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October Prime Day is here. To find the best deals in every category, follow all of our Prime Day coverage.
As October Prime Day draws to a close, might I suggest devoting some time this evening to starting your holiday shopping? December will be here annoyingly soon, and with discounts on everything from kids’ toys to luxury skin care, now’s as good a time as any to cross a few names off your gift list, long before the Black Friday fray. To that end, I’ve rounded up dozens of particularly gift-worthy goods that you can buy at a discount today, then dole out in the months ahead.
The Prime Day sales will officially end at 2:59 a.m. ET tonight, so if you’ve been deliberating on in-demand Laneige or Legos, or waffling on a digital picture frame that you can sock away now to impress your mother-in-law later, it’s time to check out. Everything below is organized by price, so you can skip to the section that best fits your budget. You should also browse our October Prime Day hub to see all the best deals — including many all-time lows — on household essentials, fashion, and more, and sign up for our newsletter, too.
The Deals I Personally Think Are the Best
OSEA’s Undaria Algae Body Oil is our pick for the very best body oil; writer Brenley Goertzen says it leaves her skin feeling “bright and bouncy all day long,” and I think it would make for a thoughtful self-care gift as we enter the dry, flaky winter months. I’m also constantly restocking on Starface’s whimsical pimple patches, and I certainly wouldn’t complain if I found an extra-large pack of them in my stocking. And finally, you’ll want to make sure you have a camera ready when your kid unwraps this four-foot-tall Barbie Dreamhouse (that’s nearly 40 percent off).
Under $25
Is it even Prime Day if there’s no sale on CosRx’s snail-mucin essence? By now, everyone and their mother is using this K-beauty favorite, making it a fail-safe gift.
Another Prime Day heavy hitter, Laneige’s Lip Sleeping Mask is a favorite of celebrities and teen girls alike.
Flip the switch on this Crayola Light Board and watch your child’s drawings come to life with a vibrant neon glow. (It’s also reusable; just wipe the screen with a damp cloth when you’re done.)
This cute Ban.do vase would be perfect to gift along with a cheerful bouquet.
A fun, word-search-esque clock that spells out what time it is in lit-up letters.
I have fond memories of playing with Tamagotchis as a kid, so I’m heartened to see they’re having a resurgence. This one is Toy Story–themed and features 17 characters to interact with.
If you have a glamorous cousin on your gift list — or a special occasion of your own coming up — Chillhouse’s press-on nails are an easy way to fake a fresh manicure.
Even if they don’t consider themselves a “dessert person,” Claire Saffitz’s recipes for dishes like Malted “Forever” Brownies and Crispy Mushroom Galettes will likely convert them.
This Rainbow Loom Mega Combo Set contains everything kids need for making friendship bracelets out of tiny rubber bands, including alphabet beads and cute charms to personalize their creations.
A just-the-essentials eye-shadow palette that can create a neutral daytime look or a nighttime smoky eye.
If your kids are too energetic and impatient to concentrate on a game like Monopoly, they might enjoy Exploding Kittens, a fun, fast-paced card game that “requires you to make temporary alliances, screw everyone, be sneaky, or a little of the above.”
For your gym-rat friend who’s looking to up their “gainz.”
Every time I spray one of Touchland’s sanitizing mists, someone inevitably comments on how good it smells.
Starface’s colorful pimple patches would make for a delightful stocking stuffer.
These Ahava bath salts, sourced straight from the Dead Sea, are guaranteed to make bath time that much more relaxing.
For the person who can’t stop drinking matcha lattes, now they can make their own at home with this electric whisk.
Terrill Caplan, an administrator at a private school in New York City, received this L’Occitane hand cream as a gift and says it “smells fantastic.” Since it’s something she usually wouldn’t buy for herself, “there’s a nice indulgent quality to it.”
Bagsmart’s hanging toiletry organizer will be a godsend the next time your world-traveler giftee books an Airbnb with a tiny bathroom.
Under $50
Kids can let their imagination run wild with this big bin of classic LEGO bricks.
This retro-looking turntable earned a spot in our gift guides for teenage girls and teenage boys.
Some stylish flower-shaped shades for fashion-forward kids (that’ll protect their eyes from UV rays, too.)
These merino-wool felt coasters (that we’ve recommended before) are one of kitchen and dining writer Emma Wartzman’s go-to gifts. “I’ve bought monochrome sets for friends with minimalist style and rainbow hues for those with louder taste,” she says.
Apotheke’s statusy candles are 25 percent off in a range of sophisticated scents, from soothing hinoki-lavender to zesty sea salt–grapefruit.
This pack of ten adorable mini-Squishmallows is bound to elicit squeals of delight.
Yeti’s Ramblers have amazing insulatory capabilities: Rhiannon Giddens says hers keep liquids “hot or cold for millennia.”
Once she started using Tatcha’s solid serum stick, Strategist contributor Kaleigh Fasanella said her fine lines appeared “way less noticeable,” and her complexion was “generally plumper and healthier-looking.”
Keurig’s single-serve maker dispenses hot coffee at the push of a button — and now it’s half off.
Strategist writer Bella Druckman recommends all new college students bring a comfy pair of slippers with them to the dorms. She’s a fan of these Dearfoam slippers, “which are super-fluffy and easier to slip on than my Tasman UGG slippers.” Plus they’re almost 50 percent off right now.
Nécessaire’s Rosemary shampoo and conditioner smell so good that I wish the company would make a perfume version.
OSEA’s Undaria Algae Body Oil is our best-in-class body oil, and I can see why: It soaks in quickly and leaves my skin feeling nourished but not greasy.
Everyone from hardworking parents to student athletes would appreciate a heated pillow massager that works to soothe stiff back and neck muscles.
Billie Eilish’s eau de parfum is a warm, amber-y vanilla scent that’s perfect for the holiday season.
This dermatologist-approved Youth to the People cleanser is infused with spinach, green tea, and kale, making it a bit more of an elevated option than your standard Cetaphil.
Under $100
Nutribullet’s personal blender is powerful enough “to get through a lot of the same stuff as a Vitamix,” says recipe developer and cookbook author Jess Damuck, who uses hers for dips, sauces, dressings, and smoothies.
Kids who are avid fans of the YouTube channel Jelle’s Marble Runs will be delighted at the chance to build their very own courses with this National Geographic set, which is also one of our favorite open-ended building toys.
I gifted my mom this Rumpl blanket for Christmas last year, and now she’s never without it while watching TV.
Here’s a sherpa-lined denim jacket from Levi’s that’ll keep them warm and cozy in the months ahead.
Our best-overall panini press is an ideal sandwich smasher, applying even pressure from the top and heat from both sides. But it can also function as a big grill or flat top if you press a button on the side that fully releases the hinge.
Strategist toy writer Liza Corsillo says her almost-2-year-old son has been able to use his Toniebox independently since he was around 11 months old.
A collaboration between Delsey and United Colors of Benetton, this kelly-green hardsided carry-on could make a fun gift for a jet-setting fashun type. (It’s 15 percent off, which isn’t a huge discount, but it rarely goes on sale.)
Vulture critic and Strategist contributor Kathryn VanArendonk allows her two kids unlimited access to the Yoto audio player, and they take full advantage “at bedtime, in the mornings, or at any other part of their day when they want music or podcasts or stories. It is small enough to be comfortably portable for car rides or walks or hanging around in the backyard,” she writes.
This crescent-shaped saddle bag from Gigi Hadid–approved brand JW Pei would be a stylish companion to all your holiday parties.
The Drowsy sleep mask features adjustable straps, ultrasoft 22-momme mulberry silk, and a plush feel that works for stomach, side, and back sleepers.
A food thermometer has been my single-most-useful tool for leveling up my cooking. This one is favored by chef Tom Colicchio because it has two sensors: “one to get the internal temperature of what you’re cooking and one to get the ambient temperature of the oven,” he explains.
Lodge’s nigh-indestructible cast-iron Dutch oven is nearly 50 percent off, just in time for soup season.
Under $200
Brightland’s artisanal olive oils make a lovely housewarming present. The Artist set includes four olive oils infused with garlic, basil, lemon, and chile pepper.
Barbie Dreamhouses are still the “gold standard” for dollhouses, says James Zahn, a senior editor at the Toy Insider. This one features ten fully furnished indoor and outdoor play spaces and boasts a variety of lights and sounds.
Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite has been Strategist tech writer Jordan McMahon’s favorite e-reader for nearly a decade: “Its screen makes text look almost as good as on paper, its front-lit display has an adjustable temperature that can remove blue light from the screen to reduce its harshness in dim environments, and its weekslong battery life gives you plenty of time to work your way through a few books,” he writes.
A portable induction burner would be a very handy gift for an avid camper, a regular dinner-party host, or someone embarking on a kitchen renovation.
Though it’s only 15 percent off, this Kodak phone printer that comes with 90 sheets of photo paper is at the lowest price we’ve seen.
Our Place’s versatile 6-in-1 Wonder Oven can handle air frying, toasting, roasting, baking, reheating, and broiling. It’s also quite good-looking for a kitchen appliance, which makes it an even better gift.
An excellent digital picture frame with a sleek mat from the maker of our best-in-class pick. Strategist senior editor Jen Trolio has purchased versions of this frame eight times to give as gifts.
Another great — and even less expensive — digital frame that will help keep even the farthest-flung family members connected.
Great news for the friend in your life who’s constantly losing their earbuds: The AirPods Pro 2 are discounted over 30 percent at the moment.
This 15-piece kitchen set from OXO would be a great gift for anyone who just got the keys to their first apartment. It comes with all the essentials (whisk, rasp grater, tongs, spatulas, can opener, vegetable peeler) plus some fun extras like a potato masher, pizza cutter, and ice-cream scoop.
Our fitness writer Jeremy Rellosa brings the Theragun Mini with him wherever he travels “because it can fit in my carry-on. It has a powerful motor that’s perfect for releasing tension in my shoulders.”
Over $200
Based on the number of people I see wearing over-the-ear headphones these days, my unofficial trend report says that AirPods are on their way out. Jay Shetty says these Sony ones are “light and soft on the ears. I can wear them for hours, and I won’t even notice they’re there.”
This styling system is Shark’s answer to the Dyson Airwrap. It uses the same high-speed airflow technology and temperature regulation to minimize heat damage, but it clocks in at less than half the price.
Of course, if they really have their heart set on the Dyson, you may as well snag one while it’s more than 20 percent off.
A smaller version of the brand’s classic stand mixer, KitchenAid’s Mini mixer is perfect for avid bakers who don’t have a lot of counter space.
Multiple Strategist staffers, myself included, say that an ice-cream maker would be their dream gift (hint, hint).
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.
