Our team of shopping pros has one job here at Yahoo: to ensure you're not wasting your hard-earned money on subpar products. That's why we spend the bulk of our time testing (and re-testing) products across categories (it's a tough job, we know). From a 12-piece stainless steel to a less-than-$100 pair of , here are 10 products that impressed our experts this week — so much that they've won the title of "best" in each of their respective categories.
Monos Compressible Packing Cubes Best compression packing cubes Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Day Serum Best vitamin C serum Cuisinart 12-Piece Cookware Set Best cookware set The Outset Ultralight Moisture Boosting Face Oil Best face oil Apple 10.9-inch iPad (2022) Best tablet Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Express Smoothing Eye Mask Best eye mask Tribit StormBox Blast Portable Speaker Best outdoor speaker Hydro Flask Standard Mouth with Flex Straw Cap, 24 ounce Best water bottle Aquasonic Black Series Ultra Whitening Toothbrush Best electric toothbrush Baseus Bowie MA10 Wireless Earbuds Best budget wireless earbuds We tested move than a dozen compression packing cubes and these from Monos were definitely the sleekest and most well-made of the bunch. Monos claims these cubes can be compressed by up to 60% to give you extra space, a claim two found to be abundantly clear during our testing.
The two smaller cubes fit a week's worth of undergarments and lightweight tees and pajamas; the two larger sizes were able to fit multiple sweaters, dresses and pants. These compact space savers freed up enough room in our suitcase to add two extra sweaters, a pair of sweatpants and two books, compared to packing without them — that's a lot of extra stuff! When the compression zipper is unzipped, the cubes' frame stands up making them easier to pack clothes into than cubes that don't have that kind of frame. Unlike other cubes we tried, which could feel flimsy, the exterior of each Monos cube is made from a tear-resistant nylon twill material that feels both sturdy and durable and the interior is lined with a soft anti-microbial fabric that will keep all your stuff looking and smelling fresh.
Read more about our testing of the . Drunk Elephant's C-Firma Fresh Day Serum is a high-quality, highly effective alternative. We loved it for all sorts of reasons.
After six weeks of twice-daily use, our tester found that it both lightened dark spots, noticeably tightened her skin and consistently gave her complexion a pretty, brighter glow. But what makes C-Firma superior to nearly any competitor we tested was the unique way it's packaged: The formula arrives in two parts — a liquid serum along with an accompanying vial of pristine vitamin C powder. You mix the two just before your first use, maximizing the stability of the vitamin C molecules and thus ensuring freshness.
Once mixed, the product remains potent for three to six months, depending how you store it (i.e., preferably in a cool, dark place, like a cabinet).
And there's more to love: C-Firma contains ferulic acid and vitamin E, which boost its efficacy. It comes in an easy-to-use/easy-to-travel bottle with a convertible pump. It has a pleasant, mild, citrusy scent.
It's lightweight and absorbs quickly, though the texture may feel a bit a sticky for some. Finally, it's potent — it may even sting your skin a bit. As compared to , Drunk Elephant's C-Firma gains points for being both cruelty-free and free from a foul odor (C E Ferulic has a deeply unpleasant scent).
While many beauty editors will tell you that C E Ferulic is the only vitamin C game in town, keep in mind that it's also $182 to $285 for just ounce, making it inaccessible for most bank-account-having humans, at least for long-term use. At $74, C-Firma is not exactly a steal, but the formula (plus the effect on your skin) is top-notch. My first bottle lasted four months with twice-daily use, so a little goes a long way.
Read more about our testing of the best . We tested pots and pans by cooking scrambled eggs and searing chicken breasts in one of the skillets; boiling water and heating tomato sauce in the smallest saucepan. We preheated the Cuisinart skillet on low-medium heat for about 75 seconds, then added less than a teaspoon of avocado oil.
The eggs didn't stick at all. They slid right out of the pan and left no residue. Also of note, the pots and pans were medium weight and while not the easiest we've ever maneuvered, they were certainly manageable and felt balanced.
The handles remained cool while on the stovetop. When sautéed, the chicken breast got golden brown and released easily. There was no stuck-on food in the pan after cooking either.
However, we needed to do a good amount of scrubbing to clean the browned oil inside the pan. Cleaning stainless steel pans is always more challenging than their counterparts, so prepare to put in some elbow grease when washing up after cooking with this set. Read more about our testing of the .
While testing face oils, one thing was top of mind: what type of ingredient was more likely to cause a reaction. That would be any essential oil. Spoiler: Essentials are in a lot of face oils, but not in our #1 pick, The Outset's Ultralight Moisture Boosting Face Oil.
The Outset formulates its products for sensitive skin, which means it doesn’t add fragrance, making it more universal. In terms of ingredients, well, this product doesn’t skimp. It contains 16 botanical oils, including abyssinian oil, which is packed with omega-9 and omega-6 fatty acids; avocado oil, which helps protect the skin from free-radical damage; the moisture-boosting squalane; and jojoba, a great anti-aging ingredient (due to its richness in vitamins E and B).
Our tester was dealing with some forehead dryness while testing these oils, a problem that would not disappear. After sealing in her face cream with this oil one night, our tester woke up with soft skin, plump and feeling moisturized for the first time in days. Read more about our testing of the .
We get it: There's just something about the iPad. Give Apple credit for crafting a tablet that's really desirable despite the out-of-whack price. It may be getting up there in terms of age (it's 2 years old, practically ancient in Apple terms), there's no denying the iPad 10.
9's appeal: a larger screen than other iPads, a power button that supports Touch ID and, if you're tired of the bland silver and space-gray color choices, the 10th-generation iPad adds blue, pink and yellow options to the mix. Photography fans, take note: This iPad's rear camera can now capture 12-megapixel images. That partners with a wide-angle front camera that's great for selfies and such.
The latter supports Apple's handy Center Stage feature as well, automatically adjusting to keep you in the frame even if you move around. And the rear camera can be used for augmented reality (AR) games and apps, one area where Apple far outpaces the competition. Another plus: All iPads are available with a cellular option, which adds to the price but definitely adds to the versatility as well.
That said, if your phone has a hotspot option, you can save money by leveraging that (for just about any tablet, really). Read more about our testing of the . If you're traveling, these are a must have.
Because here's the thing: these work Popping these bad boys on for just 15 minutes made our tester's eyes look less tired. The masks are packed with retinol, so they’re addressing not only bags but wrinkles and fine lines too. Plus, they have the tried-and-true ingredient hyaluronic acid, which helps hydrate and plump the skin.
There are hundreds of five-star reviews for the award-winning product online, but if you need a celebrity co-sign to convince you, they’re also a . Read more about our testing of . Yes | Yes | IPX7 | 30 hours | USB-C | Bluetooth | LED lighting effects; power bank This speaker has everything you want from a portable Bluetooth speaker: It’s easily portable (thanks, '80s-boom-box-style handle), has incredible battery life (up to 30 hours, which blows away the competition) and boasts excellent sound that, in our testing, handily beat Sonos in outdoor environments.
The StormBox Blast comes ready to party: It's IPX7-rated water resistant and therefore weather resistant (meaning you could literally submerge it and it would keep playing) and outfitted with color-changing LEDs that bounce in time with the music. A clearly marked button on the control panel toggles between two lighting modes and no lighting at all. This speaker is basically a party source in a package: The Blast's battery has so much capacity, you can use it to charge your phone, your party lights — or another other device that needs a charge.
There's a USB-C port tucked away inside the rear panel, which means more battery life for all of your devices. Read more from our testing of the . We tested over 100 water bottles (we're passionate about what we do!) and Hydro Flask Insulated Water Bottle topped our list as the absolute of 2024.
It offers resilience, practicality and — thanks to numerous cap and capacity options — customization. The pliable loop on the cap made for agile carrying, while the Flex straw option provided quick access to water. The double-wall vacuum insulation kept our drinks cold for the promised 24 hours, and the entire water bottle proved dishwasher safe — making it easy to clean.
Our home writer, Kristin Granero, has owned and used for several years and, despite countless drops and washing cycles, found that it remains leakproof and still looks like new, with no chipping or fading. is so popular, it’s a top-seller on Amazon. One of our editors has been using it for a few months now and found that one charge can last up to a full month — so there's no need to keep the charging pad out on the bathroom vanity all the time.
The toothbrush is equipped with a powerful motor that provides 40,000 vibrations per minute, which left our tester's mouth feeling extra clean after every use. We also found the two-minute timer (to ensure users meet the recommended brush time) surprisingly helpful. There are four cleaning modes to choose from: clean, soft, whitening and massage, and it comes with eight brush heads.
Read more about our testing of the . Baseus has crafted amazingly good earbuds with a price tag that's even more amazing: just $40, and often on sale for even less. They may not rival AirPods in terms of noise-canceling power or phone-call quality, but they sound great and promise even better battery life.
In our testing we found they fit snugly and comfortably with the medium-size ear tips and hooks that came already installed. (Other sizes are included for those with larger or smaller ears.) The charging case is on the large side, and therefore not very pocket-friendly.
It doesn't support wireless charging, either — only USB-C — but it can recharge the earbuds more than before needing to be recharged itself. And the earbuds last up to eight hours, meaning you're looking at nearly 140 total hours of playtime. The Bowie MA10s produce rich and well-balanced sound, maybe not quite as full-bodied as AirPods, but extremely good overall.
And if you're one who likes to fiddle with sound settings, the Baseus companion app provides 12 equalizer presets and lets you create multiple custom ones. Read more about our testing of the ..
