Losing my keys cost me $600; this Best Buy AirTag sale for July 4 drops the price to under $20 each

Apple AirTag 4 pack on top of a TechRadar Don't Miss sales banner in blue

(Image credit: Apple)

It's hard to lose your keys harder than I did, as a volcano would be involved, but if I'd had an Apple AirTag on my keychain, I'd have saved myself hundreds of dollars.

Right now, Best Buy has Apple AirTags on sale for $74.99 for a four-pack, knocking the price under $19 per AirTag. You better believe I'm jumping on this deal. Here's why, and how I'll use my new AirTags.

See all of today's best Amazon deals

I always thought, 'I've never, ever lost a set of keys before! I don't need an AirTag.' I've lost my wallet, my backpack, and I even once parked my car in a different state and forgot about it. I never lost my keys until a recent trip to Miami, which included a weekend cruise.

The hotel couldn't find them. Royal Caribbean initiated a fruitless search that would take days. In both instances, they asked if I had an AirTag. It would have helped.

July 4 deal: Apple AirTags (4-pack)

I arrived at LaGuardia Airport with no keys to drive home, so I had to take an Uber. Then, I took a train back into the city the next morning with my spare keys and an Uber from Grand Central Terminal.

Because my car was an older BMW, replacing the keys was not cheap - around $100. Even worse, my building charges exorbitant fees to replace my mailbox and front door security keys, another $100.

I spent over $600 on Uber rides, replacements, and the extra night my car slept in the Laguardia airport garage. If I'd only spent $20 on an AirTag beforehand, I could have avoided all that.

So I'm buying this Best Buy AirTag deal for $75. You can find the same deal on Amazon here as well. The AirTag has been a bit cheaper -- Amazon sold the four-pack for $65 earlier this year. These AirTags might also drop in price even further for the Amazon Prime Day sale.

No matter, I need an AirTag for my keys ASAP. I also want one for my wallet. I'm going to drop a third AirTag into my Meta Ray-Bans Smart Glasses charging case. I always forget where I put that case, and I end up wearing smart glasses with a dead battery. At least they still look stylish.

That fourth AirPod? My kiddo just turned 16 and got his first car. He's also getting his first AirTag to go on the keychain. The Apple doesn't fall far from the tree, but if it does, at least it won't cost him $600 to get a replacement.

Today's best early 4th of July sales

Amazon: early Prime Day deals on devices, TVs, more
Best Buy: 50% off major appliances, plus coupons
Dell: up to $490 off laptops, desktops, and gaming PCs
Home Depot: 40% off appliances, grills, and summer essentials
HP: up to 57% off laptops and PCs for work and gaming
Lowes: discounts on grills, tools, appliances, and more
Samsung: up to $1,850 off major appliances, phones, and TVs
Walmart: decor, fashion, and party supplies from $1

Phil Berne is a preeminent voice in consumer electronics reviews, starting more than 20 years ago at eTown.com. Phil has written for Engadget, The Verge, PC Mag, Digital Trends, Slashgear, TechRadar, AndroidCentral, and was Editor-in-Chief of the sadly-defunct infoSync. Phil holds an entirely useful M.A. in Cultural Theory from Carnegie Mellon University. He sang in numerous college a cappella groups.

Phil did a stint at Samsung Mobile, leading reviews for the PR team and writing crisis communications until he left in 2017. He worked at an Apple Store near Boston, MA, at the height of iPod popularity. Phil is certified in Google AI Essentials. He has a High School English teaching license (and years of teaching experience) and is a Red Cross certified Lifeguard. His passion is the democratizing power of mobile technology. Before AI came along he was totally sure the next big thing would be something we wear on our faces.

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