The consumer champion 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, so-called ‘Which? Don’t Buys’.
The products you shouldn’t waste your money on
First on the list of items Which? advises shoppers to avoid is the Beko CNG4601DVPS fridge freezer, which is on sale for £479. It made Which?’s Don’t Buy list as its cooling and freezing performance was inconsistent and its energy efficiency was poor.
Another product that fell short of Which?’s expectations was the Swan Alexa Smart Kettle SK14650BLKN, which costs £59. It was rated poorly by the consumer champion as it boils slowly, overboils for too long and has a lack of filter, meaning it is a terrible choice for those using hard water.
Third on the list of Which? ‘s products to steer clear of this Black Friday is the Kinderkraft 2 in 1 Nea pram. This performed very poorly in the consumer champion’s laboratory tests earlier this year and had a range of safety issues.
The £349 product had a harness that broke under pressure, a plastic toggle on the rain cover that detached too easily and could be a choking hazard, and a broken spring in the wheel suspension.
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Another purchase to avoid is the Swan Nordic ST14620WHTN toaster. This is reduced to £49 in the sales but tested poorly because its toasting slots are not deep enough, which leads to uneven or uncooked bread.
Shoppers should also give the Withings Scanwatch 2 42mm (£249.95) a miss. Which? described it as “a flawed watch that does not track heart rates accurately and lacks smart features”.
The Hisense HS214 sound bar, on offer at £78.17, is another dud, according to Which?. It had “nasty” audio quality, ease-of-listening issues and lacked a proper display.
When it comes to vacuums, Which? recommends that consumers avoid the Tower Optimum VL100 cordless vacuum cleaner (sale price £119). This vacuum struggled to pick up dirt from deep within the carpet pile, as well as dog and cat hair.
What should you buy instead?
If you’re in the market for a fridge freezer, Which? recommends the Fridgemaster MC55251DE, which is on sale on AO.com for £315, for its “great chilling and freezing power and an accurate thermostat”.
If you need a kettle, look at the BoschTWK1M123GB MyMoment Delight, which is on sale at Amazon for £30. It is not as flashy as the Swan model but boils speedily and is easy to use.
Parents looking to buy a pram should consider the Jane Ruler pushchair that can be bought from Trendybaby.co.uk for £379 and includes the Smart carrycot. It is a lightweight all-round pushchair and pram.
For toast, Which? recommends the Argos Cookworks Illuminated toaster, which is £30 and “is speedy and pops out golden-brown toast every time”.
If you want to splash out on a smartwatch, Which? suggests the Google Pixel Watch 3 45mm (£329) on the Google store; those looking for a sound bar should check out the Sony HT-S2000 (£298).
For vacuum cleaners, Which? said the Russell Hobbs RHHS4101 Glide Pro Plus is for sale for £105 on Robert Dyas’ website and was deemed a “solid choice” during Which?’s testing.
What do the experts say?
Harry Rose, Which?’s magazine editor, said: “It can be tempting to buy on impulse in the Black Friday sales, but our list of dud deals shows why finding the time to do some research could be worth your while and save you money.
“Which? reviews are based on rigorous and independent testing and separate products that have a hefty price tag but simply don’t perform from the hidden gems that punch above their weight.”
