The Wirecutter
This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a buyer's guide to the best technology. When readers choose to buy The Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, they may earn affiliate commissions that support their work. Read their continuously updated list of deals here.
You may have already seen Engadget posting reviews from our friends at The Wirecutter. Now, from time to time, we'll also be publishing their recommended deals on some of their top picks. Read on, and strike while the iron is hot -- some of these sales could expire mighty soon.
PlayStation VR
Street price: $400; MSRP: $400; Deal price: $340
This is a new low price on our PS4 owner's pick for best VR headset (for now). The PS VR hasn't moved much from it's $400 price point, and this deal brings it $10 below the previous best price. It should be noted that this is the standalone headset only – no Move controllers or cameras.
The PlayStation VR is our PS4 owners pick in our guide to the best VR headsets for PC and PS4. Signe Brewster writes, "Sony's PlayStation VR headset can't track you quite as well as the competition can, but it's good enough to provide a fun, solid virtual reality gaming experience. If you own a PlayStation 4 or 4 Pro (or would rather buy one than an expensive gaming PC), the PSVR's $500 price tag makes it an easy pick. There are plenty of games to choose from—including PSVR exclusives like Rez Infinite as well as games like EVE: Valkyrie that are available on Vive and Rift—its camera and controllers are PlayStation accessories you may already own, and it's easy to get into if you're already familiar with the PlayStation's user interface. Two of my testers also chose it as the most comfortable headset (the other two picked the Rift)."
Refurbished DJI Phantom 4 Drone
Street price: $1000; MSRP: $1400; Deal price: $700
Here's a new low price on our former upgrade drone pick. While we've seen deals on this refurbished model in the past, this is about $35 below the previous best price. This refurbished Phantom 4 comes with the same standard warranty that a new DJI drone does – 12 months for major components and 6 months for most parts and accessories.
The DJI Phantom 4 is our former upgrade pick in our best drones guide. Mike Perlman wrote, "If you need advanced photo and video capabilities, and you want to fly for a longer duration, and you really want to make sure you don't crash your $1,400 flying machine into the side of a barn, the Phantom 4 is for you. The Phantom 4 has a forward-collision sensing system that will stop the drone in its tracks before it gets too friendly with a tree. It also benefits from a longer battery life and rugged, redesigned body, including a totally new recessed gimbal that should better protect the camera assembly. Propellers can now be changed in the blink of an eye with a new press-and-lock system, and in addition to 4K recording, the Phantom 4 offers 120 frames per second at 1080p. Its newly designed lens cuts distortion significantly (compared to the Phantom 3) and it offers new modes including ActiveTrack (which automatically follows a moving subject), TapFly (which flies wherever the pilot taps on the FPV screen), and Sport Mode (in which the Phantom 4 can reach 45 mph for racing). Battery life has also been increased to a stated 28 minutes (about 22 minutes in our real-world testing). The Phantom 4 is the ultimate pick for seasoned photographers and videographers."
L.L.Bean Quad Pack Backpack
Street price: $80; MSRP: $80; Deal price: $64 with code SUMMER
A nice discount for those thinking ahead to school in the fall. L.L. Bean is currently offering 20% off the Quad Pack backpack with the use of a coupon code in cart. All colors are still available, but the last time we posted a 20 percent off promo on these backpacks several quickly sold and were moved to backordered status. Make sure to use code: SUMMER to get your 20 percent off and act quickly if you need a backpack in the near future. This promo runs through 5/31. Shipping is free.
The L.L. Bean Quad Pack is our top pick in our guide to the best school backpack for high school and college. Mathew Olsen writes, "Offering versatility at an appealing price, the L.L.Bean Quad Pack is a great backpack for taking to class, bringing on a walk through the park, or carrying on a day trip on the trails. First and foremost, the Quad is exceptionally comfortable even when loaded up in warm weather. It's spacious, capable of carrying a lot in its sensibly organized pockets. The Quad also boasts a unique outer pouch that can be the only storage you need for a short outing. On L.L.Bean's site the Quad has great reviews from high schoolers, hikers, law-school students, and archaeologists alike. It isn't a revolutionary bag, but for this price, you'll be hard-pressed to find a backpack as thoughtfully designed."
Coleman Classic Camping Stove
Street price: $43; MSRP: $55; Deal price: $36
While we've seen it for a couple bucks cheaper in the past, this is very close to the best price we've seen. It's been $33 before, but that was only once and the deal lasted for less than a day. This is a nice $7 drop below the average street price this year. Plus, now that this camping stove is back in stock, it's immediately available for Prime shipping.
The Coleman Classic Camping Stove is our top pick in our guide to the best camping stove. Kit Dillon writes, "Though it didn't boil water the fastest or slow-cook the longest, we decided it just didn't matter. Who cares if your water boils a minute faster or slower? The most important feature of the Coleman is that after getting tossed in and out of your car over and over again, it has the best chance of not breaking. With that in mind, it still boiled water faster—6 cups in 5 minutes on high—than anything except our upgrade pick. It is gentle enough to griddle golden-brown pancakes when turned down low, can cook with both burners on high on a single 16.4-ounce tank of propane for roughly an hour, and has the barest minimum of parts for easy maintenance. This model does not have a Piezo ignitor—that little red button you see on a lot of stoves that lights the gas—so you'll have to bring a lighter. To us, that's just one less thing to break (and they always break)."
Because great deals don't just happen on Thursdays, sign up for our daily deals email and we'll send you the best deals we find every weekday. Also, deals change all the time, and some of these may have expired. To see an updated list of current deals, please go to The Wirecutter.com.