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The Best Bluetooth Wireless Headphones

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Earbuds are discreet and convenient to use, but if you want to get the best wireless sound for the money, choose over-ear Bluetooth headphones. Although no single headphones set is a perfect match for everyone, the JBL Tour One M2 comes darn close. We love this pair’s customizable sound, stellar call clarity, and days-long battery life — plus, it includes some bonus features usually reserved for pricier pairs. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/seSqgEy via IFTTT

Before You Fire Up the Grill This Summer, Grab the Dish Soap

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Birds are chirping, bees are buzzing, the sun is shining — and you might have grilling on your mind. But before you fire up your gas grill to make some juicy burgers, don’t forget to inspect it for leaks. After you take your grill out of hibernation , before turning it on, you should thoroughly check it for any signs of damage. In particular, you’ll want to look for anything that might cause a gas leak. Perhaps you stashed your grill away in a shed for the winter, and the neighborhood rat made the gas hose its chew toy. Or maybe you left your grill out on the patio, and the snow and rain corroded a few crucial metal components. That damage could be dangerous. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) estimates that gas grills accounted for an average of 9,079 home fires per year between 2017 and 2021. The main culprit: leaks or breaks. And it doesn’t take much gas buildup to produce a fire or an explosion; even just a 2% concentration of propane vapors in ...

Is That Extended Warranty Worth It? Take Our Quiz.

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If you’ve ever bought a refrigerator, a washing machine, a smartphone, or even just a pair of headphones, you’ve almost certainly been asked at checkout if you want to add an extended warranty. Much more often than not, extended warranties are not worth the gamble . Still, as writer Liam McCabe details in his deeply reported article on these optional protection plans, many people, even when they understand that extended warranties are a losing wager, still worry about the alternative and plunk down cash on protection plans that are a worse bet than a spin of the roulette wheel. Take our quiz to see how well you understand the casino-like extended-warranty business. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/atEeVR6 via IFTTT

That Extended Warranty Is Almost Never Worth the Money. This Is Why You Fall for It Anyway.

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It should have been an easy solution to a straightforward problem: Lucas Brown’s $530 headphones had gone silent, and his extended warranty was supposed to cover the repairs. Every month for three years, the recent college graduate from Massachusetts had been paying $16.99 for Asurion Complete Protect through Amazon. This plan promised to cover repairs or replacements for almost any Amazon purchase, whether due to defects or accidental damage, as long as he kept up with the monthly premium. Brown’s pricey Beyerdynamic headphones were the first product that he had made a claim on. But over the next month, he tried to get them repaired four times, without success. At Asurion’s instruction, Brown kept shipping the headphones to the same third-party repair center near Buffalo, New York. Every time he sent them in, he received the same brief form-letter email from Asurion, which said that the center had tested the headphones but found nothing wrong and were sending them...

The Best Weighted Blankets

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Sometimes you just want a hug—or, at the very least, a big, fluffy cat to curl up in your lap. When neither is available, there’s the weighted blanket, a heavier-than-usual throw or comforter that’s meant to wrap the body in a soothing embrace. We tested 20 weighted blankets by chilling out under them, heaving them into the wash, and hauling them out of the machine to dry—and we found six that are notably comfortable, well constructed, and easy to care for. We also have three recommendations for weighted blankets for kids . from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/P2CFG47 via IFTTT

The Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones

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For frequent flyers or commuters on public transit, reducing the noise around you is the difference between enduring a trip and enjoying it. Immersing yourself in the hush created by a great pair of noise-cancelling headphones, combined with the opening chords of your favorite song, can make your muscles relax faster than slipping under a weighted blanket. And they’re easier to pack, too. The Sony WH-1000XM6 is our favorite pair of noise-cancelling headphones, but we also have recommendations for people who prefer earbuds or who want to spend less. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/HAx2MyT via IFTTT

The Best Women’s Underwear

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Life is too short for subpar underwear. Great undies are the unsung heroes of a functional wardrobe: out-of-sight allies that keep you feeling comfy and confident in your clothes. But a lousy pair can really get your knickers in a twist — digging in, riding up, and making you hot and bothered in all the wrong ways. With help from a diverse group of testers, we tried 90 pairs of underwear from 50 collections. Of course, preferences related to cut and coverage are highly individual. (Our five testers included a full-coverage fanatic, two hipster lovers, a habitual bikini-wearer, and a thong devotee.) So rather than focusing on individual styles, we went in search of the best brand collections, which could offer a range of silhouettes in the same (excellent) fabrics, finishings, and overall aesthetic. Ultimately, we landed on 13 standout lines — in a variety of touchable fabrics — to suit many bodies, budgets, and tastes. These are the upgraded daily staples that are ...