The LeapPad 2 is one of the most popular gifts for kids this Christmas. Last year the first LeapPad sold out long before Christmas so where’s the best place to buy a LeapPad 2 right now?
Best UK LeapPad 2 deals
Leapfrog’s LeapPad 2 Explorer tablet for children offers lots of great software without the parental fear of handing over a full-bloodied, web-enabled tablet to their kids. See our LeapPad 2 review and watch our LeapPad 2 video reviewed by a six-year old child.
It’s available in two models: a green LeapPad 2 and a pink model, too.
Prices for each differ depending on the retail outlet you look at. See also: Best tablets for children
The LeapPad2’s recommended retail price (RRP) is £89.99, but the tablet is available for a lot less if you hunt around for the best deals.
So we shopped around for the best online and retail places to buy the LeapPad 2, and evaluated the best deals available today.
Best place to buy LeapPad 2: Amazon
One of the first places parents will go to look for the best LeapPad 2 deal is online retail giant Amazon.
Despite its reputation Amazon isn’t always the cheapest place to buy products, and that’s true with Leapfrog’s LeapPad 2.
In the past pink versions of kids’ tech toys commanded a premium price. With the LeapPad this seems not to be the case.
Amazon sells the green LeapPad 2 for £67.99, and the pink version a little cheaper at £64.49.
As usual with Amazon you can opt for free delivery, but you need to opt out of First Class (up to two business days) and click “Free Super Saver Delivery” (3 -5 business days). First Class delivery via Amazon adds a hefty £6.01 to the price for a total of £74 for the green model.
So unless you’re desperate to start wrapping up extra early go for the slightly longer but free delivery option.
Best place to buy LeapPad 2: Argos
Watch out for Argos because the retailer is still offering the first version of the LeapPad on its online store.
Argos sells the LeapPad 1 for £49.99 (down from £69.99), in either pink or green.
The first version of the LeapPad looks much like the LeapPad 1 – the difference being one lower-quality (0.3-megapixel) camera rather than two 2.0-megapixel cameras. The LeapPad 2 also features a faster processor, better memory capability, and improved battery life.
Argos does sell the newer version for £69.79, pink or green.
Delivery costs an extra £3.95 – pushing the total price to £73.74.
However, you can opt to Reserve To Collect In Store, which saves you the delivery charge. You’ll need to input your postcode to check on your local store availability of the item.
Best place to buy LeapPad 2: Toys R Us
Giant toy retailer Toys R Us sells both the green and pink LeapPad 2 models for £63.99 – the cheapest price we found in our search.
However, delivery prices add from £4.95 to £9.95 to the price – making it at £73.94 potentially the most expensive, too!
The delivery costs depend on when you want the LeapPad delivered. Not around for delivery during the week? Saturday delivery is the near-tenner shocker.
As with Argos you can choose to Click & Collect from a Toys R Us store, which takes away this delivery charge. But that’s not a help if you don’t live near a Toys R Us store, obviously.
Best place to buy LeapPad 2: Early Learning Centre
ELC is one of the more expensive retailers of the LeapPad 2, selling the children’s tablet for £71.99 (pink or green).
Delivery (within 4 working days) is free, so might be a better deal than the more expensive Toys R Us total price.
Next Day delivery costs £7.95. Orders placed before 5pm will be delivered the next working day to mainland UK, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man.
When we were shopping (November 21, 2012) here was an online deal of 20% off when you spend £75 or more – so if you’re buying a bunch of toys ELC is an attractive option for bulk buying.
Best place to buy LeapPad 2: Tesco
Every little helps, says Tesco – which of course offers Clubcard points when you purchase from its stores.
Tesco Direct, like Amazon, sells the different colour LeapPads at varying prices: £71.99 for the green LeapPad 2, and £64.49 for the pink model. When we looked Tesco did not have the green model in stock, although this – like all the deals here – might have changed by the time you’re reading this.
If you don’t opt to Collect from Store there’s a £3 delivery charge on both versions.
Best place to buy LeapPad 2: elsewhere
Of course the LeapPad 2 is available from other online stores and smaller independents. The massive buying power of the above retailers means that these will likely be the cheapest, however.
Best LeapPad 2 deals
The cheapest LeapPad 2 we could find is the collect-from-store deal from Toys R Us, at £63.99. If you can’t make it to a Toys R Us store, however, delivery charges send the price shooting up.
Amazon and Tesco Direct’s pink LeapPad 2 comes in close at £64.49.
The Early Learning Centre’s LeapPad 2 price looks steep, but free delivery and the chance to lop 20% off the total price if combined with other purchases make it possibly the best price around. Take 20% off the £71.99 and you’re looking at a very reasonable £57.59.
Please note that all the prices we found might change at the time you go searching for the best LeapPad deal, but we expect general prices to remain consistent – depending on stock availability.
One thing we do recommend is to buy early before – as last year – stocks run out.
