Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site.
When you shop through retailer links on our site, we may earn affiliate commissions. 100% of the fees we collect are used to support our nonprofit mission. Learn more.
Labor Day, falling on Sept. 7 this year, is the unofficial end of the summer season. It’s also one of the many minor holidays throughout the year when retailers offer big savings on virtually everything you could want or need, with a few standout categories.
Labor Day sales are typically similar to what you’ll find for Memorial Day and July Fourth: Large appliances, mattresses, TVs, and other tech devices are seeing big discounts right now. And Consumer Reports has been tracking all the best holiday weekend sales on top-tested products to make your search easier.
If you decide to shop in a store, consider wearing a mask, and employ basic infection control practices.
Table of Contents
What’s on Sale for Labor Day
As with any holiday, you will find an abundance of sales and deals over Labor Day weekend. Even in light of the global pandemic shifting how people live and shop, retailers haven’t stopped offering sales both online and in-store. It’s an especially good time to shop if you’re in the market for mattresses, large appliances, and TVs.
The bulk of Labor Day sales tend to focus on things you need around the home, with an emphasis on those big-ticket items. But thanks to the overlap with back-to-school season, you can also find plenty of savings on assorted home goods and tech devices like laptops and headphones.
You’ll have no problem finding ways to save at the major spots: Amazon, Appliances Connection, Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Target, and Walmart are all rolling out their Labor Day savings. There are also plenty of sales on clothing, accessories, furniture, and home décor. Look to popular retailers such as Macy’s, Nordstrom, Nike, Old Navy, and Zappos if that’s what you’re shopping for this holiday weekend.
Appliance Sales
There are so many appliances on sale for Labor Day that you can find and save on whatever you need pretty easily. We’re seeing big discounts on refrigerators, washers and dryers, ranges, and dishwashers, and you can find similar savings at all the major spots.
If you want something you can pick up at a nearby walk-in location, check out Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Walmart. If doorstep delivery is more ideal, you can still shop at those places, but you may be able to find a slightly better price at a site such as AJ Madison or Appliances Connection.
Here are a few highlights of the best Labor Day appliance sales this year.
Maytag 24-Inch Dishwasher
The deal: $530 at Best Buy and Costco, $528 at Home Depot, $529 at Lowe’s
CR’s test results: Maytag MDB4949SHZ
This budget Maytag model excels at drying and is relatively quiet, too. It has a self-cleaning filter and stainless steel interior. Although its 155-minute cycle time is on the long side, this model is a solid performer. It’s also one of the few we tested at this price range with a self-cleaning filter.
Samsung Single-Oven Gas Range
The deal: $599 (black stainless), $719 (stainless steel) at Best Buy
CR’s test results: Samsung NX58H5600SS
This Samsung is a feature-packed model with solid performance, making it one of the better deals we’ve seen for this holiday weekend. It has five burners, including an integrated griddle on the cooktop, as well as a convection oven and storage drawer. You get a bigger discount if you opt for black stainless ($599) over stainless steel ($719).
Hisense Bottom-Freezer Refrigerator
The deal: $799 at Lowe’s
CR’s test results: Hisense HBM17158SS
This Hisense bottom-freezer is almost 50 percent off its list price. That’s unheard of for bottom-freezers, which usually cost at least $1,000 or more. This 32-inch model performs well in most of our tests, but it rates only Fair for temperature uniformity, meaning it’s more susceptible to warm and cold spots in its fresh-food and freezer cavities. Still, if you’re interested in a bottom-freezer, this model is worth checking out.
LG HE Top-Loader Washer
The deal: $1,165 at AJ Madison and Appliances Connection, $1,170 at Sears
CR’s test results: LG WT7900HBA HE top-loader (and LG DLEX7900BE electric dryer)
Do a lot of laundry? This LG has a claimed capacity of 5.5 cubic feet, allowing you to do more laundry in one load, including a king-size comforter with room to spare. Wash time is 70 minutes using the normal wash/heavy-soil setting. (The normal-soil setting and the TurboWash options will speed things up.) This WiFi-enabled washer lets you start or stop your washer from your smartphone and receive alerts when it’s time to transfer the laundry to the dryer.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. Check out our full list of the best Labor Day appliance deals on CR’s top-tested models.
Mattress Sales
Labor Day is one of the best times of year to shop for a new mattress, and there are loads of deals on all the top brands right now. You can find savings on popular brands like Serta and Sealy, as well as new, highly rated brands like GhostBed and Tulo. Here are a few of our favorite Labor Day sales on mattresses:
GhostBed Mattress (Queen)
The deal: $821 at GhostBed
CR’s test results: GhostBed The GhostBed mattress
This online-only bed-in-a-box retailer is offering a discount on its namesake mattress, the GhostBed. Though this isn’t the cheapest price we’ve seen for the mattress, the company is throwing in two free pillows on top of the 25 percent discount.
The queen-size GhostBed does well in our tests for supporting petites who sleep on their back, and it earns top marks for durability, which means it shows little change in performance after eight to 10 years of simulated use in our tests.
Serta Perfect Sleeper Hybrid Mattress (Queen)
The deal: $899 at US-Mattress
CR’s test results: Serta Perfect Sleeper Hybrid Standale II Luxury mattress
The Serta Perfect Sleeper mattress combines innersprings and gel-infused memory foam, and, based on our tests, is a decent choice for almost any type of sleeper. This mattress typically sells for around $1,000, so you’re getting $100 off. This is an early Labor Day sale, however, so the price may drop closer to the holiday, in case you want to wait and see whether you can save more.
Tulo Medium Firm Mattress (Queen)
The deal: $499 at Tulo
CR’s test results: Tulo Medium Firm mattress
The Tulo Medium Firm earns our highest marks in our durability tests, maintaining its support after a simulated eight to 10 years of use. It offers great support for petites, whether they sleep on their side or back, and for average-sized people who sleep on their side. In terms of stability, this mattress is better than average, which means it stays fairly stable when someone moves around in bed.
Right now, the queen-size Tulo Medium Firm mattress is $200 off, making it one of the more affordable options if you need something soon. However, it was $100 cheaper for July Fourth, so we have a sneaking suspicion the price will drop closer to the holiday.
See all the best Labor Day mattress sales on models that aced CR’s tests.
Laptop Sales
As the new school year begins across the country with varying degrees of virtual learning, there has been a rush on laptops, making it tricky to find good models at good prices. However, there are still some back-to-school and Labor Day sales on top-rated laptops and computers. To help you find them, we’ve been scouring the internet for price drops and other offers to help you save on a machine that will suit your needs, whether for work, school, or fun.
Microsoft Surface Pro 7
The deal: $766.49 at Amazon, $799 at Best Buy and Walmart
CR’s test results: Microsoft Surface Pro 7 (Core i5) computer
With fast processing speeds and a convenient touch screen, the Surface Pro 7 does very well in our tests, and is usually priced around $900. Keep in mind that the keyboard, which detaches so that you can use the touch screen as a tablet, costs an additional $130.
Acer 17-Inch Nitro 5
The deal: $791.99 at Best Buy
CR’s test results: Acer Nitro 5 AN517-51-56YW laptop
If you’re into gaming, consider the Acer Nitro, which usually goes for just under $900. It’s one of the best laptops of 2020, according to CR’s testers, with impressive specs for a device at this price, including a dedicated Nvidia graphics card, an Intel Core i5 processor, and plenty of memory and storage. It’s a little heavy, but that’s no surprise given the 17.3-inch screen.
Lenovo 14-Inch Yoga
The deal: $695 at Amazon
CR’s test results: Lenovo Yoga C740-14 laptop
This laptop has good core specs for a midrange computer—an Intel Core i5 processor, 8 gigabytes of memory, and a 256GB solid state drive. It will purr along easily while performing most tasks, and it’s convenient to use on the go. It weighs an easy-to-tote 3 pounds and provides plenty of battery life, and the 2-in-1 convertible design lets you prop it up in tent mode or use it like a tablet.
Television Sales
Labor Day weekend has loads of great opportunities to save big on a new TV. Many brands release new models in the fall season, so prices tend to drop on last year’s models. You can take advantage of these savings to upgrade your home theater and beat the crowds that tend to clamor for TVs during the holiday shopping season. The disparity in savings between Black Friday and other holidays has grown smaller and smaller, so waiting for a chance to save more may not be all that worth it, because the extra you save is not nearly as dramatic as it used to be.
Insignia 32-Inch Fire TV Smart TV
The deal: $129 at Amazon and Best Buy
CR’s test results: Insignia NS-32DF310NA19 smart TV
Jumbo-sized TVs are great for the family room, but sometimes you just need an extra TV that won’t break the bank. This 32-inch model from Insignia—Best Buy’s house brand—provides satisfying picture quality. It uses the Amazon Fire TV smart TV platform to provide access to lots of streaming services. The set has been on sale for much of the summer but recently dropped an additional $10 in price.
LG 60-Inch 4K Smart TV
The deal: $429 at Target, $449 at Best Buy
CR’s test results: LG 60UM6900PUA 60-inch 4K smart TV
LG’s entry-level 4K set from 2019 does well in terms of overall picture quality, though it doesn’t deliver a compelling HDR experience (which generally produces enhanced contrast and brighter highlights). The viewing angle is somewhat limited, too, so this set might not be your best option for movie night in a family room. It’s usually about $500.
More Electronics Sales
Labor Day, thanks to the overlap with back-to-school shopping season, has become a great time to find discounts on tech. Whether you want a pair of noise-canceling headphones to work smarter from home or your family room is in desperate need of a new speaker for movie night, this could be the perfect time to pick something up at a great low price.
Here are a few of our favorite tech deals happening right now.
Microsoft Surface Headphones
The deal: $192.99 at Best Buy
CR’s test results: Microsoft Surface noise-canceling headphones
These headphones usually sell for about $100 less than comparable options from Sony and Bose, but they’re marked down even more at Best Buy right now. According to our testers, this model is great for listening to music and watching movies, which means you can transition from work to relaxation with ease.
Amazon Echo Plus
The deal: $99 at Amazon, Best Buy, Lowe’s, and Staples
CR’s test results: Amazon Echo Plus (2nd Generation) Smart Speaker
The Echo Plus offers tone controls that allow you to tweak the speaker to match your listening room. But even if you’re a set-it-and-forget-it type, it’s enjoyable to listen to. You can also pair it with a second Plus (or Amazon’s subwoofer) for stereo sound. And the built-in Alexa and Zigbee smart home hub functionality allows you use the model to control a wide variety of smart home devices. Note: Lowe’s discount ends Aug. 29.
Polk Sound Bar
The deal: $199 at Amazon, B&H Photo
CR’s test results: Polk Audio Command Bar sound bar
A sound bar is a quick and easy way to enhance your TV-watching experience, and this model is good for music and movie soundtrack playback. It has built-in Bluetooth, supports Amazon’s Alexa, and is now available at $100 off the original price. It’s currently out of stock at B&H Photo, but the retailer will let you order it at the sale price if you’re willing to wait a little longer for shipping.
More from Consumer Reports:
Top pick tires for 2016
Best used cars for $25,000 and less
7 best mattresses for couples
Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2020, Consumer Reports, Inc.
