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This clever gadget, on sale for $13, keeps my old sweaters looking brand-new

It gets rid of unwanted fuzz and pills not just on clothing, but furniture, curtains and more.

As a fashion editor, adding a comfy new pullover or soft cardigan to my wardrobe is one of my favorite winter activities — except buying sweaters each year can get costly. Thankfully, I've found an easy way to refresh my collection without spending a ton of money (you know, money that I can then spend on a cool coat or stylish boots!). Enter: the Conair Fabric Shaver and Lint Remover. The handy gadget removes fuzz, excess threads and pills in seconds, leaving my old favorite knits looking new — and it can be yours for $13 right now.

If your sweaters emerged from storage looking a little sad, this little gadget will bring 'em back to happy.

$13 at Amazon

Why is this a good deal? 💰

First off, $13 is less than two lattes from Starbucks and waaay less than a movie ticket nowadays. And now that I have this fabric shaver in my arsenal, I have saved so much money by reviving my well-loved sweaters instead of buying new ones. The fact that it's a couple of bucks off? Even better.

Why do I need this? 🤔

This handheld device uses a rotating blade to remove pilled fabric without damaging the garment. The sharp blade is hidden behind a honeycomb mesh cover that protects my hands and fingers from getting cut. Three settings move the blade to different distances away from the cover, so it's easy to spiff up various types of fabrics.

The shaving head is a roomy 2 inches wide, allowing me to de-pill large areas quickly. Plus, after the shaver works its magic, the excess fabric is caught inside a removable storage compartment, making cleanup a breeze. The catchall area is see-through, so it's easy to know when I need to empty it.

Not only do I use this fabric shaver to breathe new life into my clothes, but to refresh my furnishings. It's compact, cordless and lightweight, making it easy for me to use it on anything and everything imaginable, including couches, pillows and curtains.

A detail shot of a cozy autumn inspired sweater and black denim against a white background
The only thing better than a cozy sweater? A cozy sweater that looks brand-new but most definitely isn't. (Getty)

What reviewers say 💬

I'm not the only fan. More than 90,000 Amazon shoppers have given the Conair Fabric Shaver their five-star seal of approval, and 9,000-plus shoppers have grabbed one in the last month. It is sweater weather, after all.

Pros 👍

"This product has actually changed my life," raved one. "I used it with every single piece of clothing that needs it and it completely refreshes all the clothes. I depilled/defuzzed my entire duvet cover, and it's never been as soft as it is right now. I used it on a pillow I've had for years and it went from basically sandpaper to being softer than a brand new one."

"This product helps me with all the things that I don't like that get on my clothes like those tiny fuzz balls," wrote another, before adding, "My mom loves this product because it revives her Lulu leggings from being old and looking bad."

People are using it on so much more than just clothes, like this five-star reviewer: "I bought the shaver because my couch material keeps balling up in certain spots, especially around the sides and the corners and I used the fabric shaver on it and it worked amazing! It's quick and easy and simple to use. My last fabric shaver didn't work half as well as this one. You can actually see the line from where it has shaved."

Cons 👎

While shoppers love to use the fabric shaver over (and over) again, some reviewers note that it's hard to de-pill the de-piller. This five-star reviewer loves the "big" and "adjustable" head so you can get a large surface area while changing the depth of cutting. However, they shared that "the one downside is how you clean out the fuzz from the machine. The trap is narrow and I had to use a nail file to fish everything out. Besides that design misstep, it's a great machine."

Another issue? It does such a quick job that it fills up in a flash. "The one downside is that it does fill up quickly," explained another five-star reviewer. "Once it sounds like the shaver is slowing down, you want to stop and empty. But I do not regret this purchase one tiny little bit."

This fabric shaver takes two double-AA batteries, but there is also a pricier rechargeable version if you prefer. 

$13 at Amazon

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.

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