Get in gear this holiday season with some of our favorite tech picks. (Photo by Mike Garten)

From our IT department to your favorite techie: The GH Institute weighs in on the hottest (top-tested!) innovations this season.

Best Bluetooth Headphones 

Bose QuietComfort 35 ($350, bose.com): You can’t go wrong giving someone a pair of Bose noise-canceling headphones — and now they’re wireless!

Lab lowdown: These had top sound quality in our test and were rated comfiest by pros and testers. Want a budget-friendly option? Plantronics BlackBeat Pro 2 ($200), with handy on-ear controls and sensors that pause music when you take them off, also performed well.

Cool Camera 

Nikon D5500 With 18-55mm VR II Lens Kit ($1,000, nikonusa.com): Get the functions of a pro DSLR camera, including video, without a huge price tag. Our experts liked the Nikon’s hinged LCD screen for shooting from awkward angles and taking quality selfies.

Lab lowdown: This model aced our tests for weight (lightest!), great battery life (820 snaps) and fast shooting.

Mighty Speaker 

UE Boom 2 ($200, ultimateears.com): For serious sound in a take-anywhere size, the UE Boom 2 was a Lab favorite. If you need a DIY system, opt for the PartyUp app to connect up to 50 other UE Boom speakers.

Lab lowdown: It’s compact and fully waterproof – plus, each of its six sides aced our drop test.

Instant Home Theater 

Sony Life Space UX Portable Ultra Short Throw Projector ($999, momastore.org): Create a next-level movie room for less than the cost of some TVs with this Sony projector kit — simply connect any video device and hit play. We love its built-in speakers and the fact that you can place it right against the wall (instead of mounting it on the ceiling or in the middle of the room) and still get a full picture.

Lab lowdown: It’s easy to move around, thanks to the included router (leave it plugged in) and two hours of battery life.

Sleek Sound System

Vifa Copenhagen ($799, vifa.dk): Our pros like this Vifa speaker for its audio quality and minimalist design. It can get tunes via Bluetooth, Air-Play, headphone jack or Wi-Fi Direct — music to our ears!

Lab lowdown: Its built-in handle makes it a breeze to tote from room to room. For equal quality with a smaller size and price, opt for the Vifa Helsinki ($449).

ON ANOTHER MATTER … 

GH Best Toy Awards: Board Games 

Rally the family for hours of skill-building fun! These winners — all under $35! — beat out 41 other new releases in our Lab tests.

Mind and Body Booster 

Memory Yoga (ages 3 and up, $10, two to four players): Memory Yoga is the classic tile-matching game with a Zen twist: Take turns flipping over tiles to pair up yoga poses. Once you have a set, stand up and show off your moves!

Lab lowdown: A few testers said some of the poses were tricky at first, but practice pays off.

Out-of-This-World Adventure 

Xtronaut (ages 7 and up, $35, two to four players): Would-be astronauts get to launch missions into space with Xtronaut, learning scientific stuff along the way like rocket-building and gravity assists.

Lab lowdown: Our engineers were impressed with how accurately it represented space exploration — not surprising, as it was designed by a NASA mission leader.

TABLE 

Tech For Your Kitchen: Futuristic Tea Maker 

Teforia ($1,500, teforia.com): The miracle Teforia tea infuser will smarten up any kitchen with its auto-brewing technology and streamlined shape. Besides adding a modern-art vibe to your countertop, it sets the ideal water temp and steeping time based on type of tea — so you’ll always get the perfect cup.

Lab lowdown: In our tests, it made a less bitter, more flavorful brew. And our experts loved that antioxidant and caffeine levels could be customized via its app. Too pricey? The Lab also likes Breville’s One-Touch Tea Maker ($250), another one that eliminates guesswork.

Recalls Alert 

The following products and vehicles were recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Unless otherwise indicated, discontinue use of the products immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a refund. For more information about the products, call the manufacturer or CPSC’s toll-free hotline, (800) 638-2772. Only some cars or trucks recalled are affected. Contact a dealer for your model to see if it is included in the recall. The dealer will tell you what to do.

PRODUCT/VEHICLE  

PROBLEM 

Skidders Footwear children’s canvas tennis shoes, sold exclusively at Meijer stores located in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky and Wisconsin, from August 2016 through October 2016 for about $10.

The rivets on the shoes have sharp edges, posing a laceration hazard. Consumers should immediately take the recalled shoes away from children and contact Skidders Footwear to receive a full refund. Consumers can contact Skidders Footwear toll-free at (866) 636-1221 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at www.skidders.com. Click on “Safety Notice” at the bottom of the page for more information.

Volkswagen 2012-2013 Audi A6 and Audi A7

The affected vehicles have a fuel hose in the engine compartment that may degrade and leak fuel. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire. Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the under hood fuel pump and fuel hose for free. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Audi customer service at (800) 253-2834. Volkswagen’s number for this recall is 24BZ.

© Hearst Communications Inc.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate