Are Black Friday deals a scam? My honest take and what I'm buying as a shopping expert

This is a must-have for the upcoming holidays – Amazon's smart plug for just $12.99. With over 500,000 positive reviews on Amazon, the smart plug adds smart capabilities to any device and works with Amazon Alexa, so you can turn on lights and appliances using just your voice.

At just $19,.99, I'm gifting everyone in my family the best-selling Apple AirTag. If you tend to misplace your keys or wallet or want to track your luggage while traveling, just attach the AirTag to anything you don't want to lose, and your iPhone will locate the item.

I've had my eye on the Blink Mini 2 since its release, and now that it's on sale for its lowest price ever - it's a must-buy. The compact security camera features two-way audio and will alert your phone when motion is detected. The Blink 2 also includes a 1080p HD live view, night view in color with a built-in spotlight, and a wider field of view.

Need a cheap streaming device? Amazon has the best-selling Fire TV Stick 4K on sale for its lowest price ever. As the name suggests, the Fire TV Stick 4K streams shows and movies on your TV in ultra-high-definition 4K resolution. It's an excellent price for a solid streaming stick with access to all the major apps and support for voice controls through Alexa.

Over-ear wireless headphones for $24.95? Yes, please. The JBL Tune 510BT has over 50,000 positive reviews on Amazon and features Wireless Bluetooth 5.0 Streaming, so you can stream music and podcasts, take calls from your device, and enjoy an impressive 40 hours of battery life. If you need something inexpensive and you need it now, it's hard to argue with this price tag… 

This is the one item I buy every Black Friday: Crest's 3D Whitestrips. The best-selling teeth whitening strips are rarely on sale, and today's deal brings the price down to just $29.99 - $2 shy of the record low. You get 48 whitening strips plus a bonus pair of one-hour express strips so that you can have a whiter smile in no time.

As someone who wants to read more books in the new year, Amazon's latest Kindle is on my Christmas wish list. The 2024 Kindle is Amazon's lightest and most compact e-reader, featuring a six-inch glare-free display and a battery life that lasts six weeks. Today's Black Friday deal is a first-time discount and an incredible price for an all-new Amazon e-reader.

I already own the Bissell portable carpet cleaner, and as a mom of two messy boys, I can't imagine life without it. Perfect for pet owners and parents, the portable carpet cleaner can magically erase spills and stains on carpets, couches, auto interiors, and more. While today's deal isn't a record-low price, it's the best deal we've seen all year.

If you want to upgrade your coffee machine to a fancy espresso maker, this is the cheapest price you'll find on the Nespresso Pop Plus. This easy-to-use coffee maker can brew a creamy cup of espresso in minutes and supports multiple types of drinks and sizes.

This is the cheapest this multi-functional air fryer has been since Black Friday last year, with 40% off the list price at Amazon. We're particularly big fans of Vortex's Odor Erase technology (also used by the excellent Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1), which does an excellent job at eliminating cooking smells.

iPad deals are always popular during Black Friday, and this year's best discount is on the 10.9 iPad for $249.99 – a new record-low price. In our iPad 10.9 (2022) review, we said Apple's latest base-level tablet is a big upgrade over the previous generation model, offering a larger Liquid Retina display, a new A14 Bionic chip, improved cameras, USB-C support, and a sleek design.

Apple's all-new Apple Watch 10 was just released in September, and Amazon's Black Friday sale has the smartwatch down to $329, a new record low. The Apple Watch 10 includes upgrades such as Apple's new S10 chipset, sleep apnea detection, depth gauge, and a new design featuring the most advanced display. I don't expect you'll find a better price on Black Friday, and this offer is in danger of being sold out.

Dyson cordless vacuums are another Black Friday best-seller, and this year's offer from Walmart on the V12 doesn't disappoint. On sale for its lowest price, the Dyson V12 features a de-tangling motor bar that works across hardwood floors and carpets and can transform into a handheld vac for quick and convenient clean-ups.

This is the cheapest price I've ever seen for an OLED display, and I can guarantee the price won't drop further for Black Friday. Its self-lit OLED pixels and Dolby Vision enhance color and contrast beyond what the average backlit TV can do. Its built-in gaming features and 120Hz refresh rate make it an unbeatable deal for gamers looking for an upgrade.

This is the best deal yet on the latest Dell XPS 13. Complete with a brand-new Snapdragon X Elite chipset, this model is capable of not just exceptional day-to-day performance but also battery life that's simply a cut above what Windows laptops usually offer. Alongside superb specs, the latest XPS 13 also features a gorgeous lightweight design and a display perfect for work and casual everyday use.

Samsung's The Frame TV is my dream Black Friday purchase, and the 55-inch model just dropped to a jaw-dropping price of $849.99. The 2024 Samsung Frame TV features Pantone art-validated colors that deliver lifelike images. Plus, the display now comes with Streams, a complimentary set of artwork streamed from the Samsung Art Store. This is a new record-low price that won't budge on Black Friday proper.