We’ve seen some big discounts on tech and electricals, plus kitchen and home appliances, in the October sales. So if you’re after a new laptop, television or fridge freezer, now could be a good time to buy.
Our experts track prices throughout the year (not just when the sales are on), which means we’re able to cut through the retailers’ spin and only bring you the deals we consider to be genuinely good value.
All of the deals we’ve included in our October round-up cover products that have made the journey to the Which? test lab. As our lab tests are objective and reflect how you would use these products in real life, you can trust our reviews are accurate.
Even though all of the deals listed here show products that scored well in our tests, the best way to see if a product is right for you is to check our expert reviews before you buy.
Thinking of buying in the Black Friday sales? We can help. To find out more about how to spot if a deal is real and for expert shopping tips, go to When is Black Friday?.
Best mobile phone deal
Apple iPhone 12 64GB – £679
- We like: great camera, easy to use
- We don’t like: battery takes a while to charge
We’ve spotted that the current cheapest deal for a Sim-free iPhone 12 with 64GB of storage is £679.
It’s rare to find a discount on an Apple iPhone, especially a recent model such as this.
For your money, you get 5G capability and an improved screen over the iPhone 11. It’s also waterproof up to 1.5 metres for up to 30 minutes – worth knowing if you’ve ever killed a phone by dropping it in water.
Read our full review of the Apple iPhone 12 64GB or buy it now from Amazon.
Browse all of our mobile phone reviews or, for more offers, see our round-up of the best mobile phone deals.
Best TV deal
LG OLED55G16LA – £1,599
- We like: great remote
- We don’t like: settings and smart menus can be confusing
This high-end 55-inch TV is at the cutting edge of today’s screen technology and has a wealth of gaming features, plus built-in voice control.
Recently this model has been selling for around £1,799, but we’ve spotted a few retailers currently offering it for £200 less.
Read our full LG OLED55G16LA review before you commit or buy it now from AO.com, Boots Kitchen Appliances or Currys/PC World.
See our TV reviews to find out which models have performed the best in our tough lab tests. If you’re looking for a bargain, our product experts have even more TV deals for 2021 for you.
Best tablet deal
Apple iPad Mini (2019) – £305
- We like: fast, great software
- We don’t like: expensive, only supports older Apple Pencil
This tablet has a 7.9-inch screen and an Apple A12 processor. The cheapest version comes with 64GB of storage – think carefully whether this is enough for you, as it can’t be upgraded later.
The gold version of the iPad Mini 64GB model can currently be had for £305 – the best price we’ve seen it at yet.
Read our full iPad Mini review to see how it did in our tests, or buy it now from OnBuy.
Check our tablet reviews to see which models we recommend. For more offers on Android and iOS tablets, see the best tablet deals for 2021.
Best headphones deal
Sennheiser RS 175 – £169
- We like: connects to TV and hi-fi
- We don’t like: can’t be used outdoors
These headphones are really convenient for TV listening as they charge themselves up whenever you place them back on their docking station.
Normally priced at around £229, these premium wireless headphones are currently available with a substantial £60 discount.
Discover if these are a match for their rivals in our Sennheiser RS 175 review or buy them now from Amazon.
Discover top-rated headphones with our headphones reviews. Looking for more deals? See our best wireless headphones deals for 2021.
Best laptop deal
Acer Swift 1 SF114-34 – £360
- We like: thin and light
- We don’t like: narrow screen viewing angle
This budget 14-inch laptop has a quad-core Intel Pentium N6000 processor, 4GB of Ram and a 128GB SSD – decent specifications for the price. The Swift 1 normally sells for around £400, but you can get 10% off this month.
Read our full Acer Swift 1 SF114-34 review to make sure it really suits your needs, or buy it now from Argos.
Our laptop reviews uncover the best laptops for every budget. Alternatively, see our guide on the best laptop deals for 2021 for bargains on budget laptops, Ultrabooks and MacBooks.
Best washing machine deal
AEG L6FBG841CA – £513
We like: thorough spin dry, easy to use
We don’t like: not as energy efficient as some
The L6FBG841CA is a swanky, smart washing machine that connects to the AEG Care app on your smartphone, where you can control and monitor washes.
It’s typically on sale for well over £600, but is currently just £513.
Read our full AEG L6FBG841CA washing machine review or buy it now at Appliances Direct.
Find out which are the top-rated models in our washing machine reviews. For more offers, see the best washing machine deals for 2021.
Best fridge freezer deal
LG GBB61DSJZN freestanding fridge freezer – £499
- We like: easy to use
- We don’t like: the fridge is a bit awkward to clean
This freestanding LG fridge freezer is frost-free, so you don’t need to defrost it by hand. There are also super-cool and fast-freeze settings to give an energy-intensive burst of chilling or freezing power when required.
It’s priced at over £600 in most retailers, but it can currently be bought for just £499.
Read our full LG GBB61DSJZN fridge freezer review to see what you get for your money, or buy it now from John Lewis.
Find all the best models in our fridge freezer reviews. For more price reductions, see the best fridge freezer deals for 2021.
October sales shopping tips
Check the Which? website
As well as finding you the best deals this October, we’ve also put together a list of the best and worst shops.
We’ve quizzed thousands of Which? members on their experiences of shopping in some of the country’s best-known stores and websites, as well as with lesser-known brands.
After crunching the numbers, we can reveal which retailers score highly for product quality, range and value for money. To see which retailers impressed in our latest shopping survey, head over to our extensive guide on the best and worst shops.
Watch out for sneaky tricks
Some retailers use underhand tactics to pressure you into making a purchase.
These include anchor pricing (when products are on sale more often than they aren’t), pressure selling (’30 people are viewing this right now!’) and dubious claims about the ‘before’ price of a product.
If you’re unsure how good a deal is, use a tool such as PriceRunner to compare prices across retailers.
Research customer reviews
It’s always a good idea to read reviews before you buy a product, but not all reviews are trustworthy.
Some sellers incentivise people to post fake positive reviews to drown out genuine negative ones. If you’re in any doubt, check out our expert guide on how to spot a fake review.
Know your rights when returning goods
Whether you bought a product in-store or online, you still have rights under the Consumer Contract Regulations.
The regulations give you a 14-day window to return a non-faulty product, which begins on the day you receive your goods. Many retailers will give you longer than this, but it’s always best to check before you buy.
We’ve also put together advice on the additional rights you have when shopping online in our online returns guide.
source https://www.which.co.uk/news/2021/10/best-deals-in-the-october-sales-revealed-by-which/