The worst products shown at CES 2026
At the tech trade show CES 2026, which began on January 6, 2026, numerous companies unveiled next-generation technologies, including
Worst in Show: Calling out Tech's Troubling Trends
https://www.worstinshowces.com/
“Worst in Show” Returns at CES 2026, Calling Out Gadgets That Make Things Worse - iFixit
https://www.ifixit.com/News/115344/worst-in-show-returns-at-ces-2026-calling-out-gadgets-that-make-things-worse
Annual 'Worst in Show' CES list released | AP News
https://apnews.com/article/ces-worst-show-ai-0ce7fbc5aff68e8ff6d7b8e6fb7b007d
The Worst in Show selection was made by consumer advocacy groups including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, iFixit, and SecuRepairs.
Worst in Show focuses on the gadgets with the worst privacy, lowest security, most difficult to repair, and lowest sustainability, and is based on five questions: 'How bad is the product?', 'Can it be said to be revolutionarily bad?', 'What would be the global impact if the technology were widely adopted?', 'How much worse is it compared to similar technologies in the past?', and 'How much do the negative aspects outweigh the positive aspects?'. The products in each category are as follows.
◆ Overall Worst Award: Samsung Family Hub Smart Refrigerator
The worst product was Samsung's smart refrigerator, the Family Hub. The Family Hub is equipped with Bixby, a proprietary voice assistant, and is capable of opening and closing the refrigerator door by listening to user commands such as 'close the door.' At CES 2026, Samsung announced that it would introduce a new system in collaboration with Google's Gemini 3 AI, which will record information such as what users take in and out of the refrigerator.
Samsung's AI refrigerator 'Family Hub' has evolved to support AI Vision in conjunction with Gemini 3, allowing you to recommend recipes based on the ingredients in your refrigerator and open and close the door with voice control - GIGAZINE
However, these features were dismissed by the judges, who said, 'The only function a refrigerator should perform is to cool.' The Repair Association, a right-to-repair organization, pointed out that 'features that rely on voice control, fragile actuators, and external connections create new sources of product failure, customer frustration, and wasted repair costs.'
◆ Privacy Award: Amazon Ring AI
Amazon has announced several security products and added several features to its comprehensive monitoring system that connects your devices with those of others.
'Amazon Sidewalk,' which connects Amazon devices with other people's devices, is scheduled to be rolled out to Japan, and home sensors such as door, window, and glass break sensors will also be updated - GIGAZINE
The Electronic Frontier Foundation said these products 'double down on privacy violations and reinforce the false belief that more surveillance necessarily means greater security.'
◆Security Award: Merach UltraTread treadmill with AI fitness trainer
The treadmill released by Merach features a conversational AI coach that can not only converse with the user but also actively adjust speed and incline based on changes in heart rate.
Regarding this product, SecuRepairs said, 'Internet connectivity and the ability to use large-scale language models increase the risk that devices may collect sensitive data such as biometric information and user behavior. It is particularly unfortunate that Merach itself acknowledges in
◆Environmental Impact Award: Lollipop Star
Lollipop Star is a candy that uses bone conduction to play music when you chew it. It boasts 'music you can enjoy' and 'up to 60 minutes of playback time,' but the battery inside is disposable and not rechargeable, which has led to criticism that it's 'the worst for the environment.'
Lollipop Star at CES 2026 - YouTube
◆ Repairability Award: Samsung Family Hub Smart Refrigerator
It also won the Overall Worst Award. iFixit cited the following reasons for its selection: 'Over-design has increased the number of points that can break, and actual durability and maintainability are not ensured.'
Enshittification Award: Bosch eBike Flow app
Ensitization is a term coined to describe the process by which companies pursue profitability by limiting user choices, resulting in products and services deteriorating over time. Bosch's eBike Flow app allows users to lock their electric bike's battery, preventing it from working even if stolen, but requires a subscription. The company commented that this feature 'will make even routine repairs a permission-based process.'
Who Wants It? Award: Bosch 800 Series Personal AI Barista
Bosch's voice-activated Personal AI Barista was praised for 'integrating a voice assistant and subscription into a product that people want to control before their brain even wakes up in the morning. Most people don't want to have to talk to their coffee maker.'
◆People's Choice Award: Lepro Ami Soulmate
The People's Choice Award, which compiles opinions from general users, went to 'Ami,' an AI companion made by Lepro, a Chinese company that primarily sells lighting equipment. Displayed as a female avatar on a curved screen, this product is touted as an 'always-on 3D soulmate' and communicates by tracking emotional signals such as eye movements and tone of voice. However, users expressed concern over the product's constantly on camera and microphone.
In selecting the Worst in Show, iFixit's Director of Sustainability, Elizabeth Chamberlain, said, 'We certainly intend to cause some embarrassment. We hope that manufacturers will take this as an opportunity to do better next time. However, it is not our goal to embarrass any particular manufacturer, and we hope that manufacturers will make changes as a result.'
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