The 28 gifts and treats Filter US writers are loving this holiday season

At the Filter US, our writers test plenty of things in the line of duty: bath towels, sleep masks, AirPods Pro, blenders, toaster ovens, instant coffee and more. So what are they putting in their own shopping carts?

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This holiday season, the Filter team asked our product reviewers to share what they’re personally using and loving. Their answers ran the gamut: a portable projector that transforms any wall into a private theater, a more durable dupe of Converse’s Chuck Taylors, a trigger-point massage tool to loosen tight muscles and laundry detergent sheets that are kind to the planet and easy to use, to name a few. Read on for the 28 most loved items that earned a spot in our writers’ daily lives. Karen Yuan, Filter US commissioning editor

All prices current at the time of publication.

What our writers love to wear

View image in fullscreen Photograph: Courtesy of Buck Mason

Buck Mason Seafarer Shrunken Crew

I don’t splurge often on sweaters, but this Buck Mason slim-fitted crew was worth the extra cash. The California-based brand offers easygoing staples that lean toward menswear while staying wholeheartedly feminine. I already can’t walk a block without getting a compliment on my Felted Wool Chore Coat. I got this lightweight knit in almost-black dark navy, and it falls the perfect length for high-waisted pants. I can dress it up with a skirt and a statement necklace, or throw it on with a pair of jeans for brunch. Tobey Grumet Segal, product writer and editor

View image in fullscreen Photograph: Courtesy of Birkenstock

Birkenstock Zermatt Shearling Wool Slippers

Here in New York, my family is well into slipper season, which a footwear-collecting puppy has complicated. Long story short, I suddenly found myself in need of a new pair of slippers. Since I spend all the other seasons walking around in my Birks, I figured I’d make it a year-round thing. Built around the brand’s patented footbed, these winter-forward Birkenstock Zermatt’s are a little stiffer than your average slipper but incredibly easy on your feet. And the shearling makes them warm and comfy. Tim Stevens, tech writer

View image in fullscreen Photograph: Courtesy of Moonstar

Moonstar Gym Classic Shoes

I’ve been a fan of Moonstar’s subtle style for years. Since my last few pairs of Converse Chucks fell apart in a depressingly short time, I thought I’d see what the quirky brand from Kurume, Japan, could do. I was lucky to visit a flagship store on a recent visit to Jiyugaoka, and picked up this pair of Gym Classics in navy for the equivalent of about $60. That’s less than half what they cost here in the US. Time will tell, but they feel far higher quality than what Converse is putting out these days, and the design is stellar. Tim Stevens, tech writer

View image in fullscreen Photograph: Courtesy of Land’s End

Lands’ End Men’s Calf-Length Turkish Terry Robe

I love fluffy white hotel robes. It’s a weakness. My awesome girlfriend got me a highly rated Parachute robe a couple of years ago, but it showed stray threads among tenacious coffee stains within months. I looked a wreck. So she got me a Lands’ End replacement and it’s been like wearing a cloud ever since.

The Lands’ End white Turkish terrycloth robe has held up better over 12 months than the Parachute robe did.