Black Friday deals: Which? reveals ‘duds’ shoppers should avoid – no matter how good the discount

s bargain hunters face a somewhat different Black Friday experience this year, shoppers are being warned that online deals may not be as good as they first think.

Black Friday is traditionally the day after Thanksgiving in the US and sees stores slash prices on electronics and clothes – encouraging shoppers to kick off their Christmas shopping.

Consumer group Which? has compiled a list of items which appear on its Don’t Buy list – on what is one of the biggest shopping days of the year.
The group says it puts thousands of products through “tough and independent laboratory tests” in an effort to work out which fail to perform.

Which? says its Don’t Buy status means a product should not be bought – no matter how good the discount.

This year, the list includes everything – from what Which? considers a dangerous baby gate, to a “cumbersome” vacuum cleaner.
Which? says that the Baby Dan Premier True Pressure stair gate, which it found for £29 on Amazon, failed its “fatigue test” – which is part of the EU safety standard – meaning it could pose a risk to children.

Baby Dan, the manufacturer, responded saying: “The safety gate mentioned in Which? has been tested recently by TUV Sud in Germany and Bureau Veritas in the UK numerous times without any remarks. Both of these two test laboratories have great experience with testing safety gates, and the safety gate has always passed the European standard for safety barriers (EN 1930). ‘Which’ have received these test reports for their perusal.
“To prove our point Baby Dan has immediately sent the safety gate in question… for new testing.”

A £29 Russell Hobbs Luna 23221 2-slice toaster is also on the firm’s Don’t Buy list, after claiming it produces “pale and uneven toast” with a slider that is “stiff and hard to move”.

The Beko VCS5125AB vacuum cleaner makes an appearance on the list too.
Found for £69 on AO.com (£4 more than in 2019), Which? calls it “cumbersome”, adding the filter “did a poor job of trapping small particles when tested”.

Which? are also warning people to steer clear of:

• Maxi Cosi Beryl car seat (£225 at John Lewis): Testing by the group found the shell too small to protect older children
• Bush 60185FFWTD fridge freezer (£290 at Argos): It is “very slow to cool” new items to a safe temperature, aiding bacteria, Which? says
• Hisense 65A7100FTUK LED TV (£499 at Currys PC World): Which? claims it has the worst picture quality it has seen in years
• Marshall Major III wireless Bluetooth headphones (£49 at Currys PC World): Which? says the sound quality is not good and “they were judged to be uncomfortable”.

Natalie Hitchins, Which? head of home products and services, said:”We’ve found a host of poor-quality products for sale this Black Friday, so don’t dive straight in when you spot what looks like a tempting deal or you could end up with a dud.
“Save money and time by steering clear of these Don’t Buy products. To nab a quality product that will last the test of time, look beyond the special offer and check out independent, thorough test results.”