The Year's Hottest Holiday Gifts: Buy Them Before They Sell Out

Is it too early to be thinking about holiday shopping? Maybe. But if you wait until Black Friday or Cyber Monday, hoping to save money on the hottest toys and newest electronics and appliances, you may come up empty handed. Shopping experts say these products are sure to sell out this holiday, so don’t wait if they’re on a loved one’s wish list. And if you need more inspiration, check out these 50 Holiday Gifts You Should Start Buying in October.

Prices and availability are subject to change.

Price: $250 from Amazon
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Amazon made a small splash last year when they unveiled a countertop microwave that was Alexa-compatible, a first for the ever-growing retailer. This year, Amazon kicks it up a notch in the kitchen with the Amazon Smart Oven, which boasts 1,000 watts of cooking power. It’s got a convection function, as well as keep-warm and air-fryer modes. And it’s all voice controlled (naturally). The Smart Oven goes on sale Nov. 14, and you can bet it’ll go fast once Black Friday arrives. If you don’t need a smart microwave, there are plenty of “normal” compact microwaves that get great reviews from consumers and cooking pros — and cost less, too.

Price: $400 from Amazon
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Video game consoles have been on holiday wish lists since the days on Pong and Atari. Sony’s venerable Playstation 4, although a little long in the tooth, is still going to be a hot gift this year, especially when it’s bundled with the highly anticipated “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.” The 1 TB model comes with one controller and is 4K-compatible for a life-like gaming experience.

Price: $10 at Walmart
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If the people at Good Housekeeping know anything about on-trend toys for the holidays — and they do — then you can bet kids will be asking for Blume dolls this year. Just add a few drops of water to the colorful flower pot and watch a doll with fabulous hair bloom from the "soil." Each figure comes with a surprise sidekick, too.

Price: $60 from Amazon
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Another eagerly anticipated addition to Amazon’s Alexa universe, the third-generation Echo Dot now boasts an LED alarm clock with a timer that also can display the local weather. It’s available in four colors: black, sandstone, heather, and plum. It's available for presale and will be in stock on Nov. 4.

Price: $180 from Walmart
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Don’t procrastinate this year if someone on your shopping list is hoping for a drone this holiday, because last year they sold out quickly. This Vivitar drone ups the game for 2019, featuring a 360-degree HD camera and a 1,000-foot transmission range. Use your phone to swoop, zoom, and explore the world around you from above.

Price: $25 on Amazon
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These doe-eyed dolls hit stores in August, just in time for kindergarten to begin (which is appropriate given the name). In the Kindi Kid world, every day is a new opportunity to learn, play, and make new friends. Dinatina, Jessicake, Marsha Mello, and Peppa-Mint each come with two unique "snack time" treats that your youngster can use to interact with the toy.

Price: $100 on Amazon
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L.O.L. Surprise more or less invented the "unboxing" gift in 2016 and their trinket-stuffed suitcases, collectible figures, and ephemera have been at the top of holiday must-have lists every year since. This turquoise traveler lets your youngster's L.O.L. Surprise O.M.G. fashion doll hit the road in style. Like every one of their toys, this one comes with 55 toys to unbox, including a doll that's unique to this set.

Price: $130 from Walmart
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Last year, it was Star Wars and Harry Potter Legos that were the hot gift item. This year, toy experts say this Lego set is the one to pounce on. This 1,473-piece kit comes with eight minifigs and the exclusive Hidden Side app that turns this high school into a spooky sensation. Use the app to spot specters that are haunting the high school and terrorizing teachers and scaring students silly.

Price: $30 at Walmart
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Racing cars and tracks have been entertaining kids (and adults) for decades, and this Walmart-exclusive is expected to be on a lot of wish lists this year. Give your NASCAR racers a quick charge, then let them loose on the figure-eight track to zip around, narrowly avoiding each other in the Crash Zone. But if disaster strikes, no worries. The racers are designed to break apart and be reassembled in seconds to keep the racing excitement going.

Price: $246 from Amazon
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Walking is so 20th century. Glide around in style on this motorized self-balancing hoverboard. It’s Bluetooth-compatible and has a built-in speaker so you can play for favorite tunes as you cruise. Charging takes just 2 hours, and you can travel up to 8 miles on a full battery. Use the app to switch between three riding modes and track and map your route. Designed for riders weighing 44 to 200 pounds.

Price: $40 on Amazon
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You may not know who Ryan is, but your kids probably do if they watch YouTube or Nick Jr. And if they love watching him, you can bet one of these will end up on the 2019 holiday wish list. Past versions of these plastic eggs have contained collectible action figures, play slime and putty, and a spaceship with blinking lights and sound effects. (No two are the same, the manufacturer promises.) There's currently a backlog of up to 90 days for Series 3 eggs, the latest in this line of mystery toys, so don't wait too long to order.

Price: $25 from Amazon
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Disney’s reboot of its 1994 animated classic stars Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alfre Woodard, and Billy Eichner. The theatrical release is available on DVD and Blu-Ray, and includes bonus behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with director Jon Favreau, plus music videos featuring Beyonce and Elton John.

Price: $230 from Best Buy
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Google keeps up with the Joneses (and the Amazon and Facebooks) with the latest iteration of its smart-home hub. Monitor your home from any room in the house, control lights and more from your phone, make video calls with friends, watch YouTube videos, and more. It’s even got facial recognition technology, so you can keep mischievous youngsters from accessing the Max when you’re away. Google doesn’t discount its products very often, so don’t wait for a sale or you may go empty-handed if they sell out.

Price: $70 from Amazon
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This interactive Simba plush is packed with 100 different actions from nose to tail. Stroke his back and hear him purr, roar at him and listen to him roar back. Simba has more than 100 different responses and actions in his memory banks, including that memorable catchphrase of his: “Slimy, yet satisfying.”

Price: $80 at Walmart
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Told ya "Lion King" was going to be hot. Toddlers up to 45 pounds can hop on Simba and cruise around the house, king or queen of all they see. Simba come programmed with a number of sounds that your youngster can trigger as they prowl, as well as a charger to keep the battery (and the fun) going, and best of all it comes fully assembled!

Price: $60 on Amazon
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If your youngster is a fan of the "How to Train Your Dragon" movie series and they went crazy over last year's Hatchimals craze at holiday time, then add this to your shopping list this year. Kids can "hatch" and raise their very own Toothless the Dragon.

Price: $150 from Amazon
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If you or someone you love spends all day on their feet, this foot massager is sure to be a welcome gift. Multiple massage modes and adjustable pressure and heat modes let you fine-tune the massage, allowing you to relax while your arches, soles, heels, and toes get the full Shiatsu-style treatment. Available in gray or black.

Price: $13 on Amazon
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The Fingerlings family of pint-sized robotic toys continues to sprout new branches of the family tree, including this family of four pastel-colored whales. Nelly, Nikki, Nori, and Rachel respond to sounds and touches by waving their tails, blinking their big eyes, and lighting up their horns to reflect their mood.

Price: $65 on Amazon
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Sphero is a pioneer in the world of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) toys for older kids, and they continue to devise cool new ways to learn while having fun. Tap into your inner musician with these rings, which react to different colors by creating beats, loops, and other instrument emulators. Use the app to transform those fragments into tunes you can play on your smartphone, or use any Bluetooth MIDI-based mixing equipment like Garage Band to create a mini-masterpiece.

Price: $170 from Amazon
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Before Google assimilated Nest into its smart-home universe, the company was already well known for its smart thermostats. Although it lacks the sleek black appearance of its pricier sibling, the Nest Thermostat E gives you the same Wi-Fi-enabled functionality, allowing you to control your home’s climate from your smartphone — and it’s $100 cheaper, too. Add a Google Nest Temperature Sensor ($39) for zoned heating and cooling.

Price: $40 on Amazon
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Barbie may be eligible for the senior discount at Denny's, but as far as holiday gifts go, she is timeless. This limited-edition doll comes decked out in a festive peppermint-twist gown that would look at home at any chic Christmas soiree this season, and she's available in one of three styles.

Price: $50 at Target
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Owleez wowed the crowd at the annual New York Toy Fair in February and has had toy nerds salivating ever since in anticipation of its October release. This interactive avian teaches kids how to nurture a baby owl, which you must feed, rock to sleep, and even teach to fly. The payoff? When Owleez is ready, he's programmed to leave the nest and hover in the air.

To see products mentioned in this gift guide and more, visit our gift idea lists on Amazon.