Editor’s Picks: What the PopMech Editors Loved This Month – June 2025 Editor’s Picks

June is that magical month when your brain says, “Be responsible,” and your hands say, “Add to cart.” It’s the start of real summer, the kickoff to backyard food ambitions, the season of travel (and losing things in airports), and the moment when every brand remembers you have ears, a front door, and a caffeine habit.

Popular Mechanics’ editors did what they do best: sift through a pile of “new and shiny” and keep the rare gemsthe stuff that makes you text a friend unprompted like, “Okay, but this actually rules.” Below is a completely rewritten, PopMech-style recap of the June 2025 editor’s picks, with extra context, practical “should you?” guidance, and the occasional winkbecause gear is serious, but we don’t have to be.

The June 2025 PopMech Editor’s Picks at a Glance

• Randolph x Shelby Sportsman sunglasses (driving-ready, premium optics)
• GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker (BBQ flavor, indoors, without turning your kitchen into a smoke signal)
• Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active + Skullcandy Method ANC earbuds (big sound for workouts and daily life)
• Schlage Encode Smart Wi-Fi Deadbolt (smart home security that’s actually useful)
• Marshall Emberton III portable speaker (compact, loud, and built for summer)
• Misetto Pour-Over Coffee Dripper (simple, reusable, travel-friendly caffeine)
• Belkin Carrying Case for Nintendo Switch 2 (protection + smart storage for the console everyone’s talking about)

1) Randolph x Shelby Sportsman: Sunglasses for People Who Like Their Summer with Horsepower

There are sunglasses you buy because you need sunglasses… and sunglasses you buy because you suddenly have opinions about “clarity behind the wheel.” The Randolph x Shelby Sportsman lands in the second category.

Why it made the June 2025 editor’s picks list

This collab leans hard into American performance nostalgiaShelby stripes, co-branded details, and lenses designed with driving in mind. The point isn’t just looking cool at a stoplight (though, yes, also that). It’s reducing glare, keeping color balanced, and staying comfortable when the sun is doing that “directly in your eyes at 7:14 PM” thing.

Who it’s for

Drivers, road-trippers, and anyone who’s tired of “fashion shades” that feel like they were assembled from spare feelings. If you want a premium frame that doesn’t treat durability as an optional add-on, this is the lane.

Quick reality check

Premium eyewear is a commitmentfinancially and emotionally. But if you’re the type who keeps a favorite tool for a decade, buying one excellent pair can be cheaper than cycling through a dozen “pretty good” pairs that mysteriously disappear every summer.

2) GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker: BBQ Season, Minus the Backyard Requirement

If you’ve ever tried to smoke meat in an apartment, you know the three outcomes: (1) delicious food, (2) smoke everywhere, (3) neighbors who suddenly have “concerns.” The GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker exists to improve that ratio.

What’s special about it

This is the rare kitchen gadget that’s both ambitious and practical. It’s essentially an indoor system designed to keep smoke contained while still delivering that unmistakable smoky flavor. And because it’s built for indoor use, it’s aimed at people who can’t (or don’t want to) babysit an outdoor rig for half a day.

Why editors (and testers) keep talking about it

The big wins are consistency and convenience. It’s made for repeatable results, and it’s happier doing a Tuesday-night “let’s smoke something” than an all-weekend “I have become the pitmaster” ritual. It also dodges a classic summer problem: heating up your entire home just to cook.

Things to consider before you crown it the king of your countertop

It’s not tiny, and it can throw off heat like a motivated space heater. Also, indoor smoking is still… smoking. You get aromas. You get vibes. You do not get to pretend you made “a neutral-scented pork shoulder.”

3) Skullcandy Audio Double-Feature: Crusher 540 Active + Method ANC

Audio gear is personal. Some people want accuracy. Some want noise-canceling silence. And some want bass that makes them feel like they’re being gently uppercut by a subwoofer (affectionate). June’s PopMech picks covered both over-ear and earbud lifebecause your ears deserve options.

Crusher 540 Active: workout headphones with “don’t quit” energy

The Crusher line is known for its signature, tactile bass experience. The Crusher 540 Active leans into all-day usability with long battery life and a fast-charge setup that’s perfect for people who remember to charge things only after they’ve already left the house. If you want one pair that can handle commuting, lifting, and “I’m doing chores but pretending it’s cardio,” it fits the assignment.

Method ANC earbuds: the lighter, pocketable counterpoint

Earbuds are the everyday carry of audiograb-and-go, stash-and-forget, find them in your laundry later. A solid ANC option earns its keep by making calls clearer, travel less annoying, and focus more possible in a world where leaf blowers are apparently a lifestyle.

How to pick between them

Choose over-ear if you want maximum immersion and comfort for longer sessions. Choose earbuds if portability and quick use matter most. Or do what most of us do: tell yourself you’re only buying one, then mysteriously end up with both by August.

4) Schlage Encode Smart Wi-Fi Deadbolt: The Smart Lock That Feels Like a Grown-Up Purchase

A good smart lock isn’t about turning your front door into a tech demo. It’s about solving tiny, daily problems: Did the door lock? Did the dog sitter leave? Are you standing outside with groceries doing the pocket-pat dance?

Why it’s on a best-of list (again and again)

The Schlage Encode Smart Wi-Fi Deadbolt is a favorite because it’s straightforward: built-in Wi-Fi, solid app control, and features you’ll actually uselike access codes for different people, activity logs, remote locking/unlocking, and alerts that deliver peace of mind instead of panic.

Who benefits most

Anyone who shares access: families, roommates, frequent travelers, Airbnb hosts, or people with a rotating cast of helpers (pet sitters, cleaners, contractors). It’s especially satisfying if you’re the “responsible adult” in the group chat.

Smart-lock skepticism, addressed

The best approach is balanced: use strong account security, keep firmware updated, and don’t reuse passwords. You’re not trying to build Fort Knoxyou’re trying to eliminate the real-world security risk of “I hid a key under the fake rock again.”

5) Marshall Emberton III: A Brick-Sized Speaker with Backyard-Level Confidence

Summer audio needs three things: portability, durability, and enough volume to survive the social chaos of “someone brought a playlist.” The Marshall Emberton III is the kind of compact speaker that still shows up like it’s headlining.

What makes it stand out

It’s tuned for balanced sound rather than pure loudness, with a 360-ish presentation that works well when people are moving around. It’s also built to handle the elementsbecause a speaker that can’t survive a pool day is basically just a fancy paperweight.

The feature that screams “summer”

Battery life. Long battery life is freedom. It’s the difference between “music all day” and “everyone listening to one person’s phone speaker like it’s 2009.” If you’ve ever been the designated DJ, you know why this matters.

6) Misetto Pour-Over Coffee Dripper: The Anti-Gadget Coffee Gadget

Here’s a quiet truth: coffee gear can become an entire personality. But sometimes the best upgrade is going backwardstoward something simple, durable, and easy to clean. That’s the appeal of a minimalist pour-over coffee dripper.

Why pour-over still wins hearts

It’s controllable, portable, and oddly calming. You can make one excellent cup without firing up a big machine. It’s also easy to travel with, which means you can stop gambling your mornings on “hotel lobby coffee” and “mystery pod brew.”

Paper vs. metal filters (the flavor debate in one minute)

Paper filters tend to remove heavier oils for a cleaner cup, while reusable metal filters let more oils through for a richer, fuller-bodied brew. Neither is “right”it’s just what you like. The point: this pick keeps the ritual easy and the cleanup fast.

7) Belkin Carrying Case for Nintendo Switch 2: The Accessory That Protects Your Most Expensive Distraction

When a new console drops, two types of people emerge: those who treat it like museum art, and those who throw it into a backpack next to a water bottle, a power bank, and three snacks that will definitely become crumbs. The Belkin case for Nintendo Switch 2 is for both camps.

Why it belongs in a June 2025 editor’s picks lineup

The Nintendo Switch 2 launched into a hype storm, and a good case became instantly essential. Belkin’s approach is smart: durable exterior, soft interior, game card storage, and details that make real-world travel easier. It even includes a hidden tracker compartmentbecause losing your console bag is a specific kind of heartbreak.

Bonus context: Switch 2 is built for bigger, sharper play

With a larger screen and modern display features, this is a handheld you’ll actually want to use outside the dock. Which means you’ll actually want to carry it. Which means you’ll actually want to protect it. Gear logic is a perfect circle.

Wrap-Up: The Best June 2025 Picks Are the Ones You Keep Using

The most telling thing about June’s PopMech editor’s picks isn’t that they’re flashyit’s that they’re sticky. A smart lock you trust. A speaker you grab without thinking. A coffee dripper that makes travel mornings feel human. Sunglasses that earn permanent dashboard residency. A case that saves your console from the laws of gravity.

If you’re building a summer gear lineup, this list is a strong blueprint: start with the things you touch every day (door, coffee, audio), then add the upgrades that make your hobbies easier (smoking indoors, gaming on the go, road-trip-ready eyewear). Fun isn’t accidentalsometimes it’s engineered.

Field Notes: What It Feels Like to Live with These Picks (500+ Words of Real-World Experience)

An editor’s pick is rarely about a single “wow” moment. The real test is the boring partthe Tuesday partwhen novelty fades and a product either becomes part of your routine or gets quietly banished to the “I’ll deal with that later” shelf. The fun thing about June 2025’s PopMech favorites is how many of them win the Tuesday test.

Start with the smart lock. The first week is all about features: codes, notifications, logs. The second week is when you forget it’s thereand that’s the point. You stop wondering if you locked the door. You stop turning the car around “just to check.” And if someone needs access while you’re away, you don’t do the key-handoff choreography that turns your life into a low-budget spy movie. The “experience” is mostly relief, which is not glamorous, but it’s addictive.

Then there’s the indoor smoker, which is basically a permission slip to cook like a weekend warrior on a random weekday. The experience isn’t just the flavorit’s the flexibility. You can chase smoky ribs or salmon without planning your entire day around weather, bugs, charcoal, or the emotional burden of lighting anything on fire. It’s also a surprisingly social appliance. People smell something good, they ask questions, and suddenly you’re explaining pellets to someone who definitely did not expect to learn about pellets today. The only “gotcha” is heat and space: you experience the joy of BBQ without the yard, but you still need a kitchen that can handle a countertop tank doing its warm, delicious work.

The Marshall speaker is a different kind of experience: it makes ordinary moments feel like events. Backyard hang? Better. Shower concert? Unreasonably better. Packing for a trip? You throw it in because you know you’ll want it. Great portable audio has a subtle power: it improves the mood without demanding attention. And when you’re moving aroundpatio, garage, kitchen360-ish sound means you’re not constantly repositioning it like a needy houseplant.

Coffee is where you feel the pick immediately. A pour-over dripper is tiny, but it changes how your morning starts. It’s not about “becoming a barista.” It’s about control: you can make one cup that actually tastes like coffee you chose, not coffee you accepted. On trips, the experience is even bigger. Hotel coffee becomes your backup plan instead of your destiny. Cleanup is fast, and the whole ritual takes minutesjust enough time for your brain to boot up.

The audio picks (over-ear and earbuds) are about matching the day’s energy. Over-ears feel like a commitmentfocus mode, workout mode, deep work mode. Earbuds feel like freedomerrands, calls, quick walks, “I’m listening to something while pretending I’m not procrastinating.” The experience is having the right tool for the moment instead of forcing one device to do everything. When audio fits your life, you use it moreand enjoy it more.

Finally, the Switch 2 case is the unsung hero experience: it prevents regret. You don’t feel it when it’s working. You feel it the first time your bag tips over, or you squeeze into an overhead bin, or you realize you left the case behind and the tracker gives you a fighting chance. The best protective gear is boring by design. It turns “oh no” moments into “huh, that was fine” moments.

Taken together, these picks share a theme: they reduce friction. They don’t just add features; they remove annoyances. And in summerwhen you’re already spending your energy on heat, travel, projects, and trying to remember sunscreenthat might be the most luxurious upgrade of all.