If you’ve already got holiday shopping on your mind, you know that Black Friday deals across retailers are here: Amazon’s Black Friday sale began last week, and Best Buy, Walmart, and others have tons of Black Friday sales online right now too.
You know you can find big discounts on bigger-budget items like TVs or iPads, and you’ve probably been planning to make those purchases. But don’t miss the chance to also swipe up savings on products you didn’t have on your list this year, but would make your life better — or make a nice gift.
Also: The bestBlack Friday deals
Our team at ZDNET is just like you this holiday season, and we’re not shying away from sharing the best impulse buys — those items you talk yourself into adding to cart and buying on a whim — that you can get right now across several different retailers. No matter if you’re purchasing a want or a need item, these impulse buys are all great deals this holiday season.
Best Black Friday impulse buys 2023
Suggesting a portable power bank might seem like a total snooze-fest — but just hear me out. If you live in an area prone to power outages or inclement weather, a power bank is great to have on hand to charge your devices and more when you weren’t exactly planning to be off-grid.
If you frequently camp, travel, or like to have power on hand in your vehicle for emergencies, a portable power bank is easily a justifiable purchase. This one from Jackery is practical, useful, and its $80 off now.
This one is just common sense. Apple’s products don’t see many discounts or deals throughout the year, so when you can snag a bundle of the ever-useful AirTags and save some cash, I call that a win. AirTags are great for attaching to frequently misplaced or lost items such as keys, wallets, handbags, and they seamlessly provide location tracking that can be viewed from your Apple devices.
If you’re planning for 2024 to be the year you get your life together, you’re going to need a practical (and portable) option to clean up those messes (you know, the ones both inside and outside your home).
The Shark MessMaster can be used on wet or dry spills and for portable vacuuming or spot cleaning. With one gallon capacity and a Rinse and Ready self-cleaning feature, the VS101 can tackle anything you throw at it, and right now it’s $30 off.
Okay, so maybe you’re fine writing your work notes on random scraps of paper shoved into your desk drawer or left on the counter (I see you jotting quick notes on your opened mail) — or, you could streamline your note taking into one, smart place. With the Rocketbook, easily transfer your notes from the notebook pages to your phone.
If you’ve been teeting on the edge of diving into virtual reality, now’s your chance to explore the MetaQuest 2 for a nice savings, with the option of a bundle deal with an Amazon gift card (saving you even more).
The Meta Quest 2 is light, portable, comfortable, and plays virtually all of the content in the Meta Quest ecosystem. It’s the best VR headset for the money right now, according to ZDNET’s editor in chief Jason Hiner.
An air mattress might not be the first thing on your mind when it comes to Black Friday sales. But the usefulness of a quality air mattress (with a built-in air pump, too) cannot be understated. If you frequently have family or friends over but are limited on guest rooms or bed space, air mattresses are perfect — but they usually aren’t cheap.
Right now you can save $54 on this ultra-plush, 18-inch queen mattress (no sinking to the floor included). This is a must-have for newlyweds, large families, and even college students for visiting friends or family, and is also perfect for sleepovers for children. It’s truly such an easily forgotten home essential that’s great to have on hand.
- Current price: $179
- Original price: $259
Okay, so maybe you don’t — need — a new Apple watch. But maybe you’ve been eyeing an upgrade or are looking to get your first smartwatch ever. Here’s the good news: now’s the time to add it to your cart. Apple’s base model watch — the SE (2nd Gen) — is on sale ahead of Black Friday for its lowest price ever at $179. That’s a $70 savings on Apple’s most up-to-date baseline wearable, a deal we’ve never seen thus far.
Also: The watch SE (2nd Gen) drops to its lowest price ever
The Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) offers a solid roundup of top features and all the essentials to help you monitor your fitness, keep connected, track your health, and stay safe. With an updated system to run 20% faster and equipped with features like Crash Detection and enhanced workout metrics, it’s a better value than ever, especially If you’re not looking for advanced features offered in the newer Series 8, 9, or Ultra and Ultra 2 models.
The watch SE is ZDNET editor in chief Jason Hiner-approved. “If you are new to Apple Watch, giving it a try for the first time, and not sure you need all the latest health sensors, then the Apple Watch SE is a great place to get started,” Hiner says. And if you need any more assurance, this purchase is one I already made myself to replace my old watch Series 3. So why not get the Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) for $70 off right now?
- Current price: $299
- Original price: $450
Enter your Jetson’s era and cut down on your mopping time with a robot mop. While many robot cleaning devices are now the rage, they can be expensive purchases. There’s no better time to optimize your cleaning schedule than right now, when you can save $150 on this ZDNET-approved robot mop.
Review: Braava m6: A must have robot mop
When ZDNET expert reviewer Beth Mauder reveiwed the Braava m6, she was impressed with the mops ease of use and cleaning capabilities. “The bottom line is the Braava Jet m6 is worth every penny … Mopping is time consuming and tedious, and giving this task to a capable robot frees up a good chunk of my time. For my peace of mind and sanity, this is a must-have device.”
- Current price: $480
- Original price: $600
If you’re a girls’ girl like me, you know that the Dyson Airwrap is the styling tool to beat, and it has been for quite some time. The Airwrap uses air and Dyson’s top-of-the line technology to style your hair flawlessly and with ease (you know, if you’re a twenty-something with a vendetta against curling irons, like me).
Despite its favor, the Airwrap is still an expensive buy, but right now you can save $119 on Amazon — a deal we rarely see available. This is a great gift for any hair-obsessed family member or friend who doesn’t already have one, and ZDNET Editor Sabrina Ortiz is living proof: “I was gifted the Dyson Airwrap two Christmases ago since I was influenced into making it the first thing on my Christmas wishlist. I can totally say its worth the hype. With one tool you can straighten, curl and blow dry your hair. Do I need to say more?”
- Current price: $199
- Original price: $279
Maybe you’ve been thinking about upgrading your wireless earbuds, or you lost one of your buds, or you’re an awesome gift-giver looking for someone else. Regardless of your reasoning, now is the time to snag new wireless earbuds ahead of Black Friday, and the Bose QuietComfort II’s are top-notch.
Also: The best Black Friday headphones deals
ZDNET’s pick for best true wireless earbuds prior to the release of the new Ultra model, the Bose QuietComfort II’s offer 6 hours of pristine listening. Bose’s top of the line Acoustic Noise Cancelling (ANC) technology provides true quiet (who doesn’t want that?) within this pair of wireless earbuds.
Using hidden microphones in the earbuds, they also monitor external sound and emit an anti-sound wave to cancel out any noise other than whatever you’re listening to. And when you want to tune back into your surroundings, an Aware Mode feature allows you to hear your music and surroundings at a lower level simultaneously. If you’re looking to level-up your listening game, there’s no reason to wait.
Also: The best earbuds of 2023
- Current price: $55
- Original price: $130
Listen, I’m 22, and I would buy this Amazon bundle. Amazon’s flagship tech products make great gifts for those of all ages, and I’m not exaggerating. Need something for a younger cousin? Echo Show. What about grandma? Echo Show. That one friend that seemingly has everything and nothing at the same time? Yeah, I’d still buy an Echo Show. The Echo Show is a smart home hub equipped with Alexa that allows you to ask questions, set reminders, and more.
Also: Amazon’s Echo Show 5 made me a smart believer
Not only does this bundle come with the newest kids model Echo Show 5, but it also comes with the Echo Glow light, which contrary to Amazon’s advertising, is cool no matter how old you are. Another great upside to saving $55 with this bundle? You can gift out the items separately, or choose to gift them together.
Black Friday, the holiday shopping palooza of the year, falls on the same day every year — the Friday following Thanksgiving, which is always the fourth Thursday in November. This year Black Friday falls on Nov. 24, one day after Thanksgiving on Nov. 23, 2023.
Amazon’s Black Friday and holiday deals will begin Nov. 17 and will end on Nov. 27, running concurrently through the Cyber Week sales from Nov. 24-27. Cyber Monday falls on Nov. 27 this year, wrapping up the traditional Cyber Week sales ahead of December, though deals will likely linger at large retailers such as Walmart, Amazon, Best Buy, Costco and more.
ZDNET will be tracking down the best deals across a slue of popular and sought-after categories until the end of the holiday shopping season. Be sure to check back frequently while you shop to snag the best savings (we mean it, our lists are updated multiple times per week).
ZDNET only writes about deals we want to buy — devices and products we desire, need, or would recommend. Our experts looked for deals that were at least 20% off (or are hardly ever on sale), using established price comparison tools and trackers to determine whether the deal is actually on sale and how frequently it drops.
We also looked over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the deals we’re recommending. Our recommendations may also be based on our own testing — in addition to extensive research and comparison shopping. The goal is to deliver the most accurate advice to help you shop smarter.
What are the best Black Friday deals? ZDNET’s experts have been searching for early Black Friday deals across sites like Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Newegg, and more. Here are the top deals by category we’ve found so far.
Top holiday deals
