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If you’re looking for the kind of friend who’s always there, always willing to help, and can handle more questions than a feisty toddler facing nap time—“What’s the weather?” “Who’s at the front door?” “Is Oppenheimer really that long?!?”—consider an Alexa smart speaker. These versatile devices tap into all of the glories of the internet, but with the added ease of voice commands. Summon Alexa, and your smart speaker can play music from your preferred streaming services, help you find and follow recipes, recite the news, or control smart devices in your home. There’s a wide range of models, so we’ve picked out the best ones to meet particular needs. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/7M10rkm via IFTTT

More than half of all children in the US will develop a dental cavity before the fourth grade, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although using an electric toothbrush is not guaranteed to reduce dental issues, experts say that a powered brush can make it easier for some kids to develop good oral-health habits. For children using an electric toothbrush for the first time—or for anyone who prefers a smaller, vibrating brush head with a rubberized back or enjoys decorating their toothbrush with colorful animal stickers—the Philips Sonicare for Kids Design a Pet Edition rechargeable toothbrush is a great choice. It can sync wirelessly with an interactive app for kids , which some brushers may find motivating. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/hDdilwS via IFTTT

Video games might be the most fun when you’re sitting on your couch in front of a big TV or in a comfortable chair at your desk. But the best place to play a game can also be wherever you are. If you want the freedom to step away from your TV or desk, we recommend a handheld gaming console. Small, portable, and powerful, gaming handhelds are easy to throw in a bag and pull out on a train, on a plane, or even just out in the world, so you can play games without a bulky laptop and a separate mouse or gamepad. We’ve spent more than a year researching almost a dozen gaming handhelds. After spending hundreds of hours testing the best available options, we’ve concluded that the Steam Deck LCD is the best handheld console for most people. For a little more money, you can upgrade to the OLED version of the Steam Deck and its beautiful display. If you want the best portable PC-gaming experience available, the Asus ROG Ally X is worth the extra money. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Re...

Buying a good vacuum was one of those boring-but-necessary adulting chores (like going to the dentist or getting my car’s oil changed) that I knew I should do but kept putting off. Frankly, I didn’t think I could afford one. I got by with a cheap vac that was heavy and loud, didn’t suck up anything all that well, and died within a few short years. In 2014, with a toddler and two cats mucking up my apartment, I finally decided it was time to make the investment. I upgraded to a Miele canister vacuum , which Wirecutter began recommending that same year. Nearly a decade later, I’ll never go back. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/gGAmbTr via IFTTT

If you have an iPhone that you’re happy with, keep it. We don’t think you should upgrade just because Apple has released new phones. But if your current phone is running too slowly or is damaged, or if you’re simply ready for an upgrade and you want a new phone now, we recommend the Apple iPhone 16 . It offers an almost Pro-like iPhone experience, with new shortcut buttons, excellent cameras, lengthy battery life, and a powerful processor. Just don’t buy it for artificial intelligence. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/dEtQoVr via IFTTT

Many cheap office chairs can make you feel as if you’ve been crammed into a torturous economy seat on a cross-country flight. But quality office chairs give you an upgrade to first class—they’re designed to support your body comfortably for the long haul. We’ve researched dozens of office chairs, interviewed four ergonomics experts, and asked test panelists (with a variety of body types) to sit in deliberation for more than 175 collective hours. Since 2015, we’ve found that the Steelcase Gesture is the best office chair for most people. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/BnTUIp5 via IFTTT

Nothing elevates a dinner table from everyday to elegant like a crisp, clean tablecloth. If you’re looking to freshen up your tablescape, we recommend the Williams Sonoma Hotel Dinner Tablecloth . Made from 100% tight-weave cotton, it’s the best-quality table linen we’ve found for the price. This tablecloth is smooth and elegant, and it comes in a wide assortment of sizes For a warmer feel and more-relaxed drape, we recommend the Rough Linen Smooth Linen Tablecloth . High-quality linen doesn’t come cheap, so this one is an investment, but it’s heirloom-worthy and equally appropriate for casual and special gatherings. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/vpMS0Qg via IFTTT

Most keyboards that come with laptops and desktops are shallow, drab, and joyless. A mechanical keyboard is a comfortable, customizable upgrade that allows you to get the look and typing feel you prefer. They’re more durable than regular keyboards, and easier to repair, too. If you spend most of your day typing, coding, or gaming, it can be a delight to customize your daily driver down to the last detail. But mechanical keyboards bring with them a lot of jargon—layouts and switches and keycap profiles, oh my—so here’s an overview of the terms you need to know to find your perfect keyboard. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/ygA6wTd via IFTTT

Light switches are something most people take for granted. They blend into the background of everyday life, kind of like doorknobs, hooks, and handles do. (Light switches are also the last thing I remember to clean and the last thing my husband remembers to turn off.) ​A smart light switch makes that routine wall art stand out. Sure, it’s just as useful and practical as a regular light switch. But the technology inside allows you to control one light, one room, or an entire home’s lighting with a voice command or an app, whether you’re at the office or in bed for the night, or you just have a switch that’s out of reach. After testing dozens of smart dimmers and switches, we’ve found something for every lighting need. Our top pick is the TP-Link Kasa KS225 Matter Smart Wi-Fi Dimmer because it’s easy to use, extremely affordable, and compatible with every major smart-home platform. However, it works only in homes with a neutral wire. If you live in an older home without one, we recom...

There’s something refreshing about spinning a treasured record that you can’t get from a music app on your phone. The relative inconvenience of it forces you to focus more on the music, rather than just have it provide background noise to your day. A good turntable or record player should make this process more enjoyable by being easy to use while also delivering sound quality that brings the music to life. We recommend the Fluance RT85N for most people because it includes all the qualities required for a great listening experience. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/nlSBrOT via IFTTT

Without an SD card to record your images, your digital camera will end up feeling like a pricey paperweight. Because an SD card serves as the memory center for your camera, its performance and reliability, in addition to a reasonable price, are key to finding one you can count on. Through our research and testing, we’ve found that the 64 GB SanDisk Extreme Pro is fast enough for a 4K video enthusiast, speedy enough for an impatient downloader, and reliable enough for anyone to use for years to come. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/V95HNTj via IFTTT

Babies are messy. Very messy. Milk, goopy baby food, poop, vomit, pee—all of it threatens to stain their clothes. I’ve gotten frustrated with myself for changing my soon-to-be toddler’s clothes too close to mealtime and ending up with liquified butternut squash splattered all over her fresh outfit. My daughter, Jade, has finally gotten my Christmas wish—her two bottom teeth. This means that, in addition to the various liquid substances that wind up on her outfits, excessive amounts of drool soaks the front of her onesies. But I’m an experienced parent—Jade is my third child—so I’ve been prepared for this moment since before she was born. Even the baby shower was smaller and the gifts more pointed. I knew I wanted absorbent cloth bibs, but I had yet to find a favorite, that is until a close friend gifted us the KeaBabies Urban Drool Bibs . At the beginning of Jade’s life, we didn’t use many bibs. She was primarily breastfed, and there wasn’t much milk dripping out of her mouth duri...

If you deal with frequent small messes, or you hate lugging out your full-size, plug-in vacuum cleaner, a cordless stick vacuum could be your dream cleaning partner. But like a good marriage, a cordless stick vacuum requires some compromises. We’ve tested dozens of models, and the perfect one just doesn’t exist. Depending on your priorities, we recommend the light and nimble Dyson V12 Detect Slim , the Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty Cordless Vacuum with self-emptying dock, or the durable Ryobi 18V One+ HP Advanced Stick Vacuum Kit . If you’re on a tight budget, the Tineco GO Pet Cordless Vacuum is a decent choice. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/spLcdKX via IFTTT