Our guide to the best BLACK FRIDAY bargains

About to splash out? Stop! Don’t buy a thing until you’ve read our expert guide on how to . . .

The biggest shopping day of the year — Black Friday — is finally upon us. Usually lasting over the weekend, it sees the high Street slash prices on thousands of goods, often by hundreds of pounds.

An American import (Black Friday falls the day after their Thanksgiving holiday and marks the start of the Christmas shopping season), it was adopted by the UK seven years ago — and gets bigger every year.

This year, there are 24 million of us gearing up for the bargains and data suggests that the average Black Friday shopper in the UK will splash out £246, meaning that figures look set to rise by almost 10 per cent from last year.

But the experts at consumer watchdog Which? warn that it’s worth checking just how good the deals really are.

A year-long investigation, which the Mail highlighted at the beginning of the week, showed an astonishing six out of ten of last year’s ‘deals’ were for products that were, in fact, cheaper or the same price at other times of the year.

But there are bargains out there. You just need to know where to find them! ALICE SMELLIE reveals her top tips...

TOP FIVE ITEMS YOU SHOULD LOOK OUT FOR

HERE are Which? magazine’s five electrical household essentials to search for today. All of these scored well in consumer tests and are carried by multiple retailers, so it’s worth shopping around to get the best deal, as it’s likely competing shops will cut the prices on them all.

THE CORDLESS VAC

Dyson V6 Animal: This lightweight vacuum cleaner is designed to remove pet hair from carpets and furniture. It also features a wide head that is suitable for all floor types.

What price should you pay: If this isn’t less than £180, it’s no cheaper than normal.

THE CAPSULE COFFEE MACHINE

Nespresso Inissia: Makes espresso, cappuccino, latte and ristretto, among others, from coffee pods.

What price should you pay: This usually costs from £50 to £70, so avoid Black Friday deals unless you spot it for less than £50.

THE BLENDER

Nutribullet 600: A powerful blender that can be used to make smoothies and juices.

What price should you pay: Usually £60 to £70 but we saw it on sale for £40 last January. If you can find it for less than £60, it’s a deal.

THE TELEVISION

LG OLED55B7V: This is a 55-inch TV with great picture quality.

What price should you pay: It’s normally on at £2,500 — but retailer

very.co.uk will slash the price to £1,500. There may be even further reductions on Black Friday, so shop around. however, we may see bigger discounts in the Christmas and January sales, so it could be worth waiting if you are not in a rush.

THE PRINTER

HP Envy 5646: A powerful, wireless laser printer.

What price should you pay: It was on offer with 50 per cent off in August — it retails at £79.99 — so be sure it costs less than £40.

THE TOP FIVE BIG DISCOUNTS

1. Oral-B Smart Series 6000 Rechargeable Toothbrush, £54.99, down from £229.99, amazon.co.uk. 2. Braun Silk-expert IPL hair removal device, £135, down from £449.99, boots.co.uk. 3. Topshop wool-blend blazer for women, £70, down from £235, selfridges.com. 4. Men’s Accurist Chronograph Watch 7003, £72, down from £240 goldsmiths.co.uk.

5. Next clothing, whose 70 per cent off sale started at 3 am, next.co.uk. BLINK AND YOU’LL MISS THEM . . .

EVERY year, the most popular products tend to sell out in the frenzy of Black Friday.

To help, here’s the list of the items most searched for last year. If you want any of these, put them at the top of your shopping list . . . and move fast. 1. Laptops 2. Curtains

3. Rugs 4. Kettles 5. Microwaves. Argos says that key categories last year were: 1. TVs 2. Mobiles 3. Computers 4. Video Games 5. Floorcare

Tech fans were early-bird shoppers, with 57 per cent of all deals purchased between midnight and 4.30am being video games consoles, games and tablets. John Lewis says