This story is part of Select’s New & Notable column, where we highlight our favorite product launches. We will continuously update this article throughout the month with new releases we think you should know about.
Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)
This new model replaces the 2nd gen version from 2021. It has an improved touchscreen, faster processor and clearer speakers, according to the brand. The device is also designed with improved smart home connectivity, allowing it to support some of the best smart home hubs. When you aren’t using the Echo Show 8, you can set the home screen to turn into a personal photo gallery, flipping to a new photo every 30 seconds.
Apple
MacBook Pro M3 (14-Inch and 16-Inch)
- Super hi-res screen
- Excellent performance
- Pricey
This year’s Macbooks look largely the same on the outside. Inside, however, the models have the brand’s M3 chip, which offers improved all-around performance compared to the M2 and M1 chips, according to the brand. All of these new models have traditional function row keys instead of the top-row touch bar Apple experimented with in past models. The 14-inch model is available with the M3, M3 Pro or M3 Max chip, while the larger 16-inch model is only available with the Pro and Max versions. Certain models are also available in a new Space Black color.
2023 iMac (24-inch)
iMac’s newest model replaces the 2021 version. The design remains unchanged, but inside, it uses the new M3 chip, which offers improved performance across all computing tasks, according to the brand. It’s available in seven colors and 256GB and 512GB storage options. The 256GB version has 2 USB-C ports, while the 512GB has four. It still comes with a Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse.
Quip Whitening and Mouth Guards
Quip — which makes some of our favorite electric toothbrushes and floss — now offers custom-fit whitening trays and mouthguards, including night guards and sports guards. Kits come with materials needed to take an impression of your teeth, which you send back to Quip with the included shipping label. The brand then takes the impression and creates a whitening tray or mouthguard that perfectly fits your smile and sends it back to you.
You can choose from two whitening treatments: Daytime, best for sensitive teeth, and Nighttime, a stronger treatment. You can also subscribe to get whitening gel refills sent to your door every six months.
Night guards are available in two styles: hard, best for heavy teeth grinding, and hard-soft, best for lighter grinding. Sports guards only come in one style, and you can purchase them in blue, red or white colors.
Allbirds Wool Runner 2
Allbirds released its original Wool Runner in 2016, which is now one of the brand’s best-selling shoes. The Wool Runner 2, a new iteration of the popular style, now comes in half sizes and has more foam in the midsole, a roomier toe-box and a reinforced upper. It’s available in men’s and women’s sizes.
Allbirds sent Zoe Malin, NBC Select associate updates editor, a pair of the Wool Runner 2, which she says fit her much better compared to the previous version. “Since I typically wear a women’s 8.5 shoe, I had to size up in the first Wool Runners, which got roomier over months of me wearing them,” Malin says. “Since I could order my exact size in the Wool Runner 2, they fit more snugly and my feet don’t slip around in them.” Malin also says the added foam gives her more lift in the shoes and better supports her feet when she’s walking long distances.
Yeti
Yeti Rambler Wine Chiller
Whether you use it at home or bring it with you to a tailgate, barbecue or camping trip, Yeti’s Rambler Wine Chiller helps cold wine bottles maintain their temperature thanks to its double-wall vacuum insulation. You can also pre-chill the stainless steel wine cooler by placing it in the refrigerator. The interior of the Wine Chiller has a silicone landline pad, giving glass bottles a soft surface to rest on, and there’s a non-slip ring on its base. The exterior of the Wine Chiller also doesn’t build up condensation, keeping your tabletop dry, according to the brand.
Yeti Stackable Cups and Mugs
Yeti’s mini 4-ounce stackable cups and 6-ounce mugs are great additions to any indoor or outdoor coffee bar, and they’re designed to fit under most espresso machines, according to the brand. The brand sent the NBC Select team these products to try — the drinkware fit in the palm of our hands and we loved sipping lattes out of the mugs and using the cups for spirits and wine. The cups are also useful for holding dips and spreads, as well as other snacks atop a charcuterie board. Yeti also launched an 8-ounce stackable cup that comes with a lid.
Nikon Z F Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera
Nikon’s new camera takes design cues from more vintage-style film models, but the internals and software are all modern. There are tons of dials on the body of the camera to manually control shooting elements like ISO, shutter speeds, exposure, focus point and more, similar to the Nikon Z fc, released in 2021. Despite its vintage looks, the camera is capable of recording 4K video, has advanced 5-axis in-camera image stabilization and plenty of other modern specs.
The version linked above comes with a 40mm full-frame lens, but if you already own full-frame mirrorless lenses, you can buy the Z f camera body by itself for a lower price.
Levoit LVAC-200 Cordless Stick Vacuum
Levoit makes some of our favorite air purifiers, but the brand also offers a few cordless vacuums. Its new cordless model can turn into a handheld vacuum, and it’s a good fit for hardwood floors and low-to-middle pile carpets, with a dustbin that can hold up to 0.58 liters of debris, according to the brand. The battery and filter can be removed, reused and replaced (if necessary). You can expect up to 50 minutes of battery life in eco mode and up to 12 minutes in turbo mode, according to Levoit.
Hey Dewy Wellness Humidifier
Hey Dewy — one of our favorite AAPI-owned brands — launched a larger, corded version of its portable facial humidifier, which has five times the capacity of its counterpart and humidifies rooms up to 500 square feet. The humidifier offers up to 24 hours of continuous cool mist, and you can choose from high or low mist settings. The nozzle rotates 360 degrees, allowing you to direct the mist into a specific area. There’s also an optional mood light setting — when you turn it on, the humidifier illuminates, adding a soft glow to your room.
Bearaby Warmables
The items in Bearaby’s Warmables collection function as weighted heating pads that help relieve tension and relax pressure points, according to the brand. You can put them all in the microwave or oven to get warm. The collection includes The Snuggler, a 2.5-pound bottle; The Dreamer, a .75-pound sleep mask; The Calmer, a 2-pound neck wrap; and The Lounger, a 7-pound lap blanket. These products are designed with the brand’s proprietary Terraclay material, which can store heat for extended periods of time, according to the brand.
Why trust Select?
To round up the best new launches each month, Zoe Malin and Harry Rabinowitz choose products they think Select readers should know about. They include products from brand’s Select previously covered, or brands Select staffers recommend. Malin and Rabinowitz also regularly try new product launches to share their experience with items.
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