Top 4 Browser Extensions That Made Me 10% Less Chaotic
I don’t install browser extensions lightly.
Too many of them feel like adware with a fake mustache, or they want 14 permissions just to change your font. But sometimes, one quietly changes how your whole browser feels.
These aren’t productivity cult tools. Just 4 extensions that actually made my day-to-day internet use smoother, calmer, and slightly less rage-inducing — with a little humor and real-life usefulness baked in.
1. Tabliss 🌿
New Tab Zen Mode
What it is: A simple new tab replacement that shows peaceful backgrounds, minimal widgets, and nothing distracting.
Why I use it:
Every time I opened a new tab, it felt like my brain tripped over another to-do. Tabliss replaces the usual search bar mess with a chill landscape, maybe a quote, and zero pressure. It gives you a second to breathe.
One afternoon, I opened 12 tabs researching a blog post, got overwhelmed, closed them all, and just stared at my new tab page for a moment. That pause was weirdly helpful. I ended up reopening just 3 tabs that actually mattered.
Use case:
If you're the type who opens 10 tabs to "come back to later" and then forgets them forever, this resets the tone. Perfect for calming the chaos before it spirals.
Bonus: You can add a clock, weather, or even a to-do widget — but only if you want to.
2. uBlock Origin ⛔️
The Ad Blocker That Actually Blocks Stuff
What it is: A no-BS ad blocker that kills popups, trackers, auto-play videos, and those annoying cookie prompts.
Why I use it:
The internet without this feels like walking through Times Square with your eyes taped open. With it? Quiet. Clean. Fast. I forgot how peaceful the web could be.
Use case:
Reading the news. Watching YouTube. Opening anything that’s not a government website. If there’s junk in the margins, it’s gone.
Bonus: It’s free, open-source, and doesn’t slow your browser down. No weird tracking.
3. Liner 🔹
The Highlighter for the Entire Internet
What it is: Highlight any text on any website, save it, organize it, and come back later without bookmarking 500 tabs.
Why I use it:
I used to copy-paste stuff into Google Docs or Notion like a caveman. Liner made it feel seamless. It’s like turning the internet into a study guide.
Use case:
Researching for work. Saving quotes from articles. Highlighting a stat to use in your next passive-aggressive email.
Bonus: Syncs across devices and plays nice with Notion, Docs, etc. One-click import.
4. Mailtrack 📧
The Read Receipts Your Inbox Needed
What it is:
A Gmail extension that tells you when someone opens your email. (Note: It works only on desktop Gmail, not the mobile app.)
Why I use it:
Sometimes you just want to know if your email disappeared into the void or if they saw it and chose violence. Mailtrack gives you double-check marks when it’s been opened — like WhatsApp read receipts, but for Gmail.
Use case:
Job applications, cold outreach, client follow-ups, or checking if your roommate actually opened the lease agreement. It’s also useful for freelancers, small business owners, or anyone who sends important emails without access to expensive CRM tools.
Bonus: The free version is surprisingly solid. It’s lightweight, blends into Gmail’s interface, and doesn’t look like some creepy tracker. Just clean, quiet confirmation.
Final Thoughts
These aren’t magic fixes. But when you spend hours in your browser every day, small changes can save you serious mental bandwidth.
Let me know if you've got a favorite browser add-on that deserves love. Or if you're still living that raw-dog Chrome life with zero extensions — we need to talk.
Follow @ToolCradle for more human-first tool recs that don’t suck.
If you're into browser sanity, you’ll probably also vibe with our Perplexity AI breakdown.
(No Cradle Score today since this isn’t a single-tool review. But we’d give these 4 a solid "where-have-you-been-my-whole-tab-bar" rating.)