The best Prime Day deals of 2018: The Cheapskate's picks

toshiba-fire-tv-edition — Toshiba's 50-inch 4K TV with Fire TV normally sells for $400. On Prime Day, it's $290.
Toshiba

Happy Black Friday in July, everyone! Yep, it's Amazon Prime Day, which brings deals that are as good as -- in some cases even better than -- the day after Turkey Day. (Example: The Kindle Paperwhite is $80 -- 10 bucks less than on Cyber Monday and the lowest price to date.)

Of course, as I typically caution on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, don't let FOMO get the best of you. Just because something is on sale doesn't make it the best deal of all time. So make sure you know how to determine if that Prime Day deal is really a deal. Right now I'm a big fan of the CamelCamelCamel browser plug-in, because with one click I can see a product's complete price history.

To that end, I've cut through all the Prime Day hype to bring you the deals I think are worth your time. And check back often: I'll update this list throughout the day as new deals bubble up.

Last update: 5:40 a.m. PT.

Disclaimer: CNET may get a share of revenue from the sale of the products featured on this page.

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Amazon-branded stuff

As you might expect, Amazon is running a full-court press on its own gear. Yes, these items go on sale frequently, but not all at once, and not always at such steep discounts.

Amazon Fire TV Stick: $20. Amazon's streaming stick has frequently been on sale for $30, but today it's at an all-time low. Is it better than the equivalent Roku? Well, it's certainly cheaper, and its Alexa-powered voice controls are, I would argue, better than what Roku currently delivers on the voice front.

Fire TV Stick for $20

Refurbished Echo 2nd-gen: $60. Wait a sec. If the Echo is priced at $70 new (which it is for Prime Day, down from the usual $100), why go refurb to save only $10? Simple: It's literally good as new, with a full one-year warranty. So why not save $10 if you can save $10? Take note, however, that that price is good only for the cloth-covered versions; if you want a wood finish, there goes your $10 savings.

Refurbished Echo 2nd-gen for $60

Interestingly, Ebates is currently offering 4 percent cash back on Amazon electronics purchases -- usually you're lucky to get 1 percent.

Speakers and audio

vaux-amazon-echo-dot-battery-speaker-product-photos-6.jpg — Dock your Dot in this robust portable speaker from Ninety7.

The Vaux portable speaker dock for Echo Dot: $30. Although some reviewers have encountered reliability issues, I've owned one of these for about eight months, and so far, so good. Great speaker upgrade for a second-gen Dot, great way to make it more mobile (thanks to its rechargeable battery). It normally runs $40. Update (7/17/2018): Unfortunately, this price drop never happened, and as of this morning, the vendor was unable to offer an explanation. I apologize for the error.

The Aomais Life 30W portable Bluetooth speaker: $50 with code RX5JW3FR. Like bamboo? Check out the front of this bookshelf-style speaker, which features a stylish bamboo bezel, dual drivers and a passive subwoofer. And while it looks like something that's meant to stay put, it can play for up to 10 hours on the go, according to Aomais. It normally sells for $80.

Aomais Life for $50

The Tribit XSound Go: $28.99 with code TRIBIT08. A recent addition to CNET's list of the best Bluetooth speakers, the XSound Go normally sells for $36 -- already a killer deal. it's waterproof and can play for a whopping 24 hours (at medium volume) on a charge.

Tribit XSound Go for $29

Mobile phones and accessories

The ChargeTech Portable AC Outlet Battery Pack: $140 with code AMUZISNW. Powerful enough to charge not only your phones and tablets but also your laptop, this 27,000-mAh power bank features a three-prong AC outlet that supports a maximum draw of 85 watts. It often sells for as much as $225 and hasn't dipped below $185 since 2017.

ChargeTech AC power bank for $140

The Moto X4: $200. Now this is a Prime Day deal. The 4th-generation Moto X (aka Moto X4) smartphone has been selling for $299 from Motorola proper, but Amazon has scarcely dipped below $279 since adding it as a Prime Exclusive phone earlier this year. At $199.99, it's definitely an all-time low -- and a killer buy, as evidenced by CNET's overwhelmingly positive Moto X4 review.

Moto X4 phone for $200

samsung-s9-smart-home-bundle — Buy a Galaxy S9 or S9+, get a bunch of smart-home gear valued at $430!
Samsung

The Samsung Galaxy S9 or S9+ and a free $430 smart-home bundle. Thinking about buying a new Samsung Galaxy S9? Now's the time: When you buy the unlocked S9 for $720 or S9+ for $840, you'll also receive an Amazon Echo, Amazon Echo Spot and Samsung SmartThings Home Monitoring Kit -- a combined value of $430.

Samsung Galaxy S9 or S9+ with free kit

TVs and smart home

The Toshiba 50-inch 4K LED TV - Fire Edition: $290. This model, introduced earlier this year, has never sold below its $400 regular price. No need to add a Roku or even Fire TV -- the Toshiba has the latter baked right in. You also get an Alexa-friendly remote with shortcut buttons to streaming services like Netflix, HBO and -- natch -- Amazon Video.

Toshiba 50-inch Fire TV for $290

The Sensibo Sky smart air-conditioning controller: $99. If you own one of those wall-mount AC units, you can make it smart and save a hefty $50: The Sensibo Sky is normally $149. Just mount it underneath so it can point at the AC's IR receiver. From there you can use your smartphone to do all the usual "smart" things: set schedules, control it from afar and so on. It works with voice controls, too.

Sensibo Sky for $99

Smartwatches and fitness trackers

The Fitbit Versa: $160. Rarely dipping below its $200 list price, the Versa is arguably the hottest smartwatch that doesn't have an Apple logo. Read CNET's Fitbit Versa review to see if it's worth strapping on at $160.

Update: We're not seeing the $160 price for the Versa just yet, but we'll keep checking. Update No. 2: The Fitbit Versa appeared on our list of embargoed Prime Day deals, but Fitbit tells us no such bargain is planned. We regret the error. However, the Fitbit Alta HR -- one of CNET's favorite fitness bands of 2017 -- is definitely 40 percent off:

Fitbit Alta HR for $89.95

Me, I'm still of the opinion that the best smartwatch/fitness-tracker deal is the Amazfit Bip (currently $70 at Amazon, down from $100 -- though not specifically as a Prime Day deal). It's not perfect, but, wow, it's way cheaper.

Amazfit Bip for $70

Laptops, PCs, Chromebooks and tablets

The Lenovo Flex 11 Chromebook: $199. This popular model normally sells for $259, and Amazon has never sold it for less than $245. It features an 11.6-inch touchscreen, 360-degree hinge and 10-hour battery. Find out why CNET liked this "charmingly chubby Chromebook" even when it was priced at $269.

Lenovo Flex 11 for $199

The best of the rest

The MegaWheels hoverboard for $116 with code ANXTFLB2. So help me, I still think hoverboards are cool -- even if they don't actually hover. Instead, they scoot around on two wheels, and provided you're safe about it, they're lots of fun. This code works only with the black model, which has solid reviews and a 12-month warranty.

The MegaWheels self-balancing scooter for $116

OK, that's it for now! Check back often for more Cheapskate-approved Prime Day picks!

CNET's Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on PCs, phones, gadgets and much more. Note that CNET may get a share of revenue from the sale of the products featured on this page. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page. Find more great buys on the CNET Deals page and follow the Cheapskate on Facebook and Twitter!

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