It’s that time of year again! Every year, I take a look back at all the products I have written about, learned about, and most importantly, tested myself to deliver my picks of the best tech products of the last 12 months. These are all items I have tried and loved, and you’ll be pleased as punch with any of the items on this list. For more options, consider my picks of the 12 best tech products of 2023, all of which are still worth considering this year and beyond (some of which, however, have since been replaced by newer models). When it comes to 2024, in no particular order, here’s my cream of the crop.
1. Apple Watch Series 10 Smartwatch
The Apple Watch Series 10 is a step-up in many ways, especially if you own a Series 8 and older model. Along with a new design that includes a wider, thinner, brighter screen with more real estate, you also get better battery life. It’s still rated at 18 hours per charge, but based on my experience, it doesn’t deplete as quickly when you have especially active days. What’s more, while the wireless charger looks identical, the coils inside are designed for a faster charge, something I’ve noticed as well. Beyond that, you get all the goodies with watchOS 11 (which you get with the Series 9 as well if you still own it) and the overall flawless Apple Watch experience fans have come to know and love. Read my Apple Watch Series 10 review.
2. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Smartphone
Yes, the Apple iPhone 15 Pro is a year old, already replaced by the Apple iPhone 16 Pro. But, you can save a bundle on it right now, making it an attractive option. And it works with all the same Apple Intelligence features that continue to roll out slowly but surely. So if you’re looking for a relatively new iPhone on a budget, this one will give you the most bang for your buck. I upgraded recently and find that from the battery life (naturally, any device battery degrades over time but I haven’t had the iPhone 14 for that long) to the improved cameras, it’s a solid phone. While I feel like the iPhone 15 Pro Max might be the better way to go – I’m ready for a larger phone on my next upgrade – this one with its titanium finish, 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR screen, powerful A17 chip, pro camera system that includes macro photography and spatial videos, and USB-C connectivity is worth the investment. With that said, if you can get a deal on the iPhone 16 Pro or Pro Max, absolutely go for it. Stay tuned for my review of the latest Apple Intelligence features. My favourites are Clean Up for removing distracting elements from photos, the ChatGPT integration, and Image Playground: be warned, you might end up spending hours playing around with it!
3. OnePlus 12 Smartphone
I might be primarily an Apple iPhone user, but don’t worry, I have a recommendation for Android users, too. If I were ever to convert, the phone that would tempt me to do so is the OnePlus 12 (or rather, the upcoming OnePlus 13). The OnePlus 12 has a silky-smooth interface that’s responsive and snappy with a bold and bright screen that affords up to 4,500 nits brightness. The cameras are fantastic and battery life is indeed something to write home about, as is the ultra-fast charging: 50W wireless and 80W wired? I mean, come on! I love the Aqua Touch screen that keeps the phone’s screen responsive even when there are water droplets on it or you’re wearing gloves, something you can’t do with other phones (and has probably annoyed you numerous times). Plus, the Flowy Emerald finish stands out so much, you almost don’t want to protect it with a case. The only downside is you only get four major Android OS updates, which means there’s only a couple left, but security updates are supported for five years. The good news? With the follow-up OnePlus 13 coming to Canada soon and boasting an IP69 water-resistant rating, the highest we’ve seen on a phone, you can wait it out until then. Read my OnePlus 12 review.
4. Circular Ring Slim Smart Ring
I’ll preface this by saying that this smart ring isn’t the best you’ll find on the market. If you want the best of the best, most people will steer you towards the Oura Ring 4. But you need a subscription to get the most out of that one. The Circular Ring Slim has its flaws but it doesn’t require a subscription. It is expensive as well but has a lot of promise. I can see from the various firmware updates issued throughout my long review period that the company is slowly but surely improving the device. What I found most positive about this smart ring versus others is that I actually wanted to check the app every day to see my stats. Yes, even though I also wear a smartwatch. A lot of that has to do with the Kira+ AI wellness assistant, which calibrates data over the first few weeks then gives you a reason to check back for personal observations, insights, and recommendations. Battery life needs work and it needs to come with a better charger, ideally a charging case. But I love things like haptic vibrations you can set for a wake-up alarm or reminder to take your medication. I’d give this smart ring the most potential award, and I’m confident that whatever Circular comes out with next will address much of my concerns about this one. Read my Circular Ring Slim review.
5. Masterbuilt Gravity XT Digital Charcoal Grill and Smoker
Yes, a charcoal grill and smoker has made my list of the best tech devices of 2024. It is indeed a high-tech appliance, which was first shown at CES 2024 earlier this year. It has built-in Wi-Fi and a companion app for monitoring your cook, adjusting temperature, and more. The large 1,260 square-inch surface can cook up to 16 racks of ribs, 20 full chickens, or 33 burgers and hot dogs, enough for the entire neighbourhood. What sets it apart from others is a fuel hopper that automatically feeds lump charcoal or charcoal briquettes as needed for the cook. I owned a previous generation model and by comparison, this one is a huge step-up in more than just size. The Wi-Fi antenna is better located to afford a more stable connection. Stones inside the hopper help keep heat at a more even temperature. It has a stainless steel versus cast iron grill, making it more durable as well. Shelves are adjustable, the front GUI adds new details, and there are spaces to hold four probes, with the smoker coming with two. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Read my Masterbuilt Gravity XT review.
6. Sonos Ace Headphones
Are the Sonos Ace the best sounding headphones you can buy? No. They’re also not the best priced ones, costing a pretty penny compared to other models that rival them (including another pair I have included on this list). But they have a few compelling features that make them worthwhile for Sonos households. Chief among them is TV Audio Swap. If you have a compatible Sonos soundbar like the Arc (or the new Arc Ultra), you can seamlessly swap audio from soundbar to headphones and vice versa with a simple flick of a switch at the side of the headphones. This provides an immersive, personal listening experience when you don’t want to distract others, or for those who have issues hearing the TV without cranking the volume. With head tracking, you can move around as you multitask while always keeping the action or dialogue front and centre. They offer decent noise canceling as well: I wore them on a recent flight from Toronto to Palo Alto, CA and while they don’t rival my benchmark Bose pair, they do the trick and they’re comfortable to wear for hours on end. I also wore them while watching several episodes of Fallout while the rest of the family was in bed and enjoyed the totally immersive experience. Battery life is fantastic at up to 30 hours per charge, and they come with a 3.5mm cable for connecting to an in-flight entertainment system or legacy source device. I wouldn’t recommend these for anyone who doesn’t have other Sonos speakers, particularly a soundbar, because TV Audio Swap is the defining feature in my book. But for Sonos lovers, they’re the headphones you have been waiting so long to get. Read my Sonos Ace review.
7. Epson ET-4850 EcoTank All-in-One Printer
I have been a long-time fan and user of Epson EcoTank printers, and while the Epson EcoTank ET-4850 all-in-one printer isn’t a new model, having launched back in 2021, it remains one of the best you can buy. The upgrades from older models if you’re still using one are numerous, including a more stable Wi-Fi connection, ink reservoirs positioned at the front for easy filling and refilling, and sensors that stop the ink from flowing once the reservoirs detect that they’re full. From printing black and white text to vibrant photos on glossy photo paper, the easy-to-use app, and remote printing over Wi-Fi, it’s a dream device for a home office or busy family. Read my Epson ET-4850 review.
8. JBL Live 770NC Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones
I have reviewed numerous headphones over the years, and when it comes to over-ears, the JBL Live 770NC, available in Canada through Erikson Consumer, remain one of my favourites, if not the best pair I have used this year. From the stellar sound quality to the impressive noise cancellation and the attractive price, when it comes to performance and value, they can’t be beat. With up to 65 hours of battery life per charge, 50 when used wirelessly, you can wear these for long flights or weekly commutes and will find you very infrequently have to charge them. They’re comfortable to wear for long periods of time, have a TalkThru feature, and offer Spatial Sound support that makes you feel like you’re right there at a live concert. I can’t recommend this pair enough if you’re looking to get the most out of your hard-earned money and want a versatile pair of headphones you can wear just about anywhere, from a plane to your gaming room. Read my JBL Live 770NC review.
9. UGREEN 10,000mAh Magnetic MagSafe Power Bank
This isn’t the fastest wireless charger you’ll find, but the convenience of MagSafe means everything. Prior to having a MagSafe iPhone, I refused to use any portable power bank that didn’t come with a built-in cable. It just makes sense not to have to drag a cable along with one. With MagSafe, this charger magnetizes directly to the back of the phone or a MagSafe case to recharge the device. It charges at a rate of 7.5W, so you aren’t going to get your phone back to 100% in record time. But you’ll get enough juice to keep you going in a pinch, whether it’s to call an Uber or get you through until you get back home. It should recharge an iPhone 15 Pro at least 1.9 times per charge. It supports two-way charging so if you’re at the airport, you can plug it in to recharge while also using it to charge your phone. Plus, it has a separate USB-C port to charge a second device (with a cable) at 20W. It has some heft to it and it’s not the slickest looking accessory so I’m certain there are better options out there. But based on what I have tried this year, this one is a must in my carry-on for every trip and will be coming with me to CES 2025. Read my UGREEN power bank review.
10. Clckr MagSafe Phone Stand And Grip
Admittedly, I still love my HANDL phone grip above all else. But they company doesn’t seem to offer a version of its original rectangular form factor with a MagSafe backing. With the latest iPhones boasting MagSafe, and now a growing selection of MagSafe cases for Android phones, these accessories are all the rage. The Clckr phone stand + grip with MagSafe, available in Canada through Erikson Consumer, is a great way to get a phone grip and kickstand in one that you can easily remove when you want to affix other MagSafe accessories to the back of your phone, like a MagSafe charging bank. Slide your fingers through the opening for more stable one-handed operation or a secure grip for snapping selfies. Pop two sides in to use it as a kickstand for your phone in portrait or landscape mode for watching videos, chatting on video calls, or even using the phone as a calculator. I did just this to binge-watch shows during a recent 14+-hour flight to Japan and 3.5-hour flight to Miami. It’s such a simple yet worthwhile accessory that I can’t imagine living without now. Read my clckr phone stand + grip review.
11. DJI Osmo Pocket 3 Portable Gimbal Camera
The piece of gear I get asked about the most when I bring it along to various events is this handy little pocket camera. It’s a content creator’s dream, as I noted in my review earlier in the year. I first took the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 to CES 2024 after testing it out at home and it worked wonderfully for capturing all the video content I published from the show. I have continued to use it at various events, to capture unboxing videos at home, and other review footage. It has a built-in screen you can rotate to use in both portrait and landscape mode. But you can also connect it wirelessly to the smartphone app to preview content from there. You can flip the lens to look at you and it calibrates and moves around as you shoot, making it easy to get footage even down low. With the longer handle, it’s super simple to use on the go while the tripod makes tabletop use incredibly simply, especially since you can adjust the angle to your liking. The initial (and only) issue I had with my review was that images wouldn’t load to the app wirelessly without putting your phone into airplane mode, but this bug has seemingly since been rectified. I have also started using the Lightcut app, which works seamlessly with this camera, to put together footage you can then fine tune, add text and animations, and create compelling social videos. If you’re buying this camera, I’d highly recommend investing in the Creator Combo that has all the aforementioned accessories along with a mic, extra battery, and more. Read my DJI Osmo Pocket 3 review.
12. Withings Body Segment Smart Scale
I included another Withings scale on my favourite tech list for 2023, but I have since upgraded to this one, and it adds a whole new dimension to the experience. Like the Body Smart I previously reviewed, this one measures basics like weight and BMI as well as heart rate, EDA, visceral fat, and muscle mass. But it has a retractable handle for more precise measurements through not just your feet but the current traveling from your hands to your feet. You get a cool diagram in the app showing the fat and muscle distribution throughout your body, including arms, legs, and torso, which gives you far more insight into what those figures mean versus just knowing the overall percentage. The scale is ideal for those who are deep into fitness but also for anyone who wants to get a gauge of your overall health and keep an eye on things like water retention and potential risk factors for cardiovascular disease or diabetes. It’s not a medical device, but this sure beats the basic, old analogue scale and it’s world’s smartest then the entry-level smart scale. Read my Withings Body Segment review.
13. Jetpac Mobile eSIM
I’m one of those people who has always gone the easy route and just let my phone switch to Roam Like Home when I travel. Each time, I cringe when I have to fork over the exorbitant amount of money on the inflated bill for using my phone in another country as I do at home. That is no more now that I have finally tried an eSIM and realize what I have been missing out on this entire time. I will be conducting a comparison review of some of the top eSIMs for travelers in the new year. For now, after using Jetpac Mobile, I’m thoroughly impressed. From ordering a data roaming package that suited my trip to Japan to setting up the eSIM on my phone, activating it, keeping an eye on my usage, then turning it off and reverting to my local carrier when I got back home, the entire process was seamless. I used another in Miami and will be signing up for a third for CES. Stay tuned for my comparison to help you choose the best option to meet your travel needs.
14. OnePlus Buds 3 (and 3 Pro) True Wireless Earbuds
I reviewed the OnePlus Buds 3 earlier this year, and if value is a priority for you, these true wireless earbuds won’t disappoint. At just $140, they sound even better than some earbuds that are twice as expensive. But I recently received the OnePlus Buds 3 Pro for review, and these buds, created along with Dynaudio, are absolutely phenomenal. They sound crisp and clear with impressive active noise cancellation and transparency mode. They are hands-down the best true wireless earbuds I have tried this year. At $260 in Canada (on sale now for $180), they’re also really affordable for what they are: most earbuds in this class, including models that don’t sound nearly as good, go for upwards of $299 north of the border. I’ll have my review of these Pro-level buds in the new year. But if you’re looking for a more value-level alternative, the OnePlus Buds 3 I reviewed provide a pleasant listening experience with a Hi-Res mode (with compatible tracks), and noise cancelling is decent. Plus, they look darned cool! But if you’re not on a super-tight budget, go with the OnePlus Buds 3 Pro instead. You won’t be disappointed. Stay tuned for my review of the OnePlus Buds 3 Pro. Read my OnePlus Buds 3 review.
15. Apple TV+ Subscription
OK, so I’m cheating a bit here because it’s not an actual product. But among all the streaming services available, Apple TV+ is easily one of my favourites, if not my number-one favourite. Access is simple through mobile devices or an Apple TV+ or other compatible smart TV interface. (There’s even direct access through Bell Fibe). The selection of shows and movies might not be as expansive as others but Apple TV+ is hitting it out of the park with its original content. Some of my favourite shows of this year (and earlier) are from Apple TV+ including Severance, Shrinking, and Silo, along with other enjoyable ones like Bad Monkey, Bad Sisters, and Presumed Innocent. If you use other Apple services like I do, including Apple Fitness+, Apple iCloud, Apple News, and/or Apple Arcade, it’s worth considering an Apple One subscription to pay one price for access to everything. Sure, I wish I could download Apple TV+ content to watch while traveling. But with Apple TV+ content available now on Air Canada flights, there’s lots of ways to watch. One its own, a subscription is $13/mo. but you get the first month free and the first three months free with the purchase of a new Apple device. Read my Apple TV+ show reviews. (Search for reviews of many of the shows noted above).