The Best Holiday Gifts to Buy on Prime Day 2018

Amazon’s Prime Day is a great event for snagging deals for yourself, but it’s also a big opportunity to get a jump start on your holiday shopping--and save lots of money in the process. Whether you have a binge-watcher on your list, a clean freak or someone who loves the outdoors, these are the best gifts to grab now for Prime Day.

Fire TV Stick ($19.99, 50 percent off)

Amazon’s Fire TV Stick has been a Prime Day bestseller for a reason. It gives you access to tons of video content, including Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, HBO Now, Sling TV and more for just $19.99. That’s 50 percent off the usual price. Just plug this little stick into your TV’s HDMI port, and use the Alexa remote to find stuff to watch with your voice. This is the perfect gift to turn any dumb TV into a smart one.

Bose QC 25 ($125, 50 percent off)

Credit: Bose

(Image credit: Bose)

Bose headphones are never this cheap. For Prime Day you can pick up the Bose QC 25 for just $125. That’s the lowest price ever. In addition to pristine active noise cancellation, the QC 25 offer a comfy around-the-ear fit and come with an in-line remote that lets you control music and calls.

iRobot Roomba 671 ($229, $120 off)

Credit: Roomba

(Image credit: Roomba)

If your loved one is constantly cleaning that kitchen or hardwood floor, give them a break by gifting them the Roomba 671. Now $229, this robot vacuum is $120 off for Prime Day. It offers 3-stage cleaning and has two different brush types to pick up dirt. There’s also a side brush for sweeping up in edges and corners. You can even schedule cleanings with the Roomba app.

Toshiba 43-inch 4K TV with Fire TV ($249, $80 off)

Credit: Toshiba

(Image credit: Toshiba)

Great for a bedroom or dorm room, the Toshiba 43-inch 4K TV provides a super sharp Ultra HD picture along with Amazon’s Fire TV interface. This makes it easy to find stuff to watch, especially with the included Alexa Voice Remote. And you can take advantage of Alexa’s other skills--including controlling smart home devices.

LifeStraw ($9.99, 60 percent off)

Credit: LifeStraw

(Image credit: LifeStraw)

If you have a camper, hiker or traveler on your list, this little gadget is a must. The LifeStraw, on sale for just $9.99, is designed to remove 99.9 percent of waterborne bacteria as well as 99.99 percent of waterborne parasites. The device is rated to provide 1,000 gallons of clean and safe drinking water. Bonus: the company says that for every LifeStraw purchased, a school child in need receives safe drinking water for a school year.

23andMe DNA Test ($99, 67 percent off)

Credit: 23andMe

(Image credit: 23andMe)

Anyone who wants to learn more about their heritage will find 23andMe a great gift. Now on sale for $99, the test can tell you about your ancestry but also your health and other tests. You’ll receive more than 75 online personalized genetic reports, and it’s easy to get started. You just provide a saliva sample and send it back.

Kindle Fire HD 8 ($49, 38 percent off)

Yes, the Fire HD 7 is also on sale for an even cheaper $29, but the Fire HD 8 is a better gift. You get a bigger screen, twice the memory (16GB vs 8GB) and a faster processor. This tablet also offers Dolby sound, and you can augment the onboard storage with a microSD card. Alexa is on board, too.

Xbox One S 1TB Console - Starter Bundle ($229, $70 off)

Give your gamer the gift of a new console with gobs of storage for downloading the latest titles (discs are so yesteryear). This bundle also includes 3 free months of Xbox Game pass, and you can use the console to stream 4K video on Netflix, Amazon and Hulu. You can also play games in HDR for eye-popping color.

Credit: Tom's Guide

Mark Spoonauer

Mark Spoonauer is the global editor in chief of Tom's Guide and has covered technology for over 20 years. In addition to overseeing the direction of Tom's Guide, Mark specializes in covering all things mobile, having reviewed dozens of smartphones and other gadgets. He has spoken at key industry events and appears regularly on TV to discuss the latest trends, including Cheddar, Fox Business and other outlets. Mark was previously editor in chief of Laptop Mag, and his work has appeared in Wired, Popular Science and Inc. Follow him on Twitter at @mspoonauer.