Cheapskate roundup: Pokemon Sword, Fitbit Versa 2, free Echo Dots and lots more
Also, psst: Just found out there's an even better Echo Show 8 deal coming soon. Very soon.
It's Black Friday week, which means I'm necessarily focused on all things Black Friday. It seems a little crazy to serve up my usual Cheapskate deal(s) when this entire week is a cheapskate's bounty. But there are too many items on my radar that I feel obligated to share. So if you'll forgive me a bulleted list, let's get straight to it:
2020 Holiday Gift Picks
- The new Pokemon games for Nintendo Switch are scorching-hot right now. And here's just about the best deal I've seen: Pokemon Sword for Nintendo Switch for $44.99 with code ALT9A. You need a Rakuten account to score that deal. Sword (and its counterpart, Shield) are selling for $60 pretty much everywhere else.
- The Fitbit Versa 2 is on sale for $150 just about everywhere, but this Kohl's deal beats them all, because it's the Versa 2 for $150 and you get $45 in Kohl's Cash. Just make sure to spend it before Dec. 9.
- Stop! Before you preorder an Amazon Echo Show 8 for $99.99, check this out: Amazon will cut the price to $79.99 starting this Saturday, Nov. 30. Read our Echo Show 8 review if you're struggling to decide between this, the Echo Show 5 and the full-size Echo Show . (Spoiler: This is the one to get. Especially at this price.)
- Best Buy has a bunch of Insignia and Toshiba Fire TVs on sale at or near all-time-low prices. But here's the added bonus: You get a free Echo Dot when you purchase any of them. Best bet: The Insignia 32-inch Fire TV for $109.99.
- In the face of seemingly constant Fire TV Stick and Roku deals, the Google Chromecast often gets overlooked. But it has a few notable advantages -- and right now you can pick up a refurbished current-gen Google Chromecast for $19.99. That's via Facebook Marketplace and one of the lowest prices I've seen. Read our Chromecast review to learn more.
- Calling all apartment-dwellers and winter-fearers: You can grill your precious meats indoors and not have to worry about smoke. Today only, pick up the Philips Advance Smoke-less Indoor Infrared Grill for $119, plus $5 for shipping. It lists for $300 and currently runs $195 at Amazon.
- Are you a vinyl-phile? Get your old records out of the basement and spin them on the Altec Lansing Belt Drive Turntable for $45 with promo code DS8. This highly rated model, which includes built-in speakers, Bluetooth and FM radio, sells for $70-$90 elsewhere.
OK, that's it for today! Anything here strike your fancy?
CNET Holiday Gift Guide
- Best laptops and desktops to give as holiday gifts in 2020
- The best headphone gifts for the holidays
- Best Bluetooth wireless speaker to blast for 2020
- Best TV and streamer gifts for the holidays
- The best gifts to get healthy in 2021
- Give the gift of a better, faster router for the holidays
- Best gaming gifts for the holiday season 2020
- Best gaming accessories to give as holiday gifts
- Best 2020 phones to give as gifts: iPhone 12, Galaxy S20 FE, Pixel 4A 5G and more
- Best soundbars and home audio for the holidays
- The best smart home gifts of 2020
- Best gifts for working at home in 2020
- Best toys for 2020
- Best gifts for Mom in 2020
- Best gifts for Dad in 2020
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. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page, and find more great buys on the CNET Deals page.