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Black Friday is fast approaching and many will be readying themselves to tick items off their Christmas list without breaking the bank on November 29.
As shoppers swarm into shopping centres and fight tooth and nail for the best deals, a smarter set will be wrapped up at home bagging the same bargains online.
But whether you’re shopping from the comfort of your own home or the chaos of the high street, do not get blinded by the apparent brilliance of a Black Friday bargain without first checking whether the product is also a Don’t Buy.
Which? has compiled a comprehensive list of the deals it says should be avoided in Black Friday sales, including a flawed fridge freezer and a not-so ‘smart’ kettle.
Based on the thousands of products the consumer magazine tests in their labs each year, here are the top seven deals to avoid.
Topping the Don’t Buy list is Beko’s fridge freezer as its cooling and freezing performance was inconsistent and energy efficiency was poor.
A cheaper and superior alternative is the Fridgemaster which is on sale on AO.com for £315.
It has great chilling and freezing power and an accurate thermostat, according to Which?
Another product that fell short of Which?’s expectations was the Swan Alexa Smart Kettle.
This is available to purchase for a sale price of £59 and was rated poorly by the consumer champion as it boils slowly, overboils for too long and has a lack of filter, meaning it is a terrible choice for those using hard water.
Earlier this year, the kettle also won a Which? Shoddies Award for the ‘dumbest smart product.’
As an alternative, shoppers should consider Bosch’s MyMoment Delight, on sale at Amazon for around half the price (£30) of the inferior option.
It is not as flashy as the Swan model but boils speedily and is easy to use.
The third product to steer clear of this Black Friday is the Kinderkraft 2 in 1 Nea pram, which performed very poorly in the consumer champion’s laboratory tests earlier this year and had a range of safety issues.
The £349 product had a harness that broke under pressure, a plastic toggle on the rain cover that detached too easily and could be a choking hazard and a broken spring in the wheel suspension.
For a better alternative, Which? recommends the Jane Ruler pushchair that can be bought from Trendybaby.co.uk for £379 and includes the Smart carrycot.
It is a lightweight all-rounder pushchair and pram.
Although the Swan Nordic toaster may seem enticing as it has been reduced to £49 in the sales, Which? advises consumers to look the other way.
The kitchen appliance tested poorly because its toasting slots are not deep enough, which leads to uneven or uncooked bread.
Instead, Which? recommends the Argos Cookworks Illuminated toaster which is £30 and speedily pops out golden-brown toast every time.
The Withings Scanwatch is another dud deal as it does not track heart rates accurately and lacks smart features.
Although consumers will have to pay a bit more, Which? advises them to opt for the Google Pixel Watch 3 45mm to bag a great product that offers accurate tracking and a host of smart features.
The Hisense HS214 sound bar, on offer at £78.17, is another dud.
Which? found it had nasty audio quality and ease of listening issues – it also lacked a proper display.
Instead, the Sony HT-S2000 is also in the sales on Amazon and is worth forking out a bit more for (£298) as it is a great value product that produces adequate audio.
Source: Which?
1. Beko CNG4601DVPS fridge freezer (sale price – £479)
2. Swan Alexa Smart Kettle SK14650BLKN (sale price – £59)
3. Kinderkraft 2in1 Nea pushchair and pram (sale price – £349)
4. Swan Nordic ST14620WHTN toaster (sale price – £49)
5. Withings Scanwatch 2 42mm (sale price – £249.95)
6. Hisense HS214 sound bar (sale price – £78.17)
7. Tower Optimum VL100 cordless vacuum cleaner (sale price – £119)
When it comes to vacuums, Which? recommends that consumers avoid the Tower Optimum VL100 cordless vacuum cleaner (sale price £119).
This vacuum struggled to pick up dirt from deep within the carpet pile as well as dog and cat hair.
At this price there are many better options. For example, the Russell Hobbs Glide Pro Plus is for sale for £105 on Robert Dyas’ website and was deemed a ‘solid choice’ during Which?’s testing.
Harry Rose, Which? Magazine Editor, said: ‘It can be tempting to buy on impulse in the Black Friday sales, but our list of dud deals shows why finding the time to do some research could be worth your while and save you money.
‘Which? reviews are based on rigorous and independent testing and separate products that have a hefty price tag but simply don’t perform from the hidden gems that punch above their weight.’
Source: Which?