Unsafe child car seats, a fridge freezer that takes too long to cool food and a TV set with a very poor picture are just three of the dodgy deals on offer this Black Friday, consumer group Which? has revealed
Which? carries out extensive testing on a wide range of products throughout the year, and has highlighted several awarded its infamous Don’t Buy label, meaning these could be a waste of money for shoppers, at a time when few can afford to make a mistake due to the cost of living crisis
Don’t Buy labels are awarded to products that the independent lab tests expose as falling well short on quality and therefore are a dud deal for shoppers. The consumer champion analyzed Black Friday deals from retailers, including Amazon, AO, Argos, Currys and Little Angels Prams, and found items with various red flags, including:
Read more: Seven most in-demand buys as Black Friday approaches
Child car seat: Graco Logico L
This scored poorly in Which?’s side crash test and could expose children to risk of injury. The Graco Logico L is in the Amazon sale at a discounted price of £40 from its pre-sale price of £50 but is it a Which? Don’t Buy. The seat meets legal safety requirements under R44 regulations, but due to its poor side-impact protection, it is not recommended. Which? has a more rigorous test than the minimum legal requirements, as it tests side impact as well as a front impact.
Child car seat: Maxi Cosi Beryl
This car seat performed poorly in the Which?’s side crash test. This car seat meets legal safety requirements under R44 regulations, but which? still thinks no parent should risk buying it, saying that the product’s sizing is not quite right, meaning children weighing 25kg are slightly oversized for the seat, leaving them exposed. The Maxi Cosi Beryl was found available for sale at Little Angels Prams – sold at £270, reduced from £319.
Television: Hisense 50A7100FTUK
Which? pulled no punches with this TV, describing it as ‘absolutely abysmal’ and “one of the worst televisions Which? believes it has ever tested”. The catalog of failings reported by the consumer group’s TV expert included poor motion control which ruins action with shaky visuals, dark contrast and a palette that skews too red. This apparent bargain is available at Argos at £249, down from £349, but it is not worth shoppers’ hard-earned cash.
Freezer: Hoover HBFUP 130 NKE
This freezer, available for £289 at Currys from an original price of £369, launched with an F energy rating and is a Don’t Buy. Which? estimates it will cost households almost £50 extra a year to operate under the current energy price guarantee. It also has inconsistent temperature control and is slow to freeze food.
Fridge freezer: Amica FDR2213C
This retro fridge-freezer, a Don’t Buy reduced to £399 from £479 at AO, is energy inefficient and so slow to refrigerate food that it could lose freshness.
Dishwasher: Hisense HV651D60UK
Another Don’t Buy product in the Black Friday sales is a dishwasher which is likely to need its filters constantly cleaned. Which? tests found that the filters would probably have to be cleaned every third cycle. It also earned bottom marks for quietness and could be disruptive for people using it. The dishwasher typically sells for £399 and is £379 in the AO sale.
Laptop: Fusion5 T90B+ Pro
Which? recommends that consumers avoid this laptop, which has both terrible performance and short-lived guaranteed security support. The Don’t Buy laptop is on sale for £160 at Amazon, down from £200.
Natalie Hitchins of Which? said: “Our research has found so-called Black Friday bargains that could end up being a big let down and money down the drain for people who buy them. The cost of living crisis makes it even more important that people can make their money go further with savvy purchases in the sales. Only buy products if you really need them and do your research so you don’t end up with a certified dud.”
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