Every month, we like to ask our staff about their favorite stuff — whether it’s tech, kitchen tools, or camping gear. What they answer gives us some interesting insights into what the folks here like to use when they’re at the job or enjoying some time off.Now that Amazon’s Prime Day sales have come again, we’ve looked through some of our recent “favorites” articles and found deals on a lot of the devices we like. So, we thought we’d list a few in case you have read about them in the past and thought, well, that sort of sounds good, but it’s a bit pricey. (Or — that’s pretty cheap, but maybe I’ll wait until the price goes down even more…)Here some of our staff’s most-liked gear that is now on sale during Prime Day.CamelBak Hydrobak hydration packWhere to Buy: $60 $39.26 at Amazon $65 at CamelBakIf you’re itching to get out on a bike ride even when it’s 85-plus degrees, you don’t want to be stuck without an adequate supply of water. I only have room for one drink holder on my bike, so I’ve found that it’s just far more convenient to carry water on my back with the aptly named CamelBak Hydrobak hydration pack. It’s a lightweight backpack that holds up to 1.5 liters of water, which it says is enough for a two-hour bike ride.The backpack also comes with a handy straw that you just lift up and drink from, preventing you from having to stop and drink from your water bottle (unless you’re coordinated enough to take a sip while riding, which I am not). It also keeps your water relatively cool even when the sun is beating down your back.Aside from storing water, there’s a zipper pocket where you can store car keys, your ID, and other small items. It’s not just ideal for biking, either. Many people use the CamelBak Hydrobak on long hikes, runs, and even for music festivals. — Emma Roth, news writerUltimate Ears Wonderboom 4Where to Buy: $99.99 $69.99 at Amazon $99.99 $69.99 at Best BuyI try to bring a Bluetooth speaker everywhere with me when the weather’s good. A pool party, a park day, a golf outing, a hang on the back patio — it’s all better with music! There are obviously lots of good speakers out there, but for me the UE Wonderboom 4 is the perfect one. It’s only $100, it’s small but loud enough to work just about anywhere, its battery lasts all day and then some, it’s waterproof, and it floats. (All the colors look nice, by the way, but… get the blue one.) There are fancier speakers with more features, and the $200 Megaboom does sound a lot better, but I keep a Wonderboom in my trunk, and it has made me the party hero more times than I can count. — David Pierce, editor-at-largeThermacell E55 Rechargeable Mosquito RepellerWhere to Buy: $34.99 $17.68 at Amazon $29.99 at ThermacellMy biggest deterrent to spending some time outside are bugs, mosquitos specifically. I wish they’d bug off. They have me looking like I’m doing interpretive dancing to avoid being poked. Thankfully, a gadget that I got last year has made it so that I don’t need to be (as) protective of my exposed skin.Thermacell makes rechargeable and refillable mosquito repellers. I got the E-Series model, which creates a safe zone where you likely won’t be bitten. It lasts a little over five hours per charge, meaning I get more than one use out of it before needing to charge it again. Just be sure not to use it in an environment where there isn’t proper ventilation; Thermacell notes that its ingredients shouldn’t be a concern for people or pets, but I don’t want too much insecticide around my loved ones — or my food. — Cameron Faulkner, commerce editorAnker Nano Power BankSmall, convenient 5,000mAh charger with foldable USB-C connector; marketed for later iPhones but usable for Android phones as well.Where to Buy: $29.99 $23.99 at AmazonI have a tendency to hold on to my phones as long as they work reasonably well, and although I must admit I’ve been tempted by the Pixel 9A, I will probably still be using my Pixel 6 for a bit longer. The only issue that I’m starting to hit is battery life — after over three years of use, it’s not unexpected that I will sometimes hit the 20 percent mark toward the end of the day. So I recently realized that I’m going to have to start carrying around a portable charger. At first, I was going to go with the 20,000mAh Anker Zolo Power Bank, which had gotten a good number of recommendations. But it weighs over 11 ounces and when I dropped it into my bag, it felt like I had added a small brick. That’s why I traded it in for the less powerful but much lighter Anker Nano Power Bank, which plugs into my phone’s USB-C slot like a small add-on peripheral. The Nano weighs only 3.5 ounces and supplies 5,000mAh of battery power — enough to keep me going to the end of the day. And it comes in several pale colors (I chose Ice Lake Blue), which means I can see it more easily in the dark reaches of my bag. — Barbara Krasnoff, reviews editorHamilton Beach 3-in-one Egg CookerCooks up to seven eggs three different ways; comes with an omelet bowl that also steams vegetables.Where to Buy: $20.99 at Hamilton Beach $20.95 $19.99 at AmazonMy body composition has become about 70 percent egg in the blissful month since I bought this cooker. I never want to buy new countertop kitchen appliances, because almost every time I do, they end up dusty in the back of the cabinet, but I’m amazed by how useful this simple Hamilton Beach Egg Cooker is. I can prepare hard- or soft-boiled eggs to perfect consistency in minutes (with no cleanup!), and having it on hand has dramatically cut back on my bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich habit. So it’s good for my cholesterol and my bank account. — Kristen Radtke, creative directorHydro Flask Standard Mouth Water Bottle (18 oz)Stainless steel 18-ounce water bottle with double-wall vacuum insulation.Where to Buy: $29.95 $23.49 at AmazonThis is a sturdy stainless steel water bottle that keeps water cold as I sip it throughout my workday. What more could you ask for? I take it on trips, too, and while it’s got a few dents from some drops onto concrete, I don’t really care. If anything, the dents add some character and make it mine.— Jay Peters, news editorInstant Pot Duo CrispAn 8-quart 11-in-1 air fryer and electric pressure cooker that air fries, steams, slow cooks, sautés, dehydrates, and — in other words — gives you a world of cooking features on your counter.Where to Buy: $129.99 $89.99 at AmazonFor the past few years, the Instant Pot has been a staple in my kitchen. From making rice to slow-cooking stews and even frying up chicken, it can do just about anything. The best part is that the Instant Pot can cook most recipes in a fraction of the time it would take in the oven or on the stove. Rice, for example, takes just six minutes to cook (not counting the amount of time it takes to build pressure), and there’s no fussing with covering the pot or adjusting the heat. Sometimes, it’s just easier — and much less stressful — to let the Instant Pot take the wheel. — Emma Roth, news writerBraun MultiQuick 5 Vario Hand BlenderLightweight, 21-speed hand blender that’s easy to use and put away.Where to Buy: $69.95 $49.99 at BraunHow often do you blend things? Is it never? Maybe the reason is that taking out, assembling, and cleaning up after a normal blender is just way too much work. Do you know how many sauces I’ve thickened since getting an immersion blender? This thing is small, quick to set up, and you can mostly clean it with just a blast under the faucet. You’re going to blend so many things. — Jacob Kastrenakes, executive editorGripstic bag sealer 12-packThis reusable sealing rod locks air and moisture out to prevent your snacks from going stale, prevents freezer burn, and keeps food fresh longer. Where to Buy: $23.95 at Gripstic $23.95 $18.99 at AmazonIt’s kind of weird how much I like our Gripstics. Bag of chips open? Quick, grab a Gripstic. Kids vibing between two different cereals this week? A well-placed Gripstic will ensure they don’t get all squishy. Tiny package of chocolate chips you used for a recipe that is now kind of open in your cupboard for who knows how long? Just fold the top over, slide a Gripstic on it — the small blue one, thank you — and stop worrying so much.I don’t know about you or your family’s shopping and eating habits, but try as we might to shop on the outside walls of the grocery store, we inevitably come home with many products packaged in single-use plastic bags. That in and of itself is a frustration, only compounded by those same products going bad if they’re not stored properly. The Gripstics are a simple solution to this universal problem, and one that I’m certain has paid for itself many times over. — Christopher Grant, group publisher

The Lofree Flow 2 is a more premium version of the company's original Flow keyboard. This low-profile offering switches to full-body aluminum construction and introduces multiple quality-of-life improvements across the "board." You can also choose from three different layouts, depending on your liking for missing keys. That said, Lofree's decision to add a touch bar with limited functionality and the restrictions on choosing color and switch options won't sit well with many users. And its post-launch price is a little on the higher side, considering Lofree's own Flow and Flow Lite are still available.

Just when you think you've seen it all, a new mini PC pops up on Amazon that delivers impressive specifications that you'd never expect in such a small package. This one from Beelink is something truly special, featuring an Intel Ultra 9 processor that's paired with a massive 96GB of RAM.

We all do it. When we're online, we constantly find interesting articles, videos, and things we want to save for later. Our first thought? To bookmark that URL. Most of us just click the little star in our browser, throw it into a general folder, and hope we'll remember where it went. But for me, my bookmarking spot is Notion. It's where I keep everything: my projects, notes, plans for content, and, yes, even cool links. Keeping my bookmarks in Notion is super helpful. I can add notes, connect them to my projects, tag them with different labels, and even write short summaries.

When installing Linux for the first time, it can be a little confusing as to what you should do next. Thankfully, most Linux distros are well configured out of the box, allowing you to get up and running from the get-go, but there are a few commands I usually perform on any fresh Linux installation. If you're wondering what to do next, check out what I do with a clean install and see if you can add a little flair to your PC with a few basic commands.

TerraMaster network-attached storage (NAS) enclosures are usually discounted for Prime Day, and this year's no exception, with a few models currently on sale. Depending on the number of bays you require and your intended use for the enclosure, you may save up to 25% on some powerful self-hosting machines. Although Synology usually steals the spotlight when it comes to NAS brands, TerraMaster makes some compelling hardware.

Prime Day is always a great time to treat yourself to a smart home upgrade, and this year YEEDI is leading the way with big discounts on all of its robot vacuum cleaners and mops. From the flagship S16 Plus and M14 Plus to the more affordable M12 Pro+, there is a model for everyone’s budget during this limited-time sale.

I've been using Home Assistant for quite a while now, and these days, the first thing I ask myself when I get a new device is "How can I integrate this with Home Assistant?" The Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro has been no different, and after my last foray with Govee, I was up for another challenge. This one packs a Bluetooth speaker inside, developed by JBL, and it has an internal battery so that it can be charged up and moved around, all while playing music on the go. It uses Bluetooth for audio streaming and can connect to a Matter network.

I've been making some home server upgrades as of late, and the goal is to eventually swap out most of my parts to significantly more high-powered (but still lower idle power) components. While I've been using the trusty GTX 1070 Ti for quite a while at this stage, I've also had both an Intel Arc A770 and an AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX sitting here that I've been using for testing. I was curious about how well Intel would fare, so the A770 has been in my TrueNAS machine for about a week at this stage.

A network-attached storage (NAS) device isn't terribly useful without a drive (or a few) installed. Prime Day is a great time to splash out and build upon capacity on your network to stash as much data as required. Our data needs only continue to increase, and larger drives make more economical sense, reducing the power demands and overall cost when kitting out your NAS with capacity. Then there's this impressive 26TB Western Digital Red Pro HDD, designed especially for NAS enclosures. For Prime Day, this HDD is yours for $485 or $0.02 per GB.

Do you keep track of the SteamOS beta updates? Even if you're not a fan of using work-in-progress operating systems as your daily driver, it's still worth poking through the patch notes, if only to know what you can expect from a future release patch.

As someone who has primarily played games on an Xbox console since the original model was released in the early 2000s, I have been a subscriber to Xbox Game Pass since its launch. While there have certainly been low points for the service, it has provided me with a steady stream of not only great older games but also brand-new releases. While the verdict is still out on whether it's a good deal for developers, it certainly has been for me, and it has changed some of my gaming habits in ways you might not expect, far more than the tantalizing Steam sales, which I rarely partake in, partially because of Xbox Game Pass.