Table of Contents >> Show >> Hide
CES 2021 was weird. Not bad weird, more like “the world’s biggest tech show put on sweatpants and learned how to livestream” weird. Instead of wandering packed convention halls in Las Vegas, everyone watched launches, demos, and futuristic fever dreams through screens. Yet somehow, the show still delivered what CES always delivers: big ideas, shiny gadgets, and at least a few products that make you mutter, “Well, that’s either genius or completely unhinged.”
This all-digital edition of CES arrived at exactly the right moment. People were working from home, entertaining themselves at home, exercising at home, and, by this point, probably talking to their toaster at home. So the best CES 2021 products reflected that reality. The standouts were smarter, more helpful, more flexible, and in many cases a little more comforting. Some were shipping products. Some were concepts. Some were basically an expensive wink at the future. All of them gave us something CES does better than almost anything else: a glimpse of where consumer tech was headed next.
Here are the CES 2021 products we kept thinking about long after the virtual booths closed.
Why CES 2021 Actually Mattered
It would have been easy for CES 2021 to feel smaller because it happened online, but the opposite happened in an important way: the themes were sharper. You could see the industry responding in real time to life during the pandemic and beyond. Health tech was bigger. Touchless gadgets were everywhere. Smart home devices became less about showing off and more about removing daily friction. Displays got more ambitious. Cars became rolling computers. And flexible screens kept trying very hard to convince us that the rectangle phone’s reign was nearing its dramatic final act.
In other words, CES 2021 wasn’t just a gadget parade. It was a snapshot of what people suddenly wanted from technology: less hassle, better comfort, more immersion, cleaner spaces, smarter automation, and maybe one absurdly beautiful product that nobody strictly needs but everybody wants anyway.
Our Favorite CES 2021 Products
1. LG Rollable
If CES had a category called “Most Likely to Make People Lean Toward Their Screens and Say ‘Wait, do that again?’”, the LG Rollable would have won by a mile. Foldables were already having their moment, but LG’s rollable phone concept felt fresher. Instead of folding like a book, the display expanded outward, turning a normal-looking phone into something wider and more tablet-like.
What made the LG Rollable one of our favorite CES 2021 products was not just the novelty. It addressed the biggest complaint about foldables: bulk. A rolling display promised more screen when you need it without making your pocket feel like it’s smuggling a grilled cheese press. That idea was clever, practical, and deeply CES. Even if the product itself remained more promise than everyday reality, it captured the mood of the show perfectly. It said the phone form factor was still up for debate, and frankly, that debate needed the energy.
2. LG G1 OLED evo TV
CES loves televisions the way award shows love dramatic reaction shots. There will always be more of them, and they will always insist they’re brighter, smarter, prettier, and spiritually superior to whatever is currently in your living room. But the LG G1 OLED evo actually earned the attention.
The big story was OLED evo, LG’s new panel technology aimed at improving brightness while keeping the deep blacks and contrast OLED fans obsess over. That mattered because one of the longstanding knocks against OLED, at least compared with some LED and mini-LED competitors, was brightness. The G1 felt like LG saying, “Yes, we heard you, and we brought receipts.”
We liked this set because it balanced future-facing display tech with genuine real-world appeal. It wasn’t just a science fair project for rich walls. It was a serious step forward in premium TV performance, gaming readiness, and design. CES 2021 was packed with display flexing, but the G1 stood out by feeling aspirational without drifting into pure fantasy.
3. TCL 6-Series 8K TV
Now for the counterpunch: while LG chased premium brilliance, TCL kept doing what TCL does bestmaking expensive trends look nervously over their shoulder. The company’s 6-Series 8K TV grabbed our attention because it pushed 8K closer to normal-human budgeting. No, 8K content was not exactly overflowing from the digital heavens in early 2021. Yes, a lot of the value still depended on upscaling and screen size. But that wasn’t really the point.
The point was access. TCL helped make 8K feel less like a mansion-owner hobby and more like a format that might eventually reach ordinary buyers. That’s why this TV deserves to be on a list of favorite CES 2021 products. It wasn’t the flashiest TV announcement, but it may have been one of the most important for where the market was headed. CES often celebrates the impossible. TCL reminded everyone that the affordable can be exciting too.
4. Samsung JetBot 90 AI+
Robot vacuums had already become one of those categories where people pretend they are buying “practical automation” when they are really buying the ability to avoid one chore forever. The Samsung JetBot 90 AI+ took that appeal and layered on smarter navigation, object recognition, LiDAR-based movement, camera support, and home monitoring features.
In plain English, this thing was trying very hard not to eat your charging cables and shame itself on a pet bowl.
That mattered in 2021 because the smart home category was evolving fast. People didn’t just want connected gadgets; they wanted devices that could behave more intelligently in messy, real homes. The JetBot 90 AI+ looked like a robot vacuum graduating from “bumps around enthusiastically” to “actually understands the room.” That made it one of our top CES 2021 gadgets, especially for anyone whose floors had become a 24-hour cycle of crumbs, dust, socks, and mysterious debris that appeared as if summoned by dark magic.
5. Samsung Bot Handy
Speaking of robots, Samsung Bot Handy was pure CES catnip. It was a concept home robot designed to recognize and pick up objects of different shapes, sizes, and materials. In demos, it poured wine, loaded dishes, and generally behaved like the kind of roommate people would actually text back.
Let’s be honest: concept robots are usually where CES goes to get a little theatrical. But Bot Handy worked because it translated artificial intelligence into something instantly understandable. You didn’t need a technical explainer. You just had to watch it handle a glass and think, “Okay, if that can clean up after dinner, I’m listening.”
Did it feel a little like the opening scene of a future documentary called When the Appliances Became Judgmental? Sure. But it also pointed toward a future in which home robotics might finally be useful in ordinary, visible ways. For that reason alone, it became one of our favorite products from CES 2021.
6. Razer Project Hazel
No CES list for 2021 would be complete without the product that made everybody ask, “Is this necessary?” immediately followed by, “Okay, but I kind of want it.” That product was Razer Project Hazel, the now-famous smart mask concept.
Project Hazel combined a transparent front, voice amplification, internal lighting, and reusable high-filtration elements in a design that looked like cyberpunk personal protective equipment. It was ridiculous. It was timely. It was somehow both goofy and smart at the exact same time.
What we appreciated most was that it didn’t ignore the social side of masks. By making the mouth visible and the voice easier to hear, it addressed communication problems that ordinary masks created. Was it extra? Absolutely. But in CES terms, “extra” is practically a product category. Project Hazel earned a spot on our list because it captured the pandemic-era design challenge better than almost any other reveal: how do you make protective gear more functional, more wearable, and maybe a little less bleak?
7. Mercedes-Benz MBUX Hyperscreen
The MBUX Hyperscreen was less a dashboard and more a declaration. Mercedes-Benz rolled into CES 2021 with a sweeping digital display concept that stretched dramatically across the front cabin, turning the interior into something between a luxury EV and a very expensive spaceship lounge.
This was one of our favorite CES 2021 products because it showed how quickly cars were becoming software-first experiences. The Hyperscreen was not just about size. It was about interface design, contextual intelligence, and the idea that the cabin is now part command center, part entertainment hub, part adaptive assistant. The car industry has spent years adding screens wherever screens could fit. Mercedes took a different approach: what if the entire front experience became one seamless digital environment?
That won’t be everyone’s cup of automotive tea. Some drivers still want buttons, knobs, and fewer fingerprints. Fair enough. But as a CES reveal, the Hyperscreen was unforgettable. It made a strong case that vehicle tech was no longer a side show at CES. It was the main event.
8. Dell UltraSharp 40 Curved Monitor
Not every CES winner has to scream. The Dell UltraSharp 40 Curved Monitor was one of the calmest announcements at the show, and that’s exactly why it landed on our list. While other companies were busy teasing robot butlers and shape-shifting phones, Dell rolled out a huge, sharp, productivity-first display aimed at the suddenly very real work-from-home generation.
The appeal here was simple: massive screen real estate, strong color performance, a wide curved panel, and the kind of connectivity that makes desk setups feel less like a cable-based hostage situation. It was the sort of product that made creative professionals, multitaskers, spreadsheet gladiators, and anyone with 37 browser tabs immediately pay attention.
In a year when homes doubled as offices, classrooms, studios, and occasional emotional support zones, the UltraSharp 40 felt especially relevant. It wasn’t the weirdest product at CES 2021, and thank goodness for that. It was one of the most usable.
9. Sony Airpeak
Sony’s Airpeak drone arrived with a very specific kind of energy: “We make excellent cameras, so naturally we have now decided to take over the sky too.” The pitch was compelling. Sony positioned Airpeak as the smallest drone capable of carrying an Alpha camera system, which immediately made filmmakers and camera nerds perk up like golden retrievers hearing a snack bag.
Airpeak was exciting because it wasn’t just a gadget; it was a signal. Sony clearly wanted to expand beyond imaging hardware into a broader ecosystem for creators. That made the drone more than a side project. It felt like a strategic move into professional aerial production, and the CES reveal hinted at serious ambition.
Even without every detail nailed down at the time, Airpeak deserved attention for blending brand strength, creator appeal, and future potential. It was one of the CES 2021 products that felt like the beginning of a bigger story.
10. Kohler Stillness Bath
And now, the most gloriously unnecessary item on this list: the Kohler Stillness Bath. If your first reaction is, “That’s a bathtub,” congratulations, you have excellent visual processing skills. But this was not just a bathtub. This was an all-in wellness fantasy with controlled water filling, mood-setting features, aromatherapy-style touches, and the kind of spa-inspired presentation that made regular bathrooms everywhere feel suddenly underachieving.
Why include it among our favorite products from CES 2021? Because it captured something essential about the moment. People were investing in their homes not only as workspaces, but as refuges. Wellness tech was expanding beyond watches and fitness mirrors into the architecture of daily life. The Stillness Bath was excessive, yes, but it was also a perfect symbol of a broader trend: technology moving into comfort, ritual, and environment.
Plus, every CES roundup needs at least one product that makes readers laugh, gasp, and quietly start checking the square footage of their bathroom. This was that product.
11. Vuzix Next Gen Smart Glasses
Smart glasses have been “almost ready” for what feels like three centuries in gadget time, but Vuzix came to CES 2021 with a concept that looked meaningfully closer to normal eyewear than many past attempts. That alone was worth noticing. The design felt more wearable, less costume department. Better yet, the pitch focused on practical AR use rather than sci-fi cosplay.
We liked the Vuzix glasses because they represented a mature direction for augmented reality. Instead of shouting, they suggested. They hinted that the future of wearable displays might not come from giant headsets alone, but from lighter, subtler devices people could imagine using throughout the day. Smart glasses still had a mountain to climb, but at CES 2021, Vuzix looked like it had at least found a reasonable trailhead.
What These CES 2021 Favorites Tell Us
Step back from the individual gadgets and a few clear themes emerge. First, flexibility was everywhere. Rollable displays, adaptable interfaces, multiuse home devices, and smarter automation all reflected a world asking tech to do more in less space. Second, the home had become the center of gravity. Robot vacuums, wellness products, large-format displays, and home-friendly fitness or comfort tech all pointed to the same truth: consumer technology was being redesigned around daily domestic life.
Third, concepts still mattered. CES isn’t only about what you can buy today. It’s also about which ideas feel plausible enough to shape tomorrow’s products. That’s why something like the LG Rollable or Samsung Bot Handy belonged in the conversation, even if they weren’t immediately headed to checkout carts. They pushed design language forward. They changed expectations. They got people talking.
And finally, CES 2021 proved that even a virtual tech show could still generate genuine excitement. The format changed. The core thrill didn’t. New technology still arrived with the same mix of promise, absurdity, practicality, and spectacle that makes CES such a fun annual chaos engine.
Final Thoughts
Our favorite products from CES 2021 were not all trying to solve the same problem, and that’s exactly why the show worked. Some gadgets aimed to make life easier. Some aimed to make home life smarter. Some aimed to make entertainment more immersive. Some just wanted to blow your mind for five glorious minutes. Together, they painted a picture of an industry adapting quickly to new habits while still chasing the next big leap.
If we had to sum up CES 2021 in one sentence, it would be this: the future got a little more helpful, a little more flexible, and a lot more interesting. Also, it may pour you wine.
Extra Reflections: What It Felt Like to Experience CES 2021
Watching CES 2021 unfold was a completely different experience from the usual spectacle. Normally, CES is all about sensory overload. You imagine giant booths, impossible TVs glowing like portals, startup founders pitching the future with caffeinated intensity, and journalists speed-walking between appointments while surviving on coffee, protein bars, and sheer professional stubbornness. In 2021, all of that got replaced by livestreams, digital presentations, and the strange intimacy of seeing billion-dollar brands try to manufacture wonder through a laptop screen.
And yet, that change made the products stand out in a different way. When the show moved online, there was less noise around the gadgets and more focus on what they were actually trying to do. A robot vacuum wasn’t just another home appliance demo; it represented the growing desire to automate one more annoying task in a life suddenly centered around home. A giant curved monitor wasn’t just office gear; it was a survival tool for remote work. A wellness bath wasn’t just luxury design; it was a clue that people were rethinking what comfort and escape meant inside their own walls.
There was also something oddly entertaining about the confidence of CES 2021. The world was in a tense, uncertain moment, and yet the tech industry still showed up with rollable phones, concept robots, glowing masks, and luxury digital dashboards the width of a sofa cushion. That contrast is part of what made the event memorable. CES has always thrived on optimism, but in 2021 the optimism felt more personal. Instead of saying, “Look what technology can do someday,” many products were saying, “Here’s how technology can help you right now, in the weird life you’re living.”
At the same time, the show never lost its sense of humor. That matters. CES is at its best when it mixes serious innovation with just enough eccentricity to keep things fun. The Kohler Stillness Bath was ridiculous in the most delightful way. Project Hazel looked like it escaped from a sci-fi costume trailer. Samsung Bot Handy pouring wine felt like a perfect summary of CES itself: improbably polished, slightly surreal, and just useful enough to make you wonder whether the future might actually arrive dressed like a concept demo.
Looking back, CES 2021 was less about one single blockbuster product and more about a collective mood. The products that resonated most were the ones that met people where they were: at home, online, overloaded, and eager for tools that could make everyday life smoother or more enjoyable. That is why these favorite CES 2021 products still hold up as a group. They were not just flashy reveals. They were artifacts of a moment when consumer tech had to become more thoughtful, more adaptive, and a little more human. Even through a screen, that came through loud and clear.
