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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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The Black Friday sales are on. Here's everything you need to know
Our expert guide to Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2023. -
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. -
How to spot a fake online review
Watch out for these red flags – they'll help you sort the fakes from the real deal. -
The products worth buying in today's Cyber Monday sales
Expert tips for bagging a genuine Cyber Monday bargain, plus exclusively for members, the products worth buying in the sales. -
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'. -
Read this before you buy a TV in the Cyber Monday sales
It's the final day of the sales and you might finally be ready to commit to a purchase. But read our expert advice first -
Expert tips for TV shopping in-store
What to look out for when faced with a wall of screens. -
Top tips for sales season to help you bag a bargain
Avoid sales fails with our top tips for the sales season. -
The pros and cons of robot vacuums
We analyse performance, price, benefits and drawbacks to help you decide if a robot vacuum is right for you. -
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. -
Should you buy a pizza oven?
We look at the pros and cons to see if they're worth the dough. -
Is it worth buying a home espresso coffee machine?
We compare the cost and convenience of using a home espresso machine vs buying cafe coffee, plus other things to consider. -
Should you buy a Dyson vacuum, fan or dryer?
Is the cult brand worth the hype and higher price? Our expert reveals how they compare against other brands in our tests.
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 make a costly mistake – our lab tests reveal the mediocre models you might want to think twice about buying. -
Inkjet and laser printers to avoid
Buying a printer in the Black Friday sales? 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 performing coffee machines that will leave a bitter taste in your mouth. -
Barbecues to avoid buying
The best barbecues have a 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
These top loader and front loader models rated lowest in our lab test. Even on sale, they're probably not worth buying. -
Clothes dryers to avoid buying
It's back to the 'drying board' for these low scorers in our lab test. -
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 that rated the lowest in our lab tests
Find out which units are pure rubbish. -
Noise-cancelling headphones to avoid
Looking for headphones that deliver both great sound and silence? Listen to our experts and give these a miss. -
The Sunbeam, Kitchen Couture and Kmart 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. -
Stick vacuum cleaners to avoid buying in the sales
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
Beware these sub-par shockers that rated lowest in our lab tests. -
Reverse-cycle air conditioners to avoid
The models that rate lowest for cooling and for heating in our small-size 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 a Kmart Anko vacuum cleaner?
You may be enticed by the low price, but some of the worst performing vacuums in our tests come from the budget retailer. -
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 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 iRobot, Dyson, Neato, Eufy, Ecovacs and more, to find the best performers. -
Dishwashers
We dish the dirt on the most popular dishwashers from Bosch, Fisher & Paykel, Miele, LG and more. -
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 85 fridges 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, Emma, Koala and more compare to brands from bricks-and-mortar retailers? -
Microwaves
We test all the major microwaves in the CHOICE labs, including models from Breville, Sharp, LG, Panasonic and more. -
Stick vacuums
Our experts rigorously lab test more than 40 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. -
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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The $4000 cult-brand fridge that flunked our testing
All style, no substance: Smeg strikes again. -
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?
Bargain buy or buyer beware? Our TV expert dissects Aldi's past record on tech ahead of this weekend's Special Buy sales. -
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. -
I bought the Kmart Dutch oven and this is what I found
CHOICE staffer Grace Smith wanted to see if a $30 Dutch oven was the ultimate bargain or too good to be true. -
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 a Kmart Anko vacuum cleaner?
You may be enticed by the low price, but some of the worst performing vacuums in our tests come from the budget retailer. -
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 2 August, but should you get one? -
Aldi is selling a discounted baby monitor, but should you buy it?
The Oricom 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 electronics stores in 2022
We surveyed over 5000 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 a home espresso coffee machine?
We compare the cost and convenience of using a home espresso machine vs buying cafe coffee, plus other things to consider. -
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.