Amazon Prime Day is a shopping Olympics of sorts here at the Strategist, as we comb through the hundreds of thousands of deals to bring our readers the very best ones. Amid the frenzy, however, we like to take a little time to figure out what we’re adding to our own personal carts, too. If you follow our monthly Strategist Haul, you’re familiar with the idiosyncrasies of our editors’ and writers’ shopping habits. But there are plenty of other, less glamorous things we buy — and love — on the regular as well. So for this Prime Day–specific edition, we asked our editors about the sales that they’re planning to take advantage of, from dependable kitchen gadgets to unfussy face washes. And if you’re on the hunt for even more deals, don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter to keep up with all of our Prime Day coverage.
Dominique Pariso, writer
This year for Prime Day, I will be buying my eighth pair of AirPods. Is it shameful I’ve lost this many sets of AirPods? Yes. Should I just switch to corded headphones? Probably. Can I be trusted to not lose this new pair? Definitely not. But, luckily for me, the AirPods will be on sale next year, too.
Crystal Martin, senior editor
I hope we don’t have a wildfire season, but just in case, I’m buying a Coway air purifier. I have a Levoit already, but it’s not enough for my entire apartment.
Rachael Griffiths, writer
I’ve got my eye on this Instant Pot. I’ve reached my mid-20s, which means I’ve felt a stirring within me to level up my cooking abilities. My friend Anna is an incredible cook, and when I visited her in Tokyo last year, she whipped up plenty of delicious meals with her Instant Pot. I’d been between this and a slow cooker, but seeing how Anna prepared curries and threw in cuts of meat and bones (that would usually go to waste) to make broths, I was completely sold. I also love that it doubles as a rice cooker, which my flatmate and I have been going without for the last year. It looks like there’ll be a pretty substantial deal on the pot on Prime Day, so I’ve decided it will be my very sensible 25th-birthday present to myself.
Lauren Ro, writer
I’ve completely fallen for this face wash and buy it every time it goes on sale. It’s normally pricier than what I’m used to, but it gets my face so clean without stripping it, and the scent is just lovely and refreshing.
Emma Wartzman, kitchen and dining writer
Arielle’s piece on boring basics is going to be my guiding light this Prime Day. I’m not in the market for any big-ticket items at the moment, and I try to avoid shopping for the sake of shopping, but I can always use Meyer’s hand soap and dish soap, strong garbage bags, and laundry detergent. Stocking up now to thank myself later.
Ashley Wolfgang, newsletter editor
I’ve been eyeing Levi’s Wedgie jeans since I spotted them on someone equally as short as I am on the street. I’ve been looking for a pair of vintage-but-still-flattering jeans for a while and will finally be indulging now that they’re only $31.
Erin Schwartz, writer
This cleanser came recommended to me by New York features writer Madeline Leung Coleman. I have super-sensitive skin, and I’ve been washing my face with one-ingredient olive-oil soap for a while, but I’m feeling ready to venture out into another cleanser, and Madeline swears by this one. It seems to get really good reviews from the sensitive-skin sufferers, too.
Liza Corsillo, senior writer
Honest diapers are some of my favorites, but they’re not cheap. So I’m stocking up on them now that they are 25 percent off.
I love Mustela baby products, especially the ones with avocado and jojoba oil. This is for my son’s after- bath massage, but I’m looking forward to trying it on my skin, too.
My friend Farah is coming to visit from Paris next month with her toddler, who is a huge Minnie Mouse fan. So I’m buying this Steiff Minnie as a welcome gift.
Jen Trolio, senior editor
I ordered this electric toothbrush for my 6-year-old daughter — she’s the only person in our family who doesn’t yet have a Sonicare, and I think she’ll get a kick out of using the included stickers to create her own “pet” on the handle.
I also bought her a pair of these nifty New Balances for back-to-school. They’re an excellent option for kids who can’t — or simply won’t — bother with laces.
Bella Druckman, junior writer
Ever since I saw these scissors all across our Father’s Day gift guides, I’ve been wanting to buy them. Now that they’re on sale at one of the lowest prices I’ve seen in a while, I think it’s finally time to add them to my cart.
I feel like I’m always spending too much money on toothpaste, so I was delighted to see my favorite brand on sale at a record-low price. I’m planning to stock up so I can bring down my average shopping-cart price at Duane Reade.
Kelsie Schrader, managing editor
About a year ago, I switched to Verb Ghost Conditioner (and shampoo and Ghost Oil), and I’ve been using the line ever since. The big bottle isn’t massively discounted — just $4-something off with the on-page coupon — but I’m about out, and a discount is a discount. Figured I’d also get the Ghost Hair Oil while it was $4 off.
My phone case recently broke, and I waited to buy a replacement until today in case it was on sale, and it was! I like this one’s low profile and color.
Arielle Avila, writer
This summer’s humidity plus my newish bangs means I’ve been going through dry shampoo at a startling rate. I plan on finally trying out Klorane, our top-rated one, since it’s only $16.
I’m also replacing my beloved Beckham pillows, which are long overdue for a refresh. I originally bought these a couple Prime Days ago, and they’re still my favorite pillows I’ve ever slept on.
Kitty Guo, writer
I came across this Zippo lighter via Anthony Roth Costanzo, and immediately saw an answer to my problems (my problems being unable to light a hard-to-reach candlewick with a regular BIC lighter.) “Oh, just turn the candle upside down!” you say. Well, I tried that, and I have the melted wax drippings on my nice rug to show for it. This one is durable, flexible, and rechargeable, and makes it so that I’ll never accidentally scorch my knuckles again.
In the summer, I reach for hardier waterproof eye makeup to withstand the heat and humidity, which means it’s also much more difficult to wash off. Oftentimes I’ll get in the shower, go two rounds with my cleanser, and still step out with mascara running down my cheeks. Thankfully, I have these biodegradable micellar makeup-remover pads to mop up the residual streaks; I’m starting to run low, so with a 45 percent discount on Prime Day, now’s a great time to restock.
Brenley Goertzen, junior writer
All of my kitchen utensils are from GIR (an expert-favorite brand), and since it’s still backyard-barbecue season, I’ve been eager to add the basting brush to my collection. The shorter version is on sale, which I think will be easier to control and store.
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.
