Become a Prime Day Pro With These Tips and 23 Early Deals
It’s been six years since Amazon’s first Prime Day shopping extravaganza, and contrary to the initial naysayers, the event is now so big that Amazon brings in more money from it than it does from Black Friday and Cyber Monday, combined.
Despite the name, Prime Day is 48 hours of deals. The Prime Day 2021 sale starts on Monday, June 21 at 12:01 am PT and ends on June 22 at 11:59 pm PT. As usual, WIRED will cover the discount madness, sifting through the offerings to pull out the best deals. We’ll also keep a close eye on the inevitable competing sales from the likes of Walmart and Target. Below you’ll find our favorite early deals you can shop right now, along with some expert advice to help you keep a cool head once the sales officially start.
Note: We strike through items that sell out or rise in price as of publishing. We will update this article, but discounts sometimes return quickly, so be sure to check for yourself. Our picks come from our team’s experiences reviewing products, researching, and following deal pricing. You’ll need a subscription to Amazon Prime to get most of these deals.
Updated June 20: We added some new deals and checked pricing for everything we’ve listed. Jeffrey Van Camp also contributed to this guide. For more deals, be sure to check out our list of the best Last-Minute Deals on Father’s Day Gifts as well as these competing discounts from the Target Deal Days sale.
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Alexa Voice Shopping Deals
These early Prime Day discounts are only available if you use Alexa voice shopping. It’s likely that prices will be matched when Prime Day kicks off, but depending on your account-specific promotions, no-rush shipping credits, or any coupons offered, these might even be a bit cheaper on June 21.
You don’t need an Alexa device to order—tap the mic icon in your Amazon app, and you can get in on them that way. Discounts include the Echo Show 10 for $190 ($60 off), the Kindle for $55 ($35 off), and the Fire TV Stick 4K for $25 ($25 off), among others. We’ll be covering all of the best Amazon Device Deals for Prime Day once the sale begins.
The Best Early Prime Day Deals
These Prime Day deals are already live. Usually, Prime Day drops Amazon devices down to the best deals of the year, but so far the only noteworthy discounts on Kindle devices, Fire tablets, and Fire TV sticks are exclusively available via voice shopping. Amazon will probably hit us with some good (and accessible) device deals when the sale officially begins.
Echo Buds
Photograph: AmazonThe Echo Buds (8/10 WIRED Recommends) offer good sound and have a great app and Alexa integration. The noise-canceling isn’t quite on par with what you’ll get in Apple and Samsung earbuds, but it’s good enough for blocking out most ambient sounds. They come with a charging case and plenty of eartips and earfin sizes to ensure a good fit.
The Amazon Halo isn’t a useful fitness tracker, but it does something no other device we’ve tested will do: track your emotions. WIRED associate editor Adrienne So wore it for a month and found it interesting and ultimately helpful. At the same time, should any company, let alone Amazon, normalize the process of full-body strip-down scans for its customers? This is a good price, but there are some problems with this device. You should know what you’re getting into with this one.
This smart display was released in 2019 and goes on sale frequently. It isn’t one of the absolute best smart displays; we prefer larger sizes. This model’s 5-inch screen is more suited to a nightstand than a kitchen counter or front entryway. Still, if a compact design doesn’t irk you, $45 is a match of the best price we’ve seen for this model. (The discoutned price will show up in checkout.)
Echo Dot
Photograph: AmazonThis deal lets you add Alexa to more rooms in your house without spending a fortune. The 4th-gen Echo Dot (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is the best Alexa smart speaker. This deal is only available if you buy two, and be sure to use the code PDDOT2PK at checkout to get the full discount. We saw a similar deal during last year’s sale. If you only need one Echo Dot, it’s likely that the single speaker will be cheaper once Prime Day officially begins.
This refurbished Eero node is sold by Amazon and has the same warranty as a new device. Typically, I (Jeffrey) would recommend you buy a three-pack of these, but at this price, you could buy three and it would still be $5 cheaper than we’ve seen the three-pack in the last few years. These routers are great if you’re in a larger or oddly shaped home. They connect together to expand the strength of your Wi-Fi to more parts of the house. You can add as many as you need, but three is usually enough for larger multilevel homes and two should cover most apartments if a single router isn’t doing the trick.
Amazon Smart Plug
Photograph: AmazonIf you prefer Alexa to Google Assistant, this is one of the best smart plugs. Use the Alexa app to set up routines (like turning on and off a box fan) or enable Alexa Guard mode to intermittently power devices and make it look like you’re home. This deal is exclusively available to Prime members; The price will show automatically during checkout.
There are two sizes and finishes to choose from, and shipping is free. You’ll need to upload the photos you want to print if you haven’t already, but this could be a good way to redecorate the fridge (or print out some cheap room decor).
If you haven’t tried Prime Wardrobe, this will get you $15 off a $100 purchase. Prime Wardrobe lets Prime members try on clothes and other items before buying. You have a week to decide to keep or return your items.
Amazon Launchpad highlights small businesses that sell products on its website. For Prime Day, Amazon is offering a free $10 store credit when you spend $10 with participating small businesses. The free credit will show up in your account on Prime Day and will automatically apply during checkout. Here are some more details.
Amazon Kids on a Fire Tablet
Photograph: AmazonNew subscribers can get in on this deal. Amazon Kids+ (formerly FreeTime Unlimited) gives youngsters access to age-appropriate books, movies, games, and more. The service also offers parents user-friendly parental controls to set screen time limits or manage web browsing. Usually, Amazon Kids+ costs $10 per month. Remember to cancel your subscription before the trial automatically renews if you aren’t interested in subsequent charges. It’s best paired with a Kids Edition Fire Tablet.
Free trials for Amazon Music Unlimited are nothing new, but typically, brand-new subscribers can only try the service for a month. This trial lasts for four. If you don’t cancel, it’ll renew at the normal rate of $8 per month. Amazon Music Unlimited offers ad-free music streaming, lossless audio, and more. It’s not one of the best music streaming services, but if you’re sick of Spotify, it might be worth a shot.
Kindle Unlimited offers free access to millions of Kindle ebooks. I (Louryn) highly recommend it. It usually costs $10 per month. This deal offers varying discounts for six-month, 1-year, and 2-year subscriptions. If you’re already a member, this is a good way to save on renewals, but it also might come in handy for those that have been pining for a reason to join. As a reminder, you don’t need a Kindle to read these books—there are free apps for iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows—but a Kindle discount will likely pop up during the event for folks in the market.
More Great Deals
The deals below aren’t special discounts for Prime Day, but they’re matches of what we’ve seen during major shopping events in the past.
Asus Flip C434
Photograph: AsusDuring Cyber Monday 2020, this Chromebook sold for nearly $60 more than what it’s priced at right now. This is the best Chromebook you can buy—it has the features most people need at a price that’s more palatable than similar models. It makes a great gift for recent grads in need of a laptop.
This is a match of the best price we’ve seen for one of our favorite earbuds—and only the third time a deal this good has popped up. We highly recommend them, especially at this price. If the cost is a bit too high, the also-great predecessor, the Jabra Elite 75T, are also on sale for a match of their historic low price.
This is the best price we’ve seen for the best fitness watch. Just keep in mind that the deal has been around for a few weeks now, and it’ll probably stick around for a few more. We think the Fitbit Charge 4 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) strikes a wonderful balance between features, power, and price.
Galaxy Watch 3
Photograph: SamsungThis occasionally goes on sale for around $350, but today’s price matches a low we’ve seen only a couple of times. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 is the best smartwatch for Android phone users (including those who own a Samsung Galaxy phone). It tracks fitness and sleep metrics, handles phone calls and push notifications, and has an attractive bezel that doesn’t look too tech-y.
This portable battery delivers enough power to charge your phone twice. It’s light weight and slim enough that you can throw it in your bag and forget about it until you need it. For more charging options, have a look at our guide to portable chargers
It’s not a huge discount, nor is it the lowest price we’ve ever seen (it dipped to $59 in 2019), but webcam prices have inflated due to demand during the pandemic. We’re finally starting to see things go back to normal, and this is still a good deal on our top pick. It even has a built-in ring light!
Roku Express 4K+
Photograph: RokuThis isn’t the best Roku for most people, but it is the best price we’ve seen since it was released earlier this year. The Streaming Stick+ might be our favorite Roku, but the Express 4K+ is one of the cheapest ways to add Roku’s slick interface to your new 4K TV.
This is our favorite laptop stand. It can elevate your laptop or iPad high enough so you can stand and use it (who needs a standing desk!), and the angles are quite adjustable. It’s sturdy, ensuring your laptop stays put. This is $5 more than the best deal we’ve tracked for it; Some accounts may have an on-page coupon code get another $5 off at checkout.
We really like this mini laptop desk for when working in bed or on the couch. It has a large surface area that can fit big laptops, and you can tilt it up. That’s especially handy if you’re sketching on an iPad. One section of it stays flat, so you can rest breakfast or a cup of coffee on it, and there’s a little drawer you can use to store cables. Clip the on-page coupon to see the extra discount. This is the lowest price we’ve ever seen for it.
Instant Pot Duo Plus
Instant Pot deals happen during basically every shopping event, but this is a good deal based on historic pricing data, and you can also get other capacities at a discount. (For reference, six quarts is enough to feed 3 to 6 people.) These countertop appliances can slow cook, pressure cook, sauté, and more. I (Louryn) use mine to quickly whip up mashed potatoes or rice. If you’ve been eyeing one of these, and you don’t want to wait until the holiday season, now would be a good time to pick one up.
Some Prime Day Tips
Sign Up for Prime: You can’t access the deals without joining Amazon Prime. If you’re not a member, you can sign up for a free 30-day trial. Be sure to set a reminder to cancel your membership if you aren’t interested in the subsequent $13-per-month charges—and to take advantage of all of these Amazon Prime perks.
Make a List: It’s easy to feel pressured to buy things you don’t need. Avoid falling into that trap by making a list ahead of time. Need a new rug? On the hunt for a birthday gift? Want a new Kindle? Great! Write down exactly what you’re shopping for so you don’t fall prey to the frenzy.