The mini has been out for years and is due an update, but I’ve never paid it much attention. Recently, I found myself in a bind and needed a cheep iOS device to test a project. I found an iPad mini 6 on ebay for $300 and pulled the trigger.

I’ve now been living with the device for several months and it’s become my favorite Apple device of all time. I don’t use it for productivity at all. In fact, I don’t even take it to the office. Instead, it sits in my living room at home and is dedicated entirely to consuming content.

I think the main driver behind its utility is its size. The best way to visualize it is to imagine a device half way between a normal iPad and one of the big ass iPhones. Or maybe just imagine your typical soft cover novel… It’s perfect for reading. Perfect for video… and perfect for all those small tasks you do while sitting on the couch and mindlessly watching football.

I just can’t say enough about it and have been cussing myself for not picking one up sooner.

In any case, they are on sale right now at Best Buy. Or, you can do what I did and risk buying a used one on eBay.