Worth every penny: The best tech purchases I made in 2025

My wallet is significantly lighter this year, and the delivery guy has been at my house so often we’ve practically become best friends. That’s because the list of all the tech I bought in 2025 is very, very long.

The year is wrapping up, and as I look back at everything I bought, I want to take you on the ride with me. I won’t bother you with every cable and charger I bought, but I do want to highlight the five best tech purchases I made this year. These are the products that add real value to my life, and I’d recommend them to anyone.

On the flip side, I’ll also talk about which ones I kind of regret buying and what piece of tech I’m saving up for next.

2025 was the year I made the switch from a flagship to a mid-range phone, and you know what, I don’t regret it. After using the best of the best from HTC, OnePlus, and Google over the last 15 years or so, I finally moved down to the affordable Pixel 9a.

I didn’t make this move for purely financial reasons, though. I really thought about which specs and features I need and which ones mean nothing to me. I quickly figured out that the Pixel 9a is the perfect phone for me.

It’s compact with its 6.3-inch display, offers clean, great software, and an even better seven-year software update promise. It has more than enough power thanks to the Tensor G4 chip, sports a large battery, and has a great camera.

Still, the idea of a downgrade didn’t sit well with me initially, but I quickly realized it doesn’t actually feel like that when I’m using the phone. The only negative I can highlight is the plastic back, which feels cheap and is a fingerprint magnet. I much prefer the look and feel of glass on my old Pixels, or even the metal back I had on flagships of the past like the HTC One M7.

I’ve always argued that people generally buy too much phone. Just because something is the best of the best doesn’t mean it’s the best option for you. Buying a Galaxy S25 Ultra when all you do is check Facebook daily, call your mom once a week, and take a handful of pictures of your dog per month is a waste. It’s the equivalent of buying an expensive sports car and using it to go grocery shopping down the street once a week. Sure, it will get the job done, but it’s overkill.

With all that in mind, I really think the Pixel 9a is the best phone for most people. You won’t experience any of the downsides you get with cheaper phones, and you won’t spend extra money on specs and features you won’t take advantage of. And due to its long software support, it’s a phone that will last you a long time.

I moved into a brand-new apartment this year and, naturally, wanted to make it smart. I started with the lights and initially had my heart set on the Philips Hue system everyone keeps raving about. But after detailed price calculations and various other things I took into account (like availability and warranty), I changed my mind and opted for IKEA’s lighting system.

All I really wanted was the ability to dim the lights with a remote or my voice, change colors, and connect multiple fixtures and bulbs together. I’m also into that simplistic Scandinavian design, so IKEA was the perfect choice. It ticked all the boxes and saved me a significant amount of money in the process.

I bought a floor lamp, an LED strip that’s installed under my kitchen wall cabinets, and ceiling lights for every single room in my apartment. I was a bit skeptical at first. IKEA is not always known for quality, and it generally isn’t the most tech-oriented company out there. I mean, it’s a furniture retailer that’s also known for its delicious hot dogs — seriously, you have to try them. But I was quickly surprised by how well their lighting system works.

I’ve had it installed for over six months and have had zero issues. The remotes work great and look good, the dedicated app is simple, and I also connected the lights to the Google Home app, so I can control them with my voice when I don’t want to get up to flip the switch or grab the remote.

Having a lot of experience with IKEA, I also know that if anything does go wrong with any of the lights or remotes, the Swedish retailer will replace them for me, no questions asked. I’ve had a lot of frustrating issues returning faulty tech in my part of the world over the years, which is something I never have to worry about when dealing with IKEA.

For 95% of smart light users, IKEA’s system is the true champion. It delivers core smart functionality reliably without the premium tax you get with rival companies.

I have to be honest and admit that I tend to lose my keys about two to three times per day. Yes, I’m one of those people. So the solution was to be an adult and get into the habit of placing my keys in a specific spot whenever I get home, or get a Bluetooth tracker that will help me find them. I went with the second option.

The Pop is not the latest Chipolo tracker anymore, but it’s still a great one. Small and colorful, it’s always there when I need it. It especially comes in handy when I’m already late as is, and I can’t find my keys. I just grab my phone, press the Play Sound option, and can then easily find my keys, which are usually in all sorts of weird places — I’d rather not explain myself here.

On the flip side, I tend to misplace my phone in my apartment as well. Instead of searching for it for 15 minutes, I just double-press the button on my Chipolo, and my phone starts ringing, so I can locate it fast and easy. It’s a brilliant solution for people like me.

The tracker will also help me if I ever lose my keys when I’m out and about, which I hope will never happen. And, of course, it’s not just for keys — you can put it on anything else, including your bags, luggage, and even your wallet if you get the latest Chipolo Card.

It really is a very useful gadget, especially considering its affordable price tag. It’s high-value tech that solves a high-frequency problem.

Like most people, I’m not a big fan of cleaning. This creates a problem since after just a few days of doing absolutely nothing, there’s a lot of dust and other debris throughout the floors of my apartment. As the brilliant problem-solver that I am, I decided to buy a robot vacuum cleaner.

My initial plan was to get one that vacuums and mops, but my wife had trust issues and was against the idea of a robot spraying water on our brand-new hardwood flooring, so I opted for a robot without the mopping feature. I also wanted a vacuum cleaner for the sofa and my car, and was surprised when I stumbled upon the Eufy E20.

It’s a three-in-one device. It functions as a standard robot vacuum, but you can detach the central handheld unit and use it for quick handheld spot cleans on the sofa, for example. Need more? Just attach the extension wand, and it transforms into a full-sized stick vacuum. It’s definitely a unique product.

Honestly, I was a bit skeptical of it at first since these hybrid devices are often hit-or-miss, but I gave it a shot anyway. What convinced me was that Eufy was having a sale, and I got the product 50% off with free shipping, so it was a no-brainer.

I’m happy I got it since it works brilliantly. Thanks to the app, I can just send it to clean the whole apartment or just a specific room or part of a room. This comes in handy when I’m making pizza and my kitchen floor is full of flour, since I like to throw my dough around when stretching it to make me look cooler. I even connected it to my Google Home app and can voice my demands for a clean apartment without opening the dedicated Eufy app.

I’d definitely recommend this product to people who are in the market for a robot vacuum cleaner but don’t need the mopping feature. The hybrid design is what makes it stand out, and the price is great as well if you can get a discount, which are often available.

My life during the week revolves around me sitting behind my desk and staring at my screen for at least eight hours per day. Thinking, planning, writing… it’s a lot of mental work. To de-stress, I tend to take a lot of weekend trips and love spending time in nature or a hot tub. I even plan on taking up golf next year.

The problem here is that with crime rates going up, I have to make sure no one breaks into my apartment and steals important items, like that vacuum cleaner I was telling you about earlier. So I decided to get a home security camera.

My first thought was to get one of Google’s Nest cameras since I already use a Pixel, but looking at the prices and features, I quickly had a change of heart. I mean, $100 for a camera that has no pan or tilt functionality and is, to a point, useless without a monthly subscription? No thanks, Google.

Since I already had a great experience with an Eufy product and have loads of Soundcore products (owned by the same company, Anker), I decided to buy the Eufy C220 security camera. I’m in love, although it does have one major flaw.

First, let’s talk price. I was able to get it on sale for roughly $25, which is a steal. What I really like about it is that it has tilt and pan functionality that I can control via the app on my phone. That means I can place the camera wherever I want in my apartment and still see every part of that specific room. Without this feature, I’d have to place it in a corner of the room to get a full view.

While there is a subscription available for cloud recording that’s cheaper than what Google is offering, it’s not a must. I can just put a microSD card into the camera that will save all the footage if something unexpected happens in my home. This does create one fundamental security problem, though: If the robber steals the camera as well, I lose the footage. And the camera, obviously. That’s why cloud recording matters, but for now, I’m just hoping that robbers aren’t that smart and won’t touch the camera.

Looking at my long list of tech purchases, I can honestly say I don’t have any major regrets. I definitely don’t regret any of the purchases mentioned above, and I’m generally happy with the rest of the gadgets I bought this year. That being said, I did make some compromises I didn’t want to.

I bought a new TV this year because my old one was, well, old, and too small for my new space. I really wanted to get a Samsung Frame TV (since it looks like a piece of art) or the OLED LG G4 (due to its superior image quality and viewing angles). However, since I rarely watch TV, spending over a grand on a premium set seemed like a waste, especially considering I bought and furnished a new apartment, which was expensive, to say the least.

I decided to go with the Hisense U7 instead, which costs less than half the Samsung and LG models. All things considered, I’m pretty happy with my choice. The image quality is great, it looks decent enough, and the proprietary Vidaa OS is fast. Really fast. Like, Max Verstappen fast — definitely faster than Android TV, which I have quite a bit of experience with.

That being said, I still ponder my decision at times. The Frame TV would look so much better in my space, considering I don’t watch TV that often, and I wouldn’t have to look at a big black box for most of the day. On the other hand, the viewing angles of the OLED LG TV would come in handy since I have an open-plan living space and am often viewing from the side when sitting at my dining table. Either of those two options would have been better from a design and functionality perspective, but the price is what ended up being the main factor in the decision.

I also bought new gear for my PC recently. I purchased a new webcam since the old one produced a reddish tint for some reason, giving my face what I like to call a “lobster vibe.” I replaced it with the Obsbot Meet SE, and while I can’t give you a comprehensive opinion since I just got it, it’s definitely an upgrade. I also bought a Razer Seiren V3 Mini mic that I need for all those online meetings I have. Just as with the new camera, it’s definitely an upgrade, but I can’t give you my full thoughts since I more or less just got it out of the box.

The possible regret here is that I initially wanted to get a Logitech camera and mic since I already have a keyboard and mouse from the Swiss company. This would make management easy, as I could control all the settings for these devices within Logitech’s Options+ software. Now, I have two additional apps on my PC, one for the camera and one for the mic, which complicated things just a tad.

I just didn’t want to go with Logitech products since some of the cameras didn’t have the best reviews, and the mics didn’t look all that appealing either. The technical upgrade was worth it, but the software bloat is a small, nagging compromise I had to make.

As far as my next tech purchases are concerned, I definitely won’t buy as much tech in 2026 as I did this year, but I am planning to get a new laptop. My old and trusty Lenovo ThinkPad is starting to show its age, so it’s time for an upgrade.

As a self-proclaimed pizza master, I’m also thinking of buying a fancy indoor electric pizza oven. This technically isn’t a proper tech product, but the one I’m looking at does have an AI-powered heating system — so it should count, right? Not sure.

Anyway, enough about me. Let’s move the focus to you. Head to the comments section and let me know about the best tech purchases you made in 2025 and what problems they solve for you. Let’s start a conversation.