And so the 2023 season comes to an end. For us, it was another year full of testing out the latest and greatest products. From tech gadgets to kitchen appliances (and even a few sex toys), the Lifehacker Australia team covered it all this year, so here’s a round-up of some of our favourite product reviews from 2023.
Our favourite products of 2023
Koala Mattress
We spend a third of our lives sleeping so it’s important to make that time as comfortable as possible. When we reviewed the Koala Mattress earlier this year we had nothing bad to say about it:
“While I can’t say that a Koala mattress will solve all of your pains, because it won’t, I can safely say that I sleep a lot more easily and don’t feel the need to wring my body out like a wet towel every morning. What I think helps with this is Koala’s firmness adjustment. Basically, there is an upper layer that you can flip to determine how firm you want your mattress to be. I thought that was pretty neat and if in another month’s time, I find it too firm, I can just flip it to the softer side.”
Therabody TheraCup
Cupping is a popular wellness treatment, but it can get pretty pricey. Therabody has invented a device that will help you do the job at home (or on the move), and honestly, we’ve found it pretty useful!:
“After using the Therabody TheraCup for a few months, I can honestly say that I find it to be a really useful device for helping manage day-to-day niggles that would otherwise cause discomfort. Sure, it can’t solve all problems with pain, but for $199, it might help you avoid making quite as many appointments with your local masseuse.”
MacBook Pro (M2 Pro)
In January, Apple announced its M2 lineup of MacBook Pro laptops. At the end of 2023, we’ve already moved on to the M3-powered MacBook, but it’s hard to imagine something more powerful than the M2 Pro one we reviewed, which blew us away with its efficiency and processing speeds.
“The impact of Apple’s move to in-house silicon chips, whether it be the M1 or the new M2, cannot be understated. The technology has turned Apple laptops into a true powerhouse in the industry. Coming from a non-Apple chip MacBook, I noticed this difference immediately and am now a true convert to the M2 processor.”
Philips Series 1200 Espresso Machine
Pod coffee machines have quickly become the norm for caffeine lovers at home, but now there are simply too many machines to choose from. This year we reviewed Philips’ latest coffee product, the Series 1200 Espresso Machine, which is fully automatic and includes a milk frother.
“Another element I’ve been obsessed with is that you can use beans or ground coffee. Many-a-time I have bought the wrong type of beans, and that just doesn’t matter with the Philips Series 1200.”
Nespresso Vertuo POP
Speaking of coffee machines, if you’re looking for a more compact solution, the Nespresso Vertuo POP is the way to go. The machine is perfect for those with limited kitchen counter space, and it’s quick and easy to use.
“In the short time I have been using the Nespresso Vertuo POP, I have found it to be an easy-to-use coffee machine that looks great and won’t take up too much space in your kitchen. It’s an affordable price point (especially when you compare the machine to manual coffee makers), and it delivers what you want: a good coffee, quickly.”
Womanizer Wave
If you’re wondering what the latest in sex toy technology is, we’ve tried it for you. The Womanizer Wave is a shower sex toy that doubles as both a pleasuring device and a shower head for normal use. We love that efficiency.
“Am I glad my shower head now doubles as a sex toy? Absolutely. Is it worth the $179? Hell yeah!”
Kmart Air Fryer
The Kmart Air Fryer is the device responsible for getting thousands of Aussies into the home appliance, so we decided to see if it was worth all the fuss. Turns out it is.
“While Kmart’s $69 3.75L air fryer may not be the sexiest appliance on the market, it sure is a satisfying one. If what you’re after is an affordable air fryer that will deliver on tasty, easy-to-cook meals, it’ll be difficult to look past this guy as an option.”
Breville Fast Slow GO Cooker
Air Fryers are great for certain meals, but the Breville Fast Slow GO Cooker became our solution to all other kinds of cooking. The device offers a massive range of options for steaming, slow cooking, pressure cooking and more, and we particularly loved the way it cooked rice:
“Rice is usually not great in a slow cooker, but the Breville Fast Slow GO has a specific grains cooking setting which genuinely gets me the best and most consistently-cooked rice I have ever made in my life.”
These are the best products that we loved reviewing in 2023. Stay tuned for all the exciting things we try out in 2024!
Lead Image Credit: Lifehacker Australia
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.