Prime Day is an excellent opportunity to score deals on all sorts of useful items, from laptops to robot vacuums. But all work and no play makes for a dull time, which is why we’re also glad to see plenty of Prime Day deals on board games too. They’re not just the usual suspects like Monopoly either — there are quite a number of quality titles here that tabletop gamers of all levels will enjoy. Below is a selection of the best deals we’ve found, plus we’ve compiled a much longer list of discounted games (and expansions) here in case you’re in the mood for more.
The latest edition of King of Tokyo is on sale for just $25, which is $20 off its $45 list price. This is easily one of the most beloved board games of all time due to how welcoming it is to all ages. If you know how to play Yahtzee, you know how to play King of Tokyo. Plus, the theme is super fun: you play as giant Kaiju monsters destroying the city of Tokyo while battling other monsters for supremacy. If you already know you like this game and want to go all out, then consider upgrading to the King of Tokyo Monster Box, which is just $42 ($28 off the $70 retail price). This giant box includes the base game as well as all of its expansions. You’ll get extra monsters, extra power cards and more.
Calico, a tile-laying game of quilts and cats, is available for just $22, which is 45 percent off the original price. Players in the game compete to sew the coziest quilt and attract cats. Each quilt has a specific pattern that must be followed but players will also need to create unique color and pattern combinations in order to draw the finest felines. This visually stunning game has a lot of strategy to it, and those who like abstract games will probably enjoy this.
Splendor: Marvel is discounted to just $28, which is 44 percent off the original rate. It’s essentially a re-theming of the original Splendor board game with the Marvel universe. Instead of just collecting regular jewels, you’ll be gathering Infinity stones, recruiting heroes and villains, and finally claiming the Gauntlet to win the game. Those new to board games will pick this up easily, especially if they’re already big fans of all things Marvel. If you’re not that keen on Marvel, however, the original Splendor game with a Renaissance Europe theme is also on sale for $25.
The latest 2021 refresh of Dixit is currently on sale for $25, which is 36 percent off its list price. This game is fantastic for parties, as it accommodates three to eight players and is very lightweight. We’ve also found that it works for kids as well as adults. In it, players take turns picking one of 84 dreamlike illustration cards and coming up with a story based on it. The rest then have to pick a card that best matches that story. All of the cards are shuffled, then they’ll have to secretly vote for which card is the one the narrator chose. The game is fun and quick, plus the art is gorgeous too.
Disney’s Villainous board game is discounted to $24, a solid 40 percent off its $40 list price. In this game, players pick one of six Disney bad guys – options include Captain Hook, Maleficent, Ursula, Jafar, Queen of Hearts and Prince John – and compete against one another to achieve their evil goals before everyone else. If you want, you could also get Disney Villainous: Despicable Plots for $24, which adds more villains like Gaston, Lady Tremaine and the Horned King.
Prime Day is an excellent opportunity to score deals on all sorts of useful items, from laptops to robot vacuums. But all work and no play makes for a dull time, which is why we’re also glad to see plenty of Prime Day deals on board games too. They’re not just the usual suspects like Monopoly either — there are quite a number of quality titles here that tabletop gamers of all levels will enjoy. Below is a selection of the best deals we’ve found, plus we’ve compiled a much longer list of discounted games (and expansions) here in case you’re in the mood for more.
The latest edition of King of Tokyo is on sale for just $25, which is $20 off its $45 list price. This is easily one of the most beloved board games of all time due to how welcoming it is to all ages. If you know how to play Yahtzee, you know how to play King of Tokyo. Plus, the theme is super fun: you play as giant Kaiju monsters destroying the city of Tokyo while battling other monsters for supremacy. If you already know you like this game and want to go all out, then consider upgrading to the King of Tokyo Monster Box, which is just $42 ($28 off the $70 retail price). This giant box includes the base game as well as all of its expansions. You’ll get extra monsters, extra power cards and more.
Calico, a tile-laying game of quilts and cats, is available for just $22, which is 45 percent off the original price. Players in the game compete to sew the coziest quilt and attract cats. Each quilt has a specific pattern that must be followed but players will also need to create unique color and pattern combinations in order to draw the finest felines. This visually stunning game has a lot of strategy to it, and those who like abstract games will probably enjoy this.
Splendor: Marvel is discounted to just $28, which is 44 percent off the original rate. It’s essentially a re-theming of the original Splendor board game with the Marvel universe. Instead of just collecting regular jewels, you’ll be gathering Infinity stones, recruiting heroes and villains, and finally claiming the Gauntlet to win the game. Those new to board games will pick this up easily, especially if they’re already big fans of all things Marvel. If you’re not that keen on Marvel, however, the original Splendor game with a Renaissance Europe theme is also on sale for $25.
The latest 2021 refresh of Dixit is currently on sale for $25, which is 36 percent off its list price. This game is fantastic for parties, as it accommodates three to eight players and is very lightweight. We’ve also found that it works for kids as well as adults. In it, players take turns picking one of 84 dreamlike illustration cards and coming up with a story based on it. The rest then have to pick a card that best matches that story. All of the cards are shuffled, then they’ll have to secretly vote for which card is the one the narrator chose. The game is fun and quick, plus the art is gorgeous too.
Disney’s Villainous board game is discounted to $24, a solid 40 percent off its $40 list price. In this game, players pick one of six Disney bad guys – options include Captain Hook, Maleficent, Ursula, Jafar, Queen of Hearts and Prince John – and compete against one another to achieve their evil goals before everyone else. If you want, you could also get Disney Villainous: Despicable Plots for $24, which adds more villains like Gaston, Lady Tremaine and the Horned King.
It's always a good idea to look for discounts on big-ticket items on Prime Day, and robot vacuums are no exception. These machines can be some of the most expensive gadgets you buy for your home, with high-end models costing close to (or more than) $1,000 normally. Thankfully, it is possible to save hundreds on robot vacuums during Prime Day — both on premium and affordable models. We're even seeing some great prices on combo 2-in-1 machines, which will automate both your vacuuming and mopping chores. Here are the best Prime Day vacuum deals we could find on all of our favorite machines.
iRobot Roomba 694
The iRobot Roomba 694 has dropped to $199 for Prime Day. It's normally our favorite budget robot vacuum, so this discount makes it an even better buy. We like its minimalist yet attractive design, strong suction power and easy-to-use companion app.
iRobot Roomba s9+
The premium Roomba s9+ is on sale for $600 for Prime Day. This is the most expensive robot vacuum that iRobot makes, and it's currently one of our favorite high-end models. It might be overkill for most people, but it's a robo-vac that does an excellent job of cleaning both hard and carpeted floors, and doesn't choke up at the first sign of pet hair. We also like that it comes with a clean base into which it will empty its dustbin after every job.
iRobot Roomba j7+
The iRobot Roomba j7+ has been discounted to $649 for Prime Day. This is one of the company's newest robot vacuums and we like that it has strong suction power and comes with a clean base. The j7+'s claim to fame, though, is its advanced obstacle avoidance, which helps it steer clear of furniture and other objects while it's cleaning. This includes a robo-vac's arch nemesis — pet poop.
Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 robot vacuum
Shark's vacuum-and-mop machine has dropped to $380 for Prime Day. It's one of the best robot vacuums you can get right now because of its versatility and decent starting price, so if you can pick it up while it's on sale, that's even better. It comes with a water reservoir with a cloth attached to it that lets you mop hard floors when you need to. The standard dustbin will hold all debris during vacuuming, and the machine is smart enough to empty its clean base automatically after every vacuuming job (you'll have to empty the water reservoir on your own).
Shark AI Ultra robot vacuum
A top pick in our robot vacuum guide, Shark's AI Ultra robo-vac is on sale for $419 for Prime Day. It's just as easy to use and effective as a similar Roomba, but you can often find it at a notably cheaper price point. We found that it cleaned carpet and hard floors well, and its included clean base is bagless, which means you won't have to spend more money over time buying proprietary garbage bags for it.
Anker Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid
Another vac-and-mop combo, the Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid has dropped to $300 for Prime Day. Like a lot of other Anker/Eufy devices, the RoboVac X8 Hybrid already starts out much cheaper than its competition but it works nearly just as well. It can vacuum and mop, thanks to its included water reservoir, and we were impressed by its easy set-up process, four cleaning modes, smart home mapping and handy "tap-and go" feature.
Upgrading your home with the latest tech can be expensive, but Amazon Prime Day is an opportunity to do so for a lot less. Be it robot vacuums or smart bulbs, there are a whole lot of IoT and kitchen devices on sale today. Even some of our favorites from iRobot, Shark and Google have been discounted. Not all of the sales are actually worth your money, so we’ve done the hard work of narrowing that list down to the best deals available.
Ecobee Smart Thermostat
Ecobee Smart Thermostat
Ecobee
One of our favorite smart thermostats is this one from Ecobee, so we’re glad that it’s on sale today for $178 ($71 off its retail price of $249). It has built-in Alexa support, which means you can control the temperature simply by using your voice. Features include natural language processing, speech detection and a smart “Home & Away” function that can detect your presence and adjust the temperature automatically. If you would rather have something a little simpler, the Ecobee3 Lite, which doesn’t have voice control, is also on sale for $128 (original price is $179).
If you want to elevate your Ecobee ecosystem even further, consider getting these smart sensors. They’re on sale for $63, which is 21 percent off its $80 retail price. Simply attach them to your doors or windows, and you’ll get an alert any time they’re open. They’ll work in concert with your Ecobee smart thermostat to automatically pause heating or cooling if they’re left open. It works as a security system as well, as it has a 120-degree motion sensor that will alert you of any movement up to 16 feet away.
Nest has quite a number of products on sale today. One of them is Nest’s Learning Thermostat, which has dropped to $190 for Prime Day. That’s $60 less than its original retail price. It’s available in a variety of finishes – Brass, Copper, Mirror Black, Polished Steel, Stainless Steel and White. It’s currently the top-of-the-line smart thermostat from Google, with the ability to “learn” your preferences over time and adjust the temperature of your home accordingly. It also works with optional sensors that you can place around the home so you can assign specific temps for different rooms.
A more affordable option is the standard Nest Thermostat, which is also on sale today for $90 ($40 less than the original $130). It doesn’t work with the temperature sensors and lacks the learning capabilities of the higher-end model, but you can still use it to remotely control your home’s temperature.
Nest’s Doorbell Battery is only $120 today, which is $60 less than its usual $180 price point. This video doorbell runs on rechargeable batteries so it doesn’t need to be hard-wired into the house, which is good news for renters. It doesn’t offer 24/7 video recording like the Nest Hello does, but it does keep up to 3 hours of event history for free, or up to 60 days if you have a Nest Aware subscription. Plus, if the WiFi goes down, it’ll store up to an hour of recorded events so you can see what you’ve missed. Alternatively, if you just want a security camera for indoors or outdoors without the doorbell functionality, the Nest Cam Battery is on sale today as well for just $120 each ($60 less than its original retail price). It also runs on rechargeable batteries and even features a magnetic mount.
If you would rather have an Amazon-powered video doorbell instead, Ring’s Video Doorbells are discounted for Prime Day too. The 2020 version is down to $75, which is 25 percent off, while the upgraded Ring Video Doorbell 3 is now $160 ($40 off). The most recent of them all, the Video Doorbell 4, is down to just $170 ($50 off). All three let you interact with people at your front door, and you’ll get an alert when there’s a visitor or a package as well. You have the option of using either the built-in batteries or hard-wiring them to your house. The Video Doorbell 3 has a removable battery pack and interchangeable face plates, while the Doorbell 4 has color video previews and a new Quick Replies feature.
One of our favorite smart locks, August’s 4th-gen WiFi Smart Lock, is on sale today for just $150, which is $80 off its retail price. There’s also a bundle with the lock and a keypad for $189, which is 30 percent off the combined cost. We really liked the August WiFi Smart Lock back when we reviewed it in 2020 due to its slim design and WiFi connectivity. It forces you to set up two-factor authentication that adds an extra layer of security, which is always welcome with smart locks. Like most smart locks, the August lets you remotely lock and unlock the door, which is handy for letting friends and family members in when you’re absent. It also works with regular keys too, just in case the WiFi goes down.
There’s often several discounts on Roombas for Prime Day and this year is no exception. iRobot’s Roomba i7+ is now on sale for just $500, which is 50 percent off its original $1,000. That’s the lowest we’ve seen yet, and it’s certainly worth considering if you’re in the market for a robot vacuum. Not only does it automatically clean your room for you, it’ll actually charge itself and empty its own dustbin too. It has 10 times the suction power of regular Roombas, which makes it fantastic for those with pets and it automatically maps your home for a more targeted clean.
If you want a more affordable option, iRobot’s Roomba 692 is discounted today as well. It’s now priced at $180, which is $120 off the $300 retail price. Though it won’t clean itself like the i7+, the 692 is still capable enough, with excellent cleaning capabilities and adaptive navigation. It also works with Alexa and Google Assistant, so you can command it with your voice.
Shark also has a couple of robot vacuums on sale this Prime Day. The AV2501AE is just $380, which is $270 off its $650 retail price. Like the i7+, the Shark can empty itself into a base. This particular model can actually hold 60 days worth of dirt and debris, which is a godsend if you’re looking to reduce your chores around the house. It also has excellent cleaning performance with powerful suction and an on-demand deep cleaning mode that targets specific rooms and zones. It’s great for homes with pets and it has hands-free voice control with Alexa or Google Assistant support. A slightly cheaper option is the Shark AV2501S, priced at $300 (down from $550), which is similar to the AV2501AE except it has a 30-day capacity base instead.
Though you might associate the Instant Pot brand with multi-cookers, the company also makes excellent air fryers, and a few of them are on sale this Prime Day. Our favorite of the lot is the Instant Pot Vortex Plus, which is just $100 today ($60 off its $160 retail price). Not only does it crisp foods efficiently, it has a clear see-thru window which lets us check our food. Plus, it has odor-erasing filters that produce less smoke compared to other air fryers. If you want a smaller, more affordable option, the Instant Pot Vortex is also on sale today for $90 ($44 off $134). It doesn’t have a clear window or odor-erasing filters but it’s an option if you want to save a little more counter space.
For those who just need to air fry more than one thing at once, Ninja’s Foodi Dual-Zone XL is worth considering. It’s on sale today for $160, which is $70 off its regular price. We dubbed it the best dual-zone option in our air fryer guide and for good reason. You can either cook two different things at a time, or you can double the quantity of something and use the Match Cook function to cook all of it with the same settings. Best of all, it can adjust the cooking times so that foods from both areas can be done at the same time.
We recommended the Vitamix as the creme de la creme of blender brands in our kitchen guide, and fortunately, the company has several different models on sale for Prime Day. Our favorite is the 5200, which is on sale for $300 ($106 off the retail price of $406). It’s the choice of restaurants and professional chefs (you’ll frequently see it on shows like Iron Chef) as it’s such a kitchen workhorse. It’s powerful enough to handle tough ingredients like nuts and frozen fruit while also producing silky smooth results.
A slightly more elegant version, the Professional 750 Series, is also on sale for $400 (retail price is $630). It can do many of the same tasks as the 5200 but has five pre-programmed settings for frequently made items like smoothies and soups. It also has a lower profile so it can fit underneath your upper cabinets. Last but not least, the Vitamix One is now just $175, which is $75 off the original $250. It still has plenty of the power of the other Vitamix blenders, but housed in a more petite package for those who have less counter space.
As you might expect, Amazon’s entire product line is on sale today for Prime Day. We already have a post outlining them all, but we’ll highlight a few of the smart home options here. The Echo Show 8 is our favorite Alexa-powered smart display thanks to its small footprint, sharp display and video-chatting capabilities. We also really like the Show 5, which makes for an excellent smart alarm clock due to its size. Last but not least, there’s the Show 10, which has a swiveling display and a camera that automatically pans and zooms during video calls.
Eero’s entire line of mesh WiFi routers is on sale for Prime Day. The Eero 6 is a dual-band model that covers up to 1,500 square feet and is now $71, while the Pro 6 is a tri-band system that covers up to 2,000 square feet and starts at $148. If you’re willing to pay more, you can upgrade to the Eero Pro 6E, which covers up to 6,000 square feet and supports speeds of up to 2.3 Gbps. The Eero 6+, on the other hand, is an affordable gigabit router that is down to just $90, and supports up to 1Gbps speeds plus up to 4,500 square feet of coverage.
Several of Amazon’s Blink cameras are on sale for Prime Day. The Indoor is now just $55 ($20 off), the Outdoor is $60 ($40 off) and the Mini is just $30 ($5 off). Both the Indoor and Outdoor models are completely wireless, though the Outdoor version has a more weather-resistant design. The Mini needs to be plugged in, but otherwise has similar features to the other two. All of them support 1080p recording, motion alerts, and two-way audio.
Nearly every TV on the market today is a smart TV, but not every operating system is a winner. A media streaming device lets you pair whichever user interface you prefer with just about any screen that has an HDMI port. In some cases, such as with older or less expensive smart TVs, a streaming stick or dongle could even be speedier and less glitchy than your TV’s built-in system.
At home, these handy gadgets make it easier for cord cutters to watch the millions of hours of content streaming services provide without cable. And while traveling, a streaming player lets you watch your preferred content on hotel sets (without painstakingly typing in a bunch of passwords or activation codes). We tested out streaming players from Roku, Google, Apple, Amazon and more, gauging the usability and the performance of each to come up with our list of the best streaming devices you can buy.
What to look for in a TV streaming device
Operating system and interface
Google’s TV Streamer, the Apple TV 4K, Amazon’s Fire TV Sticks and Roku devices are the most popular players in the space. Three of those brands also come built into TVs, such as Fire, Google and Roku TVs, but the Apple TV 4K doesn't come pre-loaded on any set. Each one has a unique operating system and interface. This may be the biggest deciding factor for many people, as it determines how the content you want to watch is arranged and presented. We go into detail for each platform below, but all of them come with home screens that, to varying degrees, gather your apps in one place, present the movies and TV shows you’re currently watching and give you suggestions of other media streaming options.
Nearly all streaming devices come with a remote that lets you search and do other operations using your voice, eliminating the need to hunt and peck at on-screen keyboards. They all offer “universal search,” in which searching for a title takes you to whichever app has it available. If you want to watch Barbie but don’t know where it’s playing, just push the voice button on the remote and say "Barbie.” (We found simply saying the title or the genre you want sometimes works better than saying “Show me…” or “Search for…”) From the search results, hit the play button and the correct app will open and start playing — assuming you’ve previously logged into that app and, in most cases, have an active subscription.
Connectivity
Most streaming sticks connect to the internet via Wi-Fi, with the majority of them supporting Wi-Fi 5 or 6 protocols. Set-top boxes can also have Ethernet ports, so you can hardwire your internet connection to the device, which is always faster than wireless. Streaming media players connect to your TV through an HDMI port, and most sticks hide behind the screen, while set-top boxes sit on a surface nearby. Nearly all units also plug into an AC outlet for power. Some sticks used to work by pulling power from a USB port on the TV, but increasingly, these devices are designed to plug into the wall.
Video and audio features
If you have a screen that can display 4K content with Dolby Vision and HDR10, you’ll want a streaming device that supports those high-end formats. Of course, even the most top-shelf streamer can’t make a 1080p TV display content in 4K. The series or movie also has to be transmitted in 4K and, increasingly, companies restrict higher-quality streaming to more expensive subscription plans. In short, every element needs to support the video or audio feature, otherwise the highest quality you’ll get will be the lowest of any component in the chain.
Voice control
In addition to helping you find stuff to watch, streaming devices from Apple, Google and Amazon can answer questions about the weather, sports scores and general facts using built-in voice assistants. They can also act as smart home controllers to turn off connected smart bulbs or plugs and show feeds from smart cameras. Just remember, as with all smart home devices, compatibility is key. Fire TV devices work with Alexa-enabled smart home equipment; the Google TV Streamer lets you control Google Home devices; Apple TV 4Ks play nice with HomeKit; and Rokus grant power over Roku’s smart home products.
Below are some recommendations for the best streaming sticks and other budget-friendly options. We also included suggestions for set-top boxes and devices geared toward gamers.
Best streaming devices
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-streaming-devices-media-players-123021395.html?src=rss
Smart displays have evolved quite a bit since the initial debut of Amazon’s first Echo Show back in 2017. In fact, the category didn’t really come into its own until Google joined the fray with its own line of hardware about a year later. Now, both of these companies are essentially dominating the smart display landscape, with each offering their own take on a smart assistant with a screen.
It’s that screen that can make smart displays much more useful than smart speakers. Rather than just having a voice assistant recite the current weather report, for example, you can see a five-day forecast as well. The same goes for when you ask about your shopping list or calendar; it's simply easier to read the whole list or your day's appointments at a glance. Plus, touchsreens offer other benefits that speakers can't, like watching videos or checking your webcam to see who's at your front door. We've tested and used many smart displays over the years and below are a list of our top picks for the best smart displays you can get today.
Best smart displays for 2024
What to consider before buying a smart display
Amazon vs. Google voice assistants
The first question you should ask when looking for the best smart display for you is whether you prefer Amazon’s or Google’s ecosystem. If you have a lot of Google smart devices in your home, like Nest thermostats and security cameras, or even if you use a Google Pixel smartphone as your daily driver, then a Google-powered model may make more sense. If you have Amazon products, like a Fire TV Stick or a Ring cam, Amazon would obviously be a better choice from a compatibility standpoint. Of course, it's perfectly acceptable to have products from competing companies in the same home, but just realize they might not work seamlessly with each other from the start.
Aside from that, the two systems also offer some unique features. Google, for example, works best if you have an existing Google account and use services like Calendar and Photos. We especially love Google smart displays because they work well as digital photo frames. You can set it up to automatically pull in pictures of friends and family from your Google Photos library, and the algorithm is smart enough to use what it thinks are the best shots — so less chance of blurry photos or images of your eyes half-closed showing up, for example. But although you can use Amazon's displays as digital photo frames, the process is not quite as intuitive as Google’s, and Amazon doesn’t have anything comparable to Google’s photo-sorting algorithm.
It might seem like a minor point, but seeing as the display is on standby 90 percent of the time, its secondary function as a digital picture frame is very welcome. All Google smart displays also support YouTube and YouTube TV, step-by-step cooking instructions and all of the usual benefits of Google Assistant, like weather reports. As with Assistant on the phone, it also has voice recognition, so only you can see your calendar appointments and not others.
Amazon's smart displays, on the other hand, are slightly different. Instead of YouTube, they offer some alternative video streaming options, including Amazon Prime, NBC and Hulu. They also come with two browsers (Silk and Firefox), which you can use to search the web or watch YouTube videos – a handy enough workaround given the lack of a dedicated app. Amazon devices also offer step-by-step cooking instructions as well, thanks to collaborations with sources like SideChef and AllRecipes. The cooking instructions sometimes include short video clips, too.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-smart-display-202448797.html?src=rss
Father's Day is right around the corner, so you might be sniffing around for the perfect gift for dear ol' dad. If he likes fiddling around the kitchen, then consider giving him a sous vide machine, which helps ensure the perfect medium-rare steak or chicken breasts that are never dry or overcooked. Sous vide machines can be pretty pricey, but thankfully the Anova Precision Cooker is on sale right now; it has dropped to a new price of $139 from its original $220.
Cooking via sous vide really just means cooking foods in a water bath. You'd typically place food inside a sealed bag and submerge it in a water-filled vessel. A sous vide machine attached to it essentially regulates the temperature of the water so that the food is cooked low and slow to the desired doneness.
Anova's Precision Cooker lets you do that easily right out of the box thanks to its on-board controls. It also has WiFi so you can connect it to Anova's companion app, which comes with a plethora of recipes and a handy tutorial in case you need some guidance.
The Precision Cooker is usually pricier than the Nano, which is what we normally recommend, but it does have a few advantages. It has an adjustable clamp compared to a fixed-position model, and it can fit on thicker vessels (up to 1.2 inches). Plus, it has 1,000 watts instead of the Nano's 750 watts, which means it can heat the water faster as well. Since this deal drops the price of the Precision Cooker down to nearly the same price as the Nano, we think it's absolutely worth the upgrade.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
Father's Day is right around the corner, so you might be sniffing around for the perfect gift for dear ol' dad. If he likes fiddling around the kitchen, then consider giving him a sous vide machine, which helps ensure the perfect medium-rare steak or chicken breasts that are never dry or overcooked. Sous vide machines can be pretty pricey, but thankfully the Anova Precision Cooker is on sale right now; it has dropped to a new price of $139 from its original $220.
Cooking via sous vide really just means cooking foods in a water bath. You'd typically place food inside a sealed bag and submerge it in a water-filled vessel. A sous vide machine attached to it essentially regulates the temperature of the water so that the food is cooked low and slow to the desired doneness.
Anova's Precision Cooker lets you do that easily right out of the box thanks to its on-board controls. It also has WiFi so you can connect it to Anova's companion app, which comes with a plethora of recipes and a handy tutorial in case you need some guidance.
The Precision Cooker is usually pricier than the Nano, which is what we normally recommend, but it does have a few advantages. It has an adjustable clamp compared to a fixed-position model, and it can fit on thicker vessels (up to 1.2 inches). Plus, it has 1,000 watts instead of the Nano's 750 watts, which means it can heat the water faster as well. Since this deal drops the price of the Precision Cooker down to nearly the same price as the Nano, we think it's absolutely worth the upgrade.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
If you’ve been waiting to upgrade your home with the latest gear, this weekend might be the time to do so. From robot vacuums to Instant Pots, there are a number of great sales for connected appliances and kitchen gadgets for Memorial Day this year. As you can imagine, there are quite a lot of them, so we’ve collected some of the best ones below.
Anker Eufy RoboVac 11S
Engadget
Anker’s Eufy RoboVac 11S is one of our favorite budget robot vacuums thanks to its slim profile, smart features and affordable price. Now it’s even cheaper at just $150. It doesn’t have WiFi, but it does have a remote control. It also has three different modes so you can pick just how powerful you want the suction to be.
If you want an upgrade, however, the Anker Eufy RoboVac 15C Max is also on sale for $250, or 11 percent off its normal price. It has features like WiFi, stronger suction and it charges itself when it’s low on power. Plus, the 15C Max is compatible with either Amazon’s Alexa or Google Assistant.
Those with pets might want to consider the iRobot Roomba i3 EVO at just $280, which is 20 percent off its retail price of $350. It has dual multi-surface rubber brushes that can handle any floor type while staying tangle-free. The i3 EVO is also pretty smart. In addition to Alexa or Google integration, it can learn the layout of your home and create an “imprint smart map” so that you can easily tell it which room to clean and at what time. It will even learn your tidying habits over time and suggest extra cleaning if needed.
Want a version that empties itself? Then get the iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO for $450 (18 percent off $550), which comes with a Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal unit that can hold up to 60 days worth of dirt and debris so you only need to clean it every couple of months.
Sometimes you just want to air fry two different foods at once, and the Ninja Foodi Dual Zone Air Fryer (on sale for $155) lets you do that with ease. It was our pick for best dual-zone air fryer because of how quickly it heats up and its quiet operation. It was also smart enough to adjust cooking times so that the two baskets will finish cooking around the same time.
The Instant Pot, everyone’s favorite multicooker, is also on sale this weekend – it’s now $79, down from $100. The Duo is one we recommend for most people, as it’s easy to use and can perform multiple functions. This model can sauté, cook rice, slow cook, pressure cook, sterilize, keep food warm, and make yogurt. You can find out how to make the most of your Instant Pot with our guide.
You can now pick up Google's Nest Audio smart speaker for $65 from Adorama. Or, if you want two, you can grab a pair for just $120. That's an especially great deal if you're in need of a stereo setup. Google's Nest Audio has excellent audio quality too, and you can link it up to your choice of music streaming service. Of course, it's powered by Google Assistant, so you can ask it to play whatever you like, ask for the weather forecast, your day's appointments, the local sports scores and more.
Google's Nest Hub smart display is down to just $65, and the Nest Hub Max is also on sale at Adorama for $179. The Hub Max is geared more for communal areas like the living room or the kitchen, while the smaller Hub is geared more for private spaces like the bedroom. That's also why the Hub doesn't have a camera, while the Hub Max does (you can use it to make video calls on Google Duo as well as Zoom). Google's smart displays are great not just for viewing Nest Cam footage but also watching YouTube clips, getting step-by-step cooking instructions or just controlling the rest of your smart home.
Not to be left out, Amazon's Echo Show 8 and Show 5 are discounted today too: the larger model is now $100 while the 5-inch smart display is $50. The Echo Show 8 is our personal favorite of the two, as it's not as large as the Show 10, but not quite as small as the 5. It's great for watching videos, viewing photos, looking up recipes and more. The Show 8 is especially wonderful for video calls as it has excellent camera quality plus an auto-framing feature that will focus on you and follow your movements as you chat.
If you prefer a smaller display, however, the Show 5 is fantastic too. It works much better as a smart alarm clock as it's sized to fit perfectly on a nightstand. Like all Echo Shows, you can tap the Show 5 to snooze and it has a sunrise alarm that will gradually brighten the display to wake you up.
French for “under vacuum,” sous vide cooking involves immersing vacuum-sealed food in a temperature-controlled water bath until the food is cooked to your liking. It might sound intimidating, and it’s true that this cooking method was once the province of professional cooks with expensive equipment. But that’s not the case anymore — not only is sous vide cooking more accessible than ever now, but there are a number of sous vide machines out there that don’t cost a fortune. And, like a lot of kitchen tools now, many sous vide devices even have companion apps and Wi-Fi connectivity that make the process even more automated. If you’re curious about giving sous vide cooking a go, we’ll walk you through the process of choosing the right machine for you and share some of the tips and tricks we’ve learned through our own experiments.
How to pick a smart sous vide machine
If you’re going to choose a sous vide machine, we definitely recommend getting a smart one, which means it either has Bluetooth or WiFi capabilities (or both). That’s because this often adds a whole lot more features than you might otherwise have. We suggest getting models with a companion app that will help you set up and monitor your sous vide temperature remotely. Bluetooth-only models work when you're within 30 to 40 feet of the cooker, while those with WiFi let you supervise your food from anywhere in your home, or as long as you're on the same network. We also tend to prefer apps that come with recipes already on it, especially if you’re new to sous vide cooking and need some help getting started.
Other factors to consider
At a minimum, the other items you need to cook sous vide are a large metal pot (big enough to fill with water) and zipper-lock freezer bags to put the food in. Alternatively, you can use reusable silicone bags such as these from Stasher. Rather than using a vacuum sealer to get rid of air, you would use the water displacement method: Immerse the bagged food in the water while partially unsealed, and water pressure will push the air through the opening. Once everything is mostly underwater, you can seal the bag and it'll stay submerged.
If it still floats, you can stick one or two spoons in the bag, and that will hopefully weigh things down. (J. Kenji Lopez-Alt from Serious Eats also suggests using a large binder clip attached to the bottom of the bag along with a heavy spoon.) If you're concerned about water getting in the bag, you can attach the bag tops to the pot with binder clips, thus keeping the bag upright.
If you're really serious about sous vide, you might want to invest in some specialty equipment. Instead of pots, for example, you could opt for large restaurant-grade plastic containers by Cambro or Rubbermaid. Not only is plastic a better insulator than metal, but there's generally more space for more food, which is handy when you're cooking for a crowd.
Whether you use a pot or a plastic container, it's best to cover the vessel with plastic wrap when cooking for long periods, to keep evaporation to a minimum. Some companies, like Chefsteps, offer custom silicone pot lids that are made specially to accommodate their sous vide cookers. Alternatively, Lopez-Alt offers a much cheaper and more ingenious solution: cover your water in ping pong balls. They'll slow down evaporation.
Additionally, while zipper-lock bags work well for most tasks, it's still not a bad idea to get a vacuum sealer along with thicker plastic bags designed specifically for sous vide. For one, this lets you sous vide vegetables or braised meats, which typically require a higher temperature. (Zipper-lock bag seams might fail when it's that hot.) This also lets you freeze a bunch of food, vacuum seal them and sous vide packets straight from the freezer, which is convenient for batch cooking.
You likely already have this at your disposal, but another handy tool is a good skillet to sear your meat. That sous vide device might be able to cook your steak to medium rare, but it won't be able to brown it. A cast iron skillet, on the other hand, will. You could also consider a torch like the Bernzomatic TS8000, and we've seen others use a Searzall — but a cast iron skillet is far more affordable than either option. Of course, if you have a grill, you can use that too.
There are other miscellaneous items that could prove useful. Lopez-Alt likes having a pot lid organizer immersed in the container to help separate several submerged bags. If you want to make custard, yogurt or breakfast cups with your sous vide cooker, you should get yourself some mason jars too.
One more indispensable item worth considering: a trivet to rest your water vessel on so you don't destroy your countertop.
Sous vide recipe resources
Since affordable sous vide cookers have been in the market for a few years now, there’s no shortage of recipes and guidelines online to help you figure out what to do with your newfangled kitchen gadget. The links below are some of our favorites, though bear in mind that a lot of this is based on personal taste. Your mileage may vary.
It only makes sense that the maker of one of the most popular sous vide machines also has a deep library of sous vide recipes. If you're ever at a loss as to what to make via sous vide, simply peek at this website, where you can search for recipes from professionals and amateurs alike.
We've mentioned it several times here already in this guide, but Serious Eats truly is a remarkably useful resource for all things sous vide. Its guide to sous vide steak is a favorite among Engadget staffers, as is its take on slow-cooked sous-vide style eggs, which results in some of the best eggs I've ever had.
Years before making the Joule, Chefsteps made a name for itself as a cooking school with a heavy emphasis on food science, tech and molecular gastronomy. That's probably why the sous vide recipes from Chefsteps are some of the more creative ones we've seen. One recipe, for example, teaches you how to make that perfect chicken breast along with the perfect accompaniment for said chicken breast — perhaps a crunchy apple fennel salad and a buttery carrot puree. Other favorite recipes include wonderfully tender salmon filets, juicy pork chops and Chefsteps' own interpretation of the "sous vide egg bites" you sometimes find in certain Starbucks shops.
This is actually a cookbook from the people behind the Nomiku WiFi sous vide machine (which has since been discontinued), but the recipes in it will work with any sous vide device. Not only does it have beautiful photographs, but it also offers fantastic recipes like jerk chicken wings, duck confit and chocolate pots du creme.
Aside from immersion circulators like the ones mentioned here, you could also opt for multi-purpose appliances that offer sous vide-like functions. Several Instant Pots, for example, offer such a feature. Unfortunately, however, they do not circulate the water like the aforementioned immersion circulators, and the temperatures aren’t quite as precise (which is a definite downside if you need something cooked to a specific temperature). But if you don’t really care about that, or you just want to dabble occasionally in sous vide, this might be a viable option.
If you’re dead set on a multi-tasking appliance and you have the money to spend, consider the Anova Precision Oven. Thanks to its use of steam, you can indeed use it to cook foods via sous vide but without the need for plastic bags. It also uses a fan to circulate the moist air around the food and a probe thermometer helps keep foods at a precise temperature. And, of course, the Precision Oven can be used as a regular oven as well, and is great for baking breads and bagels. It is, however, quite expensive at $700 and takes up a lot of counter space.
Images: Will Lipman for Engadget (Anova / holiday light background)
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/smart-sous-vide-guide-151821790.html?src=rss
