If you're only looking at the sale prices listed in the newly released Kohl's Black Friday ad, you're doing it all wrong.

We predicted that Kohl's would hold onto its Black Friday ad until late next week, but this year Kohl's has opted for a November 1st release date.

On its surface, Kohl's is just another Black Friday sale, offering roughly the same prices as everyone else on the same stuff. The Fitbit Charge 2 HR for $99.99. A $299 doorbuster 4K TV, and oh, enough, this is getting boring already, we're going to see it all in every other major ad release. Right?

Not so fast. Underestimating the Kohl's Black Friday sale is a classic blunder, right up there with starting a land war in Asia and going in against a Sicilian when death is on the line. The combination of sale prices plus stackable coupons plus Kohl's Cash and Yes2You points is not just powerful, it makes it one of the best Black Friday sales around, period. Before we get to why, though, let's take care of some housekeeping:

When is Kohl's Black Friday sale starting?

The sale will last for five days beginning on Monday, November 20, and feature $15 Kohl's Cash for every $50 spent throughout that entire period. While some of the most enticing deals will be available as early as Monday, the splashiest doorbusters will go on sale in-store at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day – an hour earlier than last year – and will be up for grabs (while supplies last) until 1 p.m. on Black Friday. Doorbusters will be available online beginning at 12:01 a.m. Central on Thanksgiving Day. Quantities are limited, so we recommend staying up until midnight on Wednesday if you've got your eye on one.

2016 vs. 2017

We've been comparing Black Friday ads visually in our analyses this year, and while Kohl's did a pretty good job of changing up the layout on some pages, there are quite a few that look pretty much the same right down to the price tags. First, let's take a look at a page with one of our favorite recurring Black Friday deals:

While the sale price and rebate amounts on the coveted KitchenAid stand mixers have varied over the years, the price after rebate never does. (It's also the best time of the year to buy one, FYI.) The prices on the Ninja blenders and food processors also look familiar.

Another page that is suspiciously similar every year is this one featuring luggage deals. There's no denying that these prices are excellent, but they also mostly haven't changed in several years.

The Value of Kohl's Cash and Yes2You Rewards

For the last few years, Kohl's has offered an additional 20% off most items with a coupon that can be applied at checkout, and 2017 is likely no exception. Plus, during the holiday shopping season, Kohl's gives customers $15 back in Kohl's Cash (up from the usual $10) for every $50 spent. If you're not sold on the idea that Kohl's Cash should be considered in the value of a deal, think of it like getting a gift card bundled with every purchase you make that's over $50. Because that's literally what it is. And once you grasp that, you can use it strategically, say, by buying a big ticket item on Black Friday, then spending the Kohl's Cash from that purchase on other smaller holiday gifts later. The potential here is HUGE.

Also, the usual rules apply to Yes2You rewards, accruing 1 point per $1 spent and 100 points earning a $5 credit. It's a little slower than Kohl's Cash, but has value all the same.

Both of these incentives are obviously a huge part of what makes a deal a deal at Kohl's, so our analysis of the best deals below will account for all of that where possible.

When the coupons actually make the deal worse

One interesting consequence of combining the expected 20% off coupon with the $15 per $50 Kohl's Cash offer is that there's a narrow range where you'll save more by skipping the coupon, because the discount knocks you out of range for Kohl's Cash and the amount you'll save is less than the amount of the Kohl's Cash you'd earn. If your cart total is anywhere between $48 and $59.99, the discount is worth less than the Kohl's Cash you'd miss out on.

Let's look at one of our favorite deals as an example. All sizes of American Tourister Burst Spinner Luggage is marked down to $59.99, and you can apply the 20% off coupon to your purchase. That takes the price down to $47.99, a discount of $12, but that leaves you just short of earning $15 Kohl's Cash. So long as you place a high value on Kohl's Cash (as we do here at Brad's Deals), then skipping the coupon discount so you can collect the Kohl's Cash is a better option by $3.

Of course, this only matters if that luggage is the only item you're purchasing, and honestly, who does that at Kohl's?

One More Note About Kohl's Cash...

After many years of scrutinizing the Kohl's Black Friday ad and finding calculation errors, we've learned to always double check the Kohl's Cash. That means that sometimes our numbers may not match what the ad says. Since we make these calculations literally every day of the year to bring you the deals, we're pretty comfortable with the Kohl's Cash and Yes2You totals we give below.

The KitchenAid mixers in the side-by-side comparison above are a great example of why you should always double check the Kohl's Cash for yourself. They've figured it here on the post-rebate amount when it should be calculated on the price you pay at the register.

However, it's worth noting that all of our Kohl's Cash notes ultimately are just estimates presented as if the item we're discussing is the only item you're purchasing. Remember, Kohl's Cash is calculated on your cart total, not on the individual items in your order.

Before we jump into the best Black Friday deals, some important notes about our list:

• When our picks for the best Kohl's deals listed below are coupon eligible, Kohl's Cash and Yes2You rewards are based on the price after the 20% off coupon is applied.
• We don't know 100% for sure that we'll see a 20% off coupon, but history has taught us to expect it. Check our collection of active Kohl's coupons before you shop, and read through our guide to using Kohl's coupons to learn how you can get the most from them.
• Kohl's Cash and Yes2You rewards for the items below are calculated as though buying each item individually. Obviously if you buy multiple items in combination, that's going to change the Kohl's Cash and Yes2You points that you earn.

Our Favorite Kohl's Black Friday Deals for 2017

Microsoft Xbox One S 500GB Console
Ad Price: $189.99 (was $279.99)
Coupon Eligible: no
Kohl's Cash: $45
Yes2You: $5

The $189.99 price tag is just $10 higher than a refurb we saw on this same console back in May. Plus, it comes with $45 of Kohl's Cash and $5 Yes2You, which by far blows away any deal we've ever seen. If other retailers match this price, the only way they'll compete with Kohl's is to bundle it with a $50 gift card.

Sony PlayStation 4 1TB Console
Ad Price: $199.99 (was $299.99)
Coupon Eligible: no
Kohl's Cash: $60
Yes2You: $10

Our comments about the PlayStation 4 closely mirror those above for the Xbox One. You'll earn $60 in Kohl's Cash and $10 Yes2You, so it'll take a price match and $70 gift card for other retailers to compete.

Microsoft Xbox One S 1TB Halo Wars 2 bundle with console, two controllers, and downloadable game
Ad Price: $329.99 (was $349.99)
Coupon Eligible: no
Kohl's Cash: $90
Yes2You: $15

We'll be honest – we've seen this bundle for $299 at the online Microsoft Store twice this year, so at first glance this might not measure up. But $90 Kohl's Cash and $15 Yes2You more than makes up for it.

Fitbit Charge 2 heart rate + fitness wristband
Ad Price: $99.99 (was $149.99)
Coupon Eligible: no
Kohl's Cash: $30
Yes2You: $5

Fitbits have made for popular gifts over the last few years. We found this particular model for $74.50 at AT&T Wireless in July, but the Kohl's Black Friday deal is better when taking the Kohl's cash and Yes2You into account.

Samsung 55" 4K ultra HD smart TV (UN55MU6290)
Ad Price: $499.99 (was $999.99)
Coupon Eligible: no
Kohl's Cash: $150
Yes2You: $25

Although we don't know the refresh rate on this Samsung, it appears that we found a similar set with 120Hz refresh rate for $499.97 at PC Richard & Son in early October. once again, judging a deal by the price tag alone doesn't tell the full story. The Kohl's Cash earned on this purchase is what sets it apart.

LG 49-in 4K UHD smart LED TV (49UJ6300)
Ad Price: $399.99 (was $699.99)
Coupon Eligible: no
Kohl's Cash: $120
Yes2You: $20

As of 10/30, this exact same set was available for $449.99 and came bundled with a $100 gift card at Dell. And Dell is an unexpectedly great place to buy TVs during the holidays. However, the Black Friday deal on this set at Kohl's is even better, offering $120 back in Kohl's Cash and a bonus $20 back with Yes2You.

Nest Learning Thermostat
Ad Price: $199.99 (was $249.99)
Coupon Eligible: no
Kohl's Cash: $60
Yes2You: $10

Everyone who sells Nest will sell it for $199.99 this year, but only at Kohl's will you earn $60 of that back in Kohl's Cash.

Sky Drones HD PRO X1 VR streaming drone with battery and VR goggles
Ad Price: $69.99 (was $149.99)
Coupon Eligible: no
Kohl's Cash: $15

Not gonna lie, my inner 12 year old wants to fly a drone that's showing me the world in VR as it zips about. The Sky Drones HD PRO X1 gets a deep Black Friday discount and will give you a taste of what it's like to fly.

Select Toastmaster Kitchen Electrics
Ad Price: $16.99 (was $29.99)
Coupon Eligible: Yes (20% off = $13.59)
Mail-In Rebate: $12 (price after rebate: $1.59)

A perennial Black Friday favorite that often makes our annual list of best Black Friday deals, this crop of small kitchen essentials for $1.59 each after coupon and mail-in rebate is practically robbery. Your options include a mini blender, mini chopper, hand mixer, 1.5-qt. slow cooker, can opener, 2-slice toaster, and a 5-cup coffee maker.

Instant Pot DUO60 6-qt 7-in-1 pressure cooker
Ad Price: $79.99 (was $149.99)
Coupon Eligible: Yes (20% off = $63.99)
Kohl's Cash: $15

It's only natural that Kohl's would be the place to look for an incredible Black Friday deal on an Instant Pot, the trendiest kitchen appliance of 2017. We've seen Instant Pots sell for as little as $72 after coupon plus $10 Kohl's Cash earned, and that was the best deal we'd seen – until now. Add the expected 20% off coupon to your cart to bring the price down to just $63.99, and get $15 Kohl's Cash instead of the usual $10. We predict that a lot of home cooks will find an Instant Pot with their name on it under the tree this year.

KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer model KSM150PS
Ad Price: $339.99 (was $379.99)
Coupon Eligible: Yes (20% off = $271.99)
Mail-In Rebate: $60
Kohl's Cash: $75
Yes2You: $10

We've devoted entire articles to Kohl's Black Friday deal on KitchenAid stand mixers. It's undeniably the single best time to buy one, and KitchenAid's collection of attachments and accessories turn their stand mixers into surprisingly versatile all-purpose workhorse kitchen tools. We usually put the Classic in this spot, but this year we're highlighting the Artisan, which only ends up costing about $25 more for a slightly larger bowl and much wider color selection. The Classic is still an incredible deal, of course.

Pyrex 24-pc storage set
Ad Price: $19.99 (was $59.99)
Coupon Eligible: Yes (20% off = $15.99)

If there's such a thing as "too much Pyrex," I have yet to discover what that limit is. This set is not unique to Kohl's, and as of publication we don't yet know how competing offers will be priced, but that 20% off coupon certainly makes Kohl's a compelling option.

Food Network 3.5-qt enamel cast iron Dutch oven
Ad Price: $19.99 (was $69.99)
Coupon Eligible: Yes (20% off = $15.99)

Does your favorite cook have one of these yet? No? Congrats, your holiday shopping is done. Brightly colored enameled cast iron casseroles were popularized by high-end kitchen brand Le Creuset, but the knockoffs from the likes of Food Network we've seen pop up over the last few years have brought the style to the masses in a more affordable fashion, and Black Friday put them in range of even the tightest budget.

American Tourister Burst Spinner Luggage 
Ad Price: $59.99 (was $259.99)
Coupon Eligible: Yes (20% off = $47.99, but see our notes below)
Kohl's Cash: $0 with coupon, $15 without it

All sizes of this sturdy hard-side luggage will be priced at $59.99 per piece, but the 28-inch case is where you'll maximize the value. Note that this is the rare case (ha!) where adding a coupon may not actually be in your best interests. You can do this one of three ways:

1. Add the 20% off coupon we expect to see that week for an discount of $12.
2. Skip the coupon and take home $15 Kohl's Cash.
3. Find a way to add at least a penny to your order, then add the 20% off coupon to snag the discount and the $15 Kohl's Cash.

We're rather fond of option 3 in this case, since you're just one lonely penny away from getting the Kohl's Cash. (Don't forget, get within $2 of the nearest $50 increment and Kohl's will just round up and call it good.) You can find a list of Kohl's cart fillers here, starting from $1.99. Or you can try one of the Toastmaster kitchen appliances listed above, which work out to $1.59 after the rebate.

iRobot Roomba 635 vacuuming robot
Ad Price: $289.99 (was $399.99)
Coupon Eligible: Yes (20% off = $231.99)
Kohl's Cash: $60
Yes2You: $10

Dyson Ball Animal 2 upright bagless vacuum
Ad Price: $299.99 (was $499.99)
Coupon Eligible: No
Kohl's Cash: $90
Yes2You: $15

Dyson is the gold standard amongst vacuums for a reason. Black Friday is one of the best times of year to buy them. The Dyson Ball Animal 2 was a deal when we found it for $389 from Home Depot in early October. Getting it for $299.99 plus $90 back in Kohl's Cash is an outright steal for some serious quality.

Hotel Suite white goose feather and down comforters
Ad Price: $49.99 (was $179.99)
Coupon Eligible: Yes (20% off = $39.99, but see our notes below)
Kohl's Cash: $0 with coupon, $15 without coupon

I love down comforters in the winter and know just how expensive they can be. If you can afford one, they're so incredibly worth it. Whenever we see them this cheap, telling you about it becomes a moral imperative.

Like the luggage above, this is a rare Black Friday deal where you can have a coupon or Kohl's Cash, but not both unless you get your cart up to at least $48 after all discounts.

The Big One bath towels
Ad Price: $2.99 (was $9.99)
Coupon Eligible: Yes (20% off = $2.39)

We run deals on The Big One bath towels with some regularity, most recently for $3.39 after coupon just a couple weeks ago. The extra dollar discount afforded by the killer Black Friday sale + coupon combo means the savings stack up when you stock up.

Remington Shaving & Body Hair Grooming gift set
Ad Price: $99.99 (was $199.99)
Coupon Eligible: Yes (20% off = $79.99)
Mail-In Rebate: $50 (price after rebate: $29.99)
Kohl's Cash: $15

To be honest, this deal caught us off guard this year when we realized how good it was. The numbers don't lie – this $200 kit ends up costing you just $29.99 after a coupon and mail-in rebate, and if that isn't ridiculous enough, you then earn $15 back in Kohl's Cash on the deal. Madness!

HeatKeep packable down jacket for women
Ad Price: $29.99 (was $100)
Coupon Eligible: Yes (20% off = $23.99)

Did I mention that I'm a big fan of down-filled gear? Chicago winters will do that to you. These packable down puffer jackets aren't exactly Canada Goose, but it's a great option for those with more modest budgets and no plans for an Antarctic expedition.

Croft & Barrow flannel shirts for men
Ad Price: $9.99 (was $36)
Coupon Eligible: Yes (20% off = $7.99)

How do you turn your summer tees into winter wear? Pair them with a flannel shirt, of course! Apply the expected 20% off coupon and you can buy four for roughly the price of one. The selection is huge, with checks and plaids to suit everyone.