Best Memorial Day Deals You Should Actually Watch For This Year

Last updated: March 31, 2026

Memorial Day weekend is one of the biggest shopping events of the year, and here at Deal Drop Today, we’ve been tracking memorial day deals long enough to know which ones are worth your time and which ones are just noise. Every year, retailers roll out massive sales across appliances, mattresses, outdoor furniture, and more — but not every “deal” is actually a deal. With Memorial Day 2026 falling on May 25, you’ve got a few weeks to plan your strategy, and we’re here to help you do exactly that. Whether you’re upgrading your kitchen, refreshing your patio, or just looking for solid savings on everyday essentials, this guide breaks down the best memorial day deals to watch for, what to skip entirely, and how to avoid getting scammed along the way.

Table of Contents

• When Do Memorial Day Deals Actually Start?
• The Best Categories for Memorial Day Deals in 2026
• Major Appliance Deals: The Biggest Savings of the Weekend
• Mattress Deals: Why Memorial Day Is the Time to Buy
• Outdoor Living, Patio Furniture, and Grills
• Clothing and Fashion Sales Worth Checking
• What to Skip During Memorial Day Sales
• How Tariffs Are Changing Memorial Day Deals in 2026
• Smart Shopping Tips to Maximize Your Savings
• Memorial Day Scams to Watch Out For
• Retailer-by-Retailer Breakdown
• Final Thoughts: Make Your Memorial Day Deals Count

When Do Memorial Day Deals Actually Start?

If you’re waiting until the actual holiday weekend to start shopping, you’re already late. Memorial day deals have been creeping earlier and earlier each year, and in 2026 you can expect retailers to start dropping prices as early as May 15 — a full ten days before the holiday itself. According to experts at Tom’s Guide, who have been covering these sales for over 18 years, the trend toward earlier launches is accelerating as retailers compete for your attention and your wallet.

That said, the deepest discounts still tend to land during the three-day weekend of May 23 through May 25. That’s when stores are most aggressive about clearing spring inventory and making room for summer stock. The sweet spot for shopping is usually that Saturday and Sunday — enough early deals have been matched or beaten, and the remaining inventory gets marked down further as stores try to move product before the long weekend ends.

Our advice? Start browsing around May 15, bookmark items you’re interested in, and then pull the trigger during the weekend itself. This gives you time to compare prices and avoid impulse purchases on things that aren’t actually discounted as much as they appear.

The Best Categories for Memorial Day Deals in 2026

Not everything goes on sale equally during Memorial Day. Some categories see genuinely deep discounts, while others barely budge. Based on historical pricing data and reporting from NBC News Select and Reviewed.com, here are the categories where memorial day deals consistently deliver the best value:

• Mattresses — up to 40% off from major brands
• Major appliances — up to 50% off at retailers like Best Buy
• Patio furniture — up to 50% off at Home Depot, Wayfair, and Lowe’s
• Grills and outdoor cooking — significant markdowns at Home Depot and Lowe’s
• Summer clothing — seasonal clearance at Nordstrom, Target, and others
• Bedding and home textiles — strong discounts from multiple retailers
• Area rugs — Rugs USA has historically gone over 70% off

These are the areas where your dollar stretches the furthest. Let’s dig into the biggest categories in more detail.

Major Appliance Deals: The Biggest Savings of the Weekend

If there’s one category where memorial day deals truly shine, it’s major appliances. This is consistently one of the best times of the year to buy a new refrigerator, washer, dryer, or dishwasher. Retailers use this weekend to clear out current models before new ones arrive in the summer and fall.

To give you a sense of scale, Best Buy offered up to $1,800 off major appliances during Memorial Day 2025, covering brands like LG, Samsung, Whirlpool, and GE, according to TechRadar’s coverage. Those aren’t small discounts — we’re talking hundreds of dollars off washers, dryers, refrigerators, and dishwashers that rarely see that kind of markdown outside of Black Friday.

The strategy here is straightforward. Know what you need before the sale starts. Measure your space, check your model preferences, and read reviews ahead of time. When the deals drop, you can move quickly and confidently instead of scrambling to compare specs while the clock is ticking. Many of these appliance deals are limited to specific inventory, so the best models tend to sell out fast — especially in popular finishes like stainless steel.

If you’re flexible on brand but firm on features, you’ll have the most options. The biggest savings typically come from models that are about to be replaced by newer versions, which often have only minor upgrades over what you’re getting at a steep discount.

Mattress Deals: Why Memorial Day Is the Time to Buy

Memorial Day and mattress sales go together like July and fireworks. It’s one of those retail traditions that actually benefits the consumer, with discounts of up to 40% off from brands like Casper, Mattress Firm, and others. If you’ve been sleeping on a mattress that’s seen better days, this is genuinely the best time to replace it outside of Black Friday.

The reason mattress memorial day deals are so strong comes down to industry timing. Mattress manufacturers release new models in the spring, which means retailers are motivated to clear out the previous year’s inventory during this holiday weekend. You’re not getting an inferior product — you’re getting last year’s model at a fraction of the price, and in most cases, the differences between model years are minimal.

A few tips for mattress shopping during Memorial Day: take advantage of trial periods (most online mattress brands offer 90 to 365-day trials), don’t pay full price for a mattress protector when it’s thrown in as a bundle deal, and check whether the retailer offers free delivery and old mattress removal — many do during this sale period.

Outdoor Living, Patio Furniture, and Grills

With summer right around the corner, memorial day deals on outdoor living essentials make a lot of practical sense. Retailers like Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Wayfair typically slash prices on patio furniture sets, outdoor dining tables, umbrellas, and decorative items by up to 50%.

Home Depot’s Memorial Day sale is particularly strong for this category. Based on their historical patterns tracked by retail analysts at Ship6, you can expect deep discounts on grills from brands like Weber and Traeger, patio conversation sets, garden tools, and outdoor storage. Lowe’s runs a very competitive parallel sale that’s always worth cross-referencing.

Wayfair is another major player here. Their Memorial Day clearance events often feature patio furniture at prices you won’t see again until end-of-season clearance in September — but by then, selection is extremely limited. If you’re outfitting a new deck or refreshing an aging patio setup, this is the weekend to do it.

For grills specifically, this is prime buying season. Retailers want these on your patio before peak grilling season hits, so they’re willing to cut margins to move inventory. If you’ve been eyeing a pellet grill or a high-end gas model, the memorial day deals on these are typically the best you’ll find all year.

Clothing and Fashion Sales Worth Checking

While clothing doesn’t get the same headline-grabbing discounts as appliances or mattresses, there are still solid memorial day deals to be found in this category. Nordstrom, Target, and Walmart all run seasonal sales that coincide with the holiday weekend, and it’s a good time to stock up on summer basics.

Nordstrom’s Half-Yearly Sale often overlaps with Memorial Day, offering 40% off or more on clothing, shoes, and accessories. Target runs Circle Week and other promotions that include apparel. And if you’re looking for practical summer clothing — think shorts, swimwear, sandals, and casual dresses — you’ll find reasonable markdowns across most major retailers.

The key with clothing deals is to focus on what you actually need for the summer ahead rather than buying things just because they’re discounted. A $30 shirt marked down to $18 is only a deal if you were going to buy a shirt anyway.

What to Skip During Memorial Day Sales

Just as important as knowing what to buy is knowing what to skip. Not every memorial day deal is actually a good deal, and some categories are better purchased at other times of the year. According to NBC News shopping experts, here’s what you should hold off on:

• Laptops and computers — wait for back-to-school sales in August or Black Friday in November
• Gaming consoles — the best bundles and price drops come during Black Friday and holiday sales
• Headphones and earbuds — Amazon Prime Day in July consistently offers better prices
• Smart home devices — Amazon discounts their own products most aggressively during Prime Day
• TVs (mostly) — while you’ll see some TV deals, the truly steep discounts come in November

The general rule is that personal electronics see their best prices during Amazon Prime Day (expected in July 2026) and Black Friday (November 2026). Memorial Day is really about the home — appliances, furniture, mattresses, and outdoor living. Stick to those categories and you’ll get the most value for your money.

How Tariffs Are Changing Memorial Day Deals in 2026

Here’s something that makes this year’s memorial day deals a bit more urgent than usual. NBC News experts described Memorial Day 2025 as a “pivotal moment” for consumers because brands were beginning to raise prices as U.S. warehouse inventory shrank, particularly in response to ongoing tariff pressures. That trend hasn’t reversed heading into 2026.

What this means in practical terms is that the inventory currently sitting in retailer warehouses was likely purchased before the latest round of price increases. Once that stock is sold through, replacement inventory could come at higher costs that get passed on to you. Walmart, in particular, was flagged by analysts as a retailer expected to adjust pricing upward as tariff impacts work through the supply chain.

So if you’ve been on the fence about a major purchase — a new refrigerator, a patio set, a grill — this Memorial Day might offer better prices than you’ll see later in the summer or fall. That’s not a scare tactic; it’s basic supply chain economics. At Deal Drop Today, we always tell our readers to buy when the deal is genuinely good, not to panic-buy, but this is one of those years where waiting could actually cost you more.

Smart Shopping Tips to Maximize Your Savings

Finding memorial day deals is the easy part. Making sure you’re actually getting the best price takes a little more effort. Here are proven strategies that consistently save shoppers money during this holiday weekend:

Compare prices across multiple retailers before committing. Tom’s Guide’s team, with 18 years of covering these sales, emphasizes this as the single most effective strategy. The same appliance or furniture set can vary by hundreds of dollars between retailers, even during a sale. Spend 15 minutes checking prices at two or three stores before you buy.

Check price history before assuming a deal is real. Some retailers inflate their “original” prices before a sale to make discounts look bigger than they are. Browser extensions like CamelCamelCamel (for Amazon) and Honey can show you whether the current sale price is actually lower than what the item has sold for recently.

Sign up for retailer newsletters and apps a week early. Many stores offer early access or exclusive coupons to email subscribers and app users. Best Buy, Target, and Walmart all do this. A few minutes of setup before the sale can unlock additional savings or first dibs on limited inventory.

Stack discounts when possible. Look for opportunities to combine a sale price with a store coupon, credit card cashback, or loyalty program points. Target Circle, Best Buy Rewards, and similar programs can shave an extra 5-10% off an already-discounted price.

Read the return policy before you buy. Memorial Day purchases, especially furniture and mattresses, may have different return windows than regular purchases. Know what you’re agreeing to so you’re not stuck with something that doesn’t fit or doesn’t work.

Memorial Day Scams to Watch Out For

This is a topic we take seriously at Deal Drop Today because the scam landscape around major shopping holidays has gotten significantly worse. According to AARP’s consumer protection research, 39% of consumers reported experiencing fraud after buying through a social media ad in 2025 — up from 35% the prior year. That’s a troubling trend that shows no signs of slowing down.

Here are the most common memorial day deals scams to watch for:

Fake e-commerce sites. Scammers create websites that look almost identical to real retailers — same logos, same layout, similar URLs. They run ads on social media promoting unbelievable deals, collect your payment information, and either send you nothing or a cheap counterfeit. According to the Better Business Bureau, you should always navigate directly to a retailer’s official website rather than clicking promo links in emails or social media feeds.

Phishing texts posing as shipping notifications. During and after the holiday weekend, watch for text messages claiming a package couldn’t be delivered or needs address confirmation. These are designed to harvest your personal information. If you’re expecting a delivery, check the status directly through the retailer’s website or app — never through a link in a text message.

Social media ads with too-good-to-be-true deals. If you see a name-brand grill for 80% off or a mattress for $99, it’s almost certainly a scam. Legitimate retailers don’t discount products to the point of losing money. Malwarebytes security researchers have documented a sharp increase in these fraudulent ads around major shopping holidays.

Gift card tampering. The National Consumers League reports that 72% of consumers plan to purchase gift cards during sales events, making them a prime target. Scammers physically tamper with gift cards on retail racks, copying the codes and then draining the balance once someone loads money onto the card. Always buy gift cards from behind the register or from the retailer’s website, and check the packaging for signs of tampering before purchase.

For additional guidance on protecting yourself from shopping scams, the FTC’s online shopping safety guide is a solid resource worth bookmarking. If you encounter a suspicious site or deal, you can verify unknown sellers on BBB.org before handing over any payment information.

Retailer-by-Retailer Breakdown

Here’s a quick rundown of what to expect from the major players during memorial day deals season in 2026, based on their historical patterns:

Amazon — Broad discounts across every category, but the best deals tend to be on Amazon’s own products (Fire tablets, Echo devices, Ring cameras). For appliances and furniture, compare Amazon’s prices against specialty retailers.

Best Buy — The king of appliance deals during Memorial Day. Expect up to 50% off major appliances, plus strong sales on TVs and home theater equipment. Their member deals program often includes additional savings.

Walmart — Competitive across the board, especially on everyday items and summer essentials. Watch for rollback pricing on patio furniture, grills, and outdoor toys.

Target — Good for clothing, home décor, and smaller household items. Target Circle members get early access and extra discounts. Not the strongest for major appliances.

Wayfair — The go-to for furniture and home décor. Their Memorial Day clearance events can be genuinely impressive, with patio furniture and area rug discounts that are hard to beat.

Home Depot and Lowe’s — These two compete fiercely for your outdoor living and home improvement dollars during Memorial Day. Compare their prices side by side on grills, patio sets, tools, and garden supplies. One almost always undercuts the other on specific items.

Nordstrom — Fashion-focused with their Half-Yearly Sale often overlapping this weekend. Best for clothing, shoes, and accessories at 40% off or more.

Mattress Firm and Casper — Both run their most aggressive promotions of the spring during Memorial Day. If a new mattress is on your list, these should be your first two stops.

Final Thoughts: Make Your Memorial Day Deals Count

Memorial Day 2026 is shaping up to be a significant shopping event, and the combination of tariff pressures, strong consumer spending momentum — the National Retail Federation reported that 2025 holiday retail sales surpassed $1 trillion for the first time — and competitive retailer inventory make this a weekend where real savings are genuinely available.

The key to making memorial day deals work for you is simple: know what you need, know what it should cost, compare prices across retailers, and don’t get distracted by flashy discounts on things you weren’t planning to buy. Focus on the categories where Memorial Day truly delivers — appliances, mattresses, outdoor furniture, grills, and summer clothing — and leave the electronics shopping for Prime Day and Black Friday.

Stay alert for scams, shop directly from trusted retailer websites, and remember that if a deal looks too good to be true, it almost certainly is. With a little preparation and the right timing, you can save hundreds of dollars this Memorial Day weekend on purchases you were already planning to make. That’s the kind of deal that’s actually worth celebrating.

Browse the latest deals and discounts at Deal Drop Today.

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