The 2023 GQ Home Awards

The last couple years have been a pressure-cooker of sorts for shaping your home—a very last-minute invitation to cram a gym space into your 600-square foot apartment, start renovations on that sad square of patio, and stockpile kitchen gear—all things spurred by a dramatic increase in time spent pacing your space and stretching its limits. With the world reopened, there's a little more breathing room to let your freak flag fly, take up room, reassess your current holdovers, and get more frivolous and targeted with your interior fixations. 

Thankfully, the accommodations for such demands are numerous, whether you're going long on a conversation pit formation in your lounge, squaring up your hardwood floors with an artpiece rug, or investing in a MoMA-worthy espresso maker or vacuum cleaner. For the 2023 GQ Home Awards, we vetted and tested everything for practicality as always, but also had a lot of fun surfacing fresh, extremely now picks that will upgrade any meh setup: bright and doubly-thick glassware, squiggly tables, Memphis-y bathroom accessories that you don't need to hide from the view of guests, and sharp tech innovations that can help ensure that you're in for a good time and a long time in your current digs. Feast your eyes on all the best stuff to buy for your imminently swagged-out home. (Oh, and if you're trawling this list going, “Where's all the sleep stuff???” know that we did a giant deep-dive on bedding and mattresses this year, which is easily perusable over at our first annual Sleep Awards). 

The GQ Home Awards Table of Contents

In case you're looking for something specific: 

• The Living Room
• The Dining Room
• The Kitchen 
• The Bathroom
• The Backyard
• The Home Office
• The Closet
• The Smart Home Essentials
• The Home Theater

There’s sleeping on a saggy skeleton of a T-bar-supported pull-out couch and then there’s passing out on the Gus Rialto, a five-star accommodation as far as sleeper sofas go. When your guest is ready to wind down for the night, the base pillows of this Scandi-style loveseat (whose curves resemble Herman Miller’s “Chiclet” sofa) flip down like a sports car to reveal an entire memory foam mattress within its innards. Good old Gus’ stainless steel frame gets an extra assist from a set of bent plywood slats for supporting all types of strays, and the arms and back even slide off, so you don’t have to play Tetris to squeeze your Transformer into your door.

Deep and sprawled out, the new Float sofa from Sarah Ellison (maker of some of the coolest, most coveted couches out there, including last year's Home Award-winning Muse) is technically designed to be sat on, but is even better suited for fully vegging out. Its sunken-in style calls to mind the decadent conversation pits and two-level sofas from the '70s, like Ubald Klug’s Terrazzo, except a bit more muted and versatile. Since it’s shaped like a nice, normal couch, too, it fits in right between those permanent collection pieces and something useful, all while doing away with the loucheness that’s characteristic of so much design from that era.

Even in a crowded flatpack market, the choice was obvious when it came to picking a bang-up sofa system for around a grand. The Burrow Range is by far the handsomest, and well-built thanks to bent plywood joinery (no weak-sauce MDF here), cushy shredded fill, and a tightly woven, stain-resistant fabric that will put up a fight against your cat’s claws. The open-ended seats are also endlessly configurable depending on how many units you’re jonesing for, whether it's an ottoman at one end or a whole conversation pit layout. If you're buying something with that new couch smell (not bartering for someone’s leftovers on Craigslist), this is one of the surest bets in the modern seating game.

Who wants to sit and read in a hard, theoretical chair? Don’t we deserve something more comfortable? Tacchini’s re-do of the Le Mura, a 1970s masterpiece, makes the case that we do. Designed by Mario Bellini—whose Camaleonda is an Italian all-timer—the chair slots in well with the best of anything designed in Europe. It’s immediately digestible, with welcoming lines done up in timeless materials, and just enough flair. It’s also modular, so it can work as a sofa.

Glass lamps have come a long way from the Edisons of yore, and modern iterations are getting wavier and wavier, by way of sculptural forms that play with S-shaped curves and delicately detailed shades. On one hand, there’s Mitzi’s take on the bulb lamp, with its gently sloping stand that turns illumination into an art form. And you can’t get much more picturesque than glassmaker Sophie Lou Jacobsen’s collab with Brooklyn design studio In Common With. Don’t call it any old mushroom lamp: It’s a dimmable brass beauty that looks like something CGI'd from a fantasy epic into the comfort of your home. 

Side tables are perfect design experiments. Their job is so small that they can do it looking like anything. Two new fun instances: James Williams III’s LT4R, for Lichen, and the Areaware Side Splat, stretch out this theme. At first glance, the pair shares their shape with Pierre de Rougemont’s ‘80s cloud top designs; on a closer look, it’s a remix. Lichen’s rendition is minimal, with a slick, muted feel, while the bright, bubbly Areaware is the life of the party. Both are low-effort ways to include more experimental shapes in the home.

Coffee tables primarily act as storage and foot-proppers in your living room, often playing second fiddle to whatever's resting on top of them. In the past, we've crowned practical coffee tables of modest proportions and low prices in the Home Awards, but Sabai's recycled steel and wood model steps it up with a gently curved base in a trio of colorways (including crisp white and this polished army green). Thankfully, it'll be located at the center of your living room: all the better for it to assume the role of the number-one conversation starter at your next house party. 

Lusting after a midcentury Danish modular shelving system but don’t have an empty wall or the shipping hookup to get there? Consider Hem’s Zig Zag shelf, a worthy successor to that style. It brings to mind Poul Cadovius’ great Cado shelving system—the dark walnut wood, the crossed pattern—but in a more compact, flexible silhouette. Stack them, or set one up solo for more of a Copenhagen look. 

Besides a place to park your bottom, benches should be long enough to squeeze at least two people on, and cushy enough that your glutes don't want to take a nap on them. This year, the humble bench (typically anesthetized in woods and metals) leans into delicate textures. Sun at Six’s velveteen, chubby-legged Temi is anchored by ancient Chinese joinery techniques so that your kids and your kids' kids can still enjoy the merits of its splashy design down the line. Meanwhile, designer Eny Lee Parker's collab with Lulu & Georgia imagines what might happen if you were seated on a literal cloud (well, at least one simulated through oodles of creamy bouclé fabric). 

Giancarlo Valle, the elegant New York design company, seems to be everywhere lately—or it might be we’ve caught up to its vibe. A new collaboration with Scandinavian rugmakers Nordic Knots adds an even more vibrant dimension. The rugs, inspired by crafted furniture in Valle’s family’s South American home, are a lively tweak on NK’s summery formula. The best ones, like the Big Bud, command the eye and elevate their surroundings. Have yours center a room, or throw it up on a wall.

Entering the rug game can be daunting: Good vintage is endless, classics run super expensive, and new collaborations can sell out in a jiff. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a solid entry level pick out there that was kept in stock and had options? There is; it’s Revival’s Jute. Available in a handful of smart color options—we like natural fiber and black—it’s accessibly-priced and, thanks to its materials, should last about a decade. Snag one now and rough yours up with disdain.

Dining tables, like big rugs, are often hard things to source: There are not many new, subtly-designed sets out there at attainable prices. It's why Sundays’ field dining table is such a nice gesture. Designed quietly, but with commanding, confident legs, it at once cuts a distinct and quiet figure. It’s a vibe in line with so much of Sunday's output, which specializes in unassuming, upscale D2C designs that look unlike anything you'd be pulling from a big box retailer.

Yes, the shape of the Collar dining chair is fairly straightforward, but it minimal simplicity belies a Donald Judd-esque aesthetic that can gel with a variety of tables. The warm beechwood feels more inviting than sterile metal or plastic, and the angled lines framing the chair's edges suggest what you'll do perched on one of these: tuck your elbows in and eat up. 

 Bar carts don't have to look like antique trolleys, and even if they seem too outdated for your current abode, they're still a better fix than storing all your best liquor on top of the fridge. If you’re buying for the first time, try the Umbra, a solid Amazon best-seller with a nifty modern outline. Otherwise, splurge on USM Haller’s collaboration with Ghetto Gastro, the Bronx culinary collective that's worked with everyone from Rick Owens to Nike. This blacked-out cart (technically for the kitchen, but one that could easily pull double-duty as a booze station) is a minimal wonder, and versatile enough to outlive your next three or four friend groups.

If you want your next dinner party to land with a cannonball splash, Summerill & Bishop’s innovative linen textiles are the ones to keep handy in your closet. Even if you think you’re the honored host and center of attention, you’re likely to be upstaged by one of them. Done up in Pollack-esque splatters, trippy squiggles, and beachy stripes of every hue in the color spectrum, they’ve got that extra special sauce for bestowing upon (and duly impressing) lucky newlyweds, homeowners, in-laws, and beyond.

Our Place’s Always Pan took Instagram by storm, inspiring legions of aesthetic-focused home cooks to actually close the Seamless app for the day. It was a kitchen superhero that (almost) did it all: it steamed, it braised, it fried, it boiled, it served. It does way more than you do on your very best days. And the latest version of this bad boy can even bake in the oven, too, courtesy of a new heatproofed coating. Finally, the “do-it-all” pan can actually do it all.

Building a kitchen arsenal from scratch (and on a shoestring budget)? Made In’s D2C business model offers the casual home cook an affordable way to buy high-performing cookware and kitchen essentials that even high-caliber chefs use in their professional kitchens. Its knives are French-made, sharp as a razor, and fully ready to hack and dice your food into a Michelin-quality meal.

The aforementioned Bronx-based chef collective Ghetto Gastro has an ongoing partnership with the cooking appliance stalwarts at Crux, which includes this multi-use toaster oven. With the aura and glow of a Star Wars Sith lord, the CRUXGG can essentially cook you a full meal (not all at once) ranging from air-fried chicken tenders to broiled salmon to a final glorious helping of fresh-baked cookies for dessert.

Vitamix’s recent cameo in the series finale of Succession solidified it as the blender brand of the 1%, and when it's not being used to pulverize a hodgepodge of eggshells, lougies, and stale bread to test Kendall Roy's mettle, it's got the horsepower and the blades to make light work of any smoothie or soup for everyone else. The brand's Propel series brings a more affordable range of smoothie-making, food-chopping blenders to the casual Jamba Juice enthusiast, while preset blending programs take the guesswork out of wondering if your concoction is smooth, chunky, or something in between. Scoop the 510 if you want something with a smaller footprint, and the 750 if you need the extra blend settings and a lengthier warranty to fall back on.

Balmuda, a Japan-based home appliance company that’s infiltrated the US market thanks to a very swanky (and expensive) toaster oven, got caffeinated in 2023 with its sleek, compact coffee maker. Brewing with this thing gets you pour-over-style coffee without all the work or time. And for those mornings when you’re this close to getting an IV drip of coffee into your veins, you can have the Brew cook up a “strong” cup so you’re somewhat less groggy this AM.

Moccamaster has mastered the art of the coffee machine over the last six decades, but only in 2023 did those Dutch coffee nerds make their first foray into coffee grinders to accompany their coveted brewers. The Technivorm's stepless control knob grants you essentially an infinite number of grind settings, which are produced cleanly and with as little chafe—AKA that fine, paper-like residue that’s a byproduct of ground coffee—as possible. Crafting another expert-approved coffee gadget was surely no easy feat, but brewing a better cup of joe is much simpler with the KM5.

Since its emergence onto the electric kettle scene several years ago, Fellow has been the brand to beat. Combining a sleek, matte finish with precise temperature control and a 60-minute hold function, the Stagg EKG is the go-to kettle for pour-over coffee lovers and even the occasional tea sipper. This year’s Stagg EKG Pro Studio Edition retains all the things we loved about the OG, adding in the option for scheduling a boil and utilizing premium materials: metal and glass.

It’s hard to overstate just how good the Breville Bambino Plus is, not just for total espresso noobs, but even for the more seasoned coffee snob. It’s dead simple to use but doesn’t give up all user control to a computer. It also brews espresso to the industry standard of nine-bars (don’t be fooled by machines that tout anything higher than that) and steams milk better than machines more than twice its price. Maximizing performance and user-friendliness for the price—expensive but about average for a decent espresso machine—it's our top pick for just about everyone.

Or, if you need a machine that has the pedigree to blend in with your exquisitely marbled countertops, the AnZa is just as much a Brutalist piece of art as it is a functional espresso maker. Java control freaks will love the manual features of the AnZa (which help them tinker with all the variables that go into each brew), resulting in barista-worthy shots and steamy, frothy, milky perfection. 

We’re ditching the statement plates and bowls for something classic: a full, earthy dinnerware set in the form of Fable’s Base collection. Sturdy enough to withstand a blasting in the dishwasher, this hand-finished stoneware comes with four dinner plates, salad plates, pasta bowls, and breakfast bowls. It’s the kind of canvas that will make your takeout feel a little fancier and guarantee that at least two guests will ask where you got them at every dinner party.

There’s something transportative about the Bistrot flatware set from Sabre. Maybe it’s how the brand went for the French “bistrot” as opposed to the American “bistro” or how this same exact set is something you’d find at a café in Paris, ready to dig into some people-watching—and lunch, of course. Alternatively, picture the perfectly set table at your friend’s house, the one who is always hosting brunch. Different in theory, but both scenarios have the same set of flatware (this one).

With drinking glasses, there is a fine line between hitting that perfect apex of style and stepping too far into “How do I drink out of this?” territory. An easy way to stay in the right lane is to go all in on a color theme; this year, we’ve seen colorful, double-walled borosilicate glassware popping up on the tables of our most design-minded friends. Here are a few that caught our collective attention: We’re into the verdant hue and ribbed texture of the Bodum Chicago glasses, which handle both hot and cold drinks with gusto. For a bit more personality, Fazeek’s mouth-blown wave-y glasses look like special cups you only bring out for VIPs while pairing with your favorite La Croix flavors on the daily. For something a bit more nuanced, Hudson Wilder’s drinking glasses are an optical illusion of sorts: top-heavy in silhouette, but perfectly balanced in the hand.

It would be way too easy to get caught up in having a different glass for each type of wine you sip. A separate drinking vessel for each grape varietal? As if you aren’t already fighting for space in the kitchen cabinet. This “universal” design from Zalto was made to complement both red and white wines and—this is a cool fact to drop to the crew about two glasses in—the curve of each glass’s balloon is inspired by the tilt angles of the Earth. Why? Because it apparently keeps your wine fresher and unlocks some tasting notes kept hidden by lesser wine glasses.

Composting isn’t sexy—that’s not news to anyone with a nose and a delicate stomach. Pela’s Lomi won’t completely tidy up that problem, but at least it’ll look good while quietly churning up your food scraps into delicious, tasty dirt for your plant friends, all within 24 hours. No smell, no noise, no waste—all good for the planet.

If the shower is your sanctuary, it’s time to invest in a bath towel that elevates getting dry to a whole 'nother art form. The fact the Arco (made by Quiet Town, a newish brand that specializes in all things related to the bathroom) is organically dyed to look like a playful painting almost overshadows the fact this towel is an absolute stalwart. It’s cut from medium-weight organic cotton which lands it right in the sweet spot of super absorbent, but not too bulky. Plus, at a luxurious bath sheet size, it’ll keep your whole body swaddled from the second you step out of your steamy domain, and can enough to tap in as a beach towel in a pinch.

Let’s be real—most toilet brushes are sad dollar store pickups that we shamefully stash in the far reaches of the bathroom. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Award-winning German design firm Hewi has come to set us free with an object that has transcended from a mere “toilet brush holder” into a Memphis-y statement piece. Made from ultra-hygienic, moisture-resistant materials, you can mount it proudly on your wall knowing it’ll get the dirty work done while still looking clean.

Ever thought about filtering your shower water for chlorine and heavy metals? You probably are now. While chlorinating our water is great for a lot of things, it’s tough on the skin and hair—stripping natural oils, lipids, and more. After testing every other filtered shower head on the market, Jolie created the “Ferrari” of the category with a design that looks great, filters at the highest standard, and can be installed on any shower head by even the least handy among us. All while delivering the spa-like water pressure you crave.

This bath mat delivers in all the categories you’d expect: It’s plushy, made from 100% tufted cotton, and is even machine-washable when any traces of mildew make a house call. Where it outshines the wilted mat you picked up from Bed Bath & Beyond (R.I.P.) five years ago is in its visual impact. If you’re gonna be plodding over this square of fabric on the regular, it might as well look cool. With an abstract design that evokes a jazzy keyboard, the Tierra Bath Mat will keep your shower singing right on key.

If you have yet to acquire a bidet by now, it’s time to step into the (hygienic and sustainable) future. While you will need to wade through a lot of poop and butt jokes on Tushy’s website, we give them a lot of credit for taking a device that felt decidedly elite and European, and making it more accessible for everybody. The Ace is the brand’s greatest upgrade to date with an electric design that offers a heated seat, temperature- and pressure-controlled water, and built in air-drying, all at the touch of a button. 

In an, ahem, landscape full of fusty rattan and wicker, Neighbor has cornered the outdoor market with its furniture that balances sharp design and personality without making your space looked like it was blindly picked out of a catalogue. Its Terra loveseat, in a palate-cleansing green, has just the right chops to resist blending into the greenery of your garden. And how durable, with a lightweight aluminum frame, fadeproof Sunbrella fabric that's ready to get baked without blanching under the sun's glare, and plushy cushions concealing mounds of quick-drying, rain-resistant foam. 

Outdoor rugs are dust traps and mud guards, sure, but the right one will add a certain something to your yard, too. Outer's Sunbrella-enhanced rug is such a specimen: It's not only durable and easy to clean, but also sustainably sourced from more than 1,000 plastic bottles. The subtle herringbone pattern elevates a poured concrete patio without stealing the show from the rest of your outdoor setup. Plus, it's naturally stain-resistant against red wine-toting guests, with just the right amount of optical illusion in its weave to conceal dust and debris in between vacuums.

Take a peek down any commercial street or into any well-curated suburban backyards and you might spot a trend: the exact same set of graphic seating occupying sidewalks and pristine patios. Powder-coated metal is having a moment, and Hay's bestselling Palissade trio (available with chairs or matching benches paired with a welded tabletop) is the most happening one of the bunch. The slim steel skeletons could equally hold court in a museum as in your urban garden, which is why people have taken to them in droves. Its elegant lines draw the eye, while the steel base provides a sturdy, sensible place to spend the afternoon.

Proper outdoor lighting is crucial to establishing nighttime ambiance and the Ring solar pathlights are an even cleverer way to illuminate your backyard. Not only are these fellas solar-powered, so you never have to hunt for a battery or an outlet to light them up, you can even set schedules and get motion-detection alerts when a trespasser (i.e. your squirrel friend) traipses through your yard. It also works with Alexa, so a simple voice command can turn lights on and off without you ever needing to lift a finger or extract yourself from your horizontal position by the pool. 

Think of this three-in-one lounger as the pocketknife of outdoor furniture. The teak Skagerak daybed shifts from sunbed to bench to coffee table in minutes. The Scandinavian-inspired wonder can even cameo as a guest bed when one too many buds decide to crash at your house–all you have to do is line it with a mattress topper. Left as is, the slatted construction instantaneously adds panache to any paltry yard or deck.

Forking over this much cash for an outdoor folding chair may seem indulgent, but hear us out. A solid campng chair is just as important as any fancy office chair, and that’s because your OOO time on cabin retreats or daylong tailgating escapades requires just as much bum and back support. The Yeti Hondo base camp chair is as reliable as one of the brand's bombproof coolers, with baked-in weave technology that actually helps ease stiffness-inducing pressure points. Its hardy UV-resistant mesh is ready for a rough-and-tumble go of it in the great outdoors, and the built-in cup holder is primed to prop up one of your brewskies as you settle in around the campfire.

Solo Stove has become the go-to name in smokeless fire pits, with its seamless, stainless steel cylinders popping up in backyards all across the country. And for good reason. These clean-burning fire pits merge an impromptu, backyard s’mores session with beautiful, modern design. And don't sweat the cleanup process: This 2.0 model now features a removable ash tray for keeping your backyard tidy.

Ooni’s most versatile outdoor pizza oven, the Karu, will unleash your inner pizzaiolo. Use wood or charcoal for a more traditional cooking experience, or swap to the gas burner if you’re on a time crunch. Either way, these ovens can heat to scorching temps of 950 degrees Fahrenheit and cook pizzas in just 60 seconds. Just think: You’ll never need to toss a pizza in your conventional oven (or set off the smoke detector again) with your cheesy, melty creations.

Traeger quite literally invented pellet grills in the ’80s, and it makes sense that with their popularity skyrocketing in the past couple years, it’s still the brand we go to for dummy-proof outdoor smoking. Press a button and have your grill do all the work to maintain a constant temperature for pro pitmaster barbecue without all the blood, sweat, and tears. The Ironwood takes your cooking to the next level by combining precision temperature control with the convenience of WiFi connectivity. Combining just the right amount of features and an affordable-ish price point, it’s just what any serious backyard entertainer needs to keep the BBQ crowd happy.

Are large clunky gas grills or smokey charcoal grills a no-go where you live? Weber knows your pain. The legendary brand just introduced a sleek, compact electric grill that can hit 600 degrees Fahrenheit to sear, smoke, and steam, even in a cramped outdoor space. Available in five colors, the Lumin is a big step-up from any cheapo George Forman model you've been flipping burgers on for many summers past. 

Thermacell's small portable and refillable smokeless vapor units have been the gold standard in mosquito deterrents for years. Trouble is, most of them only provide a 10 to 15 foot ring of coverage and then you've got to remember to recharge and replace them. No biggie if you're swatting away skeeters on a tiny balcony, but that won't cut it if you're working with a whole backyard, let alone acreage. The LIV system jacks up small units on steroids by making a chain of repellant dispensers that's controllable via app. The system is certainly an investment, but wildly efficient. Considering the cost of seasonal (typically ineffective) treatments, and how much territory you'll regain from hordes of blood-suckers, we think it's well worth it. 

Even when the impulse to work from bed is too strong, we should still invest in a great desk. Why? Well, we think better, for one. Take Gaetano Pesce’s Monolithic, the curious, stout cornerstone made of translucent resin, which is just about guaranteed to propel you past any hang-ups plaguing your screenplay. Or take Article’s Baarlo desk, and its similar open plan, sculptural setup. It’s more elegant, but just as designed to elevate you into real contemplation.

Inside you there are two wolves: the one who needs a high-end office chair, and the one who just wants something cool-looking to sit on. Does it matter which one’s at the wheel? Both options are winners. Steelcase’s Karman, with its fluid lines, offers ideal support and comes in a rainbow of splashy colorways, while Modernica’s all-time Case Study, updated by Braindead to full LA swag, can be ergonomic if you let it. Just make sure to stretch now and then.

Standing desks are perfectly practical, and for this reason they all tend to lack any vibes whatsoever. But why can’t something pragmatic also look slick? Herman Miller’s Passport, a pneumatic sit-to-stand model, seems like the way out. It does all the health-nut things right, and comes in a number of aesthetic options. (We suggest the red base if you're aiming for a freakier WFH aesthetic.) It’s another classic from Miller, somewhere in the elite tier between helpful and stylish, and the ideal piece of practical, helpful design.

Gantri has been quietly releasing some of the coolest designs in the lighting biz since it launched in 2017: eco-friendly, 3D-printed gems created with collaborators around the world. To reimagine the humble task lamp, the brand tapped consulting firm Smart Design, who whipped up a Gen-Z green, cartoonishly charming silhouette with a plant-based body, adjustable head for training over your desk, and a chunky base for squatting on any desk surface. It’s easy on the eyes in many senses, shining out diffused light that won’t strain your screen-wearied retinas.

As the old saying goes, an organized desk means an organized mind. But between all the devices and their accessories, the half-finished iced coffees, and half-great sticky note ideas, it’s hard to keep things neat. With that, let us introduce you to the Alti Desk Mat. Crafted from pleasingly plush felt and vegan leather, it pulls open to store paper clutter, shields your desk from spills and scratches, and—get this—fast-charges your phone and earbuds at the same time. We can’t promise it’ll make you more get more done, but it’ll definitely make you feel like you are.

Shoe organizers tend to look like shoe organizers and that’s not exactly a good thing. Ferm Living’s Dora shelving rack steers clear of that design pitfall because it looks like a modern shelf for displaying your most prized possessions, kitting out with an elegant vintage table lamp, hanging those errant scarves, and keeping your growing collection of clogs neat and tidy thanks to four roomy rows of storage. The powder-coated iron frame separates it from cheapo fiberboard options and designates it as a real-deal piece of well-designed furniture rather than just a quick fix to an untidy problem.

Speaking of shoes, sometimes solving your storage problem begets a problem of its own. Not all of us are willing to shell out for a whole new piece of furniture just to keep up with our loafer fixation. Square footage comes at a premium, especially in a cramped apartment. Like-It’s solution stacks your shoes vertically, effectively doubling your storage. Each one features grips to keep the top shoe from sliding and even a divot that holds stiletto heels in place if you've got a Carrie Bradshaw-like closet. Shoe holders come in sets of six and 12 which are squat enough to fit into shelves and maximize your existing space.

The String System has been around for decades and is a classic piece of midcentury design that still holds up today. Its modular design allows for endless combinations from a simple three-tier bookshelf to a wall unit that includes a desk, record cabinet, or even some hangers for your stemmed glasses. And with add-ons like a clothing rack and shoe racks, the String System is great as a standalone closet or wardrobe. Hell, with its good looks, you probably wouldn’t want to hide it away from visitors. It’s simple to install and can be easily modified to your needs through every life stage and fashion era.

Robot vacuums can save time, sure, but if you don’t trust your little helper to dig into every nook and cranny in your home, then you’ll need the pointed accuracy of a stick vacuum to finish the job. Dyson surely popularized the modern stick vac, and this year, it’s topped itself with its strongest model yet, the Dyson Gen5detect. And yes, the “detect” in its name means the brand brought its laser to the cleaning head to illuminate naked-to-the-eye particles on the floor like you’re playing an IRL game of Pac-Man. For a little steam-cleaning action, the Eufy Mach V1 capably vacuums and mops simultaneously, and it helps eliminate germs too—not just dust and grime. For lovers of all things luxury, Samsung has designed a high-end stick vacuum that looks like a futuristic assistant. The sleek Samsung Bespoke Jet is part of the company’s luxury appliance line, and it’s a stunner, not just because it cleans your floors well but because it cleans itself, too—no more plumes of debris when you’re trying to empty a clogged canister.

A robot vacuums arms race is underway in the modern smart home, and the latest bots are smarter, better at cleaning, and getting more expensive. The top-of-the-line roborock S7 Max Ultra doesn’t just vacuum and mop, it also automatically lifts the mop like it's conducting a quickie tire change whenever it detects carpets and rugs. It's also self-cleaning, giving you one less thing to worry about. But you don’t have to shell out a whole rent check for a cleaning assistant: The much more accessible, hardwood-curious Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 mops as efficiently as it vacuums, helping you span every surface in your budget home. 

While the lightbulb has long been a symbol of innovation, it's largely remained the same for over 100 years. With the advent of LED, though, lights are getting a lot smarter and the Nanoleaf Matter A19, the first-ever Matter-over-Thread smart bulb—basically meaning its geometric design  is compatible with a bevy of platforms, from Alexa to Samsung SmartThings—is taking things to the next level. It offers increased brightness and affordability compared to other premium light bulbs, and comes in just about a zillion hues depending on how chill or extremely unchill of an ambiance (rave, anyone???) you're going for. 

In the smart home space, a race to include all the bells and whistles in every possible device has led manufacturers to overcomplicate everyday items like toasters, lamps, and thermostats. By taking a just-the-basics approach, the Amazon Smart Thermostat bakes in all the functionality you'd want—automatic temperature adjustments, a remote control, and an unobtrusive design—without the three-figure price tag. So if you’ve already invited Alexa into your home, this easy-to-install device will give her the ability to heat and cool your home like a Jetson.

Knock, knock. Who’s there? The nosy little cat from next door. The problem with most smart doorbells is that they’re not entirely smart, alerting you to every motion, human or otherwise. With Google’s latest Nest doorbell, it’ll feel more like you have a real-life doorman than ever before, able to recognize familiar faces to alert you when people you actually know are trying to get inside. Image quality is better than ever, and with a 145-degree field of view, you can get a full-body view instead of a too-close image of someone’s face. And in typical smart doorbell function, you can greet guests, invited or otherwise, and grant them the keys to your castle even if you’re not home.

Season’s Aero SM is a sleek, minimalist diffuser for those who want their decor to match their SSENSE-supplied wardrobe. With a whisper-quiet burst of scent and many ways to customize your spacey little vessel, the Aero SM directly diffuses essential oils without water or heat, creating your own personal scentscape in rooms up to 1,200 square feet. Thanks to a 15-hour battery life and a bucket-style carrying strap, you can also transport the aromatherapy wherever it's most needed.

With its six-liter water tank capacity, 753 square feet of coverage, and intuitive settings, the Levoit L600S is a smart workhorse of a humidifier that is the ultimate wingman in your battle against dry air. While it may not make the most stylish machines around, Levoit is the most trusted name in the humidifier biz for efficiency, and its little wonders will help you say goodbye to reptilian skin and sinus issues even if you live in the most cavernous of loft spaces. 

Quit shivering! Help is here. Harnessing the power of both infrared and convection heating, the EdenPURE GEN40 hybrid space heater works by heating your body and the air around you simultaneously. And unlike your rusty clanker of a radiator that's been around since the industrial age, the EdenPURE’s swervy, elliptical design and multidirectional airflow means you’ll save on heating costs, all while ushering your apartment into the modern era. 

No offense, but that air you’re breathing right now? It’s filthy. Not with the 311i+ Max, BlueAir’s latest warrior in the fight against allergens, pollutants, and pet dander. The souped-up Scandinavian design promises 83% faster cleaning and half the noise of the original Pure Auto line that we've raved about before—all in a sleek, streamlined shape that won't clash with your interiors. 

In theory, all air purifiers are fans, but the LG PuriCare harnesses the release of clean, purified air and uses it to cool the air (like Dyson’s infamous line of purifying tower fans). With the look of a Droid that just escaped Tatooine, the PuriCare is backed by a True HEPA filter, while special UVnano tech kills 99.9% of icky bacteria on the fan’s blades. Hot air and wildfire smoke? This is the gadget that can capably solve two problems in one.

Air conditioners aren’t exactly known for being the sexiest tech devices, but the industry has recently caught up to style innovations in the space. Midea gets it with an innovative U-shaped design that takes up less window space than any other air conditioner and even allows you to crack the window with it installed so you can find your chill without sacrificing the little natural light you get during the day. It comes with a remote and an intuitive app that allows you to babysit the thermostat even when you’re out of the house. 

Still, the Midea isn't the easiest air conditioner to install, which is where the Windmill comes in. It combines a clean, customizable design with an interface that's been dubbed “the Apple of air conditioners” to sit pretty and blow cool air into your home at the tap of a button or a swipe on the brand's accompanying app.  

TVs are getting thinner in shape and sound quality, which means you need a soundbar and subwoofer to make the most of your home entertainment setup. This Polk soundbar and wireless subwoofer combo doesn’t just blast immersive Dolby Atmos 3D audio in your face (although it does that exceedingly well), but it also features a VoiceAdjust feature. This lets you fine-tune the sound so you can turn off closed captioning and still hear the dialogue clearly in your favorite mumblecore flicks.

Moving away from the briefcase-style record players that made it famous with Gen Z, Victrola introduced its Sonos-ready Stream Carbon Works turntable, which nixes extraneous wires for Wi-Fi-ready listenability all through your existing Sonos sound system. Premium hardware and an easy-to-use interface make this all the more reason to ditch the Spotify subscription for some tactile vinyl.

Marshall, the brand behind some of rock music’s most beloved guitar amps, offers up a wide range of home audio devices like headphones and speakers. Its latest is the Middleton, a beefy, mid-sized speaker that’s as apt to translate the EQ of your heaviest hard rock anthems as it is to pick up the nuances of a sleepy Satie tune. Tote this thing around with ease thanks to a handy silicone strap, and make all those sound mixing adjustments directly from the speaker itself—no additional apps necessary.

Despite its portability, Bang and Olufsen’s picnic basket-inspired A5 Bluetooth speaker impresses with room-quaking sound that has no limits even when transported into the great outdoors (many thanks to its IP65 rating, which guarantees it can tango with a little dust and moisture). And when the beats stop ahead of schedule because you forgot to juice up your phone, the speaker itself has a built-in wireless charger on top that will keep your playlist of bangers going and going.

The Sonos Era 100 is a worthy upgrade to the universally beloved One, the brand’s flagship bookshelf speaker, which will be taking its final bow once the inventory is sold through. The Era 100 is only $40 more than its predecessor, yet it manages to pack in way more—like an extra class-D digital amplifier, an additional angled tweeter, and a 25% bigger midwoofer—into a (barely) larger package that looks just as good (and discreet) as the OG speaker we've come to know and love.

LG's G3 TV comes loaded with perks like the company’s new a9 AI Processor Gen6 chip and a native 120hz refresh rate, but if you can't make heads or tails of all that tech, let us break it down for you: The G3 features an ultra-thin and brightness-boosted design that will keep you immersed whether you’re catching up on reality television (ahem, Scandoval), celebrity spotting at the US Open, or unlocking new realms in a hyperrealistic RPG game. Using it to screen arthouse flicks in your home theater setup? There's even an LG “filmmaker mode” that'll allow you to view films just as the director intended. (Well, visually, at least. You're on your own with the extended edition box sets). If you need to adjust anything from the couch and can't find the remote sandwiched between the cushions, just call on Alexa or your Google assistant to take care of it for you. 

CONTRIBUTORS:

Yelena Moroz Alpert, Tyler Chin, Cyrus Ferguson, Lori Keong, Martin Mulkeen, Erika Owen, Gerald Ortiz, Sam Reiss, J. Travis Smith, Timothy Beck Werth

EDITORS:

Tyler Chin and Lori Keong