Recommendations Draft

Below you will find a list of my most current recommendations for each product category. As always, these are NON-SPONSORED recommendations based on as much empirical information and testing as I can gather.

Last Updated: March 11, 2025

Sub $100 Projectors

Most Well Rounded Projector

Happrun H1 Projector

MSRP: $109.99
Common Price: $69.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4i0bXll

For the third year in a row, I think that the Happrun H1 is the best projector for most people. It has higher than average brightness, contrast, sharpness, and uniformity, it finished fourth overall in the side-by-side testing, it’s got acceptable input lag for casual video gaming, speakers that are loud enough and of acceptable quality, and fans that aren’t too terribly loud or distracting. And most importantly, it can often be found on sale for less than $50 which makes it by far the best value.

Best Projector for Gaming

Vamvo VF320 Portable Projector

MSRP: $89.99
Common Price: $71.99
Link: https://amzn.to/3OFvOsZ

If you’re looking for something smaller or focused on gaming, the Vamvo VF320 is compact with good brightness, contrast, and above average brightness uniformity. It’s got great input lag numbers for gaming and loud speakers that sound surprisingly decent, with the downsides being a louder fan that clocks in at 47.3 decibels, and 720p native resolution, though that didn’t stop it from finishing third overall for picture quality.

Quietest Option

ONOAYO AY2Pro Mini Projector

MSRP: $185.75
Common Price: $149.99
Link: https://amzn.to/3V2VL9i

If gaming isn’t as important to you and you want the quietest projector with good picture quality, the ONOAYO finished second overall in the side-by-side testing, had the highest contrast of any of the projectors I measured, and had a quiet fan that I measured at just 41.3 decibels.

Brightest Option

Groview JQ818C Projector

MSRP: $219.99
Common Price: $139.96
Link: https://amzn.to/3YXJnZn

If you want the brightest option under $100, that’s the Groview JQ818C which is over two times brighter than the next brightest projector and consequently finished first in the side-by-side testing. The Groview also had the loudest speakers and acceptable input lag numbers for gaming. But all that brightness comes at a cost, because the fan is louder than most at 48.4 decibels and the Groview is roughly three times as big and uses 3x as much power as the rest of the projectors in the video. Still, almost 500 ANSI lumens for $99 is pretty incredible.

Most Flexible Placement

BeeJovial HY300 Portable Projector

MSRP: $69.99
Common Price: $75.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4fYCIVs

If you want a little flexibility in placement, I also admit to kind of liking the TikTok famous HY300 due almost entirely to its little aiming stand and short throw ratio, and it also has 4 point keystone and a 44.4 decibel fan. But be aware that people have reported issues with the Android operating system freezing, it uses a Netflix app that’s designed for cell phones, and it has almost 200 ms of input lag which means gaming, but it is kind of neat for $50, especially if you’re just watching YouTube.

More information on Sub $100 Projectors: https://youtu.be/p7pcVKvtgCE

4K Laser Projectors

Best Overall

Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2

MSRP: $3999.99
Common Price: $3999.99
Link: (pre-order) https://www.valerion.com/product/valerion-visionmaster-4k-rgb-triple-laser-projector?model=Max

The Valerion Vision Master Pro 2 has basically no weaknesses. I’ve reviewed hundreds of projectors, and I can usually find something wrong with them, but other than some maybe overzealous contrast claims that are only achievable with full black and white patterns, the Valerion is absolutely exceptional. The Valerion had the highest usable brightness, the highest color accurate brightness, the second highest native contrast, and by far the highest dynamic contrast. It covers 99.5% of the DCI-P3 color space with an SDR color accuracy of 3.12 average delta error. It supports 24p, all types of 3D, Dolby Vision, and IMAX enhanced, it has exceptionally low input lag, 1.2x optical zoom, great clarity, great auto focus and keystone, a built in aiming kickstand and optional gimbal mount, a useful remote, snappy processor for its GoogleTV operating system, and most importantly, it finished first in the side-by-side viewing experience testing. Honestly, the final round versus the Hisense C2 Ultra wasn’t even close.

Best Value

Nexigo TriVision Ultra

MSRP: $1899.00
Common Price: $1399.00
Link: (pre-order) https://shrsl.com/4qicb

The Nexigo TriVision Ultra was the other standout in this video, based strictly on its price versus performance ratio. 2400 usable ANSI lumens with 1550:1 native contrast ratio and 95% DCI-P3 color space coverage for the $1099 pre-order price is unheard of, and even at a full MSRP of $1899 it would still be the best value of anything currently on the market.

Best Currently Available

Hisense C2 Ultra

MSRP: $2497.97
Common Price: $2497.97
Link: https://amzn.to/3YXZcR6

XGIMI Horizon S Max

MSRP: $1899.99
Common Price: $1899.99
Link: https://amzn.to/48IRnlB

But if I absolutely had to choose a projector that could be delivered right now in November 2024, I’d either pick the Hisense C2 Ultra or XGIMI Horizon S Max. I honestly feel a little bad because if these Hisense, XGIMI, or JMGO projectors were in last year’s show down, they would have easily won.

More information on 4K Laser Projectors: https://youtu.be/ClIboELoz74

Ultra-Short Throw Projectors

Best Overall

Hisense PX3-Pro

MSRP: $3497.97
Common Price: $3497.97
Link: https://amzn.to/3YAJ1J0

The real standout, and the projector that I’ll personally be switching to, is the Hisense PX3-Pro which finished 2^nd for dark room viewing, and 4^th for bright room, but suffered in the overall not passing the RTING 24p test and 3D that’s definitely not working correctly yet, and I’d never suggest buying a product based on updates that may or may not happen, but it seems like both of those things could easily be fixed in a firmware update.

Best Dark Room Performance

Nexigo Aurora Pro

MSRP: $2699.99
Common Price: $2699.99
Link: https://amzn.to/3zZO908

For purely dark room viewing, the Nexigo Aurora Pro is still unbeatable, and top left corner focus seems to still be its only downfall. Even though this unit was better than my last one in that regard, it was still much worse than all the other projectors in the video. I had expected to also like the Aurora Lite since it has all the same features and the same excellent contrast of the Aurora Pro, but I thought the lowered brightness had a significant effect on the ability to make highlights pop, and even at the discounted price, I think I’d recommend saving up the extra $500-700 for the Aurora Pro instead.

Best Bright Room Performance

Epson EpiqVision LS650

MSRP: $2499.99
Common Price: $1799.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4fenECU

For purely bright room viewing, the Samsung LPU9D came out slightly on top of the LS650. If you’re made of money and bright room performance is all you care about then you should go for the Samsung, but at less than half the price of the Samsung, there’s a lot to like about the LS650 which is also $500 cheaper than the LS800 that I tested last year but was actually brighter in dynamic mode according to my measurements. Combine that with good speakers, decent input lag, and zero rainbow effect and the LS650 makes for the perfect man-cave projector for watching big screen sports. The biggest difference between the LS650 and LS800 is their throw distance where the LS800 needs just 4.5” from the wall for a 100” screen vs 11.5” for the LS650, but the less extreme throw does make it easier to lineup the LS650 without keystone. So, if you’re looking for a light cannon to watch sport, pick whichever Epson has a better throw distance for you.

Best Budget Option

Formovie Cinema Edge

MSRP: $2499.99
Common Price: $1799.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4f998fW

More information on UST Projectors: https://youtu.be/M-vQKcsd03A

Portable Projectors

Best Overall

BENQ GV50

MSRP: $799.99
Common Price: $799.99
Link: https://amzn.to/3TwPwK3

If I had to pick one projector to do it all, the BENQ GV50 is an easy pick. It’s got great picture quality, 500 lumens of usable brightness, a 685:1 contrast ratio, a built in battery with nearly 2 hours of unplugged playback, plus the ability to extend that using a power bank via USB-C. It’s got great speakers, low input lag, an awesome built in aiming system, good keystone, low power draw, low fan noise, and great app compatibility, and at $599 it doesn’t completely break the bank, and I honestly don’t have anything bad to say about it, other than I guess it could be brighter.

Highest Overall Score

JMGO N1S

MSRP: $999.00
Common Price: $799.00
Link: https://global.jmgo.com/products/jmgo-n1-s

If you do need something brighter to contend with ambient light, I think both the JMGO N1S and Dangbei Atom are pretty good picks, but the JMGO has nearly twice the contrast and slightly better speakers, albeit for $300 more. When you compare all the stats, there’s no question that the JMGO is better, but I’m not sure it’s $300 better or even $250 if you also get the Dangbei Gimble stand, which is another plus for the Dangbei since you can remove that stand and make it the perfect slim travel projector to throw in a backpack or laptop bag for presentations or just movies on the go.

Affordable Ultra Bright

Dangbei Atom

MSRP: $899.00
Common Price: $699.00
Link: https://amzn.to/3Xo8kMI

Best Outdoor & Camping Projector

Nebula Mars 3

MSRP: $1049.99
Common Price: $899.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4enoHQx

My last recommendation is the Nebula Mars 3 which has a completely different use case than every other projector in this video. As I said before, the Mars 3 is the ultimate outdoor camping or backyard projector. Its 185 watt hour battery can project 1000 ANSI lumens with screaming loud audio for 2 hours, 400 ANSI lumens for over 5 hours, or it can be your Bluetooth speaker for an entire weekend without even challenging its battery life, so you can feel free to use the USB-A and USB-C charging outlets, and the convenient LED light whenever you want. On top of that it’s water, dust, and drop resistant, but keep in mind that it is pretty giant and weighs over 10 pounds.

More information on Portable Projectors: https://youtu.be/jmmGQOSAReI

Golf Simulator Projectors

Best Overall

Optoma ZK608TST

MSRP: $5999.00
Link: https://www.projectorscreen.com/optoma-zk608tst-4k-professional-installation-short-throw-laser-projector-with-6000-lumens.html?af=hookup-af

The new Optoma ZK608TST is the best all-around golf sim projector money can buy. It’s got 5879lm of peak brightness in “Bright” mode with less than ideal but still usable color accuracy, and 4600lm in “Vivid” mode with vibrant and accurate colors. It has one of the shortest throw distances I’ve ever seen as well as optical lens shift and digital image shift. It’s quiet, dust proof, has a relatively low power draw for its brightness, a very high native contrast ratio, supports HDR content and 3D, has low input lag, and it’s just barely larger than a typical home theater projector. The only downsides I can see are that it doesn’t have any optical zoom and at $5999 it’s not going to fit most people’s budget.

Best Value 4K

BENQ TK710STi

MSRP: $1999.00
Link: https://alnk.to/8EJKBbG

The BENQ TK710STi is also a great all-around projector for a third of the price at $1999, but it also has half the usable brightness and while I was actually able to measure higher than BENQ’s claimed 3200lm in “Bright” mode, it wasn’t particularly usable, and “Living Room” mode gave the next highest brightness at 2448lm while maintaining accurate colors. Like the Optoma, the BENQ TK710STi is a particularly good option for someone looking for a multipurpose projector since it has good contrast, low input lag, and supports HDR and 3D formats. You’ll just need to keep the lights in your sim a little dimmer.

Best Budget Option

Epson EpiqVision Mini EF12

MSRP: $999.00
Link: https://amzn.to/3WEfk7U

As for the Epson EF12, it is what it is. If your budget is $500 and you want a very usable short throw projector that’s easy to set up, has a long lasting laser light source, is super small, has low power draw, great speakers, and good digital zoom image shift options, the EF12 works. But don’t expect much wow factor and be prepared to play with most of your lights off.

More information on Golf Simulator Projectors: https://youtu.be/c42W02UF_nI

Gaming Projectors

Best Overall

BENQ X500i

MSRP: $1699.00
Common Price: $1499.00
Link: https://amzn.to/4drwDkd

No matter what your budget is, the BENQ X500i seems to be the best gaming projector on the market with the ViewSonic X2-4K close behind, and looking at the projectors themselves and their stats I actually wouldn’t be surprised if they had almost the exact same internal parts. That said, the BENQ seems quite a bit more polished from a software and tuning perspective and it also includes BENQ’s QS02 streaming stick which has full Android TV 10 with Netflix support, while ViewSonic’s smart OS platform is basically worthless. So, if you can get past the XPR motor noise at 4K 60Hz the X500i is not just the best gaming projector, but probably the best all-around projector I’ve ever tested.

Runner-Up

ViewSonic X2-4K

MSRP: $1599.99
Common Price: $1599.99
Link: https://amzn.to/3QEELnE

Best All Around

Nexigo Aurora Pro

MSRP: $2699.00
Common Price: $2699.00
Link: https://amzn.to/4dwBKzy

If you’re looking for better ambient light performance and your budget is a bit higher, like $3500, I still think the Nexigo Aurora Pro with a Fresnel screen is a nearly unbeatable combo, and I’m continually amazed at how it performs as a jack of all trades, master of many. Tri-Laser Color Performance, Dolby Vision, 3D, and fully functioning 1080p 240Hz at 9.1ms of input lag is just crazy.

More information on Gaming Projectors: https://youtu.be/biXPgm-pxiU

Budget Home Theater Projectors

Best All Around

Nexigo Aurora Pro

MSRP: $2699.00
Common Price: $2699.00
Link: https://amzn.to/4dwBKzy

More information on Budget Home Theater Projectors: pending

For use with Standard Throw Projectors

Best Laser Speckle Reduction Screen

Silver Ticket White 1.1 Gain WAB

MSRP: $389.98
Link: https://amzn.to/40N8pfZ

If you have a standard throw triple laser projector like the Valerion Pro 2, Hisense C1, Hisense C2 Ultra, or any of the JMGO N1 or N1S lineup, you’re going to want a screen that reduces laser speckle. If you want to reduce that speckle all the way down to zero and maintain great maximum brightness, uniformity, and viewing angle, then the Silver Ticket Woven Acoustically Transparent material is king. Great news is that it’s super reasonably priced and comes in a ton of different screen sizes all the way up to 162”.

Best ALR Laser Speckle Reduction Screen

AWOL Lenticular UST ALR

MSRP: $899.00
Link: https://amzn.to/40MCyMk

If you want to reduce the laser speckle of your triple laser projector to almost zero while gaining the benefits of an ambient light rejecting screen, then I think the best screen material is a lenticular ALR screen made for ultra-short throw projectors. While I think standard throw lenticular screens could be a great product in the future, the current generation just doesn’t seem to perform as well as it should and isn’t available in as many form factors. Compared to the new standard throw lenticular screens, the UST versions have less hotspotting, less laser speckle, better uniformity, and are available in significantly more form factors.

Best Overall ALR and Viewing Experience Screen

Valerion Fresnel Long Throw ALR

MSRP: $999.00
Link: https://bit.ly/42qybI8

I thought that the best ALR performance hands down was from the Valerion long throw Fresnel screen, which had a measured gain of 0.55, 81% ambient light rejection from overhead sources, and by far the best brightness uniformity compared to the lenticular ALR screens. The only downside that I noticed was that when flipped upside down for a ceiling mounted projector, there seemed to be some loss of brightness since the focal point of the Fresnel structure was no longer lined up at eye level, but it was still far better than any of the other ALR screens. Even the viewing angle, which is typically a weakness of Fresnel screens, was more than acceptable, even at 45 degrees.

More information on Projector Screens: https://youtu.be/T8BEmAtjc_U

For use with Ultra-Short Throw Projectors

Best Laser Speckle Reduction Screen

Elite/AKIA CineWhite UHD-B

MSRP: $184.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4htUals

For ultra-short throw projectors with pure RGB laser sources like the Hisense PX3-Pro and AWOL LTV-3500 Pro, you’ll want a screen that reduces laser speckle, and like the long throw projectors, Silver Ticket’s Woven WAB material reduced the laser speckle to zero, but the texture of the screen was clearly visible with the steep projection angle of the USTs, and definitely caused image degradation. The next lowest amount of laser speckle was from the Cinewhite UHD-B material, which also has the benefit of nearly perfect screen uniformity and wide viewing angles.

Best ALR Laser Speckle Reduction Screen

Formovie UST Fresnel

MSRP: $999.00
Link: https://www.projectorscreen.com/formovie-fresnel-alr-ultra-short-throw-projector-screen-100-inch-ust?af=hookup-af

If you’re looking for an ALR material, the Formovie Fresnel screen is the best at reducing laser speckle to a moderately low amount while maintaining extremely high brightness and rejecting between 91% and 95% of ambient light depending on the source, and in all my testing and having personally used the Formovie Fresnel for the last two years it basically only has two weaknesses. First, it’s only offered in 100” fixed frame, which I know is a huge dealbreaker for some spaces, and second, in certain very bright scenes you can notice the circular Fresnel structure in the top corners of the screen. It’s never been enough to bother me, but it’s something to be aware of.

2nd Place ALR Laser Speckle Reduction Screen

Nothing Projector UST Lenticular

MSRP: $1830.00
Link: https://bit.ly/3PIRgxK

If you need a drop down or floor rising screen or one that comes in sizes over 100”, then a low gain lenticular screen seems to be the best at reducing laser speckle. In this video that meant that the Nothing Projector 0.6 gain screen was my 2nd place pick for my Hisense PX3-Pro.

Best Overall ALR and Viewing Experience Screen

F-Screen UST Fresnel Screens

MSRP: $799.00-2399.00
Link: (Spectra) https://www.projectorscreen.com/spectra-projection-helios-100-fresnel-alr-projector-screen-for-ultra-short-throw-projectors.html?af=hookup-af
(Nexigo) https://amzn.to/4h72709
(AWOL) https://amzn.to/4h6MgyZ

If your ultra short throw projector has an ALPD light source like the Nexigo Aurora Pro or Formovie Theater Premium, then you don’t need to be as concerned about laser speckle. I thought that the Fresnel screens from Spectra, Nexigo, AWOL, and XGIMI, which are all essentially identical, had the best all-around performance with great build quality, huge amounts of ambient light rejection, and no visible Fresnel structure. They have the added benefit of coming in both 100” and 120” and often getting offered as a bundle with a projector purchase which can save you a lot of money.

More information on Projector Screens: https://youtu.be/T8BEmAtjc_U

Color Night Vision Cameras

Best Overall

Annke NC800

MSRP: $349.99
Common Price: $299.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4bnCRRq

As far as overall image quality, none of these cameras were able to unseat the Annke NC800 as the best color night vision camera on the market, and the 1 / 1.2” 8 megapixel sensor gives it crisp clear video both during the day and in ultra-low light situations, and it managed to outcompete the similar sensor sized Dahua Color4K camera despite the Dahua having a narrower field of view. The Annke’s only real downside is its cost, which is around $350.

Best Value

Reolink CX810

MSRP: $109.99
Common Price: $87.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4cgS8TN

No other cameras came close to the value of the Reolink CX810, which only scored 1 point lower than the Dahua Color4K, for a price of just $109. Normally I qualify my Reolink recommendations by saying that they have issues with low light motion smearing, and that they don’t work particularly well with Blue Iris, but neither of those statements seem to apply to the CX810, and in fact it was the highest scoring camera for motion, and seemed to have the best compatibility with Blue Iris, which again, is not something I ever thought I’d say.

More information on Color Night Vision Cameras: https://youtu.be/a3G_2zVu3cU

Item #2

Item #3

Flagship Robotic Vacuums & Mops

Best Overall Score for Robotic Vacuums & Mops

Roborock Saros 10 R

MSRP: $1599.99
Common Price: $1599.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4k8w7e2

The Roborock Saros 10R and Dreame X50 Ultra were neck and neck with the Dreame having the advantage of better object recognition and avoidance and better threshold crossing ability while the Roborock was better at edge mopping and had better clearance for cleaning under furniture.

Smartest Robotic Vacuum & Mop

Dreame X50 Ultra

MSRP: $1699.99
Common Price: $1399.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4313LMS

Best Cleaning Score for a Robotic Vacuum & Mop

ECOVACS X8 Pro OMNI

MSRP: $1299.99
Common Price: $1169.99
Link: https://amzn.to/41lOV0S

If you just want the best cleaner, the ECOVACS X8 Pro OMNI had the best mopping, best carpet vacuuming, and best hair pickup and tangle avoidance but had the worst object avoidance score and the worst hard floor vacuuming score, which to be fair was still over 90%.

Most Innovative Features for a Robotic Vacuum & Mop

3i S10 Ultra

MSRP: $1899.99
Common Price: $1499.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4hOynpd

Lots of people ask me which vacuum I’ll end up using, and despite its shortcomings in power usage, object avoidance, and carpet vacuuming I’m going to continue to use the 3i S10 Ultra because the mopping and hard floor performance is very good and the water reclamation feature is just so convenient as long as you have enough humidity in your house and you can run the water system while you’re sleeping or away, because it is louder than the rest of the bases.

More information on Flagship Robotic Vacuums & Mops: https://youtu.be/bDJcY2ZrQDY

Budget Robotic Vacuums & Mops

Best Overall

Roborock Q5 Max+

MSRP: $599.99
Common Price: $359.99
Link: https://amzn.to/3XfbAew

When it comes to pure cleaning performance the Roborock Q5 Max+ is the clear winner with the best carpet and hard floor pickup, best hair pickup and tangle avoidance, a nearly perfect auto empty score, and the best path planning and shortest overall cleaning time making it without question the best vacuum you can get under $400.

Best Value

Dreametech D10 Plus

MSRP: $399.99
Common Price: $299.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4dLgHsw

If you divide the total points by the price of the vacuum the best value is the Dreametech D10+, which again had very respectable carpet and hard floor performance, great path planning, and a perfect auto empty score, and it costs nearly 25% less than the Roborock at just $279.

Best Bagless

Eureka E10S

MSRP: $549.99
Common Price: $399.99
Link: https://amzn.to/3YR5xOz

If a bagless system is important for you, the Eureka also performed well and finished in third place overall behind the Roborock and Dreametech, and although I generally think the wet rag style mopping that you get at this price point isn’t worth using, the Eureka E10S has the most advanced mopping system of these budget robots with the ability to raise its mopping pad slightly when passing over low pile carpets.

More information on Budget Robotic Vacuums & Mops: https://youtu.be/kF1y2rLqAGM

Robotic Pool Vacuums

Best Value

Aiper Scuba S1

MSRP: $699.95
Common Price: $524.99
Link: https://amzn.to/3yyBfoY

If you remove the smart functionality sub-score, the Aiper Scuba S1 actually had the exact same score as the Wybot with better overall coverage and a longer cleaning time for half the price. Another interesting use of the Aiper Scuba S1 is that because it more or less just cleans randomly, I found that it was pretty effective at cleaning my hot tub, while smarter path planning robots like the Wybot S2 Pro and Beatbot AquaSense were too confused by the bench layout and got stuck in the corner, and larger robots like the Lydsto P1 Max, Aiper S1 Pro, and Polaris Freedom Plus were too big to move around in the tight spaces.

Highest Quality

Polaris Freedom Plus

MSRP: $1699.99
Common Price: $1699.99
Link: https://amzn.to/3Rz3CcW

Speaking of the Polaris Freedom Plus, it came in 3^rd place, and despite its high price and mostly average performance there’s no question that it’s the most well built in this video from the most reputable brand and has the most convenience features, like the waterproof in-pool remote control, charging dock, dolly, and the perfectly designed, easy-to-clean, open top debris basket, and if you aren’t too concerned with price and you just want a top of the line, bug free, no hassle experience, the Polaris Freedom Plus is probably the best choice.

Lowest Price Good Performer

Seauto Crab

MSRP: $399.99
Common Price: $359.99
Link: https://amzn.to/3VSGhFS

If price is an important factor for you the Seauto Crab is almost as good as the Aiper Scuba S1 for $170 less, but you’ll need to decide if things like live customer service and warranty support are important to you since Seauto’s phone line just automatically hangs up, while Aiper’s is open from 9am-9pm Monday through Friday and they were very helpful when I called with a made up warranty claim. And like the Aiper Scuba S1, the Seauto Crab was also pretty effective at cleaning my hot tub.

More information on Robotic Pool Vacuums: https://youtu.be/OayNBn5Rup0

Auto Refill Mopping Robots

Best Value

SwitchBot S10

MSRP: $1199.99
Common Price: $799.99
Link: https://amzn.to/44U7ryK

From a value standpoint the SwitchBot S10 seems to be extremely fairly priced when comparing its features to other brands, and it has the 2nd best mopping performance I’ve ever measured, very closely behind the Eufy S1 Pro, but as of right now the S10 is a bit weak with object detection and navigation, and it isn’t able to lift its mop roller high enough to avoid getting high pile carpets wet. As far as privacy and smart home compatibility, SwitchBot did just add Matter compatibility when it is connected through their SwitchBot Hub 2 but the Matter integration only works for on and off commands rather than specific rooms and cleaning types and unfortunately, like all the robots I’ve tested recently, the SwitchBot has no local control functionality and can’t connect locally through the app when blocked from the internet.

Best All-Around

Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra with Autofill

MSRP: $1899.99
Common Price: $1899.99
Link: https://amzn.to/3X3BNLZ

The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra with the Auto Fill Base is basically the most expensive vacuum on the market, but it’s also the most well-rounded with no issues other than just kind of average carpet vacuuming performance and mopping abilities, but it’s object avoidance and mapping is the best on the market and as with most Roborock vacuums it has an extremely high build quality and it’s the only vacuum that feels like it could clean for multiple months completely unattended without issues.

More information on Auto Refill Mopping Robots: https://youtu.be/fc4f-6KMl70

Basic Dash Cams

Best Dash Cam Under $100

Viofo A119 Mini 2

MSRP: $129.99
Common Price: $113.99
Link: https://amzn.to/41CAzLr

If your budget is under $100 and you’re okay with just a front facing dash cam, the Viofo A119 Mini 2 is miles ahead of other cameras in the price range and has excellent 1440p video quality with great HDR implementation, a wide field of view, good parking modes, and an incredibly compact and discrete form factor.

Best Dash Cam Under $200

Wolfbox X5 4K 3Ch

MSRP: $399.99
Common Price: $199.99
Link: https://amzn.to/41P0Y8G

If you want more cameras, the three channel Wolfbox X5 is a crazy deal for $199 and has the same sensors and most of the same options as the $299 Vantrue N4 Pro. The Wolfbox was also the only camera that survived all 16 impacts without stopping the video feed. Its only weaknesses are fewer and less functional parking modes, weaker HDR video processing, and a mount that tends to bounce on bumpy roads leading to a bit more motion blur at night.

Best Night Performing

Vantrue N4 Pro 4K 3Ch

MSRP: $379.99
Common Price: $299.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4gLufW3

Last year’s winner the Vantrue N4 Pro is still the king of nighttime image quality, and the recent PlatePix firmware update seems to have improved it even more, but you’ll need to decide if the slightly better image quality and better parking modes are worth the extra $100 over the Wolfbox, especially since the Wolfbox also comes with a 128 gigabyte SD card, while the Vantrue’s is sold separately.

Best Overall Performance

Viofo A329 4K 2Ch

MSRP: $469.99
Common Price: $399.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4gJE4UM

The Viofo A329 4K had the best daytime video quality, the 2^nd best nighttime quality, and the best parking modes, but for $100 more than the Vantrue and twice the price of the Wolfbox, you get one less channel and marginally better performance. So, unless parking modes or one of the more niche features like USB-C SSD recording, or HDMI video output are important for you, then the Vantrue N4 Pro or Wolfbox X5 make more sense.

More information on Basic Dash Cams: https://youtu.be/HswpRHu_X-k

LTE Dash Cams

Best Overall Performance

Blackvue DR970-2CH Plus LTE

MSRP: $539.99
Common Price: $539.99
Link: https://amzn.to/3P0RQ9U

If you want the ultimate connected dash cam, the BlackVue DR970X-2CH Plus LTE was the clear winner with great parking notifications with useful 10 second pre-roll, automatic cloud upload of events, real time GPS mapping and event mapping, and even a daily driver safety report. All that comes at a hefty price though, with an almost $600 upfront cost, plus $7.99 a month for the BlackVue cloud and $23.99 a month for cellular service. Though, I will say, the BlackVue is compatible with the T-mobile network, which is only $15 a month for 3GB, so you can save yourself $9 a month by just swapping out the sim card. Still, in my opinion the BlackVue should be the clear choice for businesses with employees driving company vehicles and the BlackVue cloud even has a separate fleet plan that enables more features like geofencing and longer GPS tracking records.

Runner-Up

Thinkware U3000

MSRP: $429.99
Common Price: $379.99
Link: https://amzn.to/430hJwq

The Thinkware U3000 is a pretty compelling option for someone who wants GPS reports for their vehicles and can deal with the lack of cellular connectivity. I personally used the built-in Wi-Fi hotspot on my Rivian, but you could also hotspot from your phone, or for a company vehicle you could even just have it connect to your business’s Wi-Fi once the work day was over and you’d still get GPS reports marked up with safety concerns like hard acceleration, braking and cornering.

More information on LTE Dash Cams: https://youtu.be/hhnsOQ3Xmnk

White LED Strips

Everything Included LED Kits - Best Performer

Pautix Tunable COB LEDs

MSRP: $25.99
Link: https://amzn.to/42jQhJH

All things considered, the best easy to use strip with everything included is the Pautix Tunable COB LED strip which had the highest CRI, highest brightness, acceptable flicker, and completely tunable color temperature using the included infrared remote, with the downsides being the highest price per meter, and a relatively low power efficiency.

Everything Included LED Kits - Best Budget Pick

Govee Warm White

MSRP: $20.99
Link: https://amzn.to/48XsxxB

The Govee Warm White strips also performed well with good brightness, low flicker, and high efficiency, at less than half the cost per meter of the Pautix strip, but I was disappointed that the CRI was only 83.2, and the Govee strip is obviously not tunable like the one from Pautix. The Govee strip also doesn’t come with a remote, so brightness can only be controlled by pressing the buttons on the controller itself. But both the Govee and Pautix remember their last state when powered on, so you can control them with a smart outlet or timer by cutting the power completely.

DIY'er LED Strips - Best Performer

JOYLIT 24V COB

MSRP: $33.99
Link: https://amzn.to/47TId3y

All things considered the best overall strip for DIYers was the Joylit 24V COB LED Strip which had an awesome full spectrum CRI of 95.8, the second highest brightness at 5377 lumens and only 0.6V of voltage drop over the entire 5 meter strip, with the downsides being a relatively high price at $34 and middle of the road efficiency at just 841 lumens per watt.

DIY'er LED Strips - Best Budget Pick

LEPro 12V

MSRP: $13.99
Link: https://amzn.to/42oGD8G

From a budget standpoint the LEPro 12V LED strip lights are hard to beat with a cost per meter of just $2, and the second highest efficiency at 1209 lumens per watt, with the downsides being a CRI of just 80.3 and a voltage drop of 1.57 volts over 5m indicating a more cheaply made strip with thinner copper traces, but if you’re on a budget and not extremely concerned with CRI they are an excellent value.

DIY'er LED Strips - Best Value

BTF-Lighting FCOB White

MSRP: $14.99
Link: https://amzn.to/3u8qurp

If you’re looking for something plug-and-play with Amazon Echo and Google Home control, I think the $19.99 Pautix WL5 is the best option due to its configurable power on behavior, configurable LED strip type, no banding or flickering, and nicely sized screw terminals that can accommodate 14 AWG ferrules, with the only downsides being not having connections for an external button, and the fact that it runs on Tuya which is a cloud-based service.

Addressable LED Strips - Best Performer

BTF-Lighting 12V WS2814

MSRP: $30.99
Link: https://amzn.to/3Soq8EZ

Overall, for addressable strips, I like the 12V WS2814 non COB strip which is quite a bit cheaper than the rest at just $30 for 5 meters, or $6 per meter and has a great white CRI of 92.8, is controllable in 5cm segments of 3 LEDs and had an acceptable voltage drop of 1.12V over 5m, with the downsides being significantly lower brightness and efficiency than non-addressable strips.

More information on White LED Strips: https://youtu.be/y3qL9o7CvEA

LED Strip Controllers

Best Zigbee-based Controller

BTF-Lighting LM052

MSRP: $33.32
Common Price: $24.99
Link: https://amzn.to/41sv8Nf

If you’re looking for a Zigbee option, the only controller that didn’t have flickering was the BTF-Lighting LM052 which also had very low idle power consumption and decent sized, easy to use press fit terminals. But the downsides of the LM052 are that it doesn’t have an external button connection, its power on state defaults to on and isn’t configurable, and in Home Assistant you can’t have the white channels on at the same time as the RGB channels when set up as an RGBCCT controller.

Best Local Control - WiFi - Smallest

Shelly Plus RGBW PM

MSRP: $31.49
Common Price: $31.49
Link: https://amzn.to/3F2wMhl

For local control WiFi, I think the Shelly RGBW PM, QuinLED An-Penta Mini, and An-Penta Plus are the clear choices. The downsides of the Shelly RGBW PM are its extremely small terminals, lack of a 5^th channel for RGBCCT strips, and small delay during power on. But its small size, four button input terminals, and local interface are extremely convenient, especially if you’re setting up four different white LED strips instead of an RGBW strip.

Best Local Control - WiFi - Most Flexible

QuinLED An-Penta-Mini

MSRP: $38.00
Link: https://www.drzzs.com/shop/an-penta-mini/

The best exposed filament bulb by far was the Orein Matter over WiFi bulb, which was just $8, had good CCT range, good CRI, great efficiency, and is rated for damp locations, but it did have almost 30% flicker at 100% brightness, which gradually decreased until 80% brightness and then remained under 1% for the rest of the dimming curve.

Best Local Control - WiFi - Overkill

QuinLED An-Penta-Plus

MSRP: $54.99
Link: https://www.drzzs.com/shop/an-penta-plus/

Best Cloud (Tuya) Controller

Pautix WL5

MSRP: $19.99
Common Price: $19.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4it0OsH

More information on LED Strip Controllers: https://youtu.be/mYiXIr1Kh2k

LED Light Bulbs

Best Overall Bulb

Philips Ultra Definition Series

MSRP: $13.99
Link: https://amzn.to/3IvRwwr

As a total package considering quality of light, efficiency, flicker, dimming performance, and cost the Philips Ultra Definition bulbs are still miles ahead of anything else and if 2700K or 5000K color temperatures are right for you then they are the easy pick.

Best Adjustable CCT Bulb

Feit 2700K-6500K 60W

MSRP: $17.49
Link: https://amzn.to/48RE5kU

The Zigbee bulb by innr requires you to have a Zigbee hub, and Zigbee performance will have a lot to do with how many other Zigbee devices you have. But to me it’s a serious standout with high max brightness, almost zero flicker, great CRI, a huge CCT range from 2056 K to 6490 K, and a two year warranty. As far as I can tell, the only downsides to the innr bulb are that it isn’t rated for damp locations, it has slightly lower efficiency than others at 87.9 lm/watt, and its $15 price tag put it in the middle of the pack for affordability.

More information on LED Light Bulbs: https://youtu.be/QEvIUA7Ffp4

Smart Tunable White LED Light Bulbs

Best Overall (Zigbee) Bulb

innr E26 Smart LED Bulb

MSRP: $29.99
Common Price: $29.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4fdM8My

Best Matter (WiFi) Bulb

Linkind Matter Tunable Smart Bulb

MSRP: $16.99
Common Price: $15.12
Link: https://amzn.to/48jWmZy

The Linkind Matter over WiFi bulb is half the price of the innr and doesn’t require a hub. Of the Matter bulbs I tested, it was one of the easiest to add to HomeKit and shared with Home Assistant almost instantly. The Linkind had even less flicker than the innr, not even registering on my flicker meter until it reached 1% brightness, and it had a higher cool white CRI, better efficiency, and it’s rated for damp install locations. The only downsides of the Linkind are the fact that it can’t go lower than 2682 K color temperature, the inability to change the power on behavior without the AiDot app, and the fact that Linkind doesn’t list any warranty information on the box or on Amazon.

Best Thread Bulb

Nanoleaf Essentials Smart LED Color-Changing Light Bulb

MSRP: $49.99
Common Price: $29.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4e0wZNu

The Matter over Thread Nanoleaf bulb also performed extremely well on paper with very low flicker, high efficiency, great CCT range, and great CRI, but on my Thread network using AppleTV, it just didn’t work. However, if you already have a strong Thread network or just want to invest in the Thread protocol, the Nanoleaf bulbs are worth considering at $10 each.

Best Filament (Vintage) Bulb

OREiN Matter Smart Edison Light Bulb

MSRP: $54.99
Common Price: $44.54
Link: https://amzn.to/3Ulx6we

More information on Smart Tunable White LED Light Bulbs: https://youtu.be/1Xk7sTe29hs

Battery Banks With Built-in Charging Cables

Best Power Bank with Wireless Charging

Sunpolin Portable Charger 10000mAh

MSRP: $34.99
Common Price: $27.99
Link: https://amzn.to/3P3y0ux

My personal favorite is the Sunpolin which gives you the option of using MagSafe wireless charging or the built-in cables, has 5 V, 9 V, and 12 V PD charging capabilities, very decent overall capacity at 32.12 Wh, and the fastest recharge rate at 19.2 W. The MagSafe is also surprisingly sturdy, and the built-in stand can hold your phone in portrait or landscape mode while wirelessly charging. To me, the only downsides of the Sunpolin are that it only has USB-C and Lightning cables, it has no USB-A port, and even though it supports 12 V PD, I couldn’t get it to charge my MacBook.

Power Bank with the Most Built-in Cable Types

VRURC Portable Charger with Built-in Cable, 10000mAh

MSRP: $29.99
Common Price: $21.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4goZ4Qy

The VRURC square is just as compact and energy dense as the Sunpolin, but also includes USB-Micro and USB-A cords as well as a traditional USB-A port but lacks wireless charging. So, if you have some older devices that need USB-Micro or proprietary charging cables that need USB-A then the VRURC square is right for you.

Battery Bank with Best Power Density

WeeFancy Mini Portable Charger 10000mAh

MSRP: $35.99
Common Price: $23.99
Link: https://amzn.to/3ZrWwdt

The WeeFancy is another all-around great pick with a nice slim form factor giving it the highest power density both by volume and weight and it has USB-A and C ports, built-in Lightning and USB-C cables, and I was especially impressed by the power delivery implementation that not only had good charging speeds for my Google Pixel and iPhone 13 Pro, but could also charge my MacBook using 12 V Power Delivery. So, if you’re looking for the most power in the smallest package, the WeeFancy is right for you.

Best Battery Bank with 20V PD3.0

Anker Zolo Power Bank 20,000 mAh

MSRP: $35.99
Common Price: $27.99
Link: https://amzn.to/3CYDZOq

The Anker Zolo was pretty underwhelming in the sense that it had below average capacity, below average power density, and only a single built-in USB-C cable that just loops around and doesn’t really store away, but it was the only bank that supports 20 V PD. So, if that’s what you need it’s kind of your only option, and the good news is that it’s also pretty inexpensive.

Best Battery Bank with AC Plug

Charmast Portable Charger with Built-in Cables & Wall Plug 10000mAh

MSRP: $34.99
Common Price: $22.99
Link: https://amzn.to/49pD8Ci

More information on Battery Banks With Built-in Charging Cables: https://youtu.be/qX3jp0PnT0c

Battery Banks Without Built-in Charging Cables

Best Battery Bank Overall

VEEKTOMX Mini Power Bank 10000mAh

MSRP: $29.99
Common Price: $21.67
Link: https://amzn.to/4brYoZd

For charging phones and tablets on-the-go the absolute standout in every category was the Veektomx. They somehow managed to pack over 10,000mAh into a case that’s 30% smaller and 30% lighter than most of the other batteries in its class. They also included the most helpful display with both battery percentage and PD charging status, made it PD3.0 compatible with 5, 9, and 12 volt outputs, gave it an excellent recharging curve, and priced it at the very bottom of the market. At this point if you’re looking for a portable battery for your purse or pocket, I think it would be a mistake to choose anything other than the Veektomx, and it’s time for the rest of the market to catch up.

Best High Capacity Battery Bank

UGREEN 100W 20000mAh Power Bank

MSRP: $79.99
Common Price: $54.39
Link: https://amzn.to/4igsl0D

I personally always travel with a large capacity power bank so I can charge my phone and watch on the nightstand by the bed without needing to hunt for available outlets, and if you’re in the market for something more powerful, I like the UGREEN 100W, 20,000mAh bank, which is reasonably priced at $80 and surprisingly lightweight and compact for its capacity and power output abilities. The UGREEN is PD3.0 compatible, it can output 5A at 20V for its full advertised 100W, and it also recharges at that same maximum speed going from zero to 100% in an hour and 48 minutes with a compatible charger and cable.

Best Wireless Charging Battery Bank

Anker 321 MagGo Battery 5000mAh

MSRP: $25.99
Common Price: $19.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4i9HyRe

Even though I still think wireless charging with a battery bank is a bit silly, the Anker MagGo 321 is super convenient and is the perfect thing to bail you out if you forgot to charge your phone overnight and need to leave the house immediately. The 5000mAh capacity will get you slightly less than one full charge on your iPhone, but it should be enough emergency juice to get you through the day and it weighs almost nothing and sticking it to the back of your phone is much more convenient than using something like the Anker Nano that hangs off the bottom and constantly feels like it’s going to break off in your pocket.

More information on Battery Banks Without Built-in Charging Cables: https://youtu.be/gMIZixr7UFU

USB Power Outlets

Best Overall

Amerisense 2 USB-C, 1 USB-A

Common Price: $44.63
Link: https://amzn.to/3KiXdyv

The dual USB-C outlet from Amerisense was by far the best performer with the most connectivity, best compatibility with PD and QC standards, highest power delivery, highest efficiency, and lowest idle consumption, but it does come with one of the highest price tags.

Best Value

Amerisense 1 USB-C, 1 USB-A

Common Price: $29.99
Link: https://amzn.to/3ywtnns

The single USB-C Amerisense also performed very well, and the only negative thing that I have to say about it is that the USB-C port doesn’t feel like it is manufactured as well, and you can feel the USB-C cable slide against the plastic on the housing rather than going straight into the metal port.

Best at Providing Constant Power

Leviton 60W

Common Price: $54.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4aHpY2y

If you want an outlet that can provide constant power to its USB-A or USB-C port while plugging in other devices the Leviton and Top Greener are your only options, and between the two the Top Greener had slightly higher charging speeds and also supports 12V USB-C devices while the Leviton had slightly better efficiency and created less heat.

More information on USB Power Outlets: https://youtu.be/GFxB0cDkw-s