Headphones and speakers

November is a great time to get gifts for the music lovers on your holiday shopping list — or to pick up a few items to enhance your own listening experiences. You’ll see the best discounts of the year on Bluetooth headphones and speakers, Carls says. That includes popular brands such as Beats, Bose, JBL and Samsung.

Where to look for deals: Amazon, Target, Walmart

Potential savings: up to 50 percent off

Laptops

Retailers slash prices on laptops by as much as 50 percent during Black Friday sales, says Courtney Omell, an editor at the Krazy Coupon Lady, a website dedicated to finding coupons and deals. But she cautions against focusing on price alone: “You might see a super-low price on a doorbuster, but check the specifications first.” You won’t be getting a good deal if the laptop’s processing power and memory don’t fit your needs. 

Also, don’t wait until Cyber Monday in hopes of getting a lower price. “While it used to be the case that Cyber Monday was the online and tech counterpoint to Black Friday, retailers often run the same deals all weekend through Monday,” Omell says. “The strategy is to start shopping for laptops on Black Friday. If you don’t find exactly what you want, or don’t have time to shop the holiday weekend, treat Cyber Monday as the final round to snag a solid laptop deal.”

Where to look for deals: Amazon, Dell, HP, Target, Walmart

Potential savings: 20 to 50 percent off

Small kitchen appliances

Retailers know that air fryers, coffee makers and other countertop appliances are popular holiday gifts, “so they use big discounts to clear inventory before newer models arrive,” Omell says.

Some of the best deals are on stand mixers. “The KitchenAid Stand Mixer is always a hot ticket item, and usually Black Friday features its best price of the year,” Shand says. “Expect discounts of up to 35 percent off.” 

Where to look for deals: Best Buy, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Target, Walmart

Potential savings: 20 to 50 percent off

Smart home devices

Looking to outfit your home with a new smart speaker, smart thermostat or other Wi-Fi-connected device? Many manufacturers offer some of the lowest prices of the year in November to get their smart home products into as many homes as possible, even if it means selling some of these items at a loss, Omell says.

The goal is to get shoppers into their ecosystem. “They’re more likely to buy accessories, subscriptions or compatible products later,” she says.

Look for deep discounts on Amazon Echo devices, Amazon Fire TV Sticks, Google Nest products and Ring video doorbells.

Where to look for deals: Amazon, Best Buy, Kohl’s, Walmart

Potential savings: 40 to 70 percent off