12 Cyber Monday Deals the WIRED Team Snapped Up

It is general consensus among the WIRED Gear team that this year’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales have been a bit … lackluster. While we still did find some very good deals, between shipping delays, supply chain issues, a global pandemic, and tighter budgets than ever, there seemed to be less of them than usual. Being gear enthusiasts, that didn’t stop us. We wouldn’t be product experts without a passion for gadgets and gizmos. Here are some of the things that made us whip out our wallets.

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For Function

Living in a golden age of entertainment with a massive library of amazing TV shows and movies at our fingertips is great and all, but it’s getting harder to choose what to watch and to remember what I’ve seen. I bought a Chromecast with Google TV because it promises to merge all my streaming services into a single interface and remember what I’ve watched.—Simon Hill, Contributing reviewer

I recently changed cell carriers and traded in my old phone for an iPhone 13. This, paired with the discounted wall adapter we recommend, means I’ll be able to charge it once it arrives since Apple decided to forego including them.—Louryn Strampe, product reviewer

Who wants to bend down every day to clean up pet hair or dropped food? Not me. So I’ve been scoping out one of these for a year or so, after spotting larger versions in hair salons. It’s not the biggest deal, but it’s cheaper than I’ve seen it.—Medea Giordano, product reviewer

Rarely can I say a tech purchase truly changed my life, but this standing desk did. By breaking up my day into periods of sitting and standing, I felt a gradual reduction in back pain, and there’s just something cool about pressing a button and watching my desk slide up or down. I paid full price for mine a couple of years back, but I have never regretted it.—Simon Hill, Contributing reviewer

I caved and got the Elgato Stream Deck. I like buttons; I like little customizable screens; and I like hyper-personalized shortcuts, so I got this guy. I don’t even stream that much, but this kind of customizable software, which makes doing tasks while streaming efficient, is also super useful in day-to-day work (which is also why I use gaming mice and keyboards for work!)—Eric Ravenscraft, product reviewer  

For Fun

Backbone, Amazon (Sold Out)

I picked up the Backbone One (8/10, WIRED Recommends) because it’s freaking impossible to get an Xbox, PS5, or any other kind of PC or gaming console right now. If you want to try cloud gaming, the Backbone One is an affordable way to do so—it turns your phone into a portable console and comes with a three-month trial of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Tell your friend who keeps bugging you to play Call of Duty that you’re doing the best you can.—Adrienne So, reviews editor

Was this giant psychedelic stuffie on sale? Not even a little bit. But who could resist that adorable nose or tie-dyed hat? Who could ignore the promise of a giant, post-Cyber Monday hug for a mere $20? Not me, reader. His name is Raymond. How could I not buy him?!—Louryn Strampe, product reviewer

I’m currently testing this Teddy Fresh hoodie out for our Best Loungewear guide, and then the company came out with a matching dog version. So I didn’t have a choice and picked up another hoodie for my partner so we can all match. Someone also told me I was trendy for wearing Teddy Fresh, so I see all of this as an absolute win.—Julian Chokkattu, reviews editor

I’ve wanted a crazy pink Christmas tree since seeing Annabelle’s Wish as a kid (the owner was the villain but that’s neither here nor there). I’ve always opted for the traditional route, but I need a new one and this deal spoke to me. Life’s too short to deny yourself a pink tree.—Medea Giordano, product reviewer

It’s been six years since Google debuted its Google Home speaker powered by Google Assistant. I’ve had it sitting in my living room for that length of time. It still works well, though it definitely doesn’t pick up my voice commands as well as it used to (yes, I blew into the mics like you would an SNES cartridge). Time to upgrade! The Nest Audio is cheaper than the OG Google Home, and I rather like the Sand color. It’s been on my radar since I read WIRED editor Parker Hall’s review, and this deal was too good to pass up. —Julian Chokkattu, reviews editor

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When I went to Japan a few years ago, I was able to get a pair of brand-new prescription glasses at a mall in 30 minutes (without even submitting a prescription). Amazing. That’s when I fell in love with Jins. I’ve since bought another pair, and over the past three years, the quality of the lenses has been exceptional. Usually, my old Warby Parker glasses would get all scratched up after a year. But Jins? Crystal clear. This will be my third pair, not because I needed new glasses, but there are so many fun designs to choose from. —Julian Chokkattu, reviews editor

I’ve been waiting for Google to release a new Nest Wifi with Wi-Fi 6 support—for future proofing—but alas my patience wore thin. I didn’t need to upgrade my Google Wifi (six years old!), but my coverage in my bedroom was poor. I couldn’t play Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on my Switch in there without the game lagging (and my friends cursing out my internet). Moving to a completely new system sounded annoying, and I didn’t want to install yet another app. So I caved and got the Nest Wifi. It already arrived, and transitioning to it was seamless. Whaddaya know, I can now kick butt in Smash from the comfort of my bed. —Julian Chokkattu, reviews editor

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