The Future Is Here: The Vingt Sept Technology Edit
Living in a world where technology is advancing faster than most of us can keep up with can be overwhelming. Every few months, there's a new device promising to make us healthier, smarter, more productive or better connected, yet for all the noise, very little technology actually makes us stop and wonder. The interesting stuff is usually found elsewhere, in the products doing something we have not seen before or taking an everyday idea and approaching it in an entirely new way.
This is a guide for the curious. The people who want to know what is coming next, who read the specifications but are more interested in the thinking behind them, and who would rather own something genuinely clever than the latest gadget everyone already has. From AI and wellness technology to intelligent home devices and innovations that blur the line between technology, beauty and everyday life, these are the products that caught our attention for a reason.
Because after all, being a tech enthusiast is not about owning the most expensive device or upgrading every year. It's about advancement and curiosity. What can technology do now that it couldn't do five years ago? Which ideas are going to change the way we live, and which are little more than clever marketing? The products in this guide have been chosen, tried and tested, because they offer something worth talking about, an ingenious solution to a familiar problem and a glimpse at where our lives might be heading next.
For those who want the very best, wherever they listen
There are few names in music with the cultural weight of Steinway & Sons. Founded in 1853, the piano maker has spent more than 170 years building instruments synonymous with craftsmanship, performance and musical excellence. Steinway Lyngdorf brings that heritage together with the engineering of Danish audio innovator Peter Lyngdorf, creating the only audio systems manufactured in collaboration with Steinway & Sons. It's a partnership that places the brand in a rare space between musical heritage, design and cutting-edge audio engineering.
The Marine Speaker takes that expertise somewhere unexpected: outside. Designed for yachts, terraces and pool areas, it's a full-range high-end loudspeaker built to withstand salt water, spray and outdoor conditions without compromising on sound. The sealed aluminium enclosure is IP65 rated, while its four-woofer configuration is designed to deliver the depth and scale expected from a serious high-end system. Paired with Steinway & Sons amplification and RoomPerfect™ calibration, it can be configured to perform across different outdoor environments.
At several thousand pounds, this is hardly an impulse purchase. It's for the person who notices the difference between good sound and exceptional sound, whether they're a musician looking for something beyond the ordinary, a collector with a yacht, or someone who considers the soundtrack to a summer afternoon by the pool as important as the setting itself. It's also a serious piece of design, created to become part of the environment rather than an object that needs to be hidden away.
For those who want the Ferrari of beauty technology
Radio frequency (RF) has been used in aesthetic clinics for years, heating the deeper layers of the skin to stimulate collagen production and improve firmness. CurrentBody has taken that technology and engineered it into a home device, but what makes this particularly interesting is the level of control built into it. Its Skin Sense Technology continuously monitors skin temperature and regulates the RF energy to maintain 43°C, while three energy levels allow the treatment to be adjusted to individual tolerance. It's the sort of engineering that makes this feel less like another beauty gadget and more like serious aesthetic technology in miniature.
So what can you actually expect? This isn't an overnight facelift. The results are gradual, with the eight-week treatment programme designed to encourage collagen remodelling and improve firmness over time. In CurrentBody’s independent study, 89% of participants saw an improvement in skin tightness after eight weeks, while they also found reductions in the appearance of mild to moderate facial wrinkles. The aim is skin that looks firmer, plumper and smoother, particularly around areas such as the jawline, cheeks and neck.
Why it's unique: Calling it the Ferrari of beauty tech is less about the price tag and more about the engineering. The device is constantly measuring temperature and adjusting its energy rather than delivering RF at a fixed intensity, bringing a level of precision to an at-home treatment that makes it compelling for anyone fascinated by the evolution of aesthetic technology. This is where the beauty cabinet starts to look increasingly like the treatment room.
Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 McLaren Edition & Pi8 McLaren Edition
For those who want their headphones to perform like a supercar
Bowers & Wilkins and McLaren are an unusually natural pairing. One has spent decades pursuing the science of sound, the other the science of speed, and their partnership has already seen Bowers & Wilkins audio engineered into McLaren road cars and supercars, as well as its Formula 1 team. It's a relationship built around the same refusal to compromise, which makes these special editions more than a colourway with a famous logo attached.
The Px8 S2 McLaren Edition is the serious over-ear option, combining custom 40mm carbon-fibre drivers with a dedicated amplifier and DAC, 24-bit audio, aptX Lossless Bluetooth and active noise cancellation. It also delivers up to 30 hours of playback, with a 15-minute charge providing up to seven hours. The Pi8 takes that same philosophy into a much smaller form, with the flagship in-ear model offering high-resolution wireless audio in a pocket-sized format. Both share the distinctive Galvanic Grey and Papaya palette, inspired by McLaren’s racing heritage, but the technology is what makes them worth noticing.
The interesting part is the choice. The Px8 S2 is for the listener who wants to disappear into an album, with the weight and immersion of a proper over-ear headphone. The Pi8 is for someone who refuses to accept that going wireless and going small should mean sacrificing sound quality. At £729 for the Px8 S2 and £469 for the Pi8, neither is an impulse purchase, but both are aimed at someone who feels listening is less background noise and more an experience in its own right.
For those who want their home to smell as good as it looks
Home fragrance has moved well beyond the reed diffuser, and the Kimbie Home Electric Essential Oil Diffuser is a neat example of why. Rather than relying on reeds to gradually release fragrance, this compact USB-powered device disperses essential oils as a fine mist, allowing scent to become part of the atmosphere of a room rather than something that sits quietly on a shelf. Available in a wood finish as well as white, it also looks more like homeware than a piece of electronics.
What makes it interesting is its simplicity. Plug it in, add your chosen oil and let the diffuser create a scented mist in the bedroom, office or living space. At £14.99, it is also an unusually accessible way to experiment with scent technology without committing to one of the more elaborate smart-home systems. Kimbie’s wider philosophy is about creating objects that combine fragrance, design and small rituals that encourage us to pause and enjoy our surroundings.
For those who want their hair tools to do more than just get hot
Hair technology has moved well beyond the basic straightener. The new ghd Sculpt is perhaps the clearest example, using what ghd calls Heat-Adapt technology to create a personalised styling temperature based on the hair being styled. The company claims zero damage to the natural structure of the hair and says it can achieve the same level of frizz reduction five times faster than the original ghd. Its super-slim Infinity plates are designed to get closer to the roots, while the technology adjusts as you style rather than relying on one fixed temperature.
Then there is the ghd Wave, which takes a very different approach. Its three 32mm barrels are designed to create the kind of loose, defined mermaid waves that can otherwise require rather more patience and styling skill. The appeal is its simplicity: clamp, release, and move down the hair, rather than repeatedly wrapping individual sections around a wand. Put the two together, and they demonstrate where hair technology is becoming more interesting, not just making tools hotter or more powerful, but making the styling process faster, more controlled and easier to reproduce.
Why they are unique: Sculpt is interesting because it responds to the hair rather than treating every head the same, while Wave turns a complicated-looking finish into a much more straightforward technique. One is about intelligent heat, the other about intelligent design. Together, they show how the next generation of hair tools is less about brute force and more about making styling work harder for you.
For those who want clinic-inspired technology for one very annoying spot
The beauty of the OmniLux Blemish Eraser is that it doesn't ask you to wear a full LED mask when you have one blemish causing all the trouble. The pocket-sized device uses two clinically studied wavelengths, 415nm blue light and 633nm red light, in a concentrated treatment designed specifically for breakouts. The blue light targets C. acnes bacteria, while the red light helps calm inflammation and support the skin’s natural recovery. It's also FDA-cleared for the treatment of mild to moderate acne vulgaris on the face.
What makes it particularly clever is the way the LED technology is combined with a hydrocolloid patch infused with salicylic acid and green tea. The patch holds the device directly over the blemish, making the treatment hands-free while adding ingredients traditionally used to clear congestion and soothe the skin. Omnilux recommends four 10-minute treatments a week, making this less of a lengthy beauty ritual and more of a targeted intervention when a breakout appears.
For those who want to hack their way to a quieter nervous system
What if meditation didn't require quite so much effort? SENSATE takes a rather different approach to relaxation, using sound that you can both hear and feel. Place the small device against the sternum, put on your headphones and its low-frequency, near-infrasound vibrations travel through the chest while synchronised soundscapes play through the app. Unlike electrical vagus nerve stimulation devices, SENSATE uses sound and vibration rather than electrodes or current, creating what the company describes as a non-invasive way of encouraging the body's relaxation response.
The technology is unusual because the vibration isn't simply bass from the music. SENSATE creates a separate, changing vibration pattern for each soundscape, synchronising frequencies below the normal audible range with what you hear through the headphones. Sessions start at around 10 minutes, making it less demanding than traditional meditation for someone whose mind is already running at full speed. The company reports improvements in measures including stress, sleep and heart-rate variability.
Why it's unique: Most technology asks us to look at another screen, listen to another instruction or actively do something. SENSATE does the opposite. It turns sound into a physical sensation and uses the body itself as part of the experience, making it one of the more unusual pieces of wellness technology for anyone fascinated by the emerging relationship between sound, the nervous system and how we feel. It's a piece of technology that helps us switch off rather than switch on.
For those who like even the smallest details to be well designed
Lighting a candle is hardly a technological challenge, but the Kimbie Home Rechargeable USB Candle Lighter manages to make the ritual noticeably smarter. Instead of disposable gas lighters or constantly searching for a box of matches, it uses a flameless arc ignition that can be recharged via USB. The slim gold design is also a considerable improvement on the plastic lighter usually hiding in a kitchen drawer. It's windproof and can be used for candles, fireplaces and outdoor décor.
At £12.99, this is not trying to reinvent the home. Its appeal is much more straightforward: rechargeable technology applied to an object we rarely think twice about, making it easier to use and eliminating the need to keep buying disposable lighters. The absence of an open flame also makes it particularly useful when lighting candles in deep jars or lanterns, where a conventional lighter can be awkward.
eufy Omni E28 Robot Vacuum & Mop with All-in-One Station and Portable Deep Cleaner - EDITOR’S FAVOURITE
For those who want their home cleaned before they even think about cleaning it
We have reviewed plenty of robot vacuums, but the eufy Omni E28 is by far one of the most impressive. The difference is that it feels less like a robot vacuum and more like an entire cleaning system. Using an RGB camera and LED obstacle-avoidance technology, it maps your home, recognises objects and navigates around furniture without you having to direct it. It can also create maps for multiple floors, allowing cleaning to be tailored by room.
Underneath, there is serious cleaning technology. 20,000Pa suction tackles dust, debris and pet hair, while the DuoSpiral™ brushes are designed to reduce hair tangling. The CornerRover™ Arm extends towards edges and corners, addressing one of the annoying weaknesses of robot vacuums. Its HydroJet™ mopping system is equally clever, cleaning the mop 360 times per minute while applying downward pressure to help remove stubborn marks rather than merely passing a damp cloth over the floor. The station then washes and dries the mop automatically, empties the dustbin and dispenses cleaning solution.
But it's the Portable Deep Cleaner that really sets it apart. Built into the station, it can be removed and used on carpets, rugs, sofas and upholstery, making it useful for the realities of family life. Spilt juice, muddy paw prints or whatever has happened to the sofa can be tackled without having to reach for another appliance. For homes with children and pets, this is where the E28 starts to make more sense than a conventional robot vacuum.
There's also the pleasure of not having to think about it. Once programmed, it vacuums, mops, washes its mop, dries it and empties itself at a low volume level, and Eufy says its 3L dust bag can provide up to 75 days of hands-free dust removal.
For those who want professional aesthetic technology in their bathroom
The significance of TriPollar Aura starts with who is behind it. TriPollar technology was developed by Pollogen, part of medical-aesthetics technology company Lumenis, rather than being created as a beauty gadget from scratch. Its professional TriPollar RF technology has been used in aesthetic treatments for years, while Pollogen also developed Dynamic Muscle Activation (DMA), its technology for stimulating muscle tone. Aura brings that professional heritage into a premium home device.
Technically, it's unusually ambitious. Aura combines six RF frequencies, DMA and 630nm red LED in one treatment. The RF is designed to heat the dermis and encourage collagen remodelling; DMA stimulates the facial muscles, while red LED complements the treatment. It also monitors skin temperature 1,000 times per second, working towards 43°C for controlled heating.
You'll experience an immediate tightening effect after treatment, but the more meaningful changes are expected over several weeks: firmer, denser-looking skin, improved elasticity, smoother-looking fine lines and better definition around the cheeks and jawline. SKINVITY's SGS testing reported improvements in elasticity, density and firmness after 28 days, alongside reductions in the appearance of forehead lines, nasolabial folds and crow's feet.
Why it's unique: Aura is not trying to reinvent RF. Its appeal is the combination. It brings together three established aesthetic technologies in one premium home treatment, positioning itself for tech-lovers who are already interested in professional skincare and want something considerably more sophisticated than a conventional LED mask or basic home beauty device.
For those who want salon-style volume without constantly clamping their hair between hot plates
There's a reason heated rollers have never really disappeared. Unlike straighteners and curling irons, which apply concentrated heat directly to sections of hair, rollers allow the hair to take shape while you get on with something else. Available at Sally Beauty, BaByliss PRO has brought that familiar technique into a more technologically advanced format, with 20 ceramic rollers in three sizes, a five-minute heat-up and two temperature settings ranging from 90°C to 130°C. The ceramic coating is designed to transfer heat evenly while creating a smoother, shinier finish.
The set is particularly interesting for anyone trying to be more mindful about heat styling. It's not heat-free, and lower temperatures don't automatically mean zero damage, but the design offers an alternative to repeatedly clamping the same section of hair between intensely hot plates or a curling barrel. The different roller sizes also allow for everything from volume to softer curls, while the cool rims make them easier to handle.
Why it's unique: This is technology that feels less aggressive. The clever part is not trying to eliminate heat, but changing how we use it, allowing the rollers to do the work while you get dressed, make breakfast or answer emails. For anyone who loves a polished blow-dry finish but wants to rethink how much direct heat their hair receives, it's a surprisingly clever return to an old-school styling technique.
So whether you want a sound system by the pool, a smarter way to take the hard work out of everyday chores, an update to your at-home salon or perhaps a little adrenaline and speed-inspired technology, there's something here for you. We've deliberately looked beyond the obvious to find products that make us stop, look twice and consider what technology might make possible next. Some solve a problem we didn't know could be solved, others make familiar rituals easier or more enjoyable, while a few are here because they are simply too clever to ignore. We hope this guide leaves you curious about what comes next, but also more discerning about the technology you choose to bring into your life.
Words by Jheanelle Feanny
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