This Week's Coolest Drops, From Ooni Pizza Ovens to New Balance Sneakers

Give yourself a pat on the back, and maybe even a little shroom treat—we’ve officially crossed the winter threshold, and transcended a February of frozen nips to greet March, the month that gives us the promise of imminently unthawing into our most verdant, stylish spring selves. 

We don’t ascend to this level of excellence on our own, of course. Last week, we had some help from the best drops of the week, which included everything from Hello Kitty ramen to Hoka’s much-anticipated Clifton 9 sneakers (who says you can’t run away from yourself??). This week, we’re slipping into the latest sneaker drop from New Balance, trimming our [redacted] with Manscaped’s latest grooming products, and firing up the latest pizza ovens from Ooni just in time for outdoor party season. 

Slip into something more comfortable, and let’s get you a treat.   

Made in England, New Balance’s latest sneaker drop celebrates the 35th anniversary of the brand’s Flimby factory in Cumbria by tapping into its classic 1988 silhouette, and by bringing suede and leather materials into the mix. Pair ‘em with a velour tracksuit to go full gabber. 

Does Manscaped belong to that specific, contemporary genre of Manly Man™ marketing aimed towards all those bearded dudes who sang sea shanties during lockdown? Definitely. But its products have also earned a glowing reputation across the gender spectrum. The groin trimmer alone has over 71,900 (mostly glowing) reviews on Amazon, with one reviewer writing, “Let me start by saying I am a 7-months pregnant woman, and these clippers are a game changer!!!!!” The brand’s latest drops include the Weed Whacker 2.0 (for nose and ear hair maintenance) and the Beard Hedger electric beard hair trimmer, the latter of which is already racking up great reviews on Amazon. “[It’s] perfect for the short parts of my beard,” one reviewer writes, “[and] It cuts more precisely than any other beard trimmer I've ever used.” 

Listen—when we hear whispers of a new heritage cookware drop, we pull up a chair and get ready to take notes. Le Creuset’s enamel cast-iron cookware has been a Batcall for culinary excellence for nearly a century. The standout of the France-based brand’s spring line is sans doute the drippy herb planter. It’s a subtle, coded luxury-cookware flex that even your snobbiest of food-loving friends will simp for.

Rihanna Mommy has been busy, and blessed us with not only a much-anticipated pregnancy announcement Super Bowl performance but the latest Savage x Fenty spring drop. It’s hard to find lingerie brands that feel sexy, comfy, and not-cheap, and Riri’s got the recipe down; the florals in this collection feel contemporary and graphic (instead of dusty and antique). Find us feeling ourselves in the cheeky panty and bustier.

In the world of homemade pizza chops, there are two types of people, 1) those who Ooni and 2) those who wish they did. We tested the Karu 16 pizza oven for VICE, and it totally rocked our world with its idiot-proof set-up. Now, just in time for outdoor brewski season, the brand has dropped its the Volt 12: The very first all-electric indoor and outdoor pizza oven, capable of reaching 850 degrees Farenheit in just 20 minutes, and the Karu 12G portable pizza oven, which has hella fuel versatility (use charcoal, wood, or propane) and cooks up to 29% faster than previous models. We can truly think of no better way to make friends and influence people this spring.

Take a moment, and have a gander at the window dressings in your apartment. Are they lackluster? Sad? Nonexistent? Getting curtains that don’t look like a Kleenex is a great, renter-friendly home decor investment for upgrading your space. The latest drop from Quince, a.k.a. the rising star of affordable luxury brands, includes curtains in three new fabrics: cotton velvet, luster velvet, and breezy linen, with blackout liners optional. It’s pretty unheard of to find a substantial linen curtain for under $100, and the off-white linen option will make your Bushwick railroad apartment feel like a rustic Italian set from a Luca Guadagnino film. 

See you next week, mate. 

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The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.