Joni Blecher

Former Smart Home Contributor

Joni Blecher has been reviewing consumer tech products since before cell phones had color screens. She loves testing products and making sure they work the right way. When she’s not reviewing gadgets, she writes stories that help people make the most of the tech in their lives.

A year after the pandemic, bidets are here to stay. Here’s why

Data shows that bidets have been making a mark in the North American market. We explore why the pandemic was a game changer for this bathroom hero.

Smart Home Features         April 25, 2023

The true cost of connected cocktail and beer machines

Thinking about buying one of those fancy cocktail or beer machines to enjoy some of alcoholic beverages at home? There's more to them than just their cost.

Smart Home Features         April 25, 2023

Where have you bean all my life? I finally found the perfect coffee maker

When her beloved coffee maker died, Digital Trends reviewer Joni Blecher found herself lost and caffeine-less. Blecher then embarked on a yearlong journey looking for the perfect new machine. Find out what she discovered in her quest, and get some tips on how you can pick the best model for your home.

Smart Home Features         April 25, 2023

Meater review

Is a Bluetooth-enabled wireless meat thermometer really a better choice than a standard off-the-shelf model? We put it to the test to find out

Reviews         April 25, 2023

Jura GIGA 5 Automatic Coffee Center review

If you love coffee more than your kid’s college fund, then the Jura GIGA 5, which makes a delicious cup of Joe, is worthwhile investment.

Reviews         April 25, 2023

Keurig’s new SMART brewers offer a mind-blowing amount of coffee drinks

Keurig has added two new models to its product lineup, as well as an app with more than 70 coffee recipes.

Smart Home News         September 14, 2022

Ultimate Roomba guide: tips, buying advice, and troubleshooting

iRobot's Roomba robovacs have been around for 20 years, and they're still going strong. Read our ultimate guide to find buying advice, tips, and tricks.

Smart Home Guides         August 22, 2022

Panasonic’s new Automatic Bread Maker targets gluten-free bakers

Panasonic's newest bread maker features a whole lot of smarts and settings that even gluten-free bakers will covet. See what else it has to offer.

Smart Home News         August 17, 2022

WeGym Rally X review: Adding smarts to resistance bands

WeGym's Rally X add smarts to training with resistance bands and an accompanying app to track progress. Are smart resistance bands worth it? Read our review.

Smart Home         June 10, 2022

Panasonic’s smart microwave works with Alexa

Panasonic's NN-SV79MS smart microwave oven lets you use Alexa voice commands to get cooking and reheating started in the kitchen.

Smart Home News         May 19, 2022

ESF00+ Smart Fitness Scale review: Track the good, bad, & BMI

A smart scale is a great way to keep track of your fitness and weight goals. The Etekcity ESF00+ offers a sleek design and a lot of data.

Smart Home         April 29, 2022

Maytag MED6630 Front Load Electric Dryer Review

Do all your kids have to be ready for a sports game on the same day? This dryer can handle that and more. But are the extra features worth the price? Read our review to find out.

Reviews         April 29, 2022

Bartesian Home Bar Review: Bring the bar to your home

We put the Bartesian on-demand cocktail machine to the test to find out how easy it is to use and if really can make a great libation for you and your guests.

Reviews         April 27, 2022

Everything you need for a smart cookie party

Tis the season for baking cookies. We've rounded up the best smart kitchen appliances you need to throw an excellent cookie baking or cookie exchange party.

Smart Home         April 26, 2022

MYX II Plus fitness bike review: Watch out, Peloton

The MYXfitness MYX II Plus fitness bike is a worthy competitor to the other models on the market and it's also a pretty good deal. See why.

Health & Fitness         April 26, 2022

Sharp Smart Microwave Review: Works with Alexa — sometimes

The Sharp Smart microwave delivers solid performance, but how well does it work with Alexa? Read our review to find out.

Reviews         April 21, 2022

Electrolux EFME627UTT 8.0 Cubic Feet 600 Series Front Load Electric Dryer review

The spacious Electrolux 8.0 Cubic Feet 600 Series Front Load Dryer keeps clothes fresh and eliminates wrinkles with its steam feature and sensors that eliminate over-drying of delicate fabrics. Read our review to find out how well it works.

Reviews         April 21, 2022

Keurig Drinkworks Home Bar review: Your favorite bartender at home

This cocktail making machine uses Keurig-style pods to make drinks at home — no bartender required. But are the drinks any good? Read our review to find out.

Reviews         April 21, 2022

Electrolux EFLS627UIW 4.4 Cubic Feet 600 Series Front Load Washer Review

This pod-friendly machine has a plethora of stain-fighting features like Perfect Steam and SmartBoost, but is that enough to get out even the most basic of stains? Read our review to find out.

Reviews         April 21, 2022

Ninja Foodi Dual Heat Air Fry Oven: A real powerhouse

This 13-in-1 smart oven does it all, from air frying to toasting to searing and dehydrating food. But does it do it all well? Read our review to find out.

Smart Home         April 21, 2022

Etekcity Smart Nutrition Scale review: data-rich tracking

The Etekcity ESN00 Smart Nutrition Scale tracks all the nutritional data you could want. We just wish it was more intuitive to use.

Reviews         April 11, 2022

Maytag MHW6630HC0 4.8 Cubic Feet Front Load Washer review

Did you forget that you started a load of wash until the next day? No need to worry about the moldy smell with Maytag’s 16-Hour Fresh Hold Feature. The Maytag front load washer has tons of useful features, but how good is it at cleaning your clothes and fighting tough stains?

Reviews         April 1, 2022

App makes Breville Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro truly smart

Breville's first smart oven and app help you cook recipes from test kitchens and Top Chef alums perfectly every time. See what else makes it so smart.

Smart Home News         March 29, 2022

Samsung DV8750 dryer review

Looking for a workhorse dryer than can handle heavy blankets with the same ease as a small load of delicates? The Samsung DV8750 could be the perfect fit, as long as you don’t expect your clothes to be completely wrinkle-free.

Reviews         January 11, 2022

Everything LG announced for the smart home at CES 2022

LG's newest appliances announced at CES don't just plan to make our homes smarter, but make life better. Can they do it?

Smart Home         January 7, 2022

Schlage’s Encode Plus Smart WiFi Deadbolt boasts iPhone, Apple Watch support

Schlage announced the Encode Plus Smart WiFi Deadbolt at CES 2022 with support for Apple's home keys. See how you can open this lock with Apple Watch and more.

Smart Home         January 6, 2022