We’re finally at the end of summer, after enduring another season of unprecedented droughts and heat waves—and it’s not quite over. We may face weather like this well into the fall, which means you can expect to see a bit more sun than you’re used to during back-to-school season. You should pay closer attention to the UV index, even after summer officially ends.
Venturing out into the sun, your most vulnerable parts are going to be your extremities, your face, and your eyes. And if you’re going swimming, that includes anywhere that’s exposed by your swimwear. That’s what we’re focusing on: keeping you covered but cool, protected but not smothered. These are our favorite picks to do just that.
Updated September 2022: We’ve added the Coolibar Sun Blanket, Parasol, Solbari Zip-Up Hoodie, and Sensitive Skin Hand Wraps. We’ve also removed a few items that are no longer available and updated prices throughout.
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Labor Day sales are in full swing, but nobody wants to spend their long weekend browsing through endless product pages. We’ve scoured hundreds of deals to separate the good stuff from inflated prices and made-up discounts. Below, you’ll find the best Labor Day deals around. We’ll keep this post refreshed throughout the weekend, so check back to see what’s new.
If you’re not satisfied, our Best Labor Day Mattress Deals and Best Labor Day Outdoor Deals roundups have even more sales for your perusal.
Updated September 3: We’ve added a few new deals, including the Macbook Air, a MagSafe wallet, Thinx period underwear, and Popsockets.
Special offer for Gear readers: Get a1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com and our print magazine (if you’d like). Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.
If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more.
Smartphone, Laptop, and Tech Deals
MacBook Air
Photograph: Apple
This is the first major discount we’ve seen on Apple’s brand-new MacBook Air (7/10, WIRED Recommends). This machine has a new design, a slightly bigger screen, a 1080p webcam, good battery life, and plenty of power for most ordinary tasks. The MagSafe connector is back, so if you trip over the power cord, you won’t send the laptop flying. Read our Best MacBooks guide for more.
Most people don’t need a laptop this powerful (or expensive). However, if your average workload requires shiny specs and tons of processing power, then go for this MacBook Pro (8/10, WIRED Recommends). It has quite a few ports, supports a 120-Hz screen refresh rate, and has a 1080p webcam. Oh, and you get a terabyte of storage too.
This is the best deal we’ve tracked on our favorite Chromebook. The 2-in-1 design makes it easy to switch between work and play, and it’s powerful enough to handle most average tasks. It’s especially good for students, provided they’re comfortable working completely in the Chrome browser.
Apple iPad
Photograph: Apple
Apple is expected to announce a new iPad at its September 7 event, though it could get pushed to a separate October event. The new 10th-gen iPad is expected to feature USB-C charging, a design similar to the new iPad Air, and a more powerful processor. It’s worth waiting to see what’s new, but that doesn’t stop the 9th-gen iPad (8/10, WIRED Recommends) from being an incredible slate. If you need a new iPad right now and your budget is tight, this is a good deal. You can also snag accessories that make the user experience even better.
This deal only applies to the Golden Brown color, but it’s the best price we’ve seen for Apple’s MagSafe wallet. It sticks to the back of a compatible iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 (and the upcoming iPhone 14), and the wallet has FindMy support so you can track it down if you misplace it. Find additional recommendations in our guide to the Best MagSafe Accessories.
The Pixel 6A (8/10, WIRED Recommends) hasn’t been out for long, but it’s already down $50. This is a fantastic price for our favorite smartphone. This Pixel offers the best performance you can get for the money, meaning you can run all your favorite apps and games without issues. Its AMOLED screen gets bright enough for sunny days, the battery reliably lasts a full day, and the cameras are excellent. However, the screen is stuck at 60 Hz and there’s no wireless charging.
Google Pixel 6
Photograph: Google
This deal has popped up a few times since Prime Day, but it’s still a great price for a flagship Pixel (9/10, WIRED Recommends). You’ll get the same performance as the Pixel 6A but superior cameras, wireless charging, a 90-Hz screen, and better build materials. If you want a 120-Hz screen, a great 4x telephoto camera, and a bigger display, then go for the Pixel 6 Pro, which is on sale for $649 ($250 off). Google will be releasing a successor sometime in October, so if you want the very best, it’s worth waiting. Read our Best Google Pixel guide for more.
If you want to save as much as possible, this is another great Android phone (8/10, WIRED Recommends). You get perks like a 6.5-inch AMOLED screen with a 120-Hz refresh rate, decent performance, and more than a day of battery life. It’ll get four OS upgrades and five years of security updates, so it’ll last you a good long while. Unfortunately, like the Pixel 6A, it doesn’t have wireless charging and a headphone jack, but you do get a microSD card slot.
Most of us are familiar with PopSockets phone grips and mounts, but the brand’s Labor Day sale extends discounts to its less popular (but no less cool) gear in addition to the popular little grippy circles. Save on flexible tripods, MagSafe fidget keychains, cases, MagSafe mounts, and more. We’ve linked to the best-selling products, but keep in mind that nearly everything across the website is discounted.
This laptop was $100 cheaper during Cyber Monday last year, and even though we’ve seen lower prices, this is still one of the better deals on it. The ThinkPad X1 Nano feels like a MacBook but it runs Windows. It’s thin and lightweight, with a great keyboard and reliable processing power thanks to the 11th-gen Intel processor. The display is nice as well. For additional picks, check our guide to the Best Laptops.
Home, Mattress, and Kitchen Deals
Solo Stove Pi.
Photograph: Solo Stove
The Solo Stove Pi (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is our favorite pizza oven. We love the design, both aesthetically and functionally. It doesn’t take up too much space, and the top of the oven doubles as a flat cook surface. Its biggest drawback is its list price, but this deal takes care of that, and it beats previous discounts by $50. Read more about it, and additional recommendations, in our Best Pizza Ovens guide.
It’s tough to calculate exactly how much you’ll save since it varies based on the bundle, but if you’ve been eyeing an Ooni pizza oven, it’s worth checking these deals out. Ooni makes several of our favorite pizza ovens, though they can be quite expensive—and that’s before you factor in additional accessories. Check out our Best Pizza Ovens guide to see which model is best for you.
This brand’s savory, spicy Sichuan Chili Crisp is a standby in our guide to the Best Gifts from BIPOC-Owned Businesses. It’s usually pretty affordable, but right now it’s a little cheaper thanks to the site-wide sale. Put it on everything from eggs to ice cream and thank me later.
Shower Power
Photograph: Ampere
Enter code LABORDAY15 to see the discount at checkout. WIRED reviews editor Julian Chokkattu has been using this hydro-powered speaker in his shower for months and says it’s gotten him listening to music more regularly. There’s nothing to plug in since it’s powered by the water coming out of your shower, and it works with most showerheads. It connects to your phone via Bluetooth, and while the sound quality isn’t amazing, it’s more than good enough for shower singalongs.
We like everything we’ve tried from Aura’s lineup of digital photo frames. They go on sale for around $200 quite frequently. You can wait until Black Friday if you’re not in a hurry, but the price likely won’t drop much lower than this. A few different versions are on sale. Digital frames make great gifts for long-distance loved ones.
Luna Weighted Blanket
Photograph: Luna
The deal is applied automatically at checkout, and while it matches others we’ve seen in the past, it’s still on par with the lowest price we’ve seen for one of our favorite weighted blankets. Other blankets and accessories from the brand are also on sale, including kid-friendly sizes and machine-washable covers.
Weighted blankets are nice, but sometimes they can be a bit too much. The Mini is one of our top picks because it’s a little lighter and a little smaller. If you want the squished-in-a-good-way comfort of a weighted blanket without all of the bulk (or heat), the Mini might be a great option. Find more picks in our Best Weighted Blankets guide.
Moon Pod beanbags are, in a word, dreamy. They were inspired by zero gravity floatation chambers and make wonderful gifts for remote workers. (We are all nothing if not tired.) You can choose to sit, recline, or fully stretch out, and the bag just molds to your body and supports your weight. I’ve fully taken naps on mine. Just be aware that your pets—cats in particular—are going to want to rest on them too, which can result in a whole lot of fur sticking to the outer shell.
iRobot Roomba J7+
Photograph: iRobot
This is a great price on our favorite robot vacuum. The J7+ earned the top spot in our roundup because it has better navigation skills than its competitors. Aside from its self-emptying bin, we also like the included storage for extra brushes and other easily misplaced accessories. Read our tips on getting the most out of your robot vacuum.
Click the coupon button to see the discount at checkout. Philips bulbs are a staple in the world of smart bulbs. The ecosystem is expansive and it’s relatively easy to dip your toes in. Using the app or a voice assistant, you can adjust the lights’ color and brightness, set schedules, and more. LED bulbs can help you save money in the long run since they’re cheaper than running incandescents, too. Check our Best Smart Bulbs guide for more.
Enter code LDSALE200 to see the discount at checkout. This deal is pretty standard and comes around several times throughout the year. The Helix Midnight Luxe is the best mattress we’ve tested. It’s got that Goldilocks effect—not too hard, not too soft—so it should work well no matter how you like to sleep. You also get two pillows. Our separate list of the Best Labor Day Mattress Deals has additional picks.
Fitness, Health, and Outdoors Deals
Withings ScanWatch Smartwatch.
Photograph: Withings
The Withings ScanWatch (8/10, WIRED Recommends) doesn’t look like the average smartwatch, and that’s exactly why we like it. In our detailed review, we highlight many of its appealing features, from the aesthetic to the battery life. It also has an FDA-cleared electrocardiogram. The main drawback is its hefty price tag. This deal drops the cost down to lower than we’ve seen since around Prime Day a few months back. Read more about it in our Best Smartwatches guide.
The FirePit+ is one of our favorite portable grills. It folds down flat for easier transportation, and the hybrid design offers warmth as well as a pretty user-friendly cooking surface. There are even USB ports that’ll let you charge your gadgets by the campfire. Talk about the best of both worlds. We reviewed the previous model here; the newer version is warmer and has a bigger rechargeable battery.
The City Grill is featured in our guides to the Best Grills as well as the Best Portable Grills. That’s because (you guessed it) the grill is both great and portable. It’s sort of like an upgraded version of the classic countertop George Foreman models. The compact design and the fact that it’s electric make it a good choice for apartment dwellers.
Snow Peak Takibi Grill
Photograph: Snow Peak
You’ll see the discount in your shopping cart. Another standout in our guide to the Best Portable Grills, the Takibi is particularly well-suited for parties. The solid, durable construction beats out many similar models from other brands. Once you’re done cooking, you can turn the Takibi into a fire pit, and it folds down completely flat once the gathering is over. Other products from the Takibi lineup are also on sale.
You must be logged in to your MyBestBuy Rewards account (free to join) to see the discounted price. Dyson hair tools are notoriously expensive, but they’re also fantastic. Snagging one at a discount is your best bet, but the opportunity doesn’t come around very often. The Supersonic (8/10, WIRED Review) is featured in our Best Hair Dryers guide.
The discount will show up in your shopping cart. This deal is part of a larger promotion that takes 25 percent off across the site. Nothing says “win-win” like leggings that are both comfortable as heck and made from recycled plastics. These are featured in our Best Upcycled and Recycled Gear guide.
A few different styles are on sale, with prices starting at $15. WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano is a big fan of period underwear. Thinx isn’t featured in our Best Menstrual Products guide, but the brand still makes reliable undies that wick away moisture. Thinx Cycle Shorts and Leggings are also discounted this weekend, as well as styles intended for teens.
Headphone, Speaker, and Camera Deals
Wandrd Prvke Camera Bag V2
Photograph: Prvke
WIRED reviews editor Julian Chokkattu called this the perfect camera bag. The Prvke is comfortable, durable, and has all of the pockets a gadget-laden photographer or videographer could hope for. It’s featured in our guide to the Best Camera Bags, as well as many other Wandrd products. Most of them are on sale, so refer to our buying guide for help deciding.
Neutral Density filters let you block out the amount of light that comes into your camera when you’re filming or taking a photograph, allowing you to preserve the camera settings you want instead of adjusting them to suit the light. WIRED reviews editor uses his Moment variable filter for most of his shoots; just slide the ring to increase or decrease the amount of light it blocks. There are various sizes, from 49 mm to 82 mm—check your lens cap to see what size it is and buy the respective filter size.
Enter code LD15 to see the discount at checkout. These will be featured in an upcoming buying guide. Many EDM music festivalgoers will be familiar with this brand, considering some fests include a pair with your ticket. Eargasm earplugs are unique because they don’t muffle sound. Rather, the tiny attenuator filters out the most damaging high and low frequencies, so your hearing is protected but you can still hear the music (and the conversations going on around you). The silicone sleeve is extra comfortable, and I especially like the included metal carrying case. Check out our Best Earplugs guide for more picks.
Google Pixel Buds A-Series
Photograph: Google
When it comes to striking a balance between cost and features, the Google Pixel Buds A-Series (8/10, WIRED Recommends) do a great job. They hold the top spot in our Best Wirefree Earbuds guide. We don’t love the battery life, and they lack some of the bells and whistles you get on more expensive earbuds, but these still offer a lot of value. They can automatically connect to many Android phones, and they’re sweat-resistant. This price is icing on the cake.
We’ve seen the AirPods Max (8/10, WIRED Recommends) drop this low in price a few times, but this deal doesn’t come around often. Befitting the mind-boggling MSRP, these are the absolute best noise-canceling headphones you can buy. They have excellent sound quality and noise cancellation, though they’re best suited for iPhone users.
We really like the Sony LinkBuds (8/10, WIRED Recommends). They’ve been on the market for a few months, and they’re among the best wireless earbuds we’ve tested, especially for people who use buds when they’re out and about. That’s because they let in ambient noise much better than most earbuds, which means you can hear traffic as you run or bike outdoors. Check out our Best Wireless Headphones guide for more.
When it comes to affordable earbuds, the JLab Go Air (8/10, WIRED Recommends) are difficult to beat. They boast a few better specs than Apple’s AirPods, and they do it without a triple-digit price tag. The headphones are comfortable and sound great if a bit heavy on the bass end. This $15 price beats the previous best deal we’ve tracked by a dollar. You can find more recommendations in our Best Cheap Headphones guide.
Labor Day Sales Pages
Want to peruse the sales for yourself? Here’s a list of stores offering early Labor Day deals.
Buying an iPad should be simple. You just get whatever’s new, right? If only. Apple sells four main iPad models, each with its own strengths. In addition, a growing number of older iPads are floating around the eBays of the world. Since all of these devices look pretty much the same, it’s important to know what you’re buying and what you should pay for it. This guide covers the best iPads available right now, what’s coming up, the important differences between models, and the old models that exist (including the ones you shouldn’t buy at any price).
Be sure to check out all our buying guides, including the Best iPad Accessories, Best iPhones, Best iPhone 13 Cases and Accessories, Best Tablets, and Best MacBooks.
Updated September 2022: We’ve added buying advice ahead of Apple’s September event.
Special offer for Gear readers: Get a1-year subscription toWIREDfor $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com and our print magazine (if you’d like). Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.
If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more. Please also consider subscribing to WIRED
Autonomous driving company Cruise and US regulators said on Thursday that the General Motors subsidiary had recalled software deployed on 80 vehicles after a June crash in San Francisco involving a Cruise car operating autonomously injured two people. The incident occurred one day after the state of California granted Cruise a permit to start a commercial driverless ride-hail service in the state. The flawed software was updated by early July, Cruise said in a filing with the US National Highway Traffic Safety Agency.
The crash occurred when a Cruise vehicle attempting to make an unprotected left turn across a two-lane street was struck by a car traveling in the opposite direction that was speeding in a turn lane. Cruise said in its NHTSA filing that its software had predicted that the other car would turn right, and determined that it was necessary to brake hard in the midst of its own vehicle’s left turn to avoid a front-end collision. But the other vehicle continued straight through the intersection, T-boning the now stationary Cruise car.
At least one person in the speeding vehicle and one Cruise employee riding in the autonomous vehicle were treated for injuries, according to a report that Cruise submitted to the California Department of Motor Vehicles in June. Cruise responded to the incident by putting its robot cars on a tighter leash until their software was updated. The company reduced the area of San Francisco the vehicles operated in, and barred them from making left turns altogether.
Cruise said in its NHTSA filing that the software update improves its self-driving software’s predictions, especially in situations like that which led to the crash. The company said it has determined that if the vehicle involved in the June 3 incident had been running the current software, no crash would have occurred.
The recall is just the NHTSA’s second to involve fully self-driving software. In March, the self-driving developer Pony.ai recalled three self-driving vehicles after it found a software error caused the system to shut down unexpectedly while its vehicles were in motion. The company said all affected vehicles were repaired. The increasing amount of software in vehicles means more and more vehicle recalls—even among human-driven cars—can be accomplished through over-the-air updates.
In a written statement on the Cruise recall, NHTSA head Steven Cliff said the agency continues to investigate crashes involving self-driving vehicles and will “ensure that vehicle manufacturers and developers prioritize the safety of pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vulnerable road users.” Cruise met with NHTSA officials multiple times to discuss the crash, according to the recall filing.
Cruise spokesperson Hannah Lindow said in a written statement that the software issue has been resolved. “Cruise AVs are even better equipped to prevent this singular, exceptional event,” Lindow wrote. Right now, Cruise’s service operates in 70 percent of the city between 10 pm and 6 am, except during rain or fog. Interested riders must apply to use the service. The robots can make left turns again.
Earlier this summer, the Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) said it had intercepted a Russian military intelligence officer who was posing as Viktor (sometimes Victor) Muller Ferreira, a Brazilian 30-something on his way to start an internship at the International Criminal Court in the Hague. According to the Dutch authorities, his real name is Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov, and if he had successfully entered the Netherlands and started the internship, the alleged spy could have sent information back to Moscow about proceedings at the court, which is investigating possible war crimes in Georgia and Ukraine.
The news cycle moved on to more important concerns with Russia, but I was knocked back: Almost exactly four years ago, I started a master’s degree at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington, DC, alongside the alleged Russian spy. I instantly recognized his face from the images that surfaced on the internet. We had 13 Facebook friends in common. After racking my brain and conferring with friends, I remembered he was the dude who rolled into international trade theory class carrying a motorcycle helmet. (SAIS confirmed to The Washington Post that a student named Victor Muller Ferreira graduated in 2020 but has otherwise said little about the case.)
A spy in our midst! For me, a lot of the value of the degree had come from candid, off-the-record conversations with professors, guests, and fellow students. These were conversations I’d be unlikely to have either as a regular person or now as a working journalist: discussions about counterinsurgency strategies with people who served in Iraq and Afghanistan; first-person accounts of negotiating with North Koreans and debates in the Obama administration about whether to publicly support the Green Movement in Iran.
Could that environment persist after the revelation of a student who—if the allegations are true—brazenly wasn’t who he said he was and in fact might have been a threat to national security?
A hint of espionage has been intertwined with the SAIS (pronounced like sighs) since its inception. The School of Advanced International Studies was founded in 1943 by presidential adviser and arms control expert Paul Nitze (incidentally, the grandfather of a former WIRED editor), along with Massachusetts congressman Christian Herter. Their goal was to train the men and women who would shape the American-led world the founders believed would emerge after World War II. The school became part of Johns Hopkins University in 1950, and a second campus opened in Bologna, Italy, in 1955. The outpost, rumored to be established with help from the CIA, was certainly a training ground for Western intelligence officers in the early decades. (The CIA declined to comment. I have no idea what’s true, but the whispers certainly affect how the school is perceived.)
In 1986, a third campus opened in Nanjing, China. Two years later, an American professor had a relationship with a (married) Chinese military intelligence officer who was sent to the school to report on what was going on. The professor—whom Chinese authorities believed, almost certainly incorrectly, was working for American intelligence—was expelled from the country. But the Hopkins-Nanjing Center persisted, and graduates of the program say they got a lot from the experience—even if there was always the frisson of mutual suspicion.
The stories about Americans who spied for Cuba are the most dramatic. Ana Montes attended SAIS in the early 1980s and may have been recruited by a classmate to work for Cuban intelligence. Montes went on to a successful career as a Latin America analyst at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), influencing American policy in the region—all while sending information back to Cuba. She was arrested in 2001 and pleaded guilty the following year, causing shock and grief among her colleagues at DIA. To this day, according to one former intelligence officer, Montes is taught as a case study “from day one” in insider threat training.
Riordan Roett, who taught at SAIS for 45 years and was head of Latin American studies, doesn’t recall interacting with Montes but notes that the school was a revolving door of full- and part-time students, plus countless adjuncts. In the 1980s, when debates about American policy in Latin America were roiling Washington, more left-leaning students and professors tended to band together. “I was told later her favorite phrase for me was FF, fucking fascist, which I took as a point of honor,” he says.
In April 2021, a widely anticipated paper in the field of psychedelics dropped. The study, a small trial run at Imperial College London and published in TheNew England Journal of Medicine, investigated the use of psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, to treat depression. Led by Robin Carhart-Harris, who now directs the Neuroscape Psychedelics Division at the University of California, San Francisco, the research compared psilocybin with a standard antidepressant. The findings were somewhat lackluster: it found that the psychedelic was only marginally better than traditional treatments at relieving depression.
Back in 2017, Rosalind Watts, an author on that paper and a former clinical lead for the trial at Imperial, had given a TEDx talk on the power of psilocybin to treat depression, prompted by the time she had spent working on the study. In the talk, she shared her belief that psilocybin could “revolutionize mental health care.” But in February of this year, Watts published a Medium piece in which she expressed regret at her initial unbridled enthusiasm. “I can’t help but feel as if I unknowingly contributed to a simplistic and potentially dangerous narrative around psychedelics; a narrative I’m trying to correct,” she wrote.
“I just reflected on how I myself had got caught up in the black and white of like, ‘This is wonderful,’” she says today. “Now having been through that trial … I’m much more neutral and agnostic.”
We’re firmly in the midst of a psychedelic renaissance, with substances long regarded simply as recreational drugs—such as psilocybin, LSD, and MDMA—being reappraised as potential treatments for a number of mental health conditions. At the same time, legislation and stigma surrounding psychedelics has slowly begun to loosen in recent years, and it increasingly looks like it might shake loose altogether. “Now all of a sudden, within the past year or so, the pendulum has swung all the other way,” says David Yaden, an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine who studies the subjective effects of psychedelics.
But Yaden thinks the field is in danger of overcorrecting. In a new opinion piece published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Yaden—with his coauthors Roland Griffiths and James Potash, two experts in psychedelics and psychiatry, respectively—argues that if we don’t tread carefully, psychedelic research could end up back where it started: treated with deep suspicion, if not completely outlawed. “I don’t want to be a wet blanket,” Yaden says. “I think there’s a real reason for excitement. But I think it’s a really important message to get out.”
To trace psychedelics’ potential future, Yaden, Griffiths, and Potash looked to a model called the Gartner Hype Cycle, which can be used to characterize the trend cycle of new technologies, like virtual reality or 4D printing. The pattern has gone something like this: Forbidden for decades, psychedelics began to reemerge in recent years out of fringe underground communities and into labs as potential revolutionary treatments for mental illnesses. Then in 2018, the US Food and Drug Administration granted psilocybin “breakthrough therapy” status for depression, which gives a treatment the fastest possible route to approval. The media leapt at it and startups sprung up, followed by obsessive patenting of psychedelic compounds.
But what began as a welcome glimmer of hope for new ways to treat mental illness (which psychedelics irrefutably are, even if trial results so far have been modest) has morphed into actual misinformation, Yaden argues. Claims began to crop up ranging from the unsubstantiated to the outlandish: that psychedelics can “cure” mental illness, solve massive social problems, and create a “psychedelic utopia.” We’re in the midst of what Yaden and his coauthors call the psychedelic hype bubble. And they argue that scientists should be the ones to burst it.
