The $1.50 Dollar Tree Find Is One of the Best Kitchen Purchases I've Ever Made

One of my pet peeves is crumbs in my cutlery drawer. No matter what I do, they always seem to be in there. I have no idea where they come from—it's not like I'm buttering toast directly over my forks—but every time I open that drawer, they're always in there.

I used to regularly, but half-heartedly, wipe down the cutlery area to try to keep on top of it; occasionally, I do a more thorough job by pulling everything out and deep cleaning the cutlery slots. But within a day, there were inevitable crumbs again, so it always felt futile.

Then, about a year and a half ago, I bought a mini desk vacuum from Amazon on a whim, and I'm not exaggerating when I say it's become one of the best kitchen purchases I've ever made.

When I saw that Dollar Tree also carried a mini vacuum for just $1.50, I picked one up to test it out—and folks, I'm glad I did. It's USB-rechargeable, fits in the palm of my hand, and has quickly become a go-to for getting at all the little messes. 

Why I Love Dollar Tree's Mini Desk Vacuum

Let me start by saying that the mini vacuum I originally bought from Amazon has its advantages: it's cordless, has an adjustable pointed tip, and noticeably better suction. Overall, a good, higher-end mini vacuum retails for at least $30 to $40 and offers more oomph.

For quick, small-scale cleanups, Dollar Tree's version handles most of the same jobs surprisingly well. And, at $1.50, it's an unbeatable deal. After buying one to test in my kitchen, I returned to buy one for my car's cup holder messes and another for my husband's office desk. And I still spent less than $5 total.

What makes small vacuums like these so great is their hyper-specific cleaning ability. They excel at the daily micro-messes that are too fine and cumbersome for a broom and that a wet sponge seems only to smear around. For example, breadcrumbs left after slicing a gorgeous loaf of sourdough, speckles of sugar after baking Giant Ginger Cookies, spilled, dried coffee grounds (the very worthwhile cost of owning an espresso machine, by the way), and those random grains of rice, smatterings of uncooked lentils, or dry pasta bits that always mysteriously end up on my pantry shelves.

Because it's so compact and I keep one under my sink, it quickly became a grab-and-go tool that encouraged tidiness. When I spot a mess, I can pull it out and use it immediately, rather than mentally adding it to my ever-growing to-do list. With a busy life and two young kids, I can't explain how helpful it is for taking quick passes over the kids' post-breakfast chairs, zipping around the base of the toaster, or my absolute favorite–keeping the cutlery drawer crumb-free. If mine broke, I'd replace it immediately.

If you're looking for a simple, budget-friendly solution that helps you feel more in control of the daily messes, this Dollar Tree mini vacuum is the way to go. It's a tiny tool that makes a big difference in keeping those small, frustrating corners of your kitchen clean.

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