The five best Black Friday tech deals on Amazon Canada

The best thing about Black Friday? Maybe it’s the deals. Or maybe the fact that the weekend is almost upon us. Or it could be the Black Friday Fight Compilations (yes, they exist, in droves.)

But if you’re like me, the best thing about Black Friday these days is you don’t have to leave your house to experience it, Canada Post’s “Sorta Strike” notwithstanding.

For most of us, ordering online means Amazon. Amazon Canada may not yet be on par with its American counterpart, but it still offers some pretty sweet deals this weekend. Let’s check out the top five for tech enthusiasts.

Philips HF3520 Wake-Up Light Coloured Sunrise Simulation, White

Up and out the door before the sunrise? These wake up lights are a godsend, especially if you have a partner who sleeps in a little later and can’t stand your 1988 clock radio alarm. The light wakes you gently by slowly getting brighter. It feels like a more natural way to wake up, and Philips says 92 per cent of users agree it makes it easier to get out of bed. This is a pretty good deal on one at the right time of year.

Ring Video Doorbell 2

The Ring Video Doorbell is right up there with the Nest Thermostat for must-have cheap tech to make people think your house is a Smart Home. These devices are super easy to install and can be set to continuously record or just activate on motion. With seeming armies of “Porch Pirates” ready to snag your online orders right from your front these have become a virtual necessity if you are like me and order everything from toothpaste to batteries to your door. One caveat: They can be disappointing in low-light environments, so make sure the area you place it is well lit.

Kindle Paperwhite E-reader (Previous Generation-7th) – 6″ High-Resolution Display (300 ppi) with Built-in Light, Wi-Fi, Black

A great deal on an e-reader. The battery on this Kindle lasts forever and the display is easy on the eyes. It’s one of the essential tools to throw in your bag on a road trip.

Bluetooth Headphones, Mpow H12 Active Noise Cancelling Over Ear Bluetooth Headphones, Wireless Headset w/Mic, Wireless& Wired Comfortable Foldable Stereo ANC Headphones for PC/Cell Phones/TV

For sixty bucks, you’re not going to get Bose quality. But you can rest assured you will be spending money more wisely than those folks who get suckered into buying Beats by Dre, which cost less than ten bucks to manufacture and go for more than $200.

“The Mpow 059 Over-Ear are average mixed-usage wireless headphones,” says a review by headphone review site RTINGS. “They’re decently comfortable, they have a good control scheme and a long battery life. They won’t be the ideal headphones for working out or for blocking the noise of your commutes, but their sound quality and features are surprisingly decent for their price range.”

Anker PowerLine+ Micro USB (10ft) The Premium, Fast, Durable Cable [Aramid Fiber & Double Braided Nylon] for Samsung, Nexus, LG, Motorola, Android Smartphones and More

Looking to show your friends that video you took on your cell phone is 75 inches of glorious HD? There’s no reason to spend a ton of money on them. Gadget guides such as Gizmodo routinely rank expensive HD cables amongst the biggest ripoffs in tech. A common culprit is “Monster” brand, of which the site has few good things to say.

“I doubt that I even need to say why Monster’s cables fall into the “seriously overpriced” category,” says one reviewer. “After all, this is the company who thinks that lowering a cable’s prices down to $100 will make us jump for joy and race to the store when we could just as well use coat hangers instead.”