• 

  Topic

  Bag a bargain!

  There are great deals to be found in sales, but there are also plenty of duds. Follow our expert tips and check our product reviews to make sure you're getting the best value for money. 

Advice from our experts

These top tips can help you shop with confidence.

• Top tips for sales season to help you bag a bargain

  Avoid sales fails with our top tips for the sales season.
• Expert tips for TV shopping in-store

  What to look out for when faced with a wall of screens.
• Should you buy a pizza oven?

  We look at the pros and cons to see if they're worth the dough.
• The pros and cons of robot vacuums

  We analyse performance, price, benefits and drawbacks. Plus we share owners' advice (and gross horror stories).  
• Buying a mattress? We bust 5 shopping myths

  We cut through the sales spin to help you shop (and sleep) better.
• Is it worth buying a home espresso coffee machine?

  We compare the cost and convenience of caffeinating at home versus a café. 
• We bust 7 common myths about fridges

  Our expert sorts fact from fiction to help you buy better.
• Is a heat pump dryer worth it?

  Heat pump dryers are a hot topic – we explain how they work and whether they're right for you.
• Should you buy a Dyson vacuum, fan or dryer?

  Is the cult brand worth the hype and higher price? Our expert reveals how they compare against other brands in our tests. 
• Smeg appliances: Best buys and what to avoid

  Should you buy something just because it's from Smeg? It's complicated.

Give these a miss

Our expert testers know a thing or two about good quality products – they also know about the worst.

• Products to avoid in the EOFY sales

  CHOICE experts name the products you should avoid, regardless of how cheap they are.
• Mattresses to miss if you want a good sleep

  Don't wake up on the wrong side of the bed – give these mattresses a miss and spring for something better.
• Dishwashers to avoid buying

  We dish the dirt on the poorest performers in our latest lab test.
• The air purifiers that rated extremely low in our lab tests

  Some units 'purified' so poorly, we had to check they were switched on.
• Worst washing machines

  We reveal the top-loader and front-loader models that rated lowest in our lab test. 
• Inkjet and laser printers to avoid

  These printers were the lowest scorers in our lab tests. 
• Noise-cancelling headphones to avoid

  Looking for headphones that deliver both great sound and silence? Listen to our experts and give these a miss.
• Air fryers to avoid buying

  These not-so-hot air fryers will leave you underwhelmed.
• 3 robot vacuum cleaners to avoid

  Need some help around the house? Don't count on these poorly performing robot vacs.
• Grounded! The coffee machines that failed

  Don't make a bad coffee mistake – these models rated lowest in our product tests.  
• Clothes dryers to avoid buying

  It's back to the drying board for these low scorers in our lab test.
• Soundbars to avoid buying

  Check 1, 2? These models set the bar lowest in our lab tests. 
• The worst-rated TVs to watch out for

  Don't make a costly mistake – our lab tests reveal the mediocre models you might want to think twice about buying.
• Stick vacuum cleaners to avoid buying

  If you want clean floors and carpets, steer clear of these suckers. 
• Worst electric heaters to avoid

  Don't count on these to keep you warm this winter.
• 3 barbecues to avoid buying

  Set yourself up for a summer of brilliant barbecues by avoiding these duds.
• Wireless speakers to avoid

  These poor-performing Bluetooth and Wi-Fi speakers are anything but music to your ears.
• Three fridges to avoid buying

  Beware these subpar shockers that rated lowest in our lab tests. 
• Reverse-cycle air conditioners to avoid

  The models that rate lowest for cooling and for heating in our small-size air con review.
• Ceiling fans to avoid

  Don't lose your cool this summer with these poor performers. 
• 'Worst fridge ever': Smeg model rates lowest in CHOICE test history

  Smeg's new $3990 retro fridge flunks our lab test with dismal 22% rating. Here's why.
• Should you buy a Kmart Anko vacuum cleaner?

  You may be enticed by the low price, but some of the worst-performing vacuums in our tests come from the budget retailer. 
• The baby monitors that rated lowest in our tests

  If you want peace of mind, we suggest you give these a miss.
• Samsung shocker: The washing machine that scored 0% for water efficiency 

  This top-loader is one of the least water-efficient washing machines we've ever tested.

What to buy

We scientifically test products in a lab setting so we can recommend only the best performers.

• Electric heaters

  Fan, column, convection or radiant – which electric heater is best?
• Wireless speakers

  We independently test and compares more than 70 wireless speakers from Bang & Olufsen, Bose, Marshall, Sony, Polk, Yamaha and more.
• Air fryers

  We lab test air fryers from Philips, Sunbeam, Ninja, Tefal and more to find out which models cook best and are easiest to use and clean.
• TVs

  CHOICE rigorously tests the latest TV models from LG, Sony, Samsung, Hisense and more top brands to show you which ones deliver the best picture and value for money.
• Mattresses

  How do the online bed-in-a-box mattresses from Sleeping Duck, Ecosa, Emma and more compare to brands from bricks-and-mortar retailers?
• Coffee machines

  We test manual, semi-automatic and pod coffee machines in the CHOICE labs, including Sunbeam, Breville, Kmart, DeLonghi and Nespresso.
• Washing machines

  We test both front and top loading washing machines in the CHOICE labs, including models from Bosch, Fisher & Paykel, LG, Miele, Samsung and Simpson.
• Microwaves

  We test all the major microwaves in the CHOICE labs, including models from Breville, Sharp, LG, Panasonic and more.
• Fridges

  We test the coolest new fridges in the CHOICE labs to help you find the best one for your home, including models from Electrolux, Fisher & Paykel, LG, Samsung and more.
• Stick vacuums

  Our experts rigorously lab test stick vacuums from Dyson, LG, Electrolux, Bosch, Invictus, Kmart and more to find the best.
• Dishwashers

  We dish the dirt on the most popular dishwashers from Bosch, Fisher & Paykel, Miele and more.
• Printers

  We review inkjet and laser multifunction and basic printers from Canon, Brother, Epson, HP and more.
• Clothes dryers

  See which dryers are high flyers – we test top models from Bosch, Electrolux, Fisher & Paykel, LG, Simpson, Miele and more.
• Soundbars

  Our audio experts test soundbars in the CHOICE labs including models from Bose, Samsung, Sonos, LG, Yamaha and more.
• Wall ovens

  Our lab test results tell you which electric ovens cook best and are easiest to use.

Where to shop

From Aldi and Big W to Kmart and Kogan, we've got the best and worst buys from some of the big-name retailers.

• Best and worst electronics stores 

  Our survey results reveal the best shops and online stores for electrical appliances.
• Kmart Anko: Best buys and what to avoid 

  We reveal the products that impressed in our tests – and the duds that disappointed.
• Aldi: Best buys and what to avoid

  Should you just buy everything at Aldi? Well, no. We look at ski gear, TVs, coffee machines, nappies and more.
• Big W Contempo: Best appliances buys

  We reveal the products that impressed, and those you might want to think twice about before adding to your cart.
• Is a Costco membership worth it?

  We look at whether you'll get great deals or if it's all just a jumbo-sized novelty.
• The Kogan brand products to avoid

  Beware these Kogan buys that rated poorly in our lab tests.
• Ikea: Best buys and what to avoid

  From mattresses and ovens, to one of the dodgiest fridges we've seen.

More tips for bargain hunters

Arm yourself with the knowledge to buy the best product for you.

• 5 times cheap products outperformed expensive brands

  That awkward moment when a $700 no-name fridge outperforms a $2700 Miele.
• Is it worth signing up for Amazon Prime or eBay Plus?

  We compared Amazon Prime and eBay Plus to see which offers the most value.
• Know your consumer rights

  Faulty product? Buyer's regret? Your right to a refund.
• Freight-forwarders compared: ShopMate, Shipito, US to Oz and more

  What are your postage options when US retailers won't ship your purchases to Australia?
• Five products to think twice about before buying from overseas

  Shopping for these products on foreign shores could end in disappointment, injury and even arrest.
• What's the problem with buying cheap appliances?

  A great bargain or just suspiciously cheap? Here’s what you need to consider before buying a budget appliance.
• Click Frenzy online sale: deal or dud?

  Here's how to shop smart when the sale kicks off this Tuesday 9 November.