The Most Popular Black Friday Deals According to Wirecutter Readers
By Wirecutter Staff
Black Friday sales are everywhere. Most are bad. But some are legit deals on tried-and-tested Wirecutter picks. And some have grabbed the attention of our readers more than others.
Here are the Wirecutter-approved Black Friday deals that our readers have loved the most.
You can also check out the Wirecutter Deals page for the latest discounts on more Wirecutter picks that meet our rigorous testing and pricing standards.
Mini cookie sheets for mini hands
Nordic Ware Naturals Baker’s Eighth Sheet — Our Pick
Amazon deal price: $6; street price: $12
What we like: One of our sheet pan picks for cooking with kids. Easily fits in a toaster oven. Just as durable and versatile as the larger version (which is our top baking sheet pick). A multi-purpose pan that's good for everything from toasting a handful of nuts to baking a piece of fish.
Other things to know: Giving young bakers their own small pan to fill with cookies reduces the chance of any bickering over whose treats are whose. Dimensions are 9.4 by 6.3 by 1.1 inches. Deal matches previous lows.
Read our review of the best kids cooking tools (that you’ll love too).
A fully insulated water bottle
Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Water Bottle (20 ounces) — Pick Variant
Amazon deal price: $16; street price: $30
What we like: A wider-mouth version of our favorite simple stainless steel water bottle. Bottle is insulated and simple to carry. Wide mouth makes it easy to add ice. During testing, it was completely leakproof and kept water cool for 17 hours.
Other things to know: Includes a detachable Flex Sip Lid. Deal available in stone.
Read our review of the best water bottles.
Sleek, bright light
Glocusent Bookmark Style Reading Light — Top Pick
Amazon deal price: $12; street price: $16 (select colors)
What we like: Our top-pick reading light. Chic and compact, with the most light settings of all our picks. Power indicator on the front makes it easy to monitor charge. Simple to twist and adjust brightness and light temperature.
Other things to know: Small. Buttons can be a bit too sensitive when adjusting clip placement. Deal price is currently only available in blue, though other colors are also on sale for a dollar more.
Read our review of the best reading light.
A toiletry bag for all the trips
State Bags Bensen Toiletry Kit — Our Pick
State Bags deal price: $58; street price: $74 (BF2023, price includes shipping; select colors)
What we like: Versatile toiletry-bag pick. Great for long and short trips. Unzips flat to hold larger items. Hangs readily thanks to sturdy hook. Removable translucent pouch makes for easy TSA passage.
Other things to know: Most expensive of our picks. Comes in 19 colors and patterns. The deal price is for any of the $65 kits. Other kits cost a few bucks more. Use code BF2023. Price includes shipping.
Read our review of the best toiletry bags.
Cuisinart CPK-17 PerfecTemp Cordless Electric Kettle
Cuisinart CPK-17 PerfecTemp Cordless Electric Kettle — Top Pick
Amazon deal price: $70; street price: $90
What we like: Our top pick for the best electric kettle. Has been our top pick since 2013 because of its consistent performance and easy-to-use interface. Little variation in the amount of time it takes to boil a full kettle of water (1.7 L). Great accuracy in holding water at a set temperature.
Other things to know: Three-year warranty is quite generous. Some reviews complain that the labels on the buttons wear off over time and that the kettle breaks within a year or two, but we don't think these are widespread problems.
Read our review of the best electric kettle.
A classic, durable apron
Hedley & Bennett Crossback Apron — Our Pick
Amazon deal price: $79; street price: $100 (select colors)
What we like: Our top-pick crossback apron. Favorite among testers for our kitchen apron guide. Comfortable, durable, and gender neutral. Highly adjustable, fits people of many different sizes and heights. Large pockets are perfect for stashing cooking tools or phone.
Other things to know: Expensive but lasts a long time. Currently available in select colors.
Read our review of the best our favorite kitchen aprons.
Multitasking air fryer
Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro — Top Pick
Amazon deal price: $320; street price: $400
What we like: Our pick for the best air fryer toaster oven. Performs just as well as an air fryer as it does a toaster oven. Specific settings for dehydrating, proofing, and slow cooking. Crisps up food faster than traditional toaster ovens. Large two-rack capacity. Multiple fan speeds.
Other things to know: Significantly more expensive than our runner-up pick.
Read our review of the best air fryer toaster oven.
Cozy everyday hoodie
Hanes Men’s Full-Zip EcoSmart Hoodie — Gift Pick
Amazon deal price: $12; street price: $18 (select colors)
What we like: An everyday hoodie recommended in our guide to great last-minute Christmas gifts. Inexpensive (especially on sale). An ideal extra layer—not too cold, warm, or fussy. Soft and cut generously. The 50/50 cotton/polyester blend holds color and texture better than 100% cotton but still feels breathable.
Other things to know: Comes in six sizes up to 3XL and 11 colors. Most colors and sizes on sale, some combinations may be a lower price.
Read our review of the best great last-minute Christmas gifts.
Dependable humidifier
Dreo HM311S Smart Humidifier — Budget Pick
Amazon deal price: $42; street price: $50
What we like: Our budget pick for the best humidifier. Quiet, straightforward, easy to use, and doesn't over-humidify a room.
Other things to know: Small tank but will still last most of a day. Useful features like built-in night-light and smart-home integration. 30-month warranty. Lacks a handle, but still portable.
Read our review of the best humidifier.
An unobtrusive tracker
Apple AirTag Bluetooth Tracker — Our Pick
Amazon deal price: $24; street price: $29
What we like: Our pick for the best Bluetooth tracker for iOS users. Broad search network for precision locating. Replaceable coin battery. Can help find lost wallets, keys, and more.
Other things to know: Doesn’t have a way to ring your phone if it’s nearby. No built-in method of attaching to anything. Solid deal for an individual tracker. If you are interested in stocking up, deals for multi-packs typically offer a better price per tracker.
Read our review of the best Bluetooth tracker.
A classy kettle
Fellow Stagg EKG Electric Gooseneck Kettle — Another Good Option
Amazon deal price: $132; street price: $160 (select colors)
What we like: Another electric gooseneck kettle we like. Good looks and performance, but expensive. Aesthetically pleasing silhouette. Small 0.9-liter capacity is best for single servings.
Other things to know: Small capacity and high price compared to our main gooseneck pick. Deal price is for black and white colors, but other colors are also discounted.
Read our review of the best electric kettle.
Well-designed carry-on luggage
Away The Carry-On Luggage — Also Great
Away deal price: $220; street price: $275
What we like: Our pick for the best hard-sided carry-on luggage. Sleek, trendy design. Strong yet flexible polycarbonate shell. Top-of-the-line components include YKK zippers, smooth-rolling wheels, and a built-in portable charger. Lifetime warranty.
Other things to know: Less durable and more prone to showing wear than our soft-sided picks. Street price has risen, but still a rare deal. Only available in petal with USB charger. The Bigger Carry-On, Medium, and Large are also on sale.
Read our review of the best carry-on luggage.
Clog-proof water filter
LifeStraw Home Water Filter Dispenser — Also Great
Amazon deal price: $48; street price: $60 (select colors)
What we like: Our well-tested and virtually clog-proof water filter dispenser pick. Good for those who have experienced clogging with other water filters or who have known rusty or otherwise sediment-rich tap water. Easy-to-use, high capacity, and kid-friendly operation.
Other things to know: Filters water more slowly than the carbon filters our other picks use. Has a few other design and filtration downsides. Four ANSI/NSF certifications. Deal is for the midnight blue color.
Read our review of the best water filter pitcher and dispenser.
Dependable electric toothbrush
Oral-B Pro 1000 Electric Toothbrush — Top Pick
Amazon deal price: $30; street price: $45 (select colors)
What we like: Our top pick for the best electric toothbrush. Has a two-minute timer with handy quadrant pacing and compatibility with the largest range of widely available replacement brush heads. Also has a pressure sensor and a long-lasting battery.
Other things to know: Compatible with the largest range of replacement heads. Oscillating brushing motion. Louder than others. Only the black color is down to $30 in the new design; the old design is available in either color with a free my Best Buy membership or store pickup.
Read our review of the best electric toothbrush.
Timeless sneakers
Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Sneakers (low-top, unisex) — Gift Pick
Converse deal price: $30; street price: $60 (Use promo code CYBERWEEK, free Converse membership required)
What we like: A pair of classic unisex sneakers we recommend in our gift guide for boyfriends. Cool, inexpensive, and effortlessly casual. Easy to clean and tough enough to last several years. A great everyday kicking-around shoe.
Other things to know: Narrow toe box. Not waterproof. No arch support. Use code CYBERWEEK. Free shipping for Converse members (free to join). Deal is for select colors.
Read our review of the best gifts for boyfriends (that are great for anyone).
Fast, easy-to-read meat thermometer
Thermapen ONE Thermometer — Upgrade Pick
ThermoWorks deal price: $76; street price: $114 (Price includes shipping)
What we like: Our upgrade meat thermometer pick. The fastest and most accurate instant-read model we tested. Bright backlit rotating screen. Wide temperature range. Waterproof. Buttonless and completely automatic. Comes in a rainbow of colors.
Other things to know: Pricey, and street price has recently gone up. Few recipes demand instant, to-the-degree accuracy. The switch to change between Celsius and Fahrenheit is inconveniently located inside the battery compartment. Price includes $5 shipping.
Read our review of the best meat thermometers.
Spicy condiments
Fly By Jing Shorty Spice Set — Gift Pick
Target deal price: $16; street price: $20 (free Target Circle membership required, with saved on-page promo, Target RedCard or store pickup)
What we love: A set of invigorating Sichuan spices and sauces we like. Recommended in multiple gift guides. Includes Sichuan Chili Crisp, Zhong Sauce, and Mala Spice Mix. We love Fly By Jing, a woman-owned company that makes delicious condiments for every heat-seeking taste bud.
Other things to know: Goes well on stir fries, noodles, omelets, roasted veggies, and more. Vegan and MSG-free. Contains soy and sesame. Save the Target Circle offer (free to join). Free shipping for Target RedCard holders or opt for store pickup to avoid shipping fees.
Read our review of the best celebrate AAPI heritage month with these delicious Asian snacks.
A more powerful iPad
Apple iPad (10th-generation, 64 GB) — Upgrade Pick
Amazon deal price: $350; street price: $420 (With delayed shipping)
What we like: Our upgrade iPad tablet pick. Offers four color options and more processing power than previous models. Bigger, higher resolution screen and improved cameras. Wi-Fi 6 support. USB-C charging capability. 10-hour battery life.
Other things to know: No headphone jack or home button. Swaps out Lightning port for USB-C. Comes with 64 GB of storage.
Read our review of the best iPad is the best tablet.
Compact bike storage
Delta Cycle Michelangelo Two-Bike Gravity Stand — Top Pick
Amazon deal price: $38; street price: $65
What we like: Our top bike rack pick for storing one or two bikes in a small apartment. Simple to set up. Lightweight yet sturdy. It only needs a single hole drilled in the wall. Has a couple of extra hooks for accessories.
Other things to know: While a single extra tall bike will fit, two taller bikes may not. Only requires a Phillips screwdriver and a drill to assemble in our testing.
Read our review of the best bike storage ideas.
Cleaner for small messes
Bissell Little Green Portable Carpet Cleaner 1400B — Top Pick
Amazon deal price: $89; street price: $120
What we like: Our top pick for the best portable carpet and upholstery cleaner. Great for small messes. Ideal for pet owners and parents of young kids. Completely removed wine and chocolate stains with handheld suction brush, hot tap water, and cleaning formula.
Other things to know: Designed to tackle small areas only. Water tank is difficult to clean. One-year warranty is shorter than that of competition.
Read our review of the best portable carpet and upholstery cleaner.
Lovely light
Wick Portable Table Lamp — Gift Pick
2Modern deal price: $127; street price: $150
What we like: An LED touch-sensor lamp we like in our guide to housewarming gifts. Modern version of a traditional chamber stick. Offers the romance of candlelight without an open flame. Four brightness settings. Charges via USB.
Other things to know: Stays “lit” for 12 to 115 hours between charges. Pulse mode mimics the flicker of candlelight.
Read our review of the best housewarming gifts.
