Every year, our team reviews thousands of products for our growing archive of roundups and buying guides, which cover everything from office chairs to coolers to soundbars.
We do our best to cater to myriad shoppers, including those with budgets — and those without. However, every guide on Gear Patrol now includes a best overall option, designated by a badge that reads “Just Get This.”
Products with this seal balance a number of different factors, including price, functionality and, sometimes, aesthetics. Here are those picks for all of 2020, compiled into one list for easy shopping.
Home & Kitchen
Steelcase Series 1 Ergonomic Mesh Task Chair
$415.00
Steelcase’s entry-level office chair, the Series 1, combines looks, comfort and ergo-friendly features not usually found in a chair under $500 into one very strong value proposition.
Saatva Classic Mattress
$1,099.00
Saatva’s flagship mattress combines comfort with luxury touches, so you really feel like you’re getting what you pay for.
Coway Airmega AP-1512HHS
$226.03
The Airmega AP-1512HHS offers some of the best air purification at its price point, and it does so in rooms up to 361 square feet. Plus, its small build makes it easy to tuck away.
Field Company Cast Iron Skillet
$125.00
Field Company’s cast iron is lighter, smoother and simpler than that of many new brands. It also manages to keep its prices lower relative to some of its high-minded competition.
Tojiro DP Gyutou
$85.00
You will be hard-pressed to find a blade that’s made better than this one for under $100. It offers full-tang VG10 stainless steel tempered and cut to a thin, violently sharp edge that lasts.
Oxo 8-Cup Coffee Maker
$169.99
This SCA-approved coffee maker is incredibly simple to use with just four buttons. The machine’s metallic body and clean lines look good on the countertop, and it doesn’t eat up a ton of space.
Baratza Encore Coffee Grinder
$139.00
It’s not cheap, but no grinder under $200 can chew through beans as reliably as the Encore, which boasts high-quality stainless-steel burrs and 40 grind settings.
Delta Michelangelo Gravity Stand
$58.08 (27% off)
This is the only wall-mounting indoor storage option that doesn’t require installation. Instead, the rack works with gravity, using the weight of the bikes to create a stable downward force that can support two bicycles.
Gravity Blanket
$189.00
Gravity weighs you down, so logically, a blanket with the same name is the heavyweight of this competition. Its soft and plush, and what we dream of wrapping ourselves in while we’re at work.
Schiesser Hooded Towelling Bath Robe
$105.00
Schiesser’s been around since 1875, so they know a few things about making quality garments. Its Towelling Bath Robe is made with an all-cotton French terry material that’s plush, breathable and absorbent.
August Wi-Fi Smart Lock
$199.18 (20% off)
This is August’s most expensive smart lock, but it’s also its smallest and most convenient. It doesn’t require an extra hub or bridge for you to control remotely. It also doesn’t cover up your deadbolt, so you can still use your old keys to unlock the door if you want to.
Outdoors, Travel & Adventure
Mountain Hardwear Super/DS StretchDown Hooded Jacket
$275.00
Though built for rock climbing, the Super/DS StretchDown Hooded Jacket can function anywhere. It features a meandering pattern and a woven construction to increase durability and stretch while minimizing cold spots.
Arc’teryx Atom LT Insulated Jacket
$239.00
The Atom LT is made with breathable Coreloft insulation, which functions better than down when placed under a shell. Combined with a hydrophobic finish, it does a lot to keep the wearer from getting damp from either weather or exertion.
Battenwear Northfield Parka
$645.00
This vintage-inspired parka features a water-repellent 60/40 cotton-nylon shell with a faux shearling lining. It comes with flap pockets, Polartec-lined hand-warming pockets and a brimmed hood.
Danner Trail 2650
$149.95
The Trail 2650 fits like a trail running shoe and maintains enough support for rough surfaces without becoming overkill. That makes it an ideal choice for, well, anywhere.
Yeti Tundra Haul
$399.99
Yeti designed the handle so that it doesn’t slam against the hard plastic if you drop it, and the wheels roll so quietly and smoothly that you’ll wonder if it’s actually floating behind you.
Yeti Rambler 20 oz Tumbler
YETI amazon.com
This double-wall vacuum-insulated option keeps your beverage as hot or cold as you like while also looking good and standing up to the elements. The no-mess lid makes it even more travel friendly.
Thule x Tepui Low-Pro 3
$1,849.95
With a closed height of just 8.5 inches, the Low-Pro is truly low profile. That helps you save on gas while minimizing the lift-off effect a rooftop tent can have on a small car rolling down the interstate.
Peak Design Packing Cubes
$59.96
Available in two sizes, these cubes expand and contract with clever zippers to accommodate more or less stuff. They also include a second compartment for dirties that gets bigger as the ratio of clean to dirty changes.
Bellroy Classic Backpack
$139.00
This 20L zip-top back strikes a chord between minimalist design and maximalist features. Though it comes in a variety of durable fabrics, this all-black version is made with Bellroy’s Dura nylon material.
Priority Continuum Onyx
$1,099.00
Good luck finding an urban ride as simultaneously user-friendly, safe, stylish and affordable as this one. The good looks stem from the matte black paint job and internal cable routing for a sleek, uncomplicated profile.
Segway Ninebot Kickscooter MAX 630LP
$699.99
The 630LP is a cut above the bargain scooters, bringing added capability you can really use. It hits a top speed of 18.6 mph, has a range of 25 miles, has 10-inch wheels for added comfort, folds with three clicks.
BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2
$263.37
These are BF Goodrich’s toughest all-terrain tires. They have a Baja 1000-race-derived tread compound that resists cuts, chips and tears. The computer-optimized tread compound guards the core against protruding objects.
Security Chain Company Super Z6
$64.99
The Super Z6 chains are cable-based and work for passenger cars, trucks and SUVs. They are super low-profile, requiring only 1/4-inch of ground clearance. They are easy to install without moving the vehicle.
Fitness
Patagonia Capilene Cool Lightweight
$45.00
This Patagonia tee is deceptively lightweight at 2.6 ounces, and its 100 percent recycled polyester fabric fights stink far better than other synthetic shirts.
Ten Thousand Interval Short
$58.00
Ten Thousand emphasizes versatility above all else in the Interval Short, which it made for doing pretty much anything. It’s ideal for infrequent yogis who might also want to wear them for running or working out.
Manduka GRP Adapt
$88.00
Manduka developed a proprietary open-cell polyurethane blend that’s porous enough to absorb moisture and sufficiently grippy when dry. The five-millimeter construction is thick enough to pad your body without getting too heavy or bulky.
Hydro Flask Trail Series 24 oz
$45.00
Thanks to double-walled vacuum insulation, the Trail Series keeps cold drinks cold for 24 hours and hot drinks hot for up to 12. It’s free of harmful BPA and Phthalate chemicals, and the wide-mouth, easy-drinking top accommodates most backcountry hydration filters.
Asics Gel-Nimbus Lite
$99.95
The Gel-Nimbus is an ideal sneaker for longer, easy runs and heavy-duty mileage. They’re a solid all-rounder, crowd-pleaser kind of running shoe.
Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37 Shield
$130.00
With textures inspired by winter tires, the outsoles grip the road while shedding water. Meanwhile, a half-length DWR-treated shroud covers most of the laces, keeping your forefeet dry without sacrificing breathability or becoming too bulky.
Reebok Nano X Shoes
$130.00
The Nano X features a wide toe box, minimal drop and split outsole that is simultaneously stable and flexible. It also boasts a breathable upper and beefed-up, high-density foam collar that cradles and supports the ankle.
Jaybird Vista
$179.99
The Jaybird Vistas have an IPX7 rating, meaning they’re fully waterproof and sweatproof. Their lightweight design makes them feel like they’re not even in your ears, and the carrying case is slimmer than that of the competition.
Style & Grooming
Everlane Grade-A Cashmere Crew
$130.00
Everlane’s cashmere sweaters may be the best thing they make. Each one is made using 100 percent Mongolian cashmere, which sits at the upper echelons of both fineness and length.
Reigning Champ Mid Weight Terry Sweatshirt
$125.00
Reigning Champ’s Mid Weight Terry Sweatshirt is what the company was built upon. It’s made in Canada (where some of the best sweats are made) and designed with quality details like inset-raglan sleeves and flatlock stitching for seams that are flush against the skin.
Outerknown Transitional Flannel
Outerknown’s Transitional Flannel uses a grip of plaids in and a few solid colorways, each with eco-friendly heavy organic cotton. They’re sturdy but soft and come with natural corozo nut buttons, dual flap chest pockets and a classic fit.
Flint + Tinder 10-Year Pullover
$98.00
Flint and Tinder’s 10 Year Hoodie is built to last a decade. At 23 ounces of beefy fleece, a double-lined hood and raglan sleeves, this made-in-Los-Angeles pullover is a major value.
Portuguese Flannel Labura Chore Jacket
$149.00
Straightforward. That’s what the Labura Chore Jacket is. Straight up quality brushed cotton fabric that’s not flimsy, corozo buttons, three outer patch pockets, one inner pocket, and a solid price.
Outerknown Blanket Shirt
$148.00
Made from organic cotton heavyweight will, this shirt is sturdy, soft and breathable. It has two button-flap chest pockets and natural corozo buttons. Consistently one of our go-tos when recommending a great all-around piece of outerwear.
Filson Tin Cloth Short Lined Cruiser Jacket
$350.00
Made from 14-ounce, oil-finish Tin Cloth, this jacket is water-repellent, wind-repellent and abrasion-resistant. It’s fully lined with dry-finish Cover Cloth in the body and synthetic lining in the sleeves, and it sits at the hip so you have a full range of motion.
Levi’s 501 Shrink-to-Fit
$59.50
The quintessential blue jean comes in all manner of shades, washes and distressing, but you could do no wrong going the old-school way with the straight-up rigid shrink-to-fit version. They only get better with wear.
J.Crew 484 Slim-Fit Pant in Stretch Chino
$79.50
J.Crew’s popular Stretch Chino features a lined waistband and chambray binding at the seams. Also, it comes in the full spectrum of colors.
L.L.Bean Stretch Country Corduroy Pants
$54.99
Slanted hand pockets, welted rear pockets, flat front. L.L. Bean’s shoot straight down the middle and are as classic as it gets. They’ve got a smidge of stretch and even come with a lined waistband and curtain for extra durability.
Caterpillar Trademark Pants
$47.95 (16% off)
Caterpillar’s popular work pants are a go-to option for carpenters and construction workers. It’s made from a durable poly-cotton duck canvas and is replete with cargo pockets and utility pockets.
Entireworld Loopback Sweatpants
$88.00
A healthy blend of Japanese organic cotton and recycled polyester makes this one of the most responsible sweatpants out there, even if you’re feeling irresponsibly lazy at home. The loopback fabric is warm and suspiciously soft against the skin.
Dr. Dennis Gross C+ Collagen Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum
$78.00
Vitamin C is one of the best ingredients you can apply to skin for brighter, more even complexion. Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare’s serum is packed with it, along with collagen amino acids, for an instant pick-me-up for tired or dull skin.
Wahl Model 9864
$70.47 (12% off)
This beard trimmer is housed in a durable stainless steel housing and utilizes rechargeable Lithium-Ion 2.0 technology that can provide hours of trimming on one charge. It comes with four attachments and 12 T-Blade guide combs to achieve different length trims.
Wahl 5-Star Magic Clip
$108.95
The Magic Clip is what the pros use. At just 10 ounces, your arms won’t be fatigued by the time you’re done. It comes with eight attachment guides from 1/8 of an inch to 1 inch and includes a styling comb, a brush and blade oil to keep it running smoothly.
Footwear
Tecovas Johnny
$255.00
Direct-to-consumer brand Tecovas has been on the radar of many a cowboy boot fan thanks to its balance of quality details and affordable prices. Its Johnny boot comes with a water-resistant suede, a leather stacked heel, and 3/4 Goodyear welt construction.
Red Wing Iron Ranger Boots
$247.50
This iconic boot features a protective cap toe, cork misdole that adapts to the wearer’s unique foot shape, speed hooks and resolable Goodyear-welt construction. You’ll need to step into them knowing about the tough break-in period, but fans will tell you it’s totally worth it.
Trench Boot
$426.00
Oak Street Bootmakers built its brand on its WWII-inspired trench boot. This pair is made in the USA and features Chromexcel leather uppers from Chicago’s Horween Leather Co, brass eyelets, rawhide laces and a leather sole.
Clarks Desert Boots
$140.00
The definitive desert boot is still made using supple and rugged English suede from the world-famous CF Stead leather tannery. Its crepe rubber sole gives superior cushioning and traction, too.
Rancourt Sherman Boots
$325.00
Rancourt’s Sherman Boot is not only appealing for its brass eyelets, natural lactae hevea crepe soles and true-moccasin construction. It’s also a looker thanks to the shrunken bison leather upper.
Velasca Sciostree Boots
$315.00
The pebble grain kudu leather upper, classic wingtip brogue embellishments and tough Vibram lug sole make this boot worthy of the English countryside.
Thursday Rogue Boots
$199.00
Thursday Boots offers some of the best value for money with quality details like Goodyear-welt construction cork beds for comfort and weather-resistant leather uppers. Its Rogue Boot is perhaps the brand’s most stylish boot thanks to the Jodhpur design and Cuban heel.
Rhodes Huxley Boot
$120.98
These boots combine a super flexible and resolable Blake stitch construction with premium calfskin uppers and made-in-Portugal craftsmanship. They’re more chiseled than the Blundstones, giving them a sleeker aesthetic that pairs well with a dressier outfit.
L.L. Bean Wicked Good Mocassins
$79.00
These slippers are lined with luscious Australian merino sheepskin to keep your feet swaddled in a vessel of warmth. If you need to walk further than the confines of your home, the memory foam footbed and arch support will get you there comfortably.
Sorel Caribou Boot
$159.95
Sorel’s mega-popular Caribou Boot has been lauded by warm and dry feet everywhere. Its tall vulcanized rubber portion in conjunction with water-proof full-grain nubuck leather uppers and seam-sealed construction makes it one of the most waterproof boots out there.
Watches & Accessories
Omega Speedmaster Professional
$12,000.00
The Speedmaster Professional you can buy today is nearly identical to the one worn to the moon in 1969 — it has the same case shape and size, the same dial design, nearly the same movement, too.
Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight
$3,700.00
Tudor’s Black Bay lineup is inspired by the Tudor-branded Submariners made during the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, and the Fifty-Eight is the greatest tribute to that era yet, thanks to a vintage-inspired 39mm case and a dial with an old-school gilt dial.
Casio G-Shock 5600
$96.70
The 5600 is tough, affordable, light, comfortable, fun, unpretentious. Call it a perfect overall watch.
Polo Ralph Lauren Reversible Scarf
$65.00
Ralph’s had this scarf in the collection for years. It’s made in Italy using a perfect mix of luscious wool and nylon for both strength and comfort.
Colorful Standard Merino Wool Beanie
$35.00
Colorful Standard’s the best way to top off your fit. It’s perfectly proportioned, made in Portugal with Italian superfine merino wool for a silky touch and comes in every color you could conceivably want.
Bombas Merino Wool Calf Socks
$19.00
Bombas offers some of the most details for the price. It features a unique honeycomb arch support, cushioned footbed, seamless toe and y-stitched heel, all wrapped in a merino wool fabric that’s great for year-round wear.
Tech & Gadgets
Twelve South Curve
$59.77
Designed to elevate your laptop 5.8 inches off the desk surface, this stand aligns your screen with an external monitor (if you have one). It’s also made of aluminum and comes in Space Gray, meaning it’ll blend in naturally with the latest MacBooks and MacBook Pros.
Belkin Boost Up Wireless Charging Stand
$29.99 (14% off)
The Belkin Boost Up Wireless Charging Stand is capable of delivering 10-watts of power and fast-charging any iPhone or Android. The stand design allows for horizontal and landscape orientation.
Apple Watch Series 6
$379.00
The Series 6 is the perfect smartwatch for iPhone owners who want the best that Apple has to offer. In addition to an always-on display, it has a blood oxygen sensor and electrical heart sensor. Plus it comes in premium finishes like stainless steel and titanium.
Sony WH-1000XM4
$278.00 (21% off)
These cans improve on Sony’s already excellent WH-1000XM3 headphones with improved noise-cancellation and a better microphone. In terms of sound quality and active noise-cancellation, these slightly edge out Bose’s Headphones 700.
Apple AirPods Pro
$199.00 (20% off)
The AirPods Pro earbuds boast Apple’s H1 chip for easy iPhone pairing, but they’re uniquely sweat-resistant, unlike other Apple audio products, so you shouldn’t have a problem exercising with them.
Apple iPad (2020)
$299.99
Apple’s seamless blend of hardware and software makes its iPads the best tablet for your money. Though Apple’s entry-level option, it’s our pick for the best overall tablet for most people.
Audioengine A2+
$269.00
The A2+ powered speakers connect to your laptop or desktop via a 3.5mm jack or Bluetooth (meaning it’s super easy to stream music from your smartphone, too). You can also use RCA connections for a standalone turntable.
Sonos Arc
$799.00
The Arc is Sonos’s newest high-end soundbar. It’s bigger, louder and smarter than the Playbar, as it’s a full 5.0.2 sound system with five horizontal surround channels (left, center, right, left surround and right surround) and two height channels.
Fujifilm SQ1
$99.95 (17% off)
The Instax Square SQ1 shoots 2.5-inch square photos that offer way more in terms of lasting appeal as an actual photograph, and an aspect ratio that’s second nature to any Instagrammer.
Drinks
Knob Creek 9-Year Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey
$35.00
This bottle is available everywhere and thus resistant to the price gouging associated with brands like Buffalo Trace. Its 100 proof brings plenty of body without lighting your mouth on fire.
Russell’s Reserve 6-Year Small Batch
$47.99
One of few rye whiskeys to hold an age statement, Russell’s Reserve 6-Year Small Batch greatly benefits from aging. It has a good bite, and you won’t mind sipping it, or mixing it into an old-fashioned.
Lagavulin 16 Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
$119.00
This legendary bottle merges peat with campfire smoke. It’s aggressive and mouth-wateringly savory, like brisket on a hot summer day. It’s available in nearly every liquor store, duty-free shop and self-respecting bar in America and abroad.
Espolòn Blanco
$25.00
This blanco tequila is one of the best values in the agave spirit category. It’s made without diffusers or additives and available pretty much everywhere. It’s the ideal budget mixer, and it’s fresh and well-made enough to drink over ice with a twist of lime.
Reyka Vodka
$21.00
This Icelandic vodka is vegetal, slightly floral and citrusy. It’s great for mixing, thanks to its low price, but you could just as happily sip it neat (unlike with other vodkas in its price bracket).
The Botanist Gin
$41.00
While bottom-shelf gin tastes little more than juniper-soaked alcohol, The Botanist combines juniper with 21 other botanicals, locally sourced from Islay, Scotland, to craft a spirit that achieves various flavor profiles one would want from a gin — sweet, herbal, piney.
Plantation Barbados 5 Years
$26.00
The pot-and-column-still blend sits in spent bourbon barrels for three to four years before a two-year stay in French oak. The result is mahogany-hued layers of toasted coconut, orange peel and vanilla, finished with a hit of cinnamon-dusted marzipan.