Early Black Friday Deals We’ve Spotted
Deals on everything from coffee machines and kayaks to strollers and smart speakers.
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UE Roll
Street Price: $75; Deal Price: $50
While we’ve seen this price a few times, it’s only a few dollars above the best we’ve seen.
The UE Roll 2 is the top pick in our portable Bluetooth speaker guide. We wrote, “It’s the most appealing portable Bluetooth speaker available, the one we’d buy if we could get only one. The Roll 2 represents a marked improvement over what was already a great speaker.”
OXO On 9-Cup Coffee Maker
Street Price: $200; Deal Price: $136
Only a few dollars off from the best price we’ve seen on our coffee maker pick.
This is the top pick in our coffee maker guide. We wrote, “Simply put, the OXO On 9-Cup Coffee Maker makes it easy to brew a really good cup of coffee… Operation is very simple—just spin a dial to indicate the number of cups and press the button. Once that’s done, all you have to do is wait about 6 minutes and the coffee will be ready.”
Netgear R7000P Router
Street Price: $180; Deal Price: $150
The first big Black Friday discount we’ve seen since updating our guide.
The Netgear R7000P is the top pick in our wireless router guide. We wrote, “Right out of the box it will work better than any router you’ve ever had, and you’ll never have to decide which band to connect to. The R7000P features noticeably longer range than previous Nighthawk routers on both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, and its full-featured Web interface is easy for novice and expert users alike.”
Summer Infant 3D Lite Stroller
Street Price: $65; Deal Price: $50
This latest Black Friday deal is $15 below the street price, and a new low on this stroller.
This is the top pick in our umbrella stroller guide. We wrote, “The Summer Infant 3D Lite offers all of the most useful features an umbrella stroller needs to make travel easier, including a quick one-handed (and one-footed) fold, a multiple-position seat recline for naps, a shoulder strap that works well even when you’re also carrying a baby, relatively large wheels that can handle rough terrain, and a capacious and accessible storage basket.
Anker PowerCore 20100
Street Price: $40; Deal Price: $32
The best Black Friday price we’ve seen on a charger that can charge multiple phones at once.
The Anker PowerCore 20100 is the top pick for more power in our USB battery pack and power bank guide. We wrote, “It’s the best value for anyone who needs more power than our everyday picks offer and doesn’t need to fit their battery into a pocket or a small bag. With 74 Wh (20,000 mAh) of capacity, this Anker pack can charge your smartphone every day for a weeklong work trip or keep two devices charged for a long weekend away.”
Bodum Brazil French Press
Street Price: $18; Deal Price: $11
The lowest price we’ve seen on our top pick for best french press.
This is the top pick in our French press guide. We wrote, “The Bodum Brazil produced a clear-flavored and consistent cup of coffee that our tasters liked just as much as coffee brewed in most of the other presses we tested, all of which cost more.”
JOOVY Tricycoo 4.1 Tricycle
Street Price: $130; Deal Price: $71
A new low Black Friday price on our top tricycle, coming in nearly $20 below the previous low.
This is the top pick in our tricycle guide. We wrote, “The Joovy TriCyCoo 4.1 is far more versatile than the shiny-red metal trike or the ground-hugging plastic Big Wheel you had as a kid. The trike can be used as young as 9 months in the first of its four grow-with-me configurations.”
Nespresso Essenza Mini espresso Machine
Street Price: $130; Deal Price: $78
Another drop after a drop yesterday and a new low price on this product but only in black and the lime colors.
This is our Nespresso pick in our espresso machine, grinder, and accessories guide. We wrote, “If you want a decent espresso drink at home, but don’t have the time or patience to practice and learn the ins and outs of making espresso, try Nespresso.”
Nostalgia ICMP400 Ice Cream Maker
Street Price: $30; Deal Price: $25
The best price we’ve seen this year on our budget ice cream maker.
This is the budget pick in our ice cream maker guide. We wrote, “If you’re not ready to commit to an expensive compressor machine, the Nostalgia ICMP400 offers good results, although it requires more work and won’t produce the creamiest textures. This simple machine can make up to 4 quarts of ice cream, easily twice the capacity of the others.”
Thule RideAlong Mini Bike Seat
Street Price: $170; Deal Price: $135
Matches the best price we’ve seen this year on this front bike seat for little kids.
This is our front bike seat pick in our kids bike seat guide. We wrote, “Our favorite front seat? The Thule RideAlong Mini, a lockable, easy-to-mount compact seat that fit every rider who tried it—whether 5-foot-2 or 6 feet—and can carry up to 33 pounds. The footrests grow with your child as do the straps, and it’s easy to swap bikes using the RideAlong Mini Quick Release Bracket.”
West Marine Angler Kayak
Street Price: $600; Deal Price: $480
A rare Black Friday sale on this kayak meant for beginners, which is usually over $100 more.
The West Marine Angler Kayak is the top pick in our guide for the best all-around kayaks for beginners. We wrote that “it’s built with heavy-duty, rotomolded plastic; it offers ample dry storage; and at 12 feet in length, it paddles and tracks well enough for longer excursions, and includes just enough accessories to accommodate most waterborne activities.”
Lillebaby Essentials All Seasons
Street Price: $99; Deal Price: $65
Make sure you’re logged in so you can clip the on-page coupon.
The Lillebaby Esstentials All Seasons is the budget pick in our best baby carriers guide. It has crossable straps that spread the weight of your baby more evenly across your back and mesh panels that help keep the child cool. Even though it doesn’t have all of the functions of our top picks, it’s a great value, especially at this discounted price.
Black+Decker Max Lithium Dustbuster Hand Vacuum
Street Price: $50; Deal Price: $43
The lowest price in 6 months on our budget handheld vacuum.
This is the budget pick in our best handheld vacuum guide. We wrote “the Black+Decker Max Lithium Dustbuster Hand Vacuum CHV1410L is a simpler, cheaper alternative to our main pick. It can’t reach as many awkward spots or get hair off upholstery, but it costs a lot less and still manages to clean most common debris.”
OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker
Street Price: $50; Deal Price: $40
This Black Friday deal matches the best price we’ve seen on this model, which tends to only drops a few times a year.
This is the top pick in our best cold brew coffee maker guide. We wrote, “compared with other cold-brew coffee makers, the OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker produced a more consistent, flavorful cup of coffee, likely thanks to its metal mesh filter. It also looks more attractive, which is important for a piece of equipment that needs to sit on your counter for hours at a time.”
Skip Hop Baby Pronto Portable Changing Station
Street Price: $24; Deal Price: $17
A new low on a changing pad that we rec in our diaper bag guide for those that just want to carry pads in a non-diaper bag.
We recommend the Skip Hop Baby Pronto Portable Changing Station for those who who don’t want to buy an actual diaper bag. We didn’t do a full comparative test of these, but several of the parents on our staff have personally enjoyed using them.
Apple Watch Series 1
Street Price: $280; Deal Price: $210
As low as we’ve seen our (admittedly aging) top Apple watch pick, usually on sale around $230
The Apple Watch Series 1 is the best smartwatch for most iPhone users. We wrote, “though not as fast as the Series 3, the Series 1 is still snappy (and much faster than the original Apple Watch), and has all of the same features that make the Apple Watch appealing to those who want to look at their phones less and view (and respond to) notifications more quickly.”
Oster Jelly Bean
Street Price: $30; Deal Price: $15
New low on our top two-slice toaster in gray.
The Oster Jelly Bean is the top pick in our guide on toasters. We wrote that “this inexpensive and compact two-slot toaster performed as well as models double the price…. and the controls are easy to use and stay cool to the touch, even after toasting multiple batches.”
Kano Computer Kit
Street Price: $120; Deal Price: $100
$20 off on either the 2016 or 2017 versions of our build-your-own computer kit
The Kano Computer Kit is one of the educational toys we recommend to kids interested in electronics and circuitry. We think it’s a great gift for a curious kid of any age who has mastered Lincoln Logs, Erector sets, and LEGOs but isn’t quite up for soldering (or old enough for an electrical engineering degree program).
Thule Gauntlet 3.0 13″ MacBook Pro Retina Sleeve
Street Price: $50; Deal Price: $39
Matches the best price we’ve seen this year on our top hardcase for MacBook laptop sleeve.
This is our pick for the best hardshell MacBook case. We wrote that “the Thule Gauntlet 3.0 has a rigid clamshell design that zips along three of its four edges and can withstand more abuse than a padding-only design.”
Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat
Street Price: $200; Deal Price: $160
$40 off on various models of this car seat for Black Friday. Make sure you’re logged in, since some only show the discount at the final step of checkout.
This is the best infant car seat we’ve tested. We wrote, the Chicco KeyFit 30 performs as well as or better than pricier seats and is measurably safer and easier to use than less expensive ones… It also achieved the best head-impact scores in new laboratory testing that we arranged.”
Fieldcrest Luxury Solid Bath Towels
Street Price: $13; Deal Price: $8
A Black Friday price that matches the low on our top bath towel pick with free shipping.
This is the top pick in our guide on bath towels. We think the Fieldcrest Luxury Solid Bath Towels is “soft and comfortable to use, yet it has proven itself to be long-lasting. It absorbs water as well as far more expensive towels and dries quickly.”
Magformers Magnetic Log Cabin
Street Price: $60; Deal Price: $40
A nice Black Friday deal on a STEM toy we like, $40 with shipping included down from $60.
The Magformers Magnetic Log Cabin is a version of one of the building toys we recommend in our educational toys guide. Not only are the magnets easy to cleanup, but the parents on our staff like how the sets introduce “basic concepts of geometry and engineering” to kids.
National Tree Feel Real Douglas Fir
Street Price: $400; Deal Price: $270
Down even further to $270, a great seasonal price on our artificial tree pick.
This is the top pick in our artificial christmas tree guide. We think the National Tree Feel Real Douglas Fir looks more like a living tree than any other artificial tree we tested. And its 750 LED lights, which can switch from all-white to multicolor, fill its branches nicely.
Command Medium Designer Hooks
Street Price: $10; Deal Price: $5
At about half-off on this essential apartment gear, it’s a great time to stock up.
These adhesive hooks are the best we tested for our gear for small apartments guide. We wrote, “If you just want something to hang your keys on, there’s no need to risk your security deposit by screwing into the walls… the adhesive tape on the back of the Command Medium Designer Hooks sticks firmly to most surfaces but also comes off easily, so you can avoid permanently damaging walls (a common problem with other adhesive hooks).”
Garmin Vívosport Smart Activity Tracker
Street Price: $200; Deal Price: $150
A new low for our top activity tracker pick. This is the best fitness tracker we’ve tested so far.
We wrote, “the Garmin Vívosport nails all the capabilities of a well-rounded fitness tracker by combining an always-visible color display, responsive auto-activity detection with GPS, up-to-seven-day battery life, and accurate continuous heart-rate readings in a wrist-worn band that’s waterproof for swimming.”
Panasonic FlashXpress Toaster Oven
Street Price: $125; Deal Price: $107
One of the better prices in months when you clip the $10 off on-page coupon.
This is the top pick in our toaster oven guide. We wrote that, “compared with the other toaster ovens we tested, the Panasonic FlashXpress cooked food more evenly and didn’t generate any hot spots that might cause inconsistent toasting. It also gives you more accurate control over the shade setting than other models.”
Celestron NexStar 5 SE Telescope
Street Price: $700; Deal Price: $600
A nice Black Friday deal matching the previous one on our best telescope pick.
This is the best amateur telescope we’ve tested. We wrote that “the Celestron NexStar 5SE is a Schmidt-Cassegrain scope, a design that uses both lenses and mirrors in a relatively compact package. It’s primary 5-inch mirror is big enough for a light-gathering capacity that yields crisp images of some of the best objects in our solar system, from Saturn’s rings to Jupiter’s cloud bands.”
Midwest Supplies Beer. Simply Beer. Starter Beer Brewing Kit
Street Price: $170; Deal Price: $60
The first drop we’ve seen on this beer kit for Black Friday, $10 below the street price.
This is the budget pick in our guide for beer brewing kits, which we recommend if you already own a 5-gallon pot. We wrote that the Midwest Supplies Beer. Simply Beer. Starter Beer Brewing Kit features more well-rounded and detailed instructions than some of our other picks and the included recipe is every bit as robust as complex as those of our main picks.
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