Why You Can Trust CNET Unlocked iPhone 11 deal: 0% financing and 3 free months of Mint Mobile service
Actually, you can choose any iPhone model, and you're free to take it to another carrier any time you want. Plus: Belkin's three-outlet surge protector is under $16, today only.
No fuss, no muss: 0% financing without a trade-in, rebate or contract.
There are plenty of iPhone 11 deals to be had right now, most of them involving a trade-in, rebate or discount in the form of bill credit. In many cases you also have to hitch your wagon to a particular carrier for a lengthy stretch of time, an arrangement I don't particularly like. I prefer the freedom to switch carriers whenever I spot a better plan. But that means I have to buy the phone outright, unlocked, which is a big chunk of money to spend. (The iPhone 11 starts at $699.)
Enter Mint Mobile, with one of the most appealing iPhone offers I've seen yet: Buy any unlocked iPhone and get 0% financing plus 3 months of Mint Mobile service. Note that CNET may get a share of revenue from the sale of the products featured on this page.
I've written about Mint countless times before, but here's a quick refresher: The carrier offers service on T-Mobile's network. Instead of paying by the month, you prepay for 3, 6 or 12 months at a time -- and get some of the lowest rates around.
The freebie option included here is on the 8GB tier, which affords unlimited calls and texting and 8GB of high-speed data per month. Should you decide to continue, you can get the same plan for as low as $20 per month -- provided you pay for a year in advance.
But here's the beauty of it: You don't have to continue with Mint. Heck, you don't even need to use your three free months. The phone is unlocked, so you can take it to just about any carrier. You may not want to -- I've heard from tons of readers who seriously like Mint -- but you have the option.
Read more: These are the cheapest carriers for your new iPhone
The financing is provided by Affirm (and make sure you choose that option on the checkout page); assuming you qualify and have good credit and all that, you can pay off the phone over 12, 18 or 24 months. So a base-model iPhone 11, for example, would run about $30 per month for 24 months.
Mint offers previous-gen models as well, and at Apple's new pricing: The iPhone XR starting at $599, iPhone 8 at $449 and so on. Same deal: 0% financing and three free months. Pretty sweet, if you ask me.
Your thoughts?
Bonus deal: Belkin's 3-outlet surge protector is just $15.79
My living-room end table is home to a lamp, a speaker and an Amazon Echo Dot . That's three devices that need power -- and two that could use protection against power surges. The nearest outlet has room for just two plugs, natch. Hence I'm all over this deal.
Turn one outlet into three -- actually, five, if you count the USB ports.
Today only, and while supplies last, Amazon has the Belkin 3-outlet USB Surge Protector for $15.79. That's only about $4 off the regular price, but, hey, it's still a 20% discount. (For the record, it has been priced a few bucks less in the past, so might be in the future as well.)
Designed with small appliances in mind (see: Echo Dot), the Belkin incorporates not only three surge-protected AC outlets, but also a pair of 2.1-amp USB ports.
Meanwhile, the main plug can rotate, meaning you can orient the thing vertically or horizontally, however you prefer. Even more impressive, Belkin backs the plug with a lifetime warranty and a $75,000 equipment-protection warranty. (What combination of small appliances could possibly be worth that much?)
Anyway, this would be great for a bedside table, a travel bag or the like. I'm in for one.
Read More: All the latest Amazon coupons
CNET's Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on tech products and much more. For the latest deals and updates, follow the Cheapskate on Facebook and Twitter. Find more great buys on the CNET Deals page and check out our CNET Coupons page for the latest promo codes from Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon and more. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page.