Best Early Black Friday Deals Under $25

CR writer Jodhaira Rodriguez sprang for a lick mat as a means of feeding her cat, Frank, his wet food, while making sure he doesn’t munch his meals away too quickly. For his dry food, she opted for this puzzle, which he loves. “It really slows him down and keeps him busy for a while,” she says.

Aside from serving as a stimulating activity for pets, puzzle treat dispensers can be a great way to encourage slow(ish) snacking. Nicky Besuden, CR’s associate director of new ventures, recommends this dynamic treat dispenser: “My dog loves all the treat puzzles.”

There were a lot of reasons to like this cat litter from Arm & Hammer. It masked the smell of onion immediately upon contact and maintained a pleasant, clean scent for 24 hours. On its own, the litter’s scent wasn’t overpowering and reminded our tester of one that lingers on freshly laundered sheets. In our tests, the clumps from liquid messes stayed together as we shook the scooper, and the litter formed the most uniform layer around solid waste.

Melissa Garber, a UX researcher at CR, swears by these magnetic clips from Oxo. “They don’t break, and they serve the dual purpose of keeping chips fresh and kids’ art securely hung on the fridge,” she says. “I use them on bags of pretzels and Extra Toasty Cheez-Its.”

The Zulay Kitchen Rotary Cheese Grater, now $5 less than it was last month, is a versatile and user-friendly tool with five interchangeable blades that are perfect for grating cheese, though the brand says it can also be used on nuts and some veggies. Left-handed users can even easily turn the gadget for seamless operation. 

This was the only grater with extra surfaces and a handy container to store them. It is a bulky device overall–it stands at 11.25 inches tall, so it won’t fit into most drawers—and is meant to fit in a cabinet or sit on the counter. 

The ThermoPro TP19H instant-read meat thermometer offers handheld temperature readings with a single stowable probe. There’s a built-in LED and rotation lock for the display, and a magnetic backing allows you to store it on your refrigerator between meals. Perfect for checking meats, this simple thermometer delivers reliably accurate readings within seconds.

The 400-pound-capacity Wyze Scale S is accurate and consistent, with an easy-to-use app and plenty of extra features. The scale displays weight and body fat percentage (though we don’t test the latter’s accuracy). This model is compatible with Apple Health, Google Fit, Fitbit, and the Wyze app—though it doesn’t sync with Samsung Health.

The Etekcity ESF-551 is a smart scale that performs well in most of our tests. It’s very easy to use, and it has an easy-to-use app with a variety of features. The ESF-551 connects to WiFi and Bluetooth, has a backlit display, and offers automatic weight tracking, body-fat percentage, and BMI.

The Gillette Venus was a clear winner in our evaluations of the best razors. The silver handle is pleasantly weighted, and it has a grippy spot for your thumb that makes it easier to hold in the shower. The razor head has a large lubricating strip. Since the head is so bulky, you may need to angle it carefully while shaving difficult areas, such as the hollow of an underarm or an ankle. 

The Whatafit Resistance Bands offer consistent and uniform performance across a wide range of exercises in our resistance band tests. The set includes five training bands (10-, 20-, 30-, 40-, and 50-pound) for up to 150 pounds of total resistance when stacked. The Whatafit resistance bands are made from latex with steel carabiner clips, and the set includes two cushioned handles, two ankle straps, one door anchor, a carrying bag, and an exercise guidance booklet.

The Theraband Therapy Resistance Bands are a consistent and uniform set of flat resistance bands, with a wide range of exercises, though the set is much lighter than anything else we tested. It comes with three training bands (4.3-, 5.5-, and 6.7-pound bands) for up to 16.5 pounds of resistance. The TheraBand Therapy Resistance Bands are made from latex.

For experienced retinol users looking to level up, this treatment delivers a high-strength 1 percent retinol formula alongside antioxidants and skin-soothing ingredients. This product has a relatively higher potency and may be tolerated better by people who have less-sensitive skin or have experience with retinoids. While it’s designed to improve wrinkles, discoloration, and sun damage, introduce it slowly to avoid irritation.

This lightly scented micellar water from a popular French brand landed in the middle of every evaluator’s ranking. “It gets the job done,” said one evaluator. Another said it required a few swipes with a cotton pad to remove tubing mascara, “but nothing too strenuous.”

Although the company claims its product is designed for sensitive skin, the inclusion of fragrance may mean it isn’t right for everyone.

Swisspers came through in our tests with above-average strength and respectable durability and functionality. Their texture was what truly won us over, with a few of our testers lauding the exfoliating properties of the textured side. However, one of the testers didn’t like that quality about them. This wipe is noticeably smaller than those from our other top picks, but that trade-off allows for the most compact, easy-to-store packaging of the bunch. The box features a lid that tucks neatly inside to create a secure closure, and the wipes dispense from an opening at the top.

This was a favorite unscented option in our evaluation of the best body washes. “I would feel confident letting my daughter use this product on her sensitive skin,” one evaluator said. Another said he was “pleasantly surprised by how well it came from the bottle and how easy it was to use. It builds up a nice sudsy lather.”

This product has a very strong, but pleasant, coconut scent. Evaluators found it excellent for creating defined, shiny, frizz-free curls; one evaluator particularly liked it for refreshing her 6-year-old daughter’s braids and perm rod curls.

Although hard to close, these are very sturdy bags, and make a great option for parents with toddlers who have a penchant for throwing their snacks. They’re currently half the price they usually are.

This classic, bright, concentrated cleaner can be used on most home surfaces. In our tests, it was especially good at lifting dirt from floors. It’s strongly scented, but if you’re looking for a bargain, it’s a solid buy, especially at 17 percent off.