These terrific, Verge-approved gifts are all discounted for Prime Day
Black Friday and Cyber Monday might be the biggest days of the year when it comes to shopping for gifts, but what about all the birthdays, weddings, and special occasions that happen before the holidays?
Life’s celebrations don’t always follow the typical calendar year, and having thoughtful gifts ready to celebrate a loved one’s achievement, new home, or promotion can help you avoid scrambling at the last minute. That’s where shopping events like Prime Day come in, as they offer yet another chance to grab a great gift at a discount.
Below, we’ve rounded up a selection of Prime Day deals culled directly from our various gift guides, each of which we can personally vouch for. Whether you’re shopping for a planned event or just surprising someone because you can, these picks are sure to meet the moment.
Ototo Nessie ladle
Cooking feels a lot less like a chore with Ototo’s Nessie ladle. I mean, how do you not smile when you see the Loch Ness Monster peeking out from inside your soup? The cute, 10-inch gag gift is great for serving soups and sauces, too, especially since it can stand on its own and features a heat-resistant silicone design.
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AmazFit Active 2
It’s still hard believe the Amazfit Active 2 retails for less than $100. The humble smartwatch includes everything, from offline navigation and voice commands to a strength training mode that can auto-detect sets, reps, and rest periods. It also features a vivid OLED display and a super stylish watchface — which isn’t something often associated with cheap fitness trackers.
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AirPods Pro (second-gen) with USB-C
There’s no real competition. For iPhone owners, the AirPods Pro are easily the best wireless earbuds on the market. They boast some useful Apple-only features as a result of their deep iOS integration, including extensive Find My support along with terrific noise cancellation and sound. The latest model comes with a USB-C charging case, too, just in case the Lightning port isn’t your jam.
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Baseus Free2Pull Retractable USB-C Cable 100W
Most people don’t want to wrangle cables… and who can blame them? Not us, which is why several folks at The Verge own Baseus’ handy, retractable USB-C option. The Free2Pull comes in two sizes, each of which conveniently pulls the excess cable into a small puck that’s far tidier and easier to manage than a loose cord.
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Nanoleaf Expo Smart LED Display Case Smarter Kit
A proper collection deserves a proper showcase, which is where Nanoleaf’s smart LED cases come in. Each reactive, stackable box can display tunable white lighting and up to 16 million hues, allowing you to bathe your shoes, figurines, and other items in whatever colors you see fit. And because it’s Nanoleaf, you’ll even be able to access the same smart features as the company’s bulbs.
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Hoto Hand Tool Set
Hoto’s electric screwdrivers are a mainstay at The Verge, and the company’s Hand Tool Set is just as eye-catching. All of the included components, from the needlenose pliers and claw hammer to the textured carrying case, showcase a handsome minimalist design that’s far more attractive than the usual white-label fare. It makes for an attractive starter kit, if nothing else.
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Google TV Streamer 4K
Now that summer is here, your giftee likely has a lot more time to binge. For that, we recommend the Google TV Streamer (4K), which boasts onboard Google Assistant, easy-to-use smart home controls, and the best interface of any streaming device available. The set-top box even features a handy button for pinging the remote, giving it an edge over your couch.
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Tapo RV30 Max Plus
With the RV30 Max Plus, your giftee can enjoy spotless floors without lifting a finger. The powerful robovac / mop comes with features that normally cost twice the price, including lidar navigation, room-specific cleaning, and a self-empty dock. You can also control it via Alexa or Google Assistant, making cleaning almost effortless.
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Anker Laptop Power Bank
The Anker Laptop Power Bank is a lifesaver for anyone who works or studies on the go. With an impressive 25,000mAh capacity and 165W total output, it can quickly charge a beefy MacBook Pro to 50 percent capacity in just 30 minutes. Plus, with three USB-C ports and a USB-A port, you can power multiple devices at once, including phones, tablets, and handheld consoles.
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Star Wars Outlaws
Star Wars Outlaws is the best scoundrel simulator there is. The open-world sci-fi caper is steeped in the lore of a galaxy far, far away, one that lets you explore the bustling criminal underworlds of Canto Bight, Toshara, and — yes — Tatooine with a blaster on your hip and your adorable merqaal companion Nix by your side. Apparently, a bit of villainy ain’t so bad after all.
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Sony WH-1000XM6
The latest iteration of Sony’s best-in-class noise-canceling headphones has finally arrived. The newfangled XM6 make subtle improvements to every facet, from sound quality to comfort to ANC, while wisely bringing back the foldable design last seen on the last-gen XM4.
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Govee Table Lamp 2
If you’re looking for a way to brighten up your giftee’s day — either literally or figuratively — Govee’s Table Lamp 2 can get the job done. The color-changing lamp boasts built-in scheduling and more than 60 dynamic lighting effects, including preset scenes for various holidays. You can even create custom color combos for when “Dandelion” and other presets just aren’t cutting it.
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Kindle Paperwhite (2024)
Amazon’s latest Kindle Paperwhite is the ideal companion for anyone who likes to relax by the pool (or anywhere else). It’s designed to last for weeks at a time, not days, while a larger seven-inch display and adjustable color temperature allow for more natural lighting in any environment.
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Xreal One smart glasses
The Xreal One aren’t the most affordable augmented-reality glasses available, but they are some of the best for displaying movies and games on the go. You can connect them via USB-C to your smartphone, tablet, or handheld gaming PC.
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NIIMBOT D110 Label Printer with Tape
Niimbot’s inkless, rechargeable label printer can help you stay organized anytime, anywhere. The portable Bluetooth gadget effortlessly pairs with any iOS or Android phone and features a range of simple templates, allowing your giftee to create custom labels for everything from pantry items to office supplies.
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Instant Pot Pro
The Instant Pot Pro is the amalgamation of 10 different kitchen appliances. Not only does it function as both a six-quart rice cooker and a pressure cooker, but it also serves as a yogurt maker, a slow cooker, a cake baker, a sous vide machine, a sauté pan, and more. It’s dead simple to use, too, letting you prepare an entire meal for six with just a couple of ingredients and a few button presses.
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Yogasleep Travel Mini Sound Machine with Night Light
For many people, few things are as calming as white noise. Luckily, it’s easy to conjure up with Yogasleep’s Travel Mini Sound Machine. The rechargeable, pocket-sized device offers a total of six noise profiles, from ambient nature sounds to serene pink noise, along with a built-in night light that’s just bright enough to read with or use to navigate your next Airbnb.
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Sonos Beam (second-generation)
The second-gen Sonos Beam is a terrific sound bar with big sound for its small footprint. It uses eARC for minimal latency, so playing games doesn’t have that annoying audio delay that can plague entry-level home theater setups. Plus, it integrates with the rest of Sonos’ Wi-Fi-connected ecosystem if you choose to expand your music listening to multiple rooms.
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Birdfy Feeder 1
Looking at birds is cool, and we’re all better off spending more time doing it. And while birdwatching typically requires patience and a decent pair of binoculars, you could summon birds with Birdfy’s entry-level smart feeder, which features a 1080p camera and an app that lets you view birds up close as they munch on seeds.
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Epicka Universal Travel Adapter One
If your loved one often travels abroad, they’ll need a good travel adapter to power up their electronics. Epicka’s Universal Travel Adapter One is one they can use in more than 150 countries, including Australia and those in the UK and EU. It comes with one USB-C port and four standard USB-A ports, too, which should allow you to charge a range of devices at higher speeds than many of the other travel adapters on the market.
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Apple AirTag
If someone you know is a traveler or prone to losing things, an AirTag makes for a smart, stress-saving gift. The UWB Bluetooth trackers tap into Apple’s vast Find My network, allowing you to quickly recover lost luggage, keys, passports, and other items with little more than a quick glance at your iPhone.
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Amazon Echo Pop
An Echo Pop can make your everyday routine just a little easier, if not more enjoyable. With a simple Alexa command, you can hit the lights, schedule an alarm, launch a podcast, or carry out a host of other voice-controlled actions. The entry-level smart speaker comes in an array of fun hues, too, letting you add a splash of color to any room.
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Away The Carry-On
Whether you intend to use it for work trips or weekend getaways with friends, the Carry-On is a sleek, durable suitcase that makes travel easier. It’s packed with thoughtful touches — including a TSA-approved lock and a separate laundry bag — and it’s small enough to fit in most overhead bins yet spacious enough that you should have no trouble stowing everything you need for a three-day jaunt.
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Satechi Vegan-Leather Magnetic Wallet Stand
Satechi’s MagSafe-ready wallet addresses two specific needs that may make it a must-have for some: it’s crafted from vegan leather, and it doubles as a kickstand. That means the durable wallet provides a hands-free way to watch videos or hop on a call, whether you place it in portrait or landscape mode.
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AeroPress Clear
With the Aeropress Clear, you’ll be able to enjoy your morning cup of joe no matter where you are. Not only does the portable coffee press pack into its own plastic cup and feature a shatterproof, see-through build, but it can also make up to three cups of coffee at once. That means you can enjoy a refill when that midday slump inevitably hits.
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Time Timer MOD (Home Edition)
A basic timer may seem like a thoughtless gift, but there are many tasks we procrastinate on every day that could be more easily managed if we dedicated a little bit of time to them. A visual Pomodoro timer, such as the colorful MOD (Home Edition), is key to helping break tasks into manageable chunks or take them on all at once.
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8BitDo Retro 18 Mechanical Numpad
Most people don’t need a number pad, but if they do, 8BitDo’s Retro 18 Mechanical Numpad may be the most charming data entry tool there is. It has hot-swappable mechanical switches and a satisfying clickiness, along with wireless support so you can use it either left- or right-handed. Best of all, it becomes a calculator with a single press.
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Anker 2-in-1 USB C to USB C Cable 140W
No one should have to deal with a rat’s nest behind their desk when devices like Anker’s 2-in-1 cable exist. The handy USB-C cable splits at the end, giving you the ability to charge up to two devices from a single port. That means you can split power between a phone and tablet or juice a 16-inch MacBook Pro to 50 percent in just 20 minutes using a single port.
