air fryer, headphones, robot vacuum, laptop, and more tech items

We’ve rounded up all the best early Black Friday deals as of Nov. 20 — here are our top picks:

For better or for worse, Black Friday looks a lot different now than it does pre-pandemic.

This year, we’ve unlocked a new fiasco to navigate as we shop for the holidays: inflation. But if there’s anything retailers have learned since 2020, it’s how to provide cushion for shoppers who are budgeting extra hard during these tight times. Mostly, that looks like stretching Black Friday deals across the entire month of November — in some cases, a little bit of October, too.

Below, you’ll find a complete list of all the holiday doorbusters that are live right now (with sales grouped by retailer, category, and brand). We continue to update this post as more deals pop up throughout the weeks leading up to actual Black Friday, but don’t hold out too long if something on your shopping list is enjoying a discount — most retailers are saying screw it and putting a « Black Friday price » badge on items now.

The best early Black Friday deals at each retailer

Best Buy

The electronics store’s official Black Friday sale technically began on Oct. 24, nearly a month ahead of its 2021 kickoff on Nov. 19. That October announcement also details how Best Buy is planning to offer Black Friday deals « almost every week » until its main event in November. Any current deals at Black Friday prices will be clearly marked as such, and if anything you bought there earlier this month happens to be cheaper today, you’ll get a refund under the Black Friday Price Guarantee.

Walmart

The big box store is once again reviving its popular Black Friday Deals for Days event from 2020, this time dropping new deals every Monday in November. Each event kicks off at 7 p.m. ET and continues into stores a few days later, though Walmart+ members get access beginning at noon that day — crucial leverage for items that are at risk of selling out. Walmart will go out with a bang with one final Cyber Monday event on Nov. 28.

On Nov. 17, Walmart also leaked a bunch of deals that won’t go live until the next Deals for Days event starts on Nov. 21. We’ve rounded up those, and more, below.

TV and audio deals

Gaming deals

Laptop, tablet, and monitor deals

Smart home deals

Home deals

More Walmart Black Friday deals

Amazon

Jeff Bezos and co. do not rest. Less than two weeks after its second Prime Day of the year, Amazon began rolling out early Black Friday deals on TVs, air fryers, beauty tech, and of course, Amazon devices. You can see what’s up for grabs by visiting its daily deals page, installing its mobile app, or asking your smart home device, “Alexa, what are my deals? » Like in previous years, it pays to be an Amazon Prime member: Subscribers get 30-minute early access to select Lightning Deals, which go quickly once they’re live; click here to sign up for a free 30-day trial.

Target

Target had Black Friday on the brain earlier than any of the other major retailers, cutting the virtual ribbon on its Black Friday sale on Oct. 10. Since then, deals have been switching in and out of the official « Black Friday deals » section. Target’s Holiday Price Match Guarantee ensures that you’ll get the lowest price possible even if it happens to disappear between now and Dec. 24.

Robot vacuum deals

Under $200

Shark AI RV 2002

Credit: Shark

Our pick: Shark AI RV 2002 (opens in a new tab)

$169 at Walmart (save $80)

(opens in a new tab)

Why we like it

LiDAR — the laser tech that allows a vacuum to map specific rooms rather than sweeping a generic path between walls — is almost never found in vacs under $200. If you care more about targeted cleaning and app-controlled no-go zones over intense suction on carpets, take advantage of Walmart’s discount on this budget Shark model.

  • Room mapping and zone cleaning

  • 120-minute battery life

  • Self-cleaning brush roll

More robot vacuums under $200

Under $500

Samsung Jet Bot

Credit: Samsung

Our pick: Samsung Jet Bot (opens in a new tab)

$249 at Amazon (save $350)

(opens in a new tab)

Why we like it

If you have a bumbling robot vac that causes more problems than it’s worth, treat yourself to a vac with demonstrated brain power. Samsung’s Jet Bot receives pretty outstanding reviews for its accurate laser mapping and — surprise — ability to actually find the room or zone you select. Though some energy is also dedicated to automatically adjusting suction to floor type and debris amount, the Jet Bot can clean for an hour and a half before recharging. The colossal 58% discount at Amazon is drastic compared to the measly discounts seen on the rest of the Jet Bot line.

  • Room mapping and zone cleaning

  • Suction automatically adjusts to floor type and level of debris

  • 90-minute battery life

More robot vacuums under $500

Under $800

Roborock Q5+

Credit: Roborock

Our pick: Roborock Q5+ (opens in a new tab)

$599.99 at Amazon (save $100)

(opens in a new tab)

Why we like it

Before summer 2022, buying a Roborock that auto-empties would cost you between $949.88 and $1,399.99. But a few mid-range releases created some leeway in price without sacrificing convenience. The cheaper one, the Q5+, skips mopping functionality, but still uses LiDAR to map your home layout, cleans with impressive 2,700 Pa suction, and empties itself.

  • Room mapping and zone cleaning

  • 180-minute battery life

  • Self-empty dock holds almost seven weeks’ worth of debris

More robot vacuums under $800

Robot vacuum and mop hybrids, plus dedicated robot mops

Roborock Q7 Max+

Credit: Roborock

Our pick: Roborock Q7 Max+ (opens in a new tab)

$649.99 at Amazon (save $220 with on-page coupon)

(opens in a new tab)

Why we like it:

If your home has lots of hard floor, tile, or laminate, consider opting for the Roborock Q7+ Max over the Q5+. It adds mopping to the menu, simultaneously scrubbing and deploying an intense 4,200 Pa in dry suction — except on carpet, where it knows to lift mopping pads and stop releasing water.

  • Room mapping and zone cleaning

  • 180-minute battery life

  • Self-empty dock holds seven weeks’ worth of debris

More hybrids and robot mops on sale

We’ll be adding more great deals to this story as more sales info is released.

The holiday shopping calendar has been shifting, but 2022 is the most intense example so far

Anyone who would appreciate it if Halloween could live out the entirety of its season in peace (damn it) will be the first to tell you that holiday shopping feels like it starts earlier and earlier every year. Black Friday-worthy deals start trickling in around mid-October, and the inbox cramming levels up from there until stores begin officially announcing deals with Black Friday and holiday terminology around early November.

It always feels a bit preemptive, like those neighbors who insist on putting up their Christmas lights while the trees are still green. But 2022’s fall frenzy was more intense than what we’ve seen in recent years. Things kicked off when Target revived its Deal Days event from Oct. 6 to 8 (complete with a Holiday Price Match Guarantee) which rolled nicely into its almost two-month-long Black Friday sale that went live on Oct. 10.

Days later on Oct. 12 and 13, Amazon’s Prime Early Access Sale hit. A second Prime Day in all but name, the Prime Early Access Sale (PEAS) was technically meant to give shoppers a super head start on holiday shopping and featured some of Amazon’s lowest prices of the year. Naturally, Best Buy and Walmart held similar sales to compete. At this point, modern Black Friday is a full season in its own right.

Inflation could make for a more frugal Black Friday

The volatility of item inventory, shipping times, and other supply chain-related chaos didn’t necessarily stop people from spending big in 2021. The National Retail Federation found that holiday sales between November and December grew over 14 percent compared to 2020 (findings in line with predictions from earlier that fall) despite slower December-specific sales due to, you guessed it, an earlier and more spread-out sale season.

While pickles should be easier to find than a Playstation 5s this year, consumers are now working around the fallout of another fuzzy economical mess — one with an even more direct effect on their wallets.

Inflation has been responsible for jacked-up prices on just about everything since spring 2022, leaving folks spending more than they’re used to on daily necessities like gas and groceries. For now, peak inflation seems to be behind us. But between holiday traveling, feeding guests, and of course, gifting, it’s likely that folks may stay in that frugal state of mind throughout the next few months.

This could mean more intentional Black Friday spending: more hunting for deals on essentials that you’d have to buy anyway and fewer impulse buys. Amazon’s October Prime Day gave us a glimpse of how hard (or not) shoppers may be willing to go this holiday season. Data compiled by Numerator, a consumer insights firm, indicates that people didn’t go as balls to the wall as they have in the past — that might be because 79% of PEAS shoppers had inflation on the brain. While one in three still hit « add to cart » on a specific item they’d been waiting to get discounted, a fourth of people ditched really good deals « because it wasn’t a necessity. »

Amazon’s Back-to-School campaign, which spoke to budget-conscious shoppers by confirming that, yes, it’s fine to buy the cheapest notebook for your kid, also alluded to the fact that retailers are aware of where customers want savings this year. While TVs and robot vacuums will undoubtedly still be Black Friday hits, we could see more doorbuster deal spots given to smaller, more essential purchases.

Mapping out a game plan now will help you avoid them when they inevitably crop up in the coming weeks. Here are all the must-know details you can use to strategize:

What is Black Friday?

Black Friday is a shopping holiday that takes place every year on the day right after Thanksgiving. It used to be synonymous with viral fistfights and stampedes and lines that stretched around city blocks before 3 a.m., but in recent years has become more of an online event.

When is Black Friday?

While Black Friday proper falls on Nov. 25 in 2022, most stores began rolling out their holiday doorbusters in October and early November.

What are in-store schedules like for Thanksgiving and Black Friday?

With most COVID-related mandates and crowd control tactics a thing of the past, Black Friday 2022 should feel reminiscent of the pre-pandemic stampede we’re used to. One major difference? Many brick-and-mortar locations are still embracing the « closed on Thanksgiving » trend first seen during COVID. Now, firmly closing doors frees up the holiday for time spent with loved ones.

Online shopping on Turkey Day, however, is still very much a thing. Official Black Friday deals at most retailers will be live on Thursday (if not earlier in the week), still somewhat solidifying Thanksgiving as the unofficial start to Black Friday weekend.

Below is everything we know about in-person shopping hours for The Big Retailers:

  • Target: Closed on Thanksgiving; most stores open at 7 a.m. local time on Black Friday. Drive-up and in-store pickup are available.

  • Walmart: Closed on Thanksgiving; stores open at 5 a.m. local time on Black Friday. Curbside and in-store pickup are available.

  • Best Buy: Closed on Thanksgiving; opening time on Black Friday TBA. Starting Oct. 30, Best Buy will also extend store hours from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day of the week except for Sunday, which will be open 10 a.m. through 8 p.m. Curbside and in-store pickup are available.

  • Bed Bath & Beyond: Closed on Thanksgiving; doors open at 6 a.m. local time on Black Friday. Curbside and in-store pickup are available.

  • JCPenney: Closed on Thanksgiving; doors open at 5 a.m. local time on Black Friday. Exclusive in-store coupons will be given to the first shoppers in line. Curbside pickup is available.

  • Kohl’s: Closed on Thanksgiving; opening time on Black Friday TBA. Both drive-up and in-store pickup are available.

  • Macy’s: Closed on Thanksgiving; stores are open from 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. local time on Black Friday. Curbside and in-store pickup are available.

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