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TopicThere are great deals to be found in sales, but there are also plenty of duds. Follow our expert tips and check our product reviews to make sure you're getting the best value for money.
Advice from our experts
These top tips can help you shop with confidence.
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Everything you need to know for Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2024
Our guide to this year's season of these popular sales. -
How to spot a fake online review
Watch out for these red flags – they'll help you sort the fakes from the real deal. -
Why it pays to think twice about spending on Black Friday
Black Friday deals may seem fantastic, but sometimes it's worth taking a deep breath before you hit 'add to cart'. -
Products to avoid in the Cyber Monday sales
The sales are almost over, but don't let the high pressure tactics trick you into buying a dud. -
Top tips for sales season to help you bag a bargain
Avoid sales fails and grab a genuine bargain with our top tips for the sales season. -
Avoid the EOFY sales hype
Prime Day deals are extremely tempting, here's how to avoid overspending. -
Best mattresses under $500
How to get the best price on a new mattress. Plus, the best options under $500 and $1000. -
Should you buy a TV in the Black Friday sales?
Sale season has started and you might finally be ready to commit to a purchase. Read our expert advice first. -
Amazon Prime Day in Australia is live: Here's what you need to know
Amazon's big week of deals is up and running. -
Everything EOFY you need to know
See where and when the deals will drop and what to avoid with our guide to the end of financial year sales. -
Expert tips for TV shopping in-store
What to look out for when faced with a wall of screens. -
Products to avoid in the EOFY sales
CHOICE experts name the products you should avoid, regardless of how cheap they are. -
The pros and cons of robot vacuums
Are these clean machines worth it? We explain the pros, cons and need-to-knows. -
Buying a mattress? We bust 5 shopping myths
We cut through the sales spin to help you shop (and sleep) better. -
Smeg appliances: Best buys and what to avoid
Should you buy something just because it's from Smeg? It's complicated. -
Is it worth buying an espresso machine?
Looking to shave more off your budget? We weigh up the cost of buying an espresso machine vs buying your coffee from a cafe.
Give these a miss
Our expert testers know a thing or two about good quality products – they also know about the worst.
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The worst-rated TVs to watch out for
Don't get stuck with a dud telly – our lab tests reveal the ones not to watch. -
Inkjet and laser printers to avoid
Buying a printer for your home office? Avoid these models that scored lowest in our lab tests. -
Mattresses to miss if you want a good sleep
Don't wake up on the wrong side of the bed – give these mattresses a miss and spring for something better. -
Grounded! The coffee machines that failed
We spill the beans on the worst performers in our tests and the coffee machines likely to leave a bitter taste in your mouth. -
Barbecues to avoid buying
The best barbecues deliver cracking cooking performance and are easy to use – here are the duds that failed to impress. -
Ceiling fans to avoid
Don't lose your cool this summer with these poor performers. -
Worst washing machines
Need a new machine? Avoid these washed-up top loaders and front loaders that rated lowest in our lab tests. -
Clothes dryers to avoid buying
These five damp squibs rated lowest in our expert tests and need to dry harder to deserve your cash. -
Dishwashers to avoid buying
We dish the dirt on the poorest performers in our latest lab test. -
Soundbars to avoid buying
Check 1, 2? These models set the bar lowest in our lab tests. -
Dehumidifiers to avoid buying
The only thing these dehumidifiers will dry up is the money in your wallet. -
Products to avoid in the EOFY sales
CHOICE experts name the products you should avoid, regardless of how cheap they are. -
The air purifiers to avoid buying
If you're investing in an air purifier, these are the models we suggest you avoid if you want to breathe easy. -
The headphones to avoid buying
Looking for headphones that deliver both great sound and silence? Listen to our experts and give these a miss. -
The Kmart, Kitchen Couture and Cuisinart air fryers to avoid buying
These not-so-hot air fryers will leave you underwhelmed. -
Robot vacuum cleaners to avoid buying
Need some help around the house? Don't count on these poorly performing robot vacs, and check our reviews before you buy. -
Stick vacuum cleaners to avoid buying
If you want clean floors and carpets, steer clear of these suckers, even if you find them for a steal in the sales. -
Worst electric heaters to avoid
Don't count on these to keep you warm this winter. -
Wireless speakers to avoid
These poor-performing Bluetooth and Wi-Fi speakers are anything but music to your ears. -
Fridges to avoid buying
These not-so-hot fridges have chillingly low scores. -
Reverse-cycle air conditioners to avoid
The small-size models that rate lowest for heating and cooling efficiency in our air con review. -
'Worst fridge ever': Smeg model rates lowest in CHOICE test history
Smeg's new $3990 retro fridge flunks our lab test with dismal 22% rating. Here's why. -
Should you buy an Anko vacuum cleaner from Kmart or Target?
You may be enticed by the low price, but some of the worst performing vacuums in our tests come from the budget retailers. -
The baby monitors that rated lowest in our tests
If you want peace of mind, we suggest you give these poor-performing baby monitors a miss. -
Samsung shocker: The washing machine that scored 0% for water efficiency
This top loader is one of the least water-efficient washing machines we've ever tested.
What to buy
We scientifically test products in a lab setting so we can recommend only the best performers.
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Coffee machines
We test manual, semi-automatic and pod coffee machines in the CHOICE labs, including models from Sunbeam, Breville, Kmart, DeLonghi, Nespresso and more. -
TVs
Our experts lab test more than 35 of the latest TV models from LG, Sony, Samsung, Hisense and more top brands to show you which ones deliver the best picture and value for money. -
Robot vacuum cleaner reviews
We test robot vacuum cleaners in the CHOICE labs, including models from Roborock, iRobot, Dyson, Eufy, Ecovacs and more, to find the best performers at removing dirt and mopping. -
Dishwashers
We dish the dirt on the most popular dishwashers from Bosch, Fisher & Paykel, Miele, LG and more. Which ones will leave your tableware sparkling? -
Washing machines
We test both front and top loading washing machines in the CHOICE labs, including models from Bosch, Fisher & Paykel, LG, Miele, Samsung and Simpson, to find out which models deliver the best washing performance. -
Air fryers
We lab test air fryers from Philips, Sunbeam, Ninja, Tefal and more to find out which models cook best and are easiest to use and clean. -
Fridges
Our expert testers review and compare more than 80 fridges from leading brands so you can find the best fit for your kitchen. -
Chest and upright feezer reviews
Our whitegoods experts lab test chest and upright freezers for temperature control, freezing speed and efficiency and more. -
Wireless speakers
We independently test and compare more than 75 wireless speakers from Bang & Olufsen, Bose, Marshall, Sony, Polk, Yamaha and more. -
Printers
We review and compare inkjet and laser multifunction and basic printers from Canon, Brother, Epson, HP and more to find the best performers. -
Mattresses
How do the online bed-in-a-box mattresses from Sleeping Duck, Koala and more compare to brands including Sealy and A.H. Beard from bricks-and-mortar retailers? -
Microwaves
We test all the major microwaves in the CHOICE labs, including models from Breville, Samsung, Sharp, LG, Panasonic and more. -
Stick vacuums
Our experts rigorously lab test more than 50 stick vacuums from Dyson, LG, Miele, Samsung Electrolux, Bosch, Invictus and more to find the best for your home. -
Clothes dryers
See which dryers are high flyers – we test top models from Bosch, Electrolux, Fisher & Paykel, LG, Westinghouse, Miele and more to find the best. -
Soundbars
Our audio experts lab test soundbars from Bose, Samsung, Sonos, LG, Yamaha and more to find the ones with the best sound.
Have your say
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Repair, replace or recycle?
Products that break too soon are a waste of time, money and resources. Find out how long appliances should last and when to repair, replace... or recycle.
Did your product fail sooner than expected?
We want to hear about it. Your insights help us understand which brands and products last over time, so we can help everyone avoid the duds.
Where to shop
From Aldi and Big W to Kmart and Kogan, we've got the best and worst buys from some of the big-name retailers.
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Temu explained: Is it worth using?
Is Temu legit? Here's everything you need to know, with verdicts from experts and shoppers. -
Koala vs Ikea: Which mattress should you get?
We compare price, range, firmness, warranty, delivery and exchange options. -
Should you buy an Aldi Bauhn TV this weekend?
Bargain, or buyer beware? Our TV expert dissects Aldi's past record on tech ahead of this week's Special Buy sale. -
Will you get the same prices at Aldi's new Corner Stores?
We check out the product range and prices to see if you should shop at this new type of Aldi. -
Is the $30 Kmart Dutch oven worth buying?
From baking bread to braising brisket – CHOICE staffer Grace Smith tried out the bargain pot at home. -
Should you buy a Kmart washing machine?
The budget retailer offers a range of cut-price washing machines. Here’s what you need to know. -
Should you buy an Anko vacuum cleaner from Kmart or Target?
You may be enticed by the low price, but some of the worst performing vacuums in our tests come from the budget retailers. -
Bunnings best buys and products to avoid
We look at popular Bunnings buys to help you with your next hardware purchase. -
Is Aldi's mattress-in-a-box worth buying?
These bargain beds are up for grabs in Aldi's 'Special Buy' sale on Wednesday 31 July, but should you get one? -
Aldi is selling a discounted baby monitor, but should you buy it?
The Oricom Secure895 baby monitor is going cheap, but our experts say you should think twice before buying. -
Kmart Anko: Best buys and what to avoid
We reveal the products that impressed in our tests – and the duds that disappointed. -
Aldi: Best buys and what to avoid
Should you just buy everything at Aldi? Not necessarily. We look at TVs, groceries, cleaning products, nappies and more. -
Big W Contempo: Best appliances buys
We reveal the products that impressed, and those you might want to think twice about before adding to your cart. -
Best and worst appliance stores in 2024
We surveyed over 3500 Australians about their experiences buying electrical appliances online and instore. -
The Kogan-brand products to avoid
Beware these Kogan buys that rated poorly in our lab tests.
More tips for bargain hunters
Arm yourself with the knowledge to buy the best product for you.
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How to buy or repair a second-hand appliance
A guide to buying used whitegoods, electronics and small appliances, and how to maintain them. -
Is it worth buying an espresso machine?
Looking to shave more off your budget? We weigh up the cost of buying an espresso machine vs buying your coffee from a cafe. -
5 times cheap products outperformed expensive brands
That awkward moment when a $700 no-name fridge outperforms a $2700 Miele. -
Is it worth signing up for Amazon Prime or eBay Plus?
We compared Amazon Prime and eBay Plus to see which offers the most value. -
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Freight-forwarders compared: ShopMate, Shipito, US to Oz and more
What are your postage options when US retailers won't ship your purchases to Australia? -
Five products to think twice about before buying from overseas
Shopping for these products on foreign shores could end in disappointment, injury and even arrest. -
What's the problem with buying cheap appliances?
A great bargain or just suspiciously cheap? Here’s what you need to consider before buying a budget appliance.