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The 2025 Kakaku.com Product Awards: A Testament to Consumer Preference

On December 10, 2025, Kakaku.com, operated by Kakaku.com Inc., announced its esteemed Product Awards 2025. This event highlights products that have garnered significant user support throughout the year, showcasing the voices of consumers in a continually evolving marketplace. Kakaku.com is a popular purchasing assistance site based in Shibuya, Tokyo.

Awards Overview

The Kakaku.com Product Awards, now in its 20th year, differentiate themselves from standard product rankings or expert selections. Instead, this award is rooted in user-generated data, utilizing ratings and reviews submitted by customers to determine which products emerge as winners. This year, the awards intricately reflect the current economic climate characterized by rising living costs and an increasing trend towards budget-friendly products.

Categories and Winners

The awards cover fifteen diverse categories. Below are some notable winners:

• - PC Category: Apple’s Mac mini MU9D3J/A dazzled consumers with its efficient performance as a desktop option, bringing home the gold.
• - Tablet Category: Apple’s iPad 11-inch (A16) Wi-Fi 128GB stood out as a reliable tablet PC offering versatility.
• - Camera Category: Nikon's Z50II led the digital single-lens reflex cameras, earning accolades for its advanced technology.
• - Audio Category: Panasonic's Technics EAH-AZ100 impressed audiophiles in the headphones segment.
• - Gaming Category: The Nintendo Switch 2 made waves as a favorite gaming console for enthusiasts.

The inclusion of these products emphasizes the trend of favoring high cost-performance ratios and time-tested, reliable products. Many recipients this year were not the newest flagship models packed with bleeding-edge technology but rather practical, mid-range options with proven capabilities.

Significance of the Awards

The 2025 awards showcase two prominent themes: affordability and the strength of established brands. As the market gradually returns to pre-pandemic product release levels, consumer priorities have shifted towards cost-effective solutions that deliver solid performance. Long-standing products known for their reliability are shining brighter in this environment of frugality.

According to Taka Kamada, the editor-in-chief at Kakaku.com, the results underscore a consumer shift towards durability and value, indicating that in these challenging times,