ElementsXXL adds up to 230 powerful features to Photoshop Elements for Windows that were previously only available in Photoshop.
Update: Now upgraded to version 2 with extra features.
Years ago I developed some extensions for Photoshop Elements (version 1) which added some added some handy features like curves and layer masks. But it seemed that with every new version Adobe disabled something until it was simply not worth continuing.
Then I heard about Elements XXL from The Plugin Site (http://thepluginsite.com/products/elementsxxl/). This is a great collection of tools that brings some much needed features to Elements.
From The Plugin Site:
ElementsXXL adds up to 230 powerful features to Photoshop Elements for Windows that were previously only available in Photoshop. These features are included as new menu items, icons, buttons, key shortcuts and dialogs, so they seamlessly integrate into the user interface of Photoshop Elements. ElementsXXL bridges the gap between Photoshop Elements and Photoshop and greatly enhances the image editing experience in Photoshop Elements.
Installation (via a GUI) could not be easier and for the price is great value. Works with all versions of Elements and Windows 8, 7, Vista, XP (Note that not all features are available in all versions, see the Compatibility chart for a complete list).