Avoiding Amazon Prime Day? Here are the best alternative UK deals on the products we love, from coffee machines to LED face masks
Amazon isn’t the only one slashing prices this week. We’ve rounded up the best deals on Filter-tested products from other big name retailers across home, beauty, fitness and more
Prime Day is now in full swing to fill the summer-shaped gap in the bargain-hunter’s calendar. But what if you don’t want to fork out nearly a hundred quid a year for Amazon Prime, or indeed use Amazon at all? Plenty of other retailers have joined in by rolling out big mid-June reductions, and unlike Amazon, they don’t make you subscribe to a members-only club to get their best deals.
It takes more legwork to find deals across multiple retailers than to head straight to Amazon, of course, so we’ve done the research for you. As well as finding the lowest prices online, we’ve used price-checking tools such as Pricerunner and Idealo to scour price histories and check that these are real deals with genuinely new and notable discounts.
We’ll keep this page updated over the next couple of days with the best price cuts on the Filter’s favourite products, from Ninja’s ingenious big-little air fryer to your favourite cooling eye cream – no Prime account required.
The best UK deals on the products we love if you’re avoiding Amazon Prime Day
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The best home deals
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The bargain fan that can cool a room
Devola Platinum desk fan, £51.99 (was £64.99)
£51.99 at DevolaThe best fans in our roundup came with price tags as high as £250, but this “bargain powerhouse” from Devola is “powerfully cooling” and “inaudible on lower settings”, wrote our tester Caramel Quin. Despite a weirdly angled display, this fan is a genuine bargain from Devola, especially given that its average Amazon price (discounts included) is £59. A very welcome offer in a heatwave so bad that I’m sweating into my keyboard.
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Our (and your) favourite mattress
Otty Original Hybrid mattress (king size), £540 (was £590)
£540 with code THEFILTER10 at OttyI’ve tested more than a dozen mattresses since the Otty Original Hybrid, and it’s still the best of the lot. Its full price is excellent value for the most comfortable foam-and-springs hybrid mattress I’ve ever slept on, and this 10% price drop makes it even easier to recommend. Otty is offering Filter readers 10% off across its store if you spend more than £400; offer ends 5 July.
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Our favourite window vacuum
Kärcher WV2 window vacuum, £40 (was £54.99)
£44.99 at ArgosThis condensation-zapping handheld vacuum was named “best overall” in Andy Shaw’s test of the best window vacs, thanks to its unbeatable balance of compact size and usability, simple operation and zero drips. Argos’s June sale wipes more than a tenner off its price, making it an excellent buy for cleaning all that rain gunk off your newly sun-drenched windows.
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The best mattress for couples
Simba Hybrid Pro mattress (double), £974.25 (was £1,299)
£974.25 at SimbaSimba tightened up its “sale price” claims following a slap on the wrist from the Competition and Markets Authority, and we’re happy to confirm that its Prime-time sale is genuinely new and notable, with 25% off sitewide until 30 June. In our best mattresses guide I wished Simba’s pricey flagship mattress was a bit firmer, but its ability to absorb movement is gamechanging for couples who toss and turn at night.
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Compact pressure washer
Kärcher K 2 Classic pressure washer, £75 (was £90)
£75 at ArgosIf the bonkers rain storms and heatwaves have left your deck or patio looking a bit grubby, the “surprisingly effective” cleaning power of this compact unit will restore your yard’s glory. Don’t expect the high-quality components of a £200 washer, but the Kärcher performed well enough in Andy Shaw’s tests to take the title “best budget” in his roundup of the best pressure washers. Now an even smarter buy.
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The best cordless vacuum for deep cleaning
Dyson V15 Detect Absolute, £549 (was £649)
£549 at John LewisJohn Lewis’s price match promise is doing sterling work to ensure that non-Prime members get some brilliant deals this week. Here’s another beauty, which currently costs £793.62 at Amazon: Dyson’s superb cleaner, a messy emptier but powerful enough to achieve “close to vacuuming perfection” in Andy Shaw’s test to find the best vacuum cleaners.
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The best pregnancy pillow
Bbhugme pregnancy pillow, £143.10 (was £159)
£143.10 at Mamas and PapasThe Bbhugme was the best overall in Victoria Turk’s test to find the best pregnancy pillows, impressing her with its comfy flexibility and light weight. “A great all-rounder,” wrote Victoria. “I can see it being useful at all stages of pregnancy, as support needs shift, and after birth as a nursing bolster.” Just a shame it’s so expensive, she added, so this £16 discount will be very welcome if you have a baby on the way.
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The best kitchen deals
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Ninja’s ingenious espresso machine
Ninja Luxe Cafe Premier, £474.83 (was £549.99)
£474.83 at John LewisIt’s pricey even with this discount, but as Sasha Muller says in our guide to the best espresso machines, “you get a lot for the money” with this superb pro-level Ninja. “The sheer number of drinks the Luxe Cafe can concoct is dizzying,” wrote Sasha. “The coffee staples include espresso, cold-press espresso, filter coffee and iced coffee, and the ingenious milk frother is more versatile than most.”
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The best budget pizza oven
ProCook outdoor pizza oven, £199.20 (was £249)
£199.20 at ProCook“Affordable, easily controllable and relatively simple to store as a result of its fold-up legs, it gets all the basics right,” wrote Rachel Ogden about this gas-powered, battery-free outdoor oven from ProCook – her top budget pick – in our guide to the best pizza ovens. Its already-nice price drops 20% this week, taking it under £200 for the first time ever.
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The Tom Kerridge-recommended food processor
Ninja food processor and blender with auto IQ, £148.99 (was £169.99)
£148.99 at John LewisThis isn’t quite the model chef Tom Kerridge uses in his restaurants (that’ll be a Thermomix, costing around two grand), but he warmly recommended this great-value Ninja in our guide to the best food processors chosen by chefs. John Lewis has matched Amazon on this deal, which comes with a price match offer.
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Ninja’s space-saving XL air fryer
Ninja Double Stack XL, £229.99 (was £269.99)
£226.99 at John LewisYet another John Lewis price-match Ninja deal, this one is still fairly pricey but at least you’ll be able to cook everyone’s dinner in one go. Rachel Ogden named the Double Stack XL the best compact air fryer in her guide to the best air fryers because it has a brilliant space-saving design, although the results didn’t impress her as much as other Ninja air fryers have.
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The best hair and beauty deals
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Remington hair straighteners and dryer
Remington Shine Therapy hair straightener and dryer gift set, £38.99 (was £60)
£38.99 at Argos“Brilliant value … can’t be beaten on price” wrote Sarah Matthews about Remington’s dryer in her guide to the best hair dryers. Well, it’s beaten itself in this amazing Argos deal that bundles the dryer with Remington’s “simple and sleek” straighteners, which Lise Smith chose as our best budget hair straighteners. The set was already a good deal at £60 but drops below £40 this week.
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The cooling eye cream for tired eyes
The Inkey List caffeine eye cream, 15ml, £7.50 (was £10)
£7.50 at Look Fantastic“This lightweight, non-greasy formula is easy to apply and feels refreshingly cool on the skin,” wrote Sabine Wiesel in our guide to the best eye creams. “You can almost feel it getting to work as you apply it, the caffeine stimulating blood flow and temporarily tightening skin.” One of your favourite Filter items so far this year, our top budget eye cream is now 25% cheaper.
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Shark’s multitalented LED face mask
Shark CryoGlow LED mask, £269.99 (was £299.99)
£269.99 at Shark Ninja £269.99 at John LewisFrom the same company that makes the vacuum cleaners (and Ninja’s sister brand – both are popping up a lot today), this Shark mask was named “best for targeting multiple skin concerns” in Sarah Matthews’ roundup of the best LED face masks. She found the mask slightly heavy, although as the only LED face mask to offer built-in under-eye cooling alongside targeted light therapy, it’s a solid investment (although an investment it certainly is).
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Silk’n’s brilliant bargain LED mask
Silk’n LED face mask 100, £88.99 (was £119)
£88.89 at BootsAlready your best bet to “try light therapy without remortgaging the house”, in the words of our best LED face masks writer Sarah Matthews, this comfortable silicone mask lacks the premium features of its more expensive counterparts (no timer or near-infrared, for instance), but left Sarah’s face “feeling completely comfortable, with a glowier finish than usual”. Boots’s extra 10% off adds up to the best deal on the Silk’n this week.
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The Korean SPF that deserves the hype
Beauty of Joseon relief sun rice + probiotics, 50ml, £12.40 (was £15.50)
£12.40 at Cult Beauty £12.40 at Look FantasticThis Korean skincare hero lives up to the hype, wrote Sarah Matthews in our guide to the best facial sunscreens. “It sinks in quickly, leaving a soft, natural finish … perfectly primed for makeup” and offers SPF 50+ and PA+++++ protection against UVA and UVB. At £12.40 it’s an absolute steal, although “as with any sun cream, you’ll need to apply enough of it, multiple times a day, to reach that level of protection”.
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The best deals on toys and gifts
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Lego Bluey set for young kids
Lego Bluey Playground Fun with Bluey and Chloe, £13.50 (was £18)
£13.50 at John Lewis £13.50 at Argos“Four is the perfect age for Lego,” wrote Rebecca Goodman in our guide to the best toys and gifts for four-year-olds, chosen by kids – and if you combine it with world-conquering Aussie cartoon dog Bluey, you’ve got a guaranteed winner on your hands. This set isn’t exactly huge, and older kids may turn up their noses, but at just £13.50 it’s a brilliant summer buy for the little ‘uns.
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The best personal care appliance deals
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Therabody mini massage gun
Therabody Theragun Mini 3.0, £169 (was £199)
£169 at John Lewis £169 at SelfridgesNaming its 2nd-gen predecessor “best mini massage gun” in our guide to the best massage guns, Kieran Alger wrote that this powerful Bluetooth-connected compact gun is “pleasingly simple and impressively powerful for its size”, but “pricey for a mini massage gun”. The 3rd-gen version is even smaller, and you can currently buy it with a dinkier price tag than its predecessor, too, thanks to Argos and Selfridges knocking off £30 in their June sales.
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The best premium electric toothbrush
Philips Sonicare Smart 9400, £169.99 (was £199.99)
£169.99 at John Lewis“If you have a toothbrush budget most people could only dream of, then the Philips Sonicare Smart 9400 is the model to go for,” wrote Alan Martin in best electric toothbrushes. This outstandingly powerful, feature-packed device is still pricey, especially for a brush with no sensitive mode, but John Lewis has taken the sting off a little by reducing it by £30, price match promise and all.
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The best rabbit vibrator
Je Joue Hera Flex, £89.10 (was £99)
£89.10 at Je Joue“She’s back!” proclaims Je Joue about its often sold-out dual-stimulation vibrator, which is “as flexible as a yoga master” according to writer Alix Fox in our guide to the best vibrators. As well as being versatile enough to suit many different anatomical configurations, the Hera Flex is a “quality, thoughtfully re-engineered rabbit reboot”. Normally £99 (and still £115 at Superdrug), this pleasure hero is now a decidedly joyous £89.10 at Je Joue.
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The best sport and fitness deals
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The gym-worthy elliptical trainer
Horizon EX-59 Elliptical Trainer, £699.99 (was £999.99)
£699.99 at Johnson FitnessThere was no “best budget” option in our roundup of the best cross and elliptical trainers, because these low-impact cardio machines usually cost well into four figures, so writer Leon Poultney named the Horison EX-59 “best value” instead – and now it’s a genuinely outstanding buy with £300 off at Johnson Fitness. “The build quality is great, especially considering the price,” wrote Leon. “It’s not dissimilar to the larger elliptical machines you might find at a gym.”
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The must-have padel racket
Babolat Counter Origin padel racket, £67.99 (was £85)
£67.99 at Padelshack £73.70 at DecathlonLike tennis for mere humans, padel is the boom sport of the moment. “If you can hit a ball with a racket, you can play,” writes Tim Danton in our guide to the best padel rackets, and the Babolat Counter Origin is his top pick overall, thanks to its excellent balance and light weight. It’s also a brilliant buy at under £100, even when not discounted.
Based in the US? Read the best anti-Prime Day deals in the US for Amazon skeptics
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