Amazon Prime Day: Favourite tech gadgets and appliances we actually use and love

The Amazon Prime Day sale is well underway, with the retailer dropping the price of thousands of products across its site. This is no different to the countless sale bonanzas we've seen from Amazon before, with everything from household goods, tech devices, beauty products and nifty staples available to shop for at a cheaper price.

With so many deals soaring, it can be hard to know what to buy and what products are actually worth the money, regardless of whether they have a sale price or not. That's why our team of tech and shopping experts has hand-picked a selection of gadgets in the Prime Day sale that they actually use.

There are kitchen appliances like juicers and virtual reality gaming, Bluetooth trackers, and pet cameras. To help shoppers cut through all the Amazon noise this week, we have compiled what we think is actually worth the money. However, be warned: The Prime Day sale is due to end at 11:59 p.m. on Friday.

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Harriet uses the Philips Viva Collect Juicer every week and, it's 33% off at £49.99.

The Philips Viva Compact juicer continues to be a staple appliance in my home – what started as a plea to ditch overpriced juice takeaways I now make homemade health shots for a fraction of the price. I write about this juicer each time a Prime Day sale comes around as it's still going strong, two years since I bought it from Amazon.

The only gripe I've found with the juicer, after plenty of uses, is the foam it leaves at the top of carrot juice, as it isn't a cold press machine. If money was no object, this handheld Hurom Slow Juicer from Harrods would be in my work bag, but at £479, its price certainly reflects a much higher quality than my go-to Philips model.

Jake loves getting lost in virtual reality on his Meta Quest 3S, which has been reduced from £289 to £237.99.

I'd always wanted to have a go at virtual reality gaming, but the price of leading headsets like the Meta Quest 3 (£459) always put me off. I've always been happy sticking with my trusted PlayStation 5, but last year, Meta launched the more affordable Meta Quest 3S and opened up a whole new world.

I was lucky enough to review the Quest 3S last year, and for what's touted as an entry-level model, I was surprised at just how good it really is, whether getting lost in basic games like virtual mini-golf or becoming Batman in the immersive world of Gotham City. The main downside is the average 2.5-hour battery life, but for me, it's worth putting up with considering the price difference to the standard Quest 3.

Harriet always has this in a bag of some sort.

Apple's popular AirTag dropped from £35 to £28 for a single tag, or £119 to £84 for a four-pack and it's one I'd recommend to keen travellers for keeping an eye on belongings. Like Tile, Samsung's SmartTag (now reduced to £20.40) and it's one I recommend to all frequent travellers – even if that is the daily commute to the office.

The trackable Apple gadget is simple to set up. Once the AirTag has been opened, simply move it near an iPhone or iPad, and it'll appear with a 'connect' notification. Then choose a name for it (which is what you track) and register it with your Apple ID.

Ghd was a pioneer in bringing salon-grade hair tools to the general public, and while their devices aren't cheap, they last for decades, Nisha says.

My mum bought me the Original Hair Straightener (now £88.19, usually £139) for my 18th, and without giving my age away, it has lasted me (almost) 20 years. I've had my Helios Professional Hair Dryer for three years, and I am confident it'll last just as long. It's on sale for £123.99, usually £179.

As someone with thick, long hair, it has cut my drying and styling time by half without causing damage. It comes with two settings that control the intensity of the airflow. The buttons aren't labelled or numbered, but option one provides a medium gust, and option two delivers full force – being impatient, I usually go for the latter. There are also two heat options – again not labelled or numbered – but one is hot and the other is really hot.

The main drawback of this tool is its weight; it is notably heavier than most dryers and can take its toll on my arms, especially when doing a curly blowout. Coffee breaks are advised.

Eve says that since getting a security camera for her home that specialises in keeping her pet, Winnie the Cat, monitored while out, her life is infinitely less stressful.

The Furbo 360 Cat Camera has an abundance of features that enables users to check in on their pets via a video camera. This not only allows us to see the pet but we can also hear it and speak to it via the brand's two-way audio system.

It also has smart tracking so that when the pet is walking around the camera, it follows them. With a toy to keep them entertained attached to the top and a bowl in which to fill treats to reward them for being good, the Furbo camera is a smart device that not only keeps us as owners at ease, but also the pets.

The Furbo camera comes with an app that offers a subscription service called Furbo Nanny. This allows users to record moments, replay them, get real-time alerts, and even keep track of their cat's day with its 'kitty diary'.

This costs £6.99 per month or £69 per year and since getting it, I've found it really useful for easing my worries when I'm not at home. It also detects humans, which adds an extra layer of security for those times, especially if heading out for the weekend.

It's currently on sale for Amazon Prime Day at £126.65 – down from £199.

It's not the most exciting-looking thing you'll buy this Prime Day, but the Plaud Note is one of the best gadgets you never knew you needed. If you're planning to start university this September, it's a must-buy.

At first glance, this AI-powered gadget is just a slim-line dictaphone, but it does much more than that and can even be attached to your device to record phone calls. But the real magic happens after you hit 'stop. ' The Note doesn't just transcribe the audio, it'll summarise it into bullet-pointed information, saving hours of sifting through recordings and transcribing important bits.

It's so smart that even details mentioned at different times but relating to the same themes are collated together, taking note-taking skills to new heights. It will even construct a printable mind map that incorporates everything that's been discussed and the topics touched on in a way that will thrill visual learners and which I, with my frankly mediocre PowerPoint skills, could only ever dream of creating. Revision time will never be the same.

The Plaud Note is currently 20% off for Amazon Prime Day and worth every penny of its £119 price tag.