Big techCES 2026 Day 3: The most interesting tech that's still on the show floorCute robots, lightweight EVs and a surprisingly quiet leaf blower are among the tech that stood out as the show winds down.Georgie PeruContributing ReporterFri, January 9, 2026 at 1:47 PM UTCEven as CES 2026 wraps up soon, there’s no shortage of standout hardware hiding in plain sight.From genuinely quieter yard tools to ultra-light EVs and companion robots that want to remember your family, Day 3 was all about tech that felt a little more considered — and in some cases, refreshingly practical.If you can’t get enough of CES, be sure to check out our picks for best of CES 2026, which highlights the most impressive new tech we’ve seen in Las Vegas.We’ve also rounded up the CES gadgets you can buy right now if you’re itching to place an order, along with a look at the weirdest tech at CES 2026, because it wouldn’t be CES without a few delightfully unhinged ideas.Tone Outdoors T1 leaf blowerThe Tone Outdoors T1 leaf blower is one of the rare CES gadgets that makes an immediate, obvious impression — mostly because it’s shockingly quiet.
Whisper Aero’s aerospace-derived motor redesign delivers 880 CFM of airflow at around 52 decibels, which we could confirm even amid the noise of the show floor.It also runs up to 50 minutes in Eco mode, supports a forthcoming battery backpack and even includes an LED for nighttime cleanup.Pre-orders are open now for $599, with shipping expected in September.GE Profile Smart FridgeThe GE Profile Smart Fridge is the first smart fridge we’ve seen that feels like it was designed around real problems instead of just slapping a massive screen on the door.
GE’s AI assistant can answer practical questions like where your water filter is, scan groceries via a built-in barcode reader and keep tabs on produce with a crisper drawer camera.The eight-inch display feels refreshingly restrained, while integrations with Instacart and recipe suggestions add utility.It launches in March for $4,899, and for once, we’re genuinely curious what it would be like to live with it.Longbow Motors Speedster EVLongbow Motors brought one of the most emotionally compelling EVs we’ve seen to CES, and it’s unapologetically minimalist.
The Speedster uses in-wheel motors from Donut Labs to hit a jaw-dropping curb weight of just 2,200 pounds, lighter than a Miata.Its stripped-back interior, mystery shift lever and exposed motors feel like a direct rejection of touchscreen-heavy modern cars.It’s wildly expensive at just under $100,000, but also one of the few EVs here that got us excited to drive.OlloBot companion robotAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOlloBot might win the award for most charmingly strange robot on the show floor.
Designed as a family “cyber pet,” it responds to voice and touch, develops a personality over time and stores all its memories locally in a removable heart-shaped module.The robot can help find lost items, make calls and eventually control Matter smart home devices.A Kickstarter is planned for summer, with pricing starting around $1,000.Bluetti Charger 2Bluetti’s Charger 2 fixes a very specific but real problem for off-grid users: charging from your engine and solar panels at the same time.
The dual-input system supports up to 600W from solar and 800W from an alternator, dramatically speeding up battery top-ups.It also works with multiple Bluetti power stations and can even jump-start your vehicle in a pinch.Early pricing is $349 through February 7, after which it jumps to $499.CES is ending, but we’ve got more stories to tellThe CES show floor will soon be closing down, but Engadget still has a lot of stories in our pipeline.
As the crowds thin out, we’re continuing to surface the tech that actually stands out — whether it’s solving everyday annoyances or simply doing something bold and different.Stay tuned to our CES 2026 hub for more hands-ons, deep dives and final takeaways even after CES 2026 comes to a close at the end of this week.
