Between trying out new launches and our various Awards, we test thousands of products each year here at Shop TODAY. In 2025, we started Ranked: a series focused on rigorously testing products in the cleaning, cooking, beauty and fashion spaces to find the best ones for our audience.
Testing can take anywhere from hours to months. We carefully choose the products we’re testing through market research, online reviewer feedback and expert and editor recommendations. We also make sure to interview vetted experts for guidance on everything from what to look for when shopping to tips on efficiently using each product.
Since we’ve started Ranked, our list of “Best Overall” winners has grown to nearly 50. Below, find the best of the best in every category we’ve tested so far.
Best overall in cleaning
Best all-purpose cleaner:
Editor Shannon Garlin tested some popular multipurpose cleaners on coffee stains and honey. She evaluated their performance in four categories: efficiency, scent, freshness and distribution.
Lysol ended up being the winner because, in Garlin’s words, “What made it stand out the most is that the brand says it contains disinfectant ingredients, meaning it should kill most bacteria and viruses from toilets and countertops (rather than just quickly clean up residue and spills).”
Best glass cleaner:
“From the first spray, I was impressed by how well this cleaner worked,” says editorial operations manager Jillian Ortiz. She evaluated each spray on the following factors: performance on mirrors and glass, scent and spray functionality.
Best dish soap:
I tested this dish soap on a bunch of common messes like crusty eggs and dried yogurt. It quickly broke down stains and has a very fresh scent. It also created just the right amount of suds without being overpowering.
Best kitchen sponge:
Writer Danielle Murphy tested popular kitchen sponges on tough stains like dried cereal, pasta sauce, honey and oil. Murphy chose the Scrub Daddy sponge as the winner because, “This thing can take down any mess. This is the only sponge out of the 10 that I can confidently use on any surface, from delicate glass to pots and pans.”
Best carpet cleaner:
Murphy tested carpet cleaning solutions on tough stains like ink, coffee, animal urine and red wine. She noted that the OxiClean solution was the only one to put a significant dent in the stain for ink — the toughest stain to tackle by far — on the carpets.
Best paper towels:
A good paper towel can help make messes around the house easier to manage. After pulling and yanking on these towels, Murphy found them to be very durable. They were also the best at picking up sticky residues than any of the other paper towels that were tested.
Best shower cleaner:
Writer Jannely Espinal says this shower cleaner has “become part of my bathroom-cleaning arsenal due to its effectiveness at tackling dirty corners and it provides fast results.” The foam helped break down stains and residue.
Editor’s note: While the product is currently out of stock, you can still shop the next best performing option.
Best toilet bowl cleaner:
I tested different toilet bowl cleaners by making fake messes with coffee grounds and peanut butter. I measured each toilet cleaner’s effectiveness and found that this Clorox kit was easy to both set up and use. It also was the most sanitary because you dispose of the brush head after each use.
Best dishwasher pods:
Amazon Basics Dishwasher Detergent
Editor Kamari Stewart-Jackson tested these dishwasher pods on stains like jelly, chocolate, yogurt and more at home, alongside an in-office test on dried-on gravy stains. “During our in-office testing, almost everything came off from being in the water for less than 30 seconds,” she says of these Amazon Basics dishwasher pods.
Editor’s note: While the product is currently out of stock, you can still shop the next best performing option.
Best duster:
My room and living areas get a lot of light, so it accumulates a ton of dust. I have tried various dusters, but I loved this one from Bona because it is able to extend further than any other duster and it comes with both reusable and disposable dust heads.
Best mop:
Espinal tested this mop on several messes on four different floor types: vinyl plank, laminated wood, solid hardwood and ceramic tile. She says this mop was easy to assemble and was great at picking up spills like honey and soda.
Best handheld vacuum:
Vacuuming in between couch cushions, under cabinets and other places the big vacuum can’t reach can be hard. Stewart-Jackson tested several handheld vacuums and says this KitchenAid model “performed well across testing, but I think where it really stood out was cleaning crushed chips out of couch crevices with its concentrator attachment. It left the couch looking like new. It performed consistently well with messes across hardwood, tile and the couch, but struggled when it came to carpet.”
Best steam mop:
If you deal with sticky and dirty floors, odds are you’re cleaning them wrong. I tested out popular steam mops to find the best one to fight different types of floor and home stains. This one was my favorite because it was basically three cleaning devices in one. I was able to use it on my cabinets, my shower and my floors.
Best overall in kitchen
Best electric can opener:
This electric can opener won because it is rechargeable, hands-free and fast. It is easy to use and works well on all the different types of cans our team tested. It also just so happened to be a former Gifts We Love winner!
Best pour-over coffee maker:
Former associate editor Sierra Hoeger tried many pour-over coffee makers and loved this one because its no-frills use made a great cup of coffee. “It even includes a conversions sheet that describes how many ounces of water and grams of coffee you should use if making a 10- or 12-ounce cup,” she says.
Best water filter:
Hoeger tested different water filter pitchers for filter speed, freshness, ease of storing, taste and aesthetic design.
She chose this Waterdrop filter as the winner because “the water comes out of the spout tidily (it’s small enough to where I can put it in the middle of my water bottle’s opening and not worry about it spilling over the sides), it’s easy to fill up afterwards and it fits in my fridge without taking up too much room.”
Best non-stick cookware:
“What stood out to me most about this pan was ultimately everything that didn’t stand out — there was no smoke, no food sticking, no sticker shock, no PFOAs (a type of PFAS, aka “forever chemical”) and no need to use elbow grease during clean up,” says associate editor Lauren Witonsky.
Best rice cooker:
A good rice cooker can transform your meals. “With a near-perfect score, Aroma quickly rose to the top due to features like an easy-to-navigate display and its ability to produce fluffy rice without burning it,” says Hoeger. “It also comes with two different spatulas — one traditional rice spatula and one more curved style that looks like the cross between a spatula and a ladle. “
Best air fryer:
Hoeger said this air fryer passed all the cooking tests she put each machine through. “It cooked food evenly, air frying dino nuggets and french fries and roasting potatoes until they were just crispy enough, without being soggy or burnt,” she says.
Best ice maker:
Garlin tried various countertop ice makers to see which one produced the best ice. “Overall, the process from filling the water tank to scooping the ice was quick and easy to figure out,” she says of this one from VivoHome. “The interface is straightforward and offers options for small and large bullet ice, and depending on the size you choose, it takes about six minutes for the first cycle to complete.”
Best stainless steel pan:
Former Shop TODAY recipe editor Kelly Vaughan tried several stainless steel pans on recipes with salmon, onion and steak at different price points.
She found this one to be the best because as she was cooking, “the salmon flipped nicely and evenly without sticking to the pan, the onions caramelized evenly without getting burnt and the steak took just seven minutes to cook medium rare with ‘nice color.’”
Best blender:
Stessman said this blender blew the other competitors out of the water. It was able to make smooth peanut butter in just 30 seconds and was also easy to clean with a little bit of soap.
Best overall in home
Best shoe deodorizer:
Writer Emma Stessman tested multiple shoe deodorizer balls on her stinkiest sneakers that she wore while running and working out for months. “I was pleasantly surprised when I took them out and found that I couldn’t smell anything other than the Clean Burst scent of the balls,” she says.
Best lint roller:
You won’t have to worry about ordering new paper for your lint roller because you can reuse this one by washing it. Stessman chose this one as the best overall because it is portable and easy to use.
Best fabric shaver:
If you are dealing with pills on your favorite sweater or leggings, it’s time to invest in a good fabric shaver. I tested this one on many different types of pills and loved how easy it was to use and clean.
Best cooling towel:
Espinal used this cooling towel on runs, at concerts and inside the train station. She says, “This design wraps perfectly around my neck while providing a chilling sensation and it didn’t irritate my skin. Though the towel is damp after activating it with water, the wetness doesn’t transfer to clothes, which makes it efficient to transport inside a bag.”
Best electric toothbrush:
I tested electric toothbrushes for a couple of months and loved this one from Bitvae because it came with ample accessories like eight brush heads (enough for over a year!). It also had a timer, so you’ll know when to switch to a different area of your mouth.
Best instant stain remover:
I tested multiple instant stain removers on tough stains like oil, wine, coffee and more. These wipes were great because they actually lifted a majority of the stains. They were strong and tackled embedded stains well.
Best wrinkle release spray:
Espinal tested this wrinkle release spray for about two weeks and liked that a little goes a long way. She describes it as leaving “an iron[ed] appearance without the need to add heat to the material you’re spraying.”
Best smart lightbulb:
GE Cync A19 Smart LED Light Bulbs
“Out of all the smart light bulbs I tested, these GE Cync Smart LED Light Bulbs take the cake. These 60-watt bulbs were super easy to screw into my desk lamp and the instructions were very user-friendly,” says former associate editor Allie Wise.
She loved that you could choose different lighting styles like volcanic colorways, fireworks, a holiday display and even Vegas-style.
Best automatic soap dispenser:
This winning automatic soap dispenser gives you the choice of the amount of soap you’d like dispensed between 0.4 and 0.8 grams based on your hand placement! Murphy says, “I think the provided portions are perfect for cleaning skin both lightly dirty and completely soiled.” It also has a self-cleaning mode where you can clean the inside of the device.
Editor’s note: While this pick is currently unavailable, we found another option from the brand that has similar features.
Best bath towel:
Murphy says, “If you blindfolded me, I’m pretty confident I would be able to pick this out of a towel lineup just by touching it. Its softness is simply unparalleled compared to others that I’ve tested.”
If you need a bath towel upgrade, go for this one that passed all of our tests for softness, durability, absorbency and dry time.
Best cooling fan:
Wise tested these cooling fans for portability, cooling power, ease of use, noise level and airflow quality. This one won because she says, “Not only is it super powerful and soothing, but it is also incredibly quiet, so it’s perfect for sleepy time to help wind down.”
Best neck fan:
Torras Coolite Neck Fan
Just in time for summer, you can stay cool on the subway or on walks with this neck fan. Stessman deemed it the best overall because it was comfortable and provided 14 hours of cool air.
Best smart trash can:
Airdeer Automatic Trash Can
Former editor Amanda Fama tested smart trash cans in her home. She says, “Not only is this trash can motion-sensored and self-sealing, but it also talks to you to give you instructions on what needs to be done. For example, if you’re trying to have the bag sealed and the trash can is too packed, it will tell you. This one also has super bright lights inside that makes it simple to see when the can is filling up. After you remove the sealed bag, it adds another one. This one vacuum seals each bag open.”
Best overall in beauty
Best mascara:
Garlin believes this is one of the best mascaras you can find at a drugstore. She even says, “When I lived abroad, I’d make sure to pack at least five of these and stock up on more during my visits home.” The half-moon shape of the brush makes it easy to control how much you want to put on your lashes.
Best razor:
Murphy tested razors on areas like the underarm, leg and bikini line. Even though this is technically categorized as a men’s razor, she loved it because of its sharp five-blade design and weighted handle that offered more control when shaving.
Best face sunscreen:
This K-beauty brand Innisfree won the best overall for face sunscreens, according to Murphy. She says, “The formula sinks into the skin effortlessly and requires hardly any dry-down time before starting your makeup routine. Plus, it offers a dewy base that gives the skin a glow even with a little foundation and concealer on top.”
Best makeup brush cleaner:
Norate Makeup Brush Cleaner
Cleaning a makeup brush can be a pretty laborious task, but it is necessary to keep your brushes well-kept and your skin happy. Associate editor Madison San Miguel tested multiple brush cleaners but loved this one because, “You also don’t have to do much work, which is a huge perk when you’re cleaning multiple tools. Once plugged in, the Norate cleaner spins around like a miniature carousel, which helps the device efficiently clean your tools in just a few seconds.”
Editor’s note: While the product is currently out of stock, you can still shop the next best performing option.
Best foundation:
Murphy describes this foundation as feeling like “like nothing [is] on my face.” It’s lightweight, buildable and Murphy found that the consistently worked well with her oily skin.
Best hair straightener:
Espinal says this straightener easily straightened, curled and created waves in her hair, making it a versatile tool. “My hair stayed smooth and styled all day, and I only needed one pass to achieve sleek strands or effortless waves,” she says.
Best blow-dry brush:
Murphy found this blow-dryer brush to be the best out of the other straighteners she tested. She says, “I loved how these bristles gently worked through my hair (practically as good as my favorite round brush). There was no snagging or unnecessary pulling; in fact, it helped to de-tangle any knots rather than tug on them.”
Best overall in fashion
Best white tank top:
Gap Rib Scoop Tank Top
Need a new basic for spring and summer? Try this Gap option that I loved when I tested various white tank tops. It was flattering, durable and didn’t show sweat.
Best white T-shirt:
After three weeks of testing, Espinal says this white T-shirt from Uniqlo was a clear winner. “The fit is perfect, runs true to size and is one of those affordable pieces that feel ultra luxe,” she says. “After revisiting my white T-shirt collection about six months later, Uniqlo is still at the top of my list. I’ve washed it many times and still, the fabric looks as crisp as its initial wear. I love the structure, the weight and the softness of this shirt.”
Best black leggings:
Espinal tested this pair of black leggings on a 5-mile run. “I felt comfortable throughout the workout while wearing these. My favorite part is the adjustable waistband which stays in place without rolling down,” she says. “Since they’re water resistant, the moisture-wicking properties worked well.”
Best bike shorts:
Multiple of our editors tested out these biker shorts at the same time. Some of them went on runs, worked out and strolled around the city. All of them found this particular pair from Athleta to be comfortable and versatile.
Best wide calf boots:
Last year, I tested wide-calf boots because, as someone with 17-inch wide calves, I find it hard to find a pair that actually fits.
With this pair, I was easily able to walk 10,000 steps on my busiest day of the week. Even in the snow, these boots had no issue; they were not drawing in moisture or getting scuffed.
Best carry-on backpack:
Hoeger found this carry-on backpack to be very comfortable, which features like back support and cushioning. “This pack was deep,” she says. “Rather than employing the use of multiple meshed zipper pockets like some other carry-on backpacks I’ve seen, it used its 45-liter capacity to the best of its ability: an open space to pack however you’d like, rather than being limited to pre-sized pockets.”
Why trust Shop TODAY
As a part of our Ranked series, our team tests these products for anywhere from a few hours to several months. We interview vetted experts for guidance on everything from shopping tips to best practices when using the products.
Each product we test is scored based on varying criteria on a scale of 1-5, 1 being the worst and 5 being the best. The product with the highest overall average score is crowned the winner.
Christophe Robin Regenerating Mask with Prickly Pear Oil
Christophe Robin Regenerating Mask with Prickly Pear Oil