This page contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Gerzsi earns from qualifying purchases. Read our disclosure. Tamás is a real head chef with 25 years in professional kitchens; Gerzsi is his cartoon beaver apprentice. The illustrations and stories are just for fun; the test results come from the independent reviewers linked in each guide.
Gerzsi’s countdown: I made a Black Friday calendar out of birch bark and nibbled off one day every morning. By Tuesday I had eaten most of November. Chef Tamás wrote the dates on the fridge instead, high up, where my teeth can’t reach. So here is the plan, in a form I can’t chew.
Gerzsi and friends are made up. The gear and the test results are real.
The short answer
The dates: Black Friday 2026 is Friday, November 27. Thanksgiving is the day before, Thursday, November 26, and Cyber Monday is Monday, November 30.
The early start: Amazon usually starts its Black Friday sale about a week earlier. It hasn’t announced its 2026 dates yet.
What to do now: pick what you actually need from the tested picks below. Then buy it when the price drops. No promises on how much it drops. That part is up to the stores.
How this page works
We don’t post prices here, because they change by the hour during deal week. Every pick below was rated by independent testers, mostly America’s Test Kitchen (ATK), and each full guide links to the original test. Tap a button to see today’s price on Amazon. We’ll update this page during deal week.
Chef’s knives
America’s Test Kitchen’s favorite chef’s knife is the Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8″, and it has been on Chef Tamás’s station for years. The Mercer Millennia 8″ is ATK’s Best Buy, a restaurant-style knife for about half the price.
Boning knives
The Zwilling Pro 5.5-inch Flexible is ATK’s winner. It was very sharp and kept its edge through extra testing. The Victorinox Fibrox Pro 6-inch Flexible is ATK’s Best Buy and the only knife on both ATK’s and Reviewed’s lists.
Carving knives
The Victorinox Fibrox Pro 12″ Granton is ATK’s winner, long and tall enough for a big roast. ATK also recommends the Mercer Renaissance 11″ Granton, sharp and “flexible, but not too much.”
Honing rods and knife sharpeners
Hone before you cook, and sharpen when honing stops working. The Idahone 12″ ceramic rod is ATK’s Best Buy honing rod. For 15° knives, the Chef’sChoice Pronto 463 is ATK’s winning pull-through sharpener and the AccuSharp Gourmet 15° is the Best Buy.
For honing
For sharpening
Instant-read thermometers
The Thermapen ONE won ATK’s test and reads in about 1.1 seconds. The ThermoPop 2 is ATK’s Best Buy and reads in about 2.6 seconds. Both are waterproof.
Leave-in thermometers
The probe stays in the roast and an alarm goes off at your target temperature. The ThermoWorks ChefAlarm is ATK’s co-winner and Chef Tamás’s top pick for the turkey. The ThermoPro TP16 is ATK’s Best Buy.
Cutting boards
The Teakhaus Edge Grain XL won ATK’s wood board test. It’s 18 × 24 inches and heavy enough to stay put. The Winco Statik is ATK’s large plastic winner, dishwasher-safe and still flat after 50 cycles.
Skillets
The All-Clad D3 12″ Fry Pan is ATK’s top stainless skillet, with even browning and a cool handle. The Lodge 12″ cast-iron skillet is ATK’s Best Buy and performed about as well as premium pans.
Kitchen scales
The OXO Good Grips 11 lb scale won ATK’s test, and its display pulls out so a big bowl doesn’t hide it. The Ozeri Pronto is the Best Buy, accurate and easy to use.
Countertop ovens
The Breville Smart Oven is ATK’s toaster oven winner and aced every test, from cookies to a crisp-skinned chicken. The Toshiba AC25CEW-BS is ATK’s Best Buy, with even toast and a weaker broiler.
Backyard pizza ovens
The Solo Stove Pi Prime landed near the top of three separate tests: Food Network’s Best Overall, Tom’s Guide’s Best Budget and Highly Recommended at ATK. The Ooni Koda 2 is ATK’s winner, with the 14-inch stone ATK calls ideal for home pizzas.
A gift for the cook on your list
Not shopping for yourself? The gift finder sorts the same tested picks by who they’re for, from a beginner to the family’s holiday host. Or take a slow walk through the window shop and see what catches your eye.
🦫 The Lodge Letter. When the real deals start, we’ll send the tested picks that actually dropped. One email, no spam, he’s a beaver.
🛒 Shop the deals
Chef’s knife
Boning knife
Carving knife
Honing rod
Instant-read thermometer
Leave-in thermometer
Cutting board
Skillet
Affiliate links. Rankings come from the independent testers linked in each guide.
