Tom's Guide Awards 2025: Our favorite robot vacuums, coffee machines, blenders and more

Tom's Guide

2 days ago

There's no place like home, especially when you have all the devices, gadgets and accessories to bring your dreams to life, whether by making the perfect smoothie, keeping things clean as can be, or showing off your family's memories on a smart display or digital photo frame.
From air fryers that let you cook two dishes at once, to standing desks that allow you to work from home in a whole new way, to robot vacuums that do your cleaning for you, upgrading your home to make it work for you and your household has never been easier with high-tech appliances and smart home gadgets.
Our team of experts has tested and reviewed all of the latest coffee makers, juicers, grills, mixers, office chairs and more for the Tom's Guide Awards 2025. Below, we highlight our favorite kitchen appliances, outdoor gadgets, home office essentials and more that have made staying in just as preferable as going out.
Just when I thought the air fryer hype was dying down, Ninja brought out the Crispi. At first, I wasn't too sure how to feel about a portable glass cooking system, but after testing it at home, I discovered that it's far from a gimmick.
The Crispi doesn't have temperature settings, which took some adjusting to, but it does have four cooking modes. I used it to re-heat leftovers, crisp up some seriously tasty wings, bake a dip (which I then served straight to the table) and cook multi-layered dishes to create a full meal in one small container. It's actually a lot more versatile than most air fryers.
Then, there's the added benefit of its glass design. If you're Teflon-averse, you'll love using these glass containers to contain your food as it cooks. They also offer the added benefit of allowing you to peek into the container as your food cooks to determine doneness, and you can even buy additional containers and use them for meal prep.
Vitamix's Ascent series got a redesign at the end of 2024, and we were such huge fans of the original line that we were nervous to take the new and improved X2 Blender for a spin. But within the first use, we realized that it maintains all the professional-level performance of its predecessor, but in a sleek and modern exterior.
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Seriously, bury me with my Vitamix. This thing can do it all, and it's built to last a lifetime. It can break down ice, handle frozen berries, and even take cold tomatoes and turn them into a piping hot soup. This blender makes me feel like a professional chef, and while it's eye-wateringly expensive, I would spend my own money on it without flinching.
The Nama C2 somehow combines the high-speed power of a premium blender with the gentle touch of a slow juicer, and it does so with flourish. By automatically sensing which attachment you've placed on the powerful base, it offers a range of both pre-set blending options and manual blending and juicing modes.
Nama is best known for its juicers, and the C2 could easily compete with the best juicers on the market. From the unboxing alone, you can tell that the brand has thought through every element of its appliances. It comes with detailed recipes (that actually taste good) with a breakdown of nutritional content and the benefits of various ingredients. It also comes with a 15-year warranty, which goes to show how much the brand backs its designs.
We used it to make vibrant green juices, zingy ginger shots, creamy homemade nut milk, and even delicious soft-serve. It's well-made, easy to clean, and intuitive to use.
Ooni has branched out into stand mixers, and we're so glad it did. The Halo Pro is a hefty, premium mixer that's designed to tackle serious bakes. Think ten-tier cakes, feasting pavlovas, and (of course) pizza after pizza.
The unique spiral mixing design of the Halo Pro is designed to develop a stronger gluten network in your dough, and this definitely holds true. If you're a serious baker who still wants a classic tilt-head design, the Halo Pro is the machine for you.
Perhaps the most standout feature of this mixer is simply its high-quality design. It's large and in charge, with a very sturdy base that won't slip around on your countertop. It's also got a timer, which can be used for specific recipes but also to track resting time. Serious bakers, this is the mixer for you.
At a time when we're seeing fewer and fewer new smart home gadgets, Amazon decided to give one of the best smart displays a massive upgrade with the Echo Show 21. While we were already impressed with the wall-mountable Echo Show 15, the company took things up a notch by releasing an even larger smart display. However, the Echo Show 21 doesn't just have a larger screen. In fact, it's full of upgrades like its improved speakers, the wider 13MP front-facing camera and how a Fire TV remote now comes included in the box.
What I particularly liked about the Echo Show 21 in my review is how its new processor when combined with the speed boost from the upgrade to Wi-Fi 6E just makes this larger smart display feel snappier overall. I also really liked how it uses the same wall mount adapter as the Echo Show 15 which, if you already had that smart display mounted to your wall, makes for a very simple upgrade. Its larger size also makes the Echo Show 21's built-in Fire TV functionality even more useful as watching the news or even TV shows and movies on its bigger display feels a whole lot more comfortable.
At $399, the Echo Show 21 is certainly on the expensive side but if you want a large, wall-mountable smart display, there's no device quite like it.
BlueAir's Blue Signature air purifier does an excellent job at cleaning the air and reducing odors, all whilst looking like a modern piece of furniture.
Besides looking eye-catching with its Scandi design (it can even be used as a footrest), the Blue Signature comes with a unique 7-stage cleaning process, five speed settings and extends to a multi-layered odor elimination.
In other words, it's powerful enough to clean heavily polluted air in just over 6 minutes, which impressed us the most.
It also comes with a great app, voice assistant, and is a quiet operator, which is handy for daily use and won't disturb your slumber.
Although it lacks any germ killing capability, we still gave BlueAir's Blue Signature top marks for stellar, filtration results, ease of use and of course, style — which makes this a winner.
Fellow's Aiden coffee maker was first announced in 2024, but we didn't test it until January. And when we did, it rocketed straight to the top of our best coffee maker guide. Why? For a start, you have to appreciate the way Fellow has re-invented such a timeless and classic method of brewing.
Many will associate drip coffee with lukewarm office coffee, the sort of machine you buy when you want caffeine and don't care about the taste. But the Aiden changes all that, tailoring its brewing process according to the roast of your chosen beans, and the volume of coffee you want to make. And if you want to get really in-depth? The companion app allows you to adjust everything from the temperature to the timings of your pulses.
We're excited to test the Fellow Espresso Series 1 machine when it becomes available at the end of this year, but if it's anything like the Aiden, we're prepared to be wowed.
De'Longhi's new La Specialista Touch hits that perfect sweet spot between ultra-smart features and a beginner-friendly design, but it's the machine's surprisingly compact frame that really wowed us.
The brand's La Specialista design features a number of our favorite machines, but this is the first to come with a touchscreen, and it's executed flawlessly. Using De'Longhi's BeanAdapt Technology, the Touch guides you through the entire process, from bean to brew.
It also comes with a temperature sensor smart steam wand which will automatically texturize your milk to make lattes, cappuccinos or flat whites. A lot of smart machines don't win in the looks department, but this is a machine we'd happily display in pride of place in the kitchen, and while it's not the most affordable option, it offers awesome value for money.
The Samsung Bespoke Jet AI Ultra is the vacuum cleaner of our dreams. We have yearned for a vacuum that does it all — hard floors, carpets, self-empties — since the dawn of time. Thanks to the Samsung Bespoke Jet AI Ultra, we yearn no more.
Our reviewer awarded the Bespoke Jet AI Ultra a perfect 5-star rating. The Bespoke Jet AI Ultra outperforms other vacuums in both cleaning performance and ease of use. Not only does it have a 'Jet' function that obliterates any dust within seconds, it's also a dream to maneuver, has a battery-saving AI mode, smart home connectivity, and comes with a charging station. Much like a charging station of a robot vacuum, the Bespoke Jet AI Ultra empties its dustbin and charges itself between uses, so you don't have to remember to do it.
Although its price point puts it out of reach for a lot of buyers, the Samsung Bespoke Jet AI Ultra is hard to fault. It hit 100% in all of our tests, and in the months that have passed since we first tested it, it's yet to let us down.
If you're looking for a powerful, hybrid robot vacuum and mop packed with impressive smart features, the Roborock Saros 10R can do it all. Which is why this gets our vote as one of the best robot vacuums we've tested.
The Saros 10R is Roborock's latest top-end model that features a sleek, low-profile design, vision-based navigation system along with its own voice-based controls.
Not only was our reviewer impressed by its overall cleaning results, but the Saros 10R exceeded expectations when it came to pet hair pick up and kitty litter. What's more, it comes with advanced features including a FlexiArm Riser Side Brush, AI capabilities, and a great App. While the Roborock Saros 10R does come at a premium price, it has everything you need to get the job done well.
From the moment you open the box, everything about the Apen is a delight. The company has made it incredibly easy to set up — a real bonus if you're gifting it — and its 11.8-inch, 1600 x 1200 pixel screen is absolutely gorgeous, displaying your photos with amazing brightness and clarity.
We also love that there's no subscription and unlimited cloud storage, and you can connect it with both Google and Apple, so that photos can get updated automatically. The one caveat is that it needs to be connected to the internet to work, but if your Wi-Fi goes down, we imagine you have bigger problems on your hands.
For the most part, the best standing desks typically follow the same formula. You have two legs on either side with either a single or dual motors that allow them to move up and down. Then there's the Branch Four Leg Desk which moves beyond this tried and true design to do something truly unique. At first glance, you might think it's a high-end piece of home furniture instead of something intended for your office thanks to the fact that it features four rounded legs as opposed to just two but it has another trick up its sleeve that allows this desk to blend in seamlessly with the rest of your home decor.
In order to adjust their height, standing desks often have a control pad on their front edge. Well, while the Branch Four Leg Standing Desk does have a control pad with three programmable height presets, you won't find it on the front of this beautifully designed desk. Instead, it's integrated directly into its desktop. This way, the control pad is there when you need it but you aren't constantly reminded this is an electric standing desk.
At the same time, each of its four legs have their own separate motors which allows the desk to move up and down more evenly but also much faster. The Branch Four Leg Stranding Desk sets a new standard for both functionality and elegance while reimagining what home office furniture can be.
Picking out an office chair for your home office or workspace might seem like a simple task at first. However, once you take comfort and especially ergonomics into consideration, the best office chairs gain a whole new level of depth to them. Of the chairs I've tried this year, the Hinomi X1 impressed me the most thanks to its unique design and how the loads of various adjustment points throughout let me tailor this chair exactly to my liking.
For starters, the Hinomi X1 sports a butterfly-style, split backrest to better support your entire back from your upper shoulders to your lumbar region. It also has an extra wide headrest and features mesh throughout to help keep you cool while working. For additional lumbar support, the lower portion of the backrest is made from a more rigid but still flexible TPU polymer. I also really like how its 4D armrests are spring loaded and tilt upward when you press your elbows into them. I
f all that wasn't enough, underneath the Hinomi X1's seat, you'll find a pull-out footrest for those times when you want to kick back in your chair without having to grab a footstool.
The Weber Spirit EP-425 is our favorite grill of the year thanks to its unbeatable combo of performance, convenience, and value. It's incredibly easy to assemble, offers even heat distribution across the cooking surface, and delivers an impressive sear zone that rivals more expensive models.
Cleanup is simple with a redesigned grease management system and easy-to-clean grates. Thoughtful design touches like Weber Works accessory compatibility and a tucked-away propane tank add to its appeal. While it lacks a built-in propane gauge, that's a small trade-off for what you get at this price.
If you want premium grilling features without the premium price, the Spirit 2025 lineup hits the sweet spot.
The Ninja FrostVault is the most impressive cooler box we've ever come across. It has a 45-quart capacity, and can hold all of the food and drinks you could need for a weekend camping trip or a beach day. With an understated design and 'puncture-proof' wheels ready for all terrain, it's going to be your new favorite companion.
But the cooler box stands out from the crowd for more than just its looks. What's cooler than being cool? The Ninja Frost Vault. During testing, it kept its contents cool for 8 days. The price is a little steep, but you're paying for the best-performing cooler available.
It can fit up to 68 cans and features a dry drawer, which isn't in direct contact with any ice but still gets freezing cold, making it perfect for items you don't want to get wet, such as burger buns. Whether you're a casual griller or weekend adventurer, the Ninja FrostVault is for everyone.
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