Two questions come up whenever you shop for tech: which one should you buy, and is the expensive one worth it? This page is the map to the site’s buying guides, grouped by what you are shopping for. Each entry says in a sentence or two what the guide decides and how it gets there. Prices, picks and test results stay on the guides themselves, next to the date they were checked.
Start with the table if you already know what you want. Browse the sections if you are still deciding.
Start with what you are shopping for
| What you are shopping for | The guide | What it settles |
|---|---|---|
| A new phone, any brand | Smartphones ranked by lab tests | Which phones hold up in published lab measurements, where they exist, from flagships to budget models |
| An iPhone | Which iPhone should you buy? | Every model Apple sells, who should pay more, who should pay less, and the one to skip |
| An Apple Watch | Which Apple Watch should you buy? | Which of Apple’s three watch lines fits you, plus size and cellular |
| A fitness tracker or smart ring | Fitness trackers, from bands to rings | Bands, watches and rings, and which ones charge a monthly fee |
| Earbuds on a budget | Wireless earbuds under $100 | Which spec-sheet claims hold up in lab testing |
| Noise-cancelling headphones | Premium noise-cancelling headphones | Measured noise cancelling where it has been tested, not the number on the box |
| A laptop for school | Affordable laptops for students | The minimum specs worth paying for, the one budget pick that breaks them, and the Mac, Windows and Chromebook picks |
| A robot vacuum | Robot vacuums: what the tests say | Which ones clean well in published tests, where they exist, and why suction numbers mislead |
| A game console | Game consoles reviewed | Every current console, and what each one costs over five years |
| A virtual reality headset | VR headsets for gaming | Which headset fits, and what else you need to start playing |
| A power station for outages | What size power station do you need? | How much battery your devices need |
| Starlink | Every Starlink dish decoded | Which dish you have, and which one to buy for a home, a camper or a boat |
| An electric car | Which EV is right for you? | Your top electric vehicle matches from a short quiz, and whether one fits your life at all |
| A gift | Tech gifts under $100 | Tech gifts that still fit under the line after this year’s price hikes |
Phones, watches and wearables
These guides cover the things you carry every day. The iPhone and Apple Watch guides were written after Apple’s September 2026 event, and the smartphone ranking was updated for it.
Smartphones ranked by lab tests
iPhone and Android phones ranked mainly on published lab measurements rather than launch-event claims, from the flagships down to budget models, with foldables and a flip phone included. It also covers what the September launches changed for anyone buying this fall.
Which iPhone should you buy?
Every iPhone on Apple’s store after the September 2026 event, sorted by budget. The guide names the model that suits the typical buyer, says who should pay more or less, and explains why one model is the one to skip.
Which Apple Watch should you buy?
Apple’s three watch lines side by side, with the case for each: the default for the typical iPhone owner, the one for health features, and the one for battery life and the outdoors. It also settles the size and cellular questions.
Smartwatch pros and cons
Read this one before the watch guides if you are not sure you want a smartwatch at all. It prices three years of ownership including subscriptions, sums up what accuracy studies found, and compares a smart ring with a watch.
Fitness trackers, from bands to smart rings
Bands, watches and rings from the cheapest one worth owning up to the subscription trackers, with the up-front price and the multi-year cost side by side. It shows which ones charge a monthly fee, how to choose by battery life, and which measurements to trust.
Apple Find My trackers
Trackers that work on Apple’s Find My network, for keys, bags, wallets and luggage. The guide spells out the fine print that listings leave out: which network each tracker uses, what battery it takes, and what only Apple’s own tag can do.
The cheap phone still exists
Not a buying guide, but useful before you shop for a phone: why phone prices went up in 2026, what a cheap phone gives up now, and whether prices are likely to come down.
Headphones, earbuds and laptops
Wireless earbuds under $100
Budget earbuds judged on the makers’ spec sheets and independent lab measurements, with an overall pick and picks for noise cancelling, features, battery life and simplicity. The traps section shows which box claims tend to fall apart under testing.
Premium noise-cancelling headphones
Over-ear noise-cancelling headphones ranked mainly on lab measurements instead of marketing decibels, from the flagships down to budget models, plus a tier for earbuds. It closes on whether now is a safe time to buy.
Affordable laptops for students
Student laptops measured against a minimum spec, with one budget pick flagged for breaking it, across Mac, Windows and Chromebook, with a spec comparison table. The guide also lists the traps in budget configurations, from too little memory to low-resolution screens.
Home, smart home and clean air
The cheapest smart home that works
Beginners often get stuck on whether a device works on its own or needs a hub you have to buy, and this guide answers it with a table of what each label on the box means. It prices three complete starter setups and points out the hub many homes already own.
Smart thermostats that pay for themselves
The savings printed on the box set against the certified figure, then the payback worked out for the popular thermostats across a range of annual heating and cooling bills. It covers rebates, the wiring check to do before you buy, and when a smart thermostat saves you nothing.
Robot vacuums: what the tests say
Robot vacuums ranked mainly on published lab measurements rather than suction numbers, from budget models to self-emptying mop stations. It also covers the new Roomba from a maker that went through bankruptcy, and what not to buy.
Air purifier brands to trust
Air purifiers ranked mainly on independent lab measurements, with the two models too new to test flagged, sorted by room size, noise and budget, with a pick for wildfire smoke. The guide also names the companies caught in recalls and settlements, shows a do-it-yourself option, and explains how to vet any brand in a couple of minutes.
Coffee
Compact espresso machines
Small espresso machines from the cheapest up to the mid-range, compared in plain English: what each costs, who it suits, how much work it takes, and whether it fits your counter. It answers the Ninja question and the choice between pre-ground and fresh-ground coffee.
Premium coffee makers
High-end drip coffee makers compared on brew temperature, carafe type and warranty. The guide explains what the Specialty Coffee Association badge on the box means and gives straight answers on Cuisinart and Bunn.
Gaming, virtual reality and movie night
Game consoles reviewed
Every current console and handheld gaming PC compared, with the five-year cost including the cheapest online subscription. If it is a gift, an early section gives the one question to ask so you do not buy into the wrong ecosystem.
VR headsets for gaming
Virtual reality (VR) headsets compared on what else each one needs (a console, a gaming PC, or nothing), age limits and the real cost to start playing. It has a gift checklist and says whether to wait for Meta’s next headset.
Retro gaming consoles: every way to play
The right retro machine depends on which consoles you want to play, and this guide sorts them by what each can handle: cheap handhelds, stronger all-rounders, machines that play your original cartridges, and fully licensed collections. It prices the used-hardware route and explains the rules on downloaded game files.
Portable projectors, ranked by real lumens
This guide ranks portable projectors on measured brightness instead of the number on the box. It works out how bright a backyard screen needs to be, why the battery runtime on the box belongs to the dimmest mode, and how far back to set the projector.
Power, outages and internet
For the cold months, the Winter Guide puts these next to the snow, heating-bill and EV-in-the-cold pages.
What size power station do you need?
One formula and the real draw of a fridge, a sleep apnea machine, Starlink, a laptop and a sump pump, worked out from spec sheets and federal energy labels. Start here before you buy a battery: it answers camping, work-from-home outage days, space heaters and the whole-house question.
Power station brands to trust
Power station brands compared on warranty terms, Trustpilot scores, battery chemistry and price per watt-hour, from the premium names to the budget shelf. It explains why the battery chemistry, lithium iron phosphate (LFP), matters more than the brand, and how to pay less than list price.
Power station vs generator
The cost per kilowatt-hour of a gas inverter generator against a battery power station, a daily outage-load table with the three-day totals, the noise and carbon monoxide figures, and the maintenance each one needs. It also says when the generator still wins.
Which solar panel works with your power station?
The compatibility check for pairing a panel with a power station: the voltage rule that protects the charge port, a connector decoder, and what wiring two panels together changes.
Every Starlink dish decoded
How to identify the dish you already have, then the kits you can buy in the US side by side, with what each draws and costs. It ends with which dish fits a home, a camper or a boat.
Starlink Mini: buy it, rent it, or keep it on standby?
The yearly cost of owning a Starlink Mini for camping, road trips and home outages, compared with renting one. It covers the plans and the standby option, battery power, and the routers and mounts that make it work.
Which Starlink do you need? The picker
A short quiz about where you will use it, how you will power it and how much you will use it, which returns the kit, the plan and the accessories to buy.
Getting around: scooters, drones and electric cars
Electric scooters for adults
The independent range tests this guide collects show adult scooters falling short of their advertised range, so it compares its picks on real-world range where tested, hill climbing and riding in the rain. It explains the safety certification to insist on and maps the street rules in Washington, California and New York.
Camera drones for photography
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has added “Uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) and UAS critical components produced in a foreign country” to its Covered List, the list of communications equipment “deemed to pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States”. This guide explains what that means for the DJI drones already on shelves and for new ones, then picks the camera drones still worth buying. Weight changes the rules too: the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says “All drones must be registered, except those that weigh 0.55 pounds or less (less than 250 grams) and are flown under the Exception for Limited Recreational Operations.” The guide covers that line and whether to buy used.
Which EV is right for you? The matchmaker
A short quiz on budget, new or used, body style, range and where you can charge, which returns your top electric vehicle (EV) matches and a straight verdict on whether an EV fits your life at all.
EVs ranked by buyer
Ranked lists for specific buyers: apartment dwellers, tighter budgets, three-row families, towing, used-car shoppers, beginners and road trips. The EV catalog lets you filter the whole list by budget, body style and all-wheel drive.
New electric cars for 2026
Every significant new electric car announced for the US market, with prices, ranges and on-sale dates taken mostly from the makers’ own announcements, with each figure’s source named. Read it if you are willing to wait for something that is not on sale yet.
Which Tesla is right for you?
The Tesla picker covers the whole lineup, new and used, with the battery and self-driving hardware differences explained. If you are shopping used, the used Model 3 value guide makes the case for an older car. Once you own one, the Tesla owner’s guide collects every Tesla guide on charging, winter, battery health and running costs; for any other make, the EV Owner’s Guide does the same.
EV charger installation cost
What a home charger costs to buy and install, the electrical questions that decide the bill, and the federal credit for home chargers that has now ended.
Gas savings calculator
Enter your own miles, gas price and charging mix to see what switching to an electric car saves on fuel each year.
Gifts
Two of the guides above have a gift section near the top: the game console guide gives the one question to ask before buying a console as a gift, and the VR headset guide has a three-point gift checklist.
Tech gifts under $100
Memory-chip shortages pushed some popular gadgets over the line this year, and this guide lists the tech gifts that still come in under it at the maker’s own list price. It also covers what fell off the list and three rules for buying tech gifts this year.
Tech Christmas gifts for cats
Motorized toys for indoor cats, from flapping birds and a spinning feather wand to a rolling ball with a tail, plus the safety points to check and why rotating toys keeps a cat interested.
Frequently asked questions
Where are the prices?
On each guide, not here. Prices change too often to repeat on a list page, so each guide keeps its own and says when it was checked.
Which guide should you read before buying?
If you know what you want, use the table at the top. If you are weighing a big purchase, read the explainer before the picks: smartwatch pros and cons before the watch guides, what size power station before the brand guide, and the EV matchmaker before the ranked EV lists.
Is there a guide for Tesla owners?
Yes. The Tesla owner’s guide collects every Tesla guide on charging, winter, battery health and costs.
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