Here we go again. Yep, Black Friday 2021 is almost upon us. This year the sales bonanza doesn't officially arrive until November 26, but you know there will be many offers in the weeks before the big day. We still have two months to prepare for this year's Black Friday deals, though, so join us as we guide you through everything you need to know to save the most money.
What do we know, anyway? Well, we've been tracking Black Friday deals for years. By now we know how to sniff out a bargain, so we've rounded up all our top predictions for the discounts we should see in 2021. We'll also let you know exactly what went down last year and you can find all our top tips for making the most of Black Friday 2021.
The best way we can predict how Black Friday will go is by looking back at the last sales event. And it certainly was like no other. In fact, we saw competition heating up in October as many retailers looked to get our attention with an early bargain. There were savings to be had on 4K TVs, headphones, laptops, robot vacuums and Echo devices – just to name a few. You can bet there'll be something for everyone on sale during Black Friday 2021.
We don't know exactly which items will be on offer during Black Friday 2021 just yet. We can, however, use what we know happened last year – plus all of the current year's trends – to work out what to expect from this year's Black Friday deals.
We saw a stunning array of Black Friday deals hitting retailers like Currys, Argos, Amazon and more last year. Discounts dropped as early as October with the delayed Amazon Prime Day kicking things off way ahead of the usual schedule. It's too early to tell whether we'll see early Black Friday deals landing at the same time in 2021, but you know retailers will be looking to repeat those big October numbers once again. Offers have been creeping further up the calendar every year.
Adobe reports that the biggest discounts last year were reserved for the start of Thanksgiving week. While previous savings averaged between 15% and 20% in the weeks leading up to the event itself, the Monday brought those prices crashing down to an average of between 25 and 30%. These average savings discounts were a lot larger last year as well, with the previous cuts maxing out at around 17%.
That means there's plenty to look forward to for Black Friday 2021 and we're keeping this page updated with all the latest news. Once this year's Black Friday deals do start landing, we'll be bringing you all the very best offers right here, so be sure to bookmark this page and come back for more in the coming months.
Black Friday deals: FAQs
When is Black Friday 2021?
Black Friday 2021 will take place on November 26. Don't fret, you've still got some time to prepare for the biggest sales event of the year. However, last year we saw those discounts dropping incredibly early, with retailers offering Black Friday deals as soon as October. 2021 will still look a little different to last year, though we may still see some early offerings this time around as well.
Where will the best Black Friday deals be?
As mentioned, you’ll find the best options if you bookmark this page right now. We're bringing you all the best Black Friday deals as soon as they hit the shelves and will continue to do so throughout the main event itself and the weekend afterwards as well. However, we have found that the best Black Friday deals can be found at a select number of retailers:
Amazon: an all-rounder that regularly price matches competitors
Argos: better for cheaper devices with same day delivery
Currys: great for tech, appliances, and gaming
Ebuyer: low cost gadgets and PC equipment
John Lewis: best for homeware, but also offers excellent tech warranties
Laptops Direct: big discounts on PCs, laptops, and accessories
Very: massive range and regular discounts across departments
How to find the best Black Friday deals in 2021
Getting the best Black Friday deals for you often comes down to how much research you do ahead of the event. Use the time you have in the lead up to the event to make sure you know exactly what you want to get out of the sale. That means going beyond finding a TV brand or laptop model that suits you, but looking at what features and specs you will need to fit into your budget. Double check previous sales to see if your shopping list matches prices that have been seen before so that you stay realistic during this step.
Once you've got your spec and features down, you'll want to consider which parts of your wishlist you can stand to drop if you do spot a particularly low price. That way you'll know exactly what to look for when the heat is on.
Once you've found the deal you're looking for, though, it's also crucial to widen your net and make sure you can't get a better price elsewhere before heading to checkout. Bigger retailers tend to price match each other, but during particularly competitive events like Black Friday they also look to get an edge by offering additional incentives like bundles and free gifts. Of course, we're bringing the best Black Friday deals from around the web, so you can stick with us for the biggest value savings - however, if you are going it alone be sure to check other retailers' offers before committing.
We do generally find that the best Black Friday deals land on the week of the sale itself, with the biggest products seeing discounts during the main event. However, you'll be seeing discounts landing as early as the start of the month in some cases. If you do spot a price that you like but you're hesitant to commit too early, it's worth going for it - especially if it was a deal you were waiting for the end of the month for.
There's a lot less competition in these earlier discounts, which means you might be able to get your hands on some of the bigger savings or more desirable colorways before the crowds swarm. However, we'd recommend keeping your find boxed up until the Black Friday deals are fully over, as you may well see a much better price later on in the month and you can always return your previous purchase.
Can I get cashback on Black Friday deals?
Sometimes, yes. Your debit card or credit card may offer cashback on purchases. It’s definitely worth looking into, not just for Black Friday 2021 but for any online shopping, when you’ll be spending the most online.
Am I protected when I buy on Black Friday?
In general, you should be just as protected as you are when shopping any other time of the year. You’ll want to check on return policies and warranty periods, and you should also make sure you’re shopping at known retailers you trust.
While many deals can seem too good to be true on Black Friday, landing on an unfamiliar website claiming to have a product for pennies on the dollar is a good sign you’re in the wrong place.
Remember that using your credit card also can offer a level of protection, so as long as you have the means to pay it back straight away, using this method can give you more peace of mind.
Many credit cards can help you contest payments if you never receive a product, and some even offer extended warranties on products beyond the one included from manufacturer or retailer.
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 clearly never caught on and 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.
Are Black Friday deals real?
Generally speaking, yes - although there are two kinds of deals. The first has been pre-agreed between brands and retailers, so they’re not as off-the-cuff as you might expect.
The other is sudden price drops, whether that’s an algorithm working out the best way to attract users to buy (as brands like Amazon often will) or just the big names price-matching one another, or pushing the price down further as they look to be the big winner. (We saw something similar with iPads in the US).
As with any sales event you’ll see a mixture of bargains, discounted end-of-line stock and strange things found in the back of a warehouse somewhere. In 2016, consumer magazine 'Which?' accused retailers of some pretty dodgy behavior.
You might notice that some items are cheaper after Black Friday - even as soon as Cyber Monday. But those are part of the natural Christmas discounting period, and our advice is to always grab a deal if you like it, and be prepared to return if it drops lower.
What to expect from Black Friday 2021
Last year, we saw everything from the newest releases to classic devices receiving some of their lowest prices yet. It was an excellent year for TVs, robot vacuums and even the AirPods Pro, though stock limitations in the gaming space meant fewer offers hitting the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox consoles.
Black Friday is one of the most important times of the year for TechRadar to help our readers - we spend weeks ahead of the big day (or weekend) making sure the whole site is ready for people looking for the information they need to help them make the right buying choice. Whether that's knowing which is the best laptop, TV or iPad, or just seeing great deals for them through our Hawk price comparison widget, we've got everything you need to know.
This year, you can expect more Black Friday deals to be hitting in these areas as the next-generation matures through its first year in 2021, and even more discounts on Apple and Amazon's 2020 releases as well.
There was some fierce competition between Amazon and the local UK retailers like Currys, Argos and Very in last year's Black Friday deals, and that's a good sign given payday will fall after the November shopping weekend in 2021 once more. The offers will be better than any general Amazon sale you've seen before.
If trends follow as expected, big-ticket items like 4K TVs with HDR support will see some promising discounts. As 4K technology continues to drop in price, and 8K starts to see more of a place on the shelves, we've seen previously premium displays sitting in the budget category over the past 12 months, which bodes well for extra discounts in this year's Black Friday deals.
You'll find more information on the Black Friday deals we saw last year just below to help you benchmark your expectations for Black Friday 2021.
The best Black Friday deals from last year
Arlo Pro 3 smart security camera system - 2 cameras: £549.99 £379.99 at Amazon
Save £170 - If you were looking to rig up a new home security system, this two camera Arlo Pro 3 kit was £170 off at Amazon in last year's Black Friday deals. Each camera was capable of two-way audio, colour night vision and a 160 degree view, and you could find more kits with more cameras also on sale as well.
3 camera kit: £749.99 £488.99 | 4 camera kit: £899.99 £584.99
Fitbit Sense smartwatch: £299.99 £269 at Amazon
Save £30 - The very latest Fitbit to hit the market was seeing £30 off in Amazon's own Black Friday deals last year. This premium piece of wrist candy was packed with all the latest features - everything you need in an activity tracker was here but you were also getting stress sensors and management, Fitbit ECG, on-wrist skin temperature sensors and a free six month trial for Fitbit Premium.
Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 2-in-1 Chromebook + JBL Tune 600BTNC wireless noise cancelling headphones: £438.99 £329 at Currys
Save £109.99 - This was an excellent deal for anyone looking to get up and running with a cheaper (but still powerful) 2-in-1 Chromebook and a nice set of headphones at the same time. You were getting a fantastic dual-purpose machine here that easily switched between a laptop and a tablet and a pair of JBL's wireless noise cancelling headphones at a great price.
Xbox Wireless Controller Robot White: £54.99 £44.99 at Microsoft
Save £10 - This brilliant Black Friday deal was available the Microsoft Store. The new Xbox controller works on the Xbox Series X and Series S (as well as old Xbox One consoles and PC) with all-round improved ergonomics and impulse trigger.
Apple AirPods 2019 with charging case: £159 £124.37 at Amazon
If you didn't need wireless charging, you could save yourself some cash and pick up the standard 2019 AirPods. While this was undoubtedly a good deal, it was worth noting that we'd been seeing this price since November the year before. There might be more discounts in this year's Black Friday deals.
Krups Opio Pump Espresso coffee machine: £149.99 £74.99 at Argos (save £75)
German company Krups is one of the biggest names in coffee machines, and if you're not a fan of coffee pods, this half-price model was the perfect way to prepare your morning brew. There's also a milk steamer for making cappuccinos and lattes (using the steam from the boiling water).
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live with Wireless Charging: £179 £159 at John Lewis
Save £20 - You could save £20 on Samsung's answer to the Apple AirPods Pro. With noise-cancelling built in, these true wireless earbuds provide great sound wherever you are. Plus, they can be topped up wirelessly thanks to the Qi charging case.
Dyson Cyclone V8 Absolute Extra: £399 £299 at Currys
Save £100 - This step-up cordless vacuum cleaner offers wire-free cleaning with powerful suction, thanks to Dyson's cyclone technology. It lasts 40 minutes between charges, and received a £100 discount in last year's Black Friday deals.
Apple Watch Series 3 (38mm, GPS): £195 £179 at Currys
The Series 3 version of the Apple Watch is something of a sweet spot for value and performance, and this deal saw it equal its lowest ever price. It packs in a heart-rate monitor, GPS and an 18-hour battery life. This deal was also available for the silver/white version, while the larger 42mm model was also on sale for £199.
Samsung TU7100KXXU 43-inch 4K TV: £379 £299 at Currys
Save £80 - This 43-inch Samsung TV was sitting at an excellent price last year, offering excellent 4K resolution, HDR10+ and a 2,000 PQI picture quality. Those are some nice specs on a £300 TV but stock was moving fast on this one.
Samsung Q60T 50-inch UHD HDR QLED 4K TV: £699 £599 at Currys
Save £100 - You were picking up a fantastic display here with an equally amazing £100 discount. There's plenty to get excited about under the hood of this QLED panel, with premium tech offering up crystal clear 4K and intelligent sound.
Nintendo Switch Fortnite Edition: £279 at Currys
You could grab the Fortnite Nintendo Switch for at Currys while stock lasted – this unit had proven to be popular elsewhere. You were getting a unique yellow and blue design here, with the Wildcat bundle and 2000 V-Bucks.
Fitbit Inspire: £69.99 £38.99 at Amazon
Save £31 - If you were just after a super cheap fitness tracker to monitor your activity and sleep (and receive a few smartphone notifications as well) this £50 Fitbit Inspire was just the solution. Plus, this fitness tracker was £10 cheaper than it was earlier in the Black Friday week.
New Amazon Echo Dot + 6 months Amazon Music Unlimited free: £49.99 £28.99 at Amazon
Save £20 - The new Amazon Echo Dot was taking its first price cut in Amazon's Black Friday deals. That meant you could grab it for under £30 - not bad considering the smart speaker was only released the month before and usually came in at £50. Plus, you were even getting six months of Amazon Music Unlimited for free as well.
Surface Pro 7 12.3-inch tablet: £799 £625 at Amazon
Save £174 - This Surface Pro 7 was seeing an incredible discount on the tablet by itself. You were getting an i3 processor, 4GB RAM and a128GB SSD in here, with more discounts available on larger configurations as well.
Asus VivoBook M413 14-inch laptop: £549.99 £429.99 at Amazon
Save £120 - This Asus VivoBook was packing a phenomenal 512GB of SSD storage, which was incredibly rare to see at this £429.99 price tag. You were also getting a Ryzen 5 processor and 8GB RAM to round out this excellent productivity machine.
iRobot Roomba 692 Robotic Vacuum Cleaner (Black): £289.99 £222.99 at Amazon
Save £66 - You didn't get the more powerful functions and elaborate feature set of the pricier Roomba robot vacuums with this model, but it still detects dirt and is controlled via an app.
Sony WH-1000XM3 wireless headphones: £330 £219 at Amazon
Save £111 - This was close to the lowest deal we'd ever seen for these Sony headphones. With over £100 off the original RRP, Amazon was giving you the chance to pick up Sony's excellent, top-of-the-line wireless and noise-cancelling cans for a fraction of the price.
iPhone 12: at Fonehouse | Three | £9.99 upfront | 100GB data | unlimited calls and texts | £45pm
Of all the hundreds and thousands of iPhone 12 deals out there, this one topped the lot. You only had to part ways with a tenner upfront to get the brand new iPhone and soooo much data. Or buy direct from Three for an extra £20.
De'Longhi Scultura espresso machine: £171.89 £139.99 at Amazon
Save £31.90 - Coffee lovers, rejoice! Black Friday deals were extending to coffee machines, allowing us caffeine addicts to get our much-needed fix. Wake up right with this De'Longhi espresso machine which was £31 off. There are a couple of features with this one like the cappuccino system, letting you customise your homebrew with a bit more freedom.
Philips Sonicare ExpertClean 7300: £149.99 £79.99 at Argos
Save £70 - This smart Sonicare toothbrush uses pulses of water to clean deep between your teeth, and includes a carry case and two heads. John Lewis matched this price for Black Friday, but if you bought from Argos you could start using it that evening thanks to same-day Click and Collect.
Oppo A72: at EE | £30 upfront | 10GB data | Unlimited minutes and texts | £29pm + FREE Nintendo Switch
This was an excellent offer in terms of pure value. You were getting the Oppo A72, a free Nintendo Switch and a 10GB of data SIM plan, all for just £29 a month. The Oppo A72, while an affordable phone, has some strong specs, offering a high-end looking design, a massive battery and a decent camera set-up.
Nectar Memory Foam mattress + 2 free pillows: from £484 £289 at Nectar
Save £195 - One of the best Black Friday deals on mattresses was this offer from Nectar, which knocked £125 off the price of its popular medium-firm memory foam mattress, and added two premium pillows worth £70 to your order for free. The mattress comes with an enormous 365-night risk-free trial - if you don't love it within that time you'll get a full refund - and an industry-leading forever warranty. Bargain.
The best Black Friday deals: TVs
LG BX 55-inch OLED: £1,299 £1,098 at Very
Save £200 - There was a £200 discount on this gorgeous LG BX OLED TV at Very in last year's Black Friday deals. With a crisp 120Hz refresh rate, HDMI 2.1 and Nvidia G-Sync built in, this was the perfect pickup for next generation gaming as well. Shipping was pushed to early December on this display - due to the popularity of the price drop.
Hisense 55-inch 4K TV: £399 £369 at Currys
Save £30 - If you were looking for a larger display, you'd be hard pressed to find one cheaper than this. £369 was a fantastic price for a 55-inch TV, and with Hisense's reputation for quality in budget pricing, you weren't skimping on the specs either.
Samsung Q60T 50-inch UHD HDR QLED 4K TV: £699 £599 at Currys
Save £100 - You were picking up a fantastic display here with an equally amazing £100 discount. There's plenty to get excited about under the hood of this QLED panel, with premium tech offering up crystal clear 4K and intelligent sound.
Samsung The Frame 2020 32-inch HD TV: £549 £399 at Currys
Save £150 – You could head to Amazon to get the smallest iteration of Samsung's The Frame TV at its lowest ever price. With Art Mode for displaying artworks and photography, customizable bezels, and a QLED display, this is an HD TV for those who think form should match the picture.
Sony Bravia KD43XH8096BU 43-inch 4K TV: £649 £549 at Currys
Save £100 - A £100 discount was bringing this Sony Bravia 43-inch TV down below £550 in last year's Black Friday deals. That was a great price considering the sheer power of the tech inside here and Sony's reputation as a premium TV brand.
LG CX 55-inch OLED 4K TV: £1,599 £1,299 at Currys
Save £300 - This 55-inch LG CX OLED TV deal brought the price of a gorgeous premium display all the way down to £1,299. That was a further £100 off an earlier discount, making this 55-inch display a hugely attractive option.
The best Black Friday deals: Laptops and computing
Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 2-in-1 Chromebook + JBL Tune 600BTNC wireless noise cancelling headphones: £438.99 £329 at Currys
Save £109.99 - This was an excellent deal for anyone looking to get up and running with a cheaper (but still powerful) 2-in-1 Chromebook and a nice set of headphones at the same time. You were getting a fantastic dual-purpose machine here that easily switched between a laptop and a tablet and a pair of JBL's wireless noise cancelling headphones at a great price.
Asus C523 15.6-inch Chromebook: £329 £279 at Currys
Save £50 - It's rare to find a cheap Chromebook that also offers a full 15.6-inch display, and it's even rarer to find one with a step up from the usual 32GB of storage we see in entry level models. This Asus Chromebook, however, kitted you out with 64GB of storage, an Intel N3350 processor and the usual 4GB RAM for just £279.
HP 23.8-inch all-in-one PC: £699 £499 at Currys
Save £200 - If you wanted to get your desktop PC sorted but didn't want to faff with buying a monitor, tower, and accessories separately, Currys had you sorted. This PC runs a 10th generation i5 processor, 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD and considering you were getting everything you need right here that was a fantastic set of specs for just under £500.
Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1, 2020): £1,299.99 £1,249.97 at Amazon
Save £50 - We weren't expecting this - a brand new 2020 MacBook Pro 13 was on sale at Amazon for Black Friday. OK, so a £50 price cut wasn't exactly a mind-blowing saving, but it was a great little bonus for sure, especially since there was so much buzz around these new MacBook Pros with their M1 chips, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD.
The best Black Friday deals: tablets
Apple iPad Air 4 (2020, 64GB): £709 £672.18 at Amazon
Save £36 - This was the first price cut we'd seen on the brand new 2020 Apple iPad Air 4. We'd already seen the standard 2020 iPad and the 2020 iPad Pros sell out, so you had to hustle if you wanted to bag one.
2020 iPad Pro 11-inch - 128GB: £769 £706.70 at Amazon
Save £63 - The 2020 11-inch iPad Pro was available for just £706 at Amazon. That £63 price drop brought us down to the lowest price we'd ever seen on this model, but that's not all - you could find more versions discounted below as well.
256GB: £869 £816.00 | 512GB: £1,069 £990.20 | 1TB: £1,269 £1,179.20
2020 iPad Pro 12.9-inch - 128GB: £969 £895.69 at Amazon
This wasn't a record low price on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. We'd seen this price flopping over the course of the Black Friday weekend, though, so you had to be quick to grab it before it rose again. Of course, you could save more on bigger configurations as well.
256GB: £1,069 £990.20 | 512GB: £1,269 £1,179.20 | 1TB: £1,469 £1,368.20
Amazon Kindle + 3 months Kindle Unlimited: £69.99 £49.99 at Amazon
The Amazon Kindle with backlight was once again down to its lowest price ever. We'd seen this price drop a few times before, but this was the best price we've seen for the cheapest ereader. Plus, you could also grab three months of Kindle Unlimited for free at the same time. That's excellent value for £49.99.
Kindle Oasis, 8GB Wi-Fi | 3 months Kindle Unlimited: £229.99 £169.99 at Amazon
You could save £60 on the latest Kindle Oasis with its 300ppi 7-inch display, adjustable warm backlight and IPX8 waterproofing. This is perfect for longer reading sessions, and you were even getting three months of the Kindle Unlimited reading service free.
Amazon Fire HD 8: £89.99 £54.99 at Amazon
Save £35 - Amazon's newest Fire tablet, the HD 8, is a mid-size offering that has a HD screen but less screen real estate than its big sibling. This version of the tablet has ads in the software; the ad-free version didn't seem to be on sale.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1-inch tablet - 32GB + free 64GB memory card: £199 £159 at Currys
Save £40 - These tablets were already selling out fast at this price, but Currys then upped the ante - offering up a free Evo Plus 64GB microSD card alongside the £40 discount we'd been seeing at other retailers.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (LTE, 64GB): £399 £299 at Amazon
Save £100 - The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite took another £50 price cut on top of a previous sale. What's more, this price was actually on the LTE version - so you could pair it with a cheap sim-only plan if you want cellular capability for your tablet.
The best Black Friday deals: smartwatches and wearables
Apple Watch Series 5 (40mm, GPS + cellular): £499 £386.10 at Amazon
Save £112.90 - This deal on the smaller size configuration of Apple Watch 5 was originally down to £386.10, but it was then further reduced to £386.10. It came with a cellular connection so you won't need to bring your phone with you everywhere. With a £112 saving this was a great price cut.
Fitbit Sense smartwatch: £299.99 £269 at Amazon
Save £30 - The very latest Fitbit to hit the market was seeing £30 off in Amazon's own Black Friday deals last year. This premium piece of wrist candy is packed with all the latest features - everything you need in an activity tracker is here but you're also getting stress sensors and management, Fitbit ECG, on-wrist skin temperature sensors and a free six month trial for Fitbit Premium.
Fitbit Inspire: £69.99 £38.99 at Amazon
Save £31 - If you were just after a super cheap fitness tracker to monitor your activity and sleep (and receive a few smartphone notifications as well) this £50 Fitbit Inspire was just the solution. Plus, this fitness tracker was £10 cheaper than it was earlier in the week.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Active: £199 £129 at Amazon
Save £70 - The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active saw another reduction, bringing it to £129. This watch forms a halfway point between fitness tracker and smartwatch; you're still getting all the activity monitoring you could ask for, as well as a large circular screen for smartphone notifications and onboard training.
Garmin Vivoactive 3 Music: £249.99 £149.99 at Very
Save £100 - The Garmin Vivoactive 3 Music was an excellent smartwatch for anyone after a cheaper all-rounder with smartphone notifications, excellent fitness tracking, and features we'd usually see on more premium models like Garmin Pay and onboard music. Plus, you were getting it for a great price in Very's Black Friday deals.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 42mm: £259.99 £159 at Currys
Save £100 - This was the lowest ever price for Samsung's smartwatch, which we described as "still one of the most refined smartwatches you can buy today". It combines an attractive design, user-friendly interface and a four-day battery life.
Garmin Forerunner 645 Music: £349.99 £199.99 at Argos
Save £150 - There was a fantastic discount available on the Garmin Forerunner 645 Music fitness tracker in Argos's own Black Friday deals. That means you could get all the activity monitoring you could ask for with music and Garmin Pay functionality for an excellent price.
The best Black Friday deals: Smartphones and plans
iPhone 12: at Fonehouse | Three | £9.99 upfront | 100GB data | unlimited calls and texts | £45pm
Of all the hundreds and thousands of iPhone 12 deals out there, this one topped the lot. You only had to part ways with a tenner upfront to get the brand new iPhone and soooo much data. Or buy direct from Three for an extra £20.
iPhone 12: at iD Mobile | £89.99 upfront with code IDM10OFF| 20GB data | unlimited minutes and texts | £37.99pm
Out of all of the iPhone 12 deals we'd seen since Apple launched the phone, this was the cheapest yet. It provided 20GB of data for just £37.99 a month and £89.99 upfront - that was an extra tenner off the price thanks to our exclusive IDM10OFF discount code.
Google Pixel 5 128GB: from Mobiles.co.uk | Vodafone | £90 upfront (use code TRPIX5) | 60GB data | Unlimited minutes and texts | £26pm
An affordable monthly rate, a boatload of data that should more than do the job month-to-month, and a TechRadar exclusive discount code that brought your upfront cost down from £115 to just £90. What could be better? Oh, the fantastic Pixel 5 handset, too.
iPhone 11: at Fonehouse | EE | £140 upfront (use code TRBF19) | 15GB data | Unlimited minutes and texts | £26 a month
The cheapest iPhone 11 tariff available, you could get an even better bang for your buck with our exclusive Black Friday code. Plenty of data calls and texts, and it's on the UK's fastest 4G network, too!
iPhone SE: at Fonehouse | EE | 24 months | £20 upfront (use code TRBF79) | 2GB data | Unlimited calls and texts | £20 per month
Don't need much data? There was absolutely no beating this iPhone SE deal. It cost just £20 a month and when you use the code TRBF79 you could save £79 upfront, leaving you paying just £20 at the start. That price got you 2GB of data on EE - the UK's fastest 4G network.
iPhone 12 Pro: at Three | £49 upfront | 100GB data | Unlimited calls and texts | £55 per month
This offer from Three was easily the best option for those who needed a lot of data. Three could supply you with 100GB while only charging £55 a month and £49 upfront. Overall, that brought it far below a lot of the competing deals out there.
Samsung Galaxy S20 5G at Virgin | FREE upfront | 1GB data | Unlimited minutes and texts | £29/pm
As one of Samsung's latest flagships, the Galaxy S20 5G didn't come cheap. However, in this Virgin Mobile offer, you would pay less than £30 a month for 1GB of data and unlimited minutes and texts across a 36-month period. Complete with 5G connectivity, you really couldn't go wrong with this exceptional handset.
The best Black Friday deals: headphones and audio
Sony WH-1000XM3 wireless headphones: £330 £219 at Amazon
Save £27 - This was close to the cheapest deal we'd ever seen for these Sony headphones. With over £100 off the original RRP, Amazon was giving you the chance to pick up Sony's excellent, top-of-the-line wireless and noise-cancelling cans for a fraction of the price.
Samsung Galaxy Buds+ with Wireless Charging: £159 £129 at John Lewis
Save £30 - You could save £30 on the Galaxy Buds+ true wireless earbuds, which also came with a wirelessly charging case for easy top-ups. They also offer better sound quality and an extended battery life than their predecessors.
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live with Wireless Charging: £179 £159 at John Lewis
Save £20 - You could save £20 on Samsung's answer to the Apple AirPods Pro. With noise-cancelling built in, these true wireless earbuds provide great sound wherever you are. Plus, they could be topped up wirelessly thanks to the Qi charging case.
Jabra Elite Active 65t true wireless earbuds: £169.99 £99 at Amazon
Save £70 - Looking for something more sports-friendly? Designed for athletes, these earbuds are sweat-resistant and feature a built-in motion sensor that let you track fitness efforts – and were £70 off.
Beats Solo 3 wireless headphones: £179 £125 at AO
Save £54 - The Beats Solo 3 headphones were ageing slightly, which is why it was the perfect time for a £50 price cut. We'd previously seen these headphones going for £159 on sale, so you were getting a particularly strong discount here.
Sony WF-1000XM3 true wireless earbuds: £220 £149 at Amazon
Save £71 - An excellent price on Sony's famous WF-1000XM3 earbuds. With powerful noise cancellation, punchy sound, up to 32 hours of battery and Alexa compatibility and more, there's plenty of features packed into this price tag. Plus, you were saving an extra £20 over the usual sales price on this model which made this the cheapest the buds had ever been.
Apple AirPods Pro: £249 £198 at Very
Very was offering the ANC AirPods Pro for just £199. This was a popular price that many retailers had picked up in last year's Black Friday deals, and it was a great one too. We'd seen Amazon UK offering £199, too, but stock was going in and out.
Bose QuietComfort 35 II: £329.95 £209.99 at Amazon
Save £120 - We'd only seen the Bose QuietComfort 35 II noise canceling headphones drop to £279 in the past, before they seemed to have settled on a £299 price tag. That made this deal all the more special, and what's more, it was for the traditionally more expensive limited edition Triple Midnight headphones.
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700: £349.95 £269.10 at Amazon
Save £80 - These Bose cans were among the best noise-cancelling headphones you can buy in 2020, and with just over £70 off, they were a steal, boasting fantastic ANC, great audio performance, and a sleek design.
The best Black Friday deals: Gaming and consoles
Nintendo Switch Lite | Mario Kart 8 | Minecraft: £259.99 £229.99 at Very
Save £30 - If you were looking to get up and running with your Nintendo Switch Lite as soon as possible this multi-game bundle was just the trick. You were getting the fan favourite kart racer straight from the off here (though you might want to pick up some extra Joy-Con for multiplayer) as well as Minecraft - for £30 off.
Seagate 2TB external HDD for PS4: £74.99 £59.99 at Very
Save £15 - If you'd managed to get your hands on a PS5 you'd want to keep all that speedy SSD storage free for your beautiful PS5 titles. Keeping your PS4 games on an external hard drive will help make that happen, and this was an excellent discount from Very. We actually bought this deal as soon as we saw it as stock was running out quickly at other retailers - so you'd have to move fast.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 3 month subscription: £29.99 £24.85 at Shopto
You could save £5 on a three-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, with access to around 200 curated Xbox games you can download and play at your convenience. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate throws in online play and support for PC as well. Available as digital edition only.
PS Plus 12-month membership: £49.99 £32.85 at ShopTo
Save £17 - Get 12 months of unlimited online game playing - including 24 free games, chosen by Sony, that cover a range of genres and styles. This deal gave you 34% off the asking price that you'd have to pay at any other time of year.
Razer Naga Trinity Gaming Mouse: £99.99 £49.99 at Argos
Save £50 - A slick gaming mouse that was half price at Argos for Black Friday, the Razer Naga Trinity offers interchangeable side plates for different button configurations, a 16,000 DPI 5G optical sensor, and coloured lighting.
The best Black Friday deals: smart home
New Amazon Echo Dot + 6 months Amazon Music Unlimited free: £49.99 £28.99 at Amazon
Save £20 - The new Amazon Echo Dot was taking its first price cut in Amazon's Black Friday deals. That meant you could grab it for under £30 - not bad considering the smart speaker was only released the month before and usually came in at £50. Plus, you were even getting six months of Amazon Music Unlimited for free as well.
Amazon Echo Dot (3rd gen): £39.99 £18.99 at Argos
Save £21 - The Amazon Echo Dot smart speaker was less than half price at both Amazon and Argos for Black Friday, but only Argos had enough stock left to last the full weekend.
Google Nest Mini (2nd gen) £49 £19 at Currys
Save £30 - This new low price for the latest Nest Mini meant it had huge stocking filler potential, particularly for Android fans. It has a stylish mesh fabric, surprisingly clear mid-range sound and now comes with Bluetooth for wireless tunes.
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K: £49.99 £29.99 at Amazon
Save £20 - If you're rocking a UHD display, you'd want to invest a little more in the 4K Fire Stick. With a £20 saving this model was back down to its lowest price yet this week - excellent news if your fancy new TV didn't offer all the latest apps.
Philips Hue Starter Kit (E27): £135.99 £63.99 at Currys
Save £72 - You could get a massive 50% off this Philips Hue starter kit, which included the bridge and two colour E27 bulbs. Hue remains the gold standard for smart light bulbs, which can sync with your films, music or gaming – or just bring some relaxing ambience to your home working space.
Ring Video Doorbell 3: £179 £119 at Amazon
Save £60 - The Ring Video Doorbell 3 was at its lowest price ever in last year's Black Friday deals, giving smart home users a prime opportunity to snag the latest device for a real steal. With improved sensor detection, WiFi, 1080p HD video and two-way audio, the Video Doorbell 3 is a fantastically handy little device to have in your home.
The best Black Friday deals: Mattresses
Nectar Memory Foam mattress:
Save £195 - This cracking Black Friday deal was one of the best we'd seen on a mattress. You could save £100 on Nectar's popular medium-firm memory foam mattress, and you got two premium pillows worth £70 added to your order for free. The Nectar Memory Foam mattress comes with a 365-night risk-free trial, and a forever warranty too.
Emma Original mattress: from £329 £213.85 with code: Superblack36 at Emma
Save up to £244 - The award-winning Emma Original is a superb, medium-firm memory foam mattress: we think it's the best you can buy. It's extremely comfortable, supportive and durable - we've had ours for two years and still love it. With our exclusive Black Friday deal, you could save 35%: just add code: Black35 at checkout.
Nectar Essential bundle: from (£669) £435 + free delivery | Nectar
Save up to £397- For an even better-value Black Friday mattress deal, you could choose the Nectar Essential bundle. For just over £30 more than the Nectar Memory Foam mattress normally cost, you'd get two premium pillows (worth £70), a mattress protector (from £50), sheet set (from £65) and duvet (from £70) added to your order for free. That's a bargain.
Simba Hybrid mattress: from £869 £564.85 at Simba
Save up to £340 - Simba's best-selling five-layer hybrid mattress mixes cushioning foam with supportive springs for an extremely comfortable night's sleep (we've tested one and loved it). It averages a full five stars from over 53,000 user reviews on the Simba site, and comes with a 200-night risk-free trial so you can try it safely in your own home.
OTTY Hybrid mattress: from £399.99 £299.99 at OTTY
Save up to £200 - The OTTY Hybrid is the flagship mattress from OTTY. This medium-firm mattress boasts 2,000 16cm springs (they're much taller than the springs in the Simba Hybrid) for tailored pressure relief, and a layer of temperature-regulating memory foam. It comes with a 100-night trial, and last year there was up to a £200 discount depending on which size you choose.
The best Black Friday deals: Home & Kitchen
De'Longhi Scultura espresso machine: £171.89 £139.99 at Amazon
Save £31.90 - Coffee lovers, rejoice! Black Friday deals were extending to coffee machines, allowing us caffeine addicts to get our much-needed fix. Wake up right with this De'Longhi espresso machine which was £31 off. There are a couple of features with this one like the cappuccino system, letting you customise your homebrew with a bit more freedom.
Krups Opio Pump Espresso coffee machine: £149.99 £74.99 at Argos
Save £75 - German company Krups is one of the biggest names in coffee machines, and if you're not a fan of coffee pods, this half-price model was the perfect way to prepare your morning brew. There's also a milk steamer for making cappuccinos and lattes (using the steam from the boiling water).
Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker £84.99 £59.99 at Amazon
This was a great deal on one of the most popular Instant Pot models at Amazon, which had a big price cut of £25 (though it was previously £4 cheaper). The Instant Pot Duo is a 7-in-1 multi-cooker, pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, yoghurt maker, steamer and warmer all rolled into one. A few of the Duo models were discounted this Black Friday, but this version has a 5.7 litre capacity.
SodaStream Genesis Sparkling Water Maker £99.99 £59.99 at Amazon
Save £40 - A great Christmas gift, the SodaStream Genesis instantly transforms tap water to make lightly sparkling or fully fizzy drinks. It features a snap-lock bottle system that makes it easy to make carbonated drinks fast and you could find it with an impressive 40% off at Amazon this Black Friday.
Kenwood Prospero stand mixer: £232.99 £99.99 at Argos
Save £133 - Kitchenaid stand mixers are great, but they're also huge and weigh a ton. This neat little Kenwood mixer will do the job just fine in most kitchens and even comes with a blender attachment for soups, smoothies and purees. Both the head and the attachment move (with what Kenwood calls a planetary action) so you won't need to worry about unmixed cake batter around the edge of the bowl. It was less than half price at Argos in last year's Black Friday deals - a tasty offer indeed.
The best Black Friday health and beauty deals
Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 4300 electric toothbrush: £139.99 £49.99 at Amazon
Granted, we hadn't seen this Philips Sonicare toothbrush go above £70 in the last year - but £49.99 was a great price for the smart toothbrush in Amazon's Black Friday deals.
Philips Sonicare ExpertClean 7300: £149.99 £79.99 at Argos (save £70)
Save £70 - This smart Sonicare toothbrush uses pulses of water to clean deep between your teeth, and includes a carry case and two heads. John Lewis matched this price for Black Friday, but if you bought from Argos you could start using it that evening thanks to same-day Click and Collect.
Braun Series 9 electric shaver: £225 £189.99 at Amazon
This was an excellent price on the Braun Series 9 electric shaver, though we hadn't actually seen that £500 RRP for quite some time. You'd usually be paying between £200 and £250 for this model, but £189.99 was still the lowest price we'd seen yet.
GHD Original Styler professional straighteners: £109 £80.99 at Amazon
Save £28 - The Original GHD straighteners were coming in at just £80 in Amazon's own Black Friday deals. You're getting a speedy 30 second heat up time here, and automatic sleep mode will safety turn the device off if unused for 30 minutes.
The best Black Friday vacuum deals
Bosch cordless vacuum: £199.99 £99.99 at Argos
Save £100 - This cordless vacuum cleaner was half price at Argos last Black Friday, and came with a detachable hand-held vacuum that's perfect for stairs, curtains and tricky areas. The whole thing weighs just 2.5kg, so it's super easy to carry around the house, too.
Shark Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Vacuum Cleaner: £349.99 £199.99 at Argos
Save £150 - Yes, it was that anti-hair wrap vacuum cleaner, and there was a huge £150 off at Argos for Black Friday. If you're forever struggling with hair from your pet, your loved ones or your own head clogging up the brushes on your vacuum, it could be a game-changer.
Dyson Cyclone V8 Absolute Extra: £399 £299 at Currys
Save £100 - This step-up cordless vacuum cleaner offered wire-free cleaning with powerful suction, thanks to Dyson's cyclone technology. It lasts 40 minutes between charges, and had a £100 discount.
iRobot Roomba 692 Robotic Vacuum Cleaner (Black): £289.99 £222.99 at Amazon
Save £67 - You didn't get the more powerful functions and elaborate feature set of the pricier Roomba robot vacuums with this model, but it still detects dirt and is controlled via an app. Worth considering if you want one without breaking the bank.
The best Black Friday deals on toys
Lego Super Mario Toad's Treasure: £74.99 £59.99 at Smyth's (save £15)
The Lego Super Mario range was new for 2020, so a hearty saving like this was great to see. You'll need the Super Mario starter kit to utilize this expansion, but Smyth's has savings on loads of other Lego Super Mario kits too which you can find here.
Lego Star Wars Tantive IV Cruiser: £179.99 £149.99 at Smyth's
Save £30 - This classic Star Wars ship from the opening moments of the first-ever film – it's the Rebel Blockade Runner carrying Princess Leia that's captured by the Empire – can be yours in Lego form. The set comes with Leia, C3PO, R2D2 and more, and has over 1,700 pieces.
Lego Minecraft The Illager Raid: £64.99 £57.99 at Amazon
This set features three Minecraft locations: A flat-roof desert house, trading post and a field with crops to be defended against ravaging Illagers, complete with the iconic Minecraft piggy. Oink!
The best Black Friday deals: beer, wine and spirits
Beer Hawk Black Friday mixed larger case: £45 £30 at Beer Hawk
Beer Hawk's exclusive Black Friday offer could score you a case of 25 premium lagers for just £30 - and with speedy delivery too. You'll get a selection of lagers from these four well-known breweries - Pistonhead, Camden, Pacifico, Freedom, with options to double up to a case of 50 beers for just £50 too.
Beerwulf Black Friday sale: 30% off loose bottles & cans, plus 10% off kegs
The Beerwulf Black Friday sale was a great opportunity to bag some cheap (or premium beer) if you're looking to mix and match without buying a crate. The selection included 58 distinct beers of varying types, although you could also buy cases with a smaller 10% off if you chose too.
Masters of Malt Black Friday flash sale: save on whiskey, rum and gin
If spirits are more your thing, you could head on over to peruse Masters of Malt's Black Friday flash sale - which was a constantly revolving door of fantastic price cuts. It wasn't just premium whiskeys on sale either, there was also some really reasonably priced rums, gins, and even some cognac on sale too.
The best Black Friday deals: software
Bitdefender Antivirus Plus | 1 year | £39.99 £12 | 70% off
Not only was this one of the cheapest antivirus deals, it was coming from the world's best provider. Bitdefender come with some of the best virus protection in the game, plus loads of features. Or cover all your devices with Bitdefender Total Security for only £21 for the year.
NordVPN | 2 years | £2.86 per month | 3 months free
NordVPN is the biggest name in VPN and it had its own Black Friday offer last year. You could sign up for its already-great value 2-year plan and it will pop on a complimentary 3 months free. A great choice for the security conscious, and those wanting a tool for international streaming and to unblock websites.
Surfshark | 2 years + 3 months free | £1.67 per month | 83% saving
A solitary payment of £45 would give you 27 months of outstanding VPN service - that's thanks to its Black Friday deal that has thrown in an extra three months free. Surfshark once again establishes itself as a great cheap VPN with this promotion.
ExpressVPN | 1 year | £5.27 per month | 3 months FREE
If you just want the best VPN in the business, then look no further than ExpressVPN. With fast speeds, 24/7 live chat, and excellent encryption, ExpressVPN is TechRadar's #1 trusted service for privacy and unblocking content worldwide. You could get it in last year's Black Friday deals with a no-hassle 30-day money-back guarantee AND 15 months for the price of 12. Fantastic value.