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Believe it or not, in the world of barbecue, barbecue sauce can be a controversial topic. If you stroll into a brisket joint in Texas and ask for sauce, you might be asked (nicely) to leave the premises. Many pit masters say that properly cooked barbecue shouldn’t need a sauce. At the risk of losing my Texan card, I find that to be an overly broad statement. Does a wrapped present need a bow? Does a porch need beautifully ringing wind chimes? Does an ice cream sundae need a cherry on top? No, no, and no, but life is too short to deny ourselves what makes us happy. If that means adding barbecue sauce to brisket, then slap it on there and let it rip, babes. There are a lot of barbecue sauces out there, spanning different regional styles and flavor profiles. We wanted to find the sauces that could do it all — ones in which a kid would be happy to dunk a dino nugget and a barbecue veteran would baste their ribs with. We tasted 18 different sauces  to fit that totally not imposs...

If you’ve ever found yourself dashing through a rainstorm to stop your in-ground irrigation system from running needlessly, consider a smart sprinkler timer. It can save you that hassle—and a ton of wasted water—while keeping your greenery and gardens thriving. (Note that these devices are variously referred to as smart sprinkler timers as well as irrigation controllers and any combination of those.) A smart timer also puts all of the standard features of a regular irrigation system on a smartphone app, and it automatically optimizes the frequency of waterings and the volume of water used based on your local weather conditions. The Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler Controller is the best of the models we’ve tested. It offers an impressive variety of useful features, and its app is a delight to use. Because the Rachio 3 offers a wide range of zone options, it’s compatible with most residential yard sizes. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/a0yF9BN via IFTTT

If you want to simplify your lawn- or garden-care routine, a smart hose timer will help keep your greenery thriving with far less effort or expense than if you used a complex irrigation system. We recommend the Rachio Smart Hose Timer because its streamlined app interface makes it extremely simple to use, and it also supports popular third-party control by Alexa, Siri, and Google. This model is smart enough to skip waterings based on the weather in your area, so you aren’t the local dope soaking your lawn during a downpour. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/Tx7clzY via IFTTT

A smart doorbell camera allows you to see who’s on the other side of your door—even when you aren’t home—so you can weed out guests who don’t come bearing Girl Scout cookies. We recommend the Google Nest Doorbell (Wired) because it delivers fewer false alerts than any video doorbell we tested, accurately distinguishes between people, animals, cars, and packages, and includes the option for 24/7 recording. If you don’t have existing doorbell wiring, the Eufy Security Video Doorbell S220 (Battery-Powered) is an easy-to-use option with a great image, and its battery can deliver about four months of service on a full charge. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/wdvFR2l via IFTTT

Short of scoring a row of empty seats—dream on!—your best bet for getting at least a little sleep while flying is a travel pillow. After asking 10 panelists to try on eight travel pillows and after taking four cross-country red-eyes in window, aisle, and middle seats, we think the comfortable and easy-to-pack  Travelrest Nest Ultimate Memory Foam Travel Pillow is the best travel pillow for most people. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/f6j2XxW via IFTTT

The moms we know with little ones running around just want a few quiet hours to themselves on Mother’s Day, which falls on May 11 this year. So if you can make that happen, please do. On the other hand, empty nesters, moms with teens, and grandmas might be overjoyed to be surrounded by family for a nice lunch or brunch. Whatever their stage in motherhood, you can never go wrong with a lush bouquet of pretty flowers or an excellent box of chocolates . We also have plenty of surprising and off-beat gift ideas, like fashionable garden clogs , a handsome dual-purpose bowl , and some high-quality sweats . And check out our gift ideas for new moms , grandmas , and mothers-in-law , plus Mother’s Day round-ups of under-$50 finds and plenty of last-minute saves . from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/m5UQLgA via IFTTT

I always get caught in this cycle: Grill some burgers. Munch munch munch. Chase the kids with a bottle of sunscreen. Pick up some water-balloon bits. Clear up the dinner dishes. Fall into bed. A few days later, ready to fire up some salmon, I lift my grill lid only to discover cold, greasy charred bits still clinging to the grates. Yum? Cleaning those grill grates after every cookout (or before my next one) is one of those annoying tasks that can kill our relaxed summer vibes. But keeping those grates clean ensures smoother cooking and cleaner flavors, so there’s no getting around it. Enter the Grill Rescue Grill Brush . Although our resident grill expert, senior staff writer Lesley Stockton, was initially a skeptic (and so was I), this tool has since made our list of the best grill tools and accessories . Gone are the days when I open the grill to a greased memory of last week’s dinner. We think you should pair this with a wire brush or wooden scraper that can tackle stuck-on c...

Locking pliers (also known by the trademarked name Vise-Grips) are versatile tools. Their primary purpose is to lock on to stripped nuts or bolts, but you can also put a pair into action as a rudimentary clamp. Their uses are defined only by your situation and creativity. We’ve used locking pliers to quickly pinch off a hose, temporarily repair animal fencing, and grab and pull out a difficult nail. If you’re going to own a set of locking pliers—and we strongly suggest that you do—the best one to get is the Grip-On 111-10 . from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/UYp6GLx via IFTTT

Everybody poops—except for me when I’m traveling. It might make you giggle, but traveler’s constipation is no joke. Most likely caused by disruptions to your body’s regular routine and diet, vacation constipation is a common (and unfortunate) reality of jet-setting that many travelers experience. I know I do. Forgive me for oversharing, but when I travel, vacation constipation is a given — not an “if” but a “when.” Even one night away from home throws off my digestive equilibrium, and a multiday trip almost always means a multiday stomach ache. If you can relate to this particular traveler’s woe, might I make a (somewhat odd and potentially invasive) suggestion? Consider traveling with a portable toilet stool . from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/ihZKW2q via IFTTT

In the first edition of our three-part plastics challenge, our sustainability editor breaks down what the science says (so far) about the plastic in our environments and how to start making thoughtful decisions about your consumption. Plus: one tip you can do today to reduce microplastic shedding. The headlines are full of plastic these days. From black plastic kitchen utensils to microplastics, it’s all a bit alarming. Maybe you’re looking around your home, clocking all the plastic, and wondering what to do. Overwhelming? Of course. Hopeless? Not necessarily. “Systemic change across the entire life cycle of plastics is required to eliminate plastic pollution,” Kate Whitman, a research fellow at the  Revolution Plastics Institute  at the University of Portsmouth, told me over email. “But individuals can also take steps to reduce both their own contribution to plastic pollution and their own exposure to microplastics.” Over the next three weeks, we’ll walk you through some ...

Sleeping bag? Check. Flashlight? Check. Bug repellent? Check. Over the next couple of months, parents will be poring over summer-camp packing lists and loading kids up for sleepaway camp. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/jd3n750 via IFTTT

A smart scale simplifies weight tracking over time, by recording readings and either storing them in the scale or transmitting them to an app. After logging hundreds of weigh-ins on dozens of smart scales over seven years, we are confident that the reliable Wyze Scale X , with its incredibly simple app, is the one to get. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/3fhNWpA via IFTTT

Using a non-contact voltage tester is the quickest and easiest way to safely check for electrical current in a wire, an outlet, a switch, or an old lamp that has mysteriously stopped working. This is a useful tool, and it’s one that every electrician carries. And after talking to a 20-year veteran electrician and performing eight months of testing with seven leading models, we found that the Klein NCVT-3  is the best one to get. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/NYZmJkD via IFTTT

So you want to save your food waste for composting. That’s great! Composting takes food waste that would typically contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and diverts it into nutrient-rich material. As a bonus, composting also helps keep your kitchen trash cleaner and less stinky. To start, you need something to collect your food scraps. What works best for this is personal, and depends on your cooking routine, how much food you throw out, and your composting method—whether you compost at home , live in a city with curbside pickup, or drop off green waste at a community composting program. For this guide, I tested seven specially designed compost bins, but at the end of the day, I preferred my tried-and-true mixing bowl to all of them. To find what’s best for you, consider our tips for how to find the right compost bin and how to manage odors . They’ll help you think through your own habits and avoid buying something that won’t work for you. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Rea...

From snowy slopes to churning whitewater, if you want a camera that can go anywhere and record amazing video, an action camera is the best option. For any activity, you can get great-looking photos and videos that you can share with family, friends, and the world. The GoPro Hero13 Black is the model we recommend. It’s easy to use, it produces some of the best video quality we’ve ever seen from an action camera, and it has ridiculously effective image stabilization. The app is great, too. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/LaHkKUQ via IFTTT

In this edition of The Gift, our gifts expert shares some of the garden-themed goodies she's loving for spring: fun dishes, great tools, some charming floral bedding. Plus, more gifts for plant lovers — including some very good-looking watering cans. Now that spring has really and truly sprung here in San Francisco — poppies popping, wind whipping off the Pacific, and my allergies ablaze — you can find me in my small backyard with my hands in the dirt. Mostly I’m pulling winter’s carpet of weeds, but I’m also planting cheerful pots of annuals, fertilizing, fighting with gophers, pruning suckers and deadwood, and generally shaking off the last four months of neglect. I got my gardening genes from both sides — my mom’s a putterer like me, and my dad is a former-landscaper-turned-Japanese-gardening-supply-importer — and I have absorbed what I know mostly through osmosis. But when I need expert help on a specific issue or plant, I turn to the North Star of gardening from the Rockies...

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...

A great pair of sports sunglasses provides more than just style. It’ll protect your eyes from UV rays, wind, and debris while giving the outdoors a sharper, crisper look. After more than 210 hours spent hiking, running, and cycling in 57 different pairs of shades, we have two top picks. The Roka SR-1x sunglasses are the best choice for people who prefer shield-style shades, and the Rudy Project Rydon sunglasses are best for people who prefer the traditional double-lens style. Both are versatile, provide great eye coverage, and are highly adjustable. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/IZoxQn0 via IFTTT

Traveling well can be one of life’s great pleasures, whether you’re alone or with family and friends. But what does it mean to travel well? We’d say that along with traveling safely (of course), traveling well involves avoiding hassle, carrying a single bag (if possible), and bringing only the necessities. “Traveling well is a fine balance between finding inspiration in the unknown while being grounded in something,” said Wirecutter founder Brian Lam. “Sometimes that is a memory of home, a family, a significant other, friends, etc. Sometimes it’s just the familiar, reliable stuff in your bag.” Over the past decade, we’ve spent hundreds of hours researching and testing dozens of products to find the most dependable items that will help you travel well. On top of that, we sought the advice and wisdom of Doug Dyment, author and creator of OneBag—a traveling businessman and public speaker, he has logged millions of miles over the past few decades—as well as travel-gear reviewer Eytan L...

A fresh cup of juice — poured into one of our favorite drinking glasses , perhaps sitting alongside some just-baked waffles — is a delightful addition to any breakfast. But the bottled, grocery-store stuff pales in comparison to the vibrancy of fresh-pressed juice. Fortunately, you don’t need to go on a tropical vacation or visit a fancy juice bar to revel in the experience of enjoying a bright, flavorsome juice. We’ve tested dozens of juicers since 2014, and we have three new picks. Our top pick is the Nama J3 . It’s efficient and requires very little hands-on effort. And best of all, it makes delicious juice from all manner of produce. For hardcore juicers, the Kuvings Auto10 Plus is our upgrade pick. This juicer can make much bigger batches than our top pick. And the Tribest Shine Compact Multi-Batch Juicer , our budget pick, is a small, effective option for those who are new to juicing or who have limited space. All of these models are batch juicers , featuring hoppers and...

In this edition of Clean Everything, we share our experience testing the world’s most expensive robot vacuum cleaner. Plus: a viral scrubber you don’t need, how to make your Swiffer less wasteful, and a robot vacuum we do like. Every so often on the cleaning beat, we come across an overengineered, overhyped gadget that claims it will solve all of your cleaning woes — even offering to take over your chores entirely. And though some robots can be extremely useful (more on that below), we’ve found when a cleaning gizmo seems like it’s too good to be true, it probably is. Take, for example, this $1,400 robot vacuum . Its features list is a mile long: AI obstacle detection, a self-emptying dirt bin, a self-washing and self-drying mop, a tiny robot arm that reaches into corners to sweep up the last bits of dust, and on and on. And, sure, in our month of testing it, we’ve found that it’s pretty good. Yet it’s far from perfect, and it’s still susceptible to the same limitations that robot c...