Figuring out which tech products are worth your money can be exhausting. After reading conflicting reviews and lengthy product descriptions, your search may leave you more baffled than you were to begin with.
And it's not just the price and quality that matters. When you're hunting for the best phone, earbuds, and smart home products possible, you also want to time it right. You'll kick yourself if you invest in a pricier smartphone now, only to have a brand-new, updated version come out in a month.
If you're looking to make a tech purchase anytime soon, stop and take a look. We've rounded up a few products that aren't worth your money right now, along with alternatives you should invest in, instead.
Don't Buy: iPhone 6s
If you were due for an upgrade months ago, we would have told you to go out and buy the iPhone 6s. But if you're due for an upgrade now, you're better off saving your money a little while longer. With Apple, timing is everything…
Photo: Courtesy Apple.
Buy Instead: iPhone 7
…And rumors have been swirling for months about the newest iPhones that will be released at Apple's fall keynote. A bigger camera! A wider, edge-to-edge display! If you wait just two more months or so, you can get the latest iPhone as soon as it goes on sale. But even if you don't care about owning the latest and greatest iPhone, it still makes sense to wait: Once it comes out, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6 will likely see a price drop.
Don't Buy: High-End Wired Headphones
Yes, Beats' rose gold urBeats Earphones ($99.95) are very pretty and certainly deliver high-quality sound. But…
Photo: Courtesy Apple.
Buy Instead: Wireless Headphones
…There are many rumors that the newest iPhone will get rid of the headphone jack, making wireless earbuds a must. It's worth it to splurge on a pricier model now, such as the Beats Solo2 Wireless On-Ear Headphones ($299.95) unless you're an Android user, or wires don't bother you. But wireless earbuds and headphones are also super convenient when you travel, or when you're working out (although you might want a pair of Jaybirds for the latter).
Photo: Courtesy Apple.
Don't Buy: A Smart Doorbell
Sure, you could buy a pricey connected doorbell, such as the Ring Video Doorbell, ($199) if you're a homeowner and really want to see exactly when your Amazon Prime order arrives. Otherwise…
Photo: Courtesy Ring.com.
Buy Instead: A Connected Home Product With More Capabilities
…Invest in a smart home device that has features you're sure to make use of every day, such as Amazon Echo($179.99). The voice-controlled speaker is your personal assistant, providing everything from your preferred music to movie times and timely traffic reports. You can even order Amazon Prime products through it.
Photo: Courtesy Amazon.com.
Don't Buy: A Smart Water Bottle
The Hidrate Spark 2.0 ($54.95) water bottle connects to its own app, which will keep track of exactly how much water you drink each day. While that could be useful for someone whose goal is to hydrate better, we don't think it's worth the cost, especially since…
Photo: Courtesy Hidrate.
Buy Instead: The (Free) Fitbit App
…You can just take a few seconds throughout the day to hop into Fitbit's app and log how much water you've guzzled. If you've tried this and can't keep yourself accountable, then a smart water bottle such as the Spark, or Thermos' connected bottle ($59.99), which syncs with your Fitbit app, might be worthwhile.
Photo: Courtesy Fitbit.
Don't Buy: A Limited-Edition Product
An air of exclusivity always makes limited-edition products, such as Samsung's Galaxy S7 Edge Olympic Games Limited Edition ($849.99), feel like must-haves. While Olympic die-hards might feel a need to purchase one of the 2,016 phones in existence, the phone doesn't offer many extra features besides having Olympic apps and showcasing the Olympic rings on the outside. Instead…
Photo: Courtesy Samsung.
Worth It: The Original Model
…Buy the non-themed model, the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge ($779.99 unlocked). The phone is less expensive, has all the high-quality features (minus the Olympic rings and apps), and won't go out of style once the Olympics are over.
Photo: Courtesy Best Buy.
Don't Buy: The Most High-End VR Headset
If you want to experience the best quality virtual reality, the Oculus Rift headset ($600) is unrivaled. But unless you're a die-hard who will be using it all the time, something cheaper will suffice…
Photo: Courtesy Best Buy.
Worth It: A Lower-Priced VR Headset
...Such as the Samsung Gear VR powered by Oculus ($99). The headset uses an accompanying app on your phone to deliver the virtual experience. The main reason it's so much cheaper is that you use your phone for viewing, rather than a built-in display. While that means the screen is more pixelated than on a higher-end VR headset, it's far more palatable if you're not even sure how much you'll enjoy VR in the first place (Spoiler: It's legit).
Photo: Courtesy Samsung.
Don't Buy: An Older Robotic Vacuum
Robotic vacuums such as iRobot's Roomba 650 ($324.99) have been the cool cleaning toy since they first launched almost 15 years ago. They made a long elusive dream — effortless cleaning — a reality, freeing you from having to vacuum your home yourself. But older, cheaper models, which may seem like a steal, also just don't work as well. Now...
Photo: Courtesy Best Buy.
Buy Instead: A Newer Robotic Vacuum
…Newer robotic vacuums feature app integration so you can see exactly where your bot has cleaned (or if it has gotten stuck). The Dyson 360 Eye is smaller in size than other models, so it can target corners and hard-to-reach places more effectively. But it does cost a whopping $1,000. Roomba has a similar new model, the almost $900 Roomba 980.
Both of these products, compared to cheaper competitors, promise a long lifespan and effective floor cleaning — particularly if you have a dog or cat that's shedding fur constantly.
The only caveat is that the Dyson model isn't available for widespread purchase just yet. You'll have to sign up here to be notified when it does become available in the U.S.
Photo: Courtesy Dyson.Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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