The best Black Friday deals under $25: Early sales available now

The holiday shopping season will be here before we know it, and you may already be looking to find the best deals on gifts and gadgets that won't empty your wallet. If you want to stick to a strict budget this year, don't worry -- you can find some very useful tech products and other gadgets for under $25 that make great gifts, even before the Black Friday shopping weekend begins.

Also: Black Friday 2024: Everything you need to know

We scoured retailers across the internet to find the best early Black Friday deals under $25 so you can start saving on your shopping list right now.

Our favorite early Black Friday deals under $25

• TP-Link Wi-Fi Extender for $15 (save $20 at Amazon): Extend the range of your Wi-Fi by up to 1,200 square feet and connect up to 30 devices.
• Renpho Smart Scale  for $20 (save $15 at Amazon): Connect this smart scale with popular health and fitness apps like Samsung Health, MyFitnessPal, Fitbit, and Apple Health to track your body fat percentage, muscle mass, visceral fat, water weight, metabolic age, and more.
• Apple AirTag for $25 (save $4 at Best Buy): The popular item tracker can be placed in a wallet, backpack, or car to give you peace of mind It's also listed as our top pick for the best Bluetooth tracker. 
• Soundcore by Anker P20i True Wireless Earbuds for $20 (save $20 at Amazon): These earbuds have 22 EQ presets and last up to 10 hours on a single charge. 
• Roku LE Streaming Player for $20 (save $5 at Walmart): Roku LE lets you stream free, live, and premium TV, as well as connect to your subscribed apps like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and others.
• USX TV Wall Mount for $23 (save $17 at Walmart): This wall mount fits TV sizes 23-55 inches and can move in full motion to find the perfect angle for your TV.

Best early Black Friday smart home deals under $25

• GE Sync A19 Smart Bulbs for $17 (save $7 at Best Buy): This pack of smart bulbs is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and you can choose from hundreds of colors and even schedule routines to turn your lights on.
• Electric Kettle for $20 (save $20 at Walmart): This kettle has four one-touch preset programs for different teas, such as green, white, or oolong. You can boil up to seven cups in seven minutes.
• Roku Smart Home Indoor Camera for $20 (save $7 at Walmart): This 1080p HD camera shows full color, even at night, through the Roku app. You can even set specific motion detection zones inside your home. 

Best early Black Friday office deals under $25

• Rocketbook Core Smart Notebook for $24 (save $13 at Amazon): As one of ZDNET's top picks for the best digital notebook, this allows you to digitize your notes easily for under $25. 
• Insten RGB LED Mouse Pad for $20 (save $11 at Target): This gaming mouse pad has LED backlight of eight static colors and three dynamic settings to set the ambiance while you're gaming. 
• Logitech M535 Bluetooth Wireless Mouse for $25 (save $8 at Target): Use this mouse with laptops or tablets as well as Windows, Mac, Chrome OS, or Android systems. 
• Laptop Lap Desk for $25 (save $15 at Walmart): Work comfortably while at home with this lap desk that can adjust viewing angles and has a built-in cup holder for your coffee. 

FAQs

When is Black Friday?

Black Friday always occurs the day after Thanksgiving in the US. This year, it falls on Friday, Nov. 29. However, you can expect deals the week leading up to the day, as well as all weekend long.

When is Cyber Monday?

Cyber Monday is the Monday following the Thanksgiving holiday and only applies to online deals. This year, it falls on Monday, Dec. 2. 

Are deals really better on Black Friday?

For some big-name brands, Black Friday is the only time specific devices go on sale all year. It's also the time of year that you'll see the biggest discounts on bigger devices such as phones, laptops, TVs, tablets, etc. So yes, it's definitely a better time to snag a deal than other sales events. 

What's the difference between Black Friday and Cyber Monday?

The main difference between Black Friday and Cyber Monday historically is that Black Friday deals can be found both in-store and online, while Cyber Monday deals are almost exclusively online that Monday. However, in recent years, more deals are found online both days.

How did we choose these Black Friday deals?

ZDNET only writes about deals we want to buy -- devices and products we desire, need, or would recommend. Our experts looked for deals that were at least 20% off (or are hardly ever on sale), using established price comparison tools and trackers to determine whether the deal is actually on sale and how frequently it drops. 

We also looked over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the deals we're recommending. Our recommendations may also be based on our own testing -- in addition to extensive research and comparison shopping. The goal is to deliver the most accurate advice to help you shop smarter. 

Where can you shop the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals? 

All major retailers should have sales and discounts leading up to and during Black Friday/Cyber Monday. Expect deals from Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Target, B&H Photo, and more. If you prefer to shop in person, there will be plenty of in-store deals as well, but we've also found that some of the best deals are exclusive to online.