The Rolling Stone Essentials 2021

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Thousands of products come across our desks each year, but only a few earn the Rolling Stone stamp of approval. Our team of product editors spent months testing some of the best new electronics, smart home devices, outdoor gear and accessories on the market to put together our second annual Rolling Stone Essentials list.

With a focus on performance, innovation, and design, this year’s list features more than 50 products that we found ourselves reaching for and using over and over again — whether at home, at the office, or on an outdoor getaway. Products were reviewed based on utility and uniqueness, while factoring in items with a strong aesthetic point of view and diverse features.

From our favorite headphones and speakers, to grooming tools and even an AI-powered home fitness studio, here are the products that caught our eyes — and ears — this year.

Bang & Olufsen HX
Photo : Amazon
Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones: Bang & Olufsen HX
Noise-cancelling headphones have become a must-have tech tool for anyone who works or learns from home. Bang & Olufsen’s Beoplay HXs are the best pair you can get in 2021 because the company prioritized comfort in addition to great sound and supurb active noise cancellation.

The headphones’ padded earcups and headband are plush without being overly stuffed or bulky, but what really makes the HXs special is their clamping force. They don’t sqeeze your head in order to stay on, which means you won’t get a headache or earache during long listening sessions.

If you need to wear headphones for a full work or school day, Bang & Olufsen’s Beoplay HXs are the only pair we recommend.

Bang & Olufsen HX
Photo : Amazon
Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones: Bang & Olufsen HX
Noise-cancelling headphones have become a must-have tech tool for anyone who works or learns from home. Bang & Olufsen’s Beoplay HXs are the best pair you can get in 2021 because the company prioritized comfort in addition to great sound and supurb active noise cancellation.

The headphones’ padded earcups and headband are plush without being overly stuffed or bulky, but what really makes the HXs special is their clamping force. They don’t sqeeze your head in order to stay on, which means you won’t get a headache or earache during long listening sessions.

If you need to wear headphones for a full work or school day, Bang & Olufsen’s Beoplay HXs are the only pair we recommend.

Buy: Bang & Olufsen Beoplay HX at $418.11
Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X
Photo : Amazon
Best Wired Headphones: Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X
Beyerdynamic designed the DT 900 Pro Xs with music mixing in mind, but they’re also an excellent pick for music listening.

These open-back headphones have a natural sound with especially good performance in the midrange. Once you start listening to an album on the DT 900 Pro Xs it’s very hard to stop. It’s easy to pick up on background instruments or more subtle sounds that lesser headphones wouldn’t be precise enough to showcase.

The high-fidelity sound of these headphones is complemented by comfortable earpads, and well-padded headband. One of our favorite touches is that Beyerdynamic bundled its headphones with two cables of different lengths, which terminate into 1/4-inch connector. You can twist the connector, and the top will come off revealing a 1/8-inch (3.5mm) connector underneath.

Wired headphones are still preferred by audiophiles, and Beyerdynamic’s DT 900 Pro Xs are excellent proof why.

Bang & Olufsen HX
Photo : Amazon
Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones: Bang & Olufsen HX
Noise-cancelling headphones have become a must-have tech tool for anyone who works or learns from home. Bang & Olufsen’s Beoplay HXs are the best pair you can get in 2021 because the company prioritized comfort in addition to great sound and supurb active noise cancellation.

The headphones’ padded earcups and headband are plush without being overly stuffed or bulky, but what really makes the HXs special is their clamping force. They don’t sqeeze your head in order to stay on, which means you won’t get a headache or earache during long listening sessions.

If you need to wear headphones for a full work or school day, Bang & Olufsen’s Beoplay HXs are the only pair we recommend.

Buy: Bang & Olufsen Beoplay HX at $418.11
Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X
Photo : Amazon
Best Wired Headphones: Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X
Beyerdynamic designed the DT 900 Pro Xs with music mixing in mind, but they’re also an excellent pick for music listening.

These open-back headphones have a natural sound with especially good performance in the midrange. Once you start listening to an album on the DT 900 Pro Xs it’s very hard to stop. It’s easy to pick up on background instruments or more subtle sounds that lesser headphones wouldn’t be precise enough to showcase.

The high-fidelity sound of these headphones is complemented by comfortable earpads, and well-padded headband. One of our favorite touches is that Beyerdynamic bundled its headphones with two cables of different lengths, which terminate into 1/4-inch connector. You can twist the connector, and the top will come off revealing a 1/8-inch (3.5mm) connector underneath.

Wired headphones are still preferred by audiophiles, and Beyerdynamic’s DT 900 Pro Xs are excellent proof why.

Buy: Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X at $299.00
Bose QuietComfort 45
Photo : Amazon
Best Wireless Headphones: Bose QuietComfort 45
Bose has faced steep competition in the wireless headphone space lately, but it’s made big strides forward with the QuietComfort 45s.

Bose’s latest headphones feel great to wear, and blocked out all of the noise in our shared working space during the pandemic. If you’re a frequent traveler, the QuietComfort 45s will make coach feel more like business class too, with plush pads and immersive sound.

One of our favorite features is the QuietComfort 45’s Active EQ, which automatically balances the headphones’ sound based on the volume level. The changes are typically subtle, but make the listening experience feel a lot more consistent.

Technical tweaks like that, combined with their great all-around performance help the QuietComfort 45s consistently stay ahead of the competition.

Bang & Olufsen HX
Photo : Amazon
Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones: Bang & Olufsen HX
Noise-cancelling headphones have become a must-have tech tool for anyone who works or learns from home. Bang & Olufsen’s Beoplay HXs are the best pair you can get in 2021 because the company prioritized comfort in addition to great sound and supurb active noise cancellation.

The headphones’ padded earcups and headband are plush without being overly stuffed or bulky, but what really makes the HXs special is their clamping force. They don’t sqeeze your head in order to stay on, which means you won’t get a headache or earache during long listening sessions.

If you need to wear headphones for a full work or school day, Bang & Olufsen’s Beoplay HXs are the only pair we recommend.

Buy: Bang & Olufsen Beoplay HX at $418.11
Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X
Photo : Amazon
Best Wired Headphones: Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X
Beyerdynamic designed the DT 900 Pro Xs with music mixing in mind, but they’re also an excellent pick for music listening.

These open-back headphones have a natural sound with especially good performance in the midrange. Once you start listening to an album on the DT 900 Pro Xs it’s very hard to stop. It’s easy to pick up on background instruments or more subtle sounds that lesser headphones wouldn’t be precise enough to showcase.

The high-fidelity sound of these headphones is complemented by comfortable earpads, and well-padded headband. One of our favorite touches is that Beyerdynamic bundled its headphones with two cables of different lengths, which terminate into 1/4-inch connector. You can twist the connector, and the top will come off revealing a 1/8-inch (3.5mm) connector underneath.

Wired headphones are still preferred by audiophiles, and Beyerdynamic’s DT 900 Pro Xs are excellent proof why.

Buy: Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X at $299.00
Bose QuietComfort 45
Photo : Amazon
Best Wireless Headphones: Bose QuietComfort 45
Bose has faced steep competition in the wireless headphone space lately, but it’s made big strides forward with the QuietComfort 45s.

Bose’s latest headphones feel great to wear, and blocked out all of the noise in our shared working space during the pandemic. If you’re a frequent traveler, the QuietComfort 45s will make coach feel more like business class too, with plush pads and immersive sound.

One of our favorite features is the QuietComfort 45’s Active EQ, which automatically balances the headphones’ sound based on the volume level. The changes are typically subtle, but make the listening experience feel a lot more consistent.

Technical tweaks like that, combined with their great all-around performance help the QuietComfort 45s consistently stay ahead of the competition.

Buy: Bose QuietComfort 45 at $329.00
Klipsch T5 ANC
Photo : Amazon
Best Wireless Earbuds: Klipsch T5 ANC
In 2021, Klipsch’s T5 ANCs overtook Apple’s AirPods as our go-to recommendation for true wireless earbuds.

These Bluetooth buds pair to your devices quickly, maintain a rock solid connection, deliver high-quality active noise cancellation, and produce the best sound we’ve heard from earbuds in this category. It doesn’t hurt that they look sleek both in their case and in your ears.

We were also impressed by the earbuds’ battery life, which lasts up to seven hours per charge. That’s one to two hours more than similar earbuds that don’t sound as good. No earbuds are perfect, but the T5 II ANCs come pretty darn close.

Bang & Olufsen HX
Photo : Amazon
Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones: Bang & Olufsen HX
Noise-cancelling headphones have become a must-have tech tool for anyone who works or learns from home. Bang & Olufsen’s Beoplay HXs are the best pair you can get in 2021 because the company prioritized comfort in addition to great sound and supurb active noise cancellation.

The headphones’ padded earcups and headband are plush without being overly stuffed or bulky, but what really makes the HXs special is their clamping force. They don’t sqeeze your head in order to stay on, which means you won’t get a headache or earache during long listening sessions.

If you need to wear headphones for a full work or school day, Bang & Olufsen’s Beoplay HXs are the only pair we recommend.

Buy: Bang & Olufsen Beoplay HX at $418.11
Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X
Photo : Amazon
Best Wired Headphones: Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X
Beyerdynamic designed the DT 900 Pro Xs with music mixing in mind, but they’re also an excellent pick for music listening.

These open-back headphones have a natural sound with especially good performance in the midrange. Once you start listening to an album on the DT 900 Pro Xs it’s very hard to stop. It’s easy to pick up on background instruments or more subtle sounds that lesser headphones wouldn’t be precise enough to showcase.

The high-fidelity sound of these headphones is complemented by comfortable earpads, and well-padded headband. One of our favorite touches is that Beyerdynamic bundled its headphones with two cables of different lengths, which terminate into 1/4-inch connector. You can twist the connector, and the top will come off revealing a 1/8-inch (3.5mm) connector underneath.

Wired headphones are still preferred by audiophiles, and Beyerdynamic’s DT 900 Pro Xs are excellent proof why.

Buy: Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X at $299.00
Bose QuietComfort 45
Photo : Amazon
Best Wireless Headphones: Bose QuietComfort 45
Bose has faced steep competition in the wireless headphone space lately, but it’s made big strides forward with the QuietComfort 45s.

Bose’s latest headphones feel great to wear, and blocked out all of the noise in our shared working space during the pandemic. If you’re a frequent traveler, the QuietComfort 45s will make coach feel more like business class too, with plush pads and immersive sound.

One of our favorite features is the QuietComfort 45’s Active EQ, which automatically balances the headphones’ sound based on the volume level. The changes are typically subtle, but make the listening experience feel a lot more consistent.

Technical tweaks like that, combined with their great all-around performance help the QuietComfort 45s consistently stay ahead of the competition.

Buy: Bose QuietComfort 45 at $329.00
Klipsch T5 ANC
Photo : Amazon
Best Wireless Earbuds: Klipsch T5 ANC
In 2021, Klipsch’s T5 ANCs overtook Apple’s AirPods as our go-to recommendation for true wireless earbuds.

These Bluetooth buds pair to your devices quickly, maintain a rock solid connection, deliver high-quality active noise cancellation, and produce the best sound we’ve heard from earbuds in this category. It doesn’t hurt that they look sleek both in their case and in your ears.

We were also impressed by the earbuds’ battery life, which lasts up to seven hours per charge. That’s one to two hours more than similar earbuds that don’t sound as good. No earbuds are perfect, but the T5 II ANCs come pretty darn close.

Buy: Klipsch T5 II ANC Earbuds at $299.00
Bose Smart Soundbar 900
Photo : Amazon
Best Soundbar: Bose Smart Soundbar 900
Bose’s Smart Soundbar 900 isn’t just an upgrade for your TV’s speakers, it’s a complete home audio system.

The soundbar has a full 5.1.2 speaker system built inside, which means sound will be directed both directly toward you and above you. This allows you to experience the surround sound mix of your favorite albums, movies and TV shows without stringing a bunch of wires around your room.

The Bose Smart Soundbar 900 achieves this high level of performance using its own custom TrueSpace technology to provide the proper amount of seperation between channels. You won’t find this level of performance in other soundbars.

The final touch is support for Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant, which allows you to control the Soundbar 900 hands-free, using just your voice.

Bang & Olufsen HX
Photo : Amazon
Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones: Bang & Olufsen HX
Noise-cancelling headphones have become a must-have tech tool for anyone who works or learns from home. Bang & Olufsen’s Beoplay HXs are the best pair you can get in 2021 because the company prioritized comfort in addition to great sound and supurb active noise cancellation.

The headphones’ padded earcups and headband are plush without being overly stuffed or bulky, but what really makes the HXs special is their clamping force. They don’t sqeeze your head in order to stay on, which means you won’t get a headache or earache during long listening sessions.

If you need to wear headphones for a full work or school day, Bang & Olufsen’s Beoplay HXs are the only pair we recommend.

Buy: Bang & Olufsen Beoplay HX at $418.11
Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X
Photo : Amazon
Best Wired Headphones: Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X
Beyerdynamic designed the DT 900 Pro Xs with music mixing in mind, but they’re also an excellent pick for music listening.

These open-back headphones have a natural sound with especially good performance in the midrange. Once you start listening to an album on the DT 900 Pro Xs it’s very hard to stop. It’s easy to pick up on background instruments or more subtle sounds that lesser headphones wouldn’t be precise enough to showcase.

The high-fidelity sound of these headphones is complemented by comfortable earpads, and well-padded headband. One of our favorite touches is that Beyerdynamic bundled its headphones with two cables of different lengths, which terminate into 1/4-inch connector. You can twist the connector, and the top will come off revealing a 1/8-inch (3.5mm) connector underneath.

Wired headphones are still preferred by audiophiles, and Beyerdynamic’s DT 900 Pro Xs are excellent proof why.

Buy: Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X at $299.00
Bose QuietComfort 45
Photo : Amazon
Best Wireless Headphones: Bose QuietComfort 45
Bose has faced steep competition in the wireless headphone space lately, but it’s made big strides forward with the QuietComfort 45s.

Bose’s latest headphones feel great to wear, and blocked out all of the noise in our shared working space during the pandemic. If you’re a frequent traveler, the QuietComfort 45s will make coach feel more like business class too, with plush pads and immersive sound.

One of our favorite features is the QuietComfort 45’s Active EQ, which automatically balances the headphones’ sound based on the volume level. The changes are typically subtle, but make the listening experience feel a lot more consistent.

Technical tweaks like that, combined with their great all-around performance help the QuietComfort 45s consistently stay ahead of the competition.

Buy: Bose QuietComfort 45 at $329.00
Klipsch T5 ANC
Photo : Amazon
Best Wireless Earbuds: Klipsch T5 ANC
In 2021, Klipsch’s T5 ANCs overtook Apple’s AirPods as our go-to recommendation for true wireless earbuds.

These Bluetooth buds pair to your devices quickly, maintain a rock solid connection, deliver high-quality active noise cancellation, and produce the best sound we’ve heard from earbuds in this category. It doesn’t hurt that they look sleek both in their case and in your ears.

We were also impressed by the earbuds’ battery life, which lasts up to seven hours per charge. That’s one to two hours more than similar earbuds that don’t sound as good. No earbuds are perfect, but the T5 II ANCs come pretty darn close.

Buy: Klipsch T5 II ANC Earbuds at $299.00
Bose Smart Soundbar 900
Photo : Amazon
Best Soundbar: Bose Smart Soundbar 900
Bose’s Smart Soundbar 900 isn’t just an upgrade for your TV’s speakers, it’s a complete home audio system.

The soundbar has a full 5.1.2 speaker system built inside, which means sound will be directed both directly toward you and above you. This allows you to experience the surround sound mix of your favorite albums, movies and TV shows without stringing a bunch of wires around your room.

The Bose Smart Soundbar 900 achieves this high level of performance using its own custom TrueSpace technology to provide the proper amount of seperation between channels. You won’t find this level of performance in other soundbars.

The final touch is support for Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant, which allows you to control the Soundbar 900 hands-free, using just your voice.

Buy: Bose Smart Soundbar 900 at $899.00
Sonos Roam
Photo : Sonos
Best Portable Speaker: Sonos Roam
The Sonos Roam is our top portable speaker pick of 2021 thanks to its versatility and great audio quality.

The speaker is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and supports Apple’s AirPlay 2 streaming standard. While most speakers with smart features are landlocked to an outlet, the Roam can be moved to any room, making your whole home smarter. The ability to change between voice assistants means you’re not locked into one platform if your needs change.

Naturally, the Sonos Roam also sounds incredible, especially for its size. That comes down to Sonos’ use of custom audio hardware, which is simply better than off-the-shelf parts used by other companies, and TruePlay, which uses the speaker’s microphones to adapt to the room it’s in.

Simply put, the Sonos Roam leaves its competition in the dust.