What to buy on Black Friday

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Black Friday is almost upon us, which means shoppers of a certain persuasion will be getting ready to wrestle in the aisles to make sure they get their hands on the best pre-Christmas bargains.

If you want to make sure you bag the biggest discounts, but don’t fancy a black eye as part of the bargain, then it makes sense to avoid the crowds and do your deal-hunting online. Whether you’re in the market for a brand new TV for a winter box-set binge, or after a new console to tick off the kids’ Christmas list, you could save some serious money by doing your shopping over the Black Friday weekend, which kicks off on November 23rd, this year.

Here are six of the best big ticket items you should consider buying this Black Friday.

What are the best Black Friday big ticket bargains?

A new TV

Televisions are constantly getting bigger, better, flatter and even higher definition, but if you want the best set in your living room, it could set you back the best part of a months’ wages.

But buying on Black Friday could see you make significant savings, with hundreds of pounds knocked off the list price of some of the top models. Last year, for instance, Amazon knocked almost a third off the price of a brand new Sony Bravia KD65XE7002 4K HDR TV, reducing it to £1,079 from £1,500.

Which television should I buy?

If it’s a huge, top of the range telly you’re after, look out for discounts on the Panasonic TX-65FZ952B OLED HDR 4K Ultra HD Smart TV, 65″ or the LG OLED65C8PLA 65″ 4K Ultra HD HDR OLED Smart TV with 5 Year Warranty. Both sets come with stunning sound and visuals, but clock in at over £2,500.

If your budget doesn’t stretch quite that far, the Samsung UE50NU7400 50-Inch Dynamic Crystal Colour 4K Ultra HD Certified HDR Smart TV and the LG 50UK6500PLA 50-Inch UHD 4K HDR Smart LED TV with Freeview Play offer great value, big screen deals.

Check out  what’s on offer at Amazon.

A new games console

It’s been a few years since the PS4 and Xbox One next gen consoles were launched, but because slimmer and more powerful models are constantly being introduced, this means prices have remained pretty constant.

The good news is, Black Friday discounts usually mean you can get your hands on the latest console for under £200 – last year, a 500GB Sony PS4 with FIFA 18, GT Sport and Knowledge is Power was selling for £199.99, down from £275.85.

It’s also worth keeping an eye out for deals on the Nintendo Switch, which wasn’t a part of last year’s Black Friday discounts, as it had only just been released. If you’re in the market for a portable console system, this year’s Black Friday weekend could be the best time to buy.

Which games console should I buy?

If it’s a new games console you’re after, you can’t really look much further than the Sony PS4 and Microsoft Xbox ONE – there’s little to choose between the two, and both now come 4K ready and a greater storage capacity. The Nintendo Switch offers a good alternative, hitting a good balance between serious gaming and interactive family fun.

A new laptop

Laptops are always popular on Black Friday, with retailers including Curry’s PC World, Laptops Direct, and Amazon all offering significant discounts on the latest portable PC and Mac computers. To make sure you get the model you’re after, or one as close as possible to it, you’ll need to get in quick and might even have to be online at midnight, as soon as the sales start.

Which laptop should I buy?

A new laptop is always a tricky choice, not least because you have to decide between OSX and Windows. If it’s Apple you’re after, check out the deals for the Apple MacBook Air 13.3″, Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 128GB PCIe-based SSD, while Windows users can get the best of both a tablet and laptop with the Microsoft Surface GO 10-Inch Tablet-PC.

A new smartphone

Smartphones are getting more advanced and more expensive with every iteration, but if you’re not bothered about carrying around the very latest handset, you could bag yourself a real bargain on Black Friday.

First check the deals offered by your network provider, then compare them with other higher street and online retailers, such as Carphone Warehouse and Amazon, to see who is offering the biggest discounts. And remember, buying a discounted phone will work out a lot cheaper than getting on credit as part of a handset and data package.

Which smartphone should I buy?

Black Friday will come too soon to get the latest smartphones at a knockdown price, so it’s worth going one model back and keeping an eye out for deals on the Apple iPhone 8, Google Pixel 2, or Samsung Galaxy S8.

Some new gadgets for the home

Electronic personal assistants are always a big hit at this time of year, as we all seem to cram our homes with the things we’d really like, rather than the things we really need – where’s the fun in buying a new hoover when the old is still managing to suck up dirt? Especially when things like the Amazon Echo and Google Home are around to grab our attention.

If you’d bought an Amazon Echo Plus away from last year’s sales, you’d have spent at least £139.99, but would have saved yourself £30 on the RRP in the Black Friday sale.

And, this year, keep an eye out for deals on the brand new, second generation Amazon Echo Show.

The sales could also be a good time to get your hands on some new gadgets for the kitchen, so keep an eye out for anything cut-price microwaves, to discount washing machines, to mark-down coffee machines.

Which Black Friday deals should I buy?

If you’re stuck for what to buy in the Black Friday sales, check out our Which To Buy buyers guides for the lowdown on everything from the best bean to cup coffee machines to the hottest heated rollers around.