Black Friday’s Best Bests
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Smartphones
Apple won’t be the only retailer offering discounts on previous model smartphones, DealNews notes. Expect deals on Galaxy, Google Pixel, and Motorola Razr phones, as well. Keep in mind that, like other categories in the broader grouping of electronics on this list, items like these could go quickly. “Electronics will sell out the fastest on Black Friday,” says Sara Skirboll, a RetailMeNot shopping and trends expert. “If you see a good deal on TVs, computers, tablets, or phones, pick it up immediately!”
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TVs
Yes, it’s pretty much a given that TVs will go on deep discount on Black Friday, but there’s more nuance than that to the usual deals. For example, Philips, Samsung, Polaroid, and Insignia, the Best Buy house brand, offered solid deals in 2019, though DealNews advises keeping an eye out for LGs this year in various sizes (with Samsungs a close runner-up). In what may be a sign of what’s to come, a Toshiba 32-inch Smart HD TV was just $120 during Amazon’s Prime Day, a $60 savings.
Related: The Year’s Hottest Holiday Gifts: Buy Them Before They Sell Out
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Laptops
We’ve already mentioned that Macbooks will likely be on sale on Black Friday, but shoppers and tech enthusiasts can also expect Chromebooks and Windows laptops to get deep discounts — such as Chromebooks for under $100. Got a gamer in the family? A Lenovo Legion 5 Ryzen 7 should go for around $1,000 on Amazon, DealNews says.
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Amazon Products
Not to be outdone by Apple, Amazon will offer plenty of its own products for sale — in fact, a glimpse of its holiday offerings came in October, where its Prime Day event moved after coronavirus canceled it earlier in the year. Among its many deals, the retail giant slashed prices on its Fire TV Recast by $100, and sold the third-generation Echo Dot for $19, down by more than half.
Related: Hottest Holiday Gifts From Amazon
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Large Appliances
Big-ticket appliances are usually a Black Friday sure thing, and this year should be no different. Best Buy and retailers such as Home Depot and Lowe’s remain the retailers to watch. Last year’s deals included $1,000 for a Samsung French Door Refrigerator at Best Buy — down by $700 — and $599 for an LG High-Efficiency Washer at Lowe’s, a savings of $650.
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Small Kitchen Appliances
Big-ticket items aren’t the only way to save on Black Friday if you’re considering a kitchen upgrade. Look for small kitchen appliances, too. “Items like coffee makers, electric skillets, slow cookers, toasters, deep fryers, blenders, and rice makers will have slashed prices as retailers make more mass orders than they usually stock for the holidays,” Skirboll says. Last year you could have grabbed a Insignia 6-Quart Multicooker for $30 from Best Buy, or half off; a Crock-Pot Dual Oval Hook Up Connectible Entertaining System from Bed Bath & Beyond for $19, down from $50; or a Cuisinart Griddler from the same retailer for $45, slashed from $100. Amazon’s Prime Day had similar deals this year, including an 8-quart Instant Pot with air fryer cut by $60, down to $120.
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Smart Home Tech
From gadgets to speakers to security products, expect to find Black Friday sales on plenty of smart home technology. Individual deals that DealNews expects to see include more Echos at a $40 discount (or bundled with Ring home security systems for big bargains), Apple HomePods for $200, and Amazon Smart Plugs down to $5. Amazon lowered prices on bunches of smart tech during its Prime Day event, including on security systems, and the Echo Flex plug-ins were just $10.
Related: 25 Smart Home Products That Are Worth the Money
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Kids’ Clothing
Children’s duds have seen deals of up to 80% off at retailers such as Carter’s and The Children’s Place, which DealNews expects to see again, while jackets and pajamas also saw price drops, with many styles going for less than $20. Look to Carter’s, Shoes.com, and Sorel to offer discounts on footwear for kids.
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Men and Women’s Fashion
It’s not just the kids who get to update their wardrobe on Black Friday. “Black Friday is sure to bring savings on all forms of clothing — from shoes and accessories to pants and tops,” Skirboll notes. “While it’s not usually the best time to buy in-season clothing, Black Friday is the exception as many retailers will be discounting winter coats and cooler weather apparel. Now is a good time to gear up for the cooler months ahead.” DealNews predicts that men’s suits will likely be on sale for $100 at Men’s Wearhouse and for 70% off at Macy’s; men’s polo and other shirts also can see some steep discounts — sometimes to less than $5 — at stores such as Old Navy, Aeropostale, Amazon, and Hanes; and women should look to pick up sweaters on the cheap ($10 or less, if recent years are any guide) at stores such as Walmart, Kohl’s, and Macy’s.
Related: Pajamas, Sweats, and Leisure Wear Perfect for Working at Home
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Denim
You can never have too many pairs of jeans, and Black Friday often helps men and women stock up. Denim got as low as $9 or $10 a pair last year at Walmart and JCPenney, DealNews notes. (Amazon didn’t quite get there with Levi’s 501 Original Fit Jeans during its Prime Day event — but they were $38, down from $59.)
Related: The History of American Jeans: From Railroad to Runway
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Footwear
Athletic shoe and boot prices are often slashed for women and men at Black Friday. Women’s boots could drop under $20, DealNews says. If it’s any sign of what to expect, Amazon’s Prime Day cut the Adidas Performance Men’s Samba Classic to $50, a savings of $20.
Related: 15 Trendy Designer-Look-Alike Shoes and Boots Under $100
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Travel
Black Friday is famous for travel deals, but — in 2020? Some people are still doing it, though the coronavirus pandemic has thrown a major wrench into the industry. Many people are reluctant to fly (and especially wary of cruises) and borders to most other countries remain closed or complicated for Americans because of our wildly varying measures against transmitting infection. In the past, one-way flights could drop as low as $19 on budget airlines, and around $50 to $75 on airlines such as Southwest and Alaska. But airlines’ desperation to get people aboard will likely bump against the cuts they’ve had to make since their industry was decimated, so stay flexible and cautious when you check individual carriers and aggregators such as Expedia and Kayak.
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Hotels
Of course, if you’re going to book a flight, you might also need a hotel. DealNews advises shoppers to check out sites such as Travelocity, Expedia, and other large travel sites starting the week before Black Friday, when many will pre-publish the coupons they’ll offer on the day itself. Hotel rates have historically dropped by up to 80%, with rates falling to $99 or less.
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Gaming Consoles
Like most other electronics, big retailers compete for shoppers’ dollars with gaming consoles in their Black Friday sales. Look to Costco, Belk, Dell, Best Buy, Walmart, Target, and other retailers to offer gaming deals, though DealNews is already highlighting deals from Amazon and GameStop. And Skirboll recommends keeping an eye out for bundled products for even bigger savings. “Shoppers will find deeper savings by looking into great offers on gaming bundles that will come with a console, a combination of accessories and sometimes video games,” she says. The most reliable bet on bargains is for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One S, considering the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X consoles are due to arrive in mid-November.
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Gaming Accessories
This is another category that’s been a safe bet for Black Friday discounts. Keep an eye out for doorbuster prices on gaming headsets, controllers, and gaming chairs. Already this year, Amazon’s Prime Day dropped the price on the Razer Kraken Gaming Headset to $50 from $80.
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Virtual Reality Headsets
If you’re still hesitant about VR, these sales are a good time to jump in. DealNews expects PlayStation VR bundles to repeat last year’s price of $200. Oculus Go prices sank to $120 from its usual $199, lower than DealNews expected, and this year have good reason to go even lower — namely the rollout of the the Oculus Quest 2 headset.
Related: Incredibly Fun Toys for Adults
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Video Games
If you’ve already got all the gaming tech you can handle, use your dollars to load up on the games themselves. Look to the larger retailers such as Target and Walmart to join the dueling between Xbox and PlayStation titles for low-price sales.
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Lego Toys
Lego toys aren’t usually deeply discounted, but DealNews does expect some discounts this year. The official Lego shop, for instance, will slash product prices, and retailers such as Amazon and Target will likely move to match them. The site actually expects discounts to reach as much as half off.. As for other toys, Skirboll recommends waiting. “The best deals on toys are found about two weeks before Christmas,” she notes.
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Streaming Devices
Just like in past years, streaming devices will be a predictable Black Friday deal. DealNews says even the cheaper devices will see bargains. The basic Google Chromecast will probably be back at $25, Roku will dip below $30, Fire streaming devices could drop to half price, Amazon’s already sold the Echo Auto for $20, and even Apple TV devices are likely to show up in the flyers (unlike last year).
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Smartwatch and Fitness Trackers
Looking to get in shape after the new year? Fitbits, Fossil devices, and especially older model Apple Watches are good bets for bargains, with Fossils possibly dropping below $50. (By comparison, an Apple Watch Series 3 might get as low as $170.) For Fitbits, keep an eye on Kohl’s; it had a slew of deals last year, in some cases dropping prices by way of including big chunks of Kohl’s Cash. Fossil’s Generation 5 Julianna already sold for Amazon’s Prime Day at $189, which is a savings of $106, while a Fitbit Versa 2 was cut by $72, to $128.
Related: Get Going With These Great Gifts for Runners
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Speakers
Those looking to introduce a higher-quality sound into their lives will be in luck this Black Friday. Portable Bluetooth speakers will probably drop to stocking-stuffer prices. (Maybe this acorn-shaped speaker, available now for $15 from Amazon, is a hint of what’s to come.) DealNews expects Bose products to be on sale at a few retailers, likely at half-off like last year, while Amazon has already shown its hand: It cut prices on the Bose SoundLink Revolve Portable Wireless Speaker by $80, to $119, and a JBL waterproof Bluetooth speaker by $120, to $280.
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Headphones & Earbuds
If you’ve been coveting a new, higher-quality product in this category, keep your ears out for deals like we saw last year. It may be an omen that Apple AirPods Pro have hit $200 this season, down from $249 — which is one reason they’re on our list of gifts likely to sell out — though people who just need a basic set of earbuds for a stocking stuffer or a secret Santa gift, will probably find deals like last year’s on JBL: $7 a pair. DealNews expects to see lots of headphones on sale, including over-ear sets. Amazon went as low as $30 last year, and sold Skullcandy and Jabra headphones for half-off, while this year’s Prime Day slashed high-end JBL Tune True Wireless Headphones to $40 from $90, and Sony noise-canceling sport headphones by a similar $50.
Related: 13 Perfectly Good Wireless Earbuds Way Cheaper Than AirPods
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Cameras
If you’re shopping for gifts for the paparazzo in your life, Black Fridays have been known to deliver good news on camera prices. Canon DSLR bundles — such as the EOS Rebel T7 with extra lenses, shoulder bag, SD card, and maybe even an online photography course — fell to around $500, and refurbished cameras might sell for less than $400.
Related: The Best Gifts for Photographers from Newbies to Pros
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Cookware
In anticipation of welcoming crowds back in to our homes in 2021, Black Friday might be the right time to upgrade outdated pots and pans — with plenty of brands and a range of materials and sets to choose from. Kohl’s Black Fridays have discounted cookware sets from Food Network, Cuisinart, Rachael Ray, Calphalon, T-Fal, Faberware, and more.
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Beauty Products
Beauty products are often pricey, but expect to save in November when cosmetic stores clear space for holiday sets and seasonal product launches. A retail expert Cheapism spoke with noted that shoppers should look for particularly great savings on high-end products.
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Health Products
Experts also told us to expect “deep discounts” on price tags attached to wellness products for dental hygiene, shaving, and more around Black Friday. A Kohl’s sale put Norelco shaving products at over $20, a Sonicare Essence rechargeable toothbrush for $17, and plenty of other deals in this same category.
Related: 50 Unique Holiday Gift Ideas for Him Under $50
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Vacuums
Another predictably satisfying category for savings on Black Friday is vacuums from brands such as Bissell, Hoover, Shark, iRobot, and Dyson. Amazon’s already dropped prices on a Bissell robot vacuum cleaner by $100 this year.
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Tools
Home improvement stores get in on Black Friday by selling a variety of tools at discounted prices — and it’s a good sign that Amazon Prime Day already saw a Makita 16-inch chain saw go down to $225 from $424 and a Bosch jigsaw kit drop to $199 from $249. Hedge your bets here, though, because tools can be even more deeply discounted come December.
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