Press release

Don’t Buy: Which? reveals dud deals to avoid this Black Friday

Which? is warning shoppers to watch out for dud deals this Black Friday, including shoddy earphones, hair straighteners that may damage hair and an energy-guzzling cooker that struggles to heat up.
5 min read
Press Team

The consumer champion is warning shoppers not to waste money on substandard products in this year’s Black Friday and clearance sales as it identified several discounted items that perform poorly in Which? testing.

Which? tests thousands of products every year in its labs so it can recommend the very best as Which? Best Buys and help consumers to avoid the worst, Which? Don't Buys. These are products that did so badly in tests that experts would not recommend them to shoppers under any circumstances, even if heavily discounted in the sales.

Branded as one of the worst televisions Which? has ever tested, the Hisense 32A4KTUK TV (sale price £129) was deemed a Don’t Buy. This 32-inch HD-ready TV has terrible motion and abysmal sound, not to mention unbalanced colours and contrast. Which? experts branded this TV a “shocker”, and said the picture was so bad that they would rather listen to the radio. Instead, experts recommend LG’s 43-inch 43NAN081A6A, which is more expensive at £299 at currys.co.uk, but as TVs go it represents good value, with a good picture and balanced sound.

For those looking for hair straighteners in the sales, Remington Shine Therapy hair straighteners (sale price - £21.99) are best avoided. Which? testing revealed that these hair straighteners are not good at straightening hair, plus the outer casing gets hot and they take half an hour to cool down. On their highest temperature setting Which? experts found they might cause damage to hair. Instead, the Beauty Works x Molly-Mae straighteners can be found on Beauty Works Online for £50 (half the usual cost of £100). These are pricier but still good value, and Which? tests show they straighten hair well and deliver good shine and frizz control. They are also lightweight and cause minimal damage to hair.

Another product that failed to impress was the Indesit KINS 1261B4 UK fridge freezer (sale price - £379). Branded a “terrible model” by Which? experts, this underpowered fridge and freezer has inaccurate temperature settings and ease-of-use annoyances, making it one to miss. Which? testing found that the fridge chills too slowly and the freezer is even worse at bringing newly added food down to the right temperature. It does not have open-door alarms, either. Instead, the Fridgemaster MC55251DE is available for  £319 from AO.com and has powerful fridge and freezer sections with an accurate thermostat.

Many people may be looking for new headphones in the sales this Black Friday but the SoundCore by Anker C40i headphones (sale price - £39.99) were named a Which? Don’t Buy. According to testers, these headphones sound truly terrible, have weak battery life and the microphone is poor for taking calls. Which? experts said that music and podcasts sound thin, hollow and distorted at times, and that vocals and speech in particular sound crackly and unnatural. Instead, it is worth shelling out a bit more and going for the Sony Linkbuds Open which typically retail for £129.99, but are currently on Amazon for £121.71.

For those looking for a portable speaker, one to avoid is the Canyon BSP-8 (sale price - £28.99). Which? experts said the sound is dire, tinny and thin with no bass and muffled mid-tones. The battery life is one of the shortest for a portable speaker the consumer champion has tested, lasting just three hours and 13 minutes. Instead, for a light and cheap speaker, shoppers could opt for the SoundCore by Anker Select 2S which costs £29.99 on Amazon, and has a good battery and decent sound for a portable speaker.

Similarly, the LG SQC1 soundbar (sale price - £117.95) is also to be avoided. Although Which? experts found there is a reasonable amount of bass, experts found it was not handled very well and could sound muddy. Special effects are poorly delivered too, and can not be turned up very loud before an artificial-sounding distortion kicks in. As an alternative soundbar choice, the Samsung HW-B650F typically retails for £279, but B&Q is selling it for £165. It has a well-balanced sound, a good base and is modestly priced compared with most soundbars.

For shoppers looking to replace their cooker before Christmas, the Currys Essentials CFSG60W18 freestanding cooker (sale price - £249) is definitely one to avoid. This energy-hungry cooker was found by Which? testers to take 14 minutes - twice as long as most ovens - to get up to 180ºC (gas mark 4), but then soared way above the temperature set on the dial increasing the chance of a dry turkey and burnt roast potatoes. The grill is feeble too. When Which? testers put bread under it, they found it was hardly touched by the heat. The Amica AFC1530WH is a worthy alternative with a fantastic oven and grill, and is available for just an extra £30 at £279 from AO.com. 

Natalie Hitchins, Which? Head of Home Products and Services, said:

“It can be tempting to buy on impulse in the Black Friday sales, but our research has found that so-called bargains could end up being both disappointing and a waste of money. 

“It is worth considering whether you really need something before you invest your money, and it’s absolutely worth doing some research before making a purchase so you don’t end up with a dud product.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Throughout the sales, the Which? experts are working around the clock to find the very best deals and these are available on the website for free. Which? would never recommend a product that did poorly in tests so shoppers can rest assured they can get something that will last.

Don’t Buys

Which? Don’t Buys are products that we wouldn’t recommend to anybody under any circumstance.

We're confident about our Don't Buy warnings because they’re backed by our scientific testing. We test products rigorously, comparably and independently.

The products in this article all scored poorly in our tests. Typically, a product needs to score under 40% or 45% to be a Don't Buy, with different categories having different expectations.

In some cases, we might find issues that can compromise your safety and security. When this happens, not only will we make a product a Don't Buy, but we may also apply an alert banner on the review - a clear warning about what we found and what the risk is for shoppers.

All product manufacturers that received a Don't Buy were notified by Which? at the time of testing. Which? testing often goes above and beyond the UK standard so while these items are not illegal to sell, Which? believes shoppers should avoid these and opt for alternatives.

About Which?

Which? is the UK’s consumer champion, empowering people to make confident choices and demand better. Through our research, investigations and product testing, we provide trusted insight and expert recommendations on the issues that matter most to consumers.

Fiercely independent, we put people over profit - shining a light on unfair practices, influencing policy and holding businesses to account to make life simpler, fairer and safer for everyone.