Cynics may see Black Friday as a book-keeping exercise, a way to shift stock before Christmas rather than have it languish in stores into the first few months of next year, in extended January sales. And it is. But if you’re strategic about what you buy it can also help you upgrade your appliances, tech or big-ticket furniture for a reasonable price. Here are 10 good deals in big buys for the home.
Bag a bargain sofa
DFS's Jaxon sofa (above), which features angled raised legs and plump cushions with striking stitching detail, is available in 16 colours and with a choice of light, dark or black feet; the three-seater is 177cm long, 95cm deep and 91cm high. It is half-price at €519. The price will rise to €1,039 after the weekend.
Dining-room dressing
Hedgeroe Home, in Carrickmines in Dublin 18, has stylish linen-upholstered acacia dining chairs in a biscuit colour (above), reduced from €506 each to €379.50, a saving of 25 per cent. The store also has bar stools with the same cool curves that are perfect for congregating around kitchen islands and countertops. These are also down 25 per cent, from €613 to €460 each.
Table big enough for a crowd
If you've invited the family for Christmas dinner but need a bigger table, consider an Element extendable model. The pedestal leg gives room for everyone to sprawl out after dinner, and the table comes in two shapes, round and rectangular. The round version is 120cm long when closed and 160cm when open. It is reduced from €1,499 to €699 at Michael Murphy Home Furnishing, which has branches in Dublin, Co Kildare and Co Wexford.
Smart sideboard for less
The West Elm concession at Arnotts has this smart Paulson sideboard, which features strong midcentury lines and a mix of mahogany and engineered wood. At 158cm long by 48cm deep and 75cm high, it should work well in smaller homes. It is reduced by 38 per cent, from €1,299 to €799.
White goods
Currys PC World has cut the price of the Samsung Ecobubble 8kg-capacity washing machine – which is relatively quiet, and includes a 15-minute 2kg wash for fast turnaround of smelly sports kits – from €689.99 to €389.99 while stocks last. If you're in the market for a large fridge-freezer, with plenty of space for batch cooks – this one has 610 litres – vegetable crispers to keep the greens fresh, chilled water and ice dispensers, and a frost-free promise, LG's American-style pantry-door device in stainless steel might be just the big-ticket buy you were looking for. It is down from €1,589.99 to €999 while stocks last.
To the mattresses
If you're in the self-gifting market, then consider a practical present: a new mattress to lull you into a deeper sleep. Harvey Norman is selling an Irish-made king-size Emerald mattress, with a wool-blend filling, for €599, down from €999, a saving of 40 per cent. Another practical, potentially life-changing purchase is a cordless vacuum. Harvey Norman (plus Arnotts and other outlets) has the light, battery-operated Dyson V8 Absolute Cordless, which may not last long enough to clean the whole house in one charge but will allow you to clean up after meals the way you once would have used a sweeping brush. It is down from €429 to €329, a 33 per cent saving.
Pick a side table
This Nostra side table, pictured in white but available in pale dove grey, will work as a sofa end table, a bedside table or an extra bathroom surface. Woodie's has halved its price from €60 to €30. While you're there, you might be tempted to pick up some useful tools for hanging all those paintings and prints that have been gathering dust under your bed or in a corner of the spare room. The battery-operated Stanley Fatmax V20 combi drill is reduced from €199.99 to €119.
Sounds like a deal
If you want to really enjoy your vinyl collection this party season, it might be time to ask Santa for a turntable that will get the most from your records. Cloney Audio, in Blackrock in Co Dublin, is offering 15 per cent of everything on Friday, including a Clearaudio Concept turntable down from €1,350 to €1,147.50. NAD's C316 amplifier, normally €349, costs €296.65, and its C358 CD player, normally €299, costs €254.15. If you've been really, really, good this year you might find this Devialet Phantom Gold wireless speaker (above) in your stocking. This 4,500W model is reduced from €2,590 to €2,201.50.
Cuts in crystal
As the Square shopping centre, in Tallaght in west Dublin, Newbridge Silverware and Carraig Donn are both offering 20 per cent off almost all stock – but dig deep and there are some real bargains to be had at the latter. Carraig Donn has cut a set of four Kilkenny Crystal whiskey tumblers (above) from €40 to €15, as well as a Kilkenny festive red glass hurricane lantern from €35 to €14.95.
Garden tidy-up at a discount
If your outdoors needs attention, the tree surgeon and gardener Donal O'Sullivan, of Dunboyne-based Goodfellers, will rake any remaining leaves, remove all waste, trim hedges, prune plants and pare back any obtruding branches, as well as remove any dangerous trees before they fall. Prices start at €20 an hour, and he's offering 20 per cent off to any Leinster-based Irish Times readers who book this service with him before the end of Friday.
