TaoTronics

Sometimes a deal is too good to be true, and sometimes it's too good to pass up. I'm putting today's squarely in the latter category.

TaoTronics

For a limited time, and while supplies last, Sunvalley Brands (via Amazon) has the TaoTronics TT-BH040 headphones with active noise cancellation for $39.99 with promo code UAJES5KY. It normally sells for $70, though it's currently on sale for $47.59. The coupon code is just icing on the cake.

If you've never tried noise-canceling headphones, and you frequent noisy environments like planes, trains and offices, I think you're in for a treat. It's not a full-on cone of silence, but it does greatly reduce certain ambient sounds. The result is a much more peaceful listening experience, in part because you don't have to crank the music volume to compete with all that outside noise.

These are over-the-ear headphones, with thick, cushy earcups that swivel independently from the headband to ensure the best fit. They fold up for easier transport and come with a zippered hard-shell carrying case.

They rely on Bluetooth 4.2 for wireless connectivity -- though I can't find any indication of whether you can pair two devices or just one -- but also have a removable cord if you prefer to get wired, or the battery dies.

Speaking of which, TaoTronics says it's good for up to 30 hours of play time, which is pretty impressive.

Also impressive: The 'phones earned a 4.6-star average rating from nearly 200 buyers, and both Fakespot and ReviewMeta indicate those reviews to be mostly legit.

Sure, high-end noise-canceling models from the likes of Beats, Bose and Sony may well offer better sound or greater comfort -- but for me, it's just not worth the extra $260-$310 premium they're charging.

Enlarge Image Govee

Bonus deal: Chances are good the last computer you bought didn't include a CD/DVD drive, and chances are even better the next one won't. So what happens when you need to read some old discs or even write some new ones?

This happens: You buy the Govee External USB 3.0 DVD burner for $13.19 with promo code KHLDCWSG. (It's sold by MingerDirect via Amazon.) Regular price: $22.

It's about as plug-and-play as plug-and-play gets: Just connect it to your Windows PC or Mac and it should be recognized automatically. There's no external power supply required.

The drive can read and write both CDs and DVDs. I particularly like the cable, which can stow out of the way in a channel on the bottom. For $13, how can you go wrong?

Bonus deal No. 2: Score a refurbished Chromebook for just $100!

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