7 Gadgets Not Worth Buying in 2026 — and What to Get Instead

Every product on this site pays us a commission if you buy it. This article is the reason you should trust the rest of it. Here is what we would not spend money on this year, and the cheaper or better move in each case.

1. Mid-range earbuds ($150–$200)

The dead zone of 2026 audio: flagship prices minus the flagship mics, budget internals minus the budget price. Go $69 CMF-class or go Sony flagship — the middle buys a logo.

2. Power banks sold on mAh

Any listing shouting "50,000mAh" while hiding watt-hours and output watts is hoping you cannot convert. You can: mAh × 3.7 ÷ 1000. Full breakdown in our power bank guide.

3. Robot vacuums without a self-empty dock

A robot you empty by hand every two runs is a Roomba-shaped reminder of the chore. Self-empty starts at $549 now. Below that, buy a good stick vacuum.

4. Subscription-locked wearables

If the sleep score you bought the device for costs $6/month forever, the device's real price is triple the sticker over three years. Read the small print before the checkout, not after.

5. 8K TVs and 1-inch-sensor phone cameras as upgrades

Both are real technology solving problems you do not have. There is still almost no 8K content, and phone camera gains this generation are software you will get anyway.

6. Cheap smart locks with no mechanical key

A dead battery should be an inconvenience, not a locksmith bill. Buy the Schlage-class locks that keep a keyway. Never buy a lock whose company might not exist in five years without checking it works offline.

7. Docking-station monitors bought for one laptop generation

Check the wattage your next laptop will need, not your current one. A 65W portable monitor that cannot pass 100W through is a two-year purchase pretending to be a five-year one.