By Elissa Sanci
Elissa Sanci is a writer on the discovery team. She has found that clear ice makes carbonated drinks taste better, and citronella candles don’t work.
The Wirecutter Deals team scans the virtual aisles of the Internet, searching for great discounts on Wirecutter-recommended products so you don’t have to. In our deal blog posts (like this one), we highlight the discounts that we think Wirecutter readers will love. For more deals information, check out our Deals page, follow us on Twitter @WirecutterDeals, and subscribe to our daily deals newsletter.
Even the tightest budget has a little wiggle room for a few good buys—and just because you’re watching your wallet doesn’t mean there aren’t things you need (or even just want really badly). That’s why our squad of Wirecutter Deals staffers has tirelessly pored through online sales to find these supremely affordable deals on some of Wirecutter’s must-have picks. We’ve collected the best, most affordable buys we’ve found under $27 so you can pick up the things you need without breaking the bank.
An inexpensive water pitcher and filter
Brita Everyday Pitcher with 1 Longlast Filter
Deal price: $27; street price: $36
Maybe the tap water isn’t the best to drink in your area. Maybe you just prefer the taste of filtered water. Whatever the reason, using a filtered pitcher and dispenser is the easiest way to purify water at home. The Brita Everyday Pitcher is a good choice for those looking for an inexpensive option. The 10-cup pitcher offers a good (though slightly imperfect) design, and the Longlast Filter lasts three times longer than other filters, though we do note in our guide that it can become clogged. This bundle, which includes the pitcher and one filter, is a great deal if you’re hunting for an affordable pitcher—the pitcher alone has a street price of almost this much, so you essentially get a free filter out of this deal.
Read our review of the best water filters and dispensers.
A reliable car phone mount
Kenu Airbase Pro Car Phone Mount
Deal price: $23; street price: $29
Unless your car comes equipped with CarPlay or Android Auto, you probably need a car phone mount to safely use your navigation system. The Kenu Airbase Pro Car Phone Mount is our favorite tension-arm-type mount. Though attaching and removing a phone with a tension-grip mount is not the easiest thing to do, the Kenu Airbase is the best mount you can use that doesn’t require adhering a magnetic metal plate to your phone. Easy to install, this mount is sturdy enough to support your handset even over the bumpiest roads. With the price now down to $23, this is a good chance to save if you’ve been looking for an easy way to mount your phone in your car.
Read our review of the best car phone mounts.
Fast-charging cable with a lifetime warranty
Anker PowerLine Lightning Cable (6-foot, White)
Deal price: $9; street price: $10
Do you feel like you never have enough charging cables? Do the extras you thought you had stashed in the junk drawer always seem to go missing? Stocking up on a few backup cables is never a bad idea, especially when they’re on sale. Now down to $9, the Anker PowerLine is our top Lightning cable pick for charging phones, tablets, and laptops quickly. These cables are great to have on hand because they’re fast, sturdy, inexpensive, and backed with a lifetime warranty.
Read our review of the best Lightning cables.
A powerful, affordable sprinkler
Melnor XT4200 Sprinkler
Deal price: $8; street price: $16
As the weather starts to get warmer, home gardeners have probably already started taking stock of their tools. If your inventory check finds you in need of a new sprinkler, the Melnor XT4200 is now down to only $8 from Woot. Essentially an all-plastic version of our top pick, the XT4200 offers the same watering power at a fraction of the price (though the base is less stable). With a simple setup and an easily manipulated water flow and spray length, this is a great choice if you’re seeking an affordable sprinkler.
Read our review of the best sprinklers.
Entryway storage for keys, papers, and more
Yamazaki Rin Magnetic Key Rack (Beige)
Deal price: $16; street price: $19
The Yamazaki Rin Magnetic Key Rack is part key rack, part mail storage. At just 7 inches long, it offers a compact size and multifunctionality, making it ideal for small entryways. It’s especially great for those who want to avoid drilling holes in the wall, because it’s the only key rack we found with a magnetic back that can stick to a metal door or the side of a fridge (but if you do want to mount it to a wall, it comes with screws and anchors too). Although the current price doesn’t represent a dramatic discount, retailers often charge a shipping fee for this item, so snagging it at a slight discount without added shipping is a nice bonus.
Read our review in our guide to great ways to declutter your home’s small entryway.
The best citrus press for budding bartenders and cooks
Chef’n FreshForce Citrus Juicer
Deal price: $13; street price: $17
If you’re a big proponent of a homemade cocktail (or if you just want to stock your bar cart with all the necessities), it may be a good idea to invest in a citrus juicer to give your hands a break. The Chef’n FreshForce juicer is our favorite hand juicer, and it’s way easier and faster to use than a handheld reamer. The geared hinge makes pressing citrus a breeze, and because it’s made of non-enameled and unpainted metal and plastic, nothing will chip off into a drink or a meal. With the price now down to $13, this is a good time to get an excellent hand juicer.
Read our review of the best barware for making cocktails at home.
Voice-activated assistant
Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen)
Deal price: $25; street price: $35
The Echo Dot is a mini version of the Amazon Echo. It provides an inexpensive way to introduce Alexa into your home—or to extend its reach to other parts of your house. Though it doesn’t sound as good as the Echo, it’s perfectly fine for talk radio and music (if you’re not looking for a speaker that fills the room). If the Dot is on your wishlist, we advise buying it now, as we’ve never seen the price drop this far for a single unit.
Read our review of the best Alexa speakers.
Meet your guide
Elissa Sanci is a senior staff writer for Wirecutter’s discovery team based in Denver. Her byline has appeared in The New York Times, Woman’s Day, Marie Claire, and Good Housekeeping. When she’s not testing TikTok-famous products or writing about car garbage cans, you can find her hiking somewhere in the Rockies or lying on the couch with a bowl of chips balanced on her chest. There is no in-between.