Finder Retail Awards: Must-have home appliances and technology gifts for Christmas

• • • • 2020/2021 Finder Retail Awards reveal the best appliances and technology products right now.
      • Budget brands including Aldi and Kmart win coveted awards.
      • These are the products to look out for during pre-Christmas sales such as Black Friday.

20 November 2020, Sydney, Australia – The best home appliances and technology brands for 2020/2021 have been revealed in the Finder Retail Awards by Australia's most visited comparison site.

Whether you're looking to streamline food prep or brew the best coffee, the Finder Retail Awards have placed plenty of products on the "nice" list ahead of Christmas.

The annual hall of fame for retail products, the Finder Retail Awards reveal the most coveted and popular brands as rated by Australian consumers. Finder worked with world-leading data, insights and consulting company Kantar to analyse the results of over 8,000 individually completed surveys from more than 3,000 Australians on their recent purchases.

This year's 35 small home appliance and technology categories had a string of surprise winners, including Aldi's Ambiano slow cooker that performed better than any competitor.

One of Australia's biggest budget retailers Kmart was among those named on the list for its range of air fryers, including one sell-out model worth $69. Air fryers have become the hottest kitchen appliance of 2020, with consumers saying they're worth the hype.

Tefal was one of the brands that won in multiple categories, including best pressure cooker, best rice cooker and best multi-cooker.

Kate Browne, personal finance expert at Finder, said that the vast majority of Australians have spent a lot more time at home this year and have relied on these appliances to make life easier or better.

"With a rush on everything from home office equipment to kitchen appliances amid the pandemic, these appliances have been put through their paces," she said.

Browne said that the winners list runs like a cheat sheet for Christmas shopping.

"If you've ever purchased an appliance or tech gadget, you'd know how overwhelming the choice can be. These awards are designed to make sure Aussies walk away with a winner."

For tech gifts in time for Christmas, Sony took the title for best Bluetooth speaker, while Beats by Dre took out the competitive headphones category.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Aussies have spent $18.4 billion on appliances and electronics between January and September this year, 16% more than the same period in 2019. That's $1,860 per household.

"The most expensive model doesn't necessarily mean it's the best – sometimes you can pay more than what you need to," said Browne.

With many companies offering their workers the option of continuing to work remotely, Finder has also investigated the best home technology brands.

Apple was voted best laptop brand, as well as taking the win in the mobile phone category ahead of fierce rival Samsung. However, the brand didn't take home the best desktop computer category, which was won by HP.

Meanwhile, Samsung won the best TV category for the second year in a row, narrowly beating LG.

Browne said for those who love to bag a bargain, don't leave gift-purchasing to the last minute this Christmas.

"November's huge online sales – including Black Friday and Cyber Monday – are almost here, and with them comes incredible savings," she said.

"The Finder Retail Awards are a good way to figure out what's worth buying."

For more on the 2020 winners, visit www.finder.com.au/finder-retail-awards.