It’s challenging to convey the scale of Amazon. The online retailer sells everything — from just about every brand, too. The site and app represent an overwhelming assortment of products, spanning books, jewelry, cars, phone cases, and, yes, even insects. Because of this, aimlessly sifting through Amazon can be overwhelming. Combine the valid concern of receiving a junk product and the pressure to get a good deal, and it all becomes a bit daunting.
Simplifying your shopping experience probably wasn’t at the forefront of executives’ minds when Amazon launched its eponymous Essentials (clothing and accessories only) and Basics (home and beyond) lines, but now they’re a welcome respite from decision-making fatigue. It’s counterintuitive to any challenges of Amazon’s monopoly over the marketplace, but when I want batteries, for example, it’s easier to order Amazon’s, which are cheaper, and through my own testing, work pretty much the same as Duracell’s, Energizer, HDX, Rayovac, or so on and so forth.
Launched all the way back in 2009, these sub-lines of the Amazon brand are the in-house equivalents of Great Value to Walmart, or any one of Target’s 40+ in-house brands. On Amazon, though, the sheer breadth of their category coverage means for many, these are not your run-of-the-mill, replaceable basics — they’re the dependable favorites of regular shoppers. The lines go beyond redesigned essentials and offer some surprisingly solid (and intentionally simple) products ready to be sent to your home in two days (often at a steal). Here are some of our favorites.
Prices are accurate as of October 30, 2025. Subject to change. All featured products and deals are selected independently and objectively by the author. Better Report may receive a share of sales via affiliate links in content.
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