8 Products on Deep Discount in February
The shortest month brings big savings on mattresses, tech gadgets, winter gear, and more
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Despite being the shortest month of the year, February has some great opportunities to score big savings on purchases big and small. We see a lot of TV sales for the Super Bowl early in the month (many of which are still available after the Big Game). And Presidents Day typically means major sales on big-ticket items like mattresses and large appliances—plus, retailers often offer promotions on plenty of other household items as well. You’ll also find that prices for seasonal winter items, such as snow blowers and space heaters, tend to drop as spring draws near.
But that’s not all that may be available at an impressive discount this time of year. Samsung unveiled its new smartphone lineup, including the Galaxy S25, last month, which often leads to price drops on its older models as well as trade-in offers.
Here’s what you can find on deep discount in February, according to Consumer Reports’ analysts, who track prices all year.
Mattresses
You should never pay full price for a mattress. Why? Manufacturers of all the top brands tend to observe major and minor holidays with discounts and special offers, so you rarely have to wait too long for a price drop.
In February, Presidents Day weekend is your best opportunity to find a deal on a new mattress because it’s one of the best holidays to shop for one. This is when we typically see some of the deepest discounts from major brands, besting the sales that brands offer regularly by 5-10 percent. If you miss your chance to shop for a deal this month, there may be sporadic promotions in the coming months. But the next major mattress sale event doesn’t come around until Memorial Day.
You can find out more about mattress options by reading CR’s buying guide and reviewing our mattress ratings. A good mattress should last you eight to 10 years, so do the research and invest in one that will suit your sleeping style for years to come.
The Avocado Green is at a good discount right now, just $100 more than its best price ever (which was only available for Black Friday).
It performs superbly in our support tests for all sizes and sleep positions, except for petite side sleepers, where it still rates better than most. The mattress is made with recycled steel-pocketed coils, GOLS-certified latex foam, and a GOTS-certified organic cotton cover. It receives only a middling score for stabilization, however, so if you don’t like much bounce or motion transfer, this mattress might not be the one for you. With a firmness score of 7 out of 10, it’s among the stiffer mattresses we’ve tested.
The Birch Natural mattress is 20 percent off right now. We do see the discount reach 25 percent for holidays, so there’s a good chance it’ll change closer to Presidents Day. It does well in CR’s tests, and if you’re a petite side sleeper it may be an exceptional choice. It got top scores in our tests for that category. It scored above average for all other sleepers, except large and tall side sleepers, who may want to look to other models.
For more discounts: Best Sales on Mattresses
Tablets
Tablet sales tend to be more numerous this month, as Samsung just revealed its latest models, leading retailers to discount older models. Many stores may also still be clearing out their leftover holiday inventories, creating plenty of opportunities to get a new tablet for less.
When choosing a tablet, consider what you plan to use it for. If you want to watch Netflix or edit photos, look for something with a larger, higher-quality screen. If you just want to do simpler tasks, such as playing games and browsing the web, you don’t need to spend a ton. Other factors to consider are battery life, storage size (and expansion options), size, weight, and processor power.
To learn more about what will work for you, check out CR’s buying guide and recommended tablets.
If you want a heavy hitter, an iPad Pro may be just the ticket, and this 13-inch model is a great choice. Not only is it $200 off at Best Buy right now, but it aces almost every one of CR’s tests. The only place it took a hit was versatility because it lacks a memory card reader. For such a big tablet, it only weighs 1.3 pounds. And it has an 18-hour battery life.
For those who prefer Samsung devices, this tablet balances quality and value. It has a 12.3-inch screen, so it’s nearly as large as the more expensive iPad Pro listed above. It excelled in all of our tests, though the iPad Pro did outperform it just a smidge when it came to performance, display, and photo and video quality. But, the Galaxy Tab has a micro-SD port, which means you’ve got unlimited expandable storage.
Apple’s 2021 iPad Mini is still our top pick for those who wish to travel light. The 8.3-inch tablet has a bright, sharp display with a large viewing angle, meaning you don’t need to hold it directly in front of your face to see it clearly. Browsing the web and watching movies are smooth and stutter-free. And the battery life is impressive, too.
The 8.3-inch iPad Mini has a bright, sharp display with a large viewing angle, meaning you don’t need to hold it dead center in front of your face to see it clearly. The new A15 Bionic chip is blazing fast, so web browsing and watching movies seem smooth and stutter-free. The battery life is impressive, too. Other updates include a USB-C port, upgraded cameras, and optional 5G compatibility. The smaller size and lighter weight make the tablet easier to hold for extended periods.
Dishwashers
A dishwasher can make quick work of cleaning up the kitchen, but only if it cleans and dries well. February tends to be a good time to find discounts thanks to Presidents Day sales. Depending on which features you need and want, these appliances can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to over $1,000. Some keep things simple with just the essential washing and drying functions, while others have advanced features like WiFi control, third racks, and even zone control.
Start your search by reviewing CR’s buying guide to determine the best dishwasher for your home.
The budget-friendly LG LDFC2423V may get dinged in our member surveys for its middling reliability and satisfaction scores, but it has a lot going for it, starting with its stellar washing performance in CR’s tests. It’s also considerably less expensive than the Bosch models that dominate this category. This model is also fairly quiet when running and has some of the design perks that make life a lot easier, like a soil sensor, an adjustable upper rack, adjustable tines, and a time-remaining display. That said, its drying performance is just okay.
The Whirlpool WDTA50SAKZ dishwasher is already one of the best options under $1,000, and it’s at its lowest price right now, beating its Presidents Day price by $50. It is a strong performer with a third rack and an upscale look for the price, including integrated controls. Whirlpool also earned a very good rating for predicted reliability and a midlevel score for owner satisfaction based on data from our reader survey. It’s similar to lower-end models from the KitchenAid brand, which is also owned by Whirlpool.
For more discounts: Best Deals on Large Appliances
Snow Blowers
The end of the season is a great time to stock up on winter weather gear, and snow blowers are among the most deeply discounted products in February. You can pick one up now and be ready for any late-winter blizzards that might strike. And if none come, you’ll be well prepared for next winter.
There are many types of snow blowers, and Consumer Reports’ testing has found that size doesn’t always matter. You don’t necessarily need the most powerful model to get the job done, and you can choose among many models to find what will work best in your climate and for your property. You can spend as little as $200 for one that will handle light dustings or well over $3,000 for a model that removes heavier snow.
When choosing a snow blower, look for one that blends competent clearing ability with a smooth, single-lever chute control that sends snow in any direction you want it to go.
For more details, check out our snow blower buying guide and recommendations.
The Ryobi RY408150 is the narrowest and least expensive battery-powered snow blower in CR’s ratings, but don’t let its unassuming appearance fool you. It earns the best possible rating for plow removal and throwing distance in our tests, which should help you displace the mountains of snow that can accumulate. It’s also suitable for routine walkway clearing thanks to its above-average ability to remove surface snow. The smaller design also helps contribute to its top-notch handling. That said, you’ll have to deal with sluggish removal speeds.
The Greenworks 2600602, while not a snow blower, but a shovel, packs a serious punch for such a small tool. It’s great at removal speed and surface clearing. But at a mere 15 pounds, it can go places you’d never bring your full-sized snow blower, like up a flight of stairs to clean an elevated deck, for example. That makes it the perfect companion to a larger machine or a good fit for anyone in an area that seldom sees more than a few inches of snow. The cordless tool’s 80-volt battery can also be used in Greenworks’ lawn mowers, string trimmers, and leaf blowers.
Printers
If you’re in the market for a new printer, you may be able to find a deal on a top model this month, whether you need one that can scan and fax or just want something basic to print occasionally. But with more people working from home, demand has been high, so expect discounts to be fewer and farther between than in years past. If you do spot a sale, you’ll want to act fast before the product is sold out.
There are two main types of printers: laser and inkjet. Some may be able to make copies or offer wireless printing over WiFi. CR’s buying guide can give you a more in-depth look at the different options and the best models so that you’ll be ready to jump on it when the printer you want goes on sale.
The main thing that the Canon PIXMA TS7720, an all-in-one inkjet, has going for it is its price. The real street price is closer to $100 than the original $150, but you’re still getting a nice savings here. Our annual estimate of ink cost is $68 a year—pretty typical for a cartridge printer. The lab results it turns in are decent, not extraordinary.
Color laser printers are built with graphics professionals or perhaps small businesses in mind; they’re expensive to buy and the toner isn’t cheap, exceeding $100 a year for some models. But there’s a reason some people who print a lot in color buy and love color lasers. When it comes to graphics, they blow away both color inkjets and black-and-white lasers, with sharp, accurately saturated images. The text performance is stellar as well, though they do fall short when it comes to printing photos. The Canon Color imageClass MF654Cdw sits near the top of our ratings in this category. It’s relatively inexpensive for a color laser model, and the estimated toner cost of $46 is low for the category. Keep in mind that the Canon is quite large for a home printer.
Smartphones
If your current smartphone is anything but current and you’re finally ready to get your hands on something newer, February may be a great time to find a recent model at a discount. While Black Friday in November is when you’ll find the widest variety of phones on sale, the final full month of winter has its own opportunities to save, especially on previous-year models.
Samsung always reveals its newest phones in February, and once that happens, older models will usually drop in price and carriers will offer trade-in deals that can make it less expensive to get the latest model. You may find other brands on sale as well, but Samsung is the major player to watch this month.
If you’re looking for Apple iPhone deals, don’t expect a slew of amazing offers from the tech giant this month. There may be some sporadic price drops here and there at various retailers, but because Apple typically unveils its new devices in September and releases them in November, that holiday season tends to be a better time to find savings on the previous year’s models.
Not sure which phone is right for you? Our smartphone buying guide can help you find the perfect option to suit your lifestyle.
This pint-sized, foldable phone easily stows in your pocket, but flips open to reveal a high-quality 6.7-inch display. The cover screen, which remains visible even when the device is closed, shows notifications, dynamic widgets, and your personalized wallpaper. The camera quality and battery life are both respectable. All in all, this is a solid performer for fans of foldable phones.
Space Heaters
If you’re always cold, live in a drafty house, or want to curb your heating bill without sacrificing comfort, a space heater is just the ticket. They often go on sale in February as retailers prepare to bring out their wares for spring. If you work in an office that never seems to be warm enough or you’re simply sick of arguing about the thermostat at home, a good space heater can make everyone happy and comfortable. And getting one on sale only sweetens the deal.
Perhaps the most exciting news is that the models with the strongest performance in temperature control, safety, and noise typically cost less than $100, so sales will make them a great investment for any budget.
It might be good to check out the options with our buying guide to find out which is best for you before you start shopping.
Cameras
February can be a great time to snag a deal on last year’s digital cameras as new models start hitting the shelves. Once you’ve settled on your budget (cameras can range from a hundred to thousands of dollars), you’ll need to decide on the type of camera you want. A simple point-and-shoot is great if your phone camera isn’t up to snuff. But you may want something more powerful, like a DSLR, if you’re looking to capture top-notch photos.
Because choosing the right digital camera can be overwhelming, spend some time doing research before you shop. Determine which type will best suit your needs and how much you’re willing to spend, taking into account accessories such as lenses, SD cards, card readers, spare batteries, and more. Our digital camera buying guide and ratings give you the details on different models as well as information on features and brands.
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