One of the downsides of this job is the constant exposure to beautiful things (tough life, I know), as it makes it hard to avoid regularly buying new things for the home. One of the benefits, though, is the insider intel on upcoming sales, which means we know the best times to buy those things. And Amazon Prime Day, which is on right now, is one of those times.
You likely already knew that. Sale periods can be overwhelming with a seemingly constant stream of advertising. So, I'm here to try and cut through the noise. To narrow your search, and help you score some seriously good deals on some seriously good stuff for your home.
Below, I asked the Livingetc editors to share what they've been saving up to buy during this Amazon Prime Day. From kitchen appliances to clever tech, here's what went straight into their shopping cart.
1. A Cool Olive Oil
While my partner is definitely the cook in our kitchen, I like to think of myself as the 'curator' — the one who'll spend hours sifting through the shelves of a local deli or homewares store to find the coolest looking [insert whichever ingredient]. Do I know what to do with it once I've bought it? Absolutely not. But will it look good casually left out on our counter? You bet. And having just returned from a weekend in Athens, where I found myself literally drinking olive oil out of the bottom of the bowl at one point, I've got my heart set on finding an equally high-quality, high-style option for our own kitchen. Typically costing £40, this 'Drizzle' oil from Graza is on sale right now, and went straight into my shopping cart.
2. The Ninja™ CREAMi® Ice Cream Maker
"The Ninja CREAMi has been on the top of my wishlist for over a year now," says Livingetc's design writer, Maya Glantz. "This Amazon Prime Day, I’m finally ready to take the plunge. I’ve been putting the purchase off based on the relatively high price point, but if there’s an appropriate time to invest in my nightly sweet treat, it’s Amazon Prime Day. Plus, now that they’ve released their upgraded version, I’m hoping that the original will be on for an even lower price. The lesson is: good things come to those who wait."
This one comes with three tubs, has seven programs, and makes ice cream (1.4 liters of it!), gelato, sorbet, smoothie bowls, milkshakes, and way more. If this one's a little big for your kitchen, we also rate this Ninja CREAMi alternative from Cuisinart.
3. The Coolest Colorful Fan
In case you missed the memo, it's hot right now. Stores are literally selling out of portable air conditioners, and it seems we're all scrambling to find ways to cool ourselves and our homes down.
Not Livingetc's design writer Olivia Wolfe, though. While she had been patiently hoping that this totally on-trend butter yellow fan would be discounted during Amazon Prime Day, considering it only costs just over £40, she bought it anyway.
"Anyone who knows me knows that I love all things color, so this butter yellow pedestal fan, which adjusts to three different heights quickly caught my eye," she says. "Everything is an opportunity to add more color, and if this shade isn't your style, it also comes in a fresh minty green, a bright purple, and white for those minimalists out there."
4. A Steamer With Style
Me again — on a recent trip to Copenhagen, I found a STEAMERY clothes steamer in the hotel room drawer (good hotel, right?) and pounced at the opportunity to give it a go. As someone who typically doesn't have the time (or patience) for an iron, I have own a steamer in the past, but the tank would often run out of water after one sleeve so I quickly lost patience for that, too. I've always thought the STEAMERY steamers look so good, but for quite a bit more than I'd originally spent, wanted to know if they were actually worth it. This one worked a treat, and after steaming my whole shirt, I'd barely used any water at all. Plus, I didn't get any drips of water on my shirt in the process. So you bet a stylish hand steamer went straight on my Amazon Prime Day shopping list.
5. A Pretty Portable Cassette Player
Forget the recent record player trend, "As a child of the 90s and someone obsessed with all things analog, I've been waiting for months to get my hands on this Bluetooth cassette player," Livingetc's deputy print editor, Ellen Finch, tells me.
"For me, it wins hands-down over others based purely on the design — fun, colorful, and chic, with just the right amount of retro appeal," she adds. "I also appreciate that the case is sleek aluminum, rather than plastic — a big tick for me. Now to stock up on some tapes!"
And even though this one didn't get discounted as part of Amazon Prime Day, sometimes things are so cool they're simply worth paying full price for.
6. A Luxury Lavender-Scented Candle
As the ultimate giftable item, I have somewhat of an aversion to ever having to pay (or at least, full price) for candles. And it seems Livingetc's renovation editor, Faiza Saqib, feels the same way, having used the Amazon Prime Day sales as a chance to buy this luxe lavender candle for an absolute steal.
"Who doesn't love a nice-smelling home? For me, candles are my go-to when it comes to creating a calm, relaxing, and aromatic atmosphere," she tells me. "I've had my eye on the La Jolie Muse lavender candle from Amazon for a while now. Aside from its gorgeous scent, the design and color are what captured my attention, and I'm already thinking of all the ways I can use the vessel once the candle has burned out."
With an average burn time of 80 hours, and so many scents to pick from — think dark berries and bergamont, sandalwood rose, and passionfruit peony — now is the time to grab one for yourself (or stock up your own gift drawer).
And now you know what the Livingetc editors thought was obviously worth buying during the Amazon Prime Day sales, find out the things we'd never buy from Amazon, and save yourself from falling for the trap — on sale or not.
