What are 2026’s 5-star tech products for far? Here are the 25+ products that earned top marks in our tough hands-on testing

Can you believe it? We’re at the midway point of 2026 already. That means one thing: it’s time for our half-year 5-star reviews roundup. So far this year we’ve tested over 600 gadgets, games and appliances across all of our channels. That’s way too many to put into a single roundup, so for this mini retrospective I’ve focused only on physical products, and only the five-star awardees.

These are the gadgets that soared through our rigorous tests, and shone in crowded markets. They’re the products we just couldn’t find fault with. There are speakers that wowed us with their “crystal clear, fathoms deep” sound, a “perfect” Android tablet that rivals the best Apple can offer, a soundbar that raises the — er — bar for soundbars in 2026, and a mini fan that blew the competition away.