These 6 holiday gifts are set to sell out—here's what to buy now
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The holiday shopping season is officially in full swing, with shoppers already taking advantage of early Black Friday sales to check items off their gifting list early. Finding all the right gifts for your parents, friends, co-workers, kids and every other giftee can be quite the feat—and, while we don't mean to be the bearer of the bad news, it may a little more difficult this year thanks to shipping and supply chain barriers exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since the pandemic struck in 2020, supply chain disruptions became a prominent roadblock for shoppers, especially around the holiday season. Labor shortages, factory shutdowns and overwhelmed ports and railways were some of the leading causes for supply chain issues, resulting in extreme shipping delays and lengthy product shortages. This holiday season, similar shortages and delayed shipping times are affecting electronics, toys, kitchen appliances and more.
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Kate Ellsworth, Reviewed's executive editor of commerce, says shipping delays and congestion will be especially problematic during high-traffic events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Added costs will also be a roadblock when buying products online. In fact, the U.S. Postal Service has already increased prices on all commercial and retail domestic packages for the holiday season.
All of this is to say that you should start your holiday shopping ASAP if you want to check everything off your gift list. Here at Reviewed, we test and review products year-round, recommending readers the best products at the best price point on the web. Our editors are here to help you buy the best gifts this year, even amid the anticipated shopping chaos.
If you're ready to start your holiday shopping, here are a few of the top products in high-demand product categories that our team recommends shopping for right now.
1. Small appliances
While you may not necessarily be gifting a brand new major appliance to a friend or family member, if you're looking to score a deal on a new refrigerator or gas-range stove for yourself, we'd encourage you to keep your eyes peeled now.
Appliances have persistently been a hot (and limited) commodity since the beginning of the pandemic. The increased demand for items like washing machines and freezers comes from all of the at-home time over the past year and along with it, realizations for needed upgrades around the home.
Smaller kitchen appliances are also in high demand, especially around this time of year. Madison Trapkin, our kitchen and cooking editor, says air fryers are among the top kitchen essentials that may be hard to grab. Specifically, the Beautiful by Drew Barrymore 6-Quart Air Fryer is bound to sell out around the holiday season, Trapkin says. We tested Drew Barrymore's ultra-popular air fryer and found its performance to be as good as its beautiful looks. Its frying chamber is dishwasher-safe, the device requires no preheat, and the fryer is a pretty affordable option.
There are plenty of other top-rated air fryers that we've tested that are available to buy right now. The Philips Premium Airfryer XXL is a premium choice that yields the crispiest, crunchiest fried foods, sans the deep fryer. For an inexpensive air fryer choice, the Cosori CP158-AF is a solid choice with digital controls, a large "frying" basket and powerful crisping power.
2. TVs
Ryan Waniata, Reviewed's managing editor of electronics, recommends holiday shopping early in general as "pretty much everything" has been out of stock at one point or another around the holidays. TVs, game consoles, laptops, smartphones and wireless headphones are in high demand (as they are most years) so it's best to start your shopping now. On top of this demand, there is currently a microchip shortage that's making shortages even worse.
If you're in the market for a new TV or are feeling generous during the holiday season, we can help you narrow down your purchase decision. Generally speaking, the best overall TV we've ever tested is the LG OLED65C1PUB. It's a stunning OLED TV with an incredible performance and tons of top-of-the-line features (not to mention, the TV boasts an elegant design).
If you're looking for a more budget-friendly TV, don't think that you can't get a truly great TV for $500 or less. We tested plenty of TVs under $500 and found the TCL 5-Series to be our favorite choice. This 4K TV isn't the most robust one on the market, but the picture quality is stellar for the price point. It also comes in with a built-in Roku smart platform for easy access to all your favorite streaming platforms. And if you're on the hunt for a TV specifically for gaming, for watching Netflix, or another specific need, we've got plenty of recommendations at Reviewed.
3. Toys
While new and popular toys can be hard to get a hold of during any given holiday season, this year's shortages aren't making it any easier—if anything, it'll be more difficult. Ellsworth notes that toys are sure to sell out fast this year, so try to secure top toys of the season early on to avoid a 'Jingle All The Way' situation.
We're already on top of the must-have toys to buy now, like the highly sought-after Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar, which is already back-ordered on several retailers' sites. Other ultra-popular toys like Squishmallows are sure to be hard to find around the holiday season, as they've already been hard to buy during the summer months. However, despite high demand, many retailers like Amazon and Target are likely to have some Squishmallows in stock. If you have no luck with the big box retailers, Reviewed's parenting editor, Anna Lane, suggests checking your local independent toy stores.
Get the Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar 75307 Building Kit at Amazon for $31.99
Shop for Squishmallows on Amazon, Target, Walmart, Claire's and Costco
4. Furniture
This past summer, many homeowners struggled to find patio furniture in stock due to shortages of "workers, truckers and raw materials", The Associated Press reports. As we make our way into the colder months of the year, seasonal home goods like fire pits or patio heaters may be difficult to get your hands on, so it's best to start your shopping now if you haven't already.
Looking to heat up the outdoor space as the temperatures start to drop? Remember that a lot of homeowners will be looking to do the same, so the time to snag a patio heater is now. The experts here at Reviewed spent hours digging through thousands of patio heaters online to help you pick the best one for your home out there. The Amazon Basics Propane Patio Heater is one of the best-selling heaters online right now. It's easy to assemble in less than an hour with simple hand tools and is even easier to use. Amazon reviewers were impressed by the heating capability and the sturdy design of the unit—just keep in mind it's pretty tall, standing at a full 89 inches.
If you're feeling stuck about where exactly to shop for furniture online, Reviewed has narrowed down the best places to buy furniture online with brands that feature a wide selection at a variety of price points for every décor style and budget. Some of our favorites include Wayfair, West Elm, Walmart and more.
Get the Amazon Basics 46,000 BTU Outdoor Propane Patio Heater at Amazon for $175.99
5. Robot vacuums
As if these small yet mighty vacuums aren't popular enough year-round, they are extra popular around the holiday season. If you or someone you're getting a gift for is looking for an autonomous upgrade from their standard upright vacuum, a robot vacuum is well worth the investment.
We've tested dozens of robot vacuums by releasing them in specially-designed courses in our labs to see how they tackle pet hair and clean up hardwood floors, among other challenges. As a result, we've found the iRobot Roomba j7+ to be the top pick in terms of smart navigation and cleaning performance. For something more affordable, the Eufy RoboVac 11s is excellent at picking up dirt and debris around the house.
6. Holiday decorations, cards and more
With widespread labor shortages and factory closures, holiday essentials like artificial trees, garlands, stockings and greeting cards may already be slim pickings in major retailers. "Popular holiday items that you buy at big-box home improvement retailers like The Home Depot or Lowe's will likely sell out far in advance," said Reviewed's senior editor for home, Leigh Harrington.
Despite this high demand, you can still find and buy holiday decor essentials online. We've already got you covered with a list of holiday decorations that are in stock and available to buy right now. This includes the best artificial Christmas tree we've ever tested, our favorite tree stand and personalized stockings for the whole family.
Get the Krinner's Tree Geniue Deluxe Christmas Tree Stand at Amazon for $99.73
Get the Classic Velvet Christmas stocking at L.L. Bean starting at $29.95
Don’t get thwarted by shipping delays or sold-out favorites this holiday season. Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and get the product reviews, deals and holiday gift guides you need to start shopping now.
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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.
This article originally appeared on Reviewed: Holiday gifts: TVs, consoles, toys to buy before they're out of stock
