Black Friday 2024 – live: Latest news and early deals

Black Friday is an event that many savvy parents will have bookmarked in their calendars as an opportunity to stockpile Christmas gifts and snap up some bargains (on behalf of Santa, of course).

Previous years’ events have seen mega savings from the likes of Very, Argos, Amazon, John Lewis and Smyths, on household names such as Lego, Barbie, Disney and Hot Wheels.

Ramping up the excitement ahead of the official sales event, our shopping team has found the best toy deals to shop now – think Vtech, Toniebox and more.

Falling the day after Thanksgiving in the US, Black Friday marks the start of the pre-Christmas shopping season. In fact, the first use of “Black Friday” in retail can be traced all the way back to the Fifties, when shops shifted from losses (in the red) to profits (in the black).

In the decades since, what started as a one-day sale has evolved into a four-day event (and, in some cases, a whole month of deals) that’s marked internationally and concludes on what is known as Cyber Monday.

This year, the mammoth sale will kick off on Friday 29 November. Lasting a full four days, the deals will end on Cyber Monday (2 December).

Welcome back to The Independent’s live coverage of the Black Friday sales, where I’m hunting down early deals on everything from technology, TVs, laptops and gaming gear to mattresses, beauty, fashion, air fryers and much more.

Whether you’re after a Shark cordless vacuum, Apple Airpods or CeraVe moisturiser, you’re in the right place - and my guide below includes all the very best deals to pay attention to.

The Currys Black Friday sale is always one of the most anticipated, thanks to previous years seeing hundreds of pounds knocked off big-name brands such as Ninja, Dyson, Apple and more.

As for the retailer’s 2024 event, it has joined the likes of John Lewis and Boots in kicking off its sale an entire month early. That means you can already save on vacuums, air fryers and more. Below, I’ve pulled out the deals I’ve got my eye on.

Ninja foodi dual zone air fryer: Was £199.99, now £149.99, Currys.co.uk

This stylish black and silver air fryer from Ninja is reduced by £50 in the run-up to Black Friday, thanks to Currys. As functional as it is sleek, the appliance features a nifty dual-drawer design that enables you to cook separate dishes simultaneously. There’s a huge 7.6l capacity, making it a great choice for larger households. The different functions mean you can air fry, crisp, roast, bake, reheat, dehydrate and prove, all with just one handy appliance.

Buy now

Dyson V8 advanced: Was £329.99, now £229.99, Currys.co.uk

Dyson’s V8 range is among our favourite budget vacuum cleaners. Better yet, you can now save £100 on the advanced model in the run-up to Black Friday. In our review of the similar V8 absolute vacuum, our tester said: “Just like the priciest models, you won’t have any problem with this machine’s power, thanks to a digital motor that spins at up to 110,000rmp, and Dyson’s standard cyclone technology.” The advanced model is touted as being Dyson’s most powerful V8 model yet, complete with 40 minutes of run-time it’s said to be able to trap 99.99 per cent of microscopic particles as small as 0.3 microns. Characterised by the brand’s distinctive sophisticated style, this vacuum is one to snap up, pronto.

Buy now

The first use of the term ‘Black Friday’ is thought to date back to the Fifties, in Philadelphia, where the local police department used it to describe the huge traffic jams, overcrowded pavements and mobbed stores in the city on the day after Thanksgiving.

It wasn’t until the 1980s that the phrase caught on in the rest of America, and was used as a marketing ploy to promote the consumer event and encourage sales. It was then deployed as a reference to the financial status of stores, as they went from being “in the red” to “in the black”, as profits increased.

Black Friday still falls the day after Thanksgiving but the mammoth sale has evolved into a four-day event. This year, it will kick off on Friday 29 November and conclude on Cyber Monday (2 December).

Among the most sought-after items during Black Friday sales, electric toothbrushes see some of the biggest price cuts. We can expect to see discounts on top-rated brushes from Oral-B and Philips, as well cheap replacement brush heads, teeth-whitening kits and water flossers.

But retailers can also be sneaky with toothbrush deals, advertising up to 80 per cent off, but those seemingly huge savings repeat like clockwork throughout the year.

That’s where our team of IndyBest experts comes in, as we’ll be tracking live prices and filtering out fake bargains, to bring you the best electric toothbrush deals in the Black Friday sale.

The Black Friday sale is best known for dropping discounts on everything from TVs and laptops to home appliances, but it’s also a great time to find a deal on your next mobile phone contract.

The big four carriers – O2, Vodafone, EE and Three – all host their own Black Friday sales for new and existing customers looking to upgrade. Meanwhile, the smaller challenger brands, resellers and networks get in on the action with discounts on their own plans, which are often cheaper to begin with.

Tech expert Steve has been busy rounding up the best deals below, from Apple to Samsung, so there’s no better time for an upgrade.

Each winter, blanket hoodies are among the hottest buys but one brand in particular dominates the market: Oodie. If you’re looking to save on one of the brand’s coveted wearable throws, Oodie has just kicked off its Black Friday event with 50 per cent off everything (yes, really).

That’s not all, though – come 6 November, you can also secure one of Oodie’s bestselling black £65 blanket hoodies for just £1, thanks to its returning sale. All you need to do is sign up with your email or phone number to be notified 24 hours before the offer goes live and again with a two-hour warning.

For more information and early deals, check out my guide below:

With colder weather here, a heated airer for drying clothes indoors is likely at the top of your wishlist. Luckily, Black Friday 2024 is right around the corner, bringing with it a whole host of stellar savings.

Not only do these clever gadgets help clothes dry faster, but they also have the potential to reduce your household bills (tumble dryers can cost up to £1.55 to run whereas heated airers cost anywhere between 10p and 20p a day to run). And, with many of them discounted right now, there’s never been a better time to snap one up.

Our shopping experts have rounded up the best-heated airer deals ahead of the Black Friday sale - including our favourite tried and tested model of 2024.

Sofas are, quite literally, a part of the furniture. If you want your living room to feel cosy and inviting, no home is complete without one. But as much as we love and rely on them, they are not cheap. Enter the Black Friday sale.

From Sofa.com to John Lewis and Swyft, stylish models are reduced by hundreds of pounds in the lead up and during the Black Friday event.

If you can’t wait until then, the team have done the hard graft for you and rounded up the best early sofa deals to snap up now. The Swyft three seater has gone straight to the top of my wishlist.