It is that time once again where we look back on our absolute favorite releases of the year. A time to reminisce on the 2025 products we loved the most, are still using to this day, and the gear readers broke the internet to get a hold of, head below for a closer look at the 9to5Toys staff’s favorite things of the year and the gear you, the readers, loved the most too.
Karthik’s Favorite Things of the year
Insta360 Go Ultra
The Insta360 Go Ultra ended up being one of my favorite things I used in 2025 simply because of how easily it fits into my everyday life. It’s tiny, wearable, and built for quick, hands-free shooting, and it offers a hassle free experience with no planning or settings to stress over. I just clip it on, hit record, and move on. The stabilized 4K footage looks way better than you’d expect from something this small, the magnetic mounting is genuinely fun, and it’s perfect for POV clips or casual travel vlogs I keep for myself. It’s not trying to replace a full-size action cam, but it captures moments I’d usually miss while fumbling for my phone, and that simplicity is exactly why I ended up recording way more than I normally would with this camera in 2025.
- Insta360 Go Ultra $379.99 (Reg. $450)
Genki’s Moonbase 240W GaN desktop supercharger
Pretty much anything I end up using every single day automatically earns a spot as one of my favorite things of the year – and in 2025, that was hands down the Genki Moonbase. It’s been sitting on my desk powering everything from my laptop to phones and random accessories without me ever having to think about ports or power limits. It also looks like it came straight out of a sci-fi movie, which somehow makes a boring piece of gear like a power hub feel genuinely cool to have on your desk. You can learn more about the experience of using it in our Tested with 9to5Toys review right here.
- Genki Moonbase 240W GaN desktop supercharger $90
Reine’s Favorite Things of the year
Lectric’s XP4 750 Folding Utility e-bike
As is often the case for me year after year, one of my favorite scores of 2025 has been an e-bike, and not just any e-bike, but Lectric’s XP4 750 Folding Utility e-bike. This model has not only been my go-to commuter across NYC since getting one at the start of the summer, but also serves my apartment-dwelling lifestyle perfectly with its folding design – and you can learn about my experience in my hands-on review here. You have two options to choose from, either the standard XP4 with a 500W motor (1,092Wh) and 10.4Ah battery for up to 50 miles of PAS travel, or the XP4 750 with a 750W motor (1,310W peak) and 17.5Ah battery for up to 85 miles of travel – with both offering 20/28 MPH top speeds, depending on your local laws. There’s also the array of top-notch features added to it since its previous generation, like the zero-degree stem, detachable TFT display, repositioned side key and charging port, and also keyless riding, but also the hydraulic disc brakes, puncture-resistant mixed-terrain tires, an integrated brake-activated taillight with turn signaling, and more.
- XP4 Tempest Grey e-bike with $227 bundle: $999 (Reg. $1,226)
- XP4 Step-Thru Stratus White e-bike with $227 bundle: $999 (Reg. $1,226)
- XP4 750 Pine Green e-bike with $514 bundle: $1,299 (Reg. $1,813)
- XP4 750 Tempest Grey e-bike with $514 bundle: $1,299 (Reg. $1,813)
- XP4 750 Step-Thru Tempest Grey e-bike with $514 bundle: $1,299 (Reg. $1,813)
- XP4 750 Step-Thru Stratus White e-bike with $514 bundle: $1,299 (Reg. $1,813)
- XP4 750 Step-Thru Raindrop Blue e-bike with $514 bundle: $1,299 (Reg. $1,813)
Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 Portable Power Station
I am no stranger to power stations – I’ve used them for many years as a groundskeeper, theater tech, baker, mobile art gallery owner, and more – and Anker’s SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 Portable Power Station has been a great companion since I got ahold of one shortly after it released in September, with my hands-on tested review available here. It traded in expandability for a smaller size and lesser weight, which has been serving my girlfriend and I well in our art studios, powering various tools and appliances – wood burners, power tools for sculpting, microwaves, heaters, TVs, and more. It boasts a 1,024Wh LiFePO4 capacity and dishes power out at up to 3,000W through its 10 port options. It’s also nice to have so many recharging options available, including through a standard AC outlet, with up to 600W of solar input, connected to a gas generator or my car’s auxiliary port as I drive.
Justin’s Favorite Things of the year
Sony XM6 Headphones
There were a couple notable headphone releases this year, not the least of which was the new 2nd gen Bose QuietComfort Ultra, but there’s just something about the new XM6 that fit my mug like a glove. I know some folks have had some issues with them, but I am very much not one of them. I actually think the Bose set looks nicer when on the head than the XM6 – they are just more sleek – but I don’t look in the mirror much when I’m wearing headphones and I absolutely love the ANC action of the XM6. They are perhaps not glaringly obvious winners here, but they were one of my favorite releases in tech this year. Check out my hands-on review right here.
- Sony WH-1000XM6 Noise Canceling Wireless Headphones $398 (Reg. $459)
Nintendo Switch 2
Well, I guess someone had to choose it, and it might as well be me. There’s probably more than a few hardcore gamers at the 9to5 offices that have Nintendo’s next-gen console somewhere atop their list, but for me it was all about the excitement around the release. I am still waiting for that killer Mario app, but there has been some great releases thus far and I haven’t had the urge to travel back to the Mushroom Kingdom this much in quite some time. I have a feeling this thing is just going to become an even stronger experience in 2026, and that is perhaps the best compliment you can pay to any 2025 release.
- Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle $499
Simon’s Favorite Things of the year
I have a couple of powerful PC desktops that I bounce between here at home, but there are times when I want to tear myself away from an actual desk and work in a bit more of a portable fashion. Instead of taking the laptop route, I opted for Microsoft’s well-built Surface Pro 12 (2025). I love that it is a tablet with full-blown Windows, and choosing it has allowed me to pair it with a zero-compromise keyboard and mouse setup. I can even latch my iPhone onto a MagSafe mount so I don’t have to miss a thing. This feels like more of a portable desktop instead of a hampered laptop experience. Performance and build quality have been solid, and the price point isn’t too bad either, especially if you pick up Surface Pro 12 when it is on sale.
- Surface Pro 12 (2025)
- ESR Anywhere MagSafe Mount
- Keychron K2 Max Keyboard
- Keychron M6 8K Mouse
- UnivoColors Wrist Rest
9to5Toys readers favorite things
PlayStation Digital Edition ASTRO BOT Bundle
This was a surprise I think for all of us. While the Nintendo Switch 2 was clearly the most popular console overall, it already made our list above and 9to5Toys readers absolutely went wild for the Astro Bot bundle – it landed before the official PlayStation price hikes and delivered a ton of value for families looking to score a new console with PlayStation’s game of the year 2024 attached. It is nearly impossible to get a hold of the former retail price now.
AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 3
This one was very much not a surprise. AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 3 were, combined, the highest selling items of all this year largely led by the fantastic deals we featured during Black Friday and the holidays just recently. The base set of AirPods 4 were actually the most popular of the three current-gen models with Apple’s new AirPods Pro 3 following closely behind and AirPods 4 with ANC following those.
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