4 Black Friday Kitchen Deals to Avoid (and What to Buy Instead)

Start by saving over $200 on a Staub Dutch oven.

The weekend after Thanksgiving has the biggest—and most overwhelming—sales of the year. As a discount-lover myself, I know how easy it is to get snowed over by all the flashy promos and urgent calls to action that fill our inboxes, social media, and televisions this time of year. Luckily, I have a decade of professional cooking experience under my belt and have tested hundreds of kitchen products for Serious Eats, including carbon steel chef’s knives, countertop ovens, and kitchen scales. Using my unique experience (and our log of rigorously tested gear), I created a guide on the kitchen sales to avoid this holiday season—and, of course, the Black Friday deals you should shop instead.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals Worth Shopping, at a Glance:

• Over $40 Off a Coffee Maker That Brews Single Cups Worth Drinking: OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker
• A Beginner-Friendly Espresso Machine That’s Only $100: De’Longhi Stilosa Espresso Machine
• The Best Coffee Grinder for Most People: OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
• An Espresso Grinder for Enthusiasts: Baratza Encore ESP Coffee Grinder
• Get $100 Off the Countertop Air Fryer Oven Our Editors Recommend Constantly: Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro
• The Best Countertop Air Fryer Oven for Smaller Spaces: Breville The Smart Oven Air Fryer Compact
• Two Buy-It-For-Life Stainless Steel Skillets: All-Clad D3 Stainless Steel Pans, Set of 2
• Get 60% Off a Heritage Dutch Oven: Staub Cast Iron 4-Quart Round Cocotte
• Our Tested Favorite Saucier: Made In Stainless Clad Saucier
• A Small Saucepan for Warming Hot Cocoa in Style: Made In Stainless Clad Saucepan
• Stocking Stuffer Alert! A $9 Y Peeler Everyone Loves: KitchenAid Classic Y Peeler
• A Reliable Instant Read Thermometer for 25% Off: ThermoWorks ThermoPop 2
• A Budget-Friendly Citrus Juicer That’s Worth the Squeeze: KitchenAid Citrus Squeezer
• Forget Paper Towels—Save Money and Reduce Waste With These: Superscandi 10-Pack Swedish Dishcloths
• Get Over 33% Off the Kitchen Towels Our Editors Love: Zeppoli Classic Kitchen Towels

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  Don’t Buy: A Pod-Style Coffee Maker

  What to Buy Instead: A Coffee or Espresso Machine That Brews to Impress

  Listen, I’m not judging Keurig and Nespresso fans. I’ve tested both, and I understand their appeal: They dispense coffee in seconds, don’t need to be cleaned often, and are dead simple to operate. But the little plastic pods they use are pricey and tough to recycle, and they aren’t exactly winning awards for their flavor.

  Instead of a pod-style brewer, opt for an easy-to-operate machine that can turn the freshest beans into a cup that’s actually exciting to drink. We have tested and approved recommendations for an impressive drip coffee maker capable of making single servings as well as a straightforward, wallet-friendly espresso machine. I’ve included our picks for coffee and espresso grinders, too, in case you’re looking for extra credit.

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  OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker

  $220 $176 at Amazon

  This machine can brew a carafe for a crowd or dispense a single cup’s worth of coffee directly into your mug. It comes with an additional filter basket that’s thoughtfully designed to produce individual servings that actually taste great—a feature that led former Serious Eats writer and hard-to-impress coffee aficionado Jesse Raub to call it “the only brewer” he’d recommend for smaller volumes. 

  The 5 Best Automatic Drip Coffee Makers for Most Coffee Drinkers

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  De'Longhi Stilosa Espresso Machine

  $150 $100 at Amazon

  For beginners and those on a budget, this is the most affordable espresso machine we recommend. It has a super simple interface (just one dial!) that switches it between brewing and frothing. It's the best you can get at this price range, and you can get it for even less during Black Friday.

  We Pulled Hundreds of Shots to Find the 15 Best Espresso Machines for Every Budget

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  OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder

  $110 $88 at Amazon

  There’s no shame in buying pre-ground coffee, but if you really want to customize the experience, try grinding your own beans to brew. This OXO grinder is affordable and intuitive to use, making it our go-to recommendation for most casual coffee drinkers. 

  We Tested 19 Coffee Grinders to Find the Best Ones for Drip, Espresso, Pour-Over, and More

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  Baratza ZCG495 Encore ESP Coffee Grinder

  $200 $160 at Amazon

  We’ve recommended this grinder to espresso drinkers and coffee hobbyists for years. It’s ideal for people who want to grind each portafilter’s worth of beans à la minute (right before brewing) and has 40 grind settings to cover a range of brewing styles, including pour-over.

  The 5 Best Espresso Grinders for Beginners, Experts, and Everyone in Between

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  Don’t Buy: A Bulky Air Fryer That’s a Pain to Store

  What to Buy Instead: A Countertop Oven You’ll Use Constantly

  Air fryer devotees may disagree, but I’ll always recommend a multipurpose air fry-capable toaster oven over a hulking single-purpose appliance I have to clear out a cabinet to store. Our favorite air fry-capable toaster ovens can also do a variety of other tasks, like broiling, baking, dehydrating, keeping food warm, and, of course, toasting bread. Sure, the toaster oven may be bigger than an air fryer alone, but it replaces several other appliances, and I use it multiple times a day, every day.

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  Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro

  $400 $300 at Amazon

  This is the model I own, and it’s almost completely replaced my “big oven” for most of my daily tasks. If my word isn’t enough, it also won our tests because it has an intuitive interface and makes crispy, golden brown fries in minutes, thanks to its super convection air frying mode. 

  To Find the Best Air Fryer Toaster Ovens, We Went Through 12 Pounds of French Fries

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  Breville The Smart Oven Air Fryer Compact

  $250 $200 at Amazon

  The countertop is valuable real estate, so if you’re looking for a smaller appliance that can still do a lot, this is the one I’d recommend. In addition to air frying, it can also bake, roast, broil, cook pizza, and toast bagels and bread. It would make a great gift for apartment dwellers and college students. 

  To Find the Best Air Fryer Toaster Ovens, We Went Through 12 Pounds of French Fries

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  Don’t Buy: Nonstick Cookware That You’ll Have to Replace

  What to Buy Instead: Non-Toxic Cookware to Last You a Lifetime

  Nonstick pans coated with polytetrafluoroethylene—also known as PTFE or by its genericized name, Teflon—may pose risks to our health and the environment. They’re generally considered safe to use until they get scratched or their coatings start breaking down from heat, so you’re lucky to get a year of use out of them before they need to be tossed. Even ceramic pans, which promise to be non-toxic (though it’s hard to say for sure, given their proprietary coatings and a general lack of cookware research), are prone to chipping and scratching, and they’re pricier to replace. Instead, opt for stainless steel, cast iron, enameled cast iron, or carbon steel cookware that can last for decades with the proper care.

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  All-Clad D3 Stainless Steel Pans, Set of 2

  $250 $200 at Amazon

  All-Clad is known for its high-quality stainless steel cookware, so it’s no surprise its D3 skillet came out on top during our testing. It heated quickly and evenly and could go from stove to oven without a hitch. During Black Friday sales, you can get this 10- and 12-inch duo for $50 off. 

  We Tested 27 Stainless Steel Skillets—4 Were Sear-iously Good

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  Staub Cast Iron 4-Quart Round Cocotte

  $370 $150 at Amazon

  I had to do a double take when I saw this deal. Staub is a time-tested brand that makes some of the best Dutch ovens on the market, and the opportunity to save 60% on one of its cocottes really shouldn’t be missed. Not only is it a gorgeous piece of cooking equipment, but it’s also impressively functional and comes with a lifetime warranty. 

  We Tested 22 Dutch Ovens to Find the Best Ones for Stews, Braises, and Loads More

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  Made In Stainless Clad Saucier

  $179 $150 at Made In Cookware

  A saucier is like a saucepan, but better. It has rounded bottom edges that make it easy to stir, so you don’t have to worry about macaroni noodles or pastry cream getting stuck and burnt in the corners. This model from Made In is our favorite one because it heats evenly and has a well-balanced, comfortable handle.

  We Found the 5 Best Sauciers After Whisking, Simmering, and Sautéing

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  Made In Stainless Clad Saucepan

  $149 $130 at Made In Cookware

  A 2-quart saucepan is helpful for melting butter, heating a few mugs of hot chocolate, or simmering a lunchtime packet of ramen. Like its saucier sibling, it won my tests with its stay-cool handle and smooth interior that was a snap to clean.

  I Tested 8 Small Saucepans and Found 4 Picks for Sauces, Browned Butter, and More

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  Don’t Buy: Smallware That Stinks

  What to Buy Instead: Budget-Friendly Gear That Makes a Difference

  Investment cookware pieces and snazzy appliances might get all the attention during big sales like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but don’t overlook the small stuff. Inexpensive tools like tested-and-approved vegetable peelers, instant-read thermometers, and kitchen towels can make a huge impact on your day-to-day cooking. They also make for lovely stocking stuffers that your giftees can use every day.

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  KitchenAid Classic Y Peeler

  $11 $9 at Amazon

  I may have grown up using a straight, swivel-style vegetable peeler, but I am a total Y peeler convert now. They’re more ergonomic, precise, and quicker to use, peeling potatoes nearly twice as fast as other styles in our tests. This one has a particularly comfortable handle, and it’s dishwasher-safe.

  I Tested 14 Vegetable Peelers to Find the Best Ones for Potatoes, Apples, and More

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  ThermoWorks ThermoPop 2

  $39 $29 at Thermoworks

  When it comes to precision, speed, and ease of use, you really can’t beat ThermoWorks’ meat thermometers. The ThermoPop 2 is the brand’s most affordable instant-read model and comes with an easy-to-read backlit screen that automatically rotates when you’re reading at an angle. If you have the budget to spend a little more, we’d recommend checking out the $40 off deal on the Thermopen One, our all-time favorite instant-read thermometer.

  Why We Love the Inexpensive ThermoWorks ThermoPop Thermometer

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  KitchenAid Citrus Squeezer

  $23 $17 at Amazon

  This citrus juicer has a built-in cup to hold the juice as you squeeze, preventing splashes and spills. We also liked that its curved bottom handle kept our wrists stable and comfortable, and that it could be cleaned in the dishwasher. It’s almost 30% off for Black Friday.

  I Put 13 Citrus Juicers to the Test—Our Top Picks Squeezed Out the Competition

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  Superscandi 10-Pack Swedish Dishcloths

  $21 $16 at Amazon

  Swedish dishcloths have become my go-to kitchen wipes, helping me reduce my paper towel waste significantly. I love that I can toss them into the laundry or the dishwasher between uses. These tied for the best absorption rate during our tests by soaking up their weight in liquid, and they can be reused up to 200 times. 

  I Tried 8 Swedish Dishcloths to Find the Best Ones You Can Use Over and Over Again

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  Zeppoli Classic Kitchen Towels

  $30 $20 at Amazon

  A reliable set of kitchen towels is an underrated treasure. These editor-favorite cloths are 100% cotton, fold up to become makeshift pot holders (a classic restaurant trick), are capable of soaking up big messes, and can dry glassware without leaving any annoying lint behind. They come in a 15-pack, so you won’t have to worry about running out between washes. 

  I Tested 20 Kitchen Towels to Find the Best, Most Versatile Ones

FAQs

When is Black Friday?

Black Friday is the biggest shopping holiday of the year, occurring the day after Thanksgiving every year. This year, it’s on November 28, 2025. You can shop more editor-loved deals here.

When is Cyber Monday?

Although many online retailers start their sales on Black Friday (or before) these days, the Monday after Thanksgiving often brings even more deals for those shopping online for gifts and personal items. Cyber Monday 2025 lands on December 1.

Why We’re the Experts

• Ashlee Redger is a writer for Serious Eats. She’s been testing and reviewing kitchen gear since 2022, including mixing bowls, countertop ovens, and kitchen scales.
• The Serious Eats equipment team rigorously tests every piece of cooking equipment that we recommend. During sales like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, we comb through hundreds of discounts to find the best deals on our review-winning products.