Best Memorial Day Sales at Best Buy

The 36-inch, budget-friendly GE GSS25GYPFS has remained steadily at this discount since Presidents Day. It is a strong performer in our tests, with a top score for thermostat performance and strong scores for temperature uniformity and ease of use. It also receives satisfactory scores for energy efficiency and noise output. This GE has a stainless steel finish and features an icemaker, a through-the-door water and ice dispenser, a built-in water filter, and digital temperature controls. In our latest member survey, GE side-by-sides received a very good rating for predicted reliability but a poor rating for owner satisfaction.

The 28-inch-wide Samsung RT70F18LRSR is the best top-freezer in our ratings. It receives excellent scores for thermostat performance, temperature uniformity, and energy efficiency, as well as a very good score for its low noise output. But it receives a subpar score for ease of use and a poor score for crisper drawer performance. The refrigerator features a stainless steel finish, an optional icemaker (sold separately), digital temperature controls, and WiFi connectivity to control the fridge from your smartphone. And it’s Energy Star-certified. In our latest member surveys, Samsung top-freezers receive an excellent score for predicted reliability and a midlevel score for owner satisfaction.

The LG WM3400CW is already quite inexpensive even when it’s not discounted, so even though it was $25 less during Presidents Day weekend, you’re still getting a good deal. Given its performance, it’s a smart buy and an environmentally friendly choice. You still get exceptional washing performance along with water and energy efficiency. But this model isn’t particularly gentle on fabric, so you might want to try the delicate cycle for your best threads. This washer’s claimed capacity is 4.5 cubic feet, and its cycle time is 105 minutes.

The top-rated LG DLE3400W is just $30 more than the last big sale. We expect it to perform similarly to the CR-tested LG DLEX3700W (now discontinued). The tested model delivers solid performance across the board, nabbing an ace rating for noise and ratings near the top in our drying and convenience tests. This stackable Energy Star certified machine, with a claimed capacity of 7.4 cubic feet, is equipped with a moisture sensor, an extended tumble, custom programs, and an end-of-cycle signal—offering all these features at a fairly low price.

If you’re a fan of the Google Pixel phone, then the Pixel Buds Pro 2 are a solid choice for a complementary earbud. Keep in mind the price was $20 lower not long ago, and it could get even lower around Prime Day. They have a Find My Device function, and the sound can be adjusted through the Pixel app. The Pixel Buds 2 earn very good sound quality grades and score well for noise cancellation. They’ve been available at this price for weeks.

Situated in the sweet spot of LG’s 2025 OLED TV lineup, the OLED65C5PUA offers a nice balance of price and performance, with top-notch marks for all key picture quality and sound attributes. Unlike the flagship G5-series sets, which utilize a new "four-stack" OLED technology to enhance brightness, the C5 features a WOLED panel but still achieves sufficient brightness to excel with high dynamic range. The model features numerous gaming capabilities, including a 144Hz variable refresh rate. The TV has recently been selling for $1,600 to $1,700 at most retailers.

The 77-inch OLED77C5PUA is LG’s midtier OLED TV for 2025, and it’s among the best sets you can buy, with great picture quality, high dynamic range, and sound. It features numerous gaming capabilities, including a 144Hz refresh rate. But note that most retailers have been selling it for about $2,700, not $3,700.

We didn’t test this set, a fairly basic 55-inch 4K smart TV from Best Buy’s house brand. However, we did test a similar model, the Insignia NS-55F501NA22, and it performed well for overall picture quality and not as well for high dynamic range or sound. (It supports DTS Virtual-X sound, which tries to create a 3D sound experience using just the TV’s speakers.) This set utilizes the Amazon Fire TV smart platform, featuring built-in Alexa.

This 55-inch smart TV, a new model for 2025, is an entry-level QLED set that nonetheless provides a satisfying picture, though it lacks the brightness to deliver a compelling HDR experience. (The TV supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+ HDR, plus Dolby Atmos audio.) It also lacks some features, such as local dimming, found in step-up models. Sound quality isn’t great, so you might consider adding a soundbar. It uses the Amazon Fire TV smart system with Alexa built in.

The Amazon Fire TV Cube, now $10 more than its best price, is a mashup of an Amazon Echo and a 4K Fire TV streamer. Its universal remote control capabilities let you control a host of other compatible A/V gear, including TVs, soundbars, receivers, and even some cable and satellite boxes. New features include HDMI 2.1 connections—one input and one output—for controlling other devices using your voice. (One cool trick is that the Cube will also upscale any content from a source connected to its HDMI input.) Other features include support for WiFi 6E, support for both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ HDR, and an Off button that disconnects the microphones if you don’t want the device in an always-listening mode.

This updated flagship Roku Ultra has a new, faster quad-core processor, quicker app launches, support for both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ HDR formats, and WiFi 6 wireless. Other features include an HDMI 2.1 connection to your TV, an Ethernet port for a wired connection, a lost-remote finder feature, and a wireless headphone mode that lets you pair with Bluetooth headphones. The new Ultra comes with Roku’s best remote control—Voice Remote Pro (2nd Edition). The new remote is recharged via a USB-C connection and is now backlit.

The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 has a 14-inch screen that you can fold back to use as a tablet. Its display is brighter than most, which makes it ideal for reading outside on a sunny day. That said, its battery life is longer than that of many other Chromebooks, lasting 15.75 hours in web browsing tests and 12 hours in video playback. Performance speeds are among the top in our rated Chromebooks, making this a great pick for a variety of uses.

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i may be a good choice for college students on the go. It lasted longer than most other laptops of its size in web browsing battery tests, at almost 20 hours. The screen shows a wide range of colors that appear accurate in display tests. Performance speeds are quick for complex productivity work, and are able to handle most demanding tasks.

This 14-inch model weighs next to nothing—2.9 pounds to be precise—and delivers nearly 19 hours’ worth of battery life per charge. Our testers note that it’s not the fastest Chromebook you’ll see, but if you’re just doing typical Chromebook-y tasks, that shouldn’t be much of an issue.

It was as low as $159 during major sales last year, so you might be able to save a little more if you can wait until Prime Day (which might be as early as June this year!).

If you want an iPad, this 2025 entry-level model is our pick as the best tablet for most people. It has a beautiful 10.9-inch display, 128GB of storage, and the ability to record HD video. And its battery lasts a decently long time in our testing: 14 hours during video playback and 9 hours browsing the web.

The Blink Wired Floodlight Cam is back down to the lowest price we’ve ever seen (the sale tends to come and go with some regularity). In our tests, it received superb scores for video quality and response time, as well as a very good score for data security. It falls in the middle of the pack in terms of its smart features, and its data privacy guarantees are weak (a common issue across brands in this space). Its features include a siren, activity zones, voice/app control via Amazon Alexa, and up to 5 minutes of continuous live streaming. You can store footage locally without a subscription if you purchase a Blink Sync Module 2 ($50) and plug in a USB flash drive. Cloud video storage and other features (such as person detection) require a Blink Subscription Plan.

In our survey-based owner satisfaction ratings of home security systems, SimpliSafe scores well both as a professionally monitored system and a self-monitored system. Our members report that SimpliSafe provides good value for the money, transparent prices, and great tech support.

The Versa 4 is a great fit for Fitbit fans who want a sleeker-looking smartwatch. You get a good-sized display and all the basics, from GPS-enabled workout tracking to heart rate monitoring. Plus, the battery lasted a generous seven days in CR’s testing. 

If you’re looking for a medium-sized outdoor speaker with volume aplenty and more than adequate bass, the Sony ULT Field 5 is a serious contender—and it’s $50 less than its recent sale price. It has an IP67 rating and features restrained LED lighting effects aimed more at adults seated around a fire pit than kids on a sleepover. Size-wise, it’s perfect for a barbecue or a poolside dance party. It’s a bit big for tossing into a bag for a jaunt to the beach, though. If you want a more portable Sony, try the ULT Field 1, which bears a family resemblance in a smaller and less loud and bassy package.

The JBL Flip 7 is a classic do-it-all speaker. It’s small enough to stuff into a bag, but delivers enough sound to provide background music at a barbecue. It’s IP68 water-resistant and dust-proof, and the company claims you can drop it onto a concrete floor from a height of one meter and it’ll keep working. Also, according to JBL, it delivers 16 hours of music on a single charge. The $120 price tag represents a decent value, especially if you think there’s a good chance you’ll be abusing your new speaker more than a little.

The Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6, now $50 less than its typical sale price, is a 3.1.2-channel soundbar that delivers satisfying sound, so it’s a good choice for both movies and music. This model supports both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X immersive sound, and its main enclosure has upfiring drivers for height sounds. It has Bluetooth wireless connectivity for streaming audio from a portable device.

If you’re looking for an air purifier for a small room, the Blueair Mini Restful might fit the bill. Best Buy’s sale isn’t actually all that good, and other retailers have much better offers right now. The Mini Restful earns the CR Recommended designation because it performed very well in our tests. Running at high speeds, it aced the dust, pollen, and smoke removal tests, and did nearly as well operating at low speeds. It gets a middling score for noise output at high speed, which is common across every model, but it’s actually pretty quiet at low speed, making it a great option for all-day use in, say, a home office.

The Shark PowerDetect IP1251 comes with lots of bells and whistles, including a dirt detection feature and a floor detect mode that adjusts the brush roll speed based on the surface it’s vacuuming. It’s very good at sucking up debris from carpets and is even more impressive at picking up pet hair. The vacuum can be converted into a hand vac and folded for storage.

The Shark CarpetXpert EX201 isn’t exactly quiet—it earned a middling rating in our noise test—but it boasts strong performance in cleaning stains. It also did well in our dryness test and is excellent at removing cleaning solution from carpets. It comes with a hose that’s 60 inches long to get into tight spots.

The Bissell ProHeat 2x Revolution Pet Pro Plus is a great choice if you want to own your own carpet cleaner, especially at this price. It aced our drying tests and demonstrated strong cleaning performance—plus, our testers found it very convenient to use. Its hose length, just short of 7 feet, makes it good for stairs and larger homes, and per tank of solution, it covers about 39 square feet. It also features carrying handles and separate tanks for clean and dirty water. And this price was available ahead of the Amazon sale, so it’s no better than usual.