The 10 Prime Day deals that are most popular with Verge readers

It may not surprise anyone who is tech-aware that publications such as The Verge track the affiliate links that are clicked by their readers — in fact, every article that links to a vendor has this statement on top: “If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission.”

So we will be totally honest with you: we do have some idea of which products our readers are purchasing during Amazon Prime Day. (But no, we have no idea what you personally purchased.) And it can be interesting to see what the more popular products are — because they are definitely not all tech. In case you also find it as interesting as we do, these are some of the top products that you, our readers, have purchased during Prime Day through our site.

AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation

It’s typically difficult to find a sale on anything Apple, so when there’s the chance to get $60 off on the latest gen of Apple’s earbuds, a bunch of people are going to take advantage of it. Interestingly, Apple has two versions of its base model; the one that readers loved the most comes with active noise cancelling and costs $119 at Amazon. (The version without ANC but with the same good audio quality is also popular, but is further down this list.)

Anker’s Nano travel adapter

It’s nice to know that I’m not the only one who needs a portable charger that is truly portable — in other words, you can pop it into your bag or pocket and not feel as if you’ve just added several pounds to your load. I’ve had mine for several months now, and have found it a great addition to my day-to-day carry-alongs. The black version is the cheapest, costing $19.99 (originally $29.99) at Amazon.

Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C

While $60 off of the latest AirPods is a good deal, it’s the first time that we’ve seen $100 off of the Pro 2 version with the USB-C charging case. These have noise cancellation, along with even better sound quality and onboard volume controls. So those readers for whom those are must-haves are probably going for this one instead.

The LifeStraw personal water filter

What with the EPA suspending employees and rolling back rules protecting drinking water, it’s probably a good idea to make sure the water you drink is properly filtered, even if you’re not camping or traveling. The LifeStraw is a handy way to keep your water (even from natural fresh water sources) safe to drink; you can either use it at home, or take it with you while traveling. It removes bacteria, parasites, and other nasty things from water before it enters your body.

Thermacell’s E55 rechargeable mosquito repeller

I’m one of those people who seems to attract mosquitos — if I venture even close to any kind of mosquito-laden environment, I will emerge covered with irritating and itchy bumps. And some of our readers probably have the same problem, which will account for the popularity of the Thermacell rechargeable mosquito repeller. It’s tough not to be tempted to buy one when it’s down to $17.68 at Amazon.

Hoto’s electric screwdriver kit, but of course

This rechargeable screwdriver has been a Verge favorite for several years — I’m not sure how many of us have one, but it’s several — and our readers seem to like it as well. Which makes sense: anyone who is a hands-on do-it-yourselfer, or who even wants to make sure they can do minor fixes easier, will want to check this out. The kit includes a magnetic case and 25 steel bits.

GripStic’s assorted bag clips

One of our editors, when he saw that these bag clips was on the list of our popular items, wondered if we should include them on this list — until another editor raised a virtual hand and said, “Oh, I want ‘em!” Anyway, apparently, a lot of our readers agree; these look like they can be incredibly handy for sealing the various packages (chips, cereal bags) that are prone to getting stale. This is a 12-pack, containing a variety of sizes.

Another chance to get a deal on Apple’s AirPods; this time, the simpler version, without active noise cancellation or wireless charging, but they’ve got good sound and if you’re part of the Apple ecosystem, they’re a good deal at $40 off.

The Slice auto-retractable box cutter

I’ve got an old-fashioned box cutter at home that I’m constantly pulling out — and that I’ve got to be very, very careful about, because if that blade doesn’t go all the way back into its holder, somebody might end up with a nasty cut. Which is probably why this retractable, finger-friendly ceramic blade is so popular; especially if you’re as fumble-fingered as I am.

The 11-inch M3 Apple iPad Air with two years of AppleCare

And back to Apple: the 11-inch M3 iPad Air (128GB Wi-Fi), which is not only at an all-time low price of $538.99 ($139 off) for Prime Day, but includes two years of AppleCare factored into the price (it’s $479 without this perk). According to reviewer David Pierce, the main difference between this and its predecessor is that it runs on an M3 chip. Otherwise, it’s simply an excellent tablet.