What Our Shopping Editors Are Buying From Amazon's Cyber Monday Sale

"Having a portable speaker around comes in handy for ourdoor spaces, picnics and even bathrooms so you can listen to tunes while showering. After a lifetime of janky, hand-me-down speakers, I am ready to invest in a proper speaker like this Bose Soundlink. It's water-resistant, provides 360 degrees of sound, and is easy to charge via USB. I can't wait to pair it with my Alexa for voice commands." — Lourdes Avila Uribe, shopping senior staff writer

"A smart thermostat sounds like the height of luxury, and I always thought it was inaccessible for normies like me. But after visiting my parents a few months ago and experiencing the wonders of the the Nest thermostat, I'm convinced that it's worth every penny. It's 31% off right now, which makes a huge difference in the price point. Cozy town, here I come." — Uribe

"Sale after sale, I always tell myself that this will be the time that I finally purchase this absolute cleaning essential that has won the hearts of pet owners everywhere. If you’re not familiar with Bissell’s Little Green portable and multi-purpose carpet and upholstery cleaner, it has close to 36,000 five-star-ratings on Amazon and effectively removes tough stains through a combination of suction and spraying power. Plus, you don’t have to worry about manually cleaning the scrubbing stain tool as it has a self-cleaning function to save you time and effort. You really can’t put a price tag on pristine carpet and renewed couch cushions, especially when your pet is prone to messes." – Tessa Flores, shopping writer

"If there’s one thing about me, it's that I love a freshly baked loaf of bread. What I love even more is a retro-looking kitchen appliance that can trick me into thinking I’ve been transported into the aesthetically pleasing 1950s. One look at the Neretva bread maker, and I’m sold. This compact and programmable appliance crafts piping hot bread from start to finish, including kneading, proofing and warming, while a large viewing window allows you a front-row seat to the baking magic happening inside. Plus, the interior non-stick baking basket and measuring materials are all machine washable for easy clean-up. This might seem like a splurge, but I figure it will save me a good chunk of change at the grocery store after a while." – Flores

"You know that feeling when you step out a steamy shower, there's a touch of chill in the air, and someone hands you a freshly laundered towel straight out of the dryer? Well that little moment of luxurious bliss can be replicated over and over again with this portable bucket-style towel warmer that keeps contents nice and toasty for up to one hour. Plus, there's also a rapid warming function and built-in auto shut-off so you don't have to worry about forgetting to turn it off. I'm sold." – Flores

“A good therapeutic puzzle session, especially during the holidays, is one of my simple joys in life and I think it's about time that I invest in this puzzle table. I love that it has six different drawers to keep pieces organized and neatly tucked away when not being worked on and you can easily transport your puzzle anywhere so you're not stuck in one place.” — Flores

"I originally bought this waterproof speaker during the summer to take with me to the beach. But now that the warm days are very much over, I love using it while I shower or just as a normal portable speaker in my room. It's super small, so it's perfect for traveling." — Kristen Adaway, shopping writer

"I deal with chronically dry eyes and one of the home remedies that my eye doctor recommended to me was to incorporate warming compressions into my daily routine.The Renpho has close to 11,000 five-star Amazon ratings and claims to alleviate eye strain, reduce eye dryness and more using oscillating pressure, rhythmic percussion massaging and built-in heating pads. Admittedly, this isn't the first time I have heard about this, but I wasn't willing to spend over $100 on it. Now that it's 60% off, nothing's holding me back, baby! " – Flores

"Saying my kitchen is tiny is an understatement — and since I share it with two other people, I have to be strategic about which appliances deserve counter space. And this smart oven is indeed worthy. It boasts 8 neat cooking functions: toast, bagel, bake, broil, pizza, roast, cookies and reheat so you can essentially cook almost anything in it." — Adaway

"This Turkish-made beauty looks way more expensive than it is and I love knowing that, despite its beige color, it's easy to clean, which means it could work well for the high-traffic areas in your home. This one measures a little over five feet by nearly 8 feet, but there are other sizes available to fit your space, also at a discount." – Flores

"I didn't know that a play kitchen was a thing you HAD to get your kid until... well, I had kids. Suddenly, the texts were flying on my mom-friend group chat. 'Which play kitchen are you getting?' 'Do you recommend this one that so-and-so has?' 'Is it hard to put together?' I felt very unprepared, and I've had my eyes peeled for a good deal on a comprehensive one ever since. I just spotted the almost-30% discount on this one from trusted toy brand KidKraft. It's about as extensive as my own adult kitchen — it even comes with window boxes and a 'working' ice maker, which mine, um, doesn't have. The kitchen comes with Velcro-ized play veggies, and there's even a little chalkboard where kids can write the menu of the day or just make a huge mess with chalk — whatever they prefer! This particular one is also pretty highly reviewed. BRB while I consult my group chat, but I'm pretty sure they'll approve of this one.” — Emily Ruane, shopping managing editor

"I've written before about my love affair with my Jackery portable power station and cannot be happier to recommend the Explorer 240. It's a super packable, easy-carry, silent and rechargeable lithium battery power station that can run a TV for three hours or charge a smartphone 24 times. It charges in from a wall socket, car outlet or even Jackery's own solar panels to bring you hours of power for smaller devices like phones, iPads, cameras or TVs when camping or during power outages and storms. Reviewers have called it everything from 'one of the best camping lifestyle purchases I have made' to 'the Tesla of generators' (though it's not technically a generator; it's a portable power station). Use it for camping, tailgates, outdoor movie nights or just keep it on hand as a safety measure." — Griffin Wynne, shopping writer

“I always thought shoe racks were really wide contraptions that took up the entire entryway or something that hung over the back of a door. In my studio apartment, I have neither doors nor entryways, and yet, I do have more shoes than I know what to do with. This little two-tier expandable shoe rack is the perfect thing to store my kicks on my dresser, without taking up floor space. It's expandable, so when I eventually move to an apartment with actual space, it can grow with me. But for now, it's the perfect size without taking up too much literal or design aesthetic space.” — Wynne

“I've been meaning to buy one of these handy surge protectors (for my scantily-outletted office) since seeing them featured in a BuzzFeed story, and this hefty Black Friday discount might be my sign to buy one for myself and a few for family stocking stuffers or white elephant gifts. This inventive design features five three-prong outlets, three USB ports, and one USB-C port for charging or powering a variety of devices simultaneously.” — Ruane

“Advent calendars have been really popular this year and I think my kids (or at least my older one) might finally be old enough to understand/get a kick out of one. This National Geographic calendar contains 24 specimens (including pyrite, jasper, agate, tiger's eye, and more) and the big reveal on the final day is a rose quartz specimen that you can actually dig out of a slab of rock. There's a dig tool, brush and magnifying glass included. The whole vibe is so transporting me to childhood afternoons spent at the Nature Company, obsessively deciding which tiger's eye or rose quartz specimen to spend my precious allowance on. It's time to pass this obsession on to my children.” — Ruane

“I am fortunate to have low-maintenance hair that I wash very infrequently — but when I do feel the need for a shampoo-and-conditioning session, I always, always reach for this French haircare brand’s conditioning mask. Thanks to the addition of antioxidant-rich prickly pear seed oil, the creamy conditioner imparts my hair with an astonishing silky softness — plus, it smells SO good. While a little goes a long way, the $70 price tag can definitely induce sticker shock, which is why I will never hesitate to stock up when I see it on sale.” — Ruane

"After inheriting and trying out baby-slash-pet gates from a variety of brands, I can say with certainty that these Cumbor ones are my favorite, mostly because they don't require a physics degree to open and/or close. I actually already have a similar Cumbor gate that I bought off Facebook marketplace, but my younger daughter is getting a lot more mobile and I need to cordon off more areas of my home, stat, so I'll be taking advantage of this early Black Friday deal. I plan to stockpile one for my house and possibly a few for my parents’ place, where we’ll be spending a lot of time over the holidays.” — Ruane

“My husband recently bought a small Duplo building block kit for our kids while he was traveling, and my daughters are OBSESSED with it, so naturally I'm looking to get some more of these toddler-friendly Legos to give them as Christmas gifts. I love these mixed-block sets that are meant for creative play — I think they allow for more experimentation.” — Ruane

"I love this blanket (or hoodie?) so much that I've bought it for three other people in the past year. It's incredibly warm and cozy and I can still use my hands and walk around without it getting in the way since it's wearable. It also has pockets so I can put my phone or snacks in it when I'm lounging around my apartment." — Adaway

"For a while now I've used cheap knockoff wireless headphones — and on Black Friday, I'm going to step it up. Unlike the off-brand ones, AirPods use the same charger as my cellphone, meaning one less cord to lose, and they'll automatically connect with my phone and work computer, saving me time and the stress of screaming at the Bluetooth pairing. Also, real AirPods have up to a 24-hour battery life and are Siri-enabled." — Griffin Wynne, shopping writer

"I try to avoid having too many kitchen gadgets and appliances, and as a result have long held out on getting a juicer. But my near-daily habit of heading to the local juicery is getting out of control. It's time to invest in a home appliance, and this Breville machine is both highly rated and aesthetically pleasing. I love that it has an extra wide chute, meaning I can keep my chopping to a minimum and enjoy fresh juice ASAP. It's currently 20% off, so it's time to jump on it." — Uribe

"I grew up playing Mexican dominoes with my family and have been itching to get my own set for years. It's currently 20% off at Amazon, so I'm picking one up to enjoy during the holiday season. It's the perfect post-dinner game that everyone can enjoy. I love that you can keep a conversation flowing while playing and that it's simple enough for people of all ages to play." — Uribe

"I could pretend this Blueooth-enabled karaoke microphone is for my kids, but I'd be lying — it's for my sister (and for me) to terrorize my family over the holidays with heartfelt renditions of all the classic Disney songs that we grew up listening to.” — Ruane

"I'm intensely jealous of all the Instagram people out there with a Frame TV. Instead of having a big black box taking up space in their living room, these masters of aesthetics have a Frame, which becomes a beautiful work of art displaying digital artwork of their choosing. These were about 21% off during October Prime Day, and now the discounts are even deeper. You can find deals right now on the 43", 50" (seen here), 55", 65", 75" and 85" models." — Kristen Aiken, head of HuffPost Life

"I'm not a makeup or skincare person and I do not have a collection of potions and serums nor a 'nighttime routine.' However, this ice-face roller is easy enough and feels so good, even the laziest, the most product-adverse person (me) will love it. It lives in my freezer, never needs to be charged or changed or tampered with, and doesn't demand any extra creams or products for it to work. It feels so good on my face, relaxes my tight jaw, and helps when I'm feeling puffy or have a migraine coming on." — Wynne