Black Friday 2021 deals have already (unofficially) arrived

Black Friday and Cyber Monday, much like Christmas, seem to come along sooner and sooner every year. This year's deals bonanza takes place — as per usual — the day after Thanksgiving on Friday, November 26.

But if you're looking to land an online bargain, you don't have to wait until the day itself. Most major retailers in the U.S. have already kick started their so-called Black Friday sales.

That's looking more relevant this time around than during Black Fridays of years gone by. The longer the sales season goes on, the more likely the product you've been planning to buy all year will be sold out. As reported by Bloomberg, plenty of retailers are struggling with stock levels — yet another impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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That might mean Black Friday 2021 ends up another bust for some businesses, but it could reward the consumer who gets ahead of the game and does virtual holidays shopping a few weeks in advance of the crowds. The risk is that prices get even better on the days of Black Friday and Cyber Monday themselves, but at least you avoid the disappointment of seeing that flat screen TV or smart home device out of stock for the foreseeable future.

Among the retailers that have gone early with their sales, there are plenty of familiar names:

• Amazon
• Best Buy
• Walmart
• Home Depot
• Target
• Lowe's
• HP
• Dell

And there are some very eye-catching discounts that are already worth tracking, too. Here, we've listed five of the best Black Friday deals that you can buy this weekend.

Apple AirPods (Gen 2) headphones: $89 at Walmart — save $30

After the 3rd generation AirPods were launched last month, it seemed inevitable that their predecessors would fall to an all-time low price this Black Friday. We haven't been disappointed, with Apple's wireless earbuds available now for only $89 on the Walmart website.

LG 4K OLED C1 TV: $1,796.99 at Walmart — save $903

If you've been coveting a massive new flat screen TV for your lounge and have the budget to match, then LG's stunning 65-inch OLED has had nearly $1,000 knocked off the price. This set is often featured in lists of the world's best TVs, featuring an 8 million pixel display, optimized surround sound, and Game Optimizer. It's available to order from Walmart.

Dell XPS 13 laptop: $649.99 at Dell — save $300

Another market-leading product, this laptop comes Windows 11-ready and is ideal for streamers, professionals and regular home users. This price point is unheard of for the Dell XPS 13, and we'd be surprised if stocks last through until Thanksgiving. You can buy direct at the Dell website.

Keurig K-Classic coffee maker: $99.99 at Amazon — save $40

Luxury espresso makers have been a Black Friday battleground for the last few years, but this pod-model from Keurig is about as affordable as they come. For such a svelte machine, it features a 48 ounce water reservoir that should be enough for six cups. Comes in black or red at Amazon.

iRobot Roomba 692 vacuum cleaner: $199.99 at Amazon — save $100

Automatic, smart vacuum cleaners aren't going to be for everybody, but the technology is getting better and better and iRobot Roombas are leading the way. This one is the brand's best seller, combining affordability with voice activation and smart AI. Currently discounted at Amazon.

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