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 2021 include home goods, apparel, toys, and more.
You may notice we’ve got fewer TVs, no gaming consoles, and are a little bit lighter on computers this year. With the chip shortages and supply chain issues, we haven’t seen the same deep discounts on these items that we’ve seen in prior years.
That being said, there are some decent TV deals and some great prices already available. Our tech editors David and Mike recommend checking out some of the current deals and only waiting for Black Friday pricing if you are on a very tight budget and need to snag a cheap lesser-known brand TV.
Also note that while some prices are live now, some will not be live until the official Black Friday sales start. We will do our best to stay on top of the sales and any price changes, but to the best of our knowledge, all Black Friday pricing is accurate at the time of this posting!
2021 Black Friday Shopping Tips
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 already available in an early Black Friday sale, is it available online or in-store only? Is it only on sale for a specific day?
Shop Black Friday Now.
There have been some big changes made to Black Friday this year. Due to the pandemic, many stores have opted to have extended sales through the month of November and some even into December. Many sales are live now and this list may be updated to reflect that. Walmart’s sales change every couple of weeks, with new items added and some sales ending. Target adds new deals every Sunday through November.
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 you’re 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 benefits like extended warranty protection which cash does not. 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?
Amazon will likely offer Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, but we don’t know how strong the sales will be. They rarely give us specifics on anything that isn’t an Alexa, Kindle, Fire TV, or Amazon Basic product, and their prices change quickly during high-selling times. So without a true Black Friday ad from them, we can’t make any quality predictions about their sale.
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.
If you want to shop the Black Friday early sales now but are worried about Amazon’s prices being lower, don’t be. Target and other big retailers are also being aggressive this year about price matching. Just check price matching policies through the end of the year at the early sales and you’ll likely be able to score Amazon-low pricing on most things you buy in the sales.
The 30 Best Online Black Friday Deals of 2021
KitchenAid Professional 5-Quart Stand Mixer at Target
Regular Price: $429.99
Black Friday Price: $219.99
We saw this price from the KitchenAid website back in early November but haven’t seen anything as low since and it is an excellent deal for a KitchenAid Professional 5-quart model.
Our editor Kaitlynn K. points out that this is the bowl-lift version which works slightly better than the tilt-head model and also has a bigger bowl capacity. She also points out that if you’re a bread maker, this Professional series mixer does a better job with the heavy dough mixing than the tilt-head classic.
Apple Watch SE at Target
Regular Price: $279.99
Black Friday Price: $219.99
The lowest price we’ve seen this year for this model of the Apple Watch is $239. The $220 price is a low for the year and you can choose from 6 colorways at the $60 off pricepoint.
Blackstone 22″ Griddle Bundle at Walmart
Current price: n/a
Black Friday price: $117
Our deal editor Julie notes that this is a HOT product this year, with a very much intended pun. This 22″ Blackstone Griddle Bundle is a Black Friday exclusive, so there is no current price for comparison. Walmart had the 17″ griddle for $84 back in June of 2020, but this is the lowest we’ve seen for the 22″ this year. Similar Blackstone griddles are running around $150 without the hardtop cover and carrying case.
Samsung – 60″ Class TU7000 LED 4K UHD Smart Tizen TV at Best Buy
Current price: $599.99
Black Friday price: $529.99
A top Black Friday TV pick from both of our tech editors David and Mike, this Samsung 60″ Smart Tizen TV has a Crystal 4K processor 60 Hz native refresh rate, OneRemote, and Universal Guide. It beats the Black Friday price at Walmart by $18.
Fitbit Versa 3 at Kohl’s
Regular Price: $229.99
Black Friday Price: $179.99
This Fitbit Versa 3 deal also gets you $45 in Kohl’s Cash. The olive green color is a Kohl’s exclusive and it’s the best price on a Versa we can find by $47.
PowerXL Dual Basket Air Fryer at Target
Regular Price: $199.99
Black Friday Price: $99.99
Air fry two separate foods at once with this dual basket air fryer. We also saw this air fryer in the Kohl’s Black Friday ad for $129.99 with $30 in Kohl’s Cash. The Target deal is better out of pocket and the lowest we’ve seen this holiday season.
LG – 55″ Class C1 Series OLED 4K UHD Smart webOS TV at Best Buy
Current price: $1499.99
Black Friday price: $1299.99
Both of our tech editors David and Mike consider this a great price for an LG C1 Series OLED TV. It features self-lit pixels, NVIDIA G-SYNC gaming technology, 120 Hz native refresh rate, and their best processor. If you’re on a tighter budget, see the next TV deal from Target.
LG 55″ Class 4K UHD Smart OLED HDR TV at Target
Current price: $1099.99
Black Friday price: $1399.99
This is a similar 55″ 4K OLED TV to the one mentioned above from Best Buy, but it is a slightly lesser model than the C1 series as it has a 60 Hz native refresh rate while the C1 has 120 Hz. If you’ve got an additional $200 to spend, go for the C1, but if you’re on a tight budget this year, this Target deal is excellent for the size.
Boots for the Family at JCPenney
Regular Price: $40-$89
Black Friday Price: $19.99
A favorite every year, JCPenney is bringing back the boots for under $20 for the entire family.
Ecovacs Deebot N8+ Robot Vacuum at Target
Regular Price: $599.99
Black Friday Price: $379.99
Target is taking $220 off this Deebot N8+ Robotic Vacuum making it the lowest price we’ve seen this year by $20. If you’re looking for a robot vacuum with fewer features and a smaller price tag, they’ll also have the Ecovacs Deebot N79W for $134.99 which is another Black Friday price low.
1,400 Thread Count Sheet Sets at Macy’s
Regular Price: $170
Black Friday Price: $29.99
This is a favorite of ours and we normally post it at $50! The lowest we’ve seen recently has been $39.99, so the $29.99 price for any size is a deal worth grabbing if you need some new sheets.
Eufy Robot Vacuum at Walmart
Current price: $119.95
Black Friday price: $99
The Eufy vacuums are a huge hit among Brad’s Deals editors. This Robovac is one of our favorite lesser-known brands and the $99 price for this robot vacuum matches Walmart’s 2020 price. It beats the next best price of $109 that we saw from BuyDig earlier in October of this year.
NCAA Fleece Hoodies at Kohl’s
Regular Price: $24.99-$45
Black Friday Price: $19.99
This is the lowest price we’ve seen on these NCAA fleece hoodies this year and a price low anywhere else by $10. Choose from more than 350 styles for men, women, and kids.
Kid’s Puffer Style Coats at JCPenney
Regular Price: $75
Black Friday Price: $15.99
If your child is in need of a new coat this year, the selection at Macy’s for $16 will be a great option.
Keurig K-Compact Single-Serve Coffee Maker at Walmart
Current price: $67
Black Friday price: $35
Matching last year’s Black Friday price, this Keurig k-Compact is back for just $35! This matches the lowest price we’ve ever seen for any Keurig model and if you didn’t get one last year, you have another chance this year.
Samsung Chromebook 4 at Walmart
Current price: $129
Black Friday price: $87
Last year we saw the Samsung Chromebook 4 drop to $199 at Walmart in October. This $87 price point is the lowest we’ve ever seen for this Chromebook, but we may see this same price from other retailers as well.
Rainbow High Doll 6-Pack at Walmart
Current price: $119
Black Friday price: $64
With some of these Rainbow High dolls selling for $15-$25 individually, a 6-pack for $64 is an excellent deal.
Rubbermaid Flex Seal 26-Piece Food Storage Set at Walmart
Current price: $32
Black Friday price: $7
Normally $32, this 26-piece set comes with Easy Find Lids and in blue or red color options.
7.5′ Pre-Lit LED Color Change Christmas Tree at Walmart
Current price: n/a
Black Friday price: $68
This Christmas tree is easy to set up and is pre-lit with 350 color-changing LED lights that have eight different color-changing light effects.
Kids’ 2-Piece Character PJ Sets at Walmart
Current price: Varies
Black Friday price: $5
A selection of 2-piece character PJ sets for toddlers and kids drop to just $5 per set! Choose from Baby Shark, Frozen, Paw Patrol, Spiderman, and more.
Kid’s Backyard Swingset at Walmart
Current price: $199.99
Black Friday price: $99
Take $100 off this kid’s metal swingset that features a slide, swinging saucer, and two swings.
Cricut Explore Air 2 Bundle at Walmart
Current price: $239.99
Black Friday price: $149
This Cricut Explore Air 2 Bundle comes with a 20-count of premium vinyl and an essential 7-piece tool set.
TCL 65″ Roku 4K UHD HDR Smart TV at Target
Current price: $719.99
Black Friday price: $499.99
A budget TV pick from our editors, this TCL 65″ Roku TV is the best lower-tier large TV we could find in any of the Black Friday sales this year. While you’re not getting a big-name brand, you’re still getting a big screen and some great features for the $500 price.
Home Expressions Cotton Percale Sheet Set at JCPenney
Regular Price: $40-$80
Black Friday Price: $19.99
A good deal throughout the year on this sheet set is $30 making the $19.99 price point definitely a deal worth snagging. The Black Friday price is for any size set and they come in solids and prints.
Gourmia Air Fryer Toaster Oven at Walmart
Current price: $89
Black Friday price: $49
This Gourmia Air Fryer Toaster Oven is the best price we’ve seen on a combination air fryer toaster oven this year. Kohl’s had a similar model from the same brand back in April of 2020 for $56 with $10 in Kohl’s Cash making it a better offer, but for 2021, this is a solid choice!
30% off LEGO Sets at Kohl’s
Regular Price: $39.99-$69.99
Black Friday Price: $27.99-$48.99
Save 30% on select Lego sets and earn $15 in Kohl’s Cash for every $50 you spend. Choose from sets featuring Harry Potter, Batman, Star Wars, LEGO Friends, and more.
Cuddl Duds Heated Throw at Kohl’s
Regular Price: $139.99
Black Friday Price: $47.99
This Cuddl Duds Heated Plush-to-Sherpa Throw is $47.59 with code GET15, making it the lowest price we could find by more than $15. It measures 50″ x 60″ and comes in five colors.
Shark EZ Self-Empty Robot Vacuum at Walmart
Current price: $499
Black Friday price: $288
This Shark EZ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum deal is the one I’m most excited about. Other Shark bagless robot vacuums are $500-$600 and the $288 price point is something I can get behind! Other than refurbished models, this is the lowest price we’ve seen on a self-emptying robot vacuum this year.
Apple AirPods at Walmart
Current price: $119
Black Friday price: $89
This Apple AirPods deal is $10 less than Walmart’s Black Friday AirPods deal from 2020 and $11 under the lowest price we’ve seen all year ($100 at Amazon in June).
Faux Mink-to-Sherpa Throws at JCPenney
Regular Price: $34
Black Friday Price: $15.99
Perfect for cozy lounging this holiday, these blankets have been as low as $18 this year, but the $15.99 price is a steal for similar style blankets.
Did we miss anything in our list? Are you excited for any other deals? Let us know in the comments!
