In 2015, Amazon caused a stir with its first annual Prime Day shopping event. “You don’t just make up a shopping holiday!” people were crying, and yet sales boomed, statistically better than Black Friday and Cyber Monday in a few years. It drove competitive sales and millions of Amazon Prime memberships. And it happens again – sort of. Amazon is having another Prime Day this year, called the Prime Early Access event, and it will run from October 11 to October 12.
As with Prime Day, many of the discounts are available exclusively to Amazon Prime members (here’s a 30-day free trial; set a reminder to cancel before it auto-renews). But as usual, the price drops have already started. We’ve rounded up the best early Prime Day deals we’ve found here — on Amazon and other retailers — and we’ll be updating this story ahead of the main event. Just remember: Black Friday is just around the corner – don’t feel pressured to buy something just because it’s on sale. Our Prime Day Shopping Guide is full of tips to help you navigate the event like a pro. And if you’re looking for more, Target’s rival Deal Days event has kicked off. We’ve rounded up our favorite discounts here.
Updated October 8: We’ve added deals for the Fire HD 8, iPad Mini, a Razor mouse, a Staples chair, and Samsung phones.
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Amazon Device Deals
Offers on Amazon devices are a dime a dozen, but since Amazon recently unveiled several new gadgets, we’ve been seeing discounts on older models. We’ve highlighted the best deals below, but you can check out all the discounts on Amazon devices here.
Amazon Fire HD 10
Photo: Amazon
This is a low-cost match that we’ve only seen a few times. The Fire HD 10 (7/10, recommended by WIRED) is our favorite Amazon tablet. It’s best for light browsing, watching videos, or playing games, but it’s powerful enough to do some very light work tasks, especially if you pair it with a Bluetooth keyboard. There is no Google Play Store, but there is a solution to add it and access more apps. It’s hard to find another good tablet for such a low price. Read our best tablet and best burning tablet guides to learn more.
Amazon recently revamped the Fire HD 8 tablet and it’s now available for pre-order, but if you’re looking for a cheap tablet, this previous-generation Fire HD 8 is still a good deal. Its travel-friendly size, combined with a fairly powerful processor, makes it almost as capable as its bigger sibling. It’s portable enough to take anywhere, and the screen won’t torture your eyes when you’re watching Netflix. You can even use our Google Play Store installation guide to make it much more capable than it is out of the box.
This was $5 cheaper on Prime Day (which is in July), and it’s possible it might drop in price next week. The fourth-generation Echo Dot (8/10, WIRED recommended) has been our favorite Alexa speaker for a while, but Amazon has announced a fifth-generation model with better sound if you prefer the latest and greatest. This fourth generation model is still a great device. It’s small enough to fit in any room and the sound quality is decent despite its size. You can set alarms or timers, check the weather, listen to music or play Skyrim using just your voice. You can get the model with a built-in clock for $10 more.
Amazon Echo Glow
Photo: Amazon
This is the best price we tracked for the Echo Glow. It’s a bad sunrise alarm, but it’s a decent night light. It’s aimed at kids, although it can work well in a spare room too, especially considering that Alexa speakers can act as sound machines. To control the bulb, it must be paired with an Echo device or the Alexa app.
The Amazon Echo Show 8 is our favorite Alexa-powered smart display, and this price brings it to $5 cheaper than we saw during last Prime Day — an all-time low. The 8-inch screen size is almost universally usable whether you’re following a recipe or checking the weather. There is a built-in camera with automatic zoom and pan capabilities for video calls or conferences. Read our guide to the best smart screens for more recommendations.
Please note that the coupon codes must be entered at checkout and are only valid for Prime members. We’ve seen this drop to $35 before, but never as low as $25. The Echo Show 5 is too small for our liking, but it’s a good Alexa alternative to the Show 8 if you want a screen in an area with limited space.
Technical offers
Google Pixel 6A
Photo: Google
The Google Pixel 6A (8/10, WIRED recommended) is our favorite Android phone, and it also earned our top pick as the best cheap phone. This deal equates to the best discount we’ve seen. Even when it’s not for sale, the Pixel 6A offers incredible value, with great performance, excellent cameras, impressive battery life and a beautiful display. If you’re in the market for a new smartphone, you’d be hard pressed to find a better deal than this one.
It costs a fortune. But it folds! And believe it or not, that extra screen real estate is really nice. Android 12L also makes life on a bigger screen easier thanks to improved multitasking. The battery life is good and you get a bright, smooth screen – no creases on the fold. This is the lowest price we’ve seen yet for this relatively new foldable phone.
The smaller of Samsung’s foldable phones, the Z Flip4 feels like a “regular” phone when unfolded, but fold it up and it slips into some seriously small pockets. It’s almost like a StarTak, but with a real screen. The battery will get you through the day, but not much longer. But if you already want a foldable phone, this deal is the cheapest we’ve seen on this new model.
Apple iPad Mini 2021
Photo: Apple
Apple’s 2021 iPad Mini (8/10, WIRED recommended) looks like an iPad Pro with slimmer bezels and a smaller 8.3-inch screen. Its portable size makes it ideal for travel. You may even be able to stash it in the pocket of your cargo pants.
This Anker dock works on any iPhone with MagSafe support (iPhone 12 and newer). Place your iPhone on the circular aisle and it will stick magnetically and charge wirelessly. But the highlight is what’s in the back. You get a range of charging ports, making it a great little sphere for the desk to charge various items. There are two USB-C and two USB-A ports, plus three power outlets.
This is the smaller, wired companion to our favorite Razer mouse, the Razor Ultimate. Don’t be fooled by the “mini” in the name: this is a standard sized mouse and the accuracy is very good. It’s a great cheap mouse if the mouse below is out of your budget.
SteelSeries Prime wireless
Photo: SteelSeries
Our favorite gaming mouse is on sale! Technically made for esports gaming, the Prime isn’t packed with too many buttons. It’s snappy and responsive, and satisfyingly clicky. The wireless range is impressive and reliable, and it moves smoothly over almost any surface.
Click the coupon button on the page to see the discount at checkout. We flagged this deal a few weeks ago and it’s effectively back if you use the coupon code. With just one USB-C cable connected to your laptop, you get an extra 15.6-inch display that’s thin and light, and you can take it anywhere. It comes with a standard case, although you may want to invest in something sturdier.
The TCL 6 series (9/10, recommended by WIRED) is the best TV for most people. This is one of the best deals we’ve seen for the 55-inch size. The quantum dot panel means viewers experience bright colours, deep blacks and excellent contrast. This TV also has Roku built-in for easy streaming capabilities. If you don’t need the cutting edge, the TCL 5 Series is almost as good as the 6 Series – we recommend it for first-time TV buyers – and every size is available for purchase. Read more about it in our Best TVs guide.
Home Offers
Staples FlexFit Hyken Mesh office chair
Photo: Staples
This is the lowest price we’ve ever seen for this chair, which is our favorite budget option in our guide to the best office chairs. It can recline and has a headrest, and the mesh allows good airflow. It does the job very well.
We last saw such a deal last December. Now is a great time to get started with it if you missed it then and you’re in the market, although there’s a good chance it will go on sale again at this price at some point in the future. This luxurious (and pricey) espresso machine has a built-in grinder and hot water spout. Just fill it with beans and tap the digital display to make drinks at home. There’s even a steam wand for easy lattes and cappuccinos. Our Best Espresso Machines and Best Latte Machines guides have additional choices, including some that are easier on your wallet.
Free weights are one of the best tools for working out at home, and many different weights of these AmazonBasics dumbbells are available for purchase at historically low prices. We haven’t tested these ourselves, but they generally have good customer reviews. Some reviews mention that the rubber has a bad smell on arrival, but a few days of ventilation should fix that if it does occur. Keep in mind that these are sold separately, so you’ll need to add two to your cart if you’re trying to get a pair.
Competitive Retailer Sales Pages
Other stores have started offering competitive deals that don’t require an Amazon Prime membership (and others probably do). Here’s a list of sellers who may be taking part in the promotion.