15 best new launches in January: Amazon, Brooklinen, Reebok

This story is part of Select’s New & Notable column, where we highlight our favorite product launches. We will continuously update this article monthly with new releases we think you should know about.

Top tech launches

Amazon Echo Frames (3rd Gen)

You can use these smart glasses to listen to music, take calls and query Amazon Alexa, all using just your voice. Compared to the 2nd generation model, released in 2020, this version is lighter with improved audio quality, longer battery life (up to 6 hours) and more styles available, according to the brand. The frames connect to your phone via Bluetooth and can also be controlled using the two buttons on the right temple plus a volume rocker on the left temple. The new Echo Frames come with either prescription-ready, blue light filtering or sunglass lenses.

Evie Smart Ring

Evie’s health tracker is designed for women’s health with menstrual, sleep, heart rate and activity tracking. Unlike most fitness trackers, it comes with a charging case to easily repower the ring on the go. It offers up to four days of battery life and the charging case adds up to 10 full charges, according to the brand. Currently, the Evie Smart Ring is only compatible with iPhones.

Ikea Vallhorn Motion Sensor

This motion sensor reacts to movement to automatically turn Ikea smart lights on or off. It can connect to up to ten lights simultaneously and be placed inside or outside. It’s powered with two AAA batteries (sold separately) and can be connected to the Ikea Dirigera smart home hub for additional functionality, according to the brand.

Niu Kqi Air Electric Kick Scooter

Niu makes some of our favorite electric scooters, and this model is one of the lightest on the market at 26.3 pounds. Most of the frame is built with carbon fiber, a much lighter material than the aluminum and steel traditionally used in most e-scooters. The Kqi Air has a top speed of 20 miles per hour and a max range of 31 miles, according to the brand. It has front, rear and turn signal lighting built-in and connects via the Niu E-Scooter app.

Jlab Jbuds ANC (3rd Gen)

Jlab makes some of our favorite budget earbuds like the Go Air Sport and Go Air Pop. These wireless earbuds have active noise cancellation and transparency modes.  The buds offer up to nine hours of battery life and the case adds an extra 33 hours, according to the brand. Like the brand’s other earbuds, the charging case has a charging cable built into its bottom. The earbuds have a dust and water protection rating of IP55.

Top home and kitchen launches

Grove Co. Bottle Wash Pods

Grove’s Bottle Wash Pods make cleaning water bottles, coffee pots, blenders, travel mugs and more quick and easy. Each packet —which resembles a laundry detergent pod — contains plant-based ingredients that wash away stains and get rid of odors. To use them, you fill your container with water, drop a pod in and let it stand for 15 to 30 minutes as the pod fizzes and dissolves. Afterward, you empty, rinse and dry the container. The pods are safe to use on glass, stainless steel and plastic, according to the brand.

Grove Co. sent us its Bottle Wash Pods to try, and Malin used one to clean her Stanley Quencher. She says the pod left the interior of her water bottle sparkling and got rid of residue in minutes.

Brooklinen Waffle Towel Collection

Brooklinen, which makes some of our favorite bath robes, quilts and bed sheets, redesigned its waffle towel collection to make them softer and more shrink-resistant, according to the brand. The lightweight towels are made from 100% Turkish cotton and have a honeycomb texture, plus they’re square-shaped and come in white, Onyx (black), Ocean (blue), Botanical Green, Blue Mist and Pale Lilac colors. The collection includes bath towels, bath sheets, hand towels and washcloths. You can purchase each towel size individually or in sets. 

Beast Health Mini Blender

Beast Health’s blender is now available in a mini size, allowing you to make small-batch dressings, dips and smoothies without sacrificing countertop space. The new personal blender has a 600-watt motor and is half the size of the original Beast Blender, according to the brand. You can blend beverages and drink them in the same vessel, which holds about 21.6 ounces of liquid and pairs with a leak-resistant straw cap, storage lid and sipping lid. The blender offers two speeds: pulse and blend.

Top beauty and skin care launches

Ouai Hair Gloss

Ouai launched its Hair Gloss to boost shine, prevent color fading, treat damage and provide heat protection up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Once you use it, the gloss lasts for up to three washes, according to the brand. The hair treatment contains ingredients like hydrating hyaluronic acid and rice water.

Peace Out Skincare Early Stage Acne Dot

These pimple patches can help minimize acne below the skin’s surface if you apply them once you notice a breakout in its early stages, according to Peace Out Skincare. The hydrocolloid dots create a barrier over blemishes to keep dirt and bacteria out, and they’re made with tiny microneedles containing ingredients like salicylic acid and niacinamide, which penetrate and dissolve into the skin’s surface. Each box comes with eight pimple patches, which the brand recommends wearing for at least six hours for the best results.

Ilia The Base Face Milk

Ilia’s The Base Face Milk is part essence, part moisturizer that’s meant to hydrate, soothe and plumpen skin while strengthening its barrier, according to the brand. It has a lightweight feel and you can layer it under makeup, plus use it in the morning and at night. The face milk is made with hyaluronic acid, and it’s non-comedogenic, fragrance-free and suitable for sensitive skin, according to Ilia.

Supergoop! Triple Prep SPF 40 Weightless Multitasking Moisturizer

Iterating on its thick, rich original daily SPF moisturizer, Supergoop! released a more lightweight formula that absorbs into the skin quickly. The cream hydrates skin while protecting it against the sun’s rays, and it’s formulated with ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin. Bianca Alvarez, NBC Select associate reporter, tried the new moisturizer before its launch and says it’s particularly great for people with oily skin since it’s so light and doesn’t feel like it clogs pores.  

Top fitness launches

On Running Cloudeclipse

The Cloudeclipse sneaker is On’s most cushioned distance running shoe yet with two layers of soft, bouncy foam that absorbs impact when your feet hit the ground. It has a thick, cushioned midsole, mesh panels for maximum ventilation, and rubber pads on the outsole that help the shoe grip the road when it’s wet. The sneaker’s tongue is also connected to its upper so it stays in place while you’re running. You can purchase the Cloudeclipse in men’s and women’s sizes.

Reebok Nano X4 Training Shoes (Available Jan. 12)

Reebok’s Nano X3 sneakers are some of our favorite training shoes, and the brand now offers a new and improved version for men and women. The Nano X4s are just as supportive and comfortable but more lightweight and breathable thanks to a knit upper and mesh ventilation panel. The shoes have a heel stabilizer to keep you grounded while moving in multiple directions and a grippy rubber outsole and light cushioning.

Ikea Dajlein Home Exercise Collection

Ikea debuted a new collection of 23 products designed to make home exercise easier and more aesthetically pleasing. It includes ring weights, exercise mats, a storage bench for fitness gear, a step-up stool that doubles as a laptop stand and more.

Why trust Select?

Zoe Malin and Harry Rabinowitz choose products they think Select readers should know about to round up the best new launches each month. 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.