The best Black Friday deals for 2021, all in one place

UPDATE: Nov. 2 2021, 12 p.m. EDT This story has been updated to include the latest deals, including a bunch of discounts on Apple devices.

We've rounded up all of the best early Black Friday deals as of Nov. 2 —here are our top picks:

• BEST TV DEAL: TCL 55-inch 6-Series 4K QLED smart Google TV is one of the most affordable displays with gorgeous mini-LED backlighting —$699.99 $949.99 (save $250)

• BEST ROBOT VACUUM DEAL: iRobot Roomba j7, the newest and first Roomba with obstacle-avoiding PrecisionVision Navigation —$499 $649.99 (save $150.99)

• BEST APPLE DEAL: Apple 21.5-inch iMac with Retina 4K display (Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD), a powerful desktop from early 2019 with an AMD Radeon Pro 560X graphics card for gaming — $999 $1,499 (save $500) and get 6 free months each of Apple Music and Apple News+

• BEST SMART HOME DEAL: Echo (4th Gen) is a snappy and sleek smart speaker from 2020 that boasts impressive bass for its size —$59.99 $99.99 (save $40) and get a free 6-month trial of Amazon Music Unlimited

• BEST GAMING DEAL: SteelSeries Ultimate Gaming Bundle is a stellar value that includes the Arctis 1 Wireless headset, an Apex 3 keyboard, a Rival 3 Wireless mouse, and a QcK mousepad —$139.99 $199.99 (save $60)

• BEST KITCHEN DEAL: Le CreusetSignature Sauteuse (3.5 quarts), a versatile enameled cast-iron sauté pan from the fancy French cookware brand that rarely goes on sale —$179.95 $300 (save $120.05)

Did it hurt? When you realized we're in the thick of our second pandemic holiday shopping season?

Stores began soft-launching their Black Friday deals in October to get a jump on the supply chain chaos that's making "availability" a central theme in this year's sales. But now that November is here, things are really ramping up.

Below, you'll find a complete list of all the Black Friday doorbusters that are live right now (with sales grouped by retailer, category, and brand). We continue to update this post as more deals pop up, but don't hold out too long if something on your shopping list is already enjoying a discount —it may not be in stock for much longer.

Here are the best deals at each retailer

Amazon: Amazon got the earliest start on this year's Black Friday sales and will continue to drop holiday doorbusters every day in the lead-up to Black Friday proper. (Its inventory tends to change the most, so check back often —you can find out what's up for grabs by visiting its Early Black Friday Deals page, installing its mobile app, or by asking your smart home device, “Alexa, what are my deals?") At the time of writing, highlights included up to half off its lineup of Fire Kids tablets, some deep discounts on Facebook Portal devices, up to 40% off select Fitbits, and a massive sale on Echo smart devices for Alexa's birthday.

Bed Bath & Beyond: Check back later for deals!

Best Buy: Don't bother waiting for Best Buy's official Black Friday sale (which begins a whole week early on Friday, Nov. 19). The electronic store is also treating the entire month of November like one big Black Friday celebration, running thousands of deals across multiple sales (starting with "The Wish List Sale" from Nov. 5 through 8) that are all covered by its new "Black Friday Price Guarantee —don't miss out on some dirt-cheap Google Nest devices, a selection of Chromebooks that start at only $99, a $999 iMac, or a $250 markdown on TCL's stunning 55-inch display with mini-LED backlighting. My Best Buy and Best Buy Totaltech members can also shop some exclusive "Member Mondays" series of deals at the beginning of each week, so there are plenty of opportunities to save.

Dell: A few other stores beat Dell to the punch this year — it's usually among the first to tease its holiday ad scan —but its official Black Friday event will begin earlier than most on Monday, Nov. 15. In the meantime, you can shop a preview sale featuring some "lowest prices of the year" on things like Alienware gaming laptops and PCs (up to 33% off), XPS and Inspiron laptops (up to $300 off), and brand-name monitors (up to 45% off).

HP: The techies over at HP are rolling their Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals into one big ol' sale from Nov. 25 to Cyber Monday (its "biggest savings event of the year," per the ad scan), which drops prices on Microsoft Office software and tons of its Windows 11 laptops and PCs. As far as early pickings go, you can currently score $270 off the HP Spectre x360, save $200 on the HP ENVY x360, and take $100 off the HP ENVY Desktop.

JCPenney: The department store is keeping things pretty traditional this year with a three-day Black Friday sale from Nov. 26 to 28. But like most of its peers, it's also putting a sprinkling of weekly deals and doorbusters up on its website all month long. (See: $12.99 appliances with mail-in rebates, hundreds of dollars off select mattresses, and this $40 Philips Sonicare toothbrush.) If you're patient/brave enough to wait for the big day, make sure to keep an eye out for some seriously good kitchen deals — select gadgets from Black + Decker and Bella Essentials will be marked down to a mere $7.99 each (!) after some rebates.

Kohl's: Your Cash-doling fave ran a five-day Lowest Prices of the Season Event from Oct. 20 to 24 to give shoppers a first look at some holiday offers ahead of its official Black Friday sale (which will see the return of its excellent $15 for $50 Kohl’s Cash offer on select days). Nothing's on deck there at the moment, but check back later for deals!

Macy's: The mall stalwart has announced that it will offer "unbeatable deals" and "early-access specials" each week of November ahead of its Black Friday sale, which will begin a few days early on Nov. 23 and run through Nov. 27. Its ad scan previews a 50% markdown on the six-quart Instant Duo Plus, close to 60% off the Shark ION Robot RV761, and a boatload of air fryer deals —check back later for more deets when its first savings event kicks off Nov. 3.

Target: The bullseye brand is getting a head start on Black Friday with a series of weeklong Holiday Best sales, the first of which goes from Oct. 31 through Nov. 6 (with extra deals added into the mix on Nov. 4, just to keep everyone on their toes) —peep these $100 Beats headphones, this $60 Fujifilm Instax Mini 11, and this $5 L.O.L. Surprise! figurine. It's also worth noting that Target's holiday price match policy is now in effect through Dec. 24, and you can also take advantage of two new "buy now, pay later" payment options through Sezzle and Affirm.

Walmart: The big box store has confirmed the return of its popular "Black Friday Deals for Days" in November. The monthlong sale will be divided into three different events that begin on its website, with the same deals continuing in Walmart stores. (Worried something on your list will sell out? Join Walmart+ — paying members will receive online access to those holiday offers four hours earlier than everyone else, as a treat.) Like Target, Walmart has also nixed layaway in favor of a new "buy now, pay later" program as part of its partnership with Affirm. Check back later for deals — its first event begins online on Nov. 3 and continues in stores on Nov. 5.

Best tech deals

The latest Amazon Echo comes with a free six-month trial of Amazon Music Unlimited for a limited time. Credit: Amazon

23andMe: Get up to 50% off select DNA tests (starting at just $79).

AeroGarden: Take $40 off the Sprout indoor garden (now $59.99), 40% off the Harvest (now $89.97), 44% off the Harvest 360 (now $83.99), 36% off the Harvest Elite (now $116.97), and $80 off the Harvest Elite Slim (now $99.99).

Amazon Echo: Save up to 55% on select Echo Show smart displays (including Echo Show/Blink Mini bundles), take 25% off the second-gen Echo Buds (now $89.99), and get 40% off the latest Echo smart speaker (now $59.99, plus six free months of Amazon Music Unlimited) as part of Alexa's birthday sale.

Amazon Fire tablets: Save up to 50% on select Fire Kids tablets (starting at just $59.99) or get half off the Fire HD 8 Plus (now $54.99).

Amazon Fire TV: Get 50% off the newest Fire TV Stick 4K (now $24.99) and take 21% off the new Fire TV Cube (now $94.99).

Bose: Save up to 29% on select earbuds and take 33% off the QuietComfort 35 II noise-canceling headphones (now $199).

Dyson: Take $200 off the Outsize Total Clean cordless vacuum (now $649.99).

Facebook: Get up to 56% off Facebook Portal smart video-calling devices (now $79).

Fitbit: Save up to 40% off select fitness trackers (starting at just $59.95).

Fujifilm: Get $10 off the new Instax Mini 11 instant camera (now $59.99).

Google: Take 23% off the new Nest Thermostat (now $99.99), get half off the Nest Hub smart display and the second-gen Nest Mini smart speaker (now $49.99 and 24.99, respectively), and save $50 on the Nest Doorbell (now $129.99). Plus, enjoy three free months of YouTube Premium when you grab the stellar Nest Audio on sale for only $59.99 (normally $99.99).

HP: Save $160 on the brand's 11.6-inch Chromebook (now only $99) and get $150 off the 15.6-inch ENVY 2-in-1 laptop with 256GB of storage (now $669.99).

Insignia: Save 41% on the brand's 24-inch smart TV (now $99.99) and get a free 30-day trial of fuboTV Plus when you buy its 58-inch Class F30 Series 4K smart TV on sale for $230 off (now $349.99).

JBL: Get half off select JBL Tune headphones and earbuds (starting at only $24.95).

Kindle: Save $40 on a 10th-gen Kindle (now $49.99), or grab a 2019 Kindle Kids for 45% off its usual price of $110 (now $59.99).

Lenovo: Take $200 off the ThinkSmart View for Microsoft Teams (now $149.99).

LG: Get up to 22% off select NANO90 Series 4K smart TVs and save as much as 28% on C1 OLED displays, our No. 1 pick for next-gen gaming.

Marshall: Save $100 on the Kilburn II portable Bluetooth speaker (now $199.99).

Microsoft: Save up to $200 on select Surface Laptop Go devices and take up to $400 off the Surface Pro 7.

Philips: Get $50 off the Hue White & Color Ambiance A19 LED Starter Kit (now $139.99).

Samsung: Take $50 off the new Galaxy Watch 4, up to 35% off select Samsung TVs, 33% off the Galaxy Buds+, 41% off the Galaxy Buds Live, up to $230 off select tablets, and up to 31% off select monitors.

Sennheiser: Get up to 54% off select headphones and earbuds (starting at only $19.95).

Sony: Save up to 29% on select X85J 4K UHD smart TVs, up to 57% off select headphones and earbuds, and up to 51% select speakers, subwoofers, and sound systems.

TCL: Get $250 off its 55-inch 6-Series 4K QLED smart Google TV (now $699.99) and save up to 42% on select Roku smart TVs 50 inches and up.

MORE BLACK FRIDAY DEALS ON TVS AND LAPTOPS

Best robot vacuum deals

Robot vacuums: Because no one's ever sat on their deathbed wishing they'd spent more time cleaning. Credit: Bissell

Bissell: Save $100 on the SpinWave Wet and Dry Robotic Vacuum (now $299.99).

eufy: Take 57% off the RoboVac G30 Verge (now $149) and 36% off the RoboVac 15C MAX (now $179.99) with an extra savings coupon.

iRobot: Save up to 23% on the brand new Roomba j7 and j7+ (now $499 and $699, respectively), get 34% off the entry-level Roomba 694 (now $179.99), and take 27% off the self-emptying Roomba s9+ (now $949).

Roborock: Get $240 off the S6 Pure robot vacuum and mop (now $359.99) with an extra savings coupon.

Shark: Take $130 off the Shark AV993 IQ(now $249.99), $150 off the Shark IQ Robot Vacuum AV970 (now $249.99), and $55 off the Shark Ion Robot 750 (now $144).

MORE BLACK FRIDAY DEALS ON ROBOT VACUUMS AND ROOMBAS

Best Apple deals

Apple's next-gen AirPods are here (and on sale). Credit: Apple

AirPods: Take $70 off the AirPods Max (now $479), $59.01 off the AirPods Pro (now $189.99), $40 off the second-gen AirPods (now $119), and $4.02 off the new third-gen AirPods (now $174.98 —hey, it's something).

Apple accessories: Save $5 on the MagSafe Charger (now $34) and take 9% off the second-gen Apple Pencil (now $117.64).

Apple TV: Get six months each of Apple TV+ and Apple Music on top of a 30-day FuboTV trial when you grab a 32GB Apple TV 4K on sale for $30 off (now $129.99).

Apple Watch: Save $50 on the 40mm Apple Watch Series 6 (now $349) and get $30 off the 38mm Apple Watch Series 3 (now $169), or buy any Apple Watch with cellular connectively directly from the Apple Store and get $100 back after activation.

Beats: Get $180 off the Studio3 wireless noise-canceling headphones (now $169.99), half off the Solo3 wireless headphones (now $99.99), $20 off the new Studio Buds (now $129.95), and $100 off the Powerbeats Pro totally wireless earphones (now $149.99).

iPad: Save $60 on an iPad Air with 64GB of storage (now $539) and get $99.01 off some configurations of the new 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pros (now $799.99 and $999.99, respectively).

iPhone: Get up to $1,000 off the all-new iPhone 13 with a trade-in and qualified activation on a Verizon plan.

iMac: Take $500 off the 21.5-inch iMac with a Retina 4K display, 256GB of storage, 8GB of RAM, and anIntel Core i5processor (now $999).

MacBook: Save $199.01 on an M1-equipped MacBook Pro with 256GB of storage (now $1,099.99) or take $100 off an M1 MacBook Air with the same amount of memory (now $899).

MORE BLACK FRIDAY APPLE DEALS

Best fitness deals

Peloton whomst? Credit: NordicTrack

Hydrow: Save $500 on the Hydrow Connected Rower (now $1,794.99).

NordicTrack: Get $700 off the new S22i Commercial Studio Cycle (now $1,499), $700 off the Commercial 2950 Treadmill (now $2,499.99), $400 off the Commercial 1750 Treadmill, and $600 off the RW200 Rower (now $699.99).

ProForm: Take $500 off the Pro 5000 Treadmill (now $1,199.99).

MORE BLACK FRIDAY FITNESS DEALS

Best gaming deals

This spring's new "Mass Effect" remaster includes the original trilogy and over 40 DLCs. Credit: EA

2K: Save on select games for the Nintendo Switch, including BioShock: The Collection(now $20) and The Outer Worlds (now $24).

Alienware: Save up to 33% on Dell's premium gaming laptops and PCs (starting at $1,249.99).

Amazon: Take 20% off the Luna Controller (now $55.99).

ASUS: Save up to 28% on select gaming accessories.

EA: Get up to 90% off select digital titles for PC, including It Takes Two (now $29.99), Mass Effect: Legendary Edition (now $39.99), and the MVP Edition of Madden NFL 22 (now $69.99).

JBL: Take up to 25% off its Quantum line of gaming headsets.

LG: Take $70 off the new 32-inch UltraGear FHD 165Hz monitor (now $229.99).

Logitech: Save 50% on the G432 wired gaming headset and get up to 55% on select gaming mice and keyboards.

MSI: Get $400 off the GS75 Stealth Gaming Laptop (now $1,349).

Nintendo Switch: Get up to 50% off select accessories.

Square Enix: Save 50% on select games, including Marvel's Avengers for Playstation 4 (now $19.93) and the Day One Edition of Outriders for PS5 (now $19.99).

SteelSeries: Save $60 on a gaming bundle featuring the Arctis 1 Wireless headset, the Apex 3 keyboard, a Rival 3 Wireless mouse, and the QcK mousepad (now $139.99).

Turtle Beach: Get 50% off the Recon 200 gaming headset (now $29.99).

WD: Take up to 39% off external SSDs.

MORE BLACK FRIDAY GAMING DEALS

Best kitchen deals

Save on some fancy French cookware from Le Creuset. Credit: Le Creuset

Bella: Get 50% off the Pro Series 4.2-qt. Analog Air Fryer (now $29.99).

Breville: Save 20% on the Smart Oven Pro, a top-rated countertop convection oven (now $223.95).

Instant Pot: Save up to 23% on select Instant Pots and air fryers, including the new 6-quart Instant Pot Pro (now $119.95) and the new 6-quart Instant Vortex Plus(now $99.95).

Le Creuset: Take 40% off the French brand's 3.5-quart Sauteuse (now $179.95).

Ninja: Save $90 on the 11-in-1 Foodi Dual Heat Air Fry Oven (now $179.99).

MORE BLACK FRIDAY DEALS ON INSTANT POTS AND AIR FRYERS

Best house and home deals

Tuft & Needle makes some of Mashable's favorite beds-in-a-box. Credit: Tuft & Needle

Tuft & Needle: Save up to 20% on select mattresses and sleep accessories.

Best toy deals

Yes, Hermione, I think this is going be *exactly* like Wizard's Chess. Credit: LEGO

Amazon: Take up to 60% off select STEM and learning toys and save up to 50% on a handful of children's books.

Barbie: Save up to 38% on select dolls and playsets.

Crayola: Save 25% on select art supplies and kits.

Elmer's: Take 12% off a metallic slime kit (now $10.99).

Fisher-Price: Save up to 46% on select toys.

Hot Wheels: Get up to 43% off select cars and gift sets.

LEGO: Get a free $10 gift card when you spend $50 on select LEGO sets at Target.

L.O.L. Surprise!: Save $11 on a L.O.L. Surprise! Remix Hair Flip Tot with 15 surprises (now just $4.99).

Ruko: Save $20 on the voice-controlled Ruko Smart Robot (now $109.99) with an extra savings coupon.

Target: Take 20% off select board games.

MORE BLACK FRIDAY TOY DEALS

Don't forget to order a little something nice for yourself this year. You earned it. Credit: Vicky Leta / Mashable

Ready or not, Black Friday is here

Stores began cramming our inboxes with Black Friday-worthy deals in early October (starting with Amazon's "Epic Daily Deals" event, which kicked off Oct. 4). It probably felt a bit preemptive, like those neighbors whoinsiston putting up their Christmas lights while the trees are still green, but they actually had a very good reason to get a jump on this year's sales.

And no, it wasn't just a good, old-fashioned cash grab in response to some strong holiday spending forecasts.

Shipping delays and supply chain chaos

The global economy is grappling with some unprecedented supply chain challenges as the result of the Delta variant, which continues to inflame pandemic-related material scarcities, labor shortages, and shipping bottlenecks across industries of all kinds. (Under circumstances absolutely no one had on their bingo card, pickles and paper bags have gotten as elusive as Playstation 5s.)

Unsurprisingly, the ordeal has left most major manufacturers and retailers scrambling. Amazon is trying to lure in an extra 150,000 seasonal employees with the promise of $3,000 sign-on bonuses and higher pay for certain shifts, while Walmart, Home Depot, and Ikea have all gone so far as to charter private cargo ships to make sure their shelves are stocked for the season. Apple, meanwhile, is "predicting that we're going to be short of demand by larger than $6 billion" heading into the holidays, CEO Tim Cook said in a recent interview with Reuters.

For us consumers, this all means that finding the best deals this holiday season will likely be an ongoing question of availability more so than price.

"There will always be sales, but they won’t be as deep and as plentiful," Bain & Company's Aaron Cheris toldCNBC. (He's the head of the consulting firm's Americas Retail practice.) "As a retailer or a brand, I don’t have the same motivation when I know I’m going to stock out."

If you missed out on October's whirlwind of early sales, fret not. Backorders and "sold out" notices haven't besieged stores just yet, but mapping out a game plan now will help you avoid them when they inevitably crop up in the coming weeks. Here are all the must-know details you can use to strategize this holiday shopping season:

What is Black Friday?

Black Friday is a shopping holiday that takes place every year on the day right after Thanksgiving. It used to be synonymous with viral fistfights and stampedes and lines that stretched around city blocks before 3 a.m., but COVID-19 has turned it into a mostly online event.

When is Black Friday?

While Black Friday proper falls on Nov. 26 this year, most stores have already begun rolling out their holiday doorbusters.

Black Friday versus Cyber Monday — what's the difference?

The National Retail Federation officially coined the term "Cyber Monday" in 2005 after it noticed that in previous years, the Monday after Thanksgiving saw a massive uptick in online sales. It credited the phenomenon to two factors: Online retailers were starting to vie for a piece of the Black Friday pie, and shoppers were waiting to peruse the deals on their faster work computers come Monday morning. (At the time, office PCs had better broadband than home setups.)

Last year's Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales effectively bled together since in-person shopping wasn't really a thing. We'll almost certainly see that repeat this year.

What stores will be open for in-person shopping this Black Friday, if any?

All major retailers with brick-and-mortar locations have made the call to stay closed on Thanksgiving Day. That's another big change from pre-pandemic years, when many stayed open on the federal holiday so that eager shoppers could start perusing their best deals early. (If you feel the urgent need to do some post-pie shopping that day, you'll have to crack open your laptop instead.) In-person shopping is making a comeback for Black Friday, but be mindful of COVID-related safety procedures and limited store capacities:

• Bed Bath & Beyond: Closed on Thanksgiving; Black Friday hours TBD. Masks are required for all customers (unless you're fully vaccinated) as well as associates, and all stores are following safety plans that include extra cleaning, free wipes and hand sanitizers, employee health screenings, and occupancy limits. Curbside and in-store pickup are available.

• Best Buy: Closed on Thanksgiving; Black Friday hours TBD. Face coverings (available in stores) are recommended for all customers and required for all employees, who are abiding by enhanced safety procedures such as daily wellness checks and regular cleaning of high-touch areas. Curbside and in-store pickup are available.

• JCPenney: Closed on Thanksgiving; doors open at 5 a.m. local time on Black Friday. Its mask policy varies based on local and state mandates, but all locations are following safety measures like regular nightly cleanings, socially distanced queues, contactless checkout, and capacity limits. Curbside pickup is available.

• Kohl's: Closed on Thanksgiving; Black Friday hours TBD. The company is requiring all associates to mask up, recommending that customers in high-risk counties do the same; it's also implemented extra cleaning and safety measures that include placing sanitizer at every register, removing beauty testers, and installing signage that encourages social distancing. Drive-up and in-store pickup are available.

• Macy's: Closed on Thanksgiving; stores are open from 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. local time on Black Friday. Its COVID-19 safety policy includes pre-shift wellness checks for all associates, readily available hand sanitizer, increased cleaning in high-touch areas, extra ventilation, and social distancing; masks are recommended but not required for vaccinated customers except where mandated. Curbside and in-store pickup are available.

• Target: Closed on Thanksgiving; Black Friday hours TBD. Face masks are required for team members and strongly recommended for shoppers in areas with a substantial or high risk of transmission, per CDC guidelines, and increased cleanliness/disinfecting measures have been implemented. (Haven't gotten a vaccine yet? You can do so at select CVS locations within Target stores.) Drive-up and in-store pickup are available.

• Walmart: Closed on Thanksgiving; Black Friday hours TBD.All associates are required to wear a mask (regardless of vaccination status) in areas where there are mandates, and customers are strongly encouraged to do so, too. Stores are spraying carts after use and keeping plastic shields at registers, among other enhanced safety procedures. Curbside and in-store pickup are available.