Wānaka: Your South Island base

Some of the backpacks we’ve tested are no longer sold. The following are the models that are still available. The 8-liter Deuter Kikki is cute and well made. It has contoured shoulder straps and two sturdy, mesh-free water bottle pockets. But it’s suitable only for preschoolers, and it fits their lunch, at most. The Fjällräven…

Many people probably don’t think much about their winter boots — until suddenly, they’re stuck trudging through a snowstorm, their socks soggy and toes frozen. Don’t let that be you. We can help. For starters, the picks in our guide to the best winter boots will keep you warm, dry, and on your feet as…

The Breez is certainly a well-made gadget. But does it actually function well as both a fan and a white noise machine? One important thing worth noting is that most room fans technically don’t produce white noise. Many people, myself included, tend to use the phrase “white noise” as a sort of catch-all term for…

An everyday pan plus a spatula (pick a set) Photo: Michael Murtaugh Top pick This classic cast-iron pan is suitable for searing, deep-frying, baking, and whatever else you might try with it. This spatula flips burgers, pancakes, and veggies handily, and it scrapes up gunk nicely when you’re done. A great cast-iron skillet is the…

We tested various trackers (many of which are shown above) against one another to see which ones worked best. Mel Plaut/NYT Wirecutter The most important thing a tracker does is help you find a lost pet. So we prioritized location accuracy and connection speed over all other features. Many of the devices we tested also…