March 29, 2024

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Incredible Black Friday deals are already live

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Rob Rodriguez/CNET

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.

Black Friday won’t officially be underway until tomorrow, the day after Thanksgiving, but some of the best deals of the season are already there for the taking. From TVs to headphones, smart home gadgets and kitchen appliances, you’ll find sales live at all major retailers — and plenty of online specials straight from manufacturers, too. You’ll even find good streaming deals, like Hulu offering yearlong subscriptions for 99 cents per month.

Sifting through all of those sales can get overwhelming, but that’s where CNET comes in! We’ve pored over the newspaper ad scans, scoured retailer websites (Amazon, Target, Walmart and Best Buy, just to name a few) and found the deals you won’t want to miss. 

We’ve got a section-by-section breakdown below to help you find what you’re looking for, but first, here’s what you should know as you prepare to start shopping:

  • Macy’s Black Friday sale started Tuesday.
  • Many Amazon device sales (Echo, Fire tablets, Fire TVs, Ring security systems) started last Friday.
  • Best Buy’s sale started last Friday, including the lowest price ever on Apple Watch SE.
  • Target’s Black Friday sale started Sunday.
  • Staples’ Black Friday sale started Sunday.
  • Walmart’s Black Friday sale started Monday and includes possible access to PlayStation 5 and Xbox consoles for Walmart Plus members. Initial PS5 and Xbox console availability is already sold out.
  • More Amazon Black Friday sales start today.

Top Black Friday deals thus far

Among the deals that jump out at us the most are a variety of offers on AirPods — most notably the new AirPods Pro with MagSafe charging case for $159 at Walmart. That’s $90 less than you’ll pay at the Apple Store and the lowest price we’ve seen for them yet. Walmart is also slashing the price of the 2nd-gen Google Nest Hub down to just $50, which is another tempting offer.

Meanwhile, the TV deals are always Black Friday standouts, and this year is no different. Our favorite offer so far might come from Amazon, where you’ll find the 65-inch TCL 6-Series Roku TV on sale for $898 (save $602). That was already our top-recommended TV for the money, and now it’s down to its lowest price of the year.

Amazon is also knocking $50 off of the price of the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 (QC45) wireless noise cancelling headphones, bringing the cost down to $279. Those headphones come with a strong recommendation from CNET’s David Carnoy and would make a terrific gift (even if it’s a gift for yourself).

Another timeless gift candidate: a KitchenAid stand mixer. Target’s got some pretty tempting deals, including a 5-quart model marked down to $220, saving you $210. Look for additional color options at the same Black Friday price over at Best Buy. And hey, speaking of Best Buy…

Best Black Friday deals at Best Buy

It’s a little late to the game, but Best Buy has finally revealed the details of its sales happening the week of Black Friday. It’s not quite as cut-and-dried as some other retailers’ sales, which have clear start and end dates, but essentially Best Buy’s sale has already started and will be adding more items in the coming days. There have already been a number of drops, including great deals like the first sale of the season on the Apple Watch SE

Here’s what you can expect from each wave of deals:

Read more: Best Black Friday deals at Best Buy

Best Black Friday deals at Target

Target’s Black Friday sale has already begun and runs through Saturday, Nov. 27. Target is offering big savings on everything from tech to toys to home goods. This sneak peek circular also advertises the Nintendo Switch OLED, which has been notoriously difficult to snag since it was released this October, so keep an eye on the deal page and your local Target’s stock if you’ve been hoping to get your hands on one. 

Here are some of the best Target deals currently available:

Read More: Target’s Black Friday sales

Best Black Friday deals at Walmart

Walmart’s Black Friday sales started Monday, Nov. 22 at 4 p.m. PT (7 p.m. ET). Early access to some deals started four hours earlier for Walmart Plus members. Walmart is noting that it will be making the PS5 and Xbox Series X available online during Black Friday week, but details on times aren’t yet available. Here are some of the deals we’re most excited about.

Read more: Walmart’s Black Friday 2021

Best Black Friday deals at Amazon

In a recent press release, Amazon announced it will be running a 48-hour sale from Nov. 25 to 26, but the details about what will be included are pretty vague (par for the course for a retailer that often keeps things close to the vest). Some of the highlights include up to 40% off Instant brand kitchen appliances, up to 50% on select Fire HD tablets, and up to 30% on select TVs from Samsung, Sony and LG. (Also, a spoiler alert on Amazon devices: If you see other retailers like Target advertising sales on them, it’s a safe bet Amazon will be selling them for the same price.) All that said, Amazon also has amazing deals running right now. Here are some of our favorites.

Read more: Best Black Friday TV deals

Best Black Friday headphone deals

You can always find headphones on sale during Black Friday events, but finding the right balance between a good deal and a good set of headphones can be a challenge. Here’s the best sales on headphones and earbuds.

Read moreBest early Black Friday 2021 headphones deals available right now

Best Black Friday TV deals

Televisions frequently fill out Black Friday sale pages, but it’s not always easy to tell which sales are actually worthwhile. Here are some of the best TV deals you’ll see for Black Friday.

Read more: Best TV deals for Black Friday 2021 so far

Best Black Friday laptop deals

And some of the best laptop deals this week:

Read more: Best Black Friday laptop deals

Best Black Friday tablet deals

It’s never hard to find a cheap tablet, but it can occasionally be challenging to find a good tablet at a reasonable price. Here are all of the worthwhile tablet deals now and around the corner.

Best Black Friday smart home deals

Smart home gadgets can help you automate things like lights and appliances around the house, and Black Friday week is a great time to catch them on sale. Here are some of the better offers we’ve spotted thus far:

Read more: Black Friday’s best smart home deals

Best Black Friday kitchen deals

Kitchen tech can totally change the way you cook, and a great sale on kitchen tech makes that exploration even more enjoyable. Here are the best Black Friday kitchen deals included in this week’s sales.

Read more: Best Black Friday 2021 kitchen deals

Best Black Friday fitness deals

With New Year’s Day inching ever closer, those fitness resolutions can start to feel daunting. But not if you’ve got the right equipment. Here are the best Black Friday fitness deals we’ve found.

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