Here are some of the left-of-field places our staff have scored an amazing deal.

Op shops

Shoes

“OK, it may be true that in my guide to op shopping I directly counsel against buying shoes second-hand, but that’s only if you’re an op-shopping novice.

Personally, I have had amazing luck finding shoes at op shops. Some of my favourites? My Jadon Hologram platform Doc Martens ($25), my white Blaire Doc Marten sandals ($4) and my vintage-look New Balance trainers ($3).

Plus, for my kids I’ve scored both pink and purple Converse hi-tops ($2 each), Blundstone boots ($2) and countless pairs of Adidas and Nike sneakers in near-new condition.”

– Grace

Designer clothes

“Last year I attended a wedding in a thrifted designer dress (Bassike) that retailed at $460 – scored for $15 from my local op shop. I also get lots of compliments on my Stella McCartney swimsuit which I picked up for $3.”

– Grace

“I once scored a Jeremy Scott biker jacket from Vinnies.”

– Ren

Kids’ toys

“Last Christmas I scored not one, but two VTech Kidizoom cameras for my son and daughter, one in pink and one in blue. They retail for $99 each at JB Hi-Fi.”

– Grace

Facebook Marketplace

Bookshelf

“My son’s book collection was getting out of control, so I managed to score him an enormous bookshelf on Marketplace for $40 (it takes up his entire wall and currently houses hundreds of books).

When we went to pick it up, the woman was so happy that it was being used for a child who loved reading that she gave him $5 to buy more books (our local op shop sells books for 50c a pop, so he was stoked!).”

– Grace

Kids’ bikes

“Anything that kids grow out of is always possible to pick up for a bargain, and kids bikes are such a good example. We bought my son a high quality Trek bike with a trendy helmet included for $50.”

– Grace

Furniture

“I bought this Parker bedroom suite (dressing table with mirror, chest of drawers, and wardrobe) for $250 years ago and ended up selling it for $1100. Turns out it’s a 1953 design – probably could have sold it for even more!”

– Alice

Waste Not, Want Not/Trade groups

Trampoline

“We picked up a giant Vuly trampoline someone was giving away for free on our local Waste Not, Want Not group.”

– Grace

Wooden drawers

“When my daughter needed a set of drawers for her bedroom, we scored this solid wooden set someone was giving away for free and painted it Barbie-pink.”

– Grace

“This mid-century stoneware crockery is from an English brand called Denby. I had bought the green pieces from Facebook Marketplace, but it wasn’t a full set.

Then someone on my trade group (where people swap things with no money involved) posted an entire set of the brown ones. Their aunt was getting rid of them, and she only wanted some yarn as a trade so she could make blankets for a charity.”

– Alice

Gumtree

“I scored a beautiful extra-long parker sideboard from a minister’s wife in Mosman on Gumtree for $150. When I went to pick it up she was genuinely surprised about how many enquiries she’d had about it.”

– Jane

Dumpster diving*/council pickup/side of the road

“A friend of mine found two original Featherston chairs on a hard rubbish chuck out, but could only fit one in his car. They’re currently worth $3–10k each.”

– Tracy

“My partner scored a huge Brett Whitely painting retrieved from a dumpster in the Surry Hills Street they both lived/worked on. He chucked it, she found it.”

– Ren

“In a share house a long, long time ago, we would dumpster dive the day after Easter for hot cross buns. Hundreds of bags – all clean, wrapped, and fresh-ish – thrown into the freezer to fatten us up over winter.”

– Mark

“I found a cute cane side table and tiger cane plant stand both on the side of the road.”

– Alice

“I found a mid-century saucepan in the skip bin next to my house. I later found another similar looking one left out on the street near my house – it’s made in Yugoslavia! Below are the goodies from dumpsters, side of the road and op shops displayed on a plant stand, which was also found on the side of the road.”

– Alice

“Our son finds lots of furniture on the side of the road and saves it to gift to people when the time comes. He gifted us this outdoor table.”

–&�Բ�����;���Ի��

*We don’t necessarily recommend dumpster diving for food. It’s risky from a food safety perspective and it’s also a legal grey area. But you can definitely find great stuff in dumpsters. ����Vlog staffer Alice recommends simply asking for permission if you’d like to check a bin that’s on private property. 

Online bargains

Holiday

“At the risk of sounding like an advertorial, I cannot plug the value of the Sea World Resort ‘Stay Play and Save’ deal hard enough. Every year during ‘off’ season (usually August), my husband, two kids and I take a holiday to the Gold Coast. For $299 we get one night’s accommodation for all four of us, two full days of entry to Wet n Wild, Sea World and Movieworld (the day of check in and the day of check out) and one buffet breakfast.

I challenge anyone to find a cheaper way to visit three theme parks for two days! Unfortunately Sea World does not pay me a commission to spread the good word, but if they did I would be rich from the number of people I have put onto this amazing deal. The deal changes slightly each year but keep an eye out once the weather starts to turn.”

– Grace

Refurbished tech from Reebolo

“We’ve purchased all my extended family’s iPhones, AirPods etc through Reebelo at a fraction of the new cost, and they come with the same one-year warranty you would get when buying new.  

I had to test my warranty recently when one of my three-month old AirPods stopped working and the process was very smooth and satisfying. Recently, we bought two 128GB iPhone 13s for our parents for $470 each, and delivery’s included.”

– Alana

Workplace free table

At ����Vlog, we have a “free to a good home” Slack channel, and a table in the office where people can leave items for others to take. It’s a rich hunting ground for freebies, especially for parents looking for items other people’s kids have outgrown. It’s a great thing to suggest at your workplace if you think it might work.

Kids’ books

“I picked up a massive collection of Dog Man and Diary of a Wimpy Kid books that my kids are now obsessed with off the ����Vlog free table.”

–&�Բ�����;�ʰ���

Clothes

“I am still wearing a number of pairs of jeans/leggings etc that a colleague donated in an office clothes swap many years ago – great quality.”

– Alana

“I nabbed a pair of pink Doc Marten boots for my daughter.”

– Ren

Have you got an amazing bargain to share? Send them to choicecheapskate@choice.com.au.

Things worth buying new

Getting things second-hand is not only great for your bottom line, it’s also good for the planet.

But as much as we love a bargain, there are plenty of things the savvy staffers at ����Vlog would only buy new – usually for safety reasons, but also in some cases it’s simply the more frugal choice, when you take into consideration product warranties and customer support for certain items.

Certain appliances

Buying second-hand appliances can definitely be a good idea in certain situations, but when it comes to shopping second-hand, there are certain appliances that it really makes sense to buy new.

Big ticket items that use a lot of electricity (and will gobble up enormous quantities if they’re not running properly) such as fridges, dryers and washing machines are usually worth buying new – although you should always try to grab one on sale.

For smaller appliances like toasters, kettles and sandwich presses, you need to ask yourself why the seller is getting rid of the item – people rarely upgrade these items if they’re in perfect working condition. 

The appliances that you’re most likely to be able to pick up for a bargain second-hand are novelty appliances that people may have bought on a whim or received as a gift and never ended up using. Things like slushie machines and ice cream makers, for example. 

Baby items

When it comes to babies, safety and hygiene are extremely important. You can certainly pick up some items second-hand – prams, cots, high chairs and baby carriers are all good candidates, as long as you check they comply with the relevant safety standard.

Make sure you can see the model number so you can check it online for recalls, safety failures and warnings, and of course, read the relevant ����Vlog buying guide for each product before you commit – we usually offer guidance on what to look out for when buying second-hand. 

Other items are definitely worth buying brand new. Anything that’s going to go in your baby’s mouth (toys, dummies, bottles) should be new.

Cot mattresses should also be bought new, as older ones can be full of dust or mould and they may be too soft and saggy to be safe.

And you should never buy a second-hand car seat off a stranger – buying one off a friend or family member is OK if you are 100% sure it has never been involved in an accident.

Power tools

Faulty power tools can cause serious injury or death, so it’s really, really not worth taking the risk buying these  second-hand.

Mattresses

Considering you may spend a third of your life on your mattress, and a second-hand one has likely absorbed a heck of a lot of sweat from its previous owner (and possibly some mould, dust and… other bodily fluids), it’s usually worth buying a new one if you can afford it.

Our testing has shown some of the best performing mattresses are quite affordable – one double our experts recommend even costs under $300.

Your consumer rights when shopping second-hand

Your consumer guarantee rights under the Australian Consumer Law may not apply when buying items through second-hand platforms like Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree because the transactions would probably be characterised as private transactions, not made in trade and commerce.

Nevertheless, platforms like these do have some statutory obligations. For example, the prohibition on misleading and deceptive conduct and false or misleading representations would apply.

Other potential risks for using peer-to-peer buy, swap, sell and sharing sites include the user damaging or losing a borrowed or rented item; people not picking up or returning items when they say they will; and sellers misrepresenting what they’re selling.

Always read the group’s rules and guidelines so you understand your rights when using these platforms.

The post The best places to find freebies and second-hand bargains appeared first on ����Vlog.

If you follow retailers on social media or get their newsletters, you’ll probably notice sales seem to be happening more often these days. 

No longer are Boxing Day and the End of Financial Year events the undisputed jewels in the sales calendar crown – open your inbox or feed any time of year and there’ll be a posse of promotions swarming your senses.

These sales go by a range of novel names, like Black Friday, Click Frenzy and Prime Day and they sometimes even recur multiple times in a single year, making them hard to keep track of.

“There’s often a sale around every corner these days, so you shouldn’t feel too pressured by ‘buy now or miss out’ marketing tactics,” says ����Vlog editorial director Mark Serrels.

“But knowing which sales pop up at certain times throughout the year, and what deals you can expect lets you plan your spending and avoid being rushed into an expensive case of buyer’s regret.”

Having kept an eye on these sales for a few years now, ����Vlog is well-placed to let you in on this info. Here’s our guide to the 10 most common sales events worth looking out for this year.

10 biggest sales and when they happen:

• 1. Black Friday (���DZ��𳾲����–D�𳦱𳾲����)
• 2. Boxing Day (�ٱ𳦱𳾲����–J���Գܲ�����)
• 3. End of Financial Year (�Ѳ���–J�ܱ���)
• 4. Click Frenzy (May, November)
• 5. Afterpay Day (March, August)
• 6. Amazon Prime Day (July)
• 7. Flash sales (ad-hoc)
• 8. Clearance deals (ad-hoc, often January, May, June)
• 9. Mid-season sales (ad-hoc, often March–April, September)
• 10. Special events (ad-hoc)

1. Black Friday

Australia’s biggest shopping event, the Black Friday sales run from early November until early December.

But some brands may not join the fray until just before Black Friday itself (the last Friday in November), which marks the high point of these sales. The following Monday is known as Cyber Monday and may attract its own deals.

We’re seeing more retailers and manufacturer brands jump on the Black Friday trend every year – if your favourite outlet only holds one sale a year, it’ll either be at this time or around Boxing Day.

You can expect most Black Friday discounts from big retailers to range from 20% to 50%, though in rarer cases you might see reductions of up to 70–80%.

Such markdowns are broadly in line with what we see from retailers during other big sales events.

“Black Friday deals are rarely ‘the lowest price ever’ or ‘once in a lifetime’,” says Serrels. “You might get a deal just as good or even better at other sales throughout the year.”

2. Boxing Day

Although it has now had its title as the biggest sale event of the year taken by Black Friday, the Boxing Day sales remain Australia’s most well-known discount event.

In line with the current trend of big sales lasting longer every year, many Boxing Day deals now drop before the day itself, and often even before we’ve reached Christmas.

Last year, we saw brands flick the Boxing Day switch as early as December 15. Most deals then lasted a few days into the new year, but some stuck around as late as the middle of January.

Discounts from major brands on Boxing Day tend to range from 30% to 50%, although bigger markdowns are possible.

Note that some retailers may refer to sales they hold at this time as “End of year” or “post Christmas” sales.

3. End of Financial Year

The End of Financial Year (EOFY) sales are another mainstay event familiar to many shoppers, occurring in the lead up to the end of Australia’s financial year on 30 June.

Recently, we’ve seen EOFY deals dropping as early as late May and staying in place until the first week of July.

A rush by businesses and consumers to get their financial affairs in order has led to this period becoming synomynous with sales.

Some retailers drop prices in order to clear old stock in time for the end of the fiscal year, while others compete to target shoppers looking for last minute purchases they can claim on tax.

You can therefore expect businesses to roll out discounts on work-related products like laptops and smartphones, along with promises to help “smash” your taxes and invitations to “claim everything you can”.

But just because a retailer says you can claim a purchase doesn’t always mean you can – acceptable deductions vary from person to person.

4. Click Frenzy

Like Black Friday, Click Frenzy is another relatively recent arrival on the sales calendar, first surfacing in 2012.

The initiative was originally started by e-commerce company Global Marketplace and many retailers have since jumped on the bandwagon to drop prices for short periods of time at different points throughout the year.

The most reliable Click Frenzy sales occur in May and November, but some brands participate in smaller events in March and August.

Compared to the other sales we’ve covered so far, fewer retailers take part in Click Frenzy events and the sales themselves are fleeting, often lasting only four or five days.

Most Click Frenzy discounts we’ve seen over the years haven’t been as competitive as those offered during bigger events, usually sitting around 30%, but sometimes reaching as high as 70%.

Click Frenzy events have previously been held in partnership with cashback platforms. Beware of how much information you’re being asked to hand over if you take up a cashback offer – these platforms have previously been known to collect large amounts of shopping data and personal details.

5. Afterpay Day

Another bi-annual sales event, the Afterpay Day sales drop every March and August.

The event is organised by Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) service Afterpay and many major retailers who let customers pay with Afterpay regularly take part.

You don’t need to use Afterpay to buy products at these sale prices, but you may need to engage the service to be eligible for separate reward schemes run by the company.

Like Click Frenzy, these sales can come and go in the blink of an eye, often only lasting for a few days.

It’s worth noting that users of BNPL services like Afterpay have found themselves in significant debt in the past, due to fewer regulations and consumer protections applying to these platforms.

But times have started to change – following campaigning by ����Vlog and other consumer advocates, these companies now have to comply with credit laws and be members of an independent dispute resolution scheme.

6. Amazon Prime Day

The Prime Day sales are run by e-commerce behemoth Amazon for several days every July.

Unsurprisingly, these sales are exclusive to Amazon’s shopping platforms and, what’s more, you may have to be a member of the company’s Prime service to get goods at sale prices.

While Amazon’s own products have previously made up a significant part of sales inventory, products from other manufacturers are also usually included.

Along with its main Prime Day event, Amazon has occasionally held a separate “Prime Big Deal Day” in October.

7. Flash sales

These sudden, time-limited discounts that can crop up at any time are a leading example of how the internet has changed the way we interact with brands.

With email and social media giving businesses a way to reach us any time of the day or night, retailers have capitalised on this access and sought to keep us engaged by occasionally dropping prices for “flash sales”.

These can be as short as 24 hours. Discounts often rival those we see during flagship events like Black Friday, but their fleeting nature means they can be easily missed.

8. Clearance deals

Clearance sales can also be unpredictable, but on the plus side, they last longer than flash deals and some large retailers host them reliably throughout the year.

For example, we often see large outlets like David Jones, Myer and Harvey Norman drop prices in the name of clearance in January, May and June. 

Some retailers may roll their clearance sales into or out of big sales events like Boxing Day and Black Friday.

Clearance sales can bring some uncharacteristically big discounts – for example, mattress brand Koala’s Black Friday and EOFY discounts tend to hover around 25–30%, but a clearance sale the company hosted last year saw it reduce prices on some products by half.

But it pays to remember what “clearance” actually means – retailers festooning their stores and websites with this message may be attempting to offload unpopular stock. 

Check ����Vlog reviews and compare prices to make sure you’re not being handed a poor-performing product.

9. Mid-season sales

Another sales trend with no set timeframe, we see these events pop up periodically throughout the year.

Pay attention during March-April and September – this is when we most consistently see mid-season discounts from major brands.

10. Special events

If that’s not enough, retailers have previously been known to host sales to coincide with Mother’s and Father’s Day.

But ����Vlog experts recommend checking if the products involved are actually being discounted.

“These ‘deals’ might be an attempt to re-package products to appeal to shoppers in a hurry,” says Serrels. “Compare prices to see if they actually represent a decent discount.”

If you keep an eye on a retailer’s emails or social media, you might also be given the opportunity to take advantage of birthday sales marking the anniversary of the business’ founding.

For example, last year retailer Appliances Online claimed to offer “huge savings” in celebration of its 20th birthday.

Finally, we’ve also seen retailers jumping on some sales trends that are relatively unknown to Australian consumers. 

In 2024, David Jones picked up on a trend among Chinese businesses and offered a ‘Singles’ Day’ sale, with discounts on beauty products.

Tips for shopping the sales

• Stay informed: Follow your favorite brands on social media and sign up to their email newsletters to catch sales as they’re announced.

• Look for the fine print: Look for details at the bottom of emails and promotions for any information on how long a sale will last for, to avoid being pressured to make a quick purchase.

• Compare prices: Consider using price tracking tools to compare prices and see how a sale discount compares to a product’s previous going rate – this will let you know if you’re actually getting a deal.

• Do your homework: Check ����Vlog reviews of a whole range of popular products to avoid buying a dud.

• Check return and delivery policies in advance: While retailers have to give you a refund, replacement or repair when a product is faulty, you’re not guaranteed a remedy if you simply change your mind.

• Avoid expensive add-ons: Don’t spoil your bargain by paying for accessories that could be cheaper elsewhere or an unnecessary extended warranty or shipping protection policy.

The post The 10 biggest sales to look out for this year appeared first on ����Vlog.

With the Boxing Day sales having only just wrapped up, hot on the heels of Black Friday, the last few months might have felt like a non-stop frenzy of deals, ads and promotions urging you to spend.

In the midst of sales fever, we picked out deals on products good and bad, but in the wash up, we’ve examined retailer claims and found some brands were overselling how good their offers really were.

At ����Vlog we’ve seen plenty of sales and inflated ‘deals’ over the years, so here’s our tips on how to avoid getting sucked in this year.

Bigger spending, longer sales, more ads: Black Friday 2025

Last year’s Black Friday was another big one: according to the Commonwealth Bank, Australians spent $23.8 billion over two weeks during the sales period, which runs for most of November.

That’s $1 billion more than what the bank recorded in 2024 – a rise in popularity reflected in our own research, which in 2025 found that more consumers were planning to take advantage of what’s become Australia’s biggest shopping event.

But with the sales lasting longer and longer as more brands jump on the Black Friday trend, the flood of ads and promotions is prompting scepticism from shoppers.

When we surveyed 1009 consumers to get their thoughts on the event last year, 52% said they thought the discounts they were being offered during Black Friday weren’t always genuine.

Questionable claims uncovered

A close look at some of the promotions we saw during the 2025 Black Friday sales suggests few of those shoppers will be changing their minds any time soon.

We uncovered dubious promotions from two major appliance retailers who had made it appear as though their Black Friday sales were lasting longer than they really were.

The “extended” sales that weren’t

Winnings Appliances joined the Black Friday fray early last year, unveiling discounts and deals on products from several brands in an email to newsletter subscribers on 1 November.

Among the offers was $500 cashback on selected ZIP HydroTaps and 10% off selected AEG appliances – the fine print at the bottom of this email noted these “early access” deals would both run until 1 December.

Fast forward a month, and Winnings subscribers received welcome news – an extended Black Friday sale!

This missive contained several new discounts, along with the same offers on ZIP and AEG products as the 1 November email.

Winnings claimed these deals were among those granted an extension, but a check of the fine print confirmed both were still set to finish on 1 December.

In other words, the email claimed these two sales had been “extended” at the last minute to a date the retailer had already said a month ago that they would end on.

Winnings told us it wasn’t trying to mislead customers and that it takes the clarity and accuracy of its promotional communications seriously. The retailer says the “extended” claim had been applied to the ZIP and AEG deals in error.

Winnings says it reviews its internal processes in cases where there is the potential for “ambiguity” in its promotional messaging.

The sale that came back from the dead

January may not be a month many associate with miracles, but that’s what we got this year from Bing Lee, by way of the sudden re-appearance of a Black Friday sale that was already meant to be over.

Rewind to 28 November last year, and the retailer was bringing sad news to its email newsletter subscribers. 

With an announcement on a black background befitting the somber nature of the news, it announced the imminent end of its Black Friday sale, with “only four days remaining”.

It capped off a noble effort from the brand, which had kept discounts in place since the beginning of the month and timed its deals to end on 1 December – the day most retailers call quits on Black Friday. 

Bing Lee said at the time that its sales could be extended, but when 1 December came and went without any fanfare, we considered the company’s participation in Black Friday 2025 as kaput.

Imagine our surprise, then, when the retailer sent an email out of the blue over a month later on 4 January, announcing “Black Friday ends today!”

Caught off guard by this news of the sale that seemingly lived twice, we quickly searched Bing Lee’s online channels for a further glimpse of the miracle deals, but couldn’t find any.

Accepting the inevitable, we asked the company’s representatives if its 4 January announcement had been sent out by accident, but heard nothing back.

If Bing Lee’s sale had somehow lasted until the new year, it would easily be the longest we’ve ever seen a retailer stretch Black Friday – quite a milestone, considering the trend of businesses starting these sales earlier and ending them later every year.

What to look out for this year

Our observations in the case of the Winnings sale highlight how retailers may be giving away more information than consumers realise.

Next time you receive an email promoting the launch of a new sale, scroll past the big claims of grand discounts and time-limited deals, right down to the bottom to see if there’s information provided on when the sale is expected to last until.

While it is possible for discounted products to sell out early, we usually see big brands stick by these guides during major sale events.

Arm yourself with this information to pace your spending and take the time to check ����Vlog reviews and compare prices from different retailers to save yourself from paying too much for a poor performing product.

The post The strangest deals of Black Friday 2025 appeared first on ����Vlog.

And I hate the idea of skimping out on my friends and giving them a sub-par experience reminiscent of our uni days (I can no longer stomach black beans cooked in tinned tomatoes and curry paste).

I want the event to feel special, and the food to be enjoyable, but I simply can’t afford to drop hundreds of dollars on a dinner party, especially since we have them so regularly.

So over the years, I’ve curated some ideas that allow me to be the hostess with the most-est, without going into credit card debt.

Food

Nibbles

Instead of making a grazing platter of brand-name snacks, impress your guests with homemade delights that are actually pretty easy to make and miles cheaper than packaged goods. 

Some ideas include:

• Popcorn – add custom-made seasonings or homemade caramel for a fancy touch.
• Hummus and other homemade dips – just whizz up cheap ingredients like beans along with the requisite seasonings and any herbs or veg you have laying around. Cut up a bag of Lebanese bread and toast for bountiful, rustic crackers.
• Home-baked treats – a tray of freshly baked cookies, sourdough bread (see how I make the laziest-ever sourdough bread) or muffins always has a wow factor.
• Cheeses near their use-by date – if your local supermarket reduces items nearing their use-by date, this is a great way to pick up some fancy cheeses for a salad or cheese platter that feels elevated.

Main course

The trick to a low-cost, high-impact meal for a group is to choose something that takes either a long time or a decent amount of effort to cook. This makes the meal feel special and conveys care and generosity of spirit without a high price tag. 

Some ideas include:

• Curry made from scratch (or at least add some fresh spices and aromatics to a curry paste) – serve with rice and homemade naan bread.
• Pulled pork or chicken made in the slow cooker – serve with slaw, jalapenos, sour cream and soft tacos for a Mexican feast.
• A roast chicken dinner with all the trimmings – add a couple of homemade sauces for an extra special effect.
• Chilli con carne – serve with corn chips, rice, sour cream and guacamole (if avocados are affordable). A vego chilli will be even cheaper.

Dessert

Dessert obviously isn’t essential, but the fact that you’re serving it at all already conveys a decent amount of effort to your guests. Here are some low-cost ideas that you can make ahead of time that will make your guests feel special.

• Pavlova – yes, Christmas is over but pavlova is damn impressive any day of the year. It’s also surprisingly cheap to make and if you make it the night before, it’s very easy to serve up with some cream and defrosted frozen berries.
• Poached fruit – grab whatever fruit is cheapest and simply poach with water, sugar and some aromatics. To level up, you can turn it into a crumble by simply topping with oats, flour, butter and sugar.
• Baked goods – as above, anything home-baked feels special. Jam and cream sponge and cheesecake are two of my favourite cheap and cheerful options.

If you have any fresh herbs growing in your garden (or a friend’s) use them for garnishes to highlight how fresh and homemade your meal is and to give it that extra touch.

Wondering where to shop for the best grocery prices? Our latest supermarket basket survey compares prices on entertaining essentials from Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and IGA.

Drinks

Serving some pretty non-alcoholic drinks is a super-cheap way to give your guests a restaurant-level experience. Fancy glasses are a must, so if you don’t have enough, grab some from an op shop for a few bucks ahead of time (op shops are absolutely bursting with unwanted glassware). 

Here are some options:

• Ice tea – go traditional or do a pretty pink iced tea using berry tea bags and a fresh mint garnish.

• Signature mocktails – choose a cheap seasonal fruit or use tinned or frozen fruit as your base and whiz together with some sugar syrup and mint, and top with sparkling water or kombucha.

Decorations

Decor is the key to making an event feel special on the cheap. Here are some simple, cost-effective decorating ideas that will make your efforts in the kitchen shine.

• Fresh flowers – head to your garden or take a walk around your neighbourhood and take some cuttings of fresh flowers or foliage and prop them up in jars and vases around your home. 

• Tealight candles – you can get a pack of 100 for under $5, but if you pop them in some empty jam jars and dim the lights you suddenly have restaurant-level ambiance.

• Thrifted linen napkins – you’ll need to keep your eye out for these as they aren’t necessarily easy to find, but once you nab some they’ll be the gift that keeps on giving in terms of lending elegance to your events (and they’re way more eco-friendly than paper napkins).

• Name cards – if you’re handy with a pen, taking the time to write out some beautiful name cards always gives guests a thrill.

• Fancy platters – I recently served a friend some hummus and corn chips. Far from fancy. But I served it on such a nice platter that she couldn’t stop exclaiming about what a nice spread I’d put on. The moral of the story? A fancy platter makes everything look expensive. The best bit? Op shops are absolutely full of stunning serving platters.

The post Cheap and cheerful dinner party hosting ideas appeared first on ����Vlog.

On this page:

• Air fryers
• Stick vacuum cleaners
• TVs
• Coffee machines
• Mattresses
• Robot vacuum cleaners
• Dishwashers

����Vlog editorial director Mark Serrels warns shoppers to be wary of getting caught up in the hype and recommends you do your homework before hitting the shops.

“Much like Santa Claus, you should make a list and check it twice. You’re far more likely to get stuck with a dud if you’re not specific about the products you actually need before heading into the fray.”

While you might see some big-name brands or repeat offenders in this sorry list, don’t write them off straight away: one poor performer does not a terrible brand make. The best way to tell what’s hot and what’s not is to compare products in ����Vlog’s detailed reviews.

To help you navigate the deals and avoid buyer’s remorse, here’s a rundown of the worst rated products in the most popular sales categories from our testing this year.

����Vlog members can also access our Boxing Day best buys sales guide. Happy shopping!

Air fryers

Were you dropping loads of hints about wanting an air fryer from Santa but no-one took the bait? The appliance of the moment is likely to feature heavily in the Boxing Day sales if you’re keen to gift yourself. 

The good news is that you don’t have to spend a fortune to get your fry on – there are models in our expert air fryer review that performed well but cost around the $150 mark, and you could pick up a further discount if you shop wisely.

If you’re willing to spend a little more, we have also looked at multi-functional appliances, such as benchtop ovens and multi-cookers that have an air fryer function – these can offer good value for money (while replacing multiple appliances in your kitchen). 

Keep in mind, though, that the cooking performance between models can vary significantly and our experts note that many air fryer models in particular can be very difficult to clean and tricky to use. So, it’s important to choose wisely! 

Lowest-rated air fryers from our tests

• Kitchen Couture Dual View Stainless Steel Air Fryer Silver 10L ($499) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 67%
• Sunbeam Multi Zone Air Fryer AFP6000BK ($299) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 68%
• Sunbeam 22L Multi Function Oven + Air Fryer BT7200 ($129) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 69%

Read our detailed reviews to find the best air fryer for your kitchen. 

Stick vacuum cleaners

A great-performing stick vacuum can cost a pretty penny, so they’re a popular item to pick up in the sales and there are often some good deals to be found. If you want fab floors after the Christmas carnage, though, don’t pick these sticks, below.

While some do decently on hard floors, their poor performance on carpet will have you pulling your hair out (which means even more vacuuming). 

Before you shop, ensure you check out our stick vacuum review.

Lowest-rated stick vacuums in our test

• Dirt Devil Cordless Vacuum DSV22G2 ($99) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 50%
• Makita 18V Mobile Vacuum Cleaner Kit DCL180 ($229) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 57%
• Kmart Anko Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner ($155) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 59%
• LG A9 Ace ($399) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 61%

TVs

If your New Year’s resolution includes watching more sport or finally working your way through your ‘to-watch’ movie list, you might have your heart set on buying a new telly in the Boxing Day sales. 

It’s tempting to go for the biggest screen at the lowest price, but try to resist and shop with your head rather than your heart. 

Think quality over quantity: there’s no point having a huge TV if the picture is terrible and it’s so big you can’t actually see it properly.

You’re better off going for the best quality for your budget and choosing a TV that’s the right size for your lounge room. (Check our TV screen size guide to find the perfect size TV for your space.)

And don’t be afraid to buy last year’s model – it’ll likely have similar features to this year’s TVs but you’ll probably get it at a better price.

You can filter our expert TV reviews by size, price, brand, features and more to find the screen of your dreams.

Here are the ones to avoid, no matter how good a deal they might seem. 

Lowest-rated TVs from our tests

• ChiQ U65M10F ($899) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 66%
• Hisense 65Q6QAU ($1099) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 67%
• Samsung QA65Q7FAAWXXY ($1799) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 69%
• Toshiba 65C350RP ($1095) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 69%
• Toshiba 43C350NP ($599) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 69%

Coffee machines

Coffee machine, or life support machine? They’re pretty much one and the same for many of us. 

That’s why it’s so important to get it right when buying a new machine – choose poorly and you could be stuck relying on janky java to get you through the day. 

Coffee machines range from straightforward pod machines to press-and-play automatic machines to slightly more hands-on manual machines. Regardless of your preferred medium for delivering jitter juice, you should avoid these machines like an insomniac avoids an afternoon cuppa. 

Lowest-rating pod machines in our tests

• Breville Nespresso Essenza Mini Bundle BEC250BLK ($309) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 60%
• Breville Nespresso Essenza Mini Capsule Machine BEC220 ($219) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 60%
• Breville Nespresso Vertuo Creatista BVE850 ($1099) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 60%

Lowest-rating manual and semi-automatic machines in our tests

• Sunbeam Café Barista EM5000 ($299) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 47%
• Kmart Anko Compact Espresso CM8502-GS ($79) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 57%
• Breville Duo-Temp Pro BES810BSS ($419) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 59%

Lowest-rating fully automatic machines in our tests

• Dr Coffee H1 Automatic Coffee Machine ($1315) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 46%
• Gaggia Anima Prestige ($1599) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 51%
• Saeco Royal OTC SUP060 ($2469) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 55%
• Gaggia Cadorna Prestige ($1899) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 55%

Mattresses

We spend eight hours a day in bed (hopefully), but will often pick a new mattress within minutes in a store. Thankfully, our mattress experts prefer to take their time and a deeper, more scientific approach. 

Conducted with our lab partners in Europe, our reviews assess key factors such as comfort, stabilisation, sagging, sweat resistance and more. In one test for longevity, a cask-shaped roller runs over each mattress 30,000 times to simulate eight years’ use.

Some of these poor performers are incredibly pricey if you’re paying full whack, so it pays to check our full mattress test reviews before you buy.

And remember, even if a mattress is on sale, don’t be afraid to haggle. Mattresses are one of those products we often see hugely discounted on the shop floor. It’s always worth asking: ‘What’s the best price you can do?’

Lowest-rated mattresses in our test

• Original Mattress Factory Refresh ($2598) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 62%
• Slumberland Soho ($579) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 65%
• Suparest Affinity ($599) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 66%

Robot vacuum cleaners

Our robot vacuum tests are pretty fun. Our lab experts set up an obstacle course with chairs and sprinkle the same amount of sand and then pet hair to assess every model’s cleaning skills over a set time.

For some, the obstacles are no obstacle, but other bots do so badly that we wonder if they have a screw loose.

As well as looking at how well each bot cleans and navigates corners and edges, and deals with those obstacles, we also assess how easy they are to use and operate, including whether their app is easy to connect and use, and how easy it is to empty the appliance’s dirt receptacle (extra points for those self-emptying models!).

Most bots now have additional mopping functions, which we also score as part of our testing.

Robot vacuums can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars, so it’s important to do your research to ensure you’re getting a model that meets your needs, even if you manage to find it hugely discounted in the sales. The models below were the ones we found lacking in key areas.

Lowest-rated robot vacuums in our test

• Kmart Anko Robotic Vacuum ($169) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 36% 
• TP-Link Tapo RV20 Max Plus ($499) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 55% 
• iRobot Roomba 205 DustCompactor Combo Robot ($699) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 58% 
• iRobot Roomba Plus 505 Combo Robot + AutoWash Dock ($1699) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 58% 
• Narwal Freo X Plus ($699) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 58% 

Dishwashers

A dishwasher should make your life easier but if you’re picking food scraps off plates after a wash, you’re going to be feeling a bit dirty. 

Our lab reviews involve testing every machine with crusty crockery identically stained with foods such as oats, egg, baby cereal and more – left out overnight, then washed and assessed. It’s kind of gross, but also great at sorting the leaders from the losers.

These are the models that washed worst in our test. See our dishwasher test reviews for more models.

If you already have one of these dishwashers in house, you might want to look at our dishwasher detergent reviews and buy the highest performer to somewhat offset the poor performance of the dishwasher.

Lowest-rated dishwashers in our test

• Omega ODW101W ($799) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 58%
• Haier HDW15F2S1 ($849) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 64%
• Fisher & Paykel DD60SCX9 ($1699) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 68%
• Inalto IDW604S ($449) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 68%
• Artusi ADW4501X ($949) ����Vlog Expert Rating: 68%

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The post Boxing Day duds: The products to avoid in the sales appeared first on ����Vlog.

Hot on the heels of the Black Friday sales in November, both retailers and shoppers are gearing up for the end-of-year and the Boxing Day sales that kick off as early as mid-December and last until early January. 

According to research from the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) and Roy Morgan, it was predicted that shoppers would spend $6.8 billion across the four-day Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend in November 2025 (a 4% increase on 2024).

 Just six weeks later another big sale event will kick off, as Boxing Day sales commence, with strong spending predicted to continue. Some estimates suggest that Australians will spend more than $1.3 billion on Boxing Day itself and more than $24 billion between 26 December and mid-January. 

If you’re planning to look for a bargain in this year’s sales, follow these five top tips from the ����Vlog experts to help ensure you secure a genuine saving.

1. Be wary

With so much pressure to spend, ����Vlog editorial director Mark Serrels suggests a cautious approach is best. 

“Despite the hype, there will always be deals on high-profile products at other times in the year. It’s always worth checking out historical price trackers like CamelCamelCamel or LowerSpendings to see if something is really on sale during Boxing Day, or if it’s just a marketing trick,” says Mark.

2. Be prepared

It also pays to do some research before you buy. Mark suggests you make a list and know what you want before you begin shopping.

“If possible, do a quick price check for specific items to make sure you’re getting the best deal. Information is power,” he says.

It’s also worth taking the time to find out which products perform well and which should be avoided.

In the 2024 Boxing Day sales, the most popular product categories on the ����Vlog website were stick vacuums, robot vacs, air fryers, TVs, mattresses, washing machines, fridges, portable air conditioners, dishwashers and coffee machines. But whatever you’ve got your eye on, checking ����Vlog’s independent reviews is a good way to avoid poor performers.

To make sure you don’t get lumped with a shonky product in the sales, check out the worst products we tested in 2025.

3. Negotiate

Mark suggests that if you see a better price when researching, you should use it to your advantage. “When it comes to big-ticket items like TVs or laptops, haggling may be an option,” he says. 

����Vlog mattress expert Peter Zaluzny agrees that asking for a discount can be effective. 

“We’ve been buying mattresses for years for our tests and found many retailers have a lot of room to move on price,” he says. 

“If you’re confident and have done your research, you can usually shave a decent amount off the price tag by haggling. Just ask them ‘What’s the best price you can do?’ and go from there.”

4. Look for items on clearance

Our ����Vlog experts suggest that retailers may be trying to move stock at these end-of-year sales. While big spending during Black Friday may mean that retailers have run out of stock on some items, there will still be bargains if you know what to look for. 

“Keep an eye out for premium-priced models of TVs released in 2025. These need to be moved before April 2026, as the major brands such as LG, Samsung and Sony will have most of their new models available,” says ����Vlog tech expert Denis Gallager.

“Retailers have a much bigger margin to work with on premium TVs so, while you may see less choice, there could be bigger discounts,” he says.

5. Bundle for a better price

Bundling your purchases can help you save even more.

For example, if you’re buying a mattress, look out for good deals on linen, mattress protectors and pillows, too. These are also typically on sale during these periods, and you may be able to negotiate an even lower price if you buy all the items at once.

You can try this tactic when purchasing any group of products from one retailer – a TV and a soundbar perhaps, or a new washing machine and dryer. 

What to watch out for

In the age of widespread scams, caution is needed to avoid getting caught by criminals who want to rip you off. 

“Boxing Day is a huge time for online shopping and sales, which also means scammers will be out in full force. Over the years we’ve seen a lot of fake websites impersonating major brands, so ensure the retailer you are buying from is genuine,” says Mark.

According to the ACCC, there have been 19,662 reports of shopping scams already this year, resulting in losses of more than $8.6 million. These scammers attract their victims by setting up stores that look real, offering products on fake websites or on a cloned website of a popular store. They also sell through social media profiles or through legitimate selling platforms like Amazon.

“At ����Vlog, we recommend paying close attention to the URL of websites you’re buying from. Most big brands will have very clean URLs with the brand name and little else. Also, look out for red flags such as typos, bad design, huge discounts that are too good to be true, unusual URLs or odd payment methods,” says Mark.

Unnecessary extended warranties

There are also legal ways you can be ripped off. 

If you’re buying an expensive item in the sales, be wary of adding an extended warranty to your purchase, even if the salesperson tells you it’s a good deal. And if you’re buying online, check to make sure an extended warranty hasn’t been automatically added to your shopping cart. 

An extended warranty might also be called extended care, concierge service or gold service extras. Whatever it’s called, it’s the same thing: an extra charge you pay at the time of purchase that promises to prolong the length of time that the product is covered in case of failure. The problem is that in most cases, an extended warranty means you’re paying for rights you already have.

Under the Australian Consumer Law, products you buy in Australia are automatically covered by consumer guarantees, which means you are entitled to a repair, replacement or refund if you end up with a product that doesn’t function as it should for a “reasonable time”. 

These guarantees apply regardless of what a manufacturer’s warranty says, so if you’re $5000 TV packs it in shortly after the warranty expires you are entitled to a remedy, regardless of what’s in the warranty. 

No matter what the salesperson might tell you, your purchase is already protected under Australian law, and you shouldn’t pay for rights you already have.

The post How to shop smart in the Boxing Day sales appeared first on ����Vlog.

Despite the cost-of-living crisis and increase in popularity of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Boxing Day is still a major shopping event each year – the ‘Grand Final’ of the year’s sales – with clothing, home and kitchen products, electronics and appliances, and beauty products all popular categories for Australians looking for a bargain.

To help you shop smarter in the sales, we’ve created a special Boxing Day buying guide exclusively for ����Vlog members, rounding up the brands and models that topped our most popular product tests in one handy place.

From fridges to mattresses, barbecues to coffee machines and more, here’s your handy hit list of the best rated products, along with expert advice to help you shop like a pro.

Smart shopping tips to live by

Before you hit the sales, there are some key things to keep in mind if you want to shop smart and dodge a dud.

1. Expensive brands don’t always perform better

Our product test results regularly disprove the age-old adage that ‘you get what you pay for’. Our experts often see very pricey products underperform, while cheaper, lesser known ones shine.

That’s why it pays to do your homework and check the ����Vlog reviews. See our Boxing Day duds guide for further proof of expensive fails.

2. A brand’s product range can vary dramatically in quality

It’s another revelation our experts see all the time in their tests. A brand can boast some of the best performing products in one category… and some terrible ones in another.

It can depend on the quality and design of each product, which is why individual reviews are so vital.

3. Be critical of sale offers

Sure one site is offering 20% off its usual price, but was it more expensive to start with compared to others? ����Vlog and the ACCC have spotted several retailers spruiking questionable, potentially misleading, marketing messaging in the lead up to the end of year sales.

Before you click ‘add to cart’, it’s worth playing the field and sizing up the best deal. (Don’t forget to assess delivery costs and times too, and check on refund and return policies.)

Check out more expert shopping tips.

The best buys in popular categories

Some of the most popular product categories on the ����Vlog website around sale time are fridges, mattresses, barbecues, air fryers, coffee machines, stick vacuums and washing machines.

Only ����Vlog members can access our detailed testing data. If you’re not yet a member, join ����Vlog to get instant access to all our expert, independent reviews, from coffee machines and grinders, to kettles and cots, toasters and TVs, and more.

Or log in to unlock this article and find out which products to buy in the Boxing Day sales.

The post Boxing Day best buys: Member exclusive appeared first on ����Vlog.

On this page:

• Ikea good buys
• Ikea products to be wary of
• Ikea products to avoid

Does the sight of Ikea’s bold blue and gold send a frisson of retail-related pleasure down your spine? Or perhaps you’re offended by the thought of paying money for furniture you have to assemble yourself? 

Maybe you just go there for the meatballs. (A valid choice.)

Whatever your thoughts on the Swedish Temple of Homewares, there’s no denying that Ikea often hits the mark with a huge range of great-value, functional products, and there are probably few homes that don’t have at least one piece of Scandinavian flat-pack furniture.

However, our product experts have found that Ikea does have a few dodgy buys among all the Hemnes, Hovags, Bjurstas and other unpronounceables.

Whether you’re furnishing your home, preparing for a baby or just love dropping cash on things you didn’t know you needed, here’s our round-up of the best buys and the scandi-lous (sorry) rip-offs.

Ikea good buys

Ikea mattresses (mostly)

����Vlog experts have put a range of mattresses through their paces and they say that Ikea mattresses are definitely worth considering.

But some are better than others, so just make sure you’re buying the best that the Swedish retailer has to offer.

“Ikea typically makes middle-of-the-road mattresses – most aren’t the best on the market, but some do rank among our top performers,” says ����Vlog mattress expert Peter Zalzuny.

“The rest aren’t bad for the price so, depending on what you’re looking for, an Ikea mattress can be a solid choice.

“Ikea’s free trial period of a year is three times longer than Koala’s or Sleeping Duck’s. Their warranty lasts a whopping 25 years for some models and it’s easy to try each mattress instore before entering the free trial period. 

“Plus, they have quite a few models to choose from.”

The seven Ikea mattresses we’ve tested range in price from $249 to $1399 and two of them are recommended by our experts. 

But be wary – three of their mattresses rated just OK overall. ����Vlog members can access our full reviews for all Ikea mattresses.

If you do need to exchange, it’s important to know Ikea doesn’t have free delivery or pick up, and you’re only eligible for one exchange under the trial period.

Pillows

With some pillows costing $150 or more (we tested three that cost $250+), it seems people are willing to pay big dollars in the pursuit of a good night’s sleep. 

But what if you don’t have that kind of money to spend?

If you’re on a budget, you can rest easy: in our tests, Ikea’s memory foam pillows held their own against premium-branded pillows that cost many times more. 

Ikea stocks a range of pillows in various materials and at various price points (we tested ones ranging from $19 to $79). As comfort is particularly subjective, it’s a good idea to check out pillows instore if you can. 

Our pillow review can also help you to ensure you get the right pillow for your needs and budget. 

Ikea cot mattresses

We test cot mattresses for safety, which includes firmness and accuracy of dimensions. Of the 55 cot mattresses we’ve reviewed, we recommend more than three-quarters. 

We tested four Ikea cot mattresses in our ����Vlog labs and they rated from very good to excellent. To find out which mattresses scored the highest, see our full cot mattress reviews.

Ikea high chairs

Our latest detailed high chair testing included three Ikea models in a range of styles and materials. 

The iconic Ikea Antilop high chair you see in so many households and cafes across the country didn’t score as highly as other high chairs in our tests, but at $25, it’s hard to deny that this is a bargain buy that does the job. 

It’s cheap, lightweight and easy to clean, although our testers did note some downsides:

• the harness has no shoulder straps
• the harness isn’t permanently attached, so could pose a safety issue if you lose it
• the high chair isn’t foldable
• it has no footrest
• the tray is very hard to remove.

A ����Vlog member said: “The Ikea [Antilop] high chair is simplicity and function rolled into one affordable piece of baby equipment. Everyone I know who has purchased a cheap Ikea high chair as a ‘back-up’ at granny’s, or for a holiday house, has soon discarded their fussy, expensive chair in favour of this one.”

Reassuringly, all three Ikea high chairs we’ve tested (the Antilop, Blåmes and Gråval) passed our key safety tests.

Wall ovens and cooktops

Although none of the Ikea wall ovens we tested earned a recommended rating in our wall oven reviews, they all scored quite well, especially given their relatively low price point.

Likewise, ����Vlog testing shows that Ikea offers quality options when it comes to its gas, induction and portable induction cooktops, and our experts have been impressed by their performance for a relatively low price. 

Again, most of them didn’t score highly enough to be recommended by our experts, but several of them missed out by just a few percentage points. 

Some models definitely perform better than others, so check out our full cooktop reviews to find out which ones scored best.

Dishwashers

Ikea sells a number of integrated dishwashers, ranging in price from $599 to $1499. 

The models we’ve tested in the past have been hit and miss: some have scored well, with two scoring high enough to be recommended, while others haven’t been much to write home about.

The top scoring Ikea dishwasher delivered very good drying performance, but is relatively noisy and the display doesn’t show the time remaining for the cycle. For the price, though, it’s definitely worth considering.

Water-efficient showerheads

When we compared the water efficiency of more than 381 showerheads, Ikea compared quite favourably to other brands, especially for the price. 

They weren’t among the highest scoring products in our comparison, but they all scored between 71% and 75% and ranged in price from $59 to $89. 

If you’re looking to upgrade your showerhead to a more water-efficient one, Ikea isn’t a bad option. 

Check out our showerhead reviews for full details. 

Ikea products to be wary of

Ikea cots

If you’re considering an Ikea cot, it’s important you take a look at our cot reviews as their range varies in terms of quality and ease of use.

We’ve tested seven Ikea cots with mixed results – we recommend two models, while others have minor safety failures or ease-of-assembly issues. 

Change tables

None of the Ikea change tables we’ve tested have performed very well – the highest score any of them achieved was 65%. 

They did pass all our key safety tests, but all of them had one or two minor safety failures.

Of note is the Myllra change table which comes with nearly 300 individual pieces. It took our experts (who are no slouches when it comes to assembling flat-pack furniture) nearly two hours to put it together!

Microwaves

Both Ikea microwaves in our review performed quite well, with our experts rating them as ‘good’ overall. 

They were deemed ‘excellent’ for cooking vegetables and ‘very good’ for defrosting mince by our experts, but unfortunately didn’t make the cut to be recommended.

“The Ikea Tillreda is a very basic microwave with manual controls that are not very accurate,” says ����Vlog home economist Fiona Mair.

“And the Ikea Värmd is reasonably priced for what it is: suitable for building in to your kitchen, but not for bench cooking.”

While they’re definitely cheap, we’ve tested similarly priced microwaves that performed better, so make sure you check our expert microwave reviews to help you pick up the best model for your money. 

Ikea products to avoid

Ikea Nedkyld fridge

����Vlog experts haven’t been great fans of Ikea fridges in the past, and one of the Ikea fridges tested in our most recent reviews hasn’t done much to sway their opinion. 

We awarded one Ikea fridge a  in 2019: The Ikea Nedkyld fridge received a raft of poor scores in our testing, with an overall rating of 39%. It bombed out on pretty much every test and our experts couldn’t find a single good thing to say about it. Fortunately it’s since been discontinued.

We’ve also tested the $1299 Ikea Medgang 302L fridge (currently listed at $1099 on the Ikea website), and while it wasn’t as bad as the Nedkyld , it didn’t impress either, scoring just 51% for temperature stability – which means its temps are likely to fluctuate, potentially leaving you with ice cream that’s melted then re-frozen, and food that goes off faster.

The $599 Ikea Lagan 257L fridge performed even worse for temperature stability and temperature evenness – it’s rated as ‘poor’ by our experts on both these aspects. It scored a lukewarm 49% overall.

These fridges may be some of the cheapest on the market, but even at these low prices they’re still not great buys.

Check our reviews to find the best fridge for your budget.

Air purifiers

If you’re overwhelmed by the thought of spending hundreds of dollars on an air purifier, you might be tempted by Ikea’s $99 Fornuftig model. 

Our advice? Don’t be. It scored just 38% for smoke removal, 42% for dust removal and just 17% for VOC (volatile organic compound) removal – in short, it was pretty ordinary at doing all the things an air purifier is supposed to do. 

Another Ikea air purifier we tested, the Ikea Starkvind, performed better than the Fornuftig (at twice the price, you’d hope so) but was still just an OK performer compared to other models on the market.

The $49 Uppatvind air purifier is another bargain, but unfortunately you get what you pay for with this one: our experts rated it as ‘poor’, giving it an overall score of just 43%.

Unfortunately, it looks like you do need to spend a bit to get a really good air purifier: the cheapest of our recommended models is $399. However, even if you only have a small budget, there are other super-cheap models that score better than Ikea’s offerings.

Our detailed review will help you find the best air purifiers for your money.

Wireless speakers

The Ikea speakers we’ve tested over the years have never really impressed our experts: the highest scoring speaker is rated an underwhelming 62%. 

The lowest scorer (which is now discontinued) received a ����Vlog Expert Rating of just 27%.

With a price tag of only $20, no-one would expect high-level performance from it, but boy did it exceed expectations – in the worst possible way.

As for currently available speakers, even spending a bit more won’t give you better sound: a $99 and a $249 speaker scored pretty much the same, despite the $150 difference.

Unfortunately not many of the cheaper speakers we’ve reviewed have performed especially well, so you probably won’t get great sound quality at Ikea prices – but if you keep an eye out in the sales you’ll be able to pick up something better than these woeful wireless speakers.

Our detailed wireless speaker reviews have all the details on the best models.

The post Ikea: Best buys and what to avoid appeared first on ����Vlog.

The pressure to buy, to get ahead on your Christmas shopping, to finally snap up that air fryer you probably don’t need, is real. You’d be remiss not to take advantage, right?

Well, sorta.

What used to be solely a US sales event, Black Friday is now big business for Aussie retailers. Shoppers are predicted to spend big on the four-day weekend from Black Friday (28 November) through to Cyber Monday (1 December), whipping out their cash to the tune of $6.9 billion. And sales have already kicked off with some retailers dropping deals as early as late October.

Although ‘adding to cart’ might give you a rush of endorphins, ����Vlog experts warn that over half of the Australians we surveyed (53%) who have bought something in a Black Friday sale have regretted the purchase or had a negative experience. Issues include spending more money than originally intended, falling victim to misleading discounts, receiving poor-quality products, or problems with deliveries and returns.

“Black Friday deals are rarely ‘the lowest price ever’ or ‘once in a lifetime’,” says ����Vlog editorial director Mark Serrels. 

“And with so many deals on offer, it’s more important than ever to do your research before you buy. Read the fine print, compare prices and check reviews on ����Vlog to ensure you’re getting good value.

“Retailers are trotting out every trick in the book to get you to part with your cash, and people are often left feeling pressured or disappointed,” he says. 

The bleak side of Black Friday

����Vlog research shows 72% of Australians who purchased something in a Black Friday sale say the event helps them save money on things they would have bought anyway, but we also heard from shoppers who were left with buyer’s remorse. 

Just over half (52%) told us they spent more money than intended, and 48% say they bought items they didn’t need, while 47% said that Black Friday marketing and promotions made them feel pressured to buy.

And some of the regret was due to dodgy sales tactics by retailers. Almost a quarter (24%) of Black Friday shoppers reported being misled by a discount or price, and 28% said the goods they received were lower quality than expected. Issues with delivery or returns/refunds were also not uncommon among respondents (17%).

The ACCC recently put retailers on notice, announcing it would be conducting a Black Friday sales sweep to identify misleading or deceptive advertising, including creating a false sense of urgency, misleading messaging about how much products are discounted or failing to deliver on ‘sitewide’ or ‘storewide’ discount promises. This comes after they uncovered a range of dodgy sales tactics in last year’s sales.

“You can avoid getting caught up in sales hype by doing your research, comparing models and brands for the things you really need and haggling on some big-ticket items,” says Mark. 

“Make sure you read the fine print and, if you miss out, don’t stress – sales periods are getting longer, and the Boxing Day sales are right around the corner.”

Tips for avoiding sales hype

Here’s how to keep a level head and grab a genuine bargain next time you’re shopping the sales.

• Stay informed: We’ve said it already, but big-ticket sale events are starting earlier every year, so follow your favourite brands on social media and sign up to their newsletters to get the first word on their offers.
• Do your homework: Looking to make a big household purchase like a TV, mattress or whitegood? Find the best performing models with our latest reviews and avoid buying a dud that a retailer is trying to get rid of in the sales.
• Compare prices: Just because a retailer has a product on sale doesn’t mean they’ve got the best price. It could be cheaper somewhere else.
• Avoid expensive add-ons: Don’t spoil your bargain by paying for accessories that could be cheaper elsewhere or an unnecessary extended warranty.
• Haggle: Even during a sale, you might be able to negotiate a cheaper price on some larger items like whitegoods and mattresses, especially older models. 
• Check return policies and delivery policies in advance: While retailers have to give you a refund, replacement or repair when a product is faulty, you’re not guaranteed a remedy if you simply change your mind. Make sure you check the retailer’s delivery periods to ensure you’re going to get the product in a timely fashion, and check a store’s return policy if you’re not sure if a gift you’re buying will be well received.

The post Avoid sales regret this Black Friday  appeared first on ����Vlog.

The 2025 Black Friday sales are here and retailers and manufacturers are dropping prices on lots of products in the lead up to the end of the month.

In recent weeks, we’ve seen major retailers such as Harvey Norman and JB Hi-Fi, and manufacturers like Samsung and Tefal, cut prices on their stock by as much as 70%.

Every day brings more deals, and while we have seen quality products going for cheaper than normal, Black Friday can also be a time when retailers try to offload unpopular products, leading to dud items getting mixed in among bargain stock. 

In fact, some of the most attention-grabbing markdowns we’ve seen this year are on products that have performed poorly in our reviews.

So how can you avoid ending up with a dud? 

As an independent expert tester of many of the products being slapped with Black Friday markdowns, ����Vlog is uniquely able to shine a light on the actual quality of what’s being discounted.

Read on to find some of the best deals we’ve spotted so far on products our experts have tested and recommend (available exclusively to ����Vlog members). But first, we’ll reveal the deals we’ve seen that look like attempts by retailers to clear out dud stock.

On this page:

• Poor performing products in the Black Friday sales
• Good products in the Black Friday sales

Poor performing products in the Black Friday sales

Even at Black Friday prices, many of these products are outperformed by cheaper alternatives in our tests.

However, some of these items could have unique strengths that suit your circumstances, so check our reviews for the breakdown of the pros and cons we found for each.

Wasteful whitegoods

They’re front and centre in the Black Friday sale from retailer e&s, with markdowns of almost 30%, but the Haier HDV70AWW1 clothes dryer and the Smeg FAB32RPB5AU fridge are among the whitegoods our experts say you should avoid.

Our fridge experts gave the Smeg a flat out 0% for temperature stability and observed poor temperature evenness when they put it through its paces.

With its top shelf section recording significantly warmer temperatures than the bottom, any food you leave in this refrigerator could go off faster than expected, adding extra dollars to your grocery bill.

Meanwhile, even at the Black Friday price of $549 at e&s, the Haier dryer is outdone by cheaper vented dryers that perform better, according to our latest dryer review.

This model came second-last in our latest test, with our experts marking it down for poor energy efficiency – making it much more expensive in the long run than other vented models.

Ruinous robo vacs

The TP-LINK Tapo RV20 Max Plus, Narwal Freo X Plus and iRobot Roomba Plus 505 Combo + AutoWash Dock all feature in Black Friday deals from either The Good Guys or their respective manufacturer brands.

With discounts of almost 50%, they’re sure to grab shoppers’ attention, but beware – these suckers all featured in our recent rundown of robo vacs to avoid, languishing at the bottom of the score table following our latest test.

They all do a decent job cleaning hard floors, but struggle with tasks like mopping and sucking up pet hair.

And there might be some of your own hair on the floor after you’ve encountered the apps required to run some of these models – our experts were tearing theirs out trying to work the platforms used to operate the TP Link and iRobot, finding them frustrating and buggy.

Dusty air purifiers

Take a glance at Black Friday promotions from Dyson and The Good Guys and you might spot the Breville Smart Air Viral Protect Compact and Dyson Hot+Cool HP2 air purifiers.

Both have been marked down from their usual prices, but only after they were marked down by our testers, earning ����Vlog Expert Ratings of just 45% and 48% respectively in our latest review.

This is because we found them to be bad at clearing up dust and smoke and less energy efficient than other models. We also found the Dyson to have relatively noisy low and high fan speed settings.

A tiring TV

The Hisense 65Q6QAU TV found infamy earlier this month when we called it out as one of the TVs shoppers should avoid, but now it’s getting a second shot in the limelight as part of The Good Guys’ Black Friday sale.

Bargain hunters beware – this model came out second-worst in our latest TV test.

Our experts observed disappointing picture quality on its high and standard settings and a remote that could be difficult to use. It also took a boredom-inducing 20 seconds to turn on.

With prices dropping on lots of TVs this Black Friday, you’ll likely find better 65-inch models going for less, so check our reviews and shop around.

An abysmal air fryer

With a whopping 63% Black Friday discount from Kitchen Warehouse, the Kitchen Couture Dual View 10L stainless steel air fryer is tempting.

But even at the $184 markdown rate we saw it for, you could get something better for less.

This fryer came dead last in our latest test, with our experts finding it difficult to use. 

And despite being a big unit, we found its individual drawers were smaller than those of most other models, meaning you may not be able to cook as much as you’d expect.

A marginal mattress

Original Mattress Factory is selling its Refresh Firm Queen at half price this Black Friday, but the 50% reduction in price doesn’t make up for the fact this mattress came equal last in our latest review.

We found it didn’t hold up after we simulated eight years of use, losing more firmness than other models.

Our experts also criticised the retailer for charging a fee to customers who want to return or exchange the mattress during its 30-day trial period.

Good products in the Black Friday sales

Only ����Vlog members can access the following information on top performing products featuring in this year’s Black Friday sales. 

If you’re not yet a member, join ����Vlog to get instant access to all our expert, independent reviews or log in to unlock this article.

These are some of the best Black Friday deals we’ve seen so far on products scoring well enough in our reviews to be recommended by our expert testers.

Note that we’ve listed these deals as we found them in mid-November – the Black Friday sales are popular and usually finish up by early December, so some products may have sold out by the time you’re reading this. 

Prices can also change and new sales can begin at any time, so you may want to do your own price comparison for the products we mention here in case a better offer has emerged.

Finally, it still pays to check our reviews before you buy – even at their discounted prices, some products here may still be outperformed by cheaper alternatives that aren’t getting marked down for Black Friday.

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