The unofficial kickoff to summer is here with Memorial Day, and it's a great time to grab some of the cheapest yet most functional buys. I'm talking inexpensive, no-fuss gadgets that make your life easier and won't leave you with buyer's remorse.
I test nifty gear and accessories 24/7/365, and as ZDNET's deals and shopping editor, I know my way around a sale page. I'm a voracious deal hunter, but some of my best advice for maximizing savings is to shop strategically, purchasing everyday items or essentials that won't break the bank. Here are my favorite cheap gadgets so far, and some of them are on sale for Memorial Day.
This Anker USB-C wall charger is a great purchase if your charging gear always seems to disappear. It comes in multiple colors and isn't on sale often for under $16. I've lost track at how many of these I own at this point.
This cord wrangler keeps my MacBook charger off the ground and out of reach of my curious cats. It's especially great for making sure your charging cables don't fall into the abyss behind your desk, couch, or bed, and for $30, it's something I should have invested in a while ago.
Blink's newest 2K+ cam was only unveiled a few months back, and it's already on sale for a 48% discount. This is the newest model of Blink's popular Mini Indoor Cam, which our smart home expert Maria Diaz loves. I already own the older version of this cam, and I scooped up two more at this discounted price. I like to use them to keep an eye on my mischievous cat around my house when I'm away or out of his sight.
It's unclear to me why this tool remains one of our readers' favorite products, but it's recently dropped in price and is perhaps too good to pass up. While this handy ear camera used to sell for around $14, now you can get your own for only $8. Our resident gadgeteer Adrian Kingsley-Hughes loves his for tinkering, not just looking in your ear.
You can't go wrong with a smart plug to upgrade your home. Turn on lights, appliances, decor, and more from your phone. I use several brands of smart plugs, but Amazon's version is 20% off right now in the 4-pack iteration. The single plug is technically the only option that meets the $25 cap, but the multi-packs have the best value right now. I'd buy these anytime just to be able to avoid using a light switch, and I'll be stocking up for my new home. Our smart home expert, Maria Diaz, also loves smart plugs and has fully optimized her home with them.
Besides being optimistic that it would work better than Q-tips, I'm not sure what possessed me to purchase this little gizmo, but I'm glad I did. This AirPods cleaner tool has a 4.5/5 star rating and over 10,000 reviews, so at least others agree with me. It's dual-ended, with a soft bristle tool on one side and a sharp scraper and a small brush combo on the other. It does its job and is handy. Would buy again.
This isn't on sale, and it doesn't need to be, because it's so cheap. This lens and screen cleaner kit is a deal in itself, and it's my absolute favorite. Koala cleaner is my go-to for keeping my prescription glasses, laptop, iPhone, tablet, and other items streak, smudge, and dirt-free. The bottle lasts forever, and the special K-Cloth is perfect for cleaning my gross fingerprints off my glasses and tech. It's formulated for most speciality glass, too, including coated camera and eyeglass lenses, and I would know. This has not damaged the anti-glare coating on my glasses at all and I've been using it for years. Immediate add-to-cart, no regrets. You can't beat this for $8.
This is also not on sale, but it was $13 well spent. I learned the hard way that I should have bought a keyboard protector when I got my new work MacBook Pro. Lesson learned -- but don't make my mistake. This keyboard cover is barely noticeable, thin, and doesn't hinder my screen when it's closed. It keeps gross crud off of my keys, and it comes off easily, so I can shamelessly shake off crumbs and other bits from between keys. Bonus is that it helps keep accidental spills from running into your keys, too.
This year, Memorial Day is on Monday, May 25, 2026. It is a US federal holiday and observed on the last Monday in May annually. It also traditionally marks the unofficial start of summer.