No one wants to join a line on Thanksgiving or wade through crowds on Black Friday. That's precisely why Amazon has already kicked off its Black Friday sale which means you can snag some bargains without sacrificing family time later this week. Amazon is often the best place to buy things with stellar deals all year round, often matching or beating deals at other retailers, but it has really upped the ante with its Black Friday Week promotion. Take a look at the best of its early deals below and beat the rush this Black Friday.
Of course, Amazon doesn't have physical stores (yet?), so you're at the mercy of shipping. That being said, it offers fast, free shipping on orders over $25 and Amazon Prime members get their stuff even quicker. Plus, it means you can do all of your holiday shopping from the comfort of your own home. Here are the deals you should be considering right now including many you really don't want to miss.
Amazon Fire tablets - From $29.99
Amazon just kicked off its Black Friday sale and as a part of the promotion, it is offering each iteration of its Fire tablets with steep discounts right now. For instance, the Fire 7 Tablet is available for $29.99 today. That's $20 off and a match for the lowest it has ever gone, a price we have only seen once before during the Prime-exclusive Amazon Prime Day sale. The same goes for the Fire HD 8, which is back down to its best price ever at $49.99. The largest Fire HD 10 is also on sale with a whopping $50 off.
Instant Pot Smart Wifi 6-Quart Cooker - $89.99
There's no denying that Instant Pots are insanely popular these days. This Wi-Fi connected model also offers Alexa support, meaning you can control it from anywhere. It has a 6-quart capacity, which is perfect for families and individuals alike. There are eight cooking modes, and this $60 discount doesn't come around often.
Xbox One S All Digital Edition Bundle - $149
This year, Microsoft released an All-Digital version of the Xbox One S, which means that it has no disc drive. Right now you can pick up the console, a controller, and download codes for Sea of Thieves, Minecraft, and Fortnite Battle Royale all for just $149. It even comes with one month of Xbox Live for free, so you can play verse all your friends. Whether this is your first Xbox or a replacement console, this bundle should be purchased immediately.
Ring Video Doorbell Pro + Echo Show 5 - $179
A few enticing offers on Ring products have just emerged with low prices the likes of which we rarely see. Take this Ring Video Doorbell Pro and Echo Show 5 bundle. The two devices are going for just $179 right now which is $160 less than what they'd usually sell for separately. The bundle is the same price as the discounted Video Doorbell Pro alone right now, so you're essentially getting the Echo Show 5 for free. Similarly, the Ring Video Doorbell 2 with Echo Show 5 has fallen in price, now at $139 for the pair — a savings of $150 and just $10 more than the doorbell alone.
Amazon Music Unlimited - $1
Amazon loves discounting extended trials of its services ahead of major shopping events, and this Music Unlimited deal is no exception. You can save $39 on four months of access right now by paying just $1 for it. You get access to an extensive library of songs that you can listen to across all your devices, and if you want to renew after it costs just $9.99 a month, or $7.99 for Prime members.
MacBook Pro 16-inch - $2,251
Apple only just recently unveiled the all-new 16-inch MacBook Pro, and right now it's already on sale. This has a larger display than previous generations, insane internal specs, and a new keyboard.
Jabra Elite 65t True Wireless Earbuds - $99.99
When it comes to wireless earbuds, these Jabra options are one of our favorites that are available. At this price, there is very little on the market that would be considered a better value. They come in a variety of color options at this price, so you can pick the one that you like the most.
Meross Smart Garage Door Opener - $29.95
Clipping the $6 off coupon from the product page makes this smart accessory the lowest price we've ever seen. At just $30, you have very few excuses not to be buying one of these for your home. It works with a huge range of garage doors (nearly all that were installed after 1993), and it only takes a few minutes to install. With it, you get remote opening / closing support from your phone, alerts, and more.
Amazon Echo Dot, 3-pack - $64.97
Grab three Echo Dot smart speakers on sale for $64.97 total when you use the code DOT3PACK at Amazon. Add any three Echo Dot speakers to your cart to see $40 taken off the price during checkout when you use the code. It doesn't have to be three of one color, either. Mix and match. Get a Plum Echo Dot for your bedroom and a Charcoal one to match your office's decor.
Apple AirPods Pro - $234.98
Black Friday is sure to bring lots of deals to the AirPods lineup, but one of the best is here right now. Apple only just recently released the new AirPods Pro, and right now you can already save $14. While it may seem like a smaller discount, it's worth noting that Apple doesn't often discount its newest hardware this quickly. If you know someone who wants a pair, order now as there is a small shipping delay.
PlayStation 4 Pro 1TB Console - $299
If you have been looking to upgrade your old PlayStation 4 to the Pro version, now's your time. It's currently $100 off for the console, and there are even a few bundles available around this price. Not sure if the PlayStation 4 Pro is worth your extra cash? Check out this full comparison and then be sure to grab one before the discount expires.
Kindle Unlimited - Free
Kindle Unlimited gives you access to over a million titles, spanning from technical documents to cookbooks to fantasy novels to nonfiction. Even some audiobooks are included. Need a self-help book? Want to re-read the Harry Potter books for the seventeenth time? It's all there, and it's all free with your membership. You don't need a Kindle or Fire tablet to read, either. Amazon makes it easy to read thanks to its free Kindle reading apps for iOS, Android, PC, and Mac.
Google Pixel 4 & Pixel 4 XL - From $599
The Pixel 4 is Google's latest offering which builds upon the features that people grew to love in the Pixel 3. This time around, Google added a second camera, a few new camera functions like Astrophotograhy, improved low-light performance, and even ditched the notch on both models. This is the biggest discount we've seen on the unlocked variant, so be sure to grab one now.
Fitbit Versa 2 - $149.95
The Versa 2 is Fitbit's newest fitness tracking smartwatch, and this time it integrates in a few more things that the first-gen option did not. This year, Fitbit has built Amazon's Alexa right into the watch, giving you quick and easy access to the powerful voice assistant. This Black Friday deal slashes $50 off the price of the recently-released watch, so don't miss out.
iRobot Roomba 675 - $229
This model has a 3-stage cleaning system for hard floors and carpet. The multi-surface brushes can grab even larger debris. Plus the cleaning head automatically adjusts its height. Smart enough to not get stuck and recharge when its 90-minute battery is low. This is the best price we've seen on it, so don't miss out.
Ecobee3 Lite Smart Thermostat - $139
We don't see discounts across ecobee's lineup of smart thermostats often, in fact one of the only times to save big is around larger shopping events. Right now, the ecobee3 lite, which is the 'entry-level' model, is down to just $139, which is $30 off. Some of the others are available for up to $50 off, but pricing for those is at $200.
Ring Video Doorbell (Refurb) - $59.99
We know that buying refurbished can be a bit of a gamble, but when you do it on an Amazon product directly from Amazon, there's very little to worry about. This deal saves you $40 compared to the price of a new one, and Amazon certifies that these will look and perform like new. In fact, Amazon even offers a full one-year warranty on the purchase, just like if you were buying it new. This video doorbell offers 720p video feed, motion notifications, two-way communication, and more.
More Black Friday Deals at Amazon
There are a ton of deals going on right now, and only a few are highlighted above. Here's a hundred more that can help you save big today.
One of the best parts about Black Friday is that the sales literally take place all over, from online retail giants to little mom and pop shops in your local town. Years ago, everyone went to retail stores and spent the day bouncing from one place to the next to try and finish their holiday lists, but now you can do all the same shopping online.
With one-day shipping on millions of items, huge discounts, Lightning deals, and more, Amazon should definitely be on your list of places to look for some of the best Black Friday deals. Black Friday is just under two weeks away at this point, which means that before you know it all the sales will be live.
When is Black Friday at Amazon?
Black Friday technically is Friday, November 29, 2019 but some deals have already started surfacing in the recentt days. Pretty much the whole month of November has turned into one big discount, and even if Amazon wasn't the first to offer the deal, we've seen the company matching various other retailers already. Amazon tends to run some sales that last longer periods of time, which we would expect the biggest set of deals to kick off on Sunday, November 24, with limited-time deals running much more frequently from Wednesday through the end of Cyber Monday.
The first wave of deals have already kicked off at Amazon. Dubbed the 'Happy HoliDeals' promotion, Amazon has a wide variety of discounts and savings that you can take advantage of right now.
Do you need to be a Prime member for Black Friday at Amazon?
Technically you don't, but in order to have the best experience you will want to be one. You can opt for a free 30-day trial or continue your existing monthly / yearly subscription in order to maximize your experience during the event. Amazon currently charges $12.95 per month, or $119 a year for Prime.
It's not uncommon for Amazon to offer exclusive savings for Prime members. These are often on top of the discounts that are available to everyone, and only appear once you are signed into a Prime account. We've seen Amazon offer hundreds of dollars in extra discounts on select items before. In addition to potential extra savings, you may be able to even have your items delivered to you the same day. Amazon has expanded the cities that are eligible for free next-day delivery, so if you can't get it the same day you likely won't have to wait long at all.
What's new for Black Friday 2019 at Amazon?
The company recently hosted an event in which it announced a variety of new products, and luckily all of them are set to begin shipping before Black Friday takes place. If previous years are any indication, that means that all of the new stuff will be on sale at some pretty great prices, including things like the new Echo Dot with Clock, Amazon's first Echo Buds headphones, the Echo Studio, and the refreshed Fire Tablets.
Amazon doesn't do the whole sales ad thing
Amazon doesn't do a traditional sales ad anymore, and instead the company does a press release ahead of the event which teases some of the deals. Unfortunately, Amazon keeps things pretty vague during the press release by only announcing things like "50-inch 4K TV for $200" or "Security Cameras for $100", etc. You have to wait until the sales actually go live to figure out which brand and model each one is.
In addition, Amazon will ramp up its Deals of the Day ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, generally going from one to three deals per day up to around 20 at the peak times. These offerings will last for a 24 hour period each, from 12am PT to 11:59pm PT each day, and then a new set of deals rolls out. Generally there is enough stock on the items that go up for Deal of the Day sales that you don't have to worry about it selling out before the price drop ends, but we have seen some of them sell out within just a few hours, so it's always a good habit to check this daily in the morning.
Start shopping Amazon's Happy HoliDeals sale now
That's right, Black Friday is still weeks away, but Amazon is getting in the mood early this year. While this sale isn't as comprehensive as its Black Friday offerings will be, there are still quite a few good deals to be had in here. From Amazon devices to toys, kitchen supplies, fashion, and more, you'll want to shop the sale now so you don't miss out on anything.
Some of these are Lightning deals which won't last for long, while others will run for longer periods of time. We've highlighted some of our favorite deals below.
Amazon's own hardware will hit new all-time low prices
During big shopping events like Prime Day and Black Friday, Amazon tends to go all out when it comes to discounting its own hardware. We usually see the best prices of the year at Black Friday, and many of the deals tend to kick off on the Sunday before so be on the lookout for those.
This year, we anticipate all the new Echo hardware like the Echo Dot with Clock, Echo Studio, Echo Plus, etc will be discounted. Since the hardware will only be about a month old at that point, this will be one of the first times to save on most of it. If Amazon follows suit in what it's done in recent years, things like the Echo Dot with Clock and Echo Studio could be as much as 50% off.
During Prime Day, Amazon slashed the Fire TV Stick to $15 and the 4K Version came in only a few bucks more. It would surprise us to see them go lower, but if Amazon really wanted to push them it could bundle a few months of HBO Now (as we've seen happen recently) with that $15 Fire TV Stick, which would be an incredible value. The 4K Stick is the one to go with these days, though, as more and more people continue to add 4K TVs inside their home.
Amazon's Fire Tablets could drop to as low as just $20, which is cheaper than most of the terrible Android tablets that will be making their rounds on Black Friday. Amazon just announced an all-new Fire HD 10 tablet that has refreshed internals along with a USB-C port for charging. The device starts shipping at the end of October and it retails for $150. We'd anticipate that Amazon drops this down to somewhere between $100 and $110 for Black Friday, though.
The Kindle lineup won't be left out, for those who still prefer a dedicated device to read on. There are a few new models available with various features, and we anticipate prices to hit as low as $40 on these. The all-new Kids Edition Kindle is coming out very soon, and Black Friday will probably bring the first discount to that as well.
In the past year or two, Amazon has acquired a few brands that sell hardware as well, like Ring, Blink, and Eero. As we saw during Prime Day, these won't be excluded from the big price drops. Eero routers were all $100 off before, and now that there's a new one available we may even see bigger discounts. Ring products vary in price, but we've seen Amazon offer aggressive deals that made the entry-level Video Doorbell Camera just $79, and we can see that going even lower now. There's a more varied product lineup that includes a new Indoor Camera, Smart Lights, an Alarm System, and more. Finally, Blink cameras. These are generally up to 25% off throughout the year, but Black Friday is the time to shine for these. It;s likely we see upwards of 40% off on the lineup.
What's Black Friday without some TV deals, right?
When you think of Black Friday you probably already think of discounted TVs, and that will be no exception at Amazon. Whether you are looking for something like the Toshiba's Fire TV Edition or a 4K Samsung TV, or even LG's top of the line OLED, odds are you'll find it on sale. Now, Amazon doesn't carry every single model out there, and sometimes the deals aren't the best on the more expensive models, but if you are in the market for an entry to midrange set, there will be tons of options.
One thing to consider when it comes to Black Friday TVs is that many manufacturers will be releasing models that are speicifc to the shopping event. This means that you may not be able to compare them or see reviews about them, because they are literally just available for this one weekend of the year. Often times they are very similar in features and performance to something already on the market, but you'll want to use your best judgement on purchasing a TV you've never heard of just because it's really cheap.
Bluetooth headphones will be all the rage
When it comes to Bluetooth headphones, there is no shortage of options available at Amazon. Regardless of whether you're looking for premium options like the Bose QC35II or Sony WH-1000XM3, the extremely convenient Apple AirPods, or just something more affordable from Anker, Aukey, Mpow or another brand, odds are Black Friday will bring some nice price drops across the board.
Throughout the year, many of these go on sale at different times, but Black Friday tends to make all the discounts available at once, so there will be so many options to pick from. You'll want to do some research ahead of time to figure out what you may be looking for, whether it be over-ear or in-ear, truly wireless, or noise-canceling. We expect that price points will range from anywhere as low as $10 up to a few hundred.
Fitness trackers will keep you fit for less
Whether fitness is always on your mind or you're looking to make 2020 your year, a Fitbit can be really helpful in tracking your activity and progress. There are several different models in the Fitbit lineup now, with prices starting at just $70. We are anticipating the entry-level device, the Fitbit Inspire, will drop closer to $50, and its advanced smartwatch-like tracker, the Fitbit Versa, will hopefully get to around $150.
Fitbit's entire lineup nails the basics of fitness tracking, like step count, activity logging, sleep trends, and more. Some of them offer advanced features like notifications for your phone, apps, and more. This year, Fitbit introduced a new premium service as well, which you could use some of the money you save on the hardware to offset the cost of it.
Don't buy now, wait for Black Friday deals on Instant Pot
If somehow you aren't already an Instant Pot owner, let's change that on Black Friday. These big shopping events tend to bring annual lows to nearly the whole product lineup. While many of them offer similar features, there are some key differences to keep an eye out for when selecting the right Instant Pot for yourself. You'll want to pay attention to the size first, as they some in 3, 6, and 8 quart options. Additionally, some of them are 7-in-1 cookers, while others are up to 10-in-1, with the key difference being the inclusion of extra cooking options for things like cakes, etc.
Another interesting option that's becoming more popular is Ninja's Foodi, which is very similar to an Instant Pot in that it can pressure cook and do what the Instant Pot does, but it also adds in the best features of an air fryer, all in one. We expect to see it drop in price as well during Black Friday.
Apple Watch, iPad, AirPods and more will go for less
Now that Amazon and Apple are friends again, there are going to be a whole lot of great deals coming up. We've already seen Amazon offer discounts on the newest iPad models, the Series 5 Apple Watch, and more before the devices were even launched. If we had to guess, we'd be willing to say that the Apple Watch Series 3 will likely start at $179 during the holiday season, and the new iPad may even make its way down to just $299.
As for things like the iPad Pro, it's possible that Amazon beats the previous low starting price of $625, which would make these things instant purchases. The new Apple Watch will probably be up to $50 off, and accessories will be available for your facorite iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and more at steep discounts.
We expect great deals on Xbox, PlayStation, & Nintendo Switch
Video game consoles are always a big seller during the holidays, and that's largely related to the number of discounts and bundles that become available. If you're in the market for some new hardware, or want to dabble with another platform, Black Friday is a great time to make the purchase. This year we have a revamped Nintendo Switch with longer battery life, a Nintendo Switch Lite, an all-digital Xbox One, but nothing new from Sony.
This means that we are likely to see new all-time low prices on many of the consoles, and some great bundles to match. There will likely be bundles that offer additional controllers, free games, free online gameplay access, and more. These vary by retailer, and sometimes availability is limited so be sure to check as soon as the ads come out to know where you want to buy from.
Not only will consoles themself be on sale, but also the games you play on them and devices you can connect to them. Older games will probably drop down to as little as $5 or $10 at various retailers, and newer games may get up to $20 in discounts. Controllers, hard drives, mice, keyboards, and more will also be on sale from lots of different brands. Finally, the online subscriptions needed to play your favorite game with a friend will likely be available for less. We see PlayStation live drop to $40 each year, and Microsoft will likely do a bundled promotion with its Xbox Live and Game Pass subscriptions.
Can a discounted robot vacuum save me some time?
Robot vacuums continue to become more and more popular each year, and the more companies that make them, the more competition there is, and the better it is for consumers. We've seen the prices on these continue to lower, and while you do sacrifice some features to get the lower price, you can still get a pretty great one for a couple hundred bucks.
From brands like Eufy, iRobot, Ecovacs, Shark, Roborock, and Neato, there will be a lot of different price points touched during these sales. We'd anticipate some of the lower cost ones will be close to just $100, while some premium options from iRobot and Neato could hit as much as 50% off.
It's probably time to look for a new phone
Amazon doesn't sell every unlocked phone, but it does have a pretty wide variety of options available for you to purchase. The most appealing deals will come from Amazon's selection of Alexa-enabled phones. These feature Alexa built-in, alongside a few of Amazon's Android apps, and come with some pretty steep discounts compared to buying the regular unlocked versions of the phone.
The current lineup is actually full of phones worth considering, like the Moto Z4, Moto G7, LG G8, Sony Xperia 1, and more.
If you aren't into Android phones, Amazon does sell some unlocked iPhone models, but most of them are renewed, so the discount amounts vary. If you don't mind dealing with a scratch or two, you may be able to find a pretty great deal though, so keep an eye out.
What about Lightning Deals on Black Friday?
During Prime Day 2019, Amazon kicked off some seriously epic Lightning Deals, but almost every highly-anticipated one sold out extremely quick. Odds are that this strategy won't change during Black Friday, though we can hope that Amazon will have some more stock of each one on hand so more people can enjoy the discounted price before it's gone.
Some of the best Lightning deals that we saw included Chromebooks, Samsung 4K TVs, and more. Of course, the company will offer hundreds of other Lightning deals throughout the event, many of which will last for longer periods of time. If you happen to miss out on a Lightning deal and see the opportunity to join the waitlist, be sure you do it. Sometimes people change their mind, and by being on the list you at least have a small chance of getting the product for the heavily discounted price.
The first round of holiday-inspired Lightning Deals is already available right now!
How to get the best Black Friday deals at Amazon
This one's pretty simple: if you see something on sale, buy it as quickly as you can. Think about the purchases later, Amazon offers free returns on millions of items, but the company won't price match deals that you missed out on. Do your future self a favor and buy what you see when you see it, instead of waiting.
Another thing you'll want to do is audit your Amazon account in the weeks leading up to Black Friday. You'll want to check that all the payment methods that are listed on your account are valid and that none of the credit card numbers need to be updated with valid expiration dates. After this, be sure you check all the shipping addresses on the account. It's easy to accumulate ones that you don't use or have no access to anymore, so be sure to remove those so you don't accidentally select the wrong one in your hustle to check out on a deal.
Get the latest Black Friday deals delivered straight to your inbox!
It may seem like an obvious one, but double check the date that your Prime membership is set to expire. There's nothing worse than not realizing it expired, and trying to use the benefits unsuccessfully. Prime will offer you free shipping on millions of items during Black Friday, some of which you'll even be able to have delivered to you the same or next day. If you aren't already a Prime member, be sure to sign up for a free 30-day trial at some point in the second week of November so that you don't miss out on the Black Friday and Cyber Monday fun.
Finally, you can be sure to follow our pals at Thrifter on Twitter to see all the great deals that become available in the lead up to Black Friday. We are also going to be covering every hour of the event from as soon as the first deal becomes available right through until the end of Cyber Monday.
