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(Sign up for a free My Best Buy account to shop many of these deals starting Mon. Nov. 16.)
This Black Friday, Best Buy probably won’t see its typical melee of customers piling up in front of an automatic door.
That’s just because all of the good deals are online rather than in-store-only, for obvious reasons — but customers also got a head start. Best Buy released its Black Friday ad in October (weeks earlier than past years) and has been turning out early deals since — an approach similar to Walmart’s in order to mollify the chaos. Note: Stores will be closed on Thanksgiving Day.
Best Buy was not shy about holding an early Black Friday sale during Amazon Prime Day, and many of those deals have been resurrected for Black Friday. Though tons of items hit their holiday prices ahead of time, Best Buy won’t rob you of that Black Friday adrenaline rush. Plenty of the best deals have been set aside for the official start on Nov. 22. (My Best Buy members can shop many of these deals starting Mon. Nov. 16. Membership is free and here’s where to sign up.) Personally, we’re waiting on the multiple Chromebooks scheduled to drop below $150, as well as the return of the $299 Nintendo Switch Mario Kart bundle.
Items like 4K TVs (ultra-cheap smaller models and affordable QLED/OLED models alike), Microsoft and Lenovo laptops, and noise-canceling headphones take up many spots in the ad. The large section dedicated to small appliances like coffee makers, blenders, and all things Ninja tell us to put some respect on Best Buy as a foodie destination. Oddly enough, it’s also a backup spot for discounted Echo devices if they sell out on Amazon (they probably will).
Below are the best of Best Buy’s Black Friday deals, handpicked by us:
TV deals
OUR TOP PICK: Samsung 70-inch 6 Series 4K UHD Smart Tizen TV (UN70TU6980FXZA) — $529.99 (save $220)
If you’ve been dabbling with the idea of getting your first big big TV, this is a smart time to do it. Samsung’s 6 Series makes for an affordable entry point into the realm of nice TVs — now at the same stellar price we saw during Prime Day. This 70-inch flat-panel bad boy uses a fast Crystal processor to output sharp HDR quality in colors that just aren’t possible on an FHD TV.
Gaming deals
OUR TOP PICK: Nintendo Switch Blue/Red Joycon Console + Mario Kart 8 Deluxe — $299.99
Last year’s console and Mario Kart bundle has been resurrected, and it’s likely the closest thing you’ll find to a Nintendo Switch “sale” all year. (It’s not officially a discount on the console itself, but it’s getting a game that you’d probably buy anyway for free.) Nintendo’s hinted at restocking the Animal Crossing version, but we wouldn’t risk it by putting the Mario Kart bundle on hold.
Laptop and tablet deals
OUR TOP PICK: Lenovo Chromebook Flex 3 — $179.99 (save $100)
Though many jobs and schools made the migration to remote work months ago, it’s not uncommon for people to still be in a pickle, laptop-wise. Chromebooks are particularly reliable when it comes to battery life and sensitive personal information. The Lenovo Chromebook Flex 3 will be cut down to $20 less than many of the best Chromebook deals we saw on Prime Day, when they went for $199.
Headphone deals
OUR TOP PICK: Sony WH-1000XM4 Noise-Canceling Headphones — $278 (save $71.99)
The next generation of Sony’s top-tier headphones are here — and on sale for less than $300. Take a euphoric journey each time you’re on public transportation with Sony’s Digital Sound Enhancement Engine, which that automatically upscales compressed digital audio files to dramatically revs sound quality in real-time, depending on the instruments or genre. The new Speak-to-Chat feature knows when you’re talking and pauses on its own.
Those looking for AirPods will want to hit up Walmart, where the pair with the non-wireless charging case will be just $99 — a record low.
Kitchen deals
OUR TOP PICK: KitchenAid Pro 5 Plus Stand Mixer — $199.99 (save $300)
KitchenAid mixers are almost guaranteed to make an appearance in Black Friday ad scans. The 5-quart collection is a nice happy medium between the counter-space conscious 4.5-quart option and the professional foodie 6-quart option — especially happy when the sale takes it below $200. Most notable about this Pro 5 Plus (compared to its 5-quart siblings) is the bowl lift feature, an addition usually only reserved for KitchenAid’s 6-quart.
Smartwatch and fitness tracker deals
OUR PICK: Fitbit Sense — $279.95 (save $50)
Finding Fitbit’s newest golden child on sale just months after launch is quite the pleasant surprise. Features include EDA sensors for stress management and scores for each sleep stage, plus an upgraded heart monitor in the near future.
Plus, get six months of Apple Fitness+ for free when you buy an Apple Watch.
Vacuum deals
OUR TOP PICK: Dyson Cyclone V10 Stick Vacuum — $399.99 (save $150)
The V10 Cyclone is one of the most powerful Dyson’s stick vacuums, second to just the $599 V11 — and for a limited time, you can grab it for the exact same price as the lower-tier Dyson V8. Brush roll speed (125,000 RPM) and battery life (60 minutes) are near identical in the V10 and V11. The V11’s digital screen and an Intelligent Suction Mode are welcomed additions, but probably aren’t reasons to spend the extra $200
Smart home deals
OUR TOP PICK: Lenovo Smart Clock with Google Assistant — $34.99 (save $45)
The most affordable way to get a smart speaker with a touchscreen in your home is the Lenovo Smart Clock. Aided by Google Assistant, the smart clock answers to voice commands for hands-free help with music streaming, control of smart home devices, grocery lists, and your everyday Google inquiries.
