Like OP, my camera, phones don't cut it and the pictures I've been able to get of my kid with it have made it invaluable. I got the Canon Powershot MKIII and it's gotten some professional quality shots of him and captured a lot of precious moments.

My electric kettle, I drink a lot of tea and it's so damn useful. I got one with an all metal interior and no visible heating element, it has a bad pour but I still would have a noticeable dip in my daily quality of life without it.

This one is random but a three foot tall solid wood Balinese dragon statue. I got it at an import shop that was closing, it had some damage and so had been marked down and marked down again. I paid less than 10% of the original price of an intact one. We didn't have a car so my boyfriend at the time and I had to take it with us on the subway. It's like 75lbs. On our ~mile walk back to our apartment someone asked directions to a local Asian art exhibition and we had to tell them we didn't know where it was while holding this thing between us. It's beautiful despite the damage and it makes me happy every time I see it. Plus, whenever someone comments on it I have a fun story to share.