Televisions were the most popular electronics items over the Thanksgiving weekend in the US, with consumers attracted by cheap prices rather than compelling features.

Vizio, currently the number one LCD HDTV brand in the US, says it sold 280,000 sets last week, up 40 per cent on the previous year’s figures.Retailers cut prices by around 22 per cent for the week – the most promoted TVs were 32-inch LCDs, cut to an average $369 from $490, according to the iSuppli research firm.

The third category in our seasonal look at the year’s essential gadgets is internet-enabled TVs, which do carry a premium, although there are plenty of set-top devices that add the internet to your TV without the need for an integrated set (see a selection of our reviews below this post). Read more