When it comes to any major sales event like Amazon’s Prime Day, my friends and family often ask me, a shopping editor for about a decade, two questions: “What should I buy during Prime Day?” and “What are you buying during Prime Day?” And I understand the curiosity!
As an editor whose job requires testing hundreds of products, shopping and tracking deals every day, I have an abundance of product knowledge and experience with more brands than the average person. This means that I, and the whole Shop TODAY team, are very particular about what we choose to buy ourselves. So, from food to home essentials, we’re sharing what we’re actually shopping during this four-day Prime Day so you can get a peek into our carts. Go ahead, be nosy, we love to share!
Amazon Prime Day deals Shop TODAY editors are shopping
Kitsch Satin Scrunchies
When it comes to her must-buy list during Amazon Prime Day, deputy managing editor Jess Bender tends to shop for the people in her life first. “My mom is always on the hunt for hair products that’ll help tame her glorious but frizzy lion’s mane,” she notes. “She has a collection of hair ties in her home bathroom that look like they’re stressing her strands out, so I know these satin scrunchies will prevent breakage in the long run. I’ve fallen asleep with one of these in my own tresses each night for the last two years and they’ve kept my own frizz at bay!”
In addition to picking up new items, restocking is also on deputy managing editor Francesca Cocchi Zabloudil list. “Of the many products I’ve used to style and enhance my thick eyebrows over the years, Brow Wiz is the clear winner.” She loves that it can manage her brows and give them some color.
“I put these chili oils on truly everything, and I think I have some at least once per day,” says writer Emma Stessman of the popular Fly By Jing chilli crisp oil. This one is packed with bold flavors and is also suitable for most diet types.
“I’m tempted to stock up on the noodles too, because they’re so good and so easy to dress up with veggies and protein,” adds Stessman. These come in a pack of six and have a variety of flavor options to choose from.
Bender also notes that she’s grabbing home essentials, such as her favorite matcha. She says that the one from Jade Leaf “nearly matches the quality I get from my go-to cafes and it saves me tons of money to boot.”
For me, cleaning can be a bit of a chore, so any item that helps make it easier is a winner in my books. I’m picking up this handy kit that comes with the tried-and-true Magic Erasers and a handle to make it easy to get in all the nooks and crannies. Multiple Shop TODAY editors approve of this new launch from the brand and I’m excited to add it to my cleaning rotation.
“I try to embrace my natural hair in the summer, and I always get so many compliments when I spritz this on after showering and let my hair air dry,” says Cocchi Zabloudil. She adds that “It enhances my waves for that beachy look without adding weight or a crunchy texture — plus, it smells incredible.”
Senior editor Julie Ricevuto uses Prime Day to restock on favorites, most notably this tinted moisturizer, which she says “offers the perfect amount of coverage, while mattifying and protecting the skin from UV rays.”
Cocchi Zabloudil is also picking up this KitchenAid attachment, which she considers “an essential upgrade.” She explains that “Unlike the standard beater that came with my mixer, this one has a grippy, rubber spatula-like edge that scrapes the bowl clean — no wasted cookie dough on my watch!”
When I first saw this, I was blown away by the concept and thought to myself, “Now why didn’t I think of that?” As somebody with limited space, who also doesn’t want to carry a large cooler around, this collapsible cooler is going to save me time and energy during my summer outings. It comes in a variety of sizes and is only
More editor-approved Amazon Prime Day deals
When Stessman tested out shoe deodorizers, this was her top pick! As a runner, her shoes get the most wear during strenuous activities, which means they can sometimes end up getting smelly. After testing these, Stessman says, “I was pleasantly surprised when I took them out and found that I couldn’t smell anything other than the Clean Burst scent of the balls.”
A Travel Award winner, this fan is portable and long-lasting. Whether you have summer travel plans coming up or are just hoping to avoid the high temps, we love this fan for all activities.
Commerce writer Danielle Murphy tested tons of face sunscreen for our Ranked series, and declared this K-beauty pick a favorite for pairing with makeup. The formulation is extremely lightweight, leaves no white cast and consists of zero fragrance.
We also recently put several bestselling trash bags to the test for our Ranked series, judging criteria like strength, durability and odor. Out of the lot, Glad’s ForceFlex scored top marks in the leak protection department. Prime Day’s a sublime time to stock up on home basics when they’re at their lowest price of the year like these trash bags.
Editor Shannon Garlin is a fan of these earplugs that are developed to be lightweight and comfortable. They’re also a Sleep Awards winner for the best earplugs!
Just like you, we take our sleep really seriously. Throughout the year, we test countless sleep products (we even have a Sleep Awards!) so when we approve of something, we mean it! These sheets are favored by multiple Shop TODAY editors, not just for their budget-friendly price, but also for their soft feel and great quality.
If you have summer travel on the horizon, you may be scoping out the perfect bag for all the sightseeing you’re planning on doing. This Travel Award-winning find from Travelon is not only super cute, but it also has tons of smart built-in organization and anti-theft features worked into the design. Shop TODAY contributor Chassie Post previously shared, “It has locking zippers, slash-resistant fabric and straps and RFID-blocking pockets, keeping you protected from pickpockets and digital theft. It’s also super organized. You’ve got pockets for everything: four exterior, two expandable water bottle holders (you could even use one to hold a mini umbrella), and three interior for your phone, passport and more.”
Apple Watch Series 11
Stessman previously compared the best fitness trackers and found that this one stood up to her criteria. The Apple Watch is her top pick for a multipurpose tracker because it lets you answer texts, track your sleep and do so much more.
Frequently asked questions
Technically, Prime Day occurs only once a year mid-summer. However, Amazon hosts other sale events throughout the year, including Prime Day Big Deals ahead of the holidays. So, you’ll want to shop the deals now before they’re gone.
Because Prime Day occurs only once a year, you’ll want to jump ahead on the event-exclusive deals before they’re gone for good. So far, we’ve seen major markdowns across major categories, including beauty, baby essentials, tech and more.
With deals across multiple categories, we suggest stocking up on award-winning product, everyday essentials, among others, while they’re on sale. You can also stay tuned to our Prime Day coverage for the best deals to shop during the event.
Prime Big Deals Days typically occurs in October over the course of two days. In previous years, Prime Big Deal Days was hosted at the beginning of the month, but has yet to be confirmed.
Although non-members can browse items on sale during Prime Day, only Prime members can enjoy event-exclusive markdowns during the sale.
As of late, a Prime membership costs $14.99 a month, or $139 for an annual membership, and eligible members can register for a free 30-day trial. Read more about starting your Amazon Prime membership here.
Some major retailers have previously overlapped their sale events with Prime Day, including Walmart and Target. This year, you can shop the below retailer deals alongside Prime Day:
How we chose
To create this list of products, we interviewed Shop TODAY editors to see which products they will be picking up during Amazon’s Prime Day sale. We also looked through past Ranked top finds, award winners and more editor-loved products that are also on sale.
