The Best Deals on the Web For September 14, 2018

PublishedSeptember 14, 2018

Verizon’s excellent iPhone deal, $600 off the latest MacBook, and Dyson’s best cordless vacuum lead off Friday’s best deals from around the web.

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Best Tech Deals

Update: AT&T has matched this deal. It works basically the exact same way, but you have the option of a 30 or 24 month payment plan.

It’s unusual for Verizon to offer big incentives on the first day of iPhone preorders, but if you know a friend or family member that could join your plan, this is actually a pretty stellar deal.

All you have to do is buy two iPhones (the XS, XS Max, X, 8 Plus, and 8 are eligible, but not the XR), put at least one of them on a new line, and sign up for Verizon’s device payment plan, which divides the price of the phone over 24 monthly installments. Do this, and you’ll receive a $29.16 bill credit each month for two years, or effectively $700 towards a new phone. That’ll effectively get you the 8 Plus or the 8 (at 256GB) for free, or knock a big chunk off one of the newer models.

Anker’s Nebula Capsule raised the bar for portable projectors, and now, Anker’s taken the guts of that soda can, and put it into a much less expensive home projector.

On paper, the Nebula Prizm’s picture quality stats are a dead ringer for the Capsule. It outputs an 800 x 480 picture at 100 lumens, features automatic keystone correction, and has a built-in 5W speaker. However, it lacks an Android OS (you’ll have to use a streaming dongle, or something similar), and it has to be plugged in at all times, since it doesn’t have a battery.

The novelty of the Capsule was its portability—it was never going to win awards for its picture quality—so this is a bit of a surprising product. That said, I could see it being perfect for a kid’s room, or maybe a bedroom or garage where you occasionally want to watch video, but don’t want to keep a TV. And at $110 (with promo code PRIZM4KJ), it’s practically an impulse purchase.

We see deals on 12" Apple MacBooks on Amazon and Woot from time to time, but they’re always for refurbs, and always older models. Today though, Woot’s taking $300 off brand new laptops from the current generation (released in the middle of 2017).

Your only choice here is the color - each one includes a Core M5 processor, spacious 512GB SSD, and 8 GB of RAM. As configured, that would set you back $1,600 from Apple. It’s not a powerhouse, but as someone who has one of these from work, I can tell you that it’s terrific for travel. It’s light, you can charge it with a USB-C battery pack, and it fully opens on an economy tray table.

The only catch is that while these are brand new laptops, they carry a 90 day Woot warranty, rather than a one-year Apple warranty. They were originally intended to be warranty replacements for Apple, and that is why Woot can offer them as a discount.

LED strip lights can add a ton of personality to seemingly boring spaces, and this 16.4' model is just $22 today with promo code RDZZ7ALN.

In addition to a variety of colors and brightness levels, a microphone built into the inline remote allows the lights to pulse and change according to ambient noise, which is a pretty great party trick. You can also change their color, brightness, and other settings with a Bluetooth-connected smartphone app, so you never have to flip a physical switch.

I actually installed a similar strip from the same company (mine doesn’t have Bluetooth) above my kitchen cabinets (pictured above), and usually just leave it set to one color, but the effect is fantastic.

RAVPower’s HyperAir Qi charging pad is one of the few models out there to support 7.5W iPhone charging, and you can save $10 on it today with promo code RAVPC034.

To be clear, there are a lot of Qi pads that support 10W charging for certain Android devices, but last year’s iPhones require a very specific frequency to enable their maximum charging speed of 7.5W, and this is one of the most affordable compatible pads we’ve seen. It seems like the new iPhones will support 10W charging (which this pad also supports), but that’s not yet confirmed.

Fitbit’s Alta is one of the only fitness trackers that actually looks nice on your wrist, owing largely to its fashionable interchangeable bands, and you can pick one up on Amazon right now for just $80. It’s not the newest model with a heartrate sensor, but for basic step and fitness tracking, it’ll get the job done, and look great doing it.

Whether you’re podcasting, Twitch streaming, or making video calls for work, the microphone built into your laptop isn’t going to cut it. This tiny USB mic from AmazonBasics normally costs $43, but right now, it’s down to $18. Other colors are also available for just a buck or two more.

The advent of inexpensive Bluetooth headphones has been a net positive, but there’s no getting around it: They’re a pain in the ass to charge.

Luckily, Mpow’s new headphone carrying case includes a built-in 800mAh battery and microUSB cable, so you can recharge your earbuds while simultaneously keeping them from getting lost or tangled in your bag. Yeah, you’ll still need to recharge the case, but this definitely makes Bluetooth earbuds a simpler option while traveling.

Apple’s Magic Mouse has a lot of good things going for it—I’ve been using one for years now—but ergonomically, it’s a mess. And while Elevation Lab’s Magic Grips don’t exactly turn it into a palm-shaped Logitech, they do make it noticably more comfortable to use for extended periods, and you can save 25% on a set today with promo code MAGICGRIPS.

Each pack of Magic Grips includes a few pieces of molded silicone designed the fit the contours of the mouse’s sides. Just pick the width you want, peel off the 3M adhesive backing, and stick them on. The product costs about $10, installation takes under a minute, and it’ll make the mouse you use for hours per day noticeably more comfortable, possibly for years to come. That’s a pretty great value proposition.

Yi makes your favorite budget action cam, and right now its 4K sibling is just $130 with the code O2R4A477. We got a chance to test this guy out on the rapids of the Hudson River, and it offers a ton of bang for its buck.

Unless you really need the iPad Pro (and you almost definitely do not), the standard, vanilla 2018 iPad is a terrific tablet for both consuming and creating media. It even works with the Apple Pencil, the first non-Pro iPad to do so.

We haven’t seen many deals on the new model since it was released, but Walmart’s currently throwing in a $25 gift card when you buy a 128GB model (which is the one you should buy anyway). Just scroll down the page until you see this option:

h/t Alan Danzis

Elevation Lab’s Anchor headphone stand is so simple, but so genius, that it really ought to be built into every desk in existence. Nominally, it’s a hook to store your headphones so they don’t take up desk space, but you could also use it for hats, jackets, umbrellas, or really anything else that hangs.

The Anchor doesn’t see discounts often, but for a limited time, you can save over 20% with promo code TIDYCANS.

If you travel with any regularity, the HooToo TripMate Titan may just be your new best friend, because it’s actually three devices in one.

Travel Router: Turn any ethernet jack you find into a Wi-Fi hotspot, which can still come in handy at certain hotels and conventions.

10,400mAh USB Battery Pack: Keep your phone and tablet charged during a long day away from any power outlets.

File Hub: Transfer files and wirelessly stream content from a hard drive or flash drive to all of your devices. Imagine loading a cheap thumb drive card up with movies for a long trip, instead of, say, buying an expensive iPad with more local storage.

Today on Amazon, you can knock $15 off the price of the TripMate with promo code ABCD2222. This deal might not last long, so act fast.

Walmart’s latest HDTV blowout isn’t a massive TV, but if 50" is all you need, $280 is a great deal for this Sharp 4K set. Unlike a lot of TVs at this price level, it has smart apps built in, and even HDR (though obviously, not Dolby Vision). We posted this a little over a week ago, but if you missed it then, the deal is back in stock.

LG’s 2017 OLED TVs have achieved something of a cult status thanks to their inky dark black levels and vibrant colors. Today though, we’ve got the best price we’ve ever seen on the new 2018 models.

The picture quality should be nearly identical (which is a good thing!), but the 2018 models include LG’s ThinQ voice assistant and support for HFR (high frame rate video) up to 120 FPS. HFR content doesn’t really exist yet, but a few movies are expected to come to streaming services starting later this year, so if you’re planning on using the TV for several years, it might be worth it for future-proofing purposes.

MassDrop has the 55" marked down to $1,500, and the 65" to $2,100 (select the 65" option at checkout). You can also get last year’s 65" model for $1,600 refurbished from Walmart, if you’re on a budget but want the larger size.

Listen, I know it’s daunting. But you should really get your cables under control. Nobody wants to look at a tangled rat king of HDMI cords, power cables, and the dust bunnies the inevitably attract. There are lots of ways to go about this, but a wall-mounted, paintable cable channel is one of the most professional looking solutions.

This complete set is only $13 today with promo code K67UYT2Q, and includes eight 15.7" channels, plus right angle pieces, and several mounting options, including wall anchors and apartment-friendly adhesive.

The Kindle Voyage, which has been my personal Kindle for the last several years, is no more, supplanted by the Kindle Oasis. May it rest in peace. So if you don’t want to spend $250 on an Oasis, and the $129 Paperwhite doesn’t check all of your boxes, you should buy a refurbished Voyage while you still can.

Refurb prices on the Voyage tend to fluctuate between $150 and $130 (they sold for $200 new), so today’s $120 price is terrific, especially considering the product’s impending rarity. Once these refurbs are gone, they’re probably gone forever.

While any modern microSD card will work in your home security or dash camera, Samsung’s Pro Endurance model is designed specifically for this kind of constant writing and rewriting, and is rated for up to five years of nonstop use. You don’t need that for your Nintendo Switch or a phone, but for certain applications, it’s worth the price premium. Get all three capacities for all-time low prices today. Update: The 64GB is sold out, but the others are still available.

For lighter uses, Samsung’s excellent U3 cards are still marked down to all-time low prices as well.

AmazonBasics makes pretty much everything at this point, and generally speaking, it’s a brand you can count on to be affordable and of good quality. While Amazon runs discounts on individual AmazonBasics products with some regularity, a whole bunch of it is on sale right now.

A few favorites are below, but dozens of other products are included, so head over to Amazon to see the full list.

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.

Private Internet Access doesn’t do much in the way of discounting, but they offer exclusive pricing and packages just for our readers that you won’t find anywhere else. Here are your options, and what you’d pay if you bought the same plan elsewhere:

One month for $6 | Usually $7
One year for $35 | Usually $40
Three years for $90 | Not offered to the general public at all

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

It’s 2018, and your vacuum shouldn’t have a cord anymore. Dyson’s cordless V-series stick vacs have long been go-to cordless options, but the powerful new V10 is arguably the first that can truly, completely replace a corded vacuum. In fact, it’s so good, that Dyson’s not even developing new corded vacuums anymore.

Today, you can save a whopping $150 on the Animal model, which features a 40% larger dustbin, more attachments, and a more powerful motorized head compared to the entry level Motorhead version. In fact, today’s discount brings it down to the same price as the Motorhead, so you’re basically getting all those upgrades for free.

If you’ve ever driven a car with a backup camera, you know that there’s no going back. But if your own car doesn’t have one, this kit from Nonda makes it easy to install, and you can pick it up for just $102 with promo code BACKUPOFF.

We’ve posted deals on a few products like this before, but Nonda’s takes a different approach from anything else we’ve seen. Rather than running wires through your car to a dedicated screen up front, this model beams a wireless video signal to an app on your phone. In some ways that’s a little bit less seamless, but it also means you don’t have to keep an extra, otherwise-usless display on your dashboard, taking up a precious DC power outlet.

The camera itself is also 170 degrees, which is wider than most, and its 720p sensor is more than enough to help you parallel park and avoid oblivious dummies in the grocery store parking lot.

You know those “Magic Erasers” that can wipe stains off seemingly any hard surface? They’re really just melamine sponges with a marketing budget, and you can get 100 off-brand equivalents for just $5 on Amazon, after clipping the 5% coupon. I used these after moving into a new apartment recently, and they made quick work of all of the scuffs I made on the walls.

Note: The 5% coupon isn’t much, but the $5.58 list price is a very good deal to begin with.

Sitting is killing you, and Amazon’s dipping its toes into the standing desk market with its own AmazonBasics monitor riser, and you can get yours for an all-time low $133 right now.

Unlike a lot of similar products, this one lifts straight upward, instead of up and outward, making it great for smaller offices or cubicles. Just don’t become, like, one of those smug standing desk people that won’t shut up about how great they feel.

This tiny tire inflator has been a hit with our readers, and now you can get it for just $12. Toss it in your glove box, or even in your spare tire well, and you’ll never again be forced to scrounge together quarters to use the air pump at a gas station.

If getting wine delivered is a few too many steps removed from the vineyard for your liking, this $50 merlot-making kit is a fun and educational alternative.

Inside, you’ll find grape juice, yeast, a gallon fermenting jug, and everything else you need to make your own vino. Our deal researcher, Corey, has used a beer brewing product from the same company, and had this to say in Slack:

So that’s on sale. And while I haven’t done one of their wine kits, I am currently testing their fermenter, a beer kit, and a cider kit.
No messing around, it’s some of the absolute best homebrew products I’ve used.
Everything from their creative box design to their instructions to the actual equipment goes the extra bit to make it more understandable, enjoyable, trustworthy, and easy.

Anyway, this is an all-time low price on this kit, so a toast to Friday!

LED bulbs pay for themselves in energy savings and sheer longevity, and that’s especially true when you can get them for less than $2 per bulb. Just note that these aren’t dimmable, which is par for the course at this price.

Firstleaf is an online wine club that learns your preferences, offers tons of options, and most importantly, saves you money compared to buying from the store. It’s a solid deal any time, but it’s even better for our readers today.

Every new Firstleaf member gets an introductory delivery with three bottles of wine for just $15, plus $5 shipping. Considering that you aren’t locked in and can cancel any time, that’s a bargain. But it gets even better for our readers, as promo code Kinja will waive the $5 shipping charge, for a limited time. That’s three bottles of wine (all of mine had MSRPs over $20) for just $5 each shipped, with no commitment.

You can read more about the service in my review, but if you choose to remain a member (I did), every box thereafter includes six bottles for $80, plus $10 shipping.

KitchenAid mixers are an essential part of every kitchen. If your kitchen is still lacking one, pick up this KitchenAid 5-quart Artisan stand mixer for $210 today from Walmart. That’s one of the best deals we’ve seen on a non-refurb, and a great addition to your kitchen as Thanksgiving dinner draws ever-closer.

Summer’s winding down, but tailgate season is just getting started. This $15 Coleman cooler can hold 48 cans, plus ice, and is designed to stack with other coolers of the same size, if you need to hold 96 or 144 cans for your next rager.

Buy a bunch of them, is what I’m saying here.

If you apply promo code JUMPINTOFALL, you can get my wife’s favorite weed trimmer, a refurbished WORX Cordless Trimmer/Edger/Mini-Mower, plus two batteries, for just $60.

Confession time: Since the introduction of Lithium Ion powered lawn tools, my wife does at least 80% of the yard work at our home. I trust her opinion on lawn and garden tools more than my own.

She prefers battery-powered trimmers for their push-button power, light-weight, low noise, lack of exhaust, and because there’s no gasoline or oil to deal with.

Since this past Spring, she’s been using this exact model for everything from precision work around flower beds to clearing moderate areas of grass and weeds too narrow for our mower to reach. She hasn’t pined for her old trimmer once, and maintains that our 60V trimmer is “too powerful and heavy to be useful.” Two 20V 4.0ah batteries get her through about an hour of active trimming in our yard, and we haven’t noticed any degradation in run time over the last four months.

Magnetic smartphone vent mounts are our all-time top sellers, so there’s a good chance you already have one in your car. My advice though? Get one for your luggage; you’ll be really glad to have it next time you rent a car, and they also work as kickstands for your phone on an airplane tray table. This one’s only $5 today with promo code AUKEYDP5.

Once, when I was young and naive, I paid a dealership like $75 to clean my foggy headlights. Little did I know, this Mothers headlight restoration kit does just as well at a tiny fraction of the price. Get it for $16, or about $4 less than usual, before the lights go out on this deal.

Best Lifestyle Deals

The changing of the seasons is a great time to buy new clothes, and Marmot is thinking about getting you geared up to go outside outside for less. Right now, they’re is taking an extra 20% off its sale selection, which was already marked down 50% from retail. Just use promo code EXTRA20, then start planning your fall outdoor excursions while you wait for the gear to arrive.

Tilly’s has another big sale, this time taking 50% off clearance items. Shop their men’s and women’s sales featuring denim, sweatshirts, jackets, hats, and shoes from favorites like Adidas, Nike, Vans, and Converse. Plus, our readers can use code KINJAFREESHIP for free shopping on orders of any size.

If you use any Neutrogena skin products, chances are good that they’re included in this 30% off sale on Amazon. Sunscreens, makeup removers, acne treatments, wrinkle repair, and more are included. Just note that you won’t see the discount until checkout.

As the leaves start falling, so too do sunglass prices. Nordstrom Rack’s blowing out a bunch of fancy shades from Dior, Prada, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana...you know, all the brands you usually ignore because they’re going to be too expensive. There are nearly 300 styles to choose from, and about 1/3 are priced under $100, so don’t be afraid to dive in.

Eddie Bauer launched their Fall Sale yesterday, and is following it up today with an end of Summer clearance event. For a limited time, you can take an extra 50% off clearance items with code EXPLORE50. Even better, their clearance section is not restricted to summer specific clothes, but instead has plenty of outerwear, shirts (read: flannels), sweaters, fleeces, pants, and more, perfect for stocking up on layers for Fall and Winter.

Why buy off the rack when custom tailored suits are so affordable, not to mention so fun to design? For a limited time, you can look your best with a custom suit from Indochino, our readers’ favorite custom clothing company.

You can grab any suit from this page for just $299 with promo code KINJA18, and if you checked out this deal last time we ran it, note that there are a lot of new suit options to choose from now.

To learn more about the Indochino customization and sizing process, head over to this post.

PUMA’s back at it again with another friends & family sale, this time taking 40% off all full-priced items, and an extra 25% off sale items, with promo code BESTFRIEND. Obviously, shoes are a go-to here, but you’ll find workout and casual clothes for all seasons in here too, so stock up!

Grab some CAP cast-iron kettlebells and perform quick and efficient workouts from home. 10lb bells are just $8, but you can get them as heavy as 80lbs, if you want to become the largest in charge.

Update: The coupon is gone, but $17 is an excellent price for this.

Neutrogena’s Hydro Boost water gel sunscreen is a pretty good facsimile of Biore’s cult favorite (and personally life changing) Watery Essence sunscreen, with one notable difference: It’s actually sold in the U.S.

You can read more about the water-based sunscreens in my recent review, but spoiler alert: They completely changed my perceptions about what sunscreen can be. Amazon’s currently offering three bottles of the SPF 30 for about $16 (with subscribe & save, or $17 without), which is over $10 less than usual, and only about $5 more than they usually charge for a single bottle. In addition, there’s a 30% coupon you can clip, bringing it down to about $11. For three bottles! This is madness! I feel certain that this deal will not last long.

Just be warned: Once you try it, you’ll never buy anything else.

Fall weather is right in Eddie Bauer’s wheelhouse, and you can load up for the cooler weather with the company’s massive Fall Sale. Hundreds of items are marked down up to 60%, including pants, jackets, and of course, lots and lots of flannels.

My advice? Check out the discounted Stormdown gear. It’s the basis of one of our readers’ favorite jackets, but it’s also available in vest form for the fall.

I’ll be honest, I know next to nothing about lipstick (er...lip color), but I know enough to understand that five Maybelline New York sticks for $10 with free shipping is an incredible deal. It’s a mystery pack, so you don’t get to pick what colors you get, but that’s part of the fun.

Update: Promo code D9GLOY4I is working now!

LuminAID camp lights take up basically no space when not in use, but with a few puffs of air and the press of a button, this Max model can output up to 150 lumens, which is plenty to illuminate your tent.

Unlike some other LuminAIDs, this one doesn’t include a USB port for your phone, but it can recharge over microUSB if the built-in solar panel doesn’t do the job. These were all over the place at the Outpost trade show last weekend, and they really do work well. Get it for $19 right now with promo code D9GLOY4I.

Believe it or not, winter is coming, and you can layer up for a lot less money with this Mountain Hardwear sale. Several jackets and a few lighter tops are included in the selection, and promo code MHWSEPT1 will get you additional savings.

For example, this men’s StretchDown jacket is already marked down to $130, but the promo code brings it to $91. The precise percentage discount varies by item, but if you add any of them to your cart, add the promo code, then navigate to the sale page, they’ll all reflect final pricing.

HydroFlask makes some of our readers favorite water bottles, and they just released a new line of limited colors, the Zest Collection. You can get one of the four colors (kiwi, mango, raspberry, and plum) for 25% off on a variety of different drinking vessels, until they’re sold out!

Best Media Deals

Game of Thrones has a graphic novelization, written by George R.R. Martin himself (no wonder he doesn’t have any pages), and you can download the first issue for just $2 right now. Pour yourself a glass of Dornish red and enjoy all 240 pages in one sitting.

Best Gaming Deals

Surprise! There’s a new Super Smash Bros. Nintendo Switch bundle on the way. This one includes a download code for the game, Smash-themed Joy-Con, and a unique Switch Dock with all of the original N64 game’s characters tastefully embossed on the front. It’s up for preorder now for $360, and comes out November 2, though the game won’t unlock until December 7.

Already have a Switch? You can preorder the game by itself here, and Prime members will get a $10 Amazon credit added to their account about a month after it ships.

The official Smash Ultimate GameCube controller and USB adapter are in stock as well.

The Razer Atheris gaming mouse doesn’t have a dozen buttons or fancy RGB backlighting, but what it does have is portability. It’s physically small (but not too small), and with built-in Bluetooth, you don’t have to carry around a dongle or a cord either. It’s still a Razer mouse though, and packs a stellar 7,200 DPI sensor into that compact package.

Get it for $40 on Amazon today, which is $10 less than usual, and a match for an all-time low.

The Star Wars Nerf Qi’Ra Blaster is a simple hand-held Nerf Gun that shoots two darts in a row, up to 75 feet. It looks good. A little rough around the edges, but good. It comes with four darts that glow in dark (and they charge while loaded) and features laser blast sound effects. For $7, that’s a lot of fun for kids, and adults.

With Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft basically created the Netflix of video games, and it’s a great deal at its usual $10 per month. But for a limited time, you can save $20 when you prepay for a year, and Microsoft will throw in copies of Forza 7 and Forza Horizon 3 for free, to keep forever, even if you cancel your Game Pass membership.

Xbox Game Pass grants you access to new releases like State of Decay 2 and Sea of Thieves, as well as classics like KOTOR and all of the Gear of War games. Even Fallout 4 is included now!

Update: This was sold out for a time, but it’s back for now.

If you’ve been holding out for a Neo Geo Mini, the international version is now up for preorder on Amazon, complete with 40 built-in games, a built-in screen, and an HDMI port to play on your TV.

It’s a little late for back to school season (hey-ooo), but you can save about $10 on the Harry Potter Hogwarts Express LEGO set today, complete with Platform 9 3/4, plus Harry, Ron, Hermione, Remus Lupin, Trolley Witch, and Dementor minifigures. Plus Scabbers; we can’t forget about Scabbers. It usually retails for $80, but you can keep a little bit of extra cash in your Gringotts vault, because it’s down to $69.

Preorder 2nd Breakfast Board Game Table | $500 | Kickstarter

There are people who occasionally pull out a copy of Catan or Scrabble for a game night, and then there are people who spend a couple hundred bucks on Gloomhaven, or play through the roguelike Pandemic Legacy with the same group for months on end. This board game table is for them.

The 2nd Breakfast board game table is up for preorder on Kickstarter, and even with the earlybird discount, it costs $500. That’s an investment (though actually fairly cheap, as gaming tables go)! But if board games are a major hobby of yours, it’s totally worth it. Each table includes the following:

Removable playfield
Eight USB charging ports
Clear acrylic cover
Two A outlets
Reversible leaves
Four trays
Two double cup holders
Two single cup holders

When you aren’t playing, the leaves cover up the play surface, transforming the table into a regular looking dining room table without any garish, gaming-centric design details.

I think it’s safe to say that game night will be at your place in perpetuity once this arrives.

I don’t know what Overwatch! is but I guess everyone with a PC loves it and can’t stop playing it. And now subscribers to Humble’s October bundle, which unlocks on Friday, October 5 at 1 p.m. EST, can get it for $12 along with the other yet-to-be-named games. That’s $8 cheaper than buying on its own.

As always, Humble Monthly is only $12 per month (or $11 if you prepay for a full year), and every game you get is yours to keep forever, even if you cancel.

Outside of major sales events like Black Friday, Xbox One controllers don’t drop to $40 very often, so if you think you might want one, now’s the time to place your order. These are the newest models with built-in Bluetooth, so they’ll also work with your PC without an adapter. Available in black or white.