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The Best Patio Umbrella and Stand

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A patio umbrella is an invitation to laze and linger, its coverage offering a cool respite from the sun. A good umbrella—along with its accompanying base—should move easily and adjust as needed, whether you’re lounging on an outdoor sofa or gathering with friends at a patio table . Just as importantly, it should weather the elements for years to come and maintain its function and maneuverability without becoming a perennial source of frustration. After 45 hours of research and years of long-term testing patio umbrellas and stands across the country, we recommend the Treasure Garden 9 Foot Round Push Button Tilt Market Umbrella and the 55-pound Article Paima Umbrella Base as the best for most people, whether you’re using one in a generous garden or on a small apartment patio. Top pick The best patio umbrella Treasure Garden 9 Foot Round Push Button Tilt Market Umbrella (Sunbrella) This reliable umbrella resists sun and wind damage better than cheaper models and l...
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The 40 Best Self-Care Gifts to Buy Yourself

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There are plenty of good reasons to get yourself a treat: a big promotion or a bad day, a major breakup or just feeling yourself on a Tuesday. Whatever your motivation (or justification) for performing a little self-care, we’ve got a gift to suit your fancy. Some people treat themselves to nature walks, while others may pick up something sparkly to brighten a gloomy day. All of the gifts below fall broadly under the self-care umbrella: a lightly scented body oil , a deck of cards promising to reboot your life, and an acupressure mat that sorta hurts at first but really gets the knots out. So, however you define self-care, go ahead and indulge. Looking for other pampering picks? Check out our guides to the best robes , gift boxes , and skin care . from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/yKBfcwZ via IFTTT
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The 41 Best Gifts for Teens

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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 around them 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 ex...
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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
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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 ...
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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
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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...
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