What do shopping editors buy during Black Friday sales? So far, these 11+ things
Whether you’re shopping for holiday gifts, upgrading your tech or crafting a new wardrobe, there’s no better time to score big savings than Black Friday. As NBC Select editors, we scope out thousands of online deals to find the best ones that are worth your money. While looking for the best discounts on products of every category (many of which are at their lowest prices of the year), we added a few things to our own carts. Below, I compiled the best deals our NBC Select editors are taking advantage of this Black Friday.
SKIP AHEAD Black Friday deals our NBC Select editors are buying
What our NBC Select editors are buying on Black Friday 2024
Apple MacBook Air 13” (M3)
4.6-star average rating from 301 reviews on Amazon
Lowest price ever
If I was in the market for a new laptop, I would pounce on this deal in a heartbeat. Apple’s MacBook Air is a fantastic laptop, especially for travelers and students looking for a compact, lightweight computer to put in their backpack. This model gets up to 18 hours of battery life and has improved performance over previous models because of Apple’s M3 chip and 16GB of memory (up from 8GB). – Harry Rabinowitz, reporter
Hulken Bag Large
4.6-star average rating from 1,256 reviews on Amazon
Part of our work requires testing products, a lot of products. I’m always schlepping everything home in multiple tote bags and it’s uncomfortable and annoying to be that person on the subway. I’ve had my eye on the Hulken for quite some time as it is a popular product amongst NBC Select staff. Since it doesn’t go on sale very often I knew I had to snag their Black Friday deal before they sold out. NBC Select reporter, Zoe Malin, has let me borrow hers from time to time and it’s was life changing. It is so spacious ( we even put an entire AC unit inside of it), and the handles are long enough that you can throw it over your shoulder when going down a flight of stairs. The wheels glide well on bumpy sidewalks and save me from throwing out my back with a bunch of totes. – Rebecca Rodriguez, editorial projects manager
Ouai Melrose Place Dedtergent
I’m a huge fan of hair care brand Ouai, so when I found out they collaborated with fragrance house Dedcool (which I also love) on detergent, I knew I had to add it to my laundry routine. This Black Friday, I purchased the Melrose Place scent (a rich rose), and the brands’ newest limited-edition scent, North Bondi (bergamot, lemon, rose and violet). The detergent lasts for up to 60 washes, which helps justify the higher price point, in my opinion. – Mili Godio, updates editor
Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40
4.6-star average rating from 17,275 reviews on Amazon
Finding the perfect sunscreen for your skin type, texture and color can be just as hard as finding the right foundation. I had such a tough time looking for a mineral sunscreen that didn’t leave a nasty white cast until I found Supergoop’s Unseen Sunscreen. It’s completely transparent, feels very light on my face, and I can wear it under makeup. It also doesn’t leave my face looking or feeling oily, which most other mineral sunscreens on the market do. – Aksha Mittapalli, editorial intern
Bissell Little Green Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner
4.5-star average rating from 90,705 reviews on Amazon
There’s a reason people won’t stop talking about this small but powerful appliance from Bissell. It makes cleaning up pet stains, drink spills and dirt smudges so easy, and all at a great price point. Smaller than your average duffel bag, the Little Green machine uses water, suction and a cleaning solution to lift and pull away embedded stains from carpet and upholstered surfaces, like couches and chairs. NBC Select updates editor Mili Godio has one and says it’s been a major help in cleaning up after her dog Bella. – Cory Fernandez, commerce editor.
Embark Breed & Health Kit
4.7-star average rating from 17,963 reviews on Amazon
Lowest price ever
Lately I’ve been obsessed with figuring out the breed of my pup, Obi. He resembles a Border Collie and there are light hints of brown in his coat, but overall his breed remains a total mystery. I decided to pick up this dog DNA kit from Embark to at least get an idea of his background. Who knows, maybe he’s part Beagle or some other random breed; either way it will be a fun story to tell. – Jordan Bowman, commerce editor
Reformation Bethany Ballet Flat
I’ve had my eye on these flats for a while, and since Reformation only hosts a couple of sales throughout the year, I figured I’d finally purchase them. I love the dark chestnut color, and the buckle style makes it look on trend while keeping my feet secure (one of my biggest pet peeves is my feet sliding out of my flats as I walk). It’s also made from a chic, high-quality leather material, which will go perfectly with my winter outfits. – Mili Godio, updates editor.
JBL Charge 5 — Portable Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker
4.7-star average rating from 29,826 reviews on Amazon
I recently got my hands on this JBL Charge 5 and it has been the best Bluetooth speaker I have ever purchased. This speaker has incredibly crisp sound quality, is easy to connect to Bluetooth on my phone or computer, and is a perfect size that I can fit in my backpack if I’m on the go. It also has a battery life of up to 20 hours, so I never have to worry about it dying too quickly. Whether I’m at the beach with friends, going on a hike, getting ready for a night out, or simply hanging in the backyard with family, this speaker has been the perfect addition to my music setup. – Ella Morrissey, page.
Bose QuietComfort Wireless Headphones
4.5-star average rating from 6,204 reviews on Amazon
Lowest price ever
Train, plane and automobile noise is no match for the noise-canceling technology on these Bose headphones. They are one of our favorite over-ear headphones for travel because they’re lightweight, comfortable and come with a wired cable for seat-back entertainment on flights. The headphones fold at the hinges to a more compact size, and come with a carrying case that’s easy to put into your travel backpack or weekender bag. – Harry Rabinowitz, reporter
Artifact Uprising Wedding Layflat Photo Album
As I approach my one-year wedding anniversary, I want to craft a photo album with all of my favorite photos from the big day. I was looking for an album that looks and feels lux and high quality, and this option from Artifact Uprising fits the bill. It’s a flat-lay album, which means the seams lie flat so pictures have a panoramic effect. It also has a minimalistic cover (available in over a dozen colors) with foil lettering, which adds a chic touch. – Mili Godio, updates editor
Vitamix Ascent X3 Blender
This is the one product my mother made me promise I would buy on Black Friday. So many Indian recipes require a blender, so I will be racking up miles on the Vitamix as soon as it gets delivered. It can grind down hard, frozen fruits and other solid foods into a fine mix faster than any other blender I’ve used. It also has a speed dial and a pulse function so I can adjust the settings based on the foods I’m putting into the blender. – Aksha Mittapalli, editorial intern
Shark HD430 FlexStyle
4.3-star average rating from 5,902 reviews on Amazon
This product truly has everything you need to style your hair all in one. A friend of mine purchased a Shark last year and after trying it a few times, I knew I needed to get my own. It works for any hair type or style, and as someone with thinner hair, it doesn’t cause any heat damage and leaves my hair looking fresh everytime I use it. It also k comes with detailed instructions on how to style any type of hair and is so worth the price, in my opinion. – Ella Morrissey, page.
Why trust NBC Select?
I’m an editorial intern at NBC Select who frequently covers gift guides, deals posts and product roundups. For this story, our editors, who try and research hundreds of products each month, share their favorite Black Friday purchases.
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