Black Friday regrets: Which? members reveal their worst buys

A vacuum cleaner with rubbish battery life, a sandwich maker that didn't work and a spiraliser that was never used are among some of the products Which? members regret buying on Black Friday.

In our survey of 1,260 Which? members, shoppers highlighted a range of disappointing purchases that failed to live up to the hype.

We’ve rounded up the worst offenders – and share our tips to help you steer clear of the same pitfalls when hunting for bargains this Black Friday.

Black Friday worst buys

Most consumers who took part in our survey – 87% – did not regret their purchases, with just 3% saying they had.

But among those who did, a clear pattern emerged.

Some told us they'd ended up with items that were poor quality or simply didn’t work – such as a smoking aroma machine, a faulty sandwich maker and a vacuum cleaner with poor battery life. Others admitted to impulse buys that were never used, including bunting and a spiraliser.

Other members regretted upgrading a perfectly good item or found a better deal for their new TV or laptop just a few months later. Our best Black Friday TV and laptop deals pages highlight the lowest prices we've seen in the past six months on products we rate, helping you steer clear of these common mistakes. 

Best Black Friday deals for 2025: our experts have scoured the sales to uncover this year's standout bargains

Most common issues

The most common Black Friday regrets related to quality, value and practicality.

• Poor quality and performance Some members regretted buying products that were either faulty, cheaply made or simply didn't perform as expected. Examples included a TV with poor sound quality and bone conduction headphones that didn't work. In previous years, our experts have seen discounted products that are low scoring or even Which? Don't Buys, so make sure you do your research before you buy. A Which? membership can help you sort the deals from the duds.

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• Impulse buys and lack of use A large portion of the regretted purchases were items that members didn't genuinely need and have since rarely or never used. A spiraliser was a frequently mentioned example of a niche product that got little use after the initial novelty wore off. Other examples included a large TV that didn't fit the space. Read our guide on what size TV to buy so you can avoid this common mistake.
• Misleading discounts Some members discovered that their Black Friday 'bargain' wasn't a bargain at all. They found the same or a similar product available for a comparable price at other times of the year. In fact, Which? analysis of nearly 200 Black Friday deals found that most products were cheaper or the same price at other times of the year.
• Post-purchase regret Members reported a feeling of regret after the initial excitement of the purchase wore off. This was often due to the product not meeting expectations or simply not being worth the money, regardless of the discount.

How our members save money in the run-up to Christmas

According to our survey, conducted in August 2025, 19% of members use the Black Friday sale to save money on gifts and purchases in the run-up to Christmas.

When it comes to overall festive spending, most members (33%) spent between £201 and £500 on Christmas gifts in 2024. A further 18% spent £501–£1,000, while a smaller proportion (15%) spent £101–£200.

Beyond Black Friday, members also rely on a range of other ways to keep Christmas costs down. The most common are using loyalty points (55%), cashback (25%) and second-hand purchases (24%).

Despite this, the survey suggests that many people still don’t plan their spending: 39% said they never set a strict budget, and only 15% said they always do.

Finally, 24% of respondents said they don’t do anything at all to save money ahead of Christmas. The least-used methods were DIY gifts (8%), Secret Santa schemes (4%) and budgeting apps (2%).

Is it worth waiting for Black Friday for the best deals?

Which? has found that 100% of products were cheaper or the same price in the six months either side of the Black Friday sale day, so you definitely shouldn't feel under pressure to make purchases at this time.

That doesn’t mean there are no good deals – but it does mean shoppers shouldn’t assume that Black Friday guarantees the best price. If you’ve got a big purchase in mind, do your homework – or let us do it for you.

Our Best Black Friday deals round-up features only products that did well in our tests and are being sold at genuinely good discounts. Meanwhile, all of our deals pages show price history and compare retailers, so you can be confident that the offer you’re seeing really is a bargain.

If you've got a big purchase in mind, do plenty of research before buying to ensure you're getting the best possible price. Read our 15 shopping tips for Black Friday, which include using price trackers, cashback schemes and Which? reviews to avoid overspending.

How to avoid fake Black Friday deals: see more of our advice on finding truly good deals, not duds

Our expert says

‘I always go in with a strict list of things I’m actually looking for, and I check whether I can get the same item second-hand or refurbished for less before jumping on a discount.

‘I also try to avoid impulse shopping by giving myself time to think about a purchase – if I still want it after a couple of weeks, that’s when I buy it. You can’t always do that with Black Friday’s short-lived deals, but the principle still helps: if it wasn’t already on your radar, it’s usually best to leave it.

‘When you’re ready to buy, think about how you’re paying: a credit card can give you Section 75 protection on purchases between £100 and £30,000, while debit cards offer chargeback if something goes wrong.

‘You might also be able to earn cashback on the purchase or use loyalty points towards the cost, which can make a good deal even better.’