The best early October Prime Day 2024 deals to shop now

Adam Breeden/ZDNET

Amazon's October Prime Big Deal Days event is returning on October 8-9, and it's the perfect time to get a head start on your holiday shopping, months before it's even time to deck the halls. The retail giant is promising savings on top brands and products across major categories like home, tech, apparel, and beyond. 

Also: October Prime Day 2024: Everything you need to know

At ZDNET, our deal-finding experts are already rounding up the best early October Prime Day deals so you can find the most savings. We keep our eyes peeled for savings on top products backed by ZDNET testing, discounts greater than 20% off, and products that don't frequently see a sale, and consider your buying options as if we were purchasing every item on this list ourselves. We only recommend products that are worth your cash. 

Here are the best early Prime Big Deal Days offers we've seen ahead of Amazon's flagship fall event. Be sure to check back here as we scour the site for the best deals everyday leading up to the sale. 

Also: Get Prime Day deals, even if you don't pay for Prime. Here's how

Our favorite early Amazon October Prime Day deals 

ZDNETEcho Pop + Sengled Smart Light Bulb for $25 (save $35): Grab the smallest Alexa-compatible speaker and a smart light bulb for just $25 (or a massive 58% off). Echo Show 8 + Sengled Smart Light Bulb for $105 (save $65): Save 38% on Amazon's popular smart home hub and get a smart light bulb that makes controlling your lights easy and fun. MacBook Air M2 256GB for $800 (save $199 with coupon): Apple's M3 MacBooks have been out for several months now, but we've only recently seen price drops on the M2 models. Right now you can grab an M2 MacBook Air for just $800, one of the lowest prices we've ever seen, and just $1 off from Best Buy's $799 offer earlier this summer. Torras iPhone 15 or 16 Tempered Glass Screen Protector for $30 (save $12): Did you just upgrade to a new iPhone? Outfit your screen with one of our top iPhone screen protectors for 29% off. Apple iPad 10th Gen for $299 (save $50): Apple didn't upgrade the base model iPad just yet, but it did give it a price cut to $349 back in June. Now, you can grab one for just $299, the lowest price we've seen it at. Anker Nano Power Bank for $20 (save $10): This mini power bank is about the same size as a tube of lipstick but can easily power your phone on the go. Grab it now for $33% off. Costco 1-Year Gold Star Membership + $20 Digital Shop Card for $45 (save $20): Save on a yearly Costco membership fee with this digital shop card deal from Stack Social. Kasa Smart Plug Mini 15A 4-Pack for $34 (save $16): We're all about practical purchases, and these Kasa smart plugs can help transform your household into a smart system (oh, and they're 32% off). Apple Watch SE $189 (save $60): Apple didn't unveil a new model of their Watch SE last week, so last year's model is still the latest and greatest base wearable from the brand. Pick one up now for $60 off. It makes a great gift for a first-time smartwatch user. Roborock Q7 Max+ Robot Vacuum + Mop for $380 (save $490): Vacuum and mop your floors with ease thanks to this Roborock's 4,200 Pa suction and LiDAR navigation for flawless mapping. 

Best early October Prime Day deals under $25: Echo devices, AirTags, Fire Sticks, and more

Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNETAmazon Fire TV Stick for $25 (save $15): Easily access all of your streaming services and get Alexa support with the Amazon Fire TV Stick, now 38% off. Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite for $20 (save $10): Grab the lite version of Amazon's classic Fire Stick for 33% off now. Apple AirTag $24 (save $6): Keep track of everything from your remote to your keys to your kids with an AirTag, our favorite Bluetooth tracker. Renpho Smart Scale for $20 (save $15): Connect this smart scale with popular health and fitness apps like Samsung Health, MyFitnessPal, Fitbit, and Apple Health to track your body fat percentage, muscle mass, visceral fat, water weight, metabolic age, and more.Anker iPhone 15/16 Charger 2-Pack for $13 (save $6): These chargers provide 20W of high-speed charging for devices like the iPhone 15 and 16, AirPods Pro, iPad Pro, and more for an affordable price.MusicCozy Sleep Headphones for $20 (save $23): This combination sleep headphone/sleep mask block out light in your room -- they're a great option for light sleepers.Rocketbook Core Reusable Smart Notebook for $23 (save $11): One of our favorite smart notebooks lets you digitize your handwritten notes.Amazon Echo Pop for $25 (save $15): Use the Echo Pop as a portable smart speaker to bring Alexa into any room. TP-Link Wi-Fi Extender for $13 (save $5 with coupon): If your home Wi-Fi gets spotty, this extender can boost your internet coverage up to 1,200 square feet. Microsoft Windows 11 Pro License for $20 (save $179 at Stack Social): Upgrade to Windows 11 for the lowest price we've seen so far.

Best early October Prime Day tech deals: Fire tablets, Echo Dots, headphones, and more

Jada Jones/ZDNETAmazon Fire HD 10 Tablet for $90 (save $50): This 2023 Fire tablet features a full HD screen, 32GB of storage and is 36% off right now. Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) + Sengled Smart Light Bulb for $35 (save $35): Nab this popular Alexa speaker and smart bulb combo for 50% off right now. Amazon Echo Show 8 for $105 (save $45): While it's not the lowest price we've seen for Amazon's popular Echo Show 8, you can still save 30% right now. Amazon Fire TV Cube for $110 (save $30): Amazon's fastest-ever streaming device is already discounted by 21%. Samsung T5 EVO Portable 4TB SSD for $230 (save $195): Store thousands of extra files, photos, and more with this portable SSD from Samsung. Anker USB-C 65W Wall Charger for $30 (save $26): Everyone always needs a wall adapter to boost their phone's battery, and this 65W option from Anker is a great choice, especially at 46% off. Beats Studio Pro x Kim Kardashian Headphones for $270 (save $109): It seems like nobody wants to find deals these days... Get these Beats headphones in the shade Moon and two years of AppleCare+ for 28% off. Plus, check out the same deal for shades Earth and Dune. Beats Studio Buds for $99 (save $51): Not a headphones person? Don't worry. Grab these Beats earbuds for just $99 (that's 34% off). Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Pro Tablet for $90 (save $60): Got kids? Grab Amazon Fire tablets including the HD 8 Pro Kids, HD 10 Kids, HD 10 Kids Pro, and Fire 7 Kids tablets for up to 42% off right now. Amazon Fire HD 8 Tablet for $60 (save $70): This 8-inch tablet features an HD display and 64GB of storage. Plus, it's a whopping 54% off now. 

Best early October Prime Day home deals: Robot vacuums, appliances, and more

Maria Diaz/ZDNETRoborock Q7 Max+ Robot Vacuum + Mop for $380 (save $490): Vacuum and mop your floors with ease thanks to this Roborock's 4,200 Pa suction and LiDAR navigation for flawless mapping. Shark AI Ultra Robot Vacuum for $330 (save $269): This Shark robot vacuum can handle up to 60 days' worth of debris before its dock needs to be emptied, plus it features smart mapping, obstacle avoidance, and LiDAR navigation. Grab it now for 45% off. iRobot Roomba i3+EVO Robot Vacuum for $300 (save $141): Like the Shark AI Ultra, the Roomba i3+EVO features smart mapping and room-by-room navigation. Plus, it's 32% off now. Amazon Eero 6+ Mesh Wi-Fi Router 3-Pack for $195 (save $105): Connect 75+ devices and receive wireless coverage for over 4,500 sq. ft with Amazon's flagship mesh router bundle pack, which is 35% off ahead of October Prime Day. Cosori 6QT 9-in-1 Air Fryer for $90 (save $30): Bake, dehydrate, reheat, broil, and more in this handy air fryer, which you can grab for 25% off. Nespresso Vertuo POP+ Coffee Maker for $135 (save $45): Step-up your coffee game and save 25% on this popular Nespresso machine, which features a milk frother feature. Roborock Qrevo S Robot Vacuum and Mop for $550 (save $250): Save 35% on Roborock's Qrevo S vacuum and mop, which offers 7,000Pa suction, dual spinning mops, and more. iRobot Roomba Q0120 Robot Vacuum for $179 (save $71): Save 28% on this budget Roomba pick, and start cleaning your floors hands-free for less. Levoit 2.5L Humidifier for $29 (save $11): Levoit humidifiers are some of ZDNET's top-tested, and this 2.5L option will keep your space comfortable through the winter. Plus, it's 28% off. 

October Prime Day FAQs

What is Amazon's October Prime Day?  

Per Amazon, Prime Big Deal Days (more commonly referred to as "October Prime Day") is a holiday kickoff event designed to offer Prime members exclusive access to early holiday deals across popular categories and top brands. Amazon's Prime Day sales occur twice yearly, once in July and once in October, with several smaller sale events, like Amazon's Big Spring Sale, popping up on the calendar throughout the year. 

Adam Breeden/ZDNET

When is October Prime Day 2024? 

Amazon announced in September that the 2024 dates for October Prime Day are October 8-9. Last year, the October Prime Big Deal Days sale occurred on October 10-11. 

When will October Prime Day deals end? 

October's Prime Big Deal Days is a two-day sale event that mimics the format of July Prime Day. Customers should expect deals to expire as early as 11:59 p.m. PDT on the second day of the sale, though it's normal for some deals to hang around for hours or often days after. Though there's no way of knowing which discounts will stay or go when the clock hits midnight, we'll continually update ZDNET.com with the best deals that are still live even after the sale ends, so be sure to check back. 

How did we choose these early October Prime Day deals? 

As a ZDNET editor, I only write about deals myself or a team member would want to buy -- devices and products we desire, need, or would recommend. I looked for deals that were at least 20% off (or are hardly ever on sale), using established price comparison tools and trackers to determine whether the deal is actually on sale and how frequently it drops.

I also examined customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the deals I recommend. These recommendations may also be based on my own testing (or testing by another ZDNET expert) -- in addition to extensive research and comparison shopping. The goal is to deliver the most accurate advice to help you shop smarter.

Do I need to be an Amazon Prime member to shop October Prime Day? 

As the name implies, only Prime members in participating countries can shop the October Prime Big Deal Days event. If you don't have a membership, you'll need to enroll prior to the shopping event's kickoff to access exclusive deals and offers. 

How much is an Amazon Prime membership?

 Amazon Prime costs $14.99 per month, or you can purchase an annual membership for $139, saving you a few dollars. 

Also: These 5 new Amazon features make finding the products you need even easier

All college students and those aged 18-24 are eligible for a discount and can pay $7.49 per month or $69 per year. In addition, those with qualified government assistance (which may include select seniors) can receive a Prime membership for just $6.99 after their free trial.