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These are the gifts our Testing Lab liked best
With the holidays upon us, it’s time to kick into high gear for all your gift shopping. Choosing the right gift for friends and family can be challenging, but we thought we’d lend a helping hand by showing you the 25 best gifts the BestReviews Testing Lab tested in 2023.
Many products were a big hit in our lab, making them worthy gift considerations for any loved one. Some of our favorites include the OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder and the iRobot Roomba i4 EVO Wi-Fi Robot Vacuum. However, we’ve got plenty of other terrific gift ideas, such as fitness trackers, tablets, air purifiers and hairstyling tools.
The 50 best Christmas gift ideas of 2023
How the BestReviews Testing Lab works
The BestReviews Testing Lab consists of regular people who unbox, analyze and test products like the average consumer. Essentially, our testers carefully inspect products for noticeable issues and test features and functionality to determine if the quality, performance and design hold up. This helps you save time and money and serves as a guide for helping you select only the best products when shopping online.
We’re eco-conscious, and we make it a priority to help local communities wherever possible. We often donate tested products to organizations like the Lighthouse Community Public School near our main testing center.
The 25 best gifts of 2023, from our Testing Lab
They’re ranked, in order, from No. 1 to No. 25. But even No. 25 is a worthy gift!
1. OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
Our testing team was able to set up this coffee grinder in under five minutes and brew everything from coarse cold brew to fine espresso. It doesn’t make any mess and is one of the best coffee grinders available for $100.
2. National Geographic Rock Tumbler Kit
Those interested in geology will love this rock tumbler kit for polishing everyday rocks into shimmering gemstones. Our testing team was impressed with how easy the kit is to use and how smooth the gems look, with few noticeable imperfections.
3. iRobot Roomba i4 EVO Wi-Fi Robot Vacuum
The iRobot Roomba i4 is a sophisticated robot vacuum that our testing team found was more efficient at directing itself than other iRobot Roombas, such as the 692 and 694. It doesn’t get stuck on shag-type rugs and leaves no visible residue.
4. Fitbit Charge 6 Fitness Tracker
The slim, lightweight wristband design, long-lasting battery life and accurate health-tracking sensors made this fitness tracker a big hit in our Testing Lab in 2023. It has a high-quality build, and connecting it to a phone is effortless.
This wine cooler can store up to six wine bottles, and its small form factor is the primary reason it was such a hit in our Testing Lab. Plus, the digital display and external controls make it easy to adjust the temperature.
6. Apple iPad Air 5th Generation
As one of the best tablets, we would’ve been surprised if our testing team wasn’t pleased with its performance. The crisp display provides excellent picture quality, and the lightweight build makes it suitable for traveling.
7. Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer
Our Testing Lab was pleased with how compact the oven is and the multiple cooking functions it has, making it a suitable replacement for multiple kitchen appliances and allowing you to clear up space on your counter.
Our testers were impressed with this tablet’s fluid operating system and the crisp display that renders colorful visuals. It’s an excellent entertainment device with good battery life and wireless charging capabilities.
9. Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro
Testers found this air fryer to be one of the best of 2023 since it consistently delivers fantastic results. It has 13 preset cooking modes, including dehydrating, and evenly cooks foods and gives them a crispy exterior.
10. Echo Dot 5th Gen
Our testing team liked this smart speaker for its easy setup process that lets you integrate it seamlessly with other compatible smart devices on your network. Voice recognition is solid and reliable, and sound quality is adequate for a speaker of its size.
11. DeWalt 20V Max XR Multi-Tool Kit
What our testing team loved most about this multi-tool kit is that no warm-up time is required, and the battery life lasts long enough for simple do-it-yourself projects. It offers adjustable cutting angles and has an ergonomic grip and trigger.
12. Dyson Airwrap
The last thing you want is to damage your hair with extreme heat when styling it, but you won’t have to worry about that with the Dyson Airwrap, which our Testing Lab found works exceptionally well for all hair types and lengths.
Our Testing Lab was blown away by how easy this air purifier is to operate, given its complexity. It’s whisper-quiet, and the air quality indicator provides a simple, constant indication of your home’s air quality.
According to our testing team, this system is perfect for those who want to set it up and let it work its magic as they wait for sprouts to emerge. Each pod has the herb’s name printed on the top, so you can see it easily when checking on the indoor garden.
15. Aeropress
The testing team was more than satisfied with the taste of the coffee brews this machine makes. It doesn’t make a mess, and its portable design makes it perfect for traveling.
You’ll feel like you’re writing on actual paper with the Kindle Scribe, an excellent device for taking notes and journaling. The visuals and adjustable brightness make it ideal for reading virtually anywhere.
17. Cadence Capsules
Our Testing Lab was impressed with this capsule’s durability, as it wasn’t damaged when dropped from shoulder height. It’s perfect for storing medicine, lotions and body wash and is suitable for three-day trips.
Although these slippers are lightweight, our Testing Lab found them surprisingly sturdy and comfortable. They look great and can be worn in mildly chilly fall weather.
19. Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer
With three fan settings, three heat settings and five styling nozzles, our testing team declared this hair dryer one of the best of 2023. Hair doesn’t get caught in the fan and it runs quietly.
The Testing Lab was pleased to see that this bag has several pockets and compartments for storing personal items, including phones, wallets, passports, keys and makeup.
21. Sony WH-1000XM5
These outstanding noise-canceling headphones were among the best we tested in 2023. They boast excellent sound quality, deep bass, convenient touch-based controls and intelligent mode switching.
This press has innovative filters, which our testers agreed are vital in its process of making tasty brews with low sediment, good flavor and medium body.
According to our testing team, the best thing about this air purifier is that it features temperature controls and delivers improved air quality. It’s an efficient air purifier and perfect for small spaces.
24. Staub Dutch Oven
Our testers appreciate the studded, dotted interior lids that cause moisture to drip back into your food, leading to fortified flavors and letting you simmer it for several hours. Plus, it delivers consistent results.
25. NuFace Trinity+
The Testing Lab was pleased with how well it tightens the skin and appreciates the simple controls that make it easy for anyone to operate.
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Kevin Luna writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.