2020 was a crazy year for the consumer-facing industries
For many, it was a very challenging year, but every challenge is a step to making things better.
The holiday season is going to look very different this time, but even as we may be forced to stay indoors and away from people outside in favor of more intimate work and entertainment, the shopping experience has suddenly and dramatically changed and shifted more traffic to digital channels and online shopping.
As the year is drawing to an end, we would like to highlight a few of the more attractive and popular products that we liked, products that were always on our wish list and that helped us shape our year for the better.
This list offers some inspiration, ideas, and gifts to buy and give to your loved ones.
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1 New Apple iPad Air (10.9-inch, Wi-Fi, 64GB) - Latest Model, 4th Generation
Product Review: "I think this particular iPad will be a pretty big deal for those looking for (almost) iPad Pro power and functionality, with a slightly better price tag. I love my purchase, and this new iPad Air is really a nice step up from the iPad 7th gen that I’m trading in. I highly recommend this new iPad Air!!" - Brian S.
Get it from Amazon for $599.99
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2 All-new Echo Dot (4th Gen) Smart speaker with Alexa
Product Review: "Much smaller than expected but the sound is phenomenal. I have almost every single version of the Echo and Echo dot in my house for an easy to use Spotify music setup to surround my upstairs with music but this little orb is the best sounding of the lot. Highly recommended and a great improve over the Dot. I hope that Amazon keeps this style for a while." - Minifig
Get it from Amazon for $29.99
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3 New Apple Watch SE (GPS, 44mm) - Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band
Product Review: "For what I needed this watch was perfect. Think the additional stuff in the 6 is a bit gimmicky so I’m glad they have this “budget” watch available with the same chip. It’s smooth and fast and everything just works. I had a series 3 and would consider this a pretty major upgrade over that experience" - Daniel Verderese
Get it from Amazon for $269.99
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4 Skullcandy S6CRW-K591 Crusher Wireless Over-Ear Headphone
Product Review: "Very beautiful sound quality headphones, very long lasting battery, wireless lasts a very very long time, and the bass is just out of this world! I used other name brand headphones from friends or even personally owned, and this is worth the money. Connects to mobile devices, your computer, laptop, Xbox One controller, etc. with the 3.5mm cable." - Kev
Get it from Amazon for $79.99
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5 AncestryDNA: Genetic Ethnicity Test Kit
Product Review: "Ancestry DNA is the clear industry leader in the consumer DNA testing market. With more than 1.4 million people in the database, 23andme and Family Tree DNA just don't compare. I have tested at all three and I am able to confirm relationships with more people at Ancestry DNA than either of the other services." - Barefoot In NC
Get it from Amazon for $59.99
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6 Govee Rgbic Led Strip Lights 16.4 Feet, App Control, for Bedroom, Kitchen, Room
Product Review: "Bought 3 of these smart light strips from Govee. Always wanted to do under-cabinet lighting in the kitchen but continuously put it off. Finally decided to tackle the project and after a lot of research, decided to give light strips a shot. After narrowing down to “smart” light strips to integrate with our Google Home, Govee seemed like the best option on Amazon." - Mr. Jangles
Get it from Amazon for $23.99
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7 Razer Viper Ultimate Hyperspeed Lightest Wireless Gaming Mouse & RGB Charging Dock
Product Review: "This mouse is incredible. From gaming to everyday use. The mouse is very light and ergonomic. My hands are on the smaller side of the spectrum and it fits very nice (friends with large hands said the same). Battery life is insane. I can leave it off the charger for a few days and then still get in a long day of gaming. Even if the battery dies, the thing charges so fast, you can charge for 10 minutes and get back in it for hours on end. Or you can just plug in the charging cable and go about your business and you can barely tell the cable is even there. I've owned a lot of gaming mice across the board (all flagship models) and for me, this is my comfort spot." - It's Lit Pham
Get it from Amazon for $119.99
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8 Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition TKL Tenkeyless Gaming Keyboard: Fastest Keyboard Switches Ever - Chroma RGB
Product Review: "The Razor Huntsman is an amazing keyboard for gaming and day to day life. Its fast response will keep you and your character ready for anything. These are some of the highpoints I have noticed from playing and researching this keyboard. The L.E. D’s will stay bright and shining for a little extra gamer flair. It has an amazing “click” to let you know its Opto mechanical. Me, as an extremely competitive gamer, loves the quick response time.
The quality of this keyboard is really exquisite, Because of the firmness and the metal back board it makes this an extremely nice keyboard to game with. This keyboard is by far my favorite out of all of the keyboards I have owned. It has an amazing feel and texture to the keys making this keyboard feel and sound nice.
It is easy to change the LED’s and to use. You can customize the keys which makes this a great keyboard for gaming or wanting a change of style. It’s L.E.D’s are bright yet best used in a dark room. This keyboard has an extremely reasonable price for what it offers in the gaming world. This is one of Razors greatest achievements and I definitely recommend this keyboard." - Valerie RoseGet it from Amazon for $89.99
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9 Ninja Professional Countertop Blender with 1000-Watt Base for Smoothies, Ice and Frozen Fruit
Product Review: "I'm a healthcare professional and bought this after researching the competition (i.e., "Vita-Mix). After reading through a gazillion comments and reviews (including CR who rates the Ninja #2) I opted for the lower priced Ninja. I have used mine twice a day for the 6 weeks I have owned it, I use it for making smoothies. I blend for health, I have a morning fruit and berry smoothie and I have an afternoon veggie smoothie. Blending is a really convenient way to get in all your servings of fruit and veggies each day without removing the (very important) fiber. So far, I love my Ninja" - tallslenderguy
Get it from Amazon for $79.99
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10 Neewer Ring Light Kit:18"/48cm Outer 55W 5500K Dimmable LED
Product Review: "I love this ring light! It makes my videos look much better and provides that professional bright look I need. It was very easy to assemble and very easy to break down and place back into its travel bag. Definitely a great buy!!!" - D'lana Starkey
Get it from Amazon for $86.99
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11 Fifine Metal Condenser Recording USB Microphone
Product Review: "Great mic for Podcasting, Voice Overs and basic music recording. Excellent microphone for the price!" - CaneMajor
Get it from Amazon for $35.99
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12 Oculus Rift S PC-Powered VR Gaming Headset
Product Review: "I LOVE, love, love my new VR system! I fell in love with the idea of VR with Google Cardboard and recently went to a local VR bar where they had the Oculus system. That sealed the deal for me. I was set on buying it after leaving, only to find out it required external tracking sensors, which I guess I didn't notice was setup in the play space at the bar 🙁 But, I was all set on making it work somehow in my apartment and was in the process of researching the best setup. Then I stumbled on the Rift S, and decided to hold out for it to avoid the hassle. Boy, am I glad I did!" - Stacey
Get it from Amazon for $299
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13 Fire HD 10 Kids Edition Tablet – 10.1” 1080p full HD display, 32 GB, Blue Kid-Proof Case
Product Review: "My 6 year old son loves it! The screen is huge and so easy for him to navigate it. Theres a ton of books and movies he can watch or read. Keeps him busy for hours. Theres a ton of learning games so he can switch from educational to just playing games. So glad I found this. The being able to make payments on it is just an added plus for the parent." - o v
Get it from Amazon for $199.99
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14 Barbie Dreamhouse Dollhouse with Pool, Slide and Elevator
Product Review: "This is one of the best barbie pruchases I have made for my girls. They had an older version barbie house maybe from like 2012 and that thing from the first time we bought it was falling apart, they were so disappointed but they continued to carry on, I later found they barely used the barbie house because something would always fall off. This new version came in and we built it pretty fast, I found it to be extremely sturdy and more beautiful in person. This thing is awesome they are obsessed and are constantly playing with it which makes me happy because thats the point of owning a barbie house. I 100% recommend this barbie dreamhouse." - Kindle Customer
Get it from Amazon for $179
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15 KToyoung Hand Operated Drones For Kids
Product Review: "Honestly, this is going to be one of the best toys this Christmas! This little drone is great fun to play with indoors. The blades are surrounded with lightweight, but tough plastic, so that even if it hits something, it doesn't do any damage. It was very easy to learn how to use it -- in fact, you hold it in your hands and just push up slightly to get it to lift off. My grandson and I were actually playing catch with it in our living room. The battery lasts about seven minutes, so I might recommend to purchasing two, so that one is charging while playing with the other. It charges with a little adapter. There are several tricks that take a little practice, but are not too hard to master." - Hugh F Parker
Get it from Amazon for $20.99
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16 Nintendo Switch with Neon Blue and Neon Red Joy‑Con
Product Review: "Finally I could get a flawless Switch console in my hands , this one is perfect , battery life, even the joysticks feels more premium now. I super ultra buster mega recommend this one, best switch version ever." - Joao Mota
Get it from Amazon for $299.99
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17 Xbox Series X
Product Review: "Everything youve come to expect in a console launch. Polished hardware, subtle redesign of the included controller (1). Comes with a high speed hdmi 2.1 cable. The power brick is all internal and has a normal cable for power supply. If you are giving this as a holiday gift, consider powering it up before hand, it has approximately 900MB update to do right out of the box. The controller needs to be updated as well. You can use a smart phone and the xbox app to set up profiles and settings from your previous xbox one. You can also transfer your digital games from your xbox one over your own network instead of downloading them all from the xbox servers. Be warned! Digital game downloads can take hours to install depending on your internet connection.
Great tech in this product. I like the future proof cables for when I decide to upgrade. Awesome form factor and it runs quiet and stays cool.
Game pass is a must for xbox. Save thousands on games and have so many to choose from. With the latest additions of EA Play and Disney+ there is too much value for the consumer to pass up." - Trenton P MongilloGet it from Amazon for $499.99
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18 What Do You Meme? Core Game - The Hilarious Adult Party Game for Meme Lovers
Product Review: "This game is a blast!!! I played once with friends and after going through all the Meme photos I dug into some wedding pictures I had printed. That was hilarious and a game changer- literally!" - E. Jensen
Get it from Amazon for $29.99
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19 4M 5557 Crystal Growing Science Experimental Kit
Product Review: "This set is AWESOME! I highly recommend it! I purchased it to grow crystals in the office as a fun experiment to keep me entertained during busy season and it did not disappoint. You need to be sure to follow the instructions carefully. I made a fatal error on my first attempt and did not wait the full 30 minutes before I added the crystal seeding and nothing ended up growing. On the subsequent attempts I followed the instructions to a T and was able to grow beautiful crystals. I even ordered a second set because the results were astounding." - TuCool
Get it from Amazon for $17.99
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20 LifeAround2Angels Bath Bombs Gift Set 12 USA made Fizzies, Shea & Coco Butter Dry Skin Moisturize, Perfect for Bubble & Spa Bath
Product Review: "I have a bathtub addiction and am a 5-6 night a week bathtubber so when I say I’ve tried all the bath bombs amazon provides, I’m serious. I keep going back to these, not only because of the price but because they actually work well. They don’t have all those annoying glitters and the scent actually sticks to your skin and serves a hydration purpose. I can’t say enough how much I love these over the 10-12 other brands I’ve tried." - JH
Get it from Amazon for $26.80
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21 Rocketbook Fusion Smart Reusable Notebook - Calendar, To-Do Lists, and Note Template Pages with 1 Pilot Frixion Pen & 1 Microfiber Cloth Included
Product Review: "I love that I have a fresh notebook every day. I use it for work notes, to-do list, journaling, and diagrams. I find it very professional. I only wish there were tabs at the start of each section so I could jump to dots or lines directly. This does not lessen the usefulness." - A. Davis
Get it from Amazon for $37
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22 Herschel Little America Laptop Backpack, Black/Night Camo, Classic 25.0L
Product Review: "I am obsessed!!! I started researching what backpacks would be best for law school & Legal Eagle on YouTube recommend this backpack. Let me just say, ITS AMAZING. You just feel the good quality. The back is made of a thick material, the black straps are nicely done, the laptop sleeve is so soft so your laptop is safe from scratches & the inside is spacious. You can feel & see the quality of it!! I continue to get compliments on it. I’ve taken it on flights & it never once hurt my back, the padding on the straps make it so comfortable. It also rained today & it held up great. It didn’t feel wet at all, I didn’t know this but a friend mentioned that it was water resistant, which gives me more of a reason to love it. Don’t let the price scare you, the quality IS WORTH IT!!!!" - Aly
Get it from Amazon for $77
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23 MIGHTY BLISS Large Electric Heating Pad for Back Pain and Cramps Relief
Product Review: "I’ve been using this Mighty Bliss heating pad for almost 4 months and I am positively THRILLED!!!" - Krish
Get it from Amazon for $29.97
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24 Sonic Handheld Percussion Massage Gun - Includes 5 Massage Heads
Product Review: "I'm a marathoner and a trainer for a living and I've been wanting this for so long!! I don't have time to go get a massage ever so often because I also have kids and life! oh and $$$. So having this lets me self administrate quality trigger point massage to myself. I have prof. background in manual therapy. But even if you don't it's pretty solid to say this is a simple to operate, portable and reliable (battery held up nicely) device to use either as an athlete or "just" as a desktop person who could use a little active release to the tight muscles (and fascia, the connective tissue)." - Shimshen
Get it from Amazon for $119.99
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25 OCOOPA Hand Warmers Rechargeable
Product Review: "Better than the pictures and more useful than described. This little gadget is way more than a simple hand warmer. The uses are endless. Just use your imagination. It's a replacement for messy gels like icy hot or can be used for hot rock therapy pain relief by simulating a heated rock. I could go on and on." - David Stednitz
Get it from Amazon for $29.99
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26 Garmin HRM-Tri Heart Rate Monitor
Product Review: "Set-up was extremely easy, works great. Heart rate syncs every time with no problem. Only drawback is strap will gradually loosen the longer the swim session. At least once a week I will swim 2 miles continuous in a 25m pool and after about 1.5 miles, I will either have to stop to tighten or push off the wall with less intensity. I use mine with a 920XT and I love it." - John Smith
Get it from Amazon for $74.74
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27 Kijaro Dual Lock Portable Camping and Sports Chair
Product Review: "The Kijaro chair is much more sturdy and comfortable than the cheap $10 generic chairs sold at the big box stores. Here I show my green Kijaro side by side with a blue cheapo I also own. The Kijaro sits higher, the seat is flat and more rigid and the back angle does not pitch you forward. You don't feel like you are sitting in a bucket. The price seems to vary based on the color. If you're not picky, check all the colors, get the bargain and save 10 bucks." - Steven Alexander
Get it from Amazon for $40
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28 Stanley Classic Vacuum Insulated Wide Mouth Bottle - BPA-Free 18/8 Stainless Steel Thermos for Cold and Hot Beverages
Product Review: "Excellent product. we use it daily to keep water hot for mate . It keeps water at proper temperature for hours." - paulo
Get it from Amazon for $19.82
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29 YETI Rambler 20 oz Tumbler, Stainless Steel, Vacuum Insulated with MagSlider Lid
Product Review: "I have been using this for three months and can say without equivocation that it's the best tumbler I've ever had. Does it keep my coffee hot? Oh yeah -- for hours! Is it durable? Absolutely -- unbreakable, undentable, completely stainless. Is it easy to clean? Takes a few seconds. Dark coffee, hot chocolate, tea, you name it -- it rinses out in seconds with zero staining." - bcpinguino
Get it from Amazon for $29.98
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30 DEWALT Screwdriver Bit Set, Impact Ready, FlexTorq, 40-Piece
Product Review: "Very well made, fits screws better than any bit out there!! Very happy I made this purchase, and for the price, can't beat it!!" - Ben
Get it from Amazon for $19.99
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31 iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit - Electronics, Smartphone, Computer & Tablet Repair Kit
Product Review: "I've used the old-style Pro Tech Toolkit for years iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit and it's never let me down. I recently upgraded to the new 2016 Pro Tech during a black friday sale and have had some time to use it. The new 64 bit kit iFixit 64 Bit Driver Kit is the star of this toolkit by far, but I was very impressed with all the components." - ToolTime
Get it from Amazon for $69.99
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32 Corelle 18-Piece Service for 6, Chip Resistant, Classic Café Blue Dinnerware Set
Product Review: "My family LOVES these dishes. They are simple, but tough and the best thing of all is that these completely white Corelle dishes are LEAD-FREE, which is very important to our family. I highly recommend them! (Please note: Corelle ceramic/porcelain cups are NOT lead-free, and all other Corelle dishes that have any color on them at all, DO contain high amounts of lead!) They also make plain white Corelle dishes with embossed/raised designs, which are lovely (and LEAD-FREE!) as well." -
Miranda WolfGet it from Amazon for $49.99
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33 Lightweight Super Soft Easy Care Microfiber Sheet Set with 16" Deep Pockets - Queen, Spa Blue
Product Review: "Over the past year I've purchased at least six sets of sheets. I recently discovered Pinzon by Amazon, and their flannel sheets are wonderful, as are the 400 thread count. However, I have yet to be able to configure the right combination of light weight sheets and a light blanket until I found these microfiber sheets. They're different, ok? Don't expect hotel quality sheets. But wow, are they cool at night! I read lots of reviews and made sure to wash them in cold water, dry on low and remove from dryer promptly. They came out perfectly! I have a deep mattress with a gel/foam topper, and the sheets fit perfectly. They do make a sort of slippery sound, but it's not bothersome, just different. I'm here to get another set today. Wish I had tried them sooner." - nativepeach
Get it from Amazon for $19.99
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34 Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow (2-Pack) Luxury
Product Review: "So happy I ordered these pillows! They are the perfect combo of soft and firm. I have been sleeping better and waking with less soreness in my neck. I was previously sleeping with a memory foam pillow that was just way too firm. This is so much better! Please note that these pillows come flat in a vacuum-sealed bag. They puff up nicely when you take them out. Also, no mold problem. They arrived crisp and clean." - Sarah Hagelin
Get it from Amazon for $37.99
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35 Linenspa All-Season White Down Alternative Quilted Comforter - Queen
Product Review: "I love this comforter. I've had it for a few months now, and it's been soft, fluffy, and warm (but not too warm). The duvet cover I meant to buy it for is still a project that I haven't finished, so it was still completely unprotected when my cat decided to cough up a hairball on my beautiful white, soft, fluffy comforter." - Amy Holtz
Get it from Amazon for $29.99
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36 Bialetti 4952 Moka Express Espresso Maker, Black
Product Review: " This Moka Maker is a good one. The brand itself is one of the best in Europe. However, it does not work well on ceramic stovetops based on an electric system. it is mainly working for fire based stovetops. At least this was the experience with my stovetop. when the water started boiling the coffee maker slides on the stovetop and moved around." - Francis
Get it from Amazon for $36.99
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37 Cuisinart ICE-30R Pure Indulgence Frozen Yogurt Sorbet & Ice Cream Maker
Product Review: "This is a very good ice cream machine for its class (home use, freezer bowl). I'd owned the 1 1/2 quart Cusinart model and liked it a lot. Then someone in my house put the drum in the dishwasher and I found out when I tried to make a batch of ice cream that wouldn't freeze. Using the 1 1/2 quart model I was always scaling down recipes or hovering over the ice cream as it churned with a spoon, stealing spoonfuls ice cream as it threatened to overflow the ice cream maker because I overfilled it (not that I really minded that). I like the 2 quart size for those reasons." - S.M.
Get it from Amazon for $99.95
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38 Dash Rapid Egg Cooker: 6 Egg Capacity
Product Review: "Bought this on a whim. We love boiled eggs, but did I really need to spend money on something that I already could make in a pot? Yes. Yes, I did. This thing is worth every penny. Cheaply made, but it does the job perfectly. And I never have to worry about over/under cooking etc. Love this random purchase." - staceym
Get it from Amazon for $15.99
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39 Dash Mini Rice Cooker Steamer with Removable Nonstick Pot
Product Review: "Perfect little cooker for making sides, dips, and rice. Recipes included were good. You can use smaller sized crock pot liners for dips or sides to make cleanup even easier." - Versatile
Get it from Amazon for $19.99
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40 Original Salbree Microwave Popcorn Maker
Product Review: "This is a must-have accessory for anyone who loves popcorn. The investment is minor and the utility of making great popcorn is unmatched.
My recipe for perfect popcorn is 2 tablespoons of grape seed oil, a dab of unsalted butter, and 1/2 cup of Pop Secret popcorn. When it's done, a little popcorn salt makes this the best tasting popcorn ever!
I set my microwave to 4:30 and I get a perfect bowl of popcorn with only a few un-popped kernels. Please note that I have an older Kitchen Aide microwave that probably has 10-15% less power than a new one, so through experiment I found that 4:30 works for me. You'll need to test your own microwave for the perfect time. Whatever you do, don't use the popcorn setting on your unit." - BocaboyGet it from Amazon for $15.90