Philips Hue Smart Lights Are My Favorite, and This Starter Pack Is $40 Off for Black Friday

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

Black Friday sales officially start Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it's over.

• Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find.

• Browse our editors' picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more.

• Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox.

• Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change.

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Smart lights are a great way to start off a smart home: they're affordable, they're easy to use, and they give you a lot of features and options to play around with. If you're looking for your first pack of smart lights, my Black Friday recommendation would be the three-pack Philips Hue A19 LED Smart Light Bulbs, yours for $69.99 for Black Friday – the lowest the pack has ever been on Amazon.

Philips Hue White & Color Ambiance A19 Bluetooth LED Smart Bulbs (3-Pack)

$69.99 at Amazon

$147.99 Save $78.00

$69.99 at Amazon

$147.99 Save $78.00

I've been using Philips Hue lights in my home for years, and can thoroughly recommend them. They're versatile and reliable, they come in all shapes and sizes, they integrate with a whole host of third-party apps and services, and they offer a bunch of features for you to play around with.

The app is really well designed and makes it easy to do simple tasks (like just turn your lights on and off and adjust their color) and more complex ones (like setting up different lighting scenes for different times of the day) alike.

These Philips Hue A19 Smart Bulbs can work on their own, but to access the full set of features, it's worth investing in a Philips Hue Bridge as well, which will make adding more lights really easy too.

Does Amazon have Black Friday deals?

Yes, Amazon has Black Friday sales, but prices aren’t always what they seem. Use a price tracker to make sure you’re getting the best deal, or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you. And if you have an Amazon Prime membership, make the most of it.

Are Black Friday deals worth it?

In short, yes, Black Friday still offers discounts that can be rare throughout the rest of the year. If there’s something you want to buy, or you’re shopping for gifts, it’s a good time to look for discounts on what you need, especially tech sales, home improvement supplies, and fitness tech. Of course, if you need to save money, the best way to save is to not buy anything.

Are Cyber Monday deals better than Black Friday?

Black Friday used to be bigger for major retailers and more expensive tech and appliances, while Cyber Monday was for cheaper tech and gave smaller businesses a chance to compete online. Nowadays, though, distinction is almost meaningless. Every major retailer will offer sales on both days, and the smart move is to know what you want, use price trackers or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you, and don’t stress over finding the perfect timing.

Our Best Editor-Vetted Black Friday Deals Right Now

Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $219.99 (List Price $249.00)

Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $274.00 (List Price $349.00)

Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) — $69.99 (List Price $139.99)

Sony WH-1000XM5 — $248.00 (List Price $399.99)

Blink Outdoor 4 1080p Wireless Security Camera (5-Pack) — $159.99 (List Price $399.99)

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $24.99 (List Price $49.99)

Shark AI Ultra Matrix Clean Mapping Voice Control Robot Vacuum with XL Self-Empty Base — $249.99 (List Price $599.00)

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band) — $339.00 (List Price $399.00)

WD 6TB My Passport USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive — $138.65 (List Price $179.99)

Dell 14 Premium DA14250 (Intel Core Ultra 7 255H, 512GB SSD, 16GB RAM, 2K Display) — $999.99 (List Price $1,549.99)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

The Best Black Friday Deals on Home Gym Equipment Brands Like BowFlex and PowerBlock

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

Black Friday sales officially start Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it's over. 

• Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find.

• Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more.

• Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox.

• Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change. 

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Black Friday sales are in full swing, and if you've been dreaming of building or upgrading your home gym, now is the perfect time to invest in quality strength training equipment. "Quality" being the key word here, since plenty of gadgets on sale are more trendy than they are useful. Whether you're a seasoned lifter or just starting your fitness journey, here are some of the best Black Friday deals on strength training equipment to help you make the most of your budget.

These adjustable dumbbells are $110 off

I've tested plenty of pairs of adjustable dumbbells, and no matter which brand you ultimately choose, I highly recommend investing in a set. The math alone makes it a no-brainer: Buying individual pairs of dumbbells from five to 80 pounds in five-pound increments would cost well over $1,500 and eat up valuable floor space. Adjustable dumbbells deliver the same versatility for a fraction of that price.

Right now, the PowerBlock Elite EXP Adjustable Dumbbells are on sale for $339.51 on Amazon, down from their usual $449 price tag. That's a solid $110 savings on these PowerBlocks, which regularly feature at the top of pretty much every "best home dumbbells" list.

If you aren't ready to give up the familiarity of traditional free weights, you could go for this CAP barbell rubber coated dumbbell weight set with a vertical rack (normally $189.99, currently on sale for $139.99).

POWERBLOCK Elite EXP Adjustable Dumbbell (2020 Model)

$339.14 at Amazon

$449.00 Save $109.86

$339.14 at Amazon

$449.00 Save $109.86

These kettlebells are discounted, too

If you don't yet own a kettlebell, definitely check out this guide from Lifehacker's own Beth Skwarecki. Even if you do own one, you probably need another: a heavy kettlebell for swings, and a light one for presses and snatches. 

Here are some solid kettlebell deals I've seen for Black Friday:

• Yes4All Powder Coated Kettlebell: $24.01 (normally $30.01)

• Fitvids Wide Grip 3-Piece or 4-Piece Kettlebells: $44.99 (normally $59.99)

• BowFlex SelectTech 840 Adjustable Kettlebell: $125.98 (normally $149.99)

Bowflex SelectTech 840 Adjustable Kettlebell (8-40lbs)

$125.98 at Amazon

$149.99 Save $24.01

$125.98 at Amazon

$149.99 Save $24.01

Beef up your home gym with a squat rack

For anyone ready to invest in a complete home gym setup, all-in-one systems are a savvy move.

So, if you're trying to upgrade your home gym setup to more than a set of dumbbells in the garage, you can snag the Major Fitness Drone3 Squat Rack on sale for $465.49 (normally $659.99).

While my colleague Beth Skwarecki and I typically approach Amazon's house brands with healthy skepticism, the Drone3 has earned genuine credibility where it counts most: among actual users. The r/homegym community—notoriously discerning when it comes to fitness equipment—has consistently vouched for Major Fitness as a brand that delivers on its promises.

You could also spring for this all-in-one Drone3 Smith Machine for $1,215.80, 28% off its normal price of $1,679.99. With this sort of system, you get a power cage, cable crossover, squat rack, and pull-up station—meaning you can do well over 100 exercises from your own home gym.

Drone3 Smith Machine

$1,215.80 at Amazon

$1,679.99 Save $464.19

$1,215.80 at Amazon

$1,679.99 Save $464.19

Get a weight bench to go with those new free weights

A good bench is a must-have for strength training at home. This highly-rated Flybird bench is currently on sale for $109.99 (normally $162.48).

Flybird Weight Bench

$109.99 at Amazon

$162.48 Save $52.49

$109.99 at Amazon

$162.48 Save $52.49

Holiday sales are also a great time to stock up on lifting accessories like belts, straps, wraps, and resistance bands. For more deals on home gym equipment like Pelotons, rowing machines, and treadmills, check out our favorite deals here.

Remember that while discounts are important, the best equipment for you is what you'll actually use consistently. Focus less on temporary sales, and more on finding versatile, durable pieces that work with your available space.

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How long do Black Friday deals really last?

Black Friday sales officially begin Friday, November 28, 2025, and run throughout “Cyber Week,” the five-day period that runs from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, December 1, 2025. But Black Friday and Cyber Monday dates have expanded as retailers compete for customers. You can get the same Black Friday sales early, and we expect sales to wind down by December 3, 2025. 

Are Black Friday deals worth it?

In short, yes, Black Friday still offers discounts that can be rare throughout the rest of the year. If there’s something you want to buy, or you’re shopping for gifts, it’s a good time to look for discounts on what you need, especially tech sales, home improvement supplies, and fitness tech. Of course, if you need to save money, the best way to save is to not buy anything. 

Are Cyber Monday deals better than Black Friday?

Black Friday used to be bigger for major retailers and more expensive tech and appliances, while Cyber Monday was for cheaper tech and gave smaller businesses a chance to compete online. Nowadays, though, distinction is almost meaningless. Every major retailer will offer sales on both days, and the smart move is to know what you want, use price trackers or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you, and don’t stress over finding the perfect timing.

Our Best Editor-Vetted Early Black Friday Deals Right Now

Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $219.99 (List Price $249.00)

Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $274.00 (List Price $349.00)

Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) — $69.99 (List Price $139.99)

Sony WH-1000XM5 — $248.00 (List Price $399.99)

Blink Outdoor 4 1080p Wireless Security Camera (5-Pack) — $159.99 (List Price $399.99)

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $24.99 (List Price $49.99)

Shark AI Ultra Matrix Clean Mapping Voice Control Robot Vacuum with XL Self-Empty Base — $249.99 (List Price $599.00)

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band) — $339.00 (List Price $399.00)

WD 6TB My Passport USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive — $138.65 (List Price $179.99)

Dell 14 Premium DA14250 (Intel Core Ultra 7 255H, 512GB SSD, 16GB RAM, 2K Display) — $999.99 (List Price $1,549.99)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

The XP-Pen Magic Note Pad Is $140 Off for This Early Black Friday Deal, and Artists Love It

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

Black Friday sales officially start Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it's over. 

• Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find.

• Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more.

• Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox.

• Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change.

---

Despite being a fairly unorganized person, I've spent the last few years testing a ton of productivity-enhancing, organization-forward notebooks and tablets, and the best of them work so well, they make me want to be the kind of person who actually organizes their notes. While I expected to slot the XP-Pen Magic Note Pad into that category—it's an LED Android tablet with three screen modes that purport to take it from full color to e-ink mode, transforming it from a notebook, to a media player, to an e-reader—it's actually most impressive as a drawing tablet.

Unfortunately, I cannot draw, but this thing made me wish I could. It's marked down 35% for Black Friday, from $400 to $260, $25 less than it was during Prime Day and cheaper than I have ever seen it.

XP-Pen Magic Note Pad

$259.99 at Amazon

$399.99 Save $140.00

$259.99 at Amazon

$399.99 Save $140.00

The Magic Note Pad has three screens in one, sort of

Ostensibly, the Magic Note Pad's biggest selling point is its "X-Paper" screen (which appears to be a rebranded version of TCL's NXTPAPER display), which has 1920 x 1200 resolution, a 90 Hz refresh rate, and maximum 400 nits of brightness (in comparison, the entry level iPad offers a 60 Hz refresh rate and 500 nits of brightness). It has an etched surface to reduce glare as well as three different color modes, controlled at the operating system level, that are purported to take it from full color LED tablet to a black and white e-reader. There's a dedicated button on the top of the device that allows you to choose between:

• Nature Color Mode, or the standard you'd expect from any LED screen

• Light Color Mode, which makes bright whites look creamier and mutes other colors, akin to the effect of reading on newsprint (or a color e-ink reader like the Kindle Colorsoft)

• Ink Paper Mode, which purports to replicate a grayscale e-ink display

If you're familiar with the various technologies involved, you'll see that it's quite impossible for a backlit LED screen to transform into an e-ink screen simply by adjusting the color settings. The device is TÜV SÜD Low Blue Light Certified, indicating it reduces blue light by 25%. It also carries a Paper Like Display Certification, which I guess means it is more paper-like than other LED screens, offering a "more comfortable and natural reading experience." The etched screen does reduce glare, and reading in Ink Paper Mode will tax your eyes a bit less if you're reading in a dim room, but take it outside, and it's unquestionably still an LED tablet—you can't magically read in direct sunlight just by switching the display mode.

Digital artists love the Magic Note Pad stylus

The Magic Note Pad's real draw (no pun intended) is actually less productivity and more artistic: A ton of digital artists have reviewed it on Reddit and YouTube, and they uniformly praise it for its super-responsive stylus, which offers four times the pressure sensitivity of an Apple Pencil—16,384 pressure levels for the XP-Pen's included stylus, versus a mere 4,096 pressure levels for the Apple Pencil.

More pressure levels give you more control over what actually winds up on the screen, so you can sketch and "paint" with far more accuracy—giving you all the control you'd have in the real world in a digital environment. It's enough to make me want to sign up for a drawing class.

The Magic Note Pad is a good value, even as a media tablet

At the current 35% discount, the Magic Note Pad drops from an "artists only" $400 to a more affordable $260, which is a decent deal even if all you're looking for is an above-average, stylus-supporting Android tablet to use as a digital notebook or e-reader and to stream media. It has a Mediatek MT8781 Octa-core processor, which appears to be a reliable mid-range chip, with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and an 8000mAh battery, which will last a few days between charges based on typical usage. There's also a front-facing camera for video calls.

In short, if you want a tablet for drawing and have been sweating over the combined cost of an iPad and an Apple Pencil, here's a great opportunity to save some money.

---

How long do Black Friday deals really last?

Black Friday sales officially begin Friday, November 28, 2025, and sales run throughout “Cyber Week,” the five-day period that runs from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, December 1, 2025. But Black Friday and Cyber Monday dates have expanded as retailers compete for customers. You can get the same Black Friday sales early, and we expect sales to wind down by December 3, 2025. 

Are Black Friday deals worth it?

In short, yes, Black Friday still offers discounts that can be rare throughout the rest of the year. If there’s something you want to buy, or you’re shopping for gifts, it’s a good time to look for discounts on what you need, especially tech sales, home improvement supplies, and fitness tech. Of course, if you need to save money, the best way to save is to not buy anything. 

Are Cyber Monday deals better than Black Friday?

Black Friday used to be bigger for major retailers and more expensive tech and appliances, while Cyber Monday was for cheaper tech and gave smaller businesses a chance to compete online. Nowadays, though, distinction is almost meaningless. Every major retailer will offer sales on both days, and the smart move is to know what you want, use price trackers or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you, and don’t stress over finding the perfect timing.

Our Best Editor-Vetted Early Black Friday Deals Right Now

Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $219.99 (List Price $249.00)

Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $274.00 (List Price $349.00)

Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) — $69.99 (List Price $139.99)

Sony WH-1000XM5 — $248.00 (List Price $399.99)

Blink Outdoor 4 1080p Wireless Security Camera (5-Pack) — $159.99 (List Price $399.99)

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $24.99 (List Price $49.99)

NEW Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones — $298.00 (List Price $429.00)

Shark AI Ultra Matrix Clean Mapping Voice Control Robot Vacuum with XL Self-Empty Base — $249.99 (List Price $599.00)

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band) — $339.00 (List Price $399.00)

WD 6TB My Passport USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive — $138.65 (List Price $179.99)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

13 Easy Ways to Winterize Your House and Lower Your Utility Bills

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

It happens every year at my house: I wake up one morning, and as though a switch was flicked overnight, it’s suddenly cold and I have to hunt down my cozy slippers. And that’s usually when I realize I haven’t really taken any steps to winterize my house.

If that also describes you, the good news is that winterizing your home isn’t a terribly complicated process. With a few affordable products and a little effort, you can button your home up and ensure that it’s going to be as comfortable as possible when those frigid winds start blowing.

Holikme 2 Pack Door Draft Stopper

$7.58 at Amazon

$9.99 Save $2.41

$7.58 at Amazon

$9.99 Save $2.41

Weather Stripping Door Seal Tape

$7.99 at Amazon

$9.99 Save $2.00

$7.99 at Amazon

$9.99 Save $2.00

Outdoor Faucet Covers

$29.99 at Amazon

$29.99 at Amazon

3M Window Insulation Kit

$12.91 at Amazon

$25.99 Save $13.08

$12.91 at Amazon

$25.99 Save $13.08

Inflatable Chimney Balloon

$46.99 at Amazon

$46.99 at Amazon

Insulated Blackout Curtains

$22.94 at Amazon

$26.99 Save $4.05

$22.94 at Amazon

$26.99 Save $4.05

Generally speaking, your goals are to reduce cold air infiltrating into the interior and increase the efficiency of your heating system. There are some straightforward, cheap, and easy ways to do that:

• Change the direction of your ceiling fans. If you have ceiling fans in your house, you should already know that the direction they spin matters. For the winter, set your fans to spin clockwise and run them at low speed. This will help push warm air back down toward the floor without causing a chilly breeze in the process.

• Clean the gutters. If your gutters are clogged, water won’t be able to drain efficiently from your roof, ice dams will form, and your roof (and interior of your home) can be damaged as a result. Before it’s zero degrees out, break out the ladder and clean those suckers.

• Uncover/cover vents. Your heating vents push warm air into rooms, but they can also allow chilly drafts to circulate or warm air to dribble out of a room if they’re not in active use. A few magnetic vent covers allow you to block off vents that are doing more harm than good, helping to hold warm air longer.

• Install door stoppers. No exterior door is going to have a perfect seal, which means cold air will leak in and warm air will leak out. A door stopper is a simple, easy addition to any door that will stop those drafts cold.

• Install some weather stripping tape. Adhesive rubber weather stripping applied around door frames and windows can eliminate tiny gaps that let air leak in and out. If that’s not going to work for you, there’s also weather sealing tape like this, which can be applied directly onto windows and door frames to block those drafts, and can be removed when the weather warms up again.

• Install outdoor faucet covers. If you have any exterior faucets or spigots, they need to be protected with faucet covers to prevent them from freezing—and potentially freezing and bursting the pipes that feed them, which probably run inside the house, ready to cause expensive damage.

• Install window film. It’s the simplest idea in the world, but it actually works: Cover your windows with plastic, use heat to tighten the plastic into a drum-like sheet, and voila—you’ve added very effective insulation to what are essentially holes in your house. These window kits are pretty easy to install and require just a hair dryer to finish.

• Install a chimney balloon. Chimneys and fireplaces can be draft central during the winter. An inexpensive chimney balloon is an easy and effective way to block those drafts. If you have a fireplace you don’t use often, a fireplace plug is also a great idea.

• Add some pipe insulation tubes. Frozen pipes are no fun. In fact, they’re potentially expensive and damaging—so now is the time to invest a little time and money into insulating your exposed pipes, wherever they might be. Insulating foam tubes are super easy to install (they’re slit, so they just slide on, seal with adhesive edges, and they’re easy to cut) and will spare you the nightmare of frozen pipes.

• Put on the air conditioner covers. If you have window air conditioner units that you’ve chosen to leave installed over the winter, a simple, inexpensive A/C cover will prevent cold air from migrating into your house through them, especially if combined with some weather stripping or sealant tape around the window.

• Hang up thermal curtains. If you’ve applied weather stripping and/or plastic films and your windows are still drafty, heavy thermal curtains can stop drafts from penetrating into the room and hold warm air back from the cold windows, keeping everything toasty. Plus, they look nice—and can hide all that plastic film.

• Use an attic stair insulation cover. If you have an attic that you access via pull-down stairs or a ladder, that’s a huge weak spot in your home insulation game because there can be significant heat transfer at that opening. An attic stairway cover will seal that weak spot off and eliminate one more place where you lose heat during the winter.

• Put on a water heater blanket. Insulating your water heater is a good idea in general, as it can save a significant amount in energy costs. But a water heater blanket becomes even more important in winter, because your water heater is probably located in a pretty cold area of your house. Keeping it insulated will keep you in hot water for less money.