The Black Friday 2021 deals event will begin Friday, November 26, this time around, so there's plenty of time to prepare for the biggest discount season of the year. If you're looking to go big this Black Friday, we're helping you get started with everything you need to know about the 2021 sale and what you can expect to find the biggest discounts on.
What's on sale for Black Friday 2021? Based on last year, we expect to see deals on a range of items, which should include Apple's latest products, discounts on top brand 4K TVs, this year's hottest toys, and Amazon's own devices. Appliance deals are also always a popular Black Friday category, with brands like Roomba, Instant Pot, and Keurig offering significant discounts.
We expect the top Black Friday retailers to look very familiar in 2021, with Walmart, Amazon, Best Buy, Lowe's, and Home Depot contribute to the mix.
While we know the official date of Black Friday 2021, like years past, we expect to see sales start to pop up in late October. Last year, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, retailers pushed their sales earlier than ever to create a safer shopping experience and avoid shipping delays. Last year's delayed Amazon Prime Day sale was also moved up to October, which helped kick off the Black Friday shopping season. While we can't predict what 2021 has in store for us, we do expect the trend of earlier online sales to stay.
We'll be keeping this page constantly updated with the latest Black Friday 2021 news, so make sure to keep this page bookmarked. If you're looking to shop bargains right now, you can see our guide to the best back to school sales that are happening right now.
When is Black Friday 2021?
The official Black Friday date for this year is November 26, 2021. The actual date shifts every year, but the day of the week stays the same: it's always the Friday after Thanksgiving.
Last year, retailers kicked off the Black Friday sales earlier than ever to create a safer shopping experience and avoid shipping delays due to the Coronavirus pandemic. We can't predict the circumstances around next year's sale, but we should still see deals start to pop up at the end of October.
Black Friday deals 2021: what to expect
Black Friday 2021 should continue last year's trend of not just offering discounts but offering discounts on items you'll actually want to buy as retailers jockey for more limited wallets against fierce online competition.
According to Adobe Analytics, 2020 saw a 21% uplift in consumer online spending marking it the second-largest online spending day in U.S. history, coming in behind Cyber Monday 2019.
The biggest Black Friday 2020 money makers? According to Adobe, the most popular items included Hot Wheels, Lego sets, AirPods, Apple Watches, Amazon Echo devices, and Samsung TVs.
We expect the Black Friday 2021 sales event to also offer similar deals on Apple's latest devices such as Airpods, the Apple Watch, and iPads. We also expect to see significant discounts on Amazon's own devices as well as deals on the year's hottest toys and kitchen appliances.
When will we see the official Black Friday deals?
Good question. With a move to the competitive arena of online sales, we're going to be seeing more retailers on the web than ever, and with Amazon leading the charge, there's going to be some fierce price wars come November. That will likely work in your favor, with plenty of retailers vying for the lowest price on the latest gadgets.
That means we might see Black Friday deals happening far ahead of the scheduled November 26 start date. You'll want to get prepped early, then, and we can help by bringing you all the latest Black Friday 2021 information as it happens right here. We're showing you where to shop, what to shop for, and when to get that credit card ready to make sure you don't miss a single saving this year, so keep this page bookmarked throughout the next couple of months.
In 2020 we saw the best deals moving online, then, with these more traditional stores competing against the low prices and already well-developed infrastructures of the likes of Amazon and eBay. For example, Walmart Plus launched in September to drum up its online retail business ahead of Black Friday.
All of this is going to make Black Friday's online deals all the more important. You'll have a better chance of finding Black Friday AirPod deals at home more sitting in your PJs more than waiting in line outside of a physical store.
If you don't want to wait till November to shop for deals, we've included the current sales from the top online retailers just below.
- Amazon: daily deals on tech, home items, clothing, and more
- Best Buy: savings on 4K TVs, laptops, and headphones
- Dell: save up to $250 on best-selling laptops
- Home Depot: save on tools, appliances, furniture, and more
- Lowe's: appliance deals from Samsung, Whirlpool, and LG starting at $99
- Target: save on furniture, tech, and clothing for the whole family
- Walmart: save on TVs, laptops, kitchen appliances, and more
The origin of Black Friday: a history lesson
Let’s take a Black Friday history lesson: the first known mention of Black Friday related to this shopping experience was in November 1951, when the journal Factory Management and Maintenance used it to describe people calling in sick the day after Thanksgiving so they could have an extra day off work.
At the same time, US police were using the phrases “Black Friday” and “Black Saturday” to describe the horrendous traffic that occurred at the beginning of the pre-Christmas shopping season.
In 1961 there was a movement from the local government to change the shopping season to “Big Friday” and “Big Saturday,” but it never caught on. The notion that it was the time when retailers moved 'back into the black' was seen far later and clearly an attempt to bring positivity to the term.
How do I get the best Black Friday deals in 2021?
Homework really helps. Some retailers up prices from August through to October to offer supposedly amazing discounts on Black Friday, so don’t be fooled by such moves.
They’re particularly prevalent in expensive consumer electronics such as TVs or laptops with product numbers rather than names, with products that were dropped down to a great bargain price suddenly being pushed back to their MSRP again.
It’s also an excellent idea to be flexible: for example, if you fancy a Samsung UHD TV, it’s best to think about the features you want rather than a specific model number: the BRV553ABD34-82C-9218-X may not be discounted on Black Friday 2020, but an almost identical set with the specification you want probably will be.
So do your research on what matters, and we’ll do our best to give you the right comparison needed.
However, don’t be fooled into thinking that something that looks like a five-star set is the same but cheaper - certain elements (often with regards to screen quality or image processing) won’t be as high quality to achieve that lower price point.
The best Black Friday deals from last year
If you'd like to see what was on sale during last year's deals event, we've included the top bargains below. Last year's Black Friday sale included huge discounts on everything from TVs, laptops, and headphones to kitchen appliances, vacuums, toys, and so much more. Looking back at last year's sale can help us predict what will be discounted at the Black Friday 2021 deals event.
The best Black Friday deals: TVs
Toshiba 32-inch 720p smart Fire TV: $179.99 $119.99 at Amazon
Save $60 - This 32-inch Fire TV doesn't have 4K resolution as it's not large enough to take full advantage of it. But this is still a fantastic price for a smart TV that comes with a massive range of apps, enabling you to stream movies and shows from Disney+, Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, Hulu, and more. It's a great option if you're looking for a smaller display for a bedroom or kitchen.
TCL 50-inch 4K Smart TV: $349.99 $229.99 at Best Buy
Save $120 – This TCL 50-inch 4K TV is on sale for just $229.99 at Best Buy. It's compatible with the Google Assistant, and features a handy voice remote.
Insignia 70-inch 4K UHD smart TV: $649.99 $549.99 at Best Buy
This 70-inch Insignia is now featuring a fantastic $100 saving at the Best Buy Black Friday sale. The smart TV comes equipped with Fire TV and Amazon Alexa fully built in - not bad value at all if you're looking for a one-stop inexpensive TV that's useful right out of the box.
LG CX 55-inch OLED 4K TV: $1,699.99 $1,399.99 at Best Buy (save $300)
Don't miss Best Buy's stunning $300 off Black Friday deal on this absolutely fantastic 55-inch LG CX OLED today. Stocks are sure to thin fast, but this is quite literally one of the best TVs you can buy right now - and, one of our personally top-ranked displays for 2020.
Samsung 75-inch QLED Q70T Series TV: $2,199.99 $1,497.99 at Amazon
Save $702 - You can score an epic $700 discount on the Samsung 75-inch QLED TV just ahead of the Black Friday deals event. The Q70T Series TV delivers a premium picture experience thanks to Quantum Dot technology, and includes Amazon Alexa for voice control.
The best Black Friday deals: laptops and computing
Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1, 2020): $1,299.99 $1,199.99 at B&H Photo
Price drop - B&H Photo is also offering the new MacBook Pro with M1 chip for $100 off if you don't want to go with Amazon. Like with Amazon, this deal applies to both the 256GB and 512GB models, so you don't have to compromise and still save some money. Normally not a saving worth talking about - but this is a hyper-new (and excellent) laptop.
Acer Chromebook 314: $299 $219 at Walmart
Save $80 - this is a great Chromebook for browsing and working on, with a 14-inch screen, 4GB RAM and 32GB storage. That's a little on the light side, so you may need to use Google Drive storage to save docs. The 12.5 hour battery life is superb, though.
HP x360 14-inch 2-in-1 Chromebook: $629 $379 at Best Buy
Save $250 – This powerful and versatile HP x360 2-in-1 Chromebook can be used in either laptop or tablet configurations, and features a 14-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) display, Intel Core i3 processor, and an HD webcam with dual microphones.
New Dell Inspiron 15 3000 15.6-inch laptop: $499.99 $399.99 at Dell
Save $100 - This Dell Inspiron has a $100 discount, bringing the final price down to just $399 this week. That means you're picking up a full-sized 15.6-inch laptop for a fantastic price, with a Ryzen 5 processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, and Radeon Vega 8 graphics.
The best Black Friday deals: tablets
Apple iPad Air 4 | 64GB | Wi-Fi: $599 $569.99 at Amazon
Save $29 – This deal saves you $29 on the most affordable configuration of Apple's newest iPad, with its 10.9-inch Liquid Retina screen and 12MP rear camera.
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (512GB, 2020): $1,299 $1,149 at Amazon
Sold out: Save $150 - The newest iPad Pro sports a stunning 12.9-inch edge-to-edge Liquid Retina display, and the fastest processor you'll find in any tablet - and right now it's $150 less than usual at Amazon. If you want more storage, you'll find savings on the 1TB version of Apple's premium tablet at Amazon right now:
1TB: $1,499 $1,349
All-new Kindle: $89.99 $59.99 at Amazon
Save $30 - The 2019 Amazon Kindle is on sale for $59.99 at Amazon. That's the lowest price we've found for the 6-inch e-reader that features a built-in adjustable font light so you can enjoy reading your favorite books indoors and outdoors.
Microsoft Surface Pro 7, Intel Core i5, 128GB, 8GB RAM, Type Cover: $1,029 $799 at Best Buy
Save $230 - This is by far the best Surface Pro 7 deal we've seen so far. Not only does it cut a huge $230 off the asking price, it comes with great specs and includes the Type Cover, which allows it to be used as a laptop-like device as well. Don't miss this deal.
The best Black Friday deals: smartwatches and wearables
Apple Watch SE 40mm: $309 $289 on Amazon
Save $20 - Amazon has the Apple Watch SE on sale for $289. The New Apple Watch SE is a good choice if you're looking for the smartwatch essentials in a modern chassis with a bit more power than the Series 3.
Apple Watch Series 6 (40mm, GPS): $399 $329.98 at Amazon
The all-new Apple Watch Series 6 gets a massive $70 price cut at Amazon in this early Black Friday deal. The all-new 40mm smartwatch features a new S6 processor, blood oxygen monitoring, an ECG app, and elevation tracking. This specific deal is for the Apple Watch 6 with a Product Red sport band. If you're interested in a Black, White, or Navy sport band, you can still find the smartwatch on sale for $350.
Fitbit Charge 4: $149 $99.95 on Best Buy
Pick up a Fitbit Charge 4 for $50 off with this early Black Friday Best Buy deal, a savings of 33% off the list price. The Fitbit Charge 4 is a great basic fitness tracker with up to seven days of battery life, GPS, Fitbit Pay, and extra features with Fitbit Premium.
The best Black Friday deals: headphones and audio
Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones: $350 $278 at Best Buy
Save $72 - The Sony WH-1000XM4 over-ear headphones, some of the best noise-canceling headphones on the market, are seriously discounted at $72 off with this Black Friday deal. These are currently TechRadar's top-rated wireless headphones, beating out many others in product testing.
Apple AirPods (2019) with Charging Case $159 $109.99 at Amazon
Save $50 - You can get the Apple AirPods with charging case on sale for $110 at Amazon in this early Black Friday deal. The truly wireless earbuds come with a charging case that provides a further 20 hours of battery life and up to three hours of talk time on a single charge.
Bose QC35 II: $349.99 $199 at Walmart
Save $50 - Bose is no stranger to great comfort and impressive sound quality, and the Bose QC35 II doesn't fall far from the tree. These wireless headphones also boast two levels of active noise cancellation, a 2-microphone system, and are on sale for a massively low $99.99.
Amazon Echo Buds: $129.99 $79.99 at Amazon
Save $50 on the Amazon Echo Buds, bringing the wireless earbuds down to just $79.99. That's great value for money when you consider competitor pricing right now, and a great chance to test out these beginner true wireless earbuds. Plus, you can get six months of Amazon Music Unlimited for free.
The best Black Friday deals: gaming and consoles
Nintendo Switch (Gray) with Mario Glassware bundle: $339.98: $299 at GameStop
Get the elusive Nintendo Switch with a set of Mario-themed glasses for the console's retail price. This will sell out fast, and should make a great gift set. Also available in Neon, and with the Animal Crossing Switch.
Nintendo Switch Lite | carry case | 128GB memory card: $287.97 $239.97 at Best Buy
Save $50 - Best Buy has this full bundle costing $287.97 when purchased separately, and it's true you're saving some cash with this $50 discount, however it's worth noting that the 128GB memory card is available on sale elsewhere as well. It's easier to grab this all in one place, but this isn't as good a bundle offer as it appears at first glance.
Nintendo Switch - Animal Crossing: New Horizons edition: $299.99 at Amazon
The Nintendo Switch has seen its fair share of stock difficulties over the past couple of months (and even the last few days as demand has surged once again in the latest Black Friday deals).
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The best Black Friday deals: smart home
Fire TV Stick Lite with Alexa Voice Remote: $29.99 $17.99 at Amazon
Save $12 - The all-new Fire TV Stick Lite gets a first-time price cut in this early Amazon Black Friday deal. For just $17.99, the streaming player allows you to enjoy tens of thousands of channels, apps, and Alexa skills and features an Alexa voice remote.
Blink Mini security camera: $34.99 $24.99 at Amazon
Save $10 - You can score a rare $10 price cut on the all-new Blink Mini Smart security camera at Amazo's Black Friday sale. The indoor HD camera works with Amazon Alexa and alerts your smartphone whenever motion is detected.
Ring Video Doorbell Pro: $249.99 $169.99 at Amazon
Save $80 - For a limited time, you can get the Ring Video Doorbell Pro on sale for a record-low price of $169.99. The Ring Pro features advanced motion detection and works with Amazon Alexa to send alerts to your Echo devices.
Ring Floodlight Camera with Echo Show 5: $338.99 $189.99 at Amazon
Save $149 - A fantastic bundled deal, you can save $60 on the Ring Floodlight Camera and get a free Echo Show for a total savings of $149. The Ring Floodlight Camera works with Alexa so you can see and talk to visitors with your compatible Echo device.
The best Black Friday deals: camera and drones
GoPro Hero 9 Black $449 $399 at Amazon
Save $50 - It's only a couple of months old, but GoPro's latest action camera has already received its first discount – and this likely to be the cheapest the Hero 9 Black is going to get before Christmas. It's the most versatile action camera we've seen, with 5K video recording, 10m waterproofing and a handy new front-facing screen.
Canon PowerShot G7X Mark III: $749.99 $649 at Amazon
Save $100 - This is one of the best compact cameras you can buy today. The G7X Mark III combines a large 20.1MP 1-inch sensor with a versatile 24-100mm lens and some powerful video features, including 4K video recording, a 3.5mm mic input and YouTube livestreaming.
Canon EOS RP body-only $999 $899 at Canon
The best-value full-frame camera has become an even bigger bargain with this $100 discount. The EOS RP combines good build quality with excellent image quality and sound autofocus. It's a great option if you already own some EF lenses, too.
Canon EOS R body-only $1,799 $1,599 at Canon
It might not have the eye-catching price tag of the ROS RP, but the Canon EOS R does brings some important upgrades. You get superior burst shooting (8fps vs 5fps on the RP), a better viewfinder, a higher-res 30.3MP sensor. This great deal cuts its price by $200.
The best Black Friday deals: mattresses
Nectar Memory Foam Mattress: from $798 $499 + $399 of free gifts at Nectar
Save up to $800 - This is the best Black Friday deal for mattresses, in our opinion - it's incredible value. Nectar's premium, medium-firm memory foam mattress is extremely comfortable and supportive, and we found it to be very good at regulating our temperature throughout the night. Right now, there's up to a $400 discount on the mattress and you'll get $399-worth of free gifts added to your order too, including luxury sheets, pillows, and a mattress protector. It also comes with a huge 365-night risk-free trial, so you can try it safely in your own home, and a lifetime guarantee.
Purple Mattress: from $599 $549 at Purple
Save up to $300 - The Purple mattress famously uses a unique gel grid and layers of foam to deliver flexible, tailored support. Lots of people love it - it averages an impressive 4.5 out of 5 stars from over 25,000 user reviews on the Purple site. This Black Friday deal gives you up to a $100 discount on the flagship Purple mattress, and you can also save another $200 by bundling pillows, sheets and a mattress protector with your mattress order.
Casper Original Mattress: from $595 $476 | Casper
Price cut! Casper has cut 20% off its mattresses in its Black Friday deals event. That means you can now grab the Casper Original Mattress from just $476 for a twin, down from $595. It's designed to suit any type of sleeper, with three layers of foam that support your body and keep you cool at night. (Prefer a hybrid mattress? The Casper Original comes in a hybrid version too, for $556, saving you $139.)
The best Black Friday deals: home and kitchen
Instant Pot Duo Crisp and Air Fryer: $149.99 $79 at Walmart
You can score a massive $70 price cut on the all-new Instant Pot Duo Crisp at Walmart. This duo appliance does everything the regular Instant Pot does but it also includes an air fryer lid so you can make all your favorite fried foods with less oil.
Bella Pro Series 4.2-qt. Analog Air Fryer: $59.99 $29.99 at Best Buy
Pick up a cheap air fryer deal at the Best Buy Black Friday sale. The Bella 4.2-qt air fryer allows you to air fry, broil, bake, roast, and reheat with little to no oil so you can enjoy your favorite fried foods with less guilt.
Keurig K-Select Single-Serve Coffee Maker: $129.99 $69.99 at Best Buy
Save $60 - Best Buy has the best-selling Keurig K-Select on sale for just $69.99 right now. A great gift idea, the coffee maker can brew a cup in minutes and comes in several different color choices.
Instant Pot Duo Plus Mini 9-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker: $99.95 $79.99 at Amazon
Save $20 - Get the best-selling Instant Pot Duo Plus Mini on sale for just $79.99 in this early Amazon Black Friday deal. The pressure cooker combines nine popular kitchen appliances in one and includes 13 one-touch programs.
PowerXL Vortex Air Fryer Pro Plus 10 Quart: $129 $99 at Walmart
Save $30 - get the PowerXL Vortex Air Fryer on sale for just $99 at Walmart. Perfect for large families, the ten-quart fryer allows you to air fry, rotisserie, bake, roast, dehydrate, make homemade pizza, and so much more to delicious, even doneness.
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The best Black Friday vacuum deals
Hoover WindTunnel XL Bagless Pet Vacuum: $149 $69 at Walmart
A cheap price for a vacuum that's apparently designed to deal with pet hair around the home. The dirt cup included can hold up to 1.5 liters, which should leave you with plenty of capacity for cleaning before you need to empty it out. You're also granted up to 12 feet of extendable cleaning reach with attachments, according to the manufacturer.
Dyson Cyclone V10 Motorhead: $499.99 $427.99 at Amazon
Save over $70 on this cordless stick vacuum cleaner from Dyson. It comes with up to 60 minutes run time, a direct drive motorhead for powerful cleaning, and a fully sealed filtration system traps 99.97 percent of particles as small as 0.3 microns
Shark IQ Robot RV1000 WiFi Vacuum: $394 $199 at Walmart
Save $195 - One of Walmart's online-only headline deals is $100 off this robot vacuum, if you're looking for a more convenient way to keep your home tidy.
iRobot Roomba E5 Robot Vacuum: $379.99 $249 at Amazon
Save $130.99 - Tired of vacuuming the floors? So were we until we got a robot vacuum. These robot helpers sweep up the mess in your house and then head back to their cradle for a good night's rest. Their High-Efficiency Filter traps 99% of cat and dog allergens, while the 3-stage Cleaning System cleans the dirt and dust on the floor.
