Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers
You probably haven’t even thought about buying a turkey for Thanksgiving yet, but you can start thinking about Black Friday sales. Amazon kicked off the spree last month with its Prime Early Access Sale, and it’s been promoting its early Black Friday deals ever since. In the intervening weeks, a lot of other retailers — including big names such as Target, Nordstrom, and Best Buy — have followed suit with their own early Black Friday deals (some are being a bit cagey and avoiding the term Black Friday sales even though that’s basically what they are).
For the fifth year in a row, we’re here to help you navigate all the Black Friday madness, and as our deals editor, it’s my job to sniff out actually good discounts from brands we’ve vetted and love as well as the deals that are too good to pass up (lots of which will make excellent holiday gifts). So between now and Friday, November 25, I’ll be rounding up and organizing the best Black Friday deals, early and otherwise. To make it easier to sort through, I’ve organized this list alphabetically by merchant. Be sure to check back in, as we’ll be keeping tabs on new sales that crop up and refreshing this page often — and sign up for our email newsletter to stay in the loop.
If you shopped Amazon’s Prime Early Access Sale in October, you won’t find a ton of overlap with its early Black Friday deals — and unlike October’s kick-start to the holiday-shopping season, these deals are open to anyone with an Amazon account, not just those with Prime.
Our favorite portable Bluetooth speaker is just $50. Former Strategist writer Jordan Bowman said that it’s “incredibly durable,” has a surprisingly clear sound for such a small speaker, and would make an excellent gift for a teenager or college student.
A lot of Playmobil toys are on sale, like this 137-piece camper-van set. There’s a picnic table, canoe, two dirt bikes, and — my personal favorite — a trash can with three scavenging raccoons.
If you’re into home workouts, this weight-adjustable kettlebell-and-dumbbell combo is 40 percent off. A weight-selection dial allows you to choose from eight to 40 pounds in rapid succession.
The biggest discounts at Bed Bath & Beyond are on its in-house brands, especially bedding and bath linens. But we also found some good brand-specific deals.
Revlon’s ultrapopular blow-dryer brush is a staple for Strategist readers and staffers alike (myself included). It often goes viral on TikTok, too, for how easy it is to achieve salon-worthy tresses at an affordable price.
If you need a Thanksgiving sous-chef, look no further than this smart oven from Breville. It has 13 preset functions, two food baskets, and the bragging right of being food writer and editor Alyse Whitney’s “ride or die.”
Best Buy’s Black Friday deals are typically pretty extensive across all categories. There are the usual suspects like televisions and laptops, but you can also find toys, personal-care items, and even home furnishings. Plus it is extending its return window so that anything you buy through December 31 can be returned until January 14, 2023.
Sonya Krasilnikov, dentist and co-founder of Dental House, likes this (surprisingly giftable) electric toothbrush because it uses “vibrations that are designed to break up particles and debris and allow toothpaste and fluids to access hard-to-reach places.”
Select Mattel toys are up to 25 percent off, including this racetrack that’s a double whammy for Hot Wheels and Mario Kart fans.
Buffy’s soft yet supportive Cloud pillows are up to 35 percent off, and its Strategist-approved Breeze comforter is 25 percent off. Everything else is 20 percent off until November 30.
Buffy’s signature Cloud comforter may not be as on sale as the Breeze, but it does feel like sleeping under cotton candy, according to Strategist contributor Lori Keong. “It’s tremendously soft, light, and cool to the touch right out of the box,” she says.
If you’re looking for baby-shower gifts or are preparing for a little one of your own, there are a lot of kids clothes up to 30 percent off at Buybuy Baby.
Babylist gear editor Jennifer LaBracio says Graco’s convertible car seat is “easy to install, and it’s also a great fit for almost any type of car.” Its adjustable extension panel gives an extra five inches of legroom, allowing your child to ride rear-facing until they’re at least 2 years old.
Sleep sacks were key for helping my younger brothers fall asleep at night as babies. This long-sleeved one is made from cozy microfleece and has an adorable sheep appliqué on the front.
Several Strategist staffers swear by Casper’s mattresses, which you can get for up to $800 off with the code BFCM22-A until November 18. Full-price sheets are 25 percent off, and clearance items are an extra 25 percent off their already discounted price.
Former Strategist writer Chloe Anello tested the Nova model, which she subsequently crowned the best plush hybrid mattress. As a combination sleeper who tends to run cold, she appreciated that the memory foam retains body heat and “offers more support than I thought it would without being too firm.”
Great Jones’s Strategist-approved supply of colorful cookware and bakeware (including its incredibly popular Dutch oven) is up to 50 percent off.
We love this kindercore sheet pan (that doesn’t warp) so much that it has made our list of the top-100 items we’ve ever written about on the site. And for Black Friday, it’s 25 percent off.
Everything from power tools to artificial Christmas trees is up to 30 percent off until November 30.
Home Depot may be known for its larger appliances, but a lot of smaller kitchen tools are also on sale, like this three-speed Blendtec blender.
If you’re in the market for loungewear basics, everything at Jambys is 25 percent off with the code EARLYBLACKFRIDAY through November 17.
Jambys tees and pants are made from a proprietary modal fabric that is soft, stretchy, light, and more breathable than cotton, according to associate editor Louis Cheslaw, who has worn sweats in both fabrics.
Several of our staffers love Jambys’s shorts. Strategist senior writer Liza Corsillo calls them “insanely soft,” and associate editor Jenna Milliner-Waddell claims she could wear them for days. “I’d be lying if I said I never roll out of bed, log on for work, and stay in them for the rest of the day,” Milliner-Waddell says.
Kitsch is a women-owned and -founded brand that produces hair- and body-care items like silk pillowcases, heatless curlers, and shampoo bars. Everything is up to 60 percent off until November 30.
The microfiber, towel-like material of these scrunchies dries your hair without damaging it.
If you’ve got fine hair, this hair towel will help reduce breakage, and the stretchy elastic trim accommodates all hair lengths.
Nordstrom launched its Holiday Deals event last week, with up to 60 percent off everything from apparel to home décor until November 27. You can see our full coverage of the sale here, but we’ve included some highlights below.
The beauty section doesn’t have too many products right now, but there are some highly giftable candles and face masks in the mix. This would be nice for the man who desperately needs to keep his elbows and knees moisturized.
Purple’s mattresses are made with a moldable, gel-like material that is ideal for those who sleep hot and hate foam. Until December 8, the brand is offering up to $300 off mattresses and $500 off its Ascent Adjustable bed base.
Photo: Courtesy of the vendor
If you’re a side sleeper like former Strategist deputy editor Jason Chen, you might appreciate Purple’s original mattress. “When I lay on my side, it was like being cradled rather than smothered,” he says, and “after a week, I was fully converted.”
Target has been adding new Black Friday deals on a weekly basis, and to help you feel confident that you’re getting the best price, it’ll be price-matching any purchases made until December 24.
Like Bed Bath & Beyond, Target has slashed prices on a few Dyson vacuums.
There are a ton of toys on sale, which is perfect if you have multiple kids to shop for. Here’s an educational toy that’s actually fun for preschoolers.
For Wayfair’s early Black Friday sales, we recommend nabbing area rugs, living-room furnishings, and kids’-room furniture; these seem to have the most items at the highest discounts. The company also has rotating doorbuster deals on some of its best sellers every few days.
The bedding on sale is also quite nice, like this Eddie Bauer comforter set that would be perfect for holiday guests.
This lofted bed has a built-in desk underneath to capitalize on limited space.
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
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