Tech
Updated on: April 30, 2026 at 10:51 AM PDT
Updated on: April 30, 2026 at 10:51 AM PDT
From Bluetooth trackers to (checks notes) a smart insect bite healer, these are the top gadgets our readers have actually purchased in 2026 so far.
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We’re nearly halfway through 2026, which has us at ZDNET looking back at some of our favorite products we’ve tested this year — and ones that beat out top models in our lab testing. But what about our readers’ favorites?
We gathered data on all the products our readers bought the most this year through links in ZDNET reviews, buying guides, deal posts, and other content on our site. The following are the most popular items purchased by thousands of people, listed by the number purchased in 2026 so far (note that your privacy is protected; we only have access to aggregate data from our user base, and there is no way for us to identify individual people’s purchases).
Here are the most popular products that thousands of ZDNET readers have purchased in 2026 so far — many of which are now on sale.
Also: Our readers can’t stop buying these 10 gadgets – and No. 4 really surprised us
The 10 most popular products ZDNET readers bought in 2026 (so far)
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
View now at Chipolo
Our pick for the best Bluetooth tracker for Android users, the Chipolo One Point is an inexpensive AirTag alternative that is highly accurate and integrates well into the Google ecosystem. These keyfob-like tags can help you keep track of your keys, your luggage, your pet, and just about anything else you can think of, all for $21 (on sale right now).
“I’ve tested the finding capability of these Chipolo finders, and they are super accurate, with the ability to locate the tags when at a distance — such as hidden in a plant pot on a street or when stuffed down the back of a couch,” wrote ZDNET reviewer Adrian Kinglsey-Hughes.
Review: As an Android user, these are the closest things to AirTags (and better in some ways)
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Kerry Wan/ZDNET
View now at Amazon
Our pick for the best Samsung Galaxy S26 case, our readers are also big fans of Spigen’s affordable yet durable phone cases, that bring solid features for the price. You’ll find a simple, sleek look in four colors, a pop-out kickstand, and a magnetic ring attachment that lets you use MagSafe accessories with Android phones.
As ZDNET editor-in-chief Kerry Wan wrote about the case for the Galaxy S25, “It’s just slim enough to not make your phone feel like a brick while offering a notable amount of protection to keep the device free from scratches and dings. Part of the reason it’s so durable is Spigen’s shock absorption padding tucked in the back.”
2. Spigen Tough Armor MagFit Case
Kerry Wan/ZDNET
Our pick for the best Samsung Galaxy S26 case, our readers are also big fans of Spigen’s affordable yet durable phone cases, that bring solid features for the price. You’ll find a simple, sleek look in four colors, a pop-out kickstand, and a magnetic ring attachment that lets you use MagSafe accessories with Android phones.
As ZDNET editor-in-chief Kerry Wan wrote about the case for the Galaxy S25, “It’s just slim enough to not make your phone feel like a brick while offering a notable amount of protection to keep the device free from scratches and dings. Part of the reason it’s so durable is Spigen’s shock absorption padding tucked in the back.”
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Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
View now at Amazon
These tiny pliers are small but mighty: They have 11 adjustment positions and can open enough to grip a 1-inch (24 mm) fastener. ZDNET’s Adrian Kingsley-Hughes says he’s used these pliers to do everything simple plumbing to changing a car battery and changing an alternator.
“They offer better drip than your fingers can ever achieve, but not so much that you end up destroying things,” Kingsley-Hughes wrote in his review.
Also: These unassuming pliers replaced my multitool for a fraction of the cost
3. Knipex Cobra XS Water Pump Pliers
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
These tiny pliers are small but mighty: They have 11 adjustment positions and can open enough to grip a 1-inch (24 mm) fastener. ZDNET’s Adrian Kingsley-Hughes says he’s used these pliers to do everything simple plumbing to changing a car battery and changing an alternator.
“They offer better drip than your fingers can ever achieve, but not so much that you end up destroying things,” Kingsley-Hughes wrote in his review.
Also: These unassuming pliers replaced my multitool for a fraction of the cost
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Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
View now at Amazon
This thermal camera is a great tool to keep on your keychain. It can do things like find overheating electrical components, diagnose HVAC problems, find radiator pipes underneath floorboards, find overheating power cables, and spot binding brakes on cars.
ZDNET’s Adrian Kingsley-Hughes has tested several thermal cameras, and says he recommends the Thermal Master P2 thanks to its 25Hz refresh rate and 15x zoom. “The camera is tiny, weighing about 10 grams, and it fits into a carry case that is small enough to hook onto a keychain, so it’s always ready when you need it,” he wrote.
Also: This tiny accessory gives your Android thermal vision superpowers (and works on iPhone, too)
4. Thermal Master P2 thermal camera for Android
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
This thermal camera is a great tool to keep on your keychain. It can do things like find overheating electrical components, diagnose HVAC problems, find radiator pipes underneath floorboards, find overheating power cables, and spot binding brakes on cars.
ZDNET’s Adrian Kingsley-Hughes has tested several thermal cameras, and says he recommends the Thermal Master P2 thanks to its 25Hz refresh rate and 15x zoom. “The camera is tiny, weighing about 10 grams, and it fits into a carry case that is small enough to hook onto a keychain, so it’s always ready when you need it,” he wrote.
Also: This tiny accessory gives your Android thermal vision superpowers (and works on iPhone, too)
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Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
View now at Amazon
This cheap little camera may be designed to look inside your ear canal, but it’s actually far more useful, according to ZDNET review Adrian Kingsley-Hughes. It’s a tiny, 360-degree, wide-angle 1080p HD camera that’s perfect to use to inspect tiny ports, sockets, or internal parts. The end is IP67 rated for water resistance, and it connects to iOS and Android, so you can see what the camera sees, take photos and videos, and control the light on the front. (And yes, you can use it to examine inside your ears, too.)
Also: The weirdest tool I own is also one of the most useful (and it’s only $9 on Amazon)
5. Ear Wax Removal Tool Camera
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
This cheap little camera may be designed to look inside your ear canal, but it’s actually far more useful, according to ZDNET review Adrian Kingsley-Hughes. It’s a tiny, 360-degree, wide-angle 1080p HD camera that’s perfect to use to inspect tiny ports, sockets, or internal parts. The end is IP67 rated for water resistance, and it connects to iOS and Android, so you can see what the camera sees, take photos and videos, and control the light on the front. (And yes, you can use it to examine inside your ears, too.)
Also: The weirdest tool I own is also one of the most useful (and it’s only $9 on Amazon)
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Nina Raemont/ZDNET
View now at Amazon
The CMF Buds 2 Plus earbuds offer excellent features for a low price compared to competitors like the AirPods. With these stylish earbuds, you’ll get options to personalize sound and adjust the equalizer, a full suite of playback and volume controls, clear call quality, good ANC performance, and long-lasting battery life.
“The CMF Buds 2 Plus are one of the most feature-rich and good-sounding earbuds under $80,” wrote ZDNET contributor Prakhar Khanna. At the time of this writing, they are on sale for $59.
Also: I have no problem ditching my AirPods for these earbuds – especially at this affordable price
6. CMF Buds 2 Plus Wireless Earbuds
Nina Raemont/ZDNET
The CMF Buds 2 Plus earbuds offer excellent features for a low price compared to competitors like the AirPods. With these stylish earbuds, you’ll get options to personalize sound and adjust the equalizer, a full suite of playback and volume controls, clear call quality, good ANC performance, and long-lasting battery life.
“The CMF Buds 2 Plus are one of the most feature-rich and good-sounding earbuds under $80,” wrote ZDNET contributor Prakhar Khanna. At the time of this writing, they are on sale for $59.
Also: I have no problem ditching my AirPods for these earbuds – especially at this affordable price
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Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
View now at Amazon
These Bluetooth trackers work with both iOS and Android, and are conveniently already on a keyring, so you don’t need to buy one as an accessory. The AirNotch Pro Dual trackers have two loud buzzers, are also super durable: They are IP68 rated for water and dust resistance, drop-proof, and capable of surviving months and years attached to your keys, according to ZDNET reviewer Adrian Kingsley-Hughes.
“These are now the tags that I recommend to all Android users,” Kingsley-Hughes wrote in his review. “No, they don’t offer precision finding that the AirTags offer, but they beat the AirTags in pretty much every other way.”
Also: I put away my AirTag just minutes after trying this Bluetooth tracker alternative – here’s why
8. Rolling Square AirNotch Pro Dual Bluetooth tracker keychain
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
These Bluetooth trackers work with both iOS and Android, and are conveniently already on a keyring, so you don’t need to buy one as an accessory. The AirNotch Pro Dual trackers have two loud buzzers, are also super durable: They are IP68 rated for water and dust resistance, drop-proof, and capable of surviving months and years attached to your keys, according to ZDNET reviewer Adrian Kingsley-Hughes.
“These are now the tags that I recommend to all Android users,” Kingsley-Hughes wrote in his review. “No, they don’t offer precision finding that the AirTags offer, but they beat the AirTags in pretty much every other way.”
Also: I put away my AirTag just minutes after trying this Bluetooth tracker alternative – here’s why
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Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
View now at Amazon
This weird little device solves a big summer problem: Itchy bug bites. Plug it into your smartphone, and it heats up, so you can apply the heat to your insect bite, which is proven to reduce swelling, particularly if you do it right after you get bitten.
“I’ve tested this on a number of bites: horsefly bites, mosquito bites, dog flea bites, and other random insect bites I found, and yes, it works. Really well, actually — far better than any over-the-counter cream or ointment I’ve used (and I’ve used a lot),” Kingsley-Hughes wrote in his review.
Also: This USB-C accessory gave my iPhone and Android an unexpectedly useful superpower
9. Heat It smartphone-powered insect bite healer
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
This weird little device solves a big summer problem: Itchy bug bites. Plug it into your smartphone, and it heats up, so you can apply the heat to your insect bite, which is proven to reduce swelling, particularly if you do it right after you get bitten.
“I’ve tested this on a number of bites: horsefly bites, mosquito bites, dog flea bites, and other random insect bites I found, and yes, it works. Really well, actually — far better than any over-the-counter cream or ointment I’ve used (and I’ve used a lot),” Kingsley-Hughes wrote in his review.
Also: This USB-C accessory gave my iPhone and Android an unexpectedly useful superpower
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Nina Raemont/ZDNET
View now at Amazon
The latest Apple Watch Series 11 is our pick for the best Apple Watch you can buy, thanks to its 24-hour battery life and slate of excellent health-tracking features.
“The Series 11 offers all the health-tracking capabilities of the Ultra 3 and a longer battery life than the SE 3,” wrote ZDNET wearables reviewer Nina Raemont. “This makes it the best choice out of the three for health-conscious users looking to wear their smartwatch around the clock.”
Also: I tested the Apple Watch Series 11. Here’s who should buy it
10. Apple Watch Series 11
Nina Raemont/ZDNET
The latest Apple Watch Series 11 is our pick for the best Apple Watch you can buy, thanks to its 24-hour battery life and slate of excellent health-tracking features.
“The Series 11 offers all the health-tracking capabilities of the Ultra 3 and a longer battery life than the SE 3,” wrote ZDNET wearables reviewer Nina Raemont. “This makes it the best choice out of the three for health-conscious users looking to wear their smartwatch around the clock.”
Also: I tested the Apple Watch Series 11. Here’s who should buy it
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