Black Friday sales: Canstar’s early wins and top picks

Black Friday, Australia’s biggest sale event, kicks off on November 18. But you don’t need to wait until Friday to start shopping. Many stores have already dropped early deals that will run through the sale weekend.

At Canstar, our team is always on the hunt for great value and a great deal—whether it’s a better energy offer, cheaper health insurance, or the biggest discounts come sale time. Here are some of the best savings our team has already locked in.

Karen Yang – Senior Production Specialist

“I recently bought the Shark Stain Striker that was 48% off on Amazon. I had been eyeing it off since July and specifically waited for the Black Friday sales to purchase it.”

• Deal Secured: Shark Stain Striker Portable Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner ($129, saved over $120).

Nick Whiting – Finance Writer

“I bought a PS5 Slim with a disc drive from Big W for 20% off. I looked at a few forums to see if anyone had found a better deal and discovered it was the cheapest price all year.”

• Deal Secured: PlayStation 5 Disc Console (20% off, saved $200).

Meagan Lawrence – Consumer Editor

“Oops—we went to set up our Christmas tree and realised we’d thrown away the base! I looked around online and found Temple & Webster had 40% off Christmas trees. I got a 6ft tree for $209.99. It’s more than I’d usually spend on a tree but with young kids at home, we’ll have it for years to come.”

• Deal Secured: Temple and Webster 180cm Classic Pine Pre-Lit Christmas Tree ($209.99, saved $140).

Nina Rinella – Editor in Chief

“I’ve had my eye on this Vestirsi bag for months and decided to grab it when it was almost 40% off. I love supporting this Australian label because you pay for the quality and style rather than just the brand name.”

• Deal Secured: Vestirsi Margot Dark Chocolate Woven Baguette bag ($249, saved $150).

Joshua Malin – Finance Writer

“This is the cult item I’m hoping to grab: the Breville Barista Express Impress Coffee Machine. My goal was to find a barista-grade machine that’s easy to clean, matches our kitchen, and stops me from buying takeaway coffee most days. Since I currently spend around $5 on coffee five days a week, the machine will pay for itself in just 22 weeks—after that, it’s pure savings.”

• Deal Target: Breville Barista Express Impress Coffee Machine ($797, saving $502).

Jessica Pridmore – Finance Editor

“I bought a Tonies Box for my toddler. I paid $109.95 for the Toniebox 1 (31% off) and saved $85.92 in total on the box and four Tonies figures. I’m glad I could get all her favourites without breaking the bank.”

• Deal Secured: Tonie Box 1 and Tonies figures (Total saving of $85.92).

Black Friday hot offers

While Black Friday officially runs from November 28 to December 2, plenty of discounts are already available.

If you plan on buying something, keep these Black Friday shopping tips in mind before you add to cart:

• Compare prices for the best deal. Don’t assume the first discount you see is the biggest.
• Check websites and brand reviews before purchasing. A huge discount is meaningless if the product is poor quality.
• Be mindful of marketing tactics that are meant to pressure shoppers into impulse buys (e.g., ticking countdown timers and low stock alerts).

House and garden

You can find savings on cleaning gadgets, outdoor tools, and home furnishings right now.

• 42% Dyson Gen5detect Absolute + Detail Cleaning Kit Bundle: $889 (was $1,549)
• 69% off Darion Machine Washable Rug: $249 (was $749)
• 50% off TruSens Z-3000 Air Purifier: $298 (was $599)
• 23% off Milwaukee 18V fuel 3-Piece Outdoor Pack: $599 (was $778)

Kitchen

If you’ve been waiting to upgrade your kitchen essentials, these deals on appliances and cookware could be worth checking out.

• 67% off Tefal Dual Easy Fry Essential Airfryer in Black: $149 (was $449.95)
• 71% off Jamie Oliver by Tefal Kitchen Essentials Induction NS Stainless Steel Triple Frypans 20/24/28cm: $125 (was $429.95)
• 28% off Smeg 50s Retro Style Aesthetic Electric Kettle: $143 (was $199)

Technology & gadgets

Score discounts on popular accessories and entertainment tech, including noise-cancelling headphones and portable projectors.

• 42% off Sony Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones in Black: $149.95 (was $259.95)
• 59% off Plugd Wireless Qi Fast Charging Foldable Station: $32.50 (was $79.95)
• 46% off Devanti 4K Wi-Fi Portable Mini Video Projector 1080P: $132.95 (was $247.99)

Cult buys

These well-known, high-demand items—from stand mixers to hair dryers—are seeing significant discounts this sale season

• 40% off Kitchen Aid stand mixer: $699 (was $1,149)
• 34% off Dyson Supersonic™ hair dryer: $394 (was $599)
• 40% off Ecovacs DEEBOT T50 Pro Omni Black Robot Vacuum & Mop: $886 (was $1,499)
• 40% off Joseph and Joseph Multicolour 8-piece Knife & Chopping Board Set: $149.97 (was $249.95)
• 34% off Ninja Creami Ice Cream Maker: $228 (was $349)

Don’t forget the telco deals this Black Friday

If you’re feeling the pinch from your mobile or internet bill, Black Friday is a good time to see if there’s a better offer available. According to Canstar research, you could potentially save up to $499 a year just by switching your NBN and mobile plans.

Here’s the catch: these offers are often time-limited introductory discounts, so you need to be ready to shop around again when the discount period ends.

As always, make sure to read the terms and conditions and stick to a budget to avoid overspending. Your bank account will thank you.