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Hello bargain hunters! We're kicking off our Black Friday deals 'Hot or Not' live blog before the big day hits so you don't a single highlight this year. Unsurprisingly, most retailers have already launched their Black Friday sales well in advance this year so there's plenty to check out - even if it is still Thanksgiving (or 'Grey Thursday' if you're in the UK).
Anyway, thanks for joining early and sit tight, we've got some absolutely awesome Black Friday deals to share shortly - all of which have been specially picked out by our team of experts here at TechRadar.
Hot! Google Pixel 6 for £299 at Currys
Here's an absolutely amazing unlocked phone deal if you're not fussed on getting your hands on the latest and greatest flagship this Black Friday. The Google Pixel 6 for half price in the UK:
Here's what our phones editor Alex Walker Todd said about this particular listing when he covered it recently:
"The Google Pixel 6 sits as the sweet spot within the previous Pixel family, offering a clean user experience and an impressive camera at a competitive price. This Curry's deal, however, has the makings of one of the best Black Friday phone deals of 2022, cutting the asking price of the phone in half, from £599 down to just £299 (opens in new tab)
What makes this Curry's deal so potent is that the retailer drops the price of the flagship Pixel 6 down by £200 – to the standard retail price of the mid-range Pixel 6a (£399) but then ups the ante by serving up a voucher code that reduces the price yet further by an additional £100."
In the US? Check out this Google Pixel 6 deal in your region:
Hot! Apple MacBook Air M1 for $799 at Amazon
Here we go folks - one of the best value ultrabooks you'll find anywhere online right now, the excellent Apple MacBook Air M1. While it's not the latest model on the market anymore, this one's a great buy if you need a nice mix of power and portability on a budget.
We say budget - it's of course not the cheapest laptop on the market right now but this great ultrabook is at its lowest price yet in both the US and UK.
Why do we recommend this older model? Well firstly, while it may not have the most modern design or chip inside, the Apple MacBook Air M1 still really holds up well for 2022 for the vast majority of users. It's lightweight, decently powerful, has excellent battery life, and it's much, much easier on the pocket than the M2 version.
For context, the M2 version is currently sitting at $1,049 at Amazon US for Black Friday. That's also a record-breaking deal but it's a whopping $350 more than the above listing on the older model. Overall, we'd say the listing on the older model is the better Black Friday MacBook deal of the two for most users. In the UK? Here's the cheapest listing we've found today.
Not! LG's C1 OLED TV is always a Black Friday best-seller, but maybe not this year...
LG's C1 OLED TV was one of the best-selling TVs at last year's sale, and while we would expect to see the OLED display back down to a record-low price, Amazon currently has the 65-inch model on sale for $1,646.99 - $150 more than the record-low price. While we might see Amazon drop the price over the next few days, at its current offers, we wouldn't recommend it.
Hot! Apple Watch deals in the US and UK
So, Apple products aren't exactly known for their value - or Black Friday deals - for that matter, but we're actually seeing some surprisingly decent price cuts on Apple Watches today. First up, check out these two US listings:
Getting an Apple Watch as good as the first generation SE for $149 is an absolute steal, considering it's still got all the main fitness and sleep tracking features, a decent screen, and plenty of power to chug along well enough. The Apple Watch 8 listing at Amazon isn't quite as good value if you're talking about sheer bang for the buck, but it's the first big discount we've seen on this super recent release.
Over in the UK, we're also seeing some great Black Friday Apple Watch deals, check these out:
The discounts in this region aren't quite as juicy as those over in the US, but they're definitely worth checking out - especially since discounts on recent models tends to be fairly rare on this side of the pond.
Not! Purple Plus mattress from $1,299 at Purple (opens in new tab)
In general, $200 off a mattress is a pretty good deal. It's not even like Purple is one of those brands with perpetual sales, where MSRP is a mythical figure that exists only to be struck-through. In fact, it's fairly common to head to the Purple site and find no discounts at all. It's not that it's a bad mattress either – it has a spot in our official best mattress ranking, because it's so excellent at delivering pressure relief for achy joints.
The reason why this Purple Plus deal is officially NOT HOT is that at the start of the month there was $400 off every size. Unfortunately, with Purple sales being relatively rare and quite unpredictable, we can't confidently say when (or even if) this model will drop to that low price again. If you're in any kind of a hurry to upgrade your sleep setup, you might be best off hopping on the Black Friday deal anyway, and pretending we never told you about that other sale.
Definitely not: An odd window into British humour this Black Friday...
We sometimes browse deals aggregator sites like HotUKdeals for inspiration over Black Friday and the stangest listing I've found so far on the site is this Smiffy's Mullet with Blonde Highlights Straight Wig for Men.
Before you ask - yes, this listing was actually more highly rated than legitimately good deals on HotUKdeals, which in our eyes, pretty much sums up what British people find amusing. In short, some deals hunters over in the UK would rather upvote a novelty mullet wig than a cheap TV.
Here are a few of the comments from this listing:
"The fact that this has made it to the first page of the HUKD hot deals on my app tells you everything you need to know about the quality of Black Friday deals this year." - GrimFandango
"Decent if you can pull it off." - _Slogan
What's even better is that this product is actually a bestseller on Amazon UK, which tells you everything you need to know about modern Britain. Anyway, we wouldn't recommend buying this unless you have questionable taste or incredibly specific needs this Black Friday.
Hot! Nintendo Switch bundles in both the US and UK
Looking to get your game on this Black Friday? Console deals in general tend to be pretty thin on the ground but there are some superb Nintendo Switch bundles worth checking out today.
Here's what our games hardware writer Rhys Wood had to say about these bundles:
"Whether you're in the US or the UK, this Black Friday Nintendo Switch deal is incredibly strong. If you've been looking to buy a Nintendo Switch, you likely want to make sure you can get at least a game with it on the cheap, especially considering the console doesn't come with a pack-in game.
And you're not just getting Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which to this day is still a fantastic game. The bundle includes a 3-month subscription to Nintendo Switch Online. This'll let you access online play in various titles, but also NES and SNES retro libraries."
Black Friday bargains for under $30
Mackenzie Frazer, US Deals Editor
Black Friday isn't all about giant TVs and discounts of hundreds of dollars or more. Even if your budget is significantly smaller you can find some sweet savings this year.
Just take a look at this selection of Black Friday deals at Amazon on products that are less than $30. There's a wide variety of items available, including air fryers, smart speakers, toys, headphones and more.
Read more: 30 Black Friday deals under $30
NOT! Dyson Airwrap Complete: free accessories with purchase (opens in new tab)
Yikes! Dyson isn't even trying here. While we know the Airwrap is one of the most in-demand hair styling products right now, offering potential buyers a free travel pouch, paddle brush, and detangling comb for every full-priced purchase of the Airwrap isn't so much a Black Friday deal as it is a feeble attempt at charity.
It is worth noting that Dyson is currently offering a 20% Dyson Airwrap discount to previous Dyson customers, but that doesn't really help those of you who haven't purchased a Dyson product from the website before. Plus, considering how much Dyson products are actually worth, are you really saving anything if you've had to have bought something expensive to get another expensive thing for just a little less?
This is why many are turning to Dyson Airwrap dupes, as there are some out there that do the job just as well without charging an arm and a leg. Skip this deal above and get the cheaper and also discounted Revlon One-Step Volumizer instead, now only $29.99 at Amazon (opens in new tab). You'll thank yourself later.
Hot! 1More SonoFlow headphones for £64.99 at Amazon
LDAC hi-res supporting wireless over-ears, just £64.99 for Black Friday?! Yes please.
No, these over-ears won't say Sony on the headband; but they will support Sony's hi-res LDAC codec – and of course, that 1More branding only helps to keep the prices low.
This incredible Black Friday headphones deal sees the excellent 1More SonoFlow (try to get past that name, we know it sounds like a water purifier) which were already affordable at £90 slashed to just £64.99 – which means that you could buy 4.6 pairs of them for the same price as one pair of Sony's WH1000XM5, even at their all-new lowest-seen Black Friday discount!
A cautionary tale from our US editor in chief
Are you buying an iPhone this Black Friday? Our US editor-in-chief Lance Ulanoff has some wise words for you, specifically - buy a recent model. Here's what he said in a previous post just a few days back:
"Do not buy the cheapest iPhone deal you can find. Let me tell you a story.
It was the iPhone 8. There was a fantastic Black Friday sale and, thinking I'd be the hero for getting my wife a new iPhone without breaking the bank, I bought it.
The look on my wife's face when she unwrapped it and then looked at my iPhone 12 Pro (then the latest model) was not what I would describe as pleasure. Though not a technophile like me, my wife's no Luddite and knew that – while new and still for sale at the Apple Store – the iPhone 8 did not represent the best Apple has to offer.
Eventually, I tired of the snide comments and upgraded her to an iPhone 13 (by then the newest model) and, since she didn't divorce me, I think we're okay. Still, I learned a valuable lesson: it doesn't pay to save money on a tech gift if the gadget you're giving will spark, not joy, but disappointment."
Thanks Lance. Wise counsel for both iPhone deals hunters and married shoppers. If you're interested, here's the best Black Friday promotion on the latest iPhone 14 series that we've found so far.
The pods are just hot
Sometimes, we try to imagine just how many AirPods Apple might sell this holiday season. Its excellent Bluetooth earbuds are a massive hit and Apple has done a great job of refining the design and sound engineering and quality.
The newest member of the family, Apple AirPods Pro 2 takes the whole experience to another level. Sure, Apple didn't change the design much between the AirPods Pro 1 and the Pro 2, but the sound quality and, in particular, the Active Noise Cancellation tech (ANC) is something to behold, or heard.
With such a new and lauded product, it's surprising to see it swept along in the Black Friday Deals excitement, but no matter where we look in the US, the original $249 is now just $199. The deals are not quite as strong in the UK, where the AirPod Pros 2 only dropped by $20 pounds.
Even so, this is generally a hot deal for what we called in our review, "a hugely impressive upgrade."
See the latest AirPods Pro 2 deals below.
Not! A throwback to a post we did last year...
...About the retailer Wish.com. Have you heard of it? If you thought Amazon marketplace was wild, you ain't seen nothing yet folks. If you're not familiar, Wish is essentially a massive worldwide online marketplace that tends to feature knock-offs, direct-from-factory listings, and well, pretty much anything you could think of.
As you'd imagine, we wouldn't recommend most of the listings on this site, even if they are listed as a 'Black Friday deal'. Last year, our managing editor of lifestyle Josie found a few of most bizzare 'deals' imaginable, check them out:
Hot! JLab Go Air Sport for $19.99 at Amazon with coupon
Michelle here, TechRadar’s Buying Guides Editor. Listen, we’re all feeling the pressure of the holiday season, especially with the cost of living crisis still looming over us. But, who made it a decree that all we must spend a lot on gifts this year anyway?
There are so many excellent products out there in the budget range right now. One of my favorite ones are the Go Air Sport headphones from Jlab, which in my humble opinion beat out (no pun intended) the likes of the Beats Fit Pro in many aspects including comfort. For a fraction of the price, the JLab Go Air Sport headphones deliver great comfort, surprisingly fantastic audio, and better staying power. Seriously, I’ve recommended these to all my friends.
It gets better, as it’s even cheaper for Black Friday. Grab it for yourself or as cheap gifts for everyone in your life. This deal isn't hot. It's sizzling.
Hot! awesome mid-range gaming laptops starting at $899 / £949
There's a real sweet spot when it comes to buying a decent gaming laptop. Spend too little and you'll potentially get a machine that either can't run modern games effectively or has a relatively short-lived live span. Spend too much, and you'll get diminishing returns when it comes to price to performance.
Here are two absolutely stellar Black Friday gaming laptop deals that really offer a ton of bang for the buck. If you've got a bit of dosh to spend, these are safe buys:
Not! This Ninja air fryer will heat things up but it's not on this year's hot list...
Amazon's best-selling Ninja air fryer is always a Black Friday best-seller, but this year the four-quart appliance is only marked down to $99.95 - $30 more than the record-low price. There are several other fantastic Black Friday air fryer deals available, which why we would pass on this model.
Hot! hai Smart Showerhead for $149.00 at Amazon (opens in new tab)
All I want for Christmas is this highly-rated showerhead. While you’re all looking for the hottest devices that’s offer the best discounts, I’m looking forward to better, spa-level showers next year.
A different kind of smart home device, the hai Smart Showerhead doesn’t just keep you fresh and clean. It’s got some awesome features as well, including usage tracking to help you limit your water consumption, a spa-like mist mode (we all deserve it!), and a built-in notification to let you know that you’re water is the perfect temp (no more jumping around and squealing in the shower because the water's freezing.) For extra fun, it also has customizable LED lights and comes in different shades.
Plus, it’s 40% off for Black Friday!
Good morning
Welcome to anyone just joining our Black Friday 2022 live blog - where TechRadar's team of experts rate this year's deals. As always there's plenty to get through this morning, so stick with us as we bring you the hottest deals of the day... and the worst ones to side-step.
But first, a quick recap: here's a cautionary tale from our US editor in chief
Are you buying an iPhone this Black Friday? Our US editor-in-chief Lance Ulanoff has some wise words for you, specifically - buy a recent model. Here's what he said in a previous post just a few days back:
"Do not buy the cheapest iPhone deal you can find. Let me tell you a story.
It was the iPhone 8. There was a fantastic Black Friday sale and, thinking I'd be the hero for getting my wife a new iPhone without breaking the bank, I bought it.
The look on my wife's face when she unwrapped it and then looked at my iPhone 12 Pro (then the latest model) was not what I would describe as pleasure. Though not a technophile like me, my wife's no Luddite and knew that – while new and still for sale at the Apple Store – the iPhone 8 did not represent the best Apple has to offer.
Eventually, I tired of the snide comments and upgraded her to an iPhone 13 (by then the newest model) and, since she didn't divorce me, I think we're okay. Still, I learned a valuable lesson: it doesn't pay to save money on a tech gift if the gadget you're giving will spark, not joy, but disappointment."
Thanks Lance. Wise counsel for both iPhone deals hunters and married shoppers. If you're interested, here's the best Black Friday promotion on the latest iPhone 14 series that we've found so far.
Hot! A legitimately good graphics card deal for $189.99
PC gamers have really been put through the wringer when it comes to graphics card prices over the past two years. First, the crypto explosion meant everyone and their grandma were trying to make a quick buck from coin mining. Secondly, several lockdowns triggered an absolute surge in gaming interest. The result? Crazy high prices on even the most modest of graphics cards.
The tide is turning now, though - here's a great sub $200 card that's on sale at Newegg this Black Friday:
Should you buy the Kobo Libra 2 or Amazon Kindle Paperwhite?
Screen size: 7 inches
Storage: 4GB
Battery life: 6 weeks
The Kobo Libra 2 is the best all-round ereader there is. It has far more storage than the Kindle Paperweight, Bluetooth support for audiobooks, and is packed with useful features the Kindle doesn't have, such as OverDrive support to let you borrow library books. If you're looking for the most value for money, this is it.
For
- Asymmetric design
- 32GB storage
- Audiobook support
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2021)
Screen size: 6.8 inches
Storage: 16GB
Battery life: 10 weeks
The Kindle Paperwhite offers a very comfortable reading experience, with a clear display that's easy to look at. It beats the Kobo Libra 2 on battery life (10 weeks versus six), but it's more complicated to upload books that haven't come from the Amazon store and falls short on features in comparison.
For
- Large and clear display
- Faster USB-C charging
- Reading experience
Against
- Limited to Amazon’s store
Both hot!
Choosing the best ereader isn't easy. Do you go for the market leader, Amazon’s Kindle, and if so, what’s the best Kindle? Or do you try a different brand, like Kobo (which has also been around a long time, since 2010)?
Both are at their lowest price ever today in the Amazon Black Friday sale. Both have front lights, both are waterproof and both have a ‘dark mode’.
However, the Libra 2 is good value with no confusing options, more storage by default and a better ergonomic design. It’s also got a very slightly larger display. we gave it a full five stars in our Kobo Libra 2 review.
The Paperwhite, meanwhile, costs more and lacks page-turn buttons, but it has a glass front and a faster processor. And if you go for the more expensive Paperwhite Signature Edition ($129 down from $189.99 at Amazon) you’ll also get wireless charging and an auto-adjusting display. We gave it 4.5/5 in our review.
For us, the winner is the Kobo Libra 2. Newer models from other brands have arrived since its launch, but it's a a fantastic all-around champion that still holds strong to its place as our #1 choice of ereader.
Read more: Kobo Libra 2 vs Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2021)
NOT! Western Digital 20TB WD Elements external hard drive: was $499.99 now $329.99 at Amazon (opens in new tab)
Matt Hanson, Managing Editor, Computing and Entertainment
There aren't that many deals I've seen that I would definitely tell people NOT TO BUY - but this is one of them. Not because it's a bad product, nor a terrible price - in fact, this is the best price it's ever been by some $60 and is a saving of 35%. It's just that for the vast majority of people you simply won't need a 20TB hard drive.
If you're in any doubt, 20 terabytes is a huge amount of storage. It's enough to hold around 6.2 million photos or 340,000 hours of music (which would take 39 years to listen to if you played them none stop).
So, for normal consumers, you just won't need that kind of space. Even professional photographers would struggle to fill 20TB. This is only really suitable for enterprise-grade stuff, and it's unlikely businesses are scouring Amazon during Prime Day.
Also, hard drives are slow these days - you're much better off getting a smaller, and much faster, SSD. If for some reason your do need 20TB of storage, I'd still not recommend you put all that data on a single drive - if the drive fails or gets damaged, that's a massive amount of data to lose. So, you'd ideally need at least one more 20TB drive as a backup to mirror all that data, pushing the price of this up to at least $710.
Analysis: How good are today's Black Friday deals?
James Pickard, Deals Editor, TechRadar
We're long past the time when Black Friday was just a single-day event. We've seen the big end-of-year sale stretch out further over recent years, but 2022 has cemented it as a month-long event rather than a short spike of sales.
As the clocks ticked over to midnight - and since then - I've seen very little change in deal quality or quantity: everything has remained much the same as it was over the last week. Very few, if any, new deals have launched on Black Friday.
And where there are new arrivals, many of these are the same deals that have been available at various other retailers in the days before. We've said it before, but buying early is absolutely sensible: the deals are just as good today as when the sales first started.
What's happening in the UK this morning?
The big Black Friday story in the UK continues to be the hunt for an air fryer deal. We've seen out of stock messages almost everywhere for the highly sought-after kitchen gadget - there are few cheap options still around, but most remaining stock is around the more expensive models.
The fact that Argos launched a new offer yesterday evening on a relative pricey model and it still sold out within a matter of hours shows demand is still high.
We're tracking the best Black Friday air fryer deals all day - as soon as more stock becomes available we'll tell you.
HOT! Air fryers
We've already reported on how air fryers are tough to get hold of today. But there are some deals around... Here are 11 you can still get hold of, plus a few tips on where to shop.
Read more: The best air fryers we've tested
Hot! Lego Harry Potter 2022 Advent Calendar: was £30 now £14.99 at John Lewis
This one's been flying on our best Black Friday deals round up - not surprised, I probably wouldn't say no. It has seven minifigures: Harry, Sirius, Moaning Myrtle, Voldemort, Horace Slughorn, Nymphadora, and Neville; and a different Harry Potter toy each day.
Kids can use the toys to make scenes from the different films as they go - and there's a game included to play once all the doors have been opened. Cool.
It's aimed at kids aged seven and upwards, and it's selling fast on the John Lewis site. It is half price...
Hot! 3 of the best TVs you can buy
There are looooads of Black Friday TV deals today. But sometimes you just need a bit of guidance, so we asked TV expert and good TechRadar friend Henry St Leger to chose three of his favorite TVs at three different price points: budget, mid-range and premium.
He's picked them on the basis on their performance and usual value for money - but the good news is all three are on sale today, so even better value for money than usual.
This 2022 Sony TV could well be the best TV ever – which makes it a shoo-in for our top World Cup TV deal. This high-end screen boasts exceptional build quality, with some of the most stunning images to ever grace a television screen. Sony has good form for motion processing in particular, which is a crucial metric when you're watching fast-paced athletes sprint across the screen at a moment's notice.
This is a QD-OLED TV, meaning it makes the most of both OLED panels (great darks and brightness control) alongside Quantum Dot filtering (boosted color and contrast).
Sony's Acoustic Surface Audio feature quite literally vibrates the screen to emit sound, too – it won't compete with a dedicated Dolby Atmos soundbar, but it'll certainly do for the roar of the crowd in your living room. Voice recognition capability will make it easy to control playback from the comfort of the couch as well.
It's certainly pricey, though you'll also get premium gaming features like HDMI 2.1, 120Hz frame rate, and VRR –though only on two ports, which is pretty cheap for a premium TV.
Read our full Sony A95K TV review
The LG C2 is one of the best TVs out there today – its images aren't quite as strong as the Sony A95K's, but it's costs a huge amount less. It features a stunning OLED display with an Alpha a9 Gen. 5 processor, offering incredible images, motion processing, and vibrant colors in every pixel. At this price, you're getting a truly astonishing level of picture quality, including good motion processing and a 120Hz screen to keep everything clear even when the action gets fast.
The webOS platform is one of the best in the business, too, making it easy to navigate your favourite channels and apps. The sound quality is ample as well, with 40W of volume and a 2.2 channel speaker system – perfectly good for sports, though you may miss some nuance when switching over to watch an action movie on Netflix. It's got four future-proof HDMI 2.1 ports for next-gen gaming too.
Read our full LG C2 review
After a capable World Cup TV deal that doesn't cost the earth? Check out this mid-range Samsung TV, the Q60B. The QLED screen will offer improved color and contrast over cheaper LCD models, though lacks the more impressive backlights in the screens higher up – this isn't a match for OLED or Neo QLED when it comes to brightness or cinematic depth.
However, Samsung is a reliable TV brand with a base level of picture quality even at this price range, and the wide mix of screen sizes will give you plenty of flexibility in choosing the right model for your home. Samsung motion processing is good, though getting a TV at this price means a 60Hz screen instead of 120Hz, so motion is a little less fluid and clear. But if you want a big punchy screen that can show the spectacle of a sporting stadium at full power, it's great value.
Hot! Verizon's awesome Black Friday iPhone 14 Pro promo
This, right here, was the deal that Verizon users were probably waiting for this November. The excellent iPhone 14 Pro was already being offered with a whopping trade-in rebate of up to $1,000 but right now you can score yourself a free pair of Beats, an iPad, and an Apple Watch SE on top:
NOT! Western Digital 20TB WD Elements external hard drive: was $499.99 now $329.99 at Amazon (opens in new tab)
Matt Hanson, Managing Editor, Computing and Entertainment
There aren't that many deals I've seen that I would definitely tell people NOT TO BUY - but this is one of them. Not because it's a bad product, nor a terrible price - in fact, this is the best price it's ever been by some $60 and is a saving of 35%. It's just that for the vast majority of people you simply won't need a 20TB hard drive.
If you're in any doubt, 20 terabytes is a huge amount of storage. It's enough to hold around 6.2 million photos or 340,000 hours of music (which would take 39 years to listen to if you played them none stop).
So, for normal consumers, you just won't need that kind of space. Even professional photographers would struggle to fill 20TB. This is only really suitable for enterprise-grade stuff, and it's unlikely businesses are scouring Amazon during Prime Day.
Also, hard drives are slow these days - you're much better off getting a smaller, and much faster, SSD. If for some reason your do need 20TB of storage, I'd still not recommend you put all that data on a single drive - if the drive fails or gets damaged, that's a massive amount of data to lose. So, you'd ideally need at least one more 20TB drive as a backup to mirror all that data, pushing the price of this up to at least $710.
HOT! The LG C2 OLED TV with a huge $500 saving
We've said it before and we'll say it again - the LG C2 is easily one of the Best TVs money can buy. Yes, it's pricey, but those with a bit of cash to spend will find the C2 close to the perfect TV. Right now, it's at its lowest ever price at Amazon.
Vivid, gorgeous picture? Check. Host of smart features and a powerful processor? Check. Array of HDMI 2.1 ports for next-gen gaming? Check. Put all these together and you've got an incredibly feature-packed display that's going to be the centerpiece of any room you put it in.
Amazon's pet section is utterly wild
Is this hot or not? I'll let you decide. Every now and again I find myself distracted by the Amazon Black Friday deals pet section - in particular, the amazing product imagery employed by the various brands attempting to peddle their wares.
Right now, my favorite so far is this Frankenpup Dog Costume, which yes, actually has a Black Friday deal today at Amazon. If you feel the need to dress your dog up as the monster this holiday season, then feel free to save yourself four dollars.
I'm not sure if the FrankenPup costume beats the ChomChom pet hair remover, however, which was my favorite over Amazon Prime Day.
I can't decide if the image they used cute or horrifying. The dog's eyes in particular are incredibly unnerving in a way that no dog's eyes should ever be. Obviously, photoshop exists but I can't help thinking they slipped something into the pet food dish. It's like the dog is looking into the future. Or perhaps it's seen too much already.
Hot! The latest Kindle Paperwhite at its lowest price
There's not much better than getting all cosy by the fire with your favorite book over the holidays in our opinion. One of the best gifts you can buy for a reader (or yourself) is the latest Kindle Paperwhite, which is at its lowest price right now in both the US and UK.
While the Paperwhite isn't the cheapest Kindle in the range, it's arguably the best for most users. For the price, you get an excellent backlight, adjustable warm color filter (fantastic for low-light situations), and plenty of storage for your titles. Basically, it's all you need to open up a world of reading at your fingertips.
It's not just me who thinks this is a great deal, check out US editor-in-chief Lance Ulanoff's post on why the Kindle Paperwhite is a sleeper hit this Black Friday.
NOT! Emma Original mattress: from £249.50 at Emma (opens in new tab)
Ruth Hamilton, Sleep Editor, TechRadar
We like the Emma Original a lot, but we're not impressed with this deal. This mattress has been available at this price since July. You won't be paying over the odds if you buy today, but Emma is trying to trick us with exclamation marks and flame emojis, and we're having none of it.
If you find yourself on the Emma site, our recommendation would be to take a left swerve at the Original and check out the Emma Premium, which does have a good Black Friday discount. The Original is included in our best mattresses guide because it offers such good value for money, but the pricier Premium will be a better mattress for many people, and today's a great day to pick it up for a lower price than usual (55% off gets you a double for under £500 (opens in new tab)). You get the same soothing, body-hugging memory foam of the Original, but it's coupled with a layer of tall springs, which amp up support and promote airflow through the mattress, so it sleeps cooler.
Getting into the festive mood this Black Friday
Just a quick one from me - Amazon's not just a great place to buy cheap tech this Black Friday, you'll also find a ton of discounted booze. Featured here are listings on a wide selection of beer, wines, and spirits - the latter in particular being a great choice for a holiday gift.
Hot! Work off that Thanksgiving dinner with a cheap Fitbit
We've just spotted a half-price Black Friday deal over at Walmart on the Fitbit Inspire 2 that's perfect if you're looking to kickstart your fitness routines on a budget.
Yes, it's not the latest tracker on the market - or the most advanced - but it's an absolute steal at this price and still has all the useful fitness-focused features you'd expect. Whether you're a running, swimmer, or hiker, you'll find useful apps here as well as useful sleep-tracking apps to improve your overall health.
Hot! Oculus Quest 2 bundle deals in both territories
Great deals on VR headsets can be fairly thin on the ground but there are some superb options right now if you're interested in the Oculus Quest 2. Amazon is offering a really nice little bundle in both the US and UK, check them out:
While the Oculus Quest 2 has been cheaper historically, it was the unfortunate victim of a price hike back in August, after which deals have been pretty much non-existent. While you're still paying a fair bit upfront here, you're getting some really decent free titles being thrown in with Resident Evil 4 VR and Beat Saber - both of which are absolute classics.
Not! Apple's obsession with gift cards over Black Friday
We get it Apple - you like to do things a little differently, but how about posting some actually good Black Friday deals for once? In case you're wondering what we're referencing here, the official store in the US and UK always offers gift cards.
This is completely opposite of the usual Black Friday Apple deals you'd find at Amazon, Best Buy, Currys, or any number of big-name retailers - all of which actually offer decent upfront discounts. Over at Apple, you're going to get a gift card of anywhere between $50 and $200, depending on how much you spend.
Basically, Apple is looking to reward shoppers for their loyalty here. Buying Apple over Black Friday? Here's the chance to buy more Apple products. It's kinda OK if you're interested in accessories, but otherwise, it pales in comparison to simply getting a big saving at one of the other retailers.
Here's an example for you: the Apple MacBook Pro 14 is available for purchase right now at Apple with a free $250 / £250 gift card up for grabs at the official store. Sounds like a great deal considering that will cover a pair of AirPods or most of an Apple Watch. Well, take a look at this upfront saving over at Best Buy and you'll what we we're getting at here:
Personally, we'd much rather get $400 in the pocket rather than a $250 gift card. Your mileage may vary, but this Best Buy MacBook deal absolutely blow's Apples offering out the water right now in our books.
Hot! Big screens on a budget in the US
Looking to up your viewing game this Black Friday but don't want to pay a ton of cash? Here are two of the best value big-screen displays we've seen so far in the US.
This first pick is for a decently sized 65-inch Insignia F30 Series display. Insignia is obviously a brand that doesn't carry the weight of something like an LG or Samsung, but you're getting some great specs for the money here. In particular, having Fire TV built into the display enables a ton of smart features and access to a world of streaming apps at your fingertips. No need to pair this one up with a Fire TV Stick, it'll pair up and run all your streaming apps right out the box.
This 75-inch Samsung is a great option if you want a quality display that's packed full of features but don't want to spend the big bucks you have to shell out for a premium QLED or OLED display. It's still got a fairly decent upscaling chip and one of the better smart TV platforms out there in the form of Tizen. It's a little pricier than some options you'll find over Black Friday, but you're getting enough for your money here that we're comfortable recommending it.
More weird pet products at Amazon this Black Friday
Following on from my post earlier - here are some more 'interesting' listings from the Amazon pets section. First up is the Hawwwy Funny Dog Teeth Ball for Dogs.
So, I think we can all get on board with getting our pets a present this holiday season but this one is just too much for me.
Firstly, it looks... well, absolutely awful - and the reviews attest to this. A couple of reviewers have gone so far to even call it downright dangerous due to choking risk. Secondly, the idea of shifting the ball around in a dog's mouth to get the perfect picture opportunity just feels a bit... yeah.
Here's an actual Black Friday deal that may be useful, however - the Aumuca Cat Brush.
I'll admit, I'm just posting this one because I love how shocked the cat looks in the product image but this brush genuinely looks like a good product for pet owners. If you have a long-haired cat in particular, you'll know how those hairs literally get anywhere. Maybe you can treat your cat to a good brush this Black Friday. Hopefully it won't be as taken aback as this particular feline appears to be.
The one item I buy every Black Friday - is Crest Whitestrips
The Crest best-selling whitening strips are rarely on sale, which is why I always stock up on Black Friday. Originally priced at $45.99, today's Black Friday deal brings the Whitestrips down to $29.99 - the lowest price we've ever seen, which puts this offer on the hot list.
A Black Friday favorite - Revlon's One-Step Hair Dryer on sale for just $25.24
Revlon's one-step volumizer hair dryer is another Black Friday best-seller, and Amazon just dropped the price from $39.87 to just $25.24 - the lowest price we've ever seen. The hair dryer makes a fantastic gift idea or a nice treat for yourself, which is why it's on our hot list this year.
Hot! A Black Friday classic - the Dell XPS 13
We're big fans of the Dell XPS 13 here at TechRadar. We've consistently ranked it top or neat to the top on our best laptops buyer's guide for a good few years now. As with most Black Fridays, there are some absolutely awesome options if you're looking for a bargain on this premium ultrabook. Here are our favorites so far.
Both these options are more 'entry-level' but that doesn't mean they're worth skipping. They're really decently priced for what you're getting - a speedy chip, excellent screen, and a design that blows most Windows laptops out the water when it comes to quality. The Dell XPS is a great buy and well worth a look if you want something that's a little more special than the usual cheap laptop deal fare.
Just one in seven Black Friday deals are real - UK report
The leading UK consumer protection site Which? published a report (via SkyNews) a few days back that highlights what most consumers probably already suspect - that a lot of Black Friday 'deals' are of fairly dubious quality.
The site tracked 214 individual Black Friday deals across leading retailers such as Amazon, Currys, John Lewis, and Argos, and found that a whopping 86% were found at the same price or cheaper over the previous six months. A couple of example products included a 43-inch Toshiba TV and a Zanussi range hood.
Our thoughts on this report? It seems fairly thorough and generally lines up with our own observations from covering this year's deals. Amazon's Black Friday offerings in particular are very, very similar to those that were offered over Amazon Prime Day this year. There are, however, a few diamonds in the rough and we'd say Black Friday still offers a great opportunity to bag some tech. While the majority of prices may not be record-breakers, they do tend to be a match for the historically lowest prices.
Hot! The Echo Dot is the perfect Christmas stocking filler
Enough with the news of fake Black Friday deals! Here are some listings that are the real deal at Amazon today on the latest Echo Dot. This tiny little smart speaker is one of our favorites here at TechRadar and it's got a half-price deal in both the US and UK.
These listings are genuinely the lowest prices yet on this smart speaker and well worth a look if you're looking for a fairly cheap tech gift for a loved one. While it's not exactly the most premium speaker on the market, it's still going to give you access to a whole host of useful features like music playback, smart device control, and alerts.
Consumers predicted to spend 15% less this Black Friday
Feeling the pinch this Black Friday? You're not alone. The Financial Times has just posted a story that includes an interesting tidbit of info.
According to predictions by MasterCard, shoppers this November are due to spend 15% less versus last year's sale. The main reasons laid out here include inflationary pressures and that last year's sales were boosted by pandemic stimulus funds.
Another interesting tidbit of info suggests that shoppers are favoring in-store brick-and-mortar purchases over online orders this year (according to Adobe Analytics), with public health concerns easing post-pandemic.
Our thoughts? We're feeling the pinch as much as anyone here at TechRadar, which is why we're doubling down on giving as much well-informed buying advice as possible this Black Friday.
Hot! Quality coffee for less
If you're sick of the same old instant coffee, why not upgrade your kitchen setup with a cheap and space efficient pod coffee machine? Here's a really great choice at Amazon today:
Hot! Heat control for your home!
Smart thermostats are a must have for any smart home, giving you the ability to set the temperature remotely or via your voice or an app. In turn, this can help you save money on bills by giving you better control over your heating.
The Google Nest Thermostat is already one of the cheaper options on the market, but it's now even more of a bargain: it's down to $89.98 at Amazon for Black Friday, saving you $40 even before it starts saving you money on bills.
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