Posts

The Best Leaf Blower

Image
Of all the power tools, gas leaf blowers might have the worst reputation. They’re loud, they’re smelly, and so bad in so many ways that some cities and towns outright ban them or at least regulate the hours they can be used. But cordless leaf blowers are another story. Thanks to battery advancements, you can now get the portability and power of a gas blower, but without the emissions, maintenance, or high-pitched squeal of a two-stroke engine. We’ve been testing leaf blowers since 2014, and our current favorite is the cordless Ego Power+ 650 CFM Blower LB6504 . from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/mKPFr04 via IFTTT

The 44 Best Holiday Gifts for Teens

Image
Not going to lie — teens, including my own, can be tough to shop for. Sometimes they simply want cold, hard cash or a gift card so they can pick exactly what they want. But watching them light up when they receive something special, something that shows that we really see them? That’s a gift for us, too. Teenagers are extraordinary beings: They are growing into their identities as young adults, attuned to what’s happening and ripe for new experiences (concerts!) and challenges (driving!). They value their friendships more than ever. They’re exploring and wrestling with more-serious adult themes. And they’re increasingly engaging with the world around them (first jobs, community service, social activism). But they’re also still kids at heart, and they find joy in the silly and the absurd — like revisiting their favorite childhood cartoons. To find ideas for that special something, I surveyed a classroom of high-schoolers, interviewed child-development experts, and t...

The Best Wine Glasses

Image
When I was younger, my mom often enlisted me to help her find decorative elements to set the table for her dinner parties. And I don’t mean running to the party supply store to buy festive paper napkins. No, mom’s vision usually entailed going to even greater lengths. One autumn afternoon, as we drove down a neighborhood street, she braked after spotting a tree with yellowing leaves in someone’s front yard — their golden color would perfectly highlight the vintage, gold-rimmed wine glasses she was planning to use for dinner the following night. We returned to the tree after sundown, and she emerged from the car brandishing her pruning shears. With a look of determination and mischief in her eyes, she robbed that poor tree of its autumnal splendor, while I frantically stuffed the contraband clippings into a plastic trash bag. As it turns out, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Although I’ve never pillaged a neighbor’s tree in pursuit of a beautiful tablescape...

The 33 Best Gifts for Teen Girls (That Any Gen Z or Gen Alpha Kid Will Love)

Image
Teenagers get a bad rap. Yes, they can be moody, and they still have a lot to learn. But most of the time, they’re funny, smart, hopeful creatures who are loads of fun to be around. Shopping for teens, however, probably does deserve its bad rap. Keeping up with trends can be hard, and choosing a gift for a teenage girl can make even the most confident adult feel like an insecure new kid on the first day of high school. At this writing, Stanleys are out and Owalas are in, Labubus have been eclipsed by Jellycat keychains, and lines are still forming outside of Brandy Melville stores every weekend. This is why our writers didn’t go it alone when creating this guide. We polled teen girls and parents of teen girls. And we scoured TikTok, the most popular hangout for today’s teens, to find the right gifts, whether your teen is into sports, beauty, art, or all of the above. Looking for more ideas? Check out gifts for Gen Z , gifts for teen boys , and gifts for tweens . ...

The Nesting Ottomans That Transformed My Living Room and Saved My Dinner Parties

Image
These convertible, multiuse storage ottomans solve a slew of problems, and they’re my favorite thing in my living room. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/RBs6EYd via IFTTT

Google Is Trying Smart Glasses Again. I Tried Them On.

Image
Google is back with a collection of smart glasses designed to take on Meta’s popular Ray-Bans. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/vEYxHpD via IFTTT