Black Friday wireless earbuds deals 2021: early sales and what to expect

If you're on the hunt for this year's best Black Friday wireless earbuds deals, you've come to the right place. In just a few weeks, we're going to see a slew of deals on some of this year's top models from Apple, Bose, Sony, Sennheiser and many more. 

This year, Black Friday 2021 falls on Friday, November 26 and we expect to see deals coming in fast and furious as soon as the clock strikes midnight. While all the best deals will drop in the 72-hour period between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, we wouldn't be surprised to see at least a few great deals drop in the leadup. 

That said, you might want to think about shopping early this year. If you see some great deals ahead of time, it's worth grabbing them as retailers often sell through most of their inventory during Black Friday proper. On top of that, chip shortages this year might mean that there are fewer wireless earbuds to go around than in previous years, which could make finding deals even tougher.

That said, whatever challenges arise we'll be there to help find the absolute best wireless earbuds deals we can get our eyes on. We'll be scouring the web and updating this page frequently with the sales that we're seeing. 

In the meantime, read up on our top tips for snagging a pair of great wireless earbuds (we have a few models down below to help you get started) and our predictions on the best upcoming deals for Black Friday.

Can't wait another second for the deals? Here are the top wireless earbuds deals available today that will help you get ahead of the curve.

Today's best earbuds deals

If you can't wait for Black Friday, don't feel bad. There are plenty of great deals happening everyday on earbuds that can save you nearly as much. We've tracked down a few of those deals ahead of November's most infamous shopping day just in case you want to beat the crowd. Here are our top picks in the US and the UK:

US: early Black Friday wireless earbuds deals

UK: early Black Friday earbuds deals

Black Friday Earbuds Deals: Our Predictions

(Image credit: TechRadar)

Wireless earbuds are always good pickups on Black Friday. Whether this is your first pair or your tenth, you're going to save money on some of the biggest names like Apple, Sony, Bose, Sennhesier and more, all of which offer much better sound quality and features than some of the cheaper earbuds you find at the check-out line.

So what should you be on the look out for? Well, it's safe to say that Apple will be discounting its true wireless earbuds this year. That's been the case for the last few years but this could be the year we see the 2019 AirPods receive some big discounts down to just $99 / £99. The noise-cancelling AirPods Pro are likely to get some price cuts as well, so keep your eyes peeled for those.

Similarly, Beats headphones are likely to see some big discounts, and we think the Beats Powerbeats Pro will be included in the Black Friday sales now that the Beats Studio Buds are here. We're hoping to get some deals on the latter as they are some of our favorites, but because they're so new we can't say for sure.

As far as Sony is concerned, we're expecting decent deals on the the WF-1000XM3 that will probably drop even further in price in the next few weeks. (They're already on sale, which is a very good sign.) While it's less likely, we'd also expect to see some deals on the current-gen WF-1000XM4, but we wouldn't bet the farm on it.

Looking for even cheaper deals? Keep your eyes peeled for earbuds from JLab, 1MORE, EarFun, and Lypertek if you're on a strict budget as they often have some of the cheapest models on the market that rival the main manufacturers.

When will the best Black Friday earbuds deals start in 2021?

Most deals will drop at midnight on November 26 in your local timezone. At midnight  BST, we're expecting to see some deals go live in the UK, followed by some east coast retailers at midnight EST, followed by Amazon deals at midnight PST. Of course, while the best deals will be reserved for the holiday weekend, we're going to see prices fluctuate all throughout November as manufacturers jockey to get some of that sweet, sweet holiday spending. 

Keep your eyes peeled during the leadup to November 26 just in case you see some great deals, but expect the brunt of the deals to arrive at midnight.

(Image credit: Amazon)

Where will the best earbuds deals be?

Every year we see the same players pushing out the best deals on wireless earbuds, so we've got some ideas of where you can go. Here in the US, you're looking at Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart. Sure, some good deals may drop at Target, the Microsoft Store and Apple, but Black Friday is pretty much dominated by the big box stores and the world's largest online retailer. In the UK, we recommend watching Amazon, Currys and John Lewis. Of course, you can always just bookmark this page and come back to us on Black Friday. 

Top US retailers
Amazon: some of the lowest headphones prices
Best Buy:splendid headphones that are often on sale
Walmart: headphones deals on a variety of brands

Top UK retailers
Amazon: often the cheapest headphones in the UK
Currys: free delivery, plus a wide selection of headphones
John Lewis: extended warranty on premium headphones

Last year's best Black Friday deals

Unsure whether a deal is any good or not? It's worth taking a look back at last year's best Black Friday earbuds deals to compare notes. Unfortunately they're not still live (boo!) but they are helpful comparison shopping tools, which is why we've posted them down below. 

If nothing else, they give a good indication of which sort of models receive good discounts, and which retailers have the best deals. 

Last year's earbuds Black Friday deals (US)

Last year's earbuds Black Friday deals (UK)

TIPS FOR BUYING EARBUDS OVER BLACK FRIDAY

(Image credit: Bose)

Full disclosure: we're incredibly picky when it comes to earbuds. We test dozens of them each year and have tested hundreds collectively since they started to gain popularity four or five years ago. Trust us when we say we've got the experience to guide you on this journey.

While some aspects like fit and sound quality can be somewhat subjective, there are a few absolutes you need to pay attention to – among them are battery life and feature set, both of which are incredibly important. You might be tempted to buy a pair of earbuds that match your smartphone (Google Pixel Buds with Pixel phones, AirPods with iPhones, etc...) but that might not always be the best choice. It's often the case that you can find better performance at a lower price elsewhere.

Finally, you should take time to really think about how and where you're going to use your new wireless earbuds. For example, if you're a frequent traveler, consider picking up a pair of earbuds with active noise cancellation, which helps to keep environmental noise from ruining your music. And, if you're going to be working out with your new earbuds, you should look for an IP water-resistance rating, which will ensure a little sweat or rain won't break them. 

How much should I spend on earbuds on Black Friday?

We're straying into subjective territory here, but we think you can find a great pair of wireless earbuds with all the features between $100/£100 and $150/£150. Most times of the year, that price would be a lot higher, but Black Friday typically offers sale prices of 50% or more off the best true wireless earbuds.

If your budget doesn't quite stretch that far, don't worry. Sony, Jabra, Cambridge Audio, and Lypertek all offer budget-friendly headphones that don’t skimp on the specs for under $100 / £100, and get full marks from us.

But what about the super cheap earbuds you see on Amazon? Do some research, and if you haven't heard of a brand before check out our reviews to see if you should bother with their headphones. 

Don't blow your entire holiday budget on earbuds and know that there are plenty of great deals going on that should help you stretch your money further.

THE 3 BEST EARBUDS TO LOOK FOR ON BLACK FRIDAY

(Image credit: Sony)

Sony is largely responsible for the rude health of the active noise-cancelling earbuds market, and with the WF-1000XM4, the company has combined performance, ergonomics, and build quality more effectively than ever before. 

Compared to their predecessors, the Sony WF-1000XM3, the new wireless earbuds offer enough quality-of-life features to make them worth upgrading to, even if they are more expensive. 

While other true wireless earbuds surpass the Sony WF-1000XM4 in particular areas – noise cancellation, for example – no other model comes close to offering such excellent quality across the board. That’s why the Sony WF-1000XM4 are hands-down the best true wireless earbuds you can buy today.

Read more: Sony WF-1000XM4 review

(Image credit: Sony)

For nearly two years, the Sony WF-1000XM3 were best true wireless earbuds you could buy – until they were usurped by the WF-1000XM4.

However, the Sony WF-1000XM3 are still worth considering, not least because you can usually find them discounted to around  $170 / £150 / AU$200. 

The Sony WF-1000XM3 still manage to offer a level of noise-cancellation that's exceedingly good for a pair of earbuds, fist-pumping musicality, a sleek design, and a decent battery life. 

Read more: Sony WF-1000XM3 review

(Image credit: Cambridge Audio)

Cambridge Audio may be best known for its high-end audio equipment, but the past couple of years has seen the British company branch out into the world of true wireless earbuds. 

Its first offering, the Melomania 1, are among the best wireless earbuds you can buy, thanks to their stellar sound quality, However, the new Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus are a worthy upgrade, putting many other earbuds in the shade for audio performance, battery life, and ease-of-use. 

While the design of the Melomania 1 Plus hasn’t deviated too far from its predecessors, there’s a clear step up in terms of audio performance, with levels of detail and clarity that could rival some of the best over-ear headphones. 

A helpful app, easy controls, and excellent connectivity just makes us love them even more. The only downside is that there’s no active noise cancellation. However, when these earbuds sound this good, we doubt you’ll miss it much. 

Read more: Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus review