Smoky Paloma blend of palo santo and sandalwood is our favorite, but other scents are available. Twenty incense sticks per package, which burn for around 25 minutes. Matching matches are included, and other accessories are available.

This product is sold by Smoky Paloma

Lil Bucks Crispy Organic Treats (3 boxes)

Little Bucks Crispy organic treats update the iconic rice and marshmallow bar with sprouted buckwheat, brown rice sugar and pea protein, delivering a more considered and natural ingredient variation of the beloved treat. Other flavors are available. Three boxes of five treats each come in this package.

This product is sold by Little Bucks

Chroma Scissors

Craighill’s colorful Chroma Scissors bring function alongside colorful design, with ceramic coated blades and vinyl-dipped handles. More than a casual pair, they are cast in stainless steel and feature a circular hinge mechanism for smooth and easy performance. Available in multiple styles / colors, including a pair without ceramic coating. It’s an easy way to add some color and fun to an otherwise basic product. The full-size scissors are 7 oz and 8.5″ x 3″ x 0.5″.

This product is sold by Craighill

Non-Alcoholic Spirits, Aperitifs and Sparkling Wine

UNDONE started its line of non-alcoholic spirits in 2019, helping to bring a new generation of dealcoholized products to bars and markets. Today their portfolio lacks little, offering spirits, aperitifs, liquers, sparking wine, canned cocktails that taste more similar to their alcoholic counterparts than botanical spirits. They’ve been a prominent feature at CH HQ this summer, where we’ve explored making many different cocktails and tasty sips that keep us on deadlines. They have just about everything you need to easily make the classics—from a Smoky Paloma to a Vesper to a range of sprtizes.  What we appreciate most is the range and depth of flavors providing endless opportunities for your NA enjoyment. Products range from $15-25, with many options for kits, sets and mixers.

This product is sold by UNDONE

Faception Reloaded Tee

The Faception tee by Urban Privacy confuses facial recognition systems with its multiple graphics. Shirts are made to order in 100% 180 gram organic cotton following the GOTS and ÖEKO-TEX Standard 100 guidelines. Available in white and black in slim and baggy cuts. Note that the graphics disrupt each system differently, and software can be updated to manage the confusion.

This product is sold by Urban Privacy

Specialty Instant Coffee

NYC-based Forchewn solves a constant issue in our travels—having an affordable, dependable, easily available coffee while we’re on the go. They are considered in their sourcing, roasting and packaging to ensure the best possible cup of coffee given the format. Each box also comes with a tarot card for an extra moment of pause for your daily rituals. Prices vary per blend, starting at $14 for a five serving box.

This product is sold by Forchewn

Thick Honey

At a recent visit to the Fancy Food Show, a trade show for gourmet foods, we met longtime CH reader Noah Phillips. We always love when that happens, even more so when they are up to something interesting. Noah loves honey, but doesn’t love having to manage it in containers where it often solidifies, or is thinned out to dispense more easily which often makes a mess. As any passionate entrepreneur does they solve the problem by making their own, and Honey Department was born (it also helps that his dad is a beekeeper). The single source honey comes from bees that pollinate Mexican wildflower and mesquite blossoms. He calls it “thick honey” and it’s packaged in an aluminum tube. Thick, because it is naturally thickened into a creamy paste, a perfect consistency for putting on your food more precisely, smoothly and without waste. Need more? Just squeeze the tube; when you’ve finished it, recycle it. We’ve tried it on food, in recipes, in beverages, and we’ve even been seen carrying the small tube around to share with people (these are currently an added bonus when you buy a three pack, but will soon be sold separately). Until then, you can buy a single 6 oz tube for $16, or buy in larger packs at a lower price.

This product is sold by Honey Department

Botanical Alphabet

If you’re a plant or typography lover, these botanical seed packets hit that sweet spot. The seeds correspond with every letter of the alphabet, from Aster to Zinnia, and the designs feature a unique color palette and typographic style. Each packet contains multiple seeds, sowing instructions and fun background info on the typeface used in the design. It’s hard to choose a favorite, but we’re leaning towards Nigella with its typeface inspired by the Mexico 1968 Olympics logo design.

This product is sold by Piccolo Seeds

Fallingwater Chocolate Bar

Éclat Chocolate’s Fallingwater Dark Chocolate Bar 65% (also available in 49% milk chocolate) is inspired by the windows and the “innovation and harmony” seen in Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous Fallingwater House.

This product is sold by Éclat Chocolate