Shop On-Sale Owala, Fishwife, and American Girl. Gift Them Later.
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October Prime Day is here, and we’re updating this story hourly. To find the best deals in every category, follow all of our October Prime Day coverage.
Anther Prime Day comes to a close tonight. Amazon’s Prime Big Deals Days ends at 2:59 a.m. tomorrow, October 9, and as usual, there are a ton of great deals — many of which would make good holiday gifts. Is it too early to start buying for December when you’re still prepping for Halloween? Probably yes. But is that any reason to let a great deal fall by the wayside? Definitely not.
As this is my seventh year in a row covering Prime Day, I know how to spot a good gift-y deal. To curate this year’s list, I’ve set some parameters: The item must be at least 20 percent off, must actually be something you’d be delighted to give and receive, and there should be a mix of price points for every budget. The list below includes everything from some of our favorite skin care to our Best in Class electric toothbrush. And don’t forget to sign up for the Strategist newsletter so you don’t miss a single deal — just like in July, we’ll be hard at work covering literally everything worth buying.
Deals I personally think are best
While working on an update for our best-hair-dryers story, I went very deep into a testing rabbit hole and discovered that the Shark SpeedStyle Pro is really, really great. The current discounted price makes it even better. I’ve had my Breville Bambino Plus espresso machine for years, so I feel confident gifting any of the brand’s machines. Lastly, a new pair of AirPods is always nice to give and to get.
Under $25
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An easy-to-pack slim Owala on sale in 11 different colorways.
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No, it’s not too early to buy an advent calendar. And this one offers 12 days of best-selling Burt’s Bees lip balms for just $21 (that’s under two bucks a tube).
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Another 12-day balm-based calendar, this time for a younger crowd. This one has eight lip balms, two scrunchies, and two rings.
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Another one for the kiddos, except this advent calendar has 24 windows to open, with a different “doh” color each day, plus 28 holiday-themed tools, four how-to cards, and three punch-out paper crafts. $17 well spent.
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“Nomad’s Find My–compatible ultraslim wallet tracker is also discounted for the first time and would make a nice stocking stuffer for the forgetful folks in your life (perhaps, like me, you count yourself among them),” says Strateigst senior writer Michael Zhao.
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A box set of Magic Tree House classics.
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Nécessaire’s bodywash is excellent in all scents, but my favorite, by far, is Olibanum, a sweet blend of fig leaf and vanilla.
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Stock up on Laneige’s lip masks — a favorite of tween, teen, and college-age girls.
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A sweet Gund elephant — on sale for less than you might spend on a latte — for any new little ones in your family.
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Sure, you could play regular Candy Land with your kids, but this Bluey edition is sure to keep their attention for far longer.
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Does your child have a baby doll or two that needs to eat? This very complete Melissa & Doug set has everything they need.
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Melissa & Doug’s pretend play food lineup is also nothing short of excellent, especially when you can get it on sale. (It’s now much cheaper than yesterday — $13, down from $29, bringing the discount from 30 percent off to 70 percent off.)
Read more:The Best Gifts For 2-Year-Olds
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I can’t remember the last time I didn’t have at least one pair of slippers on my holiday gift list. These insulated for warmth (the brand describes them as “mini down jackets for your feet”), have a cushy memory foam insole and non-slip rubber outsole, and come in some fun contrasting color combos.
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Kitsch Satin Hair Scrunchies
These satin scrunchies provide a sturdy hold but are also very gentle on hair, and this affordable five-pack would make a great stocking stuffer or little white elephant gift.
Read more: The Best Gifts for Teenage Girls, According to Teenage Girls
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Jinx Monsoon and Frankie Grande both swear by this total light-blocking sleep mask, especially for sleeping on airplanes. Grande especially likes the “little scoops where it covers my eyes, so my lashes and eye makeup don’t get screwed up.”
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This low-profile laptop stand is a great little gift on its own, but also a perfect little extra if you’re if you’re also gifting an actual laptop.
Under $50
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Boppy’s newly redesigned nursing pillow has a larger, firmer cushion for babies and a wider opening for moms. It also comes in much nicer prints.
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For the Halloween obsessive, a very cute Charlie Brown–themed Lenox appetizer tray.
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DedCool’s statusy detergent that smells like vanilla, bergamot, and amber.
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“This is eye-wateringly expensive. Ridiculously expensive, even. But for truly damaged, frizzy, split hair, it’s worth it,” says former Strategist writer Rachael Griffiths. And today, it’s a lot less eye-wateringly expensive.
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A massage hook loved by doctors, Gen Z, artists, grandfathers, and Ottessa Moshfegh.
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Great stocking stuffer for the middle-school set.
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While teeth-whitening strips may seem like a silly gift, Strategist readers stock up every year without fail.
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Boy Smells has plenty of on-sale candles to choose from, but we’re partial to the woodsy Hinoki Fantôme.
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This mini-set of Bum Bum Cream contains all three of the brand’s much-loved signature scents.
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Luxe Bidet Neo 185
I’ve gifted bidets three times before as a housewarming gift. Each time it gets a laugh and then, like clockwork, I’m told a few months later that the “gag” gift was life-changing.
Read more:The 8 Very Best Bidets
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This multi-purpose oil, a French pharmacy staple, both feels and looks incredibly luxurious.
Read more: I Use This French Dry Oil in Some Form or Another Every Day
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Reject modernity (Labubus), embrace tradition (Furbies).
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Do the tweens need skin care? Strictly speaking, no. But Glow Recipe is fairly gentle, and the mini-sizes make a fun stocking stuffer.
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Or gift this Drunk Elephant mini-set that offers a complete skin-care routine: cleanser, moisturizer, vitamin-C serum, glycolic night serum, hydrating serum, and sunscreen.
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A rainbow of LEGOs for 30 percent off.
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A trio of Fishwife tuna — the perfect white-elephant gift for the co-worker obsessed with their protein goals.
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I’ve been looking for decent, and decently priced, cutting boards recently, and what I’ve learned so far is that walnut wood is suitable for sharp knives (not all woods are), and end-grain boards are less prone to cuts and gauges from those aforementioned sharp knives. End-grain boards can also be very pricey, but this is one of the most affordable I’ve seen, and it’s highly rated.
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Since kids’ feet are always growing, it’s never a bad idea to get (or gift) some quality footwear at a discounted price. Buy these a few sizes too big now, and they’ll be perfect for spring rain.
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A virtually indestructible Lands’ End tote bag for schlepping to the beach or the grocery store or across the country.
Read more: The 12 Best Beach Bags
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Ditto for this Anker battery pack.
Read more: The 8 Very Best Portable Chargers
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This beautifully illustrated board game is easy to pick up and play after unwrapping. The goal? Create a Pacific Northwest ecosystem by collecting different animals.
Read more:The Best Adult Board Games, According to Cool People
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The Oral-B Pro 1000 is an affordable electric toothbrush that still has all the main features dentists recommend, which is why it sits in the top spot on our list of best electronic toothbrushes. Now, that deal is even sweeter.
Read more: The 9 Very Best Electric Toothbrushes
Under $100
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And if your giftee doesn’t have the counter space for a knife block, one really good, do-it-all chef’s knife will suffice.
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Some non-basic black sunglasses, for the fashion-forward giftee.
Read more:The Best Sunglasses, According to Some of the Most Tasteful People I Know
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An excellent curling iron for long hair under $100.
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In the canon of holiday commercials, Santa riding a Norelco razor is right up there with those Coca-Cola polar bears. In other words, this is a classic holiday gift.
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For the frequent traveler in your life who would never dream of checking a bag, may I suggest SJR’s under-seat carry-on.
Read more: What Sally Jessy Raphael Can’t Live Without
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Long, cold winter nights are coming. Plus UGG is cool again, which makes this throw a no-brainer.
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Get one of our most talked-about meat thermometers for slightly more than 25 percent off.
Read more: A $55 Smart Thermometer for Grill Dads
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For the iPad baby who needs an intervention, try this kids’ Kindle.
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If a new hair dryer is too expensive, kick it old-school with these heated rollers, which will create plenty of bombshell volume.
Under $200
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A reader-favorite knife set that works out to just seven bucks apiece.
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Hunter Original Back Adjustable Boots
Like every generation before them, Gen Z is discovering those Alexa Chung–at–Glastonbury pictures. Buy a pair of Hunter boots now and you’ll be the coolest aunt at Christmas later.
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Dominique’s pick for the best hair dryer with lots of attachments that’s extremely powerful — it dried her hair in under 20 minutes on the lowest heat setting.
Read more:The Best Hairdryers
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Give the gift of cleaner air this year.
Read more: The 10 Very Best Air Purifiers
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According to Strategist editor Jeremy Rellosa and resident expert on both fitness and outdoor gear, this is the perfect running watch “for a (new) runner. There are more expensive options with more features, but the Forerunner 55 has all the basics.”
Read more: I Ran Over 1,800 Testing Running Watches — These Are The Ones To Buy
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If you can’t figure out what to gift your dad/husband/father figure this year, may I suggest going the extremely practical route with this portable power station. Luck favors the prepared!
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Apple AirPods Pro 2
AirPods are on sale!
Read more:The 48 Best Travel Gift Ideas, According to Frequent Travelers
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A fall-ready suede shoulder bag from Madewell for 25 percent off.
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The mini NuFace packs all the powers of lifting and toning microcurrent in a smaller (and more affordable) package.
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Fellow Stagg EKG Pro Electric Kettle
This very elegant Stagg kettle looks great on a countertop.
Over $200
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For any upcoming housewarmings, I suggest this handsome Marshall speaker.
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An at-home shvitz that contributor Halley Furlong-Mitchell says has made her skin more radiant, stabilized her mood, and helped her sleep more deeply.
Read more: I Shvitz at Home Thanks to My Sauna Blanket
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Universal gifting truth No. 1: Fathers are very hard to shop for. Universal gifting truth No. 2: Lots of fathers love fire. Ergo, buy him this sleek smokeless firepit.
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Xgimi MoGo 4
“The XGIMI MoGo 4’s lower price and flexible, built-in stand make it a giftable choice for teens and college students — this is the first significant discount I’ve seen on this relatively new product,” says Zhao.
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Becky G’s and Campbell “Pookie” Puckett’s nugget-ice-maker of choice.
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A hard-to-resist twofer: Shark’s LED mask plus a blow-dryer brush.
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“It’s expensive, yes, but well worth the investment for its incredibly sharp blades and strikingly powerful motor,” says Strategist kitchen and dining writer Emma Wartzman, who named it our best-in-class blender for several years running. And for Prime Day, it’s a whopping 40 percent off.
Read more:The 9 Best Blenders
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Speaking of top-of-the-line appliances, Balmuda’s super-sleek toaster utilizes steam.
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Zojirushi NP-HCC10XH Induction Heating System Rice Cooker and Warmer, 1 L, Stainless Dark Gray
A top-of-the-line rice cooker from Zojirushi makes an excellent gift for college students.
Read more: The Best Rice Cookers
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Breville’s line of espresso machines are consistently rated as the best for at-home coffee-making. This is one of the brand’s beginner-friendly models, but it’s no slouch — perfect an aspiring espresso enthusiast, or an existing one who’s been getting their fix from the local barista.
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If the new $750 Airwrap is out of budget this year, the Shark FlexStyle is a compelling competitor …
Read more: The 8 Very Best Blow-dryer Brushes
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Or go for this affordable, paired-down Dyson hair dryer.
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Samsung’s nifty Frame TV looks like a gallery-ready painting when turned off and hasn’t been this steeply discounted since last Prime Day back in July.
More Prime Day Deals
- Breville, Ninja, Bose, and More: Early Prime Day Deals That Make Great Gifts
- Early Prime Day Beauty Deals: 30 Percent Off Shark, $35 White Strips, and More
- 30 Percent Off LEGOs and Magna-Tiles: The Best Early Prime Day Toy Deals
- The 21 Best Early Prime Day Deals, According to Our Deals Editor
The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
