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8 most popular things IndyBest readers bought in June 2021
Did you manage to bag a Prime Day deal – or a PS5?
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From the weather to the early Euros results, June 2021 was an unpredictable month, to say the least. So it’s understandable that our shopping habits were…well, a bit all over the shop (pun intended) too.
Amazon made history last month by bringing its annual Prime Day extravaganza forward from its usual slot in July, meaning that if there was ever a time to bag a bargain, it was on 21 and 22 June. We saw record sales of everything from AirPods to vacuum cleaners to mattresses, all at low prices you’re unlikely to see replicated until the likes of Black Friday roll around.
Elsewhere in the world of retail, you’ve been racing to finally get yours hands on a PS5 – the elusive console has had fluctuating stock levels since its launch in 2020, but June saw a number of major drops from big name retailers including Game, Amazon and Very. Not managed to place an order yet? Our liveblog is tracking all of the availability in real time, so that’s the page to bookmark.
And with some sunshine finally emerging, barbecues were big (although our current favourite is currently out of stock), as were cooling fans, to keep bedrooms light and breezy on hotter, stickier nights – along with lightweight linen bedding, another notable hit this month.
Want to inspect the contents of everybody else’s shopping baskets in more detail? Here are the pieces we’ve seen flying off the virtual shelves most frequently during the last 30 days.
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You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.
Sony PlayStation 5 console: From £449, Argos.co.uk
The problem with our most popular buy of the month is that you can’t just click on it and buy it – restocks come sporadically, with keeping track of them almost a full-time job in and of itself (just ask our liveblog writer, Alex Lee). However, it was heartening to see lots of big name brands, including Argos, offer up some PS5s to customers last month – we’re hopeful that the replenishments will be just as fruitful throughout July.
AirPods pro: Was £249, now £189.98, Amazon.co.uk
There were hundreds of amazing deals to snap up throughout the two-day Prime Day event, but none quite so popular – according to the purchases of our readers, at least – than the coveted AirPods pro. While they’re not quite as cheap as their former promotional price of £187.99 right now, Amazon is still running an excellent discount, so you can still get a pair for just £2 more.
Shark cordless stick vacuum cleaner: Was £379.99, now £315, Amazon.co.uk
Equally in demand on Prime Day was the Shark cordless stick vacuum cleaner, which was reduced to a pretty incredible £229 for the occasion. While you can’t get such a steal right now, it’s still worth considering if you’re in the market for a new vacuum.
Our reviewer rated it the overall best buy in our pick of the top cordless vacuum cleaners, writing: “With a run-time of up to 120 minutes, this vacuum is perfect for anyone who has both carpets and wood flooring, or simply forgets to charge their machine regularly. It gives the impression of a bigger model, but it’s relatively light and the stick has a foldable function – making it great for storing.”
Dyson purifier cool purifying fan: £499, Dyson.co.uk
It may not be the cheapest option in our round-up of the best fans, but if this month has proved anything, it’s that you’re willing to invest, as it was one of the most-shopped models in June. If you do have the budget, this multi-tasker, which also acts as an air purifier is well worth the spend.
“Its bladeless fan technology means it’s wonderfully quiet and takes up minimal space,” says our reviewer. “We enjoyed a blissful, cool night after placing it in the corner of a hot first floor bedroom and switching it to night mode, which meant low noise levels and a dimmed screen.”
JoJo Maman Bebe kids flexible sunglasses: £14, Jojomamanbebe.co.uk
Getting children to keep their shades on isn’t always easy, but these JoJo Maman Bebe glasses, available in a choice of four colours and ranked one of the best in our pick of the best sunglasses for kids, can help.
“These sunglasses have a stretchy detachable strap which can be adjusted for the snuggest of fits and demolishes the hunt the sunglasses game,” our tester explained. “With a comfortable and secure fit there’s plenty of flex in the arms for durability, and they are closely positioned to the eyes for safety.” We saw dozens of pairs sell this month alone.
Bedfolk linen bedding bundle: £139, Bedfolk.com
Thinking of upgrading your bedding for the new season? You could do a lot worse than the Bedfolk linen bedding set, which was one of the top options we reviewed this year. “It has a charming pre-loved look and feel, while the colour is an attractive, faded, utilitarian blue,” our tester reported. It’s available in single, double, king and super king, and a choice of four other colours if blue’s not your thing, too.
John Lewis & Partners synthetic soft touch washable standard pillow: Was £10, now £8, Johnlewis.com
Of course, comfy bedding is nothing without a great pillow to support it – and more than 100 of you ordered this affordable John Lewis one, voted the best pillow for side sleepers in our best pillow article, this month. It’s a great buy even at its original £10 price, but the fact you can currently get 20 per cent off might have something to do with it too...
Simba hybrid mattress: Was £939, now £704.25, Simbasleep.com
We see many mattress sales on any given day, but our mattress of the month for June? Simba’s cult hybrid. “We think it’s best for side and front sleepers, and that goes for people of any shape or size. If you’re prone to waking up with aches and pains, especially in your back, you’ll really notice the spinal support,” says our reviewer, who marked it out as one of their overall favourites.
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Missed Prime Day, but still want great savings? The Next summer sale starts very soon
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