Yahoo Finance Amazon Prime Day 2021: Best early deals from Apple, Nintendo, Samsung and more
Amazon has officially announced the start date for its annual Prime Day sale for 2021 and there’s now just three days until the main shopping event.
Traditionally held in early summer, Amazon Prime Day is one of the internet’s biggest sales, offering customers a huge range of discounts on everything from TVs and tablets to coffee machines. Last year, it was postponed from its usual slot in July to October in order to better support the safety of employees during the coronavirus pandemic, leaving many shoppers wondering if the event will go ahead in 2021.
But now, the company has confirmed that the annual sales event will be taking place and it’s even earlier than expected. According to a press release from Amazon, Prime Day will take place from 21 June to 22 June this year, meaning the main event is ramping up.
Prior to the announcement, Amazon’s CFO Brian Olsavsky hinted that Prime Day would take place sooner out of concern for transportation slowdowns in July and the potential impact of the Olympics, according to CNET. “We are going to do it on a date where we think it’ll get more attention for our customers, and also for our vendors,” Olsavsky said.
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Amazon Prime Day 2021 – live: When is it and the best early deals to shop now
Despite last year’s bargain-fest taking place later than planned, it proved to be one of the most successful yet, particularly for small- and medium-sized businesses, as people got a head start on their Christmas shopping. Amazon revealed that Prime Day 2020 delivered more than a million deals, resulting in the two biggest days ever for third-party sellers, which saw sales surpassing $3.5bn (£2.5bn) across 19 countries – an increase of nearly 60 per cent on the year before.
In 2021 Amazon is expected to deliver its biggest sale yet with more than two million deals and huge reductions on everything from tech and home appliances to beauty and clothing. Here, we take a look at everything you need to know about Amazon Prime Day 2021, from when it is to who can take part and how to find the best deals.
Our IndyBest team hand-picks every deal we feature. We may earn some commission from the links in this article, but our selections have been made independently and without bias. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
What is Prime Day?
Amazon Prime Day is an annual flash sale that sees the retailer reduce prices on a range of products for customers with a Prime membership.
The first Prime Day took place in 2015 and lasted 24 hours, and each year since has followed a similar procedure.
However, in 2019 the sale was extended to last 48 hours, giving shoppers more time to sift through the extensive number of deals.
When is Prime Day?
The retailer has confirmed that Prime Day 2021 will take place from 21 June to 22 June.
How can I take part?
Amazon Prime Day’s discounts aren’t on offer to everyone who visits the site. Instead, they are exclusively for those who have an Amazon Prime membership.
Membership costs £7.99 a month or £79 for a year, and subscribers are eligible for perks including same-day delivery, over 800,000 free e-books and access to Prime Video and Amazon Music services.
If you’re already a Prime member, you will automatically get access to the deals, but if you’re not yet and want to take advantage of the huge savings on offer, you can sign up for a 30-day trial anytime before the sale begins.
Can students take part?
Students can also take advantage of Amazon Prime Day by signing up for Amazon Student.
Perks of the student subscription, which costs £3.99 a month, include unlimited premium delivery, unlimited reading on any device (ie, on an iPad or Kindle, access to Prime Video and unlimited photo storage.
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There are other benefits too, including exclusive discounts such as 10 per cent off selected fashion products.
If you have a valid email address from a recognised institution to qualify, you can sign up here for a lengthy six-month trial.
How to get a free Prime account for 30 days to use for Prime Day 2021
If you have yet to become an Amazon Prime member but want to get in on the action ahead of the big event, you can sign up for a 30-day trial to gain access to the sale.
While you won’t be charged for the trial period, you will need to input your card details when signing up, as Amazon automatically converts you to a paid membership after 30 days. But, if you decide to cancel ahead of the trial ending, you won’t be charged, which means you can get free access to the Prime Day event.
What’s different this year?
For Prime Day 2021, Amazon has revealed it will be spending more than $100 million on promotional activities to encourage shoppers to buy from small businesses.
It will be offering more than a million deals from small and medium-sized businesses, along with an initiative that gives Prime subscribers £10 credit to spend during the Prime Day event when they spend £10 on items from small UK businesses between 7 and 20 June. This offer includes products bought from Amazon Handmade and Amazon Launchpad.
Alongside that, the online retailer’s charity initiative, AmazonSmile, will also be donating five per cent of customers’s first Prime Day purchase to their chosen charity – 10 times the normal donation.
Amazon has also confirmed that there will be more than two million deals worldwide to shop, making it the biggest Prime Day event yet.
How can you get the best deals?
As well as assistance from our savvy shopping experts, it’s important to be prepared by adding items you’d like to snap up to your wish list so that, when the time comes, you can sit down for a cup of tea as you checkout with everything already in your basket. Easy peasy.
We’d also recommend you download the Amazon app. This is an easy place to track Lightning Deals, which are only active for a few hours at a time. You can also set up alerts so that you’re pinged when a discount goes live.
What were the best deals last year?
Last year, some of the best deals on Prime Day were on Amazon’s own-brand devices, including the Echo dot, which dropped from £39.99 to £18.99 and the Echo show 5, which was down from £79.99 to £39.99.
Kindles and Fire HDMI sticks saw impressive discounts too. The Amazon Kindle was on sale for £49.99, down from £79.99, while the Fire stick 4K went from £49.99 to £24.99. You can definitely expect similar price drops on Prime Day this year.
Other discounts included savings on TVs, coffee machines, headphones and vacuum cleaners from top brands including Philips, Nespresso, Nintendo, Shark, Samsung, Sony and many more.
Amazon also reported that, outside of electronics and devices, some of the bestselling categories on Prime Day incorporated games and puzzles as people looked for ways to stay entertained during lockdown. Some of the biggest sellers including Jenga (£14.97, Amazon.co.uk), Monopoly (£16.99, Amazon.co.uk) and Guess Who (£16.99, Amazon.co.uk).
Confirmed Prime Day deals 2021
With just days to go until the main event, Amazon has confirmed a selection of deals that will run across the two-day shopping bonanza.
Highlights include an impressive 50 per cent off the Amazon Echo dot 4th generation smart speaker (£49.99, Amazon.co.uk), up to 30 per cent off selected home appliance brands including Shark, Ninja, Hoover, Samsung and Bosch, and up to 35 per cent off smartphones and wearables from Samsung, Garmin and Xiaomi.
If you’re looking for boozy discounts, expect up to 35 per cent off beer, wine and spirits including Jack Daniels and Aviation Gin. Plus, there’s up to 25 per cent to save TVs, soundbars, streaming devices and projectors from Apple, Samsung, Bose and more.
Beauty buffs should prep their wishlists now, as Amazon will be offering up to 30 per cent off products from big-name brands including Elemis, Elizabeth Arden, and This Works, as well as up to 50 per cent off make-up from L’Oreal Paris, Maybelline, Real Techniques and more.
Ask Amazon’s Alexa for early Prime Day deals
From 12pm on 18 June, Prime members will be able to ask Alexa what Prime Day deals will be on offer and start shopping for bargains early.
Alexa, the retailer’s virtual assistant, can be found on the Amazon Echo smart speaker along with the Echo dot (£34.99, Amazon.co.uk) and Echo studio (£189.99, Amazon.co.uk), as well as many speakers, smart TVs, fitness trackers and more sold by Amazon.
Best early Amazon Prime Day deals 2021
Shark cordless stick vacuum cleaner: Was £379.99, now £295.03, Amazon.co.uk
Shark is a reputable brand for vacuum cleaners and has appeared in our best pet vacuum cleaners guide as well as our review of the best cordless vacuums, so we can attest to its quality.
This model has a flexible head and is free from cables, so it won’t get tangled, and also allows you to clean those harder-to-reach nooks and crannies. Not only that, it has a 40-minute running time on a full charge, and is made with Shark’s anti-hair-wrap technology, so it will clean the brush head as it sucks up dirt from your carpet and hardwood floors.
Apple AirPods pro: Was £249, now £189, Amazon.co.uk
Apple’s premium in-ear wireless buds are comfortable to wear for extended periods, and come in a stylish compact charging case that provides more than 24 hours of power in a single charge. In our round-up of the best wireless earbuds, our reviewer was suitably enamoured, saying they “offer some of the best noise-cancelling in any in-ear headphones”.
Nespresso vertuo plus coffee machine: Was £199.99, now £75, Amazon.co.uk
Save more than 50 per cent on Nespresso’s popular vertuo plus coffee machine in the lead up to Prime Day. Producing barista quality brews at home with ease, the model earned a spot in our review of the best pod machines with our reviewer saying “this Nespresso machine can provide you with everything from a single espresso to a longer drink, as well as everything in between.”
Fitbit versa 3: Was £199.99, now £169, Amazon.co.uk
In our review of the Fitbit versa 3 versus the Fitbit sense, our tester rated the watch for its generous screen size that is perfect for physical interaction. “Its design is, along with the sense, among the best on the market, and the wide array of clock face options has something for everyone – there’s space on the watch to save five faces, but the Fitbit app’s library is easy to use,” they said.
Samsung galaxy S20 ultra 5G mobile phone: Was £1199, now £729.99, Amazon.co.uk
Don’t miss out on an impressive saving of nearly 40 per cent on Samsung’s newly launched galaxy S20 smartphone. Boasting 5G connectivity, a huge 6.9in QHD+ display, a 48-megapixel telephoto camera, a 108-megapixel wide camera and an incredibly detailed space zoom up to 100x, as well as a 40-megapixel camera on the front – it’s a no brainer really.
Samsonite flux expandable suitcase, medium: Was £179.00, now £75.18, Amazon.co.uk
The British weather can often be described as changeable, so thankfully this Samsonite expandable suitcase has plenty of room for your swimming costume and woolly jumpers. Now with 58 per cent off, it’s perfect for your staycation. It has 360-degree wheels along with a fully-lined interior with a zipped divider pad, large hinge pocket and functional elastic cross ribbons for painless packing.
Amazon Echo buds wireless earbuds: Was £119.99, now £49.99, Amazon.co.uk
Amazon’s Echo buds promise crisp audio, comfort and a customised fit, not to mention impressive noise-cancelling abilities using Bose sound technology. There’s currently an exclusive deal just for Prime customers, with the retailer dropping the earbuds to just £49.99 – that’s a 58 per cent reduction, making it the buds’ lowest price ever.
If you’re already an owner of Amazon products, you’ll be pleased to know the pair works hands-free with Alexa, allowing you to stream music, make calls or check your calendar using your voice. The buds boast long-lasting battery life with up to five hours playback per charge and up to two hours after a quick 15-minute charge. Storing them away in the charging case means you can enjoy up to 20 hours of playback time.
Coredy R750 robot vacuum cleaner: Was £379.99, now £279.99, Amazon.co.uk
If you’ve been weighing up investing in a robot vacuum cleaner, why not snap up this Coredy model on Prime Day and save nearly 30 per cent. With voice and app controls including Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, you can use verbal commands to start and stop the device. Beyond vacuuming, the Coredy also boasts mopping and anti-pet-hair technology, to help ensure a thorough clean.
Tower T17021 manual air fryer oven: Was £69.99, now £44.50, Amazon.co.uk
This Tower air fryer oven currently has 46 per cent off. The versatile machine can be used to cook meat, fish, vegetables and even cakes while using less oil and therefore less fat.
A healthier alternative to cooking with lots of oil, it has a 60-minute timer for speedy meals after you’ve finished work or the kids are home from school, with options including fry, grill, bake and roast, to cook up a variety of dishes.
Nintendo Switch lite, coral: Was £209.99, now £189, Amazon.co.uk
Andrew Griffin,The Independent’s technology editor and avid gamer, described the Nintendo Switch Lite as “a cheaper and lighter version [of the original] that can be carried around. It will suit anyone on a budget, with limited space or who never wants to play it on their TV anyway.” While not the best deal yet, it’s currently reduced by £18 – anything’s better than nothing, right?
Panasonic TX-55HX600BZ: Was £699, now £479, Amazon.co.uk
The Panasonic TX-55HX600BZ is an accomplished 55in 4K LED TV with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, so the picture and sound are both great. Dolby Atmos uses speakers to bounce sound off the ceiling for a more immersive effect. It’s currently reduced to £489.
Jack Daniel’s limited edition gentleman Jack Tennessee whiskey, 1 litre: Was £50, now £37.50, Amazon.co.uk
The premium version of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskey, the main difference is that it’s double mellowed – meaning it’s been filtered through charcoal before being filled into the barrel and bottled. With notes of maple syrup, fruit and vanilla spice, enjoy on its own on the rocks or mix with Coke.
Apple watch SE, 44mm: Was £349, now £297.37, Amazon.co.uk
Track and meet your fitness goals with Apple’s SE watch, currently discounted by nearly £50. The GPS and cellular model allows you to text, call, get directions and stream music all without your phone. In our review of the device, our tester praised its “dazzling design, intuitive notifications, accurate heart rate monitoring, slick activity tracking and sleep monitoring, scores of watch faces, warnings when you’re in an over-noisy environment, fall detection and much more.”
Asus Zenbook S13 UX393 13.9in: Was £1,499.99, now £999.99, Amazon.co.uk
The Asus Zenbook S13 is a vanishingly thin laptop with a toughened magnesium alloy chassis, a 4K display, a super fast i7 processor and 16GB of memory. A 14 hour battery life means you can confidently use it all day without worrying about recharging, while the 1TB SSD hard drive gives you oodles of storage to play with. This is an enormous discount on a fantastic laptop, and one that even Prime Day might struggle to beat.
Amazon echo dot, 4th gen: Was £97.93, now £34.99, Amazon.co.uk
One of Amazon’s bestselling home devices, this smart speaker is currently nearly half price – so make sure you snap it up while it’s still available. Promising crisp vocals and balanced bass, you can use it to listen to music and the radio while also using voice control for your entertainment – from music to podcasts and audiobooks, as well as streaming services such as Amazon Music, Spotify and Apple Music. It comes with Alexa built-in, so you can also make use of it as your personal assistant and check the weather, ask it questions, play the news and more.
Ninja foodi electric multi-cooker OP300UK pressure cooker and air fryer: Was £199.99, now £172.41, Amazon.co.uk
This dishwasher safe two-in-one air fryer and pressure cooker is perfect for whipping up quick and healthy meals. With the brand’s own technology, which it calls “tendercrisp” it ensures your dinner is crispy when it’s meant to be, and not soggy. The appliance comes equipped with a 6l cooking pot, a reversible rack, pressure lid and crisping lid. We’ve also tested a similar Ninja model, the Ninja airfryer AF100UK, which was chosen as our best buy in our guide to the best air fryers.
Blink Mini compact indoor plug-in smart security camera: Was £64.99, Now £43.98, Amazon.co.uk
Now we are (finally) leaving the house again, it may be time to invest in some new home security. Now with 32 per cent off, this 1080p HD indoor, wired security camera with motion detection and two-way audio means you can monitor your home day and night. The audio is a really cool function that allows you to remind your house sitter to check the backdoor from the comfort of your sun lounger or reassure your puppy that you are coming home soon. Get alerted whenever motion is detected via a simple smartphone app and customise motion detection zones so you can see what matters most.
FIFA 21 standard: Was £59.99, now £17.99, Amazon.co.uk
If you’re already a FIFA fan, this is one to add to your collection, especially with its 70 per cent discount. With more ways to play and more locations to choose from, look forward to a true-to-life footballing experience. Players are capable of higher-level decision making, so you can flex your creativity on the pitch, while new developments in career mode allow you to lead your team to the top with upgraded matches, transfers and training.
Amazon eero Pro mesh wifi router/extender: Was £149, Now £97, Amazon.co.uk
Say goodbye to endless loading times with this high performing wifi router/extender. Now with 35 per cent off, this modem offers tri-band speed and can connect to your existing router to bring up to 160 sq.m of fast, reliable wi-fi to all corners of your home. We featured a similar model in our round-up of the best wifi routers for a speedy connection throughout your home. Our reviewer raved about the Eero, saying: “Set-up is fast and extremely straightforward, and like the Google Nest wifi it has a highly useful app. Signal strength is solid and reliable, perhaps the easiest to use of all the routers here.”
Google pixel 3a sim-free smartphone: Was £299, now £137.28, Amazon.co.uk
The Google pixel is a firm favourite for us with different models of this phone featuring twice on our best budget smartphones guide. The 3a has 64gb storage, a primary camera with 12.2 megapixels and a front camera with 8 megapixels. It also operates on Android and its screen is 5.6 inches. Plus, with more than 50 per cent off, you’re getting a bargain if you buy this mobile.
Philips essential air fryer, extra large: Was £230, now £159.99, Amazon.co.uk
Grill, roast, fry, bake and more with the Philips air fryer, currently 30 per cent off on Amazon. Helping you make healthy and great tasting food with 90 per cent less fat, the fryer boasts a 1.2kg capacity for five portions of food that uses hot air to cook your meals to perfection. The digital temperature control allows you to pre-set the best heat for your food while the model’s non-stick and dishwasher safe parts makes it a breeze to clean.
New Balance men’s 520v7 shoes: Was £60, now £39.99, Amazon.co.uk
New Balance is known for its running shoes, and, in fact, its designs are a firm favourite of ours at IndyBest. We’ve featured the fresh foam 1080v11s (£104.99, Amazon.co.uk) in our guide to the best men’s running shoes. These 520v7 shoes look like they’re the perfect pair of trainers for pairing with jeans and a tee, or could be worn for your next trip to the gym – versatility at its best.
Prime Video – Prime members can enjoy 50 per cent off TV shows and movies to rent or buy through Amazon’s streaming service.
Amazon devices – From 7 to 22 June, Prime members can save up to 50 per cent on Amazon’s bestselling devices, including, Echo, Fire TV and Ring.
Amazon Music – If you’re a Prime member with a keen interest in music, you can access the four months of free listening with unlimited access to more than 70 million ad-free songs and millions of podcasts.
Audible – Until 22 June, Prime subscribers can enjoy three months of Audible membership for 99p, which includes access to new releases, bestsellers and Audible Original audiobooks and podcasts.
Kindle– Between now and 22 June, Prime members can take advantage of three months of Kindle Unlimited for no extra charge. From 15 to 30 June, more than 300 books available on Kindle will be on sale for 99p.
Prime Gaming – Until 21 June, Prime members can claim Battlefield 4 standard edition (valued at £17.99), for free on gaming.amazon.co.uk.
Amazon home, electronic and sports – There’s 20 per cent off selected styles from Amazon brands, ranging from furniture products to personal care items across brands including Alkove, Rivet, Movian, Amazon Basics, Umi and Eono.
Amazon Launchpad and Amazon Handmade– You can now save up to 30 per cent when shopping with small businesses on Amazon Launchpad and Amazon Handmade, spanning electronics, beauty products, homeware and gifts.
Voucher codes
For the latest discounts on tech, home appliances and more, try the links below:
Read more on Amazon Prime Day 2021
Best Prime Day home appliance deals – We’re expecting huge savings across big-name brands such as Shark, Dyson, Nespresso and Philips
Best Prime Day tech deals – Whether it’s a new phone, tablet, laptop or noise-cancelling headphones, you’ll find the best deal here
Best Prime Day Nintendo Switch deals – Calling all gamers: prepare for big discounts on the popular console and bundles
Best Prime Day fashion and clothing deals – With prices slashed on dresses, jeans and more, it’s time to get your re-entry outfit planned
Best Prime Day kids’ toys deals – Find discounts on toys, gadgets and board games for kids of all ages
Best Prime Day TV deals – Update your at-home cinema experience without paying full price with our featured deals
Best Prime Day gaming deals – Looking for a new console, or after a new controller or game? Here are the best deals for gamers
Best Prime Day fitness deals – From yoga mats to dumbbells, snap up these savings and upgrade your home workout
Best Prime Day laptop deals – This year we expect big discounts on MacBooks, Microsoft Surface laptops and more
Best Prime Day Amazon device deals – Get ready for big savings on Amazon’s cutting-edge smart home tech
Best Prime Day Apple deals – With rarely seen savings on the brand’s products, it’s the perfect time to invest in new tech
Best Prime Day alcohol deals – All the boozy savings you need to know about on spirits, wine and beer
