The Best Beach and Surf Gear: Towels, Totes, Coolers, and More
by Kit Dillon
After five years of relaxing in the sand and playing in the surf, we’ve chosen the best picks to help you enjoy a perfect beach day.
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- The Best Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds
June 10
- Geofences Make Your Home Work Better. Here’s How.
June 10
- The Best Garden Hose, Hose Nozzle, and Hose Reel
June 10
- The Best Beach Umbrella Is Not Actually an Umbrella
June 10
- 9 Tech and Laptop Deals to Upgrade Your Weekend
June 10
- The Best Dolls
June 10
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Laze and lounge
Grab a book and your favorite beverage, and head outside for a relaxing day of soaking up the sun.
Home
Geofences Make Your Home Work Better. Here’s How.
by Eric Chiu
Controlling devices with a smartphone is helpful. But if you want a home that’s automated, turn on geofencing.
The Best Garden Hose, Hose Nozzle, and Hose Reel
by Doug Mahoney and Thom Dunn
There truly is a better hose for you. We have nozzle and reel recommendations, too.
The Best Outdoor Speakers
by Brent Butterworth
The OSD Audio AP650 is the best all-around choice in a passive outdoor speaker because it sounds great and has a rugged, sealed design with a versatile mount.
Ask Wirecutter: How Can I Get My Partner to Stop Leaving Hair Everywhere?
by Annemarie Conte
Easy cleanup tips for hair that’s all over the bathroom.
Electronics
The Best Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds
by Lauren Dragan
The Beats Fit Pro wireless earbuds offer a level of performance, reliability, and comfort that elevates them above the pack.
The Best Budget Projector for a Home Theater
by Adrienne Maxwell
The BenQ HT2050A’s best-in-class contrast ratio, bright output, and impressive color accuracy make it our pick for the best budget home theater projector.
The Best Wi-Fi Mesh-Networking Kits
by Joel Santo Domingo
If you’re having trouble getting Wi-Fi everywhere in your home, a mesh networking kit might be the best solution—and we’ve got options for almost every budget.
Sleep
The Best Mattresses for Back Sleepers
by Joanne Chen
If you prefer to sleep on your back, you’ll probably want a medium-firm mattress to align your spine and keep your shoulders, hips, and lower back comfortable.
The Best Innerspring Mattresses
by Joanne Chen
Shopping for mattresses can be a nightmare, and searching specifically for an innerspring model is its own special hell. Let us help.
Our Favorite Weighted Blankets (Are All Machine-Washable)
by Joanne Chen
Weighted blankets are meant to soothe, but many are hand-wash only—the opposite of relaxing. We tried 13 machine-washable ones to find five worth lounging with.
The Best Mattresses for Stomach Sleepers
by Joanne Chen
We like these six medium-firm mattresses best for stomach-sleepers because they’ll support and cushion your midsection while still aligning your spine.
Kitchen
The Best Gear for Making Pour-Over Coffee
by Justin Vassallo, Thais Wilson-Soler, and Daniel Varghese
We tasted over 150 cups of coffee to find the best pour-over setup, from an easy-to-use dripper to a reliable coffee grinder and scale.
The Best Wine Clubs
by Michael Sullivan
After researching over 100 wine clubs, we found three great ones that fit a range of preferences. We also suggest other good clubs for more-specific needs.
The Best Hand Mixer
by Lesley Stockton and Anna Perling
After 20 hours of testing, we think that the Breville Handy Mix Scraper is the best hand mixer for baking, sauces, or small-batch recipes.
Appliances
The Best Upright and Canister Vacuums
by Michelle Ma, Liam McCabe, and Sarah Bogdan
We’ve tested dozens of plug-in vacuums over the years, and the Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV352 has remained our favorite since 2014.
The Best Portable Air Conditioner
by Thom Dunn
We have the best options for portable air conditioners, if a window unit or central air won’t work for you.
The Best Dishwashers
by Liam McCabe and Sarah Bogdan
We tested 17 dishwashers and found that the Bosch 300 Series offers the best combination of cleaning performance, features, and reliability for the price.
NutriBullet Review: Which NutriBullet Should You Get?
by Lesley Stockton, Anna Perling, and Arianna Flores
We've now tested five NutriBullet models, and the results are in: The NutriBullet Pro 900 delivers the best performance for the price.
Gifts
14 Great Wedding Gifts (That You Won’t Find on the Couple’s Registry)
by Wirecutter Staff
If you’d rather go off-registry and give something unexpected, try these gift ideas—from chocolates to keepsakes—that won’t wind up in the donation pile.
The 21 Best Gifts for 7-Year-Olds
by Kelly Glass, Ellen Lee, and Wirecutter Staff
Some of the best gifts for 7-year-olds foster a sense of accomplishment and challenge them to think strategically.
The 42 Best Gifts for Dads
by Dorie Chevlen and Justin Krajeski
Whether he’s a coffee snob, a jazz enthusiast, or the rugged, outdoorsy type, these gifts for Dad will make him smile.
Outdoors
The Best Beach Umbrella Is Not Actually an Umbrella
by Kit Dillon
A sunshade can give you a lot more shade than an umbrella, and with a lot less drama. We like the four-person Sun Ninja shade best, but we have other options too.
Our Favorite Rash Guards, Swimsuits, Sun Hats, and Other Beachwear for Kids
by Wirecutter Staff
Time at the beach, lake, or pool is more fun for everyone with kids outfitted in comfortable, protective rash guards, swimsuits, sun hats, and more.
The Best Car-Camping Gear for Wheelchair Users
by Erin English
Car camping can be challenging for wheelchair users, but with the right gear and information, anyone can feel confident spending a night in the great outdoors.
The Best Cheap Sunglasses
by Justin Krajeski
The perfect pair of sunglasses protects your eyes from the sun while matching your own personal style. Try one of these 11 comfy, high-quality pairs.
Style
The Best Blue-Light-Blocking Glasses
by Kaitlyn Wells
No one can prove that blue-light glasses are necessary, but experts agree that they’ll likely help you sleep better. We found some stylish pairs worth trying.
The Best Men’s Boxer Briefs
by Kit Dillon
After three years, these five boxer briefs are the most comfy, supportive, and good-looking we could find, and they start at less than four bucks a pair.
The Best Fanny Packs
by Jordan McMahon and Kaitlyn Wells
If you carry less than a backpack but also want to keep your hands free, we’ve found six fanny packs in a variety of sizes and styles that will meet your needs.
Travel
GasBuddy Can Be a Privacy Nightmare. Here’s How to Limit Your Exposure.
by Thorin Klosowski
We know everyone is feeling the pinch of gas prices right now, but it probably isn’t worth sacrificing your privacy to save money.
The Best Packing Cubes
by Kit Dillon
After researching and traveling with packing cubes for more than five years, the Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Cube Set is what we keep in our luggage.
The Best Binoculars for Birds, Nature, and the Outdoors
by Daniel S. Cooper
A professional ornithologist tested 17 field-ready binoculars against his $2,500 Leica Ultravids and picked the Athlon Optics Midas ED pair as the best.
Our Favorite Plates, Bowls, Cups, and Carafes for Eating (and Drinking) Outdoors
by Wirecutter Staff
Our staff’s favorite outdoor tableware pieces, from festive bamboo plates to classic enamelware, look great and are perfect for taking dinner outside.
Health & Fitness
The Best GPS Running Watches
by Ingrid Skjong and Amy Roberts
After logging roughly 500 miles wearing 18 watches, we’ve concluded that the Coros Pace 2 and Garmin Forerunner 245 will best suit most runners.
Lots of People Apply Sunscreen Wrong. Here’s How to Do It Right.
by Rose Maura Lorre
Whether you’re using a lotion, spray, or stick, we’ve rounded up the best tips and tricks for sunscreen application that’ll keep you covered.
The Best Bike Phone Mount
by Amy Roberts and Christine Ryan
After riding with 27 smartphone bike mounts over 120 miles’ worth of smooth and rough roads, we’d trust our phones to the mounts from Quad Lock.
Baby & Kid
The Best Dolls
by Julie Kim
For some children, a doll will be the most treasured toy they own. We tested 25 dolls to help you find one that feels just right for the kid in your life.
America Is Grappling With a Baby Formula Shortage. Here’s How to Navigate It.
by Christina Szalinski
A safety recall and pandemic-related supply issues have made some baby formulas hard to find. If you can’t find your child’s usual formula, you have options.
Going Berry Picking? Here’s What to Bring.
by Christina Williams
Heading out fruit picking? Here are some Wirecutter-approved essentials to make your time fun and memorable—and not so messy.
The Memory-Jogging Joy of Making an Annual Photo Book of My Kids
by Ben Frumin
Use an online photo book service to help organize and make use of the thousands of digital photos you take each year.
Pets
The Best Dog Beds
by Kaitlyn Wells and Nick Guy
After five years of research—which included plenty of scratching and snoozing—these six dog beds are our top picks.
The Best Cat Litter Mat
by Kaitlyn Wells
After testing 17 cat litter mats with 15 cats, we found the Easyology Premium Cat Litter Mat is the best for most cats.
The Best Dog Harnesses
by Meaghan Lee Callaghan and Kaitlyn Wells
After additional testing, we still think the Kurgo Tru-Fit Smart Dog Walking Harness is the best and safest harness for most dogs (and their people).
Games & Hobbies
Cheap(ish) Thrills: Gwyneth Paltrow’s Favorite Everyday Things
by Gwyneth Paltrow
The actress and Goop founder on the nonalcoholic spirit, spicy condiment, and woodsy scent she absolutely loves.
The Best USB Audio Interface
by Daniel Varghese
The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 is our favorite USB audio interface because it offers the best combination of features, portability, and ease of use.
Cheap(ish) Thrills: Bowen Yang’s Favorite Everyday Things
by Bowen Yang
The SNL breakout on the kids notebook, cottony candle, and astrology app he absolutely loves.
How to DIY Your Own Outdoor Movie Theater
by Geoffrey Morrison and Adrienne Maxwell
Skip the cinema this summer and enjoy a movie night in your backyard.
Software & Apps
There’s (Probably) Nothing You Can Do About the New Bossware That’s Spying on You
by Thorin Klosowski
The trend of companies using “bossware” to monitor employees continues despite more office reopenings. Plus: Turn off next-gen personalized ads on some TVs.
The Best Mobile Scanning Apps
by Ben Keough
The simple design, high-quality results, free cloud storage, and $0 price make Adobe Scan an excellent choice.
How to Block Spam Calls
by Thorin Klosowski
Spam and scam calls are a nuisance, but there are ways to reduce the amount of unwanted calls you get without ignoring every unknown number forever.
Office
The Best Instant Photo Printer
by Arriana Vasquez
Our pick for the best instant photo printer is simple to use, and it’s light and small enough to carry. It uses easy-to-find, affordable film, too.
The Best Projectors
by Wirecutter Staff
We reviewed every type of projector to find the best projector to fit your needs, whether it’s for a home theater or a home office.
The Best Ultrawide Monitors
by Dave Gershgorn
Ultrawide monitors are appealing for viewing documents or browser windows side by side, and they make video games more immersive.
The Best Laser Printer
by Ben Keough
The fast, reliable, and easy-to-use HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw is our favorite laser printer.
Cars
Skip the Spotify Car Thing. Get a Car Phone Mount Instead.
by Nena Farrell
The Spotify Car Thing didn’t solve the major problems I had with listening to music in my car. Here’s the device to get instead.
The Best Bike Racks and Carriers for Cars and Trucks
by Eric C. Evarts, Rik Paul, and Jack Smith
After testing 75 bike racks—including hitch, trunk, and roof models—we recommend the Küat Sherpa 2.0 hitch rack as the best way to carry your bikes on a car.
The Best Infant Car Seats
by Christina Szalinski
After extensive research and field testing of eight models, we found that the Graco SnugRide SnugFit 35 DLX is the best infant car seat for most families.
Money
9 Tech and Laptop Deals to Upgrade Your Weekend
by Dan Kim
This week, we’ve found great deals on laptops and tech gear that will make your work a little easier and your free time more enjoyable.
6 Deals to Help Kick-Start Your Summer
by Jordan Thomas
Here are six deals that’ll help inspire a little summer fun.
Prime Day 2022 Will Be in July—But the Exact Date is Unknown
by Jordan Thomas
Walmart is hosting a sale June 2-5 for Walmart+ members to compete with Amazon Prime Day.
8 Budget-Friendly Father’s Day Gifts
by Jordan Thomas
Father’s Day is just around the corner. Here are 8 deals to help you find the perfect gift for your pop.
