The Best New Products of October: Rhode, Amazon, Ninja and More

This story is part of NBC Select’s New & Notable column, where we highlight our favorite product launches. We will continuously update this article throughout the month with new releases we think you should know about.

SKIP AHEAD Tech launches | Beauty and wellness launches | Apparel and footwear launches | Travel launches | Home launches | Kitchen launches | Pet launches

Kindles are some of our favorite e-readers, and Amazon debuted four new ones this month. Here’s an overview of each device:

This is Amazon’s first color Kindle, allowing you to fully appreciate the detail in illustrations, photographs and graphics in books. You can also highlight in color and search your highlights by color, which is ideal for students who use their e-reader for textbooks. The water-resistant Kindle Colorsoft automatically adjusts its front light depending on your environment, supports wireless charging and offers up to eight weeks of battery life.

The latest edition of the Kindle Scribe lets you write in books, and as you do so, the text will flow around your notes so you have space to read both. Its display also got a makeover — it has flush white borders and a paper-like textured screen, so you feel like you’re writing in a real book. The Scribe comes with a battery-free Premium Pen, as well as AI features. For example, the device can now summarize pages of your book in a notebook. It’s currently available for pre-order and will start shipping on Dec. 4.

Amazon’s newest Kindle Paperwhite is the fastest, thinnest and largest one yet. It has 25% faster page turns than the previous model and a 7-inch screen. This Paperwhite is also designed with a higher contrast ratio so images are clearer. It has an auto-adjusting front light, offers up to 12 weeks of battery life and is water-resistant. The Paperwhite is available in three models: the Kindle Paperwhite (16GB of storage), Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (32GB of storage) and Kindle Paperwhite Kids.

The Kindle is Amazon’s entry-level e-reader, and this new model is the lightest one so far, at about 5.6 ounces. Like the Kindle Paperwhite, it has faster page speeds, a higher contrast ratio, and a brighter front light. The e-reader, which comes in a standard and kid’s version, offers up to six weeks of battery life.

The Oura Ring 4 offers many upgraded features, including technology that adapts to your body to find the best signal, ensuring that it’s collecting continuous, accurate data while you wear it. Other new features include automatic activity detection during workouts, more detailed fertility insights and additional ways to understand stress levels. The Oura Ring 4 has an extended eight-day battery life, an expanded size range and an elevated rounded design with recessed sensors. The brand’s app is also more streamlined so it’s easier for viewers to read through their daily stats.

With an upgraded camera, durable 8-inch HD display and up to 13 hours of battery life, Amazon’s line of Fire 8 Tablets are ideal for video calls, movies, video games and more. You can buy them with 32GB of storage and 3GB of RAM, or 64GB of storage and 4GB of RAM. The tablets also come in two kids’ versions: the Fire HD 8 Kids and Fire HD 8 Kids Pro.

Extend the reach of your Wi-Fi to a backyard or patio with the Eero Outdoor 7. It works with security cameras, speakers, outdoor projectors, phones, laptops and tablets. The device provides up to 15,000 square feet of coverage, but if you need even more, you can use multiple Outdoor 7 devices across your property. According to the brand, it’s compatible with all Eero systems, is water-resistant, and works in temperatures from -40 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

Raycon’s first bone conduction headphones have an open-ear design and offer up to 14 hours of battery life on a single charge. They’re designed with environmental noise cancellation, which reduces background noise for clearer audio while still letting you hear your surroundings. These water-resistant headphones also have multipoint connectivity, so you can seamlessly switch between two devices. The steel and rubber headband keeps them in place while using them.

Shark makes some of our favorite hot tools, including the SpeedStyle and SmoothStyle. Recently, the brand expanded its lineup with the FlexFusion, which doubles as a blow dryer, curling iron and flat iron. This new tool includes five attachments, allowing you to simultaneously dry and style wet hair, or refresh dry hair. The compact and lightweight tool does all of this without damaging your scalp or causing heat damage, according to the brand.

Adding a sixth product to its skin care line, Rhode released this non-comedogenic barrier butter, which has the National Eczema Association’s Seal of Acceptance. The buttery-smooth balm has ingredients like hyaluronic acid, ceramides and murumuru butter. It helps strengthen the skin barrier while moisturizing it overnight so you can wake up with soft, glowy and plump skin. You can use this balm as needed or as a spot treatment on the hands, elbows and more.

This non-slip sleep mask conforms to every face shape and helps block out all light to improve your slumber. To further enhance your resting time, it has three adjustable sleep-inducing vibration patterns, which help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer, according to the brand. The lightweight, breathable, machine-washable mask is portable, so you can use it at home or when traveling.

Nutrafol, known for its hair care supplements and serums, added this 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner to its men’s hair care collection. The multitasking product promotes hair growth by unclogging hairs, supporting the scalp barrier and reducing dryness and flaking, according to the brand. The conditioner characteristics of this 2-in-1 add light volume to the hair, softening it so you can easily style it. This gentle, daily hair care product is formulated without common irritants, including sulfates, parabens and synthetic fragrances.

Although pimple patches are mainly used to prevent picking, these hydrocolloid patches help soothe, protect, and heal dry, flaky or freshly picked spots. The stars use aloe vera, vitamin A and licorice root to moisturize and soothe the skin, reduce redness and the appearance of scars and encourage cell turnover. Just place a patch on clean, dry skin and leave it on for at least six hours. You then remove the patch and repeat as necessary until your pimple is fully healed.

Foreo, which makes some of our favorite skin care devices, has entered the hair care world with this scalp massaging device. Using silicone bristles, red light therapy and the brand’s T-Sonic pulsations, this tool helps cleanse the scalp by loosening buildup and removing dead skin. Stimulating the scalp also strengthens the hair, as well as combats thinning and breakage. Lastly, the Luna 4 helps massage hair treatments like masks into the scalp and hair, ensuring that each strand is coated and can absorb the product.

This hair tool uses warm steam to open the hair shaft to hydrate and moisturize all hair types. Doing so allows for other hair products to penetrate the hair better so you have shiny, healthy and non-breaking hair, according to the brand. The steamer has two attachments. Its diffuser is best for curly, coily, afros and loc’d hair, and it steams the ends while creating a halo of vapor. On the other hand, the prong attachment can lift and separate the hair to steam it from the roots to the ends, add volume and stretch natural textures, according to Pattern.

This creamy, fragrance-free serum uses three types of retinoids to improve fine lines and uneven texture, helping create a smoother, more radiant and firmer look and feel, according to the brand. However, some skin types are sensitive to retinoids, so this serum is made with additional ingredients like peptides, ceramides and botanical extracts to combat common signs of irritation like dryness, flakiness and redness. These skin barrier-supporting and soothing ingredients allow the retinol to be maximally effective, according to the brand.

Loop makes some of our favorite earplugs, and the brand’s most recent launch helps block out noise (including snoring) so you can sleep comfortably, according to the brand. It has an easy-to-clean, soft, silicone loop shape that reduces pressure on the ear, while its customizable foam-silicone ear tips align with the curvature of your ear for a secure fit.

Colorescience recently released its first mascara — it’s an ophthalmologist-tested tubing mascara that helps lengthen and strengthen eyelashes with its prostaglandin-free formula. The eyelash serum, conditioner and mascara hybrid promotes lash growth, prevents fallout, increases lash density and reduces dryness with the help of botanical extracts, peptides, panthenol and jojoba seed oil, according to the brand.

“I have sensitive skin and eyes, and for the past month and a half, this mascara has been a constant go-to in my routine because it’s not irritating at all,” says NBC Select associate reporter Bianca Alvarez, who received a sample in late August. “Since it’s a tubing mascara, it never creates any fallout under my eyes, and when it’s time to wash my face at the end of the day, it’s so easy to remove. Other mascaras require hard scrubbing, which always causes me to lose one to two lashes, but this one essentially slides off my lashes.”

Evolvetogether’s launches this month include a body cream and this body cleanser. With its key ingredients, the cream-like body wash targets multiple concerns: strengthening the skin barrier, moisturizing, soothing, softening, protecting and improving fine lines. It does all of this without leaving the skin dry, tight and with a lingering residue. Instead, after creating a rich lather from head to toe, it leaves a subtle lingering scent. It’s available in two fragrances: Monaco (notes of mandarin and rose) and Havana (notes of cardamom and wood.)

Suitable for all ages, this shampoo gently cleanses textured hair and the scalp while making wavy and curly hair more manageable, soft, and shiny without drying it out. The dermatologist- and pediatrician-tested creamy shampoo is formulated without common irritants like sulfates and silicones and instead uses shea butter to moisturize and soften brittle hair and avocado oil to reduce frizz without weighing down any patterns, according to the brand.

This cleansing bar, suitable for the face and body, combats dark spots, discoloration and hyperpigmentation. Reviewers say the bar creates a nice sudsy lather that doesn’t irritate the skin or leave it feeling stripped of natural oils. Instead, it is an effective solution to improving scars and spots. That’s because it uses tranexamic acid and kojic acid to brighten and even out the tone of the skin, while additional ingredients like olive, niacinamide and antioxidants will help keep the skin calm, soft and radiant, according to the brand.

After two years of no new releases, Selfmade debuted a new body care item — a balm that focuses on relieving pains and aches. The semi-solid melting recovery balm relieves muscle tension and pain while providing skin care benefits with the help of medicinal fungi, turmeric root stem cells and arnica montana extract, according to the brand. All you have to do is apply a small amount to your joints or muscles, and the ingredients will help reduce inflammation, protect the skin from stress and damage, moisturize and soothe aches.

Hairstory, the brand behind one of our favorite expert-recommended cowashes, recently came out with a hair primer and this pre-wash. When using scalp rinse before washing your hair, it allows the ingredients in the formula to remove buildup, oil and dirt while also balancing the scalp’s microbiome so it stays moisturized and extends the period between wash days, according to the brand. For the best results, you can divide your hair into sections and apply this rinse directly to your scalp using its applicator tip and massage it in or use it between wash days to refresh hair without worrying about a leftover greasy residue.

Solawave makes some of our favorite skin care devices, including the 4-in-1 wand and LED face mask, but now they’re expanding their topical product lineup with the LightBoost collection. The recent releases include a wand-activating serum, face and neck cream, face and neck serum and eye cream — all of which coincide with the light therapy seen in their devices and help improve signs of aging like fine lines and dull skin, according to the brand.

Unlike traditional toners, which can be drying, this option from Peach & Lily hydrates, nourishes and conditions the skin. It also strengthens the skin barrier and improves the tone and texture for more radiant, smoother skin, according to the brand. That’s because the liquid, lightweight skin care product uses four ingredients, including a rice wine complex, rice bran extract, urea and skullcap.

With Olive & June releasing gel nail polishes, the brand also released a new system—the Gel Mani System, which comes with 11 components so you can give yourself a salon-like manicure that lasts up to 21 days from the comfort of your home. Reviewers say that the polish itself is durable and easy to use, and the system as a whole is great for improving nail and cuticle health.

It includes a poppy (the brand’s tool for painting nails with the non-dominant hand easily), an LED gel lamp (to cure your nails in a few minutes), base coats, a top coat and nail care items such as a cuticle serum, file and buffer. It also comes with gel nail polish (you can choose which of the 28 colors you prefer) and any add-ons you want, like a nail strengthener.

Although The Ordinary has had a hyaluronic acid serum in its product lineup, it recently re-released its original formula. Unlike the Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (with ceramides), this original serum has a richer texture and uses four types of hyaluronic acid to hydrate and smooth the skin, according to the brand. This inclusion and pro-vitamin B5 help maintain moisture in the skin and strengthen the skin barrier.

Brooks took what runners (including many on NBC Select’s staff) love about the Glycerin sneaker and made it more responsive, plush and supportive by adding a thick layer of nitrogen-infused cushioning in the midsole. The shoe, available in men’s and women’s sizes, has a pronounced rocker shape, encouraging smooth heel-to-toe transitions. There are larger cushioning cells in the sneaker’s heel for soft landings and smaller cushioning cells in the forefoot for bouncy toe-offs.

The brand sent Zoe Malin, NBC Select associate updates editor, a pair of the Glycerin Max shoes to try, which she’s been running in for over a month. “These sneakers are unlike any other pair of Brooks I’ve worn in because they truly make me feel like I’m running on a cloud,” she says. “The added cushioning takes so much pressure off my joints. They’re also quite lightweight for a highly cushioned sneaker — I’ve run up to 10 miles in them and they make me faster because they keep my feet, ankles and knees so comfortable.”

Hoka added two new hiking boots to its Kaha 2 collection just in time for the cold months ahead. Both are made from a water-resistant outer material and a thick, grippy outsole

Compared to Hoka’s original lace-up, high-top Kaha 2 boot, the latest model has more insulation and reflective foil to warm your feet. It’s also designed with a compression collar to keep chilly air, snow and water out of your shoe.

This low-top bootie has quilted, puffy panels filled with an insulating material. It also has a stretchy fleece collar that hugs the ankle. The shoe’s quick-lace toggle lets you slip it on your feet.

With the ability to adjust the leg length or back plunge of Knix’s new shapewear, you can customize it to perfectly fit your outfits. The collection includes three pieces: the Scoop Neck Shaper Bodysuit (standard or thong), Open Bust Mid-Thigh Shaper Bodysuit and High Rise Shaper Short (standard or leakproof). All bodysuits have three marked sections on their backs, which you can cut along depending on how deep you want their plunge to be. You can also cut along marked sections on the legs of the Open Bust Mid-Thigh Bodysuit and Shaper Shorts to shorten the thigh area by two to six inches, accommodating short garments or slits.

Compared to the previous model, New Balance’s latest Fresh Foam X 1080 sneakers have more stability, support and breathability. The refined mesh upper allows for increased airflow to keep your feet cool, plus it helps the shoe maintain its light weight. New Balance also updated the sneaker’s outsole to enhance its propulsive feel, encouraging smooth transitions as your feet hit the ground and push back off. There’s also extra rubber in high-wear areas of the shoe to make it more durable. You can purchase these sneakers in men’s and women’s sizes.

This is Baloo’s first robe, made from linen, which keeps you cool during the summer and warm during the winter. The machine-washable material gets softer over time, too. Baloo’s kimono-style robe has interior ties and an exterior belt to secure it closed, as well as a shawl collar, two pockets and an interior hanging loop.

Instead of shaping and lifting the chest with a stiff metal underwire, this bra uses a flexible silicone wire that adapts to the shape of your body, making for a more comfortable, custom fit. The silicone wire is also coated with a slip-proof material so it doesn’t move around. Eby’s 3D Precision Bra is made from soft fabric and has supportive 3D wings, which reduce the appearance of side bulge. Its molded cups also help shape your silhouette.

Calpak’s Luka collection is an NBC Select-staff favorite, including two NBC Select Travel Award winners. Recently, the brand expanded its beloved collection with this mini tote. Suitable for your daily routine or travels, the lightweight tote has a roomy interior to store essentials and pockets to keep items organized. It has the Luka collection’s signature soft, puffy exterior, durable shoulder straps, two exterior phone pockets and a key clip. “I recently took this on a trip back home to Washington D.C. and was pleasantly surprised with how much it can fit,” says Alvarez. “I could fit in my toiletry bag and two outfits, along with essentials like my wallet, keys and hand sanitizer.” It’s available in four colors: Matte Black, Chocolate, Oatmeal and Rose Quartz.

While you can use Jansport’s new backpacks separately, they snap together so you can wear one on your back while wearing the other on your chest. The Venture Pack has a 40-liter capacity with a large main compartment, two side pockets for water bottles, a padded laptop sleeve, interior organization pockets and a zipper lock. The bag’s compression system keeps it compact, plus it has adjustable padded straps. The Venture Daypack is smaller than the Venture Pack, but it still has a roomy main compartment, a padded laptop sleeve and two side pockets for water bottles. Both bags fit in planes’ overhead compartments.

Windmill is expanding beyond cooling appliances with its new smart air purifier, which has a three-layer filtration system with a pre-filter, HEPA filter and activated carbon filter. The air purifier connects to a companion app, which lets you control it remotely, set schedules and monitor your room’s air quality. The appliance responds to voice commands, too. Windmill’s air purifier has auto-dimming lights, two sleep modes (including one that offers white noise), a deep-cleaning boost mode and an auto-adjusting eco mode. It’s available in three finishes: bamboo, white and navy.

Malin has been trying Windmill’s air purifier for about a month. “It’s undeniable that this is the most attractive air purifier I’ve ever seen. It blends into my space, and because it’s almost completely silent, I forget it’s there,” she says. “I also love that I can enable a child lock through the app so my cats can’t accidentally change the settings when they jump on it.”

The Tushy Wave replaces your toilet seat and has a built-in bidet powered by water pressure. The brand says it takes less than 15 minutes to install, and it’s available in elongated and round shapes to fit on almost any toilet. The seat has a knob that lets you control water pressure and two nozzles to wash your front and rear.

Building on its Ottoman, one of our favorite toilet stools, Tushy released the Arc, which has a curved shape that hugs the front of your toilet so you can tuck it away when it’s not in use. The Arc’s matte finish gives it a polished look, and it has four non-slip rubber foot pads.

Canopy’s humidifier just got a major overhaul. It has a new filter to ensure it’s adding the purest moisture possible to your air, and its grill is now removable, making it easier to clean. The brand also added a soothing red light to the humidifier, plus an optional white noise feature. Beyond those upgrades, the appliance has all the features its original model did, including UV LEDs and mold-resistant materials, plus a built-in aroma diffuser.

Just in time for the cold months ahead, Parachute released cotton flannel quilts, sheets, shams and pillowcases to keep you warm while sleeping. The soft, cozy fabric has a velvety touch and a heathered finish. You can purchase flannel bedding in two colors: Bone (off-white) and Thyme (muted green).

In addition to upgrading three of its bestsellers — the Original, Mint and Mint Hybrid — Tuft & Needle launched a new mattress, the Original Hybrid. It’s made with various types of foam that respond to your body’s weight, supporting you without making you feel like you’re sinking into the material. The mattress also has a layer of individually wrapped coils, which isolate motion so you don’t disturb your partner. The breathable, cooling mattress is available in sizes from twin to California king.

Great Jones’ double-sided cutting board is ideal for prepping ingredients or serving charcuterie. It’s made from non-porous plastic that won’t retain smells and has a grippy textured surface. There’s also a juice groove around the perimeter that collects excess liquid. The cutting board has a looped handle that makes it easy to grip and hang on a peg board. While you can put it in the dishwasher, the brand recommends washing it by hand.

Great Jones also recently collaborated with Lamson to launch two steel chef’s knives in the brand’s exclusive Blueberry and Raspberry colors.

The first brew device from Verve Coffee Roasters is this BPA-free silicone pour-over dripper that can create a 10-ounce cup of coffee in three minutes or less. Inspired by Japanese single-use brewers, this option can hold a coffee filter within the brewer and has a bottomless design so that coffee can flow freely directly into your cup. It’s available in seven neutral and bold colorways, and each kit comes with a brewer and a measuring scoop.

The Ninja Crispi is a portable air fryer cooking system with four functions: max crisp, bake, air fry and re-crisp. To use it, you fill one of the included glass containers with ingredients and snap on the handheld cooking pod, which circulates hot air up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit to make food tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. When your meal is cooked, you can serve it or store it directly in a glass container with a lid. It’s also easy to reheat leftovers — just take off the container’s lid, pop on the cooking pod and turn it on.

Fellow’s first coffee maker is an automatic drip machine that makes pour-over quality coffee. It has a built-in bloom cycle, which pre-wets grounds to extract the most flavor possible. The brewer comes with a thermal carafe and lets you make one to 10 cups of coffee at a time, plus you can choose from multiple preset programs, including those for light, medium and dark roasts, as well as a cold brew. This coffee maker also pairs with a companion app, which will soon allow you to control the appliance remotely and pre-schedule brews.

Vitamix’s Ascent X Series is the brand’s most premium line of blenders, and it includes four models: the X2, X3, X4 and X5. The blenders come with up to 10 recipe programs, a digital timer, a self-cleaning program, tamper storage and variable speed control. They also come with a 48-ounce container to make smoothies, soups, dips and more. The X4 and X5 blenders have the most comprehensive features, including blending feedback technology to guide you, a tamper indicator that alerts you when to use the tool and a +15 seconds button to add more time to a bending program.

Dreo’s milk frother helps anyone make barista-level beverages at home. It has tailored programs for different milks, and lets you specify an exact temperature and foam type, like warm microfoam, hot thick foam or cold foam. The appliance is ideal for making lattes, cappuccinos and Americanos, but if coffee isn’t your thing, you can whip up powder-based drinks directly inside the frother’s stainless steel, dishwasher-safe pitcher, including matcha and hot chocolate.

Algae Cooking Club now offers two infused algae oils: gochugaru chili and shiitake mushroom. The gochugaru chili oil has a bright smokey flavor, while the shiitake mushroom oil is savory and earthy. Both oils have some heat, and they’re best for drizzling over food like pizza, noodles, roasted vegetables and avocado toast.

This cold brew coffee machine takes what’s traditionally a 20-hour process and cuts it down to 43 seconds, according to the brand. It makes cold brew, nitro cold brew and cold espresso without heat, and is compatible with the brand’s aluminum coffee capsules that the machine automatically cleans after each brew cycle. That means you can remove the capsules from the machine and immediately recycle them. The Cumulus coffee maker comes with a 12-pack of capsules, which you can buy more of as needed on the brand’s website.

Pawsync, a new pet care brand, just launched its first Smart Pet Feeder product. It connects to a companion app that lets you track your pet’s food intake, monitor their eating habits, set feeding schedules, and record a personalized voice message to play at mealtime. The feeder offers various feeding modes, and it detects when leftover food is still in the bowl to adjust the quantity accordingly for the next meal. There’s a built-in scale that precisely measures food, and six days of backup battery power in an emergency.

After making some of our favorite sleep products, including NBC Select Bed & Bath winners, Buffy has entered the pet care world with its Orthopedic Pet Bed. Underneath the removable sherpa or corduroy cover are three layers: a comfort layer, an orthopedic foam layer, and a gel memory foam layer. The bed, which comes with a removable pillow, is machine washable and comes in three sizes (small, standard and oversized).

To round up the best new launches each month, Zoe Malin, associate updates editor, and Bianca Alvarez, associate reporter, choose products they think NBC Select readers should know about. They include products from brand’s NBC Select previously covered, or brands NBC Select staffers recommend. Malin and Alvarez also regularly try new product launches to share their experience with items.

Catch up on NBC Select’s in-depth coverage of personal finance, tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.

Zoe Malin is an associate updates editor for Select on NBC News.

Bianca Alvarez is an associate reporter at NBC Select.