Home-run tech gifts

✅ Stop searching — I did the hard work for you.

  • A MacBook Air (23% off) is small enough to fit in a backpack and has up to 18 hours of battery life. That’s a lot of Netflix.
  • A 55-inch Samsung 4K QLED TV for under $500? Say less.
  • Swap their crusty, old phone for a fancy, new Samsung S24 (27% off). It comes in eight colors! I like the violet.
  • The most voracious reader you know definitely wants a new Kindle Paperwhite (19% off).
  • Catch Santa before he steals all the milk and cookies with a Google Nest outdoor camera (36% off, $209.99).
  • The Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet is under $75 right now.
  • An Amazon Echo Dot is the perfect intro to smart home gear (54% off, $22.99).
  • Bet you know someone who’d love a PS5 (15% off, $424). It’s backward compatible so they can play PS4 games, too.
  • A Lenovo Chromebook is already affordable, but 40% off? An absolute steal!
  • The Fitbit Versa 4 smartwatch (40% off) for your health-obsessed friend.

💸 Or shop by price: Under $10 | Under $25 | Under $50

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Tags: Amazon, battery, deals, gifts, Google, shopping


See when your gift list items hit the lowest price

I love shopping online. I don’t have to leave the house. I don’t have to be nice to anyone. I don’t have to put on a bra (guys, same thing for you and pants!). There are already Christmas, Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales on every site now, but finding what you want at the lowest price is tricky. Fear not! I’m here to save you from all the clicks, countdowns and wasted money.

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Winter essentials to grab before they sell out

Don’t wait for the holiday chaos to hit. The best shopping trick this season isn’t about gifts — it’s about stocking up on essentials now. Beat the rush, avoid packed stores and snag better prices while you still can. This will save you time, stress and money. Get it done today and make your winter easier.

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Holiday cooking is already on my mind: An inexpensive cookbook holder will keep your tablet out of the mess of flour, stock and butter. This one is gorgeous if you have a bit more to spend.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

🛒 AI-tention, shoppers: The Caper Cart is wired with AI-powered cameras and scanners that apply coupons, weigh your produce and pay right from your handlebar. Instacart owns it and paid around $350 million for the tech. If only the carts could return themselves.

5,000% jump

In Google searches for “tonies set.” They’re the hot Christmas gift for little ones. Tonieboxes are $99 screen-free wireless speakers. To start a story, pop a Tonie doll on top (that costs extra). The starter set with Disney princesses is $154, dang. How do I get a Kim Komando Toniebox?

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

🤠 Don’t make me go all Beth Dutton on you: Coming soon to Warner Bros. Discovery, AI-driven ads for shopping while watching. “Shop With Max” identifies products in shows or movies and displays a QR code for you to scan with your phone and buy, buy, buy.

Shop smarter: Try this Google Lens upgrade next time you’re shopping at a store. On Android or iOS, open the Google app, snap a picture of an item on the shelf, and voila! You’ll see product details, customer reviews, stock and price comparisons (online and nearby), and similar products in the same store. Fun times!

🚨 Be smart; don’t put anything in your cart: A Chinese fraud network is using thousands of fake online stores to steal credit cards. They’re impersonating brands like The North Face, Ikea and Wayfair with (fake) massive discounts. Red flags? Many sites have “blackfriday” in the domain name and end with .shop, .store, .vip or .top.

💸 Amazon’s new budget battleground: Say hello to Amazon Haul, their latest venture geared toward selling ultra-cheap items (think under $20). Why? Because Shein and Temu are mopping the floor with Amazon. With Haul, expect to find items like $2 earrings, $10 blenders and, yes, even a $20 wedding dress. (Pro tip: Don’t walk down the aisle in that!) Don’t expect Prime’s speedy shipping, either; your order will take one or two weeks since it’s coming from China. Heads-up: You can only shop Amazon Haul through the Amazon app for now.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Find the hidden gems: The next time you search for deals on Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp or another site, type in the name of a brand you really like. Say I want an outdoor couch. I might type “Restoration Hardware outdoor” instead of scrolling endlessly through junky old stuff.