The best tech of 2026 so far — the 21 finest gadgets we've tested this year

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bkXFCsPgQtjnrkUXt2mCXo-2000-80.jpg

2026 is almost over — well, not quite, but given we're already halfway through the year, it won't be long before those year-end awards are in sight again. And with the 2026 progress bar hitting 50% this week, we decided it was a good time to look back on the last six months and pick out the early 'gadget of the year' contenders from everything we've tested since January.

And we've been testing a lot — 639 products, to be precise, have passed through our labs and the real, unvarnished lives of our experienced testers this year. Those hundreds of gadgets span everything from coffee machines and smartphones to life-boosting accessories like portable DACs, fans and smart Lego.

So if you've just woken up from a six-month nap (we don't blame you) or are looking for some gadget inspiration, the list below will make for some fascinating reading. It doesn't...

Copyright of this story solely belongs to techradar.com. To see the full text click HERE

Read more

https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/iyhd2dBfEGks/v0/1200x800.jpg

Anthropic-backed AI safety super PAC Public First spent $63M+ in the 2026 midterms, and 10 of the 17 congressional candidates it backed won their elections

Featured Podcasts Big Technology Podcast: AI Stockpocalypse, Anthropic Nears RSI?, Prediction Markets vs. Pollsters The Big Technology Podcast takes you behind the scenes in the tech world featuring interviews with plugged-in insiders and outside agitators. Subscribe to Big Technology Podcast. Machine Gods: The Purple Tsunami Against Data Centers The official