Infomercials are a cornerstone of the American selling tradition. Late at night, you’ll see enthusiastic pitchmen peddling their useful, unique or just-plain-kooky products to all who can’t muster the energy to change the channel. Some of the items are actually really cool and practical. Others, like the Chia Pet, are just fun to look at. We’ve rounded up 20 infomercial products that actually work, so believe the hype and check them out.

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1. The Snuggie
This wearable blanket with sleeves seemed like another useless invention when it debuted in late 2008. But it has become a cultural phenomenon and a wildly successful infomercial product. The Snuggie has been praised and parodied on a number of TV shows and has an ardent army of followers on Facebook. Variations now include the Deluxe and Pet Snuggies.

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2. Billy Blanks Tae Bo
Invented by fitness expert Billy Blanks, the Tae Bo workout combines martial arts and boxing for an intense home training system. During the 1990s, instructional video and DVD sets of Tae Bo were a great commercial success and set off a “cardio-boxing” trend. Sales of Tae Bo instructional DVDs remain strong, and many gyms nationwide still offer Tae Bo classes.

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3. Chia Pet
Chia Pets debuted on TV sets in the late 1980s and have endured as one of the most recognizable “As Seen on TV” products of all time. Perhaps that’s because they are fun, easy and come in many styles. Originally sold only in animal variations, today you can pick up Chia figurines in the shape of Looney Tunes and Simpsons characters, and even President Obama.

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4. The Clapper
We all remember laughing at the the ironic-yet-iconic TV ads, but the Clapper has remained a top-selling invention since the 1980s. Originally a device that engaged light switches with the sound of a clap (or two, for good measure), the Clapper has taken on some modern upgrades. Today, the Clapper Plus gives consumers the quieter option of using a remote control. So that’s really not a “Clapper” at all, is it? Still, it’s pretty cool that you can still buy this legendary artifact of infomercial excellence.

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5. Space Bag
Over 100 million of these wildly popular reusable vacuum-sealed storage packs have been sold since the Space Bag debuted in 1994. Distributed in more than 30 countries, the airtight, waterproof bags are major space savers– ideal for frequent travelers or those living in homes with limited storage. The bags come in a number of sizes, and an expanded line includes a space organizer.

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6. Over-the-Door Shoe Organizer
Richards Homewares offers a number of organizational and storage products, but their Over-the-Door Shoe Organizer is among their most popular. With 26 compartments, it can store shoes, bags or any accessories that fit the units. Great for dorm rooms or apartments that lack storage space.

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7. Oxiclean
Oxiclean falls within the legacy of the late Billy Mays, one of the most recognizable infomercial personalities in the U.S. The bleaching agent bills itself as a “miracle cleanser,” and includes a number of auxiliary stain-removing products. Oxiclean users praise its proven ability to remove almost any stain from any clothing.

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8. BowFlex Home Gym
BowFlex infomercials debuted in the 1990s, and since then have grown into an expanded line of fitness products. The home gyms remain the most popular products offered by the brand, allowing consumers to perform several exercises on a single machine. Impressive success stories and remarkable “before and after” images can be found in both the infomercials and on the company website.

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9. ShamWow!
Despite the controversial nature of ShamWow! pitchman Vince Offer, the ultra-absorbent towel is by all counts an effective product, holding up to 10 times its weight in water. Rival info-peddler Billy Mays vouched for a similar product, Zorbeez, in 2005, but a Popular Mechanics bench test found the ShamWow! towel to be more effective.

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10. Twin Draft Guard
Designed to enhance home insulation, the Twin Draft Guard is a foam tube that attaches under doorways to prevent drafting. The simple product works well with most doors, and consumers call it easy to install and modify.

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11. Grill Daddy Brush
This grill brush emits a water drip to give grills a thorough steam cleaning. Consumers praise its efficacy on tough residue like caked-on food and grease.

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12. Gazelle Freestyle Strider
The Gazelle Freestyle is an elliptical fitness machine that offers ten different workouts. Perhaps most recognizable for its infomercial’s over-exuberant host, Tony Little, the consumer-acclaimed machine offers a full-body workout and comes with a catalog of customized exercises.

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13. Debbie Meyer Green Bags
Green Bags are specially designed storage bags that keep fruits and vegetables fresh. Unlike traditional storage bags, Green Bags’ patented material prevents ethylene gas, which is produced by produce, from building up and spoiling the food. Consumers agree that the bags reduce the cost of grocery shopping and prolong the life of perishable products.

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14. Proactiv Solution
The Proactiv three-step acne-treatment solution has become successful with endorsements from celebrities like Jessica Simpson and Katy Perry. The treatment received rave reviews from author and “Cosmetics Cop” Paula Begoun in her popular book, Don’t Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me.

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15. George Foreman Grill
Former heavyweight boxer George Foreman began endorsing this indoor, fat-reducing grill in the late 1990s. The product became an instant success and has sold over 100 million units to date. A number of line extensions have emerged since the original Foreman, most recently the Next Generation Health Grill.

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16. MagicJack
The MagicJack allows users to make phone calls to anywhere in the U.S. for just $20 a year by connecting their phone to a computer. When it first debuted in 2008, MagicJack earned rave reviews from PC and Laptop magazines.

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17. Tilia FoodSaver Vacuum Sealing System
The Tilia FoodSaver is a sandwich bag system on steroids — a vacuum-sealed container for longer food preservation. The product debuted in 2001 and remains a hot seller nine years later.

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18. ThighMaster
This popular exercise accessory is among the products credited with ushering in the ‘era of infomercials’ during the 1990s. Endorsed by Suzanne Somers, the easy-to-use device claimed to shape and strengthen thigh muscles. Apparently, that’s exactly what it did. The product enjoyed prolonged infomercial success, and ThighMaster products continue to see strong sales.

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19. Ginsu Knives
Before infomercials were “infomercials” as we know them today, Ginsu knives were featured in a series of extended advertisements during the 1970s. Several elements from these prehistoric pitch shows would resurface in infomercials of the 1990s, such as shameless catchphrases, “call immediately” please and the phrase, “But wait, there’s more!” As for the Ginsu knife itself, the ultra-sharp blades are a proven success among customers and have become a cultural phenomenon.

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20. Bumpits
This recent infomercial star is a device that quickly adds volume to womens’ hair. While celebrities and models have used similar products for years, Bumpits found a spike in success coinciding with the popularity of  2009′s Jersey Shore and its breakout cast member, Snookie, who is known for her ‘poofy’ hairstyle. While Snookie has yet to endorse Bumpits, many young women (believe it or not) now use the product to achieve a similar hairstyle.

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