The best products we tested in September 2023: Fire starters, fire pits and more

The Sony WF-1000XM5 are a masterpiece, packaging intelligibly powerful ANC, superior sound and tons of features into one of the most attractive true wireless designs ever created.

The AirPods Pro 2 are as good as it gets for Apple users, offering some of the best sound, controls and active noise cancellation you can find in a pair of buds.

The Sony LinkBuds S offer excellent sound, strong noise cancellation and Sony’s actually smart Adaptive Sound Control to tailor performance to your surroundings. The LinkBuds S are a good buy for Android users, with support for LDAC high-res audio, and they work well with iOS, too.

The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 offer the best noise cancellation you can get in earbuds, along with great sound, so if you're looking to tune out the world around you for travel, office or home without resorting to a big over-ear headphone, this is the way to go.

The Beats Fit Pro are our favorite workout earbuds thanks to their secure sweat-resistant design, AirPods Pro-level feature set and smooth compatibility with both Android and Apple devices.

For those not looking to spend a ton, the EarFun Air rival the AirPods Pro on sound quality in the right environment and have a reliable microphone for taking important work calls.

The Braun BrewSense Drip Coffee Maker produced consistently delicious, hot cups of coffee, brewed efficiently and cleanly, from sleek, relatively compact hardware that is turnkey to operate, and all for a reasonable price.

This was, to our eye, the most handsome and minimally designed of the straightforward auto-brewers, delivering a clean, tasty cup. It lost first place only because the touchscreen may not be for every consumer, and brew time is significantly longer than the other machines we tried out.

An upgrade to an old favorite, the Technivorm Moccamaster KBGV Coffee Brewer can turn out a half or full carafe of perfectly brewed coffee, and the process is just as entrancing to watch.

One of the cheapest options we tested, the Mr. Coffee 12-cup brewer is compact and simple to operate, and yields a very competitive cup. ?

The Ratio Six Coffee Maker automates the pour-over coffee process, producing rounded, flavorful coffee without the fuss of keeping track of temperature and pouring rate. It's great for newcomers to the style.

The Zojirushi Dome is among the slowest-brewing machines we tested, but it produces strong hot brews and delicate, flavorful iced coffee.

With the UST BlastMatch, you can light a flame with one hand. Its unique design generates intensely hot sparks with minimal effort, making it one of the easiest and most reliable fire starters we used.

This Bear-Grylls-approved fire starter is compact, has a watertight case and is a top pick for car campers and rugged adventurers alike. It exceeded our expectations — sending sparks flying from the ferro rod and igniting the tinder in an average of three strikes or less.

The ultralight Exotac NanoStriker XL throws a big spark for its compact size. It’s a top pick for minimalist campers or backcountry goers, as it weighs less than 1 ounce. A lightweight, collapsible aluminum case protects the fire starter’s ferrocerium rod and striker inside.

The Cuisinart CPK-17 PerfecTemp Cordless Electric Kettle has the best combination of features and performance of the kettles we tested. With six temperature presets optimized for a variety of coffee and tea beverages, a 30-minute keep warm setting and an ample 1.7-liter capacity, it should serve you well, whatever your beverage.

The Willow & Everett Gooseneck Electric Kettle is a steal for under $70. It’s the only kettle we found in its price range that has multiple temperature settings, and it heats water in under 6 minutes. This kettle was also the best-constructed of any gooseneck we tested.

A simple, no-frills affordable kettle that gets the job done, the Hamilton Beach Glass Electric Tea Kettle heats water faster than any other model we tested.

The Fellow Stagg EKG Electric Gooseneck Kettle is for coffee and tea aficionados. Its slow-pour spout is great for precision pours, it offers temperature selection up to a boil in one-degree increments (in Celsius or Fahrenheit) along with a one-hour keep warm setting and operates more smoothly and quietly than any other kettle we tested.

The 2.0 version of the popular Solo Stove Bonfire is a sleek, good-looking fire pit, and portable to boot. An upgraded base plate facilitates airflow and a removable ash pan is also included for easier cleanup — and it doesn’t hurt that it’s super simple to get your fire started with some wood and kindling. This is a smart, efficient choice for anyone looking for a simple way to enjoy a fire in their outdoor space.

This Breeo X Series fire pit has the largest heat capacity and is durable and attractive to boot. Yes, you’ll pay for the ability to grill up to 46 hamburger patties at one time, but if you’re looking for an investment, it’s definitely worth the splurge.

The perfect pit for beginner firestarters, the Tiki Patio Smokeless Fire Pit uses easy-to-burn pellets instead of wood (though you can use wood as well if you prefer). An inner metal cone helps to properly position the pellets for optimal burning and we appreciate the elegant design to boot.

The KitchenAid 5-Quart Artisan Series Tilt-Head Stand Mixer delivered the best performance of the mixers we tested. With more than 20 available colors and a classic profile, you’ll want to keep this tilt-head mixer on display in your kitchen.

Walmart's bargain-priced Allswell hybrid mattress gives back sleepers good support in a soft mattress, though it isn't as comfortable or cool as pricier competitors.

A compact portable charger with fold-out prongs, the Anker 521 doubles as a USB-C wall adapter. It's highly efficient and totally convenient.

A 25,000mAh pack with the speed to charge everything you can throw at it, including a 100W laptop.

A compact, low-cost 10,000mAh battery pack that will keep your phone, tablet or earbuds going without emptying your wallet.