Target is my happy place. It’s good for checking items off your shopping list or for curing boredom. Online shopping isn’t as fun as spending hours in the home section imagining a backyard I don’t currently have, but it’s worth it when everything is discounted. Target’s Deal Days sale competes with Amazon’s Prime Day every year, and since there’s another Prime Day, there’s another Target sale event. Amazon’s event is next week starting on October 11.
Unsure whether you should start shopping now or wait till Black Friday? Rest easy. Target will match prices if it goes lower at any time between October 6 and December 24, so you won’t have to feel anxious about missing out on a better sale.
Updated Friday, October 7: We’ve added deals on the Amazon Echo, Google Pixel 6A, Ultimate Ears Boom 3, JBL Clip 4, Samsung Galaxy Buds Live, and 8-quart Instant Pot.
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Device Deals
Photograph: Apple
We love the iPad Mini (8/10, WIRED Recommends), especially if you need portability. Its 8.3-inch screen has slimmer bezels than its predecessor, plus both front and back cameras are improved. It has an A15 Bionic processor so it can handle intense apps and games, and it supports the second-gen Apple Pencil.
Are you holiday shopping for a teen? Instant cameras are still having a moment. This is one of the most affordable options. It’s cute and easy to hold. This bundle comes with batteries and a pack of 10 films.
We like Amazon’s Fire Tablets for leisurely tasks, so if you just want to play games or watch movies, $75 isn’t a bad deal—it’s much better than spending over $500 on an iPad if you aren’t planning on utilizing all its features. The 10 is our favorite Fire Tablet, and we always recommend waiting for one of these sales to grab one.
Photograph: Amazon
If you want a smart speaker with Alexa, it should probably be an Echo. The fourth-gen Echo (8/10, WIRED Recommends) has an improved processor that better recognizes speech. It’s pretty compact, so it’s suited for any room you need it in.
Go with this Echo Dot if your kids will be using it. It’s packed with parental controls so you can set time limits, filter content, and review your kid’s activity. It also comes with a year of Amazon Kids+, which includes thousands of Audible books and games, and a two-year warranty to protect it from clumsy kids.
Photograph: Google
We think the Pixel 6A (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is the best Pixel phone for most people. The sharp OLED 6.1-inch screen has nice inky blacks and gets bright enough for easy reading in direct sunlight. It’s more compact than most iPhone models, too. Google’s Tensor chip processor gets you the best performance even while playing complex games. It also gets all the cool software features that the Pixel 6 got, like Magic Eraser in Google Photos to easily erase unwanted objects in your pictures.
Headphones and Bluetooth Speaker Deals
Photograph: Amazon
This deal is only on the peach color. The UE Boom 3 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is our favorite Bluetooth speaker. It’s waterproof, gets 15 hours of battery per charge, and you’ll get 100 feet of Bluetooth range. WIRED associate editor Parker Hall says it gets the most pleasant, balanced sound for its size. There’s a two-year warranty, too.
The UE Boom 3 above is pretty portable as it is, but if you need something smaller and much cheaper, get the JBL Clip 4. It’s also waterproof, and it includes a carabiner clip at the top so you can clip it to your bag. The controls are big and easy to use, unlike some other micro speakers, and it sounds surprisingly bold.
These go on sale pretty often, so we don’t think you should get these if they cost more than this. Still, they’re cute and capable earbuds that look like little beans and are more comfortable than some other buds we’ve tried. With these in your ears, you’ll hear bold, energetic bass and detailed highs, and as Parker Hall says, they reproduced his favorite music pretty well for wireless buds.
Kitchen and Home Deals
Photograph: Target
KitchenAid stand mixers are pricey, but they’re a long-term investment that’s well worth it for many home chefs and bakers. This is the deal price that we saw during Prime Day a few months ago, but we usually see them dip even further during Black Friday. If you want to grab it now, keep an eye on the price and utilize Target’s price match if it does get cheaper.
Instant Pots are one of the best multicookers for those who want to eat good meals, but don’t want to put that much work into them. There are a ton of Instant Pot versions for more and less than this, but here you’ll get 11 functions including air fying, roasting, steaming, pressure cooking, and slow cooking. There’s also rice and yogurt-making settings.
If you need a grocery order over $50 anyway, you can get $10 to spend later with same-day pickup or delivery. There are a few exclusions, but it should be clearly marked as to what is included.
Dysons are some of the most useful and attractive cordless stick vacuums on the market; the only problem is that they’re usually priced to match. The Dyson V8 is the best Dyson on a budget. This one has a slightly longer run time (40 minutes) than some of the cheaper models, and as usual, it’s maneuverable and has a wall dock for easy charging and storage.
Photograph: Hoover
If you have more to spend, we have found Roborock’s to be one of the most reliable robot vacuums for the money. This one mops! It uses sonic waves to map your home, uses multidirectional brushes so there’s less debris left behind, and when it gets to a carpet, the mop automatically lifts.
This Roomba reached $175 during the first day of the sale. Dust and pet hair piles up by the second, it seems, and letting a robot keep up with that is a convenience we can get behind. iRobot’s 600 series is an affordable line we like, especially when it’s discounted under $200 like this. This one typically retails for $245. iRobot’s app is easy to use and the vacuums have stellar navigation, according to WIRED senior associate editor Adrienne So.
Though the PowerDash does occasionally reach its $120 list price, it usually hovers between $90 and $100, so don’t rush to buy our budget carpet cleaner pick if you aren’t sure. But if you do need something right now, this one is super light and easy to maneuver around, and it does a good job of getting out stains like cat puke. We also like the bigger Hoover SmartWash for $270 ($50 off), but like the PowerDash, this sale is pretty common.
Photograph: Casper
You should never buy a mattress at full price, and this is the deal we’ve seen the last few times around on our runner-up pick. Hybrids, which are made from a blend of foam and springs, are our top choice when it comes to mattresses. This one has a good balance between soft and supportive, and the springs make it breathable with just enough bounce. We think it should satisfy most people, whether you’re a stomach, side, or back sleeper. A few other models from Casper and Tuft and Needle (another brand we like) are also discounted.
If you need a new faux Christmas tree this year, nearly every one is discounted right now. A bunch of options are pre-lit, which is helpful for a quicker setup. You can get even get a Christmas palm tree for $120 ($55 off).
More Deals
Photograph: Target
Hoping to go as the Sanderson sisters this year? Whether you’re shopping for yourself, your kids, or your pets, all costumes and accessories—including baskets for carrying all your candy—are buy one get one 50 percent off.
This deal includes tons of things you might already need, like toothpaste, deodorant, or shampoo. Some of our favorites are pimple patches from Hero Cosmetics ($9) and Starface ($15), La Roche Posay Cicaplast Balm B5 ($18) for irritated skin, Uncle Funky’s Daughter Curly Magic ($16), and literally anything from Miss Jessie’s for curls.