When we choose our top Black Friday deals, it’s not just about the discount. We’re thinking about who’s on your holiday shopping list, and what you’ve got your eye on for yourself. This year, our picks for the best online Black Friday deals of 2018 include laptops, air fryers, weight blankets, a TV for every budget, and more.
Before we dive in, we have some Black Friday shopping tips for you.
Know what you’re going to buy, as well as when and where to buy it.
Don’t just make a list – make a schedule. Use our collection of Black Friday circulars to research, and read the fine print on every item that catches your eye. Is it going to be available online, or is it exclusively in-store with limited quantities? Is it only on sale at a particular time?
Stay on mission, stay on budget.
If you go in without a plan, you’re going to spend more than you need to, or you’re going to hesitate and miss an opportunity, or both.
Download the Brad’s Deals app.
Our team will be posting the best Black Friday deals all day every day from now through the holidays and beyond, including deals from retailers who don’t publish circulars, who you’d never thought to check. The Brad’s Deals app is available for both iOS and Android.
Set up deal alerts on the items your looking for.
If you’re waiting for the perfect deal on something specific, our Deal Alerts feature is for you. Just create an alert for your item (eg. “cashmere sweater” or “North Face”) and we’ll send you a note when we post a deal that matches your alert.
Use a credit card for major purchases to lock in extra benefits.
Big ticket items like televisions, major appliances, and anything that comes with a warranty should be paid for with a credit card, even if you have the cash ready to go. The reason for this is that credit cards often provide extra warranty protections that cash does not, and many also offer price protection programs that allow you to file a refund claim for the difference if the price drops later (Citi Price Rewind is a well known example). To make this work even more to your advantage, use a cash back credit card or your favorite rewards credit card. Brad’s Deals finance editor Mark Jackson has additional thoughts about the best credit cards for Black Friday shopping. No matter what card you prefer, use your cash savings to pay off the card right away and avoid interest charges.
Is your favorite Black Friday deal sold out?
Set up a Deal Alert now and we’ll let you know right away when we find a great deal on whatever you’re looking for.
Why isn’t Amazon on the list?
As of our publication date, Amazon has not yet released a formal preview of its Black Friday deals. They’re running “early Black Friday deals” all through November, but we don’t yet know what the deals will be come Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday.
That said, our list below covers popular items and categories, including some big ticket doorbusters, and Amazon has a history of aggressively price matching those deals for their Black Friday sale. Our advice is that if you’d rather buy something at Amazon, check the price there and we won’t be at all surprised if you find that it’s the same as at Walmart, Target, or Best Buy.
The 30 Best Online Black Friday Deals of 2018
32″ Polaroid LED TV
Black Friday Price: $79.99 (was $129.99)
Where: Target (pg 8)
If you’re looking for the single cheapest TV you can buy online on Black Friday, then this is the one. It’s no frills – just an LED with 720p and no smart features – but pop a streaming device like a Roku, Chromecast, or Fire Stick into one of its three HDMI ports and this small set is ready to roll. Pay with your REDcard to score an extra 5% off.
55″ Toshiba 4K Smart with HDR Fire TV Edition
Black Friday Price: $349.99 (was $479.99)
Where: Best Buy (pg 7)
Our pick for the best TV under $500 is this 55″ Toshiba at Best Buy. The Fire TV integration is intuitive, and reviewers have been universally impressed, agreeing that it hits the sweet spot for both high quality and affordability.
65″ Sharp 4K Roku Smart TV
Black Friday Price: $398 (Special Buy)
Where: Walmart (pg 1)
For large best TV, we like this 65″ Sharp with built-in Roku. It’s a Special Buy at Walmart, meaning the model is likely produced just for the Black Friday sale, but Sharp is a well-known, reliable brand and you’re getting a lot of acreage for the price.
Eques Elf Smart Plugs (package of 4)
Black Friday Price: $29.99 (was $129.99)
Where: Newegg (pg 17)
One of our favorite smart home deals this year is this 4-pack of Eques Elf smart plugs. Whether you’ve chosen to go with Google Home or Alexa (or both?) these smart plugs will work with it and the price is the lowest we’ve seen. In April, we saw these exact same plugs marked down to $75, so seeing them for $30 here is pretty exciting.
Ring Video Doorbell Pro and Chime Pro Bundle
Black Friday Price: $179.99 (was $299.99)
Where: Best Buy (pg 37)
Bonus: Free Amazon Echo Dot (3rd gen)
One of the most requested deals of the year from our readers has been for the Ring Video Doorbell. Best Buy delivers the goods here, bundling the doorbell and chime for a very good price, and then throwing in a free Amazon Echo Dot valued at $49.99 to really sweeten the deal. This was also one of our favorite deals from Best Buy’s early Black Friday sale earlier this month.
Arlo Security System with 3 Wire-Free HD Cameras
Black Friday Price: $189.99 (was $349.99)
Where: Newegg (pg 17)
Another popular reader request. The last time we posted a deal on this 3-camera security system was in August for $250, so the Black Friday discount is substantial.
Xbox One S 1TB Minecraft Creators Console Bundle + 1,000 Minecoins
Black Friday Price: $199.99 (was $299.99)
Where: Kohl’s (pg 1)
Bonus: $60 Kohl’s Cash
The Minecraft Creators bundle is $199.99 everywhere you look, but only at Kohl’s will you get something extra: $60 Kohl’s Cash to spend on a future purchase, very handy to have on hand for further holiday shopping.
HP Laptop 14″ with 8GB Memory 1TB HD
Black Friday Price: $319.99 (was $479.99)
Where: Staples (pg 1)
When choosing our best Black Friday deal on a laptop, we looked mainly at memory and hard drive capacity. This HP is the lowest price we found on any laptop sporting 8GB of memory and a 1TB hard drive.
HP DeskJet 2624 Wireless AIO Instant Ink Ready Printer
Black Friday Price: $19.99 (was $49.99)
Where: Best Buy (pg 32)
Best Buy offers a $20 printer every Black Friday and it’s always a hit. You’ll pay more to replace the ink cartridges.
iPhone 8, 8+, X
Where: Walmart (pg 11)
Bonus: $400 Walmart Gift Card
The best deal on a new iPhone is this one from Walmart. The added value of the $400 Walmart gift card is more compelling than the much smaller discounts we’ve seen elsewhere. You’ll need to schedule an appointment online and head to the store to take advantage of the deal, and a qualified activation is required.
iPad Mini 4 128GB WiFi
Black Friday Price: $249.99 (was $349.99)
Where: Target or Best Buy
Target and Best Buy are tied for the lowest price on an iPad Mini 4. If you’ve got a REDcard, you should buy it at Target to shave another 5% off your total. Otherwise, where you pick it up is a matter of personal preference.
Fitbit Alta HR
Black Friday Price: $79.99 (was $129.99)
Where: Kohl’s (pg 3)
Bonus: $15 Kohl’s Cash
From the Versa to the Charge 3, there are plenty of Fitbit activity trackers out there, but our pick for the best value of Black Friday 2018 is this Fitbit Alta HR at Kohl’s, where the price is just right. It’s excluded from further coupon discounts, but the $15 Kohl’s cash incentive doesn’t hurt.
Beats X Wireless Earphones
Black Friday Price: $75 (was $109)
Where: Walmart (pg 8)
These wireless Beats earphones are the lowest price we’ve ever seen, beating the previous price low by $14.
Tranquility 12-lb Weighted Blanket
Black Friday Price: $50.99 after 15% off coupon (was $139.99)
Where: Kohl’s (pg 31)
Bonus: $15 Kohl’s Cash
Deals on trendy weighted blankets have been rare until just recently, and this is easily one of the best deals we’ve ever seen. Even better, the 15% off coupon in the ad will reduce the price to $50.99! The Kohl’s Black Friday ad doesn’t mention the size, but the manufacturer lists it at 48″ x 72″.
The Big One Reversible Down-Alternative Comforters
Black Friday Price: $16.99 after 15% off coupon (was $119.99)
Where: Kohl’s (pg 29)
All sizes of these reversible down-alternative comforters are $16.99 after coupon during the Kohl’s Black Friday sale, one of the lowest prices we’ve ever seen.
Instant Pot DUO 7-in-1 6qt Pressure Cooker
Black Friday Price: $59.49 after 15% off coupon (was $139.99)
Where: Kohl’s (pg 1)
Bonus: $15 Kohl’s Cash
If you still haven’t hopped on the Instant Pot craze, this is the most affordable that the most popular model has ever been. The 15% off coupon will reduce the checkout price to $59.49, and you’ll get $15 back in Kohl’s Cash on top of that. We usually consider it to be a good deal when we see it for $76 plus Kohl’s Cash, and this price beats that one by $16.50!
Toastmaster Kitchen Electrics
Black Friday Price: $2.14 after 15% off coupon and $14 mail-in rebate (was $29.99)
Where: Kohl’s (pg 19)
These small kitchen electrics are always a favorite. They’re not top of the line, but for $2 and change, they don’t need to be. They will cost $16.14 after coupon at checkout on Black Friday, but then you can get $14 back through a mail-in rebate.
Gourmia 6qt Air Fryer
Black Friday Price: $49.99 (was $99.99)
Where: Best Buy (pg 47)
The Black Friday ads are flooded with air fryers this year, but many of the doorbuster deals have a capacity of 2 quarts or less. We like this 6 quart Gourmia model at Best Buy because it’s the best combination of size and affordability.
Cooks 4-Slice Toaster Oven
Black Friday Price: $4.99 after $20 mail-in rebate (was $60)
Where: JCPenney (pg 5)
Toaster ovens are suddenly everywhere. Most of the deals are for 4-slice models, and this one from JCPenney comes in with the lowest price – though it should be noted that there’s a $20 mail-in rebate involved.
Krups Smokeless Grill
Black Friday Price: $129.99 (was $214.99)
Where: Macy’s (pg 2)
Grilling is no longer a summer-only activity thanks to smokeless grills, another kitchen trend that’s turning out great deals lately. This Krups smokeless grill gets a very nice discount at Macy’s during their Black Friday sale.
Pyrex 24pc Storage Set
Black Friday Price: $15.49 after 15% off coupon (was $59.99)
Where: Kohl’s (pg 22)
Most of the big Black Friday retailers have their own version of this Pyrex food storage set, but we like this one at Kohl’s best, where the 15% off coupon reduces the price to $25.49 and a mail-in rebate takes off another $10.
Calphalon Classic 10pc Hard-Anodized Cookware Set
Black Friday Price: $127.49 after 15% off coupon (was $249.99)
Where: Kohl’s (pg 23)
Bonus: $30 Kohl’s Cash
There are certainly cheaper cookware sets out there, but Calphalon is a premium brand. We’ve seen a lower price tag at Macy’s, but that deal didn’t come with $30 Kohl’s Cash, making this one the best deal we’ve ever seen.
iRobot Roomba 677 Wi-Fi Robot Vacuum
Black Friday Price: $212.49 after 15% off coupon (was $449.99)
Where: Kohl’s (pg 17)
Bonus: $60 Kohl’s Cash
This is the best Roomba deal we found advertised for the Black Friday sales. The price falls to $212.49 when you apply the 15% off coupon mentioned in the ad, and you’ll get $60 back in Kohl’s Cash.
Dyson V6 Origin Cord-Free Vacuum
Black Friday Price: $159 (was $199)
Where: Walmart or Jet.com
This is the lowest price we’ve seen on a Dyson V6 Origin Cord-Free vacuum, which gets high marks from reviewers. You’ll find the Black Friday deal at Walmart or Jet.com (which is owned by Walmart.)
Women’s Charter Club Cashmere Sweaters
Black Friday Price: $39.99 (was $139-$159)
Where: Macy’s (pg 14)
Another Black Friday deal making multiple appearances in our “best” list over the years. These luxuriously soft, highly giftable cashmere sweaters at Macy’s are never more affordable than they are during Black Friday, and they come in a variety of colors in both a v-neck and round neckline.
Women’s Boots from $19.99
Black Friday Price: $19.99 (was $39.99-$69.99)
Where: Kohl’s, JCPenney, Belk, Bealls Florida, and Stage
Women’s boots for $20 are virtually a Black Friday tradition. Look for these at just about any department store, including Kohl’s, JCPenney, Belk, Bealls Florida, and Stage.
Men’s Fruit of the Loom Fleece Sleep Pants
Black Friday Price: $4 (Special Buy)
Where: Walmart (pg 29)
Anytime you find soft and warm fleece sleep pants like these for $4, picking up a pair or two is a no-brainer. We’re big fans of affordable comfort.
Kids Puffer Jackets
Black Friday Price: $15.99 (was $75-$85)
Where: Macy’s (pg 19)
Macy’s turned up with the lowest price we found on puffer jackets for the kids. We love the faux fur trim on the hoods and the color variety.
Jetson Rogue Hoverboard
Black Friday Price: $100 (was $149.99)
Where: Target (pg 52)
The hoverboard trend continues yet another year. If you’re in the market, we like the Jetson Rogue Hoverboard, coming in at $100 at Target. Use your REDcard to shave an extra $5 off the price.