Shopify Bazaar

A balance bike may be a little kid’s first introduction to zipping around on their own steam. These bikes help tots learn to steer, brake, balance, and ride — making the eventual graduation to a pedal bike easier than it might be with training wheels. Kids as young as 18 months may be able to ride a balance bike, and many bikes can keep kids happily gliding along until they’re kindergarten age or older. Kids can ride them outdoors or indoors (if your home has the room) and can use them on family jaunts through the neighborhood. Quality balance bikes also have good resale value, and you can search for a lightly used one if you’re shopping on a budget. We also have recommendations for the best kids helmets . After spending over 80 hours researching and assembling 27 balance bikes, and subjecting them to test panels of highly energetic kids, we’re confident that the Guardian Balance Bike is the best choice. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/QEdiAuw via I...

Christmas lights bring a unique glimmering warmth to your holiday season—or your backyard, your favorite dive bar, or really anywhere else, for that matter. After more than 100 hours of researching, interviewing experts, and testing more than 70 different string light sets, we believe the Pro Christmas T5 LED Christmas Lights offer the best combination of light quality, color accuracy, durability, and availability. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/sNi6IQr via IFTTT

“A small rodent, chipmunk, and hamster were noted on a blue rug at various times throughout the day, often near the cats.” This isn’t the beginning of a children’s picture book. It’s a summary by Google Gemini about everything that supposedly went on in my living room last week. Only, there was no rodent. Or cats, plural. I also don’t have the dog that Gemini spots almost daily. This isn’t TikTok, and I’m not Snow White. Earlier this year Google announced that its AI, named Gemini, would become part of all of its smart-home products. Already Gemini has been added to Google’s Nest security cameras, and I’ve been testing it for three weeks in the recently released Google Nest Cam Indoor (Wired, 3rd Gen) , the Google Nest Cam Outdoor (Wired, 2nd Gen) , and the Google Nest Doorbell
(Wired, 3rd Gen) . Experiencing a new level of intensely close monitoring — and the AI-hallucination chaos that ended up snowballing — left me slightly creeped out. And I’m more than a little annoyed that G...

Listen and follow The Wirecutter Show : Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube | iHeartRadio | Other platforms If you’ve ever put off a home repair because you didn’t know where to start—or felt overwhelmed by the wall of tools at the hardware store—this episode is for you. In this Wirecutter Show bonus episode, we chat with senior staff writer and tool expert Doug Mahoney, who’s spent years testing everything from screwdrivers to power drills. Doug breaks down exactly which tools you need to build your first toolbox, what’s worth spending extra on, and how to know when you’re ready to move from hand tools to power tools. He also shares his favorite safety tips, the one tool every homeowner should have, and a few of his go-to picks for getting started. This episode covers: Why learning to use tools matters: Becoming handier saves money, gives you more control over your space, and makes your home feel like something you can shape—not just live in. Where to st...

Today’s wireless earbuds need to do a lot more than just play music. They’re expected to connect reliably to all of our devices, shield against the cacophony of a commute, deliver clear vocals in blustery conditions, and more — all while looking both stylish and discreet. The best wireless earbuds should check all those boxes and integrate seamlessly into your routine, and that’s exactly what the Sony LinkBuds Fit earbuds do. This versatile pair sounds great, fits great, and is loaded with features that work well no matter what phone you own. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/kgVO6Bs via IFTTT

I visited iRobot’s headquarters outside of Boston a handful of times in the 2010s, back when its status as the world’s preeminent consumer-robotics company seemed untouchable. The lobby had a display case filled with the groundbreaking robots that its engineers had brought to life. Of course, the collection included a handful of Roombas, the puck-shaped vacuum cleaners that were arguably the defining robots of the early 21st century, along with other bots built for household upkeep, such as gutter cleaners, pool trawlers, and mops. Also displayed were robots used for bomb disposal in Iraq and Afghanistan and for search-and-rescue missions at Fukushima and after 9/11, plus early versions of a space rover that eventually made it to Mars. Today, iRobot’s roster is down to just the Roomba, and judging from a recent SEC filing , the company might not survive through the end of the year. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/Z3Hl5QN via IFTTT

A road trip is an adventure. It doesn’t matter how far you go. But all adventures require a little planning (and one or two backup plans, in case things go sideways). Our original trip, in 2016, included 60 hours of researching and testing gear to take on the open road. We packed all of our top contenders into a Honda Fit EX and headed out on a four-day jaunt to determine what’s nice to have, what’s great, and what’s absolutely essential for your next road trip. In 2020 we added a few items to help you adhere to safe-travel guidelines, and as those things will always come in handy during flu and cold season, we’re keeping them in the guide. We’ve also added several selections to take on challenging winter car trips. After traveling for 1,500 miles, through four states and six national parks, we think we have a good grasp on what makes an excellent road trip. In addition to performing our own research and testing, we consulted with half a dozen engineers, mechanics, and other expert...

Between the ages of 9 and 12, children start to outgrow their little-kid personas and move on to increasingly grown-up interests. Tweens are often developing first crushes (awww), taking an interest in their appearance, following online personalities, and growing more independent. But they also still harbor a fondness for things that are silly and fun. Tweens “present like they’re mature, but they still like kid stuff,” says Catherine Pearlman , a parenting adviser and author, and a mother of two teenagers. “They’re a mix of wanting to be grown up and thinking they can handle everything, but also still learning.” To compile this list of great gifts for tweens, I enlisted my own three kids to experiment with room accessories, taste-test ice cream, and pamper themselves with beauty masks (that also made them look like llamas and mermaids). My daughter, her friends, and one patient teacher gamely compared five kinds of hair chalk — because what better way to style your hair than like R...

Here’s the secret: There is no perfect gym bag. Many bags sold as “gym bags” are indistinguishable from any duffel bag or tote. And almost any kind of bag will work as a gym bag in a pinch. A good gym bag, however, brings fresh clothes to a workout and takes wet gear home again without making everything a fragrant swamp. After researching hundreds of gym bags—traditional gym bags and others—and testing more than 40, we’ve found four bags for a range of gym goers and situations. We found one pick that should last a lifetime. We also chose a backpack for commuters , a casual water-resistant duffel , and a simple tote organized for a gym , plus a roll-top dry bag for separating out sweaty gear within your gym bag. If these choices aren’t what you’re looking for, check out our picks for duffel bags , laptop backpacks , and totes . from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/diMkO3Z via IFTTT

If you’ll excuse the pun, touchscreen gloves can be a handy addition to any winter arsenal. Although no pair is likely to keep your digits quite as toasty as regular gloves—or let you type as well as you would with bare fingers—a good pair successfully prevents your hands from getting too cold while you dash off a text, rather than a “txtjnZ.” We’ve tested 80 models and found that the knit Moshi Digits Touchscreen Gloves 2.0 were the warmest and performed the most accurately in typing tests; plus, they comfortably fit a wide range of hand sizes. We also recommend a pair of fleece liner gloves , lightweight gloves for better dexterity , and—if you prefer a different look and feel—two classic and stylish leather options. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/upUhIMe via IFTTT

The humble bath towel is easy to overlook. A good one will dry you off and be forgotten till tomorrow. A great one is luxurious, a cozy bright spot in an otherwise mundane routine. We’ve researched hundreds of towels and tested dozens, and we’ve recommended the Frontgate Resort Collection Bath Towel since 2017 because it’s the softest, warmest, and most durable we’ve found. If plush terry isn’t for you, we also have other options. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/apC9oKU via IFTTT

Life is too short to struggle with peeling potatoes or carrots. It’s worth the minimal investment to get a great vegetable peeler. After more than a decade using the Kuhn Rikon Original Swiss Peeler and the OXO Good Grips Pro Swivel Peeler , we’ve found that both tackle a range of vegetables and fruits far better than other models. We recommend getting the one that suits your peeling style better. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/Hnha8Tu via IFTTT