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Best early Black Friday deals to shop, according to a shopping expert
Shop offers ahead of the main event, with deals from Dyson, Apple, The Ordinary and more
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Your support makes all the difference.Deal hunters, rejoice. Black Friday 2024 is fast approaching, with just a few weeks to go until the sale kicks off. The biggest shopping event of the year sees deals on everything from technology, TVs, laptops and gaming gear to mattresses, beauty, fashion, air fryers and much more.
Your chance to score a saving on Apple Airpods, Ninja air fryers, Shark cordless vacuums, Simba mattresses or Charlotte Tilbury beauty, all the biggest brands and retailers take part – think Asos, Lookfantastic, Amazon and Pandora.
This year, the sale lands on Friday 29 November, and will last a full four days before concluding on Cyber Monday (2 December). However, myriad brands and retailers tend to kick off their Black Friday sales early – see Boots, Argos, John Lewis and Currys, which have all kicked off their events a month in advance.
So, in the weeks leading up to Black Friday, I will be busy hunting down the crème de la crème of early deals, spanning tech, beauty, fashion and more, along with my fellow IndyBest shopping experts.
Whether you’re in the market for a new moisturiser or cordless vacuum, we’ve rounded up the best early Black Friday offers below, plus the deals we can expect during the main event. Happy shopping.
What deals can we expect?
Black Friday sees deals on products from pretty much every category you can think of. When it comes to tech, it’s a great chance to score a saving on Apple AirPods, Samsung TVs, Amazon’s own devices (think Kindles and Echo dot speakers), as well as deals on Android phones and Apple iPhones. As for home appliances, we can expect big savings on Ninja air fryers and Sage coffee machines, as well as Shark cordless vacuums.
If you’re a fashion fan, Black Friday is not to be missed, with high street labels, including Zara, Mango and H&M, hosting mega sales with up to 70 per cent off. It’s a similar story with beauty, with the likes of Cult Beauty, Boots and LOOKFANTASTIC offering discounts on Charlotte Tilbury, Sol De Janeiro, ghd and CeraVe.
What are the best Black Friday deals to shop now?
Black Friday doesn’t kick off until the end of November, but I’ve found a number of impressive savings that I’d recommend you get your hands on.
Dyson airwrap origin multi styler and dryer, nickle/copper: Was £400, now £300, Argos.co.uk
The Dyson airwrap needs little introduction. Launched in 2018, it’s the gold standard for hair styling at home, but the tool doesn’t come cheap. Enter this rare saving thanks to Argos. The original airwrap has three attachments: a 30mm long barrel, a coanda smoothing dryer and round volumising bristle brush. From super sleek looks using the smoothing dryer to curly styles with the barrel, there are endless styling options. Featuring in our review of the best hot brushes, our writer achieved a “bouncy blow-dry look” in just 15 minutes. Now, you can save £100.
Emma NextGen premium mattress, double: Was £659, now £475.30, Emma-sleep.co.uk
When they reviewed this model, our tester said: “For fans of firm mattresses, the Emma premium plus is sure to go down a treat.” Praising the five layers of comfort (four of which are made from foam, and one a 12.5cm-tall layer of pocket springs), they said the mattress is soft and spongy but “what sets this mattress apart is the premium honeycomb cover, which creates even more comfort and breathability”. Not only does it come highly recommended, but right now, it comes with a price reduction of nearly £200.
Nintendo Switch OLED neon red/neon blue: Was £309.99, now £269.95, Amazon.co.uk
Looking for a Nintendo Switch OLED? Amazon is gearing up to Black Friday with a discount that sees the console reduced by £40 (£10 shy off its all-time low price of £259.99). “Its colourful display, better build quality and bigger storage makes buying the Nintendo Switch OLED a no-brainer,” our tech critic said in their review of the console. “New to Nintendo? Buy the Switch OLED and never look back.”
Shark stratos anti-hair-wrap plus pet pro cordless vacuum: Was £429, now £298.14, Amazon.co.uk
In the run up to Black Friday, you can clear up with a discount on this tried and tested cordless vacuum from Shark. Amazon is now discounting the vacuum to almost half its original price. Our tester was delighted by the power and ease of use, saying: “If having a clean home fills you with joy, the Shark stratos will make you euphoric. The suction power on carpet and hard floors is a dream. It’s constantly working out what power levels you need to pick up the most mess. All you have to do is steer.”
Ninja foodi dual zone air fryer: Was £199.99, now £149.99, Currys.co.uk
This stylish black and silver air fryer from Ninja is reduced by £50 in the run-up to Black Friday, thanks to Currys. As functional as it is sleek-looking, the appliance features a nifty dual drawer design that enables you to cook separate dishes simultaneously, as well as a huge 7.6l capacity, making it a great choice for larger households. The different functions mean you can air fry, crisp, roast, bake, reheat, dehydrate and prove, all with just one handy tool.
Barista express bean-to-cup coffee machine: Was £629.99, now £499, Johnlewis.com
Our tester named this the best bean-to-cup coffee machine in their review. Now, you can snap it up in John Lewis’s Black Friday sale with a discount just shy of £130. “You can tinker with the settings to your heart’s content, including the grind size of the bean and the volume of coffee, plus, of course, creating microfoam, using the steam wand”, our reviewer noted. “We found we made dreamy cups of coffee with little fuss right from the get-go”, they added. What more could you want when making your morning brew?
Meta Quest 3, 512GB: Was £619.99, now £469, Amazon.co.uk
Save a huge 24 per cent on the Meta Quest 3 VR headset in this deal that has just dropped after the release of the Meta Quest 3S. “The Meta Quest 3 is an astounding virtual-reality headset, and is arguably the best consumer VR device currently out there,” our tech writer Alex said in his review. “With full-colour passthrough, a faster processor, a more comfortable and ergonomic fit, as well as better hand tracking and, of course, those sweet, sweet pancake lenses that make everything so much more stable, this is the VR headset to beat.”
Benefit brow haul of fame brow basics kit: Was £55, now £27.50, Lookfantastic.com
A haul of fame indeed, this trio of products is quite literally my go-to brow selection for every day, not to mention the gimme brow, specifically, being IndyBest’s best brow gel for adding volume. In the review, our tester commented that it “is light enough that you can wear it alone or over other brow products, and it gives good hold and lift”. As for the precisely, my brow detailer, it also comes IndyBest-approved as the best brow pencil for volume. Our reviewer praised how it “boasts an extra small tip (0.8mm to be precise) for fine strokes that mimic hairs”. The set is not to be missed with 50 per cent off.
Dyson V8 advanced: Was £329.99, now £229.99, Dyson.co.uk
Dyson’s sleek V8 range is among our favourite budget vacuum cleaners. Better yet, you can now save £100 on the advanced model in the run-up to Black Friday. In our review of the similar V8 absolute vacuum, our tester said: “Just like the priciest models, you won’t have any problem with this machine’s power, thanks to a digital motor that spins at up to 110,000rmp, and Dyson’s standard cyclone technology.” The advanced model is touted as Dyson’s most powerful V8 model yet, complete with 40 minutes of run time and trapping 99.99 per cent of microscopic particles as small as 0.3 microns. Characterised by the brand’s distinctive sophisticated style, this vacuum is one to snap up pronto.
CeraVe skin renewing eye cream: Was £23, now £18.40, Boots.com
Skincare fans, you don’t want to miss this deal. Reduced by 20 per cent, CeraVe’s new peptide-powered eye cream costs just shy of £20. The brand’s first anti-ageing eye cream, when our five beauty testers tried out the product, it achieved an average score of 4.2/5. Overall, they loved the texture of the CeraVe eye cream on the skin, its ability to layer with make-up and how comfortable it felt for those of us prone to sensitive eyes. High praise indeed.
Read more: Best Boots early Black Friday deals 2024
Apple AirPods, 3rd generation: Was £149, now £129, Amazon.co.uk
There’s a £20 saving to be had on Apple’s third-generation AirPods at Amazon ahead of Black Friday. In our review, our tester said the “improved audio is noticeable, especially with spatial audio and the new shape”. The AirPods Pro are better sounding, thanks to active noise cancelling, but if that’s not a feature you need, this is a great deal on the basic pair that won’t stick around for long.
Charlotte Tilbury Charlotte’s award-winning complexion trio: Was £85, now £59, CharlotteTilbury.com
Featuring three of Charlotte Tilbury’s most cult product, there’s 30 per cent off this bundle right now. As well as a travel-sized magic cream and setting spray, you’re treated to a full-size beautiful skin foundation. In our review of the foundation, our tested found it “buffs into the skin beautifully, leaving a subtle radiance to the skin that catches the light naturally”. Meanwhile the airbrush flawless setting spray is another IndyBest favourite, with our tester saying: “Whether we were in the rain or doing a workout, the setting mist kept everything in place, from morning to night.” When it came to reviewing the magic cream, our tester found their skin “looked plumper, dewier, firmer and, above all, far healthier”. Glowing reviews all round.
Lego wildflower bouquet set: Was £54.99, now £41.24, Amazon.co.uk
Let your creativity blossom, with Lego’s colourful wildflower arrangement. Designed to stand tall in your home, the 939-piece build features 16 stems with a mix of flower and leaf varieties – such as lavender, Welsh poppies, gerbera daisies and lupins – that can be freely arranged and placed in a vase. It would make an ideal gift for any flower fan, regardless of their green finger potential. Plus, as the blooms are made using sustainably sourced sugarcane, they have less of an environmental impact, compared with other standard Lego sets.
GucciFlora gorgeous magnolia eau de parfum,100ml: Was £135, now £108, Johnlewis.com
The newest addition to Gucci’s bestselling FloraFantasy collection, the flora gorgeous magnolia is perfect for brightening up winter days. A pleasing blend of patchouli essence, magnolia Essence and a dewberry Accord, the scent is feminine, fruity and floral. A signature of the range, the maximalist bottle adds the final flourish. Finished in a rich purple shade and adorned with the Flora pattern, it will take pride of place on any vanity table. You can save 20 per cent in John Lewis’s Black Friday sale.
Voucher codes
For the latest offers on tech, gadgets and more, try the links below:
Looking for more savings? We’ve rounded up the best early Black Friday mattress deals