The first day is a good time like any other to leave money on Amazon devices. That’s when you can take advantage of the best deals. Whether you’re looking at a Kindle e-reader, an Echo smart display, or a Fire tablet, Amazon has a wide variety of devices of its own for sale during the two-day annual event. We have assembled all of our WIRED approved devices below.
The WIRED Gear team tests products year-round. We have hand-selected hundreds of thousands of offers to make these choices. Grated products are sold out or no longer discounted. Our Amazon Prime Day cover page has the latest stories and our Prime Day shopping tips will help you avoid bad deals. You can also get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $ 5 here.
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We are big fans of Kindles in WIRED, for several reasons: they are easy to use, reliable and work as expected. They can hold thousands of books, a month of battery life and more. If you want to explore more options than the ones listed below, be sure to check out our guide to Amazon’s best Kindle.
Kindle Paperwhite
Photography: Amazon
Amazon’s latest Kindle Paperwhite is our favorite to suggest to most people. It has a 6.8-inch bright screen, a bright screen (with adjustable warm lighting) and is waterproof, making it a great choice if you enjoy reading by the pool, on the beach or in the bathtub. It’s a great alternative to the more expensive Kindle Oasis below.
If you have extra money to spend, the Paperwhite Signature Edition (8/10, WIRED Recommends) includes a few more features than the standard Paperwhite. The screen can automatically adjust the brightness depending on the lighting in your environment, the page speed is faster and there is more storage: the Signature version is 32 gigabytes while the standard version is 8 gigabytes. We recommend this one if you listen to a lot of audiobooks.
The basic Kindle (8/10, cable recommendations) is the best choice for those who want a very simple e-book reader. It has a 6-inch E Ink touch screen and a built-in headlight for reading at night. You’ll also get 8 gigabytes of storage, which can hold about 5,000 books. This is also the lowest price we have followed.
Kindle Oasis
Photography: Amazon
For a luxurious experience, you’ll want to go with the Kindle Oasis. It has an aluminum body, a large 7-inch screen with automatic brightness adjustment, page-turning touch buttons and fast performance. It is worth the high price if you are looking for a Kindle full of features.
We believe the Kindle Kids Edition is a solid and affordable e-book reader for kids; it also has the lowest price we have seen so far. Amazon will include a protective case, a free year of Amazon Kids + (where parents can add books to their child’s library, set reading goals, add age filters and more) and also a two-year warranty with the your purchase.
If you want something stronger than the Kids Edition, you’ll do better with Paperwhite because it’s waterproof. At 6.8 inches, you’ll also have a larger screen than the standard model’s 6-inch screen.
We have tested a wide range of speakers and smart screens in addition to the following. You can read our guide to the best Echo and Alexa speakers for more Alexa-powered devices. If you want to go beyond Amazon’s own, check out our guide to the best smart speakers and the guide to the best smart screens.
Echo Show 8
Photography: Amazon
The Amazon Echo Show 8 is our favorite smart screen with Alexa. The 8-inch screen is a great size for watching movies, reading recipes, making video calls (it has a pan and auto zoom function to keep you framed), checking your calendar, and more. Its compact size also makes it a great addition to the kitchen counter or bedside table. Nor have we ever seen it come down from such a low price.
In our review of the Echo Show 5, we criticized the device for its small screen, because it’s a little too small to navigate comfortably. But it’s still a good choice if you want a smart screen that’s compact enough to fit on your desk or bedside table. It also has a physical mute button and a camera shutter for privacy. But if you want a bigger screen, we recommend the Echo Show 8. Price often fluctuates, but this is the lowest we’ve seen.
We’ve crowned the Echo Dot (8/10, cable recommendations) as the best Alexa speaker in our buying guide. The spherical speaker fits anywhere in the house and fills the room with a 360-degree sound. Thanks to Alexa, you’ll also be informed about the weather and news, along with the ability to set timers and alarm clocks. Are you concerned about privacy? There is a physical button that also allows you to turn off the microphones. It’s also $ 5 cheaper than its lowest selling price.
Echo Dot Kids Edition
Photography: Amazon
It’s hard not to smile at the panda and tiger prints from the children’s edition of the Echo Dot. In addition to fun impressions, the smart speaker includes great sound quality, parental controls, and a free year of Amazon Kids + with access to Audible books, Alexa skills, and games.
Echo Buds (8/10, cable recommendations) include plenty of features such as noise cancellation, wireless charging, and customizations through its connected app. But we especially love these headphones for Alexa integration, which allow you to check the weather, set timers, and update your grocery list using voice commands, all while listening to your music. These headphones dropped to $ 50 in April, but it’s still a solid deal.
Are you interested in a Fire tablet? We don’t blame you. They are affordable, capable, and practical whiteboards, although the software could use some improvements. Be sure to also check out our buying guide on the best Amazon Fire tablets.
Fire HD 8
Photography: Amazon
WIRED reviewer Scott Gilbertson says the Fire HD 8 is “one of the best values for a tablet.” It has an updated processor for fast performance, an HD display and 12 hours of battery life. If you want extra features like more RAM and wireless charging, the Fire HD 8 Plus is also on sale for $ 50 ($ 60 off).
The Fire HD 10 (7/10, cable recommendations) is our favorite Fire tablet of all. The latest version has a brighter screen, a solid battery and additional RAM for smoother performance. We also recommend the HD 10 with Bluetooth keyboard, which is also on sale for $ 170 ($ 25 off). It comes with a free year of Microsoft 365 and is an ideal setup for light work.
If you want a bigger screen, there’s also the Fire HD 10 Plus. The 10.1-inch screen, with a resolution of 1080p, is a great option if you plan to use it to watch movies, TV shows and videos. It also has a bit more RAM than the standard version, with 4 gigabytes.
Fire HD 8 children
Photography: Amazon
We believe the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition to be the best Fire tablet for kids. It has the same features as standard Fire tablets, but also includes a durable case and a two-year warranty, so Amazon will replace it if your child accidentally breaks it. As with other Amazon devices for kids, this one includes an Amazon Kids + year.
For those with older children, we recommend the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro, as it is larger than the Fire HD 8. It is more expensive, but in addition to a larger screen, children can also request installation. lar applications from a children’s application store, which parents must manually approve. It also comes with a less durable protective cover.
Don’t buy older Fire 7 tablets
Amazon’s previous Fire 7 tablet model is on sale, but we don’t recommend it. The new Fire 7 isn’t terrible, it’s still terribly small, but it’s more powerful than previous models, but right now, the 2019 model, which was never stellar, is almost useless.
If you enjoy watching most of your content on Amazon Prime, you’ll want to add a Fire TV Stick to your entertainment system. It prioritizes Amazon content over other popular streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, but still offers access to all major streaming services. Be sure to check out our Buying Guide The Best TV Playback Devices for more options. It’s also worth noting that the next three play sticks have the lowest prices we’ve followed so far.
Photography: Amazon
It plays in HD (not 4K) and has the same interface as the rest of Amazon’s smart devices. The remote also includes power and volume buttons, along with Alexa Voice, which you can use to start and search for programs with your voice.
The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is our favorite choice for Amazon fans, as the menus are aimed at the company’s Prime Video app and the purchase of content from their store. It also includes a number of upgrades compared to its predecessor, including more memory (2 gigabytes versus 1.5), an image-to-image feature to increase the power of the security camera, and support for Wi-Fi 6.
We suggest the Fire TV Stick Lite if you have a standard HD TV and do not plan to upgrade it to a 4K TV. The Lite version includes access to all major streaming apps and a more basic version of Alexa’s remote control, with no dedicated buttons for Netflix, a button for the TV’s power or volume controls. But you can download another app for that.
Other Amazon device deals
Eero mesh system 6
Photography: Amazon
The Eero 6 mesh system is very easy to set up and use. In our tests, we had solid coverage and stable connectivity. And since Eero is owned by Amazon, you’ll also have support for Alexa. It’s worth noting that it’s one of the slowest systems we’ve tested (it had problems with long distances), but it should work well for most people.
Halo View received an honorable mention in our guide to buying the best fitness trackers. It’s also at the lowest price we’ve seen. It is affordable, comfortable on the wrist and has an easy-to-use companion app. However, WIRED senior associate editor Adrienne So says she doesn’t like how trade associations drive or tells you to undress in underwear to measure your quick body composition.