With any deal event, whether it’s Black Friday or Cyber Monday, our review team doesn’t just have a duty to point you towards the best tech deals, but also to steer you away from savings that look pretty tempting on paper, but deep down, we just know there’s a better alternative elsewhere.
It might be the same price, or, if you’re lucky, even cheaper. Or, it might also be a tiny bit more expensive but we’d still recommend spending a tiny bit extra to get the added performance benefits that the product brings.
This is what I’ve done below. There are still plenty of tech deals ongoing for Cyber Monday but I’ve highlighted a handful which we think are worth avoiding because we have tested something that gives you more than just a low price to admire.
Stick with these alternative recommendations, and you won’t go wrong…
Don't buy… Amazon Echo Dot Max
On paper, the Echo Dot Max looks like a good upgrade on the 5th Gen Dot – bigger, twin driver units, and a new verison of Alexa. However, in our Echo Dot Max review, we felt that the Bluetooth speaker missed its mark completely, especially when it comes to sound quality. And this is why we think you should skip this model and go for the cheaper, smaller and older Echo Dot.
Buy this instead… Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen)
Don't buy… Samsung QE65S95F
In our Samsung S95F review, we described it as “the best Samsung OLED” money can buy. Now, that's high praise in itself, but we can go one better than that with a TV that boasts even better picture quality for an even better price. Movie fans need look no further than the all-conquering Sony Bravia 8 II 65-inch, which just edges out the Samsung on our wish list.
Buy this instead… Sony Bravia 8 II 65-inch
Don't buy… Technics SC-CX700
We love the convenience of all-in-one hi-fi systems like the Technics. They squeeze streaming smarts, a range of useful inputs and amplification into a pair of speakers. All you need to do is add power. However, in our Technics SC-CX700 review, we were left feeling slightly disappointed by the user experience and the lack of refinement in the sound quality department. Which is why we recommend the KEF alternative below.
Buy this instead… KEF LS50 Wireless II
Don't buy… Sony ULT Field 3
You'd think Sony would be able to mix it with the very best with its Bluetooth speakers, but we didn't think that was the case here. In our Sony ULT Field 3 review, we were left a little disappointed, concluding, "There’s nothing particularly offensive about how the Sony ULT Field 3 sounds, but by the same token, there’s nothing really memorable about it." For sound quality, it's easily trumped by this quality JBL alternative.
Buy this instead… JBL Charge 6
Don't buy… Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
For the past few years, we think Bose has been neck-and-neck with Sony when it comes to the performance of its flagship noise-cancelling headphones. But following our time spent testing its latest model, it would appear there's now some daylight between the two. Our Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) review was generally positive, but this Sony alternative is clearly more musical-sounding and just provides a better overall experience. And they're cheaper.
Buy this instead… Sony WH-1000XM6
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