Why You Can Trust CNET Get a wireless sport headphone for $9.99
From the Cheapskate: Yep, another one. But it has all the good features and a price that's pretty impossible to beat.
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There's a little backstory to today's deal, but if you just want the goods, feel free to skip ahead -- I won't be offended.
However, you don't get to groan, "Another headphone deal?" Because I'm about to explain it.
See, on any given day, I probably get half a dozen deal pitches from overseas vendors hawking more or less the same stuff: Bluetooth speakers, headphones, phone cases, dashboard cameras, mobile chargers, and on and on. Most of these vendors sell exclusively on Amazon, and a lot of them stack the deck with reviews solicited in exchange for free products.
I've talked about that before, and I've recommended Fakespot as a way to separate the review wheat from the review chaff. (Though even Fakespot must be taken with a grain of salt; it doesn't always get things right. Indeed, it's possible to provide a fair and honest review even if you received a product for free.)
Full disclosure: Sometimes I request a sample myself, usually when it's something unusual or that I haven't tried before. If I don't feel I can offer an informed opinion before sharing a deal, I try to test-drive the thing to be sure I'm not recommending junk.
Getting back to today's deal, why am I sharing yet another headphone? Two reasons: The price is amazing, and, well, nothing else really caught my eye.
Here's the deal: For a limited time, and while supplies last, OptimMore (via Amazon) is offering the Vtin Swan QY8 Bluetooth sport earbuds for $9.99 when you apply promo code ZVYOJLFH at checkout. Regular price: $24.99. Shipping is free for Prime subscribers.
If you check the 100-plus reviews, you'll see that they average out to around 4.3 stars -- solid (and fairly typical) for a product like this. Also typical: the Fakespot rating (it's a 'D'). My advice: read the actual reviews and decide for yourself. (One genius gave one star because "no way to plug into phone.")
Although I haven't reviewed these exact earphones, I've looked at many just like them. They're all pretty good, especially for activities like walking the dog, hitting the gym, or just drowning out the obnoxiously noisy dude on your train to work.
The Swan features noise-isolating earbuds, a buckle for adjusting strap length (a tiny but very appreciable option) and a rated playtime of 7 hours. It supports Bluetooth 4.1, meaning you can keep two devices paired simultaneously -- nice if you frequently alternate between, say, your phone and tablet.
And, come on -- 10 bucks. That was really the driver behind my choice today. I've run countless other Bluetooth earbuds at $20, $25, etc. A few closer to $15, even. But $9.99 out the door? That's pretty sweet. And I know my $9.99 Bluetooth speaker deal from a few weeks back was hugely popular. Your thoughts?
Bonus deal: It's not really a deal in the traditional sense, but in case you missed it yesterday (it wasn't sent out via newsletter), be sure to read my story on how I saved $150 a year on my cable bill without even trying. I'm eager to hear if you think I'm nuts for giving up 50 percent of my savings or smart for getting something instead of nothing.