Business Insider editors share the Prime Day deals they bought this year

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Our team of 20+ deal hunters has been heads-down scanning thousands of deals the past few days, and sometimes, we catch a deal so good that we have to scoop it up ourselves. The best Prime Day deals are the ones that let you fill a need in your life while saving a few bucks. Our picks below reflect our own unique needs and circumstances but are also based on decades of shared experience testing products and writing about deals. 

The products below all have two things in common: they're vetted by our experts, and they're stellar sales. After all, when you've spent hours scouting deals, only the truly great discounts stand out. Read on for our editor's personal picks from this year's sale, and catch the remaining sales in our main Prime Day deals hub.

Amazon Prime Day deals our experts bought themselves

I'm moving from a huge home in Kansas to a tiny apartment in New York City. I took one look at the minuscule kitchen in our new place and knew our massive double-wide Ninja air fryer was not going to be moving with us. I used Prime Day as an opportunity to downsize to a smaller model that was recommended by our air fryer expert. It's the petite version of the top overall pick in our best air fryer guide, and also earns a spot in our best small air fryer guide. The Prime Day sale brings it down to $60, the lowest price we've ever seen on this model. —Lauren Savoie, deputy executive editor

As an engagement gift to my future sister-in-law, I got her the Diamond Dazzle Stik. I've had it in my Wish List and noticed it drop to just $7.58 for Prime Day. It's a nifty tool that came recommended to me by style editor Samantha Crozier. This is a #1 bestseller among Amazon's top jewelry cleaning and care products because it's portable and easy to use — just a few swipes of the brush tip, and the polymer formula makes gemstones appear less scratched and more glossy. —Gabrielle Chase, associate style editor

My coworker Sam told me that when she recently got engaged, her mother-in-law got her this little ring cleaning stick that keeps her ring sparkling. I don't know how well it works yet, but for 25% off and under $8, I'm willing to try it for my own ring! —Sally Kaplan, executive editor

Our executive editor loves this genuine leather bag from Senreve, so I was thrilled to see a Prime Day discount on it. I love a good convertible bag, and this one can transform from a mini backpack to a cross-body with just the pull of a handle. Even with the discount, it's still quite pricey, but the $150 off is a rare deal from this brand and enough to compel me to take the plunge. —Lauren Savoie, deputy executive editor

Having just moved to the US, I'm yet to buy a new games console, and seeing as both Sony and Microsoft have both been even bigger no-shows than usual for Amazon's summer sale, a new beefed-up Fire TV Stick 4K Max at just $34.99 (that's 42% off MSRP) is a great interim replacement. I hope. That's because the 4K versions can now play Xbox games console-free via the cloud and Xbox Game Pass. Yes, the resolution will be sorely lacking, and I'm wary of how much lag will come into effect, but this is a great chance to see how far cloud gaming has come since I last dabbled a few years back. With any luck, it will be passable for a few months, and I'll bag a brace of discounted consoles around Black Friday instead.

Failing that, I'll still have plenty of use for a Fire Stick as they're excellent streaming devices, and they support VPNs like ExpressVPN and NordVPN, so I'll be able to stream content from all over the world for TV shows and sports that we write about every week in our streaming guides. If you're not too keen on your TV's operating system, or it's just a bit slow and nasty (hello, TCL Roku friends!), this might be all you need rather than forking out for a new TV. You can also get this device bundled with an official controller and a month of Game Pass. —Brendan Griffiths, senior commerce director

I wanted waterproof headphones to listen to guided meditations while doing cold plunges. I read they have good noise cancellation, a must for drowning out the busy city streets. I went with the Soundcore by Anker Sport X10 headphones. I have giant ears, so most earbuds don't work for me. I like that these loop around my ear, so they're unlikely to fall out. I've had a lot of success with Anker products in the past. And, the $50 price was appealing. —James Brains, senior reporter

My wife and I had our first date at a Taco Bell in the Crystal City mall outside DC when we were in college. Twelve years later, we still go all the time for late-night snackies! When we saw this gift card that gets you $10 back if you spend $50, we knew it would be worth it, and we scooped it right up. —Sally Kaplan, executive editor

I've searched for the perfect smart home device for my nightstand for years. I've tried the HomePod mini, Echo Dot, Lenovo Smart Clock, and most recently, the Echo Show 8. These are all good devices, but they always missed the mark in some way.

Enter the Echo Spot. It finally offers the combination of features I've been looking for: reliable voice command control for all my smart lights, rock-solid Alexa capability, and, most importantly, an always-present clock. In addition to nailing the features important for a nightstand smart device, it also doesn't have added features I don't need. There's a simplicity to the Echo Spot that has me excited about my purchase.

Amazon's trade-in program helped save me even more money over the Prime Day price. I traded in an old first-generation Echo Dot and got a $5 credit plus an immediate 20% off the Echo Spot. Amazon provides you with a shipping label and in my case, I can drop off at any UPS Store.

I'm really looking forward to seeing if the Echo Spot truly lives up to my hopes as the perfect smart nightstand companion. — Christopher Meinck, SVP, Commerce

Ah, the perennial favorite Prime Day deal. I think I buy one of these Crest Whitestrip packs every year! They're always a good deal, and they whiten my teeth without getting gloopy or messy. This pack is the lowest price it's ever been, though it's not uncommon to see it at this price during big deal days. — Sally Kaplan, executive editor

I impulse bought this fan a few months ago before I went on a cruise, and I can't stop raving about it. I now keep it in my purse at all times, and it's been a lifesaver on hot days. The mighty little fan has two speeds, and also functions as a portable charger and has a built-in flashlight. —Jaclyn Turner, senior home editor

While everyone else is buying TVs and laptops on Prime Day, I'm checking to see which of my household essentials is on sale. My coffee filters are already pretty cheap, but they're 43% off right now and under $4! There are tons of other coffee filters on sale at this link, so you can find the size you need. —Sally Kaplan, executive editor

I got one of these remote Kindle "page" turners for Christmas and enjoyed three blissful months of reading hands-free in bed before I left it on a plane (did I mention it's great for reading on planes, too?). It's not very expensive to begin with, and the deal is only $4 off the normal price, but that was enough for me to bite on finally replacing my beloved Kindle remote. —Lauren Savoie, deputy executive editor

I'm going to Hawaii next week and my wardrobe is severely lacking in beach-appropriate attire. I bought this coverup on Prime Day for super cheap because I know it's not a clothing item I'll be wearing a ton. I can't speak to the quality yet, but for $25, I'm sure it'll hold up enough for a few summer wears! I got the beige color, but it also comes in 11 others, from neons to jewel tones. —Sally Kaplan, executive editor

I'd been meaning to get a cheap yet effective pair of over-ear headphones to block out the incessant sounds of construction and general bedlam near my Brooklyn apartment whenever I have to work from home. Seeing that our budget pick for the best over-ear headphones, Anker's Soundcore Life Q30, were 30% off and down to just $56 made the "Add to cart" a no-brainer. —John Lynch, senior tech editor

For my upcoming Hawaii trip, I needed a cheap mesh bag that would work for the beach and the pool but could easily be packed in my suitcase. The only other beach bag I have is a structured woven basket bag, which isn't particularly travel-friendly. I upgraded to the one with extra pockets around the exterior so I'll have easy access to sunglasses, sunscreen, etc. I don't know how nice the bag will be in real life, but the reviews seemed really positive, and many commented that the quality was better than expected. —Sally Kaplan, executive editor

I have a trip to Europe planned next month and I'm starting to think about upgrading my packing essentials. I've long loved using packing cubes, but my current set is starting to wear, and I'm worried about the zipper. These compression cubes caught my eye to hopefully give me space in my bag for extra shopping and will keep me organized. They're normally $35, and on sale for $20… I feel good about them with their 4.5 rating and over 14,000 5-star reviews. —Jaclyn Turner, senior home editor

This odor eliminator is made specifically for cat litter boxes, and it actually works. It's kind of fun to use, too — you just sprinkle it in the box, and the scent immediately freshens up the whole area. It's made of tiny corncob pieces and essential oils that are non-toxic to cats, and a little goes a long way. I usually just give the litter box one sprinkle per week and the cat pee smells are gone! —Sally Kaplan, executive editor

I've long wanted to try one of JW PEI's trendy bags, but I have been holding off for a Prime Day deal. They've been rated by our style editors as one of the best purse brands of 2024. JW PEI has so many styles, colors, and silhouettes to choose from, up to 30% off. It was a tough decision, but  I settled on this beige faux croc saddle bag that I can't wait to rock for the rest of the summer. —Jaclyn Turner, senior home editor

Mandolines are great for slicing vegetables, but if you're not careful, they'll slice off parts of your fingers, too. Suffering cuts is one of my worst kitchen nightmares, so I picked up a pair of NoCry's Premium Cut Resistant Gloves. They are safe for handling food and can be thrown into the washing machine for cleaning, but the materials used are designed to resist cuts from blades and other sharp objects. NoCry makes great protective gear, and these gloves are recommended by professionals, so I'm going to feel less intimidated the next time I use the mandoline. —Les Shu, deputy editor

I already own a pair of these sunglasses, and I'm obsessed with them. Since I bought them at the beginning of summer, I have seen people wearing them everywhere. They're absolutely ubiquitous on this season of Love Island USA — and you'll see them on cool girls and influencers everywhere if you know what to look for. I have a rounder face, and it can be hard to find sunglasses that flatter my face shape. But these oval sunglasses are balanced and incredibly flattering. I'm getting another pair because I love them so much and I want to keep an extra in my beach bag. —Samantha Crozier, style editor

Shopping for more great Amazon Prime Day deals? Check out our roundup of all of the best Prime Day deals, or browse Amazon's website for more.