Our pickThis is one of the best bookshelf speaker pairs we’ve heard, with extraordinary clarity and spaciousness plus plenty of bass. The design is attractive but somewhat big and boxy.The Triangle Borea BR03 pair is a great buy for serious music lovers who want the enveloping sound of real audiophile-grade speakers but don’t want to…
Category: Tech Reviews
Reviews of new tech gadgets, software, and tools, with an emphasis on how they can be used for coding..
The Best USB Microphone
Our pickExperts on our test panels have consistently agreed that the Yeti records some of the best-sounding vocals, and it’s a versatile, solidly built mic you can use for years.The Blue Yeti has been our pick since 2013, coming out on top during every retest of available microphones. In our latest brand-concealed, sample-based test with…
The 25 Best Gifts for Frequent Travelers
Years ago, senior staff writer Kit Dillon’s father went to Cuba and saw a clay statuette of Fidel Castro for sale. Kit said that when the vendor told his father the price, he said, “Castro no vale tanto” (translation: Castro isn’t worth that much). That may seem risky for an American to say while traveling…
The Best Headlamp
Our pickThe Spot 400 is an easy-to-use, bright-enough headlamp that provides long-lasting battery life and reliable performance, year after year.Whether you’re car camping or digging through a closet, the Black Diamond Spot 400 provides exactly what you need: a bright beam, easy-to-navigate buttons, and long-lasting battery life. The Spot has been at the top of…
The Best Portable Chargers and Power Banks for Phones and
Whether you’re a glued-to-your-screen smartphone owner who can never make it through a day on a full charge, or you just need an occasional battery boost, USB power banks are a panacea for low-battery anxiety.After putting in hundreds of hours of research and testing, we’ve found that the Belkin Boost Charge Plus 10K is the…
You’re Probably Wearing Your Backpack Wrong
Plagued by back pain? Yeah, same. While there are many factors outside our control (the march of time, our evolutionary past), a few culprits are worth addressing (looking at you, wallets)— including how we wear our backpacks. Whether you’re heading back to school, returning to the office, or traveling, a bag that is correctly adjusted…
The Best Reading Light
Our pickThe Glocusent Bookmark Style Reading Light stood out for its array of lighting settings and its lightweight design. It’s easy to twist and adjust the small light so it covers the full page and to adjust the brightness and temperature of the lighting (although we found the buttons almost too sensitive). The light was…
The Best Spiralizer
Zoodles may not be as of-the-moment as they were a couple of years ago, but they can still be a healthy staple in your day-to-day diet. A good spiralizer should help you effortlessly create spiralized or ribboned vegetables with ease.After putting in over 30 hours of research, spiralizing many pounds of vegetables, and consulting with…
Ruggable’s Washable Rugs: Why We Love Them (but Also Hate
As with many other goods these days, prices for the rugs have gone up slightly over the last several months. For example, that 6-by-9-foot rug I bought would now cost about $319 instead of $299. You might be tempted to save some money and buy a Ruggable topper without a pad, but just using the…
The Best Laundry Baskets and Hampers
A laundry basket or hamper can bring order to a mountain of dirty clothing and make you feel ready to take on not only laundry day, but the chaos of daily life in general.We spent more than 50 hours researching and testing 22 laundry baskets, hampers, sorters, and backpacks—in a variety of sizes and materials.Ultimately,…
The Best Waterproof Mattress Protectors and Pads
If you want to shield a mattress from spills, potty training accidents, or pet messes, we recommend the SafeRest Premium Mattress Protector.After 240 hours researching and testing 14 protectors, we found the SafeRest did the best job at keeping our mattress dry, while also feeling comfortable to sleep on.And after multiple washes, it retained its…
The Best Hangers
Our pickLightweight and slim with uniform construction, the Proman Kascade Hanger is an affordable, classic, and versatile clothing hanger style. Its consistently smooth edge finishing, hooks for chain-linking hangers vertically, and sturdy construction set it apart from competing models we tested. Our top all-purpose wooden hanger pick has range: It’s strong enough to hold heavier…
The Best Shoe Rack
Our pickThe Seville Classics 3-Tier Resin Slat Utility Shoe Rack stacks vertically or connects horizontally to make the best use of your available space, and also allows you to remove or reposition shelves to accommodate tall shoes and boots that don’t fit on other designs. Tiny toddler sneakers, tall heels, and men’s size 12 shoes…
Using Nonstick Spray on Nonstick Pans Is a Terrible Idea
On paper, it sounds pretty obvious: To help your nonstick metal or ceramic pans achieve maximum nonstickiness, spritz on a little nonstick cooking spray. In practice, however, it’s an example of two rights making a wrong. Nonstick cooking spray can actually cause your cookware to lose its nonstick properties.The problem, as we note in our…
The Best Under-Sink Water Filter
Anyone who goes through more than a couple of gallons of drinking water a day will probably be happiest with an under-sink filtration system like the Aquasana AQ-5200. Unlike pitchers, under-sink filters provide a continuous supply of water on demand. We recommend the Aquasana AQ-5200 because its certifications are among the best of any system…
The Best Gas Grills
Ah, fresh air and a juicy grilled burger—pure warm-weather delight. But a subpar grill can kill that buzz real fast.To help you keep the good vibes (and good food) going, we cooked burgers, barbecue, and chicken on seven top-rated grills—and researched dozens more—to find the best.We recommend the Weber Spirit II E-310. No grill matches…
Buying a Gas Stove or Dryer? Read This First
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)—the biggest climate bill in US history—will help push more Americans toward solar panels, electric vehicles, and renewable energy sources. It may also change how people cook and do laundry: The bill sets aside $4.5 billion for the first-ever federal consumer rebates on electric appliances such as ranges, ovens, cooktops, and…
Remnant 2 Review: This Shooter-RPG Hybrid Is Full of Secrets,
People can’t stop talking about Remnant 2, the summer’s first surprise video game hit. TikTok, YouTube—the game is everywhere. It has sold more than a million copies since its launch last week, and for good reason. Remnant 2 is a tangle of mysteries and secrets that all those players are working to unravel—and it’s a…
How to Improve Indoor Air Quality
No matter who you are, you can benefit from breathing better air inside—a fact that has become clearer with the rise of wildfire smoke and COVID-19, alongside a growing body of research showing that many everyday household products off-gas potentially harmful chemicals.Improving indoor air quality may be especially important for members of vulnerable groups, including…
Why We Love Bosch Dishwashers
But most people want a dishwasher that’s also quick, and durable, and good-looking, and affordable, and that gets the dishes dry. It will have to work well in hard water and soft water alike, as well as meet—and ideally surpass—the federal efficiency requirements.For my money, Bosch dishwashers do the best job of threading that needle.…
The Phone Setting That Every Parent Should Try
The time I felt most judged as a parent happened just after my third child was born. As friends and family members conveyer-belted their way through my postpartum haze with onesies and trays of lasagna, they’d comment as I picked up my phone (usually to take photo evidence of their first newborn squeeze): “Ivy hasn’t…
Why Lighting Is the Key to Better Macro Photos
In macro photography, everything is magnified—literally but also figuratively. Your subject’s smallest details are on display, and that means even the smallest imperfections in your image’s makeup, staging, and lighting become that much more obvious.Precise lighting can change the look of an object entirely. You can make something deep appear shallower, for example, or accentuate…
What You Need to Get Started With Macro Photography
Macro photography, or high-magnification close-up photography, can change the way you look at the world, spark new ideas, and provide a way to commune with nature or make the best of a stormy day.Whether you want to adopt abstraction by exploring the world of light, dark, lines, and color, or faithfully represent a detailed look…
Choosing the Right Pan Can Make You a Better Cook
Whether you’re just starting out in the kitchen or aiming for a spot on the next season of MasterChef, using the right tools can make your culinary creations that much better. The material your cookware is made from can affect every aspect of the dishes you’re whipping up—and though it can be easy to grab…
The Best Sleep Headphones (But We Hoped for Better)
Unless you are a motionless back-sleeper, most earbuds and headphones are far too bulky to wear comfortably overnight. Even the smallest pair of true wireless earbuds can fall out, become lost, or cause other problems.Sleep headphones are supposed to be the solution for people who want to block out sounds, fall asleep to music, or…
The Best Kids Water Bottles
As long-term owners of these bottles ourselves, we know how often parts get damaged or go missing, so this guide includes a section dedicated to replacement parts for all our picks. We also address care and maintenance in detail, highlighting one accessory that has proven to be an essential companion for any bottle owned over…
The New Video Game Releases We Can’t Wait to Play
You’d be forgiven for thinking the biggest games of 2023 had already been released. After all, between The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Diablo IV, and Final Fantasy XVI, who has time to play anything else? But the biggest launches are still in store, with Spider-Man 2, Starfield, and many, many more titles…
The Best Microwave
Our pickToshiba EM131A5CThis midsize microwave looks better and has a few more useful features—including a mute option, automatic reheating, and a door handle instead of a button—than similar ovens.Our pickToshiba ML2-EM25PAEIf your countertops are a little tight on space or you want to save some money, this slightly smaller version of our favorite Toshiba works…
The Best Spatulas
If you plan to do a lot of cooking on a grill or griddle, we recommend that you get a good metal turner. The Winco TN719 Blade Hamburger Turner is the perfect spatula for muscular tasks like smashing, cutting, and lifting hefty pieces of meat. It’s both sturdy and solid, with no slots to push…
Free Video Games You Can Download Right Now
The Epic Games store gives away games every week, and all you have to do to claim them is sign up for a free account. Even if you don’t have the space on your computer to store all of the games it gives away (or the time to play them), it’s worthwhile to sign in…
The Best Underwear for Travel
Whether you’re traveling for business, pleasure, or outdoor adventures, you want undies that will work with you, not against you. That means quick-drying, moisture-wicking skivvies that you can wash quickly in a sink if need be.Over the past six years, we’ve tested 37 pairs of men’s and women’s underwear while road-tripping, hostel-hopping, and backpacking in…
Uncle Sam Has a Plan to Secure Your Smart Home
The smart home often gets a bad rap. People worry that their devices are snooping on them or sending personal data to nefarious companies. Or that their every move and purchase is being tracked. Or that some creepy rando can talk to their kids through their own security camera.And sometimes they’re right. Although some eye-catching…
3 Outdoor Movie Screens We Like
Forget about being cooped up in the living room for your next movie night. If you’re fortunate enough to have a backyard, why not spread out on the lawn and enjoy an outdoor theater?Although you could just project an image against a wall or garage door, a good screen helps to produce cleaner, brighter, more…