Endless queues and swelling crowds: out. Quieter stores and online sales: in. The Black Friday sales have changed a lot since squabbling shoppers made headlines in 2014, and this year's sale - which falls on November 24 - looks to be better than ever, not least for high street favourite John Lewis.

Last year's Black Friday was the biggest ever week in the department store's trading history, including their largest ever day on Friday 25 November. The retailer sold more than £200m worth of goods over the course of the event.

But what can we expect from the high-street giant this year? From televisions to cookware, The Telegraph delves into how you can make the most of the bargain weekend at John Lewis.

What deals will there be?

It's too early to tell exactly which items will be discounted and by how much, but it's likely that the retailer will slash prices on items similar to those which proved popular last year: homeware, electricals and fashion.

In terms of how much items will be discounted, we can take a look at some of the deals that were available last year to get a sense. A Sophie Conran 12-piece table set, for example, was available for 40 per cent less than the original price. A Sonos PLAY:1 smart speaker in black was down to £139 from £169, and a must-have KitchenAid 150 stand mixer was down to £299.95 from £449.95 (a save of £150).

Fashion was popular too, with best sellers including Ted Baker and Michael Kors in women's accessories, Barbour in menswear and womenswear, and Calvin Klein pyjamas and lingerie.

There were even better deals to be had on televisions, including a £250 save on a Samsung UE4)kU6020 HDR 4K Ultra HD smart TV, 40" with freeview HD, Playstation Now and PurColour.

Get ready for the big day

The key to bagging the best bargain when Black Friday arrives is to have a clear wish list and budget. Decide on which items you want, how much you are prepared to pay for them, and why they are right for you.

If you fancy sprucing up your wardrobe at John Lewis, check out their size guides for menswear and womenswear, which account for both casual and formal dress, as well as specifics such as men's jeans and lingerie so you don't have to spend time faffing around with sizing on the day.

Remember John Lewis' Never Knowingly Undersold promise

The department store promises to match prices of products with competitors, a handy titbit to remember come Black Friday. Keep in mind they don't match requests for online-only retailers (like ASOS, Amazon and AO.com) and that the price match doesn't include installation fees or delivery costs.

To make a request for a cheaper price, use their online form. You can make a request either before or after you buy a product from them; if you've already bought it, you can only make a request within 28 days of your purchase.

How to choose a TV

When choosing a new TV, it's important to consider the screen size. John Lewis stock TVs from 22" to 75", and recommend an ideal 'viewing distance' of 1.5 times the size of the screen.

Consider the size of your living room and don't be afraid of getting the tape measure out to measure how far you are likely to be sitting in relation to the screen.

How to choose the best speakers

Deciding on which speakers to buy depends on where in your house they are going to be, and what kind of listening experience you are after.

Consider how loud and full bodied you require the sound to be, as well as whether you are likely to be using for home entertainment or generally pottering around the house, cooking or whatever else.

If it's the latter then multi-room speakers that use wifi to coordinate and play sound across different rooms could be for you.

If that's beyond your budget, consider a portable wireless speaker from a brand such as Bose or Sonos: they can be handy if you fancy picking up a single speaker and bringing it with you around the house, and new technologies pack a surprising amount of ambience and bass into a small device.

Wired speakers - which often double as docking stations - are best for kitchens and bedrooms.

If you are more inclined towards a speaker that will be fixed in a single room, do make sure it's a good fit with the space. Carpeted living room with lots of soft furnishings will absorb sound more than an office with hard flooring and minimal furnishings, for example.

Larger rooms require larger sound to fill the space, and can also accommodate a greater variety of set ups such as sound bars or separates - great for home entertainment.

It's also worth swotting up on the type of headphones you would like, if you are likely to purchase a pair during the sale.

How to choose food preparation appliances

Who hasn't splashed out on a brand new kitchen appliance, only to banish it to a dust-gathering tenure at the top of a shelf? The key to choosing food preparation kit is to be realistic about the kinds of food you are likely to prepare, how often, and the technical specifications you require to make it.

If you are only going to be whipping cream then a hand mixer will do. If you intend to bake on a regular basis, then a stand mixer will make your life easier. Move up a level to a top-end mixer with plenty of attachments if you're a wizard in the kitchen and fully intend to wow dinner party guests with all the trimmings.

The same principle applies to juicers and blenders. If you're likely to be knocking up natural breakfast smoothies most mornings then a high performance blender is a wise investment. If you just want some freshly squeezed orange juice from time to time, a modestly priced, hand-operated juicer will do.

Food processors - which are more compact and versatile than stand mixers - can be used for making soup, baby food, bread, smoothies, dips and more.

When choosing how powerful you wish your machine to be, think in terms of the type of motor and not simply the wattage. Generally, a series motor is the one found in more basic models of food processor - it's a belt driven motor which can operate at different speeds, fairly noisily. 

Induction motors are found in more expensive models. They are quieter but only operate at one speed. Drive motors are fairly similar and use a minimised amount of wattage.

How to choose the best cookware

When buying pans, consider suitability with your hob. If you have a gas hob or a radiant spiral hob then any type of pan can be used, but other types of hob may require specific materials, shapes and sizes.

Induction hobs only work with magnetisable metal such as cast iron or steel. Aluminium or copper can be used but only if the base is bonded with a magnetic metal.

Halogen and solid fuel hobs work best with pans with thick bases, while solid hotplates are best with pans with a flat base. 

You should also take into account whether the pan is dishwasher safe and the types of food your are likely to cook.

When assessing the suitability of a pan, consider the material it's made from.

Lastly, do make sure the cookware fits nicely with the colour scheme and aesthetic of your kitchen.