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Like most of these sales, Labor Day has come and gone. If you're still looking to save on great Wirecutter picks, check out the Deals page to see all the best savings.
For many, Labor Day signals dwindling summer days and autumn on the horizon. Peak vacation season draws to a close—during the remainder of September, Halloween decoration prep will begin, sweaters and boots will be dredged out of storage, and outdoor activities from swimming to grilling to camping will get their last hurrah as folks nestle in for colder weather.
The sales we see on Labor Day reflect that dynamic. Outdoor gear, mattresses, appliances, and more will all be discounted to some of the best prices we’ll see all year. But proceed with caution—not all the prices out there are worth your time. To help you get the most out of the sales, we’ll highlight the best deals we can find on Wirecutter-recommended picks throughout the day.
Standalone appliance discounts worthy of your attention have become ever more difficult to find—supply chain issues and inflation, along with continuing heightened demand, make it challenging to get meaningful discounts. There are better times to buy than others and ways to avoid paying the list price—purchasing appliances in sets and taking advantage of financing offers (if needed) can help you get the most out of the small discounts we do see. Right now, we’re tracking appliance sales from various big retailers, such as Best Buy, The Home Depot, Lowe’s, Costco, and Abt, all hosting Labor Day sale events.
Some of the better offers we’ve seen are on washer and dryer sets on sale from The Home Depot and Lowe’s. The Home Depot is advertising up to 30% off appliances. Those discounts include a few Wirecutter picks, and while they might not quite rise to the level of a deal we typically post, we’re including them because decent sales have been so scarce.
The LG WM4000H washing machine, featured in our guide to the best washers and dryers, is $850.
The GE Adora JGB735, featured in our guide to the best stoves and ranges, is $800.
Sadly, Labor Day signals the beginning of the end for grilling season, but that doesn’t mean we should go without a fight. ThermoWorks makes thermometers for those serious about temperature control, and Wirecutter’s kitchen experts have long been fans. We recommend four Thermoworks products: the Pop, the Dot, the Thermapen One, and the ChefAlarm just in our meat thermometer guide alone, plus a forehead thermometer to boot.
For Labor Day, ThermoWorks is offering a 20% discount sitewide, and while we’ve seen better standalone deals on individual thermometers from them, it’s a good discount that lets you take your pick based on your individual cooking and grilling preferences. We’re also seeing notable deals on grills and grilling accessories. Here are our favorites so far:
Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet Smoker Grill Deal price: $500; street price: $600
If you’re looking for a less expensive Traeger pellet grill, you might consider the first-generation Pro Series 22. Although we didn’t test it, Traeger is a reliable company, and this grill is generally well reviewed. The Traeger Pro 22 has 10 preset temperature options up to 450 °F. It doesn’t connect to Wi-Fi, but it does come with two temperature probes. Already a more affordable alternative to our main picks, it’s back down to $500, matching the previous low.
Read our review of the best pellet smoker grill.
OXO Good Grips 16″ Grilling Tongs Deal price: $13; street price: $15
If you’re looking to upgrade your cookout gear, a great pair of grilling tongs will instantly elevate your next barbecue. The runner-up pick in our guide to the best grilling accessories, the OXO Good Grips 16″ Grilling Tongs come with a convenient hanging loop and nonslip lock mechanism. This is the first deal we’ve posted for these tongs this year, and while we’ve seen them a dollar cheaper in the past, this is still a solid drop if you prefer locking tongs.
Read our review of the best grill tools and accessories.
Deals on headphones, speakers, and earbuds are some of the most common price drops we see, so it stands to reason that they’d be absolutely rampant during sale holidays—Labor Day is no exception. We’ve tracked deals on noise-cancelling headphones, portable bluetooth speakers, and even wireless earbuds this year. Here are a few of our favorites:
Bose SoundLink Color II Bluetooth Speaker Deal price: $79; street price: $100
Though not a formal pick from our portable Bluetooth speaker guide, we still like the Bose SoundLink Color II quite a lot. The SoundLink wasn’t as powerful sounding as our top picks, it was a reliable and compact option that our testers enjoyed. Down to the lowest we’ve seen in a number of colors, the SoundLink Color II is a solid choice if you want a small and colorful speaker.
Read our review of the best portable Bluetooth speaker.
Apple AirPods Max Headphones Deal price: $430; street price: $480
What we like: Provides the best noise cancellation we tested, sleek and distinctive look, pairs to Apple products effortlessly, excellent call quality.
Things to know: The low-frequency noise reduction can lead to eardrum suck, no adjustability in the ANC, does not include a 3.5 mm cable.
Read our review of the best noise-cancelling headphones.
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 (Refurbished) Deal price: $237; street price: $350
Listening to music can be a great way to relax, but the last thing you want is annoying background noise to filter in and ruin the experience. Our top pick for the best noise-cancelling headphones, the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 are currently down to $237 in refurbished condition when you use the code LABORDAYSAVE. Offering superior, adjustable noise cancellation in a comfortable and lightweight package, if you’re concerned about buying renewed, a two-year comprehensive warranty is included.
Read our review of the best noise-cancelling headphones.
We’ve recently refreshed several of our TV guides. Thankfully, despite our new picks being relatively recent releases, there are some initial price drops that are worth your time if you’re seeking a 2022 model year 4K option. We’ve captured a few of those deals below, from a newly minted budget pick to a premium OLED display.
Hisense U6H 4K TV (55-inch) Deal price: $400; street price: $430
What we like: Impressive specs, 600 nits of peak brightness, quantum dot color, backlights with full-array local dimming.
Things to know: Only 60 Hz refresh rate, won’t be able to play games in 4K resolution at 120 Hz, doesn’t have HDMI 2.1 inputs, upcoming runner-up pick.
Read our review of the best 4k tv on a budget."
Samsung S95B OLED TV (55-Inch) Deal price: $1700; street price: $2000
Our new top OLED TV pick, the Samsung S95B uses a new type of OLED panel to produce the brightest, most color-rich, and most room-flexible OLED TV we’ve ever tested. Games and sports look deliciously vivid, while the filmmaker mode brings movies to life with beautiful high-quality visuals. It delivers stellar picture quality at a price that’s very reasonable for a premium TV, so long as you don’t mind the 55-inch screen and lack of Dolby Vision HDR support.
Read our review of the best OLED TV.
We’ve seen several Apple deals pop up in the last few weeks, and while we’re glad to see them continue through Labor Day, we know why the sales are out there—Apple will almost certainly announce new products in September. It’s possible we’ll even see additional product announcements in October. Older Apple products, like the 9th generation iPad, are seeing discounts because they’re likely to be replaced with a new model. That doesn’t necessarily make them a bad buy, but it’s up to you how much you want to be the person with the latest and greatest versus how much you want the extra $50 or $100 to remain in your wallet. Here are the Apple deals we’re seeing right now:
Apple iPad (9th generation, 64 GB) Deal price: $280; street price: $330
Our experts think you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better, more affordable general-use tablet than the iPad (9th generation). It offers an unbeatable selection of apps, long battery life, stellar hardware quality, and unrivaled customer support. The 9th generation iPad even comes with twice the storage of its predecessor for the same base price, and our experts think 64 GB of memory should be sufficient for most. At $280, this is a new low, but keep in mind that a new iPad will probably be announced next month.
Read our review of the best tablets.
Apple AirPods Max Headphones Deal price: $430; street price: $480
What we like: Provides the best noise cancellation we tested, sleek and distinctive look, pairs to Apple products effortlessly, excellent call quality.
Things to know: The low-frequency noise reduction can lead to eardrum suck, no adjustability in the ANC, does not include a 3.5 mm cable.
Read our review of the best noise-cancelling headphones.
REI’s Labor Day sale launched last week, offering sales on hundreds of outdoor items including tried and tested Wirecutter picks at deal-worthy discounts. Sales will wrap up at the end of the day. Rather than poring through page upon page of sale items, you can find our favorite deals on picks recommended by our experts in our roundup of the best deals from the event. Additionally, REI members can save an extra 20% on any REI Outlet item with code LABOR22. Check out a few of our faves:
Nemo Stargaze Reclining Camp Chair Deal price: $187; street price: $250
You’ll want to stay seated by the campfire or relaxed as you gaze up at the stars with the Nemo Stargaze Reclining Camp Chair. The Stargaze is an innovative hybrid between a hammock and a recliner featuring a swinging seat suspended on a sturdy aluminum frame. Even though the street price has recently risen, this deal comes close to the lowest we’ve seen.
Read our review of the best gifts for moms.
Black Diamond Alpine FLZ Trekking Poles Deal price: $128; street price: $170
Our ultra-packable trail pole pick is a tent-style pole made of lightweight aluminum with a comfortable cork grip. If you’re a casual climber, the FLZ Z-Poles probably aren’t for you, but if you are often in highly specialized scenarios in which you need a pole that packs down especially small, they are the best of the bunch. Although this deal falls short of the previous low, it’s the best price we’ve noted in about a year.
Read our review of the best trekking poles.
REI Co-Op’s Rainier Rain Jacket - Men’s Deal price: $70; street price: $100
The REI Co-op Rainier Rain Jacket is well made and well priced, and it comes in a variety of colors. It fully repelled water in our tests. Although it comes in fewer sizes than the comparable Columbia Watertight II, it was the next-best hip-length rain jacket we tested for men. It’s down to a new low of $70, but keep sizing in mind—two of our testers needed to size down for a slimmer look.
Read our review of the best rain jackets and raincoats.
If your existing mattress isn’t cutting it, brands like Leesa, Saatva, and WinkBeds are all offering mattresses at a discount right now. Other retailers like L.L.Bean and Cultiver are hosting a selection of Wirecutter-exclusive discounts on bedding to keep you comfy with colder weather on the horizon. Sleep essentials are seeing discounts, too—a writer-favorite alarm clock from Loftie and sleep essentials like pillows and robes are all on sale.
If you aren’t sure which items are worth your hard-earned cash, we’ve gathered the best deals on all the gear to optimize your sleep in our Labor Day mattress and bedding article. Here are a few highlights:
WinkBeds The WinkBed (queen, luxury firm) Deal price: $1,345 with code WCLD; street price: $1,550
Featuring a dense polyfoam upper layer with a base layer of extra pocketed coils, the WinkBed provides plenty of bounce while still having a bit more cushion. With excellent motion isolation and edge support combined with a 120-night trial period, four-month satisfaction guarantee, and a lifetime warranty, the WinkBed is an excellent option for back-, front-, and side-sleepers. Just make sure to use code WCLD to get the deal price.
Read our review of the best innerspring mattresses.
Brooklinen Waffle Robe Deal price: $79 with code WCLABORDAY; street price: $90
If you want to bring the spa home, we like the Brooklinen Waffle Robe. Offering a soft and spongy honeycombed texture, this waffle robe feels thick and warm inside and out. It’s not as plush as terry cloth, but it is made of the softest waffle fabric we tested and was plenty absorbent without feeling too soggy when wet. Make sure to use the code WCLABORDAY at checkout to snag the discounted price.
Read our review of the best robes.
Leesa Sapira Hybrid Mattress (queen) Deal price: $1,000 with code WIRECUTTER; street price: $1,660
The Leesa Sapira Hybrid is our longtime top pick for the best memory-foam mattress you can buy online. It comes with a foolproof 100-day trial period and 10-year warranty, so you don’t have to worry if it’s not the right fit. Combining the best components of memory foam and spring mattresses, the Leesa is an 11-inch hybrid mattress with over 1,000 springs and four layers of CertiPUR-US-certified memory foam. Use code WIRECUTTER to get the deal, which includes two (untested) down-alternative pillows.
Read our review of the best memory-foam mattresses you can buy online.
If household and tech items are more your speed, eBay is offering an extra 15% off select tech and home gear, including a mix of new and certified refurbished noise-cancelling headphones from Bose and robot vacuums from Roomba. Be sure to use the code LABORDAYSAVE to take advantage of the discounts offered. Here are the best deals we’ve found so far:
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 (refurbished) Deal price: $237 with code LABORDAYSAVE; street price: $350
Listening to music is a great way to relax, but the last thing you want is annoying background noise to filter in and ruin the experience. Our top pick for the best noise-cancelling headphones, the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 are currently down to $237 in refurbished condition when you use the code LABORDAYSAVE. The pair offers superior, adjustable noise cancellation in a comfortable and lightweight package. If you’re concerned about buying refurbished, a two-year comprehensive warranty is included.
Read our review of the best noise-cancelling headphones.
iRobot Roomba e6 (refurbished) Deal price: $119 with code LABORDAYSAVE; street price: $165
Similar to our budget robot-vacuum pick, the Roomba e6 is an affordable vacuum that’s sturdy and repairable and cleans well. Its rubber brush is great for tackling pet hair, and it can connect to your smart assistants for added home integration. The e6 is down to $119 in refurbished condition with the code LABORDAYSAVE, which is a good deal price, but beware of the privacy concerns that have been raised after Amazon’s acquisition of iRobot.
Read our review of the best robot vacuums.
iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO (refurbished) Deal price: $289 with code LABORDAYSAVE; street price: $400
Nimble and great for getting pet hair out of carpets and rugs, the iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO is one of our top robot-vacuum picks. The included automatic charging and emptying dock sets this model apart from the competition, and it’s an impressive cleaner that can thoroughly tidy up a large space with ease. Another good deal for a refurbished model, it’s down to $289 when you use code LABORDAYSAVE. Some have raised privacy concerns after Amazon’s acquisition of iRobot, but if you’re unbothered, this price is a good one.
Read our review of the best robot vacuums.
Ignacia Fulcher is a supervising editor for the Deals team. She has a BA in Mass Media Studies from Hofstra University and has written both product reviews and culture essays for BuzzFeed, Teen Vogue, and other publications. Ignacia is passionate about Whitney Houston and listens only to singers. She very rarely listens to anyone who cannot.
Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing to save people time, energy and money when making buying decisions. Whether it's finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we'll help you get it right (the first time). Subscribe now for unlimited access.
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