For more than 100 years, Popular Mechanics has been the go-to resource for DIY home projects. We've tested consumer electronics and small appliances for years, we're now bringing our deep expertise and rigorous evaluations to even more home goods—from products that help you sleep better to security systems you install yourself. As the market becomes saturated with smart-0home technology, it's more essential than ever to identify and recommend exceptional products to make it easier for you to find the right one. These are the best new innovators, long-term top performers, and terrific value picks that will upgrade your home and simplify your life.
—BEST POWER STRIP—Belkin Pivot-Plug 12-Outlet Surge ProtectorShop Now
Never struggle with reorganizing your cables again, thanks to Belkin's Pivot-Plug surge protector. Eight out of its dozen outlets swivel, so you can position them to prevent plugs from obstructing one another, and a clip on one side locks in cables. Along with coaxial cable and phone line protection, it's the all-in-one strip to power everything in a growing home entertainment system. $40
—BEST PORTABLE POWER STRIP—Anker PowerPort CubeShop Now
The diminutive PowerPort Cube—a 3.1-inch square with a 5-foot cord—is small enough to take just about anywhere, whether at your desk or on the go. Including three standard outlets and three rapid-charging USB ports, it also boasts overload protection and a durable, fireproof exterior. $20
—BEST MESH WIFI SYSTEM— Eero Pro + 2 BeaconsShop Now
The Eero Pro is so easy to set up with its app, there's no need for networking smarts, but know that it's a tri-band WiFi network, meaning devices can use more spectrum. Eero claims this mesh system covers a 5,500-square-foot home, and we successfully used the router in a 2,900-square-foot stone house with two-foot-thick walls, plus the beacons to cover an outbuilding, two acres of property, and a barn another 100 feet away. $399
—BEST LAPTOP/TABLET— Microsoft Surface Pro 7Shop Now
After years of tweaking its lineup, Microsoft finally created the ultimate two-in-one device with the Surface Pro 7. Though its design hasn't strayed much, it boasts better graphics, Intel Core i5 with a fanless design, improved Surface Pen compatibility, and a USB-C. Working out the limitations of many laptop-tablet hybrids, it excels as an everyday work machine or just as a tablet for use around the house. $749
—BEST MOUSE— Logitech MX Master 3Shop Now
The Logitech MX Master 3 is a palm-sized jack-of-all-trades. Ergonomic and responsive, it feels great when you're hard at work or hard at play. It works across Windows, macOS, and Linux and its included software lets you customize the MX Master 3 just the way you want it, with simple shortcuts designed for specific applications. $100
—BEST KEYBOARD— Logitech MX KeysShop Now
If you spend the majority of your day at a computer, a new keyboard is a cheap upgrade that you'll appreciate immediately. Logitech's membrane design is quiet and provides just the right amount of resistance before engaging. The concave keys are also appreciably more comfortable than flat keys, and turning off the backlight increases the claimed battery life from 10 days to five months. $100
—BEST WIRELESS EARBUDS— Apple AirPods ProShop Now
Whether you wear them on the couch or on your commute, Apple's AirPods Pro combine decent sound quality with exceptional noise cancellation for wireless earbuds. With Active Noise Cancellation, the AirPods Pro take in aural information through the microphones and calibrate the sound 200 times per second to keep out the racket in your daily life. $249
—BEST WIRELESS HEADPHONES— Bose 700Shop Now
Not even the best of today's wireless earbuds can beat the physical noise isolation or 20-hour battery life from over-ear headphones like the Bose 700. Its touch controls are intuitive, with 11 levels of noise cancellation and an option to let in ambient noise. Along with strong Bluetooth connection, it even retains a headphone jack. $400
—BEST COMPUTER SPEAKERS— Audioengine A2+Shop Now
Too many people tolerate tinny laptop speakers and subpar earbuds, but Audioengine's speaker is a huge evolutionary leap from whatever's inside your laptop's casing. In addition to a warm, powerful sound and easy setup, the speakers' real strength is the many ways you can connect them, including Bluetooth, 3.5mm audio jack, and dual audio inputs. $269
—BEST BUDGET BOOKSHELF SPEAKER— ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2Shop Now
Few high-quality speakers exist in the sub-$500 conversation, but ELAC has disrupted the "budget" category with the Debut 2.0 B6.2, which faithfully reproduces how music was recorded and meant to be listened to. For home-theater listening, it sounds far superior than others in its class, with a sound larger than expected for its size. Still, the speaker is hardly sleek and it requires a subwoofer to achieve the best audio. $350
—BEST VALUE PORTABLE AC—1. Honeywell HL09CESWKShop Now
This Honeywell air conditioner is a robustly built and pleasant-sounding appliance in the mid-power range with 9,000 BTU that can cool rooms up to 400 square feet. In our testing, it held the target temperature exceptionally well, within one degree or less. $380
—BEST AIR PURIFIER—2. Coway Airmega AP-1512HHSShop Now
Coway brings smart connectivity to its eye-catching AP-1512HH design with the Airmega. Including a pre-filter, activated carbon, and true HEPA filter system, this air purifier is rated to eliminate 99.97% of air particles down to 0.3 microns for rooms up to 325 square feet. It seamlessly syncs with the IoCare app, so you can remotely switch its settings—including three fan speeds, and auto and eco modes—as well as monitor air quality and filter status. $299
—BEST HUMIDIFIER—3. Honeywell HCM-350 Germ FreeShop Now
To remedy a dry winter or arid summer, the Honeywell increases humidity up to 15% for medium rooms in one day's work. Unlike ultrasonic humidifiers, this evaporative model releases water vapor, rather than a visible mist, and its filter purports to kill 99.9% of water-bred bacteria. It hums a pleasant white noise on high but is virtually silent on low, with no bright lights or beeping during use. $70
—MOST POWERFUL PORTABLE AC—4. LG 115V Dual InverterShop Now
The most powerful portable AC unit we tested, LG's appliance is well-suited to cooling large spaces with 14,000 BTU and cool, fan, dehumidify, and sleep modes. LG's SmartThinQ app allows you to control it from anywhere, so you can come home to a cool space. Maintenance is as easy as it gets, with no tools necessary for filter replacement and an easy lift-off design for the top grill. $700
—BEST WINDOW AC—5. Friedrich Kuhl Series KCQ06A10AShop Now
Tough enough for commercial settings as well as your house, Friedrich's Kuhl window air conditioner with 6,000 BTU is quiet but powerful. Its inside is well-built, with dense sound insulation and damper rings, an easily spinning blower wheel, and steel interior partitions. If your interests are more tech than metal, you can also control and monitor it with an app. $739
—BEST SPACE HEATER—6. Honeywell HCE 323VShop Now
The Honeywell HCE 323V's adjustability, output, and thermostatic control make it perfect for heating a living room, bedroom, or small home office. Despite its quiet operation and slim design, it can move a fair amount of hot air quickly and evenly. For safety, its proximity sensor shuts it down when it senses something within six inches. $80
Tip: Before you buy new smart devices, test your internet speed to check your WiFi strength against your internet service provider's claims. Plug a laptop into your router via ethernet and go to Speedtest.net to check your wired connection's download time in mbps. Speedtest also has a free app to test your wireless speeds, which can help you figure out how much bandwidth specific devices are using.
—BEST SMART LOCK— August Smart Lock Pro + ConnectShop Now
If you're tired of worrying whether you've forgotten to lock the front door, you may benefit from a smart lock system to check and manage your locks remotely. August's Smart Lock Pro easily installs onto most deadbolts so you can keep your existing keys. Because it also connects to a variety of smart home systems, it's practically a one-size-fits-all solution for most homeowners. $280
—BEST HOME SECURITY SYSTEM— SimpliSafe The EssentialsShop Now
SimpliSafe's home security system delivers the best mix of value, monitoring, and ease of use. This kit has the basics, but you can add smart locks, doorbell cameras, and more to achieve up to Area 51–level surveillance. Optional professional monitoring ($25/month) adds more protection and control from the SimpliSafe app. $259
—BEST ROBOT VACUUM—1. iRobot Roomba i7Shop Now
The creator of the first commercial robotic vacuum back in 2002, iRobot remains at the forefront of the category with its current Roomba i7. It was the fastest and most efficient vacuum we tested, and it can also effectively navigate your home and any obstacles by creating a map of your floor plan. Through the app, you can schedule, prioritize, or skip specific rooms for cleaning. $600
—BEST HAND VACUUM—2. Black & Decker Dust Buster HHVK515JShop Now
While some hand vacuums by power-tool manufacturers will outpower the Black & Decker Dust Buster, this 20-volt product has plenty of power for jobs in the home, shop, or garage while remaining light and easy to handle. Its nozzle also extends an extra 7.5 inches for hard-to-reach spaces, such as under car seats or couches. $90
—BEST SMART THERMOSTAT— Ecobee Smart Thermostat with Voice ControlShop Now
We knew the Ecobee was a winner when we called customer service at 10 p.m. on a Friday and got a simple answer to a wiring question in minutes. Once running, the thermostat was easy to control from the app. It works with standalone sensors (one is included) that monitor temperature and household activity to adjust temps in the spaces you're actually using. $249
—BEST BEARD TRIMMER— Remington MB4900 Beard BossShop Now
This Remington trimmer delivers straightforward capability and speed control, and plows through hair without snagging or pulling. Though it comes with nine attachments, its high-quality metal comb adjusts from 1 to 5mm, so you don't have to swap out attachments for a variety of short cuts. It's also waterproof for shower use and has a five-hour battery life with a clear charge indicator. $80
Tip: Unsure whether you can use an electric trimmer in the shower? A shower head icon indicates it's safe for use under a stream of water, and a faucet symbol means it can be washed with water, but neither confirms that it's fully waterproof. Only an IP rating of 67 or higher ensures a product will be safe when submerged under water.
—BEST MATTRESS— TempurPedic Luxe BreezeShop Now
With incredible cooling tech and support, the latest TempurPedic feels almost icy to the touch, purportedly 8 degrees cooler than the brand's other memory foam. The ventilated foam feels firm at first, but compresses to provide support that makes you feel weightless—not surprising, given that the TEMPUR material was first developed by the anti-gravity geniuses at NASA. $4,699 (queen)
—BEST PILLOW— Coop Home Goods The Original PillowShop Now
While it sounds impossible for one pillow to suit every sleeper, this one from Coop Home Goods satisfies back, side, and stomach sleeping preferences with an adjustable filling. Its memory foam and microfiber fill balances the support of solid memory foam with the softness of down. It's also well worth the price with a 100-night trial, five-year warranty, and extra half-pound bag of filling. $60 (queen)
—BEST WEIGHTED BLANKET— Quility Premium Weighted BlanketShop Now
If you typically toss and turn at night or just enjoy the sensation of being swaddled, Quility's weighted blanket offers superior comfort and quality construction from evenly distributed glass beads, polyester filling, a cotton outer layer, and a removable, soft minky cover. The 20-pound queen size we tested worked well for single sleepers and couples, but it also comes in a variety of weights from 5 to 30 pounds for all family members to enjoy. $70-$200
—BEST BLUETOOTH SPEAKER— Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2Shop Now
For almost any situation in which you'd need to amplify music, this tumbler-sized wireless speaker is the answer. It's compact, loud, and water-resistant enough to survive the shower or pool. But the Wonderboom 2 is special mostly for boasting better sound quality than we'd expect for under $200. $100
—BEST TURNTABLE— Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB Direct-Drive TurntableShop Now
Whether you're reuniting with your old records or making a maiden voyage into vinyl, the 120X gives you features and a design that no other turntable in this price range can claim. We found that it runs with library-level quiet and plays with full-blooded definition, delivering the kind of warm, round tones you turn to vinyl for. A USB port for digitizing LPs sweetens the pot. $249
—BEST WATER FILTER PITCHER— PUR 11-Cup Ultimate PitcherShop Now
Compatible with PUR's basic and lead-reducing filters, this 11-cup pitcher is slim, comfortable, and user-friendly, with an LED light to indicate filter status. While the basic filter takes only about six minutes to reduce copper, mercury, chlorine, and more pollutants from one reservoir, the lead filter requires up to 30 minutes, but is rated to eliminate 99% of lead from your water. $35
—BEST GARBAGE DISPOSAL— InSinkerator Evolution CompactShop Now
The InSinkerator Evolution Compact with ¾ horsepower can grind up everything from chicken bones to corn cobs—and do so quietly. The electric motor is covered with sound protection, its internal grind components are all stainless steel, and its discharge pipe is isolated by a rubber gasket to reduce vibration transfer. The unit can be hardwired or plugged in and comes with a standard Quick-Lock mount. $219
—BEST CAST-IRON SKILLET— Stargazer Cast IronShop Now
Every proficient home cook needs a quality cast-iron skillet to make their kitchen complete. The small Stargazer brand ranked at the top of our testing, with impressive performance and balanced ergonomics. In the modern market of gritty black cast iron, Stargazer's design stands out like a beacon with its smooth bronze seasoned surface, unique rolled rim, stay-cool handle, and huge helper handle. $115-$145
