We spent the past week pouring through thousands of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals to find the best gifts and essentials that are actually worth our readers’ money. We rounded up sales from retailers like Amazon, Best Buy and Nintendo on tech, beauty staples, home items, kitchen essentials, fitness finds and more. In between our reporting and deal hunting, our staff also squeezed in some of our own shopping. Below, we’re sharing some standout items we scored during the busiest shopping days of the year. Collectively, we spent nearly $2,400 on gifts for ourselves and others.
SKIP AHEAD What we bought for ourselves | Gifts we bought for friends and family
What we bought for ourselves
Dagne Dover Small Landon Neoprene Carryall
Dagne Dover Large Hunter Toiletry Bag
The word ‘obsessed’ is overused, but I’m afraid I’m actually obsessed with this Landon crossbody. I bought my second one on Black Friday. The style is cool, but the best part is all its pockets and pouches. Every time I pull my phone out of the exterior phone pocket, someone asks me where I got my bag. So I like to give the Neoprene collection’s Hunter toiletry bag as a gift — it has the same features. And the neoprene is lightweight and easy to clean. – Leah Ginsberg, managing editor
Zojirushi 3-cup Rice Cooker
I’ve been wanting a rice cooker for years and am dying to make fresh hand rolls with warm rice. This one from Zojirushi felt like the right size since it’s just my husband and I and I know that Zojirushi rice cookers are elite, in my previous experience. – Lauren Swanson, editorial director
Apple iPad (10th Generation)
My 2018 Macbook Air is close to dying — it’s incredibly slow, overheats often and loses battery quickly. Instead of buying a new laptop, I opted to purchase this iPad. It won’t completely replace my computer, but I plan to use it to stream my favorite shows, check my email and shop online. I’m hoping using the iPad for battery-heavy activity, like Spotify and Netflix, will help keep my old laptop alive for a little longer. I also bought a keyboard to go with it, so I can type and send off messages quickly and easily. – Lindsay Schneider, editor
Gore Windstopper Thermo Gloves
My hands are getting very cold as temperatures hit the 40s and 30s in NYC, especially when I’m cycling outdoors. I plan to keep riding my bike outside this winter, so I purchased a lot of cold-weather cycling gear, including these gloves. The outside softshell has a laminated, windproof material, just like my cycling softshell jacket. If my hands are still cold using these, I might return them for a heavier-duty model. – Harry Rabinowitz, reporter
Hatch Restore 2
After constantly sleeping through alarms, I needed to find a solution and a new approach to waking up. This Hatch alarm clock is made to gently wake you up in the morning by gradually illuminating a sunrise light, while also making calming sounds that are gentle. You can also use it to wind down at the end of the day by choosing from the many sunsets, music, sounds, stories and rest exercises. – Bianca Alvarez, associate reporter
Frisco 40-in. Faux Fur Cat Tree & Condo
My cat Wanda loves to climb, so much so that she’s started climbing my bookshelves. I’ve been slowly but surely swapping out her old, shorter cat trees with much taller ones, and when I saw this, I had to buy it. I plan to put it next to my kitchen window so Wanda can watch pigeons, and I know she’s going to love snuggling up in the hut at the tree’s base during the winter. – Zoe Malin, associate updates editor
Mejuri Bold Pearl Drop Earrings
With my wedding in two weeks, I purchased these pearl drop earrings to wear on the big day. I’m not big on large, bulky earrings, so I love that these have an elegant, minimalist design. They’re made from gold vermeil, which is a thick 18-karat gold layer on sterling silver, according to the brand. – Mili Godio, updates editor
Instant Pot Milk Frother and Electric Steamer
I was looking for an espresso machine to make lattes, but the part I like best is the steamed, foamy milk, which is also great in regular coffee. So I bought this instead — it saved me at least $125. – Leah Ginsberg, managing editor
Neiwai Ballet Drawstring Joggers
I’ve been a ballet dancer my whole life and have recently started my weekly classes again, after a brief hiatus for marathon training. These joggers look great for barre work and keeping muscles warm when the studio is chilly during the winter. I was really drawn to the ankle drawstring — I plan to release it while commuting and then tug it tight during class so my teacher can properly see my feet and ankle movements. – Lauren Swanson, editorial director
Parachute Waffle Bootie
In the winter my feet just can’t seem to get warm. Even with socks on, my husband will complain that they feel like ice, so I’ve become obsessed with slippers. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get these Parachute booties that our updates editor, Mili Godio, is a fan of — especially since they were 75% off during Cyber weekend. I like that the bootie design gives them ankle support so I won’t have to feel like I’m sliding out of them. – Rebecca Rodriguez, editorial projects manager
Anker 65W Wall Charger
I have way too many tiny, single-port power bricks in my house. This wall charger will go next to my bed so I can charge my phone, smartwatch and earbuds overnight, all in the same brick. It has 65W of power, way more than enough to charge small devices. – Harry Rabinowitz, reporter
PopSockets Multiuse Phone Mount
I recently fell in love with PopSockets (I’m a decade late, I know) and I’ve had my eye on this compatible stand for a while. I finally snagged it since it’s on sale right now. I plan to keep it at my desk so my phone is always standing upright, making it easy for me to see notifications. It will also be great for video calls. – Zoe Malin, associate updates editor
Hoka Ora Recovery Slides
I’m sure everyone in my office is sick of me talking about it, but I recently ran the NYC marathon. As I continue to run and plan on training for future marathons, I bought these recovery slides that are made to be comfortable on your feet after a grueling 26.2 or even a quick 5K. – Lauren Swanson, editorial director
High-Waisted PowerSoft 7/8 Leggings for Women
I love Old Navy leggings — specifically the Power Soft line and took Cyber Week sales as an opportunity to do a restock. The fabric, which is made of 23% spandex 23%, is more compressive than other brands I’ve tried and feels great on my skin and body. The ⅞ length is perfect for my 5’3 frame. I also love that they have a side pocket and thick waistband. – Lindsay Schneider, editor
Everlane The Performance Chino
I’m seeing many 30 degree temperatures in the upcoming forecast for New York City, so I wanted a pair of dressy pants I could layer some thermal underwear under. I also bought a pair of their Straight Fit Corduroys for the same reason. I own lots of staples from Everlane — I’ve found their clothes to fit well and last longer than other brands. Knowing my size also makes it easier to take advantage of online sales like these. – Harry Rabinowitz, reporter
Epicka Universal Travel Adapter
I have an international trip planned for January 2024, so I purchased this travel adapter to bring along with me. It can work in over 200 countries and territories, according to the brand. I was also impressed with the amount of USB ports it has, and I plan to charge multiple devices at once. – Hannah Fuechtman, NBC Page
Bagsmart Large Toiletry Bag
I needed a new travel toiletry bag, and this is an NBC Select favorite. It’s roomy and has enough pockets and straps to keep all my makeup and skin care organized in one bag. I also like the option to hang it when space is tight. – Leah Ginsberg, managing editor
Harritpure 64×21-Inch Arched Full Length Mirror
I’ve wanted a standalone, full-length mirror for quite some time, but I didn’t love the high price tags of most options. This thin gold-rimmed mirror cost less than $100 and stands at 65 inches by 22 inches, making it a great fit in my apartment. It has a durable aluminum frame, and you can either mount it on the wall or use the back stand to place it anywhere in your home, according to the brand. – Mili Godio, updates editor
Apple Watch Series 9
My birthday fell on Black Friday this year, which was the perfect excuse to finally buy an Apple Watch. I love how you can choose from a high-performance sport band or a double-layer nylon sports loop and swap them out for other chicer options. I plan on using it to keep myself on track with my daily fitness and step goals, and to be more hands-free on a day-to-day basis, since the watch will accompany or even replace my iPhone usage in some ways. – Kelsey Fredricks, production coordinator
Rapha Core Winter Tights with Pad
Cold weather was a theme for my shopping this weekend. While I have a lot of layers and thermals, none of them have a cycling chamois pad built-in, and I’m told (by the internet) that the pad is generally supposed to be the first layer against your skin. I plan to use these tights to cycle against cold 40 and 30 degree temperatures this winter. I only buy Rapha gear when it’s on sale (it’s pretty pricey), and have found their Core Cycling Jersey and Core Shorts comfortable and well-fit to my body type (thin, narrow). – Harry Rabinowitz, reporter
Tweezerman Glass Nail Set
I had a glass nail file for years that I loved and it recently broke. When I went to reorder the same one, it turned out that the file was a limited edition item. So after a little research, I found this set from Tweezerman, which also included some other nail care things. I find that glass nail files help make your nails shiny without polish and also leave a cleaner finish when filing. – Lauren Swanson, editorial director
Gifts we bought for friends and family
Fullstar Compact Vegetable Chopper
The editors on our staff rave about this gadget, so I got influenced. I bought it as a gift but figured if it could help me eat more veggies by making prep easier, it’s worth a shot. So I bought one for myself, too. – Leah Ginsberg, managing editor
JBL Clip 4
I bought my niece this JBL Clip 4 for the holidays. I have one myself and I love how portable and powerful it is. I clip it on to bikes, backpacks and even belt loops. It also comes in fun colors, I got my niece the orange since that’s her favorite color. This way she can blast her favorite Swift albums (Taylor’s Version) anywhere. – Rebecca Rodriguez, editorial projects manager
Apple AirTag
AirTags do not go on sale often, and when they do, it’s usually only a dollar or two off. $5 off was enough of a discount to get my attention, especially as I start shopping for gifts for the holidays. I also bought Belkin AirTag holders — I know plenty of people with iPhones who will appreciate this gift. – Harry Rabinowitz, reporter
Women’s Cuddl Duds® Stretch Thermal Long Sleeve Crew Top and Leggings
I saw someone wearing these on TikTok, and they looked super comfy. They’re also very affordable. So for me that equals a perfect Hanukkah gift. – Leah Ginsberg, managing editor
Amazon Kindle Scribe
My sister is an avid reader who has been in the market for an e-reader with PDF editing features for over a year now. I found everything she could have dreamed of and more with the Kindle Scribe, which is lightweight and incredibly responsive to the basic pen attachment. It has the best handwriting capabilities of any tablet that I’ve tried thus far. – Ariadne Night, editorial assistant
Jonathan Adler Rainbow Hand Shaped Puzzle
I’m a big fan of Jonathan Adler accessories, so they’re my go-to for housewarming gifts. I took advantage of Black Friday to get this puzzle for some friends — I thought it was fun but cool, just like them. – Leah Ginsberg, managing editor
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Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
