Some Verge-favorite gadgets are cheaper than ever for fall Prime Day

All of the deals we’ve recommended from Prime Big Deal Days are for products our team has tested and can personally vouch for, whether it be a streaming device, a laptop, or a pair of noise-canceling earbuds. However, there are also plenty of other gadgets that the Verge staff genuinely loves that don’t receive a dedicated review or a slot in one of our buying guides. These are the things we use on a daily basis, give as gifts, and often can’t stop talking about, some of which we regularly chronicle in our “favorites” series.

Below, we’ve highlighted some of those personal picks that just so happen to be on sale for Amazon’s October Prime Day event. They include a range of Verge-y tech, such as Bluetooth speakers and pocket-friendly power banks, as well as items that aren’t in our usual wheelhouse, like Hamilton Beach’s 3-in-1 egg cooker.

I have a tendency to hold on to my phones as long as they work reasonably well, and although I must admit I’ve been tempted by the Pixel 9A, I will probably still be using my Pixel 6 for a bit longer. The only issue that I’m starting to hit is battery life — after over three years of use, it’s not unexpected that I sometimes hit the 20 percent mark toward the end of the day. So I recently realized that I’m going to have to start carrying around a portable charger.

At first, I was going to go with the 20,000mAh Anker Zolo Power Bank, which had gotten a good number of recommendations. But it weighs over 11 ounces, and when I dropped it into my bag, it felt like I had added a small brick. That’s why I traded it in for the less powerful but much lighter Anker Nano Power Bank, which plugs into my phone’s USB-C slot like a small add-on peripheral. The Nano weighs only 3.5 ounces and supplies 5,000mAh of battery power — enough to keep me going to the end of the day. And it comes in several pale colors (I chose Ice Lake Blue), which means I can see it more easily in the dark reaches of my bag. — Barbara Krasnoff, reviews editor

I picked up Hoto’s electric screwdriver because my former boss at The Verge, Dan Seifert, would often pitch it around gift guide season. I’m glad I did, though, because it now sits alongside a handful of tools I use on an almost weekly basis. I wouldn’t suggest using it for real household projects that require some serious torque, but it’s incredibly handy for tightening the legs on my desk, assembling furniture, and making sure my bike seat isn’t going to come off mid-ride. It’s also equipped with a USB-C port for charging, a nifty LED light that lets you ditch the headlamp, and a case for housing the 25 steel bits. Oh, and it really does make for a great little gift. I guess Dan was right. — Brandon Widder, senior commerce editor

I try to bring a Bluetooth speaker everywhere with me when the weather’s good. A pool party, a park day, a golf outing, a hang on the back patio — it’s all better with music! There are obviously lots of good speakers out there, but for me, the UE Wonderboom 4 is the perfect one. It’s only $100, it’s small but loud enough to work just about anywhere, its battery lasts all day and then some, it’s waterproof, and it floats. (All the colors look nice, by the way, but… get the blue one.) There are fancier speakers with more features, and the $200 Megaboom does sound a lot better, but I keep a Wonderboom in my trunk, and it has made me the party hero more times than I can count. — David Pierce, editor-at-large

My body composition has become about 70 percent egg in the blissful month since I bought this cooker. I never want to buy new countertop kitchen appliances, because almost every time I do, they end up dusty in the back of the cabinet, but I’m amazed by how useful this simple Hamilton Beach Egg Cooker is. I can prepare hard- or soft-boiled eggs to perfect consistency in minutes (with no cleanup!), and having it on hand has dramatically cut back on my bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich habit. So it’s good for my cholesterol and my bank account. — Kristen Radtke, creative director

As a pasty redhead from a large ginger family, I relish every opportunity to nag about the importance of wearing sunscreen — especially when the summer heat is pounding and everyone starts getting their fleshy bits out. If you’re someone who avoids applying the stuff because it makes your hands feel gross, then allow me to remove that excuse for you: sunscreen applicators are a convenient and mess-free solution that can help you protect your skin without itching to wipe your greasy hands on clothes or sandy towels.

They’re great for applying sunscreen to your kids, too. The Solar Buddies version I use has a big handle, spongy applicator, and a roller dispenser that ensures even small hands have a good grip and don’t look like they’ve dunked themselves in frosting. You just have to fill them with your sunscreen of choice, giving some added flexibility around the brand and SPF (but please, please consider sticking with a factor of 50 plus).

Because the applicator screws tightly closed, it can also help prevent any explosions from occurring in your bag compared to the usual squeeze bottles. Nobody likes a sunscreen sandwich. — Jess Weatherbed, news writer

I spent the better part of a decade trying to find the perfect slim minimalist wallet for carrying a handful of credit cards, debit cards, and IDs, along with a small stash of cash. The winner, which I’ve been carrying every day for close to eight years now, is Magpul’s DAKA Essential Wallet. It’s made from a reinforced polymer fabric with welded seams that make it impressively durable. It’s also got an anti-slip texture that I find adds extra grip so I can easily extract it from even a tight pocket. I ended up buying three so I had backups when it eventually wore out, but am still using the original with minimal wear and tear. — Andrew Liszewski, senior reporter

My ToAuto soldering station spent a few years gathering dust, but I finally pulled it out of the closet when I started experimenting with game console repairs. It may not be a Hakko or a Weller, but for $55, it gets the job done. The station is perfect for a beginner like me, as it heats up to 842 degrees Fahrenheit, comes with numerous interchangeable soldering tips, has steel wool for cleaning, and features a handy rack to hold a spool of solder. So far, it’s helped me do things like solder an HDMI port onto a PlayStation 4 and install new batteries on old Game Boy games. I expect it’s going to come in handy for many future repairs, too. — Emma Roth, news writer

I used to buy AA batteries in bulk to keep on hand for when my Xbox controller would die in the middle of a game. (And because I have two kids.) I’d resisted my friends’ suggestions to buy rechargeable batteries, thinking back to the old ones my parents used to have, with a big, bulky charging box that took forever. But then one night I came across these Paleblue USB-C rechargeable batteries. They’re great. Just plug them into a USB-C source using the included wire whenever you need to juice them up. They last long enough so that I’m not constantly swapping them out. And I can charge all four at once. I have the four-pack, but there’s also an eight-pack and a 12-pack, which might be even more handy. — Todd Haselton, deputy editor

I can’t help but laugh every time I hear “Royal Kludge,” but this is truly the best folding Bluetooth keyboard I’ve used yet — because it’s the only multi-device keyboard I’ve tried that doesn’t fall off my lap! It’s also a mechanical keyboard with swappable keycaps, but that’s just the cherry on top. For me, the important bits are that it’s easy to type on, I can swap between multiple Bluetooth devices instead of re-pairing, I can plug it in with USB-C whenever Bluetooth won’t work, and it spans both my legs while folding vertically rather than horizontally, so it doesn’t just fall into the gap between my legs like so many rivals do. There really aren’t a lot of multi-device wired / wireless hybrid keyboards out there with USB-C ports. This one’s chunkier than the competition, but it’s a great deal. — Sean Hollister, senior editor

After realizing we’re not a family that likes to get their hands dirty while cooking (we leave that part to mixers and blenders), an automatic soap dispenser has become one of the most-used devices in our kitchen. We opted for a cheap option from Amazon that lets you adjust how much foaming soap is dispensed and lasts for a couple of months between charges, but companies like Simplehuman sell pricier $80 versions wrapped in brushed metal or other fancy finishes that could better match your decor. We find we use less soap now that it’s always perfectly portioned out, and buying refills in bulk is much cheaper. There’s now one in every bathroom in our home. — Andrew Liszewski, senior reporter, news

When screen time is over, there’s no building toy, not even Lego, that holds my kid’s attention better than GraviTrax. It lets you build complicated marble runs using myriad components, including ramps, risers, bridges, switches, and launchers — and that’s just the starter set. There are several expansions that add motorized components that can keep marbles rolling indefinitely if assembled correctly, and it’s one of those toys that adults will enjoy just as much as kids do. For younger kids, there’s also now a GraviTrax Junior line with simpler components and larger marbles. – Andrew Liszewski, senior reporter, news

Nobody wants to carry a power strip or an extension cord with them on their vacation. It’s probably unnecessary if you’re staying in relatively modern buildings and definitely unnecessary if you’re camping. But sometimes you want to stay in a charming historical hotel or a lovely cabin in the woods, and it’s only when you go to charge your devices at night that you realize that the only electrical socket in the bedroom is in the corner farthest away from the bed and there are already two lamps plugged into it.

Older buildings especially suffer from what I can only describe as loose socket syndrome, where those very convenient modern boxy socket extenders with five different USB and USB-C charging ports simply cannot stay in place and fall right out of the wall because they’re too heavy. After one (totally pleasant) vacation where I had to charge my phone, watch, AirPods, and laptop in a weird corner of my room with the plug-in charging hub propped up on a strategically balanced mountain of books and sham pillows, I bought this Anker combination extension cord / power strip. It’s not a full power strip — just a cube with a few sockets, along with USB-A and USB-C charging ports at the end of a five-foot cable. I’ve brought it on a few trips since then. It takes up extra space in my suitcase but each time has left me feeling vindicated about the purchase.

The three prongs at the end of the cable are static, rather than folding flat for easy packing. This is key because the loose sockets of older buildings reject the beautiful convenience of folding prongs. There are more than enough sockets for one person, and with some finagling (and maybe an extra charging brick), it can accommodate two people’s devices.

If you’re traveling overseas, don’t forget to purchase a different plug type. — Sarah Jeong, deputy features editor

In my youth, I forgot to pack plug adapters for international trips one too many times. Buying them once you’ve landed in another country isn’t always easy, either. And if you’re like me, your relatives in rural Korea don’t always have more than one plug for your American devices — in which case, you’ll have to share with your six other cousins. Nope. Absolutely not. Which is why I never leave this country without a universal travel adapter.

Basically, it’s six plug adapters in one. Depending on which one you get, it might come with USB ports so you can charge multiple devices in one outlet. Granted, it’s bulkier than buying one or two specialized adapter plugs, but if you’ve got a multi-continent itinerary, it’s a game-changer. What I like about this one from Epicka is that it comes with a spare fuse in case things go sideways with voltage.

The only caveat is that, although it says “universal,” it’s technically only the four most common types of plugs. That’ll get you by in most countries, but it’s not a guarantee in places like Brazil, South Africa, or India. Even so, I’ll take this over price gouging at airport electronics shops or having to take time out of my schedule to visit a local hardware store. — Victoria Song, senior reviewer

These are my current favorite switches. The Kailh Deep-Sea Silent Pro Islets are nearly identical to the fantastic switches in the HHKB Studio, just much less expensive. The Islets are silent linear switches, with an extra-long spring, so the actuation force curve is strongest right at the beginning and then smooth the rest of the way, giving them an almost Topre-like tactile sensation. (Pitchforks down; I said almost.) They’re an instant upgrade for any hot-swappable keyboard that takes Cherry MX-compatible switches, and I’ve been using them as my daily drivers for a while. There’s also a tactile version, which I don’t like as much. Sorry to the Kailh Whales. — Nathan Edwards, senior reviews editor

I own a bunch of traditional watches, both mechanical and quartz alike, and my go-to straps across many of them are slip-through NATO nylon straps. They’re timeless, they’re dead-simple to swap out in less than a minute, and they come in a dizzying amount of colors and designs. I often keep it simple with all-black, gray, or black-and-gray straps, but I own more than 20 for the few watches in my collection that are compatible with them — each totally changing the look and vibe of my timepiece to blend in or pop out in a unique way.

While NATO straps have their roots in the military and, therefore, traditionally lend themselves to functional tool watches for casual wear, I’ll even wear them with slightly fancier outfits on a night out or to an event. They typically offer a snug fit that prevents the watch from sliding around, but they feel light and airy on your wrist, like you’re wearing nothing at all.

And, maybe most importantly, they’re dirt cheap. You can build a small collection of them for very little, with generic ones that are totally fine selling on Amazon for around $16 for a batch of eight. I splurged a little on my most recent one, spending a whole $16.98 (wow, I’m so fancy) for a fully blacked-out NATO to wear on my new Mission to Mercury MoonSwatch. (Look, I have a thing for gray and black stuff, okay?) While none of my watches are worth more than a few hundred dollars (and most costing much less than that), you can bet that even if I one day sprung for a luxury piece — like a Rolex, Tudor, or Unimatic — I’d still be putting it on a trusty NATO. — Antonio G. Di Benedetto, laptop reviewer