Amazon's exploding with home sales for July 4th — our picks, from $3

Libby Sentz
Vornado fan, Nicole Miller indoor outdoor rug, Cuisinart grill, Nostalgia ice cream maker
Amazon's Fourth of July weekend sales bring the savings home! (Photos: Amazon)

Independence Day is a bit of a misnomer — it's become all about togetherness for many of us. It's so nice to celebrate with fam, friends and nabes again. But if you're like us, seeing your place through the eyes of visitors can be a rude awakening: Suddenly you notice how worn that rug is, how difficult it is to find unblemished sheets for guests and just how wasteful the disposable plates you once relied on for cookouts really are. To the rescue: Amazon's 4th of July weekend sales , with tons of savings on home essentials. We rounded up the best deals to help you get straight to the solutions you need.

With family and friends coming to visit this summer, you can rest assured that they'll sleep well on a new air mattress. More than 34,000 Amazon shopper rave about this one from Soundasleep. One shopper says they turned their guests into believers. "I ordered this mattress when two friends announced an unplanned visit on short notice," they wrote. "They slept on it for two nights and liked this mattress so much that they asked if they could take it along to the next place they were visiting....When they returned it they asked if they could borrow it for other guests this summer."

The summer of '22 is coming in hot! For those of us who don't have central air, a portable air conditioner is an easy way to beat the heat and this one has cooled off more than 6,700 rave reviewers on Amazon. One shopper says it surpassed their expectations. "It's 97 degrees outside and 68 inside," they reported. "I'm cooling about 700 square feet (kitchen, living room, bathroom and one bedroom.) I'm waiting for the indoor temperature to rise as the day is now at peak temperature. The AC is holding wonderfully. I looked at many before deciding on this one; it was a little more expensive than a few others. I have no regrets for spending the extra money. This machine is a beast."

Cook out anytime you please with this popular, portable pick from Cuisinart — Amazon's No. 1 bestselling grill. It's now on sale for an unheard of $25 (was $40)! "Bumpin' little grill," raves a five-star fan. "Plenty big enough for just my wife and me. Salmon, tuna, filets, wings, burgers and dogs...easy and yummy! ...You can even grill/smoke a whole chicken and other 'big' things in it with a bit of prep beforehand. It's a good fit for apartment porches & balconies and just about perfect for a couple. Highly recommended!"

A 4.8-star Amazon rating is rare, but fans are mad about this low-pile rug by Nicole Miller, a decades-long leader in quality and style. This indoor-outdoor beauty UV fade and weather resistant, and right now several sizes are on sale in nine gorgeous hues. Many reviewers can't stop at just one: "Obsessed!!!" writes a fan. "Used for my breakfast nook and I could not love it anymore. I have this on my patio and front entry to my door. These rugs are high quality and look fantastic."

Disposable plates are a thing of the past. These indestructible, eco-conscious wheat straw plates make an excellent modern sub. Measuring 9 inches, this Amazon No. 1 bestseller is perfect for backyard burgers, dogs 'n' chips, slices of watermelon or cake — you name it! They come six to a pack, but at this price point, you may want to nab enough to accommodate any party you might throw.

"These are very nice. Easy to clean, dishwasher safe, microwave safe," wrote a happy shopper. "They are also sturdy. I love that they are made from wheat straw so a little more earth friendly. I have finally gotten rid of my wasteful habit with paper plates! Good product and at just over $2 per plate, I'm really happy with them."

Everything is gorgeous and green outside, but how are those indoor plants holding up? Give them a beautiful boost with these plant food spikes — now just $3 for 24. Ferns, spider plants, pothos, croton and the like will delight in each nutrient-dense meal, which lasts for two whole months.

One of the whopping 50,000 five-star fans declared: "This product is the secret to healthy vibrant plants." With visible proof, they continued: "The plant pictured was dying and had lost most of its leaves. I didn't want to re-pot it...but I didn't want it to die either. Buying the miracle grow indoor plant feeder sticks was a last ditch effort to save this guy and it worked! The fertilizer sticks are easy to use, you just push them into the soil and water. Your plants will flourish once you start feeding them these little guys."

(You could even pick up some of Amazon's bestselling houseplants, while you're at it.)

The high-gloss fan with over 10,800 five-star fans is small enough for a desk or bedside table. It cools in multiple directions it can even fold down and hide. It's on sale for the 4th of July in multiple colors for just $20 (down from $25).

"Great Product! Great Size!" raves a shopper who keeps it on their desk. "I use it for when I feel a little hot sometimes from anxiety or it being just too warm. It provides great relief! It is pretty quiet for a fan, easy to use, and small enough to not clutter up my desk at work. If you are looking for a fan for when you are sweating out of your mind, I would recommend this product."

Ding, ding, ding! Ice cream season is in full swing. Over 2,100 fans have given this maker (now 45% off) a perfect five-star rating. One pleased shopper writes: "I have made home ice cream for decades. I recently replaced my old wooden-sided electric ice cream maker with this model and was very pleasantly surprised. It was easy to use and clean up — but best of all made great smooth solid ice cream in 30 minutes. Very pleased."

A workhorse tool that's sustainable too, this adorable, reusable 6-by-5-inch Skoy Scrub is made from remnants from the toweling industry. It's safe for all sorts of kitchen items — from nonstick pans and cast iron to cooktops and tiles! No need to limit it to the kitchen, either. Shoppers use them to clean floors, tubs, cars and more. Just toss it in the dishwasher as needed.

"Appreciating this little scrubber much more than I thought I would," wrote a fan. "It's got the textile advantages of a scrub-brush/sponge with the ability to use it like a scraper...It can reach corners better than a brush, and can be used inside of bottles, glasses, etc. It has not scratched any of the surfaces I have used it on so far (enamel, glass, porcelain, nonstick, stainless).... It has not retained smells or odors, unlike a sponge."

Get nearly 60% off for the pair.

Refresh a room by hanging some art with these hassle-free, heavy-duty Command strips. No tools required. These little strips — only $3 for four! — make easy work of hanging objects: Just stick and snap.

“Household secret weapon,” writes a five-star fan. “I have these things all over my house. I use them to keep the blackout curtains closed, to attach blackout curtains to the wall, to hang picture frames, canvas posters, random wall art, keep statue/ trinket things affixed to the desk... pretty much everywhere...They were definitely well worth the money when I moved apartments and did not have 1 nail hole to remove; they pulled off just as expected.”

Got a muddy buddy? Before they set paw through the door, unleash the Mudbuster. Simply fill it with water and insert paw. The silicone bristles will gently pull mud and debris away. (Tip: Keep a towel on hand to pat them dry.)

One of some 34,000 five-star fans exclaimed: "Officially a Staple Pet Item! Lifesaver." Another explained: "It works for both dirty water/splattered kind of mud, and the thick stuff that is stuck between the toes. In fact it works really good for the thick stuff because the bristles get in between and scoop it out."

Sleep hot? These breathable, cooling sheets loved by over 93,400 Amazon shoppers are down to $20 for queen size in all seven colors with the on-page coupon — that's half off! Danjor sheets are made from moisture-wicking microfiber to keep you comfortable all year long. You'll get a flat sheet, a fitted sheet with pockets deep enough to accommodate 16 inches of mattress and four pillowcases.

They are super soft thanks to the 1,800-thread-count fabric, plus they're moisture-resistant, cooling and fade-resistant.

A megafan wrote: "I am EXTREMELY pleased with the comfort and build-quality of these sheets. They are, by far, the most comfortable sheets I have ever felt in my life...They're extremely soft and stay cool (I've had problems with overheating in the middle of the night with other sheets)...5 stars all the way."

If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $25 or more.)

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.

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