The future of AI is moving fast — and at Tom’s Guide, we’re putting the spotlight on the products and services truly shaping what comes next.
The Tom’s Guide AI Awards 2026 are officially open for nominations. If your AI product is changing how people work, create, shop, or live — now’s the time to enter.
AI is more than just chatbots, so we're going to be giving out awards across a number of categories. Everything from image generators to robot vacuums and wearables has AI in it, and we want to recognize those companies who make the most effective use of the technology. Below are the categories for which you can enter; we reserve the right to modify these categories based on the submissions.
Core AI & Productivity
AI is transforming how we work, think and get things done — from writing and research tools to task automation and decision-making platforms. We’re looking for AI products that are redefining productivity and helping people work smarter every day.
Personal Tech (Phones, PCs, & Wearables)
From smartphones and wearables to smart home devices and AI-powered accessories, this category highlights the tech people rely on every day. We’re looking for products that seamlessly integrate AI to make life easier, more intuitive while staying connected.
Smart Home, Appliances & Security
From smart thermostats and security systems to AI-powered appliances and home automation, this category highlights the technology transforming how we live at home. We’re looking for products that use AI to improve comfort, efficiency and peace of mind in innovative yet everyday ways.
Specialty & Future Tech
For this category, we’re looking for bold, unconventional AI products that push past today’s limits and hint at what’s coming next. From the practical to the accessible to the innovative, these products give us a glimpse of AI’s future while improving our lives at the same time.
It doesn’t matter if you’re working out from your living room or your local gym, training for a marathon, or doing your first 5K, here at Tom’s Guide, we believe in helping readers find the products that’ll help them reach their goals.
The Tom’s Guide Fitness Awards 2026 is a chance to celebrate these products — from the running shoes that help someone finish with a shiny new PR, the fitness tracker that leads someone to make healthier decisions, to the new fitness app that has transformed home workouts.
Our awards recognize innovations in the fitness space, admirable efforts in safety, and the brand making waves in terms of sustainability in the fitness world. We’re excited to celebrate the companies striving to make a difference in the lives of consumers.
Home training
All the gear you need for getting fit without the gym — from resistance bands and dumbbells, to smart scales, treadmills, and exercise equipment.
Golf
From rangefinders to game trackers, AI-powered launch monitors, simulators, and apparel, these are the products every golfer needs to know about. These are the brands making the ‘perfect round’ more attainable.
Running
Runners come in all shapes and sizes, and our running awards appeal to everyone from beginner to athlete. We’re celebrating the best running shoes, watches, headphones, and apparel.
Winter sports
The best gear is the kind you don’t notice — it’s the kind that disappears, so you can focus on the sport. Our winter sports awards celebrate the smart goggles, apparel, and gloves of the season.
Hiking
The best hiking equipment earns its weight in your pack. We’re celebrating the smartwatches that double as safety tools, as well as the smartest boots, most intuitive mapping apps, and wearable tech.
Recovery
Every athlete will know performance is only as good as the recovery that follows it. From compression boots and wearable sensors to sliders every runner will reach for post-marathon, this is how to recover in 2026.
Your home is probably the most important space in your life, so whether you’re looking to automate your morning routine or cultivate a backyard oasis, Tom’s Guide is here to help you find the products to make home life more seamless and sustainable.
The Tom’s Guide Smart Home Awards 2026 are now officially open for nominations. From the smart locks that give you peace of mind to the robotic mowers that keep your lawn pristine while you relax, we want to celebrate the innovations that are redefining modern living.
A smart home is more than just a collection of gadgets; it’s an ecosystem that works for you. That’s why we’re looking for everything from energy-efficient smart thermostats and intuitive lighting systems to advanced irrigation controllers and outdoor security setups.
Our awards recognize the innovations in the traditional homes space and standout achievements in the expanding smart homes market. We’re excited to celebrate the companies striving to make a difference in consumers' lives.
Below are the categories currently open for entry; please note that we reserve the right to adjust these based on the breadth and quality of submissions received.
Garden & Outdoor
All the gear for keeping on top of yard care all year round, from lawnmowers and pressure washers to power tools that keep your hedges and trees trimmed perfectly. And we’re also celebrating the best of outdoor entertaining, from firepits to solar lights to grills and pizza ovens.
Home Office
For many of us, working from home has become a central part of life and so we want to put the spotlight on products prioritizing both comfort and productivity. Having an efficient and healthy workspace is what we all aspire to, so we’ll be highlighting both regular and standing desks, office chairs and space-saving organizational must-haves.
Sleep
Considering how crucial good sleep is to our lives, it’s vitally important that our homes support the best rest possible. Our awards will spotlight mattresses, pillows, bed frames and even the top gadgets to include on your nightstand to guarantee you a good night’s sleep.
Smart Home
The best smart devices are those that let you get on with your life without being noticed. From security cameras and Wi-Fi locks to smart light bulbs, we’re celebrating the best gadgets on the market.
Home Appliance
We’re celebrating home appliances that work hard to keep your life running smoothly. From vacuums and air purifiers that keep your home clean and fresh to stand mixers and blenders that are kitchen essentials.
We’re tracking down the latest and greatest home entertainment gear.
My favorite aisle in any electronics store is the TV wall. Looking at how every model looks lined up next to one another just brings me a real sense of joy — despite the majority of them being set to a Dynamic picture mode. (Give me Cinema mode or give me death!)
In an effort to re-create the spirit of the TV wall in the online shopping era, Tom’s Guide is officially opening up our TV & Audio Awards to nominations. If your product can outshine — or out-play — the competition, submit it to our team for consideration.
In the coming months, we’ll highlight the cream of this year’s crop across multiple categories including TVs, speakers, headphones, earbuds and AV accessories. We’ll be selecting multiple entries in each category for awards, so there’s more than one opportunity to win.
Currently, we’re seeking entries in five major categories: TVs, speakers, headphones, earbuds and AV accessories. We reserve the right to modify these categories based on the submissions — especially if we see a number of similar entries in one category like, say, projectors, that might warrant its own individual award category.
TVs
This one’s pretty straightforward: We’re looking for the best and brightest TVs. From OLEDs to QLEDs, Mini-LEDs and Micro RGBs to QD-OLED and SQDs, we want what’s hip and happening in the world of display technology.
Headphones
Headphones come in all weights, sizes and price points. Most of the time we’re sticklers for the creme de la creme of the category. This time, we want to extend the love to smaller brands that may not get as many accolades as the top names in headphones. (Though, those are always eligible for an award as well!) Send us nominations for cheaper headphones that normally get overlooked and flagship killers alike — we’re happy to hear them all.
Speakers
Speakers are a deceptively deep category. Sure, you’ve got your traditional multi-channel speakers and stereo systems in there, but you’ve also got Bluetooth portable speakers and soundbars in there as well. If it makes noise and doesn’t sit directly in or on your ears, this is the category award you want to apply for.
Earbuds
If the product your pitching goes in your ear, then this category is for you. From budget ’buds to cutting-edge earphones, we want to see (and hear) what’s new in in-ear audio.
AV Accessories
This is the catch-all category for our awards. Some obvious inclusions here might be antennas, TV mounts and universal remotes, but anything and everything else is welcome here if it interacts with your home theater and its electronics. Similarly projectors can find a home in this category as can AV receivers. Should these products have their own categories? Most likely yeah — and remember we reserve the right to create categories for them later — but for now we can lump anything that doesn’t fit into one of the above award categories into the catch-all AV Accessories category.
Unsure what category to choose?
If you're unsure what category suits your product best, please reach out to our awards team and we'll be happy to advise where possible.
Contact: ryan.chambers@futurenet.com