Big box electronics retailer Best Buy announced the launch of a new appliance recycling program Thursday that will allow customers to have up to two large pieces (and an unlimited amount of small items) of unwanted tech hauled away for a $200 fee.
Best Buy already operates a number of consumer electronics recycling programs, with customers either dropping off items in-store for gift cards or paying a $30 to 50 fee to have their old appliances taken away when their Best Buy-bought replacements are delivered. This new Standalone Haul-Away service does not require any additional purchases and comes with a 20 percent discount to Best Buy TotalTech subscribers (a $200-a-year scheme that includes on-demand GeekSquad access). However Haul-Away is limited in what it can take.
Customers can get rid of up to two (2) all-in-one computers, TVs, large appliances and refrigerators as well as as many hard drives, gaming consoles, laptops and un-regiftable immersion blenders as they are willing to part with. If you're looking to offload old musical instruments, DVDs, software, or legacy formats, on the other hand, you'd best look elsewhere because Best Buy won't take them.
A number of gadgets remain on sale as we head into the holiday weekend. Apple's latest AirPods remain $30 off and down to $150, and you can pick up the AirPods Pro for $175. Certain colors of the Apple Watch Series 7 are on sale for as low as $313, plus you can save on a bunch of Surface devices in Microsoft's spring sale. Finally, Amazon has discounted its regular Kindle to $55 while also slashes prices of its Fire tablets. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.
AirPods (3rd gen)
Billy Steele/Engadget
Apple's newest earbuds are close to their record-low price right now. You can grab the third-gen AirPods for $150, or $30 off their normal rate. We gave them a score of 88 for their improved design, much better audio quality and longer battery life.
Apple's AirPods Pro are back on sale for $175, which is 30 percent off their normal price. We gave them a score of 87 for their improved fit, good audio quality and solid ANC.
Both Amazon and Walmart have the entry-level iPad for $309 right now, or $20 off its normal price. We gave the slab a score of 86 for its improved performance, excellent battery life and Center Stage-capable front cameras.
Many color options of the 41mm Apple Watch Series 7 are down to $330, or $70 off their normal price. The green model is even cheaper, coming in at $313. We gave the wearable a score of 90 for its bigger screen, faster charging and handy watchOS 8 features.
You can pick up the Mac Mini M1 desktop for $570, which is an all-time-low price, thanks to a $99 coupon that's automatically applied at checkout. It runs on an eight-core CPU, eight-core GPU, a 16-core Neural Engine, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It's a good option if you want a relatively new desktop that won't take up too much space on your desk.
Through April 21st, you can save hundreds on Surface devices, Xbox games and more in Microsoft's spring sale. The Surface Laptop Go is up to $200 off, so you can grab the model with a Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for $700.
Amazon's regular Kindle is down to $55, which is $35 cheaper than usual. You can also pick up the Kids Edition for $65 instead of the usual $110. While the latest Paperwhites have a lot of bells and whistles, the standard Kindle remains a good option for those on a budget.
A number of Fire tablets are on sale right now, including the Fire HD 8, which is down to $50. The larger Fire HD 10 has also been discounted to $100, which is $50 off its normal rate. These slabs are good options for those that want a basic, lightweight device for travel or doing things like online shopping and checking email from your couch.
iRobot's Roomba j7+ and s9+ are $200 off at Wellbots right now when you use the code ENGMOM200 at checkout. These are some of the company's most powerful robo-vacs: the j7+ has a convenient "poop-detection" feature while the s9+ has the strongest suction power of any Roomba. Both also come with clean bases, which allow the robots to automatically empty their bins after each cleaning job.
Amazon's smart thermostat is back on sale for $48, which is 20 percent off its regular price. The Energy Star-certified device uses Honeywell's Home Thermostat tech to help you save on energy costs — and, like other Amazon devices, it works with Alexa so you can use voice commands to control the temperature in your home.
Both Google's standard Nest Thermostat and the more advanced Learning model remain discounted right now. You can pick up the regular version for $119, while the Learning Thermostat is still on sale for $200. They share most of the same features, but you'll get a slicker design, a higher-res display and the ability to connect with Nest Temperature Sensors with the Learning model.
The latest Chromecast with Google TV is $10 off at Walmart and Best Buy, bringing it down to $40. We gave the compact streaming device a score of 86 for its solid remote control, good Google Assistant integration and support for 4K content with Dolby Vision and Atmos.
You can get a $5 promotional credit when you buy a $50 Apple gift card at Amazon when you use either the code APPLEDEAL or APPLEAPRIL at checkout. The promotional credit can be used on future Amazon purchases, and while it's not a huge credit, it's more than what we usually see attached to Apple gift cards.
The Elite 7 Active earbuds are 17 percent off and down to $150 right now. These are some of Jabra's newest buds and they have a special "ShakeGrip coating" that helps keep the buds in place during sweaty workouts. Plus, the elite 7 Active support adjustable ANC, HearThrough technology and four microphones for better call quality.
Through April 17th, you can get 15 percent off at Satechi when using the code EASTER15, and for orders of $100 or more, they'll up it to 20 percent with the code EASTER20. Now's a good time to pick up a new keyboard, mouse, USB-C hub or other accessory while you can get it for less.
NordVPN's latest deal lets you save 51 percent off the price of a two-year subscription, so you'll pay only $96 for that time period. After the first two years, the price goes up to $99 per year. NordVPN is one of our favorites thanks to its speed, its no-logs policy, the thousands of servers it has to choose from and that one account supports up to six connected devices.
Apple's best sounding earbuds have been discounted on and off throughout the past few months, and now they're back down to one of the best prices we've seen all year. The AirPods Pro are 30 percent off again at Amazon, bringing them down to $175. That's just about the lowest price we've seen since the holiday shopping season (they were $1 cheaper earlier this month) and it puts the Pros back in line with the rest of Apple's audio lineup, which has been on sale for the past few days.
If over-ear headphones aren't your thing, the AirPods Pro are your next best bet if you want an Apple device that has above-average audio quality. Not only do the AirPods Pro sound better than the company's standard earbuds, but they also have strong ANC that blocks out most surrounding noises. And you still get Transparency mode, while lets you hop in and out of conversations easily, and support for spatial audio. They're also arguably the best AirPods to get if you care about fit, since you can get a more accurate fit for your ear thanks to their interchangeable tips.
The AirPods Pro also have the H1 chip inside, which enables things like hands-free Siri access and quick pairing and switching between Apple devices. It's one of the biggest draws of AirPods — if you're steeped in the Apple ecosystem already, these earbuds will work seamlessly with all of your gadgets. The Pros should last for five hours before they need more juice, and you'll get 24 hours of total listening time when you employ the power kept in its MagSafe charging case.
With the Pros are back on sale, you'll find that you can get most Apple headphones and earbuds at a discount right now. The new, third-generation AirPods are down to $150 and the second-generation earbuds are on sale for only $100. Even the AirPods Max are cheaper than usual: at the time of writing this, the space gray, blue and silver models are down to $450 thanks to a sale price and an additional coupon that knocks another $29 off their final price.
You can grab a few Anker accessories at a discount today as part of Amazon's one-day sale. The discounted items include an assortment of powerbanks, chargers and cables, with prices marked down for up to 44 percent off. If you're looking for something to help tame all the wires in your home or office, one of the items you can get from the sale is Anker's power strip surge protector that's currently available for $44. That's 37 percent off its usual price of $70 and is the lowest price we've seen for the power strip on the website. It has three outlets on one side, as well as three USB ports and one 45W PowerIQ 3.0 USB-C port on the other. The USB-C port supports fast charging and can power even a 12" MacBook and other similar devices.
The Anker Nano Pro USB-C charger is also on sale for $30, which is $10 lower than its retail price. It was designed specifically for the iPhone and can provide full-speed 20 watt charging for the iPhone 13. The charger has the capability to adjust power output, ensuring the safety of the device that's plugged in, and comes with a three-feet USB-C to Lightning cable.
But if you're just looking for a UBS-C to USB-C cable for your devices, Anker also has 3.3-feet 100-watt cables on sale in packages of two. The cables support fast charging for up to 100 watts when used with a compatible charger and work with any USB-C device, including MacBook Pros, iPads and Samsung Galaxy phones. You can get the two-pack cables for $15, or $12 less than their usual price of $27.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
Microsoft is ushering in the spring season with a new sale that discounts Surface devices, Xbox games, accessories and more through April 21st. A bunch of Surface gadgets are hundreds of dollars off right now, including the new Surface Pro X that's down to $700 for the base model, but you'll find an even better deal on the Surface Laptop Go. The entry-level Windows notebook is up to $200 off, so you can grab the model with a Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for $700. The base configuration is $150 off, too, bringing it down to $400.
While you can spend $700 and get either the Surface Pro X or the Laptop Go, we think the latter is the better option. The Surface Pro X is a gorgeous machine, but we found that buggy software held the 2-in-1 back from being truly great. While the Laptop Go has its compromises, it makes a great basic notebook thanks to its stellar hardware and speedy performance. Coming in at 2.45 pounds, the Laptop Go is lighter than its predecessor and looks sharp with its anodized aluminum top portion. Its 12.4-inch touchscreen gives you just enough room to multitask easily and its 3:2 aspect ratio makes it better for reading long articles and documents.
All of the Surface Laptop Go configurations run on Core i5 processors, which means you'll get solid CPU performance regardless of the one you pick. We recommend opting for a model with 8GB of RAM because it'll serve you better over time than a measly 4GB will. As far as other features go, you're getting a 720p webcam, a fingerprint-toting power button, one USB-C port and one USB-A port on the Laptop Go. Microsoft didn't pack this machine with a lot of extra perks because it's designed to be an affordable Surface option — just good enough to give those with basic needs a solid laptop experience, and it does deliver on that.
As it does from time to time, Amazon has launched a sale on both Fire HD tablets and Kindle devices, with most items at the second-best prices we've seen so far. The best deal is on the Fire HD 8 tablet, now available for $50 instead of $90, for a savings of $40 or 44 percent off. You'll also find the Fire HD 8 Plus at $90 for a savings of 36 percent or $50 and can pick up the Fire HD 10 Plus for $120 ($60 or 33 percent off).
There's a lot to like about the Fire HD 8 tablet, provided you're okay without direct support for Google apps. It includes Alexa support, a USB-C port for faster charging, solid build quality, 32GB of storage that can be upgraded via a microSD card slot, a relatively sharp 1,280 x 800 display, 2GB of RAM, a 4,850 mAh battery and a quad-core chip that offers decent performance.
The Fire HD8 Plus boosts RAM to 3GB, includes wireless charging and comes with a 9W charger in the box. And the Fire HD 10 gives you a 10-inch 1080p display, 32GB of upgradeable storage, 2GB of RAM, an 8-core processor and a battery that allows for up to 12 hours of reading with fast USB-C charging.
Engadget
Several Kindle tablets are also on sale at the second best prices we've seen. The regular ad-supported model is on sale for $60, a discount of $30 from the regular $90 price. You can also pick up the Kindle Kids Edition with the "Rainbow Birds Cover" for $65 instead of $110, a savings of 41 percent.
The latest Kindle models offer a lot for the money, including an LED-lit screen, weeks of reading time and a touch interface. The Kids Edition adds some perks, like one of four colorful cases, a two-year worry-free guarantee and a year of complimentary access to the company's FreeTime Unlimited service.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
It was a great week for Apple lovers as many of the company's most popular gadgets went on sale. Amazon discounted both the Apple Watch Series 7 and the Apple Watch SE to near record-low prices, plus the AirPods Pro are back on sale for $174. Also, you can save hundreds on 2021 LG OLED smart TVs and pick up one of many Eufy robot vacuums at a discount. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.
Apple Watch Series 7
Engadget
Many color options of the 41mm Apple Watch Series 7 are down to $330, or $70 off their normal price. If you want the larger model, you can pick up the 45mm version for $360. We gave the wearable a score of 90 for its bigger screen, faster charging and handy watchOS 8 features.
Apple's AirPods Pro are back on sale for $174, which is 30 percent off their normal price. We gave the company's best sounding earbuds a score of 87 for their improved fit, good sound quality and strong ANC.
The original AirPods are 38 percent off and down to only $99. That's not their all-time-low price, but it's close to it. We gave them a score of 84 when they first came out for their improved wireless performance, wireless charging capabilities (if you have the right case) and solid battery life.
The more affordable Apple Watch SE is cheaper than usual right now and down to $229. It's a parred-down version of the Series 7, but it supports all of the standard features you'd expect from an Apple Watch including onboard GPS, Apple Pay, daily activity and workout tracking and more.
The space gray, 256GB iPad is down to a record low of $429. We gave the updated tablet a score of 86 for its improved performance, excellent battery life and Center Stage-capable front cameras.
All of LG's 2021 C1 OLED smart TVs are on sale right now, with most of them down to all-time-low prices. You can pick one up for less than $1,000, but the best deal of the bunch is on the 65-inch model, which is 32 percent of and down to $1,697. And if you go for that one, you can also save $150 on LG's SP9YA soundbar if you're looking to upgrade your sound system along with your TV.
If you buy the Beats Fit Pro earbuds from Amazon, you'll get a free $25 gift card to use on future purchases. We gave these buds a score of 87 for their comfortable fit, punchy bass and solid ANC.
Amazon knocked $70 off Anker's budget-friendly Eufy RoboVac 11S, bringing it down to $160. This is a solid option if you want a robot vacuum without dropping too much money. While this model doesn't have WiFi, you can use the included remote to set schedules and change cleaning modes.
Nintendo's $50 eShop gift card is $5 cheaper than usual on Amazon, so you can get it for $45. It's a good card to pick up if you have a bunch of Switch games on your wish list and plan on stocking up soon.
B&H Photo has a bundle that includes the second-generation Nest Hub and the wired Nest Cam for $150, which is $50 less than usual. These two devices are designed to work together, with the Nest Hub showing you the feed from the Nest Cam, which you can position anywhere around your home.
You can pick up the August WiFi smart lock for $40 less than usual when you use the code EGDTLOCK when checking out at Wellbots. The IoT device earned a score of 80 from us for its easy installation process, WiFi connectivity and extra security with required two-factor authentication.
Native Instrument's latest sale knocks up to $200 off its Maschine hardware and throws in some free expansions on top of that. The best deal is on the Maschine+, which is $200 off and down to $1,199. And if you're an existing customer, you might qualify for a bigger discount. You'll find that out once you log in.
Beats' Studio Buds are back on sale for $120, which isn't an all-time low, but is only $20 more than that. We gave the true wireless earbuds a score of 84 for their balanced sound, comfortable design and quick pairing on both Android and iOS.
All of Zwift's cycling gear is 25 percent off right now, including the Wahoo Kickr smart power trainer, which is down to $900. The Tacx Neo Bike is down to $2,400 in this sale, and you can pick up Wahoo's heart rate arm band for only $60.
PowerA's Enhanced Wired Controller for Xbox is 32 percent off and down to only $26. It's a good option if you want another controller for your console but don't want to pay the premium attached to the first-party options. This one has a familiar, ergonomic design, dual rumble motors and mappable buttons.
Xbox Stereo Headset 20th Anniversary Special Edition
You can pick up this special edition Xbox headset for $50, which is 29 percent off its normal price and a record low. This is a wired headset that has green accents and support for Windows Sonic spatial sound.
If you want the latest Switch games, particularly the most popular AAA titles, usually the only choice is to suck it up and pay full price. There is a way to get a discount, though. Right now, you can purchase a $50 Nintendo eShop Gift Card for $45, for a savings of $5 or 10 percent, which you can then use to purchase any game in the store — including the latest titles like LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga.
You could choose from a number of new blockbuster titles that aren't likely to be discounted anytime soon, including MLB The Show 22 (coming to Switch for the first time), Kirby and the Forgotten Land and Rune Factory 5. All of those titles cost $60, so the purchase of an eShop Gift Card would save you $5 (or $6 if you get two).
If you're more interested in indie titles, remasters or DLCs, new releases include Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition (remaster, $20), Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Booster Course Pass (DLC, $25) and OlliOlli World (indie, $30). And for any discounted eShop games, you can make a good deal even better. Finally, you're a regular eShop buyer but not in the market right now, it might be worth getting the card now to get a pre-discount on anything you'll buy in the future.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This winter, I spent $160 (or, $200 CAD for me) to buy a new gaming mouse. I've never owned one that cost more than about $50. My previous one was the Logitech G305. And before that, I owned a SteelSeries Sensei 310. If you're not familiar with the G305, it's one of the best wireless mice you can buy for under $50. Thanks to its Hero sensor, it's as fast and accurate as some of the most expensive gaming mice on the market. Another highlight is that it draws on an AA battery for power, meaning you can go up to 250 hours of uptime on a single charge. For most people, including those who play competitive games, I think the G305 is about all the mouse they need.
Igor Bonifacic / Engadget
So why did I decide to trade in a perfectly good mouse for one many times its price? For me, it came down to build quality. By the time I decided to pick up the Logitech G Pro X Superlight, the scroll wheel on my G305 was starting to get mushy, and the back battery cover would creak when I put the palm of my hand on it. And by that point, I had been eyeing the Superlight ever since Logitech announced it in 2020.
If you spend a lot of time watching videos on YouTube about PC gaming, you know the appeal of this mouse. Logitech claims it weighs less than 63 grams, making it one of the lightest you can buy at the moment. As someone who plays a lot of Valorant and League of Legends, a lightweight mouse is appealing because it allows you to be both fast and accurate with your mouse movements. The reason for this is that you can maintain a low DPI (a setting that determines the sensitivity of your mouse) while still quickly flicking it across your mousepad, thanks to its light weight.
Igor Bonifacic / Engadget
There are mice you can buy that are even lighter than the G Pro X, but almost all of them use a perforated design where the main body of the mouse features a honeycomb-like pattern of holes. But that can compromise build quality – a mouse with holes won't feel as solid as one without because, well, it has holes.
Instead, the G Pro X represents a different kind of compromise. It features the same body design as Logitech's incredibly popular G Pro Wireless, but it doesn’t have all of the same features. It doesn't come with RGB lighting or even a DPI switch for quickly adjusting its sensitivity on the fly. But the most notable omission is that the Superlight doesn't come with a second set of buttons on the right side of the mouse. Sorry, lefties.
But here's the thing: I don't mind that it's missing those features. Maybe my opinion would change if I was left-handed, but I'm not, and I think the white model looks great without RGB lighting. It's also not a deal breaker for me that it doesn't come with a DPI switch since I can recall situations with my old G305 where I accidentally clicked that button during a crucial moment in a game.
Igor Bonifacic / Engadget
Put differently, I could live without those features, but I didn't want another mouse that would wear down on me. And the G Pro X Superlight has yet to disappoint on that front. It features Omron switches that produce a satisfying click whenever you press down on the left and right buttons, and it has one of the best scroll wheels I've ever used on a mouse. The plastic also has yet to develop the shine you see when it gets worn down in certain areas. This thing is built to last.
I also found the features that make the Superlight a great gaming mouse lend it just as well to productivity use. It doesn’t include Bluetooth connectivity, but what it does have is a clever magnetized storage compartment for storing its wireless dongle. Pair that with its light design, and you have a great travel mouse. It also features a shape I find works well with my palm grip style, making it ideal for long Lightroom and Photoshop sessions.
Igor Bonifacic / Engadget
Yes, $160 is a lot to spend on a mouse, but it got me one of the best gaming mice on the market. When you think about how much it costs to buy the "best" graphics card, monitor or almost anything else gaming-related, you're looking ahead at spending upwards of thousands of dollars. The G Pro X Superlight didn't cost me that much, and I got a mouse that's great not just for gaming, but for everything else I use my computer for.
Instacart is doing more to limit the damage from customers who shortchange drivers (aka shoppers in Instacart lingo) through "tip baiting." The service is introducing "tip protection" for shoppers that covers up to $10 if a customer eliminates their tip after delivery without reporting an order problem. This won't always cover the full tip and suggests earlier initiatives (such as requiring feedback on zero-tip orders) weren't effective, but should prevent couriers from suffering particularly severe financial blows.
The company is also making it easier for shoppers to collect their tips by shrinking the cash-out window from 24 hours to just two. The platform is also rolling out a previously-tested prompt that asks customers to consider increasing their tips when they give shoppers five-star ratings. This has led to a slight 6 percent increase in average shopper earnings during the pilot phase, Instacart claimed.
The tipping changes come alongside new batch types that let shoppers make the most of their travel time. Multi-store batches let them pick up orders from numerous locations, and they can accept new customers' orders while they're already in a store, not just before they start shopping. They might not miss out on as many income opportunities, to put it another way.
The additions are part of a four-month improvement plan for Instacart shoppers that includes live phone support and in-store app navigation features introduced in March. More upgrades are coming over the next two months, Instacart said,
The additions come as Instacart faces pressure on multiple fronts. Legislators called on the Federal Trade Commission to investigate tip baiting back in 2020, and they've been pushing for greater benefits for gig workers in recent months. The company has also faced unionization efforts, and the move toward ever-faster deliveries hasn't exactly been gentle on shoppers. In theory, at least, these latest changes will address the complaints and keep shoppers from working for rival services.
