By otakuyassine3@gmail.com 
Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers
October Prime Day is here. To find the best deals in every category, follow all of our Prime Day coverage.
This isn’t our first rodeo. Most Strategist writers have been covering Prime Day for multiple years in a row and know their dedicated categories like the backs of their hands. Because we’re so familiar with the offerings year over year, we’ve all gotten quite good at recognizing the truly excellent deals from the not-so-great deals. To take advantage of that expertise, I asked 11 Strategist writers to choose their absolute favorite things from their posts—the cream of the crop, if you will. These are the things we’re buying for ourselves or the things we’re texting our friends and family to snag quickly. And if you need even more ideas, I’ve included links to each writer’s individual-category roundup, as well. Of course, you can also check out our hub of the best October Prime Day deals.
The best deals overall, according to deals writer Sam Daly
Sam has covered four Prime Days with the Strategist and spent countless hours scrolling through Amazon deals, so she knows when a deal is truly worth it. So far, her three stand-out deals are Laneige’s lip balm, Bissell’s best-in-class carpet cleaner , and her noise-canceling headphones. The Laneige balm goes on sale every Prime Day, but this time around, it’s even cheaper than usual. She also noticed that Bissell’s carpet cleaner is at an all-time low of $82. And just like July’s Prime Day, her noise-canceling headphones are once again less than $200 — even more colors are on sale this time, but black is still $30 more. For all her picks, though, see her roundup of the 100+ best October Prime Day deals.
From
$199
$349
now
43% off
The best toy deals, according to senior writer Liza Corsillo
Unless you have a very specific toy in mind that you’re hoping to see on sale, the best October Prime Day toy deals you’ll find are on big basic sets of building toys like LEGOs, Magna-Tiles, or Brio train sets, says the Strategist’s toy expert, Liza Corsillo. Prime Day is also an excellent time to invest in (and save on) splurge-worthy toys like a pretend play kitchen. Lastly, buying in multiples — whether it’s Hot Wheels cars or small Squishmallows — is a great way to save as you can knock out all of the party favors for your kid’s next birthday
The best deals on gifts, according to beauty writer Kitty Guo
As October Prime Day is billed as the unofficial kickoff to holiday shopping, writer Kitty Guo scrolled through the sale specifically in search of items that would make great gifts. The three best — of the more than two dozen she found — are our favorite (and very luxurious) body oil; Starface’s whimsical pimple patches, which would make a great stocking stuffer; and for kids, a four-foot-tall Barbie Dreamhouse that’s nearly 40 percent off.
The best household deals, according to fashion and personal-care writer Arielle Avila
Teeth-whitening strips are one of the top things Arielle stocks up on during Prime Day, and luckily our favorite ones from Crest are discounted. She also found a bundle of Caldrea dish soap, recommended by artist Maira Kalman, for 30 percent off, and Clean People’s detergent sheets (they’re easy to use and better for the environment, she says) on sale. For more, see her roundup of the best household essentials on sale for October Prime Day.
The best fashion deals, according to fashion writer Ambar Pardilla
Levi’s jeans are always some of the best Prime Day deals, and this October is no different: The Wedgies, our longtime favorite jeans, are as cheap now as they were in July. Another good fall buy: L’eggs tights (as seen in your local drugstore) for less than $5. And if you want to get next year’s summer sandals now, these Havaianas are an excellent deals. For all of Ambar’s top fashion finds, see her October Prime Day fashion deals roundup.
The best beauty deals, according to beauty writer Tembe Denton-Hurst
Prime Day is a great time to stock up on viral beauty essentials, says Tembe. Amazon tends to offer deep discounts on stuff you’re likely seeing on your “For You” page, like the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask and CosRX Snail Mucin Essence. Tembe will be buying both, along with the L’Occitane Shower Oil, another product she found during a late-night scroll.
The best deals under $50, according to junior writer Brenley Goertzen
Yes, Prime Day is a great time to save big on premium products, but it’s also a good time to save on more affordable options. To that end, Brenley Goertzen found dozens of actually good things on sale under $50. Her three favorites: Phlur’s body wash in a very autumnal scent; our best dry shampoo from Klorane; and one of our best single-serve coffee makers, the AeroPress. (She’ll be buying all three this October Prime Day.)
The best deals on things we’ve written about, according to junior writer Bella Druckman
Every Prime Day, to make shopping even easier, we round up the best October Prime Day deals on products we’ve already written about on the Strategist, whether because an expert has recommended it or we’ve personally tried and liked it. This year, Bella took on that task and found a lot of expert-approved items. She’s most excited to see Drowsy’s silk sleep mask on sale. It’s pillowy, smooth, adjustable, and impressive in its ability to block out 99.9 percent of light. Other rare deals include the lowest price ever on the mini-iPad our tech writer recommends using as a travel reader and the lowest price we’ve seen on Barbie’s Dreamhouse since the summer of Barbenheimer. (That’s two votes for the Barbie Dreamhouse, for those keeping track.)
The best travel deals, according to travel writer Katherine Gillespie
If you have any trips planned for the holidays, travel writer Katherine Gillespie has found plenty of her favorites on sale, including Cadence’s usually pricey, completely leakproof magnetic travel containers, which we’ve named our Best in Class modular toiletry bottles. “It’s also a great day to finally invest in an AirFly, the clever gizmo that connects Bluetooth headphones to in-flight entertainment systems,” she says. The Pro version, which can connect two pairs of headphones at once, is on sale with a complete kit that includes a travel case and an adapter that will work for both domestic and international flights. Last but not least, TravelPro’s soft-sided carry-on suitcase is “an excellent choice for overpackers, as well as anyone who wants their luggage to last — this is a highly durable design that’s used by flight attendants and pilots for a reason.”
The best home deals, according to home-décor writer Lauren Ro
Home-décor writer Lauren Ro, who has been covering the Wayfair Way Day sale, let me know she has her eye on the Prime Day deals and was especially impressed by this allergy-destroying Coway air purifier, smart bidet, and our best-in-class toaster oven.
The best sleep deals, according to sleep writer Amelia Jerden
There’s a few good deals on mattresses, including the all-foam Nectar and hybrid Leesa Sapira — both currently cheaper on Amazon than at their respective retailers. A few solid pillow deals are surfacing too, including our Best Overall pillow from Coop Sleep Goods and Amelia Jerden’s personal favorite pillow, the latex Purple Harmony. She also spotted a 50 percent discount on the Tempur-Pedic Symphony pillow, a memory-foam pillow with one flat side and one arched side that you can flip over for more or less neck support. And in the sleep-gear realm, she also spotted a nice discount on a mechanical white-noise machine from SNOOZ.
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.
Share this content: