Best Thanksgiving Day Doorbusters and Deals

Deep discounts on hot-ticket items, including widescreen HDTVs, gaming consoles and smartphones, are always a big draw for shoppers who decide to venture out on Thanksgiving. With a few major retailers opening their doors as early as 3 p.m. on Turkey Day, which doorbuster deals are worth braving the crowds?

We asked several shopping experts -- BensBargains.com's Kristin Cook, DealNews.com's Benjamin Glaser, Offers.com's Kerry Sherin, BFAds.net's Brent Shelton and NerdWallet.com's Courtney Jespersen -- to identify this year's must-have Thanksgiving Day doorbuster deals, including some that are available online. Several of the items below will sell for 50% off the retail price.

One important note about doorbusters: Availability isn’t guaranteed. Since the items are in high demand and retailers have limited quantities, you’ll need to shop strategically to snag these bargains. Take a look at some of this year’s hottest Thanksgiving doorbusters.

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Electronics

Dell Inspiron 11 3000 Laptop, $100, available at Dell.com. You can grab this doorbuster without leaving the couch. This online exclusive is a steal at half off the regular price, Glaser says, and won’t be available for purchase until 6 p.m. ET on November 24. Before purchasing, however, it’s important to assess exactly what you’ll need this laptop to do in terms of performance. “These ultra-cheap rigs aren’t very powerful,” he notes. Be sure to do some online research, paying special attention to storage capacity and reading customer reviews and ratings. But if this Dell meets your basic web surfing needs, jump on it fast.

Fitbit Alta, $100, available at Kohl's. Holiday shoppers with a fitness junkie on their gift-giving list will want to take advantage of Kohl’s Black Friday weekend sale (stores open at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day) that includes this newest Fitbit fitness tracker, Sherin says. It’s regularly priced at $130-$150 depending on model type and can be purchased online or in-store. Sherin notes that shoppers will also be able to earn $15 in Kohl’s Cash for every $50 spent. That would amount to $30 in Kohl’s Cash with the purchase of this fitness tracker. (Read more about secrets to shopping at Kohl’s.)

Phillips 55-inch Class Smart 4K Ultra HD TV, $300, available at Walmart. Cook notes that deals on 4K TVs -- the next big wave in high-definition televisions -- are strong this holiday season. Early bird shoppers on the hunt for a new TV can purchase this Phillips set, which is regularly priced at $500, for 40% off online or in-store starting at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. It’s one of several big-screen TV available at Walmart during its holiday weekend sale. This TV comes with built-in WiFi, as well as several streaming apps including Netflix, YouTube, Pandora and Vudu. (Check out more Black Friday deals at Walmart.)

Toshiba 49-inch 4K UHD Google Cast Smart HDTV, $200, available at Best Buy. This year, the long-standing electronics retailer will open its doors at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Eager shoppers can pick up this high-definition television for more than half-off the retail price ($450), Cook says. It comes with Chromecast built-in (which is compatible with Apple and Android mobile products) and streaming apps including Netflix and YouTube. (Learn more about the tricks to saving money at Best Buy.)

Roku 2, $45, available at Kohl's. For those looking to cut the cable cord, this digital HD streaming media player will be on sale for about 35% off (regular price $70) online and in-store, Sherin says. The Roku 2 model received 4 stars (out of 5) on review site CNet.com and can be connected to your television set via WiFi or with an Ethernet cord. It’s important to note that select items from Kohl’s Black Friday weekend sale will become available online as early as November 21. Check the website starting then to avoid missing out.

Gaming Consoles

PlayStation 4 Slim 500GB Uncharted 4: A Thief's End PS4 Bundle, $250, available at Kohl’s. Gaming consoles are always a hot item and usually available at their lowest prices during Black Friday weekend sales, Shelton says. One of the best doorbuster deals on video game consoles, he notes, is this Playstation 4 system (marked down from $300), which comes with a dual shock wireless controller and the Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End video game. Shoppers who purchase it will also earn $75 in Kohl’s Cash.

Kitchen and Home

Keurig K55 Brewer, $90, available at JCPenney. The longtime retailer (whose doors open at 3 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day) is offering some noteworthy deals on kitchen and home products this holiday shopping season, according to Jespersen. That includes this Keurig coffee maker that’s marked down nearly 50% (regular price $175) and is available online and in-store. In addition to coffee, it can brew tea, hot chocolate or iced drinks in under one minute and accommodates a 6-, 8- or 10-ounce mug.

Toys

TS Swagtron Hoverboard, $200, available at Toys ‘R’ Us. Hoverboards continue to top many kids’ must-have lists for the holidays, says Shelton. This version, which is regularly priced at $300, is recommended for children ages 8 and up. It’s available in-store only starting at 5 p.m. on November 24. Not surprisingly, Toys ‘R’ Us will have many other deals on hot toys, such as LEGO block sets, available online starting on November 23 at 9 p.m. ET.