Amazon Prime Day Liveblog (2023): Highlights and the Best ...
Amazon Prime Day 2023 has officially begun, and so has our deals coverage. Our expert deal hunters and product reviewers are rounding up the best discounts at Amazon and beyond. Even if you're shopping like a pro, it can be hard to fathom the sheer volume of deals, let alone determine which discounts are worthwhile. This liveblog will keep track of highlights from across the event, with an emphasis on limited-time Lightning Deals, standout products, and fun finds we aren't covering elsewhere. Keep in mind that Amazon's Lightning Deals are first-come, first-serve, so they may expire quickly. Check back often to see what's new.
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What will be the next product off the shelf for an actual member of the WIRED gear team? I’m very close to making it this 10th generation iPad.
My current iPad is a second-generation iPad Air from 2014. Yes, it’s nearly a decade old and still functional despite a cracked screen and an inability to boot up any apps beyond the basics.
That’s what’s great about iPads, though. Unlike a phone, you don’t really need one every year or two. This guy (I’m leaning yellow) is $70 off and will likely last me until the 2030s. No wonder it’s one of the top trending purchases today.
Photograph: Apple
Amazon is offering Prime members 50 percent off a single subscription from a wide variety of items. Most of the products are pet-related, but there are some very enticing deals on coffee, energy drinks, diapers, and other household staples. Amazon will remind you before your subscription ships, but set a reminder to cancel it next month, just in case.
As one example, if you were hypothetically very tired from working overnight on Prime Day, you could get a 12-pack of assorted Celsius Energy Drinks for $11 by choosing Subscribe and Save during checkout.
(On that note, I’m off to bed, but stick around for more live Prime Day coverage throughout the day!)
Amazon is offering Prime members 50 percent off a wide variety of TV channels and subscriptions. The deal page is a little confusing to navigate, but it’s worth a look. Just click into the service you're considering and you'll be taken to a page with more details. Some highlights are 50 percent off two-month subscriptions to Max (formerly HBO Max), Paramount+, Britbox, AMC+, and more.
If you’re burned out on your go-to streaming service, check this deal out. Just don’t forget to set a reminder to cancel any discounted subscriptions to avoid automatic renewal!
We just updated our list of the best buys at Best Buy, adding deals on the Chromecast with Google TV, Sony WH-1000 headphones, Bowers & Wilkins headphones and two popular podcast mics, the Blue Yeti and Blue Yeti Nano.
Govee Lyra.
Photograph: GoveeWe love the Govee Lyra. We included it in our guide to the Best Smart Bulbs for folks seeking a good lamp. It usually costs $150, but clipping the on-page coupon will lower your total to $100—one of the best discounts we’ve tracked.
Control this color-changing lamp from your phone to customize your lighting, ranging from basic white shades all the way to gradients or breathing mode. The lights can even change based on ambient noise, like party music or a TV show. You can also control the lights with your voice and Alexa or Google Assistant—perfect for the next time you take a good couch nap and you wake up wondering what year it is.
The 8-quart Instant Pot Pro is on sale for $119 ($51 off). This model is extremely similar to our favorite Instant Pot. The main difference is that the Pro doesn’t have the app-based cooking features of the Pro Plus. That’s not really an issue since our reviewer wasn’t impressed with the app when testing the more expensive Pro Plus. In fact, he recommended that Pro Plus users don’t even bother with the app, so you won’t be missing out on much except for spending extra money.
The Instant Pot Pro has ten different functions, ranging from sous vide to sterilization. This deal is one of the best we’ve seen, coming in at less than $10 more than the historic low.
Arlo Essential Wired Video Doorbell.
Photograph: ArloAs a concept, video doorbells rock, but despite its popularity we don't recommend Ring. Luckily, several alternatives exist, including this Arlo Essential Wired Video Doorbell. It's the very best video doorbell you can buy, and right now it's $31 off for Prime Day. This is a match of the best deal we've tracked since Black Friday last year.
The Arlo performs reliably, records detailed video, and notifies you swiftly when someone is at the door. And, unlike Ring, Arlo doesn't have a problematic relationship with law enforcement. If you're looking for a video doorbell, the Arlo is our top pick.
Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet.
Photograph: AmazonWe talk all the time about how sometimes the flashy deals on the Amazon Prime Day landing page are bad. Here’s an example.
The Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet is on sale for $90. That’s $60 off and it might seem like a great discount based on the price alone—the tablet has never fallen so low in price. But! For just $5 more, you can snag the Amazon Fire HD 10 Plus Tablet. That extra $5 will get you an extra gigabyte of RAM, plus wireless charging capabilities. We think the tradeoff is worthwhile, which is why we're recommending the Plus version—even though they're both technically our favorite.
Just a reminder to always do your research! I know a website with some fantastic buying guides that can help.
At 66 deals, reviewer Nena Farrell’s guide to the best home and kitchen sales has to be our largest genre-based post for Prime Day. It's now live.
As with all of our Prime Day 2023 shopping guides, the very best deals earn a star. A few of those stood out to me including the six-quart Instant Pot for $70 at Target. This is the size I have, and I love that it’ll handle pretty much anything I could imaging pressure cooking. Beef bourguignon? Oui!
If you’re in the market for a robovac you can also nab the Roborock Q5+ (9/10, WIRED Recommends) for $400, which is $300 off or the Samsung's Jet Bot AI+ for $664, which is nearly half-off its usual $1,300.
Deals from Dyson, Brooklinen and Theragun round out the offerings.
I’ve seen the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask all over the place: on TikTok, on Twitter, and on Amazon during basically every Prime Day event in the past. It’s on sale for $17, which is a $7 discount and the best price I’ve seen it fall to. People all over the Internet, including the beauty editors at our sister site Allure, say the mask helps to repair chapped lips overnight.
This is the first thing I’ve purchased during Prime Day 2023. Consider me influenced.
If you don’t mind the purple color scheme, $175 is a fantastic price for the Yeti Roadie 24. Coolers from this brand are popular and typically quite expensive. This is by far the best deal we’ve ever seen for this model. It can hold 18 cans or 24 pounds of ice, and while the company doesn’t list specific ice retention times, our favorite cooler is a Yeti that kept ice frozen for six days (!!!).
When it comes to Prime Day deals on smartphones and tablets, the discounts are deepest on Amazon slates. You can get save a little money on some of Google’s Pixels and Samsung’s Galaxy of phones, and then there’s Motorola’s new folding Razr+ at $850 ($150 off), which looks to resurrect everyone’s old favorite clamshell phone. But some of the most tempting deals are on accessories, from ever-dependable OtterBox cases to Anker’s excellent MagGo range.
Victrola Re-Spin Turntable.
Photograph: VictrolaReviews editor Julian Chokkattu loved this record player so much, he gave it its own story. The suitcase turntable is usually pretty affordable, but this Prime Day discount takes the cake for the lowest price we’ve seen. The Re-Spin can play vinyl and features Bluetooth connectivity as well as a built-in speaker for streaming music from your phone.
Stasher Reusable Silicone Bags.
Photograph: AmazonStasher bags are some of our favorite reusable products. They go on sale during most major shopping holidays, so if you haven’t tried them yet, here's a chance to pick some up for less money than usual. This pack includes a few different sizes. The sandwich size can replace single-use plastic Ziploc bags, and I like using the largest size to store leftovers. Stasher bags are microwave- and dishwasher-safe, too.
You read it here first: Senior reviews editor Adrienne So has finally purchased a Scrub Daddy. The vaguely creepy face-shaped sponges are part of a promotion with Target and Adrienne has ponied up her own cash to buy them. (Yes, we will be updating you on what our team buys throughout this adventure.)
Target is offering a free $15 gift card with the purchase of $50 in select household items. Aside from smiling sponges, the selection includes staples like disinfecting wipes, laundry detergent, and toilet paper. If it's time for a restock, this deal is worth checking out.
You don’t need to wait for Prime Day to find cheap stuff on Amazon. There’s always some item that's sort-of like the one you want, but at an unbelievably good price.
However, if you’ve taken this ride before (and we all have,) you know that too many of those super-cheap products end up breaking after an all-too-short and miserable life.
This is what makes our picks for the best deals under $50 special. Sure, everything we mention is relatively cheap. But the products are all things we have tested and will vouch for, from Amazon’s own Alexa-enabled smart plugs to the Yeti Rambler.
It’s the summer of Barbie, and Target is celebrating by offering 20 percent off a huge selection of Barbie toys. From playsets to individual dolls to accessories, cars, and makeup, this sale is worth checking out if you’re in the market. (For yourself or a kiddo—I'm not judging.)
One standout is this Barbie: The Movie Margot Robbie Doll for $20 ($5 off). Just look at her! Iconic!
As is the case with all of Target’s Circle Week Deals, you’ll need to register for Target Circle (it’s free!) and “save” the offer to your account in order to get the discount.
