10 products that seem like they wouldn't work, but actually do

The first time you wear a pair of oven gloves will be the last time you wear a pair of oven mitts. Thanks to a blend of heat-resistant fibers and silicone, oven gloves allow you to reach into hot ovens and grab out roasting pans with complete dexterity and without risk of a burn.

You can even use them to reposition flaming logs in fires or to move a heated grill plate. They are a must have for the kitchen, fireplace, barbecue, and anywhere else things get extra hot.

If you want to deodorize a bathroom, a car, the interior of a fridge, a closet, or any other small space, you have three basic options: clean it thoroughly; mask the smell(s) with some other scent; or use a charcoal air purifier to absorb them.

Bamboo charcoal air fresheners can absorb foul odors, trapping them in the porous structure of the charcoal, and then releasing the build-up with a few hours of direct exposure to the sun, no chemicals or other odors involved.

The magic behind "magic" cleaning sponges is actually just chemistry. These sponges are made from melamine foam that, once cured, is like a superfine sandpaper, albeit much more flexible.

When a bit of water is added to a magic sponge, it amplifies the scrubbing power, helping these plucky little cleaning tools cut through grease, paint, food stains, and all the other messes you find in your kitchen, bathroom, and life in general.

If you think hand blenders, also known as immersion blenders, seem like a gimmicky gadget, then you have definitely never witnessed one in action.

By the time I could have my regular blender set up and ready to be filled with whatever soup or smoothie needed blending, I could already have perfectly pureed said foodstuffs and even cleaned off my immersion blender. I swear by these devices; they will change your cooking game forever.

Remember that commercial with the Flex Seal guy Phil Swift paddling around in a boat in which the hull had largely been replaced with a screen door coated in liquid rubber spray? Yeah, that was real.

This stuff really is "liquid rubber in a can," and when sprayed onto all sorts of surfaces, it will seep down into cracks and crevices then dry, creating a flexible and fully waterproof seal. I'm not endorsing it for flotation, but for fixing a leaky tub or weather sealing a window, spray it on.

Seems counterintuitive, right? A black paste can help make your teeth whiter? While admittedly rather odd to use (a.k.a. gross if you brush in front of a mirror, which you probably do), charcoal toothpastes and powders really can help whiten your smile.

The microscopic bits of activated charcoal, which is inert and nontoxic, by the way, polish your teeth and lift away plaque and stains. Charcoal is abrasive, however, so you'll have to make sure not to brush too aggressively, or you could erode your teeth's enamel.

Logic would dictate that the larger a jacket, the more warmth it would provide, no? In fact, thanks to today's advanced insulation materials like PrimaLoft and FX Down, packable coats, also known as puffers, can keep you warm even in subzero conditions despite the fact that many puffer jackets can be packed down small enough to fit into a small pouch or even into a pocket.

If you don't own one, you're missing out. And you're wasting space in the closet with that parka.

If you like to keep a clean house without spending all day cleaning the house, let a robot do it for you.

While first-generation robot vacuums weren't all that effective, today's models can clean entire rooms in a matter of minutes at the press of a button, and they can climb up onto carpets, avoid bumping walls and furniture, and plug themselves back in as their batteries run low. Also they keep your cats company. (Or terrify them.)

Inflatable kayaks have been around for years, and many of them work pretty well for casual paddling in calm seas or on lazy rivers or lakes. But if you want to head out into choppy waters or down running rivers, you need a hard-hulled yak that can handle harder conditions.

But did you know you can get a kayak suitable for open water paddling expeditions that folds up and fits in a (large) backpack? Folding kayaks merge origami with outdoor sports, creating a vessel you can bring anywhere and use in all sorts of water.