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Jun 02, 2023

Best of the Best 2022: 24 Top Products Our Editors and Reporters Tested

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Our product experts were busy in 2022. We tested hundreds of products in the tech, home, kitchen, health, style, and beauty spaces. Below, Insider Reviews reporters and editors weigh in on the best products in 2022 that stood out from the rest. These recommendations proved awesome in our tests, and some even became must-haves in our daily lives.

From the new AirPod Pro and a high-tech rower to a charcuterie board and a candle warmer lamp, these items give us joy, and we know you'll love them too.

Here are the best products of 2022, according to our team of product reporters and editors.

I learned about these bracelet after watching a Masterclass by a military survival specialist and now I never hike without one. They're cheap, lightweight, and have several different potentially lifesaving features like a whistle, compass, fire starter, and heavy duty paracord all built into one. This has become a popular item among the entire Reviews team, and many of our editors have purchased them to give as gifts or for stocking stuffers. –Lauren Savoie, deputy editor

Read our full review of the Atomic Bear Paracord Bracelet.

The Boarderie Arte Cheese and Charcuterie Board also made Oprah's list of favorite products in 2022. I had a fun night testing it with friends. All of the ingredients were high-quality and incredibly tasty. My favorites were the Fig Goat Cheese + Rose, Fig and Orange Marmalade, Tangerine and Chili Marinated Olives, and Blueberry Vanilla Goat Cheese. The board is pricey, but it's a great value compared to rounding up the ingredients yourself. It would make an excellent gift or starter at a dinner party. –James Brains, reporter

This year, I tested eight models for our best handheld vacuums guide, and Black+Decker vacs took the top spot in all three categories. The Dustbuster Cordless Handheld Vacuum (model HHVI315JO42) was both our top pick and the most affordable option we recommended. I love that it operates quietly, is lightweight, and features a spacious dustbin. Best of all, it was a top performer in our cleaning tests, making it an excellent choice for cleaning up hard-to-reach messes. –James Brains, reporter

Check our guide to the best handheld vacuums.

I bought this candle warmer lamp after seeing it all over Instagram, and it's one of the best products I've discovered this year. It uses a heated bulb to warm the wax of a candle and release the fragrance without ever having to light the wick. I find that it scents the room way better than lighting a candle, and the candle lasts way longer this way. The candle I currently have under the lamp has been warmed for about 8 hours per day, and after two weeks of use, it still looks like it's never been touched. –Sally Kaplan, executive editor

The Carlinkit 3.0 Wireless CarPlay Adapter is exactly what it sounds like — it's an adapter that plugs into a USB port of your car's entertainment system to use CarPlay wirelessly, instead of connecting your phone. The setup is a little finicky, but once it's connected, you just need to turn on your car and drive. Important to note: It only works with cars that already support Apple's CarPlay. –Antonio Villas-Boas, senior reporter

Read our full review of the Carlinkit 3.0 Wireless CarPlay Adapter .

After testing seven Dutch ovens, I came to love the one from Lodge. Proving that cast iron doesn't have to be expensive, Lodge makes durable, high-performing skillets, Dutch ovens, and more. I was thrilled by the even color and thickness of the bread I made in the Lodge oven and amazed by how easily I could clean even caked-on barbecue sauce. –Lily Alig, associate editor

Check out our guide to the best Dutch ovens .

Allbirds Men's Tree Flyer

Allbirds Women's Tree Flyer

Allbirds introduced the Tree Flyer as its first long-distance performance running shoe and it's my all-time favorite silhouette from the brand. I've tested close to a dozen different styles, and the Tree Flyer stands out because it's the most technical shoe from Allbirds to date. As a sneaker collector, I appreciate all of the performance technology that goes into shoes — even if I only plan on wearing them casually. –Amir Ismael, senior reporter

Read our full review of the Allbirds Tree Flyer .

Of the more than 70 vacuums I've tested, the Ecovacs Deebot X1 Omni does the best job of automating floor cleaning. The charging station fills the robot vacuum with clean water. Then, the X1 Omni vacuums and mops simultaneously. When done, it returns to the charging station and empties the dirty mop water and debris. It also has a built-in home surveillance camera and performed well in our tests. If you're looking for the best robot vacuum money can buy, choose the X1 Omni. –James Brains, reporter

Read our full review of the Ecovacs Deebot X1 Omni Robot Vacuum .

There are so many great noise-cancelling wireless earbuds to choose from these days, and if you're looking for the absolute best, Bose's QC Earbuds II is one of — if not the — best choice out there. Beyond a welcome redesign from its predecessor, including a smaller overall size and improved fit, the earbud's noise-blocking capabilities are shockingly good. Once you put them on, you'll be met with instant silence. In my testing, they offer the best noise cancellation of any wireless earbud. —Michael Nolledo, executive editor

I've tried most of the popular coffee subscriptions available in the US, but Quintal, which makes its name on origin-roasted coffee, has earned my business by putting out the most freshly roasted coffee available. For $20 each month, my nose is greeted with such an effusive bag of beans that I hurry straight to my espresso machine — morning, noon, or night — to get my fix of what will unequivocally be the best coffee I drink all month. Considering I have to fork over about $15 for a bag of half-stale, small-batch coffee at my local bodega, I'm more than happy to make the extra $5 investment each month, and I'll bet my bottom dollar you will be too. –Owen Burke, senior reporter

Check out our guide to making the perfect cup of espresso at home .

I light candles almost every day for the atmosphere and fresh scents. This year, I found a new favorite brand: Voluspa. Within minutes of lighting the Pumpkin Spice Latte candle, a sweet and spicy scent diffused throughout my living room. Voluspa's scents are crisp and clean, not overpowering or artificial. Plus, the jar candles come in textured glass that is perfect for repurposing as a small vase, pencil jar, and more. –Lily Alig, associate editor

Check out our guide to the best places to buy candles .

The Litter-Robot 4 has been a game-changer in my house. Previously, we had three litter boxes throughout our house, and with our busy lives, we didn't clean them often enough. To make matters worse, our dog would sample the dirty litter boxes. Now our cat happily uses the Litter-Robot 4, which empties waste immediately so our rat terrior can't get to it before we can. —James Brains, reporter

While testing silent alarm clocks, I fell in love with the Philips SmartSleep Connected. I won't say I look forward to waking up, but this sunrise alarm does make it a bit easier. The combination of warm-hued light and soft sounds awakens me far more gently than my phone alarm ever did. –Jenny McGrath, senior reporter

Check out our guide to the best silent alarm clocks.

When I first tried these trousers, I was blown away by how flattering and comfy they were. I fell so deeply in love, I now own them in three colors with the hopes of getting more if my tiny NYC closet can take it. Big Bud Press is a unisex, size-inclusive brand that makes each item of clothing in every color of the rainbow. From tops to underwear to pants, their sizing has never let me down. I cannot recommend the brand or their trousers enough for folks looking to spice up their everyday wardrobe. —Maiya Pascouche, associate story producer

Check out our guide to the best machine-washable women's work pants .

I'm writing this on behalf of my two cats who, after over six months, still love their Catastrophic Creations furniture. Yes, it's a bit oversized and dominates an entire wall, but I still find them perched nonchalantly atop it several times a day. It hasn't fully cured them of their habit of jumping on my bookshelves and knocking over knickknacks, but it has reduced the frequency. –Jenny McGrath, senior reporter

Read our full review of the Catastrophic Creations Deluxe Cat Maze .

My dog is a huge fan of The Game, an interactive food toy that I tested for our guide to the best dog puzzles. The wobbling toy can be filled with kibble or treats. When my dog pushes it around with his muzzle, pieces fall out of a hole in the side. I feed him breakfast and dinner from The Game and have also spread peanut butter across the ridges so he can lick it off. This toy slows him down while he eats and gives him extra exercise as he pushes it around the room. It's made from dishwasher-safe silicone, which means it doesn't make much noise when it inevitably bumps into furniture and walls. –Lisa Sabatini, senior editor

Check out our guide to the best dog puzzles .

This year, I toured the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, talked to countless experts, and tried over 150 whiskeys. I sampled the best of the best, including Pappy Van Winkle. The only whiskey I've purchased multiple times is Weller Special Reserve. I like its pleasant complexity, the balance of sweetness and spiciness, and the smooth finish. –James Brains, reporter

Read our full review of Weller Special Reserve Bourbon .

Apple's 2nd-generation AirPods Pro are a big improvement over the original 1st-generation in almost every way — better sound, better noise cancelling, and better features like adaptive noise transparency. I was always hesitant about recommending the original AirPods Pro, as its competition offered better sound and noise cancelling for a similar price. Now the 2nd-gen AirPods Pro come easily recommended. –Antonio Villas-Boas, senior reporter

Read our full review of the AirPods Pro (2nd-gen) .

Hydrow's latest rowing machine, the Wave, is the smoothest rowing machine I've ever used. It's smaller, lighter, and less expensive than the original Hydrow machine, which made our list of best rowers in 2022. The Wave costs $1,695, making it more competitive price-wise with brands like NordicTrack and Concept2. And for $38/month — less than most gym memberships — you gain access to Hydrow's subscription service that offers hundreds of recorded workouts led by professional athletes. –Jessica Orwig, senior editor

Read our full review of the Hydrow Wave .

This summer, I was tasked with finding the best cooling mattress you can buy. I considered dozens of mattresses and slept on the top candidates for at least 14 nights each, taking temperature readings when I got out of bed. The Nest Bedding Finch was one of the few mattresses that stayed cool while I laid on it and dissipated heat quickly once I got up. The medium firmness is perfect for most sleepers, and it's backed by a long, risk-free trial and lifetime warranty. –James Brains, reporter

Check out our guide to the best cooling mattresses .

I've tested a lot of e-readers this year, and Amazon's new Kindle is my favorite. It forgoes some of the bells and whistles of more expensive models to keep the price low but still delivers a premium reading experience. It's compact and lightweight without feeling cheap, and in my opinion, it's the best shape and size for an e-reader. As with the rest of the Kindle lineup, it has a beautiful glare-free, 300 pixels per inch display with an adjustable backlight and can run on one charge for what feels like forever (or six weeks as advertised). The final cherry on top is that this generation brings the Kindle into USB-C charging, meaning I now have less cable clutter. –Sarah Saril, reporter

Check out our Amazon Kindle buying guide .

The G-Vest+ from Omorpho avoids one of the main annoyances of wearing a weighted workout vest: It doesn't feel like some bulky accessory that's packed with weight plates. Instead, this vest wears more like a thin life jacket as it sits snugly against your chest and back without being too cumbersome. This is all thanks to its unique weight distribution design that features a series of weighted nubs spread evenly across both the front and back of the vest. This lets the vest feel much more balanced, something that makes a huge difference when I wear it while running or doing HIIT exercises. I've been a weight vest wearer for years, but never has one been as comfortable or pleasant to wear as the G-Vest+. –Rick Stella, health & fitness editor

Check out our guide to the best weighted vests .

Working with small farm producers in Haiti, Caribbrew offers premium coffee roasts, drinking chocolate, tea blends, and even skincare. I'm not on the PSL bandwagon, so I loved drinking the balanced and rich Caribbean Spiced Medium Roast this fall. The lemon grass tea is a hidden gem, and I drink it anytime I have an unsettled stomach. And if you're a chocolate lover, the cinnamon and anise-infused hot chocolate is intense and unlike anything I've had before. Plus, Caribbrew is owned and operated by women of color. —Lily Alig, associate editor

Having spent the better part of my life relying heavily on coolers both professionally and recreationally, I am ever in search of the perfect chilly bin. While cheap ones live short lives and YETIs are too overbuilt, heavy, and, yes, pricey for most of us, RTIC has finally struck the perfect balance. The Ultra-Light series is the immaculate cooler: It's about as lightweight as your basic, cheaply built cooler, but it holds ice almost as well as the YETI Tundra, which is more than sufficient for just about everyone. Plus, with accessories like a wire basket and a divider that doubles as a freezer pack, there's never been a better glamping cooler. Dozens of friends and family members come to me for personal cooler recommendations each year, and my suggestion to you as well as them is to buy this cooler. –Owen Burke, senior reporter

Sign up for Insider Reviews' weekly newsletter for more buying advice and great deals.You can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here.Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at [email protected].