Amazon devices are always affordable, which means when they go on sale, they get really cheap. Right now, Amazon's Fire HD Tablets, especially the Fire HD Kids Editions, are at some of the lowest prices we've seen recently.
Amazon recently refreshed its 8-inch Fire HD 8 tablets (8/10, WIRED Recommends), and these brand-new versions are among the models currently on sale. The Fire HD 10, which features a bigger, nicer screen and a more powerful processor, is also discounted right now.
- The Fire HD 8 Kids Edition costs $90 ($50 off)
- The Fire HD 10 Kids Edition costs $150 ($50 off)
- The Fire HD 8 tablet costs $60 ($30 off)
- The Fire HD 8 Plus costs $80 ($30 off)
- The Fire HD 10 costs $100 ($50 off)
Be sure to read through our full guide to choosing the right Fire tablet. Picking the best Fire tablet (if any) depends on your needs.
Both the standard Fire HD 8 and 10 are capable of streaming HD movies on services like Netflix, browsing the web, and searching for recipes via Alexa. The form factor of the Fire HD 8 is perfect for travel, and good enough for reading, watching, and browsing. The Fire HD 10 has a much larger screen, and a better processor. If you don't plan to take it out of the house much, this is your best bet.
The Kids Editions are the best values, though. They each come with a two-year worry-free guarantee. If your kid drops the Fire and somehow shatters the screen despite the case it comes in—trust me, they will—Amazon will replace it for free.
The second great feature for parents is the FreeTime subscription ($36, free with Kids Edition), which you can use to make sure all the content that's ever displayed on your Fire is age-appropriate. You can also keep tabs on what they're doing via the app from your phone.
The biggest downside to the Fire tablets is that they're trapped in Amazon's limited world of apps and content. It's kid-friendly content is great, but adults won't have quite as much to play around with. There's no Google Play Store (unless you resort to some hacking), and not every app you want is available in Amazon's Fire OS Store, though many of the basics are there (check for yourself here).
The Fire 7 Kids Edition is also on sale, but we do not recommend it. The cramped screen and weak processor mean it's really not worth the $80 you'll pay for it (only a $20 discount from its normal price). You're better off spending an extra $10 to get the more powerful Fire 8 HD.
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