Important products aren’t always good or bad. Often, they fall somewhere in-between, all the while offering perspective on where a particular industry has found itself … and where it might be going.
This is the spirit driving the 12th annual GP100, Gear Patrol‘s mighty, end-of-year roundup collecting the year’s most relevant releases from tech, motoring, style and watches, outdoors and more.
Our team spent months filtering through thousands of new products, going hands-on whenever we could, to identify the innovations and updates that left the biggest marks on their respective industries. And no, not always to a better, let alone conclusive, end.
This year, we also decided to do something we’ve never done in more than a decade of publishing the GP100: rank our winners.
Admittedly, the process wasn’t scientific, or even always fair. That said, our editors were indeed guided by a few basic tenets, including novelty, popularity and impact on culture at large.
You might not agree with our selections. You definitely won’t agree with the order. But maybe, just maybe, you might agree with us on this: products have never been so dynamic, exciting and downright important to our lives.
Below, find our top whiskeys, grills and cookware of the year, ranging from a celebrity bourbon actually worth drinking to a pizza oven for parties. To see the winners from other categories, check out the full list.
11. A plastic-free brewer worthy of the coffee it produces
AeroPressGP100 WINNER
AeroPress Premium
Specs
| Brew Capacity | 10 ounces |
| Washing Guidelines | Hand-wash only |
| Weight | 1.7 pounds |
Some products don’t need updates. Many AeroPress loyalists might argue that the lightweight coffee maker is one of them.
With its plastic body, the classic AeroPress is portable and durable. Ounce for ounce, it probably brews the best damn cup of coffee in the world. For travel and camping, it may never be beaten.
But does it really have to be plastic? Nearly two decades since the brewer came to market, its manufacturer, AeroPress, Inc., finally decided it does not.
The AeroPress Premium swaps out the classic’s food-grade polypropylene for a combination of materials worthy of its world-class coffee.
Borosilicate glass makes up the brewing chamber — the same stuff featured on the Chemex. However, it’s deployed here in a double-wall construction that acts as a thermal insulator.
In other words, the AeroPress Premium stays cool to the touch and makes the brewer easier to handle, all the while remaining transparent (a boon over brewers made with ceramic).
Anodized aluminum and stainless steel round out the other components, including the plunger and filter cap, resulting in the first AeroPress that actually looks like it belongs on the kitchen counter, for good.
10. A “very, very special” bourbon that lives up to the hype
Heaven Hill DistilleryGP100 Winner
Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond 25th Anniversary Edition
Specs
| Proof: | 100 |
| Age Statement: | 13 Years |
| Mashbill: | 68% Corn, 20% Wheat, 12% Malted Barley |
Old Fitzgerald dubbed this a VVS release, which stands for Very Very Special, for good reason. These maroon red-labeled bottles had surfaced only twice in Old Fitzgerald’s Bottled-in-Bond Decanter Series over its seven years of existence until this year.
The new third edition celebrates the 25th anniversary of the brand’s acquisition of the historic Bernheim Distillery in April 1999. As mundane as that milestone may sound, the purchase saved the company.
In 1996, some of Heaven Hill’s whiskey warehouses in Bardstown, Kentucky, mysteriously caught fire, setting off an epic blaze. The disaster destroyed about 100,000 barrels of bourbon and the company’s distillery.
The 100-proof, 13-year-old whiskey inside this release was barreled in September 1999, just six months after Heaven Hill acquired the new distillery and rebooted its operations. Heaven Hill stated that they knew they had something special on their hands when they first dumped this bourbon from the cask in 2013 and chose to sit on the whiskey until a worthy moment arose.
Most who have had the privilege to try it agree with Heaven Hill’s assessment. The Whiskey Wash gave it a 10/10. Wine Enthusiast named it to its best 100 spirits of 2024 and awarded it a score of 98 points, tying for a high on the list. VinePair came to a similar conclusion, rating it 98 out of 100 and added it to their best of 2024 selections.
The combination of rarity and reviews has assured that this red-labeled whiskey phoenix, born from the ashes of the Bardstown fire, will go down as one of, if not the most coveted, bottles to collect from 2024.
9. A pellet grill loaded with next-gen smarts
WeberWeber Searwood XL 600 Pellet Grill
Specs
| Cooking Area | 972 square inches |
| Dimensions | 45.75" H x 50.50" W x 23.00" D |
| Fuel | Wood pellets |
| Temperature range | 180° to 600°F |
| Weight | 157.80 lbs |
The concept of grilling is relatively simple: build a fire, cook food over it and enjoy. But grilling like a master is a different prospect entirely. Years of work are required to learn how to control your grill and produce perfectly seared meats and veggies.
However, Weber’s Searwood pellet grills simplify the whole process. If it’s not completely idiot-proof, it’s not too far off.
That’s because the Searwoods — available in 600 and 600 XL options — are loaded with smart tech. This includes digital controls, a smartphone app, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity and remote monitoring. They’re even equipped with “Rapid React” PID technology that automatically maintains your desired cooking temperature — even with the lid open.
Of course, none of that would matter if the grills couldn’t stand alone. Luckily, they can. They boast a temperature range of 180°F (for smoking) to 600°F (for searing). They boast “DirectFlame” cooking that nixes the diffuser over the flame (Weber claims this is a first for pellet grills). They even have a SmokeBoost setting to increase the smoky flavor of your food.
Weber is putting its best foot forward with these grills, which bodes well for the grill giant’s future.
8. A new poster child for the craft vodka movement
Weber RanchGP100 Winner
Weber Ranch 1902 Vodka
Specs
| Proof | 80 proof |
| Ingridients | 100 percent Blue Weber agave |
Despite the hype and attention that whiskey has garnered over the last decade, it may surprise some that vodka continues to be the top-selling spirit category in America by volume. In 2023, the spirit racked up $7.2 billion in US revenue, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. The second highest revenue-generating category was Tequila and Mezcal, at $6.5 billion, which also happened to be the second fastest-growing category in the US last year.
Few people are also aware that in 2020, US vodka regulations changed significantly for the first time since 1949. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, or TTB as it’s known for short, updated the legal definition of vodka to allow the spirit to be “treated with up to two grams per liter of sugar and up to one gram per liter of citric acid.” Translation: the traditionally “neutral” spirit was finally allowed to have character.
For those reasons alone, the business case behind Weber Ranch 1902 Vodka makes total sense. Unlike traditional vodka crafted from wheat, corn, or potatoes, Weber Ranch vodka is made from 100 percent Blue Weber agave, named after French Botanist Frédéric Albert Constantin Weber, who first cataloged the species in 1902.
Its unique production process starts with an initial distillation in Jalisco, Mexico. The spirit is then imported to Muenster, Texas, where it’s combined with water, further distilled in copper pots and column stills, and then finally filtered.
The result is a distinct and delicious vodka with faint tequila notes that’s unlike almost anything else on the market. (Crystal Head, a brand founded by actor Dan Aykroyd and artist John Alexander, launched a blue agave-based vodka called Crystal Head Onyx in 2020.)
But Weber Ranch 1902 Vodka has a secret weapon that’s much more likely to make it a poster child for the craft vodka movement. Specifically, the label is the brainchild of Round 2 Spirits, founded by a host of former execs with extensive experience in the spirits industry, including, most notably, John Paul DeJoria.
Don’t know him? He’s a self-made billionaire who, among his many accomplishments, cofounded the hair product company Paul Mitchell and The Patrón Spirits Company, makers of some of the most well-known premium tequilas in the world.
7. A fuss-free espresso maker that goes beyond espresso
BrevilleGP100 Winner
Breville Oracle Jet Espresso Machine
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$2,000 (8% off)
There are two ways for an espresso machine to improve upon what’s already out there.
It can offer more versatility than its fellow machines, usually by way of customizable settings or extraction methods. Or it can become more user-friendly, removing the fuss (and hopefully the mess) out of making espresso.
Breville’s Oracle Jet, paradoxically, is both.
For starters, it distinguishes itself with the ability to brew not just cold espresso but cold brew. And it does so in three minutes, as opposed to the usual 24 hours it takes your local coffee shop, thanks to a lower extraction temperature that helps to diminish any harsh, acidic notes.
To accomplish this, it swaps out the dual boiler heating system of other Breville machines for something called ThermoJet that can regulate the temperature exceptionally fast — and with astonishing accuracy.
The tradeoff is that it can’t brew coffee and steam milk simultaneously, however, the Oracle Jet more than makes up for it with other ease-of-use additions. These include a more responsive screen, fast-fill water tank and Auto MilQ steam wand, which automatically adjusts temps, thus taking even more guesswork out of one’s morning routine.
6. A mythical cookware name returns, in an unexpected form factor
WagnerGP100 Winner
Wagner Long Griddle No. 1148
Specs
| Casting Process | Green sand casting |
| Cooking Surface | 16.375 x 8.75 inches |
| Overall Size | 19.875 x 9.875 inches |
Wagner is the stuff of legend. Just take a look at eBay, where some of its rarest cast iron wares from the first half of the 20th century fetch upward of $5,000.
Well, as of this year, collectors no longer need to pay secondhand prices to get a Wagner. In fact, they don’t need to shop secondhand at all.
The Wagner name returned to kitchens in 2024 with the release of the brand-new Long Griddle No. 1148, more than 130 years since the brand first opened its doors in Sidney, Ohio.
WagnerThe Long Griddle No. 1148 is cast in gray iron using a traditional green sand process. It measures 19.875 x 9.875 inches, with a cooking surface of 16.375 x 8.75 inches. That means it covers two burners on the stovetop for dual-zone cooking, but it also conveniently fits inside a small outdoor grill.
WagnerAccording Wagner’s new owners, the No. 1148 is just the first reissue in what will no doubt be a bright future for one of the most storied brands in American kitchens.
Here’s hoping its next release is a skillet.
5. A pocket-sized water filter
LifeStrawGP100 Winner
LifeStraw Sip Reusable Stainless-Steel Water Filter Straw
Specs
| Lifespan | 1,000 liters |
| Materials | Stainless steel |
| Weight | 3 ounces |
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$90 (26% off)
LifeStraw makes some of the best packable water filtration devices on the market. Their greatest strength is that all of them are capable of filtering out over 99.999 percent of all waterborne contaminants, including bacteria and parasites.
But up to this point, they look a lot like what they are: bulbous specialty water filtration devices. Plus, they’re all probably just a bit too big to be considered pocket-sized.
This year, the brand has made a big leap toward fixing both issues with the LifeStraw Sip, its sleekest, most compact offering to date.
LifeStrawThese new offerings sacrifice nothing technologically. While they can’t filter out viruses (you’ll still want to remain vigilant around potential fecal contaminants), they do filter out bacteria, parasites and even microplastics. Furthermore, each straw can filter up to 1,000 liters of water, making them a major boon for travelers everywhere.
They also boast a metal exterior that’s only a touch wider than other reusable straws. That means they’re small enough to pack in your bag or glove compartment and can be used discreetly wherever the drinking water might seem questionable.
4. A pizza oven for the rest of us
OoniGP100 Winner
Ooni Koda 2 Max
Specs
| Dimensions | 29 x 16.5 x 25.5 inches |
| Fuel Type | Propane gas |
| Max Temperature | 950 °F |
Pizza ovens have exploded in popularity in recent years, replacing grills and griddles in outdoor kitchens across America.
But even the best examples have one fatal flaw. They’re only big enough to cook one pizza at a time. That might be fine for a week night, but when you’re on the line to feed a bunch of friends and family, well, you better get cookin’.
This year, Ooni’s gas-only Koda 2 Max addressed that issue head-on with an elegantly obvious solution: it’s big. Really big. But it’s also ridiculously useful.
OoniAn extra-large 24-inch stone surface can cook one giant New York-style pizza or a pair of Neapolitan pies at the same time. The Koda 2 Max also boasts independently controlled burners for dual-zone cooking, in case you want to swap one of those pies for a side … or two.
After all, there’s a whole party to feed.
3. America’s first organic NA
Deschutes BreweryGP100 Winner
Patagonia Provisions x Deschutes Brewery Kernza Golden Brew
Specs
| Calories | Undisclosed |
| ABV | Less than 0.5 percent |
This was the year nonalcholic beer grew up, with seemingly every brewery in America releasing their own take on the category — if not several.
Kernza Golden Brew, a collaborative brew between Patagonia Provisions and Deschutes, was the most novel by far.
Deschutes BreweryThe beer is made with Kernza, a perennial grain known to “improve soil health, minimize erosion, preserve biodiversity and protect waterways,” the two companies claim.
But it also has the distinct honor of being the first certified organic non-alcoholic craft beer in the US, exemplifying the key characteristic that makes NAs the most exciting category in all of beer: choice.
2. Not your normal cup of coffee
No NormalGP100 Winner
No Normal Coffee Dark Roast
Specs
| Main Ingredients | 100 percent Fairtrade Arabica beans, organic Swiss beet sugar |
| Coffee Servings Per Tube | 20 |
| Shelf Life | 12 months |
Innovation works in mysterious ways. Sometimes it involves loads of research and development, high-tech materials and cutting-edge design. Other times, it’s a couple of Swiss dudes jamming 20 cups of coffee into a toothpaste tube.
No, really. That’s No Normal coffee, which ranks high on this list not only for the technical achievement but also because, unlike products serving a hyper-specific niche, literally anyone who’s not allergic to caffeine can enjoy the fruits of Philippe Greinacher and Alexander Häberlin’s labor.
The Dark Roast’s incredibly concentrated formula? Primarily 100 percent Fairtrade Arabica beans, sweetened with organic Swiss beet sugar.
No NormalFrom an outdoors perspective, we’ve been impressed with how smoothly you can stir five grams (or more) into 100 milliliters of cold or boiling water for instant coffee that tastes and kicks like real coffee (because it is) — and is ready to drink faster than any backcountry solution we’ve tried.
Because the contents of each 100-gram tube is basically a paste, you can also just squeeze the tasty (albeit quite strong) formulation onto a cracker, banana or directly into your gaping maw.
The original caffeine source, stashable in a pocket and available in literally seconds? That deserves serious buzz.
1. An affordable whiskey that defied stereotypes
Buffalo TraceGP100 Winner
Traveller Whiskey
Specs
| ABV | 45 percent |
| Age | N/A |
| Average Price | $40 |
| Distiller | Buffalo Trace |
We’ll admit that we were skeptical and maybe even a tad disappointed the first time we learned about Traveller Whiskey in late 2023. In fairness to us, though, we didn’t know much back then.
We knew Traveller was the first of its kind project from Buffalo Trace and eight-time Grammy winner Chris Stapleton. We knew it was 90 proof. And we knew it would be a blended whiskey selected from out of 50 recipes tested.
Buffalo Trace DistilleryBut we’d also tried more than our fair share of celebrity back spirits, none of which turned out to be anything special, no matter how much money they wound up making for all parties involved.
And frankly, we presumed that an esteemed distiller like Buffalo Trace, known for making cherished American whiskies including Eagle Rare, W.L. Weller, Blanton’s, E.H. Taylor, Jr., and yes, even “Pappy” Van Winkle, would be above such distractions.
We should have also known better, though, than to doubt Buffalo Trace Master distiller Harlen Wheatley, or Chris Stapleton for that matter, both of whom have clear track records for valuing substance over style.
While we still wish there was more transparency about the whiskey inside the bottle, our taste tests found plenty to appreciate about Traveller’s unpretentious and easy-drinking nature, especially for anyone fond of wheated bourbons and spicier ryes.
Many spirit-tasting experts wound up feeling the same way it turns out.
Now, at the end of its first year, Traveller has racked up 15 medals from spirits competitions since its launch, including “Best in Class Gold” at the 2024 Whiskies of the World competition. That means it’s officially the most awarded superpremium whiskey release of 2024 by Buffalo Trace’s tally.
And in a world now ceaselessly bombarded with increasingly expensive and rare whiskies, it’s refreshing that Traveller sells for a reasonable $40 and more importantly, has remained readily available on many liquor store shelves.
Here’s hoping Buffalo Trace keeps it that way.
You’ve reached the end of this portion of the GP100, a countdown of the year’s most significant releases. Check out the collection page to see what else made the list or browse last year’s winners.