The 21 Best Things We Bought in 2020

$125, Hill House Home. Get it now!

Is anyone with an Instagram account surprised to see the Always Pan here? I got this before everything changed in March, and using this pan on the daily is one of the only constants of my year. My husband and I are packing up for our second(!) quarantine move, and when I asked what we should pack in our “essentials” box he (the unofficial chef of the relationship) said: “All we need is the Always Pan.” I rest my case. —Shanna Shipin, commerce editor $145, Our Place. Get it now!

My skin is dry as can be in the winter, and the only—and I mean only—moisturizing cream that actually does the job is La Mer's Creme de La Mer moisturizing cream. It's super expensive, but worth every penny. —Jessica Radloff, West Coast editor $345, La Mer. Get it now!

Calligraphy is the only skill I picked up during quarantine, so everyone on my holiday list is getting a little handwritten snail mail. Papier has some of the prettiest stationery—and having these notecards around the house has been a source of small pleasure during this particularly unpleasant year. —Talia Abbas, commerce writer $28, Papier. Get it now!

I used to wear a bold lip almost every day at the office, but dropped the habit in the early months of nonstop Zoom meetings. This red from Rare Beauty, however, fully revitalized my long-standing love—not only does it look good on video, but it's pretty long-lasting and hydrating too. —Melissa Haney, senior analytics manager $20, Sephora. Get it now!

$39, Amazon. Get it now!

Of course I bought expensive noise-canceling wireless earphones right before I stopped commuting, but I still am glad they're in my life. It makes my daily walk so much more enjoyable! —Anna Moeslein, senior entertainment editor $224, Amazon. Get it now!

In denial about 2020, I resisted buying new sweatpants for way too long—but I'm happy I caved. These are is the softest, coziest thing I've ever owned. I literally look forward to putting them on and have a hard time taking them off. —Sarah Olin, design director $45, Gap. Get it now!

I've used this thing so much in quarantine. Not only is it worlds faster than a conventional oven, but it's quieter than I’d expected and surprisingly easy to clean. And contrary to popular belief, it’s good for a lot more than just frying—like roasting veggies and heating up pizza. I like to think of it as a turbo-speed oven with crisping superpowers. —Erin Parker, commerce writer $96, Amazon. Get it now!

These Evolvetogether masks are the only face masks I truly enjoy wearing. They're fantastic for running, and I can actually wear them without my glasses fogging up, which is a total game-changer. —T.A. $32, Evolvetogether. Get it now!

My husband and I got this as a gift, and we loved it so much we ended up extending our subscription. Every month you get a new box filled with treats from a different country—some savory, some sweet. Since traveling was out of the picture this year, it was a nice way to expand our worldview...and have more snacks around the apartment. —A.M. $29, Universal Yums. Get it now!

$360, Sur la Table. Get it now!

My screentime increased immeasurably this year, and these blue light glasses really saved the day. Keeping the eye strain in 2020! —M.H. $95, Warby Parker. Get it now!

I've known about this magical mask for years, but I brought it back when it was on sale for Black Friday. Literally one of the best decisions I've made all year. My curls seemed to thin and lose definition over the course of quarantine, which has been bumming me out, but the fact that just one shower session with this mask made a visible difference makes me feel optimistic. I kept it on for about 30 minutes and blasted it with the diffuser for impact—and noticed added shine, shape, and body once it tried. Can't recommend this enough! —E.P. $36, Briogeo. Get it now!

I've brought a lot of new (plant) life into my home this year and I love this chic, sculptural planter. It looks good on my fire escape, coffee table, floor—anywhere. And it's sturdy enough that my cat can't knock it over. —S.O. $60, Food52. Get it now!

The single greatest purchase I made in 2020 was a mask chain! It adds a little stylish flair and I don't lose my mask or have to awkwardly put my hands all over it if I need to take it down briefly (as long as I'm outside and six feet away from others, of course!). —A.M. $15, Lockwood. Get it now!

I can't get to New York City this year, so I've brought New York to me, thanks to Goldbelly and endless shipments of my favorite bagels from Ess-a-Bagel, smoked salmon from Russ & Daughters, and just last week, a cake from We Take the Cake. If I can't get there in person, this is truly the next best thing. —J.R. $179, Goldbelly. Get it now!

Since walking around is pretty much the only thing I can do outside my apartment, I have no time for uncomfortable shoes. I've worn these white sneakers to the grocery store, to get a Covid test, and while aimlessly wandering the streets. The leather makes them easier to clean—and warmer! —S.O. $60, Converse. Get it now!

Not to be dramatic but without Dr. Jart’s ceramidin line—and more specifically, its new ceramidin body lotion—I would never find peace. I’m no dermatologist, but let me tell you: this lotion is the only thing that has calmed my eczema this year. No steroid pills, no steroid cream; just the sweet nectar of cermides and hyaluronic acid. Before this lotion came out, I would use the toner and face cream on my body (much to the dismay of my wallet), so I’m feeling truly blessed that this now exists. —S.S. $25, Dr. Jart+. Get it now!

I would not call myself a frugal person by any means, but I'm shockingly stubborn about investing in tech. I have the same old pair of headphones I got with my iPhone 7 four years ago. So when AirPods came out, I wrote them off as unnecessary. Then I received the new AirPod Pros as a gift this year and wondered how I ever lived without them...as did my boyfriend. We both became so obsessed with them (the sound quality! the transparency! the noise-canceling toggle!), we had to start planning who could use them when for Zoom calls and evening runs. Despite the fact that they're not cheap, I finally decided to buy him his own pair, so I could selfishly keep mine to myself 24/7. Believe me, it was worth it. —L.S. $250, Amazon. Get it now!

Besides being able to make soups and smoothies for days, the fact that I can now whip up my own almond butter has been incredibly liberating (bye, prepackaged nut butters) and just lots of fun. —T.A. $450, Vitamix. Get it now!