As the clock ticks down to the end of Cyber Monday, time is running out on those final Black Friday deals. Our writers explain their best ever purchases for some last minute inspiration
As shopping writers, we’re rather well versed in finding the best deals around – it’s our job to know. Naturally, as shopping lovers, it’s always a little hard to resist when we see some amazing offers come Black Friday. From Amazon’s whopping discounts on Kindles, homeware and gadgets, to Charlotte Tilbury and ASOS sales that help beauty and fashion aficionados stock up on some new and staple bits.
While Black Friday was officially November 28, in recent years retailers have tended to keep the deals running all weekend both online and in store, with many ending at 11.59pm tonight (December 1), aka Cyber Monday.
For those who are a smidge overwhelmed by all the deals and emails (so many emails), our shopping team have shared just some of their top purchases of this, last and Black Fridays past, to help give our readers some retail inspiration. From household essentials to perfect Christmas gifts, these are the things we happily spent our money on.
Phoebe: Amazon Kindle – was £94.99, now £69.99
I have never looked back since purchasing the ‘lightest and most compact’ Kindle in Amazon’s Black Friday 2024 sale for £79.99 (with ads, RRP £94.99), and this year it has been slashed to its lowest ever price of £69.99. Since buying my first e-reader, I’ve read twice as many books, going from reading 1-2 novels a month to 2-4, thanks to the Kindle’s various handy features.
The slim, lightweight design of the matcha Kindle allows me to take it everywhere, so I can read at any moment I get. Being able to see the exact time I have left to complete a chapter and the book as a whole is incredibly handy, as it helps me stay on top of my reading goals and decide if I have time to read one more chapter before bed.
It’s worth noting that the Kindle display is only black and white, and the device doesn’t come with a plug (only a charging cable), but it does boast an impressive battery life that lasts me around three weeks. Other handy features include dark mode (perfect for nighttime reading), book recommendations based on my previous reads, and the ability to share books with other members of my household who have a Kindle.
Lucy: Charlotte Tilbury Makeup
More than half of my makeup bag is filled with Charlotte Tilbury so the beauty brand’s Black Friday sale is a big event in my book. Charlotte Tilbury is on the more premium end of the scale, but for me the quality and longevity is well worth investing in and these items last me a whole year.
For Black Friday 2024 I stocked up on all my most-used Charlotte Tilbury items and I’ll be doing the same for 2025. On my to-buy-list from Charlotte Tilbury are the Pillow Talk Luxury Eyeshadow Palette, the Beautiful Skin Foundation and the Magic Cream. I did also want to nab a new bronzer, but as it’s sold out thanks to the impressive offers, I’ll be keeping an eye out for any restocks before the sale ends.
By snapping these up in the Black Friday deal, I’m saving myself over £40 – essentially getting one product for free. The tried and tested formulas have garnered me multiple compliments on my makeup, with the foundation and magic cream giving my complexion a glowy radiance.
The eyeshadow palette features four really wearable shades of soft browny pinks, with two shimmers and two matte. I wear a combination of the two matte shades during the day, popping the light shimmer in my tear duct and the darker glitter on my lid come evening. Pair this with the matching Pillow Talk Lipstick and the look is complete.
Eve: Amazon’s Vegetable Chopper – was £34.99, now £19.99
This might seem like a relatively boring and sensible purchase for Black Friday, but last year while on sale I snapped up a vegetable chopper that has honestly transformed my mealtimes and has halved the prep time. Although my exact chopper isn’t available anymore, this Fullstar Vegetable Chopper is so similar and currently has 43% off.
Now, I know that it might seem like a lazy solution to a relatively simple situation that doesn’t really require much effort. But this gadget not only eliminates the need to use a chopping board and knife (thus removing the need for extra washing up) and precision, but the cleanup is so much less.
With four different fittings, the device comes with a fine dicer square, a medium dicer, a ribbon blade and a spiral blade. Its non-skid rubber base keeps this BPA-free food chopper stable on any surface and it’s all dishwasher safe, which just makes it even better.
Honestly, I’ve used it every single day since purchasing it last year, whether I’m making soup (needing chopped up veg), a chilli con carne, salad or guacamole. My only gripe is that sometimes, when chopping veggies or fruit with skin on, the skin stays on the cutter and doesn’t make it quite as easy to chop. Although this is a small issue that’s easy to rectify – just clean the grate and crack on.
Lauren: Topshop’s funnel bomber jacket – was £70, now £40.50
I always wait to buy fashion items around Black Friday, and last year I went a bit crazy on knitwear and winter jackets. All the bits I bought in 2024 are sadly out of stock (and out of season), but this time round, I’ve treated myself to Topshop’s funnel bomber jacket, now £45 from £70 at ASOS. Plus, using the code BLACKFRI will automatically apply a 20% discount, bringing it to £40.50.
Funnel-neck jackets are everywhere right now, from the high street to the runways, with everyone from Hailey Bieber to Chloe Sevigny sporting them in recent months. Always one to jump on a bandwagon (especially when in such good company), I can’t wait to wear this style everywhere; brunches, park walks, nights out…the opportunities are endless.
The coat is oversized, but has an adjustable waist belt in case I want a slightly more cinched look, and that aforementioned high collar for a stylish look. To style, I’ll pair it with high-waisted baggy jeans and a comfortable knit for casual vibes, and a silky slip dress and boots for a grungy night out look.
Eve: Dr Martens Gryphon Sandals – was £130, now £91
Having bought these in an olive green hue on sale earlier in the year, I couldn’t pass up the chance to get some new DMs for less during this Black Friday sale. With up to 40% off so much of its stock, the Dr Martens sale includes its beloved and super popular Tumbled Nubuck Gryphon sandals in a more tan, Desert Sand hue with £39 off. Made from unbelievably soft leather, the sandals take very little time to break in (which is something for DMs shoes) and are immediately comfortable.
They’re so comfy even my mum has been after a pair for herself since trying mine on earlier in the year, and this sale presented the perfect opportunity to get her some. With the brand’s signature welt yellow stitching and chunky sole, the sandals are finished with Dr Martens’ branded brassware and its telltale ankle tab. In a tan shade, the shoes will go with so much and while they won’t be worn until next summer, getting them now is a good chance to loosen them up.
Nisha:
Coffee table books can be expensive, with some costing upwards of £100. As much as I enjoy interior styling, I’m not prepared to spend that much on a book (especially with Christmas around the corner).
So this Black Friday, I was on a mission to find some discounts on neutral, aesthetically pleasing books for the console in my living room. I bought two large, hardback books: Call It Home: The Details That Matter (now £18.19, originally £32) and Heritage Style: A Fresh New Take on Traditional Design (now £19.73, originally £25).
Both books offer insights and interior styling inspiration for creating a cosy space, with an emphasis on layering different textures. In addition to using these books for display purposes, I hope to draw some decorating inspiration for my home.
In the Amazon customer reviews for Heritage Style, one customer wrote: “Just dive into this new book and escape. As ever, beautiful styling and inspiration, every picture sparks a thousand ideas or feelings.” Another person added: “A lovely book for home inspiration.”
Turning to the reviews for Call It Home, a shopper wrote: “Beautifully bound book. Full of helpful content, both in text and pictures. Sturdy cover, glossy pages. Great value for money from Amazon as it is more expensive than other retailers.”
However, one shopper noted delivery damage, writing: “Lovely book. Poor packaging. Came slightly damaged.”
A third person bought it for the same reason as me, saying: “I was worried this was going to be light brown, but the colour is exactly as the image. perfect for coffee table styling.”
Narin:
I love Frameo frames so much that I am about to buy my sixth. No, I am not to digital photography what Imelda Marcos was to shoes, but instead I have found this to be the best gift for many different members of my family of all ages – although I do have to confess that one of the six is mine.
I bought my first three in one go two Black Fridays ago courtesy of QVC, although they’re long since out of stock now. At that point they were around £100 each but as they have grown in popularity and new models have come out the price has become more and more affordable – this Amazon price is the best I’ve seen.
The first three were presents for grandparents and my mum, all chosen so I could send photos to their frames directly via the Frameo app, eliminating the need to send photos to squint at on WhatsApp. I decided to set the three up before wrapping them, loading them up with several hundred photos of grandchildren and getting them on the relevant wifi networks.
Having realised how easy it was I fell in love with it and bought myself one in the January sale. Over the years I have added more and more photos to the frame – it’s currently at around 1,500 and there’s plenty of room left. The frame is on a shelf in my living room, acts as a handy clock and is often commented upon – the two additional purchases were from visitors who were smitten when they saw it too.
I’m not the only person obsessed either. The image above is from fellow shopping writer Bethan Shufflebotham’s recent review. It’s clearly a crowd pleaser, a great gift and if – like me – you have thousands of images on your phone you never get round to doing anything with – it’s an amazing bit of kit at a great price.
