As summer shifts to fall, September can be prime time to land deals on seasonal products and more.
Consumer Reports tracks prices on its top-rated products all year to find the best time to buy. Here’s what they found for September.
First up are grills.
“September can be a really great time to find a good price on one,” said Samantha Gordon, deal hunter for Consumer Reports. “It’s the end of summer, so retailers are looking to close out their summer inventory and get all of those grills out of their warehouse to make room for the cooler-weather items.”
Labor Day tends to be the best time to find those sale prices.
CR found the Cuisinart Portable Gas Grill (CGG-306) for $175 at Amazon, Best Buy, and Lowe’s. It’s is one of the best portable grills CR has tested.
Is it time for a refrigerator upgrade right before Thanksgiving? The Blomberg (BRFT1522SS), a top-freezer, is $999 at AJ Madison and Appliances Connection. CR says the fridge is an all-around solid performer, with an icemaker and digital controls.
September still means sweltering weather, so an ac can be a cool purchase.
The LG Window Air Conditioner (LW6019ER) is now $300 at Walmart. CR says it’s one of the best for small rooms.
Next, keep your lawn looking sharp all the way into fall with the Hart Battery Push Mower (HLPM011) for $248 at Walmart. It has about a 65-minute run time on a single charge, and scores high in CR’s tests for cutting evenness.
And finally, it’s prime time to look out for smartphones.
“Every September Apple tends to reveal the next iPhone. This year we’re hearing rumors that the iPhone 13 will be announced later this month. When that announcement is made made, the company will probably discount older models. If you have one of those phones and you want the new one, there are usually trade-in deals where you can save a big chunk of change on the new phone,” Gordon said.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max is one of the best smartphones in CR’s ratings.
Consumer Reports says to keep in mind that the deals included in this report may be gone before you know it. So you should take advantage of a sale early, especially on popular products.