Best Products of 2024: Last-Minute Gifts from a Fantastic Fry Pan to a Rockin' Robovac
Another year, another few hundred products tested, tortured, and reviewed. From cars to kitchen appliances, we cover a wide swath of tech-related gear over the course of 12 months. Here are the best items we lived with over the past year, any one of which would make for an ideal Christmas or holiday gift.
Stay Aware
With earbuds commonly costing several hundred dollars, true wireless earbuds can be a significant investment. And woe is thee who loses one in an airline seat or commuting to work. Less expensive earbuds make more sense for a lot of us who just want something that delivers decent sound reproduction, can handle the occasional phone call without hiccuping, have an ambient mode so you can stay aware of your surroundings--and don't cost an arm and a leg. Creative's $80 Aurvana Ace 2 fit the bill nicely, using cutting edge MEMS technology to deliver higher frequencies in conjunction with a conventional 10 mm dynamic driver to handle lower frequencies. The earbuds also support Qualcomm's better-than-average aptX streaming format.
Stay Warm
Remember when grandma used to give everyone woolen mittens for Christmas? Yeah, well, these are better. Gordini, which is a Vermont company that's something of staple when it comes to winter gloves and mittens since the 1950s has a deserved reputation for handling frigid Northeast winters. The Mountain Crew Artist Mitts maintain that tradition. The mitts use synthetic leather, a waterproof liner, and water repellant 600-fill down. A reinforced thumb seam and leash make them them great for backcountry skiing or snowmobiling, and they're comfy and pretty to boot.
Stay Covered
Merino wool is the ideal thermal layer to keep you warm, dry, and, well, stink-free. Ridge, which is based in Mammoth Lakes in California, has combined 84 percent Merino with 16 percent nylon for a soft, flexible, and resilient mid-weight layer. Skiers, hikers, and anyone out in the elements for any length of time will appreciate the Ridge Merion Aspect. Ridge is also a 1% for the Planet member, so 1 percent of your purchase goes toward supporting environmental non-profits, which need your support now more than ever.
Stay Fed
There are been plenty of "the best frying pan" picks on gift lists. However, most have been flash in the pans, gone by next Christmas. The Circulon C1 is a pan that's going to stick around for a long time, even though it's, well, nonstick. The 12.5-inch model boasts a fully stainless steel clad body, but is induction compatible and has a "ScratchDefense" surface. Most cookware that claims to be resistant to scratches is somewhat less so, but after months of testing, with wooden and the occasion steel utensil, the C1 has maintained is unmarred surface. It's also great at maintaining an even heat, works in ovens up to 500 degrees, and the Circulon design means you can sear when you want to.
Stay in Shape
As physiotherapists and researchers are constantly reminding us, sitting around is bad for us. But we don't necessarily have to run or do exercise to get a health benefit. Walking will do. However, inclement weather can foil our efforts during the winter months. Enter the Merach T26 Walking Pad, an inexpensive, easy to set up, and effective fitness machine. It weighs less than 40 pounds so a single person can move it where they need it, even slide it under and out from a desk with ease. It includes a remote control, but doesn't include railings, so those with balance issues should take note. We found it durable and perfect for brisk walking (up to 3.8 mph). It is not intended for running. Additionally, Merach includes a tool and belt oil with the pad for occasional servicing—and so you keep walking.
Stay in Touch
Smart watches can be invaluable digital factotums, tracking your heart rate, exercise routines, sending you notifications and messages from your smartphone, and handling sundry other tasks. But most require Tamagotchi-like attention, constant charging, and a delicate touch. Not the Amazfit T-Rex 3, with lasts for weeks on a single charge (depending on use), works seamlessly with Android phones, and is rugged and waterproof. It also does an excellent job tracking runs, automatically recognizing the fact that I was on the move, and it endured everything I threw at it from rough mountain hiking and biking to water and snow. The watch can work with 400 different exercises and during weeks of testing it even automatically registered treadmill workouts with a prompt to start tracking that, too. It's also got several convenience features, like voice recognition for speech-to-text messaging, and a sharp 1.5-inch AMOLED screen that makes it a pleasure to use.
Stay Clean
Robovacs have come a long way in 20 years. Models like this one from Roborock can now empty themselves into a base station, as well as wet mop hardwood and tile floors and apply extra suction to carpeted areas. The Qrevo Curv boasts 18,500 pa of suction power (translation: Pascal pressure units, which mean it's powerful enough to handle tight pile carpets). It also can tell the difference between carpet and hardwood or tile floors, and then automatically switch between vacuuming the living room and damp mopping the kitchen floor. In my testing, the Roborock Qrevo Curv was gentle enough to use even on soft pine wood floors. I also loved the video camera it uses to avoid obstacles (and to avoid Rover's accidents), which can also be accessed live over the Internet from a smart phone as an additional security feature (audible warnings alert anyone at home that the camera is on). Lastly, the Roborock Qrevo Curv obeys voice commands, such as "Rocky, clean the kitchen." If only the rest of life were so simple.
Sold Out? Check out the other Roborock we've reviewed at OntheRoadtoAutonomy.
Stay Dry
A major transition you'll witness this year is the shift away from harmful polyfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) used in weatherproof gear to more sustainable
coatings that don't poison the environment. One of the finest rain and wind jackets that we reviewed this year that is also free of PFCs is the Ortovox Civetta Jacket. We tested it from Norway to the Northeast in the rain, driving sleet, and a mixture of we-don't-know-what-to-call-it nasty weather. It kept us dry in soaking Tallin and cool hiking up sunny summits in Vermont. And it's soft as butter, stretchy, and super lightweight at 0.39 pounds, so you barely feel it's there. Initially listed at over $300, it's steal at the current $158 price.
Stay Grounded
Growing up above the 49th parallel, we faced some harsh winters, and we faced them wearing mukluks, the traditional footwear created by indigenous peoples who are expert at surviving the cold northern reaches of the country. You can still get mukluks, in an updated form, from Manitobah, which is based in Winnipeg. The version we love is the Tundra Mukluks, a lace-up pair with waterproof leather and a glue-like rubber sole the company calls "Glacier Grip." The shearling lining makes these some of the most comfortable boots we've ever worn, as does the natural moccasin fit, which means there is no left or right foot. The more you wear them, the more they conform to your particular feet. (Tip: I put a hidden L and R mark inside the boots when I'm breaking them in.)
Stay Entertained
The television market is a very competitive space, but Hisense's U8 Series TV managed to distinguish itself thanks to its excellent color picture, full-array local dimming (for better contrast), and modest price. The Hisense U8 set uses micro-LED backlighting (meaning there are lot of individual lights behind the LCD display) and a quantum dot layer to maintain a rich color palette. The smart TV also uses Google TV's software and interface, so you get access to all the latest streaming services. And the 55-inch set we tested has the latest NextGen TV receiver for cord cutters using antennas for over-the-air high-res broadcasts. Shoppers should also note that TV prices are expected to rise sharply in the new year in the U.S. due to forthcoming tariffs. So you might want to pick up a Hisense U8 TV for yourself during the holidays.
Stay Hydrated
Every brand seems to have a water bottle on the market. However, the leader in terms of quality, strength, and pure utility is still Hydro Flask. Our favorite this year was the Yellowstone version of the National Park Foundation 32-ounce Wide Mouth bottle. Yes, it's big, but that means it can keep you hydrated all day. It is rated to keep liquids cold for up to 24 hours and hot for up to 12 hours. The company regularly donates money to programs focusing on sustainability and public parks in the U.S.
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