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When most deals breathlessly announce 25 or 30 percent off the usual asking price, it's easy to understand that allure of the concept of “the more it costs the more money you save”. But we've all been lured into spending more than was wise just so we could swagger away thinking we'd got one over on those dastardly corporate brands. Then buyer's remorse kicks in and you're left wondering just what on Earth possessed you to drop £500 on a wireless sandwich toaster with built-in voice assistant and UWB tracking.
Here we can guarantee no such delayed dismay. All the deals here come in below a decidedly safe £25, and what's more we like the look of each and every one. So, knock yourselves out.
It’s Black Friday 2023. Check out the WIRED team’s picks for the best Black Friday deals in the UK here.
- The Best Cyber Monday Deals
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- Luxury Deals
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So popular is the ubiquitous Catan, which made our list best board games for adults and families, it has spawned numerous versions, including editions based on Game of Thrones and Star Trek. Up to four players compete to take over an island by building roads, cities and an army. The great things is that beginners and veterans can enjoy it together, and you'll need to set aside up to two hours for a game.
We think the rechargeable sonic ProClinical 250+ is the best budget electric toothbrush around right now, and at £21 you have no excuse not to ditch your manky old manual brush for something a bit fancier. Its compact size makes it almost as easy as a standard toothbrush to carry around, and the two-minute timer will ensure you don’t rush your twice-daily brush.
OK, so it's not the fancy new globe Alexa speaker, but this 3rd-gen version is still a fine Alexa smart speaker, and at this price it's hard to ignore if you're looking for a digital assistant in your life. Despite not having there forward-firing speakers of the shiny new iteration, you still get clear, solid sound and all the usual Alexa offerings.
Such a clever idea for low-budget Secret Santa's, Casio's F-91WC watch, with alarm, calendar and stopwatch functions, is under £25 in all colours on Amazon, including WIRED's fave yellow model (£22). It's the punchy blue hue that's on sale over the Black Friday weekend, though.
Amazon’s price for Kraken’s much-loved spiced rum wibbles all over the place throughout the year. But £24 is about as low as you’ll find for the 1L bottle. You effectively get a full litre for the amount you might usually pay for 70cl. There’s no fanfare here – no gift set box or glasses — but Kraken already has a present-friendly bottle anyway. Just tie a ribbon around its neck and you’re done, Christmas sorted.
In our list of best iPhone 13 cases, this is our best budget pick, and it's not hard to see why. Providing a layer of air-cushioned safety while at the same time being super thin and looking more premium than you might expect at this price, the textured design gives plenty of grip. What's more, this case works with MagSafe (though it isn't as tight as Apple-branded cases).
Yes, we'll admit that here at WIRED we are fans of Anker, as they have a large number of products we already recommend. Here we have the small but perfectly formed Soundcore mini, a solid budget choice when it drops under £20, as it has right now. You get a metal shell, surprisingly powerful sound, integrated microSD MP3 player and FM radio, and a 15-hour battery life. Bluetooth connection can drop occasionally, but this is still a lot for the outlay. If you can stretch to a couple more quid, the Anker Soundcore 2 (down £12 to £28) has been a firm budget WIRED recommendation for a few years now.
WIRED has already written about how Glossier turned itself into a billion-dollar beauty brand, so it's fair to say that we are impressed with what founder Emily Weiss has achieved since she launched this beauty brand phenomenon in 2014 with just four products. Cloud Paint is Glossier’s super popular cream blush, which comes in what looks like a mini paint tube. Now you can get two with an attractive 33 percent discount.
Another neat Christmas gift idea - and what a classic. For keeping hot drinks hot for up to 24 hours (and cold drinks cold) for sub-zero outdoor adventures this winter, this durable stainless steel Thermos flash is one you can rely on.
John Lewis, Argos, Google Store
Now there are a few things we didn't like about Google's Diddy smart speaker, as we said in our review, namely the sound quality is somewhat limited— but at this price, and with its friendly design meaning you can pop it anywhere in the house without it spoiling the view, you can't really go wrong. So while not ideal for music, radio and podcasts should be fine, and it's a cheap and way to bring Google Assistant into your life.
The simplest, cheapest way to make your home smarter. This is the best Alexa smart plug - it's supremely easy to set up and integration with Amazon's voice assistant is seamless. Our only issues? It's Alexa only, natch. And at the regular £25 price, it's a bit expensive. Not so at £15.
Come on, at this price point we're allowed a couple of stretches, no? This wired Logitech headset gives you 50mm drivers and solid surround sound with a no-frills, lightweight form factor. Works with PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch and the consoles.
Believe it or not, Bluetooth trackers are something of “a thing” right now. Not only has Tile been offering options for ages, now Apple has jumped in too with its fancy AirTags. Samsung, of course, has it's own versions as well, and here they are: Galaxy SmartTags at a knockdown half price. Why should you get some? Just ask us again next time you can't find your keys, your bag, your luggage, your wallet, your... you get the idea. [This one went down to £17 for Black Friday and the price has crept up a bit over the last few days.]
If you're willing to give the world of streaming games a try, then consider Stadia. What's more, the bundle here includes the Google Chromecast Ultra video streamer and, of course, the Stadia Controller, which connects via Bluetooth. Plug in the Ultra to your TV's HDMI port and not only will it instantly make your box a smart telly, you get 4K streaming gaming all ready to go. Keep in mind your TV needs to be 4K, of course, and you'll also need a beefy broadband speed.
If you don't have an internet connect tellybox then this is a superb, worry-free way to bring those much-needed streaming smarts to your TV. Setup is simplicity itself as the Chromecast plugs straight into an HDMI port. But along with smartening up your television, what this discounted dongle does is let you stream content direct from your phone (be it Android or iPhone). You can even mirror your laptop screen using the Chrome browser, too.
Chilly's don't just make those water bottles you see nearly everywhere. They also make coffee cups, toothbrushes and decidedly useful food pots. These food pots are all on offer right now, and this 300ml will keep food hot or cold for up to four hours (six if you opt for the 500ml tub). Just remember to pre-heat your pot with boiling water before adding hot food. Leak proof and BPA-free with airtight screw-top lids, these quality containers are made from from durable, high-grade 304 stainless steel.
What were we just saying about half-price Amazon smart-home tech? Here we go again with a tidy 50 percent discount on the latest generation of Amazon’s streaming stick. You get 4K and HDR/HDR10+/Dolby Vision all supported, plus the device can hot-link to Netflix, Now and Disney+ as well as Prime Video. The Alexa Voice Remote means you don't even have to concern yourself with the little cursor control to find your next series to binge-watch. Want an even cheaper option? Try the non-4K Fire Stick (also half price) that has been locked down to just £20. And in the other direction, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (down £18 to £37) offers faster connectivity.
Amazon isn't the only game in town when it comes to smart TV sticks. This was an affordable 4K HDR option even before the £14 discount. All the main apps are supported, as is HDR10+ and Dolby Atmos, and all in crystal clear 4K. You can even use voice on the remote. The downside? No Dolby Vision support and that remote requires line of sight to work.
When Amazon smart-home tech drops to less than half price, it's worth considering. Now, this isn't as engaging as an Alexa speaker or diverting as an Echo Show, but the Echo Flex should come in very handy around the house. Basically it turns any socket into a smart socket, which you can then control by voice through any Alexa device. Should you want to, you can even hook it up to external speakers via Bluetooth or the 3.5mm aux. There's even a built-in USB port to charge phones and the like.
- The Best Cyber Monday Deals
- Amazon UK Deals
- Apple Deals
- Laptop Deals
- Luxury Deals
- Headphones Deals
- Mattress Deals
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
