‘Tis almost the season, folks. And as we barrel towards the end of the year, we at Lifehacker are taking a moment to look back at 2022. This year we had the chance to test out some pretty awesome products, everything from office furniture to outdoor BBQs. In the spirit of giving, we thought we’d give you a round-up of the best products that the Lifehacker team reviewed in 2022.
Our favourite product reviews of 2022
Ecovacs DEEBOT X1 OMNI
No one likes vacuuming, but if you’re going to pay a robot to do it for you, it may as well be a good robot. The DEEBOT X1 OMNI is that robot (it’s even dog approved!).
One of Ky’s favourite aspects was the DEEBOT’s self-emptying feature:
I know it seems trivial that I could be blown away by a robovac, but I was thoroughly impressed that the X1 OMNI emptied itself after each cleaning cycle into the station. The only thing you have to do yourself is throw out the internal dust bag, which it will remind you to do via the app.
iPhone 14 Pro
As long-term iPhone users, we’re not exaggerating when we say the iPhone 14, particularly the iPhone 14 Pro, is one of the most astonishing smartphones yet. The addition of the Dynamic Island, the trio of rear cameras and the Always-On display make it a huge uptick in quality from the previous iPhone 13.
When it comes down to choosing between the two models, it says it in the name — the iPhone 14 Pro is just too hard to beat. The additions of the Dynamic Island design, camera enhancements and upgrades to the processor and display make it Apple’s best iPhone yet. I found it to be a noticeable improvement over my iPhone 13.
I certainly can never go back after using the iPhone 14 Pro. I’ve been an Apple user for generations now, but I didn’t realise what I’d been missing out on until I picked up this device.
Read the rest of Lauren’s review here.
Lay-Z Spa
If you, like us, have ever dreamed of having a home spa, Bunnings now sells them, and they’re actually half decent! Here’s what Steph thought:
Heating up the water in the spa takes a long bloody time (unsurprisingly), but once it’s warm, it’s a really cozy experience. I was worried about how comfortable an inflatable spa could really be, but the Lay-Z Spa really impressed me there. While there are no actual seats inside the tub, the base of the spa is soft enough that your butt is totally comfy during spa time. Not that I could really sit on the floor long, anyway. I was too short to reach comfortably, so I sat on my legs – which also worked.
SecretLab Titan Evo Gaming Chair
Can a gaming chair work as an office chair? It’s an expensive investment for sure, but Secretlab’s Titan Evo is one of the best chairs for both gaming and working from home. Here’s what we liked:
My previous desk chair (a cheap buy from IKEA) would often leave me with a sore back (particularly my tailbone) and a prawn posture. These issues were instantly fixed upon switching to the Titan Evo. Its quality design, comfortable padding and ergonomic support combine to create an excellent chair that cured me of all my aches and pains. I’ll happily spend my entire day working in it and even a few more hours gaming in it.
Cricut Joy
Ky used the Cricut Joy to create some personalised cutaway cards, and they came out a cut above if we do say so ourselves. In particular, it was awesome that the Cricut Joy had the ability to translate personal designs onto material objects:
Something I was very excited about was the possibility of putting some of my designs onto the Cutaway Cards and using those to start my own little side hustle print business. Because we all love an entrepreneur.
The type of artwork I do is contemporary Indigenous art. I’m only just getting started with designing on the iPad, as I normally just paint my artworks, so they aren’t things of beauty just yet. For reference, I am a Kamilaroi and Dharug person, so it feels great to be able to digitally create artwork to then put on cards like this.
Uploading your designs/artworks/images into the Cricut Design Space app is super easy to do and you can adjust your design to fit the project you’re working on.
Read the rest of Ky’s review here.
Lavazza SMEG Coffee Machine
We all know that SMEG gives the allure of premium, but after Bella tested Lavazza’s SMEG coffee machine, we know it to be true.
The design is trés chic, sleek and sports that retro look that SMEG is renowned for. It also comes in three stylish colours: Cream Ivory, Classic Red and Jet Black. Obviously, I went with the cream-coloured model, since I love my neutrals.
I’ll give it to this SMEG machine, it makes a mean cup of coffee. Lavazza’s coffee capsules are all delicious and taste just like it’s been made by an expert barista.
Read the rest of the review here.
Gozney Dome
For all the home chefs out there, the Gozney Dome won over our resident cooking whiz. Mel said it was a perfect all-rounder for family entertaining:
If you’re someone who loves entertaining, then the Gozney Dome is definitely worth the money. It’s great for cooking pizzas, steaks and whole fish. But if your idea of a barbecue is a standard sausage like you get at Bunnings, then the Dome is wasted on you.
Dyson Hot+Cool Formaldehyde Purifier
If you’ve been on the fence about air purifiers, Steph’s review of Dyson’s formaldehyde purifier might just change your mind. As it turns out, Dyson’s purifier is a damn good fan for any season and can even be a game-changer for those with COVID-19.
The simple truth here is that this purifier has improved my comfort levels in both warm and cold settings, and has acted as something of a security blanket in the times when I have known that my space has been filled with nasty pollutants.
There you have it – our top product reviews of 2022. If you have any questions about any of our reviews, feel free to reach out to us in the comments. We’d love to hear from you.
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