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Kinja Deals

Monday's Best Deals: Mini Instant Pot, Smart Car Charger, Delta Shower Head, and More

By
Erica Offutt

We kick off this last week before Christmas with deals on the mini Instant Pot, a smart car charger, and an insanely popular Delta shower head.

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Top Tech Deals

Apple’s 12" MacBook is one of the thinnest and most travel-friendly laptops out there, and you can get the original 2015 model with 256GB of storage and an upgraded Core M5 processor for $800 from Amazon today, or double your SSD for $100 more, as long as you don’t mind buying a refurb.

Again, this computer is a few years old at this point, and it wasn’t exactly a powerhouse when it was originally released. But if you just need a travel-friendly Mac, and don’t need it to be particularly powerful, this is one of the best deals we’ve seen.

There are precious few battery packs out there with USB-C power delivery, and this 26,500mAh model from Aukey is one of the most affordable we’ve seen.

In addition to the two standard USB output ports, the USB-C port works as both an input and high-speed output port that can charge a 12" MacBook at full speed, or charge your Nintendo Switch’s battery level while playing it at full brightness. It’s pretty huge, but 26,500mAh should be enough juice to power your devices for hours or days on end. Just be sure to use promo code AUXMAS15 at checkout to get it for $56.

It doesn’t come with a USB-C power brick to recharge itself at full speed, but that’s also on sale today for $28. You can, of course, recharge the battery with any USB charger, but this will be significantly faster.

Anker’s reader-favorite PowerLine charging cables have blossomed into an entire line of different products, and it hasn’t always been clear which one was the best:

  • PowerLine - The original. Rubber-wrapped, and kevlar-reinforced.
  • PowerLine+ - The same, but wrapped in Nylon for added durability, less tangling, and a better feel.
  • PowerLine II - A more durable version of the original, and backed by a lifetime warranty, but without the benefits of nylon wrapping.

That confusion can now become a thing of the past, because they’ve combined the best of all of their cables into the new PowerLine+ II, and you can save on the 6' Lightning version today for the first time ever. It’s incredibly durable, it’s wrapped in nylon, and it comes with a lifetime warranty, meaning it’s probably the last Lightning cable you’ll ever have to buy. Get it in black or red today for $12, or about $6 less than usual, no promo code required.

If you ever have to deal with power shortages and brief outages, Amazon’s offering all-time low prices on a four different sizes of of APC UPS backup power supplies, today only.

If you use a desktop computer, these will of course keep your machine running without any interruption in the event of a power outage, which means you won’t lose any unsaved work. But even if you only use laptops and mobile devices at home, they could still run lamps, your router and modem, or even a small TV until the power comes back on.

I think the sweet spot for most people will be the BX1000M, which can run at 100W for about 45 minutes, compared to just 29 minutes for the BX850M, which is only $5 cheaper. The two larger models should last 54 and 68 minutes at that load, respectively, but their prices are a bit more of a jump.

They can fit the power necessary to push 4K and HDR content into tiny little streaming dongles now, and two of the best are on sale today. The Fire TV has a well-publicized on again, off again relationship with YouTube, but it does support Dolby Atmos audio, while the Roku does not.

Sony’s WH1000XM2s put the noise-canceling headphone world on notice when they were released earlier this year, and now, you have another chance to get them for their Black Friday price. They’re still an investment at $298, but if you spend any significant amount of time in planes, trains, or just a noisy office, they’ll probably be the best thing you buy this year.

Not only is the new WeMo Mini Smart Plug smaller than the top-selling original so as to only cover one outlet, it’s also cheaper. You’ll usually see it available for $35, but today on Amazon, it’s knocked down to $30.

Despite its diminutive size, this includes all the same features as the full-sized WeMo Switch, including IFTTT support, Alexa compatibility, and an Away mode that will randomize your lights to deter ne’er-do-wells.

It’s not hard to find good deals on VPN subscriptions, but our readers’ favorite service, Private Internet Access, hardly ever goes on sale. This is the holiday shopping season though, so for a limited time, you can sign up for two years of the service for just $60, down from its usual $70. That’s just $2.50 per month to protect your browsing data, get around video geoblocks, circumvent proxy filters, and more.

HDTV bias lights are nothing new to our readers, but Luminoodle’s are some of the most highly-rated out there, and you can save 30% on the white models today on Amazon.

For a limited time, you can choose from all three lengths (there’s a guide to help you pick on the product page, but you can trim them every two inches to get the right fit) for 30% off with promo code NZ6Y8AN2. If you aren’t familiar, these ease eyestrain when watching TV at night, improve your TV’s perceived contrast, and just look really cool. Needless to say, this would make for a creative holiday gift as well.

Anker’s original SoundBuds were our readers’ favorite affordable Bluetooth headphones, but they’ve since spawned an entire line of earbuds to fit every budget and lifestyle.

The SoundBuds Curve are the newest addition to the family, and are designed with active users in mind. Their ear wings ensure they stay put while you exercise, and an internal hydrophobic coating means your sweat won’t fry them. Their best spec though? 12.5 hours of battery life, which is fantastic for Bluetooth earbuds. They normally sell for around $30, but you can get them for an all-time low $19 right now, no code necessary.

USB-C Power Delivery chargers are finally starting to come down in price, and you can get this 36W model (which includes a bonus standard USB port) for just $10 today. That’s powerful enough to charge a 12" MacBook or Nintendo Switch (in portable mode) at full speed.

Anker’s reader-favorite SoundCore Bluetooth speaker spawned a whole line of products, but the original model is still great, and it’s never been cheaper than it is right now.

The SoundCore’s headlining feature is its 24 hour battery life, and in my experience, that’s a conservative estimate. It also packs in dual 6W drivers for room-filling sound, and looks pretty great to boot. It’s been mostly selling for $30 lately, but you can get it for a stocking stuffer-friendly $24 today, no code needed.

Top Home Deals

If you don’t own a pressure cooker, today’s a great day to fix that. The newest, pint-sized 3Qt Instant Pot Mini wants a permanent home on your kitchen counter, and it’s $10 off once again, if you missed out on a bevy of Black Friday discounts.

Perfectly sized for any apartment, this is also our readers’ favorite slow cooker, and one of their favorite rice cookers too. To put a fine point on it: It’s one of the most versatile kitchen gadgets you can own. Even if you already have one, I don’t need to tell you that these make great gifts, so this is a great deal for procrastinators.

Preorder DipClip | Kickstarter

I can’t say I’ve ever given much thought to where I keep my ketchup and sauce packets while I eat in the car, but there’s basically no good option, right? If you put it on top of your dashboard, it could fly off and make a mess. Keep it at the bottom of your console, and you’ll have to blindly stab at it with your fries if you want to keep your eyes on the road. But my favorite Kickstarter project of all time gives us a third option: Your air vent.

The DipClip is basically one of those air vent smartphone mounts, but for sauce. It’s a little plastic frame that’s perfectly sized to hold those little plastic tubs from most restaurants. And if your fast food joint of choice only offers packets, it comes with a ramekin too that you can clean out once you get home. They sent me a demo unit, and I was impressed how sturdy it felt attached to my vents, though obviously, that might vary depending on your car.

It’s such a stupidly simple idea, but it solves an actual problem—albeit a first world one—and solves it brilliantly. The DipClip is already fully funded, but you can still preorder some and save on the MSRP. Prices start at just $15 for two complete sets, with larger discounts when you order more.

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.

The Instant Pot Mini is a damn good rice cooker (and a lot of other things too), but if you really just want the best rice possible, this $98 Zojirushi is a great deal at $98. The secret here fuzzy logic, which allows it to cook your rice very precisely.

“Fuzzy logic” is a way of describing situations that cannot be described in absolutes: yes or no, true or false, white rice or brown. Fuzzy logic is used in automated technology that must sense and adjust for various factors, like mixing cement (depends on humidity) and changing traffic lights (depends on traffic). In rice cookers, fuzzy logic can take into account the type of grain, its age and hardness and its desired consistency. Frequent rice cooks who work with a variety of grains and have room on the countertop will not be disappointed by the performance of these machines.

This is a model can cook up to 3 cups of rice a time and has extended keep warm features to keep your rice perfect for hours.

Mellow Sous Vide | $300 | Mellow | Get 20 sous-vide bags for FREE with code GIZMODO10

Sous-vide was already a stupid-simple way to make incredible meals with minimal fuss, but Mellow’s sous-vide cooker has features that redefine convenience.

Let’s say you want a sous-vide steak for dinner. Normally, you’d have to get home from work, wait for your circulator to heat your water to the correct temperature, and then wait another hour or more for your food to cook. If you have a Wi-Fi-connected circulator, you could start the water heating process on your way home, but you’d still have to wait around while the steak cooks. Mellow fixes this hang-up with one key addition: Refrigeration.

With Mellow, you prepare your meals before leaving in the morning, or even the night before, specify what time you want to eat, and place your food bags in the cooker. Mellow will keep the water cold enough to keep food from spoiling, and start the cooking process just in time for your meal to be finished as you walk through the door. It’s sort of like a slow cooker, but instead of mushy cat food, it produces restaurant quality meats and vegetables.

Mellow normally costs $400, but it’s $100 off for the holidays, and you can add a pack of 20 bags for free with your order with promo code GIZMODO10. Just be sure to add both the bags to your cart (you’ll see the option after adding the cooker to your cart) to make the code work.

The great thing about Philips Hue is that your fancy lighting profiles aren’t limited to standard bulbs; the Hue LighStrip Plus lets you to stick a rope of color-changing, Wi-Fi connected lights anywhere in your house.

This LightStrip Plus is compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit, and it hardly ever goes on sale, but while supplies last, you can pick it up for $60. That’s $10 more than it was on Black Friday, but otherwise, a fantastic deal. This kit includes a 6' strip, but you can add on 40" extensions for a (comparatively) affordable $30, if that’s not quite long enough.

Just note that you’ll need a Hue Bridge to control this thing; it’s not a starter kit on its own. That said, the official 4-bulb Hue Starter Kit is also still on sale for $140, within $5 of an all-time low.

If you don’t love espresso more than life itself, you can go ahead and leave this post. I recommend looking at the funniest wildlife photos of 2017; it’s a better use of your time.

Okay, I think they’re gone.

Hello, espresso lovers. Today, I bring you a $1,675 Breville espresso machine. That sounds ridiculous, but it usually costs $2000, and has only been cheaper once on Amazon (a short-lived $1,600 deal). Shane has covered these machines over on Gear, so check out his review if you think you might be interested.

If you didn’t pull the trigger on any number of $200 Black Friday discounts on the Nest Learning Thermostat, your procrastination pays off today, as Verizon will sell you one for just $180. You don’t need to be a Verizon subscriber to take advantage; this deal is open to anyone.

The lower end Nest Thermostat E is also on sale at Best Buy today for $139, plus a free Google Home Mini.

The shower head that came preinstalled in your home or apartment is probably terrible, but if you don’t have the cash to upgrade it to a Delta In2ition, the Delta 75152 is a fantastic option for just $14, an all-time low.

Aside from a single switch that toggles between 2.5 and 1.85 gallons per minute, this showerhead doesn’t have any notable features to speak of. But I can tell you from years of experience that its water coverage is beyond excellent. Each of the four valves uses Delta’s H2Okinetic system to agitate the water and create a full, perfectly dispersed wall of water, rather than four individual streams. It’s a difficult sensation to describe, but I absolutely recommend you try it for yourself, especially at this price.

Sugru is right up there with binder clips and the Raspberry Pi in Lifehacker’s pantheon of must-have gear, and you can stock up today with four black and four white packs from Amazon for just $11, the best price Amazon’s ever listed.

Inside this Thermos Gold Box, you’ll also find water bottles, food jars, best-selling can insulators, and even a massive 40 oz. double walled container with a lid that doubles as a serving cup. Just note that like all Gold Box deals, these prices are only available today, or until sold out.

Germaphobes rejoice! Pick up eight travel-friendly hand sanitizer bottles for $10, the lowest price it’s been since this time last year. These would also make a very practical stocking stuffer.

Our readers’ favorite food storage containers are only $27 today on Amazon, putting them within a dollar of their all-time-low price. They’re glass so they’re less likely to stain or hold odors, and they last forever. But don’t take my word for it - here’s what you like about them:

Easy to clean, great size selection, very sturdy. - thethinwhiteduke

Far and away the best as they will never stain or crack and the lids are replaceable and inexpensive. Tons of different sizes and shapes. I’ve replaced almost all of my old plastic crap except for a few even smaller ones that go in the kids lunch boxes. - Dar

I have what I believe to be the oldest version of this product, purchased ~23 years ago at Costco. The sets (I bought 2) included two sizes of rectangular containers, small bowls, and two sizes of small round, all with blue lids. The have held up perfectly with only the replacement of two lids on the larger bowls. Glass is the perfect storage material but don’t microwave with the lids snapped on tight DAMHIKT. Excellent product and worth many times what I paid. - Bodger

You could buy a $5 umbrella every time you get caught in a storm, only to watch it disintegrate before you get to safety, or you could invest in a Blunt umbrella for 20% off with promo code 9WWNWWPO.

Blunt umbrellas feature rounded safety tips to avoid poking anyone in the eye, include a special pocket for a Tile device tracker, and most importantly, can withstand winds of up to 72 mph (in the case of the standard model, others are lower). For reference, tropical storms become hurricanes at 74 mph, so if your Blunt ever succumbs to the wind, you probably have bigger things to worry about. You can see it in action in the video above, which personally left me slack-jawed.

Note: Make sure you’re buying from the BLUNT USA listing, not the Amazon.com listing, or else the code won’t work. You’ll still get Prime shipping.

These umbrellas hardly ever go on sale, but this week only, you can save 20% on either size, and in any color, with promo code 9WWNWWPO. The most popular models are the Classic and the smaller Metro:

Beyond those, you can also choose the Blunt Lite (which features a curved leather handle) or the Blunt XL, which is just a bigger version of the Classic. Any of them would make awesome gifts.

If you have any flights on the horizon, this discounted Southwest gift card can make your ticket just a little bit cheaper. The best part is that even if you book the lowest fares, you can always change them with no penalty, and even cancel for a refund in the form of a 1-year voucher.

If you were caught sleeping on Amazon’s Casper mattress deal yesterday, you can rest easy, as they’re running a similar Gold Box deal today on similar mattresses from Tuft & Needle.

The concept here is basically the same as any other bed-in-a-box company. The mattress is made of foam, and thus can be vacuum sealed into a relatively small shipping box. You can try it for up to 100 days, and if you decide it’s not for you, they’ll come pick it up from your house and refund all of your money. If you’re currently using an inner spring mattress though, I think you’re going to be very, very happy.

Tuft & Needle’s mattresses are somewhat less expensive than Casper’s even at their regular MSRP, but Amazon’s taking an extra 20%+ off today, which is far more than you’d ever save when buying from Tuft & Needle directly. Prices range from $250-$550, with queens checking in at $450, down from their usual $575.

Casper might be the best mattress for everyone, but not for your houseguests. Put them on this discounted Insta-Bed, marked down to $96 today on Amazon.

That’s more than you’d pay for most air mattresses, but this one includes a built-in never-flat pump which silently trickles more air into the mattress overnight, meaning it’ll still be fully inflated come morning. If that’s not a miracle, I don’t know what is.

It’s been cheaper before, but this is the best price Amazon’s listed in a few months, if you have any use for it coming up in the near future.

AeroGarden Harvest Elite with Gourmet Herb Seed Pod Kit | $168 | Amazon

You don’t need a yard, or even any gardening skills to grow your own food at home; you just need one of these countertop AeroGardens. These fully-integrated, soil-free indoor gardens can grow herbs, vegetables, and salad greens up to five times faster than regular soil. Normally priced over $250, today’s price of $168 is the best we’ve ever seen.

To start growing you simply pop in the seed pods, pour in some water, occasionally add nutrients, and the machine does the rest. This AeroGarden has accommodations for nine plants and includes seed pods to get you started. So start growing your own garden, or gift to an aspiring green thumb.

Stainless steel vacuum insulated tumblers make great stocking stuffers, and RTIC’s newly redesigned 30 ounce and 40 ounce models are both on sale for $10 or less.

For $12, you can own a real life book safe, just like the movies. The best part is that you don’t have to worry about someone stumbling upon it by mistake, because nobody actually uses printed dictionaries anymore.

Amazon’s new AmazonBasics luggage offers great bang for the buck even when it isn’t on sale, but today’s discount is one of the best travel gear bargains we’ve ever seen, from any brand.

$60 gets you both a 21" spinner carry-on and a 29" checked bag for longer trips. The carry-on by itself costs $55 right now, so by bundling, you’re basically getting the checked bag for $5, compared to its $76 standalone price. The money you save could, uh, pay for a checked baggage fee.

Nonstick pans are synonymous with brief lifespans and possibly carcinogenic flaking, but Zwilling’s ceramic pans are just as slick, with none of the downsides. They’re dishwasher safe, oven safe up to 300 degrees, and above all else, really pretty to look at.

These are exclusive to Food52, and never really go on sale, but for a limited time, you can save $19 when you buy both the 8" and 10" model ($89 total), $23 when you buy the 10" and 11" model ($105 total), or $38 when you buy all three ($139 total). These pans hardly ever go on sale, so if you want some for yourself, or to give as a gift, get this deal while it’s hot.

The perfect gift or stocking stuffer for the Game of Thrones fan in your life is this Hand of the King bottle opener. At just $11, down from its usual $20, you won’t have to be Lannister to afford it.

Aer makes some of our favorite minimalist luggage, and their weekender-ready Duffel Pack is on sale for just $105 today for our readers with promo code KD30.

The 24L Duffel Pack includes a main compartment for your clothes, be they outfits for the weekend or just dirty gym clothes, a shoe compartment to keep odor away from the rest of your stuff, a slim laptop sleeve, plus two side pockets for smaller items like your phone. And once you’re all packed up, you just carry it around like an attractive backpack.

Every year around the holidays, Amazon offers a limited edition teddy bear when you order gift cards of certain denominations, and it never lasts long. Frankly, we’re surprised this year’s is still available after over a week. The bear comes with gift card purchases between $100-$500, so lock in your order before they’re all adopted.

If your wiper blades have seen better days, Amazon’s discounting a variety of Michelin Stealth and Bosch Insight blades right now.

Unlike a lot of previous wiper blade sales, there are no coupons to clip or in-cart discounts here; the prices listed are the prices you’ll pay. The deals vary a bit by wiper blade size, but you’ll be spending about $10-$12 per blade, which is about $4-$6 less than usual, in most cases.

Top Lifestyle Deals

Christmas is a week away, and if you’re still struggling with ideas, or just need something a little extra, Amazon is here. With two separate jewelry sales happening, you’re bound to find something. The first is an Anne Klein watch sale, with over 20 styles to choose from. Second is a collection of fine and costume jewelry with diamonds and cubic zirconia alike.

TriggerPoint is known far and wide for their foam rollers, and now, you can save on their 2.6" massage ball as well. $8 is about $7 less than usual, and an all-time low.

Yes, it too cold to camp right now basically...everywhere, but if you’re lucky enough to not get bad winters, or you want to prepare for next year, this Gold Box is yours. Today only, pick up gear from Stearns, Coleman and Sevylor and to make your next trip to the lake or woods the best outing it can be, by making sure you have all the conveniences of not being away from home. That’s what camping is about, right?

Been eyeing a Fitbit? Today is a great day to step to it, because all of these Fitbit trackers are $50 off.

If you’re unfamiliar, Fitbit count steps, some models measure heart rate notifying you when you’re in different zones (cardio, fat burn, and peak), and connect to your phone via bluetooth, so you can read text, see calls, and calendar notifications. The most robust $180 Fitbit Blaze can map your running routes and has step-by-step workouts you can follow.

These are at the best price they’ve been in months, if not ever, so this purchase will be nothing to sweat over. They also make great gifts.

The Philips Sonicare Essence is usually pretty affordable at $20, but we’ve never seen it go as low as $12 before. Just be sure to clip the coupon on the page to get the deal.

You need a collection of oxford shirts, but you don’t have to spend a ton on them. Uniqlo’s slim fit shirts are just $15 right now, down from their usual $30, in a variety of colors.

Sunglasses that you can’t lose in the water, but also look good, are oddly hard to come by. But WavesGear makes classic shades in bright colors that will look good anywhere there’s water (and anywhere there isn’t). Use the code KINJA60 and take 60% off a ton of sunglasses, dry gear, and water bottles, to make your next seafaring adventure a better three hour tour than you expected.

Top Media Deals

Traveling in the next week or so? Fill up your Kindle with these ebooks, all under $5. Amazon stuffed this sale with romance and nonfiction books, and a few novels. To name a few, the sale includes Amy Poehler’s comedy book, Yes Please, the book that inspired the popular movie, Hidden Figures, novels like The Woman on the Orient Express, and a book I can only assume is like one of those cheesy Hallmark movies in book form, An Island Christmas. There are many more to pick from so see the complete list on Amazon.

Top Gaming Deals

We thought the days of $40 PlayStation Plus sales were behind us, but lo, here it is once again. If your membership is due to expire soon, or hell, even if it isn’t, you’ll want to take advantage of this.

LEGO’s 1969 piece Saturn V Apollo kit is almost never in stock anywhere (seriously, go look at the markup on eBay), but Amazon has it for its $120 MSRP right now, which is honestly a great price for a kit that size, let alone such a coveted one.

The Switch Pro controller isn’t just one of the best ways to control your Nintendo Switch, it might be one of the best gamepads ever made, period. There have been a few slightly better promo code-based discounts on it recently, but $61 is the best deal Amazon’s offered to date, and it’ll arrive before Christmas if you have Prime.

Corsair’s K-series mechanical keyboards are some of your favorites for gaming, and for general use as well, and the Lux model of the K70 with full RGB backlighting and Cherry MX Brown or Red key switches is down to $110 on Amazon right now, a match for Prime Day. I use a different model of the K70 every day, and absolutely love it.

For $10 more, you can try Cherry’s relatively new Speed key switches, which requires less force and distance to hit the actuation point, making it perfect for competitive gamers.

You know the guy that makes The Oatmeal webcomic? He does card games too, and two of them are cheaper than ever on Amazon right now.

The newer Bears vs. Babies is probably worth $21 just for the furry box, but once you open it up, you’ll find a family-friendly monster-building game that you can get through in just 20 minutes.

For an adults-only experience, Exploding Kittens NSFW Edition is down to an all-time low $16 as well. This once broke Kickstarter records, and boasts a 4.3 star review average from nearly 4,000 customers.

If you have the original version of Exploding Kittens and are looking to freshen up the game, the expansion pack Imploding Kittens, is cheaper than ever.

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