About
Explore our other sites
  • kotaku
  • quartz
  • theroot
  • theinventory
Kinja Deals

Friday's Best Deals: Wake-Up Lights, Amazon Smart Speakers, R2-D2 Droid, and More

By
Erica Offutt

Your Friday kicks off with deals on Philips wake-up lights, Amazon smart speakers, an R2-D2 app-enabled droid, and more.

Bookmark Kinja Deals and follow us on Twitter to never miss a deal.

BEST TECH DEALS

If you still have rooms in your home where Alexa can’t hear your commands, you can fix that today with a slate of certified refurbished deals. The entire audio-only line of Echo speakers is on sale, from the tiny Echo Dot, to the portable Tap, to the standby Echo, to the smart home-friendly Echo Plus.

Logitech MX Ergo | $85 | Amazon
Gif: Alex Cranz ( Gizmodo)

Trackball fans, bow before your new god.

The Logitech MX ERGO has most of the buttons, customization options, and advanced features of Logitech’s high-end wireless mice, plus a big-ass trackball for people with wrist issues, or anyone who just prefers to use one. But the ERGO earns its name from a unique hinge that allows you to tilt the mouse up to 20 degrees off axis, allowing for a more comfortable fit.

$85 is within $1 of the best price Amazon’s ever listed on the mouse, so grab one before the price goes back up.

Whether your current mouse is giving you chronic wrist pain, or you just want to try something different, this 4.1 star rated wireless ergonomic vertical mouse from Anker is only $14 today (with promo code ANKER780), or $4 less than usual. In addition to the clever design, it even comes with three DPI settings and forward/back buttons, which are pretty rare at this price level.

Wi-Fi range extenders can’t work miracles, but if there’s one spot in your house with spotty coverage, they can be a much cheaper solution than buying a new router. So at $30, why not give this one a try? Just be sure to clip the $5 coupon to save at checkout.

Seagate’s FireCuda is one of the most popular PS4 replacement hard drives out there, mostly thanks to its built-in 8GB of flash storage that can speed up loading times, and you can get the 2TB model for just $85 today, or roughly $10 less than usual.

Even if you don’t feel like cracking open your PS4, you could pop this into an inexpensive enclosure like this one, and use it as an external drive over USB.

Samsung’s stunning 49" QLED gaming monitor is an indulgence, obviously, but at $150 off, it could be a tempting way to spend your tax refund.

The Q in QLED stands for Quantum Dots. You can read all about quantum dots here, but the long and short of it that they’re the backbone of a backlighting technology that can produce OLED-quality images and rich, deep blacks on a less expensive LCD panel.

This particular display is 49" (!!), curved, offers 3840 x 1080 resolution, and most importantly for gamers, boasts a 144Hz refresh rate. Get it for $850 from Newegg, while it lasts.

You probably own as many devices that charge over USB as you do that plug into the wall, so it makes sense for this Aukey power strip to include four USBs along with its four AC outlets. Get it for $16 right now with promo code AUKEYPS1.

Our readers voted Anker’s SoundBuds Slims as their favorite affordable Bluetooth headphones, but we may need a recount, as Anker recently released the upgraded SoundBuds Slim+, on sale for just $22 today with promo code ANKER411.

The biggest change from the original model is the inclusion of AptX encoding, which should improve sound quality with compatible devices. Anker also claims that waterproofing has been improved, though they’re both still rated as IPX5, so any change on that front is likely modest. One thing that hasn’t changed: the seven hour battery, which is excellent for earbuds of this size.

Anyone with a Qi-compatible phone knows that you can never have too many wireless charging pads scattered around your house, and today on Amazon, you can save on your choice from Anker. The 10W model will charge compatible Android phones faster than the 5W model, but the cheaper one will suffice for overnight charging, and they’ll both charge iPhones at the same speed.

eBay’s running another big sale, this time taking 20% off hundreds of items with promo code PREP4SUMMER. This deal isn’t sitewide, but you can browse through eligible items here, and sort through the deluge with the dropdown on the top. Just note that there’s a $25 minimum purchase requirement, and that the most you can save with the coupon is $50.

A few highlights:

Your laptop is one of the most expensive things you own, and it deserves to be treated as such. Rather than throwing it roughshod into your bag, slip it into one of PicasoLabs’ beautiful, hand-stitched leather sleeves, now back on sale just for our readers, this weekend only.

Jesus Diaz raved about these and interviewed the creator on Gizmodo a few years ago, and now you can pick your own from Amazon for 15% off with promo code KINJA015, plus $8 if you want it engraved.

There are several options available, and prices will vary depending on the size of your laptop. They’re all designed specifically for various MacBook models, but compare measurements, and you could probably find one to fit your Windows Ultrabook as well. No matter which one you choose, you’ll save 15% at checkout with that promo code.

DirecTV Now is one of the better over-the-top cable replacements out there, and with this deal, there’s very little reason not to give it a try.

For a limited time, if you prepay for three months of the service at $35 per month, you’ll get a 4K Apple TV included for free. That Apple TV costs $179 normally, so you’re basically getting a $74 discount on the box, plus three months of live TV. No brainer.

VPNs have been in the news, and whether you want to get around video geoblocks, circumvent proxy filters, or just keep prying eyes out of your browsing data while using sketchy public Wi-Fi, reader-favorite Private Internet Access has a deal to fit your needs.

Last month, they offered our readers $10 off two year memberships, but this time around, you get a few more choices, ranging from a quick taste of the service to an extended commitment with additional savings:

These deals are only for our readers, but we aren’t sure how long they’ll be available, so go ahead and sign up while you can.

BEST HOME DEALS

If you aren’t familiar with the concept of a wake-up light, the gist is that the light turns on and gradually brightens for 30 minutes prior to your alarm going off. This sunrise simulation usually won’t wake you up, but it will jog you out of deep sleep and get you ready to wake up, so you don’t feel like garbage for half the morning. I’ve owned one for years now, and I swear by it.

In addition to the cool, donut-like design, the high end Philips Somneo includes tons of lighting options, built-in white noise, a breathing relaxation mode that you can use when going to sleep at night, a USB charging port for your phone, and a bunch of wake-up sounds. The best feature though? <Music from a heavenly choir rains down from the sky> An eight hour battery backup so a power outage won’t mess up your alarm! Finally! Amazon’s marked it down to $143 today, an all-time low.

On the other end of the spectrum, the entry-level HF3500 is also down to $45, from its usual $50. The model only has one alarm, one color of light, and no battery backup, but it’s the one that’s been on my nightstand for years, and it gets the job done.

In less than a year, Anker’s first foray into the dash cam market has spawned an entire line of products, and one of the newer models just got its best discount ever.

The Roav DashCam A1 is mostly a spec-for-spec match for the original C1, though it operates in a slightly wider temperature range, and is designed more like a traditional action cam than a purpose-built dash cam. That makes it a little less sleek on your windshield, but allows you to tilt it left and right, rather than just up and down. It’s really a matter of personal preference, but any dash cam with Wi-Fi and Anker’s level of customer service for around $40 is worth checking out, if you ask me.

iDevices Kitchen Thermometer | $30 | Woot

You’ve got two choices when it comes to checking on the progress of your dinner in the oven. You could poke at it with a kitchen thermometer until you think it’s done, or you could sit on the couch and wait for your phone to tell you when it’s ready.

The highly-rated iDevices Kitchen Thermometer uses two temperature probes to track whatever you have in the oven or on the grill, and connects to your iPhone or Android device over Bluetooth to alert you as soon as it reaches the proper temperature.

Woot has marked the thermometer down to just $30 today, which is an all-time low price. If you love gadgets, and you love cooking, I wouldn’t hesitate.

Did you find a new KitchenAid mixer under the tree? Start buying accessories for it, like this spiralizer at its all-time-low price of $56, which can turn boring, old veggies into noodles, which might not taste significantly better, but is way more fun. This is perfect timing for your upcoming healthy eating resolution.

Add this 130-piece first aid kit to your cart at just $16 (with code OPEHHMNF). It’s full of bandages, scissors, anti-bacterial wipes, and gauze, and it’s perfect to store in your car. You can thank us later.

Do you care about drinking quality caffeine and don’t want to go to a coffee shop and spend $5+ per day to your fix? Start brewing your own on your countertop with this Breville the Infuser Espresso machine, it’s $100 less than usual today.

This machine uses specialized pressure techniques to extract a more balanced espresso. It produces both single and double shots, and has a steamer wand for all your fancy lattes and cappuccinos. Yes, $400 is a lot of a money, but we haven’t seen a price this good since late February, and this might make a nice gift for Mother’s Day if your mom is a coffee lover.

If you don’t have a good burr grinder, you’re definitely going to need one for this. The Breville Smart Grinder one (which Shane recommends) is $199 today.

This $287 Masterbuilt 40-inch electric smoker makes cooking jerky, brisket, or (insert meat of your choice) as easy as dropping in some wood chips and hitting a few buttons. With 975 square inches of cooking space, it’s great for cookouts and family meal prepping. This model even has a remote control so you change the smoker’s target temperature from the couch. Today’s $287 price is a decent discount from it’s usual $315 price tag.

Grab a Bluetooth thermometer and you can monitor the temperature of your meat via your phone.

Lodge’s 3.5" cast iron skillet is pretty freakin’ adorable, and worth $4 for that alone, in my opinion. But it’s perfect for homemade pizookies, or single eggs, and unlike your full-sized skillet, it takes approximately four seconds to clean.

One of the big trendy foods of the year, matcha green tea is a super food full of antioxidants, and is thought to help improve metabolism and energy levels. This is in powder form, so you can add it into pretty anything - baked goods, smoothies, lattes, and desserts, just for starters.

It’s not the best deal we’ve seen, but Amazon’s $1 coupon is a decent little discount, if you need to restock.

OxyLED added a set of hooks to its smallest motion-sensing stick-anywhere light, which makes a ton of sense. That means you can easily hang your keys by the door when you get home at night, or hang up belts in a dimly-lit closet. Use promo code E7VL88AS to get it for $10.

For a limited time, Amazon will sell you three pouches of Tide HE-compatible Free & Gentle laundry detergent (totaling 144 ounces or 93 loads) for just $14. These pouches are designed basically as refills for plastic Tide bottles, but as long as that doesn’t bother you, this is a fantastic price-per-ounce for any detergent, let alone name brand. Just be sure to clip the $3 coupon on the page and use Amazon Subscribe & Save.

It’s 2018, and your lighter doesn’t need fuel anymore; it just has to charge over USB. This discounted arc lighter isn’t really pocket-friendly, but its long, flexible neck makes it ideal for lighting candles, camp fires and other awkwardly-placed flammable things. Just charge the built-in battery, and you’ll be good to go for up to 1,000 uses before you have to plug it in again.

Get it for $12 today with promo code DDL9LEJG, matching the best price we’ve ever seen.

A metal photo print would make a great Mother’s Day gift, and at just $16 each, you can buy a bunch of them.

For a limited time, Walgreen is taking 60% off 11"x14" metal photo panels with promo code PANEL60. Just create an account, upload and edit your photos, and enter the code at checkout to save. The prints are edge to edge with tastefully rounded corners, and they can be hung on the wall or stood up on a table with the included hardware.

Update: You can grab the pair. The 10" pan is also at its all-time-low price today.

This top-selling 12-inch frying pan is just $25, the best price ever listed on Amazon and about $8 less than usual. It has a stellar 4.6-star rating, is nonstick, and comes with a removable soft grip silicone sleeve. Use wooden or silicone spatulas and this pan should last for a very long time.

If you don’t like keeping keys in your jeans pockets, this low profile titanium hook will let you hang them off your pocket. It’s long enough to keep them from falling out when you sit down, and still allows easy access to your keys without forcing you to dig around.

It’s also a bottle opener, because international law states that all everyday carry accessories have to be bottle openers. It’s true, look it up.

Get it for just $10 today with promo code GearGrit50x2p.

Hugging a pillow while you sleep is a whole lot cooler than hugging a 98 degree human, and you can grab this 4.5' long pillow for just $12 today, so your wallet can rest easy.

Dish drying racks take up a ton of space, especially if you don’t use them regularly, but this model from Lictin rolls up for easy storage. Just unroll it across one side of your sink, and you’re ready do go. Use promo code XTA3ZJP8 at checkout to save a few bucks.

Most travel deals we post focus on adventure and exploring new places, and you should definitely do as much of that as you can. But sometimes, a vacation should be purely about recharging your batteries, and there’s nothing better for sheer relaxation than an all-inclusive beach resort.

For a limited time, you can go to the Grand Riviera Princess or the adults-only Platinum Yucatan Princess in Riviera Maya, Mexico starting at just $499 per person, including roundtrip airfare, lodging, taxes, and of course, all the food and beverages (including alcohol) you want.

Prices vary based on your departure city, travel dates, and length of stay, but if you play your cards right, this can be a very cheap trip, since the only thing you’ll really have to pay for while you’re there is tips.

Note: If the link isn’t working, try pausing your ad blocker.

If you want to get one of our readers’ favorite meat thermometers, but are little turned off by the $75+ price tag, consider the Thermapen’s little brother, the ThermoPop. They’re on sale today for $20 a piece when you buy 2 or more.

The ThermoPop displays the temperature slightly slower than the larger Thermapen (we’re talking the difference of a second here), and is accurate within 2°F. So, go ahead and pick one up for yourself and gift one to your foodie friends, this sale might not last long.

There’s always that one person in your life that has nothing on their walls. Add some awesome to someone’s life, or upgrade your own bare walls with rad prints during this 30% off sitewide at Pop Chart Lab. Check out their newest prints, like Every Emjoi Ever and Marvel Origins: A Sequential Compendium. Enter the code CHARTWEATHER at checkout to see your discount.

At long last, Amazon has a brand new snack sample box up for order, and it’s basically free.

Spend $10 to get eight or more snack samples to munch on, and then use the included $10 credit to buy more of your favorites. The exact contents of the box will vary, but RXBARS cost about $2 each at the store, and it seems like you’ll get a nice mix of healthy options and indulgent junk food.

The first time we posted a deal on wool dryer balls, you guys bought thousands of them. Today’s deal is from a different brand, but $8 for a half-dozen (with code 799yazer) is a fantastic deal.

As you know, keeping your knives sharp keeps you safer, since you’ll have to use less pressure to slice. A whetstone (or water stone) is how the pros keep their knives in the best shape, and this one is just $9 today, the cheapest it’s been for almost 11 months So, if you’re looking to do your own knife sharpening, get this deal before it’s gone. I would recommend watching a couple of videos on how to do it, if you’ve never tried before.

BEST LIFESTYLE DEALS

In a world where bra shopping feels more like a slow form of torture than anything remotely resembling an enjoyable experience, Journelle is a salvation. The lingerie they make and carry is beautiful, and it carries up to M in cup size. Right now use the code FNF2018 and you’ll get 20% off everything sitewide, including sale

items.

Sleep outdoors without fear of being bothered by pesky mosquitoes or other critters with a hammock that includes a removable mosquito net. It’s just $34 with code MEH3NO6D. Plus, when you’re not using it, it will pack up into its own bag for easy storage.

Keep your phone, keys, wallet, and all those other important items safe and dry in these waterproof bags. All colors and sizes are discounted by 40% today when you use code QYDDWEZN. If you have any outdoorsy people in your life, these would make great gifts.

Update: Now an extra 10% off with the code FURTHER10.

Spring is here and ASOS wants to make sure your wardrobe is prepared. With up to 60% off an unbelievable amount styles to help get you ready for the new season, it’s going to be hard to let your shopping bag stay empty. There are over 10,000 dresses on sale (seriously), so it’s unlikely you won’t find anything.

If you don’t know about Dallas-based Breda, you need to. The watch brand creates minimalist, easy-to-wear styles of watches that aren’t overworked or over priced. And we’ve got an exclusive discount for you. Use the code MOM35 and grab the Agnes, Baer, and Joule for 35% off.

Note: The code works for any regular-price watch as well.

Our readers bought a ton of FOCX’s first Kickstarter-funded wallet, and now the company is back with a whole new line.

While they look similar at a glance, there are subtle differences between the three wallets included in the campaign. The Minimalist and the Accountant are nearly identical, except that The Accountant has an extra elastic strap, and leaves one side of the front leather facade open, rather than stitching it completely shut. Focx markets this as a coin holder, but I found that it works great for cash as well. The Purist adds an extra strip of leather that closes around the wallet, adding a dedicated cash holder and protecting your cards, at the expense of some added bulk.

All three wallets are very small, look great, and are primarily constructed from elastic, meaning you can stuff a ton of cards in there. The main compartment has a two-sided pull tab that gives you easy access to your most-used cards, but cards you store on the back of the wallet are still easy enough to access.

As is typical on Kickstarter, early backers get the biggest discounts, so pledging early is good for your, uh, wallet.

We sort through the noise of Kickstarter to find you preorder discounts worth taking advantage of. Someone on our team has tested a prototype (or final version) of every Kickstarter we cover.

Privé Revaux turned the sunglass industry on its head last year with a wide variety of attractive frames for just $30 each, but you can get them for even less today with 20% promo code PRSPRING.

Everything they sell on Amazon is eligible, so be sure to look beyond the main page. The Men’s and Women’s sections have a lot more styles, and some frames, like the new Madelaine Collection are only available from the New Arrivals dropdown menu. The unisex Commando aviators are Privé’s most popular though, so feel free to start with those.

Privé now sells a couple of blue light-blocking computer glasses as well that you could grab with this sale. They aren’t sunglasses, and they obviously aren’t prescription, but they could be just what you need if suffer from eyestrain at work.

May the Fourth isn’t actually here for another week and a half, but ThinkGeek is cashing in on the impending Star Wars frenzy. They’re taking up to 80% off four pages worth of merchandise. Everything from t-shirts and socks to animatronic Porgs. There’s even a freakin’ R2-D2 french press.

BEST MEDIA DEALS

Try not to panic, but Amazon is raising the price of Prime for the first time in four years, from $99 per year to $119. The change goes into effect on May 11 for new members, and June 16 for renewing members. This is obviously disappointing, if not surprising given all the benefits Amazon’s added since 2014. But if your renewal date is after June 16, there is (probably) a way to get another year at the old price.

The trick is to buy an Amazon Prime gift subscription now, and then redeem it on your account once it comes time to renew. The fine print on gift memberships says that redeeming them with an existing Prime account will net a gift card for the amount you paid, rather than an additional year of Prime, so you’ll need to remember to cancel your membership before you redeem the gift. Luckily, if you go into your account settings, there’s an option to receive a reminder three days before your account is set to auto-renew.

Let me be clear, while this trick worked the last time Amazon raised the price of Prime, it’s entirely possible it won’t this time. Amazon would be in its rights to not allow people to redeem $99 Prime gift memberships after the price goes up. But I feel pretty confident that, in the worst case scenario, they’d at least give you a gift card for whatever you paid, so you wouldn’t really be out any money. It’s a small risk, but could be worth it to save $20.

Amazon’s just put up a brand new Kindle sale. This sale includes books recommended by readers of the email newsletter, theSkimm. There are about 10 books to pick from, so if you’re looking for recommendations, I’d check out Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, a real-life House episode about a young woman fighting a brain pathogen. They’ve also added in a psychological thriller, In a Dark, Dark Wood, a detective novel called All the Missing Girls, and Amy Schumer’s Girl With a Lower Back Tattoo. All of these books are $5 or less, and this sale will only last until the end of the day, so head over to Amazon to see all the options.

With exclusive shows like Westworld and access tons of movies, including several recent hits, $15 per month is honestly not a lot to ask for HBO, which is what you normally pay when subscribing to HBO Now. But for a limited time, you can add the same library of HBO content to your Hulu membership for just $5 per month for the first six months.

Note: To find the deal, just click the Add-Ons button on the top of the page once you sign into your account.

To get the deal, you’ll need to be a paid Hulu subscriber (plans start at just $8 per month), and it’s not valid for anyone that added HBO to their membership in the past. It’ll also automatically renew at the standard $15 rate after six months, so keep that in mind. But otherwise, there really aren’t a ton of strings attached here: six months of HBO for $30 is a crazy-good deal.

Alton Brown is everyone’s favorite quirky science teacher/chef/TV star. His 2016 book, EveryDayCook features recipes that Alton actually cooks himself on a regular basis, so you know they have to be good. You can download it to your Kindle for just $2 today.

BEST GAMING DEALS

Pick up one of the coolest Star Wars toys this side of Tatooine for just $70, today only. The Sphero R2-D2 is basically your own personal droid that you can zip around and bother people, like Artoo does IRL. And, like any good Artoo unit, it’s certified refurbished. Just be on the look out for any Jawas looking to make a quick Credit.

Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon might sound derivative, but they bring a ton of new stuff to the Pokémon world, as well as some old stuff like the return of Team Rocket, and both games are on sale for $10 off today.

The vast majority of Humble’s game bundles focus on PC games, but their latest collaboration with Capcom and SEGA is just for PlayStation owners.

The bundle includes a dozen titles (seven for PS4, three for PS3, and two for the Vita), including hits like Alien Isolation, Valkyria Chronicles Remastered, and Mega Man Legacy Collection. As always, you can name your own price, but you’ll need to pay at least $15 to get all of the games.

As an added bonus, Humble Monthly members (you are a Humble Monthly member, right?) who unlock the highest tier will also get $2 added to their Humble Wallets.

Wolfenstein II is a very good and timely game, and right now on Amazon, the Collector’s Edition is only $5 more than the base game for both PS4 and Xbox One. And this isn’t some lame collector’s edition with a few extra digital outfits: It comes with a Terror Billy action figure and accessories, a steelcase game box, and a special poster.

If you have Amazon Prime, congrats, you also have Twitch Prime. And if you have Twitch Prime, you get some free PC games every month, no strings attached.

Starting on May 1, you’ll get access to six new games, including Gone Home and Psychonauts, just for starters. All you have to do is connect your Prime and Twitch accounts here, then check back on May 1 to download your games. There’s also still time to download April’s games, which include Steamworld Dig 2 and Tales From the Borderlands. Just click the loot icon on the top of your Twitch homepage to find all of the freebies. Once you add them to your library, they’re yours to keep, even if you cancel your Prime membership further down the road.

TECH

Audio

Power

Home Theater

Computers & Accessories

Mobile Devices

Photography

HOME

Home Goods

Smart Home

Kitchen

Tools & Auto

LIFESTYLE

Apparel

Camping & Outdoors

MEDIA

Movies & TV

Books & Comics

GAMING

PlayStation 4

Nintendo

Toys & Board Games