This $8 Knife Is the One Buy You Should Make Earlier than Prime Day Ends Tonight

Prime Day 2025 ends tonight, and Lifehacker is sharing the perfect gross sales based mostly on product critiques, comparisons, and price-tracking instruments earlier than it is over. 

Like many Individuals, I bemoan the truth that on-line procuring hurts native companies, which may’t compete with the comfort of unsustainable perks like “free” two-day Prime delivery. Like many Individuals, I nonetheless purchase a ton of stuff on-line anyway, as a result of it is positive simpler to not have to hold an enormous pack of bathroom paper house from Aldi (at the least, as a New Yorker, I can nonetheless be a snob about the truth that I stroll to purchase groceries). However this additionally implies that, come Prime Day or throughout the vacation season, I’ve to take care of an entire lot of cardboard containers.

Some 35 million tons of “containerboard,” or cardboard used to make delivery containers like Amazon containers, is produced within the U.S. every year. By my estimate, at the least 10 p.c of that arrives on my doorstep. And whereas I am tremendous diligent about recycling all of it (the American Forest & Paper Affiliation estimates that the “efficient recycling charge” for cardboard is as excessive as 85%—yay!), breaking these containers all the way down to get them prepared to position curbside is a problem.

Or it was, till I discovered concerning the Canary field cutter, a slim little knife with a non-stick serrated blade and a cheery yellow deal with.

A field cutter produced by a former Japanese sword firm

This $8 knife—sure, it’s bought on Amazon, although mine was shipped to me in a padded envelope moderately than a field—is made in Japan by an organization known as Hasegawa Cutlery, which received its begin practically 100 years in the past sprucing and grinding swords (the “Cutlery” half was added to the identify after World Warfare II, when the enterprise first started producing scissors). Hasegawa’s advertising language suggests the corporate has introduced all of its Japanese sword-making experience to bear on creating client items, and whereas I’ve by no means tried to interrupt down a stack of delivery containers with a sword, I am unable to think about it would be a lot simpler than utilizing my Canary.

My earlier strategies for slicing by means of cardboard—kitchen scissors or a steak knife (do not be like me, children!)—have been lower than efficient, and utility knives, although actually an enchancment, aren’t nice on the activity both. Cardboard is stiff and fibrous, so whereas a razor blade can slice by means of it fairly simply, it is arduous to make use of one to make a managed minimize, because the blade will careen off-course for those who attempt to go towards the “grain,” so to talk; utility blades additionally uninteresting shortly however will nonetheless stay sharp sufficient to simply minimize you for those who deal with them incorrectly.

The all-around serrated edges of the Canary, alternatively, appear to chop by means of cardboard like butter, whether or not you are going with or towards the grain, pushing the blade or pulling it, or making a sawing movement; its blade stays sharp for much longer, and will not minimize you just about as simply. (These qualities have made the Canary a favourite of crafters who work with cardboard.)

I am not the crafting kind, however I’ve used my Canary on containers each small and huge. In a few minute, I minimize down the massive field my dehumidifier shipped in, leaving a neat stack of small items of cardboard which can be straightforward to tie up for recycling. The knife works equally properly on the lighter cardboard containers like these Amazon makes use of, and thicker ones, just like the beefy boys that held my Goal flatpack furnishings.

It appears a stretch to name this little blade life-changing, nevertheless it has undoubtedly saved me a variety of time—rather more than $8 value.

Searching for one thing else? Retailers like Walmart, Finest Purchase, and House Depot have Prime Day competitors gross sales which can be particularly helpful for those who don’t have Amazon Prime.

• Walmart’s Prime Day competitors sale begins at midnight on July 8 and can embrace offers as much as 50% off. It’s an particularly good possibility in case you have Walmart+. 

• Finest Purchase’s Prime Day competitors sale, “Black Friday in July,” runs by means of Sunday, July 13 and has among the greatest tech gross sales on-line. It’s an particularly good possibility for those who’re a My Finest Purchase “Plus” or “Complete” member.