This story is part of Holiday Gift Guide 2021, our list of ideas, by topic, by recipient and by price, to help you discover the perfect gift.
It happens every year: Black Friday is everywhere and then it’s over so quickly. But don’t worry, many of the best deals are still available today, and official Cyber Monday deals will kick off soon. For deal-hunters caught between two sales, this weekend is always a weird time. Some stores are still referring to the deals as Black Friday while others are all-in on Cyber Monday. In many cases, however, they’re the same deals no matter what they’re called.
Some of the biggest Black Friday deals have expired across the board, including the heavily discounted AirPods Pro, some PC discounts at Amazon, TVs and more. There are still plenty of Black Friday deals that you can still buy today, so you have a second chance to grab them at a discount ahead of the upcoming Cyber Monday shopping event.
CNET has a full list of all the best Black Friday deals available, but I’ve rounded up some of my favorites here to make it easier for you to find what’s worth buying before the discounts vanish.
Best Black Friday deals available before Cyber Monday
Echo Show 5: $45 (save $40)
This is the latest version of the Echo Show 5, and I’m honestly shocked that this deal has lasted as long as it has. The popular smart display features a 5-inch screen which can be used to view the weather, read recipes, show you pictures and even make video calls. It’s available in three different colors, but worth noting that there is a bit of a shipping delay on it right now. As it stands, shipments are expected for most colors in mid-December, but you can still order it at the discounted price to lock in your savings now.
Beats Studio Buds: $100 (save $50)
Most of the great AirPods deals have expired, but this killer AirPods alternative is still on sale at Amazon and a few other retailers. The Beats Studio Buds bring you many of the same features that Apple includes in its AirPods lineup, but these are much cheaper. Pairing them is simple, and when used with an iPhone you’ll have voice access to hands-free Siri along with noise cancelation, a Transparency mode to let in some of the sound around you and more.
In addition to the direct discount here, Amazon is offering a $10 credit with the purchase when you use code BYZPPJADUODB during checkout.
TCL 65-inch Class 6-Series Mini-LED QLED 4K TV: $1,000 (save $300)
The Mini-LED 6-Series TVs are beloved here at CNET, and in CNET’s review of the TV it impressed our resident TV expert David Katzmaier enough for it to be awarded with an Editors’ Choice badge. It offers excellent overall picture quality, great brightness, and the Roku interface works well. The main downside noted by Katzmaier in the review was that the TV experienced some issues in low-light dimming, so it may be brighter in dark situations than you prefer, but nothing that’s a deal breaker.
Hulu 12-month subscription: $12 (save $72)
Hulu is back with its annual Black Friday deal, making now the perfect time to sign up and try it out. For a limited time, new (and select returning) customers can get Hulu for just $1 a month for the first $12 months. That’s a savings of $6 per month during the first year, totaling $72 for the year.
This is the ad-supported plan that Hulu is offering, but I’ve been using it for the better part of the past five years and honestly the commercials don’t really bug me. Be sure to sign up now so you don’t miss out on this great deal.
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K: $25 (save $25)
While CNET editors prefer Roku over Amazon’s Fire TV, this discount on the Fire TV Stick 4K is hard to pass up. The two main reasons Roku is said to be better is because of its menu system (which I actually prefer the Fire TV one personally) and the search features, which you may not use regularly enough for it to make a difference.
The Fire TV Stick 4K comes with an Alexa Voice Remote, which allows you to find your favorite shows using your voice. The remote can also control the power and volume of your TV. With Fire TV Stick 4K, you get quick and easy access to your favorite streaming apps, including Hulu, Disney Plus and so much more.
Fitbit Inspire 2: $60 (save $40)
Fitbit has been making fitness trackers for a while, and has arguably some of the best ones on the market right now. In CNET’s best Fitbit roundup, the Inspire 2 is listed as the best budget pick at its regular price, so just imagine how much better it is at 40% off. The Inspire 2 comes with a one-year subscription to Fitbit Premium, which is more than you get with some of the more expensive trackers.
The Inspire 2 doesn’t have GPS or EKG (also known as ECG) built-in, but it does offer a step counter, sleep tracking, heart rate monitoring and more. If you’re looking to get back into shape or want to try something new out, give this one a shot now.
Nomad Base Station Mini wireless charger: $49 (save $21)
You may have heard of Nomad before, but you may not have. The company specializes in some of the nicest mobile accessories on the market, and for Black Friday it’s offering 30% off everything on the site. One of my favorite things Nomad makes is the new Base Station Mini charger, which is a wireless charger that has a set of magnets built-in to ensure perfect placement of my iPhone each time.
It has a 15W Qi coil inside to allow for fast charging and the top of the pad is protected by soft leather to keep your device safe. The base of the charger is made from a durable aluminum and it has no-slip rubber feet to keep it in place on your surfaces. If you’re ready to try a new wireless charger, this is the one to get.
PlayStation Plus 12-month subscription: $40 (save $20)
If you want to play your PlayStation games online with friends, you’re going to need to sign up for PlayStation Plus so why not get yourself a discounted membership? In addition to online gaming, PlayStation Plus gives you monthly access to various free games and more. You can buy multiple of these and stack them, meaning if you buy two and redeem them you’ll have two years worth of access.
The code is delivered digitally, so you’ll receive it within just a few minutes of your purchase. Be sure to grab one now and get everything set up so you can bring your gaming experience to the next level.
Apple AirPods (2nd Gen): $100 (save $59)
We’ve seen some great deals on AirPods, AirPods Pro and AirPods Max this year for Black Friday, but most of the deals are over unfortunately. Amazon is keeping the party going by offering an in-cart discount on the AirPods 2 that drops them down to just $100. This is one of the best prices we’ve seen for these popular truly wireless headphones. The AirPods 3 are down to $150 at Amazon when you add them to your cart as well.
Whether you’re looking for a set of AirPods for yourself, or know someone who wants a pair that you’re shopping for, you’ll want to act quickly as these discounts likely won’t be around for too much longer.
Mint Mobile 3 months free service: $45 (save $45)
Overpaying for wireless service is the worst. There are a lot of carriers and MVNOs out there, and each one of them is competing with the next one to earn your business with various phone deals and more. Mint Mobile takes a different approach and tries to offer the most affordable service to entice people to switch. For Black Friday, you can get three months of service for free when you buy three months of service.
Pricing for Mint Mobile starts at just $15 a month for the 4GB data plan, meaning you’d spend just $45 to get your next six months of cellular service. Mint Mobile operates on the T-Mobile network. There are multiple plan options available if you need more than the included 4GB of data each month, so be sure to check it all out and bring your phone and number over to Mint Mobile and save some money!
More great Black Friday sales still available
In addition to all of the great deals above, I wanted to highlight some more deals that you’ll want to check out before they are gone as well.
Black Friday deals by retailer
- Amazon: Save on laptops, Echo and more
- Walmart: Potential PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X restock
- Best Buy:Big screen 4K TVs, cameras, small appliances and more
- Dell: Monitors, accessories, gaming laptops
- Mint Mobile: Buy three months, get three months free
- Target: Beauty, kitchen, home and more
- Kohl’s: Big savings and free Kohl’s cash
- Macy’s: Clothing, jewelry, home goods
- HP: Gaming desktops, laptops and more
- Verizon: Up to $1,200 off with trade-in
- Home Depot: Christmas trees, tools, grills and more
- Lowes: Major appliances, storage, lighting
- Nordstrom Rack: Shoes, clothing and more clearance
- Costco: Member-only savings
- Nike: Shoes, apparel and more
- Nectar Mattress: $100 off plus $399 in accessories
- Nomad:30% off on iPhone cases, Apple Watch straps and more
- Harber London:Buy two, get 25% on handmade leather accessories
- Moment:Up to 65% off on cameras, lenses, filters and more
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