This year’s Black Friday headphone deals are just a few months away, but if you need a new set of cans for vibing to music and drowning out the noise, it’s not too early to start planning your shopping spree. Black Friday deals are the best chance to buy expensive tech gadgets for the lowest prices you’ll see before 2022, but with supply chain constraints going on this year, you’ll want to do some thinking ahead of time so you don’t miss out on that pair of headphones you’ve been eyeballing.
A good set of headphones is a quintessential product for every music lover or remote worker, and there are a lot of options out there for you to choose from (and we imagine a ton of them are going to be featured among the 2021 headphone Black Friday deals). To keep you from going in blind, we’ve put together an all-in-one shopping guide so you can navigate the Black Friday sales like a pro, and we’ll also be updating this page regularly as November 26 draws near so you don’t miss out on any of the best Black Friday headphone deals out there.
Best Black Friday headphone deals we saw last year
Last year’s Black Friday headphone deals saw price cuts on tons of brand-name head-fi, from studio-grade over-ear cans to true wireless earbuds. Retailers continued to roll out discounted headphones throughout Cyber Monday and Cyber Week, too, so no matter what you were after, chances are you could find it during the Black Friday sales — if you were quick enough to snatch it up before other shoppers did, anyways.
One of the most notable discounts was a Sony WH-1000XM3 deal going on at Walmart. These rank high among the best headphones on the market and are our current pick for the top wireless headphones money can buy in 2021. For last year’s headphone Black Friday deals, you could score a pair for $280 from Amazon, which was a nice 20% discount off the usual retail price of $350. The compact on-ear Beats Solo 3 were marked down to just $120 (also from Amazon), a whopping 40% discount of $80.
Bose makes some of the best noise-canceling headphones out there. There were a hot Cyber Monday deals on the Bose Quiet Comfort 35 II, which are another top pair of wireless over-ear headphones. Normally $350, the Quiet Comfort 35 II got that sticker price slashed down to just $200 at Walmart. The also-excellent Bose 700 headphones were marked down as well, but only received a modest price cut of $80 that brought them to $300 from Dell.
Full-sized headphones from makers like Sony and Beats were on sale aplenty during Black Friday 2020, but earbuds didn’t get overlooked. One of the hottest deals from among last year’s offerings were the Samsung Galaxy Buds. These great Android-friendly wireless earbuds got knocked down to $80 from Best Buy. The Galaxy Buds are our favorite AirPods alternative for Android users, but if you’re one of many who can’t get enough of Apple, the AirPods were also on sale from a variety of retailers including Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy.
What Black Friday headphone deals we expect to see this year
Black Friday is still a little while off but it’s never too early to start making your shopping list. We’re expecting to see everything from high-end flagship models that have only just hit the shelves to year-old midrange models find their way into the sale bin. There’s bound to be something for everyone, from die-hard audiophiles to casual listeners.
Headphones don’t get updated and replaced as much as items like smartphones, so many of the top models we saw on sale last year are still great picks for this year’s holiday shopping season. That means keep your eyes on the ones that were marked down for 2020, and keep prices in mind when shopping the 2021 Black Friday headphone deals. Use those as a benchmark for what size of discount you want to aim for. You might also see them get marked down even further this holiday shopping season then they were last time.
Apple AirPods have seen big discounts all throughout this year’s holiday sales, so we expect the AirPods Pro and their predecessors to see at least $20-$50 off. We didn’t see these get marked down too heavily last year because they were still quite fresh, but we’re expecting better discounts for the 2021 Black Friday headphone deals. The Samsung Galaxy Buds are also sure to be on tap at deep discounts. Many newer earbuds will see quick flash sales on outlets like Amazon so keep an eye out for the Microsoft Surface Buds or Google Pixel Buds 2 going on sale alongside the Galaxy Buds.
Beats products like the Solo 3, Studio 3, and Solo Pro will also be among the most heavily discounted products during Black Friday, offering discounts of up to $150 off if last year was any indication. Competitor brands like Samsung, Sony, Bose, Sennheiser, and Bang & Olufsen should also offer up plenty of worthy discounts on both their wired and wireless headphones. And if these premium names are too rich for your blood, then we should also see headphone Black Friday deals from the likes of lesser-known budget brands like Anker and TaoTronics.
Should you buy headphones on Black Friday or Cyber Monday?
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are practically the same event now, as Black Friday sales generally run the entire weekend after Thanksgiving. If you’re wondering whether or not it’s worth waiting until Cyber Monday and Cyber Week for a better bargain, our advice is: don’t. The Black Friday headphone deals are generally going to be about the same as those offering through Cyber Week, and with supply chain disruptions and stock shortages, things could get tight this year and sell out even faster than they usually do (which can be pretty fast even in normal conditions).
Don’t risk losing your chance to score a deep discount on that pair of headphones you’ve had on your shopping list for awhile, and don’t expect to see that same deal crop up again after Black Friday, even if holiday sales will be running until Christmas. Some retailers have also begun offering Black Friday price guarantees. In the off-chance that you buy something and the price falls lower afterwards, the retailer will refund you the difference. Other outlets like Amazon also have generous no-questions-asked return policies, meaning you can always buy the cheaper deal instead and then return the one you bought. Don’t feel bad about taking advantage of this — you’re entitled to the best deal.
Note that many stores also run early sales and teaser discounts in the run-up to the big event, so keep your eyes peeled for these early headphone Black Friday deals. And if you do decide to wait till late November, be prepared to be quick on the draw during your shopping spree.
Black Friday headphone deals FAQ
If you’re looking for something specific — maybe some true wireless earbuds from a fruit-named company — then you’re going to be in luck soon. Just remember: Headphones are some of the most sought-after items during the holiday shopping season, and with shortages all over the place, it’s best to order them as soon as you can if you want them to arrive before Christmas. If you need some more tips and advice for shopping this year’s Black Friday headphone deals, here’s what you need to know.
How much are headphones on Black Friday?
Headphones may not be as large of a purchase as a laptop or a 4K TV, but they can still get pricey, especially if you’re looking at brand names like Apple, Beats, Bose, and Sennheiser. However, there will be plenty of cheap headphones on sale as well during the Black Friday sales, with budget models available below $50 and some going for as cheap as $20. These will often do just fine if you want headphones for casual use — something that you can throw in your bag and use occasionally as needed. Just keep in mind that when it comes to headphones you get what you pay for — $50 cans will never outperform a pair of $300 ones, but you might want to check out our recommendations for the best cheap headphones for 2020 or the best headphones under $100.
But if you’re looking for a high-end audio experience, or if you want a good quality pair of headphones to use every day, it makes sense to spend more money. For a quality, everyday pair of headphones with features like noise canceling, you can expect to pay anywhere $150 to $300. Of course, the more expensive head-fi also features the largest discounts, so these headphone Black Friday deals are the best time of the year to grab one of these high-end pairs for much, much less than what you’d usually pay.
Do headphones go on sale on Black Friday?
Yes, headphones are far and away some of the most popular items that go on sale during Black Friday — but don’t just jump on the first deal you see because it has a fat discount. You do need to be careful and do some due diligence if you want to separate the wheat from the chaff. For instance, you want to make sure you’re getting the latest and best model, as retailers love to use these sales to offload old stock they’ve been trying to get rid of. Also double-check and see that it comes with all the features you need, such as active noise canceling. If you still need some help with this, our headphones buying guide will bring you up to speed.
You’ll see that some retailers try to pressure you into making a snap decision by using gimmicks such as countdown clocks or “low inventory” warnings to pressure you into making a purchase. Don’t be fooled by this. Just take the time to do your research before the Black Friday headphone deals start dropping so you’ll have a better idea of what to look for and what constitutes a worthy bargain. If something’s not a good fit, it doesn’t really matter if it goes out of stock.
Should you wait until Black Friday to buy headphones?
We’ve been at this for awhile, and we can say with certainty that not only are these headphone Black Friday deals going to offer the best prices you’ll see before 2022, but that these bargains fly off the shelves. In other words, if you see the headphones you want at your desired price target, you should pounce — and that includes any early deals that might pop up even before the Black Friday weekend extravaganza even begins.
As we mentioned earlier, retailers love to roll out some early teaser offers to draw in shoppers, and these discounts are often just as good (and go just as fast) as the ones you’ll see during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Don’t sleep on these pre-sale Black Friday headphone deals, especially if you’re shopping for Christmas gifts for a friend or loved one.
Who has the best Black Friday headphone deals?
Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Newegg, and Target are always the leaders when it comes to Black Friday sales on tech, and these outlets also run early deals and sales in the run-up to Black Friday weekend. Amazon, Walmart, and Newegg rolled out a continuous stream of teaser Black Friday headphone deals last year, with Newegg’s sale lasting the whole month long.
Best Buy, Newegg, Target, and Walmart also offered Black Friday price guarantees, which is something to consider. This makes it less worrisome that you might buy something early only to see the same item on sale for even cheaper later. In the event this happens, the retailer will refund you the price difference (assuming the item you bought was covered by the price guarantee), ensuring you got the best deal.
Headphone deals you can shop today
If you can’t wait until Black Friday, there are some fantastic headphone deals you can shop today — we’ve rounded up some of the best below.
A huge discount on what are easily some of the best true wireless earbuds you can buy. Awesome fit, battery life, water-resistance, sound quality, and noise cancellation are all here.
more
Want the smallest and most affordable true wireless earbuds around? The Skullcandy Dime are super easy on the wallet, small enough to attach to a keychain, and they sound surprisingly good, too.
more
With noise cancellation, water resistance, and interchangeable eartips for a more comfortable fit, the AirPods Pro are the most advanced AirPods in Apple’s stable — a must-have for fitness fanatics.
more
The Beats Studio3 Wireless are a fantastic set of noise-canceling headphones for a number of reasons: They’re comfortable, well-built, and their bass-y sound makes them perfect for hip-hop fans.
more
Six hours of battery life and gym-proof water resistance make the JBuds Air Icon True Wireless a great audio companion. At this price, they’re a steal.
more
With their exquisite build quality and super sound, the new AirPods Max over-ear wireless headphones are made for true audiophiles (and true Apple fans).
more
Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.
Editors’ Recommendations