55 Early Target Black Friday Deals (2022): Video Games, Headphones, and Dyson Vacuums
The retailer has a price match guarantee for anything bought until December 24, so get ahead of your holiday shopping list…
Black Friday is almost here, but retailers like Target and Best Buy kicked off sales early. It makes it easier to cross gifts off your holiday shopping list before December rolls around. Below, you’ll find some of the best deals we’ve found, from discounts on the Xbox Series S to KitchenAid stand mixers. There’s a chance you’ll see even better deals on the big day for select items, so be sure to stay tuned to our Cyber Week coverage.
Check out our other Black Friday coverage, including Deals on Google Devices, Sonos Deals, Deals on Microsoft Hardware, Best Early Black Friday Deals, Early Best Buy Deals, and our Black Friday Shopping Tips.
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Target’s Holiday Price Match Guarantee
Since Target’s Black Friday deals have started early, the retailer is offering a price match guarantee. If you purchase an item in-store or online between October 6 through December 24 and the price goes lower, you can request a price match. You’ll need to show proof of purchase.
Headphone Deals
These might look like the original AirPods Pro from 2019, but the second-generation wireless earbuds (9/10, WIRED Recommends) deliver better sound quality, have a speaker embedded in the case so you can find it more quickly, and have longer battery life. Most importantly, Apple’s noise-canceling tech remains some of the best in a pair of wireless earbuds.
These earbuds from Sony (7/10, WIRED Recommends) deliver some of the best audio quality you’ll find in such a tiny package. That said, they may be a bit too big for small ears. There’s noise canceling to quiet down the outside world, quick pairing with Android phones, and a wireless charging case.
Sony’s flagship headphones remain our best overall choice for most people (9/10, WIRED Recommends). They look elegant, last a long time on a single charge, and sound excellent. Sony’s noise cancellation is also top-notch yet again. If you want to save even more, the previous generation WH-1000XM4 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) are just $230 right now (120 off).
These are our favorite wireless earbuds for working out, especially if you have an iPhone (they still work fine with Android phones). The Beats Fit Pro (9/10, WIRED Recommends) are comfy to wear, have great battery life, and have excellent noise cancellation. There are physical controls on the outside of each earbud, so you don’t have to worry about your sweaty hair pausing your music during a workout.
Want even more security? The Powerbeats Pro (8/10, WIRED Recommends) have a secure fit so they won’t fall out of your ears. Plus they get nine hours of battery from a charge and sound better than Apple’s standard AirPods. You can automatically pause your music or route a call back to your phone simply by taking one out of your ear.
The Studio3 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) are getting a little long in the tooth, but they’re still a great pair of comfy over-ear headphones. There’s great noise cancellation, awesome Bluetooth range, and they pair well with Apple devices (Android users might experience worse battery life).
Amazon’s second-gen Echo Buds (8/10, WIRED Recommends) are our some of our favorite cheap buds at their normal $120 price, so this is a great discount. Alexa, the voice assistant, is built right in, so you can control the buds, ask questions, or set timers without looking at your phone.
Phone, Tablet, and Smartwatch Deals
The Pixel 6A (8/10, WIRED Recommends), is our favorite phone for most people. This more budget-conscious handset still produces some of the best photos with its dual-camera system for the price. You also get a bright AMOLED display, daylong battery life, speedy performance, and five years of security updates. (Plus, many of the smart software features Pixels are known for.) You sacrifice a few bells and whistles like wireless charging and a high screen refresh rate, but it’s still a steal.
Google’s newest flagship phone, the Pixel 7 (8/10, WIRED Recommends), has barely been out for a month, but it’s already on sale. That’s impressive since we already liked its low price. You get snappy performance, a 90-Hz screen, wireless charging, a battery that lasts a day, and one of the best cameras on a smartphone. Don’t forget the plethora of smart features you’ll use every day (which you can read more about here). The Pixel 7 Pro, which has a larger 120-Hz screen and a 5X optical zoom camera, is also on sale for $749 ($150 off). You can find more Google deals here.
If you don’t want the Pixel 6A for some reason, then this Samsung Galaxy A53 5G (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is a good alternative. It adds a 120-Hz screen refresh rate to the mix, along with a microSD card slot. It’ll get four OS upgrades and five years of security updates. It’s a shame the cameras aren’t as good as the budget Pixel.
Samsung is set to announce a successor to this phone early in 2023, but that doesn’t stop this S22 Ultra (9/10, WIRED Recommends) from being a good buy. There are almost no other smartphones in the US that have a 10x optical zoom camera, and that lets you capture sharp photos of subjects far away—like your kid running across the soccer pitch. It’s a high-end phone in every other way, from stunning performance to a fantastic 6.8-inch display. There’s even a built-in stylus.
We’re still testing the brand-new Fire HD 8, but it improves on its predecessor in nearly every way. It has a faster processor, a thinner design, and it retains the USB-C port for charging. It’s a great cheap tablet for consuming media and browsing the web, and it’s fairly compact. If you’re buying this for a kid, get the Fire HD 8 Kids version for $80 ($150 off). It includes a two-year worry-free guarantee in case your kid smashes the slate, and it also comes with a rugged bumper case. Want something even smaller? The Fire HD 7 (2022) is also on sale for $40 ($20 off), and it has good enough performance for web browsing and watching videos.
There’s a new iPad in town, but Apple is continuing to sell last year’s model; for most people, it’s more than enough. It’s fast, has a nice screen, and supports the first-gen Apple Pencil (along with the Smart Keyboard). There are several multi-tasking improvements you can enjoy in iPadOS 16 too.
The Apple Watch Series 8 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is the best Apple Watch out right now if you haven’t upgraded in a while. This one retains great health and wellness features, like blood oxygen measurements, high and low heart rate notifications, and ECG, plus it now includes Crash Detection (it’ll contact emergency services if you’re unresponsive). You can also track your fertility if you’re interested but keep in mind potential privacy issues.
Google’s first-ever Pixel Watch misses some key features at launch, like SpO2 sensing, auto workout detection, and fall detection (coming soon), but it’s a gorgeous smartwatch that is really comfortable and is accurate at tracking the health and fitness basics—heart rate tracking plus electrocardiograms. Its responsive interface lets you keep track of notifications and respond to messages, even phone calls. Unfortunately, battery life is lackluster, and it charges slowly, so it’ll constantly be top of mind. It only works with Android phones.
Streaming Deals
Google TV has the best interface of any streaming device we’ve tried, and we love this Chromecast (8/10, WIRED Recommends). Browsing across platforms is easier than Roku, whether you’re looking for a specific title or know you feel like a comedy tonight. If you don’t need a 4K device, Google has a cheaper HD-only Chromecast with Google TV for $20 ($10 off).
Roku’s Streaming Stick 4K Plus, which is slightly discounted at Amazon right now, is our recommended Roku for most people, but this one is similar. It’s cheaper and the remote lacks hands-free voice control. Even though the above Chromecast has a nicer interface, Roku still makes our favorite streaming devices. They’re just easier for most people to navigate and have nearly every service under the sun.
The Roku Ultra has the strongest dual-band Wi-Fi of the lineup, plus it comes with headphones for private listening if the rest of your house is asleep (you just plug them into the side of the remote). It streams in Dolby Vision and this 2022 version adds support for HDR10+ (if your TV supports it). It comes with a voice remote.
For $80, you can upgrade your streaming capabilities and the audio quality of your TV with Roku’s Streambar. It’s just 14-inches long, so it works great in smaller living rooms. It has Dolby Audio for better sound, and there’s a night-listening mode so you don’t have to worry about constantly turning down the loud scenes while your roommate is sleeping.
If you prefer Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant and watch mainly Prime Video content, go with this streaming stick. It works with most apps, but it is obviously geared toward Prime shows and movies. There’s a picture-in-picture feature so you can pull up your security camera feed without interrupting your current binge.
Home Deals
I love the mismatched, random mugs I have, so I prefer using them with a mug warmer. But if you work in an office and need to keep your coffee warm, Ember’s mugs do their job well. You’ll have to connect it to the Ember app, but then you can set your perfect temperature from 120 to 145 degrees Fahrenheit. The battery lasts about an hour and a half.
This is one of the lowest prices we’ve seen on this model. These stand mixers can stand (pun intended) the test of time and will prove useful to any home baker’s arsenal.
Put these circular trackers in your luggage or wallet, stick them on your bike, and attach them to your keychain. If you misplace the item (or someone steals it), you can track the location through Apple’s Find My app. The trackers use Bluetooth and Apple’s Find My network, so if your lost good passes by someone with an iPhone, you’ll be able to see the item’s location on a map. They’re not without serious problems, but there are ways to check if you’re being tracked by an AirTag.
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We’ve seen this stick vacuum go as low as $350 before, but this is still a solid deal. The V10 Cyclone (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is from 2018, but it’s the vac of choice for several WIRED Gear members. The suction is strong, it’s relatively lightweight, and it’s easy to maneuver. You can even convert it into a hand vac. Learn more in our Best Dyson Vacuums guide. The brand-new Dyson V15 Detect is also on sale for $650 ($100 off)—we’ll have a review up soon—but you can also save and get the older V8 Origin for $280 ($100 off).
This is our absolute favorite robot vacuum. It’s attractive, easy to use, and most of all, effective. It has powerful suction, great navigation, and it empties automatically into the bin, which means you don’t have to empty it as often.
The Nest Cam (Battery) is one of our top picks for outdoor security cameras, particularly if you want to stick to the Google Assistant ecosystem. It has a simple magnetic mounting plate and its battery will last a little more than a month before needing a recharge. The 1080p quality is pretty great, even when night vision kicks on in low light. A Nest Aware subscription isn’t required, but it adds a few helpful features. There’s a version with a floodlight for $190 ($90 off), and the corded version of this Nest Cam (for indoors) is also on sale for $70 ($30 off).
The Beam (Gen 2) is the Goldilocks of Sonos soundbars. It’s not the most powerful from the brand, but it’s the best balance of sound and size for most living rooms. The Beam supports Dolby Atmos and voice assistants (Google Assistant, Alexa, and Siri), it processes faster than its predecessor, and it’s incredibly sleek, whether on your shelf or mounted to the wall. Read our Sonos guide for more.
This is the best Google speaker for basics (7/10, WIRED Recommends), like asking questions, setting timers, or controlling your smart home. The fabric around the top is made of 100 percent recycled plastic bottles. Read our Best Smart Speakers guide for more details.
The Nest Audio (8/10, WIRED Recommends) can do everything the Nest Mini can do, including adeptly answering all your questions thanks to Google Assistant, but its audio output is significantly better. This is the speaker to get if you want to blast tunes around the house as you do your chores.
Want a smart display without a camera (there are plenty of reasons you might)? The 7-inch Nest Hub (7/10, WIRED Recommends) will satisfy. It can act as a digital photo frame when it’s not in use, but you can call up Google Assistant to control your smart home gadgets or ask it any question, and see visual responses on the screen. It can use radar to track your sleep habits, so it’s a nice option for the bedroom. Check out our Best Smart Displays guide for more recommendations.
Gaming Deals
This deal is on the original Nintendo Switch model and includes a digital download code for of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. You also get a three-month membership for Nintendo Switch Online, so you can crush your friends and strangers online. You’re effectively getting the game and membership for the price of the console.
The Xbox Series X fluctuates in stock, so snag the Series S instead. It’s a great alternative. The Series S is smaller and can only play digital games (there’s no disc drive), but it can play titles up to 120 frames per second at 1440-pixel resolution (not 4K). This is the lowest price we’ve tracked, and Target is throwing a $50 GiftCard, which you can use to snag an Xbox game.
The Xbox comes with only one controller in the box, so get a spare for player 2 ahead of the holidays. You’ll find discounts on all color options including Carbon Black, Robot White, Shock Blue, Pulse Red, and Electric Volt.
Planning on streaming your Elden Ring sessions? An affordable USB microphone like this one will elevate the way you sound on the stream. Just plug it into your PC and that’s it. We have other tips and recommendations in our Best Podcasting Gear guide.
Beauty Deals
Whenever I go to Target, I come home with far too many beauty products. If that sounds like you, several beauty products are a part of a buy one get one 25 percent off deal. Here are a few recommendations:
- Hero Cosmetics In Case of Everything 2022 Holiday Kit ($20): Hero Cosmetics makes the best pimple patches and the Rescue Balm included in this kit is amazing if you’ve given in to the urge to pick and pop. It helps prevent scabbing. The Lightning Wand lightens dark spots from old pimples.
- ZitSticka Head-to-Toe Zit Clearing Gift Set ($20): ZitSticka also has great pimple patches, and this kit includes masks and body wash. We haven’t tried all of the products in the gift set.
- Starface Holiday Big Yellow + Refills Acne Treatment ($25): Starface makes it really cute to deal with acne. This includes the plastic yellow mirror and patch holder, plus refills.
- Morphe 2 Quad Goals Multi-Palette Cosmetic Set ($16): Morphe’s Morphe 2 line is for those who don’t necessarily want a full glam look—I particularly love its skin tint, and this set has an eyeshadow, cream blush, lip tint, and highlighter balm in a compact that’s small enough for traveling.
- Real Techniques Everyday Essentials Makeup Brush Kit ($19): The Miracle Complexion Sponge included in this kit is the only makeup sponge I use, and I’ve yet to use a brush that I don’t like.
- Byoma Hydrating Skincare Set ($20): I’ve used all three of Byoma’s cutely packaged hydrating products in this kit: the face wash, serum, and moisturizer. My super dry skin needs something a little thicker than this moisturizer, but I still use the face wash.
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