There’s nothing like a little retail therapy to numb the sting of 2017. Here are the 17 most popular products that our readers treated themselves to this year.
This list is based on products purchased by readers through links on Gizmodo Media Group blogs in 2017, including Kinja Deals.
Previous years: 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | Top 100(ish) of All Time
#1: Anker SoundBuds Slim Wireless Headphones
The first of several Anker products to make this list, the SoundBuds Slim aren’t much bulkier than traditional wired earbuds, but they still pack in 7 hours of Bluetooth battery life.
#2: Amazon Gift Card Balance reloads
It stretches the definition of “product,” but for much of the year, Amazon offered a $10 bonus when you reloaded your gift card balance with $100 for the first time (there’s still a $5 bonus available now), which for our readers basically amounted to free money.
#3: Aukey Mini Dual-Port Wall Charger
It’s barely larger than the USB charger that Apple includes with every iPhone, but this charger from Aukey includes folding prongs, two ports, and 12W of power, compared to the Apple charger’s 5W. No wonder it flies off the virtual shelves whenever there’s a sale.
#4: Cowin E7 Noise Canceling Headphones
They don’t sound as good as headphones from the likes of Sony or Bose, but these wireless over ears are frequently available for under $40 with a promo code, and include active noise cancelation.
#5: PlayStation Plus
A latecomer to this list with a series of $40 holiday deals, our readers bought over 15,000 years worth of PlayStation Plus this year alone, which when used one after another, would likely outlast our civilization by well over 14,900 years.
#6: Amazon Dash Wand
No item in Kinja Deals history joined the Bestsellers club faster than the Amazon Dash Wand, which is understandable, since it’s basically free. It’ll cost you $20 upfront, but once you use it to make your first purchase, you’ll get a $20 Amazon credit.
#7: Echo Dot
The Echo Dot didn’t get updated this year, but with a low starting price, lots of deals, and even a short-lived price mistake that made them free, it still ranks high on our 2017 list.
#8: Anker SoundCore Bluetooth Speaker
With 24 hours of battery life and impressive sound for its size, the Anker SoundCore continued its reign as one of our readers’ favorite Bluetooth speakers.
#9: Aukey Car Charger
2016's #1 item and our #3 most popular item of all time fell to #9 this year. It’s a car charger so small, that it looks like it’s built into your car. But even at that size, it can output 12W of power on both of its ports simultaneously.
#10: Philips Norelco OneBlade
We make no secret at Kinja Deals about our unabashed love of the Philips OneBlade. All of the men on our staff are devoted users, and a $17 Black Friday deal got them into thousands of our readers’ hands this year. RIP facial hair.
#11: Anker PowerCore Fusion
By adding a modestly sized battery to a portable wall charger, Anker made our readers’ favorite USB travel charger, and one of the most indispensable parts of my personal travel bag.
#12: Logitech Harmony Smart Control
The remote itself here is fairly unremarkable as Harmony products go—it doesn’t even have a screen—but the Logitech Harmony Smart Control is frequently available for around $70, and includes the Alexa-compatible Logitech Harmony Hub, which sells for around $90 on its own.
#13: SUper Mario Odyssey
It’s-a-me, Kinja Deals’ top-selling video game of 2017.
#14: Amazon Music Unlimited
At $8 per month for Prime members, Amazon Music Unlimited was already a better deal than Spotify or Apple Music, and frequent promotions for new members made it an even stronger value proposition throughout the year.
#15: TP-Link Smart Plug
Smart plugs are the best gateway drug for budding home automation enthusiasts, and TP-Link’s frequently discounted model was a hit with our readers once again in 2017.
#16: Anker SoundCore 2
Remember the Anker SoundCore, way back at #8 on this list? The SoundCore 2 is basically the same thing, except a bit more expensive, and water resistant. You can’t go wrong either way.
#17: Lamicall S1 Phone Stand
This is an inexpensive piece of aluminum that holds your phone at an angle. What’s not to love?