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Showing posts from October, 2025

The Best Cloud Gaming Services Aren’t Great (Yet)

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Cloud gaming promises an amazing future: Instead of being tied to a console or a powerful computer, with a game-streaming service you have the freedom to take your games from one device to another without buying multiple copies, installing more software, or losing your progress. And you can enjoy visuals and performance that aren’t limited by the device you play your games on. In theory, cloud gaming offers a way for you to pick up your games from anywhere on the planet, on any device you own, with virtually no downtime in between. But after more than two years of research and multiple rounds of testing, we’ve found that even the most popular cloud gaming services can be difficult to predict or rely on, and it’s tough for us to recommend any of them. In our most recent round of testing, we were impressed by one service: Boosteroid . However, we tested it in only one geographical location — though we plan to evaluate it again with a larger pool of testers to see how it fares under a m...

The Best Water Filter Pitcher and Dispenser

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If you’re seeking the easiest way to get filtered drinking water at home, we recommend the Brita Elite Filter , to be paired with the 10-cup Brita Standard Everyday Pitcher or (if your household goes through lots of water) the 27-cup Brita Ultramax Water Dispenser . But before you opt for any of these, know that after almost a decade of covering home water filtration, we believe under-sink or faucet-mount filters are a far better option. They last longer, deliver clean water more quickly, can reduce a broader range of contaminants, are less prone to clogging, and take only minutes to install. With few exceptions, home water filters of all types do not remove bacteria and other waterborne pathogens. That means they will not protect you from illness during the boil-water notices that frequently follow natural disasters like floods, hurricanes, and wildfires. But we have recommendations for an effective portable filter in our guide to bug-out bags , safe water storage equipment in ou...

The Best Office Chair

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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/LEIzHRl via IFTTT

We Uncovered Many Best-Selling Smoke Alarms on Amazon That Don’t Meet Basic Safety Standards

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Modern homes are full of synthetic materials that burn fast and release toxic smoke . So it’s absolutely crucial to own top-notch smoke alarms . Unfortunately, if you’ve equipped your home with suspiciously inexpensive smoke alarms — especially if you bought them online — you might not be able to trust that they’ll work well when you need them the most. It’s not that you can’t find a good smoke alarm online. You certainly can if you know what you’re looking for. But we found more than a dozen smoke alarms, including several best sellers at Amazon and other major internet retailers, that have not earned a basic, industry-standard safety certification required by the vast majority of fire codes across the US. Any smoke alarm you install should be certified to the standards set by UL , the research and testing organization responsible for safety rules governing smoke alarms, among many other product categories. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/tM7aSDK via...

Ask Wirecutter: I Have Ground-Floor Windows. How Do I Maintain Privacy and Natural Light?

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Welcome to Ask Wirecutter, where deputy editor Annemarie Conte helps you figure out how to make the most of your stuff in real life. If you have a shopping conundrum for our advice columnist, submit it using this form . Dear Wirecutter, Hi! I just moved into a new apartment, and I’ve got windows on the ground floor now. I hate having people walk by and be able to see into my apartment — and worst of all, be able to see me languishing on the couch. But I don’t just want to close the curtains and block out the natural light during the day. Is there something I can do to my window — like frosting it — or a special shade I can get that will help give me privacy, without sacrificing on light? Thank you! H.L. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/EsLlI9Z via IFTTT

The Best Outdoor Security Camera

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An outdoor security camera can keep tabs on pets, package deliveries, and people who may be helping themselves to both of those things. They can alert you to guests, and they can even capture video of a raccoon relishing the year’s first snowfall or the occasional runaway FedEx truck . However, after reviewing literally hundreds of security cameras over the past eight years — more than 250 at last count — I have yet to find the one magical unicorn that’s the perfect outdoor sentry. Some are hard to install, some need frequent charging, some miss motion, and others require a paid subscription to be most effective. The TP-Link Tapo Wire-Free Magnetic Security Camera is pretty close to perfection, though. It has a long battery life, is easy to operate, and accurately distinguishes between people, pets, and vehicles. It also works with and without a subscription plan. If you prefer a permanent fixture that can light up the night (or at least your driveway), opt for the Eufy Floodligh...

The Best Indoor Security Camera

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It’s said you can’t put a price on peace of mind. Well, we’re doing it anyway — and it’s pretty reasonable. An indoor security camera lets you keep tabs on the things at home that matter most, whether that’s your kids, your pets, or your prized vinyl collection. We recommend the TP-Link Tapo C120 , a sub-$40 indoor/outdoor 2K camera that can reliably distinguish between a variety of motions and sounds. The Tapo C120 also offers more customization options than most indoor cameras — and unlike with many competing models, all of these features work whether you pay for a subscription or opt to use your own local storage on a microSD card at no extra charge. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/v2SP4p8 via IFTTT

The Best Slippers

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Nothing soothes cold feet like a cozy pair of slippers. The best ones offer comfortable support and lasting value while warming your body from the ground up. We spent 120 hours researching slippers for this guide before testing 39 men’s and women’s styles. After years of continual wear and feedback, we still love our longtime picks: a pair of toasty sheepskin shearling moccasins that are tough enough to venture outside in , handsome and durable felted-wool slippers that don’t make your feet overheat , and fleece-lined vegan scuffs that are a bargain at around $50 . from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/CVlfgrh via IFTTT

The Best Home Weather Stations

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After spending 80 hours researching dozens of home weather stations and testing four of the most promising models, we think the Netatmo Weather Station , combined with its add-on Wind Gauge and Rain Gauge , is the best solution for most people who want to monitor their local meteorological conditions and trends easily and reliably. A simple setup, the most intuitive mobile app we used, and a compact, modular design make the Netatmo stand out. It’s great if you’re most interested in big-picture weather trends like local rainfall totals, temperature, humidity, and wind speed and direction. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/K0LFjG8 via IFTTT