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Kinja Deals

Thursday's Best Deals: MacBook, Dash Cam, Thermos Sale, and More

By
Erica Offutt

Save big on a MacBook, a new Anker Roav dash cam, a whole bunch of Thermos mugs, and many more of today’s best deals.

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

BEST TECH DEALS

Apple’s 12" MacBook is one of the thinnest and most travel-friendly laptops out there, and you can get the original 2016 for $1000 today on Amazon from Amazon today, equipped with an upgraded 512GB SSD. The equivalent 2017 model purchased from Apple today would cost $600 more.

Again, this computer is a couple 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. I have this exact model model as my work computer, and I’m happy with it, especially when I travel.

Amazon’s run a few previous Gold Boxes on MacBooks, but those were the 2015 model, and they were refurbished. These should be a bit faster, and they’re brand new.

If you’ve been on the fence about signing up for Amazon Prime, today’s the day to jump off it.

Starting tomorrow, memberships go up to $119 per year, but new members can still lock in the old price of $99 (for their first year only) by signing up today. You’ll also get a free 30 day trial to start, so that comes out to just $7.61 per month for your first 13 months. Just be sure to click the “Prime annual” button before starting your trial.

And if you’re already a Prime member, you aren’t necessarily out of luck.

If you still haven’t tried out a home theater bias light, today’s a great day to pick one up.

Vansky’s LED bias light strips plug directly into your TV’s USB port for power, and stick to the back of the set via built-in adhesive. Once you turn your TV on, the LEDs cast a soft glow on the wall behind them, which can reduce eyestrain when watching in the dark, and improve your TV’s perceived black levels.

This RGB strip includes a remote to change the color, and you can get it for $12 today with code YAD3U2HB. It’s designed for TVs up to 60", and if yours is smaller, you can actually cut the strip to length.

If I have one complaint about my iPhone X, it’s that its battery life doesn’t quite match up to my old 7 Plus. If that’s been a hangup for you as well, ZeroLemon’s new case should just about double your battery life for just $25 with promo code 668T4RXO. Even at that low price, the case has Qi charging built in, so you’ll still be able to use your wireless charging pads.

Anker’s PowerPort 2 Elite is the travel-friendly version of your favorite USB charging hub, and here’s a rare chance to get it for under $10. The PowerPort 2 Elite includes folding plugs (which snap in place with a very satisfying click, for what it’s worth), 4.8A of power split between the two ports, and even a color-changing light that lets you know when your devices are finished charging.

G.Skill’s RIPJAWS KM570 is one of the few keyboards out there with Cherry’s new MX Silver Speed key switches, which have lower required actuation force and less travel distance than other switches, making them perfect for fast-twitch gamers.

For a limited time, you can get it for just $63 on Amazon with promo code 14KEYBOARD, so type that code in quickly before they’re all gone.

It’s certainly not what you’d consider a traditional Mother’s Day gift, but who couldn’t use a new phone case? For a limited time, Speck is taking up to 40% off select device cases, and don’t worry, they aren’t all floral-patterned.

Who knew you could get six speaker components for so cheap? This entire 5.1 channel Logitech speaker set is only $53 brand new right now. That’s within a few bucks of the popular set’s all time low price, and a fantastic price for anyone who wants to experience 5.1 surround sound on a budget. Just make sure whatever you’re plugging into has 6-channel output, otherwise you’ll have to use a 3.5mm cable, which will force the speakers to convert stereo sound into 5.1.

AAA batteries are, unfortunately, still a thing, so it’s worth investing in some rechargeables. This four-pack of reader-favorite Eneloops is cheaper than ever today, and includes a charger that can also charge AAs, be they Eneloops, or some other brand.

This tiny, $6 USB charger isn’t much bigger than the one that ships with every iPhone, except it has two ports, folding prongs, and 2.4A of total power, compared to the 1A Apple gives you. No surprise, it’s one of our top sellers of all time. Just use promo code FORMOM32 to get the deal.

Anker has a new Qi charger out, and it’s one of the the first ones you can buy outside of an Apple Store that support 7.5W iPhone charging (only available on the iPhone X, 8, and 8 Plus), rather than just 5W. It’s marked down to $32 right now with promo code ANKER254, which is $14 less than usual, and a match for the best price we’ve ever seen.

In addition to 7.5W iOS charging, it also supports 10W charging for compatible Samsung phones, thanks to the included Quick Charge 3.0 wall charger which supplies enough amperage to support the faster speeds.

If that’s more than you want to spend, Anker’s 5W Qi stand is also on sale for $17, no code required. It won’t charge your phone as quickly, but it’ll be fine for overnight charging.

If you love inky blacks and vibrant colors—and who doesn’t?—this 55" 2017 OLED LG TV is down to $1300 today on MassDrop (about $300 less than Amazon), or an all-time low $2000 for 65" (almost $600 less!).

As you’d expect from any high-end TV these days, that gets you a 4K panel and Dolby Vision HDR, but OLED technology means the blacks will be far richer, and the colors more vibrant than any LCD-based screen you can buy. Whichever size you choose, it’ll still cost you, but your eyes will tell you it was worth it.

Anker’s ultra-popular PowerDrive 2 Elite car charger can output 12W of power on both of its ports simultaneously, and it looks really nice to boot. Its carbon fiber finish should look right at home in your car, and its lighted USB ports make it easy to plug in a new cable in the dark. For a limited time, it’s marked down to $10 on Amazon, or $2 less than usual.

Amazon’s Mother’s Day device deals just went live, with big savings available on Echoes, Kindles, Fire tablets, and more. So if Mom’s had a new Kindle on her list, or if you want to get her an Echo Dot or Echo Show to video chat with the grandkids, now’s the time to buy. Some of the deals, like the Echo Dot, have additional savings available at checkout if you buy two as well. Head over to this post to see all the options.


Anker’s SoundBuds Slims are our readers’ favorite affordable Bluetooth headphones, and you can grab a pair for just $20, or about $6 less than usual.

The SoundBuds Slim are, as you might have gleaned from the name, far smaller than the original SoundBuds. Heck, they look like a small set of wired earbuds; you might never guess there were batteries and Bluetooth radios in there. Despite the size, these buds are still rated for seven hours of battery life, and recharge fully in just 90 minutes.

Want to stream the NBA playoffs, or the reboot of Trading Spaces? They’re both included in the $35 base package of DIRECTV Now, and so is a free Roku Streaming Stick when you prepay for a month.

This is similar to the Apple TV promotion (which is still active), except instead of paying for three months in advance, you’ll only have to pay for one. That’s like getting a $15 discount on the normally-$50 Roku Streaming Stick, plus a month of over-the-top cable access.

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

You can keep your food and drinks hot all day with big savings on Thermos products, today only.

Inside the Gold Box, you’ll find Thermos’ iconic king travel tumbler, food jars, water bottles, and even the best-selling beverage can insulator at an all-time low of just $6. These prices are only available today though, so get your orders in before these deals cool off.

The six quart Instant Pot Ultra is no longer $50 off, but if you were holding out for a deal on the family-sized eight quart model, Amazon just rolled out a $20 clippable coupon.

The Instant Pot Ultra features a completely revamped, dial-based UI that makes fine-tuned adjustments faster and easier than the older models. A new processor allows it to compensate for altitude and carry out completely custom programs, and it also has a few modes you won’t find on the standard Instant Pots, like cake, eggs, and sterilize.

Obviously, this isn’t quite as good a deal as we saw earlier this week on the smaller version, but $160 is a match for the best price we’ve seen on the supersized model.

If you’re worried that you won’t get a ton of use out of this thing, note that in addition to speedy pressure cooking, this is also our readers’ favorite slow cooker, and one of their favorite rice cookers too. Basically, it’s one of the most versatile kitchen gadgets you can own.

This is where you put your laundry. See, it’s written right there on the side. $13 is within a a few cents of an all-time low price, so you’ll have more money left over to spend on detergent. You know, to do the laundry in your clearly labeled laundry bag.

If your patio has been looking a little sparse lately, take advantage of today’s Home Depot sale. They’ve discounted massive sofas, little bistro tables, and a whole bunch of other options all up to 40% off. This sale will only last until the end of the day or until the product sell out, so wait for this sale to be out of season.

If you’ve watched daytime TV in the last few months, you’ve seen Gotham Steel pans. Now, you can try one out yourself for just $10.

Despite the fact that it has the word “steel” in the name, the cooking surface is actually a nonstick ceramic, which won’t be as prone to flaking as teflon, can stand up to sustained 500 degree temperatures in the oven, and is also dishwasher safe.

Anker’s Roav dash cam has been a hit with our readers, but today you can save big on the newer Pro model.

Everything covered in our review of the original still applies here, but the Pro upgrades the resolution from 1080p to 2560x1440, and bundles in a 32GB microSD card so you don’t have to provide your own. Just think, your crazy dash cam footage could be the next to be featured on Jalopnik.

Olive Oil Squeeze Bottles
Avvio Olive Oil Dispenser Bottle | $13 | Amazon

Squeeze out the precise amount of olive oil you need before you pour with this $13 oil dispenser. It will save you from dirtying measuring spoons, and you can use it for salad dressings too.

Today’s $13 price tag is the lowest we’ve ever seen on a bottle like this, and they make great gifts for the home cooks in your life.

Go nuts over 30% off select bags of pistachio nuts today. As far as snack foods go, pistachios are the most delicious and not too bad for you either. Just remember, the final discounted price won’t show up until checkout, and some of these are Subscribe & Save products. If you don’t want multiple shipments, you can cancel right after the first order ships.

We post deals on aromatherapy diffusers pretty often, but they usually don’t look this cool.

This TaoTronics diffuser comes with two glass covers (one silver and one dark blue) and displays a mesmerizing 7-color light show. It’s also bigger than the typical diffuser, with a 200ml tank which equals out to about 20 hours of misting. Today, it will cost you just $30 when you enter promo code KINJACDW. Throw in this set of essential oils, and you’ll be all set.

Keep all your leftovers in these airtight, leak-proof containers for less than ever today. All 9 containers with lids will set you back only $15, down the usual $20, and you can feel free to throw them in the microwave and dishwasher.

Anker makes smart plugs now, because Anker makes everything, and the compact model is down to an all-time low $18 today with promo code DGY8TLE6, while supplies last.

Like pretty much all of these things, you can control or schedule the Eufy Smart Plug Mini with both your phone and with Alexa, and its built-in energy monitoring feature is a great inclusion at this price. Plus, its slim design means it won’t block the other outlet on a receptacle, so you can plug something else in (including a second smart plug).

Bodum’s double walled drinking glasses keep your beverages hot or cold for longer, and look awesome while doing it. If you want to give them a try, Amazon’s selling 2-packs of 12 ounce coffee mugs for $16 right now. I don’t know why they call them coffee mugs, if we’re being honest; they’re just tumblers. Use them for cold drinks, if you want!

Last year, Gravel’s well-designed toiletry bag was a hit with our readers, and a Kickstarter success story. But if the original didn’t have enough space for all of your travel gear, their bigger Expeditioner bag is now available for preorder.

The Expeditioner has every feature that made the original great, like a waterproof exterior, a hanging strap for bathrooms lacking in counter space, pockets that are perfectly sized for common travel items, and a water-resistant compartment for liquids that will keep broken bottles from soaking the rest of your gear. In short, it’s still a fantastic toiletry bag!

The big difference is that the Expeditioner is, well, bigger. It has enough space in its toothbrush compartment for a full-sized electric brush like the Sonicare Essence, all of its major compartments can hold more items, and it even includes a pocket on the back that can hold an included, TSA friendly clear pouch. The $54 super earlybird and $59 earlybird reward tiers have been sold out since last week, but they just opened both back up for a limited time, so get your preorders in while you can to save on the $69 MSRP.

If you want the smaller, original bag (now called The Explorer), you can add it to your Expeditioner preorder by adding $44 to your pledge. It’s been slightly updated (and slightly enlarged) from the original Gravel bag, but it’s still far smaller than the Expeditioner.

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, unless otherwise noted.

Anker makes smart light bulbs now, because of course they do, and you can get them at a serious discount today.

You’ve got two choices today: a plain white smart bulb, or a full RGB model. Either way, you can control and dim it from your phone, or with an Alexa or Google Assistant device, no hub required. Just be sure to note the promo codes in the photo caption.

I don’t know if science can explain it, but the pan I need for cooking is always the pan on the bottom of the heavy stack in my kitchen cabinet. It’s not the biggest inconvenience, to be sure, but this $20 rack would definitely make things just a little bit easier. Just be sure to clip the $5 coupon to get the deal at checkout.

If you missed it during its brief window of availability last month, Amazon’s 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.

Iced coffee is a brilliant way to sell people ice for the price of coffee (which is mostly water to begin with). Cold brew on the other hand is a different process that results in less acidity, among other benefits, and you can do it yourself at home with this top-selling Takeya, now down to $18 on Amazon.

This non-coffee drinker bought one of these last year, and I’m absolutely in love with it. All you have to do is fill the basket with ground coffee, fill the container with water, and let it steep overnight in the fridge. The resulting coffee concentrate needs to be watered down, so one batch should last you several days.

Amazon’s listed slightly lower prices on a few occasions, but $18 is the best we’ve seen in several months, and ‘tis the season for cold coffee.

BEST LIFESTYLE DEALS

Joe’s New Balance is the premiere online outlet for...New Balance shoes, obviously. Right now, they’re giving you a deal you won’t want to miss. Grab a pair of Foam Cruz sneakers, using the code KINJACRUZ for just $45 and free shipping. Plus, they have a ton of other footwear and apparel markdowns across the site as well.

Note: These were briefly $36 but seems like it was a price mistake.

One day our wallets will be replaced by our phones and/or brain implants, but until then, you should probably carry the smallest wallet you can find. Kinzd makes a bunch of different styles of front pocket wallets for around $15, and you can save an extra 30% on all of them today with promo code 2F22XQNT. That should work on any style on this page.

You never want to be in a situation where you need a solar and hand crank-powered weather radio with a flashlight and USB charging port for your phone, but when you can get one for $15, you probably should buy it just in case. Just use promo code VKGAODFL to save.

The Philips Sonicare AirFloss is a better way to clean between your teeth, and (hopefully) one you’re less likely to forget about. Just fill it with water or mouthwash, position the tip between your teeth, and hit a button, and between 1-3 high pressure bursts will rinse out all of the grime between your teeth, no floss required.

For a limited time, Amazon’s offering it for $40 when you clip the $5 coupon, which is the best price we’ve seen in months. So go order yours now, and impress your dentist at your next appointment.

Newbury Mills has quickly become one of our favorite shirt makers, with offerings that can be dressed up or down, worn tucked or untucked, and with or without a tie. They also resist wrinkles well and are 100% soft SUPIMA cotton. Our readers can grab three for $99, plus additional shirts for $33 each. Considering one shirt is normally priced over $80, this is a great opportunity to upgrade your entire wardrobe. Just be sure to add at least three to your cart (you can mix and match styles), and use promo code kinja330 at checkout to get the deal.

Update: Today’s the last day of the sale, so get your orders in. You can submit your measurements later.

Wedding season is in full swing, and you can look your best with a custom-tailored suit from Indochino, our readers’ favorite custom clothing company by a wide margin. For a limited time, grab any suit from their Spring 2018 collection for $349 with promo code KINJA18. That deal is exclusive to our readers, and a better price than you’d find anywhere else on these styles.

Note: The suits say $369 on the deal page, but the promo code will grant you an additional discount at checkout.

If you aren’t familiar with Indochino, this isn’t like buying a suit off the rack; it’s tailored just for you. But if you don’t have time to take your measurements right this minute, you can check out now and submit your measurements later, which makes it very easy to gift a suit.

Having a suit that fits perfectly is great, but the little details Indochino lets you customize, from your jacket lapels to pocket flaps to accent stiching around your buttons, are where things get fun.

How It Works

Measure and customize from home...

Follow the directions on Indochino’s site to submit your measurements and customize your suit. Once the suit arrives, if anything doesn’t fit quite right, Indochino will provide directions for your local tailor, along with a $75 credit to cover their work. If for whatever reason your tailor cannot resolve the issues, Indochino will remake your suit. Shipping and return shipping are free.

If you live near a showroom...

Purchase your suit online with our discount, then take your receipt into an Indochino showroom. They’ll do your measurements, walk you through your customization options, and have your suit delivered to the showroom. Return once it arrives for any final alterations if they’re needed.

Let us know which style you’ll be wearing to your next event (or day at the office) in the comments.

Soak up some savings on this 12-count set of bath bombs on Amazon today. They’re scented with essential oils, like jasmine, tea tree, and rose, and they would make a great gift. Just to be sure to enter promo code YG5QMX7F at checkout to bring the price down to $13.

BEST MEDIA DEALS

iTunes gift card discounts are noticeably less common than they used to be, and while we do see 20% discounts from time to time, a $50 iTunes gift card for $42.50 is still a solid deal if you pay for apps, movies, Apple Music, or iCloud storage.

$8 Deadpool Movie Ticket Credit with Purchase of an X-Men Movie or TV Season | Amazon

If you’re planning to see the new Deadpool movie in theaters anyway, this deal requires minimum effort. All you have to do is buy a select X-Men digital film or TV season on Amazon, and you’ll get an $8 Fandango credit that you can use on a Deadpool 2 ticket.

Eligible titles start at $8 (Elektra), making them basically free with this promotion, but most (including the first Deadpool) are available for $10. Logan is probably your best movie bet at $11, or you can own and binge the first season of Legion for $9.

BEST GAMING DEALS

The clock has reset on Humble Monthly, and next month’s early access game is Destiny 2.. As always, Humble Monthly is only $12 per month (or less if you prepay for longer time periods), and includes a cache of PC games each month, plus 10% off in the Humble Store, and extra benefits on certain Humble Bundles. The best part? Even if you cancel your membership, every game you add to your Steam library is yours to keep.

So if you sign up now, you’ll get Destiny 2 immediately, plus a bunch of other games when the month unlocks in early June, all for $12.

Quick, before the cryptominers get them: NVIDIA is selling Founders Edition GTX 1070 and 1070 TI graphics cards for their $400 and $450 MSRPs, respectively. That’s way less than you’ll find from other retailers, which have been dominated by third party resellers for months.

The days of $40 PlayStation Plus sales are mostly behind us, so if your membership is set to expire soon, you may want to pick up another year for $48, or 20% below retail.

While we’ve seen better deals on a lot of these games as physical copies, Amazon’s limited-time digital sale event is still worth a look for any Xbox One owner, especially if you prefer to download games.

You can see all of the deals here, but a few of our favorites are in this post. Be sure to drop your own recommendations in the comments too.

Shall we play a game? Humble’s newest bundle features eight games all about war strategy, including Rising Storm 2: Vietnam, 8-Bit Armies, Day of Infamy, and more. Plus, Humble Monthly subscribers get a $2 Humble Wallet credit when they pledge $10 or more.

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