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Showing posts with the label IFTTT

The Best Bean Bag Chairs

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When I was young, my favorite seat in the house was a cherry-red pleather bean bag that left a trail of tiny white beads everywhere I dragged it. My Tennessee bedroom lacked air conditioning, and I can still feel the seat’s surface peeling away from the backs of my thighs, like a Fruit Roll-Up, every time I stood. I would lounge in the bag next to a window, sunlight streaming in and illuminating all of the dust particles floating through the air around me. I spent who knows how long pretending that each mote was a tiny planet as I drifted through outer space in my ship. Considering that some adults are now willing to pay thousands for a luxury beanbag , I don't think I'm the only one with an emotional attachment to these squishy seats that create an ideal spot for reading, scrolling, or simply daydreaming. There are plenty of inexpensive options out there. But in our testing, we learned that price often matters greatly when it comes to bean bags, especiall...

The Best Headlamp

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Whether you’re headed into the backcountry or just taking your dog on a nighttime walk, with a good headlamp you’ll never be caught in the dark. We’ve been testing headlamps since 2012, and after subjecting them to years of late-night hikes, evening runs, and stargazing sessions, we still think the Black Diamond Spot (the current version being the Spot 400 ) is the best headlamp. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/k6CprvH via IFTTT

22 Gag Gifts (That They Might Actually Use)

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For people who are anti-junk — pretty much everyone at Wirecutter — gag gifts can be a tricky proposition. They are undeniably fun, and they’re perfect for certain situations (white elephant or Secret Santa parties) and for certain people (your jokey uncle, curmudgeonly brother, or Michael Scott–like boss). Yet they can also be one-trick wonders with the staying power of an ice cream cone on a hot day. We checked our site, searched the vast internet, and asked our favorite funny friends for gag-gift ideas that your recipients might actually use or at least enjoy beyond the initial laugh. And they do exist. There are playful puzzles for the jigsaw-inclined, funny phones for those who love a sight gag, random planters for pop-culture pros, and, yes, good old-fashioned potty-humor gifts . If you’re looking for other funny, inexpensive, clever, or universal gifts, check out our guides to white elephant gifts , Secret Santa gifts , and the best gifts under $25 . ...

The Best Digital Photo Frame

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A digital photo frame lets you easily display images — including beautiful travel shots and family photos — anywhere you can find an outlet, and it allows you to add new ones from any location. Whether you’re giving a frame as a gift and plan to upload photos remotely or you just want a great frame for yourself, the Aura Carver is the best frame we’ve used. Its 10.1-inch display is sharp, bright, and vivid, and in our tests it was simple to set up. It has a good-looking, horizontally oriented design for landscape photos but can also fill the frame with side-by-side portraits. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/JugDxz4 via IFTTT

Meta Just Made a Cheaper, Smaller Apple Vision Pro That Might Make You Want to Try VR

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Meta’s new VR glasses, which will go on sale in 2027, are much smaller and lighter than the Meta Quest headset. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/k5aoiYt via IFTTT

Could a Month of Digital Detox Finally Break My Family’s Bad Phone Habits?

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My kids will tell you I ruined their lives. They’ll tell you it was useless torture. There were no silver linings. The whole thing — all of it — was a complete waste of time and energy. They’re wrong. Our monthlong digital detox was one of the best things we’ve ever done as a family. From my perspective, it was enriching, challenging, character-building, cup-filling, soul-nourishing, and lots of other adjectives adults use. It was truly one of the best ideas I’ve had in a long time, and I am so grateful that we did it as a family. (But if my kids call me an unc one more time, I’ll put them on dishwasher-loading duty for a month.) My family of four had phone habits that seemed problematically out of balance. Especially me — by being constantly connected, I was disconnected from actual, physical, tactile thing s. I would go to bed scrolling, sometimes for hours, then wake up in the morning and immediately pick up my phone again. I knew we needed a reset, and I knew ...

The Best Parental Control Apps to Manage Screen Time (and Keep Your Kid Safer Online)

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Parental controls allow adults to set limits on their child’s smartphone use, and they serve as “training wheels” to help kids and teens build healthy tech habits. After testing 14 parental-control options on both iOS and Android devices, using them to manage our kids’ daily screen time, we’re confident that Apple’s Screen Time is the best option for iOS households, while Google Family Link is best for Android households with kids under 13. Qustodio is the better choice for Android households with children 13 and older, or if you’re looking for additional features such as setting more than two screen-time schedules. If you want notifications and closer monitoring of your child’s iPhone, we also have additional options. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/Ea9xZsv via IFTTT

Leasing an iPhone Is Actually a Good Deal

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iPhones have never been more expensive. We looked at the financing and leasing options, and we have advice on how to navigate them. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/UG8PfET via IFTTT

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/bq7pyIP via IFTTT

The Best Insulated Vest

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When you want to add a little more warmth but are seeking greater freedom of movement than a jacket allows, a vest is the perfect cozy addition. To find the best insulated vest to keep you warm on your most active days, we sent 24 adventurers with 35 vests to nine states and two countries. After all of those adventures, we’ve determined that the Patagonia Down Sweater Vest ( men’s and women’s ) is the best down vest both for technical performance and for everyday commuter or office use. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/PxqFJGb via IFTTT

Apple Has New Parental Controls for Your Kid’s iPhone. Here Are the 6 Settings to Know About.

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Apple’s latest software update adds more comprehensive tools for parents to choose what their kids do and don’t see. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/lNphxcM via IFTTT

The Best USB Microphones

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As more people become content creators — whether for gaming, podcasting, or music recording — the cheap microphones built into laptops no longer cut it. A USB microphone can dramatically improve the quality of the sounds you record, and it usually requires nothing more than a single connection to your computer. The Sennheiser Profile is the best all-purpose USB microphone because it sounds good, it’s solidly built, and it’s easy to use. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/6LErbFD via IFTTT

The Best Eyelash Curler

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Some inventions have evolved so much that they no longer bear even a passing resemblance to the originals. As a preschooler, my daughter was given a smiley-faced Fisher-Price Retro Chatter Phone and immediately wondered aloud, “What kind of animal is she?” But almost 100 years after the eyelash curler was invented, it still looks very much like it did under its original patent . (In fact, this is your grandma’s eyelash curler.) And this is a testament to how well eyelash curlers actually work. A quick squeeze of the tool gently curls lashes, fanning them up and out and making eyes look bigger (whether you wear mascara or not). Since we first published this guide in 2014, our testers have clamped, pressed, and curled (and sometimes painfully pinched) their way through 25 contenders. While most of those options look very much alike and perform similarly, there are a few exceptional options that work well with the majority of eye shapes and lash types. We found two ...

The Best Portable Vaporizer

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The best cannabis vaporizer is the one you’ll prefer to reach for instead of smoking. So it should be easy to use both at home and while you’re out. And it should produce pleasing vapors that are true to the qualities of the cannabis you’re consuming. We’ve tested 25 portable vaporizers since 2016. We’re confident that the Planet of the Vapes Lobo will suit new and seasoned cannabis users alike. It provides an easy vaporizing experience from start to finish — consistently and evenly heating cannabis to produce smooth and tasty vapors — and is remarkably easy to clean. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/VpWJUTR via IFTTT

7 Offline Games We Love for Camping (That Are Also Great for the Backyard)

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Growing up mostly as an indoor kid, I found playing board games at the kitchen table more enjoyable than sleeping outside in the soupy heat of Central Florida. Not until I reached adulthood and ultimately moved to Colorado did I appreciate the appeal of spending time with friends and loved ones outside of climate-controlled rooms. But even then, I didn’t want to leave my games behind. As Wirecutter’s resident games expert, I’ve naturally found ways to introduce my nerdy hobbies to my new outdoorsy friend group. Here are the games I recommend, whether you’re headed to the backcountry or a casual park picnic. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/UKCfYv7 via IFTTT

Doing Your Family’s Laundry Is a Drag. Here’s How Wirecutter Parents Make It Less Miserable.

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Here’s what Wirecutter parents do to make that dreaded pile of laundry more manageable, from mastering pretreating to doing a small, practical load each day. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/2bBWRc3 via IFTTT

The Best Air Fryer Toaster Oven

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For all the popularity of pod-shaped air fryers , we've always found that convection toaster ovens, which use the same technology, can cook a wider variety of foods more evenly, if a little more slowly. But now, more companies are offering the best of both worlds in “air fryer toaster ovens,” amped-up convection toaster ovens with extra-powerful fans that produce crispy results in a shorter time. After testing dozens of models, we’ve concluded that the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is the only one that’s both an excellent air fryer and an excellent toaster oven — but it’s pricey. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/GaqxP0w via IFTTT

The Best Instant Coffee

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There’s a reason instant coffee gets such a bad rap: It usually tastes terrible. Although it’s probably not the ideal choice for your morning cup of joe, instant coffee can be a saving grace when access to fresh-brewed coffee isn’t an option. Now that more and more specialty coffee roasters are selling instant coffee, we’ve found it’s not always as bad as it used to be — in fact, we dare say it can be pretty good. In an effort to find the best instant coffee, we’ve tasted options from 19 popular brands. Considering that the bar is pretty low for instant coffee, we were surprised to find how much of a difference there was between each brand — some smelled and tasted pretty close to freshly brewed coffee, with subtle notes of chocolate or fruit, but others reeked of burnt rubber and tasted bitter, sour, or flat. Here are our favorites. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/TiYgHhK via IFTTT

The Best Bluetooth and Wireless Keyboards

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A great wireless keyboard can reduce clutter on your desk and help you type faster and more comfortably — on your computer as well as on your tablet, your phone, or even your TV. After testing more than 100 wireless and Bluetooth keyboards over the years, we’ve found the Logitech Pop Icon Keys to be the best wireless keyboard because it’s enjoyable to type on, it’s versatile, and it has years-long battery life. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/KBLubHz via IFTTT

The Best Soundbar

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Adding a soundbar is the easiest, most affordable way to get a cinematic sound experience at home, and the enveloping, movie-theater-style sound of the Vizio Elevate 7.1.4 Pro makes it our favorite all-purpose choice. We also have additional picks that suit different budgets and performance priorities. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/HVWGaYM via IFTTT