In the age of on-demand everything, it’s no surprise that we can get "dates" (and I use that term loosely) with the tap of a button. Thanks to classic hookup apps like Tinder and newcomers like Pure, finding a sexy new friend can be as straightforward as ordering a pizza. As for the quality? That’s about the same as your pizza — hit or miss, depending on the time of day, where you're located, and how hungry you are.

Fortunately, you’ve got me, your resident dating app expert (though I prefer modern-day Carrie Bradshaw), to guide you to the promised land, aka the best hookup apps.

I’ve spent the past three years (yes, years) researching, downloading, and testing dozens of the top dating apps to find the best ones for all kinds of daters, including the one-night-stand crowd. From discreet sexting apps to dating sites for serious relationships, I've swiped through them all. I also consulted a helpful panel of sex and relationship experts to make sure my picks are solid.

How to get the most out of hookup apps

My number one rule is to be brutally honest about what you want. Are you here for a good time? Own it. That means staying in your lane; don't go looking for a one-night stand on an app like eharmony.

"Hookup apps help prevent situations where people are on mainstream dating sites with the intention of having a casual hookup but are unclear about these intentions," Suzannah Weiss, resident sexologist for Biird and author of Subjectified: Becoming a Sexual Subject, tells Mashable. "They also give women a space to be openly sexual creatures without judgment."

And here's a little secret I picked up from Alexander Liebisch, the CEO and founder of TinderProfile.ai: Timing is everything. He found that people messaging on Tinder's "free tonight" feature after 10 p.m. on a weekend had a 45 percent higher chance of hooking up.

So, whether you're looking for a one-night stand, a regular FWB situation, or just a space to explore your sexuality, I've got you covered. Based on all my hands-on testing and expert consultations, I’ve broken down the best hookup app for every type of person and mood.

Recent updates to this guide

• Hinge: Hinge just keeps getting better, so I’ve bumped it up higher on my list as of October 2025. In our most recent update in July 2026, it still earns the top spot. Its user base is growing, and my own recent tests on the app have been surprisingly positive.

• Sniffies (added September 2025): I've added Sniffies, the map-based app for queer men, because it's been gaining a lot of traction. (It got a little too spicy for Apple and was pulled from the App Store, so it's now technically a dating site.) Don't say I didn't warn you about the NSFW content.

• FetLife (added September 2025): FetLife is my new favorite "Honorable Mention." It's not your typical hookup app; it's more of a social network for the kink community (and, oddly enough, the best hookup app for gamers). Just remember: it's a community, so don't treat it like Tinder.

• Plenty of Fish (removed January 2025): POF went through a rebrand recently, and honestly, I'm not impressed. My latest tests showed they got rid of key features like free messaging for non-matches, and I kept running into the same old profiles.

• Match (removed August 2025): I know some people say they've found casual hookups on Match, but that's not what it's for. Match is where you go to find a serious, long-term relationship, and I still recommend it for that. But for a hookup? You're just fishing in the wrong pond.

Why some popular hookup apps didn't make the cut

You might notice a few apps that pop up in ads or other lists are missing here. That’s intentional. I swipe through the good, the bad, and the downright sketchy so you don’t have to. For an app to make my list, it has to be effective, safe, and worth your time.

Here's a shortlist of apps that didn't make the cut this year:

• Wild: You’ve probably seen ads for this one. On paper, Wild sounds like the perfect casual dating app. In practice, the paywalls are aggressive, the distance filter doesn't work, and you have to pay for anything that's even remotely useful. Unless you're willing to spend serious cash upfront (and hope for the best), the experience feels limited compared to more open apps like Tinder.

• DOWN: This app (formerly "Bang With Friends") is known for its simple "Get Down" vs. "Get Date" feature. It sounds clever, but in reality, the experience is messy at best. Many users report feeling scammed by subscriptions that don't deliver matches, or finding that the few real people on there are... let's say "odd." It’s hard to recommend an app when the main user complaint is "Is anyone real?" Hard pass.

• Facebook Dating: Yes, Facebook has a dating section, and it’s surprisingly massive (and completely free, which is huge). While it's a decent option for casual dating, the vibe tends to be a bit more "friends of friends" and "relationship-focused" than the anonymous, no-strings energy you get from apps like Pure or Feeld. (For Mashable's Chance Townsend, signing up was "the most uneventful dating experience" of his life.) It's worth a shot if you're already on Facebook, but it didn't quite crack my top tier for hookups specifically.

I reviewed the Ninja Slushi when it came out in 2024 and have had a blast with it since. The Slushi is the easiest little machine to use, and I have a hard time finding any real cons about it. Perhaps the Slushi's biggest downfall is that it's such a hot commodity that it can be hard to land on one flavor for a group of people. At least that's the problem Ninja was aiming to solve when it released the Ninja Slushi Twist in May 2026.

What's special about the Ninja Slushi Twist?

Like the original, the Ninja Slushi Twist can turn room-temperature liquid into the perfect frozen slushy consistency in less than an hour, and no ice or pre-freezing is needed. The Twist doubles the fun of the original with two separate vessels for making two separate drinks at the same time.

Those drinks can be the same treat in two different flavors or can be two different recipes completely. Then, they can be dispensed separately or mixed together by swirling your glass with the dial on the drip tray.

Technically, you could sorta kinda mix flavors with a single canister Slushi. It'd just involve combining two recipes beforehand, like mixing two fruit flavors before they go in the Slushi. Except that doesn't fly with a picky strawberry daiquiri or strawberry margarita purist like me, which can make happy hour cocktails feel very boring for the rest of the group. The simplicity of the Slushi Twist's two canisters operating individually is a foolproof way to prevent the friendship-ruining lie that you can "barely taste the pineapple."

I also couldn't help but think about how clutch the Ninja Slushi Twist would be at large family gatherings. I originally convinced a friend's parents to get a Slushi for their beach house. My friend's siblings, nieces, and nephews come over all the time, and the Slushi has been a year-round hit. (The kids are always psyched to help with the recipe process — I would have probably been more excited about fractions at 10 years old if I were getting a slushie out of it.)

The Slushi Twist would allow the adults to make their margs and the kids to make their age-appropriate Baja Blast slushies at the same time, rather than one group having to wait for the first batch to finish.

The Slushi Twist slushes smarter and faster

Just like the original Slushi, you can make slushies, frappés, milkshakes, and cocktails (with or without alcohol) in the Ninja Slushi Twist. But instead of pushing a button to tell the Slushi what kind of drink you're making, the Slushi Twist already knows what to do. SlushAssist technology senses the mixture of ingredients in the vessel and chooses an optimal slush time and temperature for you.

The Ninja Slushi Twist (left) and the original Ninja Slushi (right). Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The Slushi Twist has clear lights to help with water and sugar ratios. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I followed the included booklet's recipe for three servings of frosé, which just involved rosé, cocktail juice, and some simple syrup (I mimicked that as best I could on the other side with white wine and pineapple juice). I'd have to manually select "spiked slush" on the original Slushi, but here, I just pressed the "Dual SlushAssist" button in the middle and let the Twist take the wheel. Less than 30 minutes later, both wine slushies were ready — and dare I say, an even smoother consistency than that of my favorite rooftop bar's.

4:51 p.m. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

5:08 p.m. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

You don't necessarily have to make the same type of concoction on both sides of the Slushi. Perhaps half of your brunch guests are craving espresso martini milkshakes, while the others would prefer frozen mimosas or bellinis. SlushAssist should recognize that one side's ingredients require a warmer temperature to preserve a creamy texture that can be poured and won't be chunky.

If you're only using one side of the Twist, you can just press the SlushAssist button on that side. Just one of the 72-ounce vessels is more than enough for me if I'm making a protein shake or fun drink by myself.

I also appreciate the Slushi Twist panel's addition of the specific "add water" and "add sugar" lights. The original Slushi doesn't have dedicated warning lights for either of those errors, only warning you that your ratio is off through a special pattern of blinking lights on the front. It's important to remember that Slushi concoctions sometimes require more math than you'd expect, and that making a low-sugar or sugar-free drink in the Slushi won't go well. Let us live, chemistry.

Correct water, sugar, and alcohol content of your mixture determines whether the Slushi machine actually slushes correctly. You need to keep an especially careful eye when you're going rogue and making up your own recipe, but ratios can be thrown off by changes as simple as doubling or halving a recipe.

Too much water or too much alcohol will make your mixture runny, while too little sugar could make your mixture freeze a little too well (like, into a block). Both errors could cause your machine to completely shut off by itself. Luckily, the included recipe book does a great job of explaining the appropriate percentages of each ingredient across a variety of recipe types.

Things to consider: What makes the Ninja Slushi Twist worth it?

While the original Ninja Slushi feels quite slim for being a whole-ass frozen drink maker, the Ninja Slushi Twist is significantly bulkier. The Slushi Twist measures 11.93 inches wide compared to the 6.54 inches of the single-vessel 88-ounce Slushi, taking up nearly double the width on your counter. There's nothing that Ninja can do about the inherent size difference, but it's something to keep in mind if you don't have a ton of free storage space.

Overall, the Slushi Twist absolutely works like it's supposed to. It chills liquids into fun frozen drinks in as little as half an hour, and isn't loud and obnoxious while doing so. The Twist requires very little manual intervention during slushing and is even easier to use than the OG model. Is the end result basically the same as something a blender can do? Sure. But I will die on the hill that the serotonin boost and hit of nostalgia of on-demand slushies make this ridiculous dessert appliance feel a little less extra.

Choosing between the original Ninja Slushi and the Ninja Slushi Twist should be super straightforward. Before buying, you surely already know whether your frozen drink needs are serious enough to justify a $399.99 machine that makes two flavors at once. If you have guests over frequently or have more than four people in your home, you'll probably get your money's worth out of the double vessels.

Trying to choose between the Ninja Slushi Max and Slushi Twist? If you're already going to spend $369.99 on the Slushi Max, you might as well spend $30 more and secure the variety made possible with the Slushi Twist instead. Across the two 72-ounce vessels, you get a full capacity of 144 ounces compared to the 150-ounce capacity of the Slushi Max.

Ninja Slushi Twist

$399.99 at Amazon

 

Shop Now at Amazon

A quick look at the best Prime Day 2026 deals we've spotted so far:

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Best robot vacuum deal

Dreame X40 Ultra Robot Vacuum

A$749 (was $2,799, 73% off)

Get Deal

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Best budget robot vacuum deal

Eureka E20 Plus

A$349 (was $862.95, 60% off)

Get Deal

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Best headphones deal

Bose QuietComfort Ultra

A$378 (was $649, 42% off)

Get Deal

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Best Laptop Deal

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 14IPH11 Aura Edition

A$1,429 (was $2,499, 43% off)

Get Deal

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Best Wearables Deal

Apple Watch Ultra 3

A$999 (was $1,399, 29% off)

Get Deal

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Best TV Deal

Prism+ Q75 Ultra 75" 4K QLED Smart Google TV

A$1,299 (was $1,843, 33% off)

Get Deal

Amazon's famed Prime Day sale has kicked off Down Under for 2026, with deals running across Amazon Australia until July 13. That means a whole week of eyewatering discounts on just about everything, with a strong focus on tech. If you need a new robovac, TV, headphones, or just about anything else gadget-y, now is the time. Below, we've listed the best deals we've seen so far and will be updating this page all week. Happy hunting!

Best robot vacuum deals

• EUREKA E20 Plus Robot Vacuum – A$349 (was $862.95, 60% off)

• ECOVACS DEEBOT N20 Plus Robot Vacuum Cleaner and Mop – A$429 (was $949, 55% off)\

• Dreame L10s Ultra Gen2 Robot Vacuum and Mop – A$409.99 (was $1,699, 76% off)

• Dreame F20 Eco Robot Vacuum and Mop – A$199 (was $599, 67% off)

• Dreame L40 Ultra CE Robot Vacuum – A$499.99 (was $1,499, 67% off)

• Dreame D30 Ultra Robot Vacuum – A$599.99 (was $1,499, 60% off)

• Dreame L10s Ultra Gen3 Robot Vacuum – A$639.99 (was $1,999, 68% off)

• Dreame L50 Ultra CE Robot Vacuum and Mop – A$1,299.99 (was $2,499, 48% off)

• roborock Q7T+ Robot Vacuum & Mop – A$399 (was $999, 60% off)

Best smart home deals

• Ring Battery Video Doorbell – A$39.90 (was $149, 47% off)

• Ring Spotlight Camera Pro (2nd Gen) – A$279 (was $399, 30% off)

• Blink Outdoor 4 Wireless smart security camera – A$29 (was $89, 67% off)

• D-Link DCS-8302LH FHD Weather Resistant Wi-Fi Camera – A$89 (was $199.95, 55% off)

• WUUK 2K Battery Operated Outdoor Security Camera – A$237.49 (was $369.99, 36% off)

Best smartphone and tablet deals

• Nothing Phone (2a) 5G 128GB – A$480.92 (was $529, 9% off)

• Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 5G 256GB – A$427 (was $599, 29% off)

• Lenovo Idea Tab 5G 11" 256GB + Lenovo Tab Pen – A$397 (was $949, 34% off)

• Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Lite 256GB – A$529 (was $799, 37% off)

• Samsung Galaxy Tab A11+ 256GB– A$477 (was $549, 13% off)

• Apple iPhone 16e (128GB) – A$894 (was $999, 11% off)

• Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro) – A$639 (was $949, 33% off)

• Samsung Galaxy S25 512GB – A$1,099 (was $1,599, 34% off)

Best wearable tech deals

• Garmin vívoactive 5 – A$346 (was $499, 30% off)

• Garmin Venu 3, GPS Smartwatch, AMOLED Display – A$595 (was $749, 21% off)

• Garmin vívoactive 5 Health and Fitness GPS Smartwatch – A$347 (was $499, 30% off)

• Garmin Lily 2 Classic, Silver – A$398 (was $469, 15% off)

• Google Fitbit Versa 4 Fitness Smartwatch – A$211.70 (was $356, 41% off)

• Polar Ignite 3 GPS Smartwatch – A$296.96 (was $499, 40% off)

Best headphone and speaker deals

• Bose QuietComfort SC Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones – A$239.99 (was $499, 52% off)

• Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless Headphones – A$278 (was $549, 49% off)

• Soundcore by Anker Q20i Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones – A$62.69 (was $119, 48% off)

• Sony WH-CH720N Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones – A$177 (was $259, 32% off)

• Bose SoundLink Flex Bluetooth Speaker – A$141 (was $249.95, 43% off)

• Sony SRS-XB100 Wireless Bluetooth Travel Speaker – A$68 (was $99.95, 31% off)

Best TV and home cinema deals

• LG 85-inch QNED80B Evo AI Mini LED 4K Smart TV 2026 – A$2,473 (was $3,499, 29% off)

• LG 55" QNED86 Evo AI Mini LED 4K Smart TV 2025 – A$899 (was $1,199, 25% off)

• Kogan 43" QLED 4K 144Hz Smart AI Google TV – A$446.24 (was $799, 44% off)

• Sony 50" X77L BRAVIA LED 4K HDR Google TV – A$679 (was $1,199, 43% off)

• SKYWORTH Q6600H 65" - QLED+ 4K Smart Google TV – A$749 (was $999, 25% off)

• Denon AVR-X1800H 8K AV Receiver – A$995 (was $1,299, 23% off)

• Yamaha A-S701 2-Channel Integrated, 100 W Stereo Amplifier – A$1,069 (was $1,499, 29% off)

• Kimwood FHD Mini Projector with Upgraded HiFi Speaker – A$85.49 (was $139.99, 39% off)

• VOPLLS 600 ANSI 4K Smart Mini Projector – A$168.99 (was $269.99, 37% off)

• WiMiUS Portable HDR10 4K Projector – A$379.99 (was $659.99, 42% off)

Best laptop deals

• Lenovo Legion 5i, 15.1" – A$2,398 (was $4,299, 20% off)

• Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15.6" FHD Laptop – A$664 (was $999, 34% off)

• HP OmniBook Ultra Flip AI 14" Laptop – A$3,498 (was $4,299, 32% off)

• Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 15.3" Laptop – A$999 (was $1,499, 33% off)

After a new PC? Check out the top computer deals on our sister site, PCMag Australia.

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With literally thousands of deals on Amazon.com.au, finding the good ones can be a laborious task. So we've done the hard work for you and tracked down the best deals on everything tech. If you enjoy window shopping yourself (AKA, scrolling), you can check out Amazon's Prime Day page.

You will need to be an Amazon Prime member to partake in the fun. If this isn't you, fear not! You can grab a no-obligation 30-day free Prime trial and still get in on the action.

What is Amazon Prime Day? Is it different in Australia?

In 2026, Prime Day Australia is taking place on a completely different week to in the US, who had theirs in the last week of June this year. Previously, the dates had overlapped.

Prime Day is an twice-a-year online sales event (think Black Friday or Click Frenzy), only it is exclusive to Amazon Prime customers. It started as a one-day event in the US in 2015, but has since expanded to a week long event that takes place across the globe, including Australia. The first Prime Day Down Under happened in 2018, and has grown every year since. Australian users get access to deals on both Amazon.com.au and the Amazon Global Store until the conclusion of the event in the US.

Additionally, the Shop Local Businesses store highlights a number of small Australian businesses that are also partaking in the Prime Day fun.

What will be on sale this Prime Day?

While it can be difficult to predict specific products that go on sale, Amazon has promised over 100,000 deals in Australia from big brands, small local brands, and everything in-between. The brands that Amazon has confirmed will be a part of Prime Day include Apple, Samsung, Lenovo, Bose, and more – a pretty hefty list!

Expect deals across all categories, including tech, such as TVs, Smart Home, Headphones, Gaming, as well as homeware, sports, fashion, beauty and more.

How to find the best deals during Prime Day in Australia

Amazon is quite often the cheapest place to find a given product at the best of times, but the really good deals only come up a few times a year. The above list features some of the very best tech deals available right now. However, you can also properly prepare for the event to make sure you truly get the most out of it.

Before Prime Day kicks off, you should put together a shopping list of items that you are after, then 'wishlist' those products on Amazon and set deal alerts on the Amazon app. This will ensure you don't miss top deals on products that you especially want.

Ensure you are subscribed to Amazon Prime, or else you won't be able to secure the products for the Prime Day deal price. A subscription costs A$6.99 per month, but there is a 30-day free trial available if you are just looking to take part in Prime Day and nothing else.

It is also worth spending a bit of time on Amazon and familiarising yourself with its interface and how it works. This can save you time and hassle when the deals start dropping (many of which are only available for a limited time).

How to shop on Amazon Prime Day

Of course, we'll be keeping track of all the best Prime Day deals we spot in the lists above. But if you are keen to trawl through some deals yourself, here's how to best shop during the event.

• Amazon app: If you'll be out and about on Prime Day, download Amazon's mobile app, log in, and you'll be ready to shop wherever you are.

• Amazon Wishlist: Add items to your wishlist in the product interface to get alerted if it goes on sale.

• Ask Alexa: Why move at all? The main idea behind Amazon's Echo devices is to sell you stuff, so Alexa is more than willing to help you add things to your cart.

• Amazon Global Store: Check out the best deals from the US and across the world on the Amazon Global Store.

• Support Local: Amazon's Shop Local Business initiative highlights deals curated from small Aussie businesses across Amazon.

Several single women recently told Mashable the truth about dating in 2026: it's bleak. But that doesn't mean there's no hope. While singles are increasingly frustrated with dating apps, one coach said the apps aren't keeping people single; it's how they're using them. If you're swiping into the void and avoiding talking to people, yes, it may be hard to find a date! But it is absolutely possible to find your person online. In fact, Mashable recently interviewed several married couples who met on dating apps.

According to 2023 findings from the Pew Research Center, one in ten partnered adults (married, living with a partner, or in a committed relationship) met their partner on a dating app or site. If you're a younger adult and/or LGBTQ, you're more likely to have met your significant other online: one in five adults under 30 and nearly one in four for LGBTQ adults.

The same study found that almost half (44 percent) of dating app users said a major reason for using them was to meet a long-term partner. So, if that's you, you're certainly not alone, despite what you might see people lament on TikTok. 

But with so many apps, from Bumble to eharmony, it can be challenging to determine which ones to invest in. And the discourse on dating app culture can be unrelenting. In 2025, singles told Mashable they'd rather meet a potential partner in person, but they're begrudgingly on the apps. Some, like Tinder, have seen their revenue decrease in recent years, while Hinge is growing. Even then, though, daters bemoan even the most popular of apps. A Kinsey scientist recently told Mashable where daters are going wrong: use dating apps as a tool, not to let them run the show — and stop self-optimizing, already.

Despite the frustration over The Apps™, it's undeniable that if you want to date from the comfort and safety of your home, they're the way to do it. If you're, say, introverted or have difficulty approaching someone in person, an app can still be useful.

What is the #1 best dating app?

Considering the variation in experiences on all the dating apps, it's difficult to quantify which ones are the "best." Some people find their spouses on Tinder, while others are disappointed that their matches are only looking for hookups. 

That being said, if you're looking for something serious, your best bet is likely an app with a large user base, options for you to indicate what you're looking for in your bio, and filters to weed out who you really want to partner with. There are also apps whose branding is geared towards finding one's ultimate match — like eharmony and Match, both decades-old sites with reputations for helping users find their spouse. Hinge, Bumble, and Coffee Meets Bagel also have a reputation for more "serious" connections.

Depending on the type of relationship you're seeking, you may also benefit from a more niche app. Take one app on our list, SilverSingles, for people over 50. Sure, there are older adults on apps like Tinder and Bumble as well, but you may have more luck finding someone age-appropriate if you're in a space meant just for you.

Which dating site is best for serious relationships?

Mashable has researched to pick out a few from the plethora of dating sites (and apps) out there. These options are available for both Android and Apple users, so the type of phone you have won't determine your options. In terms of monetary investment, you can use some of these for free (like Tinder and Bumble), while others are more pay-to-play. We've also included some "niche" options, like the aforementioned SilverSingles and Elite Singles, so you have more than the standard buffet of dating apps.

Here are the best dating apps for serious relationships:

Pride Month might be over, but there's still reason to celebrate. It's summer, after all, a time for patio hangs and barbeques and all-night dancing. And if you want a fellow sapphic by your side, why not try a dating app?

As a lesbian, you probably know all about them. Lesbian Americans (along with bisexual and gay Americans) are far more likely to have ever used dating apps than straight Americans: 51 percent to 28 percent, according to the Pew Research Center.

There are a few reasons why LGBTQ people might turn to online dating more quickly than straight folks. For one, you might live in an area without a thriving LGBTQ community, and in-person dating may be hard. If you don't know other lesbians to begin with, how can you meet more IRL to date? (Sometimes, lesbian spaces can also be co-opted by The Straights.) Unfortunately, in-person dating may also be less safe, depending on where you live. 

Thankfully, we live in a time where we can find people like us with a few swipes. Lesbians are welcome on major dating apps, and there are also niche ones specifically for lesbians and other queer women and people. But which one to choose?

How to find the best dating apps for lesbians

Niche lesbian dating apps aren't your only option for finding love. Credit: Stacey Zhu / Mashable

In Mashable's recommendations below, you'll find both general dating apps and apps specifically for queer people. As the former appeals to the general population, you'll find more users in these spaces. The caveat, however, is that when you swipe on other women, you might find those coupled with men who are looking for another woman to have a threesome with (aka unicorn hunters). No judgment here, but that's probably not what you're looking for. Then again, people of all types are on dating apps like Tinder and Hinge. You never know who you may come across.

Then there are apps specifically for the community, like HER and Lex. If you yearn for a smaller dating scene, head for these apps. While there's no "Grindr for lesbians" — we go into why in the FAQ section — these apps are more so like stepping into your neighborhood lesbian bar than an app like Bumble. 

You can also try multiple dating apps, as each one below has a free version. You can filter by the gender you identify with and are looking for, and sometimes, as with OkCupid, there are many options to choose from.

Diving into the dating pool isn't easy, but the water's fine. Check out our guide below for the full rundown of our recommendations and dating app reviews.

I test new robot vacuums on a regular basis and compare them to the top performers from previous months, with all my evaluations taking place in my own home on various rugs, tile, and hardwood floors. As I test each robot vacuum and tweak its settings for optimal performance, I keep notes on its overall suction power vigor, scrubbing efficacy (if it's a robot vacuum and mop combo), pet hair pickup, the convenience of its automatic emptying and self-washing mopping pads, accuracy of smart mapping and small obstacle avoidance, and the overall user experience. But the final boss here is cost efficiency — I'll be the first one to point out when a cheap robot vacuum actually works well for the price, or when a high-end robot vacuum is actually worth the splurge or not.

Recent changes to this guide

July 2026: I added the Narwal Flow 2 as the new pick for best roller mop robot vacuum overall, bumping the Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow to the best roller mop robot vacuum under $1,000. The Narwal Flow 2 has stronger suction power and more advanced AI spill detection.

March 2026: I added the Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow as the best roller mop robot vacuum, replacing the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller. Though the Dreame has more powerful suction on paper, the Curv 2 Flow demonstrated better edge mopping and comparable vacuuming. I also replaced the Eufy X10 Pro Omni with the Eufy C28 and shifted it to my budget roller mop pick. The X10 Pro Omni is two years old at this point, and the new C28 offers more advanced cleaning and obstacle avoidance.

January 2026: I added the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete as the best robot vacuum right now and shifted the Aqua10 Ultra to the best roller mop robot vacuum. The Roborock Saros 10R, which was listed as the best option for corner cleaning, has been removed from the list. It costs nearly the same amount as the X60 Max Ultra Complete, which has near-identical corner mopping abilities and much stronger suction power.

December 2025: I added a disclaimer to the pick for best Roomba value in light of iRobot's bankruptcy news.

October 2025: I added the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller as the best robot vacuum right now and shifted the Roborock Saros 10R (previously named the best robot vacuum right now) to the option for best corner cleaning.

July 2025: I removed the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 robot vacuum from this guide. While it was a solid budget mopping robot vacuum for its first year or so on the market, it's now a little bit too basic compared to other newer budget robot vacuums.

If you haven’t heard of AdultFriendFinder (AFF), honestly, consider yourself lucky. This online platform has seriously earned its reputation for being one of the raunchiest and spammiest "dating" sites cluttering the internet.

Sure, the name sounds wholesome and innocent enough, right? But peel back those endless paywalls, and what you find is a digital den packed with X-rated content, questionable profiles, problematic language, and aggressive marketing tactics that seem way more interested in your wallet than your actual experience. They constantly push you to spend more money on basic functions. (Oh, and did I mention it’s also visually offensive? Seriously ugly, aesthetically speaking.)

The best way to describe the AdultFriendFinder website (no app) is through its overall layout, which feels like a relic from the early 2000s internet. It's a mess of flashing banners, intrusive ads, and a user interface so poorly designed it feels intentionally built to overwhelm and confuse anyone brave enough to sign up. You know that scene in Because I Said So where Diane Keaton’s character awkwardly stumbles upon AdultFriendFinder while trying to vet dates for her daughter? Yeah, that's still the energy.

But is there anything redeemable behind the chaos? In this review, we do a deep dive into the AdultFriendFinder experience to figure out exactly how it works (or doesn't), what features it offers, and whether it actually connects people looking for hookups.

This site is for making adult "friends," not friends who are adults. Credit: Screenshot: AdultFriendFinder

What is AdultFriendFinder?

AdultFriendFinder is one of the most well-known sites for finding quick sexual encounters and literally anything else even remotely related to sex. The rowdy feed of matches makes it heaven for anyone looking for a good time with no filter — and hell for someone who wouldn't be caught dead clicking on a "There are hot singles in your area" ad.

On AFF, you can find someone to sext via messaging or video chat (and plan to get it on IRL, if that's what you're looking for), watch live streams, or join niche group chat rooms to connect with other members. You can easily view photos and videos from other members, though interacting is often locked behind a paywall. Is it worth $20-something per month? Depends on how much fishy content you're willing to overlook for a juicy sexting session.

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So, who's actually on this platform? While the site used to flash huge, questionable stats like "98,897,765 hot photos" on its signup page, those crazy numbers seem to be gone now (though they may show for people who've never logged onto the site before; we couldn't get it to replicate it in incognito mode, so it's probably safe to say they're just gone). According to Similarweb's data for May 2026, AdultFriendFinder has pulled in around 9.8 million visits.

AdultFriendFinder's ranking has slipped significantly; noting a steady drop from previous years, it currently sits at 84th in the Adult category in the United States. This suggests people might be finding better alternatives elsewhere, and we're not surprised. Today, you can download kink- and poly-friendly hookup apps like Feeld and Pure, plus hookup destinations like Tinder, which have a huge user base of people ready to meet.

Specifics on the demographic that most people care about — the gender ratio — can be hard to track down. According to SimilarWeb, the audience is roughly 76.44 percent male and 23.56 percent female. This kind of imbalance is pretty common on hookup-focused sites. It means it's likely a paradise if you're a straight man, maybe hit-or-miss if you're a straight woman or LGBTQ man, and probably an actual hellscape if you're an LGBTQ woman trying to navigate it.

On the flip side, AFF does let you identify as and search for a man, woman, a couple, or trans. They've made some attempts to be a "sex-positive" site with blogs, groups, and even a "sex academy." However, their language around the LGBTQ community has historically been anything but inclusive or positive. Previously, the AFF sign-up page listed "TG/TV/TS" as the "trans" gender selection — we'll let you infer what those stand for. After reaching out to AdultFriendFinder about it, this language has improved somewhat with more gender options that are appropriately labeled, though "trans" is still a separate selection from "man" or "woman," which feels more like fetishization than inclusivity.

The sexual oreintation selection is a bit more inclusive than the "searching for" section. Credit: Screenshot: AdultFriendFinder

Is AdultFriendFinder legit?

As far as legitimacy goes, AdultFriendFinder is a real site with real users. However, the question is whether you can really find what you're looking for there, or if you'll mostly find a bunch of bots and scammers. Many users report that it feels like a scam site due to the number of fake profiles and the pressure to spend more money. Compared to other legit sites, its reputation is definitely questionable.

Because AFF is pretty spammy, it's hard to tell how many active members are actually using the site. The 1.4 Trustpilot score isn't reassuring either.

From the start, AdultFriendFinder makes it clear that it's not really aiming to build long-term relationships. The site emphasizes casual hookups and even allows for explicit content, so users know what they're getting into. But if you're looking for something more than just a one-night stand, you might want to consider other platforms.

One of the biggest turnoffs for potential users is that so many features are locked behind a paywall. While you can technically sign up for free, you can't do much beyond browse profiles or view photos from other members. Free members have very limited interaction options; you typically need to upgrade to send messages or see anything substantial. There’s also a brand-new age verification feature that won’t let you past the home page unless you verify you’re actually of age. You can either take a photo of your face to confirm your age or upload a valid photo ID that confirms your birth date. (Honestly, we’re glad they’re at least trying to protect minors from seeing anything they shouldn’t be seeing or connecting with pervy older people.)

There's brand-new age verification feature that won’t let you past the home page unless you verify you’re actually of age. Credit: Screenshot: AdultFriendFinder

How does AdultFriendFinder work?

Signing up takes like 30 seconds. Seriously, just an email, username, password, and a quick intro will do. Of course, you'll have to go through the strict new age verification process too, but it's pretty quick.

Once you're in, brace yourself for the instant notification spam; apparently, a gray silhouette is enough to attract attention here. To even think about connecting with someone real, you absolutely have to add photos and details to your profile — essentially, prove you're not just another bot contributing to the noise.

AdultFriendFinder features a personality questionnaire to personalize your profile and up your chances of finding a compatible match. Credit: Screenshot: AdultFriendFinder

After registering, there are a ton of ways to personalize your account (way more than you'd expect for a hookup site, honestly). The more you fill out, the better your chances of meeting someone (and improving your sex life). There are the basic physical appearance questions about eye and hair color, and since I identified as a woman, cup size was an option. (If you identify as a man, I'm sure you can guess what question they ask.)

The site also features a Personality Type test and a "My Kinks" form where you can select whether or not you're "curious about, into, or can't live without" a certain kink (e.g., anal, bondage, role play, etc.). It also lets you choose whether you're a voyeur, the giver, or the receiver.

One weird thing about the Personality Type test is that it asks several questions about whether or not you enjoy shopping at discount stores — not really sure what that's about. It also asks whether or not "a quiet time for prayer should be allowed in school." You can choose "strongly disagree, somewhat disagree, somewhat agree, or strongly agree."

Once you finish the personality test (20 questions), you can opt to have your Personality Type show up on your profile or have it hidden. It will also show you which personality types complement yours.

Credit: Screenshot: AdultFriendFinder

Matching on AdultFriendFinder: What to expect

Here’s what you can expect when you're looking for a connection:

• Like a traditional dating site, AFF throws a collage of potential matches at you, showing who's online or nearby. But any resemblance to a "traditional" site stops there.

• You barely have to scroll before noticing that there's no shortage of nudity. Depending on whether you set your preferences to men, women, or both, you'll see all of that stuff up close, personal, swinging around, in action. You name it, it'll pop up.

• You can try to refine your results by gender, age, location, race, sexual orientation, body type, etc., but good luck making a dent in the sheer volume of profiles (real or otherwise).

• The message section looks weirdly like old Gmail. You'll get a mix of messages; some might be genuinely friendly, but expect a fair share of instant, crude ones too. It's the online dating equivalent of creeps on Tinder, but amplified.

How much does AdultFriendFinder cost?

You can do a decent amount of looking without paying (this includes browsing profiles, getting limited messages, and hitting up some chat rooms). But hit any of that "juicier hidden content" or try to actually talk to someone, and you'll smack into a paywall or the site's non-monetary currency, "points." You earn points through activity on the free version, which is kind of like playing a mini-game just to unlock basic functionality.

To really get anywhere, especially if you're a guy looking for women (as some on Reddit noted, women prefer paid members for perceived credibility), you'll need a Gold membership. The prices bounce around a bit, but generally, the longer you commit, the cheaper the monthly rate.

Here is how the current pricing breaks down:

• 1 month of Gold is $24.95 (billed monthly)

• 3 months of Gold is $20.95 per month (billed quarterly at $62.85)

• 12 months of Gold is $14.95 per month (billed once at $179.40)

The prices bounce around a bit, but generally, the longer you commit, the cheaper the monthly rate. Credit: Screenshot: AdultFriendFinder

The site shoves other weird add-ons at you, too. For example, there's a separate fee required just to "interact with standard members" on the platform. That costs $19.95 for one month, or $11.95 a month if you bill it quarterly. These layer-on costs, meaning the price you see for Gold might not be the actual price of a usable experience.

AdultFriendFinder also gives members the option to confirm their identity with ConfirmID. If you do this, the site promises to give you two weeks of Gold for free. The ConfirmID works by entering your legal first and last name, home address, gender, and date of birth, and uploading a copy of your driver's license, passport, or other government-issued ID.

If you spend more quality time on the site than expected, springing for a paid membership is definitely something to consider. Once you're paying, you basically become royalty on the site: Your profile will appear way higher in searches, you can use the most advanced searches, unlock profiles with private photo albums, check out video profiles, and message to your heart's content. A general rule is that increased involvement and payment on your end generally equals more success on the website, as your constant activity and heightened searchability make it easier for others to find you.

So, does AdultFriendFinder work?

Once you get past the in-your-face sexplosion of naked profile pictures, horny AIM-era profile names, and explicit videos, the big question is: Does AdultFriendFinder actually work? Like, can you realistically log on and find what you're looking for? The short answer is... maybe, but probably not as well as you'd hope. While you're there, you will have to stay on guard for window shoppers and scammers.

Let's put it this way: AFF might work if you are very open-minded, specifically looking to blow off steam with casual sex or explore niche kinks, and you're completely over the slow pace of traditional dating sites. It has a ton of activities, ranging from direct messaging, sending virtual gifts and tips, watching live videos of people in your feed, joining adult chat rooms that can get very niche, or entering photo contests.

Aside from the NSFW content, the website is relatively straightforward (albeit ugly). Every feature is advertised in big letters, notifications are displayed clearly with labels, and you don't really have to click around to find anything. This makes it super accessible for users of all ages, even those who aren't tech-savvy and can't even figure out Facebook. Buttons are all over the place, but you figure it out after messing around for a few minutes.

Think of AdultFriendFinder as the dating site version of New York City — it never sleeps. It's like that booty call who's always awake when you text them. Or at least that used to be the case... 10 years ago. What was once a hot site that a few Reddit users were quick to hype up is now one of the dating sites that Reddit users can't help but diss — in the few instances that AFF is even being discussed at all. It's notable that, on a site where online dating is such a mammoth topic of discussion, AdultFriendFinder has rarely been mentioned in a positive light since the early 2010s. The Reddit community is diverse and open-minded; if a dating site exists, someone on Reddit has used it and has an opinion. When an innocent soul does ask if it's legit, AFF usually gets dragged for sketchy pricing and being riddled with fake profiles.

However, some Reddit members have praised AFF as a site for men meeting men. Even so, the site's still buggy and isn't exactly great for meeting real people who aren't, as one Reddit user so eloquently put it, "busted and unstable."

Good for: Very open-minded people looking to blow off steam

Stating the obvious, AdultFriendFinder is a space for people who want to bang with no strings attached, people who are in a sexual rut, people who are tired of porn, and people who find sites like eharmony boring. Getting to know someone for weeks before meeting up can be exhausting, and sometimes, you want to skip the small talk and do the dirty with a random. It's gonna get kinky out there, and that's great for those who are dying to blow off steam and want someone who will respond well to a brusque, sexy message.

As with all dating sites, catfishing is a big buzzkill. Your chances of being pursued are way higher if you have a lot of pictures of the same person (AKA you), videos, and a genuine profile that lets people know they're not dealing with something sketchy. Even if you've had bad luck with online dating in the past, AdultFriendFinder is the place to be honest.

Bad for: People looking for a real relationship and the entire socially conscious community

If you're a cynic, conservative by any means, get sketched out easily, or aren't a fan of dick pics, you'll probably hate it. Similarly, if you appreciate a well-crafted, aesthetically pleasing website that feels safe, no matter how badly you want to have sex, one glance at the landing page likely signals that it's not for you.

AdultFriendFinder is not the place to be if you're trying to make friends unless "with benefits" is tacked onto the end. Every inch of the site screams: "This website is used to have sex," and you should really listen to that.

As illustrated by the flood of artsy activism guides on Instagram in recent years, it's clear what content appeals to young people on the internet: Something aesthetically pleasing, shareable, and digestible. The "shareable" part doesn't totally apply to online dating, but apps like Hinge and OkCupid closely follow this design trend by limiting the number of words (and ads) in each tab, steering clear of endless scrolling, and ensuring that important info isn't cluttered with flashing clickbait.

AFF could do so much more to make people take it seriously

We're not knocking a quick hookup or no-strings-attached relations. This isn't about morals. Genitals are quite literally in your face from the moment you make an account, and that's just not cute. There are chiller ways to go about insinuating that this is a hookup website without feeling like you're trapped in a sex dungeon with strangers.

I could not get past the fact that the entire site looks like it's about to invite five viruses to your computer. We're talking terrible graphics that look like they were made on Microsoft Paint and pictures of women who look like they're from Pornhub in 2007. (That's when AdultFriendFinder was officially sold and rebranded from its original parent company.) Reddit user Snoo53279 summed it up in a comment from July 2020: "The people on AFF are definitely real, but there is a huge smattering of bots that also get in the way, so it can be a bit of a PITA to use." If they're not bots, they could be men posing as a couple to seem less threatening.

The parade of women on the landing page is questionable for two reasons. This shouldn't even need to be clarified, but not everyone is looking for a woman. At the least, the advertising isn't inclusive — but this crosses into fetishization territory. The cherry on top is that the women in the photos (unsurprisingly) probably aren't even members of the site, according to a disclaimer at the bottom of the landing page.

AdultFriendFinder's overall outdated vibe goes past an aesthetic annoyance — it's downright problematic at times. The lack of inclusivity for the LGBTQ+ community is nearly unforgivable, and we'd be scared to see some of the related rhetoric that AFF users feel comfortable spewing. Without even a dash of social awareness, it's hard to see how anyone who's not an out-of-touch straight cis man would feel comfortable on this site.

Attempting to navigate the shoddy design might be enough to smother your horniness. Three main issues can make the site borderline unusable: It looks shady as hell, an alarming portion of the user base is made up of bots and spam accounts, and the user interface itself is outdated and rife with bugs.

AdultFriendFinder alternatives

Given AdultFriendFinder's... challenges... you're probably wondering where else you can look for casual connections or kink exploration online. While AFF might feel slightly more "legit" than sites with names that scream spam (you know the ones), there are definitely much better places to spend your time and money.

Here are a few alternatives that offer a significantly better experience:

• Pure: Think of Pure as a more modern, less eyeball-assaulting option for no-strings-attached hookups. It has a sleek, "hella-millennial" design (way better than AFF's retro mess) and features like self-destructing messages and profiles that disappear after an hour, giving it a casual, in-the-moment feel. It's basically a sexier, more private Snapchat for hookups.

• Feeld: If you're a single or couple looking for group sex, polyamory, or exploring LGBTQ+ friendly dynamics, Feeld is a much better bet than navigating AFF's often problematic space. It's designed for open-minded individuals and couples and is generally praised for being more inclusive (though it had some bugs after a recent update, which seem to be getting addressed). It skips the unicorn hunting and rampant fetishization found elsewhere.

• FetLife: If the "My Kinks" section on AFF piqued your interest but the endless bots scared you off, FetLife is exactly where you need to be. It's kind of like Myspace (RIP) for the BDSM, fetish, and kink community. You can find local kink events, join hyper-specific groups, and connect with real people who share your exact desires in a much safer, community-policed environment.

• Sniffies: If you're a gay, bi, trans, or queer man looking for a hyper-direct hookup, skip AFF entirely and head to Sniffies. This map-based cruising platform lets you see exactly who's looking for action in your immediate area. You don't even need to register for an account to browse the map, and it displays users' intentions and preferred sex positions right on their avatars.

• Mainstream Apps (like Hinge or OkCupid): While not strictly hookup-focused, even mainstream apps offer a more palatable and less spammy user experience. Their design is cleaner, there's less ad overload, and they prioritize clear information over flashing explicit content, which some users might find a relief compared to AFF's chaos.

Ultimately, you have options that are more modern, more inclusive, and simply less likely to make you feel like you need a virus scan after logging on.

The final verdict: Is AdultFriendFinder worth it?

AdultFriendFinder is a low-pressure way to find a friends-with-benefits situation without insulting anyone. Everyone is pretty much there for the same reason, and though it'll feel pretty unorthodox if you've only ever used Tinder to scope this type of thing out, AFF's blunt advertising at least means you won't have to explain that you're not looking for a relationship. It's niche-friendly and has a ton of interactive outlets to indulge your primal urges.

But that freedom comes with a price — the price is feeling like one of those people who fall for the ads that pop up before a free Pornhub video. It's not that a site dedicated to sex and sexting is inherently scammy — it's that AdultFriendFinder drowns you with explicit photos on profiles that might not even be real people while asking you to pay for a subscription with every click.

Unfortunately, no matter how in the mood you are, some people aren't cut out for the nothing-left-to-the-imagination approach with grammar mistakes all over the place. It wants to be sex-positive so badly, but the language the site has used in reference to the trans community is the furthest thing from that.

The site's functionality and safety aren't where they need to be in 2026. If security measures were tightened, graphics and photos were cleaned up to feel more relevant, and decision-makers behind the scenes were given a lesson in inclusivity and pronouns/identities, AdultFriendFinder could be a handy tool to find attachment-free hookups and connect with a community that's down for anything.

This isn't a dating or hookup site we would personally use, but if you're feeling brave, you can register for AdultFriendFinder here. Just don't try this at work.

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To find the best budget tablets, we kept all the models under $500. Our favorite tablet for most people, the Apple iPad Air, is $529, so unfortunately, we can't include it in this list. However, you don't need to spend nearly that much for a solid tablet, and there's even another great cheap iPad that made the cut.

For budget tablets, we didn't expect them to navigate the same tasks as a premium tablet like an iPad Pro or Samsung Galaxy S11. What we did want them to do was be a quality tablet for streaming, gaming, browsing the internet, and reading. Luckily, I found four great models from iOS to Android, all under $500, that won't waste your money.

Heading off to college is a big deal. For many, this is their first real taste of independence, a chance to figure out who they are away from mom and dad, and the entry point into a new phase of life. For as exciting as this all is, it can also be overwhelming. Back-to-school gifts for college students must expertly bridge this gap: Equal parts practical and fun, logical and thrilling. What follows is our gift guide for those gearing up for college. There's a big emphasis on tech and gadgets, plus cozy and heartwarming items to help them feel at home.

Sleep trackers — wearable devices that monitor all your vitals — provide detailed summaries of your sleep cycle so you know how many hours of REM, deep, and light sleep you're getting. Most fitness trackers come equipped with sleep tracking these days, but choosing the best from that bunch is not as straightforward. These days, sleep trackers come in all shapes and sizes, and fortunately, our experts here at Mashable have tested them all.

So if the magnesium supplements and pillow sprays in your sleepmaxxing routine aren't working, here are the best sleep trackers of 2026.

Oura Ring update

The Oura Ring got an update in 2026. On May 28, the brand released the Oura Ring 5, a 40 percent smaller smart ring with some improved tech. We are in the process of testing the Oura Ring 5, so the Oura Ring 4 is still included in this list until we complete our testing.

Vacuums aren't designed to be stored out of reach anymore. If you want to take full advantage of the most convenient modern feature — a self-emptying charging dock — your vacuum kind of has to be stored out in the open, not shoved in a closet. In a sea of gray and black cordless stick vacuums that scream "I'm made of plastic," the Shark Luxe Home Collection brings you one of Shark's top cordless stick vacuums in four chic earth tones that will actually match your home decor.

I'm not sure how it took until 2026 for stick vacuums to get cute, but as a member of the cliché Green Velvet Couch Club, I needed the sage green Shark PowerDetect Speed vacuum in my space immediately. Here's how my first week with it has gone.

The Luxe Collection PowerDetect Speed comes in walnut, oatstone, sagewood, and harbor slate. Credit: Shark

The Luxe models have a metallic sheen that doesn't look plasticky. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

What's special about the Shark PowerDetect Speed?

The Shark PowerDetect Speed is a sleeker, lighter version of the original Shark PowerDetect cordless vacuum that I had crowned the best stick vacuum for carpet and rugs since 2024. Weighing around seven pounds, the PowerDetect Speed weighs about a pound less than the original and has a more compact self-empty charging dock.

The sagewood colorway high-key matches my living room rug. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Sansa pestering a dried bouquet — demonstrating why I need to vacuum every day. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Shark's Dirt Detect and Floor Detect technologies sense the debris level and floor type at hand, automatically adjusting suction power and brush roll speed for the most streamlined clean. (You can also manually switch between Eco, Detect, and Boost modes using the button and screen.) The PowerDetect Speed cleans with full power going forward or in reverse.

The PowerDetect Speed's pricing is special in itself. The 2024 PowerDetect Clean & Empty was already generously priced at $549.99, and Shark knocked off $50 for those who wanted to downsize a bit with the Speed model — $499.99 is an incredible value for such a mighty stick vacuum that also empties itself. I wouldn't have been shocked if Shark was charging a tiny bit more for the stylish shades and premium finishes, but nope — the Shark PowerDetect Speed Luxe Collection costs the exact same $499.99. You really can't go wrong.

Shark PowerDetect Speed on carpet: Vigorous with visible proof

As expected after using the original PowerDetect vacuum, the PowerDetect Speed sucks the life out of the three main rugs in my apartment. It's one of those vacuums that feels like it's truly digging past the surface — like you can feel the cyclonic oomph as you guide it across the floor. Stick vacuums this powerful do require a little bit of muscle to push and pull, but I haven't experienced the PowerDetect Speed being so sucky that it jams like the new Dyson V16 Piston Animal.

The first test was my tufted living room rug. With the never-been-used dustbin, I did a single lap of back-and-forth sweeping around the 9 x 12-foot area. The PowerDetect Speed put in some serious work in that two-minute window.

Before vacuuming... Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

...after one pass on my living room rug Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The rug pattern makes it hard to see how thick the layer of cat hair really is, and it's generally harder to tell how well a vacuum is working on a rug or carpet than on hard floors. So it was equally satisfying and sickening to see how much fluff the PowerDetect managed to pull out when the rug truly didn't look furry to the naked eye.

This tangible proof is exactly why I love the transparent dust bin and self-emptying dock combo. When a vacuum automatically empties its dustbin every time it hangs up to charge, you start each new cleaning session with a clear bin. Whatever the size of the dust bunny in the bin when you're done, you know for a fact that it came from the most recent room.

The Shark PowerDetect Speed's self-empty cycle lasts for less than 30 seconds. The whoosh alternates a few times between a deeper roar and a higher-pitched hiss, but none of it is any louder than other self-emptying vacuums I've tested. Shark says that the dock bin should last at least 45 days before you have to manually empty it.

The patterned Ruggable rug in my kitchen is also really good at camouflaging crumbs, often even when the vacuum's headlight is shining. The PowerDetect Speed's debris sensor really comes in handy. The ring around the edge of the screen switches from white to purple when heavy debris is encountered, so I know to make a few extra passes over those spots until the light goes back to white.

Shark PowerDetect Speed on hard floors/hardwood and tile

The first thing I noticed when vacuuming my hardwood floor with the PowerDetect Speed was the headlight. When a hard floor is sensed, the light automatically switches from the classic bright white LED to a deep blue. And that deep blue is much better at illuminating dust and debris in its path than the constant white light on the older PowerDetect model.

The purple ring always lights up near the Litter-Robot. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The hinged wand makes it easy to sweep under my bed. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Dyson's green laser is still elite in my book, especially when it comes to lighting up hair. I also prefer the full microfiber roller of Dyson's Fluffy Optic cleaning head for sweeping up microscopic dust and dander off of hard floors.

But that's just me splitting hairs — the PowerDetect Speed is still really effective on hardwood and tile. The automatic boost in suction power is audible when gliding over the litter tracking zone near the Litter-Robot or crumbs in the kitchen, including giant pieces of pita crackers that were stepped on. My cat, Sansa, refuses to leave this one vase of dried flowers alone, continuously making a mess of leaves and crunchy petals on the credenza top. I just push them on the floor, and the PowerDetect Speed grabs 'em in two seconds.

Left: The Shark PowerDetect Speed's debris illumination is decent. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Right: The Dyson V16 Piston Animal's debris illumination is better. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I've gotten so much use out of the PowerDetect Speed's hinged wand. Rather than getting down on the floor to make the vacuum parallel to the floor, there's a button on the side that allows the wand to bend for easy cleaning under furniture.

I can't really see what's being swept up under there when I do this — all I know is that the suction power sensor went wild the first time I cleaned under my bed and the TV stand.

Considerations: The one annoying design flaw isn't a dealbreaker

Any cordless Shark vacuum that charges upright on a dock has a tendency to lock into its standing position during vacuuming. The rest of the internet and I were annoyed when that happened with the old 2024 PowerDetect model, and it's unfortunately still the case with the 2026 model.

In my regular back-and-forth vacuuming motion, if I pull the PowerDetect Speed backward even before it passes my leg, it clicks into the L shape. Sometimes, I don't even realize the cleaning head isn't touching the floor for a minute. Surely there should be an easy way to lock the ability to lock when the vacuum is in use.

Shark's furniture and fur attachment isn't motorized like Dyson's. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

This happens multiple times during every single cleaning session. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The PowerDetect Speed comes with two handheld attachments: a long crevice tool and a bristled device for furniture. The furniture tool has worked pretty well on the velvet couch so far. It's not as thorough on thick layers of cat hair on the pet tree as Dyson's anti-tangle screw tool, which has a mini motor that I swear is powerful enough to clean a whole rug.

I'm always initially shocked that Shark doesn't include its motorized pet tool in the box as Dyson does, but then I remember that Shark's tool is literally less than $40. Add that to the $499.99 PowerDetect Speed cost, and you're still looking at a cheaper setup than most Dyson vacuums — and none of those come with self-empty docks yet.

Shark PowerDetect Speed — Luxe Collection

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The popularity of Ninja and Shark appliances is undeniable. The brand touches nearly every room in your home. It makes vacuums to keep your floors clean, air purifiers to refresh the air, hair stylers for at-home blowouts, and an appliance for every step of the cooking process. But with such an expansive catalog, it can be hard to sort through the best of the brand.

We wanted to test our way through the best Ninja had to offer in kitchen appliances. We brought the most popular products from the brand into our kitchens to see how the Creami, Slushi, and Foodi stacked up.

And if you like what you see, we recommend buying during Prime Day, which runs from June 23 to 26. The best Prime Day deals always include savings of 30% or more on Ninja appliances, including the Foodi, Crispi, and Luxe Café.

Why buy Ninja?

There are plenty of kitchen appliance brands out there, so why Ninja? Generally, we find its products to be some of the best value products. They tend to be the most affordable options on the market that still deliver excellent performance.

Plus, Ninja products are really beginner-friendly devices that are easy to use with minimal setup required. The appliances bring ease with delicious end products. The Creami is a perfect example of this. Traditional ice cream making requires a bit of skill, knowing how to cook custards to the right temperature with hours of churning. But the Creami simplifies ice cream making with a user-friendly product that still delivers a fantastic end result.

Just because they're beginner-friendly devices doesn't mean they're only for beginners. They're convenient devices with professional-level performance that help develop a more efficient kitchen.

Other products we tested

Having rounded up the best Ninja kitchen appliances means we tested a lot of products and not all of them made it to the list, two notable exceptions being the Ninja Creami Deluxe and Foodi Grill and Air Fryer.

The Ninja Deluxe was my introduction to the Creami lineup, and it is great. It spun up creamy frozen confections and even featured a frozen drink setting. However, compared to the Swirl, it required several re-spins to get the right texture.

Meanwhile, the Foodi Grill was another great multicooker from Ninja. The indoor grill made delicious, juicy chicken breasts with actual char marks. Plus, its air-frying capabilities were a little too good. It got things crispy fast, but often felt like it dried out food in the process. Plus, it was just so large that it didn't feel like a practical device for most people.

That being said, these devices are good, but not in our all-star line-up.

Smart rings monitor your health in a tiny, inconspicuous package. At first glance, they look like any other piece of jewelry, a simple gold or silver ring. But with tiny sensors, these rings track biometrics through your finger. Yes, they'll track your step count and calories burned, but more advanced technology allows them to track sleep and stress levels, all detected through heart rate and variability.

If you're looking to gain deeper insights into your health, a smart ring will help you do that, and we've vetted the most popular models on the market through weeks of testing to find the best smart ring. Looking to buy soon? Now is the best time with Prime Day running June 23 to 26. The Oura Ring 4 has dropped to an all-time low of $214 for Prime Day 2026, and it's easily one of the best Prime Day deals of the sale so far.

The latest smart ring news

As of May 2026, Oura dropped its latest smart ring. The Oura Ring 5 dropped and is 40% smaller than previous models but with all the same tech. We've yet to test Oura's latest innovation but will update this guide once we've vetted the ring. In the meantime, the Oura Ring 4 is still included on this list and widely available.

The Evie Ring is still available, however, it's currently out of stock. You are able to sign-up for their restock list so you can get an email when it's back-in-stock.

What's the best smart ring?

The smart ring market is ever-growing, with new models debuting each year. Samsung just launched a smart ring in 2024, and while Apple doesn't have a smart ring on the market yet, we're sure it will be here in a matter of time. But smart rings are synonymous with the Oura Ring, a leader in the field, and for good reason. After spending weeks with the device, testing its hype, and comparing it to other devices, we can confidently say Oura makes the best smart ring in 2026.

Oura offers the most expansive biometric tracking, monitoring your health around the clock. It focuses on daily and long-term health goals more holistically than other rings.

However, the Oura Ring has downsides, like a monthly subscription fee. If you're not down for a monthly fee, we tested some popular alternatives to Oura rings.

Why should you buy a smart ring?

So you think you want a smart ring? Here's what you need to know about the latest tech wearable. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Smart rings are not just another fitness tracker. Yes, they do track your activity, steps, and calories burned. However, they're really meant to offer a more holistic view of your health so you can gain deeper insights into your sleep habits, cardiovascular health, and more.

You're a good candidate for a smart ring if you hate the look of a smartwatch or fitness tracker with LED screens, which are categorically not cool. Smart rings are posed as a discreet option, looking like a regular piece of jewelry. However, to be frank, they don't blend in that well. In my weeks of testing, while wearing the rings during hangouts, someone would inevitably ask me, "What's that?"

Since a smart ring doesn't have a screen, you have to pull out your phone and open an app whenever you want to track activity. That's certainly not the end of the world, but if you convert from a smartwatch, you'll miss the convenience of tapping your wrist. That being said, I actually find a smart ring most useful when paired with a smartwatch. I ran all my testing while simultaneously wearing an Apple Watch, and I appreciated the smart rings that were compatible with my watch so I could receive push notifications.

Kindle users might be the most passionate sect of BookTok, coming up with hacks to maximize the device's potential, through page turners or Stuff Your Kindle Day events. And we get it, they're the best e-readers out there. In 2024, Amazon released a new lineup of Kindles that improved upon the previous generation, which we already loved.

I've tested the Kindle Paperwhite, and spoiler alert, I do think it's a better value than the Signature Edition. However, the SE isn't without its merits. Let's get into the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 12th generation, and whether you should buy it over the basic Kindle or Kindle Paperwhite.

Plus, I've now been using the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition for 18 months — do I still like it?

It has all the perks of the Paperwhite and more

It's nearly impossible to tell the difference between the Kindle Paperwhite and Paperwhite Signature Edition. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The Kindle Paperwhite and Paperwhite Signature Edition are essentially the same device; the Signature Edition just has the addition of a few special features. You can read all the in-depth details about why we like the Paperwhite in my review, but here's the TL;DR.

The 2024 Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is lightning fast. In comparison to the 2021 edition, the difference is noticeable, with no hesitation when flipping through pages. However, the biggest improvement comes when switching between books in your library, as it zips through tasks.

With a 7-inch screen, the SE got a slight size increase, while the resolution of 300 ppi and maximum brightness of 94 nits remain the same between generations. That being said, the display on this generation looks higher contrast, making it sharper and easier to read. Plus, it remains waterproof, perfect for taking along to the bathtub, beach, or pool.

Not to mention it comes with 32GB of storage. If you're thinking in terms of phones or tablets, that amount of storage might seem small, but keep in mind that 32GB has the potential to hold up to 32,000 e-books.

You get all of these great features in both the Kindle Paperwhite and Paperwhite Signature Edition, so what makes the SE unique?

The same great battery life as the Kindle Paperwhite

Kindles are unbeatable on one front: battery life. The Kindle Paperwhite and Signature Edition boast the same battery life of up to 12 weeks. The Signature Edition can go months without charging, but it doesn't have a longer life than the standard Paperwhite. The only battery life bonus you get with the Signature Edition is its wireless charging capabilities.

The Paperwhite vs. Signature Edition: What does $40 extra get you?

The Paperwhite Signature Edition has several added features that come with its $40 increase in price. For $199.99, it comes with an ad-free lock screen, 32GB of storage, auto-adjusting brightness, and wireless charging. Plus, it comes in metallic versions of the Kindle Paperwhite's black, jade, and raspberry.

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition offers a more vibrant twist on jade. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

No lockscreen ads

Among the added features, the lock screen is the biggest draw. On a standard Kindle, ads pop up on the lock screen, forcing Amazon's recommendations on you. Not necessarily a dealbreaker, but still plenty annoying. So the Signature Edition does away with the ads, freeing you from the chains of capitalism (sort of). However, this does come with one catch. The ad-free lock screen tends to unlock easily when tossing it into a bag since there's no 'swipe to unlock' mechanism that the ad-enabled devices have. So if you're going to get the Signature Edition, make sure to get a case with a cover.

Auto-adjusting brightness

In terms of the other features, I didn't think they were anything to write home about. The auto-adjusting brightness didn't work consistently, even when I went from reading next to a lamp to turning off the lights; the auto-adjustment didn't kick in, and I always had to manually turn the brightness down.

Wireless charging

The wireless charging, while nice, didn't feel like the most necessary addition since you need to charge the device every three months. Plus, with most devices using USB-C these days, I'm never in short supply of chargers.

Magsafe chargers even work on the Paperwhite Signature Edition. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

32GB of storage — is it necessary?

Now let's address the 32GB in the room. For an e-reader, that is an exorbitant amount of storage. It's double the amount of the standard Kindle Paperwhite, and again, 32,000 books' worth of storage. That is a lot of books. Is that much necessary? In my professional opinion, no, especially when you can remove downloaded books from your device and redownload from the Kindle cloud at any time. So if you think you need all that storage, you probably don't, and it's not worth splurging an extra $40 on it.

Differences between the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 12th generation and 11th generation

If you already have the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 11th generation, you may be wondering if it's worth it to upgrade to the next generation. Short answer: Absolutely not. Unless your 11th-gen Signature Edition has kicked the bucket, the differences between the 11th generation and 12th generation are negligible. Both devices have all the premium features of 32GB of storage, wireless charging, auto-adjusting brightness, and no lockscreen ads.

The main differences between the two devices are faster processing and a slightly larger screen. Having used both devices, the processing speeds are extremely similar, but the 12th generation's extra speed is admittedly hard to notice. The larger screen size is nice, but it's only a difference of .2-inches.

All that to say, don't run to upgrade unless your old device is on its last leg.

Do I still use the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition?

I first published this review in December 2024, so more than 18 months later, what do I think of the Paperwhite Signature Edition? Well, I use it every day. After a year and a half of use, the SE still has impressive performance, quickly maneuvering through pages and loading new downloads quickly. It has slowed down some; I noticed it particularly when turning on the device, but it's pretty negligible. What hasn't faltered? The battery life, which lasts for months at a time.

I'm lucky enough to have the whole Kindle lineup at my disposal, so why is the Signature Edition the one I keep reaching for? Lack of ads on the lockscreen is a big one, although the standard Paperwhite can be ad-free for just $20 more. What keeps me coming back to the Signature Edition is its 32GB of storage.

Many of the books I read are downloaded directly to my Kindle, and currently, I have 175 books on my SE. Those books take up only 674MB of storage, and I still have 24.8GB (or 24,800MB) available. Doing just a little math, that means I have room for over 6,000 more downloads. Do I think I'll ever actually have over 6,000 books on my Kindle? Probably not, but it's nice to not have to think twice about adding a new book to my device.

Is the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition worth it?

Is 32GB worth the $200 price tag? We're unconvinced. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

For the average user, I don't think the Signature Edition is a worthy upgrade. The Kindle Paperwhite is far better bang for your buck, packed with everything you need for the ultimate reading experience. It might be worth the splurge if you do have storage concerns — maybe you've maxed out on 16GB on previous Kindle models. Otherwise, 16GB will be fine. And if you're really put off by lock screen ads, then the Signature Edition is going to be your preferred device.

Plus, it has some real longevity. I've been using it for 18 months, and it's barely slowed down. So even if it's an investment, you won't be buying a new one for years.

Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2024 model, 12th generation)

$199.99 at Amazon

 

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Mashable's reviews of the current Kindle lineup

• Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 2024: I’ve tried every Kindle, and the Paperwhite is the only one you need

• Amazon Kindle 2024: Amazon's basic Kindle is the best e-reader on a budget

• Amazon Kindle Scribe 2024: Amazon's Kindle Scribe makes minor improvements, but it's not enough

• Amazon Kindle Colorsoft: Is color really worth $250?

Whether you're looking for a kid-friendly tablet or a compact laptop replacement, there are plenty of excellent options out there. If you're not exactly sure which tablet you should buy, we've got one simple question to help narrow down your search: Are you an Apple person? We tested the entire iPad lineup, and though iPads are our preferred tablets in 2026, we also love some of the best tablets from Samsung, OnePlus, and Microsoft. So, whatever your preferences, we've got a tablet to recommend.

What's new in this guide?

With ever-evolving technology, this guide is never done. We're continuing to test new tablets for inclusion in this guide. At the end of 2025, we added the Samsung Galaxy S11 Ultra to this guide.

As of March 2026, we've updated this guide to include the iPad Air with M4 chip, replacing the previous Air model. We also added the iPad Pro (M5) as the best iPad for professionals, as well as the OnePlus Pad Go 2 as the best budget Android tablet.

Our latest update in June 2026 includes the addition of the Lenovo Yoga Tab as our new favorite Android tablet. The Amazon Fire HD 8 was also added as our favorite Amazon Fire tablet.

Currently testing

To keep this guide fresh, we're actively testing new models. Next up is the Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5, a new gaming tablet. Previously, we've tested the Legion Tab Gen 3 and named it the best gaming tablet until it was discontinued.

Nintendo's new Star Fox reboot for Switch 2 has all the trademarks of something that should be totally creatively bankrupt.

It's a gussied-up remake of Star Fox 64, a game that Nintendo has already remade once before for the 3DS. On top of that, its existence feels like a big attempt at corporate synergy with the distressingly awful Super Mario Galaxy Movie, in which Fox McCloud made his surprise cinematic debut. Instead of reviving the long-dormant Star Fox series with something new, Nintendo has gone and just given us the same game for the third time.

And the wildest part is that it totally kicks ass. Nintendo and new development partner (and Troy, New York's own) Velan Studios have done the impossible and made a big, Hollywood-style remake of a classic arcade-style rail shooter that really, truly works once you sit down and play it. Star Fox for Switch 2 marries timeless levels and mechanics with gorgeous visuals, a breathtaking soundtrack, and just enough new flavor to make me excited about the future of Star Fox for the first time since the Bush administration.

Star Fox proves that 'cinematic' doesn't have to be a dirty word in games

That's a cool dude right there. Credit: Nintendo

If you haven't been following along closely, I should probably clarify a few things about Star Fox for Switch 2.

First, yes, this is a one-to-one recreation of Star Fox 64 in terms of level design and mechanics. Enemy placement, boss strategies, the branching path system, and the way scoring works are all retained here, exactly as they were in 1997. It's still a rail shooter with some open-zone segments, and you can still finish it in roughly half an hour. I have played through the original game dozens of times in my life, so I can speak pretty authoritatively on this subject.

What Star Fox lacks in innovation, it makes up for in pure, timeless arcade-style gameplay. Controlling the Arwing spacecraft has, in my mind, never felt better than it does here. It took all of 30 seconds for me to feel totally comfortable with everything I was doing, and a new, extended tutorial should be pretty good at easing newcomers into the fun, too. Using a charged shot to eliminate a group of enemy ships and then quickly barrel rolling out of the way of an incoming obstacle was thrilling 29 years ago, and it's still thrilling now.

I am largely uninterested in conversations about whether a remake is better or worse than the original. In my mind, remakes are either additive or can be safely ignored, so long as the original is readily, legally available on modern hardware, as Star Fox 64 is on Switch.

This is the first time Aquas has been a fun level to play. Credit: Nintendo

Having said that, there are actually a couple of aspects of this new Star Fox that I feel elevate the experience beyond what the N64 was capable of. The new visuals, for example, add personality to some levels that badly needed it. Corneria, the game's opening level, regardless of which branch you choose to pursue, is downright apocalyptic here, befitting of a planet undergoing a violent invasion from an evil empire. I'm also a fan of the new take on Katina, which turns that level into a wetland marsh environment rather than the nondescript brown smudge that defined it on N64.

I'm also particularly fond of how reactive each environment is to player actions. Shooting basically any surface in the game produces a satisfying graphical effect, such as space dust on meteorites or sparks from metal surfaces. In one section, you can shoot pine trees on the ground to set them on fire. It all looks and feels right in that respect, and frankly, I think the new character designs are kinda cool. I like how much more animal-like they are.

Arguably, the best aspect of this remake, and the one thing that I would say is a straight-up upgrade over the original, is the soundtrack. Star Fox 64's score was, and remains, extremely well composed, but the N64's sound hardware just wasn't particularly good at producing artificial orchestral sounds. Nintendo has gone and re-recorded the entire thing with a real orchestra for this remake, and I would say every single song is better here than it was before.

There are also new cutscenes sprinkled in between every story mission. These are typically pretty quick mission briefings that serve to add a little bit of flavor to the Star Fox universe, and they're mostly successful at that. I enjoy seeing the crew hang out with each other between battles, and I particularly like how often Fox makes it clear that his main motivation is getting paid because he's a mercenary. Making the world of Star Fox feel a little more grimy is cool.

As a fun bonus, you get different cutscenes based on which branching paths you choose in the campaign, so there's another little reason to play it over and over again.

These visual and audio changes work in concert to make the new Star Fox feel "cinematic," a term that has evolved into a pejorative for glossy AAA productions. In this context, though, Star Fox earns the compliment. A rail shooter ought to feel cinematic, given the genre's inherent reliance on heavy scripting while still preserving interactivity. Star Fox 64 also felt cinematic in its day, but I do believe the new version does that particular thing better than the original.

New modes are fun, but some changes fall a little flat

Of course, Nintendo and Velan also made a bunch of changes, as you'd expect from a full-on remake. Most of them are fine, but some of them are not.

I'll start with the bad. The new voice acting is generally done fairly well, in line with how modern video games and cartoons sound. That is to say, the tone on each line read is usually a bit more muted and less theatrical than the original. It can often be jarring if the lines from 1997 are imprinted on your brain like they are on mine, but I have to imagine anyone starting their Star Fox journey with this version will not notice anything wrong.

Still, it was hard for me not to notice how many lines that were previously screamed dramatically are now spoken more casually. I prefer the original reads, but that's to be expected of someone who has been hearing them for three decades. I also want to bemoan the lack of a weird robot voice saying "GOOD LUCK" when you start each level. There was no need to take that out.

The Landmaster is still rad. Credit: Nintendo

Other than that, though, most of the additions are worthwhile. Challenge Mode adds a bunch of achievement-like objectives to each level, giving you even more reason to replay them after you've earned all the medals in the story mode. Battle Mode is a new, expanded multiplayer experience that offers online 4v4 dogfights across three maps, with a different team objective on each map.

I'm pretty into what I've played of Battle Mode, but I can easily see it wearing a little thin after a week or two, given the lack of maps and (thus far) lack of indication that there will be any more added to the game. Regardless, the dream of online Star Fox dogfights has finally been realized in a console game, and that counts for something.

Star Fox for Switch 2 might not be the franchise revival many of us had in mind when rumors of its existence started trickling out months ago. But on its merits, this is a mostly excellent take on a tremendous N64 classic, and one that I think would be a fantastic starting point for anyone who has ever been Star Fox-curious. Given the way Nintendo has treated remakes made by external studios in the recent past, I also fully expect this to be an on-ramp to a new, original game in the near future.

And for the first time in a very long time, I'm actually excited by the prospect of a new Star Fox game.

We're always looking for new and inventive ways to hit you with big savings on popular items. We cover hundreds of deals every month. You can find these deals on site, on socials, and on our newsletter. We've also launched a Mashable Deals text group. The daily deals that we send to this group are researched and assessed by the team with the same level of care that we dedicate to the rest of our shopping content.

You can find a live hub for those deals right here.

We all know the feeling of getting the dreaded low power notification in a less than ideal situation.

Whether you're a fan or content creator, on the floor at VidCon would definitely fall into that bucket. The best way to avoid fighting for an outlet when you could be grabbing some vlog content? A portable charger.

That said, this is VidCon. Sure, a lot of people use their phones to film content, but it's also plenty common to have a vlogging camera or even a laptop to keep charged. That means the random one you got seven years ago may not cut it.

Luckily, we've stress tested the ones that will. In addition to trying out some portable chargers myself, I've also called on the Mashable team for their tried and true. The result? These top three portable chargers, worthy of being used at VidCon. Yes, all of them are from Anker, but hey, the brand knows how to balance power and value.

I knew I was in trouble when I saw the first images of the Fitbit Air. I was smitten from the beginning. I’m all about simple and non-flashy wearable tech, so the Fitbit Air was speaking to me, personally. Then I saw the $99.99 price and stopped breathing for a second. Google’s first take on a faceless fitness tracker launched recently, and I’ve worn it nonstop for nearly a month to test out its features.

Google offers several bands for the Fitbit Air including a silicone Performance Band. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

My favorite element of the Fitbit Air has to be how it feels to wear. By far, it’s the most comfortable smartwatch or fitness tracker I've ever experienced. And since this is an honest review, I even like the Google AI fitness coach, which has given me almost daily workouts and has kept me on track more than any other fitness routine I’ve tried in recent years. Here are my thoughts about the budget-friendly Fitbit Air and who should consider owning one.

Worth the $100 for the comfort and simple looks

Google designed the Fitbit Air to feel as if you’re wearing nothing, and I can confirm this is the most comfortable thing I’ve worn on my wrist. I’ve been wearing my beloved CMF Nothing Watch 3 Pro for months now, but I set it aside to test the Fitbit Air. The difference in comfort, size, and weight on my wrist was significant, especially while sleeping.

The Fitbit Air is tiny compared to my CMF Nothing Watch 3 Pro. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

The Fitbit Air weighs 12 grams or 0.03 pounds. I don’t notice that I’m wearing it during the day or while sleeping. That’s about half the weight of the popular faceless fitness tracker, the Whoop 5.0, which clocks in at 26.5 grams. 

I took off the Fitbit Air to shower and swim in saltwater. That’s not necessary since it’s water-resistant up to 50 meters, but Google recommends taking it off to shower, as soaps could cause damage. Other than that, I wore it nonstop and got several compliments on the look. Some friends at dinner even assumed it was a bracelet and not a fitness tracker. 

Week-long battery life and quick recharging

Google claims the Fitbit Air will get up to seven days of battery life on a single charge, and they weren’t lying. In my testing, I got a bit over eight days of wear before my watch got to about 4 percent and I set it on the charger to make sure I didn’t miss a night of tracking sleep. For comparison, the Apple Watch 11 gets about 24 hours of battery life per charge. 

The brain of the Fitbit Air easily pops in and out of the bands. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

In addition to the impressive one-week battery life, the Fitbit Air takes hardly any time to recharge. On my first test, I reached a 100 percent charge in 67 minutes. That dropped to 65 minutes on my second recharge. After just 10 minutes of the Fitbit sitting on the charger, it had reached 44 percent. 

Because of this excellent battery life and quick recharging, you don’t have to worry about skipping a night of sleep tracking or missing out on steps on account of the fitness tracker recharging.

Google Health Premium kind of rocks 

I tested the Fitbit Air with Google Health Premium, which comes free for the first three months. After that, it costs $9.99 per month or $99.99 for an annual plan. Built with Gemini, Premium comes with advanced AI features like the ability to ask Coach health and fitness questions, dive into mindfulness sessions, and get a customized weekly fitness plan. I told Coach I was focused on getting stronger and lowering my resting heart rate, and it popped out a five-session plan each week that incorporated my Hydrow rowing machine.

The Google Coach formulated a weekly fitness plan for me that was simple to adjust. Credit: Screenshot: Google Health

Video of each activity helps with understanding each workout or stretch. Credit: Screenshot: Google Health

I’m not heavily on the AI train, so I’m a bit ashamed to say I love Google Health Premium, specifically the personalized workouts. I grew up in a Catholic school, which is to say, I’m a hardcore follower of the rules. So when the Google Coach told me to stretch, row for 20 minutes while keeping my heart rate in zone 2, and then stretch to cool down, I damn well did it. And that was enough to majorly up the frequency of my workouts.

Sleep, nutrition, and hydration tracking on the Fitbit Air are exceptional

We’re all looking for a fitness tracker that gives us great sleep metrics in detail and automatically detects napping. Since I barely noticed wearing the Fitbit Air, I’m giving this the award of my new favorite sleep tracker. The detailed sleep metrics are insightful, and with each night I wear it, they get even better since Google is getting used to my sleep norms.

The Fitbit Air did an accurate job at automatically detecting naps. Credit: Screenshot: Google Health

Testing out the ability to capture a photo of food to log in the app. Credit: Screenshot: Google Health

Google also lets you track nutrition with the Fitbit Air, and that can be as easy as scanning a barcode or taking a photo of your plate. It even breaks down macro goals, so you can aim for the ideal amount of carbs, fat, and protein each day. Hydration tracking is also simple, and Coach would even send me a reminder to get my ounces in before it was time to wind down for the night, since I have a tendency to chug 20 ounces right before bed, leading to a midnight wake-up.

Like all AI-driven tech, the Fitbit Air has some flaws

No AI is perfect, and when testing the Fitbit Air, I landed in some errors. I skipped my daily workout, and Coach asked me if I did any other activity. When I said I had picked blueberries in the yard in the afternoon (gotta be some yoga moves in there), the Fitbit said it had logged that I ate one cup of blueberries. While that was probably true, I was trying to log light movement.

In all fairness, I did probably eat one cup of blueberries while picking. Credit: Screenshot: Google Health

I also noticed some inaccuracies when working out. Each Fitbit Air workout crafted by Coach begins with a warmup, which is usually stretching. Start the workout, and the app shows you a video of a person doing the stretch, which is incredibly helpful. However, the written description of the stretch didn’t always match the movements the person was doing in the video.

And of course, using AI health and fitness is not meant to be a replacement for getting professional medical care.

Is a screen-less fitness tracker right for you?

It took me a while to get accustomed to wearing something on my left wrist that did not tell me the time. I’m used to it now, but I could see this driving some people nuts. However, I prefer not to have instant access to my emails or text messages, so the faceless design is my ideal, though I understand it’s not for everyone.

In a way, the Fitbit Air is a great option if you’re heading more into the analog life and you’ve Bricked your phone, for example. But because there’s no face, everything about the Fitbit Air is done via the app, which is located on (you guessed it) your phone. So while you won’t get texts on your wrist, you do have to look at your phone to check steps, heart rate, and other metrics.

Is the Fitbit Air worth it?

I’d recommend the Fitbit Air to anyone who likes the idea of an affordable fitness tracker that doesn’t double up as a smartwatch. It’s a simple fitness tracker that’s comfortable to wear and includes plenty of health and fitness tracking. It’s also one of the budget-friendly options, costing $99.99. However, I found the added features from Google Health Premium to be well worth the price, so add on another $99.99 per year for access to those deeper insights.

I don’t think the Fitbit Air is great for people who are strongly anti-AI. The benefits of health and fitness tracking lean heavily on AI. At times, it felt creepy to get a Google Health notification that confirmed I had arrived on vacation at my destination and had already gone for a walk on the beach. 

Google Fitbit Air

$99.99 at Amazon

 

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At this point, iPads can do (almost) anything your laptop can do thanks to iPadOS 26. Not to mention, the iPad Air with M4 just got a memory boost up to 12GB, putting it a tier above some laptops. Whether you want to stream, browse the internet, illustrate, or edit videos, you can do it on the iPad. Recent developments in the Pro and Air models also set them up as gaming devices.

The rapid pace of Apple's update schedule makes shopping for a tablet all the more difficult. So, we tested every model to help you find the best iPad for you.

And if you are ready to buy, the best time to do so is during Prime Day, which runs June 23 to June 26. We hope to see new, all-time low prices during Prime Day, but what's the price to beat?

How much will iPads be on Prime Day?

Since we can't predict the future, we can only rely on past data to know how cheap iPads will be during Prime Day. We rounded up the all-time low prices on every iPad model to get an idea of what to expect during Prime Day.

The 11th generation iPad is the cheapest but the iPad Air has had the most recent price drop. Credit: Mashable

The iPad 11th generation and iPad Mini haven't had all-time lows since December 2025 so those models are due for big drops during Prime Day. Meanwhile, the iPad Air and iPad Pro are recent releases, which probably means smaller discounts on those models. However, we have our fingers crossed for the iPad Air to drop to $499 and the iPad Pro to $749. Although, that's perhaps unlikely in the face of Apple price hikes.

Which iPad model should I buy?

The right iPad for you depends purely on your needs. Do you want something that has enough storage and speed for streaming? Do you want to use it to read? Do you want to use a tablet as your primary workstation? Your answers should factor into your decision.

To get you started, we believe the best iPad for most people is the new M4 iPad Air (2026). It has exceptional performance but is also in the middle range for both price and capability.

So, what is the best e-reader for 2026? I'm regularly testing new e-readers (and tablets) and cycling through different models to stay up to date on the best options available. If you're gearing up to read more books this year, I can recommend a model you'll love.

I can also say that with Prime Day running June 23 to 26, it's the best time to buy an e-reader, particularly a Kindle. I expect Kindles to hit all-time low prices and hope to see other e-readers like Kobos and the DuRoBo follow suit.

Latest e-reader news

In April 2026, we added two new e-readers to this list. After months of testing, we've included the Durobo Krono, an open Android e-reader that allows you to access your Kindle, Libby, and Kobo libraries on one device. The Xetink X4 e-reader is a unique, compact device that doesn't look like much, but is pretty impressive.

It's been a busy few months of e-reader news. As of May 20, Amazon ceased support for e-readers released in 2012 or earlier, which includes the first generation of Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite. For Kindle users now in the market for a new e-reader, some are considering a switch to Kobo.

For those on the fence, Kobo just made it a little more enticing. In June 2026, Kobo will launch a Storygraph integration, so your reading progress is automatically synced in the app. This will be available on the Kobo app and e-readers.

Other e-readers we've tested

From left to right: Kindle Paperwhite, Nook GlowLight 4 Plus, Kindle Scribe Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

We've also tested the Remarkable PaperPro and Onyx Boox Go 7 as contenders for this list. After several weeks of testing, both devices proved to be pretty good but not quite list-worthy.

Whenever you search for e-readers, Remarkable's tablets will always pop up in the search results, but unfortunately, it's hard to obtain ePUB files on the Remarkable. With Remarkable, you can access files within Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive. If you have any locked ePUB files — like from Libby — you won't be able to access them on a Remarkable tablet. So, after testing the Remarkable tablet myself, it proved to be a better document reader or digital journal than an e-reader.

The Onyx Boox Go 7 is a better e-reader option than the Remarkable. It's the same size as the Kobo Libra or Amazon Kindle, but it really lags on processing speed. To read ePUB files from Libby required downloading the Adobe Digital Editions app onto the Boox Go 7, and there was so much lag while opening and closing the app. While it was an easier process than getting library books on a Nook, it was still a major pain compared to Kindle or Kobo's integrations. The Boox Go 7 lagged and took ages to load files. I was most looking forward to testing this Boox because of its page-turning buttons, but unfortunately, I found that they didn't work on my device.

Two e-readers I recently tested included the Boox Palma 2 and the Boox Go 10.3 (Gen 2) Lumi. The Boox Palma 2 was a really solid palm-sized e-reader. On an open-Android system, you can download any reading app from the Google Play store including Libby, Kindle, and Kobo. Unfortunately, the Palma 2 is being discontinued and its availability is dwindling.

The Boox Go 10.3 (Gen 2) Lumi, offered the same operating system as the Palma 2 just in a larger screen with writing capabilities. It's exceptionally similar to the Kindle Scribe but not quite as fast, which is why it doesn't make our list.

What about the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition?

If you're familiar with the Kindle lineup, it may come as a surprise that the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition isn't on this list. Don't get me wrong, it's great, but I think there are better options. The Signature Edition is an upgraded version of the Paperwhite, and we've compared the devices head-to-head. The short version? The Paperwhite is a better value, even with the SE's added features like auto-adjusting brightness and 32GB of storage.

If you are prepared to spend $200 on an e-reader, though, I say skip the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition and go for the Kobo Libra Colour.

Where's the Nook on this list?

In terms of big-name e-readers, you might notice one omission from this list: the Barnes & Noble Nook. I have tested this e-reader, and it was previously featured on this list. However, after testing more devices, it no longer makes the cut. In comparison to any of the Kindles or the Kobo Libra, the Nook has sloth-like performance, making it frustrating to use.

Plus, getting my library books onto the Nook was a nightmare, as it was a multi-step process that required downloading to a computer before uploading to a Nook. Its only redeeming quality was the buttons on either side of the device, which made page turning a breeze. However, unless you are a loyal buyer of Barnes & Noble books, I recommend steering clear of the Nook.

Where to get e-reader books for free

Once you get an e-reader, it's time to fill it up with books, and that doesn't necessarily mean spending money. In fact, you can load up your e-reader without spending a dime; you just need to be a bit resourceful.

The best way to read nearly any book — a classic or hot new release — is with Libby. I have read hundreds of free books with the Libby app — I wouldn't have been able to test for this guide without it. It connects with your library card, allowing you to borrow from your local library's digital collection. Plus, both Kobo and Kindle have exceptional Libby integrations.

Another way to build your library is through Stuff Your Kindle Day events. These are 24-hour opportunities led by authors that make books discounted or free.

If you're a fan of the classics or looking to discover a treasure lost to time, an online resource like Project Gutenberg has more than 75,000 books in the public domain that you can download and read on an e-reader.

Even though we made sure to include headphones at all different price ranges, there's no denying that even the budget models in this guide can be something of an investment. Our recommendation? Take advantage of Amazon Prime Day, which runs this year from June 23 to 26, to save some money on our top picks.

If you don't want to wait until the sale proper, run into Prime-exclusive deals, or deal with the general chaos of the sale, check out our guide to the top headphones deals and look for chances to save.

What are the most comfortable headphones?

Credit: Alex Bracetti / Mashable

The most comfortable earbuds and headphones shouldn't cause ear fatigue or pain, even after hours of listening to music or podcasts.

After a full year of extensive testing, we selected the six most comfortable headphones based on price, performance, and purpose. However, one product in particular stood out, and it's the one with "Comfort" literally in the name. Our audio reviewers are unanimous on this point: Bose QuietComfort Ultra (Gen 2) are the most comfortable headphones in the world right now.

Read on to find out what other pairs emerged as the top choices, including picks for those who want top-tier noise cancellation.

In-ear, on-ear, or over-ear?

If you're looking for comfort above all, over-ear headphones are almost always the way to go. They just wear better than earbuds or on-ear models. The latter is harsher on your ears, which can cause serious discomfort, depending on how long you wear them. In-ear buds are generally more comfortable than on-ear headphones, but they can still begin to hurt after just a few hours (they are jammed inside your ears, after all).

Although over-ear headphones are bulkier and less portable, it's worth the trade-off for comfort's sake. Plus, over-ear headphones can be safer for your ears compared to earbuds because the sound isn't being funneled directly into your ear canal. They also provide extra noise cancellation.

How much should you spend on comfortable headphones?

The good news is that comfortable headphones aren't locked to a specific budget range. You can find a super cozy pair at premium pricing just as easily as you can find them at the budget end of the spectrum. The extra features you're looking for are what really determine how much you need to spend.

Want unrivaled active noise cancellation or the best sound quality in the business? Then be prepared to spend a minimum of around $200, all the way up to $800. If comfort is literally the only thing you care about and the extra bells and whistles are just nice-to-haves, you can expect to spend anywhere from $50 to $300. Go any cheaper, and you're probably not going to get a lot of value for your money. No shade toward your favorite pair of gas station headphones, but they probably aren't the best option for all-day wear.

We have to talk about RAMageddon

It's a tough time to be a new Windows laptop. PCs have been hit especially hard by the global RAM shortage. Many popular models have gotten steep price hikes as new AI data centers hog their components, making good values in the budget and mid-range tiers scarcer. (Unfortunately, that probably won't change anytime soon.)

MacBooks have managed to avoid such price increases, but they're not necessarily the ideal computers for everyone. Windows laptops are still much better for PC gaming, and they're more customizable with dedicated GPUs, OLED displays, and convertible designs.

So, before you defect to Team Apple, explore our guide to the best Windows laptops that are actually worth buying these days. Yes, they're still out there — just fewer and further between.

How we chose the top Windows laptops

To select our current picks, my colleagues and I have spent the last few months reviewing some of the newest Windows laptops using our in-house testing methodology. I've also re-evaluated some of last year's releases that remain in stock and don't feel like drastic downgrades.

As of mid-2026, the ultraportable Asus Zenbook A14 leads the pack as my top pick for most buyers.

What's new

I overhauled this guide with new Windows laptops in June 2026.

• The Asus Zenbook A14 replaces the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 as my top choice for most people, since the latter is older but newly much more expensive.

• The Acer Swift Edge 14 AI succeeds the older Zenbook A14 as my favorite ultraportable; it's even slimmer and lighter.

• The HP OmniBook 3 16 is my new battery life winner, dethroning the OmniBook 5 14 with an extra seven-plus hours of stamina.

• The Asus Zenbook A16 ousts the Acer Swift Go 16 as the best 16-inch laptop with its amazing performance and lightweight build.

• The repairable Framework Laptop 13 with Intel Core Ultra Series 1 chips has been retired in favor of the newer AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series model.

I also removed several previous picks that were no longer available at the time of writing, including the 2026 MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+, the 2024 Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x, the 2025 Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition, and the 2025 Lenovo Yoga Book 9i.

A note about Windows laptops with Snapdragon X series chips

Asus' Zenbook A-series laptops are two of the best ARM-based laptops I've tried. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

Qualcomm's Snapdragon X series chips use ARM-based architecture, not traditional x86 architecture like Intel and AMD chips. As such, their compatibility differs; ARM-based laptops don't work with certain specialty software, PC games, and older peripherals (like printers and scanners). It's important to consider these limitations for your use cases.

This is one big reason why I recommend the Lenovo Yoga 7 14 for students: It runs on an x86-based AMD chip, not an ARM-based Snapdragon X chip. When I examined the 20 top public universities' hardware recommendations last fall, I found that a few schools explicitly advised their students against getting ARM-based laptops because they aren't compatible with certain essential software and peripherals.

The good news is that ARM compatibility has gotten better over the past couple years, and it will definitely continue to do so now that Nvidia is coming out with its own Windows on ARM chips.

Mashable has been testing laptops for over 10 years, and I took the category's helm in 2023. Over the past year and a half alone, the team and I have researched dozens of models and tried more than 50 of the most promising configurations available. We use a meticulous testing procedure to score our contenders on the basis of performance, battery life, design/build quality, and value.

The following guide serves as our laptop trophy case, highlighting the best-in-class models across different subcategories. For even more recommendations, check out my dedicated guides to the best MacBooks, the best Windows laptops, the best cheap laptops, and the best Chromebooks.

What's new

I revamped this guide with a bunch of new picks in mid-2026 after a new round of testing. The 15-inch, M5-powered Apple MacBook Air is our new top MacBook, replacing its M4 predecessor. The Asus Zenbook A14 is our new favorite Windows laptop, succeeding the 13.8-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, which got a price hike and a successor this spring. (I plan on testing the new version.) The MacBook Neo replaces the Acer Aspire 16 AI as the best budget laptop overall (but that's still the best cheap Windows laptop). The Acer Chromebook Plus 516 is now our top Chromebook for most people, booting out the too-expensive Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14. Lastly, the HP OmniBook 3 16 is our new battery life champ, having beat our older pick, the HP OmniBook 5 14, by over seven hours of usage.

I also removed some previous picks that were no longer available at the time of writing, including the 2026 MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x, the Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition, and the 16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro).

A note about ARM-based Windows laptops

Many great Windows laptops we've tried run on Qualcomm's Snapdragon X and X2 series chips, which use ARM-based architecture instead of standard x86 architecture like Intel and AMD chips. (The Zenbook A14 and OmniBook 3 16 are both two outstanding Windows on ARM laptops.)

These Qualcomm chips are great because they offer amazing performance and battery life, but they're not compatible with some specialty software, PC games, and older PC accessories like scanners. Having said that, ARM support is getting better and should dramatically improve in the near future. Right now, I would only avoid ARM laptops if you're a college student, or if gaming is the main thing you do on your PC. You can read more about this in my best Windows laptops guide.

Not quite a tablet and much more compact than a book, e-readers are basically a compact, digital library. And having tested a lot of e-readers and tablets for Mashable, I can tell you the Amazon Kindle lineup comes closest to perfecting the devices.

All over the internet, you'll find TikTok users enthusiastically singing the praises of the Kindle and how to make the most of it. For parents, Kindles are a screen you don't have to feel guilty about. For avid readers, Stuff Your Kindle Day and Libby let you cross every last item off your annual reading list. You can even buy Kindle accessories like remote page-turners and gooseneck stands so you don't have to hold your Kindle while reading.

2026 Kindle updates

As of May 20, 2026, Amazon no longer lend software updates or provide web services to devices released in 2012 or earlier, essentially bricking them. Users will still be able to read currently downloaded books on the device, but to add new books, they will need to connect the device to a computer. This is a huge hit, especially to Libby users who need web service access to read borrowed books.

The affected Kindles include:

• Kindle (1st generation)

• Kindle (2nd generation)

• Kindle DX

• Kindle DX Graphite

• Kindle Keyboard

• Kindle 4

• Kindle Touch

• Kindle 5

• Kindle Paperwhite (1st generation)

Owners of these Kindle models are obviously upset, as it means they'll need to purchase a new device to maintain access to all features. While some are considering switching to a different e-reader, like a Kobo, Amazon still makes great e-readers, and it's a testament to the brand that devices that are at least 14 years old are still going strong.

Which Kindle is right for you?

If you're concerned about buying the newest tech, that's not an issue. There are six updated Kindle models for sale, as well as older editions still in stock.

Before you choose a Kindle, you need to ask one question first: Do you want it to be waterproof? If you prefer reading near a body of water — whether in the bath, by the pool, or at the beach — that immediately narrows down your options. Since the Kindle Oasis is no longer available, your waterproof options are the Kindle Paperwhite, Paperwhite Signature Edition, Colorsoft Signature Edition, and Paperwhite Kids.

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition settings screen. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Beyond water resistance, here are a few other features to consider:

• Display size: The basic Kindle has a 6-inch display, while the largest has a 10.2-inch display.

• Storage capacity: Kindles range from 16GB to 32GB of storage capacity.

• Battery life: The new Kindles generally have outstanding batteries. On the low end, they last up to six weeks per charge, while others last up to 12 weeks.

• Writing capability: The Kindle Scribe is the only model that allows you to write with the included stylus. 

The latest Kindles all boast a maximum brightness of 94 nits and a 300 ppi, high-resolution display with zero glare, so you can enjoy sharp text and images at any viewing angle. Kindles are also equipped with WiFi connectivity, allowing you to download all the reading material you could ever want. Plus, you can listen to audiobooks on Audible via the built-in Bluetooth connection.

Not to mention, out of all the e-readers I've tested, Kindles have the best compatibility with Libby. I love the digital platform because I can read for free and support my local library. Some other e-readers require you to download your library e-book to a computer and then upload it to an e-reader, but with Kindles, your e-books are sent straight to your device with a click.

And if you were a die-hard Kindle Oasis fan and are attached to page-turning buttons, you may need to stray from the Kindle line-up. Now, your best bet will be the Kobo Libra Colour.

How to get free e-books on Kindle

With just a click, transfer your Libby e-book to your Kindle device. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Your Libby ebook will automatically populate in your Kindle library. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The best way to read free e-books on a Kindle is with Libby. Libby allows you to borrow e-books through libraries, and all you need is a library card. Through the Libby app, borrow books and then select the "read with Kindle" option, which allows you to send these e-books to your Kindle library.

Another option for finding free e-books is through Stuff Your Kindle events. These are author-driven events that offer limited-time deals on e-books, often making them heavily discounted or totally free.

How to make the most of your Kindle

Through our testing and daily use, we've spent a lot of time with Kindles, learning how to make the most of them. We've written extensively on all the ways to maximize your Kindle, so be sure to browse through our guides and explainers:

• How to make the most of your Kindle: 8 features you need to use

• The best Kindle accessories for reading in luxury

• What is Stuff Your Kindle Day? The best way to fill your e-reader with free books

• I've read hundreds of free Kindle books with Libby. Here's how.

• What is Kindle Rewards? Earn free credits when shopping the Kindle store

• What is Kindle Unlimited? A library of books at your fingertips for just $12 a month

• Where to get free e-books: Load up your e-reader without spending a dime

• Prime members can get a free e-book every month with Amazon First Reads

• How to download EPUB files on your Kindle

• 8 Kindle features you should be using

• How to delete books from Kindle
  

I'm not saying that you can expect every robot vacuum that mops to scrub your kitchen grout with the same tenacity as you could by hand with a toothbrush. But the best robot vacuum and mop combos have gotten much closer to true deep cleaning versus the ol' wet light dusting of the cheap mopping robot vacuums of the early 2020s.

Many have smart mopping settings that unleash deeper scrubbing on specified spills or stains, and some even use AI sensors and cameras to assess whether a mess has been sufficiently cleaned. The mopping mechanisms themselves are also just more physically able to do a better job — from downward-pressing dual-rotating mops that can actually get close to the wall to sturdy roller mops that rinse themselves as they go, automated mopping involves more elbow grease and brainpower than you may be expecting.

You can also set your robot vacuum to take multiple passes over dirty floors in the app's settings — one of my go-to tips for making your vacuum work better.

The self-emptying docks of 2-in-1 robot vacuums are far more advanced than they were a few years ago. The best robot mop combos will also self-dispense detergent, automatically wash and dry their mopping pads, and then refill themselves with clean water. In theory, mopping pad maintenance should be nearly as automated as the cleaning itself.

Recent changes to this guide

• June 2026: I added the Narwal Flow 2 as the new pick for best roller mop robot vacuum overall, bumping the Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow to the best roller mop robot vacuum under $1,000. The Narwal Flow 2 has stronger suction power and more advanced AI spill detection.

• March 2026: I replaced the Eufy X10 Pro Omni with the Eufy C28 as my pick for the best budget robot vacuum mop combo. The X10 Pro Omni is two years old at this point, and its suction power, mopping skills, and small obstacle avoidance simply can't keep up with the C28 — especially when their price difference is less than $100.

• February 2025: The Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete takes over as the best robot vacuum in 2026 so far, and the Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow replaces the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller as the best roller mop robot vacuum. Due to the X60 Max Ultra Complete's meticulous corner cleaning and market-leading suction power, the Roborock Saros 10R has been removed from the list.

• November 2025: The Narwal Freo Z10 Ultra has been named the best robot vacuum mop combo under $1,000, a mark that it hits when on sale. The Eufy X10 Pro Omni got a similar update: It's now named the best robot vacuum mop combo under $500, which refers to a sale price it hits quite often.

• October 2025: The Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller has been added as the best roller mop robot vacuum. Previously our top pick as the best robot vacuum and mop, I've now named the Roborock Saros 10R as the best corner mopping robot vacuum.

Based on my extensive hands-on testing and expert input, I’ve picked the best sexting apps to keep your flirtiest, dirtiest chats truly private — whether you're messaging a partner, a hookup, or a verified creator.

Because sometimes the anticipation of a hookup is even hotter than the main event. In my experience, sexting is the ultimate form of digital foreplay. It’s the glue that keeps long-distance relationships from falling apart, the spark that stops long-term couples from feeling like roommates, and — for all you singles out there — the safest way to test sexual chemistry before you ever meet up in person.

If it feels like everyone is sending spicy texts these days, you're not wrong. Some studies show that up to 88 percent of American adults have engaged in sexting at some point in their lives. For many, it's become an essential means of connection, and research shows that sharing intimate pictures can evoke, demonstrate, and reinforce trust.

But if you're going to share that side of yourself, you need to know it stays between you and the recipient

You've heard of safe sex. But what about safe sexting?

Remember: You can't (and shouldn't!) trust your most intimate moments to just any app. As fun as the buildup is, the sad truth is that no one ever knows for sure if their private photos will stay private once they hit send on standard messaging platforms. Sliding into the DMs on a standard social media app might feel like spontaneous fun, but in 2026, your digital footprint is forever. Plus, with Meta cracking down hard this April (wiping out Instagram accounts and posts just for hinting at sexual expression), it's obvious that mainstream platforms are becoming hostile territory for your spicy chats. If you're going to share that side of yourself, you need to know it stays between you and the recipient.

As one of Mashable's dating app experts, I've spent the last three years testing dozens of platforms to find the best and most discreet apps for the job. My highest priority is always user safety. I also spoke with security expert Gary Orenstein with Bitwarden, who stressed that for sharing intimate content, "privacy features cannot be optional — they’re essential." He recommends looking for apps with three key features: end-to-end encryption, disappearing messages, and screenshot detection.

For years, our number-one recommendation that hit all three of those marks was Confide. But with the app officially shutting down, Signal has become my new gold standard for secure messaging. While its "Screen Security" setting prevents screenshots on your own device, it doesn't prevent someone else from taking a screenshot of your chat on their device. However, its open-source encryption and foolproof disappearing messages still make it one of the safest options for sending nudes.

Whether you're looking for an encrypted vault to text your long-term partner, a sex-positive platform to explore new kinks, or a secure space to find someone entirely new, there's a platform out there that won't compromise your privacy. If you believe in safe sex, you should practice safe sexting, too. Here are the apps I trust to get the job done.

Recent updates to this guide:

• Confide: I’ve moved this back to the #1 spot. Its privacy tools (like screenshot-proofing) just give it the edge over everything else right now.

• Lovense Remote: I added this as the winner for "Group Sexting." It's also the best way for couples (and polyamorous folks) to sync Bluetooth toys for long-distance play.

• FetLife: Added as "Best for Kink." It’s less of a standard app and more of a social network, but it remains the go-to place for finding niche communities.

What about other sexting sites?

You've probably seen other "best of" lists recommending apps I've left off. That's intentional. My goal is to recommend platforms where you can make connections, not just burn cash.

Here's why a few popular names didn't make the cut:

• A note on "paid operator" sites: Many sites marketed for sexting (like InstaBang, Arousr, and SextLocal) don't primarily connect you with other real users. Instead, they often use "chat operators" to keep you talking and paying. While there's nothing wrong with a paid fantasy, I don't consider that mutual sexting. My list focuses on apps for real, user-to-user interaction (with the exception of SextPanther, which connects you with verified adult performers).

• Couple's apps: You also won't find apps like Between on this list. While it's a private messenger for couples, it lacks the specific features that make sexting fun. If you want to level up your digital intimacy, my picks (like We-Vibe and Lovense) are much more interactive.

My top pick for most people is the Acer Chromebook Plus 516, a mid-range model with a large 1200p display, great battery life, and enough power for any basic everyday task. It's not the nicest Chromebook you can buy, but it meets the needs of the average Chromebook user for just $479 (or less — it's almost always on sale).

My complete guide to the best Chromebooks includes other picks for splurgers and kids, so keep scrolling. If you aren't sure whether a Chromebook is right for you, check out my explainer on how they're different from regular Windows laptops and MacBooks.

What's new

In June 2026, I replaced the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 with the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 as our top pick. The former now costs a whopping $999 after a $250 price hike this spring, so it's way too expensive to recommend. (Thank the global RAM shortage.) For that money, you might as well buy an on-sale MacBook Air.

The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 also got slightly more expensive in recent months, bumping from $699 to $749. That's a high but not totally unreasonable number, so I've made it our top splurge pick.

What's on deck

Google recently announced the Googlebook, a new category of built-for-Gemini laptops that will succeed Chromebooks soon. We don't know much about them yet, but we do know that Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo will make some of the first models, which are set for release sometime later this year. It sounds like they'll be more expensive than Chromebooks: Google said Googlebooks will have "premium craftsmanship and materials."

So where does that leave the Chromebook? Don't start planning a funeral just yet. John Maletis, Google's VP of Product Management for ChromeOS, told the tech site Chrome Unboxed that Chromebooks will continue to get 10 years of automatic updates. Plus, some models will be able to run Googlebooks' new Android-based operating system. "A lot of the newer devices, we will be working on an ability for customers to migrate over," Maletis said.

How to choose the best headphones

We won't beat around the bush: There's no definitive "best" product here. Sure, elite audio brands put out high-quality products across the board, but even within each of those brands, you'll find different tiers of products. Some will deliver better value, and some will deliver better hardware and active noise cancellation.

All this to say, the best pair of earbuds or headphones largely comes down to personal preference and how you plan to use them. Some listeners swear by over-ear headphones, while others prefer the minimalism of earbuds — one is not necessarily better than the other. Athletes who like to use headphones at the gym will appreciate waterproof materials and the best open earbuds, while frequent fliers will prefer devices with long battery life, comfort, and portability. Finally, music lovers and audiophiles will want to invest in premium features like a custom equalizer, spatial audio, or best-in-class active noise cancellation.

To help you pick your pair, we tested all of the headphones in this guide (and a lot that didn't make the cut). Here, you'll find the top headphones of 2026 for noise cancellation, music, price, and wired connections.

What about wired headphones?

We focused primarily on the best wireless headphones for this guide. While wired headphones have their fans, wireless headphones are just more convenient for most of us. If we had to pick, we'd recommend the Marshall Mode earbuds as our top wired pick. Some of us are also fans of Apple's EarPods.

Other headphones we've tested

Most recently, we tested the Marshall Monitor III, JBL Tour One M3 headphones and the Skullcandy Method 360 ANC, and though they had their merits, fell short of winning the best of the best spot on this guide.

We've also tested the Sonos Ace headphones and Dyson OnTrac headphones. And while we loved them both for sound quality and noise cancellation, they fare in the way of AirPods Max — left out of our recommendations for their high price points.

In the testing pipeline

For our future updates, we're testing out more budget noise-cancelling earbuds and headphones.

Recent updates to this guide

• March 2025: We've designated the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 earbuds as the most comfortable ANC earbuds and crowned the Sony XM6 earbuds as the new best noise cancelling earbuds.

• December 2025: We replaced the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 earbuds, which are no longer available, with the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 sports earbuds.

• December 2025: We removed the Marshall Mode wired earbuds, as they're frequently out of stock.

• December 2025: We added the Sony WH-CH720N Noise-Canceling Headphones as the best headphones under $100.

• December 2025: We added the Sony XM5 headphones, originally released in 2022, as our new honorable mention pick.

As a society, we're down to spend money on a nice new living room TV every so often. But smaller spaces like the kitchen or a bedroom seem to have been dubbed undeserving of a TV upgrade — even if the current TV is crappy, or even if we spend a lot of time in that room. To be fair, there weren't many exciting options to choose from. I don't know how the stylish budget-friendly small TV market went so untapped for so long, but Hisense was genius for throwing the S5 Déco QLED TV into the mix.

What's special about the Hisense Déco TV

Available in 32 or 43 inches, the Hisense Déco TV is a purposefully small QLED TV with a chic white "art-inspired design." That's not to be confused with matte art TVs that lie flat against the wall like framed art. So while the Hisense Déco isn't a direct dupe for The Frame or the Hisense CanvasTV, it still speaks to the style-conscious part of your brain that cares about the cohesiveness of a space. Why settle for a blatantly techy TV if your bedroom's decor calls for something more whimsical?

The case for an aesthetically pleasing bedroom TV

I've been carefully curating my bedroom's ambiance for years, as most of us do. There are few places more comforting than the personal cave we've designed for ourselves, few activities that sound better than watching something cozy in bed. It simply makes sense for the TV to mesh with the rest of your decor.

The Hisense Déco TV matches my room's color scheme and level of whimsy. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Outside of expensive art TVs with swappable frames, I don't think I had ever seen a TV that strays from the standard black design. Apparently, neither had all of the people who flooded my DMs when I posted the above photo on my Instagram Story.

"What is this?!", "I've literally never seen a white TV before omg", "I'm scared to know how much this costs but I need it", and "This pic is literally so chic omg" were just a few of the replies. You get the point: There was clearly a need for a classy little decor-centric TV that doesn't cost $600, like the smallest Frame TV.

The display flows right into the central stand, so you don't need to screw on legs. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The remote is your average Fire TV remote. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

My current dresser was my mom's when she was a teenager in the '70s. It's an eggshell color with swirly gold handles, topped with various trinkets like antique jewelry boxes, perfume, a skeleton hand from Michaels' Halloween section that I use as a ring holder... the classics. I always thought that the arrangement was way too elegant for the old black plasticky TV that also lived there. (The mismatch would probably be less obvious if I mounted the TV on the wall instead, but I ain't doing all that.) The 32-inch Hisense Déco is the seamless addition that I had unknowingly been waiting for.

Instead of standing on two stubby legs, the Déco's curved white bezels flow directly into the base of the TV. The sculptural one-piece build feels avant-garde for TV standards, but also means that no assembly is required.

Picture quality is actually quite sharp for non-4K

The Hisense Déco's screen has some serious pop, especially compared to a dull LED screen. The Déco's full HD resolution isn't as granular as the 4K you'll see on 90 percent of TVs, but I don't think the average $200 32-inch TV buyer will be that picky about upscaling. Shadows aren't pixelated like they were on my old TV, and there's no overall fuzziness. I was thoroughly impressed by the sharpness of subtitles, despite the letters being so small.

A coral reef wouldn't be nearly this colorful on my old TV. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The layer of quantum dots picks up a lot of the slack from the lack of 4K. While LED vs. QLED and FHD vs. 4K are talking about two different TV specs (light and resolution, respectively), the range of a QLED TV's color palette does create a crispier image than an LED TV. These tiny nanocrystals can emit over a billion different colors, deepening black levels and brightening light tones to create a more contrasted picture. The colors on the Hisense Déco are legitimately stunning. They were even rich enough to hold their own against the color-changing bulbs in my nightstand, which are the only lights on in my room at night.

I struggle to wind down at night as it is, so I typically don't watch anything that I actually need to pay attention to before bed. If I absolutely need some background noise, Planet Earth or Our Planet for the 40th time it is. The Déco really did the habitats on these shows justice. Between spot-on color accuracy and vibrant hues across the board, it's quite the immersive experience for such a little TV.

Bright objects in dark scenes do sometimes have a glow around them. The Déco's screen uses a direct backlight rather than full-array local dimming, so it doesn't benefit from little clusters of bulbs that turn off to reduce the halo effect. But the casual watcher probably won't even notice — a TV this small isn't meant to have the picture quality of an advanced home theater TV.

I hate when movies show the demon. Anyway, the dark scenes in "Rosario" looked awesome. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The Déco didn't muddy the overnight recordings from "Paranormal Activity 3" at all. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The occasional blooming didn't affect my weekend horror movie watching, at least. In my time with the Déco TV so far, I crossed Hallow Road and Rosario off my list and threw in a comfort rewatch of Paranormal Activity 3. Dark scene details in all three films were less gray and significantly more legible from a few feet away in my bed than on my old TV.

If you haven't switched to a smart TV yet, do it

Many small space TVs are such an afterthought that they haven't made it out of the dumb TV phase yet. That was me using my bedroom TV from high school at age 30. The ol' Fire Stick rig can make it possible to access streaming apps on a regular TV for several years. But as I learned, a TV can simply get so old that it can't handle an external streaming device anymore.

A single arrow click on the Fire TV remote was enough to send my old TV into shock. It was so frustrating that I stopped bothering trying to watch anything at all. So not only was that TV an ugly plastic box that didn't match my room at all, but it was doing nothing but collecting dust.

After a month or so with the Hisense Déco, I can't believe I put up with a non-smart TV setup for so long. The Déco's Fire TV interface is highly responsive and as easy to navigate as Fire TV always is. You mean I can just click on a streaming app and it plays the content? Without the possibility of spontaneous combustion?

Is it a reach to classify a reliable bedroom TV as a productivity hack? That's one surefire way to pair some universally-hated chores — like folding laundry or cursing out the fitted sheet while you make your bed — with an activity you enjoy, like catching up on a show. It's also nice to not be relegated to the living room couch if I want to watch something live. Now, I can throw the new episode of Abbott Elementary or an NBA game on in my room without propping my phone up to watch YouTube TV. (That app would have sent my old TV into orbit.)

Factors to keep in mind

The Hisense Déco TV is the rare QLED TV that isn't 4K. The difference between the Déco's FHD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels) and 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels) would be most noticeable when intently watching a dark film in a dark room or playing video games. But no one would realistically be shopping for the decor-focused Déco TV with expectations for an elevated streaming or gaming experience.

The reflection of my makeup desk in the top left corner was getting distracting. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

QLED TVs are naturally brighter and easier to see in sunlit rooms than LED TVs. That doesn't automatically make them immune to glare in a bright room. The Déco TV definitely struggles to neutralize reflections when watching TV during the day. Because it's designed for such casual use, I'm not that pressed about the lack of glare reduction — plus, there are significantly more expensive QLED TVs that struggle just as much in lit rooms.

The competition

For those in the market for a small budget TV, it makes the most sense to compare the Déco TV to other TVs in its price range. Barring any extra wild discounts that could pop up during an event like Prime Day, a hard $200 cutoff will typically have you looking at 32- through 50-inch 4K LED TVs.

Best Buy often has the TCL 40-inch Q35F QLED FHD Fire TV on sale for $149.99 or the 50-inch Q5 QLED 4K Fire TV on sale for $179.99. Both are obviously larger screens for a little bit less money, but both are the exact plasticky black box design that we were trying to get away from. Hisense can't just make the prettiest small TV you've ever seen and then make it the same price as a boring small TV, you know?

Is the Hisense Déco TV worth it?

I'd recommend the Hisense Déco TV to anyone looking for a small space TV. You really couldn't ask for a more seamless TV setup: It's bright and responsive when you are watching it, stylishly camouflaged when it's off, and either size costs several hundred dollars less than The Frame of the same size.

I've been firmly on the living room side of the "bedroom person vs. living room person" conversation forever. Now, I'm convinced that some of my living room tendencies stemmed from the fact that my old bedroom TV sucked. The switch to the Hisense Déco has genuinely been such a delight, and I find myself carving out time to hang out in there instead. It's bright and bold enough for the full range of my TV watching needs, but more importantly, the satisfaction of its cohesiveness with the rest of the room never gets old.

With the world as overwhelming as it is, the safe space that is your bedroom deserves a little extra adornment. In this case, that adornment is a TV that serves c*nt.

Hisense Déco 32-inch TV

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On March 11, Apple dropped the MacBook Neo like a bomb on the laptop market. I was at a New York City launch event to see its big unveiling, and the colorful budget laptop made a strong first impression. As I wrote at the time: If I were a Windows laptop that cost under $1,000, I'd be shaking in my boots.

Well, after spending an extra three months with this laptop on my desk, I'm updating my initial review. After months of RAMageddon price increases in the Windows world, the MacBook Neo is doubly impressive.

The Neo brings premium MacBook features — Liquid Retina Display, the intuitive macOS, a sleek aluminum design — to an entirely new market segment: the budget laptop.

The laptop starts at $599 — a version with Touch ID and 512GB costs $699 — and if you qualify for the $499 education price, this is truly a laptop with no viable competition, full stop.

Who is the MacBook Neo for?

The MacBook Neo in citrus and indigo at the Mashable office. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

The MacBook Neo is Apple's first MacBook without an M-series chip since 2020. For that reason, the Neo is not a laptop for professionals like myself. If you need to do heavy-duty photo or video editing, work with 3D modeling programs, or run open-source AI models on your device, you'll want that MacBook Air or Pro with the latest M5 chips.

The Neo has an all-aluminum design; Apple matches the color of the keys to the aluminum. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Instead, the MacBook Neo is meant to be baby's first laptop, and I mean that as a compliment. It's a starter laptop you might buy for a high school or college student who will eventually graduate to the Air or Pro, depending on their needs. But I also foresee another popular use case for this device — the party laptop.

Lots of people, including myself, use two laptops on a daily basis. You have your work laptop — in my case, a MacBook Pro — and then you have what I call the party laptop. It could be a simple Chromebook, an old work laptop, a gaming laptop, or even a tablet. When your workday is done, you put away the work laptop with your email and calendar, and fire up your party laptop for streaming, music, casual browsing, and retail therapy.

The MacBook Neo would be a perfect party laptop or Chromebook alternative, and while it lacks storage and RAM, Apple definitely didn't skimp on the entertainment features.

MacBook Neo design: We gotta talk about the colors

Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

No tech brand does design better than Apple, at least, not for the mass market. And in the under-$1,000 laptop category, the Neo stands out for its premium design. Lately, we've seen many Windows laptops imitating the MacBook's metal body and rounded edges, but those are typically Ultrabooks that cost quite a bit. The Neo offers a budget price without compromising on Apple's signature all-aluminum build quality.

Let's look at the competition: Our No. 1 budget Windows laptop in 2026 is the Acer Aspire 16 AI, which costs $699. It's a good laptop, but it also has a flimsy hinge and plastic components. With the Neo, you get an aluminum chassis, plus it's $100 cheaper, plus it comes in fun colors, plus it has Dolby Atmos speakers.

The MacBook Neo comes in four colors: silver, indigo, citrus, and blush. Now, I will say, the blush is a very subtle pink. I say, if you're going pink, go pink. But in person, the citrus and indigo really pop. Apple also color-matches the keys to the aluminum finish, and it's those little details that elevate the design. The Apple team has been having a lot of fun with this product launch, and I think shoppers will, too.

MacBook Neo: Performance and battery

Be honest, did you notice the home screen artwork says "MAC"? Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

When Apple unveiled the Neo, two competing opinions spread in the tech world. The MacBook Neo, with its fun colors and killer price, would either disrupt the entire Windows laptop market, or it would be an underpowered waste of space with its old iPhone chip and a measly 8GB of RAM.

In this case, the optimists were proven right.

To be sure, you're not going to edit a professional music video, mix a song, or work on an animation project with 8GB of RAM and the A18 Pro chip, first introduced for the iPhone 16 Pro. But don't believe what the haters are saying online: You can still do a lot with 8GB of RAM.

Here's what people are forgetting: Over the past few years, Apple has quietly made its MacBook Air and Pro laptops way overpowered for the average user. (The same is true for the iPad Air and Pro, as I explain in my M4 iPad Air review.) The original M1 MacBook was a legendary laptop that truly changed the category for good. Six years later, I know professional film editors who are still working on M1-era MacBook Pros and have zero complaints about performance or speed.

Apple M-series silicon changed the laptop market for good. Credit: Mashable

As you can see in this chart, ever since Apple launched the M1 chip in 2020, the company's M-series silicon has progressed by leaps and bounds. At one point, it seemed like Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite chip might finally offer some true competition for Apple silicon, but then Apple released a new M chip.

Apple's M series chips have made such massive leaps in performance that you have to be a serious superuser to tax these devices to their limits. So, a simpler MacBook with less firepower makes sense for a ton of reasons. You don't need 16GB of RAM and an M5 chip to stream Netflix, make Word documents, and send emails.

But let's get specific. Let's talk benchmarks.

MacBook Neo review: Geekbench performance and stress tests

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

When testing a new laptop, Mashable runs a series of standardized tests, including the latest Geekbench 6 benchmark. The MacBook Neo received a multi-core score of 8,770, nearly identical to the 8,783 we recorded for the M1 MacBook Air. We also assessed its single-core performance, since that's a good measure of what we call snappiness, or how quickly it responds in everyday use. And this is where it gets interesting. The MacBook Neo achieved a single-core score of 3,484, significantly higher than most other laptops.

For reference, the Razer Blade 18 with an Intel Core i9-275HX processor scored 3,057 in single-core testing. So, it's no wonder I've been able to do a surprising amount with the A18 Pro Chip.

I was able to edit a simple, cheesy video in Final Cut Pro using the MacBook Neo without struggling against the spinning wheel of death. Even when I layered video clips on top of each other and added a series of totally unnecessary transitions, the Neo handled the tasks just fine, as you can see for yourself:

For my MacBook Neo review, I also set up multiple Apple Shortcuts to perform complex tasks. I set up one Shortcut to automatically convert raw image files into JPEGs, crop them into a 16:9 aspect ratio, auto-adjust the color balance, hue, and saturation, and then save them in a specific folder. Using this Shortcut, the Neo edited a dozen massive image files with ease in under 30 seconds.

I set up another Shortcut to automatically convert all my video files into GIFs, also without problems.

The MacBook Neo does have one big flaw

The lack of Thunderbolt 4 ports is a big drawback. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

In stress-testing the Neo, I found its kryptonite, which won't be a surprise. Because the Neo lacks a Thunderbolt 4 port, it can only offer transfer speeds of up to 10Gb/s, compared to 40Gb/s with the latest MacBook Air. Likewise, the A18 Pro chip offers 60GB/s memory bandwidth, compared to 153GB/s memory bandwidth on the M5 Air.

The A18 Pro chip offers:

• 6-core CPU (2 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores)

• 5-core GPU

• 16-core Neural Engine

The only time I encountered the spinning wheel of death? When importing or exporting large files. M-series MacBooks can multitask while doing this, but as you can see in my screen recording, the Neo really struggled to multitask while transferring large video files.

MacBook Neo battery life

Apple promises "all-day" battery life with the Neo. Specifically, the company promises up to 16 hours of battery for video streaming (and 11 hours for wireless web browsing). In our battery rundown test, we got exactly 14 hours and 50 minutes of battery performance.

If you want the MacBook Neo to last for an entire day of classes or a long travel day, I think it will be up for the challenge. And once again, it compares very favorably to Windows laptops under $1,000. In Mashable's testing database, the media battery life for this category is only 10.5 hours. So, once more, the MacBook Neo can do more for less money.

MacBook Neo: Display and speakers

The headphones jack and side-firing speakers. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

The MacBook Neo has the same Liquid Retina display tech that you'll find on the $1,099 M5 MacBook Air and other Apple laptops. (The Neo's Display is 0.9 inches smaller than the Air, however.) It can offer up to 500 nits of brightness on its 13-inch, 2,408 x 1,506 resolution display. The color, clarity, and sharpness are as impressive as ever, particularly when you compare them to the average Windows laptop in this price range. It's a premium display in a budget laptop.

The MacBook Neo isn't simply a MacBook Air with a bunch of performance sacrifices, however. Apple actually improved the speaker system for the Neo (further solidifying it in my mind as the party laptop). Apple added two side-firing speakers, which you might mistake for SD card readers at first. The result is a speaker system that's surprisingly loud, clear, and compatible with Dolby Atmos.

MacBook Neo: What's missing?

The MacBook Neo has the MacBook's signature all-aluminum design. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

The MacBook Neo does make both performance and hardware sacrifices to keep its price low, of course. Before buying the Neo, you need to understand what you're not getting:

• No 12MP Center Stage Camera (the Neo has a 1080p FaceTime HD camera)

• No True Tone technology

• No fast-charging capabilities

• No Thunderbolt 4 ports (it has one USB-C 3 and one USB-C 2 port)

• Only supports one external display

• $599 version only has 256GB of memory and no Touch ID (the $699 version has 512GB and Touch ID)

The MacBook Neo has a Magic Keyboard, but it's not backlit like you're used to. It also features a different trackpad. While it's extra-clicky, it's not quite as nice as a standard MacBook. That's hardly a breaking point, though.

Will Siri AI work with the MacBook Neo?

At WWDC 2026, Apple finally introduced Siri AI, which will be coming with macOS 27 Golden Gate. Even though the Neo lacks M-series silicon, Apple says it will be ready to support the new OS, the updated Siri, and new Apple Intelligence features.

For now, these features are only accessible on the Neo via the macOS 27 developer beta, but they will be widely available starting in the fall.

Final thoughts: Is the MacBook Neo worth it?

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

My verdict: The MacBook Neo is 100 percent worth it for budget shoppers. Unless you need a Windows laptop, it will be hard to find a Windows PC under $1,000 than can go head-to-head with the Neo.

I will continue to update this review for as long as I'm using the Neo. But as someone who works with a lot of video, photography, and AI tools, the MacBook Neo can handle quite a bit of my daily workflow. First-time buyers will also appreciate how easily it works with the iPhone and iPad. As per usual, your files can instantly sync across devices, and AirDrop fills any gaps.

As I said, if you're comparing the $599 MacBook Neo with a similarly priced Windows laptop or Chromebook, it's going to be really hard to say no to the Neo, especially as Dell, Microsoft, Lenovo, and Acer raise prices. And if you qualify for the $499 education pricing (unfortunately, Apple has cracked down on the requirements), don't overthink this one.

Apple MacBook Neo (A18 Pro, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD)

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UPDATE: Mar. 11, 2026, 11:18 a.m. EDT We’ve replaced one of the images in this review to correct a photo-editing mistake.

Online dating as a gay man is a rite of passage. From the Craigslist m4m era to today's endless scroll, it's been a part of gay culture since the early days of the web. But for all the high rewards, even the best dating apps come with a unique set of challenges for LGBTQ men: ghosting, catfishing, straight guys who shouldn't be in your feed, and even some not-so-subtle fetishization. It's a lot to take in when you're just trying to find a cute guy.

Yet, despite the BS, the best gay dating apps are still one of the main ways to meet new guys. In fact, a 2026 report by SSRS found that 63 percent of LGBTQ adults have used a dating app (and 14 percent are currently using one), compared to just 34 percent of non-LGBTQ adults. It makes sense when you consider that Pew Research found that about one in four lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults met their partner online — a significantly higher rate than straight couples.

We love to complain about the apps, but the reality is, we still need them.

We have to talk about Grindr

Of course, we can't talk about gay dating without talking about Grindr. It's still the undisputed king of gay dating apps, even if the user experience has been suffering of late. The free version of Grindr is now stuffed full of ads, leaving many guys longing for an alternative. Plus, because of its well-deserved reputation as a hookup app, it's not always the right place to make a love connection.

"Grindr is a tried and true app that many queer men gravitate toward to find partners or for relationships that require lesser commitment, so it’s easy to point to it as the No. 1 app," Michelle Herzog, LMFT, AASECT-certified sex therapist, tells Mashable. "However, like Tinder, it’s gained a reputation as a hookup app — but that doesn’t mean there still aren’t men looking for long-term commitments, either."

The good news is that the gay dating app landscape is bigger than Grindr. Mainstream apps like Hinge and OkCupid have made huge strides in inclusivity, while niche apps like Scruff and Feeld cater to specific communities, kinks, and desires. We're also seeing a major resurgence in map-based dating websites like Sniffies and Squirt for those who want to skip the small talk entirely.

The key is figuring out which dating apps are worth your time. So, here's our in-depth guide to the best gay dating apps for men in summer 2026.

What happened to Archer?

For a long time, Archer has been our go-to recommendation as the best dating app for LGBTQ guys looking for serious relationships. But no longer. The Match Group is shutting down Archer on June 17, 2026. Mashable Associate Editor Anna Iovine reported on the mid-Pride Month shutdown and talked to the Match Group about the decision.

Recent changes to this dating app guide include:

• Archer: As of June 17, 2026, the Match Group is shutting down Archer. Previously, this was our favorite gay dating app for finding serious relationships, and it will be missed.

• Feeld: As of October 2025, we've added Feeld to this guide as our top pick for "Best for Kink and Threesomes."

• Hinge: As of October 2025, we've added Hinge as another alternative to Archer, as it's also great for finding serious relationships. We've also selected it as the best gay dating app for younger guys due to its popularity with Gen Z.

• Squirt: As of early 2026, we've added Squirt to this guide. In an era of aggressive paywalls, Squirt makes a strong case for itself with a highly functional free tier that offers unlimited direct messaging to members worldwide.

Which gay dating apps didn't make the cut?

You'll notice a few well-known apps are missing from our main list. Here's why they didn't make our "best of" guide.

• Taimi: While Taimi markets itself heavily as a queer community space, we've opted to leave it off the list. The feedback from real users is frankly brutal. Redditors say the free version is "completely unusable"; you need a premium subscription just to view a basic profile. Worse, users reported feeling unsafe, noting the app is filled with scammers, "obvious homophobes," and "more straight cis-men and creeps than even Tinder or Bumble." Skip it.

• Raya: We know, Raya is the "celebrity dating app," but we're not recommending it. Why? Because, as our own Chance Townsend discovered, its exclusivity is "a bit overhyped." After shelling out $25 per month, he found the vibe "so Tinder-esque," and the user pool wasn't A-list celebs but "consultants, aspiring actors, medical professionals, recruiters, and even students." The consensus: Raya is basically "an expensive Tinder with a better PR team." Save your money.

• Recon: Recon has a reputation as the app for the kink community, but we've opted to leave it off the list. User reviews on Reddit are brutal. One thread described the app as "really buggy" and "not much activity on there anymore." Users in that thread complained that the app is a "waste of time," full of flakes, "catfish," and "fake doms wanting you to be their slave or boy." Other users noted that "a lot of kink/fetish guys have moved on to Instagram, Twitter/X, [or] OnlyFans" or that mainstream apps like Scruff are now "more open and welcoming spaces" for the community.

• Planet Romeo (now Romeo): Planet Romeo (which took over the old Guys4Men, or g4m, site ) is another legacy app we didn't include. While it was once a go-to for finding meaningful relationships, particularly in India and parts of Europe, it's now mostly seen as an app from a bygone era. Reddit threads on the topic are full of nostalgia for the "age of Planet Romeo" and the "slow communication" of the early 2000s.

Dyson just dropped a new flagship cordless vacuum for the first time in forever. Launched in the U.S. on June 2, the Dyson V16 Piston Animal is the first new flagship Dyson in three years. Even then, the 2023 flagship Gen5absolute and Gen5outsize vacuums didn't feel overly innovative compared to the existing Dyson V15.

The Dyson V16 finally picks up where the Dyson V15 left off, and there's more than one upgrade to discuss. Does it automatically shake up my list of the best cordless stick vacuums? Here's how my first week with the V16 has gone.

The classic Dyson chrome has been replaced with black, but we didn't ditch the turquoise and orange. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The new compressor lever creates room for 30 days' worth of dust before emptying. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

What's special about the Dyson V16 Piston?

People have been asking for years: Can a cordless vacuum replace a corded vacuum? I've always been a hard "yes" based on convenience alone. But with the V16, you wouldn't be settling for slightly weaker suction power just to free yourself from the wall. The V16 Piston Animal is the first cordless Dyson vacuum to surpass 300 AW (Air Watts) of suction power. This means that a cordless Dyson vacuum is finally the strongest Dyson vacuum across the board, even beating out the corded upright models that once felt unsurpassable. The reigning most powerful Dyson option, the Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra, maxes out at 290 AW.

The V16 Piston Animal also comes with the Fluffy Optic head for hard floors and two handheld attachments. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The V16 Piston Animal (right) is significantly beefier than the V12 Detect Slim (left). Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Other big changes include a new compressing dustbin that can hold up to 30 days' worth of dust and a new anti-tangle conical cleaning head. It's more rounded than the previous Dyson Motorbar, featuring two side-by-side cone-shaped rollers that suck long hair up the middle to prevent wrapping. The V16's All Floor Cones Sense cleaner head uses alternating strips of stiff bristles and soft fibers to pick up debris and hair on hard and soft floors. I'm strictly focusing on this new cleaning head for my initial testing, as I'm already familiar with the Fluffy Optic cleaning head after three years with my Dyson V12 Detect Slim.

In auto mode, the V16 senses which type of floor it's cleaning and the level of debris it's dealing with, automatically adjusting suction and brush roll speed accordingly — you can hear this happen while you're cleaning. You can manually switch to eco or boost mode with a button on the handle that looks way too similar to the on/off button.

Dyson V16 Piston Animal on carpet: Super strong, a little bit stubborn

I don't have any fully carpeted rooms, but the V16 Piston Animal has been dishing out some potent suction on my area rugs and runners: a flat printed Ruggable with a pad underneath, a faux fur Tumble rug, and two medium pile tufted rugs that feel like traditional carpet.

I can really feel the brush rolls digging into the rug fibers, and the amount of cat hair and gray fluff that accumulated in the dustbin after the first day was proof enough. I particularly enjoyed watching the V16 snatch up stubborn fuzzies and little balls of shedded rug fibers from the tufted rug in my bedroom, considering most robot vacuums I test struggle with those.

This pattern is really good at hiding cat hair, but the V16 found it. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I knew the V16 would ace its lint roller test when the rug lines were this crisp. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

For testing's sake, I also spilled panko bread crumbs and protein powder all over the flat kitchen runner and sprinkles on the plush fur rug. Almost all of the bread crumbs and sprinkles were picked up in a single forward pass. A few extra passes were needed to grab the breadcrumbs that the V16 blew out of its own cleaning path. The V16 only took a few passes to make the white powder spot disappear, which is impressive considering some of it probably fell down into the Ruggable's flatweave.

Going in, my biggest question about the V16's carpet cleaning wasn't even the pickup rate — it was whether or not it'd get stuck on rugs like the old Motorbar did. The V16 Piston Animal seems to get stuck less often than the previous four Dysons I've used. The new cleaning head must have an improved airflow system that better prevents the cyclonic power from creating that frustrating seal on the rug. The catch? This is only true if the V16 is in eco mode.

When I tried to vacuum a rug in auto or boost mode, the cone rollers almost immediately got jammed and stopped spinning. It's a bummer that you can't take full advantage of the 315 AW of suction power without running into this classic Dyson glitch. Even eco mode requires some elbow grease to push and pull the vac across a rug, though the glide is much smoother if I use my other hand to give the vacuum a bit of lift off the ground — this even went smoothly on my fluffy bath mats. Luckily, even the V16's weakest setting rarely leaves visible debris behind after the first pass or two.

Dyson V16 Piston Animal on hardwood: Highly efficient in a single pass

The V16 Piston Animal's performance on hardwood and tile has been pretty immaculate so far, specifically with the All Floor Cones Sense cleaning head. More times than not, the V16 Piston Animal's debris pickup on hard floors has been so thorough that a second pass after the first forward swipe technically isn't even necessary. I still do that back-and-forth motion out of habit, but it's usually not because the V16 keeps missing spots.

I dumped out more litter than my cats track out to really test the V16's power. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The trail behind the V16 was spotless after a single forward pass. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

On hard floors, you can really see what boost mode can do. It's been phenomenal for keeping up with different types of cat litter tracked out of two litter boxes, crumbs of all sorts lodged under the counter, and so much long hair that ends up on my bathroom floor every day. During the first week with the V16, someone in my household got a new fish tank and made a mess of aquarium substrate all over the hardwood kitchen floor. In boost mode, the V16 picked up the rocks so efficiently that cleanup took maybe a minute — that includes the tiny pieces that fell into the cracks of the hardwood.

I appreciate that Dyson added the green laser to the carpet-forward cleaning head. Basically every room in my apartment has both hard flooring and a rug, and my daily vacuuming routine is much faster without having to switch cleaning heads depending on floor type. With my Dyson V12 Detect Slim, I used the cleaning head with the laser 24/7 despite the fact that it's not ideal for deep rug cleaning. I didn't feel like digging the Motorbar out of the closet that badly, and emotionally, I needed access to LED dust detection at all times.

But the new cleaning head design isn't completely bulletproof. It's kind of bulky and doesn't fit as far under low-hanging dressers or credenzas as the Fluffy Optic head does. I'm most confused about why the front edge subtly comes to a point instead of being completely flat. It prevents the head from fully squeezing into a corner or up against a wall, where dust famously loves to gather. The Fluffy Optic head is elite for this exact reason, so thank goodness Dyson threw that in the box.

Why? Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Dyson V16 Piston Animal in handheld mode: Powerful but heavy

In terms of going handheld, the V16 Piston Animal isn't the most comfortable or the least comfortable stick vacuum I've ever had to hold in one hand. It makes the Dyson Gen5outsize feel like a brick and the Dyson V12 Detect Slim feel light enough that a toddler could use it.

The mini pet hair tool worked well on velvet upholstery and this fluffy material. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I swear the base of the cat tree and nearby windowsill spawn new fur and dander every hour. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

In one session with the mini hair screw tool, I went over the whole couch and each cat tree level with a cushion. My arm got a little tired toward the end of those five minutes, but I was also pausing to take pictures for this review. The cat tree cushions aren't attached to the perches, but I was pleasantly surprised that the V16 could be gently dragged across without sucking them up. The thick layer of cat fur on the chaise of the couch was basically gone in one swipe.

Switching to the crevice tool, I used boost mode to pull kitty litter out from awkward spots behind the toilet and sticky air conditioner gunk right out of the vents. Though I wish the V16 were lighter in handheld mode, it does get tasks done super quickly.

Dyson V16 Piston Animal

$979 at Amazon

 

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So what exactly does one bring to the 15th anniversary of an iconic conference for online content creation? With VidCon 2026 just around the corner, it's a question you'll want to start asking now.

When it comes to content creation essentials, there's more to it than bringing along an iPhone and your MacBook (even though those make for a great camera and editing machine, respectively).

This knowledge comes firsthand: Mashable's team turned out plenty of content of our own at VidCon 2025, interviewed the biggest creators there about what tools they couldn't live without, and of course, kept our eyes peeled on the convention center floor. Beyond VidCon, our team also spoke with plenty of creators to learn more about the products they consider essential when they're filming, editing, and for all the moments in between.

That's why we decided to come up with a checklist — a starter pack for content creators. Below, you'll find our top five VidCon essentials for content creators.

Whether you should get a robot vacuum or a stick vacuum boils down to one question: How picky are you about cleaning?

Everyone can probably acknowledge the appeal of not lifting a finger to clean their floors. But to some, that convenience may not be worth the cringe sparked by watching a robot vacuum ignore a crumb or eat a phone charger. Despite notable upgrades in smart mapping and cleaning performance over the past half-decade, even the best robot vacuums of 2026 can't match the precision of the best cordless stick vacuums operated by, you know, an actual human with a brain.

Cordless vacuums also just have the physical advantage in a lot of tricky spots. If you'd like to keep up with couch cushions, car seats, stairs, or the dusty abyss lying behind every door, a stick vacuum that can go handheld (and go outside) is the only option with that flexibility.

But to be real, your willingness to do all the cleaning yourself also matters — if you dread vacuuming by hand so much that you'll just put off doing it, your floors might actually be cleaner with a robot vacuum. I personally have both at the ready at all times and can argue for the value and practicality on either side, depending on the situation. And while the convenience of a robot vacuum is undeniable, I still reach for a cordless vacuum in more cases than not.

Other cordless vacuums I've tested

I've tested several other vacuum cleaners that didn't make the most recent cut for this list. Some, like the Shark Detect Pro with auto-empty station and LG All-in-One Cord Zero with auto-empty station, were a top recommendation at one point, but have since been overshadowed by newer, more powerful models that are a better bang for your buck.

There are also a few Dyson vacuums from years past that still garner substantial search interest, but that I no longer think are worth your money compared to what else is out there. The Dyson V8 and (seemingly discontinued) Dyson V10 that my parents have lying around have a tendency to push large debris like cat food and rocks around, and leave behind a layer of pet hair on many dark rugs. While these Dysons may have been powerhouses in the late 2010s, $300 could get you a more powerful option — maybe even automatic emptying, like with the Shark Detect Pro I just mentioned. The only upside would be that Dyson includes the motorized hair screw tool with the V8 and V10.

I also bumped the Dyson V15 Detect Submarine out of the list. The Roborock 2-in-1 cordless mop that took its place just offers a more seamless mopping system all around. The swappable wet roller head that turns the V15 Detect into a "mop" completely cuts off airflow to the dust bin of the vacuum, meaning there's no real wet suction going on. During my testing, this just pushed liquid around instead of soaking up spills, which then led to a soggy manual cleaning process that was super prone to leaks and weird smells. It just required way too much maintenance by hand, compared to the self-cleaning features of the Roborock F25 Ace Combo.

I also test robot vacuums. Are they as powerful?

I also test a ton of robot vacuums at home. While I think the convenience of robot vacuums is worth for, say, keeping up with the layer of dust and crumbs that accumulate during the work week, I have found that cordless vacuums are consistently tougher on elusive debris like pet hair or fine powders. This is especially when they've been pressed down into rug fibers or have been caked into corners.

Cordless stick vacuums are generally more powerful than robot vacuums. The upright design is optimal for airflow and has the real estate to house larger motors and more complex cyclone systems that create extra force on top of suction power alone. A robot vacuum's motor can't exceed the three or four-inch clearance that the vac needs to scoot its whole body under furniture. The motor of an upright vacuum typically lives completely separately from the vacuum head and roller brush and is thus under fewer constraints.

Physics aside, you could argue that a cordless vacuum is less likely to leave debris behind because a person is actively assessing where the suction needs to be focused. This includes tricky spots that aren't even on a robot vacuum's radar, like staircases or cars.

There are some one-to-one comparisons where a robot vacuum could be as powerful or more powerful than a stick vacuum. For instance, I've tested both the Roborock Saros 10R robot vacuum and Roborock F25 Ace cordless vacuum, and both offer 20,000 Pa suction power. But robot vacuums with that kind of power typically reside in the $1,000+ category, while it's much more affordable to hit that number with a stick vacuum. Even with identical stats on paper, the cordless vacuum would probably have a higher pickup rate over time just because the person operating it can see when more passes are necessary.

For years, when it'd come up in conversation that I have an automatic litter box, everyone always asked: "Oh, you have a Litter-Robot?"

The product category as a whole really got the Roomba treatment — the automatic assumption that every automatic litter box is a Litter-Robot, just like many people assume that every robot vacuum is a Roomba. So when Whisker released a more apartment-friendly version of the Litter-Robot in fall 2025, it was time to find out firsthand: Is the Litter-Robot actually that much more iconic than all of the other automatic litter boxes?

I retired my Leo's Loo Too litter box to my parents' house and put the Litter-Robot EVO in its place. Here's how it's going after six months.

What's different about the Litter-Robot EVO?

The Litter-Robot EVO is just under two inches slimmer (20.6 inches wide) and almost three inches shallower (24.5 inches sticking out from the wall) than the Litter-Robot 4, making it the most compact Litter-Robot model. Aesthetically, I'm not a huge fan of the super rectangular automatic litter boxes, so I like that the EVO retains the minimalist circular design that makes a Litter-Robot recognizable.

Since the waste drawer is smaller, the EVO is best for one- or two-cat households. Whisker says that the drawer holds waste for between three and seven days for a two-cat household like mine, and up to 10 days for a single cat.

Switching to the Litter-Robot EVO

Out of my two cats, only one uses the EVO. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

My cats ignored the EVO's existence for at least the first month, despite the fact that it's extremely similar in size and noise level to the Leo's Loo Too that they were using without issue. It was literally in the same exact spot in the kitchen, too.

Originally, I suspected that they were thrown off by the difference in size of the entry holes. The 15-inch diameter of the Litter-Robot EVO opening is nearly double the size of the Leo's Loo Too opening. My cats couldn't care less about privacy when they're doing their business in the PetSafe ScoopFree litter box in my bathroom, but maybe a cozier design feels safer when the litter box is in the middle of a common area. (This isn't a design flaw — some cats might be intimidated by the idea of crawling into a tiny hole.)

But in my attempts to coax them to make the switch, I removed the litter guard at the bottom of the hole that's supposed to prevent litter tracking. That made the opening even bigger, but oddly enough, it helped. I couldn't find much advice online about switching from one brand of rotating automatic litter box to another. All I could really do was use the litter that they were already familiar with, sprinkle some litter attractant inside, and wait. Both cats tried it eventually, though Leota uses it far more frequently than Sansa does.

The Litter-Robot EVO works with just about any clumping litter, making it easy to experiment with what your cat likes the best or what feels the cleanest in your home. If you're switching from a pan litter box with clay litter, your best bet is to transition to the Litter-Robot with clay litter. I like the BoxieCat BoxiePro clay litter, which uses probiotics to eliminate stinky bacteria and was designed specifically for automatic litter boxes.

Leota shows off her current litter spread after tracking an unnecessary amount of litter onto the floor. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Until Whisker makes plastic-free waste liners, I'll be using these corn starch ones. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I'm always looking to try new natural cat litters — I feel less bad about trashing bags of a biodegradable formula, and I've convinced myself that their dust is less dirty than clay. The Litter-Robot EVO plays very nicely with the grass seed litter I'm currently using, but corn cob litter has also worked. As long as the granules aren't pellets, the clean litter should safely sift through the small grate holes just like clay.

Speaking of my quest for the most eco-friendly litter box setup possible, I ditched the Whisker brand plastic waste drawer liners for biodegradable waste drawer liners made from corn starch. Whisker's plastic waste drawer liners weren't dramatically sturdier or dramatically better-smelling, so I don't see a major pull toward them. And if you know me, you know that single-use plastic doesn't fly in my household. Plus, the official Litter-Robot liners can get pricey. At $25 for 25 liners, assuming I change the bag at least once per week, I'd rack up an extra hundred dollars or two per year.

Litter-Robot EVO self-scooping: Inaudible and reliable

Without my EVO's dutiful record keeping of trips to the bathroom, I'd rarely be able to tell that the Litter-Robot was used at all on any given day. That's how inaudible and unobtrusive the spinning cycle is — literally, the sound of my cat digging around in there is louder. It only lasts for 30 seconds or so, sans any creaking that might spook a skittish cat. If a bedroom is the only place that you have enough room for a litter box, you'd have to be a remarkably light sleeper to notice the EVO scooping in the middle of the night.

I don't pay for Whisker+, so the app doesn't track my cats' weight fluctuation. Credit: Screenshot / Whisker

Leota uses the Litter-Robot at 5 a.m. almost every day. Credit: Screenshot / Whisker

The Whisker app keeps a log of trips to the bathroom, as well as a meter showing how close your waste drawer is to being full. If you have more than one cat, the app will decipher between them based on weight. That could get hairy if both cats are roughly the same size, though you wouldn't be missing out on much important data about either of them. The EVO doesn't have the Litter-Robot 5's WasteID system to differentiate between No. 1 and No. 2 or the Litter-Robot 5 Pro's AI cat recognition cameras. But if you have more than one cat and presumably more than one litter box, metrics from a single litter box can't give a holistic picture of a cat's bathroom habits, anyway.

My EVO's scale and sensors are temperamental from time to time. The app occasionally tells me that a five-pound cat entered, or marks that Sansa (the heavier cat) was the sole user for multiple days when I know she strictly uses the other litter box. I think this happens when I add a fresh scoop of litter and forget to tell the EVO that I did that. It's very finicky about the amount of litter in the barrel, and if you put too much in, it'll drop a ton of clean litter into the waste drawer.

Similarly, the waste drawer tracker gets thrown out of whack if I forget to manually reset the waste once I've emptied it. The EVO tracks waste pileup with infrared sensors rather than by weight, but can't the sensors see that there's nothing in the clean liner?

Litter-Robot EVO odor control: Great, from far away at least

Litter-Robots are praised for their elite odor control — to the point where I'm getting Whisker Facebook ads throwing direct shade at other automatic litter boxes for smelling bad. But that ad fails to mention that the amazing odor masking probably won't last forever.

On one hand, I'll vouch for the Litter-Robot EVO's ability to sequester the stink. I'm not hit with the muggy stench of litter box as soon as I walk in the door, which is impressive given my apartment's crappy ventilation. No one in my household would be shy about letting me know that it smells like litter box in here, so I'm confident that the EVO is keeping things fresh.

But I am hit with the stench just about any time I crouch down there, even if I'm just getting extra cat food out of the credenza nearby. When it actually is time to empty the EVO's drawer, I legitimately have to warn anyone who's home to "not walk over here right now."

I've had cats my entire life and am not prissy about being a foot away from cat shit. What turns me off is that the drawer still stinks after you've replaced the dirty bag with a fresh one. Because plastic is microscopically porous, molecules that cause odor eventually absorb into those tiny holes. A carbon filter or really intense scrubbing doesn't have much power over that.

So while my Litter-Robot EVO has successfully contained the litter box smell for the past six months, I believe that it's only a matter of time until the smell baked into the drawer starts seeping into my living space. That's exactly what happened with my Leo's Loo Too after two years. Which makes me wonder: Why don't brands like Whisker make some longevity-centered design tweaks and switch to a stainless steel drawer?

Hypochlorous acid is non-toxic and great for deodorizing plastic. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The Dyson PencilVac is skinny enough to reach the whole way back. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I'm going to hold your hand when I say this: Having a self-scooping litter box does not mean you never have to clean that litter box by hand. If you want to slow down the stink buildup I'm talking about, regular cleaning of a few parts is a must. At least once a week, I wipe down the empty drawer with some dish soap and hypochlorous acid spray (not bleach), then let it air dry. I regularly vacuum the waste drawer slot to ensure no fallen clumps of waste are rotting down there.

Giving the crusty globe a good wash down is crucial here and there, though that's much easier to do with a hose outside than it is in an apartment with no outdoor space. I spray mine down in the bathtub every few months. Between these deep cleans, I grab a scoop to scrape off any waste clumps that are crusted to the inside of the globe.

Litter-Robot EVO build quality: Cute, but a little discombobulated for $600

As I said earlier, the Litter-Robot EVO genuinely has such a delightful little design compared to more robotic-looking litter boxes. But up close, there are a few nooks and crannies that take away from the EVO's overall build quality.

I feel like the pieces should click more seamlessly. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The liner is quite visible from the front. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The EVO's plastic feels flimsy, and some large pieces don't click together as sturdily as you'd expect. Mine has a small gap between the bonnet (the big round dome covering the rotating globe inside) and the base, as well as a large gap between the bonnet and the ring around the entry hole. The bonnet latch is also fussy, often giving multiple "bonnet removed" errors when reassembling after washing or gently scooting the machine to vacuum.

The new waste drawer setup is also a bit prone to error. Compared to the older Litter-Robots, whose litter drawer and step were all one piece, the EVO's compact waste drawer is a two-piece design. The parts are held together by a plastic notch system that can get knocked out of place if the drawer isn't pushed in perfectly. It doesn't take much to stir up a "waste cycle interrupted" error in the app, despite the fact that neither cat tried to re-enter during the cycle.

Is the Litter-Robot EVO worth it?

The concept of the Litter-Robot EVO is great. Whisker read the minds of cat parents who don't have a ton of open floor space for a giant litter box, and the EVO's quiet scooping and odor masking work well in an apartment. But I'm not sure that the EVO offers a premium enough experience for its price tag.

Sure, $599 seems cheap compared to a $799 or $899 Litter-Robot, but $599 isn't cheap in the grand scheme of automatic litter boxes. Other popular Litter-Robot alternatives like the Petkit PuraMax 2 or PetSafe SmartSpin perform the same basic self-scooping that the EVO does for far less money. The Petlibro Luma that my fellow shopping reporter, Bethany, tested costs the same $599, but offers waste identification and camera insights that Whisker only offers with the most expensive Litter-Robots.

Litter-Robot EVO

$699 at Amazon

 

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The MacBook lineup hasn't had a true budget option until this spring, when Apple introduced the all-new MacBook Neo. It comes in at $599 (or just $499 for students) by ditching some premium fixings and enlisting an A18 Pro chip, a processor that previously powered an iPhone. It's not the best MacBook for everyone, but it's perfect for users with simple needs, and an excellent alternative to cheap Windows PCs and Chromebooks. Now, more people than ever can join the MacBook family.

Which MacBook should you buy?

As of mid-2026, I think the 15-inch M5 MacBook Air is the best choice for most people. It's a sleek, future-proofed ultraportable with the right amount of premium features and more than enough muscle for everyday multitasking, including occasional content creation. It's the ideal daily driver.

The new MacBook Neo is my top budget pick for students and casual users. It's not nearly as fast or as fancy as a new MacBook Air, but it's a good performer for its price point, and it's just as well-made as any other MacBook. If your typical workload involves bopping between some Chrome tabs and an app or two, look no further.

If you want the nicest features and enough sustained power for photo editing, video rendering, or AI work, the 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro is my upgrade pick. It one-ups the Air with better thermal management, more ports, more base storage, a smoother display, and a longer battery life. Just come prepared to spend at least $500 more.

What's new

I added the results of our battery life testing for the M5 MacBook Air in May 2026. It was able to loop a video for 17 hours and 40 minutes before dying.

What's on deck

Apple is reportedly working on a redesigned MacBook Pro with an OLED touchscreen, but it probably won't launch until late 2026 at the earliest, per Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

If you prefer Windows, the 2025 Acer Aspire 16 AI is pretty easy to recommend. It has an impressive battery life, a backlit keyboard, a good mix of ports, and a healthy amount of RAM. It's the fastest sub-$900 laptop for multi-core tasks like video editing (by a hair).

For those who can spend a little more, last year's ultraportable Asus Zenbook A14 is my favorite laptop under $1,000. Conversely, if you're trying to spend less than $500, go with the Acer Chromebook Plus 516.

What's new

I revisited this guide in May 2026 to verify our top picks' pricing and availability, which remain stable.

What's on deck

Acer announced a new cheap laptop called the Swift Air 14 at Computex 2026, a tech trade show in Taiwan. It has an all-metal build and starts at just $699 with Intel's new Core Series 3 processors, 8GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and a 120Hz display, making it a very strong MacBook Neo competitor. It's set for release this August.

IMO, a Windows laptop or Chromebook is doing a good MacBook impression if it has above-average performance, battery life, and build quality. (Again, those are the main hallmarks of a modern Apple laptop.) I'll add some extra qualifiers depending on the exact Mac model:

• MacBook Air alternatives should be super lightweight and portable

• MacBook Neo alternatives should cost well under $1,000

• MacBook Pro alternatives should have a crisp, rich 120Hz display and enough power for intensive tasks like video editing

I've been reviewing laptops for Mashable since 2023, so in compiling this guide, I combed through my testing database to see if any recent models fit the bill. I also called in several newer releases that looked promising and spent several weeks reviewing them this spring.

In the end, I selected six options from Asus, Acer, and Dell that make the best MacBook alternatives for 2026 buyers. I also included a fallback for those who want to stay within the Apple ecosystem.

Other contenders to consider

The Asus ExpertBook Ultra is so pretty — and sooo expensive. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

The Asus ExpertBook Ultra is a stunning and shockingly thin ultraportable. It has tons of ports, an 18.5-hour battery life, and MacBook Air-level multi-core performance (with incredibly quiet fans). It also has the best display I've ever seen on a Windows laptop: It's a 14-inch 2.8K OLED touchscreen with a 30 to 120Hz refresh rate, 1,400 nits of peak HDR brightness, and a matte finish. So what's the issue? It costs $3,599.99 (!) and its build quality doesn't match its premium price. When I gently squeezed the right side of my review unit's base, it made a questionable clicking noise.

Not giving the ProArt GoPro Edition a 120Hz display was an odd choice on Asus' part. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

The special-edition Asus ProArt GoPro Edition bundles MacBook Pro-rivaling multi-core performance and 128GB of RAM in a rugged convertible design. But at $2,999.99, it's expensive for a creator laptop without a 120Hz display and dedicated graphics (though its iGPU is pretty powerful). A standard Asus ProArt PX13 with the same processor but half the RAM retails for $2,799.99, which is still a hard sell compared to your other options. Fingers crossed that both models go on sale for way cheaper later this year.

I haven't tested it yet, but the new Framework Laptop 13 Pro is a repairable MacBook Pro alternative. I'll update this story once I or one of my colleagues try it.

Being a woman on the internet has never been easy, but trying to find a genuine connection on a dating app in 2026? That can feel like a part-time job you actually pay to do. Between the emboldened creeps, the "swipe fatigue," and surprisingly convincing AI profiles, it's enough to make you wonder if applying for Love Island is the more sane alternative. (Spoiler alert: it's not.)

The reality is, dating right now comes with a unique set of challenges. There's the constant barrage of low-effort "hey" messages, the unsolicited dick pics, the men who are definitely married, and the underlying safety concerns men just don't have to think about. It’s enough to make you want to swear off dating entirely and just get another cat (no judgment here).

But despite the challenges, dating apps do work. Connections happen every day, and a 2025 survey from SSRS found that nearly 39 percent of all U.S. adults have used dating apps. However, among current users, only 38 percent are women. Yes, that means the odds are a little stacked against you, but don't despair. The key isn't giving up and hoping for an old-fashioned meet-cute; it's finding the best dating apps for women that prioritize your safety, respect your boundaries, and help you filter out the nonsense.

Fortunately for you (and my sanity), navigating this mess is literally my job. As Mashable's resident dating expert for the last three years, I've put dozens of dating apps and websites to the test. From classics like eharmony to sex-positive newcomers like Pure, I tried them all. I did the swiping, verifying, and blocking to figure out what actually works. So whether you want a serious relationship, a casual hookup, or just an app that puts you in control, I've found the options genuinely worth your time.

The dating apps I'd skip (and why)

You'll probably notice a few popular apps are missing from my list. That’s intentional. Part of my job is to filter out the platforms that aren't worth your time, money, or sanity — especially when safety is a top concern for women. An app doesn't get my recommendation just because it's well-known; it has to be effective, trustworthy, and populated by real human beings. Here are a few I think women should skip.

• Plenty of Fish (POF): I know this one shows up on a lot of lists, but in my opinion, it's a low-tech dating app ghost town. POF launched way back in 2003, and the experience and interface feel dated. After testing it out, I (along with tons of Redditors) can confirm that it's filled with bots and scammers. I think your time is better spent elsewhere.

• "Hookup" sites (like BeNaughty, Fling, Kasual): You've probably seen ads for sites promising quick, no-strings-attached fun. Based on my research and countless user reviews, I'd advise women to steer clear. These platforms are notorious for being overrun with bots and having questionable billing practices. More importantly, the lack of verification and moderation often creates a sketchy environment where harassment and fake profiles are rampant.

Open-ear earbuds sit on the exterior of the ear, but they also come in many shapes and sizes, from clip models to ear hook models. Some are specifically designed for working out, while others are better for everyday use. The Bose Ultra Open earbuds are an especially popular pick, thanks to their sound quality and color options, but at $299, they're hardly the most affordable option.

Plus, since the Bose Ultra Open came out in 2024, big audio brands like Sony have released open earbuds of their own, while Shokz has introduced noise reduction into the category for the first time. To help you find the best open earbud models available in 2026, we tested the latest options from Soundcore, Sony, Shokz, Bose, and more.

What are open earbuds?

Open earbuds let you get as close as possible to the feeling of not wearing earbuds at all. Unlike in-ear earbuds, which sit in your ear canal, open earbuds sit just outside your ears (as the name would suggest). Some models hold the speaker component in place with an ear hook, while others opt for an ear cuff.

People generally opt for open earbuds for three main reasons:

1. They provide a private listening experience while leaving you almost completely aware of your surroundings. It's like the best transparency mode you've ever used.

2. For some people, not having an earbud physically in their ear is generally more comfortable.

3. The hooks and cuffs (along with general awareness of your surroundings) make them a great option for keeping you in place and alert while you're working out, working, or simply existing in the world.

What are the drawbacks of open earbuds?

As you may have gathered from the section above, open earbuds don't come with active noise cancellation. That's mostly thanks to how much sound they let in (by design) and the difficulty of cancelling out sound without having the device covering your actual ear canal.

Also, thanks to the whole open ear-canal situation, these aren't going to be the earbuds for audiophiles. That's not to say open earbuds sound bad — if you've never tried them, we promise they sound much better than you're imagining — but you will lose out on some of the nuance of a song without having the earbud actually in your ear.

That said, many pairs still have equalizers on their companion apps to help you make them sound their best. Our best picks for sound, the Bose Ultra Open earbuds and Shokz OpenFit Pro earbuds, even have spatial audio features that work surprisingly well.

Most open earbuds will also boast some form of special technology that keeps them from leaking too much sound. While these pairs do pretty well in keeping the sound just to you, most pairs (including our picks) will be prone to some leakage, especially at higher volumes.

Finally, some open earbuds — mainly those with ear hooks — tend to have slightly bulkier cases. If you like to travel especially light, it's something to keep in mind.

How to wear open-ear earbuds

Open-ear earbuds come in three major styles: cuff, ear hook, and bone conduction. How you wear them depends entirely on which style you have. Cuff earbuds "clip" onto the ear, not unlike a piece of jewelry, generally around the area right above the earlobe. Ear hook earbuds have a hook situated around the back of your ear and a speaker component situated right over your ear canal. Finally, bone conduction earbuds sit right behind the ears, with a band that goes around the back of the head to hold them in place.

Regardless of the style, its important to adjust the exact positioning of your open earbuds to see which offers the best sound, especially as the wrong positioning can deteriorate the quality.

For a visual representation of what wearing a cuff-style earbud looks like, you can check out our open earbuds explainer.

What about bone conduction headphones?

Bone conduction earbuds work exactly like the name implies they do — they use your skull to conduct sound waves, instead of projecting the sound into your ear, like most of the picks are on list. Typically, a band runs from either side of the users head to help hold the headphones in place.

Shokz, the brand behind our top pick, is a popular maker of these kinds of headphones. While we do consider them open earbuds, we have yet to test any bone conduction earbuds — look out in the future for that update. On that note:

What's next in our testing pipeline

The open earbuds market is rapidly expanding, so we'll be testing more as we can get our hands on them. We recently added the Sony LinkBuds Clip and Soundcore AeroFit 2 Pro to this guide.

In addition to the earbuds that made our initial guide in May 2025, we tested out the Nothing Ear (Open) earbuds ($149), the Sony Linkbuds Open ($199.99), the Anker Soundcore AeroClip earbuds ($169.99), and the Shokz OpenFit Air ($119.95). While none of the above were bad earbuds by any means, we found our picks to outshine them in their comfort and sound quality, especially when considering their respective prices.

Marshall’s Heston 60 is a good soundbar for smaller rooms, especially if you want your speaker to make a visual statement. Marshall’s styling is, after all, in a category of its own, with its guitar amp-inspired looks and timeless Marshall flair. However, thanks to its surprisingly powerful output, plus an optional wireless subwoofer, this snazzy speaker can easily fill larger spaces, making it a great option for those on the fence about buying a full-size soundbar.

Like its much bigger sibling, the Marshall Heston 120, the Heston 60 commands a premium price ($699) compared to its nearest competitors, the Sonos Beam Gen 2 ($499), and the Bose Smart Soundbar ($549). In return for that bigger spend, you can expect a unique combination of features, style, and performance.

The Heston 60 isn’t my go-to choice for a small-footprint Dolby Atmos experience, but for everything else, it rocks.

Marshall Heston 60 review: Design

Credit: Simon Cohen / Mashable

Depending on the product, Marshall’s amp-inspired design can go from wild to mild. The Heston 120, with its top-mounted, knurled knobs, has a real look-at-me vibe, while the Heston 60 is a little more demure: it trades the knobs for nearly flush brass-toned buttons.

You still get the black (or cream), faux-leather cabinet, the distinctive Marshall logo, and a salt’n’pepper fabric grille (the ‘fret’ in Marshall-speak), and it still looks great.

The lack of knobs is partially a proportional thing — they’d look a little odd on the Heston 60’s smaller frame — and partially a practical thing. When wall-mounted (which you can easily do thanks to the included wall-mount grommets), the Heston 60’s controls face forward, not up, and sit at the bottom edge, where knobs would just look weird, poking out into space. Another benefit to going knobless: fewer visual distractions.

Credit: Simon Cohen / Mashable

Speaking of distractions, the Marshall Wi-Fi app lets you alter the brightness of the control panel LEDs. That’s not a big deal when the Heston 60 is sitting on a surface, but when wall-mounted, it’s essential, as those little lights will be shining right at you.

Cleverly, both the control panel and the Marshall script logo are magnetic. When you swap from flat to wall-mounted, you can reposition both pieces so the Heston 60 retains its looks.

Yes, you can decide not to affix the Marshall logo, and no, it doesn’t have magnets.  They’re behind the grille (I mean fret), so you won’t be able to stick the logo to your car, your fridge, or any other metal surface unless you use glue.

Credit: Simon Cohen / Mashable

Another clever feature for wall-mounting is the removable back compartment cover. It acts as a cable guide, ensuring you always get a clean install, regardless of which way you place the speaker.

At just over 2.5 inches tall, it should tuck under almost any stand-mounted TV. Partially blocking the top of the speaker shouldn’t be a problem, but leave the sides unobstructed — the angled, side-firing drivers need room to do their job. 

Repairability didn’t strike me as being very important on the massive, 15.5-pound Heston 120 — I figure most folks won’t be moving it once they set it in place — but the Heston 60, at just six pounds, is a relative featherweight. You might well want to move it from room to room, in which case, being able to replace the fret, end caps, drivers, and even the circuit boards could be a bonus.

Marshall Heston 60 review: Set up

Credit: Simon Cohen / Mashable

If all you want is TV sound, setting up the Heston 60 is dead-simple: plug the speaker into your TV via an HDMI cable and then plug it into the wall with the power cord (both are included in the box). You can control the volume using your TV’s remote.

To get the most out of the Heston 60, however, you’ll need the Marshall Wi-Fi app (gold icon, not silver). It will walk you through the process of connecting the Heston to your Wi-Fi network (vital for Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, Tidal Connect, etc.), download any required software updates, and prompt you to complete the soundbar’s built-in room correction process, which takes less than two minutes.

Credit: Marshall

Credit: Marshall

Because the Heston doesn’t ship with its own remote, the app is also the way you’ll control the speaker’s source (HDMI/Bluetooth/Wi-Fi/Aux-in), EQ, and sound modes (music/movies/night/voice) from your sofa.

While the app is easy to use, it can suffer from long communication lags. If I left the app (say to start a stream from Spotify or Tidal) and then returned, it could take the Marshall app up to 10 seconds to reconnect to the Heston 60.

Marshall Heston 60 review: Connections and controls

On the back panel, you’ll find an HDMI-ARC/eARC port — standard for soundbars these days — and two far less common connections: a 3.5 analog input and a wired subwoofer output.

I’ve gotta give props to Marshall here. Most compact soundbars are treated as TV speakers with Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth if you want to play music. With the 3.5mm input, the Heston 60 can be connected to a turntable or literally any audio source that has an analog output.

The sub-out is even more beneficial. While the Heston 60 is designed to pair wirelessly with the Heston Sub 200 ($599), the sub output lets you use any powered subwoofer with an RCA input. This could save you a lot of money, as used powered subs are readily available for far less than the price of Marshall’s wireless unit.

The port that baffles me somewhat is the USB-C. On the Heston 120, it’s a handy power supply for stick-style streamers that plug into that speaker’s HDMI inputs. Since the Heston 60 doesn’t have any HDMI inputs, I’m not sure what you’ll use it for. Maybe recharging your phone?

Credit: Simon Cohen / Mashable

The Heston lacks an Ethernet jack, but it supports Wi-Fi 6. With Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, UPnP, Tidal Connect, and Spotify Connect, the Heston 60 can connect to almost any music source. And with native decoding of AAC, Mpeg4, ALAC, FLAC, LPCM, Ogg Vorbis, WMA, and WMA9, it will play almost any content you throw at it.

Bluetooth 5.3 with support for SBC, AAC, and LC3 codecs provides ad-hoc audio streaming from a mobile device.

The top controls are intuitive and easy to use, with dedicated buttons for source, play/pause/track skipping, volume, and sound mode. Then there’s the “Prog.” button, which I assume is short for “programmable.” No idea why Marshall labeled it that when, in reality, it’s how you access your stored preset. And yes, I mean preset, singular. In the Marshall app, you can pick a currently playing source from Spotify or an internet radio station from the embedded Airable feature to be associated with that programmable button.

There’s no power button. Once you plug it in, the soundbar is on all of the time. It will switch to a low-power standby mode when it hasn’t been actively used in a while.

Marshall Heston 60 review: For movies and shows

Credit: Simon Cohen / Mashable

Under the hood, the Heston 60 sports 7 discrete drivers (five full-range, plus two woofers) and amps. That’s more than both the Sonos Beam Gen 2 and Bose’s Smart Soundbar, which only have five powered drivers apiece. The key difference is Heston 60’s ability to process low-frequency effects (LFE) in a 5.1-channel arrangement (Beam is a 5.0 system and the Smart Soundbar is 3.0.2).

When it comes to watching movies, this translates into a much more gutsy sound than you’d expect from a compact bar. Marshall sent me the Heston Sub 200 to try out, and there were times when I’d forget that the Sub 200 was unplugged from the wall — such is the Heston 60’s low-end punch.

There’s excellent energy and presence throughout the rest of the frequency range as well. The Heston 60 excels at creating big, cinematic sound. It’s not perfect, however. The speaker seems to struggle to keep soundtrack elements from overlapping and interfering with each other. This is most noticeable with dialogue. In scenes where two characters are speaking, without much background sound, voices are clear and intelligible. When the background gets busy, like in the bombing run scene from Unbroken, speech can get muddied. You can use Voice mode to help with this, but the higher you boost this setting, the more you lose the lower frequencies that make movies so enjoyable.

Credit: Marshall

I’m not sure, but I suspect this is tied to Marshall’s use of five full-range drivers and no tweeters. The Sonos Beam Gen 2 uses a central tweeter and offers better overall dialogue clarity.

There are also times when the Heston 60 seems confused about how to process that amazing low-end. During the Aston Martin chase scene from No Time To Die, there were moments when I expected to hear a thump or thud (and didn’t) and moments where I heard them and hadn’t been expecting any.

Speaking of No Time To Die, that same clip is one of my go-to references for Dolby Atmos testing, along with select scenes from Dune and Ford v Ferrari. All of these scenes demonstrated that the Heston 60 can fully deliver on the emotion of these movies, but spatial effects — most notably height channel sounds — are limited.

This isn’t unusual for a compact speaker with no dedicated height drivers. The Heston 60 (like the Beam Gen 2) has to virtualize any height channel content, a tough challenge, especially when the same drivers are being used to generate all of the other sound you’re hearing. It also means there’s no way to goose the height channel levels to help out.

Still, even though there’s not much in the way of added height, the Heston 60 generates a decently wide soundstage, which goes a long way to creating a sense of immersion.

Marshall Heston 60 review: For Music

Like its bigger sibling, the Heston 120, the Marshall Heston 60 is a great music speaker. The energy, bass response, and overall emotional impact it imparts to movies translates beautifully to music.

Once again, the Heston’s dual woofers are the main ingredient, lending a resonant quality to all music styles. The warmth and tone remind me a lot of the Sonos Beam Gen 2, but with an extra level of musicality. 

I really like the Heston’s default Music mode tuning, which sounds better the louder you play, but each mode can also be tweaked using the Marshall app’s equalizer.

Credit: Marshall

Unfortunately, the Heston 60’s music performance can be like Jekyll and Hyde, depending on the format and connection method. Normally, Google Cast is the most reliable way to stream high-quality audio, but doing so from Amazon Music on an iPhone produced abnormally low volume levels.  

Direct streaming (Tidal Connect/Spotify Connect), AirPlay, and Bluetooth were all more reliable and sounded great.

Dolby Atmos Music is another quirky situation: make sure the Heston 60 is set to Movie mode. Atmos Music has an extremely low level in Music mode. The soundbar defaults to Music mode when the source is set to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or line-in, so if something sounds amiss, check the mode and try one of the other settings.

The Heston 60 will play Dolby Atmos Music tracks, both from TV or streamer-based apps like Apple Music, Tidal, or Amazon Music, or directly via Tidal Connect. Ordinarily, Atmos Music on a capable soundbar is a treat, with an expanded soundstage and (depending on the mix) intriguing use of 3D space. Similar to the Heston’s Atmos performance with movie content, you just don’t get the same level of immersion that you would with a higher-end speaker like the Heston 120. Moreover, on the Heston 60, Atmos Music tends to exhibit sharper, more sibilant highs than conventional stereo.

It’s worth noting that, as great as the Heston 60 is as a standalone music speaker, it can’t compare to either Sonos’ or Bose’s multiroom functionality, and the lack of any music management within the Marshall app means the Heston is simply an endpoint for your favorite streaming apps. Still, if you want a soundbar that can do vinyl, the choice is clear — neither the Beam Gen 2 nor the Smart Soundbar can connect to turntables.

Marshall Heston 60 review: Sound adjustments

Built-in room calibration is another bonus for such a small speaker like the Heston 60, though don’t expect to be wowed by the result. Depending on your room size, shape, and furniture, you may get a new EQ curve that keeps the bass levels from becoming overbearing (or may give them a slight tweak). In my TV room, it didn’t make any difference at all.

If you’re not happy with the calibration, you can repeat the process or disable it entirely.

Each sound mode gives the speaker a different tuning. Music tends to be the most neutral, while Movie emphasizes highs and lows. Night reduces dynamic range for low-intensity viewing, and Voice de-emphasizes lows and lower-mids while boosting speech frequencies.

If you don’t love the sound of a specific mode, you can tweak it using the custom EQ feature. These tweaks then become associated with that mode and will stick around even as you move from one mode to another.

Is the Marshall Heston 60 worth it?

At $699, the Marshall Heston 60 is one of the most expensive compact soundbars you can buy. Its closest competitors, the Sonos Beam Gen 2 and Bose Smart Soundbar are priced up to $200 lower (and get regular discounts throughout the year).

An up to 40 percent premium over these two excellent speakers is a lot to justify, and I’m not sure that the Heston 60 does so.

For its size, it produces big, bold sound for both movies and music, and its built-in woofers deliver stronger bass than the Beam or the Smart Soundbar. I really like the flexibility of being able to add any subwoofer, and having an analog input increases the Heston’s versatility. It’s also hard to deny that Marshall’s iconic design makes a classy addition to any room — it doesn’t look like your average soundbar.

And yet, the Heston’s Dolby Atmos effects aren’t significantly better than the Beam or Smart Soundbar, and for some things, notably dialogue clarity, expandability, and multiroom audio, these two competitors have the edge.

To seriously consider the Heston 60 over these alternatives, you need to value all of its unique features, not just some of them. If that sounds like you, the Heston 60 is very easy to recommend. It may not be the perfect compact soundbar, but no other speaker offers its particular mix of style, sound, and features.

Marshall Heston 60 soundbar

$699.99 at Amazon

 

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Credit: Marshall

Marshall Heston Sub 200

$599.99 at Amazon

 

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Marshall Heston 60 review: Just the specs

• Dimensions: 28.74 x 2.68 x 4.88 inches

• Wall-mountable: Yes, wall-mount included

• Remote included: No

• Number/type of drivers: 7 (5 full-range, 2 woofers)

• Number/power of amps: 7 class D (2 x 25 watts, 5 x 5 watts)

• Channels/configuration: 5.1

• Ports: HDMI eARC, 3.5mm AUX-in, sub-out, USB-C

• Wired/Wireless networking: Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 6

• WiFi streaming platforms: Apple AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, DLNA

• Bluetooth codecs: SBC, AAC, LC3

• Audio codecs: MPEG-4, ALAC, FLAC, LPCM, Ogg, Vorbis, WMA, WMA9 

• Audio formats: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, DTS-X

• Expandable: via Auracast

• In the box: soundbar, HDMI cable, power cable, Quick-start guide

• Colors: Black, Cream

Is it any surprise that young people often forget Father's Day? There are just so many distractions at this time of year. Seriously, whose bright idea it was to cram Father's Day between graduation and dance recital season?

No need to panic though, even if you've left it to the very last minute (just to be clear, Father's Day is on June 21) — dads and father figures don't have to miss out. We've handpicked a selection of last-minute Father's Day gifts — from subscriptions that keep on giving and digital gifts to physical items that will ship overnight — so he'll never know you (almost) forgot his big day. Indeed, there's zero excuse to show up empty-handed.

Take a deep breath and scroll through these last-minute gift ideas for Father’s Day 2026.

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

If you’ve never dabbled in sexting, now's the time to give it a bash (ahem).

Trust us when we say that sexting is much more than just dirty words. Sexting can open up a whole new world and sexy possibilities. Think of it as text-based foreplay — a way of building anticipation ahead of the main event. You'll be raring to go once after a good sexting session.

But let's be completely clear: We're not talking about just sliding into someone's DMs uninvited with sexy talk via a regular dating app. Though you can definitely do that on AdultFriendFinder, which is kinda the point of that particular website. There are other apps for sexting, too. Yes, the idea of first-time sexting is daunting — all the etiquette and navigation of the appropriate apps. But please chill: We’re here to help by recommending the very best apps for sexting — apps which have been purpose-built for online flirtations and foreplay.

Mashable dating experts have tested scores of platforms over the years, so you can rest assured that we know what we're talking about here. You could say it's a sexty specialist subject. Using both experience and expert research, our app choices are based on various factors — features such as end-to-end encryption, disappearing messages, and screenshot detection, which are all essential for safe sexting (if you believe in safe sex — as you almost certainly do — the same applies here). And please don't forget that when it comes to sexting, you must always consider privacy, safety, and consent.

With that all said and understood, here’s a selection of the very best sexting apps available right now.

DJI officially launched the Avata 360 this March, expanding its camera drone lineup with the company's first 360-degree offering. The latest addition to DJI's popular Avata series, the Avata 360 is a direct rival to the Antigravity A1 360-degree drone released last December. Yet while Antigravity was first off the launch pad, it's still the new kid on the block. DJI has been a favourite of drone enthusiasts for years, with many having eagerly awaited the brand's first 360 drone.

Now that the DJI Avata 360 has finally arrived, the question is whether the wait was worth it. 

DJI Avata 360: Build

Credit: A. Yeo

At first glance, the Avata 360's build bears strong similarities to the DJI Avata 2 released in 2024. Both sport solid, lightweight bodies made from high-quality grey plastic, with few moving parts aside from their camera gimbals and four propellers. Guards around these propellers help to protect them from damage, adding another layer of security on top of the Avata 360's obstacle avoidance system. Measuring 246 millimetres x 199 millimetres x 55.5 millimetres, the Avata 360 is longer but slimmer than the Avata 2, with three anchor points attaching its propellers to its body instead of two. 

The Avata 360 feels sturdier than the significantly smaller Antigravity A1 as well, with the latter featuring foldable arms and unshielded propeller blades. While the A1 isn't flimsy, the Avata 360 certainly seems more likely to hold up in a collision if the two were to go head-to-head. It even has a removable lens protector to shield it during storage.

Credit: A. Yeo

However, this superior durability comes at a cost to the Avata 360's weight and classification. Unlike the Antigravity A1, DJI's 360-degree drone requires registration with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fly, as it weighs in at around 455 grams. Meanwhile, the A1 just squeaks in under the FAA's 250-gram limit — no doubt an intentional design choice to make life easier for budding drone pilots.

The Avata 360 is still lightweight enough that it isn't more burdensome to carry about than the portable A1. Each drone can be bundled with a padded sling bag, though the Avata 360's isn't quite large enough to comfortably fit both its folded landing pad and the optional DJI Goggles N3 (more on this below). 

Even so, having to register the Avata 360 is a nuisance. Whether the hassle is worth it will depend on what you want out of your drone. Newcomers and hobbyists may not want to bother with such matters, while serious drone users are less likely to be put off by the extra step needed to fly the Avata 360.

DJI Avata 360: Image quality

Credit: A. Yeo

The Avata 360's allure is clearly its 360-degree video capability, with a top resolution of 8K at 60fps (though reduced to 4K once reframed to 2D in the DJI Fly app). The drone also allows you to switch to a single-lens mode for more traditional filming, which reaches up to 4K at 60fps.  For comparison, the Antigravity A1's highest 360-degree video resolution is 8K at 30fps — half the Avata 360's frame rate. DJI's higher frame rate is particularly attractive for producing smooth, beautiful slow motion footage, which is a notable strength for a camera drone shooting wide landscapes.

Both drones use two lenses and two sensors to achieve their 360-degree recordings. However, the Avata 360 has slightly larger 1/1.1-inch square CMOS sensors compared to the A1's 1/1.28, enabling greater dynamic range and low-light performance.

The Antigravity A1's video quality is already impressive enough for the average person, and certainly nothing to complain about. However, for professionals and prosumers who are looking to squeeze the most out of their footage, the DJI Avata 360 offers a welcome little upgrade. 

A screenshot from DJI Avata 360 footage. Credit: A. Yeo

As always, 360-degree video is a double-edged sword. It allows you to frame and edit after the fact, meaning you don't have to decide exactly what to focus on while filming. However, this also makes editing the footage more complex and time-consuming. The Avata 360 aims to streamline this process through the DJI Fly app, which enables you to trim, add keyframes, apply filters, and otherwise edit your footage. 

DJI Fly also includes an in-app tracking feature, which will allow you to draw a box around a subject and have the frame automatically follow it. Though it did lose track of a bird when it flew directly above the Avata 360, Mashable found that the DJI Fly app's tracking largely does a good job of keeping the subject centred. It isn't exactly the eye of an auteur, but it gets the job done with minimal fuss, leaving you free to finesse other aspects of your footage.

DJI Avata 360: Controls and performance

Credit: A. Yeo

While the Antigravity A1 can only be operated using its included headset and motion controller, the DJI Avata 360 offers two control options. Pilots can use either the DJI RC 2 remote controller, which features two joysticks and a screen that displays the drone's point of view, or connect the Avata 360 to the DJI Goggles N3 and RC Motion 3 controller. Released a few years ago, both options can be purchased separately or in a bundle with the Avata 360. They are also compatible with previous DJI drones, offering added versatility for those interested in building a fleet.

Flying the DJI Avata 360 with the RC 2 controller is fairly straightforward. Touchscreen options allow you to automatically launch and land the drone, while buttons on either side enable quick recording. Two joysticks control the Avata 360's elevation, orientation, and flight direction, enabling a smooth flight. 

Credit: A. Yeo

Mashable was surprised to find that, though we found the Antigravity A1's motion controls the most intuitive for users without much experience with drones, we actually preferred the RC 2 controller to the DJI's motion controller and goggles. While headsets have the benefit of providing a clear, glare-free viewing experience, they can be a hassle to put on and take off. Importantly, they can also hinder visual line of sight, which is an FAA requirement when flying drones for recreation. The RC 2 is a quick grab and go option, can be used without a spotter, and at 700 nits the screen is bright enough that it's clearly visible even in direct sunlight.

It's also worth noting that the DJI Goggles N3 can't be adjusted for your glasses prescription, though fortunately it is large enough to fit over glasses. In contrast, Antigravity A1's headset has diopter adjustment supporting prescriptions ranging from +2.00 to -5.00, as well as interpupillary distance adjustment. 

Both Antigravity and DJI's goggle designs are comfortable to wear. The A1 goggles' configuration is admittedly more fussy than DJI's, requiring you to hang the battery from your neck like a necklace and run a wire up to the headset. However, this setup does make the A1's headset delightfully light, and is easily forgotten during operation. DJI's more streamlined design doesn't look as dorky, mounting its battery on the strap at the back of the head to balance the weight of the front, but is heavier and more likely to slip.

Credit: A. Yeo

At 42GB, the Avata 360 has more than double the A1's modest 20GB of onboard storage. Both also offer a microSD card slot if you want extra space — which, if you're shooting a significant amount of 360-degree video, you'll probably need.

DJI states that the Avata 360's swappable batteries handle approximately 23 minutes of flight per charge, though Mashable found this to be a generous estimate. Fortunately the drone will automatically return to its launch site to land if its power drops too low, but you'll likely want spare batteries on hand if you want longer flying time. We swiftly chewed through our spares during testing, ending flying sessions sooner than we'd have liked — though this is also a testament to how much fun it was to fly the Avata 360.

Credit: A. Yeo

Interestingly, the DJI Avata 360 had some trouble sticking the landing during Mashable's testing. Though placed in the centre of its bright orange landing pad for take off, it repeatedly missed the mark when instructed to return home. Instead, the drone would gently lower itself a few feet from the target, landing in the grass near the landing pad. In contrast, the Antigravity A1's automatic landing returned it to its much smaller landing pad every time, even deploying adorable landing gear.

It isn't a reassuring indication regarding the precision of the Avata 360's navigation, and gives us pause about relying too heavily on its automatic anti-collision or homing features. Even so, the drone's off-centre landing isn't a fatal flaw, as you'll typically want some safe, clear space around your entire launch area regardless. You should be keeping your drone within visual line of sight as well, so you can intervene if it does choose an inappropriate landing spot. 

DJI Avata 360: Pricing 

Credit: A.Yeo

Though the DJI Avata 360 began rolling out globally from April, it still isn't available on the company's official U.S. website. The U.S. government's hostile stance toward DJI has significantly hindered the company's business, making it difficult for those in the country to get their hands on many of its devices. As such, getting a DJI Avata 360 in the U.S. will require going through an unofficial third party at present.

This availability issue gives the Antigravity A1 a notable edge over the DJI Avata 360 for U.S. consumers. However, the considerable difference in cost does a lot to mitigate this apparent advantage.

Though there is no official U.S. pricing, in Australia the DJI Avata 360 costs $AU799 ($574) for the drone and one battery, and $AU1,159 ($833) for that plus the DJI RC 2. The $AU1,619 ($1,164) Fly More Combo also includes a sling bag, charging hub, and two more batteries, while the Motion Fly More Combo is the same but swaps out the RC 2 for the DJI Goggles N3 and RC Motion 3 controller. Meanwhile, the Antigravity A1's base bundle with headset, motion controller, and one battery costs $1,599 — several hundred dollars more than the Avata 360's most expensive bundle. 

The A1 is still a great option particularly for new or casual drone pilots, and its lower weight means it's subject to fewer flight restrictions than the Avata 360. But if you're after a more affordable, heavier-duty 360-degree drone that's suited to prosumers and professionals, hunting down the DJI Avata 360 may be worth it for you.

A year ago, Ninja debuted the latest iteration of the Ninja Creami, the Swirl, which brought soft-serve home. Initially, I loved the ice cream maker, reviving the fervor of the 2000s frozen yogurt craze that I didn't know I still had in me. Now, a full year later, how do I feel about the ice cream maker?

In the past year, the ice cream maker has gone through some minor updates. It has a new name, the Ninja Creami Scoop & Swirl, and comes in new colors, including stone & gold and sage green. It hasn't changed in price, still $349.99, though usually you can find it on sale for just $299.99.

But how has the Ninja Creami Scoop and Swirl made itself at home in my kitchen? Here are my thoughts a year later.

I got a sneak peek of the Ninja Scoop & Swirl at the brand's event in February 2025 and was reliving the froyo craze. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

A year later — do I still use the Ninja Creami Scoop & Swirl?

Testing products for a living, there's a lot of tech coming in and out of my house, some more memorable than others. The best earn a permanent spot in my rotation, like the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, Bose QuietComfort headphones, and the Ninja Luxe Café Premier Espresso Machine. But what about the Ninja Creami Scoop & Swirl?

The Ninja Creami Scoop & Swirl was a staple on my counter through last summer. I loved using it when we had friends over on a sweltering summer evening. Not only was it a delicious post-dinner treat, but a fun activity for everyone to take a turn swirling their own soft serve. But once summer turned to fall, I packed the Scoop & Swirl away for the winter, and I probably won't be bringing it back out this year, unless it's for a special occasion.

For me, it's about counter space. The Scoop & Swirl takes up about twice the space as the original Creami, which just makes it too impractical for my apartment kitchen. If I had a bigger kitchen with a lot more storage, it might earn a permanent spot, but it isn't practical enough to be a kitchen staple for me.

I still think the Creami Scoop & Swirl is a delightful gadget for ice cream lovers, especially if you have the space for it. Read on for my complete thoughts on the ice cream maker.

How does the Ninja Creami Scoop & Swirl work?

Place the pint on the left side of the machine, and you'll have fresh soft serve within seconds. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The Ninja Scoop & Swirl builds off of the original Creami technology. Each Scoop & Swirl comes with two pints to mix up your concoctions. Once filled, the pints must be frozen for 24 hours before you can "spin" them. You can think of the spinning process as a reverse blender. Instead of the blade sitting at the bottom, it comes down from the top, cutting and spinning through the ice cream until it's as creamy as what you buy from the store.

Each Creami has a variety of settings, including ice cream, lite ice cream, frozen yogurt, sorbet, gelato, and milkshake. Plus, there are settings to re-spin if your mix is not the right texture or you want to add mix-ins.

The Scoop & Swirl adds a new feature for dispensing soft serve. The pints that come with the Scoop & Swirl all have a dispensing feature, which is utilized when you place them in the left-hand dispenser. Then, you pull the lever, and the machine pushes the ice cream out.

How is the Ninja Creami Scoop & Swirl different than the regular Creami?

The most significant difference between the Scoop & Swirl and the standard Creami is the ability to make soft serve. The regular and deluxe Ninja Creami produce scoopable ice cream or frozen drinks, and the Scoop & Swirl can do all of that, plus make soft serve. Part of the soft serve process is the inclusion of a soft serve dispenser that feels like you're working at an ice cream shop, with a handle to pull and everything.

The biggest difference between soft serve and regular ice cream is air. Soft serve adds more air to achieve a light and fluffy texture compared to denser ice cream. In standard ice cream making, air is added during the churning and freezing process; however, the Ninja Creami brings air into play during the spinning process.

The Ninja Creami Scoop & Swirl features a setting that adds more air to the product so it's ready to dispense as soft serve.

It's creamier than ever

The Ninja Scoop & Swirl (right) spins pints to creamy perfection compared to the standard Ninja Creami (left). Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

When I was first introduced to the Ninja Scoop & Swirl, I was intrigued by the brand's claim that this new device added more air to the spinning process to replicate classic soft serve or froyo. I was cautiously optimistic about this but still hesitant. My previous experience with the Ninja Creami was that getting the right texture, one that's genuinely creamy and easy to scoop, requires at least one re-spin, but often more.

So when I first used the Ninja Scoop & Swirl, I wanted to try my go-to Creami recipe for chocolate hazelnut froyo. I mixed plain Greek yogurt with a chocolate hazelnut spread and let it freeze for over 24 hours. When it came time to spin the pint, my jaw was on the floor when, after one spin, it turned out to be the smoothest ice cream (pictured above, right) I'd ever seen from a Creami. Usually, getting anywhere near that consistency requires multiple spins, and even then, it's still a little too thick (pictured above, left).

Ninja has clearly improved the technology between models and has struck gold. The spinning process is more powerful than ever on the Ninja Scoop & Swirl, regardless of whether you're making soft serve or scoopable ice cream.

You never have to leave the house for soft serve again

There's nothing I love more than leaving the house on a late summer evening to indulge in a cone of soft serve. It's something you can't get at home, unlike a pint of ice cream you buy at the grocery store. But now, with the Ninja Scoop & Swirl, I don't have to leave the house for soft serve.

Using the Ninja Scoop & Swirl's soft serve feature is impossibly easy. After spinning your pint on the soft serve setting, install the soft serve lid attachment and install the whole pint into the dispensing portion. Then, using the lever on the right side of the machine, release the ice cream.

Despite being non-dairy, the pineapple whip I made was exceptionally creamy. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

I tried a couple of different recipes for the soft serve mechanism, both dairy and non-dairy. The creamiest was, unsurprisingly, the dairy-based froyo, which dispensed evenly without any air pockets to disrupt the flow of dispensing. The fruit whip I made, an ode to a Dole whip, still faired pretty well in the machine. It looked really smooth and silky after spinning, so I had high hopes when I went to dispense it.

It had a less consistent flow than the dairy recipe I made. Ninja warns users that they might hear some popping during the soft serve dispensing, just air pockets getting pushed out. I definitely experienced quite a lot of popping with the fruit whip, which resulted in a less consistent flow. My swirls weren't as pretty as they were with the froyo, but the ice cream's texture was fine while eating it. It just might not look as Instagrammable as other recipes.

That being said, using the soft serve dispenser is just straight-up fun. Pulling the lever and swirling the ice cream feels like you're back in the froyo shop.

It's made for meal preppers and protein maxxers

The Ninja Creami became an internet sensation through creators in the health and fitness space. Users see the device as a way to enjoy ice cream while still hitting their daily macros. At the Ninja event I attended, the brand doubled down on the Scoop & Swirl's spot in the health space, collaborating with health and fitness creator John Jung to highlight the new Creamifit setting.

Creamifit is designed to work best with recipes that include protein powders or shakes, which is a huge draw for users already tapping the Creami to make protein-focused desserts.

I had an issue with the Creami in my first review: the pints require 24 hours of freezing before use, so it's not like you can just have some ice cream on a whim. That remains the case for the Ninja Scoop & Swirl, so it's best fit for meal preppers who want to prep a few pints at the beginning of the week so they're ready to go when the mood strikes.

It isn't great for single servings — or a crowd

The only real drawback I've found to the Ninja Scoop & Swirl soft-serve feature is that it's not great for single servings or a crowd. At 16 oz, it's best used to produce four four-ounce servings. At the Ninja event, I noticed the Ninja team needed to swap out the pints after about four people served themselves. So, if you're planning on serving a crowd, prepare to have some backup pints ready.

If it's just you enjoying the soft serve, you'll have leftovers. The issue here is that the ice cream dispenses directly from the pint in which it's frozen. It gets pretty messy during dispensing, so it's not great to throw it back in the freezer like I would with the pints I used in the standard Creami.

That being the case, I found myself reaching for the Scoop & Swirl a lot less during the week. When it's just me and my partner, we don't want to polish off a pint, just the two of us, and we don't want to deal with the messy leftover pint. So, I waited until we had a couple more people over before using the soft serve function.

If you want to enjoy the soft serve in single servings, I recommend having a clean pint on hand and moving your leftovers there after use.

It's still way too loud — and even bigger than before

The number one complaint you will hear about the Ninja Creami is its volume. Imagine a powerful vacuum and then crank it up a couple of notches — that's how loud the Ninja Creami is. This makes it less than ideal for parents looking to sneak in a late-night snack when the kids are asleep, apartment dwellers sharing a wall with their neighbors, or pet owners. My cat seriously hates the Ninja Scoop & Swirl, even if he begs me for the fruits of its labor.

Unfortunately, the Scoop & Swirl is just as loud as the Creami, as you can hear from the video above. While it's a total pain hearing it go on for six minutes, it's an unavoidable part of the Creami experience.

The Ninja Scoop & Swirl takes up valuable counter space. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Because of the addition of the soft serve dispenser, the Ninja Scoop & Swirl is a lot bigger than the Creami. As an apartment dweller with already limited counter space, I may not be able to justify making the Scoop & Swirl a permanent fixture in my kitchen. However, if you have endless counter or storage space or just really love ice cream, making room for it is a worthy sacrifice.

Is the Ninja Scoop & Swirl worth it?

Should you indulge in soft serve at home? Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Yes, the Ninja Scoop & Swirl is worth it as long as you have the counter space. Having tested both the standard Ninja Creami and the Ninja Scoop & Swirl, the Scoop & Swirl is the better investment as an ice cream maker. It has improved performance, requiring fewer re-spins to achieve a creamy consistency. Soft serve or froyo fiends will love the new dispensing feature, which is exceptionally easy to use and, not to mention, really fun.

There are certainly drawbacks, such as its size and how loud it is to use, but if you're prepared for both, there's no reason that it will inhibit your experience using it.

It will cost you $349.99; however, with the capability to make both soft serve and scoopable ice cream, it's the best-valued Creami device yet.

Ninja Creami Scoop & Swirl

$299.95 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $50.04

 

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Dyson has a slew of new cordless vacuums up its sleeve for 2026. Most of them are apparently being saved for the second half of the year, but one unique little machine was squeaked out in February. Whatever comes to mind when you picture a traditional Dyson stick vacuum, I promise the Dyson PencilVac Fluffycones isn't that.

The PencilVac is so thin that it could be stored in just a few inches of free space. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Prior to the PencilVac's launch, Dyson hadn't released a new cordless vacuum since 2023, and even those weren't overly groundbreaking. (We've seen what happens when a once-prestige brand gives up on innovating, à la The Fall of the House of iRobot.) I've had the PencilVac at home for nearly four months now, and the delightful experience further validates my stance that Dyson is such a pro cordless vacuum company that there's no reason to keep forcing the Dyson robot vacuum thing.

Considering that the PencilVac is somewhat a successor to my absolute favorite cordless vacuum of the past three years, I jumped at the opportunity to test them against each other in my apartment. Since 2022, I've been recommending the Dyson V12 Detect Slim nonstop for two main reasons: It's incredibly lightweight, and the dust-illuminating laser completely changed the way I clean. The Dyson PencilVac weighs even less and has two lasers instead of one. Is unseating the GOAT really that simple?

Comparing the Dyson V12 Detect Slim (left) and PencilVac (right). Credit: Leah Stodart

Four "Fluffycones" give the PencilVac an unbelievably smooth sweep on hardwood and tile. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Setting up the vacuum itself is incredibly easy because the PencilVac design is the definition of minimal. The box is compact and flat, and since it only comes with one attachment, you don't have to dig around through a ton of packaging. Just click the motor, wand, and cleaning head together and find a spot near an outlet for the charging stand. I'm not a huge fan of being forced to use an app with an appliance just for the sake of using an app. But since the PencilVac's screen is so tiny, I'm sure the app will come in handy for notifications about clogged airways or filter replacement.

What's special about the Dyson PencilVac Fluffycones?

The Dyson PencilVac is a stick vacuum in the most literal sense of the term. It's legitimately shaped like a pencil and measures less than 1.5 inches around. The battery, motor, dustbin, buttons, and screen are built into the wand, lying completely flush. That means that the wand can reach much further into tight spaces without being hindered by a big cylindrical dustbin or heavy battery pack.

The Fluffycones head can spin vertically to fit right between these table and stool legs. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

In wand form, the PencilVac can slip behind my dresser to reach the dusty baseboards. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The Fluffycones cleaning head can swivel 360 degrees around, so it can spin to clean in awkward spots that would typically require you to move furniture or be at a really specific angle. (There's also a cheaper version of the PencilVac with a "Micro Fluffy" cleaner head, which has a singular roller like the V12 Detect Slim's.)

The Dyson PencilVac Fluffycones weighs in at less than four pounds with the main Fluffycones cleaning head attached and less than three pounds with the precision wand attachment. That's more than a pound lighter than the V12 Detect Slim (that I already find incredibly ergonomic), and less than half of the weight of the heaviest Dyson stick vacuum.

Holding the PencilVac in the air doesn't feel like a workout. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The PencilVac can go the whole way to the back of my Litter-Robot's waste drawer slot. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

One of my first orders of business with the PencilVac was to vacuum the ceiling corners and any cobwebs that I'd previously been pretending weren't there. Without the top-heaviness from a clunky dustbin, the PencilVac was comfortable to hold above my head with one hand. (I certainly can't say the same for the 8.6-pound Dyson Gen5outsize that my mom has.)

The wand doesn't bend, so you'll have to be awkwardly far away from certain nooks and crannies while you're detailing them. But the long wand also makes it easy to keep up with dusty baseboards without kneeling down, and that's huge news for my allergies and my back.

I'm definitely being normal about the double laser situation

The PencilVac also has two of my favorite Dyson feature ever, the dust-illuminating laser: One that lights the cleaning path ahead and one that lights the trail directly behind the cleaning head.

I've been religiously laser vacuuming since I got my V12 Detect Slim in 2023, so the concept of dual lasers is monumental to someone who can barely remember life B.L. (Before Laser). You truly have no concept of how much dust, dander, and hair accumulate on your floors within the span of a day. Barring any egregiously huge obvious crumbs, hardwood and tile always look pretty spotless to the naked eye... until the laser enlightens you. You can never go back after that.

I can simultaneously see how much litter was tracked in and out of the bathroom. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

For such a tiny vacuum, the PencilVac musters some pretty strong suction. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I love that the double-headed laser provides a 360-degree view of the floor before and after you sweep it. After making a pass with my V12 Detect Slim, I'd often turn around to shine the laser where I just cleaned to make sure no minuscule stragglers would get stuck to my bare feet later. The double-headed laser shows you where the dirty spots are, then provides real-time proof of its debris pickup in the path behind it.

With this flexibility and precision, the PencilVac quickly became a core piece of my cleaning routine. A routine that actually takes longer now, but only because the PencilVac unlocked easy access to spots that were a pain to clean before: the tight space between furniture or the washing machine and the wall, beside and behind the toilet, and small slivers of open floor under crap in various closets.

Conveniently, I got the PencilVac around the same time that I started spiraling over the fact that microplastics live in dust. I'm not sure that I would have been able to sleep without an easy way to keep up with the dust that builds up behind the dresser and TV in my bedroom.

Considerations: The dustbin, carpet use, and one other annoying thing

To empty, you still point the dustbin over the trash and click a button to release debris. But any veteran stick vacuum user knows that a piece of the dust bunny will inevitably need to be pulled out by hand. Since it's so damn thin, the PencilVac dustbin and suction airway are a little harder to keep clear. I realized that a water bottle sponge (one we will NOT be using to wash dishes) fits well enough to wipe out any fine hairs or dust stuck to the sides, but I'm not sure what to do when a wad of hair gets wrapped around up there.

The tiny dustbin just wouldn't be practical for large homes. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Debris compresses in layers that looks like nasty sand art. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

If the 0.02-gallon dustbin sounds tiny, that's because it is. I'm always shocked by the chunk of brown and gray fluff that compiles on the first cleaning session after I've emptied it. I swear it's nearly half full after vacuuming the kitchen, bathroom with a litter box, and living room once — and that's without even attempting the living room rug, because the PencilVac's suction and fluffy fibers just aren't built for digging into carpet.

The PencilVac is also one of the only Dyson stick vacuums in recent memory that doesn't come with a mini motorized pet hair tool. I'm just picturing the PencilVac as the sole vacuum in my friend's and her golden retriever's apartment and can't help but laugh. Since I'm constantly testing robot vacuums at home, my Dyson PencilVac's dustbin probably doesn't fill up as fast as it would without all of the automated help with shedding from two cats. Shoppers centering their vacuum purchase around serious pet hair pickup should definitely keep looking for something stronger with automatic emptying.

Lastly, the Dyson PencilVac's battery life isn't great. You're lucky if you get 30 minutes out of the lowest cleaning mode, and maybe 10 minutes out of the strongest. With that in mind, the charging stand situation is also worth complaining about. It'd be a lot more convenient to have the PencilVac charging all the time if it could charge lying down under a couch or something — aren't we trying to sell the small space fantasy here? Instead, it has to charge between magnetic prongs on the stand, which doesn't feel super stable in a high-traffic area.

So while I would call it the best cordless vacuum for small spaces and hardwood, it'd be an equally bad choice for homes larger than 1,000 or 1,500 square feet or homes with multiple pets.

If you're on a budget and things look bleak in the relationship department, don't panic. You don't need to shell out hundreds to find a genuine connection. As the weather warms up and the spring dating pool thaws out, there are plenty of free dating apps that let you chat, match, and meet a partner without shelling out cash upfront.

Dating itself will cost you time and money, so why should dating apps eat at your wallet, too? Especially when some platforms are rolling out premium subscriptions that cost as much as a car payment (yes, we're looking at you, Grindr). You don't have to resort to dating an AI to save money. Most popular apps are free to use — no credit card required.

What dating apps are completely free?

Mainstream dating apps like Tinder, OkCupid, and Hinge all have robust free membership tiers that compete with paid subscriptions. Some free, more niche dating apps, like Archer and Lex, are also worth checking out. It just depends on what you're looking for and how much work you're willing to put in to get it.

Critics will tell you that the big-name dating apps (like Bumble, or Match Group giants such as Tinder and Hinge) are all the same, forming a single, amorphous dating platform. However, these apps still have distinct differences. For instance, Bumble just announced it's officially killing its iconic swipe feature to change how users match. That said, dating app companies are moving more features behind paywalls, frustrating daters on a budget.

Below, find our top picks for the best free dating apps. Use them to find your forever partner, a casual encounter, or something in between — all without paying a dime.

Note: All the free dating sites listed below offer a free membership option that allows you to talk and match with people at no cost. Though most offer paid premium memberships, these aren't apps like Match or eharmony, where you need to pay to match or chat with other users. And if you're being pressured to send money to someone on a dating app, you might be involved in a romance scam.

Most guys have a love-hate relationship with dating apps. But between work and life, meeting someone organically can feel nearly impossible. That's the promise of online dating — an unlimited number of meet-cutes right to your phone, no serendipity required. Of course, the reality of online dating is often quite different. But don't get discouraged. The Mashable Dating & Relationships team has spent years testing the most popular dating apps for men, and we can tell you which apps are most likely to connect you with the right person for you.

Do dating apps still work in 2026?

We get it, though. Dating as a man in 2026 is tough. It's not just the pressure to make or the fear of rejection if you do — it's the endless swiping through fake profiles, scammers, AI-generated thirst traps, bots posing as potential matches, relentless Instagram models trying to lure you into their OnlyFans scam, and matches with impossibly high expectations (yes, the "6-6-6 rule" is a real thing, and apps are actively trying to monetize your height preferences).

But despite the challenges, dating apps do work. A 2025 SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus survey found that nearly 39 percent of all U.S. adults have used a dating app at some point, and men are actually more likely to be current users than women (57 percent vs. 38 percent). While the experience isn't always perfect, the odds are in your favor: 57 percent of men report positive experiences with online dating, compared to only 48 percent of women. The numbers are even higher for young people and the LGBTQ+ community.

The best dating apps for guys who know what they want

This guide is your cheat sheet for the best dating apps for men in 2026. We've done the research and found the apps that are actually worth your time. Whether you're looking for something casual or something serious, we have a dating app to recommend.

Pro tip: Don't be afraid to experiment. Try out a few different apps and see what works for you. And most importantly, don't get discouraged! Sometimes, the occasional bad date or disappointing flirtation is just the price you pay to meet the match of a lifetime.

Online privacy comes at a premium — your personal information and internet habits are more valuable and more important than ever before. Everyone wants to know what you get up to, and where you're doing it online, whether it's businesses looking to target you with ads and mailing junk, or scammers who want to exploit you. That's why we recommend you do everything possible to protect yourself online. And if you watch porn, as so many of us do, you should be especially vigilant.

We're going to take a wild guess that you'd prefer to be protected from the prying eyes of advertisers, your internet service provider (ISP), and your roommates when you're engaged in the intimate business of visiting porn sites. If sounds right then we recommend investing in a VPN. These cybersecurity services provide everything you need to unblock porn sites and then stream anonymously.

What is a VPN?

VPNs offer a robust defense for both your data and identity on the internet. VPNs do this by creating a private network that can hide your IP address and connecting you to servers in other countries, which prevents unwanted eyes from spying on your digital and real world location. This ensures that all of your online activity is untraceable and secure.

If it sounds complicated, it's helpful to think of all your online traffic travelling through an encrypted tunnel. Nobody can see into the tunnel, and everything inside the tunnel is protected by an impenetrable wall, which holds back online threats such as viruses, hackers, malware, and scammers.

Do you need a VPN for porn?

There are two key reasons to get yourself a VPN for porn: Anonymity and access.

The first reason is perhaps the most important. If you're concerned about your ISP, housemates, landlord, or a more nefarious individual accessing your data, a VPN is a sensible choice. Any sort of activity on an unsecured WiFi network leaves your private information and browsing habits exposed to anyone who knows how to access them.

Even a porn site can track your activity if you're unprotected, and bombard you with targeted ads and content. Pornhub tracks IP addresses for example, which means it can collect information about your site usage — something you might not want tracked and fired back at you. But a VPN will prevent that by keeping your IP address hidden.

Maintaining your privacy and anonymity is the primary reason for signing up to a VPN, but if you're in a location that blocks porn sites a VPN can also help access your favorite sites. A VPN can bypass these restrictions by connecting you to a server in another location, allowing you to circumnavigate firewalls and stream porn sites from anywhere in the world.

What features should you consider when selecting a VPN?

There are a number of different factors to consider before you pick a VPN for porn. Here are some of the VPN features and functions to know about:

• Connection speed — VPNs generally produce a drop in your connection speed, but you shouldn't accept any service that sees a major drop. Don't choose a VPN that impacts your connection speed to the point that you can't stream porn without disruption.

• Encryption — There are different levels of encryption, and while it's important to take note of the grade provided by your VPN, the best services will all offer powerful protection for your data. This is obviously vital when navigating porn sites because you need to know that your data is secure.

• Number of connections — Some VPNs let you connect an unlimited number of devices with the same account, while others limit you to a certain number or just a single device. Look for services that offer multiple simultaneous connections so you can stay secure on all your devices at the same time. You may wish to stream porn on a number of devices, so it's best to secure everything with the same account.

• Privacy policy — This is something that some users might take for granted, but you need to pay special attention to the data-handling, storage, and usage practices of a VPN. These practices should be clearly laid out in a privacy policy, and if they aren't, you should not subscribe. Most VPNs require access to your IP address, online transactions, and browsing history, plus your personal details when you sign up. Your chosen VPN should not store these details under any circumstances, as that would negate the whole principle of anonymity.

• Server network — The top VPNs provide access to literally thousands of geographically diverse servers. This is useful because you should always be able to find a stable and speedy connection for streaming porn.

You also need to consider things like price and subscription plans, but these features are a good place to start when selecting a particular VPN service. Once you've picked a VPN, look at its selection of subscription plans.

Should you use free VPNs?

As with most things in life, you get what you pay for. Cybersecurity is no different. There are plenty of free versions of popular VPNs, and free trials of VPNs with full access to premium features. The catch is that free versions usually come with limited data usage, meaning you can't do much in the way of streaming or downloading — and the free trials don't last very long. But trials allow you to get a feel for a VPN service before you committing your cash. Overall, a paid subscription is your best option for porn. Sorry about that.

What is the best VPN for porn?

There are lots of services offering similar packages, which makes it difficult to choose the best VPN for you and your specific internet needs. We've made things easier by researching all the best offers and lining up the below selection of VPNs for porn. We have found something for everyone and every budget, with popular services such as ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and CyberGhost VPN in this list.

These are the best VPNs for porn in 2026.

Whatever occasion has you looking for dad gifts (Father's Day, Christmas, Hanukkah), we recommend that you stay far away from clichés — unless your dad happens to be an avid sock collector, that is.

The best gifts for dads say, “I see your hobbies and I respect them." Which has been the basis for this list of unique ideas that you may not have seen before. (We have three words for you: "Ryan Gosling" and "knitting".) This list is sure to have something your old man will love, from the latest Apple and Sony tech to menswear and ingenious gadgets. And with Father's Day fast approaching on June 21, there's no better time to treat him.

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

It's 2026 and times are good for low-effort consumers. Yes, you can get pretty much anything you want by just tapping and swiping of your smartphone: Your shopping, your favourite takeaway, your high-ticket tech, even — our personal favourite — a hot date. And why shouldn't you? Online dating is nothing new. Apps and websites have dominated the dating world for the best part of 20 years. In fact, some sites go all the way back to the mid-1990s. But things are constantly evolving in the world of app-based dating.

According to our favourite sex-perts at Lovehoney — the progressive sex toy brand that sells everything from lingerie to lubricants and dildos — we're living in horny-but-wholesome times. Lovehoney has named 2026 "The Year of Pleasure."

That doesn’t mean quick-and-easy pleasure from one-night stands and flings. It may come as some surprise, but research says that one-night stands are on the out. Would-be daters are now cruising for "purposeful pleasure" and "meaningful connections." That means hookups with substance — flings that mean something. Yes, we're still hooking up, but we're getting more selective about who we hookup with and why. So, it's important to get the right dating app because each app offers something a little different. And you need the right tools to find the right date.

To help you get started, we’ve looked at the top apps and taken advice from sex and relationship experts.

What to know before you swipe

Before you start downloading apps, it’s good know just how to approach online dating. Our advice is to be 100 percent honest about who and what you’re up for. And maybe give a pass to the mainstream dating apps that are more about romance and happily ever afters (the likes of eharmony, in other words). The best hookup apps make chatting quick and easy (messaging, video calls, all that good stuff), and even the best free options will have features like profile verification to keep you safe.

Our main advice though is to stick to apps which are purpose-built for hookups, casual fun, and satisfying your kink (whatever that kink might be). It can be freeing, not to mention productive, to be open about specific desires. The ways in which we understand sex and relationships are changing all the time — just looking at fast-growing "heteroflexible" sexuality — and hookup apps allow you to explore curiosities with no judgement or social anxiety.

It doesn’t matter what you’re looking for, whether it's the chance to explore a new sexual frontier, a friends-with-benefits situation on the reg, or an old school one-night stand (the one-night stand might be going out of fashion, but it’s still hella fun as long as it’s safe and on your terms).

Whatever your desire, we’re here to help make it happen. This guide to the best hookups apps is based on Mashable’s own real-world testing, expert input, and general experience. We’ve broken down each of the best hookup apps available right now, with an option for every type of dater and every dating desire.

These are the best hookup apps for 2026.

If 2025 was the year of the ultra-thin phone, then 2026 is the year of the foldable phone. And the new Motorola Razr line arrives with a big head start. Motorola has been making flip-style foldables since 2020, and it also has the first foldables on the scene this year.

Of course, being first isn't always the wisest strategy. Just look at Apple, which has been building monumental hype around the first folding iPhone.

But we're not here to talk about Apple. This one's for Android users (and the Android-curious).

I put the new Motorola Razr Ultra and Motorola Razr+ to the test, and while the Razr+ has some problems, I'm loving the Razr Ultra so far.

The verdict: The Motorola Razr Ultra is a pricey but impressive flip phone

Motorola Razr+ (left) and Motorola Razr Ultra (right). Credit: René Ramos / Mashable

What I loved: The flagship Razr Ultra has a gorgeous display, a killer battery life, and a true smorgasburg of AI features. I love that it fits in my pocket, and I love the phone's design.

What I hated: This phone costs an obscene $1,499.99. The less-capable Razr+ had some sluggishness.

By the numbers:

• Processor: Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform

• Battery: 5000mAh battery / 36 hours

• Display: 4-inch pOLED cover display / 7-inch AMOLED inner display

• Cameras: 50MP wide, 50MP ultrawide, 50MP inner camera

• Charging: 68W charging, reverse charging, 24 hours battery in 8 minutes

• Special features: Pantone Validated display, HDR peak brightness of 5,000 nits, 10-bit color, Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic 3

The Motorola Razr Ultra is a true flagship device

Credit: René Ramos / Mashable

Now, I still need to spend more time with the Razr Ultra before we lock in its review score. I plan to update this review twice. First, a couple of weeks after spending more time with the device, and again in July or August, after the Samsung Galaxy Flip 8 arrives.

But if you need a new phone now, I think you can purchase this phone with confidence. I've said repeatedly that the Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) was the most underrated phone of the year, and the new model is even better.

When I first picked it up, I thought it was thinner than last year's version, but my eyes told me otherwise. The dimensions proved me right, however. Motorola shaved off a few millimeters from the design, and the phone is just a smidge thinner than last year. The phone also has a new textured back panel, which I think was a smart upgrade for both visual appeal and security in your hand.

The screens are also a little bigger and have a slightly higher resolution. The HDR10+ AMOLED displays offer 10-bit color and look incredible. Both the main and external displays now offer 165Hz refresh rates and deliver significant brightness upgrades. The main display has 5,000 nits, and the rear display has 3,000 (a 2,000 increase and a 1,300 increase, respectively).

Credit: René Ramos / Mashable

Finally, the battery has been upgraded from 4,500 mAh to 5,000 mAh. The battery was a standout feature last year, easily offering more than 24 hours on our video playback test. This year's battery is rated for a mighty 36 hours.

But here's the big question: Are all those improvements worth a $200 price increase? Last year's excellent Razr Ultra was already pricey at $1,299, but this year's arrives with a RAM-ageddon price hike to $1,499.99.

Let's talk about that price

Most U.S. phone shoppers don't pay full retail price. Typically, we get a trade-in offer, or you take advantage of carrier deals that can drop the price to $0 (with conditions, of course).

Motorola has raised prices across the board because of the AI-fueled memory shortage. I strongly recommend taking advantage of every deal and launch offer you can.

It's not that the phone isn't worth it. The $1,500 price tag is likely going to be the new standard in this category. But it still hurts.

The Motorola Razr Ultra is a joy to use

Credit: René Ramos / Mashable

Here's what I really like about this phone: It's fun to use.

There's just something satisfying about a flip phone, especially one that can pull off so many neat tricks. I love lining up the perfect selfie on the external display, shooting a camcorder-style video, or bringing up an app without opening the phone. And as someone who hates big phones, I love how it fits in my pocket and hand. It still feels like a two-hand phone when opened, but the size is a huge attraction for me.

The everyday experience will be familiar to Android users, though Motorola offers additional AI tools such as Perplexity, Copilot, and Moto AI (more on this in a moment).

Foldable phones are also novel enough that they still feel cool. And the phone looks cool, too. The colors and design of the phones are very impressive this year.

Motorola's AI strategy: All of the above

Here are the AI tools you get with the new Razr lineup:

• Gemini

• Perplexity

• Microsoft Copilot

• Moto AI

Frankly, it's a bit much. I found myself sticking entirely to Gemini. At CES 2026, Lenovo and Motorola laid out their vision for Moto AI — a personal AI that acts as your personal assistant. And, in theory, it has some cool features. But am I ready to hand over my email, photo library, browsing history, and Google Drive to yet another tech company? Not quite. I'm already nervous about how much Google knows about me, and how it's using my data.

This is also a phone built for AI superusers. Here's an example: Long-press what should be the power button, and it brings up Gemini Live. Long-press the side button (the Razr+ has no extra side button), and it fires up Moto AI. When I needed to power off the Razr+, it took me a ridiculous amount of time to find the power off option.

You can change these settings, of course, but this is a phone that wants to put AI constantly at your fingertips. That's either a pro or a con, depending on how much you use tools like Gemini.

That said, being able to quickly fire up Gemini to answer questions is helpful at times. I also made good use of Android's Circle To Search feature. After bringing home the flowers, I used Circle To Search to identify them. Another time, I asked whether it was safe to use two household cleaners together. (Spoiler alert: It was not!)

Credit: Timothy Beck Werth

Credit: Timothy Beck Werth

Motorola Razr+ is too big a step down

With a new starting price of $1,099, the Razr+ better be a damn fine phone, but my early testing has been frustrating. Once, the camera app simply refused to open. At other times, the phone was noticeably sluggish. I sometimes found that apps or features were slow to appear.

Instead of the Ultra's Snapdragon 8 Elite, the Razr+ has a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 Mobile Platform, and I could feel the difference, unfortunately. As you'll see in the camera test, image processing also takes a hit. Photos were oversaturated, and the phone struggled a bit in very bright sunlight.

Credit: René Ramos / Mashable

So, is the Motorola Razr+ worth it? While I can happily endorse the Razr Ultra, I'm not sold on the Razr+.

One word of warning: Treat your foldable with care

Lastly, I should note there have been user complaints on Reddit and the Motorola website about the durability of the Razr Ultra (2025). Users report that hinges and displays begin to fall apart after about 12 months of use. However, the phone should hold up just fine, as mine has.

I suspect there's some user error involved here, as flip phones are inherently more delicate. Be careful not to get your foldable wet, and avoid overstressing the hinge.

For its part, Motorola has outfitted the Razr+ with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus; the Razr Ultra has the brand-new Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic 3, which debuts with this foldable phone.

Motorola Razr+ and Razr Ultra: The camera test

Credit: René Ramos / Mashable

As a reminder, here are the camera arrays with each phone:

• Razr Ultra: 50MP wide, 50MP ultrawide, 50MP inner camera

• Razr+: 50MP wide, 50MP ultrawide, 32MP inner

Foldables aren't known for having the best cameras, but the Razr Ultra's are better than fine. For the camera test, I took macro, portrait, digital zoom, and selfie photos. All of the photos you see here are unedited.

Overall, I found that the Razr Plus sometimes oversaturated my photos, which is a pet peeve of mine. In some cases, the Razr Ultra clearly took the better photo. In the photos with sliders, you'll find the Razr Ultra version on the left. Thanks to the Elite processor, the Razr Ultra handled color much better, and photos taken in bright sunlight weren't super washed out.

The ultimate selfie mode

Foldables may not have the best cameras, but it's incredibly satisfying to line up the perfect selfie using the external display.

Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

The finished result:

Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

Overall, the Razr Ultra took surprisingly good photos for a foldable. The Razr+ didn't have bad cameras by any means, and I took a lot of photos I liked, even if the Ultra clearly has the edge.

Left: Razr Ultra (left) Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

Right: Razr+ (right) Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

I also went to my local flower-and-skateboarding store — the most Brooklyn store ever — to test the color fidelity. (Shoutout to Park Deli flower shop, which isn't affiliated with Mashable or Motorola in any way.)

Left: Razr Ultra (left) Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

Right: Razr+ (right) Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

Left: Razr Ultra (left) Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

Right: Razr+ (right) Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

Finally, I have to show off my latest origami creations.

A dinsoaur, rat, Scottish terrier, and snails. Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

The Motorola Razr Ultra: Would I buy it?

So, would I spend my money on the Razr Ultra? I have to admit, I'm still an iPhone user, possibly due to peer pressure. But the Motorola Razr Ultra is the phone that really tempts me to make the switch, and I enjoy every minute I spend with this phone.

While the new $1,499.99 price tag is a major blow, the phone's feature set, display, and design are all elite for the category. If you can take advantage of some launch offers or trade-ins, I think you'll also be very happy with this trendy little flip phone.

Motorola Razr Ultra (2026)

$1,499.99 at Amazon

 

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Credit: Motorola

Motorola Razr+ (2026)

$1,099.99 at Amazon

 

Get Deal

In terms of physics, the Shark BlastBoss is kind of the antithesis of a vacuum: It's still a cordless cleaning tool, but it blows instead of sucks. I swear I wanted to try it for more reasons than the fact that it comes in pink. Upon the BlastBoss's debut in March 2026, I immediately thought of all the dust and crumbs I encounter regularly that don't really budge from the suction power of a robot or stick vacuum.

The Shark BlastBoss is marketed for a huge range of indoor and outdoor use. Since I don't have any outdoor space at my apartment, I also took it on a trip to my parents' house to test its versatility in a garage and a basement and on a porch. I found several ways to use the BlastBoss just in the past month, and there are countless possibilities beyond that. TL;DR? Use the table of contents to skip down to the testing tea for usage inside, outside, and in the car.

What does the Shark BlastBoss do?

The Shark BlastBoss is a handheld cordless blower that uses high-velocity air to clean dirty spots where it doesn't make sense to use a vacuum.

BlastBoss air is stronger than air being sucked the opposite way from a vacuum. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The BlastBoss weighs less than 1.5 pounds. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The reach of suction power has a much more limited radius than air being blown out the other direction. And often, stubborn household dust or debris lodged in tiny cracks only responds to the positive pressure of a quick blow (rather than the negative pressure of vacuum suction). I won't pretend to understand the science behind it further than that — all I know is that people my age were born knowing to blow on an uncooperative N64 cartridge, not try to vacuum it.

The BlastBoss is really just an intense embodiment of blowing the dust off, with power up to 190 MPH that can be controlled through attachments like an extender wand, broom, and precision nozzle. Battery life depends on which of the three settings you're using: It can last between five and seven minutes on boost mode, up to 10 minutes on outdoor mode, and nearly an hour on indoor mode.

The BlastBoss comes in five colors: classic gray or white, plus blue, green, or pink. (Cosmo and Wanda, you ain't slick.)

Using the Shark BlastBoss indoors

A lot of BlastBoss advertising shows it being used outside or in a car, so I initially wasn't sure how much use I'd get out of it inside my apartment. My first order of business was to blow the dust and cat hair off my MacBook keyboard, which was borderline ASMR to watch. Then it hit me: This thing is literally a power duster.

I've been using the BlastBoss to sweep off any items that attract that sticky layer of dust: knick-knacks on the TV stand, picture frames, faux plant leaves, the top of the record player, high-up shelves that I can't see but I know are covered in gray fluff. I try to wipe most of these down with an actual cloth from time to time, but the BlastBoss is a great way to make dusting a once-a-week chore instead of a once-or-twice-per-year chore.

Dusting off the bar shelves on my kitchen island was a breeze — the BlastBoss's indoor setting is gentle enough to blow off fragile items without knocking them over. My handheld Dyson feels too big and awkward to sneak in between each glass, and can't suck up the super-fine debris that's smaller than a cat hair.

If you weren't particularly passionate about dusting before, you are now. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

These shelves get disgustingly dusty, and cat toys always get lost underneath. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I also realized that the BlastBoss is really good at getting small items out from under furniture, as long as there's room for it to blow out the other side. One of my cats constantly loses stuff under the bottom shelf of that same kitchen island, so I pointed the BlastBoss down there to see what happens. A handful of bobby pins, a crinkle ball, and her beloved spider ring "toy" shot out the other side, as well as a ton of crumbs and hair tumbleweeds.

As a professional robot vacuum reviewer, I'm constantly down on the floor to inspect a vacuum's cleaning performance. That also means that I'm constantly face-to-face with all of the fallen food particles wedged under the fridge and oven. The BlastBoss was able to blow some of those out into the middle of the floor. And that perfectly aligns with the whole ethos of my job: Make a mess and let a robot vacuum deal with it.

Using the Shark BlastBoss outdoors

The BlastBoss is an instant staple tool for anyone with a porch, deck or patio, or even just a garage.

You'll get around 26 inches of reach with both extender attachments clicked on, and it's lightweight enough to comfortable hold up with one hand. My mom was more than happy for me to blow down the spider webs and remnants from an old bird nest from the lanterns on the side of her house.

This is so much better than getting spiderwebs stuck on broom bristles. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Outdoor mode is very effective on dirty cushions, even in the cracks. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

It's also much easier to blow leaves off of patio furniture cushions than it is to try to brush them off (or suck them up with a stick vacuum, if you really wanted to bring it outside).

When the broom attachment is clicked on, it's a bad day to be a pile of leaves in the yard or a layer of pine needles on the porch. I was able to clear the 15+ foot long concrete patio of lawnmower clippings and a mess of seeds from the bird feeder in a minute or two — much faster (and less of a workout) than doing it all with a manual broom.

Shark calls this a "BlastBroom." Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Your typical sweeping motion goes a lot further with a massive gush of air behind it. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I think you'd get your money's worth out of the BlastBoss in a single fall season alone. I mean, it's basically a leaf blower — but a cute, compact one that wouldn't feel like it has to be stored outside. Back to my parents' house, I can already picture how convenient it'll be to grab the BlastBoss out of a closet near a door for quick sidewalk and patio upkeep (rather than going all the way to a storage shelf in the garage).

Using the Shark BlastBoss in the car

Regardless of your spot on the "religiously" to "never" scale of vacuuming out your car, the BlastBoss is awesome to have on hand for quick seat and trunk refreshes.

I can hit my car interior with my handheld Dyson all I want, but there are always some little specks that won't budge. The jet of air from the BlastBoss takes care of them in a snap. For specks in seat cushion cracks, I just open the closest door and blow them right off the side. For specks stuck in the ridges of the rubber mat in my trunk, I get in my back carseat and blow them out the back. Parents on TikTok and YouTube do the same thing with snack spills in car seats.

Even if I don't eat in the car, crumbs seem to spawn under here. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Boost mode got the sticky pieces that don't come off when I shake the mat upside down. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I also use the BlastBoss to blow dirt, rocks, and leaves out from under the two front seats, where my handheld vacuum won't fit. I still have to vacuum that debris up, but the BlastBoss at least gets it to a spot where the vacuum can reach it.

One of my first thoughts was that the BlastBoss would rock for getting pesky-ass sand out of the car. My second thought was that you could theoretically just blow legs and shoes off before anyone even gets in the car. If you're a frequent beachgoer or otherwise outdoorsy person, you could just keep the BlastBoss in the car and grab it whenever you need it — it doesn't die just sitting there, as a lot of cordless vacuums do. Mine has only needed to be charged twice in the month that I've had it, and there was a day or two when I was using it way more intensely than normal for testing purposes.

The internet has filled me in on multiple hacks that I would have never thought up on my own. Apparently, you can use the BlastBoss to blow dry your car after washing it to prevent streaks and water spots, or use the precision nozzle to blow up an inflatable mattress.

Is the Shark BlastBoss worth it?

The Shark BlastBoss has proven to be super handy in small spaces and larger homes, plus outdoor spaces and the car. If you know you should be dusting or sweeping out your car more often than you do, I think the BlastBoss makes the job quick and easy enough that you'll have the motivation to do it.

Not that there are many other cute and casual air blasters for comparison, but the $149.99 price tag seems pretty practical for a tool with so many uses. Plus, the compact handle and removable attachments should be out of the way in storage.

Shark BlastBoss

$149.99 at Amazon

 

Shop Now at Amazon

If you've grabbed drinks with any single friend lately or scrolled through TikTok, you know the general consensus: dating apps are exhausting. App fatigue is very real, and it makes finding a genuine connection online feel like a second full-time job. As someone who's been testing and reviewing dating apps for years, I get asked one question over and over: Which dating apps actually work?

My answer is always the same: The only real "hack" is choosing the right app for what you actually want. Someone on eharmony is looking for a ring, while users on hookup apps like Tinder are... well, you know what they're looking for. You can't bring casual energy to a serious platform and expect good results, and vice versa.

"Dating apps can feel overwhelming because there are so many of them, but the truth is the platform matters a lot less than the mindset you bring to it," Davide De Pierro, author of The Letters I Never Sent, tells Mashable. "You can download all of them if you want, but eventually you still have to show up as yourself, which is the scary part, but also the freeing part. Because once you do that, you don’t have to keep track of which version of yourself you’re pretending to be. If you’re honest about who you are and what you want, the right connection can happen anywhere."

So, before you delete your profiles and swear off romance forever, take a breath. Despite the burnout, dating apps are still one of the most reliable ways to meet a partner. A 2025 SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus found that 65 percent of people aged 18 to 29 have used a dating app, and a 2023 Pew Research Center report found that one in five young people met their significant other on one.

You just need the right tool. That's why I've put in the hours, the swipes, and the subscription fees to find the best dating app for every kind of single person. To help you find your match, these are all of the top dating apps worth downloading in 2026.

If you need even more personalized advice, check out our guides to the best dating apps for men, women, and the LGBTQ community.

The dating apps I'd skip (and why)

You'll probably notice a few popular apps are missing from my list. That’s intentional. Part of my job is to filter out the platforms that aren't worth your time, money, or sanity. An app doesn't get my recommendation just because it's well-known — it has to be effective and safe.

Here are a few popular dating apps I'd skip:

• Plenty of Fish (POF): I know this one shows up on a lot of lists, but in my opinion, it's a dating app ghost town. POF launched as a dating site back in 2003, and it shows. In my experience (and based on widespread user feedback), the platform is filled with bots and scams, and the odds of finding a quality connection are stacked against you. Unless you enjoy sifting through fake profiles, I think your time is better spent elsewhere.

• Raya: Raya is basically the Soho House of dating apps. It's exclusive, expensive, and not for the average person. You have to fill out an application to use it, and the vetting process can take anywhere from a few days to a few years. While it might be great for networking or bagging an influencer, it's just not a practical recommendation for most people who are simply looking for a date. (See also: The League.)

• Niche "hookup" sites (like BeNaughty, Fling, etc.): There's a chance you've seen ads for sites like these, which promise quick, no-strings-attached fun. Based on my research and countless user reviews, I'd advise you to steer clear. These platforms are notorious for being overrun with bots and having questionable billing practices, with users reporting unexpected and hard-to-cancel subscription charges.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book for Nintendo Switch 2 ultimately won me over and cemented itself as one of the more creative and original Switch 2 exclusives so far, but it definitely took some time to get there.

At first, I wasn't having a bad time while playing Yoshi's latest and most literary adventure, but it felt a little elementary. This game is eminently kid-forward (though not necessarily kid-focused), even more so than most Nintendo games, to the point where I found it more idly pleasant than truly engaging. But my patience with it was rewarded by about the halfway point, as Yoshi and the Mysterious Book does eventually unfurl into a smorgasbord of inventive and delightful ideas, the likes of which we're used to seeing from the best first-party Nintendo titles.

Its pacing is uneven and its structure is a bit odd, but Yoshi and the Mysterious Book leverages a toy box-like approach to game design and adorable visuals to create something that I think will be remembered reasonably fondly as an early Switch 2 exclusive years down the line.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book's Mr. E is an instant icon

Put this guy in Smash, please. Credit: Nintendo

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is not a narrative powerhouse, nor does it aspire to be, and that's OK.

Basically, a bunch of Yoshis find a cool, old leatherbound tome with a big mustache. This mysterious book is called Mr. E. The E stands for encyclopedia because, well, he's a living encyclopedia, with a bunch of worlds full of fantastical creatures hidden in his pages. Yoshi's job is to jump into those pages and study each creature; one creature equals one level, and discovering things about a creature rewards the player with stars, which accumulate to unlock more worlds. That light progression system most overtly game-y thing about Mysterious Book, but in my experience, it was almost impossible not to gather enough stars to move onto the next world. In other words, don't worry about it.

I should also mention that the player is given the option to name every creature after you finish its level, with a free text entry field that's bound by a censorship filter, of course. If you're not creative, though, you can just ask Mr. E, and he'll give the creature its canonical name.

Credit: Nintendo

When Yoshi hops into Mr. E's pages to document a creature (all of whom are cool, funky little freaks), Yoshi and the Mysterious Book very quickly becomes one of the most visually attractive video games of 2026 on any platform. Its illustrative backgrounds mesh well with character sprites that intentionally have fewer animation frames than you might expect, a la the Spider-Verse movies. Mysterious Book also smartly incorporates some 3D elements here and there, alongside a fun fictional font that appears in the background, making it feel like you really are inside a magical encyclopedia. As a nice bonus, no matter how chaotic some levels were, the game never faltered from a flawless 60 frames per second performance profile on my Switch 2.

Put another way, this game is just a firehose of color and personality at all times. Some of the later levels, in particular, really stand out visually thanks to enormous, bigger-than-the-screen creatures that look absolutely fantastic. Nintendo has a strong history of giving Yoshi games attractive art styles, and this one is one of my favorites. It's a shame, then, that the handful of cutscenes that take place outside Mr. E's confines are so plain and uninspiring to look at. It's not a huge deal, but it does stand out whenever you see it.

No two levels are alike

As I noted before, every creature gets its own level in Mysterious Book, and each level is essentially a tiny sandbox with one completely bespoke mechanic that you will (with limited exceptions) only encounter in that level. This is the magic of Mysterious Book: Each and every level reveals a new idea in its first few seconds, and almost all of the time, that idea is something that's fun to mess around with for anywhere between two and 10 minutes, with an emphasis on experimentation and discovery

For example, one early level involves stationary frogs with leaves on their heads. Try to eat one with Yoshi's signature long-ass tongue, and you'll earn a star for discovering that you can't. Jump on its head and you'll find out that each one sings a different note, earning you another star for discovering that. Bounce on several in a row without hitting the ground, and they'll belt out a recognizable melody, earning you a few more stars. If you're observant, you might notice one without a leaf on its head, and if you remedy that situation, you'll get some more stars.

Credit: Nintendo

Each level has one central objective to complete in order to mark it as finished, but for the most part, you're free to explore and mess around as much as you want. There's no fail state, Yoshi can't die, and there's almost never a time limit of any kind. Between all of that and the fact that these levels are often extremely short, Mysterious Book is lightweight, low-stakes, and incredibly digestible, perfect for a kid with insatiable curiosity or an adult without a lot of free time.

The most impressive thing about Mysterious Book is just how much mechanical variety it has to offer. Yoshi's moveset is limited to running, jumping, eating, carrying, and throwing, and the game gets so much more out of those basic actions than you'd expect. They managed to fit surfing, fishing, and a ton of other goofy little activities in here, again, each for the duration of one level and one level only. It's one of those games that gets more fun to play the more you realize that they probably had a lot of fun making it. I can't imagine many ideas were ever thrown out or dismissed entirely during development.

Just be patient with it

This guy rocks. Credit: Nintendo

Like any game, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book has some foibles to contend with. For starters, not every level is good; I actually really did not like the fishing level because the minigame it's centered around is not even a little bit friendly to colorblind players. Puzzle solutions can occasionally be a little obtuse, and Mr. E's hints (available at the press of a button) aren't always the most helpful. There were a few too many occasions where I progressed simply by banging my head against a metaphorical wall for a few minutes.

More broadly, though, there are some structural issues to contend with here. I'll try to be as vague as possible about this, but there is a point where it really feels like Mysterious Book has reached its conclusion in a kind of limp and disappointing way, only to reveal that you're actually about halfway through the game. The good news is that almost everything after this point is totally killer. All of the best, most creative, and most out-there levels are beyond that threshold. The bad news is that the few hours prior to that sort of feel like one long tutorial, as the earlier levels can often feel pretty basic for an adult player.

But "basic" is not synonymous with "bad," nor should it be in this context. The early hours of Yoshi and the Mysterious Book are pleasing enough, and everything after that is absolutely worth being patient enough to see. Nintendo has crafted something that really grows on you over time, saving its best for last for adults and certainly being great fun for the little ones the whole way through.

Don't let the fact that Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is not a flagship 3D Mario or Zelda game turn you away from its charms. It's really one of the more fascinating Switch 2 exclusives yet, even with its shortcomings.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book launches exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2 on May 21. You can pre-order the game now for $59.99 from Amazon, Nintendo, and other retailers.

UPDATE: May. 19, 2026, 5:00 a.m. EDT I initially wrote about my first impressions of the Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal 2-in-1 in March 2026 after a week of using it daily at home. This review was updated after two more months of testing.

The most iconic thing I've seen a Shark robot vacuum do in years is drive down the runway during the season finale of Canada's Drag Race in January 2025. That's partially the Drag Race mega fan in me speaking, but it's also the professional robot vacuum reviewer in me being bored with Shark's robot vacuum features lately.

So I was pleasantly surprised when Shark announced one of the coolest cleaning features I've ever heard with the launch of the Shark UV Reveal 2-in-1. I first started testing it at home in March 2026, and have been comparing its skills to the other top robot vacuums of 2026 for two months. Here's how it's been going.

After feeling meh about Shark's robot vacuum features for the past two years, I have one thing to say: You better work. Credit: World of Wonder

What's special about the Shark UV Reveal?

It's in the name: The Shark UV Reveal uses a UV light to detect stains on the floor that we wouldn't see with a casual glance down. That could be anything from those super-faint water stains on the bathroom floor, to sticky residue from a kitchen spill you thought you wiped up, to invisible droplets of dried pet pee. If there were ever a robot vacuum for Dexter Morgan, it would be this one.

Apparently, the robot vacs I tested last week didn't fully clean up this cat puke. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The UV Reveal also lets you know that doors need to be wiped down every so often. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

UV stain detection is a first for the mainstream robot vacuum industry — the other best robot vacuum and mop combos of 2026 use some combination of LED light sensors and AI camera systems to detect stains. While LEDs are helpful when scoping out wet spills and tiny dry particles, a plain LED bulb won't make an invisible stain glow like it's under a black light. AI mess detection via cameras, like the before-and-after shots that Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai+ takes, can also only go so far if there's nothing visible to take a picture of. Good ol' homegrown UV proof feels much less subjective, much like the reason that I'm so obsessed with Dyson's stick vacuum laser.

Shark wasn't innovating as hard when designing the UV Reveal's self-empty dock. It's pretty similar to the docks of the Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro and Shark PowerDetect ThermaCharged from 2025, without the transparent water tanks. I kind of expected a more style-forward dock for $1,299.99, but I will say that the white version does look less plasticky than the black one.

Leota appreciates that the self-empty dock is bagless (therefore less wasteful). Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The large mopping pad covers a lot of ground. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Flipping the UV Reveal over, there's another Shark classic underneath: The singular flat mopping pad... again. Shark is the only big robot vacuum brand that hasn't branched out to dual spinning mop pads (elite corner mopping) or a roller mop (elite spill soaking) in at least one model. But there are a few special features baked in to separate this Shark from the basic 2-in-1 robot vacuums.

Is the Shark UV Reveal good at mopping?

The Shark UV Reveal is a very thorough robot vacuum mop combo. Shark's HyperSonic mopping vibrates more than 100 times per minute while the vac is in motion, similar to the speedy back-and-forth motion you'd use to chip away at something sticky or dried on with a cloth. We've seen sonic mopping from Shark plenty of times before, but not this intense.

The turquoise lights kicking on mean the UV light has detected a stain. The UV Reveal sniffed out a few gross spots on my floor that I wouldn't have necessarily thought about otherwise, like the sticky puddle of soggy kibble and crusty dry food chunks near my cats' bowls and remnants of dried cat puke that I thought another robot vacuum mopped up last week.

The UV Reveal mopped up wet shoe grime, then went around again to ensure the area was clear. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The pad pops in and out every second or two. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The vacuum hovers and scrubs the same piece of floor for a while (almost 30 seconds sometimes) to make sure whatever stubborn grime is getting the extra attention it needs. Depending on the size of the stain, the whole vacuum will also swing back and forth in a half circle to come at the stain from more than one angle (the same idea as Shark's Matrix Cleaning system in previous vacuums). I sent the UV Reveal to deal with the muddy shoe storage zone near my front door, which was caked in both dried slush from the past two days and brown water that was just tracked in a few minutes prior. It left the whole area gleaming — there's not much arguing with a UV light checking the work for you.

After going back to the dock to charge, you might hear (and I quote), "I detected stains. I'm heading back out to aggressively attack them." Bad day to be a stain.

But I was most psyched to see that the big mopping pad isn't restricted to the round circumference of the robot vac. Instead, the mopping pad pokes out from under the vacuum's body every second or two. In theory, that should solve a lot of the lazy edge mopping issues that I've experienced with past Shark robot mops. I mean, that design must be a good idea if Roborock thought of it, too — it's an incredibly similar setup to the $1,599.99 Roborock Saros 20 Sonic.

The UV Reveal's suction and large mop surface area worked well together when sent to clean up around both litter boxes. The litter box on a tile floor uses crystal litter, and the litter box on a hardwood floor uses finer, dustier grass litter. Both areas of heavy tracked litter were left around 97 percent clean (barring some pieces left near edges).

Is the Shark UV Reveal good on carpet?

The Shark UV Reveal is definitely a mopping-focused robot vacuum, I'll put it that way. It's probably not going to win any "best robot vacuum for pet hair" awards from me, but it's powerful enough for daily upkeep of your carpeted rooms or rugs.

The other flagship robot vacuum releases in 2026 so far clock between 30,000 and 35,000 Pa of suction power. How does the Shark UV Reveal compare to those, you ask? No one knows, at least on paper — Shark infamously does not provide suction power measurements in Pascals as other brands do. If I had to guess, I'd put the UV Reveal somewhere in the 20,000 to 25,000 Pa range.

Sansa is wondering why I keep wasting catnip on vacuum testing. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The Shark UV Reveal did leave some quinoa around the edge of the rug, but most robot vacs do. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The most intense rug test I gave the UV Reveal involved a heinous concoction on my fluffiest rug: Way more spilled quinoa than would ever be realistic on a fur rug, spilled catnip, and probably 10 tufts of lint and fur pulled directly from the ChomChom and strewn around the rug's fibers. The UV Reveal actually had the easiest time with the catnip flakes and large cat hair puffs, snatching up around 97 percent of either. More quinoa was left behind in the rug and around the edges where the rug hits the hardwood (though most robot vacuums struggle with that). The same thing happened with shredded cheese around the kitchen rug.

The UV Reveal didn't have as much success with deep cleaning carpet, especially when it came to embedded shedding. My lint roller and black socks often showed that the UV Reveal left behind a light layer of cat hair on the living room rug. If you want a Shark vacuum that's really wicked on pet hair, get the cordless Shark PowerDetect stick vacuum instead.

Shark is finally taking small obstacle avoidance seriously

It's not every day that I see a Shark robot vacuum successfully dodge a cat toy. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

After way too long of seemingly non-existent small obstacle avoidance, Shark finally made a robot vacuum that can be trusted to clean around random clutter on the floor. The difference is really night and day — in my testing, the UV Reveal didn't run over any power cords or phone chargers, cat toys, or even the kitchen hand towel that always falls off the hook.

Factors to keep in mind

There's no doubt that its unique UV stain detection and meticulous scrubbing earn points in the sanitation department. But the Shark UV Reveal's mop doesn't rinse itself in real time, while the roller mops I've been testing do. Its frequency for returning to the dock to wash the mop can be toggled to as low as 15 minutes, but that's way too much time to spread something sticky or smelly across the whole room.

Having tested countless other hybrid robot vacuums in the same premium price range, I know that I'm valid to expect a robot vacuum to automatically head back to wash its mop if it senses that the mop is too dirty. Not that your UV Reveal should have the opportunity to smear large spills around, anyway. It's not really built for soaking up messes larger than a few droplets. (The instruction booklet specifically notes to avoid "liquids.")

Back in March, I questioned whether the UV Reveal provides a premium enough experience to realistically compete with other robot vacuums in the $1,000+ price range. Things are slightly different in May — I've been catching the UV Reveal on sale for $849.99 lately, which does feel more appropriate for the feature set you're getting. But $849.99 is the exact same sale price of the Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow that I tested around the same time, and the Roborock is a more well-rounded robot vacuum in my book.

I also think it's fair to expect a livestream pet camera from any flagship robot vacuum near $1,000, and the UV Reveal still doesn't have one. IDK, maybe you're pro no camera if you're paranoid that your robot vacuum camera could spy on you.

Finally, the SharkClean app is way too basic for this price point. It's not unusable by any means, but I've seen how granular and customizable robot vacuum apps can get.

The SharkClean app's home map doesn't offer much detail. Credit: Screenshot / Shark

The Roborock app's home map is more comprehensive and easier to navigate. Credit: Screenshot / Shark

Shark's bare bones purple map is disorienting compared to the color-coded rooms of the Dreame and Roborock apps. Those apps also provide much more insight about the types of messes they're encountering (i.e., "large particle" detection and stronger suction when approaching scattered dry cat food or cat litter). I so badly wish that the attention to detail of the UV light were extended to vacuuming.

It can be scary to leave the Apple ecosystem, but whatever your personal reasoning may be, I drew on my experience as a headphones and earbuds tester to ease the transition. For the purposes of this guide, I focused on the AirPods 4 with ANC and AirPods Pro 3. (If you want alternatives to the AirPods Max or AirPods Max 2, might I suggest any other pair of over-ear noise-cancelling headphones? I promise you'll get better bang for your buck).

After going back through testing notes and existing reviews, I came away with three options for the best AirPods alternatives: the Sony WF-1000XM6, the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2, and the EarFun Air Pro 4.

Whether you’re relaxing by the pool, hitting the beach, or hosting a backyard gathering, the best waterproof speakers are ready for any occasion. They’re built for adventure and outdoor fun, and they let you take your music anywhere without worrying about the elements. And unlike our favorite party speakers, all of these gadgets can handle a little H20.

Before purchasing a model, you’ll want a better understanding of what “waterproof” means, at least when it comes to wireless speakers. Waterproofing is the ability to resist water intrusion. This is measured by an ingress protection (IP) rating. The higher the rating, the stronger the protection (see more info in our FAQ section). 

Many waterproof speakers also feature rubberized bumpers for shock absorption and sealed ports that keep out dirt, dust, and sand. Some models include detachable straps that latch onto everyday carry items like backpacks, gym bags, purses, or satchels. Some of the best waterproof Bluetooth speakers are even designed to float while playing music in the water.

For this guide, Mashable tech and audio experts ranked the best waterproof speakers based on factors such as overall performance, real-world usability, and value. Our picks are guided by hands-on experience with the latest releases, as well as insights from past reviews and years of category testing to spotlight top-tier entries.

So, if you want the best waterproof speaker to keep your playlist bumping — rain, splash, or shine — we've got you.

Know before you buy: What does "waterproof" really mean?

Water-resistant, splashproof, waterproof — these terms all have different meanings. All of the speakers in this guide have an IP waterproof rating, but let's break down what that means.

Credit: Alex Bracetti / Mashable

Understanding IP ratings

The IP rating system classifies how resistant electrical enclosures are to intrusion from foreign matter, moisture, and environmental exposure. Here’s a breakdown of what each IP rating means.

• IPX0 – No water resistance

• IPX1 – Survives vertical drop of 1 millimeter of water

• IPX2 – Survives drop of 3 millimeters of water

• IPX3 – Survives light water spraying

• IPX4 – Survives omnidirectional water splashing (water resistant)

• IPX5 – Survives water jet splashing up to 12.5 liters for 1 min

• IPX6 – Survives water jet splashing up to 100 liters for 3 mins

• IPX7 – Complete submersion up to 1 meter for 30 mins

• IPX8 – Complete submersion up to 3 meters for 30 mins

Why do some IP ratings have two digits?

The first digit (0–6) rates protection against solids, and the second digit (0–9) rates protection against liquids. 

In my hunt for the best e-readers, I've been determined to find a great alternative to a Kindle or a Kobo. Don't get me wrong, I love both of these e-readers and generally think they are the best e-readers you can buy, but I know there's a hunger for variety in the e-reader community beyond the big two. I've tried Barnes & Noble's Nook, Remarkable e-ink tablets, and Boox e-readers, but none of them have impressed me. But the Durobo Krono caught my eye at CES 2026.

I've often called an e-reader a library in your pocket, and the Durobo Krono is more than that. It's a library, bookstore, notebook, and MP3 player all in one. But that's a lot of promise in a palm-sized device. Luckily, it totally nails it. Here's what you need to know about the Durobo Krono and why I named it the best open-source Android e-reader.

Durobo Krono e-reader: Our quick verdict

Have lots of different books on different apps? The Durobo Krono might just be for you. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

• Best for: The person with books in multiple apps — Kindle, Kobo, Audible, Libro.fm, and Libby. Plus, great for the person who likes to listen to audiobooks and read at the same time, and people seeking an on-the-go voice notetaker.

• Key tech: 6.13-inch Carta 1200 e-ink display, 128GB of storage, 6GB RAM, 300 ppi resolution, adjustable warmth and brightness, octa-core processor, and Android 15 OS.

• MSRP: $279.99

Your entire digital library on one device

Access your Kindle library from the Durobo Krono. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

I find myself in a unique conundrum as an e-reader tester: I have collections of books across many different e-reader platforms. While I could just get used to cycling through different e-readers regularly, that's a lot to keep track of. The dream is to have them all on one device, and the Durobo Krono is that dream realized.

Running Android 15, the Google Play Store comes preinstalled on the Krono, so any app available in the store is available on the e-ink tablet. Suddenly, all the apps I use regularly from Audible, Kindle, Kobo Books, Libby, and Libro.fm are now on my Durobo Krono.

The apps appear on a separate page from Krono's built-in library, so you will need to navigate between them. A small price to pay for the convenience of accessing them from one device.

Technically, you could get this convenience from a tablet, too. Except an iPad doesn't have the matte, easy-on-the-eyes e-ink display that the Krono does.

Since it's an Android device, Apple apps (like Apple Music and Apple Books) aren't available, so as an Apple Music listener, I couldn't use the device as a music player.

It's fast — until it's not

In my testing, I find open Android e-readers to be too slow, especially compared to Kindles and Kobos, which are zippy e-readers. The Boox Go and Boox Palma 2, similar devices to the Durobo Krono, have both had disappointing performance, even right out of the box. Yet, the Durobo Krono is brilliantly speedy. Even when moving between different books on different apps, I was impressed by how quickly it sped through them.

Its speed is conditional. Too many apps, or more demanding apps, will slow down the device. After a week of use, I added the Substack app to the Krono, which was too demanding for it. Even when I wasn't using the app, it slowed down the whole device. Once I deleted the app, it sped back up.

Other demanding apps I found were audiobook players like Audible. I especially noticed this when listening to an audiobook while reading an e-book on a separate app. It's disappointing that two apps geared toward readers slowed down an e-reader device. For the best performance on the Krono, use one app at a time and avoid high-demanding apps.

A perfect palm-sized e-reader

The Durobo Krono is perfectly palm-sized. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The Durobo Krono has a 6.13-inch screen, slightly bigger than the basic Kindle's, but the entire device is narrower than the Kindle. It's about the same size as my hand and weighs 6.1 ounces. The small size makes it comfortable to hold for hours at a time — especially if you add a PopSockets grip on the back as I did. But that doesn't make the screen size feel cramped either.

It needs better battery life

When you're used to the months-long battery life of a Kindle, it's a hard adjustment to go to an e-reader with significantly less. With a couple of hours of use per day, the Durobo Krono e-readers have about one week of battery life. Compared to a smartphone or tablet, that's pretty good, but when you're coming from a Kindle or even a Kobo, the Krono e-reader's battery life feels too short.

More features to enjoy

Access Durobo AI on the Krono e-reader. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Easily scroll through articles and apps with the Krono's smart dial. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The features on the Krono Durobo are extensive. It has a smart dial on the side that refreshes the screen, starts recording, and scrolls on the device. It has a built-in AI called Spark, which captures voice recordings and produces transcripts and summaries. It's a lot more than just a standard e-reader, but in the months of use, I never used the Spark AI. The Smart Dial is a fantastic addition for smooth scrolling.

Is the Durobo Krono worth it?

Looking for an alternative to a Kindle or Kobo? Try the Durobo Krono e-reader. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The Durobo Krono is the best open Android e-reader. If you're exploring the world of the Boox Palma or the Remarkable Move, the Krono is my preferred pick for its fast processing and support for third-party apps. In a perfect, palm-sized package, it provides access to all your digital libraries. It's more expensive than other e-readers, but for its extra benefits, it's worth the extra price.

Durobo Krono

$279.99 at Amazon

 

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UPDATE: May. 16, 2026, 5:00 a.m. EDT I first wrote about my initial impressions of the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete in February 2026 after a week of using it daily at home. This review was updated after three more months of testing.

In my mind, Roborock had the best robot vacuum of the year for most of 2025 — and it was pretty uncontested. Dreame isn't letting that happen this year. The Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete is clearly out to prove that it's the apex robot vacuum, and it's certainly priced like it at $1,699.99. I tested it at home for several months to see whether it's that worthwhile of an investment.

I apologize in advance for the number of times you'll have to read "Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete" in the next few minutes. There has to be a better naming strategy.

I think the Aqua10's dock is slightly prettier, but the X60 Max Ultra is still chic. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

What's special about the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete?

The Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete is nearly the most powerful robot vacuum on the market, only to be topped on paper by the Roborock Saros 20's 36,000 Pa. But I've tested both at home and find the Dreame to be much more of a beast.

I appreciate the dual brush rolls made of two different textures. That's the most effective design for hair pickup. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The X60 Max Ultra comes with regular detergent and detergent for pet odors. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Compared to the roller mop Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller released in August 2025, the X60 Max Ultra Complete reverts to dual spinning mopping pads for precise edge mopping. That's nothing we haven't seen before. The X60 Max Ultra Complete's actual unique addition is heated mopping — most robot vacuum mop combos that can heat water only use it for washing the pads, not during floor cleaning.

Is the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete good on carpet?

The Dreame X60 Max Ultra has done a pretty outstanding job at vacuuming various carpet piles in my apartment. It took a lot of mental fortitude to forgo vacuuming my living room rug for a few days at a time to test the X60 Max Ultra Complete's performance on built-up pet hair. But time after time, the X60 Max Ultra Complete proved to be wicked on shedding and other fluff that sticks to carpet fibers.

You know how you can kind of see "invisible" pet hair on the floor if you bend down to put on a shoe? It was a different story after the X60 Max Ultra Complete came through, at least if I set it to the max suction setting. Multiple lint roller tests afterward revealed but a few fuzzies and some fur that was left over, but the kind that's so thin that it's nearly invisible.

One test in the living room also involved a field of crushed Goldfish crackers. The X60 Max Ultra Complete didn't leave a single piece behind. You can literally hear the deep carpet cleaning that's going on.

There were even more Goldfish pieces outside of the frame. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The X60 Max Ultra Complete also grabbed several large tufts of cat fur in this trip. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

My tufted, medium pile living room rug is very similar to the feel and height of a traditional carpet, so I'm confident in recommending the X60 Max Ultra Complete for multi-pet homes with fully carpeted rooms.

As a professional robot vacuum reviewer, I'm also not afraid to fabricate a completely ridiculous mess just to make a vacuum's life difficult. This one involved spilled sprinkles and tufts of cat hair pulled from the ChomChom strewn across a furry white rug. Its pile and uneven zebra-ish texture make it easy for debris to skim under a vacuum's radar, and it's so light that missed debris really stands out.

Before... Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

...after Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I was impressed by the success rate here. I had to get eye level with the floor to find any missed specks. On max power (the strongest of four settings), the X60 picked up every single ball of cat hair, even the ones that I pressed into the rug fibers. It cleared about 97 percent of the sprinkles, leaving behind a single green star and a few tiny balls.

I must call out that the X60 Max Ultra Complete feels extremely quiet for how powerful it is. Its strongest setting averaged between 67 and 69 decibels, and that was with my phone an inch away from the machine itself. (For reference, weaker vacuums I've tested range from 64 to 74 decibels). I was pleasantly surprised by how subdued (and short) the self-emptying noise is. At 71 decibels, you definitely don't have to plug your ears and brace yourself if you're anywhere near the dock. After being traumatized by several Roombas, Dreame's clear focus on noise level is appreciated.

Is the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete good on hard floors?

January in Pennsylvania always comes with a certain amount of white salt residue being trudged inside on shoes. But in the aftermath of one massive winter storm, there was an unprecedented level of slush coming in and drying near my front door. We happened to have guests on the first day that I had the X60, so there were even more shoes adding to the puddle — the floor was literally tinted gray.

Before the X60 Max Ultra came through, my floors were caked with snow and salt residue. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The mop scrubbed away most of the debris in the first pass. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The X60 Max Ultra Complete's mopping came in so clutch. It was able to scrub away a vast majority of the massive powdery puddle in the first pass, leaving the floor comfortingly shiny behind it. I've tested so many robot vacuum and mop combos that struggle more with dried water stains than they do with wet spills, but the X60 Max Ultra Complete aced it. Surely, that's the difference between mopping with room-temperature water and mopping with 104-degree Fahrenheit water, as the X60 does.

The spinning mopping pads were also pressurized enough to wipe up super fine dust that suction power alone just can't lift. I made a huge mess while changing the waste drawer liner in my Litter-Robot and sent the X60 to deal with it. The line between where the vacuum had and hadn't cleaned yet was as stark and satisfying as one could ask for.

I could always trust the X60 Max Ultra Complete's nimble body to scoot right up against the kitchen cabinets and refrigerator overhang, flicking hidden crumbs out from the cracks and mopping up random sprinkles of salt. Similarly, the X60 Max Ultra Complete kept the cat bowl area quite tidy, swiping scattered pieces of dry food near the wall and scrubbing dried splatters of wet food. It did all of this without touching the elevated bowl stand — many other premium robot vacuums are surprisingly rough around it.

The X60 noticed "large particles" of cat food, a power cord, and my feet. Credit: Screenshot / Dreame

If the X60 Max Ultra Complete notices a spill bigger than a few small pieces of debris, it automatically creates a side quest for itself within the larger cleaning mission that you've sent it on. Multiple passes are immediately taken over the extra-dirty area until the AI cameras consider the job done. Then, the vacuum goes back to cleaning the rest of the selected area.

Factors to consider

The Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete is the most expensive robot vacuum released so far this year. As well-rounded as I think it is, $1,699.99 is a steep asking price for a robot vacuum that's not 100 percent perfect. For example, the X60 Max Ultra Complete ran over a cord once or twice and occasionally stumbled into the wrong bedroom on the way back to the dock. It did leave behind a tiny bit of debris around rug edges on more than one occasion, and at this price, shouldn't its pickup rate basically be 100? I could see why you'd argue that.

Am I the only one who's not super excited about the 3.5-inch "climbing" capabilities? It's just not all that helpful unless your home features shallow drops or sliding door tracks between rooms, like into a sunroom. The full-length mirrors in my apartment are all sliding doors, and the X60 Max Ultra Complete was able to safely cross those to sweep the dust and hairs off my closet floor. It was also able to drive over the metal legs of my kitchen island instead of having to drive around. Those are convenient touches, but I feel like robot vacuum threshold scaling isn't going to hit very hard until legitimate staircases are a possibility.

All in all, the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete is worth it in homes with heavy-duty vacuuming needs. But as well-rounded as it is, I'd still tell you not to buy it unless it's on sale.

Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete

$1,344.99 at Amazon
$1,699.99 Save $355

 

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If you're in line to get the Nothing Headphone (1), do not stay in line.

Why? The brand's newer mid-tier option, the Nothing Headphone (a), is $100 cheaper and better than the flagship model.

Sure, there are some concessions made in the Headphone (a) in terms of design and sound quality. The differences, however, amount to a pair of headphones stripped down to the best parts of their more expensive counterparts, and with a much more attractive price point, which makes any flaws easier to overlook.

After spending about a month and a half with the headphones, I have some thoughts on what Nothing got so right this time around — let's get into it.

Nothing Headphone (a): Price and specs

The Nothing Headphone (a) is $199, making it significantly more affordable than the $299 Nothing Headphone (1).

A design that stands out. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

At that price point, here's what the headphones come equipped with:

• Drivers: 40 mm RF drivers

• Equalizer: eight-band equalizer

• Spatial audio: Yes, including concert and cinema mode

• Noise cancellation: Adaptive and manually adjustable ANC

• Battery life: 75 hours with ANC, 135 hours without ANC

• Quick charge: eight hours of playback after five-minute charge

• Microphones: four mics, with two hybrid ANC mics

• IP rating: IP52 dust- and water-resistance

• Bluetooth connection: Bluetooth 5.4

• Codecs: AAC, SBC, LDAC

• Colors: White, black, pink, and yellow

The Headphone (a) outperforms the Headphone (1)

I'll get more in-depth with each aspect of the Headphone (a) below, but in the interest of good journalism, let's not bury the lede: These headphones are much better than their predecessor.

Out of the gate, they look rather similar. Sure, anyone could probably guess that the Headphone (a) is the cheaper pair due to the presence of more plastic in the design. But if you want that quintessentially Nothing retro-look, you'll get it with either pair. Plus, I found the (a) to be more comfortable due to their lighter weight (and they clamped my head less).

The Nothing Headphone (1) next to the Nothing Headphone (a). Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

The design between the two headphones is exactly the same where it matters most: on-ear controls. The controls were by far my favorite part of the Headphone (1) — Nothing recognized that it struck gold, and copy/pasted the format to the Headphone (a).

The on-ear controls are identical between the two headphones. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

Already, the (a) headphones seem the more attractive option. So the Headphone (1) must blow them away in terms of ANC and sound performance, right? Well, not exactly. According to Nothing, the Headphone (a) can block out up to 40 decibels of sound, while the Headphone (1) blocks up to 42 decibels. In practice, that meant a near-negligible difference. Both headphones also feature manually adjustable ANC — while I could tell the difference between the levels on both, neither blew me away. In a noisy cafe, I maybe got 75 percent of the blockage I'd get with headphones like the Bose QuietComforts.

There's a slightly more obvious discrepancy in the sound, as the Headphone (1) was made in collaboration with the hi-fi audio brand KEF. While adjusting the EQ is necessary for getting the best sound on the Headphone (1), once you do, the sound on the more expensive headphones is less bass-heavy, overall giving a more balanced and robust profile. Plus, you get access to a personal sound profile test to find your best equalizer settings — it's simple, genuinely works, and unavailable on the Headphone (a).

Besides the few features you'll find on the more expensive headphones, the two do have the exact same app experience, which is a huge pro, considering its excellent, easy-to-navigate design.

The app experience of the Headphone (a)... Credit: Screenshot / Nothing

Versus the Headphone (1). Credit: Screenshot / Nothing

The battery life made me do a double-take

Battery life on ANC has steadily been trending upwards over the years (exempting the measly 20 hours on the Apple AirPods Max 2). While it's now standard practice to expect at least 30 hours from flagship models, other headphones like the Dyson OnTrac and Marshall Monitor III have reached highs of 55 hours of battery with ANC and 70 hours of battery with ANC, respectively.

Somehow, the Nothing Headphone (a) blows even those out of the water, offering 75 hours of battery life with ANC and 135 hours without. If you're someone who constantly forgets to put your headphones on the charger, the battery life alone may be the reason to pick these headphones up.

A standout design with perfect on-ear controls

I already mentioned this above, but I am convinced that Nothing came up with the perfect on-ear controls. They consist of four buttons: a roller for volume and playback, a paddle for changing through tracks, an action button, and a dedicated Bluetooth button on the inside of the ear cup.

The interior Bluetooth button...chef's kiss. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

Maybe it's odd to be passionate about on-ear controls, but personally, I'm a fan of anything that lets me enjoy the benefit of my devices (streaming music! listening to a good podcast!) without the major cons (going to switch a song and somehow finding myself on TikTok for 45 minutes of my one precious life).

All this to say, Nothing struck the balance between simplicity and specificity — each button has a clear, useful purpose, most have some customizability, and they all literally feel different, so it's easy to learn the controls. Also, more brands need dedicated Bluetooth buttons. Enough of trying to connect a device and accidentally switching your headphones off a few times.

Just a word of warning on the comfort front

To me, the Platonic ideal of comfort in headphones is the Bose QuietComfort line. I'm talking lightweight headphones, plush ear padding, and a headband that never squeezes.

While I wouldn't say Nothing's headphones are uncomfortable, they do have more of a noticeable squeeze while wearing (and I wouldn't consider my noggin particularly large). I imagine this tight fit is to help boost noise cancellation, but the return isn't worth it. I notice these headphones more, even in the first few hours of wear, than comfier headphones, and by hour three, I may need a short break here or there. The padding feels less plush and more like firm memory foam.

That's not to say it's across the board bad — for some folks, this is their Platonic ideal! But if you fall into the softer is better camp, I would be honest with yourself on your wear preferences before adding these to the cart. At the very least, they are far more comfortable than the Headphone (1), which I can barely stand to wear for an hour.

The sound is on par with the price point

Out of the box, these headphones fall into the bass-heavy trap that many others do. What I mean is that if you actually prefer to hear some balance in your music — you know, like the real presence of vocals and guitars, where the bass serves as nice punctuation rather than one long line of !!!!!!!!!!!! the entire song, adjusting the equalizer is worth it. If you want even more bass, you can turn on bass enhancement in the app — though at that point, I recommend checking out the Sony ULT headphones instead.

Thankfully, these headphones come equipped with an eight-band equalizer. Prefer not to mess around with audio settings? You can check out the catalog of community-curated EQ profiles on the Nothing X companion app.

The Nothing X app offers two different screens for playing with equalizer settings in addition to the community-sourced equalizers.

Credit: Screenshot / Nothing

Credit: Screenshot / Nothing

Once my settings were properly adjusted, these headphones sounded great. BTS's "Hooligan" and "2.0" had me mentally attempting the choreo. "Run Your Mouth" by The Marías reached certified-slapper status with the guitar and bass riffs in balance. "A Day In the Life" by the Beatles sounded the tiniest bit flat and muddy at points, but the discordant strings sounded appropriately chaotic and overwhelming. Overall, the headphones didn't make any songs shine extra bright, but they still left the music I listened to plenty enjoyable. Not an audiophile's dream, but not a casual listener's nightmare either.

There is also spatial audio, and though it isn't split into "head-tracking " and "fixed" modes like the Headphone (1) (and most other premium headphones, for that matter), the cinema and concert modes found on these headphones do offer some variation in the listening experience. I'm not the biggest fan of spatial audio, and I found that while these weren't the worst I tried, I mostly found that the sound profile became more hollow-sounding, leading me to prefer the non-spatialized experience.

Besides that, the main con to be aware of is that these headphones do suffer from some mild sound leakage at louder volumes, especially for higher-pitched tones. If you're sitting across from someone in a relatively quiet space, don't be surprised if they tell you they know exactly what you're listening to (don't ask me how I found that out).

The ANC is less noteworthy

With so many budget headphones coming out with great active noise cancellation, middling ANC becomes ironically more of a sore thumb feature, and while I hesitate to say the ANC on these headphones detracts from the overall experience of using them, I certainly wouldn't recommend them if you're frequently in noisy environments and looking for some serious noise cancelling.

*Abby Lee Miller voice* Noise cancellation...you were good, I wanted you to be great. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

Let's start with what I like about the Headphone (a) ANC: it's adjustable, with noticeably different levels of blockage. There's also no obvious hissing sound to assist in making your environment quieter.

These headphones could probably use that hiss boost, though. My local cafe during an early afternoon rush became the grounds on which this ANC's flaws were clearly on display. Even with both the highest and adaptive ANC modes toggled on, a fair amount of chatter and music from the cafe's speakers leaked through. Sure, I couldn't really make out any words of conversations without straining to hear, and playing my own music helped some. But I never really had that moment of taking off my headphones and being surprised by how loud the room actually was, which has happened with every other pair of ANC headphones I've tested.

Is the Nothing Headphone (a) worth it?

They may not be by far the best or most well-rounded headphones for their price bracket, but they are the most unique option. Yes, it's mostly due to their design, but let's not pretend that aesthetics don't factor into an over-ear headphone purchase decision (see: the top of the pro column for the AirPods Max).

Still, Nothing backs up the great look of these headphones with a solid performance, rounding out decent sound and ANC with plenty of ease built into the user experience, topped up with truly unbeatable battery life. At the very least, the Headphone (a) is the clear choice over the Headphone (1).

Nothing Headphone (a)

$199 at Amazon

 

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Rarely does a headphone release generate massive buzz off its design alone. The Nothing Headphone (1) did just that.

Combining old-school aesthetics with modern functionality, these wireless cans currently have the undivided attention of audiophiles and hypebeasts with an affinity for stylishly crafted audio products. Well, I strongly recommend tempering expectations.

The Headphone (1) reward you with strong active noise cancellation, battery life, and sound. Nothing’s see-through design isn’t for everyone, and those who find it intriguing will either be happy or disappointed when unboxed. These headphones are also rough around the edges in certain ways.

Come see what I’m talking about.

The author wearing the Nothing Headphone (1). Credit: Alex Bracetti / Mashable

Nothing Headphone (1) wireless headphones specs and setup

The Headphone (1) have an impressive spec sheet. See for yourself.

• Speaker Driver Unit: 40mm

• Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 40,000 Hz

• Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation

• 4-mic AI-backed environmental noise cancellation

• KEF acoustic engineering

• Bluetooth 5.3 with Hi-Res Audio, LDAC, and USB-C lossless playback

• IP52 dust and water resistance

• 35 hours of battery with ANC on / 80 hours with ANC off

• 5-minute quick charging equals 5 hours of listening time (ANC off)

• Colors: Black and white

Pairing is both simple and unique. These headphones have something I’ve never seen before — a Bluetooth button discreetly hidden inside the bottom right of the right earcup. Powering on the headphones will enable pairing mode to connect to iOS/macOS or Android devices; the latter takes advantage of one-tap Google Fast Pair. 

The Nothing app (iOS/Android) grants access to a variety of personalized features, and it supports firmware updates.

Nothing developed a singular control scheme for seamless operation. All controls are placed on the right earcup. There’s an action button on the front to assign advanced functions (e.g., digital assistance, EQ preset, mic mute). The real attraction is the roller that adjusts volume by scrolling left or right. It even serves as a multifunctional button to activate listening modes and playback. Below the roller is a paddle for call management and fast forward/rewind. Everything works exceptionally well.

A meticulous, yet polarizing design

This design isn’t for everyone. On top of that, the headphones don’t look as cool as they do in press images. That doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate Nothing’s artful ingenuity.

The retro look might not be everyone's cup of tea. Credit: Alex Bracetti / Mashable

Details are everything, and the Headphone (1) don’t run short of them. The clean white box on the inside has an embossed imprint of the headphones that exudes minimalist art vibes. The oval cassette tape housings evoke Sony Walkman memories, while the rectangular earcups are a nice callback to vintage home audio headphones. Small touches like the angular arms and dot imprints showcase the brand’s chic craftsmanship. IP54 certification protects the headphones from dust, sweat, and water splashing.

Unfortunately, the Headphone (1) are clunky and heavy (11.6 ounces). They clank together when the earcups are swiveled, which chips the metallic paint job over time.

Great sound and even greater noise cancellation

The Headphone (1) aren’t going to win any audiophile awards. Nonetheless, KEF tuned the soundstage to produce a satisfying mix of lows, mids, and highs. 

Sound was mostly pleasant right out of the box. Playing with the EQ improved it. There was the option to create a sound profile by manually adjusting frequencies or select from four presets: Balanced (default), More Bass, More Treble, and Voice. More Treble offered the most stable sound. 

You'll want to adjust the EQ. Credit: Alex Bracetti / Mashable

The electric guitar riff and striking drums on Green Day’s “Walking Contradiction” were impactful and put me in headbanger mode. Run the Jewels’ “ooh la la” had tremendous reverberation, highlighted by monstrous bass that extended and decayed smoothly with each sporadic snare strike. Mids and highs were decent. Ballads like Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together” delivered bright and crisp vocals that were accentuated when the singer exercised her pitch range in the outro.

Android devices provided the best listening experience via LDAC. The audio codec streams music at a high bitrate and maintains the nuance from original recordings. Spotify songs sounded compressed on my MacBook Pro, but they received a hi-res boost on my OnePlus 11 and Nothing Phone (3) smartphones. The same went for all other content. Enabling the low lag mode reduces latency when watching videos. 

It’s also fantastic that the headphones support lossless playback through USB-C connection. I noticed a huge difference in clarity on Apple Music tracks when plugged into my MacBook Pro. Nothing’s spatial audio mode won’t wow you like Apple’s or Bose’s 3D audio format, but it’s acceptable if you want theater-like acoustics. 

Nothing’s real-time adaptive ANC performed better than I anticipated. The technology suppressed various sounds across the frequency spectrum. Common distractions like chatty pedestrians and household appliances went unnoticed. High-pitched sounds (e.g., crying babies, sirens, whistles) were minimized. I used Transparency mode religiously at home, specifically when cooking. The mics picked up vocals clearly and made it easy to communicate with the missus from across the room. This feature was most useful outdoors; I could hear people walking behind me and cars coming from a block away.

ANC playtime is reasonable (35 hours), though you can get more than double the battery life when turning it off (up to 80 hours). Fast charging maximizes usage: a five-minute charge generates five hours of listening time (ANC off).

Unpolished areas and other concerns

The Headphone (1) demonstrated many flaws. Connectivity was wonky in multipoint mode (audio stuttered when several feet away from my primary device). The short 3.5mm and USB-C cables weren’t practical for desktop/laptop use. Wear detection barely worked, and when it did, there was always a three-second delay. 

Another issue that must be addressed is that the headphones aren’t foldable. This makes them less convenient to carry and exposes certain parts to damage.

Nothing Headphone (1) vs. Nothing Headphone (a)

The Headphone (1), left, and Headphone (a), left, bear a striking resemblance. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

The Headphone (1) are no longer the only option if you're looking for over-ear headphones from Nothing. They're also no longer the only option if you especially appreciate their design. In March 2026, Nothing released the Headphone (a), which are $100 cheaper at $199. There are less sophisticated audio features, with Mashable's Bethany Allard pointing to no KEF-powered sound and fewer spatial audio features as the most major drawbacks. The cheaper headphones also have less powerful ANC, a plastic chassis, and a carrying pouch (as opposed to the Headphone (1) carrying case).

The newer headphones come with a better battery life of 75 hours with ANC on and 135 hours with no ANC. The on-ear controls remain largely the same between the two headphones, except for the placement of the Bluetooth button in the upper interior part of the right ear cup on the Headphone (a).

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Credit: Nothing

Nothing Headphone (a)

$199 at Amazon

 

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Are the Nothing Headphone (1) worth it?

If you’re a brand enthusiast or a fan of retro-looking headphones who wants adequate ANC and sound at an attainable price, then the Nothing Headphone (1) will suffice. Everyone else will want to consider other premium options, or the Nothing Headphone (a).

KEF’s soundstage brings depth and richness to most tracks. Playing with the EQ gets you better results, and lossless playback boosts audio performance. I’m shocked by how effective ANC is on these headphones. The technology neutralizes unwanted noise at a high level and raises ambient awareness when in transparency mode. The extra-long playtimes also come in handy when traveling. 

My controversial take is that the Headphone (1) look better as a concept than an actual release. Their appearance is nostalgically appealing, and some elements are attractive, but they don’t have the same charm in person as they do in advertisements. Factor in their shortcomings and we’re talking about a questionable investment.

Nothing Headphone (1)

$213.75 at Amazon
$299 Save $85.25

 

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Many of us wouldn't be where we are without our father figures — not just regular dads but also uncles, stepdads, granddads, or anyone else who has stepped up to take on the all-important father role. And though they probably insist that you don't have to get them anything, Father's Day (June 21, 2026) is the perfect opportunity to show some love and appreciation for your dad.

From practical gadgets that make his life easier to sentimental keepsakes that tug on his heartstrings, you’re sure to find the best Father’s Day gift for your dad below.

Do robot vacuums work well on carpet?

Yes, several top robot vacuums that I've tested do a pretty phenomenal job on carpets and rugs. I'd ultimately recommend a cordless stick vacuum over a robot vacuum if you're serious about deep cleaning carpeted rooms. But if you don't have the time or motivation to keep up with manual vacuuming, there are a few deciding factors that make a robotic vacuum effective on soft floors with stubborn fibers.

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Suction power is, of course, the most important stat in determining the best robot vacuums for carpet. Most robot vacuum brands measure suction power in Pascals, though iRobot and Shark are weird about disclosing Pascals sometimes. When suction power in Pascals (Pa) is advertised, you'll ideally want to hit at least 8,000 Pa for sufficient carpet cleaning, and will almost definitely be underwhelmed with anything lower than 5,000 Pa. For reference, robot vacuums at the premium end of the spectrum clock between 18,000 and 35,000 Pa.

But beefy suction power needs to be aided by competent brush roll systems — a dual brush roll design is your best chance when it comes to pet hair pickup. These are designed to dig into carpet pile and physically pinch hair and large chunks, while the suction power itself inhales finer dust and powder that a weaker robot vac would pass right over.

If fine dust on hard floors is one of your non-negotiables when it comes to tidying, a robot vacuum that can mop should be a priority. Luckily, the most powerful robot vacuums on carpet are typically the best mopping robot vacuums, too.

Recent changes to this guide

May 2026: I swapped the aging Eufy X10 Pro Omni for its much more powerful sibling, the 2026 Eufy C28.

February 2026: The Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete takes over as the most powerful robot vacuum, beating the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller by 5,000 Pa suction power. Due to the X60 Max Ultra Complete's meticulous corner cleaning and market-leading suction power, the Roborock Saros 10R has been removed from the list.

September 2025: I added the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller as the best robot vacuum right now and shifted the Roborock Saros 10R (previously named the best robot vacuum right now) to the option for best corner cleaning.

July 2025: I removed the Shark Matrix RV2300S robot vacuum from this guide. While it was a solid budget mopping robot vacuum for its first year or so on the market, it's now a little bit too basic compared to other newer budget robot vacuums.

June 2025: I replaced the Shark Matrix RV2300S with the 3i G10+ as the best budget robot vacuum for pet hair. While the Shark was a solid budget cleaner when it first came out, its suction power isn't nearly as strong as the 18,500 Pa of the 3i G10+. The 3i G10+ also has small obstacle avoidance and a pet camera.

As you can probably tell by the invitations plastering your fridge, it's officially high school graduation season. Admittedly, it's tricky to find a graduation party gift that matches the energy of such a transitionary period.

Our best grad gift advice? Don't force something unique or oddly specific and personalized just for the sake of avoiding a "boring" gift. If you know them well enough, sure, take the fun or sentimental route. But a high school grad will be just as pumped to receive something practical like elevated dorm essentials, mostly because it means that they won't have to spend their own money on it. Think of gifting the high-quality basics as acknowledging their maturity — like, "You deserve the nice adult version of this item."

A widely-usable gift card or straight-up cash is an automatic home run, of course. But if you'd prefer to wrap something, we carefully curated a list of the best useful high school graduation gift ideas in 2026: Some fun gifts, some practical gifts, and some budget-friendly gifts, but all gifts a teenager will definitely be glad they have.

The best wireless earbuds range anywhere from $10 to $1,000, especially if you're going for professional-grade studio earphones. And if you care about active noise cancellation, you can easily spend $300 — that's the price of peace and quiet. You can also get hyperspecialized models like sleep earbuds, bone-conduction earbuds for working out, and open earbuds for transparency.

In 2026, our top picks for earbuds are the Sony WF-1000XM6, Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd gen), and Panasonic Technics AZ100s, which provide outstanding sound quality and ANC. But keep in mind that these models will run you $299 to $329. While we stand by the value of everything on this list, we know that spending over $300 on a pair of earbuds is a lot to stomach. That's why we've also included more budget-friendly wireless earbuds under $100 that still deliver excellent performance.

Ready to start shopping now? Here are our favorite wireless and noise-cancelling earbuds as of May 2026.

Types of earbuds

There are two types of earbuds: wireless and wired. While those descriptors are self-explanatory, let's get into the specifics of both.

Wireless

Wireless earbuds connect to devices via Bluetooth for cordless usage. These earbuds range from $20 budget models to high-end models with active noise cancellation. While they don't require a wire to connect to a device, some wireless earbuds still have a wire that might go around the back of the neck to connect the buds.

While earbuds traditionally don't provide the passive noise cancellation of over-the-ear headphones, wireless models often feature ANC, which electronically blocks out background noise. With wireless headphones, you need to consider the battery life. Most models should have an eight-hour or more battery life before they need to be recharged.

Wired

Wired earbuds are the original model: two buds connected by a wire to your audio source. While they once felt high tech, they're pretty basic now. Wired earbuds with active noise cancellation are basically non-existent, and you won't find any on our list.

The biggest positive to wired headphones is that they don't need to be charged. They're a great backup option to keep in your bag in case your usual wireless headphones or earbuds run out of charge.

New additions to this guide

After extensive testing, Mashable Lead Shopping Reporter Bethany Allard rounded up the best sleep earbuds. You can read her full guide, but as of February 2026, we've added the Anker Soundcore Sleep A30 Special to this guide, which Allard says are the best sleep earbuds for most people. Also in February 2026, we added the Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds as our top pick for the best overall earbud, and removed the previous generation, the WF-1000XM5, as the best Sony earbud.

As of August 2025, we also updated the best earbuds for working out to the Powerbeats Pro 2 and added the Shokz OpenDots One as the best open earbuds.

What are the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds?

If you're just looking for a pair of everyday wireless earbuds, all but one of the models in this guide will check that box. (We formerly included the Marshall Mode earbuds for folks who preferred a wired option, but have since removed them from our guide as the version we tested is difficult to find in stock these days.)

If you're looking for the highest quality wireless earbuds, you can't go wrong with the Sony WF-1000XM6, Bose QuietComfort Ultra, Apple AirPods Pro 3, and Panasonic Technics EAH-AZ100 earbuds, our most recent recommendation in 2026. Both of these wireless earbuds feature elite noise-cancellation, stellar sound, long battery life, and a comfortable fit for extended wear.

Still, this guide includes several other earbuds we stand behind. Apple users may prefer the AirPods Pro, while shoppers on a budget may prefer buds from Marshall or Anker Soundcore. If you need help picking the perfect pair, read on.

Vacuum-turned-everything brand Dreame has dropped its version of a hack for living without a garbage disposal. That's how I'm framing electric countertop "composter alternatives" that are just drying and condensing food, not making actual compost. That doesn't mean these appliances are pointless — they're still a brilliant way to keep your kitchen from reeking of old food rotting in the trash. That's an especially big deal in a small space like my apartment, where I put use of my beloved Mill food recycling bin on hold to test the Dreame S25P Food Waste Disposer for two weeks.

Design and price: Smaller footprint, lower price than others

The Dreame food waste disposer is incredibly slim and delightfully chic. Not that competitors like the Lomi 3 or Food Cycler are eyesores — they're cute enough, but very much scream "I'm an appliance with a bucket inside." Dreame's machine is literally just a beige rectangle. I could see this minimalist color and shape combo alone being the deciding factor for aesthetic-minded shoppers who prefer countertop appliances to be as subtle as possible.

I played around with the Dreame disposer's placement to test its versatility in the wild. I originally set it up on the end of my kitchen credenza that sits opposite the wall of cabinets and appliances, then moved it to my last free slab of countertop.

I put a glass cutting board underneath to protect the wood. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

You need around 20 inches of clearance for the lid to fully flip open. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

For being an appliance, the Dreame disposer doesn't look obnoxiously appliance-y among the rest of my decor. If you're fully maxed out on counter real estate, it certainly has the curb appeal to chill in harmony on another more styled flat surface near the kitchen.

Overall, Dreame's design has a negligibly smaller footprint in cubic inches than the Lomi 3. But the unique way that the Dreame disposer is oriented makes it better suited for a tight squeeze. It's less than eight inches wide with an oblong design that runs perpendicularly to the counter, very similar to how a Ninja Slushi sits.

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But the smartest part of the design is that the control panel is on top at the front instead of on the side like the Lomi. If your only free counter space was a sliver beside your coffee maker or blender, you'd still have front-facing access to the button that opens the lid or starts a cycle. If you have empty space in a cabinet or pantry, you could technically store the Dreame disposer away until you need to use it. It obviously wouldn't be instantly accessible, so you'd have to remember to get it out before you're ready to dump something in it.

The temperature monitor switches to a countdown timer when a cycle is running. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Sansa says, "Look how skinny this thing is! I barely fit!" Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Speaking of remembering to open the lid before your hands are full, the Dreame SF25's lid opening process is oddly impractical. It goes into standby mode after a few minutes of no interaction, so you actually have to tap twice to open the lid: once to wake the device up, and then once to open the lid. The buttons are more like a touchscreen than physical, pressable buttons, and more often than not, I don't have a free finger. I'm either waiting to push plate scrapings in with a fork or am carrying a sink strainer full of soggy food, using the other hand to keep the juice from dripping on the floor. I really miss my Mill's presser foot in times like these.

I could also really do without the voice assistant narration between each step. For an appliance that claims to be "whisper quiet," which it genuinely is when running a cycle, it feels counterintuitive to loudly announce that "the device is now in standby mode," "the door is opening," and "the door is closed," every single time. I hope there's a way to disable that and I just haven't found it yet.

What can go in the Dreame food waste disposer?

Dreame's list of acceptable food waste includes fruits and vegetables, meat and fish, eggshells, nuts and grains, small bones, and fibrous foods. That's a pretty standard lineup for indoor food waste bins. I found it odd that Dreame doesn't officially green-light dairy in the list. I throw cheese in there, and it's been fine. It's probably milk or globs of yogurt that would mess with the bucket's interior mechanism.

This cycle had a mix of old fruits and veggies, stale chips, eggshells, and rice. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The end result looks like soil with some chunks sprinkled in. No, it doesn't stink. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

When thinking about who should buy one of these devices, residents of cities with mandatory food separation rules (like San Francisco, Seattle, and New York City) come to mind. The Dreame disposer would make the separation of daily food scraps a much less gross process, and again, its compact build feels ideal for small apartment living. When I lived in Brooklyn years ago and was trudging to a local compost drop-off with a dripping bag of melting frozen food scraps, I could have really used this damn Dreame machine.

If you are using an electric food waste condenser for collected curbside or community compost, you still have to follow the organization's rules of what can and can't go in. While NYC residents are allowed to toss meat, bones, and dairy into their curbside compost bins, many smaller community compost groups don't allow meat or dairy — the fat and protein in animal products attract pests to outdoor compost piles. That still applies to food waste in dried dirt form.

You'll barely know this thing is running

When enough scraps have piled up in the Dreame bucket, running a cycle is as easy as hitting start (there's just one setting). The stirring, drying, and grinding mechanism inside is legitimately inaudible, and shouldn't take more than six hours. At the end, you're left with a pile of dirt that's significantly smaller than the stack of food you started with. You can throw it in the trash if that's your only option. It'll take up less room and keep the bag smelling much fresher.

The bucket's spiral blades spin to stir and grind food scraps. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The charcoal filter neutralizes odor from the food sitting inside. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

My household of three took a few days to completely fill the bucket up the first time. The 2.5-liter capacity is smaller than most competing countertop devices, but not by an inconvenient amount. I've been inclined to run a cycle before the bucket is full, anyway. You can't smell a thing when the lid is closed, but things can get diabolical when it's opened.

One of my only bones to pick with this product is the fact that its Amazon listing calls it an electric composter. It's not. No microbes are involved, so no, it's not creating fertilizer for your garden. (Dreame's website does refer to the SF25 as a food waste disposer with an end result that is "suitable for direct compost.") But why try to be something it's not? Marketing it as a device that downsizes your kitchen trash could strike a chord with a whole new group of people who don't care about composting. I have hope in the "buying a food waste disposer for convenience purposes" to "giving a shit about the United States' serious food waste problem" pipeline.

Dreame SF25 Food Waste Disposer

$199.99 at Amazon

 

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Many of us are trying to cut down on screentime. We’re Bricking our phones and re-learning how to be present, instead of mindlessly scrolling. But for most of us, streaming a classic movie, diving into a documentary, or rewatching a comfort show is not part of the digital detox. For that reason, we’re still (heavily) relying on a TV. But these days, you’re not tethered to a rectangular screen mounted to the wall. We have excellent projectors that offer awe-inducing displays. Most projectors also come with the benefit of being portable or at least easier to move with or pack along to a friend’s house. 

Hisense makes some of the best TVs for those who are looking for an ideal combination of quality at an affordable price. The brand’s lineup of projectors has grown in both numbers and impressive stats in the last handful of years. I’ll admit, after testing the Hisense M2 Pro 4K projector, I don’t think I can go back to a non-laser projector, let alone a TV. The display quality, portability, gigantic 200-inch display, and brightness in daylight have me smitten. Of course, it’s not perfect, but I’ll be hosting movie nights from now on because no one I know has the tech to replicate this experience.

Highlights on the Hisense M2 Pro 4K projector

When shopping for a projector, you’ll notice two options: laser and non-laser. The non-laser versions tend to be cheaper and modern models use LED technology. But if you’re seeking the sharpest display and the best color brightness, a laser projector is the way to go. The Hisense M2 Pro has a 4K display with a triple-laser RGB (red, green, blue) light source.

It's pretty cute for its power. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

I tested the Hisense M2 Pro projector for months, in conjunction with a 100-inch Elite Screens manual pull-down projector screen. And yes, I did feel like a school teacher starting a lesson every time I unfurled it. However, if you don’t have a projector screen or a white sheet, Hisense says you’re still in good shape. The projector is designed to adapt to the projection surface, make color corrections, and still be able to produce accurate color reproductions. You might even be able to simply use your living room wall instead of messing around with a screen.

For those who like deeper details, here are some noteworthy specs of the Hisense M2 Pro 4K projector:

Specs:

• Size: 7.6 in.  x 8.6 in. x 9.1 in.

• Weight: 8.6 pounds

• Rated brightness: 1,300 ANSI lumens

• Light source: R+G+B triple laser

• Laser life: 25,000 hours

• Warranty: 1 year limited warranty

A gaming-worthy projector

Have you ever raced on Mario Kart’s Rainbow Road on a 200-inch display? I hadn’t either until testing the Hisense M2 Pro. Let me tell you about how much fun it is to have a Friday night four-person Mario party at 200 inches.

Reaching a 240Hz refresh rate and a low input lag of 12 milliseconds, gaming is awesome on the Hisense M2 Pro projector. For reference, you want at least a 120Hz refresh rate for a gaming-worthy TV, so the Hisense M2 Pro’s 240Hz is well above that threshold. 

The Hisense M2 Pro is not afraid of daylight

A common disadvantage of a projector over a TV is that projectors can struggle to produce a display that’s bright enough to view in daylight. Some projectors require you to draw the shades, pull blackout curtains over the windows, and turn off the lights. The Hisense M2 Pro is not one of those models. In testing, I was easily able to watch shows at 2 p.m. when I definitely should have been doing something more productive. 

The back-lit remote with quick access to focus is clutch. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

The M2 Pro has a brightness rating of 1,300 ANSI lumens, and while there are brighter models on the market, I was never let down by the M2 Pro during daytime viewing. However, since my testing took place primarily in the winter months, it might not be the best picture for bright summer days, especially if watching something fast-paced like a soccer game.

You (and your projector) can get an invite to every movie night and binge session

The Hisense M2 Pro has a major focus on versatility that makes it suitable for tons of situations. It weighs a bit under nine pounds, so it’s no problem to carry it from room to room. It also comes packed into a cute little carrying case with a handle. Even when I was moving the projector from the basement up the stairs to the living room, I packed it into the carrying case, which not only adds to convenience but also adds protection. I’ve fallen walking up those stairs enough times to not find it wise to carry an unprotected projector in my hands. The lightweight nature paired with a case makes the Hisense M2 Pro an ideal model for taking over to a friend's house, packing along for the summer cottage trip, or taking outside for a movie night.

All packed up and ready to go. Credit: Lauren Allain

The power brick, remote, and projector all nestle into their respective areas for safer transportation. Credit: Lauren Allain

The projector comes with Hisense’s Smart TV system, Vidaa OS, already installed, so your apps are nicely organized. If you don’t like that option, you could connect a Google Streamer or Fire TV Stick to the HDMI port. There’s also a USB-A port, should you have movies or shows on a thumb drive.

The only small non-travel-friendly element I found when testing the Hisense M2 Pro is its power supply. Instead of using a standard USB-C cable for charging, it uses a power brick with a 19V power supply. You’ll have to pack that along for powering up the projector since there’s no built-in battery on the Hisense M2 Pro.

Oboard sound is impressive for a portable projector

Like many TVs, sound quality has been an issue with portable projectors. It often leads to a mismatched viewing experience where the display is massive in size and impressive in quality, while the onboard sound is pretty terrible. In my testing experience, I’ve almost always connected a projector to a secondary sound source, mostly my beloved Fender x Teufel Rockster Cross. But that wasn’t totally necessary with the Hisense M2 Pro. Its built-in dual 10-watt speakers have support for Dolby Digital and DTS Virtual:X, and the overall sound is not bad at all.

Port options include an HDMI, USB-A, and DC in. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

You can also use the M2 Pro in Music Sharing mode, which essentially turns the projector into a Bluetooth speaker, pairing with a device to pump out the tunes. It’s not the best Bluetooth speaker I’ve ever heard, but it gets the job done without complaints.

Is the Hisense M2 Pro projector worth it?

I’d recommend the Hisense M2 Pro projector for anyone looking to break it off with a standard TV and go with a projector. The 4K triple laser display is excellent, the built-in stand is convenient, and the onboard speaker is decent enough that you’re not forced to connect to an external sound system.

It takes a bit to get used to the auto-focus and keystoning process, but that’s a minor adjustment. The tradeoff of gaining the ability to have a 65-inch display in a bedroom or a 200-inch display in the backyard is well worth it. Plus, the $1,300 price tag is competitive for a laser 4K projector. However, this isn’t the right model if you don’t have space to project a display of at least 65 inches. Any smaller and you’ll end up with a blurred display.

Hisense M2 Pro 4K Triple Laser Smart Portable Projector

$1,299.99 at Amazon

 

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SAVE $100.01: The Bluetti Elite 300 portable power station is on sale at Amazon for $1,098.99, down from the list price of $1,199 at Bluetti. This sale price matches the lowest we've ever seen at Amazon.

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Credit: Bluetti

Bluetti Elite 300

$1,098.99 at Amazon
$1,199 Save $100.01

 

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We're in optimal camping weather in much of the country. It's no longer dipping into freezing temps at night, but it's also not reaching scorching temps during the day. If you're taking advantage of the weather and heading out on camping and RV trips, there's a portable power station worth packing along. To make the situation even more appealing, the station is on sale today.

As of May 11, the Bluetti Elite 300 portable power station is on sale at Amazon for $1,098.99, marked down from the list price of $1,199 at Bluetti. This sale price matches the lowest we've ever seen at Amazon.

In case you haven't experienced the magic of a portable power station, make this the summer of staying powered up while off-grid. The Bluetti Elite 300 is a larger model, coming with about 3,000Wh of capacity and a 2,400W output. But despite its beefy output, it has a relatively small body, measuring about 14 inches wide, 12 inches tall, and 12 inches in depth. Keep in mind it weighs nearly 60 pounds, so it's probably not the right model for camping in remote locations with hike-in access.

For RV trips, you can make use of the TT-30 port. The battery capacity will recharge a 60W laptop 33 times or a 10W phone over 90 times. If there's a power outage at home, you can keep the WiFi router going for over 85 hours.

Before another ideal camping weekend slips by, upgrade with the Bluetti Elite 300 portable power station. Since it's back at a record-low price, there's never been a better time to buy.

When Until Dawn was released all the way back in 2015, it was a rather inventive interactive horror drama that propelled itself into mainstream gaming culture on the strength of how gloriously camp it was. With its myriad of choices and gruesome deaths, Until Dawn had a replayability and a level of enjoyment — especially for YouTubers — that made it a standout in a year already dominated by heavyweights like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Fallout 4, Bloodborne, and Undertale.

Supermassive's formula was unique at the time, heavily inspired by the adventure genre and FMV (full-motion video) games of old. But now, a decade and seven games later, that formula is starting to show its age. The latest entry is Directive 8020, the fifth instalment in the Dark Pictures Anthology, set far into the future aboard the starship Cassiopeia.

Like the other entries in the series, Supermassive knows how to make you feel genuinely terrible about a decision in Directive 8020. Unlike those earlier games, though — Man of Medan, House of Ashes, and the rest — you can now rewind your previous choices, making it easier than ever to get the full scope of the narrative without committing to any one path. Does that meaningfully change how the story is presented? Not really. But it is a significant improvement in quality of life for anyone who wants to see how the story branches without having to restart the whole thing just to make the most myopic dialogue and character decisions possible.

All that to say: from my time with the game — with a code provided by Supermassive — Directive 8020 is both a blast story-wise and an absolute drag gameplay-wise. And in the eight full hours I logged, playing through the main story and messing around with the rewind feature to hunt collectibles and explore extra choices, I can confidently say I still had some fun with Supermassive's latest.

Directive 8020 draws heavily from The Thing and Alien

Lashana Lynch plays the 'Directive 8020' protagonist: pilot Brianna Young. Credit: Supermassive Games

Directive 8020 welcomes you aboard the colony ship Cassiopeia. You play as the crew of scientists on an eight-year survey mission to the exoplanet Tau Ceti, tasked with determining whether it's fit for human life. The problem is that an alien organism has found its way onto the ship — one that's not only hunting the crew down but can also mimic them, turning what was supposed to be a routine survey mission into a paranoia-soaked trip into hell.

If that basic plot synopsis sounds like a spoiler, it really isn't in the grand scheme of things. It's the game's central marketing hook, and it carries with it a dramatic irony that will always color your decision-making, especially on a first playthrough. Like other games in the series, the playable cast is filled with up-and-coming and lesser-known actors, this time with Lashana Lynch (The Woman King, The Day of the Jackal) in one of the lead roles. And not to go off on a tangent, but the quietly impressive awards pedigree of this franchise is always worth noting — both Rami Malek and Jesse Buckley landed Best Actor wins in the years following their respective Supermassive appearances in Until Dawn and The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me. Fingers crossed for Lynch, then.

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Without getting too deep into the plot, Lynch's character — Cassiopeia pilot Brianna Young — awakens from a four-year slumber to find one of the sleep technicians missing (they're assigned to stay awake for the full journey to watch over the crew and ship) and the other acting really, really strange. From there, the crew must deal with a series of disturbances that derail the mission, one meant to lay the groundwork for the colonists of Andromeda to eventually arrive on their new home planet.

The story is fairly straightforward, drawing heavily on The Thing and Alien — the sentimental body-snatcher and space-horror classics, respectively. Alongside Young, who is trying to follow in her famous pilot father's footsteps, the other playable characters include Commander Nolan Stafford, ship designer Laure Eisele, engineer Josef Cernan, and Dr. Amanda Cooper. They're fine, which has always been a quiet problem with Supermassive games — the people we're supposed to want to protect until the very end tend to be fairly one-note. Eisele is rational to the point of being robotic; Cernan is grappling with the meaning of life after losing his husband; and Cooper is still processing the trauma of being the sole survivor of a mass casualty event. Bog standard motivations that don't carry much weight in the grand scheme of the plot, at least in my experience.

There are three additional characters aboard the ship who aren't playable; their primary narrative function is as potential mimic targets who may or may not still be themselves by the time the story picks up steam. That setup also doubles as the structural backbone for Directive 8020's five-player co-op movie night mode.

Directive 8020 gives the illusion of choice and consequences

Be aware of the illusion of choice. Credit: Supermassive Games

If the story is Directive 8020's strongest hand, the gameplay is where it overplays it. While the interactive QTE (quick time event) drama formula is getting stale, nobody picks up a Supermassive game expecting God of War. But there's a difference between "light on gameplay" and "actively repetitive," and Directive 8020 spends an uncomfortable amount of time on the wrong side of that line.

Supermassive has always built its games around the illusion of meaningful decisions, and Directive 8020 is no different. One of the things the developer gets right is the Turning Points system, which lets you rewind decisions and explore different branches of the story without having to blow up your entire playthrough. That's a genuine quality-of-life win for a game built around consequence. Except some of these choices are so deceptively mundane that the consequences feel less like earned drama and more like gotcha moments.

Early on, you're asked to reroute power from either the Cassiopeia's landing gear or fire suppression system. Seems straightforward enough on the surface, except that picking either option comes with fatal consequences. Here's the thing, though: this is a horror game set on a spaceship. Of course, you're keeping the fire suppression on. Something is always going to end up on fire. Calling that a meaningful choice is generous.

And no matter what happens in any given chapter, it's pretty clear that the story is engineered to hit its predetermined endpoints regardless of what you do. The prologue is a good example — it ends with one of the sleep technicians getting mimicked by the alien, which then chases the other to their death. Except you can also accidentally kill that technician yourself earlier in the chapter if you botch a QTE. Doesn't matter. The mimic version of the tech you just killed shows up anyway and the chase plays out exactly the same. The destination was never in question. There are several instances of this across the game's eight chapters, and each one is a small reminder that the illusion of consequence only stretches so far before the seams start to show.

Ugh, a stealth section. Credit: Supermassive Games

Some secondary features are neat, like being able to text the crew during exploratory sections of the game. It serves as light character building and a way to update traits for the playable characters. Upgrading one of two traits for each character will affect their endings, so it is important to stay on top of that or at least be consistent in your dialogue choices. That's all it's really there for.

But nothing — and I mean nothing — Directive 8020 has to offer is worse than its stealth sections. And there are so, so many of them. So many, in fact, that I stopped being scared of this game entirely somewhere around the third or fourth time I was crouching behind a crate looking for a battery to power a door. The score does nothing to conjure dread when you know the only time you'll meaningfully interact with an enemy is during these mandatory gauntlets. They are boring in the most specific way possible — think the stealth sections in Marvel's Spider-Man and Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, except stretched across an entire game. I genuinely do not have the vocabulary to fully articulate all the ways in which these sections do not work. You sneak around an enemy, get to a door, realize the door has no power, find a battery, power the door, go through the door, and then do it again. And again. And again. This looped effect on the story's pacing is catastrophic.

That's probably the harshest I'll be about the game, but with this genre, it's increasingly hard to ignore the law of diminishing returns on the gameplay side. I still remember House of Ashes giving you full camera control and thinking that was a genuinely interesting evolution for the series. Directive 8020 does not feel like an evolution. Its big gameplay change is marketed as "real-time alien threats," and all it is is f***ing stealth sections.

If you don't like these kinds of games, this one will not be the one that converts you.

Directive 8020 runs like a charm

Credit: Supermassive Games

What Directive 8020 does have going for it, even without a Sony-sized budget, is that it still looks genuinely good. A little stiff, a little uncanny valley in places, but never enough to actually pull you out of the experience. And in terms of performance, I have almost nothing to complain about — which, in my experience covering games on the PlayStation 5 for Mashable, is not something I take for granted. The most recent reminder of that was Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss, and pun very much intended, the performance on that game was abysmal.

Directive 8020 is the opposite. Navigating the game is a breeze, which, frankly, it should be — Supermassive has been doing this exact type of game on a loop since Until Dawn, and anything less would be embarrassing at this point. There is one minor recurring annoyance: the Secrets tab in the menu has a bug where it'll just stop mid-scroll while you're trying to track down undiscovered items. It's a small thing, but the kind that gets irritating fast. Beyond that, the weird eyes and slightly robotic movement have long since stopped bothering me. Considering how much is being rendered at any given moment, I'm willing to extend some grace.

And to Supermassive's credit, when the game wants to look genuinely unsettling, it delivers. The alien-infested sections of the Cassiopeia are a highlight — ship corridors that were once clean and clinical are now swallowed by thick, glistening biological matter, all wet sinew and dark organic sprawl creeping across the walls like the ship itself is being consumed from the inside out.

The contrast between the cold industrial infrastructure of the vessel — the pipes, the paneling, the terminals — and the grotesque living mass overtaking it does exactly what good sci-fi horror set design is supposed to do. It's gross in the right way. Unsettling in the right way. The kind of environmental storytelling that doesn't need a single line of dialogue to tell you that whatever happened here, it was bad, and it happened fast. It's a shame the stealth sections ask you to spend so much time in these corridors, because the repetition eventually dulls what should be a consistently unnerving atmosphere.

Is Directive 8020 worth it?

Directive 8020 is a hard game to give a clean recommendation on, because how much you get out of it depends almost entirely on what you're coming in looking for. If you're a Supermassive faithful who has logged time with Man of Medan, House of Ashes, and the rest of the Dark Pictures catalog, there's enough here to justify the trip — a genuinely compelling mimic-driven paranoia story, a solid central performance from Lynch, and a rewind feature that finally makes exploring the full breadth of the narrative feel less like homework. On that front, it delivers.

But if you were hoping that a decade into this formula, Supermassive might have cracked the code on making the gameplay half of the equation actually interesting, Directive 8020 is not that game. The stealth sections are a slog, the choices occasionally mistake obviousness for subtlety, and the story's habit of hitting its marks regardless of what you do makes the whole thing feel more theme park ride than interactive drama. You're on the track whether you like it or not.

At $49.99, it's not an unreasonable ask, especially if you have four friends willing to do a movie night co-op run — that's genuinely the best way to play something like this and probably the version of the game Supermassive intended. Solo, it's a breezy eight hours that's more fun to think about afterward than it is to actually play through in the moment.

Directive 8020 is not Supermassive's best work, but it's not their worst either. It sits comfortably in the middle of a catalog that has always been more interesting in concept than in execution. Which is worth a play, but maybe wait for a sale.

After spending a few months with them, I think the Bowers & Wilkins PX8 S2 wireless headphones are the best headphones money can buy in 2026. That is — if you can afford them, which you probably can't.

That's not a knock on your earning capacity, but I'm making an educated guess that the average person can't afford to drop $799 on a pair of headphones, no matter how good they are.

And they're really good.

Bowers & Wilkins PX8 S2 is a true luxury product

The PX8 S2 uses Nappa leather and aluminum. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

I have to admit — my favorite thing about the PX8 S2 may just be the design. I'm a sucker for headphones with metal and leather components, and I've often criticized Sony for its all-plastic approach to headphone design.

Like other B&W products, these headphones use a combination of die-cast aluminum and Nappa leather, which his known for its subtle grain and ultra-soft feel. Most headphones feature "vegan leather," which is just a tricky way of saying synthetic leather, which is usually a petroleum and plastic-based product. (Side note: Rebranding a plastic product as vegan is one of the crueler marketing tricks in the consumer world.)

The controls on the PX8 S2 are simple and intuitive. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

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I love the design of the PX8 S2. The aluminum frame slides smoothly in and out of the leather-covered headband, and an exposed braided cable connects the earcups to the body. The metal touch controls are finely etched, and even the Bowers & Wilkins engraved on the earcups appears almost pixelated upon close examination. Every little detail is elegant and finely considered.

These headphones look similar to some other Bowers & Wilkins products like the Px7 S3 headphones, but with some nice upgrades. I will say, the headphones don't look quite as good on you as they do on their own, and I have to give it up to the Apple AirPods Max 2 for overall cool factor.

But as I said when these headphones first came out, I still think they're the best-designed headphones for sale right now.

How does the PX8 S2 sound? Really damn good.

These headphones are well designed down to the tiniest details. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

For its newest flagship headphones, Bowers & Wilkins engineered a reference-quality pair of headphones, and while I'm not an audio engineer, I think they succeeded. These headphones produce a rich, balanced sound that sounds vivid and clear across the audio spectrum.

I don't hear any sacrifices in bass, mids, or treble when listening to Radiohead's Kid A, one of my go-to albums for testing headphone quality. The chaotic instrumentals of "National Anthem" have never sounded clearer to me, and that holds true whether I'm listening to Radiohead, Florence + The Machine, or Vivaldi.

To produce such deep sound, B&W uses custom-designed 40mm Carbon Cone drivers, which the brand promises deliver "our best sound quality ever."

Now, let's get technical. Unlike the new Apple AirPods Max 2, these headphones support high-resolution lossless audio over Bluetooth, not just via a USB-C connection. The headphones support aptX Lossless, AAC, and SBC codecs. They deliver 24-bit digital signal processing for the highest resolution audio.

If you consider yourself an audiophile, these luxury headphones won't disappoint you.

Bowers & Wilkins PX8 S2: ANC is great, but not elite

The sound quality is superb, but noise cancellation is outshined by Bose and Sony. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

These headphones offer decent passive noise cancellation and high-quality active noise cancellation. On a commute, on a plane, or in a crowded office, they deliver more than enough noise cancellation for my needs.

That being said, if you're looking for the best possible ANC, then the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra (Gen 2) headphones still offer superior noise cancellation. At launch, these headphones were also missing the kind of spatial audio you'll find on most flagship headphones. This has since been made available in an over-the-air update (look for the "True Immersion" setting in the app), but, once again, it's not quite on the level of Apple, Sony, or Bose.

Likewise, while Sony and Apple both support Dolby Atmos, B&W doesn't. However, that's not necessarily a bad thing. As a Bowers & Wilkins representative told me, most music isn't produced for spatial audio. So, if you're chasing true high-fidelity, reference-quality sound, immersive audio features can actually compromise the audio.

B&W PX8 S2: Battery and call quality

The PX8 S2 headphones have up to 30 hours of battery life with ANC on. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

The PX8 S2 offers 30 hours of battery life with ANC engaged, which is exactly on par with the Sony XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2. (Apple AirPods Max 2 have only 20 hours, in comparison.) You can also get seven hours of playback with a 15-minute quick charge. So, pretty much in line with what you'd expect.

That said, there are some outliers. The Dyson OnTrac headphones offered 55 hours of ANC listening all the way back in 2024. More recently, the Soundcore Space 2 and Sennheiser Momentum 4 also offer 50+ hours.

Lastly, I've been happy with the call quality (and the noise cancellation on call quality) with the PX8 S2. They have eight microphones total, which is four fewer than the Sony XM6, but I haven't had any problems here.

How comfortable are these headphones?

Even the carrying case looks good. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Mashable puts a big premium on comfortable headphones that can be worn for many hours without interruption. In recent years, the Bose QuietComfort line has been completely unmatched in this regard, and that remains true.

Because of the metal components, these headphones are heavier than some competitors. Notably, at 310 grams, the PX8 S2 do weigh less than Apple AirPods Max 2 headphones, which weigh 386.2 grams. However, the latest flagship QuietComfort Ultra headphones are lighter at 264 grams.

If you're wearing headphones all day at work, you will notice the difference. That said, I haven't found these headphones to be uncomfortable, even when wearing my glasses. You'll have to decide if comfort or premium design is more important to you. Ultimately, you may prefer the lightweight feel of the Sony XM6 (254 grams).

The $799 question: Are the PX8 S2 worth it?

This question is really hard to answer unless I know how much you would miss that $799 in your bank account. For people who'd barely notice, these headphones are absolutely worth it, IMO. I've been using them for six months, and I've been unable to switch back to my Sony XM6.

I also think these headphones are durable and fairly futureproofed, so they shouldn't need replacement anytime soon. I'm all for spending more for a longer-lasting, higher-quality product.

And yet... $799 is a big ask, and these headphones would probably be wasted on the average Spotify listener. But for audiophiles and people in the premium market, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

One last note: If you're waiting on these headphones to go on sale, don't hold your breath. Virtually all gadgets are getting more expensive in 2026, and these headphones almost never go on sale. When they do, they typically get a measly $10 discount. So, womp, womp.

Bowers & Wilkins PX8 S2 noise-cancelling headphones

$799 at Amazon

 

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What's different about an art TV?

Any old smart TV can play a 10-hour-long YouTube slideshow of famous paintings. True art TVs have a few unique characteristics that separate them from the average flatscreen:

1. A flush mount: Art TVs come with a special mount that allows them to hang flat against the wall, just like a framed photo or print. From the side, you won't see any metal arms holding the TV up.

2. A matte display: The original versions of the world's famous paintings aren't displayed behind traditional shiny glass — if they were, you'd be able to see your own reflection better than the artwork. The Frame brought elite glare-free displays to the TV category to better replicate the authentic museum experience. The best art TVs use anti-glare coating so you can enjoy TV, games, and artwork even in bright sunlight.

3. Interchangeable bezels: The decorative picture frame-esque border is the other half of the "not a TV" illusion. Different art TVs use different frame colors, but all have the option to swap the traditional black outline for a white or wood-like finish.

So while the Hisense Déco TV that I tested and loved has a pretty curved white frame, it doesn't meet any of the above criteria — it's more of an artsy TV than an art TV by the books, though you may still want to consider it as an alternative to The Frame. If you're looking for a small bedroom TV that won't clash with your decor, I highly recommend the QLED Déco TV. We'll call it an honorable mention for this list.

LG and TCL are dropping new art TVs soon

Competition between the best frame TVs is about to stiffen up in the second half of 2026. Preorders opened for the pricey OLED LG W6 Wallpaper TV and the full-array mini-LED LG Gallery TV with Frame at the end of April, so release dates should be coming any time now. TCL has also confirmed that a pro version of the NXTVISION TV is on the way. I'll update this guide accordingly as each model becomes available for purchase.

Slippers, whiskies, and socks. Sure, these might sound like classic man gifts, but they're far from unique. The special guys in your life deserve something with a little more thought. We all know of course that it isn't that simple. Finding unique gifts for men can be a head-scratching exercise — particularly when you're catering for more eclectic, off-the-beaten-path tastes.

To find the perfect present for these types of guys — whether you're buying for your dad, brother, best friend, boyfriend , or husband — you’ll need to do some creative thinking. The trick is to get something they would haven't even thought of buying themselves. These are our picks for the most unique and interesting gift ideas for your favorite man — for Father's Day, birthday gifts, Valentine's Day, Christmas anniversaries, or just to say, "Thanks, my guy."

UPDATE: May. 8, 2026, 5:00 a.m. EDT I first wrote about my first impressions of the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai in March 2026 after a week of using it daily at home. This review was updated after three more weeks of testing.

Dyson had nowhere to go but up after its last robot vacuum. You don't even need to test the new Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai to already know that it dunks on the 2024 Dyson 360 Vis Nav any way you dice it.

Still, as the third Dyson robot vacuum attempt after two flop releases, there's a lot riding on the Spot+Scrub Ai's success. If it sells well, that means the 360 Vis Nav truly was just a fluke. But if the Spot+Scrub Ai can't compete with the best robot vacuums of 2026 from other brands, perhaps it's time to accept that we don't always need to force the "stick vacuum brand to robot vacuum brand" pipeline.

I tried the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai at home against top flagship Dreame, Roborock, Eufy, and Shark robot vacuums. (There were seven robot vacuums in my apartment at one point in winter 2026.) Does Dyson's stick vacuum prowess finally translate to robovacs? Let's discuss. Use the table of contents to skip to the results of specific testing categories.

What's special about the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai?

Dyson's iconic green laser makes cleaning so satisfying to watch. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I had been manifesting a robot vacuum with a laser since trying my first Dyson stick vacuum with a laser in 2022, so the dust-illuminating green light is easily the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai's biggest talking point. The green light works together with AI to help the Spot+Scrub Ai find hidden stains and microscopic debris, decipher between wet and dry messes, and then adjust cleaning accordingly. Unlike many other robot vacuums, which just make a set number of passes in the specified zone or room, the Spot+Scrub Ai double-checks each spot before moving on and goes back again if necessary.

The rest of the Spot+Scrub Ai's upgrades seem huge compared to the 360 Vis Nav, but were long overdue compared to the rest of the robot vacuum market. The Spot+Scrub Ai isn't just Dyson's first roller mop robot vacuum — it's the first Dyson robot vacuum that mops at all. In classic roller mop robot vacuum fashion, the roller gets rinsed in real time to ensure that every inch of floor is being scrubbed with a clean pad. It's much less common to find a robot vacuum and mop combo that actually mops with warm water for more efficient stain breakdown, but the Spot+Scrub Ai does. (Most only wash the mop with hot water, but clean with room temperature.)

It wouldn't be a Dyson without a bright color scheme. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The whole dock setup is bulkier than most. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The Spot+Scrub Ai also finally adds a self-emptying dock (those have been ubiquitous for half a decade), and washes and dries the roller mop. An AI-powered HD camera brings small obstacle avoidance technology to the Spot+Scrub Ai's resume, but it doesn't send or record images (so no livestream pet camera).

For general vibe and decor purposes, I can't say that I'm thrilled with the look of the dock. The three canister situation is bulky (just like the robovac itself) and unnecessarily industrial. But if you think this design is loud, just wait until you hear the self-emptying noise. FWIW, I do appreciate the built-in detergent tank and bagless dustbin.

Despite so many new features, Dyson surprisingly didn't hike the price from the 360 Vis Nav. The Spot+Scrub Ai costs $1,199.99, matching the debut price of the 360 Vis Nav when it came out in 2024. I'm glad that Dyson realized that the 360 Vis Nav was comically overpriced, which is probably why it's not hard to find it on sale for more than 60 percent off.

Is the Spot+Scrub Ai as smart as it sounds?

The Spot+Scrub Ai started out by acing several of my standard litter box cleaning tests for all robot vacuums. I have an uncovered self-emptying litter box (crystal litter) in the bathroom and a Litter-Robot Evo (clumping grass seed litter) in the kitchen. Both areas get pretty covered in tracked litter after even a day, but I pour extra on the floor for the initial test. The Spot+Scrub Ai finished with about 98 percent debris and dust pickup of each litter type, spinning around to use the laser to check for lingering particles before officially marking the area as complete.

Though the Spot+Scrub Ai is round (not D-shaped like 360 Vis Nav), the roller mop doesn't shy away from wall edges. I watched it scoot right up against baseboards, the open laundry closet door, and the washing machine. It even hugged the toilet as well as I could hope for in such a tight area.

The roller mop extended to scrub closely around walls, doors, and the oven. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The first wet spill obstacle course included splatters of chunky salsa and a red wine spill on hardwood. The Spot+Scrub Ai bodied the salsa, picking up a surprising amount on the first pass. It turned around and came back the other way to grab the few chunks that were flicked out of the way at first. Overall, the Spot+Scrub Ai+ had to have made about five passes over the same spot of hardwood floor after I assume it noticed that some salsa, a piece of dry cat food, or a speck of litter was left behind. In the app, you can follow along on the map to see where a stain has been detected. That part had me cheering out loud... for a second.

When it's thorough, it's thorough. But when it's not...

But that level of precision was missing when the botvac approached the spilled red wine. It wasn't the actual roller mop that blundered this spill, but the two spinning side brushes that are typically associated with dry debris.

The Spot+Scrub Ai's whole ethos is using artificial intelligence to clean on its toes, right? There's been so much hype surrounding the joint slay of the AI camera and green light to make tweaks to cleaning in the moment — to the point that they straight up included it in the title of the vacuum. So I feel like it's valid to assume that the Spot+Scrub Ai is smart enough to not make a mess worse. If it sees a puddle in the path ahead, wouldn't it make sense to pause the spinning dry brushes so that they don't further slosh the spill around?

The original wine puddle was pretty far away from the rug. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The Spot+Scrub Ai+ managed to smear the wine around the rug flap (and ignore the powder). Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Instead, I witnessed the Spot+Scrub Ai drive right over the spill with side brushes spinning full speed ahead, spattering wine in the vicinity on the floor as well as all over the underside of the vacuum. (Liquid seeping into the interior parts is a recipe for your robot vacuum to stop working.) Those side brushes, now soaked in wine and salsa, don't get washed in the dock like the actual roller mop does.

You can imagine my surprise when I heard the "cleaning complete" announcement, just to look down and see the abandoned puddle smeared to the corner of my kitchen Ruggable, plus a pile of spilled protein powder on the rug completely ignored. Dyson claims that the Spot+Scrub Ai relies on photographic evidence of mess removal before heading back to the dock. How was this missed? And what if the rug wasn't machine washable?

Factors to keep in mind

Several red flags popped up during my first week with the Spot+Scrub Ai. Since Dyson baked so many fancy and customizable settings into the Spot+Scrub Ai's app, I was open to the possibility of cleaning and navigation getting better over time. (That's AI's whole thing, after all.) Unfortunately, those initial concerns didn't sort themselves out over the next few weeks of testing.

Not-so-nimble navigation

Mopping fail aside, the Spot+Scrub Ai struggled to maneuver around my apartment without issue on a regular basis. While I've accepted that roller mop robot vacuums are the tallest type of robot vacuum mop combo, the Spot+Scrub Ai is so thick and cumbersome that it limits the reach of its AI mess detection features. It doesn't fit under the Litter-Robot step where a ton of litter gathers, or under the table legs in the hallway, where cat fur tumbleweeds and leaves batted off the dried arrangement on the table gather.

But it's more unforgivable that the Spot+Scrub Ai is too tall to fit under my kitchen counters — even other roller mop robot vacuums like the Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow had no problem scooting underneath. Then, the Spot+Scrub Ai never failed to get stuck after half wedging itself under the cabinets, battling with the bottom drawer for a minute straight every single time. Similarly, the Spot+Scrub Ai ended up scraping some gross brown gunk off the bottom of the dishwasher because the squeeze was that tight. You could drop a keep-out zone for tight areas like this in the MyDyson app, but that's kind of a crucial area for a robot vacuum to simply skip. Under-cabinet crumb duty is a non-negotiable in my book.

Unreliable carpet and rug cleaning

The Spot+Scrub Ai displayed consistently mediocre rug and carpet performance. It did a satisfactory job with cat hair in the medium pile living room rug, but left behind more than a few sprinkles and tortilla chip crumbs on the same rug. The Spot+Scrub Ai also had a pretty poor showing during the high pile test that I give to every robot vacuum.

It's hard to see here, but little pieces were left strewn across the whole rug. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I sprinkle small debris like dry quinoa or rice on a faux fur Tumble rug to really challenge the lifting capabilities on plush carpet — the Spot+Scrub Ai's pickup rate was only about 75 or 80 percent, leaving pieces behind in and laying on top of the fibers. Some were visible to the naked eye, some I only discovered after they got stuck to my bare feet.

The 18,000 Pa suction power is a tad low for a $1,199.99 robovac, considering the much-cheaper Eufy C28's 15,000 Pa did a better job on rugs in my testing.

Not cute

Perhaps the Spot+Scrub Ai's obnoxious industrial design would have grown on me had the cleaning experience itself been a breeze. But I had to rescue the Spot+Scrub Ai from being lost or stuck multiple times — just to carry it back to a dock that was the ugly duckling of the Dreame, Roborock, and Shark robot vacuum docks that I was testing at the same time.

Must we publicly showcase dirt to guests? Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The transparent bagless dustbin advertises every particle that's been sucked off of your floor. The transparent water tank resembles a plastic water bottle that was left in a hot car for a week. I realize that these design choices were supposed to help us keep track of what needed to be emptied or filled when, but at what aesthetic cost?

Is the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai worth it?

No, the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai requires way too much babysitting to be worth its price tag. There are far better robot vacuum and mop combos that cost the same or less — this applies even if the Spot+Scrub Ai goes on sale. If you want a roller mop robot vacuum with reliable AI-powered cleaning, buy the Narwal Flow 2. If you really just want a Dyson, buy the Dyson V12 Detect Slim or the Dyson PencilVac.

Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai robot vacuum

$849.95 at Amazon
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Graduation season means it's time to figure out what your favorite grad needs. One great idea is a practical gift that will help welcome them to post-college reality. Graduates are about to enter the often overwhelming (and sometimes terrifying) world we call adulthood, and you're tasked with giving them something to help ease the transition. The trick is to find that sweet spot between something your college grad will really need in life and something they'll actually want to use. New graduates might not even know what they need to survive post-grad life — but that's where you come in.

As a lifelong cat owner, it is with the knowledge of experience that I say the chore I dislike the most is cleaning the litter box.

I've tried to interrogate this to no avail — I don't find it particularly gross or tedious (it takes all of three minutes max if you do it daily). And while I couldn't find answers to my aversion, when Petlibro released its first automatic litter box just a couple of months after I adopted a new kitten, well, it felt something like an answer from the universe.

My kitten, Mouse, graciously took up the task of helping me test out the Petlibro Luma Smart Litter Box, both with and without the AI feature set. After about three and a half months (and at many pounds of growth on Mouse's part), here are my thoughts on the Litter-Robot alternative.

Petlibro Luma Smart Litter Box: Price

At $599.99, the price of the Petlibro Luma is nothing to scoff at, so let's break it down.

First of all, included in the box is one litter mat and litter filter (pre-installed in the Luma), an additional litter filter for non-clumping tofu and mixed litters, 15 waste bags, a removable step, and a carbon filter.

Expensive as it is, it is cheaper than a $749 Litter-Robot 4, the $799 Litter-Robot 5, and the $899 Litter-Robot 5 Pro. It is also the same price as the "affordable" model from the brand, the Litter-Robot Evo. At the same time, it far eclipses the price of the much less space-intensive and open-top PetSafe ScoopFree, which will only run you $119.99 (minus the cost of any tray replacements required for upkeep).

All this to say, the price led me to believe that with this product, Petlibro aims to offer the elevated automatic litter box experience (i.e., the Litter-Robot experience) at a price just competitive enough to be considered cheaper than Litter-Robot's.

Mouse leaving the scene of the crime. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

In addition to the upfront cost, to perform as intended, this litter box also requires replacement of the carbon air filter ($19.99) every one to three months and the interior litter mat ($29.99) every 90 days. If you want access to features like saved videos and smart summaries that feature details about your cat's health, these are the available pricing tiers:

• Video Cloud AI Standard: Costs $95.99 per year, with support for one Luma device. Saves seven-day video history, with smart summaries and highlight reels.

• Video Cloud AI Premium: Costs $135.99 per year, with support for one Luma device. Saves 30-day video history, with smart summaries and highlight reels.

• Video Cloud AI Premium Family: Costs $159.99 per year, with support for up to three Luma devices. Also saves 30-day video history, with smart summaries and highlight reels.

None of these are required to use the litter box (and I found it functioned more than fine without them), but if one of the primary reasons you're in the automatic litter box market is because you want to closely monitor your pet's health, it's a cost worth noting. For the majority of the testing period, I had access to the AI premium subscription, courtesy of Petlibro.

How the Petlibro Luma litter box works

The available feature set with this litter box includes the following, with bolded features only available with the AI subscription (which I'll get more into below):

• Automatic cleaning with odor control

• AI waste analysis

• Washable base

• Multi-cat detection

• Visit monitoring

• Video cloud storage

• Long-term health analytics

• Safety features

For a basic clean, the central part of the box rotates back and upwards to dump all the waste into the drawer that sits at the bottom of the box. While this happens, an air purifier runs. Then the main part of the litter box rotates back, shifting to reset the litter to an even position comfortable for your cat. All told, it can take about one to two minutes, but the sensors (which I'll talk more about below) will stop the cleaning process if your cat is anywhere near the box.

The central component of the litter box rolls back, closing it off, while emptying out. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

Maintenance of the box itself is super easy — a notification let me know when it was time to clean out the waste drawer, which, true to Petlibro's estimate, was roughly every two weeks. The central drum of the litter box could easily be popped and cleaned within a matter of five to 10 minutes. While researching for this review, I saw plenty of folks on Reddit complaining about how the spin mechanism of the Litter-Robot made it easy to get dirty, and that cleaning it could be kind of a pain. With the Luma box, the cleaning process felt pretty much as easy as I could imagine.

To thoroughly clean the box, I was able to remove the drum without issue to get into all the nooks and crannies. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

The after! Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

Seamless performance with even better smell

The first time I emptied the waste drawer after two weeks of use, I was genuinely shocked at how bad it smelled, considering I hadn't noticed it at all prior to opening the drawer. Thankfully, experiencing the smell was short-lived: All I had to do to empty the drawer was tie up the drawstring bag, toss it, and replace it with a new one.

Mouse is an adventurous cat (which tracks for a kitten found on a California freeway), so she was game to use the fancy litter box on day one. Tucked away in my family's living room, everyone I lived with basically forgot it existed after the initial setup, minus the times its cleaning cycle ran. It's not very loud, but if you're worried about it going off at inopportune times, you can schedule cleans or switch on manual mode.

Mouse, immortalized in her post-spay recovery shirt, courtesy of the Petlibro app. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

This setup was especially nice for times I wasn't at home for longer stretches. My phone sent notifications every time Mouse was near or using the box, as well as when a cleaning cycle was up. Once I connected it to the AI subscription, I got access to a live and on-demand video feed of Mouse using the box. (Yes, I watched it! It was cute!)

Without the AI features, on the app, I could track every time she used the bathroom, her weight, and even get a picture of her using the box. Of course, it also let me know when the waste drawer needed to be emptied, and when the box needed a replacement carbon filter and litter mat. If she didn't use the bathroom for 24 hours, the app notified me to let me know her habits looked atypical, which could be huge if you're monitoring for any illness or weird behavior from your animal.

The features that live behind a subscription

"What does having an AI litter box even mean?" was a question I was asked no less than five times while I was testing this product, which, valid. I didn't quite know what to expect either.

After my months of testing, I can confidently say it's like having another pair of eyes on your cat — consider the Luma a Bathroom Big Brother. Maybe a bit dystopian, but any cat owner knows cats are notoriously good at hiding any health issues, especially when it relates to their bathroom habits, so in this case, it was genuinely helpful.

With the AI features, you know whether your cat has peed or pooped and whether it looks like a normal version of either. You can also view a video recording directly from the log on the app and verify whether the AI identified everything correctly. Petlibro claims the more you correct the AI, the better it gets, and I found that to line up with my experience.

The data from the app, sans AI subscription. Credit: Petlibro / Screenshot

Versus with the AI subscription. Credit: Petlibro / Screenshot

At the end of a month, Petlibro creates a highlight reel of your cat's time in the bathroom, condensed down to 30-second bits per day. This maybe felt like the least necessary of all the features, but if you're monitoring your cat especially closely and want to make sure you didn't miss a thing, it's a nice fail-safe.

The app also grants you access to care trends, whether that be changes in their waste or frequency of use, or weight, with the data tracked on easy-to-read charts. When revisiting past logs, you could also filter for certain data. Basically, it felt like a period tracker for my cat, which was kind of great for vet appointments.

Finding health data, made easy. Credit: Petlibro / Screenshot

Mouse favored her other litter box for a couple days, at which point the app let me know what I might want to flag to a vet. Credit: Petlibro / Screenshot

Safety precautions are there

One of the bigger hesitations I saw online about the Luma litter box was the rollback design of the central part of the litter box. It's fair — during parts of the cleaning process, a cat theoretically inside could get seriously hurt, as the drum rolls all the way back to empty out the waste.

However, Petlibro uses three different sensors to make sure that doesn't happen: an inward-facing AI camera, a weight detection sensor, and a front-facing motion sensor. There's also child-lock features for the buttons on the box itself, and the option to turn off automatic cleaning altogether, or to schedule the cleanings.

Overall, I didn't experience a single problem with safety. Mouse likes to watch when I scoop her non-automated box, and so naturally she also liked to watch the robot box do its thing — any time she got remotely close enough to actually get inside of it, it paused. One time during testing, it actually detected the weight of an animal in the box when there was one, but it was paused until I unplugged and re-plugged in the machine. While that wasn't the most ideal, it did give me the feeling that this box errs on the side of safety over convenience.

The cleaning completely stopped, with any option to manually resume it greyed out until the box could no longer detect the weight. Credit: Petlibro / Screenshot

Petlibro vs. Litter-Robot

Petlibro's Luma carves itself out as the mid-tier option between budget automatic boxes and the Litter-Robot, so while I haven't had a chance to test the Litter-Robot for myself, it felt worth looking at their feature sets to compare the performance and cost of the two as best I can.

The first difference is that while the Petlibro Luma rolls backward to empty itself, the Litter-Robot spins around from side to side to get empty, which means it always remains open. This has the safety benefit of always giving your cat an option to jump out. However, it does mean it might not appeal to cats who prefer a more open top, which the Luma does provide. As Mouse is still a baby (literally, I mean), she wasn't the best test subject for this point, but Petlibro says its box can fit cats up to 22 pounds.

The Litter-Robot EVO features design with a more closed-off top to cats. Credit: Litter-Robot

While Petlibro's Luma keeps things open. Credit: Petlibro

As I mentioned above, the spinning of the Litter-Robot also led to some folks online complaining about how quickly it can get covered in litter and dust.

Also on the design front, the Petlibro box comes with a ramp that touches the floor, while it's an additional purchase for the Litter-Robot. Compared to the Litter-Robot EVO, the most compact option from the brand, the Luma is a bit shorter but a few inches wider than the Litter-Robot.

Considering the Luma and EVO cost the same price, it's also worth noting that Petlibro claims up to 10 cats can use the Luma, while Litter-Robot doesn't recommend the EVO for more than a one to two-cat household. The EVO also has no WasteID features — you'd have to go to the more expensive Litter-Robot 5 or 5 Pro for that.

Is the Petlibro Luma litter box worth it?

If the idea of a high-end litter box is enticing to you, but the prices of the Litter-Robot have made you hold off until now, the Petlibro Luma presents a worthwhile alternative, especially if you're looking for waste analysis or a box for more than two cats, but don't want to spend upwards of $700.

While I can't personally speak to the performance of the Litter-Robot EVO, value-wise, Petlibro's model is the better option — especially if you can grab it on sale.

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What a difference an inch makes.

That was my first thought on using the Paper Pure, the new entry-level e-ink tablet offering from Remarkable. And it's been my thought several times since, whenever I surprised myself by reaching for the Pure to write my daily journal when its pricier cousins were right there.

Remarkable is the Norwegian e-ink tablet maker behind the A4-sized Remarkable Paper Pro (from $579) and the reporters' notebook-sized Remarkable Paper Pro Move. Until now, the company has offered the $399 Remarkable 2 (originally released in 2020) as its entry-level e-ink tablet. And in some respects, the Paper Pure is a Remarkable 2 in new clothing.

Family portrait: The new Remarkable Paper Pure, center, flanked by the Paper Pro (L) and Paper Pro Move (R). Credit: Chris Taylor / Mashable

The size of the screen itself, 11 inches, is identical to the Remarkable 2. As with the Remarkable 2, the Paper Pure offers no backlight or color e-ink (if either are necessities for you, go directly to our Paper Pro, Paper Pro Move, or Kindle Colorsoft Scribe reviews).

The Marker stylus included at that $399 price point is the improved version also used on the Paper Pro models. You can pay more for one with a physical eraser on one end — the Marker Plus (which will set you back $40 more as part of a bundle that also includes a Sleeve Folio). But if you care about that rather than the on-screen eraser tool, you're probably in the market for a pricier e-ink tablet.

Likewise, if latency is important (that is, the gap between the stylus hitting the screen and ink appearing), the Paper Pure is a tiny step down from its pricier brethren — a 21 millisecond gap rather than 12 milliseconds on the Paper Pro models.

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The Paper Pure feels lighter than air

The plastic back of the Remarkable Paper Pure: Not cheap, super light. Credit: Remarkable

But what the Paper Pure lacks in bells and whistles, it makes up for in sheer usability. If you're new to the whole concept of e-ink tablets — the pen-on-paper-like notepads that are easy on your eyes, easy to use in sunlight, and in the style of a Kindle — then the Pure is the best place to start. If you're a power user who can afford both, the Pure may be the one you feel comfortable throwing into your work bag while keeping a Pro at home.

Part of that sense of usability is the weight difference. Not to weight-shame, but at 360 grams (0.79 lbs), the Paper Pure is 44 grams (1.55 ounces) lighter than the Remarkable 2 — even as the Remarkable 2 is a hair's-breadth slimmer than the Pure.

Does that make a difference? Heck yeah, it does, and your wrist will thank you. There's not even the mildest clenching of tendons in your forearm when your hand holds a Pure, the way you might be used to clenching when picking up a regular tablet. For comparison, the latest 11-inch iPad Air is 1.02 lbs (462g). The Paper Pure is the kind of tablet for which the designation "air" really makes sense.

Fortunately, you don't have to sacrifice much in the way of performance. The new e-ink tablet actually has double the RAM and four times the storage of its admittedly aged predecessor (2GB and 32GB, respectively).

Side view: Look at the lovely round edges. Credit: Chris Taylor / Mashable

How did Remarkable achieve this lightness? It's largely in the housing; the Remarkable 2 used brushed aluminum for its backside, and the Paper Pure uses plastic. But the Paper Pure's plastic back doesn't feel cheap. In fact, it feels a tad more welcoming. The metal back on the Remarkable 2 and the Paper Pro both feel cold to the touch; the Pure is more like room temperature.

More weight has been shed by the decision to not include a connector for the Folio keyboard, which you could get as an extra for the Remarkable 2. To my mind, this is no great loss; I've had the Folio for years, and can count on one hand the number of times I've used it for any length of time. Typing is not the point on an e-ink tablet; handwriting (which can convert to text) and sketching are the point.

When you do need to type — and it is nice to have the option to go back and forth — I've found that the on-screen keyboard is enough. If you're typing all the time, maybe what you're looking for is a laptop, or an iPad with a Magic Keyboard, rather than an e-ink tablet. The refresh rate on e-ink is a perpetual problem, and it's always going to make typing seem slower than we're used to.

The Paper Pure is a little bit shorter

Old vs. new: The Remarkable 2 (left) and the Remarkable Paper Pure. Credit: Chris Taylor / Mashable

Then there's that other crucial difference in form factor: height. The Pure is like a Remarkable 2, but roughly an inch shorter (8.9 in. vs 9.7 in., to be exact). It also has notably rounder edges, which is the kind of thing design nerds care about, but they do combine with the height and weight differential to make the Pure feel ... well, in a word, friendlier.

The battery life is also friendlier. Remarkable says a single charge lasts three weeks in the Paper Pure. That's the kind of claim it's hard to test for a launch-day review, but I have no reason to doubt it. Certainly, the Pure lasts longer than the Paper Pro and the Paper Pro Move, but in my experience, both tend to turn on at the slightest bag jostle, burning through battery life with that backlight.

Do you need a backlight, anyway? I thought I did, for end-of-day journal writing. But increasingly, research shows that any bright light at night (not just the blue light from regular LCD displays) can wake our brains up just when they're supposed to be going to sleep. After a few bouts of insomnia coincided with Paper Pro use, I've decided the Pure and a dimmed bedside lamp are all I really need at the end of the day.

The Remarkable Paper Pure Folio case — a good dust-catcher Credit: Chris Taylor / Mashable

And what about the Paper Pure versus the even smaller Paper Pro Move, which I rhapsodized about last year? I still love my Move, especially the ability to toss it in almost any jacket pocket. When packing for trips, when space is at a premium, the Move is the Remarkable I'll reach for. It's great for privacy, too, and it's the Remarkable to use on a plane with a nosy seatmate (or at a press conference).

Still, most of us aren't exactly secret agents, and the Move has turned out to be a little too small for many real-life use cases. Over time, I have noticed my handwriting looks significantly worse on the Move, compared to Remarkable devices with larger screens, and that my posture gets worse as I use it, peering at the smaller screen.

But with the Paper Pure, it feels more like you're toting around a kind of short-but-cheerful clipboard. (For this reason, I never saw a need to put the Pure inside its Folio sleeve case.) I can also see doctors using it while doing their hospital rounds if, for example, they can't afford to let their handwriting suffer on the Move. Or I can imagine pulling it out at a regular conference room meeting, without derailing the meeting with questions about your snazzy device (the downside of light and color on the Pro devices: they often attract attention.)

The verdict: An impressive e-ink tablet with a great price

The Remarkable Paper Pure is your workhorse e-ink tablet. Or if you prefer a horse racing analogy, the Pure is an excellent jockey — a job where being a couple of ounces lighter and an inch shorter can make all the difference.

You can order the Remarkable Paper Pure starting May 6 for $399 at the Remarkable online store. You can purchase a Sleeve Folio case for $69.

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Credit: Remarkable

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TL;DR: A well-specced Dell 15 laptop for $306.99 — fast SSD, solid performance, and ready for everyday use.

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Credit: Dell

Dell 15 2024 15.6-Inch (Certified Refurbished)

$306.99
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You don’t need to spend big to get a laptop that keeps up. If you are in the market for a new machine that doesn’t cost a small fortune, this near-mint Dell 15 is on sale for just $306.99 (reg. $349.99) while stock is still available.

This laptop features an Intel Core 3 processor with 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, which is a surprisingly solid combo at this price. This translates to it booting quickly, handling multiple tabs without choking, and keeping everyday tasks moving without frustration. Whether it’s emails, spreadsheets, streaming, or general browsing, it covers the basics comfortably.

The 15.6-inch Full HD display gives you enough screen real estate to actually work without feeling cramped, and the anti-glare panel helps if you’re not always in perfect lighting. It’s the kind of laptop you can use for a few hours without constantly adjusting things.

Connectivity is where it over-delivers. You’ve got USB-A, USB-C, HDMI, and WiFi 6, so it plays nicely with modern accessories and faster networks. No dongle drama necessary.

Battery life is rated up to around eight hours, which is enough for a work session, classes, or a long stretch away from an outlet.

And because it’s Grade A refurbished, you’re getting something that runs like new and looks close to new without paying full price.

If you want a reliable, no-nonsense laptop with the right specs in the right places, this is one of those rare options that makes a lot of sense.

Get this near-mint Dell 15 for just $306.99 (reg. $349.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Earlier this year, I found the Google Pixel 10a somewhat disappointing compared to previous Pixel A-series devices. Google's mid-range phone is almost always one of (if not the) best in the category every year, but the Pixel 10a felt compromised due to a lack of AI feature parity with the flagship Pixel phones and other noteworthy improvements.

Now, Google can rest easy because the Pixel 10a looks a good deal better now that the Samsung Galaxy A57 5G is here. The higher-end of two mid-range devices announced in late March, the A57 purports to bring a premium feel at a relatively modest $549 starting price. In some respects, it accomplishes this; the display is nice, and performance in most circumstances isn't bad.

However, in other respects, the A57 falls short not just of feeling like a premium device, but of competing with other mid-range devices, too. If you're an Android fan, you'd be better off with a Pixel 10a, which is $50 cheaper. If you're platform-agnostic, the $599 iPhone 17e is certainly worth the extra cash. And if you want something with a bit more personality, grab the new Nothing Phone (4a) Pro, only $499.

The A57 5G isn't an outright failure, but it doesn't provide many reasons to consider it over the competition.

Samsung Galaxy A57 5G: Price and specs

Looks a bit basic. Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

As mentioned above, the A57 starts at $549. That's $50 more than the Pixel 10a and $50 cheaper than the iPhone 17e. Here are the basic specs:

• 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display with up to 120Hz refresh rate

• Exynos 1680 chipset

• 6GB or 8GB RAM

• 128GB or 256GB storage

• 5,000mAh battery

• Three rear cameras: 50MP wide, 8MP ultrawide, 5MP macro

• 12MP selfie camera

The display is more or less unchanged from last year's Galaxy A56 device, which is fine. A big, 6.7-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate is about as good as you can ask for from a phone in the $500 range, and it looks crisp, clear, and smooth in my experience. Those RAM and storage numbers are also pretty competitive in the category, though I should mention that the phone hits a price of $609 if you want 256GB of storage. At that point, you should probably just get an iPhone 17e.

One other point of interest is the processor. Rather than a top-end Snapdragon processor like you'd find in a Galaxy S26 Ultra, you get the less powerful Exynos 1680 instead. This comes with all sorts of compromises that we'll get into shortly. This is pretty disappointing compared to the Pixel 10a and iPhone 17e, which come with Google's Tensor G4 and Apple's A19 chips, respectively. While the Tensor G4 is not the same chip powering the regular Pixel 10, the A19 is what's inside a regular iPhone 17. Samsung's mid-range phone represents a larger step down, by comparison.

One last note: The A57 only comes in one color, called "Awesome Navy." I think it's pretty boring! There isn't really much else about its design that stands out to me. The vertical ringed housing for the three rear cameras looks a little generic, and like other phones of its size, I find it a little unwieldy to use with one hand. It's nice and light, though, and not too thick.

Samsung Galaxy A57 5G: Software

At least it's pretty thin. Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

It's to be expected that a mid-range device would not have access to all the same fancy software features as its more expensive brethren, but the A57 5G goes a little too far in this direction.

It runs Android 16 via One UI 8.5, like other current Samsung phones, but it's missing many of the more advanced AI features that you'd get on something like a Galaxy S26. Rather than harnessing the power of Galaxy AI, the A57 gets a more limited suite of features called "Awesome Intelligence." Like the phone's "awesome navy" color, the AI tools don't really earn that adjective.

You get a basic object eraser for photos, voice transcription for audio and phone call recordings, and other already existing basic AI features from other Samsung devices, like Best Face for group photos and Circle to Search. Of course, you can also talk to Gemini if you want.

That's not nothing, but it's a far cry from what's available on a Galaxy S26, software-wise. There's no AI image generation, and you can't use the object eraser to move objects around in a photo. On the non-AI front, it's also missing the privacy display feature from the Galaxy S26 Ultra, though that's not necessarily a surprise. Overall, this is a pretty middling set of AI features that's made worse by spotty performance.

Samsung Galaxy A57 5G: Performance

The camera housing could be more handsome. Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

Performance on the A57 is a bit strange. On one hand, basic, everyday activities like scrolling through social media, watching YouTube videos, or sending messages work fine. Apps load quickly, and the phone never felt overloaded from too much multitasking in my time with it.

On the other hand, some basic performance features leave a lot to be desired. For instance, facial recognition for unlocking the phone is painfully inconsistent. Sometimes it works perfectly, opening the phone as soon as it sees your face. Most of the time, though, it either takes around four seconds to recognize you or simply fails to recognize you at all. This is a pretty maddening thing for a phone to get wrong in 2026.

I also had some issues getting the limited set of AI features to work properly. In particular, the object eraser simply would not work for me. I'd show it a simple photo of a beverage can on a table, tap the can, and then the phone would do nothing for minutes at a time. In my testing, I never actually got it to remove anything from a photo. I'm open to the possibility that I'm just missing something here and that other people won't encounter this, but I can only speak to what I experienced.

The object eraser just sat here doing this for several minutes and never ended up working. Credit: Screenshot: Alex Perry/Samsung

Another big problem I encountered was a spotty WiFi chip in the phone. This won't affect all or even most users, since my home's WiFi network is a bit awkward. To be specific, my bedroom is about three walls away from the router, meaning signal strength in here can be iffy.

In my testing, the A57 would very frequently lose WiFi signal in this room, to the point that it wouldn't or couldn't fall back to cellular data, leaving me effectively disconnected from the internet. The only way to fix this was to manually turn off WiFi and turn it on again, which would inevitably lead to the same thing happening a few minutes later. Cellular 5G signal was literally more reliable in my bedroom than WiFi.

Again, my network environment isn't ideal, but I live in this room. I use several WiFi-connected devices in it every day, and I have never once encountered this behavior on another device.

Samsung Galaxy A57 5G: Cameras

As stated above, you get a 50MP main lens, an 8MP ultrawide lens, and a 5MP macro lens on the back, with a 12MP selfie camera. It's best not to expect too much from cameras on a mid-range device, but I will say that this is another area where the Pixel 10a is a better value.

Under normal circumstances, though, it does take pretty decent daytime photos. Objects are crisp, colors are vivid, and everything looks about how it should, at least to my eyes.

During the day, the camera is fine. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

Since there's no telephoto lens, you're left with just up to 10x digital zoom, which doesn't look especially great.

No zoom. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

10x zoom. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

Macro photography looks OK, if not a tad bit blurry, though I think I'd rather have a dedicated zoom lens instead of a macro lens.

Every macro photo I took was just a little bit blurry. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

I had a bit of a hard time getting nighttime photos to not look a bit blurry with the A57.

Left: Night mode off. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

Right: Night mode. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

Like I said, you shouldn't expect too much from a mid-range set of cameras, but even so, there are better options in this price range.

Samsung Galaxy A57 5G: Battery life

One area where I can't find much at fault with the A57 is battery life. I was able to wring about 24 hours of solid use out of it on a single charge, which isn't remarkable, but is right in line with what I'd want or expect out of a phone at this price point in 2026. You can probably extend that by a few hours if you're really careful, too.

Samsung Galaxy A57 5G: Final thoughts

In case I haven't already made this abundantly clear, I don't think the Samsung Galaxy A57 5G is worth much consideration if you're in the market for a mid-range device. If you like Android, get a Pixel 10a. If you like iOS or don't care, consider an iPhone 17e.

Between janky software performance, missing AI features, and a middling camera array, this device is pretty hard to recommend. It's possible this phone is another victim of the ongoing memory crisis, with Samsung sacrificing features to offset higher RAM costs. Regardless, you could probably do worse, but you can definitely do better.

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung Galaxy A57 5G

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One thing about vacuum companies? They're all gonna release an air purifier eventually. Then, most of those vacuum brand purifiers just start blending together. Dreame dropping an air purifier feature called "Furcatch" immediately hinted that the Dreame FP10 wasn't just another purifier touting a filter that lasts longer than usual, like the Dyson HushJet or Shark NeverChange.

I've been running the Dreame FP10 Furcatch purifier in my two-cat apartment for about two weeks. Here's how it's going.

Design: Kinda big, but a complete vibe

As someone who tests robot vacuums at home every week, I've grown excruciatingly bored with plasticky black appliances shoved into every corner of my living space. I was naturally drawn to the Dreame FP10's curb appeal, like the minimalistic rounded shape and the modern cream color that doesn't stick out like a sore thumb amongst my decor or white walls.

Sansa is comparing Dreame color options in my unintentional Dreame corner. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Leota appreciates the ambient night light as much as I do. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The FP10 measures just over two feet tall with a diameter of around 14 inches. That's standard for a large room purifier, and there's something to be said for a large room air purifier that doesn't aggressively look like it was meant to live in a garage.

The vent runs 360 degrees around the bottom of the cylinder, so the FP10 does its best work when it can suck particles from the air in every direction. I've been pulling the purifier out from the wall while I work from home during the day, as well as overnight. But given its size (and close proximity to the foot of my couch chaise), it's just easier to leave the FP10 in the corner during heavy foot traffic hours in the living room. My cats spend a ton of time at the living room windowsills and nearby cat tree, so there's constant hair and dust floating near that wall, anyway.

Furcatch roller = no interaction with the filter for two years

The Dreame FP10 gets the "Furcatch" part of its name from a fur-cleaning microfiber roller that lives under the hood with the HEPA filter. Every so often, the roller flicks back and forth for several seconds to comb hair off the rotating filter as it passes through. The roller's material and motion remind me of using a ChomChom to clean cat hair off furniture.

You'll be able to see when the hair compartment is full through the window. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Use these touch buttons or the app to switch settings. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

If you have pets, you're probably familiar with the gray fluff that builds up unsettlingly quickly on the filter of an air purifier or vacuum. (If you're not familiar and are wondering why your vacuum stopped sucking stuff up, that's probably why.) The more gray fluff caked onto the filter, the more air flow is cut off into the purifier — which means no new air is actually being filtered.

Depending on the severity of shedding in your home, pet parents could wind up pulling tufts of fur out of a filter on a weekly basis. It's enough to get you to ditch the air purifier altogether, even if you know deep down that it's kind of crucial for your health. Dreame's genius roller idea does that for you, meaning the FP10 purifier requires no regular cleaning or replacement filters. FP10 filters are expected to last nearly two years each, and the app keeps you posted on exactly how many days are left.

A moment for the other pet-friendly features

As any air purifier geared toward pets should, the FP10 was designed to anticipate various cat behaviors — like sitting on top of your air purifier, whether they're "supposed to" or not. Its flat canvas top supports a maximum weight of 33 pounds and is bottom-heavy to prevent toppling over. (It automatically shuts off if tipped over.)

The adjustable LED light strip that circles the FP10 has also turned out to be a great night light for my cats when I'm out and about. It feels less wasteful than turning on a whole lamp, and I never have to stress over whether I actually did remember to turn on a light before I left. It's just always on.

Noise level: Surprisingly subtle for its size

The Dreame FP10 Furcatch purifier has a few purification modes: AI Purify, Pet Purify, and Sleep Purification, plus a custom option to drag the fan level up or down as you please. Sleep Purification, plus AI Purify or a fan speed at 4 or less, is as good as silent to me — you'd think the whole thing accidentally got unplugged if the light wasn't on.

Pet Purify (around 52 decibels from an inch away) is a more audible constant hum, and fan speed 10 is the loudest (about 61 decibels from an inch away), but neither is "loud" at all. The Dreame FP10 doesn't get much louder than the Dyson HushJet's strongest setting.

Performance: The app says particles like fur are, in fact, being caught

The Dreame FP10 purifier has been doing an excellent job of mitigating lingering odors in my living space with shitty ventilation. Why would someone design a kitchen with no windows or HVAC vents? I would love to know! But you can imagine the potential mugginess.

I've noticed that I don't really catch a whiff of a full Litter-Robot unless I'm on the floor to swap the drawer liner. The stench from the open drawer doesn't hover as long, either. Dreame's website specifically says that the FP10 was designed with pet odors like feces, litter and urine, and pet food in mind. The activated carbon layer of the filter traps the stinky gas, which then hits the unique metal layer where they're chemically neutralized.

The FP10 also monitors indoor temperature and humidity. Credit: Screenshot / Dreame

Here's the smidgeon of accumulated fur after two weeks. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The Dreame app monitors two types of indoor pollution: VOCs (volatile organic compounds that can come from paint, bleach and other harsh chemicals, or new furniture) and PM1, 2.5, and 10 (tiny particulate matter and allergens like dander, mold spores, or smoke from outdoor emissions or lit candles). I hated finding out that microplastics are another type of microscopic particle that can float and live in dust, and that there are a ton of them seeping off just about everything I own. So I'll take any crumb of relief I can get, like when my Dyson PencilVac laser points out that less dust and cat hair are settling on the hardwood in the FP10 room.

While my apartment's VOC levels have been in the green (shout-out to non-toxic cleaning products), I've noticed several spikes in the particulate matter department. Most of them seem to coincide with fume-heavy cooking (frying seitan and cooking bacon) or the times that I'm burping the common area by opening the singular openable window. The graph would be easier to read if it would let me toggle to a 12-hour clock.

The Dyson HushJet that I was previously using has since been moved to my bedroom. It did a pretty good job of clearing smells from the entryway and couch radius, but its 203-square-foot capacity just didn't have the reach to freshen such a large open-concept living space. The Dreame FP10's 1,346-square-foot capacity is much better suited to my ~800-square-foot common area.

No firm disadvantages yet, just things to keep in mind

I have nothing bad to say about the Dreame Furcatch air purifier yet. That doesn't necessarily mean it's the right air purifier for every single household. Even if you need more oomph than a true tabletop air purifier, the FP10 Furcatch is hardly the most compact floor air purifier for a small space. Most of Dreame's staged product photos show the Furcatch casually chilling in the middle of a huge room with no cord in sight. In the real world, the ease of incorporating a larger model like this one into your home relies a lot on convenient outlet placement.

Is the Dreame FP10 air purifier worth it?

One final vibe check. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

As long as you have the floor space, I'd say that the Dreame FP10 is the best air purifier for homes with multiple pets. If the Furcatch roller remains as self-sufficient over the next two years as Dreame claims, it's hard to picture a heavy-duty air purifier better equipped to deal with a shit ton of shedding.

For comparison's sake, the Dreame FP10 air purification covers six times the square footage that the Dyson HushJet does, yet only costs $150 more. The 1,346-square-foot FP10 does cost $100 more than the 1,400-square-foot Shark NeverChange model, but NeverChange doesn't mean NeverClean — the Shark filter still requires manual maintenance on a regular basis, whereas the Dreame is completely hands-free. Is Dreame's FP10 Furcatch purifier more expensive up front than the long-lasting purifiers from Shark and Dyson? Yes. But is Dreame's Furcatch a better value over time? Also yes.

Dreame FP10 HEPA Air Purifier with Self-Cleaning Pet Hair

$349.99 at Amazon
$499.99 Save $150

 

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Some people just have a natural talent for finding gifts on a budget, whether it's Christmas, an anniversary, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day (which, don't forget, is coming up on May 11). Some people nail it every time, getting the "best gift-giver" award among those who are lucky to know them — wife, husband, boyfriend, teens, in-laws, and everyone else.

If you're not one of those people, don't fret. We're here to help no matter the occasion. We've put together a list of the best gift ideas for under $50, from expected-but-useful trinkets to cool items they definitely don't have yet. These unique budget-friendly gift ideas come from variety of categories so you're sure to find something they'll love. You might even catch a few of these awesome gifts at marked down sale prices.

Mother figures are the backbone of the world. They teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain. So when it comes to showing your appreciation with a Mother's Day gift, the game plan involves more than a generic mug or the last wilted bouquet from CVS.

There's something so priceless about a gift that was obviously picked just for her, regardless of its actual price. Whether it's something to make a part of her life easier, something she's mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a queen, there are opportunities for truly thoughtful gifts for mom on any budget. Here are our best Mother's Day gift ideas for 2026:

Pet hair pickup isn't the only bullet point to consider

While every pet parent needs a vacuum to quell the pet hair situation, some vacuums can take on even more pet-related responsibilities. There are robot vacuums that can avoid pet waste and toys, robot vacuums with livestream pet cameras, and a robot vacuum that comes with its own portable carpet cleaner (now we just need Roborock to expand the Saros Z70's robotic arm capabilities to pet toy cleanup). Manual cordless vacuums come with their own advantageous flexibility, like the option to go handheld and extend cleaning to furry furniture and staircases. I use both types of vacuums daily and wrote a whole buying guide for anyone stumped between a robot vacuum and a stick vacuum.

Other vacuums I've tested recently

I tested several other top robot vacuums in the past two years that didn't make the most recent cut for this list. Some, like the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra, Roborock Qrevo Master, Narwal Freo X Ultra, and various versions of the Roomba j7, were my top recommendations at one point, but have since been overshadowed by newer, more powerful models that are a better bang for your buck. Most recently, in the last few months of 2025, I was impressed by the Roomba Plus 505 Combo, Plus 405 Combo, and Narwal Freo Z10 Ultra. They ultimately just weren't the most thorough vacuum cleaners in their price range.

New robot vacuums announced at CES 2026

Several top robot vacuum brands unveiled new flagship models at CES in early January. These include the Roborock Saros 20 Sonic and Qrevo Curv 2 Flow, the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete, and the Narwal Flow 2. I will be testing these at home as soon as possible and will update this guide accordingly once all are officially available for purchase.

How to choose a robot vacuum for pet hair

Let's dive a little deeper into the features that could make or break your experience with trusting a robot vacuum to clean up after pets.

Suction power and brush rolls

I recommend vacuums with at least 8,000 Pa suction power for effective pet hair pickup, though homes with heavy carpeting and more than two pets should consider suction power of at least 12,000 Pa. But the brush roll system is nearly just as important when choosing a vacuum for pet fur. In my testing, vacuums with dual brush rolls are far more effective. For reference, the most powerful robot vacuums in 2025 ranged between 20,000 and 30,000 Pa of suction power, and new robot vacuums coming out in 2026 bump that up to 35,000 Pa.

Automatic emptying

Pet parents should definitely opt for a self-emptying robot vacuum — so much fur being sucked up will lead to a full dustbin faster, and you won't feel like emptying it yourself every day. Even with daily usage, an auto-empty robot vacuum can last between one and three months before you need to empty the dustbin.

Mopping

If hardwood or tile is prevalent in your home, the best robot vacuum and mop combo for pet hair will be able to sanitize the floor while mopping and then wash its own mops to rinse off any lingering hair. Mopping is also much more likely to effectively wipe up other minuscule pet-related debris, like pet dander and kitty litter dust, that are too small to be inhaled by a vacuum's suction power.

Smart mapping

Some rooms or spots on the floor within those rooms get furrier than others. A smart mapping robot vacuum learns the layout of your home and can head to specific zones on command, which you can queue up right from the app. In my opinion, smart mapping is the most worthwhile robot vacuum feature, and should be a baseline even when searching for a cheap model — cleaning performance is a moot point if the vacuum can't get where it needs to go in the first place.

Small obstacle avoidance

Some advanced robot vacuums use cameras and 3D sensors to pinpoint any small roadblocks in the cleaning path in front of them. When successful, these vacuums save themselves from eating most pet toys, cords, laundry, or socks or shoes, avoid ramming into pet bowls, and even dodge pet waste.

Bungie is a world-class studio making some of the best first-person shooters in the world. In my initial hand-on piece on Marathon, I said the gunplay was impressive and the art direction enticing, but after fully playing through this title, I'm even more impressed — and that's no surprise.

From Halo all the way to Destiny, Bungie has a record of hits. For Marathon, the company brought back one of its older franchises to add to its shooter repertoire. It’s Bungie at its best and shows why the developer is still a top player in the video game space. From its incredible gunplay, level design, art direction, and soundscapes, there’s nothing quite like Marathon. 

Marathon takes place on the planet Tau Ceti IV, where human colonists have uploaded their consciousnesses to inhabit disposable cybernetic ones, turning them into “Runners.” As Runners, they constantly infiltrate Tau Ceti IV to scrounge up any resources, artifacts, and data to bring back to their factions. While Marathon doesn’t present its story front and center, the various factions are surprisingly interesting. It reminds me of Concord, where I actually found reading about its lore in the in-game encyclopedia much more fun than playing the actual game.

Credit: Bungie

In Marathon, there are six different factions to fulfill contracts with, and they all embody different aspects of Marathon’s universe. For example, the starting faction is Cyberacme, whose expertise is AI, while NuCaloric focuses on agricultural matters and basic needs. And the contracts that these factions dole out often have you playing Marathon in different ways. MIDA, the anarchist group, has you running around and triggering alarms. Sekiguchi, on the other hand, is the company behind the cybernetic shells and views Runners as experimental test subjects. Some of their contract requirements include taking a certain amount of fall damage. Marathon’s worldbuilding is told through clever gameplay and these factions.

Thankfully, Marathon has solid gameplay loops to back it up. It’s an extraction shooter, similar to ARC Raiders, where players jump into a map, collect items, and exfil out. If you’re an avid Destiny player, meaning that you’re used to going in guns blazing, Marathon will feel entirely foreign to you.

You’re limited in supplies, and any items that you bring with you or collect on the field will disappear if you die. You need to plan out your routes methodically and explore carefully in order to avoid fights at all costs. This creates a tense atmosphere of unpredictability that’s equally unnerving, yet exciting. Scattered across the field are both NPCs and other human players, and trust me, they’re hard. The robotic NPCs are durable, and other human players show absolutely no mercy. 

This makes Marathon feel so distinctly different from Halo, Destiny, and even ARC Raiders. If you try to take the NPCs in a gunfight, you’ll most likely get wiped, which is a stark difference from Bungie’s other shooters. In ARC Raiders, you’ll come across many friendly human players, but in Marathon, they won’t hesitate to just murk you. This contrast ultimately comes down to their themes. In ARC Raiders, humanity bands together to take on deadly machinations, while in Marathon, you’re at each other’s throats for scraps on Tau Ceti IV. It’s every Runner for themselves.

The way gunfights break out feels organic and leads to a lot of emergent moments, making Ceta Tau feel like such an oppressive but masochistically fun place to be. As expected of Bungie, the guns feel slick and impactful, making the moment-by-moment shootouts incredibly exhilarating.

Credit: Bungie

If you successfully exfil, then items that you bring back are automatically sold, and you can use the money to purchase guns and other equipment to give yourself an initial advantage when you deploy again. But don’t forget, you could very well die, even with your shiny new toys, and lose everything you brought with you.

This gives Marathon the “just one more fun” kind of loop. Even if you die, you never feel like you’re too far behind, and everyone feels like they’re on a level playing field. This is thanks to sponsored kits, which the factions provide to give you the most basic tools, like guns and healing supplies, to start a run. The downside is that you can’t use any other equipment. But even with the most rudimentary equipment, you can emerge successfully by playing well. Whenever that happens, there’s an immense sense of accomplishment when you exfil.

Looking at the Map

Credit: Bunie

Credit: Bungie

Marathon’s map design is impeccable as well. So far, there are four maps: Perimeter, Dire Marsh, Outpost, and Cryo Archive. Each of them is escalating in complexity, too. Perimeter is a fantastic starting point and is more beginner-friendly, as it has large, wide-open spaces. Dire Marsh increases the intensity a bit with fog and dense grasses, requiring you to be more careful. When a fight breaks out, it can be hard to figure out where bullets are raining down on you compared to playing in Perimeter. What I love about these two maps is that it’s easy to hop into them if you’re just looking to play a quick match.

Outpost is when things start to ramp up, as it's a smaller map with tighter corners. You’ll run into other human players much more often. Since players tend to have more valuable loot than the robot NPCs, the risk and reward ratio is higher. Plus, you’ll need to acquire special keyguards in order to get to the map’s center, the Pinwheel, where the most valuable loot is located. Unlike Perimeter and Dire Marsh, coming in with a communicative team will have you see higher levels of success than playing with randoms. If you’re really serious about Marathon, Outpost is a great way to test your skills — and your patience.

Credit: Bungie

But Marathon’s true test is its last available map, Cryo Archive. It's an unforgivingly cold and difficult labyrinth. To even access it, you need to equip gear with a total value of 5,000 credits, so you can’t just roll in there with a sponsored kit. And another kicker is that it’s only available to play on weekends. Basically, the idea of this is to play Marathon throughout the week to accumulate strong gear, and then head into the Cryo Archive when the weekend starts. And trust me, you’ll need to be as prepared as you can. Getting ready for this map shows how dedicated you are to Marathon, although the downside is that many casual players won’t ever get to feel how exhilarating and tense it is as the barrier to entry can be an issue.

In any case, Cryo Archive features an ingenious amount of level design. There are multiple clearance levels (up to level 5), and you’ll need to hack monitors and grab security tags off of players you kill. It’s such a complicated process that dwarfs anything you experience on Perimeter and Dire Marsh. You can’t even extract out the normal way as you would do in the other maps, either. You have to reach at least clearance level 3, and you’re also under a time limit. There’s a certain kind of satisfaction that goes into planning a Cryo Archive run. The winnings are astronomical, but the losses are just as extreme. Cryo Archive’s puzzle-like layout rivals that of Resident Evil Requiem’s care center puzzle-box. Even under a ton of pressure, I can’t help but marvel at the level design.

Going Back to the Future

Credit: Bungie

What really ties Marathon together is the retro-futurism aesthetic that the game is going for. The font and menus look exactly like what Apple interfaces looked like in the ‘80s, deliberately referencing Marathon’s origins on Macintosh computers. The sound design is equally impressive. Audio cues are incredibly important in Marathon, as the ring of gunfire can give away your position. Even engaging in shootouts with the NPC robots is a risk. In the Cryo Archive, especially, you also need to be aware of the sound of your footsteps. Hearing the sound of glass breaking or the blaring alarms of a lockdown can really throw a wrench in your plans. Each run in Marathon is ever-changing, and it’s stunning how Bungie managed to pull this off with only four maps.

That being said, its biggest issues are its user interfaces and controls. They’re clunky as the similar actions don’t use the same input. For example, I’ll open up a box with the square button on my controller, yet I have to place the items from that box into my inventory with the X button. It messes with your brain and doesn’t feel intuitive. Even after dozens of hours playing, I still have to think about what to press sometimes. The font is hard to read too, even if you’re playing on a big screen. There are no options to increase the size or anything. Hopefully, that can be fixed in a later update.

According to Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead Games, “A game for everyone is a game for no one.” Marathon is the exact opposite of that. It won’t have the widespread appeal that Halo or Destiny does. But it showcases Bungie at its absolute best, putting all of its knowledge and skills to create something extraordinary.

The verdict: A satisfying slow burn

Marathon has exemplary gunplay, level and audio design, as well as top-tier aesthetics that keep your eyes glued to the screen. Even the lore got me interested in its factions and overall universe. It may not be for everyone. It’s a hardcore game, and if you can meet it on its own terms, you’ll have one hell of a time.

Marathon is now available on Steam, PS5, and Xbox.

We can all agree that moms and mother figures deserve the world and a little bit more on Mother's Day. But let's be straight: Very few us can afford the kinds of gifts they truly deserve — the diamond necklaces, luxurious weekend trips, or designer gear. Sure, Mom is more than worthy of unwrapping something along those lines on Mother's Day but it's just not realistic.

But is that reason to send Mom a gift card from the grocery store checkout line, or to grab the first bouquet of barely adequate flowers? Absolutely not.

With Mother's Day 2026 fast approaching, here are more than 20 ideas for inexpensive but thoughtful Mother's Day gifts — all under $50. You can make her feel special without breaking the bank with these gift ideas, which include several products recommended to us by our own moms and mom friends.

There's a lot of pressure when it comes to thinking up great gift ideas for your mom. She's done the hard wok of actually raising you, and it's time to throw some appreciation back her way. Part of our larger series dedicated to finding the best gifts for everyone, this list of gifts for your mom (or any mom or mother figure, for that matter, who all deserve something special) attempts to think outside of the same old generic suggestions that have plagued moms at major holidays for decades.

Does she have a unique interest or pastime that's a huge part of her life? You could look for hyper-specific items that speak directly to her passions, or pick up an item to finally nudge her towards getting started on that dream hobby. If she'd appreciate a more practical gift, rack your brain for a frustration that she's mentioned more than once — perhaps her coffee machine sucks or she's having trouble relaxing. You can't go wrong with gifting something that'll make her life easier.

Mother's Day is fast approaching on May 10, so there's no better time to pick her a gift. The best gifts will make her feel listened to, valued, or straight-up pampered. Consider what she does when she has no one putting demands on her time — then shop for those moments. And if you get stuck, or your budget's tight, visit our guide to the best gifts under $50 for even more winning ideas.

Don't you love it when the universe seems to be listening?

For instance, my colleague Samantha Mangino just wrote about how great the budget-friendly Soundcore Space One headphones are, and voilá, Soundcore's new Space 2 headphones are officially available at Amazon and Soundcore's website as of April 20.

Naturally, I couldn't be one to close my ears off to what the universe was offering me, so I got my hands on a pair of the Soundcore Space 2 headphones ahead of their launch, and tested them out over the course of the past two weeks. (As a headphones reviewer, I guess this is also technically my professional obligation, but still.)

Knowing that the Space Ones are great, I've had my eye on the second-gen headphones since their announcement at Mobile World Congress in March — I'm happy to report that these headphones do not disappoint. At a price point far more accessible than premium flagship releases these days, I could see these headphones being the best option for most people, especially if you don't need the absolute top-of-the-line features.

Of course, budget products always come with a few trade-offs, and the Space 2s are no exception. So let's get into it.

Soundcore Space 2: Price and specs

The Soundcore Space 2 headphones look (and sound) great. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

In an era where one of the big constants of headphones releases is increasing price points, it's nice to see a brand launching well-rounded headphones that don't cost several hundred dollars. It's especially pleasant to see headphones that are just $129.99, as the Soundcore Space 2 are. While this is $30 more than the Space One's $99.99, it's still an incredibly competitive price point. Here's what you'll get with the headphones:

• Battery life: 50 hours with ANC on, 70 hours with ANC off

• Quick charge: Five minutes of charge for four hours of playback

• Listening modes: Noise cancellation, normal, transparency

• Drivers: Double-layer 40mm diaphragm drivers

• Multipoint connection: Yes, up to two devices

• Equalizer: Eight-band custom equalizer, with 22 equalizer presets

• Spatial audio: Yes

• Audio codecs supported: SBC, AAC, and LDAC

• Passive playback: Yes

• On-ear controls: Noise cancellation button, multifunction button, power/Bluetooth button, and volume controls

• Colors: Seafoam green, white, black

The Soundcore Space 2 headphones sound great

Out of the box, the Space 2 headphones sound balanced, clear, and generally pretty damn great. But you don't have to stop there.

With the companion app, the Space 2 headphones allow for plenty of customization. There's the eight-band custom equalizer, the HearID test that helps you find your sonic preferences, and the 3D Sound (Soundcore's name for spatial audio). And, as on other Soundcore audio devices, you have your pick from 22 preset equalizer options, too. (I remain partial to the Treble Booster).

I put these headphones to the test with plenty of variety, including "No One Knows" by Queens of the Stone Age, "Aerodynamic" by Daft Punk, "Hooligan" by BTS, and "Here is Someone" by Japanese Breakfast. Whether it was the rock-heavy punches from Queens of the Stone Age, the bass-forward mix of BTS's song, or the lilting vocals and soft strings of "Here is Someone," the Space 2 headphones handled the soundscape deftly. I even listened back to a podcast episode I edited (and therefore, was very familiar with) — Soundcore's headphones sounded great.

As a self-proclaimed spatial audio skeptic, I was also pleasantly surprised by the 3D sound feature. Generally, I find spatial audio to sound hollow and tinny in a way that very much does not immerse me. And while Soundcore's version didn't work unanimously across genres, for some songs (again, like "No One Knows") it added the immersive sense, without losing a sense of the song's fullness.

Finally, their noise cancellation. I don't have too much to say here — it's nothing astounding, but it certainly gets the job done, especially on lower-pitched hums. That means if the main reason you're getting noise-cancelling headphones is to block out a lot of talking, you might find these aren't best suited to your needs. Soundcore recommends these for plane rides in particular. While I didn't get a chance to travel during my testing period, I can attest to them being great headphones and great for busy households. Living with eight of my family members in Southern California, I'm very attuned to the sounds of other people playing music, TV shows, cooking, or sounds of the neighborhood, like gardeners with leaf blowers or cars driving by — these headphones handled all of the above with ease.

A better-than-budget look and wear

In my experience, budget headphones tend to show their price point in their design. Maybe they're clunky, have odd colorways, or are more prone to squeezing the head.

This was not the case with the Space 2 headphones. The memory foam ear cushions and padded band made hours of wear entirely possible and comfortable — even when I wore hats or my glasses. The on-ear buttons were intuitively placed, with two on each side (and some customization available through the app), which made pausing music and switching to the next song entirely possible without ever reaching for my devices.

Soundcore's headphones look better than your average pair of budget headphones. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

In a similar vein, the wear detection worked well most of the time. Mainly, it faltered if the sensor was blocked (one time when I put my headphones on my lap, and another when I only removed one ear cup from my ear). Still, for $130, I'm not complaining.

Finally, Soundcore gives the option of three colorways on these headphones, all of which are cute and fit in with more expensive headphones, like the Bose QuietComforts.

Black and white are the other two available colorways on the Space 2 headphones. Credit: Soundcore

Credit: Soundcore

Some of the best battery life available

This isn't going to be a very long section because it's quite straightforward, but the battery life on these headphones deserves a call-out. With noise cancellation, you can get 50 hours of playback. Noise cancellation and wear detection drops that to 45 hours, while no noise cancellation bumps it up to 70 hours. Long story short, it'll take you a minute to run down the battery life.

In my two weeks of testing, they finally ran out on the very last day I was using them — and even then, a five-minute quick charge got me 20 percent of the battery life back. For comparison, significantly more expensive headphones like the Bose QC Ultra 2 and Sony XM6 headphones can each run for 30 hours with ANC. Only a handful of options fall in the higher battery life range, like the Sennheiser Momentum 4 and Marshall Monitor III headphones, which offer 60 and 70 hours with ANC, respectively.

Unexpected extras

If a pair of headphones $130 or under nails the sound and design and has decent battery life, I'm typically not expecting much more from them. And yet, this is Soundcore.

What that means is that these headphones come with a couple of interesting extras. One piqued my interest more than the other, but I appreciate the inclusion of both. Let's start with the nap mode feature, which allows you to set white noise and a timer for taking a nap. It's not the most surprising feature, considering Soundcore makes the best sleep earbuds on the market, but I'm not sure over-ear headphones are the most sleep conducive. Still, I guess it's nice that the option is there.

More intriguing was the live translation feature. I'd encountered it before on Soundcore's open earbuds and found it to be pretty reliable. I tested it again by making my friend speak to me in Korean and my mom speak to me in Spanish — with both languages, the translation was about 80 to 90 percent accurate, and relatively fast working. The only place it didn't work was with the automatic language detection — the app kept crashing. However, inputting the language that was to be translated first worked with great results.

What the Soundcore app shows you while using the Live Translation feature. My friend deemed this "impressively accurate." Credit: Screenshot / Soundcore

The budget pitfalls

I genuinely had a hard time coming up with features of these headphones that I found to be less than ideal. While I don't think any of these features are experience-destroying, they're worth being aware of before purchase.

• Slight creaking: While this wasn't the most noticeable, I could occasionally hear slight creaking from the headphones when I moved my head — especially when I wasn't streaming audio. It wasn't nearly as bad as I'd experienced on the JLab JBuds Lux ANC headphones, but it was more noticeable than on a more expensive pair of headphones, like the Bose QuietComforts.

• App isn't the best for accessing all the features: These headphones are decently feature-rich, but the app can be a little confusing to navigate, with too many menus hiding all the options for customization.

• Noise cancellation lets in higher tones: The noise cancellation for low-tones is great — for higher tones like talking, these headphones tend to show their price more. That's not to say it doesn't work well — it does — but you shouldn't expect Sony performance here.

Are the Soundcore Space 2 headphones worth it?

In a word, yes. In two words, absolutely yes.

Soundcore made a name for itself in creating excellent budget products, and it holds that name up with the Space 2 headphones. I can't think of another pair that offers the same balance of performance, design, and functionality, making these a great buy for everyone, from students to folks on a budget looking for a pair of everyday headphones.

Soundcore Space 2

$129.99 at Amazon

 

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Apple's got new headphones in its lineup. Or does it?

The new AirPods Max 2 are the first proper upgrade to the company's first and only set of over-the-ear headphones, which came out in 2020; the revised version in 2024 only got a USB-C port instead of Lightning, and Apple, again, just called them AirPods Max.

Now, the AirPods Max 2 are here, but the list of upgrades is once again pretty short. I've spent about a week with a pair to see whether these are worth their price; here's what I found.

Design, colors, battery life: No changes

This is the first time, and possibly the last time, I'm lumping all of these together in a headphone review. The reason is simple: They're all the same. The design, weight, and dimensions haven't changed at all. Even the colors on offer are the same: Midnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple, and Orange.

I've had an old pair of Midnight AirPods Max with USB-C (check my full review), and the new ones Apple sent me were Blue. There's literally no way of telling that these are different model numbers and two years apart.

On the left, the new AirPods Max 2. On the right, the old AirPods Max. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

To be fair, there isn't very much I'd change here, design-wise. These headphones look great, they're incredibly sleek and comfortable, and even though I rarely use the physical controls on the right earcup, I have no improvement suggestions there, either.

Some people complain that the AirPods Max are too heavy. At 386.2 grams, they are pretty chunky; for comparison, Sony's WH-1000XM6 and Bose's QuietComfort Ultra headphones, which are also wireless, over-the-ear headphones with active noise cancellation, both weigh roughly 130 grams less. I don't mind the weight, but if you do, just note that nothing has changed in this regard since the very first AirPods Max model.

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What does annoy me is the fact that the AirPods Max can only be fully folded inwards, and when you do that, the chance of one earcup chaffing and scratching the other gets very high with each movement. Apple's Smart Case is practically a must-carry for this reason alone, but I'm unhappy to report that the case is still the same as before: Unsightly and not very protective.

I like the look of the AirPods Max 2, and I don't mind the fact that they're pretty heavy but...they are pretty heavy. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

The Blue color was nicer than I thought, because it's far more silver than blue. It is a lot flashier and more noticeable on your head than Midnight, so if you're looking for something subdued, Blue isn't it. It is odd, however, that Apple didn't introduce at least one new color with the new model.

Battery life is still listed at 20 hours with noise cancellation on, and I didn't notice any difference between the old and the new model.

They sound pretty much the same, too

If you're shopping for a pair of headphones, the way they sound should be pretty high on your list of priorities. With the AirPods Max 2, Apple left most of the hardware unchanged, with the biggest difference being the new H2 chip.

In theory, it should improve sound quality; in its marketing materials, Apple says the new model offers "elevated sound quality."

As hard as I tried, I couldn't hear the difference when it comes to sound quality. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Both the old AirPods Max and the new ones sound excellent. They offer a wide soundstage and plenty of detail across all frequencies. The sound is tuned so that the bass and treble are pronounced, while the mid-range is a little subdued. I prefer to fix that with a trick: On the iPhone, go to Settings - Accessibility - Audio & Visual - Headphone Accommodations; turn the setting on, and select "Tune audio for Balanced Tone". I have it set to Moderate, which makes the overall sound brighter and the vocals more present.

With or without such tinkering, I could not hear the difference between the old and new models. My initial setup was to remove all equalization, turn off Bluetooth, connect the headphones to a MacBook Pro with a USB-C cable, and play some hi-res lossless track on Apple Music, while alternating between the two models. In such a setting, the two models sounded exactly the same.

With the biggest improvement to the new model being the H2 chip, I thought perhaps I could get a bigger difference by going wireless, and switching between various modes and options, including Transparency mode and Noise Cancellation. Nope. I still couldn't hear a difference, aside from noise cancelling being better on the new model (more on that in a bit).

Better noise cancellation and tons of new software features

The noise cancellation has been improved. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Apple says the new H2 chip improves noise cancellation by 1.5x compared to the old model. I can't vouch for that exact figure, but the noise cancellation has been audibly improved. I've tested it by blasting white noise and jet engine noise on various speakers around the house, and not only did the new AirPods Max 2 blocked more noise, but they were also better at reducing noise depending on where I turned or how I moved my head.

That said, Apple's AirPods Max 2 still aren't particularly great at noise cancellation. While not directly comparable as they're a different type of headphone, Apple's own AirPods Pro 3 earbuds are a better choice, and not by a little. Wearing them on a busy street makes the outside noise vanish in a spectacular fashion; the AirPods Max 2 make the noise more tolerable, but the effect isn't nearly as noticeable.

The AirPods Pro 3 are worth mentioning here because they also have the H2 chip, and with this latest upgrade, Apple's AirPods Max 2 are essentially catching up with them. This means the AirPods Max 2 now also have features like Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Live Translation, Voice Isolation, Personalized Volume, Loud Sound Reduction, and Siri Interactions. These are all great since they're optional. For example, I like to manually switch Noise Cancellation on and off, but if you prefer the headphones to do it automatically, Adaptive Audio is the way.

Still pretty great, but not all that new

The AirPods Max 2 are still a great product, but if you have an old model, you don't really need to upgrade. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

The AirPods Max 2 are Apple's only over-the-ear headphones (if you don't count Beats), and they're an excellent product. They sound pretty good, play nice with Apple hardware, they look great, and they're very comfy (if you don't mind the weight). They're pricy, and you can get better-sounding headphones for the money, but you will never get all of the features listed above in one product.

As a second-generation product, however, they aren't great. They're basically the same as the original, with the only meaningful upgrade being the new H2 chip. This does enable a number of new features as well as improve noise cancelling, but that's where the list of improvements ends. And yes, they're still priced at $549, which is more than you'll pay for similar headphones from Sony, Bose, or Sennheiser.

As a result, I can recommend the new AirPods Max 2 in one case only: If you're an avid Apple user shopping for over-the-ear headphones for the first time. If you have a pair of old AirPods Max at home, it's not worth upgrading, and I'd argue that if you just need something that cancels noise well, you'd do better if you just bought the AirPods Pro 3.

Apple AirPods Max 2

$549.99 at T-Mobile

 

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Robot vacuum releases for 2026 kicked off in February and have been relentless since. Compared to multiple pre-spring release dates, Narwal's April 13 launch of the Narwal Flow 2 feels a little behind. A new roller mop robot entering the fold at this point would need to have a little extra sparkle to stand out — to the average buyer, and to me, a vacuum reviewer who has had at least three robot vacuum and mop combos under her roof at any given point since January.

The roller mop is more flat and rectangular than most cylindrical ones. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The Flow 2 comes with detergent that auto-dispenses into the water tank. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

What's special about the Narwal Flow 2?

Seemingly nothing, if you were merely comparing the bullet points in the Flow 2's Amazon description to the Amazon listings for other robovacs in its price range. 31,000 Pa suction power? A self-cleaning roller mop? Dual camera AI object recognition? On paper, it's nothing we haven't heard before. In practice, though, the Narwal Flow 2's AI skills around obstacles and messes have proven more reliable than other 2026 flagships that claim the same thing.

I've realized that the Flow 2's specs are actually loaded for how much Narwal is charging — especially with the Flow 2 at its launch sale price of $1,099.99. 31,000 Pa suction is quite strong for barely costing over $1,000, and heated water mopping is hard to come across at all. The Dreamxe X60 Max Ultra Complete mops with hot water, too, but it's not a roller mop vacuum (and it costs more).

The Narwal Flow 2 might have the best AI mess detection I've seen

Every big robot vacuum is flaunting AI-powered cleaning and obstacle recognition this year. The thing is, AI robot vacuum features mean nothing to me if they're dodgy. Most fancy AI robot vacuums I've tested recently seem to struggle with consistent mess detection, especially around liquid. The Narwal Flow 2 and its Freo Mind AI mode have been different, though.

When Narwal says that the Flow 2 "sees everything," it's honestly not that much of a stretch. When upcoming piles of debris or liquid spills are substantial enough, the Flow 2's front-facing camera snaps a picture before adjusting its cleaning approach accordingly. For instance, the Flow 2 knew that tracked kitty litter around the Litter-Robot was "scattered debris." Suction power audibly boosts when the Flow 2 crosses any area it thinks is heavily soiled.

Every robot vacuum I review has to take the Litter-Robot area test. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The Flow 2 identified the field of dry scattered debris (and got Sansa in the picture). Credit: Screenshot / Narwal

Most AI robot vacs use live imaging like this for behind-the-scenes processing while cleaning, but photographic evidence of what the vacuum is seeing isn't always readily available. I appreciate that the Flow 2 is so transparent about its thought process — it's been fun to make a mess on the floor, then immediately check the app to see if the Flow 2 accurately recognized it.

Narwal's small obstacle avoidance has also been spot-on so far. The Flow 2 successfully avoids charging cords, shoes, and slippers on a daily basis, and even made it a point to steer around large clumps of potting soil (thinking they were pet waste). The app drops a little pin in the map, noting what type of obstacle it found, and you can see a photo of those, too. This is how I found out that the Flow 2 noticed more niche obstacles in its peripherals, like the very out-of-the-way power cord to my Mill food recycling bin and my cat's crinkle ball toys.

Is the Narwal Flow 2 good at mopping?

The Narwal Flow 2 is a beast at soaking up liquid spills. Instead of the traditional cylindrical roller mop design, this roller has flat slides like a conveyor belt. Narwal says this covers 0.157 square feet of floor surface per pass, which is allegedly more direct surface coverage than the sliver of a rounded roller mop hitting the floor at any given point. I believe that. The Flow 2 was super effective at fully soaking up runny spills like wine and thicker droplet consistencies like ranch and pancake batter.

The Flow 2 zeroed in on the wine and navigated around it more carefully. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

It took forever, but the Flow 2 did end up leaving the area spotless. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Most notably, the Flow 2 left no sticky residue behind after mopping several drops of syrup — and every robot vacuum struggles to fully wipe syrup up. This has to be due to the roller mop's use of heated water, which we rarely see in roller mop robot vacuums. The combination of heat with a pressurized flat roller seems to be an elite pairing for melting away caked-on grime.

I realize that 140 degrees Fahrenheit isn't enough to kill bacteria by science's standards. But for me, the heated scrubbing provides an extra layer of sanitation (and subsequently, comfort) for walking around in bare feet.

Is the Narwal Flow 2 good at vacuuming?

The Narwal Flow 2's rug cleaning is definitely in the top percentile of the many flagship robot vacuums I've tested since January. I'd unsurprisingly rank it just below the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete's 35,000 Pa, but would surprisingly rank it above the Roborock Saros 20's 36,000 Pa. If you just want to compare the suction power to other roller mop robot vacuums, the Flow 2 is a smidge better than the Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow's 20,000 Pa.

There's a lot of variety in the Narwal app's customized vacuuming settings. There are four suction options from "quiet" to "super powerful," plus the occasional pop-up option for "vortex suction," depending on the floor type. You can choose between a standard or meticulous route, the latter taking longer as the Flow 2 scrupulously cleans in two zigzag patterns, one running perpendicular to the first to create a crosshatch pattern. My favorite part is being able to choose up to THREE cleaning passes for extra good measure.

I entrusted the Flow 2 with tackling daily rug buildup like shedded cat hair and long head hairs from my own personal shedding, small crumbs, and litter lodged in the fibers of my plush bath mats. All of those saw a 95 to 97 percent pickup rate. After recently watching the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai miss a ton of tiny quinoa pieces that I dumped into the fluffy hallway rug, I experimented with the Flow 2's handling of the same exact mess. It went much better this time.

From sticky water bowl stains to flung food, the Flow 2 always excels in the cat bowl area. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

If the Flow 2 missed any cat food on the first pass, it always grabs it on the second or third. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The Flow 2's performance on hardwood and tile has been solid, too. I was constantly sending it to clean up kibble and crusted wet food flung from my cats' bowls, fallen dryer lint, and two types of cat litter. None of the missed debris or dust here and there has been egregious, confirmed by the laser on one of my Dyson stick vacuums. Not even a minuscule stem was left behind after the Flow took several passes over dried bouquet remnants that my cat knocked out of a vase.

Factors to keep in mind

As helpful as the meticulous cleaning and navigational settings have been, they're sometimes granular to the point of being more complicated than they need to be.

The Narwal refused to go near the wine just because of the setting it was on. Credit: Screenshot / Narwal

Narwal's cleaning settings were... hyper-vigilant when I wanted the Flow 2 to clean up a puddle of wine. No matter how many times I sent it to vacuum and mop this cleaning zone, the Flow 2 would clean the entire rectangle but the few inches with a wine splatter — even though I could see in the app that a liquid spill was detected. It took me forever to figure out that I had the Flow 2 in a custom "vacuum and mop at the same time" mode, and that the Flow 2 didn't want to vacuum over a liquid spill. I'm obviously thankful that the Flow 2 won't just drive through a puddle and suck wine up into the dust bin, but I'm surprised that the Flow 2 can't tweak its cleaning strategy, regardless of whether it's in custom mode. A heads-up like, "I'm not ignoring this spill just to annoy you. Switch me to Freo mode!" would have been nice.

After its initial mapping run, the Flow 2 quietly defaulted rug settings to "cross the carpet without cleaning it." That's the Freo smart cleaning system trying to avoid getting rugs wet when mopping, but that feels like an illogical extra step. Other premium robot vacuums automatically clean both floor types on the fly, and simply cut water flow and lift the mop on soft flooring. This setting is buried in the map management maze, and I don't think most people would assume that it's a setting they could even toggle. They'd just get pissed off that their new robot vacuum is refusing to vacuum the rug.

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

All the single ladies — as well as the single fellas — are complaining about the same thing lately. Everyone's exhausted from the stress, admin, and the general minefield that is online dating. App fatigue isn't just a buzzword term. It's a real phenomenon, and it makes connections all the much harder to find. Sometimes it feels actually impossible, like getting lost in the never-ending app-scroll. We understand the basic problem all too well: You just want the dating apps that actually work. Which begs the question: Which dating apps do actually work?

There are no right answers, of course. Because it’s less about finding an app that works than finding the right app for what you actually want. People on eharmony are probably looking for long-term commitment, while people swiping through hookup apps such as Tinder are after… well, let’s just say we know what they’re looking for.

The crucial thing is to remember you'll get results if you know how to navigate the right apps. Sure, we're all suffering from dating app burnout, but research proves that they do get job the done. A SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus found that 65 percent of people aged between 18 and 29 have used dating apps, while a 2023 report found that one in five young people met their partner via an app. The best dating apps are one of the most reliable ways to meet a partner.

Thankfully, Mashable’s dating experts know what they're talking about here. They've put valuable hours into testing and using datings apps IRL, determining the best apps for every kind of dater. So, to help you make a match, we've put together this roundup of the dating apps worth downloading in 2026.

Here is where things currently stand on my Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream island: I'm married to Dua Lipa, who I only added to the island because I wanted her to fall in love with my friend Nick, who has a thing for her. Nick, in a full cowboy getup, played guitar and sang at our wedding because he's a good guy who would never let jealousy end a friendship. Meanwhile, my friend Curt has a devastating crush on Sonic the Hedgehog, but so far it remains tragically unrequited. Stewie Griffin and Eric Cartman have also fallen in love with each other, but neither party has confessed as much yet. I wish them all the best.

This is largely how Tomodachi Life on the Nintendo Switch goes. You make a bunch of Miis (you know, the weird little dudes you played as in Wii Sports 20 years ago), perform a tiny amount of daily maintenance to keep them happy and unlock new stuff, and whatever happens next is up to them. While at times it barely feels like a game in the traditional sense, there's simply no denying how much fun it is.

As a long-awaited follow-up to Tomodachi Life on 3DS (released in 2014), Living the Dream has big shoes to fill. While not every great aspect of the 3DS game made the journey to Nintendo Switch, Nintendo has expanded upon that game's vision in enough other cool ways to make this a sequel worth waiting more than a decade for.

I hope you like landscaping

Since Living the Dream is launching to a much larger audience than the 3DS game did 12 years ago, I imagine there are plenty of folks wondering what the heck it is. Let me explain it the best I can.

In Living the Dream, the player's main job is to cultivate and maintain an island full of Miis. You can base them on yourself, your friends, or your favorite fictional characters, celebs, or athletes. Each Mii has a distinct personality set by the player via a series of personality sliders ("Honest" and "Polite" are at opposite ends of one slider, for example), and this dictates how they behave and who they become friends with. Feeding them food they like, giving them stylish outfits, and otherwise fulfilling whatever mundane requests they make will fill up a happiness meter, which facilitates island expansion and other fun unlocks.

And that's pretty much it! The bones of Tomodachi Life haven't changed much since 2014, but a lot of things around the edges have been updated to make Living the Dream a more customizable experience than the last game. Perhaps the biggest change is that you can perform grid-based island customization now to make your island look exactly how you want. This also opens up another avenue for unlocking collectibles, as things like potted plants, trees, vending machines, and certain walking surfaces are now locked behind leveling up.

This is the life. Credit: Nintendo

I have to admit that this is not something I'm very keen on in any game. I just don't have a good eye for interior or exterior decoration. That said, Living the Dream makes this extremely simple to do and low-stakes enough that you can safely ignore it if you want. One of my favorite features is that, anytime it's time to place a new structure or item, you can press a "Mii's Choice" button to make the game put it wherever it makes the most sense. Or, sometimes, it'll put a vending machine on the beach. Either way, I don't have to think too hard about it.

Another cool new feature is the ability to create objects, clothing, and even physical features for Miis by simply drawing with a cursor (or, in handheld mode, a touchscreen). Again, I am not an artist, so this is something I didn't do a lot, but I know for certain it's going to unlock a new level of deranged nonsense once Living the Dream goes wide.

Even if it's not something I want to spend a lot of time on, making the Mii Island a more tangible and customizable place is a great move for Living the Dream. People are going to go nuts with it, and I can't wait to see dedicated players' Mii metropolises, even though they won't be able to easily share them online. More on that in a moment.

The voice synthesis is what makes Tomodachi Life great

Imagine this, but in the weirdest robot voice you've ever heard. Credit: Nintendo

The actual gameplay of Tomodachi Life, at least in my eyes, is not really the appeal here. That said, it is a fun and rewarding loop that can remain engaging for dozens of hours, while never really asking the player to spend more than 30 to 45 minutes playing at a time. One of the best aspects of Living the Dream is that you'll just kinda naturally run out of things to do before each session reaches an hour, unless you have an ungodly number of Miis on your island. They'll stop making requests and start operating on their own. You can stick around and watch, or you can come back later. It's got Animal Crossing-style real-time clock elements, so there are reasons to log on at certain times of day. But, thankfully, I never once felt obligated to structure my real-life schedule around Tomodachi Life, which is what turned me off of Animal Crossing.

In actuality, though, the secret sauce that makes Living the Dream work is the robotic text-to-speech voice synthesis that every Mii uses to speak. They'll often ask you questions that you can answer in a text field, and then they'll repeat the answer out loud in all sorts of different contexts. I told a Mii that I like Bruce Springsteen, and now all of the Miis on my island talk about The Boss a lot. Nintendo made the rather brilliant decision to not include a censorship filter of any kind in Living the Dream, so while I'll refrain from sharing specific examples, I can confirm that you can make them talk about literally anything you can fit in that text field.

I'm not joking when I say the reason to play this game is to just sit and listen to the Miis talk. Their voices sound distinctly unnatural in a way that's both funny and refreshingly honest in a world full of generative AI garbage. At no point are any of your Miis trying to actually imitate human speech, which is what makes it so charming. Of course, you have full control over their voice pitch, depth, and tone, so you can make them sound really weird, if you want.

This mostly manifests in the form of little comedy skits your Miis will ambiently perform for your amusement. Occasionally, a Mii will ask you to help them befriend another Mii by requesting a conversation topic. Type anything in, and they'll have a goofy little Mad Libs-style conversation about it. The voice synthesis in Tomodachi Life is not new for this entry in the series, but it is absolutely key to what makes Living the Dream so fun to check in on every day.

I just wish you could use the share button

You can draw whatever you want, but good luck sharing it on social media. Credit: Nintendo

In Living the Dream, Miis have never looked crisper and more high-definition. There are more cosmetic options for them here than the Wii had, so if you're creative enough, you can make a virtual facsimile of just about anyone. Nintendo has also made the admirable decision to make this a Switch 1 joint rather than locking it onto the more expensive Switch 2. Unfortunately, this means the game is locked to 30 frames per second and doesn't currently take advantage of any unique Switch 2 features, such as mouse control, which would have made drawing things and landscaping a lot easier. The frame rate thing doesn't really matter in a game like this, but no mouse support is a real bummer.

Nothing is a bigger bummer, though, than the lack of true share button support. In Living the Dream, you can press the Switch's share button to capture screenshots and video clips of hilarious moments, just like you would in any other Switch game. However, Nintendo has turned off the ability to upload captures directly to a mobile device. This means getting screenshots and videos off of a console and onto social media is borderline impossible for the average user.

There's a loophole that involves putting the captures on a SD card and uploading them to a computer that way, but most people simply aren't going to do that.

My friends and I do this on weekends. Credit: Nintendo

I think I understand Nintendo's thinking here. If the share button worked as normal in a game with no censorship filter, the internet would be flooded with horrible pictures and videos from misbehaving Miis, a bad look for the most family-friendly publisher in gaming. Unfortunately, there are so many funny screenshots I've taken that I can't even include in this review because I can't currently get them off my Switch.

Lastly, I'll also mention that I don't think you can write songs for your Miis to perform in this game, as you could in the 3DS version. It's possible I just haven't fulfilled some arcane unlocking mechanism to use that feature, but as far as I can tell, my favorite part of the 3DS version has been excised. Sad.

Even with those bothersome limitations, Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is almost exactly what I wanted it to be in every other respect. It's a different, more lowkey kind of "cozy game" than Pokémon Pokopia. Rather than focusing on large-scale construction projects, you'll spend most of your time in Living the Dream making funny little talking dolls that look like your friends and pushing them together until they fall in love, or don't. Most importantly, I laugh literally every time I play it. Most video games can't claim that.

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Credit: Nintendo

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream

$59.99 at Amazon

 

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Wired earbuds used to be a staple with a new phone. Apple stopped including wired earbuds with iPhones as of 2020, citing environmental benefits. That means you have to do your own research to find the best pair of wired earbuds. Things to consider include what input your phone has: Do you have USB-C, or are you stuck in the past with a Lightning or aux cable? And, do you take calls when wearing earbuds? If so, you'll need a mic.

Plus, the best wired earbuds brands might not be the same you'll find in our guides to the best headphones or best earbuds. We're looking to old-school favorites (hello, Skullcandy!) to find affordable, comfortable, and great-sounding earbuds. Luckily, we have great models for every budget. But don't fear — the wired earbuds on this list are all $60 or under.

These are the best wired earbuds of 2026.

Other wired earbuds we tested

In testing wired earbuds, I learned there are plenty of great options out there. The four earbuds on this list are our favorites, but we also tested other options. We tested another set of Skullcandy earbuds and options from JLab and Sony, too.

The Skullcandy Set are still a great pair of earbuds, but we prefer the Skullycandy Jib earbuds. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The Sony IER-EX15C earbuds have high quality sound but unruly cords, which tangle easily. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

JLab's JBuds Pro are a decent option, especially if you need a lightning cable. Unfortunately, the fit was off, and if the cord moved at all while in use, the sound reverberated loudly in my ears. The Sony IER-EX15C were another great pair of USB-C earbuds, but the cord is too thin and long, which is a pain to wear and makes them tangle too easily. Skullcandy's Set earbuds nearly made the list as a mid-tier option, but they couldn't beat the Jib's great fit and overall value.

How to choose the best Airwrap dupe

In 2026, there are more Airwrap models on the market than ever, but the price points are higher. There's the $549.99 Airwrap Origin, the $649.99 Airwrap i.d., and the $749.99 Co-anda 2x. There are some differences in performance abilities between the three models, but for the purposes of this guide, I'll be focusing on dupes that can achieve similar styling results first and foremost, and ideally use similar tech (including multiple attachments, auto-wrap curling barrels, and the airflow "grabbing" the hair known as the Coanda effect) to get to those results. You can learn more about the specific differences between the Dyson models in the FAQ below.

As for which dupes are the best, I recommend reading more about each product below, but here's the rapid-fire rundown:

If you want the most one-to-one Airwrap experience, the Shark FlexStyle is your best bet (and value). Are long-lasting curls your top priority? The T3 Aire 360's ceramic barrels outperform the FlexStyle and the Airwrap. (Frequent international travelers will also appreciate the dual-voltage of the updated Aire 360). Simply want the best blowout possible? The Amika Blowout Babe thermal brush provides your fastest, easiest, and longest-lasting results. And finally, if affordability is the name of the game, well, there's a reason everyone and their mother jumped on the Revlon One-Step train back in 2020.

Testing queue

Up next, I'll be testing DryBar's All-Inclusive Air and Active Heat multi-styler.

It's been a long time coming for Pragmata. Capcom's new sci-fi third-person shooter first debuted with a memorably vague trailer during a showcase of PS5 games — before the PS5 even came out — then entered a prolonged period of radio silence. Three or four years ago, you could've convinced me the project was canceled, as so many new-console-showcase games often are.

However, almost six years later, Pragmata is here, it's real, and it kicks ass.

The action game gurus at Capcom have crafted another inventive, tightly designed, and (in this instance) surprisingly heartfelt adventure that stands out in a world where so many big-budget games seemingly want you to never play anything else. Pragmata doesn't have a long bullet-point list of features; instead, it stretches one unique gameplay hook to the extreme for no more than 10 to 12 hours.

Between its excellent hacking-based combat and touchingly sincere interactions between its two protagonists, Pragmata has a real argument as being one of the best recent games in Capcom's portfolio, and that's no small thing if you've been keeping up with Resident Evil, Monster Hunter, and the like over the last seven or eight years.

Meet Hugh and Diana. You'll love them.

Pragmata is a great game to look at. Credit: Capcom

For almost all of Pragmata's story, there are two characters with speaking roles. It's a good thing they're both easy to love.

Players step into the spacesuit boots of Hugh Williams, an exceedingly normal man sent to a futuristic moon base called the Cradle on a repair mission, only to find that the Cradle's entire human staff has been exterminated by angry 3D-printed robots who nominally exist for maintenance and assistance purposes. After the rest of Hugh's repair crew unceremoniously eats it within the first 20 minutes of the game's story, Hugh meets up with a mysterious little robot girl named Diana, who spends the rest of Pragmata riding around on his shoulders as the two try to escape the Cradle and get back to Earth.

Pragmata's story has some twists and turns, many of them predictable if you pay any attention to the various text and audio logs left behind by the former human crew of the Cradle. It's a perfectly fine excuse to romp through a cool moon base full of 3D-printed architecture and freaky robots, but it's unlikely to win any narrative awards at the end of the year. That's fine, though, because the story's main purpose is linking Hugh and Diana together, giving Pragmata some real emotional juice it wouldn't have otherwise.

This is a standout environment in a game with plenty of those. Credit: Capcom

Over the past 10-ish years, video games have been plagued by stories about sad dads learning to become regular people by virtue of having to escort and protect kids through some perilous journey. The Last of Us and Sony's recent God of War reboot games come to mind. Pragmata could have easily fallen down this same hole, but instead, its writers made the gloriously correct decision to give Hugh and Diana more of an uncle/niece relationship instead. Their conversations can be playful and goofy as often as they are sincere and emotional, and Hugh seems to delight in being able to teach Diana (who has never been to Earth) what it's like to live on the human homeworld as they traipse through artificial facsimiles of Earth-like environments.

I'm especially fond of the 3D-printed Times Square environment that's been shown off in various trailers, but rest assured that Pragmata has plenty of environmental variety despite its setting, and it all looks gorgeous and runs flawlessly on a PS5 Pro.

Anyway, most importantly, Hugh is not some traumatized, damaged, sad bastard who needs a child to fill an emotional void in his heart like Joel or Kratos. His backstory isn't entirely pleasant, but for the most part, he's a nice guy who's had a pretty good life full of people who love him, and he's fully aware of that. Hugh spends much of Pragmata extolling the virtues of human love and companionship to Diana, which I found refreshingly positive compared to the overwhelming misanthropy of something like The Last of Us.

All of that characterization manages to transcend what is otherwise a fairly standard sci-fi story, coming to a head in an emotionally satisfying conclusion.

Hack, shoot, and dash your way to freedom

The hacking minigame in its most basic form. Credit: Capcom

Pragmata's narrative elements elevate the experience, to be sure, but they are not the reason why I think you should play it. Rather, I think you should play Pragmata because the part where you fight robots is as fun and clever as any third-person shooter has been in the past few years.

If you haven't been following along (there's a free demo on every platform that you should check out), Pragmata is a shooter where your guns don't really hurt enemies by default. Their robotic exoskeletons are nearly impervious to conventional weaponry, which is where Diana comes in. She uses her android powers to hack enemies, causing them to expose weak points that Hugh can then shoot.

This is done through a simple hacking minigame that accompanies the shooting. When you aim at an enemy, a grid will appear on screen that you navigate through using the four face buttons. The idea is to navigate through beneficial hacking nodes while avoiding harmful ones on the way to a final "complete hack" node, all in real-time as enemies are coming towards Hugh with ill intent. Put more simply, you're completing a little maze on-screen while also trying to avoid and shoot bad guys.

You might think that adding one additional layer to what is otherwise a pretty normal-feeling shooter wouldn't be that big of a deal, but you'd be wrong. The developers at Capcom manage to wring everything they can out of this hacking minigame, as the player gradually unlocks new nodes with different effects, a gauge that builds up with each successful hack that you can expend on more powerful hacks, and some other fun abilities I won't spoil.

Pragmata also has a ton of enemy variety, so while you're just trying to shoot humanoids in the head at the start of the game, combat strategy becomes significantly more interesting and dynamic by the end.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention there's a cool robot who wears a hat. Credit: Capcom

In practice, Pragmata takes what works about recent Resident Evil combat (namely, the tension of carefully aiming at weak points as enemies slowly, ominously trudge towards you), adds all of this fun hacking nonsense, and even adds an acrobatic dash function to the mix. It culminates in something that is extremely fun to do from the very first fight until the final confrontation.

It's also got multiple satisfying upgrade systems that benefit from careful exploration, as secret areas throughout the world are usually filled with exceptionally useful rewards. Pragmata is generally pretty linear, but paying attention to hidden nooks and crannies is every bit as important here as it is in any recent RE game.

I could keep going on about how cool it feels to do a slow-motion perfect dash out of the way of a big boss attack, complete a hack in mid-air, and bombard its weak point with ultra-crunchy space shotgun blasts, but really, you should see it for yourself. Pragmata makes quality use of all its systems, rewards experimentation with different kinds of builds and weapons, and its best challenges ask you to incorporate everything you've learned along the way. I can't really ask for much more out of a great action game.

Well, there is one small thing: It can be kind of hard to wrap your head around hacking when there are lots of enemies on screen. Sometimes, simply locking onto the right one can be a bit of a chore in those circumstances. It's not a big deal, but if the game has one flaw in its combat, it's that.

Pragmata isn't super long, but it makes an impact

I was able to finish Pragmata in about eight hours, but a completionist mindset might stretch that out to 12 to 15 at most. If I have one real complaint about Pragmata beyond its occasionally muddled group combat scenarios and somewhat utilitarian story, it's that I do wish there was just a little more of it. It's less that the game is too short and more that it's so good that I was sad when it was over.

But maybe that's alright. In a world of Crimson Desert-like games that try to do everything at once, maybe we need more experiences like Pragmata. The world of big-budget games would definitely benefit from smaller-scale games with extremely tight, focused design like this. Pragmata was clearly the product of one great idea, and everything that's great about it can be traced back to it.

That's all a game needs.

If you have strong preferences for your workout gear — and strong feelings on Hoka versus Brooks (we're not getting in the middle of that debate) — then finding the right pair of workout headphones can be extra challenging.

The best headphones for working out need to withstand movement, sweat, and the elements. Plus, you don't want something you're constantly fussing with; your headphones should help you stay focused during your exercises.

Mashable reviewers have tested many pairs of headphones and wireless earbuds, and we can tell you which products stay put during a workout, and which buds will go tumbling onto the sidewalk as soon as you break into a run. To make sure we're recommending the right products, we tested over a dozen of the best sports earbuds, headphones, and bone conduction headphones from brands like Bose, Beats, Apple, and Shokz.

How to pick headphones for working out

The right headphones for you depend significantly on the kinds of workouts you like to do and where you like to do them. If you like to run outdoors, you need headphones that keep you safe in busy areas with reliable noise transparency, such as bone conduction headphones or open earbuds. If you're pumping iron at the gym, you might prefer sports earbuds that block out the world with active noise cancellation so you can lock in for your reps. And some people just prefer the look and feel of traditional over-ear headphones. We found reliable options in each category, but in general, most athletes prefer the best wireless earbuds for working out.

For this guide, we looked for two universal specs in all of the headphones we tested. First, workout headphones need to be wireless, giving you a full range of movement. You don't want to get tied up on the stair climber.

Second, workout headphones need to be sweat- or water-resistant. This one is obvious. When you're working out, you're getting sweaty, and you want headphones that won't freak out at the first sign of moisture. Your gym earbuds don't have to be fully waterproof, but this will be helpful for outdoor athletes.

So, whether you're hitting the gym or the pavement, here are the best earbuds and headphones for working out.

Recent changes to this guide

For our most recent update in April 2026, we swapped out the Bose Ultra Open earbuds for the Shokz OpenFit Pro earbuds. In our testing, we found the Shokz buds offer a better value for a similar (and sometimes superior) experience.

In September 2025, we replaced the Apple AirPods Pro 2 with the newly released AirPods Pro 3. Likewise, we swapped out the previous-gen Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds for the QuietComfort Ultra (Gen 2) buds.

In a previous update, we removed the discontinued Jabra Elite 8 Active (Gen 2). These buds previously occupied the top spot and provided remarkable battery life, fit, and sound quality in a highly durable package. We still recommend it if you’re lucky enough to find a pair online at a reasonable price (they sell for $300 on eBay).

We also tested additional products that ultimately didn't make the cut, including the JBL Reflect Aero noise-cancelling earbuds. Despite appearing to have a similar design to the Beats Fit Pro — the earbuds themselves, not the ear tips — were so big they couldn't comfortably fit in the ear, a troubling design that caused them to fall out constantly.

Apple's first "e" model iPhone, the iPhone 16e, wasn't just a review unit for me; I actually lived with it as my main phone for over six months. And while I still stand by what I wrote in my review last year — it was surprisingly powerful for a "cheap" phone, with excellent battery life — the one thing I couldn't stand was its camera.