Best Deals From Best Buy's Techtober Sale

The AirPods Max are cool, sound really good, and have superb and flexible noise canceling. However, at their normal street price of $500, they cost more than almost every other pair of headphones in our ratings. The Maxes have transparency mode, to pipe in outside sound, as well as spatial audio capability. The biggest selling point for the Maxes is the distinct look and the premium feel you’ve come to expect from an Apple product. And they provide the seamless compatibility with the company’s other products that you get with all AirPods.

If you’re looking for earbuds that prioritize fit above all else, check out the Beats Fit Pro. These noise-canceling buds have soft silicone ear tips in three sizes, plus wingtips that fit into the pinna (the exterior of your ear) for additional security. They have actual buttons, too, rather than the touch-sensitive controls on many other models, which may make it easier to operate them while on the go. The Fit Pros also sound really good and feature effective active noise cancellation, making them a solid alternative to the similarly priced AirPods Pro.

The Sony WH1000XM4 is two generations old–Sony recently introduced the XM6–but headphone tech doesn’t advance that rapidly, and the XM remains a solid performer with fine sound and very effective noise-canceling. Most importantly, at less than $200, it’s a flat-out bargain, competing with models that are double the price.

These were $10 cheaper earlier this week, but this is still a nice price.

If you’re a Samsung Galaxy lover and due for a phone upgrade, you can save $150 on the latest S25 smartphone. (The S25+ and S25 Ultra are also on sale, if you want a larger or more deluxe model.) Either way, expect a vibrant display and an excellent camera system.

This pint-sized, foldable phone is now a generation old, but still a solid performer for fans of foldable phones. It easily stows in your pocket but flips open to reveal a high-quality 6.7-inch display. (This offer is for the yellow model; other options are on sale for $899.) The Flip6’s cover screen, which remains visible even when the device is closed, shows notifications, dynamic widgets, and your personalized wallpaper.

This model may not have “Gaming” in its name, but it should deliver a solid streaming experience. It has a 16-inch display and a big, comfortable keyboard, complete with RGB lighting that makes typing in the dark easier and more colorful. The display supports a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, which can make games appear silky smooth in motion.

This 14-inch model weighs next to nothing—2.9 pounds to be precise—and delivers nearly 19 hours’ worth of battery life per charge. Our testers note that it’s not the fastest Chromebook you’ll see, but if you’re just doing typical Chromebook-y tasks, that shouldn’t be much of an issue.

This Chromebook was just $159 earlier in the week, so the price could fall again closer to Black Friday.

If you want an iPad, this 2025 entry-level model is our pick as the best tablet for most people. It has a beautiful 10.9-inch display, 128GB of storage, and the ability to record HD video. And its battery lasts a decently long time in our testing: 14 hours during video playback and 9 hours browsing the web.

Google is phasing out its older—cheaper—Chromecast streaming devices and replacing them with this new model. The Google TV Streamer (4K) features a sleeker design, a faster processor, and support for both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ HDR formats, as well as Dolby Atmos audio. The player—$100 everywhere a week ago—can also serve as a hub for Google Home or Matter, enabling control of smart home products. It supports Thread, so it can extend your WiFi network, too.

This updated flagship Roku Ultra has a new, faster quad-core processor, quicker app launches, support for both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ HDR formats, and WiFi 6 wireless. Other features include an HDMI 2.1 connection to your TV, an Ethernet port for a wired connection, a lost-remote finder feature, and a wireless headphone mode that lets you pair with Bluetooth headphones. The new Ultra comes with Roku’s best remote control—Voice Remote Pro (2nd Edition). The new remote is recharged via a USB-C connection and is now backlit.

The Google Nest Cam with Floodlight is on sale for within $10 of July’s Prime Day sale price. In our tests, it offers impeccable video quality, strong data security, and speedy response times. Its features include activity zones to control what areas in front of the camera will trigger a recording, app/voice control (via Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings), and free object detection for people, animals, and vehicles. That last feature is a big deal because most competitors charge you a subscription for it. Cloud video storage and additional features require a Nest Aware subscription.

The Arlo Essential 2K (VMC3050-100NAS) is one of Arlo’s newer, more budget-friendly security cameras. It performs well in our tests and features a built-in spotlight, a siren, and voice/app control via Amazon Alexa and Google Home. Additional features, such as activity zones, person detection, and cloud video storage, require an Arlo Secure subscription.

This previous-generation Pixel Watch 3 has an elegant design, robust health features, and seamless compatibility with the Pixel phone and Google ecosystem. CR’s testers also found the performance of the watch’s heart-rate monitoring and step tracking to be excellent. 

The Versa 4 is a great fit for Fitbit fans who want a sleeker-looking smartwatch. You get a good-sized display and all the basics, from GPS-enabled workout tracking to heart rate monitoring. Plus, the battery lasted a generous seven days in CR’s testing. 

If you’re looking to upgrade your Apple Watch (or invest in a smartwatch for the first time), the top-rated Series 10—reviewed here for CR members—comes with a bigger, brighter display than the previous model and faster charging capabilities, which might make tracking your sleep easier. This Apple Watch allows for cellular connectivity. 

The Hisense 100U65QF is a jumbo 100-inch model introduced earlier this year. It utilizes quantum dots for an expanded range of colors and includes a Mini LED backlight with local dimming, which enhances contrast and black levels. Other features include a native 144Hz refresh rate and support for both Dolby Vision and HDR10+, as well as Dolby Atmos sound. We haven’t tested the 100-inch version of the set, but we did test its 75-inch sibling, and it provides very good overall picture quality, although it is not as impressive in delivering HDR. We expect the 100-inch set to perform similarly.

We didn’t test this 98-inch step-up QLED model, but we did evaluate the TCL 65QM7K set, which had great overall picture quality and effective HDR. A midtier set in TCL’s 2025 Mini LED TV lineup, it offers a good number of features, including a native 144Hz refresh rate and support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos spatial audio. Just note that the model has been selling for about $2,800 lately, not $4,000, including at Best Buy.

Situated in the sweet spot of LG’s 2025 OLED TV lineup, the OLED65C5PUA offers a nice balance of price and performance, with top-notch marks for all key picture quality and sound attributes. Unlike the flagship G5-series sets, which utilize a new "four-stack" OLED technology to enhance brightness, the C5 features a WOLED panel but still achieves sufficient brightness to excel with high dynamic range. The model features numerous gaming capabilities, including a 144Hz variable refresh rate. The TV has recently been selling for $1,600 to $1,700 at most retailers.

The 77-inch OLED77C5PUA is LG’s midtier OLED TV for 2025, and it’s among the best sets you can buy, with great picture quality, high dynamic range, and sound. It features numerous gaming capabilities, including a 144Hz refresh rate. But note that most retailers have been selling it for about $2,700 in recent weeks, not $3,700.

We didn’t test this set, a fairly basic 55-inch 4K smart TV from Best Buy’s house brand. However, we did test a similar model, the Insignia NS-55F501NA22, and it performed well for overall picture quality and not as well for high dynamic range or sound. (It supports DTS Virtual-X sound, which tries to create a 3D sound experience using just the TV’s speakers.) This set utilizes the Amazon Fire TV smart platform, featuring built-in Alexa.

This 55-inch smart TV, a new model for 2025, is an entry-level QLED set that nonetheless provides a satisfying picture, though it lacks the brightness to deliver a compelling HDR experience. (The TV supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+ HDR, plus Dolby Atmos audio.) It also lacks some features, such as local dimming, found in step-up models. Sound quality isn’t great, so you might consider adding a soundbar. It uses the Amazon Fire TV smart system with Alexa built in.

The TCL 75Q750G is a midtier 4K Google TV for 2023 that offers very good overall picture quality. Though it lacks the Mini LEDs found in TCL’s 8-series sets, it does have a full-array LED backlight with a good number of local dimming zones. This set had been selling for over $1,000, but recent price drops make it eligible for this list.

We didn’t test this 65-inch OLED TV. It appears to be a model exclusive to Best Buy. But Samsung OLEDs have performed extremely well in our tests. This set has been selling for about $300 more lately.

The Sonos Era 300 is the best-sounding multiroom smart speaker we’ve tested, delivering stellar stereo sound from a single box. The Era 300 features a midrange that’s as clear as a mountain stream in a beer commercial, while the bass provides legit sock. The Era 300 also supports Dolby Atmos spatial audio, which is now being used on some tracks from Amazon Music Unlimited and Apple Music. Typical of a Sonos product, the Era 300 is easy to set up and use and is easy to integrate into a Sonos multiroom system. The $100 discount makes this an appealing option, especially since Sonos products don’t often go on sale. 

If you’re looking for a home smart speaker that delivers strong sound at a modest price, consider the Sonos Era 100. It replaces the classic Sonos One, but unlike its monophonic predecessor, it features single-box stereo capability, so you can get spacious sound from one speaker with a modest footprint. Like most Sonos products, the Era 100 is easy to set up and use and can easily be integrated into a Sonos multiroom system. 

The JBL Flip 7 is a classic do-it-all speaker. It’s small enough to stuff into a bag, but delivers enough sound to provide background music at a barbecue. It’s IP68 water-resistant and dust-proof, and the company claims you can drop it onto a concrete floor from a height of one meter and it’ll keep working. Also, according to JBL, it delivers 16 hours of music on a single charge. The $120 price tag represents a decent value, especially if you think there’s a good chance you’ll be abusing your new speaker more than a little.

We think Edifier S1000W stereo speakers are a bargain even at their regular price. At nearly $100 off, this deal is a no-brainer for someone looking for impressive sound without breaking the bank. The S1000W adds multiroom capability as well as the option of using a more robust WiFi connection to stream your music. The S1000MKIis, which are sonically identical but lack the WiFi and multiroom capability, are on sale for around $400. 

This compact all-in-one smart soundbar delivers very good overall sound quality, so it should appeal to even more critical listeners for music and movie soundtrack playback. It supports Dolby Atmos audio, though it doesn’t have up-firing drivers; instead, it uses signal processing and phased speaker arrays to create Atmos effects. It also has built-in Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant digital assistants.

The Arc Ultra, Sonos’s new flagship soundbar, ranks among the top models in our ratings. The company calls it a 9.1.4-channel all-in-one model—up from the 5.0.2-channel setup in the original Arc—but like that system, it lacks rear speakers. They can be added, though, along with a subwoofer. One of the best-sounding soundbars in our ratings, the Arc Ultra features a decent number of options, including support for Dolby Atmos spatial audio. And, unlike the Arc, it includes Bluetooth for streaming from a smartphone.

The Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 is a 3.1.2-channel soundbar that delivers satisfying sound, so it’s a good choice for both movies and music. This model supports both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X immersive sound, and its main enclosure has upfiring drivers for height sounds. It has Bluetooth wireless connectivity for streaming audio from a portable device.

Anyone looking to save some space—or cut down on items to plug into their TV—may want to consider the Roku Streambar SE. It doesn’t go on sale all that often, and almost never less than this. This soundbar that includes a built-in Roku streaming player. Given its small footprint, it probably works best for smaller TVs, not that jumbo-sized set you’ve been eyeing.

Much like trackers made by Samsung and Tile, AirTags work best if you’re looking for one within Bluetooth range (roughly 30 feet) of your own phone. But that said, there are millions of iPhones and other Apple devices roaming around out there that can pick up a signal and discreetly convey it to you when you find yourself searching for, say, a park or a school campus for the keys you dropped. Is the tracking pinpoint accurate? No. But it’s close enough to give you a little peace of mind. The single AirTag has been $25 for the better part of a year, and this is the first time it’s been $20 since the last big sale.

The Ninja Foodi FlexBasket air fryer has one basket with a divider, which allows you to either cook one large batch of food or two different foods simultaneously. (Since they’re separated by just a divider, though, if you want to check on one side, you have to open the whole basket.) It has a measured capacity of 4.9 quarts, and we found this model easy to use and clean. While it’s not the quietest air fryer, it’s not overly noisy, either. It has six cooking modes—air fry, air broil, bake, roast, reheat, and dehydrate—and pre-programmed settings for specific foods, and it comes with a 1-year warranty.

The Ninja Pro AF141 is an easy-to-use air fryer with a measured capacity of 3.8 quarts and a range of cooking functions, including a dehydrate setting. It’s not the quietest air fryer, but it’s not especially noisy either, and our testers found it easy to clean. It comes with pre-programmed settings for cooking different foods, plus a recipe book and cooking charts to help guide your cooking. You’ll get a 1-year warranty with this machine.

The portable Blue Pure 211i Max features an indicator light to alert you when you need to change or clean the filter. It also has a dirt sensor and four speeds. On its higher setting, it’s terrific at removing dust, pollen, and smoke, but expect a bit of noise. Try it on low and you’ll have more quiet while still experiencing top-notch results. This model is designed for use in a large space of 350 to 650 square feet and costs about $109 a year to maintain—just more than half that of the Pure 211+. It also weighs just 17 pounds, making it easy to move around. CR members found Blueair air purifiers highly reliable and were quite satisfied with their purchase.

The Shark PowerDetect IP1251 comes with lots of bells and whistles, including a dirt detection feature and a floor detect mode that adjusts the brush roll speed based on the surface it’s vacuuming. It’s very good at sucking up debris from carpets and is even more impressive at picking up pet hair. The vacuum can be converted into a hand vac and folded for storage.

If you’re a pet owner, the price on this Shark Vertex DuoClean AZ2002 is a real steal. It picks up pet hair especially well, has exceptional suction power, and does a solid job containing small dust particles. It also has a lift-away canister, which makes cleaning hard-to-reach places easier. The self-cleaning brush roll prevents pet hair (and any long hair) from wrapping around it and getting tangled in the vacuum.

It doesn’t come with tons of extra features, but the Shark Matrix RV2310AE gets the job done when it comes to cleaning. It’s excellent at picking up pet hair and does an exemplary job at sucking up debris from bare floors. While its dustbin is relatively small, our testers say it’s very easy to empty the dustbin and to clean the filter. It was $300 during the last major sale in July.

Despite its priciness, the Dyson 360 vis nav stands out for its unique features and powerful cleaning performance. It’s on the heavy side but compensates with extremely strong suction, effectively picking up pet hair and embedded dirt. Instead of a conventional side brush, it uses an extending side duct to tackle edges and corners. It also has a large brush roll that spans the full size of the vacuum for effective cleaning, and though its dustbin is relatively small, it’s equipped with a convenient one-touch ejection system for easy emptying.

The Shark CarpetXpert EX201 isn’t exactly quiet—it earned a middling rating in our noise test—but it boasts strong performance in cleaning stains. It also did well in our dryness test and is excellent at removing cleaning solution from carpets. It comes with a hose that’s 60 inches long to get into tight spots.