Today's best sales: 40% off an Echo Dot, plus save up to $250 on Apple products

Amazon invented the smart speaker (hey Alexa!), so you can trust that it knows what it's doing by now. The latest Echo Dot offers great sound for its size, performs an array of functions and regularly costs $50. However, you can currently snag one for 40% off! 

Yahoo's Senior Tech Editor, Rick Broida, writes in his review: "I consider the Echo Dot an excellent device, one that's incredibly useful and versatile. Whether it's your first foray into smart speakers or simply an extension of an existing smart-home setup, you'll find it an amazing asset."

One Amazon shopper who calls the device a "must have" said they have five versions of Alexa all around their house for various tasks. They shared: "In the unlikely event of a fall, I can call a friend or 911 for help, which is a potential lifesaver for people of any age. If I come home after dark, I can ask Alexa to turn on the lights so I don’t walk into a dark house. Alexa does thousands of things to make life easier."

This iPad has been around for close to three years, but its technology is still top-of-the-line. Get it while it's on sale for its lowest price ever. It features a liquid retina display with True Tone technology that adjusts to the color temperature of the room, making viewing easy in any light. Shoppers especially love how fast it is. Its A13 bionic chip delivers powerful performance, whether you're watching movies, gaming or finally writing that term paper. Plus, it offers up to 10 hours of steady battery life.

"You can’t go wrong with a 9th Generation iPad these days," said one recent buyer. "It’s fast, smooth and has a big high-quality screen and camera. Highly recommend anybody to buy this without having to spend [thousands] on a newer generation iPad. Five out of five stars!"

This doesn't happen often: Apple's newest MacBook Air laptop just went on sale — and for its lowest price yet. For a limited time, you can snag it for over 20% off at Amazon. A few quick highlights: This model has a 13.6-inch liquid retina display screen and weighs only 2.7 pounds. Its powerful speed and performance come courtesy of Apple's latest M3 chip. The Air also boasts 8GB of unified memory, 256GB of storage and up to 18 hours of battery life. Plus, it's marked down in all four colors, so you can get one that suits your style. For a little more dough, you can upgrade the storage and RAM.

"I recently purchased the 2024 MacBook Air M3 (base model) and it has completely blown me away. For anyone wondering whether the base model is enough, let me assure you, it absolutely is," said one reviewer. "The M3 chip is incredibly powerful. I haven't experienced any lag, even with multiple demanding applications open. ... This laptop is unbelievably light. I can barely feel it in my bag, making it perfect for commuting or travel."

Feel like your AirPods could use an update? The AirPods Pro 2 offer noise-cancellation and a different earbud style that comes with four pairs of silicone tips for a comfier, custom fit. These also have a longer battery life than the originals — up to 6 hours of listening time with Active Noise Cancellation activated, and up to 30 hours when using the charging case. 

 "I just got these as an upgrade from the original AirPods 2nd gen I’ve had for 6 years," said one impressed shopper. "I was completely shocked of just how powerful these AirPods Pros are. The noise cancellation was the biggest shock. I activated it for the first time at the train station with the platform near the highway will all the cars going by, and the moment i pressed it… ALL CARS GO SILENT. You don't hear anything besides the sounds coming through the AirPods."

This six-quart air fryer only has racked up nearly 4,000 five-star reviews at Amazon — where it's currently marked down to its lowest price yet. It can air-fry, bake, roast, broil, dehydrate, reheat, cook from frozen, proof bread and keep food warm. 

Personally, I have this air fryer and I got rid of my microwave — with all these functions, I no longer needed it. Plus, this cooks food fast and keeps things crispy. Put it in Turbo Mode and you can have dinner ready in under 15 minutes. I have used it to roast a whole chicken, reheat leftovers, broil steaks, air fry chicken wings and fries (of course) and dehydrate apple slices to make "chips" for a simple, healthy snack.

This 20-ounce gadget looks like a mini slow cooker, but it's designed to warm up your food, not cook it. The lid on the inner bowl (along with the outer lid) minimizes spills and leaks, while the handle makes toting it a snap. There are no buttons — just a detachable cord that wraps around the base for easy storage. Plug it in about 45 minutes before you're ready to eat, and you'll have a hot meal when it's time for lunch.

"I am a teacher with only a 20-minute lunch period, and there are three microwaves in a building for 80 people," wrote an impressed educator. "I absolutely love that I can have hot soup right at my desk. I leave the warming part at work and just bring home the inner bowl and lid to wash every day."

Ina Garten names her Le Creuset Dutch ovens one of her most-used pieces of cookware. It's great for making hearty stews, tender braised meats, baking bread and more. The round 6.75-quart version is currently on sale in a range of colors, just in time for fall cooking. Plus, when you get this piece from Le Creuset's website, you'll receive a free oil and vinegar cruet set for your kitchen. Just use code FRESHFLAVOR at checkout.

The Bissell CrossWave is a wet-dry vacuum that can do it all: Suck up crumbs and pet hair while polishing hardwood floors. It's cordless, lightweight design (it's just under 11 pounds!) makes it easy to zip around tight corners and clean your home fast. It has 30 minutes of continuous run time, and if you need to run it over an area rug to pick up debris, well, you can do that too. It's multi-surface-friendly!

"This is amazing!" said one reviewer. "I was so tired of sweeping and then moping and having to deal with all of the supplies. This is super easy to fill with water and whatever cleaner, or no cleaner if it’s just a small spill. It’s so easy to use my 12-year-old uses it. I haven’t used the self cleaning mode because it’s so easy to take apart and clean right after."

No one likes a stinky fridge! Keep odors at bay with this de-funk-ifier that can last for up to a decade (yes, 10 whole years). Simply place it on a shelf and let it do its job. 

More than 3,600 Amazon customers have given it five stars. "Having boiled eggs and onions in the refrigerator at the same time can be horrific," said one. "Baking soda cannot mask the smells, so I bought this to try and, to my surprise, it actually does make the refrigerator smell fresh. ... I would give it 10 stars if I could."

Is it a cardigan or is it a coat? It's both! Score this versatile piece for chilly end-of-summer mornings and early fall days while it's just over half off in a range of colors. Although, this khaki color goes great with jeans and leggings, and can make any outfit look a bit more elevated.  

"Very nice fabric — nice feel and weight to fabric," said one shopper. "Very soft, steps up the look of any outfit. I'm 5'3" and it hits right at knee. Looks so professional for work or completes a look with jeans. I will be buying more colors."