Product Reports
Every report is the product of in-depth independent research and a seven-metric score. No sponsored placements, no shortcuts.
Best for DurabilityBriggs & Riley
Briggs & Riley Baseline Carry-On
This Briggs & Riley Baseline Carry-On review centers on one thing the others cannot match: an unconditional lifetime guarantee that repairs any functional damage for free — even when an airline causes it — with no proof of purchase. Pair that with a perfect-scoring ballistic-nylon build, the flat-packing Outsider handle, and the one-touch CX expansion, and it is the genuine buy-it-for-life carry-on. The price is steep at $729 and, at 10 lbs empty, it is heavy.
Best for Business TravelMonos
Monos Carry-On Pro
This Monos Carry-On Pro review finds a design-forward hard-shell whose standout trick is a front compartment with a padded 16-inch laptop sleeve — rare on a hard-shell and genuinely useful at security. Add near-silent Hinomoto wheels and a premium look and it is a strong business-travel pick. The catch is capacity: that front pocket trims usable main space to about 30 liters, less than rivals at the same $295, and the shell scuffs easily while the warranty excludes cosmetic and airline damage.
Best OverallAway
Away The Bigger Carry-On
Our Away Bigger Carry-On review lands on the brand’s best all-rounder: a roughly 49-liter polycarbonate hard-shell with Hinomoto wheels widely judged among the best-rolling in any suitcase, smart interior organization, and a strong warranty — all at $295, well below legacy premium names. The catches are that it is on the heavier side at 7.9 lbs, runs slightly over some airlines’ published size limits, and no longer offers in-bag charging.
Best Value SpeakerJBL
JBL Charge 6
The JBL Charge 6 is the rugged value pick for the backyard or the pool: it is IP68 waterproof and drop-proof, runs all day on a charge, doubles as a power bank, and costs a fraction of a Sonos. The trade-off is that it is a mono Bluetooth speaker with no Wi-Fi or multiroom, and its sound is energetic rather than refined — but for the price and durability, very little touches it outdoors.
Best Compact SpeakerSonos
Sonos Roam 2
The Sonos Roam 2 is the grab-and-go Sonos: under a pound, IP67 submersible, and able to switch between Wi-Fi at home and Bluetooth on the move. It is the easiest way into the Sonos ecosystem and genuinely poolside-proof. The catches are mono sound and only about 10 hours of battery, so it is a companion speaker rather than the one that fills a backyard.
Best Outdoor SpeakerSonos
Sonos Move 2
The Sonos Move 2 is the best-sounding portable speaker for a patio: real stereo from a single cabinet, up to 24 hours of battery, an IP56 weatherproof build, and Wi-Fi that ties it into a whole-home Sonos system. It is heavy for true portability, leans hard on the Sonos app, and is pricey next to a rugged JBL — but for a premium backyard speaker that also lives indoors, nothing matches it.
Best for PartiesMargaritaville
Margaritaville Tahiti
The Margaritaville Tahiti is the party machine: three 24-oz pitchers blend at once and a motorized chute shaves and distributes ice, so it can pour a round of frozen margaritas faster than any single-blender setup. It is built for throughput and bar-style fun. The downsides are that it is enormous and loud, needs bagged ice (it does not freeze drinks itself), and its plastic pitchers are a weak point at this price.
Best Frozen Drink MakerNinja
Ninja SLUSHi
The Ninja SLUSHi is the frozen-drink machine that finally makes home slushies effortless: its RapidChill compressor freezes the drink itself, so there is no bagged ice to shave and no blender to babysit. Five presets cover everything from frosé to milkshakes, and it holds drinks at slush temperature for hours. The catches are size (it is big and heavy), a one-year warranty, and a learning curve on the sugar/alcohol ratio.
Best Value Nugget Ice MakerFrigidaire
Frigidaire EFIC255 Nugget Ice Maker
The Frigidaire EFIC255 is the value play in nugget ice: it makes the same craveable chewable pellets as the GE Opal — reviewers say you genuinely cannot taste the difference — for roughly $150 less, with higher daily output. The trade-offs are real, though: it is louder, has no app or WiFi, and its long-term reliability and support are notably weaker, with owner ratings sliding as units age.
Best Nugget Ice MakerGE Profile
GE Profile Opal 2.0
The GE Profile Opal 2.0 is the machine that made countertop nugget ice a phenomenon, and it is still the one to beat — the softest, most craveable chewable ice of any home maker, plus a SmartHQ app to schedule batches and a side tank that cuts refills. What holds the score back is ownership: it is expensive, the one-year warranty is thin, GE does not repair its small appliances, and owners have to stay on top of cleaning to avoid mold.
Best for CookingBreeo
Breeo X24
The Breeo X24 is the smokeless fire pit to buy if you want it to last forever and cook on it. Made in Pennsylvania from heavy-gauge steel, it carries a limited lifetime warranty and a genuine live-fire cooking system. The trade-offs are real: at 62 pounds with no handles it is the opposite of portable, and there is no ash pan, so cleanup means shoveling.
Best Overall Fire PitSolo Stove
Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0
The Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 is the smokeless fire pit most people should buy: light enough to carry one-handed, genuinely smokeless once up to temperature, and backed by a lifetime warranty. The 2.0 adds a removable ash pan that fixes the original's biggest annoyance. Just know that the airflow that kills the smoke also sends heat upward, so it warms a crowd less than an open fire — and the steel can rust in damp climates.
Best Portable Pizza OvenGozney
Gozney Roccbox
The Gozney Roccbox is the portable premium pizza oven to beat — Serious Eats ranked it #1 in a 10-oven shootout, and its signature silicone jacket stays cooler to the touch than bare-steel rivals. The catch is size: the stone tops out at a 12-inch pizza, the wood burner is a separate purchase, and at $499 it is among the priciest portables.
Best Overall Pizza OvenOoni
Ooni Karu 2 Pro
The Ooni Karu 2 Pro is the multi-fuel pizza oven we would point most people to. It hits 950°F, cooks a 16-inch pizza, and adds genuinely useful smart features — a larger ClearView door, a Bluetooth temperature hub, and a meat probe — over the discontinued Karu 16. In head-to-head testing it produced pizza on par with ovens costing far more; the main caveats are that the gas burner is a ~$140 add-on and wood firing has a learning curve.
Best Luxury Pizza OvenGozney
Gozney Dome (Gen 2)
The Gozney Dome (Gen 2) is the closest a backyard oven comes to commercial spec — three-fuel flexibility, a lateral rolling-flame burner, and heavy ceramic-coated insulation that reviewers consistently rank at the top of the class. It is also one of the most expensive ovens you can buy, and the Gen 2 ignition system has drawn complaints, so it earns its place for serious, frequent outdoor cooks rather than casual users.