Reviews
Every #1 has a scored verdict, who it's for, and who should skip it. Original notes that are not a ranking live on /notes — doorbells without a plan, a light Windows laptop, an AI seat if you already pay ChatGPT.
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best smartphone
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
The default recommendation if you already own AirPods, a Watch, or a Mac. Video is still the class of the field; the rest of the phone is 'good enough' in the ways that matter daily.
9.5
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best video doorbell
Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 3rd gen)
The head-to-toe 1:1 view is the feature everyone else still copies badly. Gemini-class alerts are useful when they work; the transformer requirement is real.
9.3
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best security camera
TP-Link Tapo C660 Kit
4K with local storage that does not feel like a dare. The kit pricing is why Tapo keeps showing up on this site.
9.1
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best camera
Canon EOS R6 Mark III
The do-everything body. AF that sticks, video that is not an afterthought, stills that print.
9.5
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best action camera
GoPro HERO 13 Black
The default action cam. Mounts, Quik, and a body that has been drop-tested by the entire internet.
9.2
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best EV
Hyundai Ioniq 5
KBB keeps giving it Best Buy for a reason: packaging, 800V charging, and NACS on current cars. It is the EV that feels like a product, not a science fair.
9.4
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best smartwatch
Apple Watch SE (3rd generation)
The correct Apple Watch for most humans. Crash detection, notifications, and fitness that is good enough without Ultra money.
9.4
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best fitness tracker
Oura Ring (current gen)
The sleep wearable you forget is on you. Membership is the catch. Comfort is the reason it wins.
9.1
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best wireless headphones
Sony WH-1000XM6
The default. QN3 ANC, 12 mics, and a clamp that finally got more comfortable than XM5. This is the headphone we tell almost everyone to buy.
9.6
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best wireless earbuds
Sony WF-1000XM6
The earbuds we recommend when we do not know your phone. ANC, app, and a case that is not a brick.
9.5
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best laptop
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026)
The laptop we tell civilians to buy. Silent, bright enough, all-day, and still the best trackpad in the business.
9.5
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best tablet
Apple iPad Air (M3)
The tablet that does not feel like a compromise. Fast enough for real apps, light enough for a bag, Pencil that tracks your hand.
9.3
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best TV
LG C-series OLED (C5/C6 class)
The default OLED. Games, films, and a webOS that still has the apps. Buy last year's C on sale if the new one is a tax.
9.4
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best robot vacuum
Roborock Q7 M5+ / Qrevo class
The default robot. Navigation that does not get lost, a dock that eats the bag, and an app that civilians can use.
9.2
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best mechanical keyboard
Keychron Q1 Max / Q series
Gasket, QMK/VIA, aluminium. The board that ends the 'should I build' argument for most people.
9.2
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best gaming handheld
Steam Deck OLED
The one that made handheld PCs real. OLED, SteamOS, sleep that works. Still the recommendation.
9.3
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best smart speaker
Sonos Era 100 / 300
The speaker you play music on. Alexa/Sonos Voice is attached. Sound is why it is first.
9.2
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best drone
DJI Mini 4 / Mini 5 class
The drone you actually fly. Light, clever avoidance, a camera that is 'good' not 'cinema'.
9.3
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best AI coding assistant
Cursor
The editor that made 'tab tab tab' feel obsolete. Agent mode on a real repo is why it sits at 9.6 on our desk.
9.6
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best AI image generator
Midjourney
The aesthetic default. Discord-or-web, still the one art directors open when they want 'expensive'.
9.3