I am starting my Black Friday home electronics wish list with two recent purchases that I am excited about and want to share. The rest, I'd be happy if an elf in my family happened upon this article.
#1: Sony Master Series A95K QD-OLED
BEST PRICE FOUND: $2,999 ($500 off MSRP)
Two weeks ago, a 65-inch Sony Master Series A95K QD-OLED display entered my home. Okay, I didn't wait for Black Friday for this one, but I'm so in love with this product that I want you to be able to take advantage of the deal.
To say that my husband and I are beyond enamored is an understatement. During the past four years, we've owned two top-of-the-line OLED displays and have been happy with each performance. But then, then the Sony A95K upended what we thought was an outstanding image. People talk about deep blacks—you haven't seen deep blacks like this before. More importantly, if you can't see the details in the shadows, then you might as well not have the deep blacks. And the color and vibrancy are to die for.
We have a home theater surround sound system but were waiting for some new cables to arrive from Straight Wire, so for the first two weeks, we used the Acoustic Surface Audio+ technology built into the A95K. Specially designed actuators turn the screen into a multi-channel speaker, precluding the need for an external surround-sound system. If you're looking for a clean esthetic and don't want speakers in your room, the Acoustic Surface Audio+ technology delivers a full audio experience that doesn't disappoint.
The display's performance is always my only concern when purchasing a new TV. My husband and I used to spend at least 15 minutes trying to figure out what series we were watching and from which service, but now Google TV remembers them and aggregates those for us on the home screen. And I was able to remove my Apple TV device from the rack because the app is part of the huge number of streaming apps available. Nice!
Need more fodder before you decide which TV to buy on Black Friday or Cyber Monday? A panel of expert judges at Value Electronics' 18th annual TV Shootout recently crowned the Sony A95K the "2022 King of 4K TVs". It outscored its OLED competitors on a series of criteria, including motion, peak lumens, upscaling performance in an environment with high ambient light, black level/shadow detail, color accuracy, and motion resolution in a home theater black-out situation.
#2 LG - NeoChef 1.5 Cu. Ft. Countertop Microwave
BEST PRICE FOUND: $189 ($50 off MSRP)
Really, a microwave? I might not be an expert on microwave technologies, but I am an expert on easy user interfaces. When shopping for microwave ovens, I was completely turned off by the fact that "Popcorn" was still displayed as the top option on most products. Not only that, but some presented the user with up to 30 options. I would die from starvation by the time I figured out how to heat my meal.
I've been using these simple products for more than 30 years, and I just wanted a simple keypad and power level. Eureka, I found something even better.
The LG - NeoChef 1.5 Cu. Ft. Countertop Microwave has THE BEST user interface. On the outside, you simply touch and swipe the "Time" slider to increase the amount of time to what you desired, then push "Start." This is how easy a microwave oven should be to use. If you really want that "Popcorn" button, which clearly research must show that most do, then it's still there. Open the door, and there's the keypad you expect, but still more simple than most microwaves on the market. I also love the streamlined look of not having a litany of buttons on the outside of the appliance.
Cindy's Black Friday Pick's from Sister Publications
For my remaining eight Black Friday wish list items, I looked to Future sister publications, Tom's Guide, and techradar. Both sites curate the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals and update them several times daily. And this year, Black Friday seems to be a two-month-long event, so you'll want to bookmark these.
#3 Bose QuietComfort 45
Stylish and comfortable to wear, the Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones offer the legendary noise cancellation that the brand is known for, along with excellent sound quality. It's all packaged in the same iconic look as the previous model. Even better, it's now on sale, with this $80 saving bringing the headphones back down to an all-time low price. Best Buy is offering the same deal.
#4 Samsung Freestyle Projector
Lowest price! The Samsung Freestyle is a new 1080p portable projector. The 1.8-pound projector is light enough to toss in a backpack and can project onto a variety of different surfaces from 30 to 100 inches. It features 360-degree sound and lets you summon Alexa or Bixby via its built-in smart assistant support. It's on sale for $599, which is a rare deal and its lowest price to date. Amazon and Best Buy offer the same price.
#5 JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth Speaker
The JBL Flip 5 has dropped to a new all-time low price in Amazon's early Black Friday deals. This Bluetooth speaker combines a waterproof and durable design with excellent sound quality and a lengthy 12 hours battery life. At $69 it's one of the best speaker deals we've seen in recent months.
#6 iRobot Roomba i7+
CORRECTION - Was $899 now $499 @ Best Buy
This Black Friday bundled deal from Amazon is offering an Echo Show 5 for just $10 when you purchase the Ring Video Doorbell Pro, which is a total savings of $114 - a fantastic offer. You can connect your Alexa-enabled Ring doorbell with your Echo device so you can see and talk to visitors completely hands-free.
#7 Apple Watch Ultra (49mm)
Amazon's Black Friday sale has just brought the 49mm Apple Watch Ultra down to $739 - this brings this beautiful high-end device to its lowest price ever. If you're a would-be adventurer in need of a seriously robust device, the Apple Watch Ultra is packed to the brim with GPS tracking and fitness-focused features.
#8 Ring Video Doorbell and Echo Show 5
$184.98 - now $69.99 at Amazon
This Black Friday bundled deal from Amazon is offering an Echo Show 5 for just $10 when you purchase the Ring Video Doorbell Pro, which is a total savings of $114 - a fantastic offer. You can connect your Alexa-enabled Ring doorbell with your Echo device so you can see and talk to visitors completely hands-free.
#9 Cuisinart Air Fryer Toaster Oven
Was $229.99 - now $159.99 at Best Buy
We really enjoyed this air fryer in our review. Instead of digital controls, it has physical knobs for a more hands-on experience, as well as eight different cooking functions. And, while it's a little pricey, it does a whole lot more than just air fry, and you can now save $70 for Black Friday, making this a great find.
#10 Revlon One-Step Volumizer PLUS 2.0 Hair Dryer:
Was $69.99 - now $48 at Amazon
(Cindy Davis owns one of these, and loves the product!) Always a hot item during holiday sales events, Amazon has the best-selling Revlon One-Step hair dryer on sale for $48 - just $3 more than the record-low price. Thanks to the unique oval brush design, the hairdryer delivers a salon-like blowout with brilliant shine and extra volume.
