It seems like Prime Day gets more commercialized every year. The deals are advertised earlier, and sometimes aren’t deals at all. Target and Best Buy are scrambling to claim their piece of the pie. Can’t we bring back the original intent of the holiday—sending Amazon absolutely just as much of your money as humanly possible?
With that in mind, I’m here to highlight Lifehacker’s favorite Prime Day offers from the many we’ve highlighted in the past days and weeks. All of the hype aside, these are deals worth paying attention to on stuff that’s actually worth buying.
A new laptop: Apple Macbook Air M1 2020 — $749
Lots of laptops are on sale for Prime Day, but even during the height of discount season, you’re lucky to save more than 10% on an Apple laptop. But right now, you can grab the 2020 Macbook Air with the M1 chip—in fact, the very machine I’m using to type these words—for $150 off the list price of $999. Though it’s a few years old on paper, the Apple silicon keeps it racing along; I plan to keep using mine for at least another five years.
AirPods for under $100: Apple AirPods (2nd gen) — $89.99
I’m constantly in danger of losing my wireless earbuds, so I might as well invest in a pair that will show up in Find My on my phone. The fact that the 2nd gen Apple AidPods are currently on sale for around $90 ($40 off the usual price) makes my buying decision easier.
All the productivity apps you’ll ever need: Microsoft 365 subscription — $69.99 with $20 gift card
I’m obviously a Mac, not a PC, but if my fate was reversed, there’s no way I’d be passing up this deal. Microsoft Office offers the most useful suite of productivity apps around, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more. A subscription usually costs $99 a year, which isn’t a bad deal. But a Microsoft 365 subscription for $69.99, plus a $20 Amazon gift card? That’s a great deal.
A super cheap TV: Amazon Fire 4K UHD smart TV — $99.99
I’ve been putting off getting a new TV for years—my current set is a 40-incher I bought way back in 2014—but this deal finally got me to upgrade to the 4K lifestyle with this 43-inch Amazon Fire UHD smart TV for $99.99. Under $100 for a bigger screen with improved resolution and a bunch of smart features? Seems like I’m all set for the next decade.
A steal on a great game system: Xbox Series S — $199
What am I going to do with my new TV? I am going to play some new video games. I’m usually at least five years behind the gaming market (I didn’t get a Nintendo Switch until 2021), which means it’s right on time for me to grab a new Xbox, and the cloud-based Xbox Series S is currently available refurbished for $199. I’ll use my savings to subscribe to GamePass for an extra year.
A high-capacity air fryer: Philips 3000 Series basket-style air fryer — $79.95
I’ve spent the past 3+ years as one of Lifehacker Senior Food Editor Claire Lower’s editors, which means I have drooled over a large percentage of the many, many air fryer recipes she’s written—yet I never actually bought an air fryer until now. At $100 off the usual price, the high-capacity Philips 3000 Series 4.1-Liter 13-in-1 Basket-Style Air Fryer with Rapid Air Technology was irresistible. Now, what to air fry first?
A sexy new cordless vacuum: Dyson V12 Detect Slim+ — $449.99
True story: My wife got me a Dyson vacuum as a wedding present, and it has been going strong for the past [mumble] years. But now we live in a house again, and I don’t like carrying it up and down the stairs. Time for a new addition to the family—and at $200 off, the Dyson V12 Detect Slim+ cordless model is pretty damn tempting to me, the weirdo who loves to vacuum.
An affordable entry-level espresso maker: Hamilton Beach Low-Profile Espresso Station — $69.99
I’ve written a lot about my coffee obsession over my years here, and yet I’ve never owned a dedicated espresso machine, both due to cost considerations and a lack of counter space. But the current $70 deal on the Hamilton Beach Low-Profile Espresso Station finally got me to reconsider (moving to a home with more counter space also helped). It’s iced latte season after all.
Workout equipment to get you jacked: Bowflex SelectTech 552 adjustable dumbbells — $313
Look, realistically, I’m not going to buy any dumbbells. I am lazy by nature and nurture. But Lifehacker Senior Health Editor Beth Skwarecki is decidedly not, and the fact that she recommends these fancy Bowflex SelectTech 552 adjustable dumbbells—currently $313.39, more than $200 off—carries a lot of, uh, weight.
An inflatable hot tub to soak away your stress: Bestway St. Lucia SaluSpa — $255.22
If there’s one thing Claire is an expert in aside from cooking, it’s relaxing in a pool of warm water. She swears by her inflatable hot tub, and one of the models she recommends—the Bestway St. Lucia SaluSpa with 110 jets and a three-person capacity—is currently nearly half off at $255, even cheaper than when she endorsed it yesterday.
