Happy weekend, Cheapskates. Today let’s look at four ways you can make life a little easier. First up: grilling indoors without filling your house with smoke. Next: improving your laptop’s Wi-Fi without spending big bucks on a mesh network. Then there’s the mouse pad you didn’t know you needed. Yes, mouse pad. Hear me out. And finally: A wireless solar power bank
PowerXL
In my fairly small abode, grilling something on the kitchen stove frequently results in the smoke alarm going off, which isn’t fun. And because it’s winter here roughly eight months out of the year, grilling outdoors is rarely convenient.
Enter the indoor smokeless grill, which is exactly what it sounds like: An electric grill with a fan designed to virtually eliminate smoke.
This PowerXL model, in a variety of colors, can be yours for just $50 with promo code CNETPXL. It’s manufacturer-refurbished, but with a full one-year warranty. Current price at Amazon for a new one: $120. Current user rating at Amazon: 4.6 stars from over 1,400 buyers.
If I had room for another appliance, I’d grab one of these in a heartbeat. If you already own one (or something similar), let me know if you think it’s worth finding the space.
TP-Link
Working from home often means tucking yourself in a corner of the house where Wi-Fi doesn’t reach. If you’re having trouble getting a good signal (and I’ll reckon your last Zoom meeting was a good indicator), consider upgrading your laptop’s Wi-Fi antenna.
Just plug in this top-rated TP-Link adapter, which supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi networks. It has dual, multidirectional antennas, a two-year warranty and 24/7 technical support (always handy when you’re dealing with Wi-Fi).
I know $5 isn’t a huge savings, but if this boosts your laptop’s connectivity, I think you’ll agree it’s $25 very well spent.
Amazon
A mouse pad? Really? Like I said, I’m here to make your life a little better. And I don’t know about you, but I use a mouse all day every day. That can be a huge strain on the wrist, plus my hand gets icy-cold from resting on the desk.
Cheap, effective fix: Amazon’s $10 mouse pad (actually only $9.50, to be precise — you’re welcome!). It has a raised, gel-cushioned pad at the bottom, so your wrist stays level with the mouse and your hand stays warm(er).
I’ve used one of these for years; can’t recommend it highly enough. Seriously.
Aikove
Amazon seller: Aikove US
Price: $21.59 with promo code 3GSSQHSJ
From here on out I want all mobile chargers to have a solar panel on one side and a Qi wireless charging pad on the other. This one does, with 26,800-mAh batteries sandwiched in between. That’s enough juice to recharge a bunch of mobile devices, probably more than once.
Likes: The slick-looking LCD charge-status window, the three-LED built-in flashlight and the support for charging up to four devices simultaneously.
Dislikes: No USB-C ports, only Type-A, and those LEDs don’t give off very much light. But at this price it’s hard to complain. If you don’t need USB-C, this is a killer deal.
OK, there you go! If I’ve managed to make your life a little easier today, pay it forward: See if you can find a way to help someone else.
This article was first published on Thursday. It has been updated for the weekend.
CNET’s Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on tech products and much more. For the latest deals and updates, follow him on Facebook and Twitter. You can also sign up for deal texts delivered right to your phone. Find more great buys on the CNET Deals page and check out our CNET Coupons page for the latest Walmart discount codes, eBay coupons, Samsung promo codes and even more from hundreds of other online stores. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Answers live on our FAQ page.