The 2024 Esquire Gadget Awards

Apple has charged into the AI space in a way that is undeniably Apple—and we love it. Apple Intelligence is fully proprietary. Text summarizing, proofreading, and everything Siri does runs on-device. If you ever need AI services from something other than Apple Intelligence—like ChatGPT generative writing—Apple gives you a big warning that you’re going off-device. For privacy nerds, that’s huge. Thank you, Apple.

For the past few years, AI has been the most talked-about area of innovation in phone releases. But 2024 was the first time it felt like AI should be the main talking point. It’s not just running background tasks anymore, Google Gemini will edit photos, summarize messages, and give you the best circle-to-search experience we’ve ever had. Add a beautiful case and a super-powerful camera and you’ve got a phone everybody wants to use.

We love smartwatches but honestly hate the way they look. No company has ever done the good-looking smartwatch at a reasonable price. Until now. This year, Hong Kong–based smartwatch company Globics got together with the famed Italian design studio Pininfarina to make this, the Pininfarina Sintesi. It looks nice enough to wear to dinner, tracks everything a tech-y smartwatch would track, and has an incredible weeks-long battery life.

We love that Leica released a more affordable option this year. The much anticipated D-Lux 8 is a first-rate quick-snapping camera that’ll live with you for decades. The upgrades on this one—OLED viewfinder, enhanced Leica app compatibility, DNG formatting, UHS-II card support, a new interface, a backscreen resolution increase of 48 percent, and easier customizability—prepped it to be loved by the masses, even though Leica produced only a limited number.

We see Meta’s glasses as the most likely AI-assistant product to have real longevity. This is what computing is going to become. The speakers let you stealthily listen to music without needing to put in earbuds or play it out loud. Taking pictures requires one tap. AI assistance is just one “Hey, Meta” away. The privacy laws are still getting ironed out, so in the meantime, don’t be a creep.

Handheld PC gaming devices have finally evolved to give gamers what they‘ve always dreamed of: the ability to play brand-new releases wherever they go. The ROG Ally X from Asus is the most powerful gaming handheld on the market, and it’s got a stunning 120Hz VRR screen. It’s perfect to pick up and play for quick sessions but doesn’t give your hands fatigue during those longer binges.

With the Surface 7, Microsoft made a lightning-fast Windows laptop with an elegant touchscreen and a battery that just won’t quit. An AI-powered neural processing unit handles a lot of tasks that used to be done by a CPU or GPU. This means the computer saves processing space and runs faster than it would previously. It’s the best work machine we’ve used in years.

Norwegian tech brand reMarkable was already the leader in the world of productivity-focused e-paper notebooks. But adding color to the new Paper Pro is the biggest leap forward we’ve experienced on an e-paper screen. (To keep it brief, we’ll just say it’s a ridiculously complex design.) On top of that, the brand worked with its most active users to create the perfect productivity tablet.

The Ricoh 150 does one thing: It acts as a portable second screen. But it does that job so resolutely that it’s a marvel of straightforward tech design. The OLED screen, simple connection setup, and cord management make it a remarkably elevated second screen. Read the full review here.

Dyson’s new WashG1 wet cleaner sorted out the mental hurdles for mopping—the bucket, the water, the ringing, the drying, the dumping of the bucket. Mopping is now easy, efficient, and satisfying as hell. One tank will let you glide over three thousand square feet, and the suction picks up both wet and dry messes. It takes up some space, but compared with a traditional mop and bucket, it’s more effective, better looking, and more space saving.

We live in small city apartments, and it’s rare to find one of these all-in-one towers that doesn’t overpower your home layout. LG’s CordZero is big, but it has everything you need to clean. Plus, it easily fits into a corner and fades into the background. It auto-empties and compresses dirt and dust, so you only have to toss the bag every once in a while. It does everything without commanding too much attention, exactly as a vacuum should be.

Shark’s new vacuum (plus mop!) turned us robot-vacuum skeptics into believers. The typical complaint about these is that they get stuck on cords, rugs, etc. But not this time! The brand worked hard on updating its technology, which now allows the vacuum to lift up its cute little back end to climb over rugs and bumps. Setup is a breeze, and with a self-emptying base, maintenance is even easier. It’s our robot of the year.

We’ve tested a lot of air purifiers over the past ten years, and most of them have been underwhelming. This year, the Mila Smart Air was the only one that provided everything we needed: impressive air-cleaning technology, good design, and no unnecessary tech features we’ll never use. Put it in the corner and it performs like a dream. That’s all you need.

More coffee machines were tested in the Esquire offices this year than any other product. This is a serious category for us. Hands down, the Baristina Premium was our pick for a small espresso machine that will look good in any space. It’s stylish in any color combination you choose, and it works like a champ. The pure simplicity of it is its best quality—no hype, just a great cup of joe.

If you want to get nitty-gritty about the pressure, the grind size, the temperature-variable pulls, and the perfect cup of coffee, we can do that, too. Our preferred machine is a De’Longhi, and the La Specialista Opera is the best machine we’ve ever gotten our hands on. Bonus points for the pro-level look of the stainless-steel body.

Careful, reader: If you click that link, Rocco Fridge ads will take over your for-you page. That’s what happened to us, and we decided to investigate. Long story short, 2024’s buzziest home gadget deserves the hype. When paired with its app, it’ll let you control the temperature from anywhere and see your drinks inventory. The look can be bold or subtle, depending on the color. The influencer fridge is well worth its price tag.

Not to get carried away, but we’re drinking the best water in New York City. The SimPure is a seven-step purification system that is so impressive you can instantly taste how clean the water is. The machine can deliver chilled water in just thirty seconds, and the handy pitcher and water-bottle filler makes it a designer winner, too.

Our tester accepted the new Ascent Series Vitamix into their home reluctantly. They had a still-functioning fourteen-year-old Vitamix, but the improvements of the past decade and a half were obvious. In 2024, you get the same ridiculously powerful whirrrrr at a fraction of the weight and size. The fourty-eight-ounce pitcher still fits plenty. There’s a digital-control set that includes a timer, as well as a smart system that recognizes whether you’re plugging in a pitcher or a blending cup or bowls.

Like we said in our review of the fifty-five-inch model, you can spend a lot more money on a TV, but you don’t need to. This Google TV has it all: 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, game accelerator mode. Sports fans, cinephiles, gamers, and even YouTube video-essay obsessives will all see how this TV makes their day-to-day easier.

TVs are a hot topic in the office, especially Art TVs. We often debate whether they’re a necessity. We can all agree that the new Hisense Canvas TV is 100 percent the best one on the market. It performs ten times better than its competitors. The picture is disturbingly clear, and the entire setup is streamlined to be as simple and elegant as possible.

There’s no shortage of portable projectors on the market, but the issue with most of them is user interface. XGIMI solved this by actually licensing Google TV for the MoGo 3 Pro. The result is a portable projector that works seamlessly with all of your apps. Netflix, Disney, Max—it’s all there with simple log-in processes. Plus, the colors are great, and the attachments—like a battery and stand—make it a real do-all portable projector.

It’s a CD player—it can play Bluetooth now as well—with a world-class speaker system attached. What’s the big deal? Well, it’s the sexiest example of Bang & Olufsen’s commitment to circular design. Here, the company bought back old models of its Beosound 9000 CD player, updated them for the Bluetooth age, and sold them to collectors. Elsewhere, it’s making new cradle-to-cradle certified devices with modular mechanical components. So as innovations come along, devices can more easily be serviced to keep up—and keep Bang & Olufsen products out of landfills.

Quietly, our favorite Apple release of the year was the AirPods 4. Noise cancellation on non-ear-tip buds was the draw, but we were really wowed by the overall performance. Without ear tips, some noise leaks in, but the ANC is comprehensive. They fit perfectly, like Apple earbuds of old, and you can buy a pair for under $200. Nothing fancy, nothing difficult: This is Apple at its good-looking, crowd-pleasing best.

Speaking of design, the Dyson OnTrac was a surprise contender in our best-headphones race. After the Dyson Zone, we expected more air-purifying gimmicks. But the OnTrac stripped everything down to the essentials and consequently created a top-notch pair of headphones. The noise cancelling is best-in-class. The sound is first-rate. And the look, with metal ear caps and oversized ear cups, is cooler than anything else we’ve seen in a while. In a category that’s grown stale otherwise, Dyson is pushing things forward.

Our second headphone shoutout goes to Sonos, because it had such an undeniably “Sonos” take on its first Bluetooth headphone release. For critical music listening, these are fantastic, but it’s in the TV-watching department that they come alive. When they’re paired with a Sonos soundbar, you can seamlessly switch audio into them. Partner and kids falling asleep? Pop on the headphones, switch to internal audio, and enjoy the movie without waking up the house. This is next-level at-home entertainment.

There’s a big issue with speakers these days: They’re ugly. Tasteful wood inlays are out; sleek, black, and boring are in. Samsung’s fix this year is one we were especially fond of. These are speakers hidden as real printed picture frames. Have one on the bookshelf in the office for ambient work music. Put two on the entertainment set for room-filling sound. The tech is great, but the look makes it award-worthy.

As we just said, our main beef with tech is how everything looks. There’s no design, no natural materials. San Diego–based company Wrensilva hand-builds beautiful modern record consoles. Switch easily between vinyl and Bluetooth, and even pair your console with a Sonos system to stream lossless vinyl audio to the rest of your home. If you want luxury sound that adds value to your home design, Wrensilva is the way forward.

Therabody has become much more than just a massage-gun brand. Last year, the light face mask was our top pick, and this year we’re all fighting to use the depuffer. Maybe it’s because we all need a little relaxation, or perhaps we have an obsession with anti-aging. Either way, there’s nothing better than using this after a long day.

We don’t want to play favorites on this list, but Eight Sleep’s Pod 4 is one of them. The smart mattress cover controls temperature and sleep position for two, adjusting to you throughout the night. The sleep tracking and statistics are incredible. It truly is innovative and life-changing—and we don’t say that lightly. Get one and you’ll never sleep better in your entire life. If you splurge on one item here, make it the Pod 4.

“Recovery devices,” like these wirelessly connected compression boots, are marketed to high-level athletes like cyclists and runners. For those people, they’re great, and they already know that. But those of us with poor circulation can get just as much out of them. After a session, you can feel the blood flowing through your body like never before. Putting them on after a long flight will absolutely change how you feel after recovering from travel.

Think of your options for an at-home sauna. It’s either custom build, which starts at $3,000 but can easily cost more, or one of those weird sauna blankets. SaunaBox changes the game. For $400, you have a fully sealed pop-up steam room. A fiberglass frame makes it easy to transport, and thanks to the heat-insulated cover, it’ll get hot enough for even the most dedicated sauna users.

These are an absolute must for swimmers. Imagine tracking your splits through your goggles in real time. You suddenly get so much insight into how you swim—it’s like having your own personal trainer on your eyes. They’ll make a good swimmer great, and they’ll help anyone hitting the YMCA to get some low-impact laps in.

When it comes to adventure watches and top-of-the-line fitness tracking, no one has been able to unseat Garmin. The brand-new fenix 8 just seals the deal. New features: a forty-meter dive rating and an insanely bright AMOLED screen. Add to that weeks of battery life—or a month with the solar version—and you’ve got the world’s best adventure watch.

Samsung’s smart ring, called the Galaxy Ring, is the one to beat in small wearables. Not because it’s vastly superior to its main competitor; it records data and functions almost identically. The superiority comes because Samsung doesn’t require a subscription for deep-dive Galaxy Ring data. The only reason this would cede sales to any other smart ring is that it’s Android only. Besides that, it’s our favorite on the market.

We know what you’re thinking: How can hearing aids be exciting? But if you know anyone who needs them, you’ll understand. Most models until now have been clunky, difficult to operate, and surprisingly expensive even with insurance. Eargo is putting forward a direct-to-consumer model that offers an easy setup and a user-friendly experience, making them more affordable for everyone. They function almost like Bluetooth earbuds. Genius.

When Ooni hit the mainstream market, there were plenty of skeptics. But those skeptics disappeared because the pizza-oven market is so deep that Ooni had no trouble selling this year’s twenty-four-inch at-home model. The $1,000 price tag seems steep, but this is a restaurant-level pizza oven. It heats up quickly and consistently, and it can cook a twenty-inch New York–style pie. You used to have to pay a few grand to build a brick one of these.

The Pedal AWD [S] is equipped with two 1000W motors, front and rear. That gives it an incredible amount of torque. It’ll pull itself up the steepest hills even with two people on it. In terms of pure power, it has a top speed of up to 36 mph in sport mode. The best part, though, is that it can handle some light off-roading. If you’ve got beaches or fire roads near you to tear up, this thing is more than capable.

The issue with LED outdoor lights is that harsh digital effect. We prefer butane-fueled lanterns solely for the style of light they produce, but you can’t deny the practicality of battery power. Snow Peak’s Hozuki lanterns have been the only quality alternative, but now there is a Mini Hozuki, too. It’s more packable and practical for interior tent lights, but it still has that soft candle-like glow that we love.

Putting a stroller on this list might seem strange, but it’s the most tech-savvy stroller on the market, so it fits right in. All parents know what it means to auto-rock a stroller even when you’re not thinking about it. The e-Gazelle has auto-rocking technology—how incredible is that? Plus, it offers hill and weight assistance for when you need a little boost. This is the future of strollers.

We had a recent debate in the Esquire offices about the future of home security. How much better can it really get? Obviously, Ring is here to answer that. The brand’s newly updated Floodlight Cam performs better than previous models, with new features like speak and hear capabilities. Plus, it can now more accurately detect motion, leading to fewer false alarms. We also love the sleek black design, because at night it blends right in…and that’s what we want.

The Solo Stove is a beloved camping gadget here at Esquire, but the Fire Pit Surround has made it even better. The perforated design of the tabletop keeps it cool to the touch. Even with a roaring fire, you can rest cold drinks and snacks on it. The powder-coated steel and UV-resistant fabric are year-round durable, so all you have to do is cover it when it’s not in use.