One of the best things about working at WIRED is that we get to touch all of the latest gadgets—everything from headphones to ebikes to cameras to blenders—before anyone else. We test each of those things thoroughly, then write considered reviews of them that help you decide how to spend your money.
When the holidays come around, however, you don’t want to have to read a bunch of reviews to figure out what things would make the best gifts. If you wanted to do homework, you’d go back to school! Here’s something way more fun: This is a list of all of our favorite things we tested, rode, used, tasted, read, or otherwise experienced this year. We’re sure there’s something in our Wish List that’s exactly what you’re looking for.
Be sure to check out our many other gift guides, including ones for audiophiles, PC gamers, and frequent travelers.
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POC Obex BC SPIN
POC’s new snow sports helmet is full of features to save adventurers’ brains (thick shell, rotational impact protection pads) and bodies: It has an industry-standard sensor that rescuers can use to find you and an NFC-enabled chip that stores medical data. So when you gonk your noggin on a tree and wind up unconscious, the ski patrol can swoop in, scan the chip, and get to work.
Moosejaw
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1More Stylish
Since Apple’s AirPods popularized the idea of truly wireless listening, everyone is taking a stab at wirefree headphones. 1More has made the pair most worth a listen. Like all wirefree sets, they have no cords and come with a charging case. Unlike the competitors, 1More’s buds have a comfy, stay-put fit, crisp audio, a reasonable price, and more than six hours of battery life per charge.
Amazon
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Fellow Carter Mug, 16 oz.
The vacuum-insulated mouth on this totable coffee mug is wide enough to accommodate a pour-over dripper, and the ceramic coating in the 16-ounce interior preserves all the nuanced flavors of single-origin bean juice. The lid locks liquid inside with a 270-degree twist, and the thin stainless steel rim is designed for drip-free sippin’.
Amazon
