Engadget’s Best of CES 2026: The 15 Category Winners and Best in Show

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Engadget’s “best of 2026” feature is specifically a roundup of its favorite products and concepts at CES 2026—not a ranking of the year’s best products overall. The editors selected 15 category winners from a shortlist of around 50 candidates, then named LEGO Smart Play Best in Show. Several picks were announcements, demonstrations, or concepts rather than confirmed products available to buy. Engadget’s CES 2026 awards feature was updated Jan. 9, 2026.

How Engadget chose its CES 2026 winners

Engadget says its editors discussed and pitched products over several days, narrowing around 50 candidates to 15 category winners and one Best in Show. The article describes editorial judgment, not a single standardized test or scoring system applied across categories. Each winner is introduced by the editor most familiar with it.

#	Preview	Product	Price
1		TROP VIEUX POUR CES CONNERIES | French Boom Bap 2026 [Explicit]	$1.29	Buy on Amazon
2		TROP VIEUX POUR CES CONNERIES | French Boom Bap 2026 [Explicit]	$1.29	Buy on Amazon

Engadget editor-in-chief Aaron Souppouris explained the team’s emphasis: “We’re by no means AI luddites at Engadget, but it’s fair to say that our team is more excited by tangible products that enrich our lives than iterative improvements to large language models.”

Engadget’s 15 CES 2026 category winners

Best robot: Switchbot Onero H1

Engadget saw a demonstration of the Onero H1 picking up clothes and loading a washing machine. The demonstration was limited. Switchbot intended to sell the robot during 2026 and promised a price below $10,000, according to the Jan. 9 roundup; those were plans and a price promise at the time, not confirmation of current availability or final pricing.

#1 Best Overall

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Best accessibility tech: WheelMove

WheelMove is a power-assist add-on for manual wheelchairs. It attaches to the front bars and lifts the small caster wheels; Engadget describes five speed options, a swappable battery, and a range of about 15 miles. That range is the figure reported in Engadget’s roundup, not a guarantee for every rider or terrain.

Best TV: LG OLED Evo W6

Engadget highlights the W6’s very thin design and wireless control box. LG claimed about 20 percent more brightness than previous generations, as reported by Engadget. The power cord remains the cable to conceal.

Best AI hardware: Subtle Voicebuds

These earbuds are designed to transcribe speech in noisy environments and at very low volume. Engadget says the strongest transcription models require an internet connection and a subscription to the Subtle app; without the app, the earbuds use a smaller local model. That difference matters if offline use or recurring app costs are central to your decision.

Best smart home: IKEA Matter-compatible devices

Engadget’s selection covers 21 announced devices, including bulbs, plugs, sensors, and remotes. Its roundup listed announced prices of $6 for a smart bulb, $8 for a smart plug, $6 for a smart remote, and $15 for a globe bulb. Matter devices need a hub; Engadget cited IKEA’s DIRIGERA or another Matter hub as options. The article’s prices and product details are announcement-era information, not verified current prices or stock.

Best home theater: Samsung HW-QS90H

Engadget singled out this upcoming soundbar’s Quad Bass woofer system and flexible placement: it can sit flat or be wall-mounted, with sensors that adjust driver output. The feature presented it as forthcoming, so it should not be treated as a confirmed retail option based on that article alone.

Best audio: Shokz OpenFit Pro

The OpenFit Pro uses an open-ear hook design that leaves the ear canals unobstructed. Engadget’s editor said its noise reduction handled moderate sounds in places such as a cafe or office, and also noted new drivers and Dolby Atmos. The award is an editorial pick, not a comparative lab result.

Best outdoor tech: Tone Outdoors T1

The T1 is a leaf blower from an aerospace-engineering-company spin-off. Engadget reported average peak noise of 52 decibels and airflow of 880 CFM, and said a planned backpack accessory could extend runtime. These are figures and plans cited in the CES feature; confirm release status and specifications before relying on them for a purchase.

Best toy: LEGO Smart Play

LEGO Smart Play combines Smart Bricks with Smart Tags and Smart Minifigures to create interactive play scenarios. Engadget describes the brick as a standard-sized piece with a 4.1 mm ASIC chip, a small speaker, and sensors for motion, color, and proximity. The system uses a local wireless layer called BrickNet and, according to the article, can be played with from the start without setup, an app, or a screen.

Best PC or laptop: Dell XPS 14 and XPS 16

Engadget points to Intel’s latest chips, tandem OLED displays, a lighter XPS 16, the return of a function-key row, and segmented touchpads. At the time of the roundup, Dell had also teased an XPS 13 for later in 2026; that was a forward-looking announcement in the Jan. 9 article.

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Best health tech: Eyebot vision test booth

Eyebot is a kiosk intended to automate a short vision test, but prescriptions still require sign-off from a licensed eye doctor. The author said the kiosk’s brief examination matched a prescription from the prior year. That is one writer’s account, not evidence of broad clinical validation.

Best gaming tech: ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo

This gaming laptop has two OLED panels. Engadget reported brightness up to 1,100 nits and support for configurations up to an NVIDIA RTX 5090 GPU. The editors also noted that its size and setup may be awkward, while the additional display can accommodate chat, guides, or creative work alongside a game.

Best mobile tech: Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold

Engadget describes a 10-inch Android tablet that folds into a 6.5-inch phone, with a 200-megapixel main camera. Its article estimated a U.S. price around $2,500 from the Korean launch cost, while noting that U.S. pricing had not been confirmed when the feature was updated Jan. 9, 2026. Treat that figure as an estimate from that date, not an official U.S. price.

Most promising concept: Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable

This concept laptop has a flexible display that expands from 16 inches to 23.8 inches, with 16:10, 21:9, and 24:9 aspect-ratio options. Engadget explicitly questioned its commercial viability. The award recognizes the idea, not a retail product.

Best emerging technology: IXI autofocus lenses

IXI’s concept uses eye tracking with LEDs and photodiodes to control a liquid-crystal lens layer, switching focus between near and far in about 0.2 seconds, according to Engadget. The company was still finalizing production and pursuing medical certification when the article appeared, so the feature does not establish that the glasses were on sale.

Why LEGO Smart Play also won Best in Show

LEGO Smart Play received both Best Toy and Best in Show. Engadget praised its integration of interactive technology into a familiar toy without requiring an app or screen to begin playing. The Smart Brick’s sensing features and speaker work with Smart Tags and Smart Minifigures to enable different scenarios.

Engadget’s companion CES 2026 announcements roundup named three Star Wars sets: the 473-piece Darth Vader TIE Fighter at an announced $70, the 584-piece Luke’s Red Five X-Wing at $100, and the 962-piece Throne Room Duel & A-wing at $160. These are prices reported in that CES roundup, updated Jan. 9, 2026—not verified current retail prices.

How to interpret the awards if you’re considering a product

The picks are useful as a map of what caught Engadget’s editors’ attention, but the roundup is not a universal buying guide. Compare each product with the questions that matter in its category:

• Robots: Look for evidence beyond a staged demonstration, including what tasks work reliably, how much supervision is needed, and whether the product has actually shipped.
• Wheelchair power assists: Consider fit, terrain, assistance levels, range in your own conditions, and whether the battery can be swapped.
• Displays: Weigh screen technology and brightness claims against form factor, connectivity, and price.
• AI earbuds: Check what works locally, what needs internet access, and which features depend on an app subscription.
• Smart-home devices: Include the required hub and its cost, not just the price of each bulb, plug, or sensor.
• Audio products: Decide whether an open-ear fit suits your needs, then assess comfort and how much noise reduction you need.
• Computers: Compare display layout, performance options, and portability against the work or games you plan to run.
• Concepts and emerging technology: Separate the appeal of the idea from commercial availability, final specifications, certification, and a confirmed price.

For the full category descriptions and Engadget’s qualifications, see the original awards feature.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1

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Bestseller No. 2

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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.