With the help of the Mountain Mover shovel, the two of us, taking turns with it, cleared the entire 12-by-5-foot deck in a couple of hours. I’m not exactly sure how the physics of it works, but the curved handle made the scooping-and-tossing-snow-over-the-railing motion far easier than I remember shoveling being when I was a…

Rozette Rago/NYT Wirecutter Top pick With good range, adjustability, and a track record of durability, the metal-bottom Melnor XT42500M is a more reliable and easy-to-use oscillating sprinkler than its competitors. If you want a sprinkler with plenty of efficient features that will last long enough for you to make good use of them, we think…

Michael Hession/NYT Wirecutter Top pick With its extensive journaling features, apps for every major platform, deep integrations, and a generous free plan, this app is the best way for most people to keep a digital diary. Day One is the best journaling app for most people. It works on every device, and it includes every…

Double-cleansing refers to the practice of using two different facial cleansers, back-to-back. The first cleanser is some type of makeup remover that will melt off makeup or water-resistant sunscreen, like an oil-based cleanser or a micellar water. And the second type is a water-based face wash to cleanse the skin. This is not a new…

Jennifer Hunter/NYT Wirecutter This brush works on wet or dry hair, and the flexible bristles tame knots without tears. Despite the fine, soft texture of my daughter’s hair, the first baby brush I bought for her barely smoothed the surface and did nothing to detangle the layers underneath. Instead, I found myself reaching for my…

Just slightly larger than a standard Sharpie marker, the ThruNite Archer 2A V3 fits comfortably in my hand and has four brightness levels: high, medium, low, and a soft, yellowish glow called firefly. It also has an emergency strobe light. I like having options. I don’t need a searing beacon to find my way to…

Water is wonderful, and it gives life to so many things—including whatever microscopic organisms already exist in your home. Biofilms can do good things for the human body, but left to fester in a tank of standing water, they can also cultivate some really unpleasant forms of mold and bacteria. That means, yes, your humidifier…

While most thermometers provide an accurate body temperature reading, the best ones are also fast and easy to read — so you can quickly figure out what to do if you or a member of your household may be sick. We’ve tested over 30 different thermometers since 2016, and through all this time, the reliable…