Productopia | Home & Garden

In leaked Black Friday circulars, every retailer seems to be pushing at least one discounted vacuum cleaner. We've taken a look at all of them to figure out whether any are worth the hassle and lines of Black Friday.

For a lot of the country, grilling season's been over for a while. That hasn't stopped Lowe's and Home Depot from advertising a couple of okay-sounding gas grills in their Black Friday circulars. The former is dangling a dirt-cheap Charbroil Quickset while the latter has a more premium-sounding Brinkmann offering at a middle-of-the-road price. Which is a better bet?

Need a new vacuum? You'll encounter a bevvy of dirt-busting options this Black Friday. Kohl's will be offering the widest selection this year. A little preview:

• The Hoover Wind Tunnel Cyclonic vacuum, regularly $250, will be knocked down to $150 that day.
• Dyson's DC14 All Floors Bagless vacuum, normally $450, will be sold for $320.
• The Dyson DC25 All Floors Bagless vacuum, normally $550 will be on sale for $400.
• Bissell's Momentum Bagless vacuum, originally $130, will be only $80.
• Bissel's Lift Off Multi Cyclonic Pet Bagless Upright Vacuum, normally $220, will be sold for $180.
• Shark's UltraLite MultiVac, regularly $140, will be offered for $120.
• Hoover's WindTunnel Self-Propelled Bagged Vacuum, normally $240, will be $215.
• Bissell's Lift Off Multi Cyclonic vacuum, regularly $220, will be offered at $180.
• Hoover's Linx Stick vacuum, regularly $210, will be discounted down to $180.

Ah, bed bugs.....Think these tiny bloodsuckers only plague high-rise apartments and hotels? Think again. The truth is, more and more people are getting bed bugs from brand new mattresses. That's right, this seemingly innocent purchase can quickly morph into an unbelievable nightmare.

So, how does this happen? To increase their "sell," many companies now offer to discard a shopper's old mattress when they deliver a new one. What they don't tell you: It's a common practice to toss old mattresses in the back of the truck with brand new ones yet to be delivered, and this can easily spread bed bugs.

So what can you do to protect yourself?

Mechanical sewing machines, which start at about $80, make good starter models for beginners and are fine if you mainly want to do mending projects or make simple Halloween costumes for the kids.

However, the most thorough tests of sewing machines suggest mechanical models aren't quite as easy to use as pricier electronic machines, and reviewers note it sometimes take a lot of trial and error to get the thread tension right. In reading reviews of simple machines in the $80 to $150 price range, that's the single biggest complaint we read -- that poor-performing sewing machines frustrate users with knotted-up bobbin thread and needle jams.

The lesson? Check reviews before buying an inexpensive machine. Fortunately, we identified a couple of standout models in our latest sewing machine report.

Canister vacuum cleaners are the best choice if you have mainly hard floors and area rugs. They also work well for cleaning upholstery, drapes and stairs, say experts. These types of vacuums are typically more expensive than their upright counterparts, but they're also durable and long-lasting.

If you're on a budget, reviews point to the aggressively-priced Hoover WindTunnel Bagless S3765-040 (*Est. $220). This bagless canister vacuum performs well on carpets and bare floors, and it uses a HEPA filter to help keep dust from leaking back into the room. Hoover's WindTunnel Bagless canister vac is on the heavy side at 22-pounds, but it comes with a number of helpful tools to help you get into corners and effectively clean furniture and upholstery.

Now that more Black Friday ads are being leaked (intentionally or otherwise), we're able to get an expanded picture of what some related items will be going for when the Christmas shopping season kicks off in earnest. Today, let's sort through some of the various cordless drill deals to see where the best values are.

Kmart is offering a Black Friday sale on the Hamilton Beach 10-cup programmable Hamilton beach BrewStation, advertised in their leaked circular for $19.99. This coffeemaker normally sells for $39.99 on the manufacturer's site and at most major retailers. Surprisingly, we found it for much less - a whopping $13.99 - at Amazon.com (sold by Todays Concept).

Maybe a vacuum cleaner isn't a great gift idea (who likes to be told they're messy?), but if your upright is on its last legs, a Sears doorbuster-deal vacuum cleaner may be worth a look. A leaked Black Friday circular from Sears has revealed that the Kenmore Progressive Upright, a ConsumerSearch Best Reviewed vacuum, will be offered at 30% off -- from $300 to $200. (As is the case with all Black Friday leaks, know that  the items and prices have not been officially confirmed, and are subject to change.)

A basic sewing machine is a great gift for a Project Runway wannabee; most non-fancy mechanical machines can be had for about $100. But a lousy sewing machine will leave a novice more discouraged than inspired.

We've read good reviews for some of Kenmore's sewing machines in the past, but is the Kenmore 19106 featured in the store's leaked Black Friday circular a good deal?

The answer? This machine is cheap, but totally untested.

Our recommendation: Get a sewing machine with a known track record like the $90 Brother XL-2600i.