SAVE $100: As of Dec. 16, the De'Longhi 15-bar manual espresso machine is on sale for only $99.95 at Amazon. That's a 50% price drop and its lowest cost to date.

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Credit: De'Longhi

De'Longhi 15-Bar Manual Espresso Machine

$99.95 at Amazon
$199.95 Save $100.00

 

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Most espresso machines come with major sticker shock, so finding one for under $100 is a huge deal. Whether you're looking for a last-minute gift for less than $100 or you want to treat yourself, this De'Longhi espresso maker is on sale at Amazon for its best price ever.

Typically $199.95, which is already a pretty solid price for a countertop espresso maker, the De'Longhi ECP3630 manual espresso machine is on sale for only $99.95 at Amazon as of Dec. 16. That's 50% off and the lowest price we've ever seen on this model, beating its Black Friday price by a long shot.

While it's not loaded with extra bells and whistles, this sleek and compact espresso machine will definitely get the job done. And by job, I mean pumping out piping hot quality cups of caffeine on your countertop. It's equipped with an Italian 15-bar pump, a premium adjustable frother, and adjustable controls to modify to your taste preferences. There's no major learning curve like bigger, fancier machines. Choose from single or double espresso and select your milk setting, then create your own authentic coffeehouse favorite at home.

Everyone knows a coffee addict. This could be the perfect gift for that person in your life and it won't set you back hundreds if not thousands of dollars like some espresso makers would. Less than $100 for at-home daily espresso? That's just 33 double shots of espresso at Starbucks, to put it in perspective.

SAVE $90: On Dec. 16 only, the 15-inch touchscreen Skylight Calendar is on sale for $229.99 as the Best Buy drop of the day. That beats its $249.99 Black Friday price by $20 — get the rare deal in the Best Buy app.

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Credit: Skylight

Skylight Calendar 15-inch smart touchscreen calendar and chore chart

$229.99
$319.99 Save $90

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The best gift for a parent is ultimately the gift of less chaos. You could buy them AirTags, offer to watch their kids, or send them on a vacation. The ultra-helpful digital Skylight Calendar is one of Mashable's top gift ideas for moms and dads, and it's $90 off at Best Buy as the Dec. 16 drop of the day.

At $229.99 on Dec. 16 only, Best Buy's price beats the record-low $249.99 price tag we saw at Amazon during Black Friday. The 15-inch Skylight Calendar is currently full price ($319.99) at Amazon, so this near-$100 savings is rare.

You'll only see the sale price on the Best Buy mobile app (Best Buy drops don't show up in a web browser.) From there, you can add it to your cart and check out like usual. The catch is that all Best Buy drops have a limited inventory, with a live status bar keeping track of the percentage left. As of 12:15 p.m. ET, 75% inventory was left for the Skylight Calendar.

Skylight can sync with Google, iCloud, Outlook, Yahoo, and Cozi calendars to streamline schedules of multiple people to one communal device. Appointments, meetings, events, weekly chores, and even grocery lists can also be added right from the Skylight app, even if something pops up while you're not home. Everything can be labeled and color-coded for each member of the household.

But busy parents aren't the sole target audience for the Skylight Calendar — it's a life hack for literally anyone with a lot going on. Mashable contributor Jae Thomas, who is a journalist and editor, a dog trainer, and who works at a kennel one day per week, instantly felt more organized after bringing a Skylight Calendar into the weekly mix.

Thomas can confirm that yes, having a central hub like the Skylight is a worthwhile upgrade over merely sharing a Google Calendar with someone. "I find myself getting little hits of dopamine when I check things off my to-do lists, and it's easier for me and my partner to stay in sync on where we'll both be during the week. I truly wish I had this when we were sharing a car — it would have saved us many arguments and miscommunications about scheduling."

SAVE $100.01: As of Dec. 16, get the Shark Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo for $599.98, down from its usual price of $699.99 at Amazon. That's a discount of 14%.

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Credit: Amazon

Shark Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo

$599.98 at Amazon
$699.99 Save $100.01

 

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Here's one indelible truth: No one enjoys spending all their time cleaning their floors. It's a thankless task, and it's one that always needs to be done if you want to keep a tidy house. Thankfully these days we have robot vacuums that can handle it all for you. If you're ready to offload all your cleaning tasks, you'll want to recruit these gadgets to do so.

As of Dec. 16, get the Shark Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo for $599.98, down from its usual price of $699.99 at Amazon. That's $100.01 off and a discount of 14%.

This Shark combination robot vacuum and mop can handle just about anything you ask of it. It has powerful suction for vacuuming through dirt, debris, and hair, and it can also mop up tough stains. It uses NeverStuck technology to help lift it over obstacles and across thresholds, and keeps the mopping pad held above carpets to avoid issues with getting water everywhere, too.

When your robot's reservoir is full, it can handle itself there, too, emptying its debris into a 60-day capacity bin and refilling its own water tank for up o 30 days. It also washes and dries its mopping pad afer every time it runs. That means minimal interactions with you so all you have to do is set a schedule and let it go.

With LiDAR mapping, a 3D sensor, schedule-making, and targeted cleaning options, you don't even have to figure out how best for your vacuum and mop combo to tackle messes. Just sit back, relax, and watch it go. And be glad this is no longer something you have to worry about actually doing.

SAVE $1,150: The Anker Solix F2000 portable power station is on sale at Amazon for $849, down from the list price of $1,999. That's a 58% discount.

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Credit: Anker Solix

Anker Solix F2000 portable power station

$849 at Amazon
$1,999 Save $1,150

 

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Winter officially arrives in just a few days. But you've probably already been feeling cool temps and dealing with seasonal storms. If high winds, torrential rains, or ice storms threaten a power outage, there's a better way curtail the inconvenience — a portable power station. Amazon has a great model on sale today to put you in better shape during the next outage.

As of Dec. 16, the Anker Solix F2000 portable power station is on sale for $849 at Amazon, marked down from the standard price of $1,999. That works out a massive savings of $1,150 from a 58% discount.

Anker consistently knocks it out of the park with designing portable power stations. In testing, the Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 is my all-time favorite model for moderate power needs. But if you want more power to deal with a power outage, the Solix F2000 is a great option. It packs in 2,048 Wh of power while being able to power almost all of your home's appliances. Use it to keep the refrigerator cooling, the WiFi router online, and keep small devices charged.

Anker says the Solix F2000 can keep a refrigerator cooling for 10 hours, a CPAP machine on for over 32 hours or a washing machine for 1.5 hours. Plus, you can keep some lights on at home so you won't have to fumble around in the dark.

Come camping season, you can take it along to power up an air fryer, mini fridge, portable freezer, and a projector. Its telescoping handle makes it easy to bring along to the campsite. It's also an excellent addition to the worksite, powering tools like a chainsaw, drill, or yard work tools.

While it's on sale for a shocking 58% off, equip your home and camping adventures with the Anker Solix F2000. Everyone in your party will thank you for the extra power.

SAVE $400: As of Dec. 16, the TCL 85-inch T7 QLED 4K TV is on sale for only $999.97 at Amazon. That's nearly 30% off its list price of $1,399.99 and matches its Black Friday cost.

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Credit: TCL

TCL 85-inch T7 QLED 4K TV

$999.97 at Amazon
$1,399.99 Save $400.02

 

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From holiday movies to the Olympics to the NFL playoffs, there's plenty of excuses to snag a new TV this season. Not to mention, it's one of the best times to score a big screen for a big discount.

As of Dec. 16, you can get the TCL 85-inch T7 QLED 4K TV on sale for only $999.97. That's nearly 30% off its list price of $1,399.99 and matches its Black Friday cost, which also happens to be its lowest price on record.

TCL just launched this monstrous screen last month as part of its new T7 Series — a lineup of budget-friendly QLED TVs packed with bells and whistles. So, just know that you're getting a brand-new 2025 model that's relatively future-proof. Despite its affordable price tag, it still features quantum dot technology, a native refresh rate of 144Hz, an AI processor that automatically optimizes color, contrast and clarity, Dolby Atmos audio, and Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support. It's powered by Google TV, so you can open apps, change the channel, or launch a movie right where you left off via hands-free voice control.

The TCL T7 is also a solid pick for gamers on a budget. Besides the 144Hz refresh rate, it also features Game Accelerator 288, an Auto Game Mode that automatically enables the lowest input lag and latency, and Motion Rate 480 with MEMC Frame Insertion for the ultimate clarity.

Don't endure any more dark and blurry viewing sessions. Upgrade your TV to the 85-inch TCL T7 while it's under $1,000. If that's too much TV for you, the smaller models (55, 65, and 75 inches) are also on sale for up to 33% off.

There is probably not a universe where The Housemaid was going to be a "good" movie in any traditional sense. It's based on the trashy Freida McFadden novel of the same name, with a twist suited to a Dateline episode. Still, the adaptation could have been a fun movie, or a good bad movie. But instead, it's another Sydney Sweeney-fronted dud following Madame Web, Eden, and Christy.

In adapting McFadden's book, director Paul Feig could have leaned hard into the erotic thriller aspect of the novel, evoking gloriously trashy '90s films like The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, Cruel Intentions, or Basic Instinct. In these movies, sex, greed, and mind-fuckery all blend to a heady effect. Sure, some might decry it as lowbrow, but these movies are undeniably satisfyingly thrilling entertainment.

Or Feig could have gone the way of his Simple Favor movies, leaning into the campy, twisted fun of watching two cinematic divas face off. The Housemaid might have resembled such epically sexy and sick movies as The Favourite, The Substance, Single White Female, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, or — my personal favorite — Death Becomes Her. 

Sadly, The Housemaid doesn't have enough style to hold a candle to any of these fierce films. And it certainly doesn't have substance. But it does have Sydney Sweeney, once more proving her lack of range. 

Sydney Sweeney is woefully miscast in The Housemaid. 

Sydney Sweeney as Millie Calloway in "The Housemaid." Credit: Daniel McFadden / Lionsgate

After the flopped biopic Christy, Sweeney takes another swing at playing a working-class woman with unhoused twentysomething Millie Calloway, who is in desperate need of of a job and a home. So, the live-in housemaid gig at the Winchester mansion in Great Neck, Long Island, seems too good to be true. 

Tending to the needs of thirtysomething stay-at-home mom Nina Winchester (Amanda Seyfried), her snotty daughter, Cecilia (Indiana Elle), and her dashing husband, Andrew (Brandon Sklenar), should be easy enough. But no sooner does Millie move in that Nina begins to bully and gaslight her. The housemaid's only respite from Nina's cruelty is the kindness of Andrew. But as the maid and the man grow closer, so does danger. 

It's a premise that flips the Hand That Rocks the Cradle conceit on its head, where it's the humble help that's being tormented by a vicious housewife. However, McFadden's book was told from the perspective of Millie and Nina, giving us an insight into their thought processes — especially when they don't dare say aloud what they're thinking. The movie brings over some of this through Millie's diary and a letter Nina writes to Cecilia. Mostly, however, The Housemaid relies on the actresses' dialogue delivery and reaction to build their characters. And Sweeney is giving us nothing. 

Confoundingly, the adapted screenplay from Rebecca Sonnenshine offers little out the gate. The movie opens — not in medias res like the book — but with a sullen Millie driving through Nina's posh neighborhood in her POS car. Sweeney's blank expression offers nothing about who Millie is or what she's feeling. And it's this same expression that pops up again and again whether Millie is being tormented, seduced, or pushed to a dramatic reaction. Far from establishing the scrappy survivor from McFadden's novel, Sweeney's take on the character is so blasé that it's just boring to watch her. She gave more emotion in that polarizing jeans ad.

Amanda Seyfried goes for the gusto, but can't save The Housemaid. 

Amanda Seyfried is Nina Winchester in "The Housemaid." Credit: Daniel McFadden / Lionsgate

Feig went against the book's description of Nina, who was called "fat" in a variety of ways in the novel, instead casting Seyfried, who looks a lot like Sweeney. There's a bit of a Single White Female intrigue to that, as these doppelgängers face off. But Seyfried, who turned in one of the best performances of 2025 with The Testament of Ann Lee, is left unsupported by her fellow cast members and her director. 

Nina Winchester is meant to be outrageously unhinged. Her behavior — in both the book and the movie — is viciously volatile, as she repeatedly sets Millie up to be scorned, embarrassed, and much worse. On the page, she reads like a Ryan Murphy diva, the kind who'd raise hell on All's Fair. Seyfried reaches for these dark places, caterwauling and glaring accusingly. But she is effectively in a vacuum of blah. 

Feig has not given her the eye-catching fashions of A Simple Favor or the fascinating set designs of The Substance. The cinematography from John Schwartzman doesn't embrace Seyfried's projected madness, but shrinks from it. For instance, in one scene where Nina has a meltdown in the kitchen, smashing plates and slinging accusations, the edit (from Brent White) bounds from one angle to another, never catching her face in frame. Instead, the focus is on Sweeney and Sklenar, who are giving the kind of wooden performances most often seen in forgettable Lifetime movies. (Not looking at you, A Deadly Adoption! You're sublime.)

The Housemaid's sex scenes aren't too hot for TV. 

Brandon Sklenar as Andrew Winchester in "The Housemaid." Credit: Daniel McFadden / Lionsgate

As you might expect, Millie turns to Andrew for comfort from his cruel wife, then the two begin an affair. The sex scenes are numerous and involve nudity from both performers, which might titillate. Yet as torrid as their romance should feel, the scenes themselves lack heat. There's no real chemistry between Sweeney and Sklenar. And frankly, as at-home audiences are thrilled over the forbidden romance and hot sex in Heated Rivalry, it's almost funny how tame this rated R theatrical release feels. Almost. Another word for how The Housemaid feels is disappointing. 

McFadden's novel initially leaned heavily on black-and-white portraits of put-upon Millie and malevolent Nina to the point where it telegraphs the big twist. But that extreme portrayal in the novel could have been explored in the film with theatrical performances that urge the audience to enjoy the audaciousness of their conflict and its chaotic climax. Fieg and Sonnenshine could have radically shifted the film's aesthetic once the big secret of Nina's is unveiled, changing the way we see her with an engaging visual shift. But they chose not to.

To Sonnenshine and Feig's credit, they strive to work in horror elements, like a mirror jump scare, a leering groundskeeper (Michael Morrone), and a revised finale that goes into slasher territory. But it all feels pretty shallow. None of these genre cliches elevate the material or even live up to the novel's addictively trashy energy. 

Props to Elizabeth Perkins though, who appears as Andrew's icy mother. With high, meticulously coiffed white hair, a blood-red lipsticked scowl, and the fashion sense of a Waspy Cruella de Vil, Perkins delivers the kind of sharp performance that could have made this movie work — if the others followed her lead. When she cuts her eyes to her daughter-in-law in scorn, I almost expected Nina to bleed.  

Alas, this is a movie that contains Perkins' acerbic performance but doesn't deserve it. The trailers and source material of The Housemaid suggest it should be a good night out, relishing in lusty twists, deranged turns, and electrifying diva showdown energy. But in this battle of wild wills, Seyfried is left to shadowbox while Sweeney sleepwalks. Far from fun, The Housemaid is underwhelming as an erotic thriller, a dark comedy, and even a Sydney Sweeney movie. 

The Housemaid opens in theaters on Dec. 19.

Stephanie Valentine, also known online as Glamzilla, is passionate about beauty. She loves finding a formula that works and discovering exactly why it does so. She loves hunting down new products, giving her audience her first impression, and diving into the details. 

The makeup artist and influencer has over one million subscribers on YouTube and Instagram, but it's on TikTok where her content truly shines. With 2.7 million followers on the app, it's no wonder that she was nominated for the Okay Slay award for fashion and beauty at the 2025 TikTok Awards alongside Katie Fang (@katiefanggg), Meredith Duxbury (@meredithduxbury), Darcei Giles (@missdarcei), and Wisdom Kaye (@wisdm8). 

We caught up with the creator ahead of the award ceremony to talk about where she finds inspiration, her first time going viral, and what she loves most about the beauty community online. 

Glamzilla is all about beauty. Credit: René Ramos / Mashable Composite / Daniele Venturelli / WireImage / twomeows / Moment / Getty Images

How do you find inspiration and ideas for your videos and for your work?

I find inspiration in different ways. Is it watching a video? Is it being inspired by a print? Is it just wanting to find the latest and greatest in beauty? Looking at different product innovations, being inspired by what the future holds for beauty, and what the potential opportunities are? How can formulas be better? What am I looking for in formulas? What does my audience want to see? What would old me want to see? What would new me want to see?

It's ever-evolving. I'm inspired by many different things because, if you look at things from a beauty lens, and view everything as beautiful, that's all you can find, right? Beauty.

When you aren't feeling inspired or motivated, what drives you?

This is actually a struggle for me. I'm somebody who is really passionate about beauty. I'd like to test a new formula. I need to want to be excited about things. And that's why a lot of my videos go viral. Because when I find a beauty formula that's amazing and something I've never seen before, I post about it online. And sometimes that video just took 10 seconds to make, right? But I'm sitting here, and I'm trying hundreds of formulas. Testing all different types of liners, all different types of lipsticks [and] foundations. And when something makes me feel, "Wow," it's uncontrollable. However, if something doesn't evoke any feelings in me, my life becomes boring. And the only thing that picks me up is truly eating really good food, reading a book, [and] hanging out with my family.

Do you remember your first viral post? What was it? How did it change your approach to content creation?

My first viral post was in 2016. I saw MAC on the runway, and freckles were in. So I took my [Anastasia Beverly Hills] brow pencil, and I freckled on Instagram, and that surged.

At that point, I had only about 3,000 followers. That surged me to 25,000 followers overnight. That was a big moment for me. That was my first real viral moment. And then after that, everyone was using freckles. 

My first TikTok viral video was a lip swatch video because I fell in love with this NYX Shine Loud Liquid Lipstick. It was bringing back an old trend where the lipstick was transfer-proof, had long wear, and then you added a clear glaze on top, making it transfer-proof. And I showed that on camera, and TikTok went crazy. The product sold out. It was sold out worldwide. And that was my actual first TikTok video. But I was doing one-minute reviews for years on other platforms. TikTok was the perfect platform for me.

How did that one video going viral change the way you approached content creation?

I pioneered the one-minute review, and I'm doing it on other platforms. My content hasn't changed. If you check my oldest videos on other platforms, you will see that everything's exactly the same. I haven't changed the formula; just the lighting has improved, my hair has grown longer, and that's it. I've never changed the format of my videos, because that's what I love and that's what I'm passionate about.

It's always been the same.

What does TikTok do for you that these other platforms don't?

It allows me the freedom to be myself and form my own community, and it allows people to find me and my content without me trying to push it. At the end of the day, my content is just me trying to connect with other beauty lovers from across the world. If you love lipstick as much as I do, that this being transfer-proof is "wow" to you, you get it. You're my people. And that can be anyone from all over the world. And that's the beautiful thing about beauty. I have become best friends online with people I don't even know because we like lipstick. And that's what TikTok does.

Your comments on TikTok are filled with fans who feel deeply connected to you. How does it feel to be on this side of parasocial relationships?

This is how I felt when I watched beauty influencers [before I became an influencer myself]. And I connected with them because we liked the same thing. And when I was living my regular life, my day-to-day, the only thing that would make me happy was literally lipstick and foundation. And if someone else online loved it as much as I did, that was amazing. And what's so funny about it is that my best friends and the people who work with me all started as my followers. 

I answer every single DM. Every single comment that you see online is me. We really prioritize that. And it's important because that's how I started my career. Community is everything to me. And regardless of how big I become or how viral a video goes, the beauty community is everything because it's what saved my life and helped me grow.

Can you walk me through your workflow?

Every single day, I open up all the apps. I look up Sephora, Ulta, drugstore, Target, Walmart... I look at everything, and I see what's launched and what's new. If I need to drive over to the [U.S.-Canada] border and pick it up at Ulta, I will. I proudly do not accept PR, because I want to be able to actually purchase a product and understand its value, as well as what it means to a regular consumer. 

I film maybe 10 videos a day when I'm testing out formulas, and sometimes you won't see them at all because it's not good. And when I post a review, it's a first impression. It's really a first impression. 

And the videos go viral because I know how to manipulate the formula, and I know how to use it. 

Are you recording all of this on your iPhone? 

Yes. At least 10 videos a day.

How do you not run out of storage?

I have three iPhones, and then if I'm not passionate about it, they get deleted right away. And I film on the TikTok app. So, in every single video, it's just me going "beep, beep, beep, beep, beep." That's it. I film directly on TikTok. It's my favorite.

How many drafts do you have? 

A lot.

I bet. How long does testing take?

It depends on my mood. Am I really happy? Am I excited? Am I thrilled to do this? What am I looking for? It really depends on the vibe that day, because one day I might want to wear a teacher hat and teach like a makeup artist, or I want to find the next product, or I want to be silly. It really depends. And that's the power of social media. 

TikTok gives me the power to be myself and share all the different versions of me. If I want to do a cooking video, I will find cooking people. If I want to talk about my weight loss journey, I'll find people who relate to that. And if I want to talk about lipstick, I'm home.

Who were the creators who really inspired you before you made your way into the creator industry?

Patrick Starrr. Michelle Phan. Jackie Aina. NikkieTutorials. Makeup By Mario. I love everyone who contributed to our beauty space. That's who I'm inspired most by. 

And I've taken bits and pieces of them that I admired, and I've made it my own. And I wouldn't be here without any of them. And I've told all of them this. 

What advice would you give to someone who aspires to be a content creator in the beauty industry?

We are all creators. Even if your video doesn't perform, as long as you're sharing and being open, honest, and passionate about beauty or any other topic you want to discuss, you're a creator. You don't need numbers. And that's the beauty of social media. You will always find your community, and you'll always find a home because it's the magic is you.

How do you feel about the way the beauty community has changed?

I miss the old beauty community. I think we're at a stage right now where, over the last four years, everything is about going viral. And that's beautiful. And that really leveled up our beauty space. It created space for a bunch of new creators [and] a bunch of brands.

However, the truth of the matter is that we've lost the meaning of the beauty space because we've focused too much on products. Now it's time to really engage in our communities and be a part of them. And I think that's the most important thing, and that's why I'm slowly changing my content from being a viral content creator, from selling out so many different SKUs [and making] different viral videos. I've realized education and really honing in on community is number one. And that's forever. 

A quick look at the best last-minute gift card deals

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Uber $100 e-gift card

$15.00 at Amazon (save $15)

Get Deal

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PlayStation Store $100 e-gift card

Free $15 Target gift card with purchase

Get Deal

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Blackhawk OC Game & Grub $50 e-gift card (GrubHub, Xbox, Buffalo Wild Wings, more)

$42.50 (save $7.50 at Staples)

Get Deal

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Hulu $50 e-gift card

$42.50 (save $7.50 at Staples)

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So you just made the connection that Christmas is less than 10 days away and you're scrambling for a good last-minute gift idea. Don't overcomplicate your search by filtering for short shipping times — just snag a gift card on sale. The practicality of a free $25 here or $100 there to spend on whatever they deem a priority is kind of priceless these days.

Buying a gift card on sale for yourself is also an underrated money-saving hack if you already know you'd spend the full amount at said gift card vendor anyway. If you already know you'll spend $100 on Uber or Uber Eats in the upcoming year, why not grab a $100 Uber gift card on sale for $85 and gift yourself $15 off a trip or food delivery?

Whatever their interest or favorite place to shop, there's probably a discounted gift card for that. Here are the best last-minute gift card deals on digital gift cards as of Dec. 16:

$25 to $50 gift cards

• Starbucks $25 e-gift card — free $5 Starbucks gift card with purchase

• DoorDash $25 e-gift card — $21.25 at Staples (save $3.75)

• Hulu $50 e-gift card — $42.50 at Staples (save $7.50)

• Crumbl $50 e-gift card — $42.50 at Staples (save $7.50)

• Fanatics $50 e-gift card — $42.50 at Staples (save $7.50)

• Rent the Runway $50 e-gift card — $42.50 at Staples (save $7.50)

• Total Wine & More $50 e-gift card — $42.50 at Staples (save $7.50)

• Tractor Supply $50 e-gift card — $42.50 at Staples (save $7.50)

• Darden $50 e-gift card (Olive Garden, Yard House, Longhorn Steakhouse, more) — $42.50 at Staples (save $7.50)

• Game & Grub $50 e-gift card (GrubHub, Xbox, Buffalo Wild Wings, more) — $42.50 at Staples (save $7.50)

• Self-care $50 e-gift card (Sephora, Spa Finder, Panera, more) — $42.50 at Staples (save $7.50)

• Happy B-Day $50 e-gift card (Taco Bell, Barnes & Noble, Dave & Buster's, more) — $42.50 at Staples (save $7.50)

• Weekend Vibes $50 e-gift card (Southwest, Lyft, TopGolf, more) — $42.50 at Staples (save $7.50)

$100+ gift cards

• Uber $100 e-gift card — $85 at Amazon (save $15)

• PlayStation Store $100 e-gift card — $85 at Target (save $15)

• One4All $100 gift cards (Ulta, Jersey Mike's, GrubHub, Nordstrom, Cheesecake Factory, more across various gift cards) — free $10 Target gift card with purchase

SAVE $50: As of Dec. 16, get the Anker Soundcore Boom 2 portable speaker for $89.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $139.99. That's a discount of 36%.

Whether you've got holiday parties to attend or you're throwing one of your own, music can add some much-needed ambiance to any get-together. This year, bring holiday music and other fun additions wherever you go with an affordable portable Bluetooth speaker that's perfect for spreading holiday cheer.

As of Dec. 16, get the Anker Soundcore Boom 2 portable speaker for $89.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $139.99. That's a discount of 36%.

This speaker is all about great sound and portability, with a lengthy battery life and a lightweight body that puts reliability at the forefront. It offers a surprising 24 hours of playtime, so you can spend as much time as possible playing music at any event you head to this holiday season.

It's waterproof and can float if you're going to be around water and any potential mishaps, so it's a good sidekick to have around for those purposes. But it also has LED lighting and other bells and whistles in addition to being able to play the heck out of some music.

If you're ready for an affordable and easy way to listen to your favorite tunes at holiday parties this year or just want a good, reliable gift to give this year, this is a good option.

GET A FREE $5 STARBUCKS GIFT CARD: Buy a $25 Starbucks gift card and receive a free $5 Starbucks e-gift card while supplies last.

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Credit: Starbucks

Starbucks gift card

buy $25 worth of Starbucks gift cards and receive a free $5 Starbucks e-gift card

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Last week, we were all buzzing with news that Starbucks was releasing more viral Bearista Cups via the app. Fast-forward to today and we're all virtually running around Milan collecting red Starbucks cup in an attempt to win big. If you're not having much luck with the Starbucks Merrython, there's another way to feel like you're winning with the coffee giant.

From now until Dec. 19, purchase a $25 Starbucks gift card and receive a free $5 Starbucks eGift card. You can qualify for this deal by buying one $25 gift card or five $5 gift cards. Supplies are limited to the first 400,000 customers, so it's possible this offer will sell out before the Dec. 19 deadline. The promo is limited to one free $5 gift card per person.

Getting something for nothing in 2025 feels like a huge win. Since many of us are already stopping by Starbucks for a pick-me-up, this is a great deal to jump on. Buy one $25 gift card for a friend of five $5 gift cards, and you'll get a free $5 e-gift card for yourself. In either case, you'll be snagging a stocking stuffer almost anyone will love.

If your daily morning routine involves stopping by Starbucks and you're done with holiday shopping, grab this deal for yourself since a free $5 is a free $5. It might not buy you an entire 16-ounce drink, but it'll make a nice dent in the price.

While Starbucks is giving us a few days to snag this free gift card deal, the fine print mentions it's limited to the first 400,000 people who take advantage of the deal. Given how popular the coffee chain is, this deal could sell out before Dec. 19, so snatch it up quickly.

Oh, you don't want an AI chatbot on your TV? That's too bad, buddy, because you're getting one. Well, if you have an LG smart TV, at least.

Tech site Tom's Hardware spotted that users began complaining that a recent software update to LG TVs included the addition of Microsoft Copilot and it could not be deleted. The complaints first surfaced on Reddit's r/mildlyinfuriating, which feels right. The post has racked up some 36,000 upvotes and thousands of comments, most of which expressed annoyance.

Tech site Endadget wrote that two staffers with LG TVs confirmed that, yes, Copilot had been installed and was not removable. At best, you could hide it from the home screen.

Why would you want an AI assistant app on your TV? Good question. I don't necessarily have the answer. But guess what? If you own an LG smart TV, it looks like you have it, whether you want it or not.

Food delivery can get tricky in the wee hours of the night.

That was the case in McCracken County, Kentucky earlier in December for one couple, anyway. According to the Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office, a local husband and wife ordered delivery via DoorDash "shortly after midnight," but when they started eating the food, they experienced burning sensations in their noses and mouths. A glance at security doorbell footage revealed that the Dasher had sprayed a substance on the food before handing it off to the customers.

The accused Dasher in question, Kourtney N. Stevenson, told investigators that she was attempting to pepper spray a spider due to her fear of arachnids. As the Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office pointed out in its press release, it would be extremely unlikely to see a spider outdoors in the 35-degree weather the area was experiencing that night. Stevenson was arrested on felony charges of battery and consumer product tampering.

Whatever the case may be, the lesson here is to always make sure your food looks, smells, and seems OK to eat before chowing down.

After an unprofitable 2025, it might be the end of an era for iRobot

Roombas, as we know them, might cease to exist at this time next year. It sounds like iRobot is planning on continuing the product line under Picea ownership, but we don't know when the next new Roombas can be expected. Here's how we got here.

Amazon and iRobot called it quits with their pending acquisition back in 2024, and things have only gone downhill for iRobot from there. Soon after that, iRobot randomly overhauled the Roomba lineup in March 2025 — an interesting deviation from its usual release schedule, in which the biggest Roombas of the year typically come out in August. It felt like a last-ditch effort to keep the company afloat after struggling to profit in 2024.

More than 20 Roombas have come out since the first Roomba hit homes in 2002, but the newest wave of Roombas saw the ingenuity that made its predecessors stand out. As someone who tests robot vacuums for a living, I've been saying for a year now that Roombas were struggling to stay relevant in a sea of smarter, stronger, more fairly-priced robot vacs from the likes of Roborock and iRobot's biggest Google search competition, Shark. Like sure, it's great to finally see a mopping Roomba with spinning mopping pads or a Roomba self-washing and -drying mopping pad dock that's relatively affordable. But the best robot vacuum mop combos from other brands have been on top of that for years.

If there's any hope for the Roomba's reputation, iRobot and Picea need to find a way to be more realistic about price points. If new Roombas are ever released, they need to be much more affordable in relation to other robot vacuums on the market that offer the same features. If iRobot and Picea insist on maintaining premium prices, they really do need to "innovate" as mentioned in the Dec. 15 press release — as in, find a way to stand out from all of the incredible robot vacuum advancements that we'll be seeing from competing brands at CES 2026.

How to tell the difference between the Roomba models

The iRobot Roomba 105. The Roomba Combo i5+. The Roomba Combo j7+ (not to be confused with the Roomba j7). The arbitrary numbers and letters of the Roomba family tree are confusing at face value, but we can teach you.

When shopping for a Roomba, you'll choose from what I call iRobot's core lineup: the group of three to five Roomba series sold on iRobot's website. Any Roomba whose title includes a letter and a number (like j9+ or i5) or the word Max is more advanced than a Roomba with just numbers in the title (like 105, 205, or 692) or just words (like Roomba Vac or Essential).

A plus sign (like j9+) denotes that the model comes with a self-emptying dock, and Roombas that mop will have "Combo" in the title. "Max" is a new Roomba term introduced with the Roomba Combo 10 Max — it refers to the ability of a hybrid Roomba to wash and dry its own mopping pad within the self-empty dock. On the other end of the spectrum, "Essential" means "most basic" in the Roomba family, meaning no smart mapping.

Other Roombas I've tested

I've tested several Roombas that are no longer main players in the Roomba guide for 2025. The Roomba Combo j9+ doesn't wash or dry its mopping pad, and is simply too expensive to be worth buying over its siblings like the Roomba Combo 10 Max, Roomba Plus 505. or Roomba Max 705. Plus, the j9's increasing obsoleteness has pretty much halted its ability to get a noteworthy discount nowadays.

I have also removed any 600 series Roombas from this guide for a similar reason: They just can't compete with the newer cheap Roombas that have stronger suction and smart mapping. When I tested the Roomba 694, it pissed me off more than it impressed. The Roomba 694 and Roomba 692 are hard to find in stock, anyway, and it's rarely for less than the Roomba 105 (my new top pick for the best cheap Roomba).

The first-ever U.S. TikTok Awards are officially taking over Hollywood on Dec. 18, 2025 — and Mashable will be on the red carpet and inside the venue, covering the night as it unfolds in real time.

Designed to honor the creators, trends, and cultural moments that defined TikTok this year, the show marks the platform’s biggest attempt yet to turn internet virality into a full-scale awards spectacle. Think: the For You Page, but live, loud, and happening all at once at the Hollywood Palladium.

And now, we know who’s headlining.

Ciara will headline the first U.S. TikTok Awards

GRAMMY-winning global superstar Ciara will headline the inaugural U.S. TikTok Awards, bringing her signature choreography and stage presence to the Palladium. The multi-platinum artist, whose music and dance moves have long thrived on TikTok, is set to perform a mix of her biggest hits during the live show.

"There’s nothing like performing for a community that loves movement, music, and expression as much as I do," Ciara said in a statement, per TikTok. "The TikTok Awards are all about celebrating that spirit, and I’m honored to hit the stage for the first-ever show in the US."

What to expect from the TikTok Awards

If you’re wondering what this show will actually feel like, imagine the chaos and creativity of TikTok brought to life in physical space. Hosted by La La Anthony, the U.S. TikTok Awards promises creator-led segments, live performances, and moments designed to be experienced and immediately shared, clipped, and stitched.

The theme for the night — "New Era, New Icons" — celebrates creators across beauty, fashion, music, sports, education, and entertainment whose influence extends far beyond the app itself.

In other words: Expect meme-by-morning moments and at least one reaction GIF that lives online forever.

Presenters revealed

TikTok has also announced a new slate of presenters spanning creators, cultural icons, and community favorites:

• Breakthrough Artist of the Year — Presented by KPop Demon Hunters star REI AMI (@rei.ami)

• Okay Slay Award (Beauty) — Presented by Tan France (@tanfrance)

• Video of the Year — Presented by Tefi Pessoa (@hellotefi)

• I Was Today Years Old Award (Education) — Presented by Justin Danger (@justin_danger_nunley)

• Immediately Added to Cart Award (TikTok Shop) — Presented by Patrick Starrr (@patrickstarrr)

• CapCut Creator of the Year — Presented by Carter Gregory (@thecarterb)

• Live Creator of the Year — Presented by Ashby Florence (@ashbyflorence)

Additionally, e.l.f. Cosmetics joins as a title sponsor, presenting the Rising Star of the Year Award.

Mashable’s live TikTok Awards coverage

Mashable will be covering the TikTok Awards live from Los Angeles, with our team on the red carpet capturing arrivals, GRWM-to-carpet transformations, and creator interviews — plus inside-the-room coverage of performances, wins, and the moments you'll be seeing all over your feed the next morning.

The red carpet livestream kicks off at 5 p.m. PT, followed by the main ceremony at 6 p.m. PT, streaming live on @TikTok and Tubi, the official streaming partner of the TikTok Awards 2025. The show will also be available on demand on Tubi the next day.

Red carpet hosts and correspondents for the livestream include:

• Dylan Kevitch (@dylan.kevitch)

• Hannah Kosh (@hannahkosh)

• Taylor King (@tksjuicypolls)

When and where to watch the TikTok Awards

• Red carpet: 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET on TikTok LIVE

• Main ceremony: 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET on TikTok and Tubi

• Location: Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles

Whether you’re tuning in for the performances, rooting for your favorite creator, or just waiting to see what breaks the internet next, Mashable will be there tracking it all, from red carpet chaos to the final award.

And yes: If something wild happens backstage, it'll probably hit your For You Page within minutes.

SAVE $50: As of Dec. 16, the Sonos Era 100 is on sale for $169 at Amazon and other retailers. That's about 22% off the full list price of $219 and matches its Black Friday price.

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Credit: Sonos

Sonos Era 100

$169 at Amazon
$219 Save $50

 

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With the exception of Black Friday, Sonos doesn't offer many big discounts on its products throughout the year. So when you see a good price, you should snag it. For instance, now's the time to grab the Sonos Era 100, as it's on sale for about 22% off.

As of Dec. 16, you can get the Sonos Era 100 for just $169 at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and Sonos.com. While that's about $20 shy of its best price ever, it matches its recent Black Friday deal. And although Amazon has deflated the list price, it's a full $50 off its usual $219 tag.

Released in 2023 as a direct replacement for the Sonos One (which we loved), the Sonos Era 100 is "the best smart speaker for the money," as our sister site CNET noted in their review. It's slim and sleek and can seamlessly fit on a bookshelf, kitchen counter, desktop, or nightstand, but its sound is as powerful as a speaker twice its size. It packs two tweeters and can produce a stereo sound on its own, unlike its predecessor. It also has refreshed controls on top with a capacitive volume control and a new button to turn off the voice assistant.

Connect to WiFi, Bluetooth, or hardwire it for your preferred sound and use the Sonos app to optimize it to your space. It features both Amazon Alexa and Sonos' own voice assistant, so you can ask your speaker to manage your calendar, set alarms, control the lights and other smart home devices, and so much more. Or you can toggle it off if you want some privacy.

Unfortunately, it doesn't offer spatial audio (you'll need the Era 300 for that, which is $200 more). But as our friends at CNET wrote, "If you want a smart speaker that's compact and sounds great, the Sonos Era 100 is an excellent choice and an easy recommendation." And at $169, it's a pretty great deal.

Pornhub suffered a hack of information related to its Premium members and is reportedly being extorted with sensitive member data, according to the tech site BleepingComputer.

The porn company confirmed the hack with a statement on the support section of its website. Wrote the company:

"A recent cybersecurity incident involving Mixpanel, a third-party data analytics provider, has impacted some Pornhub Premium users. Specifically, this situation affects only select Premium users. It is important to note this was not a breach of Pornhub Premium’s systems. Passwords, payment details, and financial information remain secure and were not exposed."

Mixpanel has denied that the information came from a recent November hack, however, that involved other major companies like OpenAI. Regardless, any hack would naturally prove concerning for Pornhub Premium users, considering the sensitive nature of the site. And while financial information does not appear to be part of the hack, some concerning data was reportedly stolen.

What information was stolen in the Pornhub hack?

Tech-focused site BleepingComputer reported that it had received confirmation from the group ShinyHunters that it was behind the hack, which it claims included "201,211,943 records of historical search, watch, and download activity for the platform's Premium members." BleepingComputer reported that the hacker group sent extortion emails to Pornhub and that it claims the info includes a "PornHub Premium member's email address, activity type, location, video URL, video name, keywords associated with the video, and the time the event occurred."

So, basically, the hacker group could try to extort Pornhub with the claims that it can release detailed information about what compromised Premium member accounts watched and when. That would obviously be sensitive info for someone using Pornhub that they may not want to be released.

SAVE $50: As of Dec. 16, get the Oral-B iO Electric Toothbrush for $59.99, down from its usual price of $109.99, at Amazon. That's a discount of 45%.

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Credit: Amazon

Oral-B iO Electric Toothbrush

$59.99 at Amazon
$109.99 Save $50.00

 

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If a whiter smile and cleaner teeth are important to you, you're not alone. Lots of folks would love to improve their oral hygiene, and that's something simple you can do by swapping out your toothbrush. Our recommendation? Toss the manual brush for an electric option that can give you a gorgeous set of chompers by helping you to polish what you have.

As of Dec. 16, get the Oral-B iO Electric Toothbrush for $59.99, down from its usual price of $109.99, at Amazon. That's $50 off and a discount of 45%.

This electric brush comes with three cleaning modes to help you achieve a brighter smile with cleaner teeth: Daily Clean, Sensitive, and Whitening. Oral-B claims it can also help you have healthier gums in just a week while removing more plaque than a manual brush.

It can help you figure out whether you're pressing too hard while brushing with a pressure sensor as well, and a lightning timer that helps you make sure you're brushing for the recommended amount of time: twominutes. It also has a lengthy battery and a special refill change alert to let you know when you change your brush head. Paired with two brush heads and a travel case, this brush will last for quite a while to come.

If it's time to trade up for a better quality brush, this is a great and affordable option you'll want to snag before it goes off sale.

SAVE $600: The Roborock Saros 10R is on sale at Amazon for $999.99, down from the list price of $1,599.99. That's a 38% discount that matches the record low.

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Credit: Roborock

Roborock Saros 10R

$999.99 at Amazon
$1,599.99 Save $600

 

Get Deal

Tis the season to get behind on household chores. It's hard enough to stay on top of cleaning during non-holiday periods, but now it seems quite nearly impossible. There's glitter on the living room floor, flour on the kitchen floor, and leaves in the entryway. Instead of worrying about vacuuming that yourself, enlist the help of a capable robot vacuum that's on a major discount.

As of Dec. 16, the Roborock Saros 10R is on sale for $999.99 at Amazon, marked down from the usual price of $1,599.99. That works out a savings of $600 from a 38% discount. Today's sale price matches the record low we saw during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Mashable's vacuum expert Leah Stodart has tested over 30 models. Some have a grabby arm to collect your socks while others are excellent at mopping. When testing the Roborock Saros 10R, Stodart wrote, "It doesn't do everything perfectly, but it's still probably the most reliable robot vacuum I've ever tested."

Understandably, dishing out about $1,600 for a vacuum feels intense. But now that it's under $1,000, things feel a bit better. The Saros 10R comes with an impressive 22,000Pa suction power, and Stodart found other qualities that set it apart from other premium models.

For starters, it's barely over three inches tall. This slim and low-profile means it'll have no issue getting under the couch, the bed, and the side tables, cleaning up areas that can be a struggle to reach with a stick vacuum. Stodart also mentioned it has the quietest self-empty system that she's ever heard, and it never gets lost.

Adding to the standout features on the Saros 10R is its ability to clean corners really well. It also has a livestream pet camera which allows you to see what the robot vacuum is seeing through the app. There's also an option to "search for pet." In Stodart's review, she wrote, "A ton of people have standalone security cameras to keep tabs on their pets when they're not home, so adding that pet sitter-like feature to an appliance that's already roving your house is actually pretty practical."

If you could use some help with chores, the Roborock Saros 10R is a reliable robot vacuum and mop. Its normal price of $1,600 feels scary but today it's down to $999.99 at Amazon. Considering how much time and hassle it could save you over several years, it might be well worth the investment.

If you don't play Roblox, your introduction to the online virtual world might be through less-than-stellar stories in news outlets about the company's legal woes due to child safety issues.

Roblox is quickly making moves to address that and looking at the company's 2025 user data, it's easy to see why that's the case: Roblox is extremely popular among young people.

As Roblox previously boasted, half of the U.S. population under the age of 16 were on the platform. A whopping 151 million users login to Roblox every day and the average user spends around 2.8 hours a day on the platform. User avatar updates happen 274 million times daily. One Saturday morning this past August saw 45 million users concurrently playing games on the platform.

And what Roblox games were they playing?  According to Roblox, "Grow a Garden" hit a record with 21.6 million users playing at the same time in July. In September, "Steal a Brainrot" broke that record with over 25 million users playing simultaneously. These feats are even more incredible when you consider both games were released in March and May, respectively, this year.

Even so, "Grow a Garden" and "Steal a Brainrot" only take the second and third place when it comes to popular Roblox games searches. The top search is still for the classic "Brookehaven," released in 2020. The platform's users take part in an average of 21 Roblox games or experiences per month.

Another interesting data point in the Roblox 2025 Replay: the correlation between device and type of Roblox experience. Mobile phone gamers preferred horror or escape games. Tablet users were more creative types, choosing games like "Build a Plane." Console gamers, on platforms like Xbox or Playstation, were more likely to search out licensed action titles like Sonic, and play sports-based games.

Roblox users with VR headsets, unsurprisingly, would seek out virtual reality worlds and immerse experiences. And PC gamers are most likely to search out complex RPG-like titles on the Roblox platform.

The Roblox 2025 Replay also notes how the "67" trend and KPop Demon Hunters often spiked in popularity on the platform; there's a survey of Roblox's Gen Z users which can be found here.

The dating app Coffee Meets Bagel found a few contradictions in its first Dating Realness Report — which seems to sum up dating in 2025.

Over nine in 10 daters are looking for something serious, according to a survey of over 1,000 21-35 year-olds in the U.S. (who are working professionals either actively looking for a relationship or aren't actively searching but are open to one).

Specifically, 61 percent are seeking a spouse, and 31 percent are looking for a long-term partner. But 93 percent think dating is challenging, and nearly half (45 percent) think a relationship is harder to commit to than a job.

Some of the biggest pain points when dating are endless swiping without meaningful matches (54 percent), getting ghosted or unmatched (47 percent), and figuring out what to say or how to start a conversation (43 percent).

Now, take AI. Eighty percent of survey respondents are comfortable with AI assisting with dating tasks. However, if they found out they used AI to write their profile or message, around 65 percent would be less likely to engage with them, have a negative impression of them, or wouldn't be sure what to think.

Coffee Meets Bagel also found that while Gen Z was more comfortable with AI than millennials, they're also less likely to engage with a profile that used AI compared to their older counterparts.

This is similar to what Hinge found in its latest report as well: while Gen Z wants deeper connections, some are using AI to date.

And CMB's survey found that emotional connection and chemistry are a must-have for a majority of daters (73 percent), even higher than physical attraction (63 percent).

Shared values and beliefs (59 percent) rounded out the top three must-have qualities, followed by ambition/drive (57 percent) and shared interests (53 percent).

Interestingly, when broken down, more millennials (76 percent) chose emotional connection as a must-have than Gen Z (68 percent). Yet, more Gen Z chose ambition/drive than millennials (61 percent versus 52 percent).

And in this time of economic uncertainty, the highest life priority ranked was financial stability (54 percent), followed by health and wellness (49 percent), then love and relationships, which tied with family (47 percent each).

Coffee Meets Bagel also asked about the top challenges after matching. Gen Z and millennials differed only slightly in their answers: mixed signals (42 percent Gen Z, 44 percent millennial), starting or keeping conversations going (40 percent Gen Z, 38 percent millennial), and getting ghosted (38 percent Gen Z, 40 percent millennial).