How to save big on Prime Day by loading your carts now

BestReviews is reader-supported and may earn an affiliate commission. Details.

Why savvy shoppers are loading their carts now in order to save the most during Prime Day

Prime Day, Amazon’s two-day summer shopping event, can be hectic for shoppers hunting for significant markdowns. One of the most frequent questions we hear is with regard to how people can make sure they are getting the best deal possible.

Through tracking the event since its inception, BestReviews has consistently had one piece of advice for its readers to help conquer the craziness: Add the products you’re most excited to shop for to your cart before Prime Day starts. By doing this, you’ll be able to watch how much the items are marked down once the sale starts and strike when they’re at the lowest price.

It’s really simple: Prime members should add the products they desire to their cart, and instead of buying, hold on to see the prices in a list when the event officially begins. This year, it will start at 12 a.m. PT on Tuesday, July 16, and run through 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, July 17.

Shop these top deals now: Instant Pot Pro 9-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker , iRobot Roomba Combo i5+ and Apple AirPods Pro

Jump to all the deals on Amazon here.

Tips for finding the best Prime Day deals

We also are consistently asked, how do you know when a deal is at its best price on Prime Day ? The short answer is it’s impossible to know with 100 percent certainty as prices fluctuate constantly throughout the event. But here are some quick ground rules we advocate:

• More expensive products won’t be marked down as much percentage-wise. If you see something that costs hundreds of dollars and is discounted by 15% or more, that’s a good sign to buy. This is especially true for brand-name products, like those from Apple or Dyson .
• For products that are $50 or less, you want to see them marked down even more. Look for 30% or more.
• The cheapest items, like toys, are going to be worth waiting to see the 50% off marker.
• If it’s marked as a lightning deal, do not wait. That will be the best price you will get.

Best early Prime Day deals

Here are some of our favorite deals that are live on the site right now.

Vitamix 5200 Blender 26% OFF

This is a great example of a high-end item that is currently at a great price. If this top-of-the-line brand name has been on your list, it’s a perfect time to buy.

Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker 42% OFF

For those who haven’t already invested in an Instant Pot, it’s time to get to know one of the most reliable cooking appliances of recent memory.

iRobot Roomba Combo i5+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum and Mop 27% OFF

This robot gets it done across all kinds of flooring and is worth checking out now, especially when you can save more than a hundred dollars in the process.

Bissell Little Green Pet Deluxe Portable Carpet Cleaner 29% OFF

A staple of Prime Day and pet owners. You can get it now for less than $100.

Callaway Golf 300 Pro Laser Rangefinder 36% OFF

You can always tell the Prime Day shoppers on the golf course because they’ll have this rangefinder. It competes with models that are way more expensive while providing yardages adjusted for slope.

Oral-B Genius X Limited Rechargeable Electric Powered Toothbrush is 50% off

Electric toothbrushes don’t last forever and if you’re in need of an upgrade. This is a worthwhile model.

The most anticipated Prime Day sales

Here are some of the deals we hope will go live when the event starts and the deals really get going.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation)

Apple has emerged as a consistent player during Prime Day. Adding another pair of headphones makes life easier across the board. This one will be in a lot of our carts ahead of the event.

JBL Charge 4

JBL Bluetooth speakers always impress in the BestReviews Testing Lab. They have some of the fastest-connecting speakers in the game, which will add to any park or backyard hang.

VIZIO 50-inch MQX-Series 4K 120Hz QLED HDR10+ Smart TV

Impressive technology at an even more impressive price. We love to see it when VIZIO’s products go on sale to make the bang for the buck even greater.

Herschel Supply Co. Herschel Classic XL Backpack

Get ahead of back-to-school shopping with the stylish Herschel brand. Amazon has rolled out an increasing number of fashion deals over the years with bigger and bigger brand names.

Dyson Airwrap

It’s not a major sales event unless we’re looking out for a discount on Dyson’s wildly popular hairstyler. The perfect gift.

And if you need assistance on finding the best deals, BestReviews will be updating our coverage of the following pieces throughout the event to connect our readers with the best deals live at the time, including early deals currently on sale:

• The best early deals of Prime Day 2024
• Best Prime Day deals for under $100
• Early deals on Apple products ahead of Prime Day

Jacob Palmer is Sr. Director of Content Operations at BestReviews and has covered Prime Day since 2018.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.