Ever wonder where you were from, and what the dynamic of your family is like? In the past few years, DNA test kits have grown immensely in popularity, and around big shopping events you can score big discounts. Normally, Black Friday brings some of the year’s lowest and best pricing to these kits, and we don’t expect Black Friday 2019 to be any different.
There are a whole lot of kits available right now, though, so you’ll want to do a little bit of research ahead of your purchase to make sure you are purchasing the right one.
What type of DNA test kits are available?
With all the DNA test kits out there, it can be pretty confusing deciding which to buy at first, but it’s easy to narrow down which to choose based on what you’re looking to discover. Family ancestry tests are the most common. Otherwise known as Autosomal tests, these tests can help you identify living or recently-deceased relatives that you didn’t know about previously, as well as your long-term ancestry and genetic health. They’re useful in building family trees, too.
Some services will offer Y-DNA and mtDNA tests. These offer a more specific look at either your father’s or mother’s side of the family. Y-DNA tests can only be taken by males and help to trace your father’s lineage. They can also be used as a paternity test. Meanwhile, the mtDNA tests can be taken by both males and females to trace your mother’s lineage.
Other DNA tests include additional information on your health, carrier status reports, and more. You can go in-depth with tests for skin care, weight, food & pet sensitivities, and the list goes on. There’s even a DNA test for your pet that can tell you more about your animal, its ancestry, and how best to care for it. Some of the test kits you can find online will tell you more about your:
- Ancestry
- Living Relatives
- Paternity
- Health + Wellness
- Allergies
- Weight
- Skin
- Pets
Which DNA test kit is the best?
While this answer is a bit subjective, there are three test kits that keep coming up as the best in all the research that we’ve done. Kits from 23andMe, AncestryDNA, and MyHeritage consistently come out on top for their wide-reaching searches and informative results. However, the best one to choose comes back to what you’re looking to discover about yourself or your history. While 23andMe is stellar for genetic health testing, AncestryDNA excels at genealogy and matching you up with your ancestors. MyHeritage is an even better pick for international matches and an advanced look into your genetics.
These aren’t the only test kits to consider either, as other options can be better suited depending on what you’re hoping to find out. While African Ancestry’s DNA test might have a smaller match database, it’s more valuable than many others as an in-depth look at African lineages.
Does a DNA test kit make a good gift?
Though it depends on the person, most of the time a DNA test makes a great gift. It’s a great option to get someone who’s impossible to buy for, and it’s unlike most other gifts as your recipent will get to learn a wealth of information about themselves once all is said and tested.
Best Black Friday DNA Test Kit deals
AncestryDNA: Genetic Ethnicity Test
With this easy-to-use test kit, you simply send a saliva sample to AncestryDNA’s lab using the included prepaid package and receive your results in six to eight weeks.
You’ll learn your ethnicity estimate with informative geographic detail and in-depth historical insights, along with your connections to living relatives and more. You can even sign up for an Ancestry subscription for access to billions of records and millions of family trees to help you learn more about your genealogy and origins.
Who are you?
AncestryDNA: Genetic Ethnicity Test
Back at one of its best prices ever, this test tells you more about where you come from, giving you what’s known as an “ethnicity estimate”. It will show different regions that make up your estimate, how your ancestors moved around, and more.
$59 $99 $40 Off
See at Amazon
23andMe: Ancestry + Traits Service
Discover what makes you YOU. 23andMe’s Ancestry + Traits test will take you through your ancestry composition and where your DNA is from, while exploring both your maternal and paternal ancestors and how they moved around the world.
The Traits service is one of the more fun kits you can choose, as you’ll receive reports on things like hair photobleaching and freckles. You could learn more about your taste and smell preferences, your ability to match a musical pitch, and more.
More info…
23andMe: Ancestry + Traits Service
With this 23andMe kit, you’ll learn all about your ancestors as well about your close family members from across the world; maybe some you didn’t even know you had.
$79 $99 $20 Off
See at Amazon $79 at Best Buy
23andMe: Health + Ancestry Service
This 23andMe testing kit includes all the infomation you’d receive with the Ancestry + Traits kit above, but for just $20 extra, you’ll also get an in-depth look at your genes and your health, including your chances of develping certain health conditions or whether you’re a carrier for inherited conditions. You’ll even learn about how your DNA affects your well-being and how that could influence certain choices you make.
This is 23andMe’s best kit that’s now 50% off! A well-rounded kit like this is perfect for giving as a gift to a close family member or friend during the upcoming holiday season.
All you need to know
23andMe: Health + Ancestry Service
Along with everything the Ancestry + Traits test above includes, this service also includes wellness reports, carrier status reports, and health predisposition reports. These breakdowns could inform you of your chances of developing issues like Type 2 Diabetes or Celiac Disease, being a carrier of genetic variants linked to health conditions, and more.
$99 $199 $100 Off
See at Amazon $79 at Best Buy
MyHeritage
MyHeritage provides the most comprehensive list of ethnicities of all the testing kits, including 42 regions with 7 East Asian regions among them. With a simple cheek swab that takes only two minutes to complete, you’ll be able to find out more about your ancestry and relatives you never knew existed, from both your mother’s and father’s side of the family.
MyHeritage uses its massive global database to provide you with worldwide DNA matches. Free and paid subscription options for further family history research are available as well.
Let’s go deeper
MyHeritage: Ancestry & Ethnicity Genetic Testing
Clip the on-page coupon at Amazon to score this deal. MyHeritage’s DNA test kit gives you a detailed breakdown of your origins from among 42 different ethnicities from around the world. That’s more than any other test can provide. You’ll also gain information on living or recently-deceased relatives, as well as the ability to build your own family tree online or using the free MyHeritage app.
$59 $79 $20 Off
See at Amazon
Basepaws
Basepaws provides the world’s first at-home cat genetics test so you can learn more about your furry feline friend, from breed to health, traits, and more. The kit uses a simple saliva swab sample that won’t be too difficult to obtain, and once sent of to Basepaws, you’ll receive results within 6 to 9 weeks.
Basepaws’ data is continually expanding and currently includes 4 Breed Groups and 18 Breeds to give you better insight on your cat. You’ll also receive a health report that includes over 39 genetic mutations to watch for which are linked to 17 genetic conditions. It’s always good to know of any potential health concerns as early as possible, and Basepaws can help.
Don’t forget Kitty!
Basepaws Cat DNA Test: Breed + Health Reports
As seen on the ABC hit show Shark Tank, this DNA test is designed for your favorite feline friend. You’ll learn more about your cat’s breed, health, and any potential genetic conditions that could be extremely helpful to know of ASAP. It just requires a simple saliva swab too.
$89 $129 $40 Off
See at Amazon
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