Why You Can Trust CNET The Cheapskate's 2020 wrap-up: Final deals and top picks of the year
Get a robot vacuum for $100 and find out which deals were my favorites in 2020.
The Deebot N79S is just $100 right now. Who cares if it's refurbished? It's backed by a 2-year Ecovacs warranty.
Farewell, 2020! (And good riddance, duh.) This is my last daily-deal post of the year. I'll be on vacation the remainder of this week and all through the next. Newsletters will keep coming, though, mostly consisting of content from other writers and some evergreen favorites.
Here's wishing you a safe, happy and healthy holiday and new year. I'm so thankful to have you as a reader and look forward to sharing more deal goodness with you in 2021.
Before I go, one last little roundup. As always, everything here is available for a limited time and while supplies last. Below all that, I've shared some of my favorite things of 2020. (Who doesn't love a good "best list"?)
Read more: CNET's 2020 Innovation Award winners made things better during a difficult year
Ay, yo: Own Creed for just $1.
- Against all odds, the Rocky sequel/reboot Creed was a genuinely good movie. As of this morning, you can buy Creed (HD) from Amazon for just 99 cents. Even if you watch it just once, it's cheaper than a rental.
- Earlier this year, Electronic Arts released the Command & Conquer Remastered Collection, bringing two classic real-time strategy games from the '90s into the modern age. It normally sells for $20, but right now you can snag Command & Conquer Remastered for $10 -- the lowest price to date. (That nets you a digital code to redeem on Steam.) Highly, highly recommended.
- I've seen a couple $100 robot vacs this year, most of them "dumb" ones that lacked any kind of app controls or support for voice assistants. But right now, you can pick up a certified-refurbished (but with 2-year warranty) Ecovacs Deebot N79S robot vacuum cleaner for $100. It's designed to clean hard floors and carpets and sells new for around $240.
- Do you like to work in bed or on the couch? Some kind of laptop table is all but essential. Amazon seller WSWY-US has the Leehee Laptop Desk for $35 with promo code ZVUK23BJ. It's height- and angle-adjustable, with an integrated cooling fan and folding legs for easier storage. The code works with the beige and pink colors.
The Cheapskate's favorite things of 2020
You might think this is a year best forgotten, but amid all the conflict and heartache, some good stood out. Read on for the most notable deals and some of my favorite media of the year.
This thing again? Yeah, it's that good.
Best deal of 2020: Wyze introduced a bunch of impressive new products this year, but my nod goes to the one that started it all: the Wyze Cam. The new v3 model can work both indoors and out, plus it adds a wider field of view and improved low-light visibility. You still get 14 days of free cloud storage and support for dirt-cheap microSD storage. All that and the thing is still just $20. Read CNET's Wyze Cam v3 review to learn more.
Honorable mention: The Amazfit Bip S smartwatch did the impossible: Improved on the original but arrived with a lower price. For just $70 you get a feature-packed watch with an always-on display and amazing battery life. Ironically, it may soon get eclipsed by the Bip U Pro, which adds more features and an even better screen to the mix (though shorter battery life) for the same $70. Read CNET's Amazfit Bip S review to learn more.
The best game console, period. And $100 less than last year's model. Wait, what?
Honorable mention: Another incredibly pleasant surprise: The new Oculus Quest 2 VR headset also improved on the original and also arrived with a lower price. At $299, it's $100 less than the original, but it provides higher-resolution optics and a lighter, more streamlined design. Honestly, I can't get excited by new game consoles when the Quest lets me step inside games -- and gets me off the couch in the process. Read CNET's Oculus Quest 2 review to learn more.
Honorable mention: In a year positively packed with AirPods alternatives, one that really stood out for me was the Mpow X3 (currently $50 when you clip the on-page $10-off coupon). Touch controls, active noise-canceling, 4-mic call-noise reduction, USB-C case charging and more, all for one-fifth the cost of AirPods Pro. Sound quality: "Shockingly good" for the price, according to CNET's David Carnoy.
Best book: American Dirt, which I finished just last night. Wow. Ignore the utterly ridiculous (IMHO) controversy and dive into this riveting, heartbreaking, beautifully told story of a mother and son on the run. Want to see if it's available at your local library? Use the indispensable Library Extension.
All by itself, Hamilton is worth the price of a Disney Plus subscription. (And, hey, you get Baby Yoda, too.)
Best movie: Does the filmed version of a stage musical count as movie? If so, then Hamilton wins hands-down. I was already a fan, but getting to see the original cast was a genuine thrill. I also thoroughly enjoyed Palm Springs on Hulu and Molly's Game (not a new release, but new to me) on Netflix.
Best TV series: It's impossible to pick just one, so I'm calling it a multi-way tie between The Queen's Gambit, Mrs. America, Ozark, The Crown, Unorthodox, The Last Dance and Devs.
Best podcast: SmartLess, hosted by Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes. The gimmick is that each week, one of the hosts brings on a guest to surprise the other two. And what amazing guests they've had: Jennifer Aniston, Paul McCartney and Conan O'Brien, to name just a few. But the real fun is listening to these three rip on each other the way guy-friends do.
Best app: TikTok. Yep, I said it. On any given day, when I allow myself down the just-five-minutes-oh-wait-it's-been-an-hour? rabbit hole of user-created content, I find myself alternately educated, informed and entertained. I've discovered genuinely useful products, learned great cooking tips and laughed out loud -- occasionally all at the same time.
Best thing on YouTube: Ryan George's Pitch Meeting series, bar none.
OK, everyone -- those are my picks. Let's hear yours!
CNET's Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on tech products and much more. For the latest deals and updates, follow him on Facebook and Twitter. You can also sign up for deal texts delivered right to your phone. Find more great buys on the CNET Deals page and check out our CNET Coupons page for the latest Walmart discount codes, eBay coupons, Samsung promo codes and even more from hundreds of other online stores. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Answers live on our FAQ page.